Fire & Ice By: Demonheart (JJ)

"So tell me about her." David requested as they dropped down onto his couch.

"Stephanie you mean?" Lauren questioned.

David nodded and handed Lauren the coffee he'd made for her.

"Where do I begin?" Lauren laughed.

She held her mug between her hands, pressed the rim lightly against her lips and closed her eyes while she inhaled the rich aroma of the coffee. She turned in her seat and swung her legs up so her feet rested in David's lap. He turned in his seat to face her and smiled softly while he waited for her to speak.

"She's a beautiful little girl. She's got my eyes and Nick's black straight hair. She very precocious, well ahead of her years. She's not in the least bit shy and will tell you if she likes you or not without pussyfooting around. People who meet her think she's a lot older than four and some have even called her cheeky. I think you'll like her." Lauren opened her eyes to smile at David. "I think she should have been born a boy though." Lauren laughed.

"Why?"

"Because she's a real tomboy. Pink, frills and all that fluff are not for Stephanie." Lauren giggled before continuing.

"I remember the last time I was allowed to see her, Nick was in a right state because he couldn't find her. He was running around the house, holding this very frilly, very pink dress in his hand as he did so. He told me he wanted her to wear the dress so that she looked like a little girl for once. She's usually dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and can normally be found kicking a football around with the little boy who lives next, if she's not there she'll be in the games room of Nick's house playing on a PS2 or on one of the pinball machines."

Lauren paused to take a sip of coffee. "Anyway, I spent the next half an hour helping him look for her, until I stopped to think for a moment. I went outside and looked up into the oak tree that's been planted at the side of the driveway and there she was, sitting in the branches looking through the window of her bedroom, watching Nick turn her wardrobes inside out and tipping the bed over looking for her."

Lauren paused again, this time to laugh as visions of that day replayed in her mind.

"I shouted her name and her little eyes lit up when she saw me waiting for her. She was out of that tree and in my arms in seconds begging me to take her with me when I left. Telling me that Nick had a new girlfriend that she didn't like very much. I think she was just about to tell me something else, because she had tears in her eyes, when Nick suddenly appeared by my side, still with the dress in his hand and she stopped talking. He shook his head and smiled at her trying to get her to put the dress on but she refused to wear it. Nick eventually gave in to her and allowed her to keep to her clothes on."

"She sounds great." David laughed. "How do you think Franky will react when you tell her?"

Lauren grimmaced and looked at him sheepishly. "I'll probably get one hell of a telling off for not telling her sooner. She knows there's something bothering me but isn't pushing as hard as she normally does for me to tell what it is." Lauren yawned.

"She can probably see how much it's upsetting you and doesn't want to hurt you." David smiled and gently pushed her legs from his lap. "Come on young lady time for bed." He whispered as he took her hands in his and pulled her gently up from the couch.

Lauren gasped and pulled her hands away . "I told you, I'm not quite ready to go that far yet David." She shook head and closed her eyes.

David laughed. "I didn't mean like that. I meant you can use the spare room." He smiled as he watched her blush bright red.

Lauren looked at her watch. Even if David drove her home she wasn't going to get to bed much before 2:00am and she had work in the morning. She nodded and took the hand David offered. She smiled up at him as he lead her upstairs and ushered her into the spare room.

"What time do you need to get up?" David asked after he'd released her from a deep kiss.

"8:00am." Lauren shrugged.

"Ok. I'll set the alarm." David nodded. "Goodnight Lauren." He smiled as he walked down the hallway backwards to his own room.

"Goodnight David." Lauren replied with a gentle nod and a soft smile as she slowly pushed the door almost closed.

David made his way into his bedroom and sighed happily as he started to remove his clothes. He'd just taken his shirt, shoes and socks off when he realised he hadn't locked the house up for the night. He quickly ran downstairs, firmly locked both doors then made his way back upstairs. He paused when he saw that the light was still on in the spare room. He pushed the door open to see Lauren lying fast asleep on top of the bed dressed in just her t-shirt and underwear. He approached the bed, covered Lauren with a blanket and kissed her gently on the forehead as he whispered goodnight again. He turned away and took a couple of strides towards the door when he heard her talk in her sleep.

"I love you too Lauren." He whispered as he left the room and pulled the door shut behind him.

He made his way to the bathroom, did what he needed to do, washed his hands and brushed his teeth before returning to his room. He set the alarm, finished undressing and slipped between the covers. He lay there for a few moments wishing that Lauren was there beside him, but she'd already told him that she wasn't quite ready to take that step and he was fine with that. He wasn't going to push it, especially now he knew about Stephanie and how hurt she'd been by what she'd been forced to do.

"I hope I never meet Nick's mother." He huffed quietly with his eyes closed and head shaking.

He turned over to face the middle of the bed and thought only of Lauren as he quickly fell asleep.

____________


It had been warm and dry when they had left the nightclub and while they strolled through the town eating their pizza. Carlos had just dumped the empty box into a nearby bin when the heavens opened and it started to rain quite heavily. They tried several times to hail a taxi, only for them to speed passed them obviously full of passengers. Carlos cursed out loud when one splashed through a large puddle soaking both him and Karen.

"We could always run through the park to your place." Karen suggested.

"But you can't run in those shoes." Carlos shook his head while removed his jacket and wrapped it around Karen's shoulders. "I have yet to meet a woman that can run in high heels."

Karen laughed as she looked at him. "Guess you've finally met her then." She informed as she grabbed his hand and pulled him across the road at a full run. "I can dance in them, it's not really that much different." She shrugged while they ran through the entrance to the park.

The park was a large one with several paths leading you off in all different directions. Carlos had told Karen he lived near it earlier in the evening and she immediately knew which path she needed to take. As Summer was fast approaching the park was kept open until the very early hours of the morning.

Before they could catch their breaths they were standing outside the front door to Carlos's house, both of them soaking wet with Carlos's shirt clinging to every detail of his upper body. Karen licked her lips lightly and blushed a little when she looked at him. He found his keys and had just raised his hand to unlock the door when it swung open by itself.

"What the......?" Carlos exclaimed while he examined the door. "I locked this. I know I locked this."

He stepped across the threshold and immediately starting yelling at the top of his voice.

"No. Stay there." He instructed Karen as she moved to enter. "They could still be here."

Karen gasped at what she could see from the doorway. Lounge furniture had been tipped over, drawers had been removed from whatever piece of furniture they were meant to be in and the contents had been tipped onto the floor. The French window at the far end of the room was smashed. Pictures and photographs had been knocked from the wall and the glass in those was also smashed. She bit her lip when she heard Carlos fuming in his native tongue over what had been done to his home.

They both startled when they heard noises coming from upstairs.

"Stay there." Carlos instructed again as he took the stairs two by two.

Karen listened carefully to what was being said.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" She heard Carlos questioning loudly.

"Get off me." She heard a young male voice yelling.

"When you tell me why you have done this." Carlos informed whilst growing ever more angry.

She almost flew into the house when she heard a loud thud above her. Not knowing what had happened she stayed where she was until she heard the sound of fast footsteps on the stairs.

"Do you think we killed him?" She heard one voice question as two tall figures flew passed her, seemingly without seeing her.

