Merlin hadn't watched most of it. He'd seen a thousand open mics by now, and he'd see a thousand more. He sat in his office and did paperwork instead, a small TV with a security camera feed from the bar placed nearby.
With a tired sigh, he dropped his pen and ran his hands back through his hair, and his eyes were drawn to the camera, and then he squinted his eyes and shoved back his chair. The office door slammed shut behind him.
"You little minx!" he exclaimed, as he strode through the crowd around the bar towards Thalia, with her sweet familiar face and bright smile. He clasped her shoulders and kissed her on each cheek. "You didn't tell me you were coming! I've been waiting!"