Collaboration between Major Ursa as Knox Kowalski and I as Dr. Faye Stevenson

*~*~*

Faye entered the hospital entrance, carrying the box of candles with her. She figured that the other doctors would be celebrating their fundraising success in the breakroom. However, she decided to set the heavy box down and catch her breath for a moment. She set the box down on the floor gently and took a moment to breathe.

Knox had been at the end of the hall, when he noticed Faye carrying a rather hefty (for the woman’s size) looking box. Pausing out of surprise for only a moment, he did a slight jog on over, “Do you need help with that?”

Gesturing a hand to the box, and giving the doctor a querying look, brow slightly raised…the security guard anticipated the situation going either way, but he wasn't going to take no for an answer on this “Just let me know if the contents are fragile or sensitive materials, I can carry them at a more careful pace.”

Faye looked to Knox when he jogged over and she said "Oh! Mr. Kowalski. Thank you for the offer, but you don't have to if you're too busy," 
When he mentioned the contents, she answered "I don't think candles would be that fragile,"

His brow furrowed in confusion, before speaking to her in a rather stern tone, “There is a proper explanation for this, I assume? Candles are a fire hazard in this high oxygen ventilated hospital environment, and we also have a policy against anything scented…”

Faye slumped her shoulders at his reminder. She reassured him, "I'm not going to make or allow people to light candles in the hospital, and these are not scented," She explained, "I volunteered to help the nuns sell candles. They have to sell a thousand of them by tonight, and so far, they haven't sold any," She then grumbled bitterly "I wouldn't doubt it if Mr. Gold had something to do with why they have to sell so many candles," 

Hearing of Mr Gold, Knox could only just nod. One of the few people who didn’t owe Mr Gold in some way, the security guard did well to avoid the man entirely...till over one week ago, and that report sent in…something nagged at him that either the report was put on the back burner, or had gotten lost. He would just have to make a duplicate to send in, again.
 
Staring down at the box—he had a brand new LED flashlight, candles would be a hell of a step down. Letting out a long sigh, there was little hesitation--doubt in his mind, “How much for this box?”

Faye blinked rapidly at his question and she did a double take in surprise. She answered in slight shock, "The-The entire box? That would be a hundred and eighty dollars. Five dollars per candle, and there are thirty six in there..." 

Not taking his time in this transaction, the security guard pulled out his wallet and started pulling out a number of twenties and ones. Holding the cash securely in his hand, Knox looked at Dr Stevenson and responded to her apparent surprise with a rather wry expression, finally speaking up after a moment with a rather dry tone, “Why the astonishment, Dr Stevenson?”

Dr. Stevenson answered, her astonishment was being replaced by happiness, "I'm just pleasantly surprised, Mr. Kowalski. This is very generous of you. Thank you! I'm sure the nuns would be very happy,"

His stiff exterior relaxed to a more relieved one. Ah, might as well. Pulling yet another two twenties out, handing over the new sum of cash, “The additional forty is for your fundraising.” And now…now Knox had a full box of candles to manage. As much as this creeping, impulsive and less caring part of him wanted to just stick the box under his security office desk to use as a foot stool, there was still the proposed fire hazard that he himself had brought up.
 
Easily hefting up the box of candles, the security guard gave a less stiff nod to Dr Stevenson, after she mentioned the gratitude of the nuns, “No problem, this is for a good cause.” This was going to be something interesting to bring home (and shove into the garage, maybe leave one out).

Dr. Stevenson nodded and said to him gratefully, accepting the extra forty for her fundraising, "Thank you again, Mr. Kowalski. I'll see you later," She then walked out of the hospital, heading for the nunnery to pick up more candles to sell. As she walked there, she pulled out her phone and texted Henry.

"[i]Sold 36 candles! Heading to nunnery to pick up more to sell. -Faye[/i]"

She sent the text and kept on walking as she put her phone back into her purse.