She couldn't see the details of their faces because they were both wearing dark coloured hooded sweatshirts that they pulled over most of their faces. The rest of their clothing was also dark and she noticed that they both wore gloves.

"I don't think so. I don't think you hit him hard enough." The other replied with a headshake and a laugh before they disappeared into the night.

Karen entered the house and found the stairs quickly. She startled again when she heard movement and moaning from upstairs just as she started to climb. She gasped when she saw Carlos swaying from side to side as he started to descend the stairs and holding the right side of his neck and shoulder.

"Carlos!" She yelled, watching him slip down several stairs before managing to regain his footing. "What happened? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Carlos nodded. "One of them hit me with something and knocked me to the floor."

"I'll call the police." Karen informed while Carlos lowered himself down to sit on second to last stair. "Let me see?" She requested as she pulled his hand away from his head.

She searched quickly through his hair sighed with relief when she found no cuts but he did appear to have a lump starting form where he had been hit. She called the emergency services and told him to be quiet when he complained about her asking for an ambulance too.

"Do you want me to call Urs and David?" Karen asked once she'd returned from the kitchen with a clean cloth wrapped around the small amount of ice she'd managed to find in his freezer.

Carlos winced then shook his head once she'd put the ice-pack in place. "No. It is nothing serious."

He shook his head one more time at the state of his home and sighed heavily.

"Did they say what they wanted?" Karen questioned as she sat down beside him.

"Money." Carlos nodded. "But I don't keep any in the house." He reached round to his back pockets and cursed out loud again when he found his wallet missing.

"You're still soaking wet." Karen informed as she touched his forearm gently. "Let's get you back upstairs and into some dry clothes at least. Don't want you to catch a cold.

Carlos nodded and stood up quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly he discovered when he wobbled slightly and had to brace himself against the wall to stop himself from falling. He allowed Karen to accompany him back to his bedroom and let her find fresh clothes and a towel for him but insisted on sorting himself out. He'd moved slowly because it felt like someone had hit him with a sledge-hammer. It took him quite a while to change and Karen knocked on the door twice to ask if he was ok. He emerged a few minutes later dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt.

The ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and Carlos was given a thorough examination but refused flat out to go to hospital.

"Ok." The paramedic nodded. "If that's how you want it."

Carlos nodded again and signed the form he'd been given because he'd declined treatment.

"Is there anyone who can stay with you tonight? Just in case." The paramedic questioned.

"I'll stay with him." Karen smiled and nodded.

The paramedic nodded, gave Carlos the copy of the form and told Karen what to look out for and what to do if something did happen. A police officer came to Karen's side and informed her that they couldn't stay at the house because the whole place was now a crime scene, that they would arrange for the French windows and the rest of the house to be secured once evidence had been collected and they would take them to wherever they decided to go.

Karen nodded and informed the officer of where they would be. He in turn asked a junior officer to take the couple to Karen's home and told them someone would be around to take a statement some time the next day.

"Hell of a way to end a date." Carlos sighed heavily as he dropped down hard onto Karen's couch. Still holding the ice pack against his neck.

Karen smiled as she knelt in front of him, removed his shoes and helped him make himself comfortable.

"Really hurts, doesn't it?" She questioned when she saw the pained expression on his face.

Carlos nodded slightly without speaking. He watched Karen as she made her way to her own kitchen then quickly returned with painkillers and a glass of water. He took them gratefully and managed to smile as he handed Karen the glass back.

"I am sorry." He apologised as he caught hold of Karen's free hand, brought it to his lips and gently kissed it.

"Oh hush." Karen shook her head then watched him move a little further down on her couch where he quickly fell asleep.

She covered him over with a blanket that she kept on the back of the couch, sat in one of her chairs and watched over him for a while. She smiled as she remembered the kiss Carlos had given her just before they left the nightclub.

He had pressed his lips gently to hers. His hands had moved around her waist to hold her tight against him, moving slowly up her back to the nape of her neck when she responded to the kiss. The kiss had become very deep and they had groaned quietly in each other's arms as they broke apart. She looked him over one last time, saw that he was sleeping soundly and slowly drifted off to sleep herself.

Tuesday

"Jamie." She heard someone whispering in her ear.

"Go away." She hissed in reply and swung her left arm wildly.

She hated getting up early and 5:30am was far, far too early for Jamie's liking. Snuggling down a little further she heard the squeak of naked flesh on leather, which she knew wasn't right. She knew for a fact that she had slept in her own bed last night because she hadn't been the one to get even close to drunk.

"Jamie." She heard him whisper again and sat herself up slowly.

"Did I doze off?" She asked as she pushed Marius Ramone's left hand from the top of her left thigh.

"Yes you did." He replied with a broad smile and no hint of a hangover.

"Oh, sorry. Marius how can you be awake so early and be so bright and cheerful after what you put away last night?" Jamie questioned as she looked out of the window of the Bentley to see that they were arriving at a private airport.

"My dear Jamie, I may have really tied one on last night and got more than a little drunk, but I never get a hangover, no matter how much I drink."

"Never?"

"Never." Marius nodded in confirmation. "I must, however, apologise if I embarrassed you in any way last night. I don't know how I got so drunk so quickly." He apologised while he took hold of Jamie's right hand and gently kissed the back of it.

"You weren't that bad." Jamie smiled. 'And you did have a little help.' She giggled to herself as she recalled how she had tipped half of her glass of champagne into his almost empty one every time he refilled hers.

He'd been distracted by at least two mobile phone calls and one minor problem in the restaurant each time she did it, but didn't seem to notice what had happened. He had drained his glass quickly, re-filled it and knocked it back in a couple of swallows. By the time their meal was finished he was barely able to walk to the car never mind being in any condition to try and grope her again. She had instructed Gavin to take her home and had giggled quietly while she listened to the very rich Italian snoring loudly in a drink induced sleep.

"Well, here we are." Marius exclaimed as the car stopped at the side of the plane.

He exited quickly and offered a hand to help her out. Jamie accepted the offer and exited in a ladylike manner whilst pulling her mini skirt down so that no-one caught a glimpse of the red lace underwear she wore underneath. She thought she had succeeded until she saw the smirk on the pilot's face. She held her head up high and allowed Marius to move his arm around her waist as he guided her up the steps and into the plane.

Jamie turned to her right on entering. Her eyes flew wide and her bottom jaw almost hit the floor when she saw the sumptuous interior. At the far end of the cabin stood a desk on which stood an up-to-date laptop computer. Two very comfortable looking cream leather office chairs sat in front of the desk.

Immediately in front of her stood four three-seater cream leather sofas. These had been placed so that two sat side-by-side against one side of the plane, the remaining two had been placed so that they faced the others with long, narrow coffee tables in between. She turned round and swallowed hard when she saw that the most up-to-date entertainment system had been installed and around this, in the same coloured leather, had been placed enough seating to accomodate at least ten people.

"The pilot is ready to leave." Marius whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You'd better make yourself comfortable and strap yourself in." He informed while he nodded over Jamie's shoulder to the first lot of seating she'd seen.

"I would if I knew how." Jamie teased.

