Ruby Redfort: Don't Look Around

Chapter 1: Baker From The Dead, Take 2

(I'm sorry for the title pun. I had to.)

"Baker?"

"In the flesh." He grinned.

Ruby, for once in her life was speechless. She was just so ecstatic but this had to be a dream because people don't come back from the dead once, let alone twice.

Still struggling for words, Ruby just reached out and hugged him tightly. Baker put his arms around her petite frame and squeezed her shoulders.

"I saw you die," Ruby whispered. "You were dead as anything, you were dying and I couldn't save you."

Baker took a second to reply.

"This time, I actually was dead, and was still dead up until about 8 AM this very morning."

"How?" Ruby questioned.

Rarely was Ruby confused, but this was the most ignorant by far she had ever felt.

SJ swivelled around on her chair.

"What Baker is trying, and failing, to explain is that after his death, I preserved his body to run tests on him - LB gave me permission to. But this morning right during my breakfast-"

"Why were you eating in the lab?" LB asked.

"Sorry about that. I would like to say it's never happened before, but it does happen pretty much every day. So anyway, while eating my toasted cheese and ham bagel, Baker starts twitching and stuff. I touched his body and he was warm - alive warm. I hooked him up to a heart monitor, and what do you know - he has a regular pulse, if a little speedy. I obviously panic and send an urgent message to LB to get there pronto. She comes in, and when she grabs his hands, his eyes open on reflex."

"And that's when I kiss her," Baker grins.

"But you don't know for sure what experiment resurrected Baker?" Asked Ruby.

"No clue."

"What experiments were they?"

"The effects of... substances on the skin, hence the odd burns on his arm."

"Has is harmed him?" Ruby questioned.

"I am here you know," Baker stood up, stretching his arms upwards.

"Did it harm you?" Ruby asked again.

"Nope. I'm fit as a fiddle and have all my memories intact as a bonus."

"All of them?"

"Yes all of them."

Baker bent down as if to sit on the chair again, but instead, he got into a crouching position.

One one knee.

Holy banana milk, Ruby thought, he isn't. Is he?

"Loveday Byrd Uggerlimb. I know I've already proposed to you, but that was so long ago. But I still love you with everything I am. Would you do me the honour of making me your husband?" said Baker, wiping a lone tear that rolled down his cheek.

LB just nodded, for once in her life utterly speechless.