Valerie, wake up!

Valerie was blissfully asleep. A gentle touch tried to stir her awake, but she ignored it. She turned over, away from the direction of the nudge.

"Valerie", a familiar voice whispered. "If you don't wake up right this instant, I'm going to have to carry you out of here."

She ignored the noise. She was comfortable, and there was no other place she would rather be right now.

Suddenly, she felt strong arms go underneath her body and lift her up, princess style. Her eyes jerked open, and she let out a surprised squeal. She looked up, only to find it was Hawk. How had he entered their bedroom? Iris was sound asleep, and she would always lock her door securely no matter what.

That question, however, became less important when she remembered that she still was completely nude. Hawk could look down and see her in all her glory. She turned red as she helplessly tried to struggle free from his clutches. She was still too feeble from her hangover. Instead, she had to resign herself to be seen as Hawk carried her into the kitchen.

"Hawk," she protested. "I can't even move. How can I go on a mission like this?"

Hawk laid her to rest on the kitchen counter. Valerie felt the cold marble of the countertop and shivered. Naked and helpless, she felt like she was on display. Hawk could do anything he wanted to her at this moment. However, instead of taking advantage of her, he simply smiled and produced a thermos flask from his backpack.

"Nonsense," he said, smiling gently. "Drink this. It's a special smoothie I use to treat hangovers. You'll be up and about in ten minutes."

Valerie let him prop her up and put the flask to her lips. She gulped the entire thing down. It tasted like salty lemonade with a bunch of herbs mixed in. She wasn't a fan of the taste, but appreciated the hydration. Within a few minutes, she already felt better, and drank some more water as she felt the energy return in her limbs.

Valerie wasn't at her sharpest, and chose to gingerly sit up on the counter. She crossed her legs and put one arm across her chest while holding the cup, trying to preserve her modesty while acting she wasn't too bothered. "How did you get in?" she finally asked him, her voice returning.

"The door was locked, but the window was open," he winked. "Turns out, the same grappling hook I use on field missions also works on the..."

"Hawk!" cried Iris from the other room, interrupting him. "My car is still at the club. Can you get someone to drive it back, please?"

"Tell you what," Hawk replied as he jumped into action. "I'll get it back myself. I'll be back in just under an hour. Valerie, you get showered and dressed for the mission and meet me in the car park."

With that, he left the apartment - through the door this time. He was in such a hurry that Valerie didn't get a chance to explain to him that while she could shower, she had nothing to dress herself in.

With a sense of dread, Valerie stepped into the bathroom and began to make herself presentable. She wondered what would happen when she met Hawk downstairs.

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