She knew exactly how to fasten the belt but loved how she could so easily wind up the man who stood before her. Marius lead her to a seat, pushed her down gently and ran his fingers lightly over her body as he took the seatbelt and strapped her in, keeping his eyes firmly focused on her cleavage as he did so. He swallowed hard as he sat down next to her, fastened his own seatbelt then informed the pilot they were ready. After he had pulled his jacket over his left leg and covered himself, he wrapped his arm around Jamie's shoulders and smiled broadly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

____________

Urs cracked an eye open as he woke and took a quick look around. He soon realised he wasn't in his own bedroom when he saw the long run of white new country style fitted wardrobes that ran across the bottom of Franky's brass double-bed.

He smiled softly as he opened his eyes completely and looked down at the women he held in his arms. He turned his head to look at the clock on the nightstand and realised it was still quite early. Warm, bright sunshine was just beginning to filter into the room through the white cotton curtains.

He sighed contendly as he relived what had happened the night before. He'd never made love to any of his previous girlfriends like he had to Franky. There hadn't been many women in his life, but something had seemed to be missing every time he went to bed with them. It had always felt frantic and rushed no matter how much time he had to spare. Sometimes, it had felt like they were only doing it because he was famous, especially so with the last girl, rather than out of their love for him. He couldn't recall it ever being slow and sensual like it had been with Franky. Their lovemaking seemed to have lasted for hours rather than minutes.

He remembered that a couple of his friends had very quietly told him what it felt like to reach the peak of sexual excitement at the same as the woman they were making love to, but he had never experienced that either until last night and his friends had been right, it was a mind-blowing experience. He had felt very lightheaded, the room had swayed a little and he'd thought that if he had stood up at that moment he would have ended up in a heap on the floor.

He breathed deeply as he recalled how he had slowly collapsed on top of Franky afterwards and how he'd felt pleasantly drained of all his energy. He kissed her forehead softly as he recalled how she had held him and ran her fingers through the back of his hair rather than just pushing him off then snuggling up beside him. She had let him roll off her when he was ready and he hadn't moved for quite a while. He had wanted to stay there all night but didn't want to make Franky uncomfortable with his relaxed weight on top of her.

They had fallen asleep lying as they did now. Franky lay on her right side with his arms wrapped around her waist, the right side of her face pressed lightly against his shoulder with her left hand resting on his right shoulder. Her right hand sat resting close to his hip. Two pairs of firm, muscular legs still lay entwined together.

He closed his eyes and licked his lips lightly as he remembered how they had excited each other by kissing each other gently while their hands moved very lightly over each others bodies, discovering each other for the very first time. He breathed deep and caught the scent of her perfume once more as he opened his eyes and looked towards the chest of drawers where he saw the crescent moon shaped bottle. He subconsciously ran his fingers up and down Franky's spine and had to bite his bottom lip quite hard to control himself when she drew herself even closer to him, crushing her chest against his.

He felt himself redden slightly when he realised that he could feel how messed up the bed was. It had been immaculately made prior to their evening's delectations.

He kissed the top of Franky's head, held her just a little tighter as she moved against him while he listened to his inner voice tell him that he had finally found her, the one woman he wanted to love for a lifetime.

He gently pushed Franky onto her back and kissed her lips lightly as he lay on his stomach close by her side watching her sleep. She looked angelic as she lay naked beside him. Her soft, red Cupid's bow-shaped lips glistening in the rays of the morning sun. Her beautiful laughing eyes hidden behind long, velvet lashed eyelids. He smiled softly while he listened carefully to her slow, rythmic breathing then huffed a quick laugh because he found it hard to believe that he had only met her a few days ago. Had he really only known her for so short a time? To him it already felt like they had been together for a thousand lifetimes. She had made him feel comfortable immediately and his usual nervousness around women had disappeared. He smiled slightly, pushed an errant strand of flame red hair off her forehead and watched her eyes as they started to flicker.

"Good morning Fire." Urs whispered as she woke.

"Mmm. Good morning Ice." Franky giggled at the petnames they'd given each other. "So it wasn't a dream." Franky sighed happily while he kissed her softly.

"Would you like me to show you again that it wasn't?" He asked, easing himself onto her.

"Later. I have to open the garage today." She smiled back up him and pushed a lock of hair back behind his ear then turned her head to look at her alarm clock. "Oh my God! I've got to get up!" She yelled when saw the time, pushed Urs off her gently and threw the bedsheet away from her.

"What's wrong?" Urs asked as he watched her run for the bathroom without putting so much as a robe on.

"Have you seen what time it is?" Franky shouted back while she turned the shower on.

"It's only 7:30am." He replied as he lay back on the bed with his hands linked together under his head and the bedsheet resting across his hips.

"Only!!" Franky yelled. "I should have the garage open by now. My employees will be arriving soon."

Urs laughed. "It's only across the road. Is a few minutes really going to hurt?"

"Say again." Franky yelled back.

Urs repeated.

"Sorry, I can't understand a word you saying."

Urs repeated once more and listened to the splashing noises coming from the bathroom

"Urs, I have a full appointment book for today. I'm going to be incredibly busy." Franky yelled as she walked back into the bedroom, this time with a bath towel wrapped around her chest, after taking possibly the World's quickest shower. "What are you going to do with yourself today?" She questioned while she slipped into clean underwear.

"I'm going to the gym later then I'm going make sure Seb is settled at David's." Urs replied playfully as he lunged towards Franky, grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back onto the bed.

"Then what?" Franky questioned, pushing another piece of hair back behind his ear and smiling at him.

"This and that." He smiled mischeviously while he ran his hands up her back and unhooked her bra.

"Urs, stop it." Franky laughed as she batted his hands away from her body and re-fastened her bra. "Much as I want to make love with you again right now, I can't. I really don't have time for this. Pleeeeease get up" Franky whined.

"How about I buy you breakfast before I leave?" He asked as he returned his arms to her waist, pulled her close and kissed her neck.

"All right. On the condition you get up." Franky conceeded with a shudder.

Urs released her and watched her while she continued to dress. His heart thumped in his chest as he watched her pull a t-shirt over her head. He laughed when she struggled to get her arms into the overall she wore for work. He smiled gently and blinked slowly at her when she looked at him. He watched every movement of her lips as she spoke.

"Are you going to get out of that bed or do I have to tip you out of it?" She asked with a smile.

Urs lay back on the bed, turned over and pretended that he was going to go back to sleep. He heard Frankie sigh in exasperation. He cracked an eye open and watched as she left the room. He tried to fathom what she was doing in the bathroom then closed his eye again when he heard her returning. He bit his lip gently smelling the refreshing mint aroma of her shower gel.

"Are you going to get up?" She whispered in his ear.

Urs shuddered as she spoke. "No." He replied playfully.

He kept his eyes shut and blinked behind his eyelids when he felt a light sprinkling of ice cold water on his face.

"Getting up?" Frankie asked.

Urs shook his head and felt larger drops on his face.

"How about now?" Frankie giggled.

"Uh-uh. No." Urs laughed in reply and felt a large splash of water on his face. He opened his eyes to see Franky holding a large jug of water over him. "You wouldn't dare!" He laughed.

Franky flicked her eyebrows upwards and smiled as she tipped the jug, stopping the water from spilling out just in time.

"Franky!!" Urs yelled when he saw the expression on her face, quickly realising that she would dare.

