--Bertha Oneshots--

Dreaming Time Away

-SHORT-

It is a busy day in Spottiswood - the type of busy that gets you back on your feet in a rapid pace over and over. Bertha was finishing a new order of colourful blankets. These were on high demand, especially with the cold winter coming so suddenly (and of course the higher the demand, the more copies the workers have to make).

Each of the floor workers had to work more efficiently and hastily to keep up with the running orders, so you could imagine how excessive it was for them. Ted had to keep a close eye on his young assistant as well and teach him as well as operating Bertha at the same time. Ted gritted his teeth with the extreme workload he had to do. His muscles felt like collapsing under all that expectancy of him. Surely Ted can manage with the spare tasks, but he was also begging at the clock for their break to arrive soon.

After possibly a thousand blankets made, lunch hour came at last. Though in the canteen, Ted had no appetite and the thought of eating was troublesome for his stomach. He decided it would be best to have a cup of tea. A cup of tea would bring out this warm and calm aura, something Ted though he might need- if only it wasn't accidentally spilled on his shirt when it arrived! He gave a huff as he rubbed his handkerchief on the shirt to get rid of the stain.

Mrs Tupp took notice of the agitation and walked up to him concerned. "Ted," she said, making Ted turn to her direction. "I think all that work is bothering you." Ted shook his head "No, I like having tasks to do. It keeps me on my feet." Ted assured the tea lady. "I'll be fine." He tried to walk out but Mrs Tupp isn't so convinced, "Well at least have some rest before the end of lunch hour." she advised him. Ted paid attention to the advice and went straight back to the big machine. Mrs Tupp looked at the mug he left behind. "He didn't even drink the tea!" she sighed.

Ted was back next to Bertha thinking what the tea lady had said. She was right saying that he needed to calm down, but what can he do? He wandered around the back of the big machine, being careful about getting spotted by the other factory floor workers. Who knows how they will react. It took a moment for Ted to realise that one of the floor workers was not there - Roy. Concerned, he went out in search for the young apprentice. Ted knew that the lad sometimes preferred to be alone but at the same time, he is curious about what he actually does in his spare time.

In the dispatch department, Ted still can't find Roy. It was just boxes, boxes and more boxes stacked up in rows and columns, almost like a maze. Ted didn't think the young lad would be in such a confusing part of the factory so he backed up near one of the stacked crates. He immediately started walking again, realising that there is quiet part of the factory that the young lad would sometimes go to calm down. Roy might be there!

The little area was used to store up orders like the dispatch department. It is known to be one of the most silent places in the factory since it was only used when needed. Ted noticed the sudden silent aura already as soon as he walked closer to it. It made him focus more on searching the young apprentice. Then he spotted him.

Roy was laying in a somewhat still position on top of a few empty boxes. Ted ran up to him, worried that Roy might be ill, but he soon noticed that the lad is just having a soft slumber. He was breathing at a steady pace repetitively as Ted smiled from a distance, giving the younger one space to sleep. Roy is known to do this when he feels like he has no other tasks to do or is in need of time alone. Of course the others respect that.

"I have no idea how you could sleep on top of all that Roy." he laughed silently, trying not to wake him up. He sat down on one of the crates on the other side of the room "...Maybe.." Ted reclined back, trying to find to find a good position. It wasn't particularly easy, especially since it was not a mattress nor an actual bed.  Ted eventually started to be more comfortable. Though it visually looked awkward, it was the only position that would work for him. He yawned a bit as he positioned his head back on one of the crates behind him. Soon, he was having his own dreams.

Meanwhile on the factory floor, Nell and Flo were worried. It was almost the end of their lunch hour but Ted and Roy haven't arrived back yet. Who would operate Bertha? "Where could they have run off to?" Nell wondered. With a few blankets in the air, TOM zoomed past the pair without giving them a little 'hello'. "Why is TOM carrying blankets to the dispatch department? They haven't even been put into boxes yet." Flo asked Nell, "I don't know," Nell replied, "But I think we should follow him to see why he is bringing them there."

Nell and Flo quickly followed TOM's speed as they reached from room to room. As soon as they arrived to the location they see TOM laying a blanket on a heaping pile of other blankets. Confused, Nell went up to the blankets and found a person sleeping under them like a reversed sleeping beauty. Flo found another person under blankets too.

Nell open her mouth as she recognised the sleeper, "That's Ted!" she exclaimed silently to Flo who was removing the blankets off Roy. "I didn't know Ted liked to take a nap during lunch hour." "We should wake them up, Nell." Flo suggested. Nell shook her head gently, "I think we should give them a few more minutes of sleep Flo. Besides, Ted was acting strange this morning." Flo agreed. And so did Ted, who really needed it.