"Getting up then?" She asked, threatening to soak him once more.

Urs laughed as he threw the bedsheets off and stood before her, naked.

"Happy now?" He asked with a smirk on his face while he watched Franky slowly looking him up and down.

"Huh?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"I said....." Urs began, taking a step closer and feeling his body react again. ".....Are you happy now?" He finished with a flirty smile

"You tease." Franky growled loudly, narrowed her eyes, shook her head and threatened him with the water again. "Now get dressed."

"I want a shower first." Urs laughed again whilst shaking his head.

"All right. A cold one I think." Franky held the jug in her right hand and nodded. "You have ten minutes before I turn the cold tap on downstairs and you get drenched in boiling hot water."

Urs reached for her and pulled her close as she moved towards the bedroom door.

"When do I get another ice-skating lesson?" He asked as his mouth possessed hers.

"Mmm. How about tonight? Meet me at the rink at seven." She asked as she wrapped her arms around him still with the jug of cold water in her right hand.

"I can't see you before then?" Urs frowned and shook his head sadly. "Franky!!" He yelled suddenly.

His eyes flew wide and he shivered as he felt ice-cold water running over his backside and down his legs.

"Sorry." Franky giggled and shook her head. "No. I'm not going to finish until late tonight and the last thing I need is you showing up across the road, distracting me." She laughed when Urs sulked. "But to make it up to you I'll give you a longer lesson."

"Promise?" Urs pouted as he questioned her.

"Promise." Franky laughed and crossed her heart.

"So much for being the quiet one." Franky mused to herself as she watched him head towards her bathroom.

His firm, muscular body moving gracefully. His angelic face darkening slightly as he looked at her with hunger in his eyes. His hair, slightly curled and so soft to the touch. His soft, sensuous lips curved into a gentle smile. She startled when she heard him singing in the shower. Then she remembered the only song she had ever actually heard him sing was 'Mama'.

He wasn't singing that, this one sounded different. She smiled when she heard.

"And with you lying next to me, feels like I can hardly breathe."

She bit her lip as she heard his voice crack slightly as he sang.

"So lead me through tonight, but please turn out the light, 'cos I'm lost every time I look at you."

She listened to him while sang the rest of the song before she knew it he'd finished and the shower had been turned off.

"Franky, What's wrong?" Urs asked as he stood in the bedroom doorway, covered in goosebumps with one of her towels wrapped around his hips.

"Nothing." Franky smiled and knocked the tear from her cheek.

She moved over to him and kissed him gently before she made her way downstairs.

Franky ran quickly down the stairs and into the kitchen. She shouted ok when she heard Urs say that he wouldn't be long as he left to get breakfast. She started to make coffee for the both of them while she waited. She ran upstairs while she waited for the kettle to boil and choked when she slowly opened Lauren's bedroom door. For once she could actually see the carpet. She quickly scanned through Lauren's CD collection and pulled out 'Il Divo' and 'Ancora', located Lauren's player, then wrote Lauren a quick note.

Sis,

Borrowed your Il Divo CD's and player. Want to know what I'm missing out on. Don't worry, you know I'll take good care of them, better than you probably. Only joking.

See you later.

Love
F.

PS: Need the keys for the rink again tonight.

She pinned the note to Lauren's bedroom door and returned downstairs just as Urs came back.

"What have you got there?" He asked as she hid the CDs and player behind her back.

"Nothing."

"Fibber." Urs laughed and grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her close with one arm and reached round her back with the other. "Not really your thing eh?" He teased as he pulled the CDs from her hand and wagged them in her face.

Franky sighed deeply and glared at him while she held her right hand out. "Give or no ice-skating lesson."

"That's bribery." Urs exclaimed.

"And your point is?." Franky shrugged.

Urs shook his head as he handed the CDs back. He whimpered as she walked away from him, turned her head over her shoulder and gave him a little wink.

They ate breakfast quickly, then left the house together. Urs pushed his bike down to the road and parked it outside the garage before unpopping the two presstuds that fastened near the waist of her overall, slipping his hand under her t-shirt to gently caress her back, pulling her tight to him and giving Franky a long, passionate kiss goodbye. He watched her roll her eyes into her head and swallow hard as he gave her a slow blink. He popped a small wheely as he roared away on his bike.

"Urs, turn that bloody alarm clock off before I shove it somewhere the sun don't even think about shining." David complained as loud buzzing rang round his head.

He startled when he heard female laughter somewhere nearby.

"Lauren!" He yelled as he quickly raised himself up on to his elbows to face her.

He sighed when he saw her standing in the doorway fully-dressed again and smiling broadly, her hair flattened against her head on the right side.

"You're up before the alarm." He smiled as he switched it off.

"I know. Where the hell did you get that bed from, it’s as hard as a rock?" Lauren laughed. "I hope you don't mind, I helped myself." She informed as she held up a coffee mug then nodded to the side of the bed.

"Thanks. No. That's fine." David shook his head and smiled in reply on spotting the mug on the nightstand. "Do you want me to drive you home so that you can get ready for work?"

"I can catch a ta......." Lauren paused and smiled when she saw a frown on David's face. "Ok. You can drive me home."

"Lauren, How far do you have to travel when you fetch Stephanie?"

Lauren snatched her head up a little further. "A long way. About two hundred and fifty miles one way."

"How do you normally get there?"

"Taxis and train." Lauren shrugged. "There's no other way, seeing as how I don't drive."

"I'll take you." David informed as he sat up properly on the bed and stretched himself out.

"You're sure?"

"Sure. I've got nothing else planned." David nodded then laughed as Lauren ran across the room to him, flung her arms round his neck and gave him a huge kiss.

"Thank you." She smiled as she pulled back. "David! What's wrong?" She asked when she saw the somewhat startled expression he had on his face.

"Nothing." David shook his head and laughed. "I just love having warm coffee poured down my back first thing in the morning."

Lauren looked at the contents of her cup then brought the fingers of her left hand to her mouth while she laughed in an embarrassed fashion.

"I'm sorry. I'll erm....." She giggled. "I'll go downstairs and let you get cleaned up."

David nodded and smiled broadly as he watched her leave. He loved to see Lauren laugh, loved the way her nose wrinkled and her eyes sparkled. He threw back the covers, stood and quickly made his way to the bathroom. He hummed quietly to himself while showered then quickly dried himself off, shaved, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt again and headed downstairs. He stopped Lauren from apologising again by pulling her into his arms and giving her a very long, gentle kiss, then linked his left and her right hands together, lead her to his car and drove her home.

___________


"Ok. What are you on?" Erin Harper asked her sister while she watched her waltzing down the hallway from the bathroom back to her own bedroom.

"What?" Emma shrugged as she stopped dancing and stood in her doorway. "Oh. I'm not allowed to be happy now?" She questioned sarcastically.

Erin moved her hands to her hips and stood with her head cocked to the right.

"Em, you've been a right miserable old maid since Darren dumped you eight months ago. The only logical conclusion I can come to is that you've been sneaking 'happy pills' from the hospital dispensary or..........." Erin's face became serious and inquisitive. "......or you've met someone. You have, haven't you?" Erin nodded at her sister and smiled broadly. "You've met someone."

"Maybe." Emma shrugged nonchalantly.

"Tell." Erin demanded.

Emma shook her head. "Not yet Erin. I don't want to say anything until I'm sure how he feels about me."

"You really like this guy don't you?"

'And so will you.' Emma nodded and smiled broadly.

"Ok. I'll keep my nose out for now. But he'd better not hurt you, whoever he is, otherwise he's going to have me to deal with." Erin laughed as she gave Emma a hug and kiss on the cheek.

Emma nodded and stifled her laughter as she watched Erin walk back to her bedroom. She sighed happily while she dressed for work but flicked her head in the air and stuck her tongue out at the disgusting green colour of her t-shirt. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she picked up the bath towel she had just used and dropped it into the basket on her way passed the bathroom. She smiled when she heard Erin playing 'Ancora' and attempting to sing along while she got ready for work.

"If only you knew sis, if only you knew." Emma giggled to herself as she ran down the stairs, out of the front door and across the road to the bus stop.

She made it with five minutes to spare today.

_____________


"Where am I?" Owen held his head in hands as he woke up, not immediately recognising the walls that surrounded him, blinking rapidly to adjust his eyes to the light.

"Hello Owen."

"Ant. Where am I?"

"My place. I picked you up from the cinema remember?. What the hell did you get up to last night? You've got a lovely bruise on the side of your head."

Owen grunted and stood up. He marched over to the mirror that hung above the fireplace in his friend's apartment and huffed loudly when he saw the bruise Anthony had mentioned.

"Got myself tangled up with the Yank didn't I?"

"I thought I told you to leave him alone for now." Anthony yelled.

"Yeah you did, but him and his girl wound me up and I just flipped when I came out of the cinema."

"Ok I'll let you off on that one, but leave them alone in future, we've got other fish to fry." Anthony Strawson nodded.

"How so?" Owen asked as he snapped his head round.

"You remember the fun we had with the Frog?" Anthony laughed.

"Yeah." Owen laughed as he replied. "What a wimp!"

Anthony huffed a laugh. "You still got the keys to his house?"

"Somewhere." Owen shrugged. "Why?"

"Because Jamie rang earlier and she was kind of wondering if we could do something for her."

"Oh, what does she want this time?" Owen smiled.

"Oh, Just for us to have a little fun with Monsieur Izambard's wardrobe, especially the good stuff." Anthony laughed while he held up a very sharp knife.

"Nice." Owen nodded, noticing that the knife his friend held wasn't the one he'd used on Sebastien. This one had a silver handle where the other had had black and had been thrown into the deepest part of the park's pond following their assault. "When?"

"Tonight. Don't want to be seen do we?"

Owen shook his head and smiled. "Where's she gone again?"

"Paris. With the new fella."

"She hasn't......you know.......done 'IT' with him yet has she?" Owen questioned.

"I don't know!!" Anthony yelled. "Like she'd tell me, even if she had. I am her brother after all. We don't talk about things like that." He huffed.

Anthony shook his head at his huge friend and laughed. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why he wanted his sister and had tried to tell him that she would never be interested in him. All those muscles were just not to Jamie's taste. Sure she liked a muscular man but Owen had taken his training way too far and the fact that had a brain the size of a pea helped Anthony to manipulate him quite easily.

Anthony sighed a little as he thought about his sister and how easily she could wind men around her little finger. The only quarrel he had with her at the minute was the way she'd reacted after their father had died. Then again they had never really seen eye-to-eye with each other so he wasn't really that surprised that she'd just turned around and marched back out of the hospital. He was more upset for his mother than anything else.

"There's one other thing Jamie wants." Anthony informed as he watched Owen move towards the kitchen.

"What?"

"Francesca Gibson."

"What about her?" Owen shrugged

"The business she owns. Jamie wants it gone." Anthony informed as he imitated an explosion with his hands.

Owen threw his head back and laughed evilly "When?"

"When she gets back from Paris, she wants to watch."

"You're late." Gabriel complained as he slammed the door to the tow truck.

"Excuse me! Whose place is this?" Franky questioned with a giggle as she pointed at the garage. "I'll open up when I'm good and bloody ready not when you tell me Gabriel Harris."

"But I've been round the block twice and I can't even smell the coffee brewing yet. You know how cranky I get if I don't get my quota of caffeine before I start work" He continued while Franky fumbled with the locks.

"You mean you know what work is?" Franky teased and pushed the door open.

Gabriel pursed his lips together and glared at her playfully as he laughed. "Was that who I think it was that just rode off?"

"Why? Who do you think it was?" Franky smiled.

"Your knight in shining armour. The guy you didn't stop going on about last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday." Gabriel teased, nodding his head while counting the days on his fingers and holding them up as he finished.

"I wasn't that bad." Franky laughed.

"Pfft! You didn't have to listen to you. If I'd have had a bucket handy I would have thrown up." Gabriel teased again.

Franky grunted a laugh. "Ok, maybe I was that bad."

"Had a good weekend then?" Gabriel asked as his eyebrows flew skyward.

"So so." Franky smiled then launched into the story of what had happened over the long weekend.

Gabriel shook his head and breathed out heavily through his nose. "My God! You are ok aren't you?"

"I'm fine." Franky nodded.

"When is Jamie going to leave you alone? You've never done anything to her have you?" Gabriel shook his head as he questioned her.

"Except breathe." Franky laughed while she filled the coffee maker.

Gabriel shook his head and laughed in reply. "So, Urs, that's not an English name is it?"

"No. It's Swiss. I told you that the other day. Don't you ever listen?"

"Oh yeah. And what does he do for a living?"

"He's an opera singer."

Gabriel laughed out loud. "Pull the other one."

"It's true." Franky tilted her head to one side and laughed. She pulled the CDs from her overall pocket, showed him the cover and pointed Urs out.

"Let me see those." Gabriel requested as he held his hand out. He looked at the covers intently. "You know, I thought I recognised his face when he brought his bike in." He informed, handing them back.

Franky looked at him quizically.

"Oh! My girlfriend's a big fan, especially of the one with the deep voice." Gabriel rolled his eyes into his head.

"You mean Carlos." Franky nodded.

"I dunno, I don't pay any attention when Christie waffles on about them." Gabriel shrugged.

Franky's eyes flew wide and her bottom jaw almost hit the floor. "You don't mean Christie Richardson do you? The most popular girl there was at school."

"The second most popular." Gabriel nodded as he corrected her.

"You dark horse you." Franky blushed and gave him a hard nudge. "How long has this been going on?"

"Almost six months." Gabriel flushed bright red.

Franky nodded, then shook her head as she smiled broadly. "It's going well then?"

"That well that I proposed to her on Saturday night. That's why I couldn't come to your show, but I did make a donation." Gabriel informed with a huge smile.

Franky stared at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "She said yes didn't she?"

Gabriel beamed a huge smile as he nodded. Franky gave him a huge hug and congratulated him, then grunted a small laugh when she saw him quickly knock a tear from his cheek.

"You're not going to play those CDs in the garage are you Franky?" Gabriel questioned shaking his head vigorously.

"I might. It wouldn't do any harm to bring a bit of culture to you heathens." Franky smiled teasingly.

"Noooo! I have enough of that sort of thing with Christie." Gabriel whimpered. "Please Franky!"

"All right, I'll listen to them on this." Franky smiled as she pulled out Lauren's CD player. She laughed when Gabriel blew out a long breath of relief.

____________


"What time is it?" Sébastien questioned as he raised himself up in the bed.

"Almost 8:00am." Adam replied with a smile. "I came in early to help you pack, but it looks like someone beat me to it." He continued with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek again.

"Emma." Sébastien nodded and smiled.

"Thought as much." Adam nodded. "You are really interested in her aren't you? I don't want to see her hurt again."

Sébastien nodded enthusiastically, wondering what Adam meant but knowing that he shouldn't pry. If Emma really was interested in him, he was sure she would tell him in her own time.

"Good." Adam nodded. "Right. Let's get you ready to go." He laughed while he rubbed his hands together.

"I can do that myself now." Sébastien laughed in reply as he stood up and headed very slowly for the bathroom.

"I thought you wanted to get out of here today not Christmas." Adam laughed as he watched him.

"Has anyone ever told you, you're a pain in the ass?" Sébastien questioned.

"Many times." Adam shrugged. "But I haven't got a clue what they mean."

Sébastien shook his head and continued to laugh while he showered. He managed to do everything for himself even if it was very slowly. He packed the few remaining items, nodded as Adam handed over the painkillers he was being sent home with then sat down in the easychair to wait for his friends and hoped that Emma would be able find time to come and see him before he left.

"Leave me alone." He heard himself grumbling when someone shook him gently. He pulled the blanket over his head and tried to go back to sleep.

"Carlos please wake up." Karen giggled as she gave him another gentle shake. "The police are waiting to talk to you and I have to get ready for work."

Carlos sprang awake and grasped at his shoulder. "Sorry. I forgot where I was. What time is it?"

"8:00am." Karen informed as she turned back from looking at her clock. "Your shoulder still giving you pain?"

"A little." Carlos nodded.

"Let me take a look." Karen asked and pulled his t-shirt down to see how bad the bruising was. She let out a long whistle.

"What's wrong?" Carlos winced as he turned his head to face her.

"You have a very nasty bruise back there. I really think you should go to hospital and get it checked out."

Carlos shook his head. "I'm fine. The headache is gone, it’s just my shoulder that aches now." He smiled up at her and took the painkillers she'd quickly fetched.

Karen rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "You'll go if the headache comes back?"

"Si. I'll go if the headache comes back." Carlos rolled his eyes into the back of his head, wobbled his head on his neck then stood up to face her. "Stop fussing. I'm fine." He smiled as he pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss. "Gracias for looking after me last night."

"That's ok." Karen shook her head. "Hungry...?" She paused to laugh when she saw the flirty look he gave her. "...I meant for breakfast." She shook her head and gently pushed him back down onto the couch.

"Just coffee." Carlos shouted as he watched her head out of the lounge. "I'll get something to eat later."

"Ok." Karen smiled and ushered the police officers in.

Carlos told them everything that had happened on the previous night, that he wouldn't recognise the intruders as the one he'd tackled had a scarf across the lower half of his face leaving only a pair of bright blue eyes looking back at him. He didn't even see the one that hit him. He informed them that his wallet had been taken, that it had contained roughly fifty pounds in cash and one credit card that was almost at its limit.

"Can I go back to the house now? I need a few things." Carlos questioned as the police officers stood to leave.

"Sorry sir. Not for a few hours yet." The older officer shook his head. "We're still working, we'll let you know when we've finished. Are you going to be here all day? "

Carlos shook his head and sighed heavily as he pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He cursed the fact that he hadn't picked his mobile phone up before they left the house.

"Something wrong?" Karen questioned on coming back into the room dressed for work.

"They would like a contact number, but I left my mobile at home." Carlos frowned.

"This one?" Karen asked as she held up a thin black model.

"Gracias." Carlos smiled and nodded as he took the phone from her hand, flipped it open and gave the officers his number. He shook his head at Karen while she showed the officers out of the door. "When did you pick that up?"

"Last night. While you were getting changed." Karen smiled as his arms went round her waist. "The charger is in the kitchen if you need it."

Carlos kissed her and thanked her again.

"Are you still going to get Seb out of hospital?" Karen questioned once he'd released the kiss.

"Si, but it looks like we'll be taking a ta.........." He stopped speaking when his saw his car keys dangling in front of his face. He looked at Karen with a slightly stunned expression as he took the keys from her hand.

"Habit." Karen huffed a laugh. "My boss is even worse than you."

Carlos kissed her quickly on the cheek before they left the house, walked her across the road to the hospital's main entrance, gave her a goodbye kiss then left the hospital and walked back to his home to pick up his car before making his way to David's house to meet both of his friends. He huffed when he didn't see David's car parked in the driveway and gave him a call. He nodded when David told him wouldn't be long and that he should wait for him. He turned the engine off and rubbed his hands hard over his face while he tried not to think about the mess that had been made of his home.

"You didn't bring Franky or Lauren with you?" Sébastien asked looking passed his friends for the new women in their lives and huffing out a breath when he didn't see them.

"No, Franky's got a busy day at the garage. I'm not seeing her again until tonight." Urs grumbled in reply. "Why?"

"No reason." Sébastien replied with quick shake of his head and an audible humph.

"And Lauren had to go back to work this morning." David complained. "Sounds like our Ursy's in love." He whispered to Sébastien.

"And you're not?" Urs huffed a laugh. "You've hardly stopped talking about Lauren since you met her."

David laughed and gave Sébastien a dig in the ribs when he heard him laughing. "Oh! Sorry Seb. Are you ok?" He grimmaced when Sébastien hissed in pain.

"I'm fine." Sébastien gasped then smiled happily as Emma entered the room.

"Right. Looks like you're ready to go." She returned the smile as she stood in front of Sébastien. "But first some instructions for your friends. He's to do as much as he can manage for himself, that means no babying him and waiting on him hand and foot. Do you understand me?" She informed strictly

"Ma'am, yes ma'am." David yelled as he stood to attention and saluted Emma making her blush then laugh.

"Where's Carlos?" Emma asked.

"Gone to bring the car around to the main entrance." Urs informed.

"You're letting him drive me home?!" Sébastien exclaimed then pressed his hands together and raised his eyes to the heavens as if praying.

"I have to go now." Emma smiled and nodded her head towards Sébastien as she shook Urs's hand, leaving a small piece of paper behind as she did so.

Urs nodded lightly in reply and smiled as Emma shook David's hand. He handed the piece of paper to David while Sébastien took hold of Emma's hand, thanked her for what she'd done to help him and gently kissed the back of her hand as he said goodbye.

"Give it me then." Sébastien asked holding his hand out while he watched a blushing Emma leave.

"What?" Urs shrugged.

"You know." Sébastien nodded.

Urs shrugged again

"She did give you her phone number for me didn't she?"

"No." Urs shook his head and looked at him seriously. "She didn't give me anything." He said while showed him empty hands.

"What about you?" Sébastien asked as he turned towards David who had just slipped the piece of paper into the pocket of his jeans.

"Nothing." David shook his head and showed his own empty hands.

Sébastien lowered his head and sighed heavily, he smiled slightly as Adam came into the room.

"Ready to go?" Adam smiled.

"I just have to go to the bathroom." Sébastien nodded and turned to where he needed to go, huffing slightly while he moved.

Urs picked up Sébastien's jacket and he and David barely stifled their laughter while David slipped the piece of paper into one of the pockets. Adam shook his head and laughed quietly at the pair of them. They both smiled and shrugged at Adam when they heard the bathroom door being unlocked.

"Want to wear this?" David beamed as he held up the jacket.

"Non." Sébastien shook his head.

"It's raining and it's a bit chilly outside." Urs informed as he picked up the overnight bag.

"Oh ok, I'll put it on when I get to the main door."

Urs and David walked behind Sébastien and Adam down to the main entrance, still barely able to contain their laughter and giving each other quick elbow jabs in the ribs while they walked. Urs hissed a quick 'Ow' when David elbowed him a little too hard and had to bite his tongue as Sébastien stopped walking and turned around to see what was wrong.

"Grazed my knuckles against the wall." Urs fibbed quickly as he flashed the back of his right hand at Sébastien.

He shrugged when his French friend looked at him disbelievingly, before he turned back around to continue walking. Sébastien didn't see David fighting with everything he had to suppress his laughter.

They helped him on with his jacket, then eased him into the front seat of Carlos' waiting car and laughed loudly when Sébastien found the piece of paper in his pocket. Sébastien reacted quickly and pushed the button which operated the central-locking on his door leaving David and Urs unable to open the back doors. Urs and David looked at each other as Carlos drove a few yards away from the hospital before screeching to a stop, they then ran to the car and quickly scrambled into the back seat.

They both ruffled Sébastien's hair into a style similiar to the one he sported whenever he had just woken up while they informed Carlos of what Emma had told them then laughed as Carlos spoke.

"Do not worry, if he gets lazy I'll just come and fetch Adam." Carlos threatened with a beaming smile.

"Oh Non! Non. Non. Non." Sébastien shook his head vigorously, straightened his hair and laughed. "I'll be good, I'll be good."

David and Urs sat back into their seats and that was when Urs saw it. The edge of the bruise Carlos sported on his right shoulder could be seen just above the collar of his t-shirt.

"Carlos! What the hell happened here?" Urs asked as he reached forward and pulled the t-shirt further down.

"My God!" David yelled when he saw the full extent of the injury.

"What's wrong?" Sébastien asked as he twisted as far as he could in his seat in an attempt to see what Urs and David were looking at.

"It's nothing much. I'm ok." Carlos shook his head and pulled the t-shirt back into position. "My house was burgled while I was out with Karen last night. They were still in the house when we got back and I tackled one of them upstairs. The other one hit me with a large, heavy ornament and did that."

"Didn't you have to come here?" Sébastien asked with a nod towards the hospital.

"No. I didn't want any fuss. Karen called an ambulance, they checked me over and said I would be ok as long someone could keep an eye on me overnight. We went back to Karen's place and I spent the night on her couch."

"Did they take much?" David questioned as Carlos re-started his car.

"Just my wallet. Fifty pounds and a maxed out credit card." Carlos shrugged. "There was no cash in the house."

"Have they done much damage to the house?"

"Si. It is a mess." Carlos huffed a laugh. "I mean a lot messier than it usually is. It's going to take forever to sort everything out. Everything is everywhere, but I cannot touch anything until the police have finished looking for evidence."

"You're sure you're ok to drive?" Urs queried.

"I'm fine. Stop fussing." Carlos snapped. "Sorry Urs. I'm still a little pissed off."

"I understand." Urs replied as reached forward and gave Carlos a quick pat on the left shoulder.

"Ok. Let's get you out of here." Carlos smiled as he turned to Sébastien, dropped his car into drive and screeched away from the hospital.

"Whatja reckon Kie, fink we can do this place over?" A young man asked his friend as they stood opposite the garage.

"Yeah easy Kev. But why this place in particular?" Kie nodded.

"God you can be so thick sometimes."

"What? I was only askin'."

"Look the place is owned and run by woman and they only deal in the most expensive bikes, which means she'll have loads of money in there."

"Oh! Right. How much do you reckon?"

"Well from what I've heard minimum two grand."

"Cor. That much? It'll be out best ever take, if there is that much, better than what we got last night. Fifty quid and a useless credit card. Pfft!"

"Don't blame me." Kevin laughed. "It was your bright spark idea to do that place."

"Where d'ja fink that fella was from? I barely understood a word he said when he had hold of me."

"Are you really that bothered?"

"Nah!" Kie shrugged and laughed. "Good job you hit him when you did. Man he was mad."

"And you were scared witless." Kevin laughed.

"Was not." Kie huffed.

"Were too."

"Shut up. Anyway you would have been scared too if he'd have got hold of you like that. It still bloody hurts where he pinched my skin." Kie informed as he rubbed at his left chest muscle. "How are we gonna do this place?"

"We've got to get that big fella that drives the tow truck out of the way first. I'm sure me and you could 'andle the bitch between us." Kevin nodded as he replied.

"You gonna make the call?"

"We ain't doing today. We'll wait till Friday. That's when she goes to the bank." Kevin laughed as he moved round to the side of the garage and relieved himself.

"On her own?"

Kevin nodded and laughed again as they walked back up the road away from Franky's garage.

_____________


"You're sure you’re going to be ok on your own?" David asked while he stood at his open front door.

"I'll be fine. I have a couple of phone calls to make. Private calls. Go!" Sébastien nodded and flicked his hand at him.

"Ok. You know where things are."

"Oui. I know."

"And don't try to move those on your own." David nodded towards the three large suitcases that stood in his hallway. "I'll take them up when I get back."

"Ok. Thanks David." Sébastien nodded again as he glanced at them.

He had been expecting to be taken back to his house to pack his clothes when he'd left hospital and had been surprised when Carlos drove straight to David's house without going anywhere near his own. He had been even more surprised when Carlos opened the boot of his car and he saw the suitcases sitting there and had breathed a long sigh of relief that he didn't have to go back home, he just couldn't face that at the moment. Urs had patted him gently on the shoulder and told him that he had packed all of his clothes, even the good stuff and he'd also packed all the personal care items he could find.

Sébastien shook his head as he reached for the phone and called his mother to let her know where he would be living for a while and to give her David's home phone number. He fumbled in his pocket once he'd finished that call and found the piece of paper with Emma's numbers on. He dialled the mobile number first, closed his eyes and bit his lip lightly while he waited for it to connect.

"Hello."

He smiled and breathed deep as her heard her voice.

"Emma, it's Sebastien."

"Hello Sebastien. Are you all right?" She asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

"I'm fine."

"Everything all right for you at David's?"

"Fine. I have everything that I need."

"He's not babying you is he?"

"Non. He's following your instructions to the letter." Sébastien laughed when he heard the serious questioning tone in her voice.

"Good."

Silence followed for a moment or two.

"Is there something you wanted?"

"Erm...I would like to know if you would like to go out with me some time?"

"Ok. When and where?"

"Well I can't go far or do much at the minute can I? Can you come round tonight?"

"Ohhh I wish I could." Emma sighed heavily and Sébastien huffed loudly. "I'm sorry Sébastien, there's a lecture on tonight that I really must attend. It's not scheduled to end until ten o'clock and by the time I've got home, changed and got to you it's going to be pushing midnight."

"I thought you were fully qualified?" Sébastien pouted as he questioned her.

"I am. That's the thing with my job though, we're always discovering new ways of doing things."

"Oh. I know. How would you like to come round for dinner? I'll cook."

"If you're sure you can manage that."

"I'm sure. What kind of food do you like?"

"Italian, Indian, Greek, Spanish, anything really except Chinese."

"Right, got that." Sebastien nodded.

"When?"

"I'll have the house to myself tomorrow."

"Erm......All right tomorrow. What time? I finish work at 6:00 pm."

"7:30?"

"Fine. I'll see you at 7:30 tomorrow then. Bye Seb."

"Bye Emma. See you tomorrow night."

"YES!" Sébastien yelled as he punched the air.

He settled back into the chair, switched the tv on and flicked through the channels. He found a film that took his interest and turned up the volume slightly. He thought for a moment and remembered the bottle of red wine David had bought a few months ago. He moved as quickly as he could and found it, unopened, in one of the kitchen cupboards. He cracked it open, found a corkscrew and a wine glass and carefully made his way back to the lounge. He had just sat down and filled his glass when he heard the knock at the door.

"Lauren, please stop pacing up and down like that and tell me what's wrong." Dale requested as he watched his sister turn around to walk towards the window for the umpteenth time in five minutes.

Lauren raised her head to look at him with a small smile on her face. She stopped pacing when she heard the front door slamming shut.

"Ok. I'm here. What's so......Oh Hi Dale. Hi David." Franky smiled as she walked into the lounge of her home. "Ok Missy, what do you want to talk to me about so urgently that I've had to miss out on my end of the day coffee with the guys."

"Sit down Franky." Lauren instructed as she stopped pacing, pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and bit it lightly She blew out a deep breath as Franky dropped down next to Dale. "I have something rather big I need to tell you. And before you ask no we're not getting married." Lauren shook her head while David moved to her side and held her hand reassuringly.

"Ok." Franky nodded. "So what's been bothering you?"

Lauren coughed before she started to speak. "You remember five, almost six, years ago I had that job up North?" She questioned them both.

"How can I forget? I'll can still remember the state you were in when you came back." Franky huffed the question and gave Dale a nudge.

He in turn nodded and pulled his lips into a straight-lined smile.

"There was a reason I came back like that." Lauren nodded.

"You told us. Stress you said." Dale nodded.

"Erm.........I lied." Lauren hung her head. "It wasn't work related stress that made me that depressed. It was.....It was........." She paused to compose herself and smiled up at David as he moved his right arm around her shoulders. "It was post-natal depression I was suffering from."

"But......you......only......get......that.......if....." Dale spoke slowly and his eyes widened. "Are you telling me you've got a kid?" He exploded from his seat and moved himself in front his sister.

Lauren closed her eyes and nodded quickly as tears started to stream down her face. "A little girl."

"Where is she? Why isn't she with you?" Dale launched similar questions to those David had asked of her.

Lauren breathed deep again and told Dale and Franky the same story she had told David and her parents earlier in the day.

"You knew about this before I did?" Dale asked as he moved in front of David.

David nodded then watched Dale as he walked angrilly over to the window with his fists balled up. Lauren moved away from David and went to her brother. She gasped audibly when, she saw the tears running down his face.

"Why didn't you say something when I had the money to help you?" Dale asked as he glanced at her.

"Because you'd already paid for my half of this house, I couldn't have asked more of you."

"Yes you could." Dale closed his eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry Dale. Please don't get angry at David, he's the one who persuaded me to tell you and mum and dad." Lauren sniffed.

Dale turned his head to face David and apologised.

"It's Ok." David shook his head.

Franky had remained seated and had sat in stunned silence while she listened to what Lauren had said. She spoke as she stood up.

"Well I suppose we've finally found a use for the spare room." She smiled as Lauren turned to face her.

"You don't mind? She'll create havoc." Lauren wiped her eyes.

Franky huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes into her head. "Lauren, it’s your house as much as it is mine. Besides, if she's anything like her mother was when she was younger, then I can't wait to see what mischief she gets into." Franky winked at Lauren and smiled broadly.

"You still remember that?" Lauren questioned as she blushed bright red.

Franky laughed loudly and nodded, then asked Dale if he remembered what they were talking about.

"You mean that time when she was eleven when she told mum she would be staying late to help a teacher with Christmas decorations at school?" Dale laughed.

Franky nodded. "And when she wasn't home by 6:00pm, your mum called the school. They told her she wasn't there and they said they didn't know what she was talking about she got the whole estate out looking for her."

Dale nodded. "Everyone was running everywhere looking for her. It looked like a scene out some old farcical comedy."

"Shut up!" Lauren giggled and blushed even redder as she covered her face with her hands.

"No! This is just getting interesting." David said while he stood near the fire laughing even though he hadn't heard the end of the story. "What happened?"

Franky giggled almost uncontrollably as she continued the story. "The search had been going for about two hours when madam finally deigned to show her face." Franky cocked her head towards a very embarrassed Lauren who didn't know quite where to look. "She came skipping down the road where we lived at the time, her lower half covered in mud, innocent as you please."

"What had she done?" David questioned through his laughter.

"I think you should finish the story." Franky giggled again as she nodded towards Lauren.

"I'd been......" Lauren laughed loudly then coughed to compose herself. "I'd taken a walk to the other side of town. There was a farmer's field up there and he had this lovely little pony that he kept in it. I was mad on horses at the time. Anyway," Lauren coughed again. "This particular morning, I sneaked some of mum's sugar lumps from the bowl she always kept on the table and after school I ran up to the field and spent almost three hours chasing that animal around the field just so that I could give it the sugar lump." Lauren clamped her hand over the top half of her face, shook her head and continued to laugh as she finished the story.

"And did you manage it?" David questioned again.

"No." Lauren grunted a laugh and shook her head vigorously. "I fell over and crushed it."

All four adults cracked up laughing and it took them some time to compose themselves.

___________


Urs scratched the back of his head while he looked at the mess that had been made of Carlos's home.

"I do not know where to begin." Carlos stated, pacing angrilly up and down in front of his fireplace, shaking his head at places where fingerprints had been revealed and recalling how angry he'd been when the police had asked for his, only calming down when he'd been told they needed them for elimination purposes and that a specialist team would be sent round to remove the black marks.

"How can they do this?" He questioned after he'd picked up a broken picture frame and sighed heavily while he tried to smooth out the creased up photograph. "Remember this?" He questioned as he turned it round to Urs.

Urs nodded on recognising one of the first photographs they'd all had taken together. "As if it was yesterday." He smiled. "I suppose the first thing we should do is get the furniture put back how it was."

"I suppose." Carlos huffed, set the picture to one side and helped Urs put the lounge furniture back into its original position.

"When did they fix the windows?" Urs queried with a nod towards the French doors.

"Earlier this evening. The officer that drove us to Karen's sorted it out for me. He has relative in the trade."

Urs nodded.

They continued to work at putting the lounge to rights. Drawers were put back into the carcasses and re-filled with the items they found on the floor. It took just over an hour of them working together to complete that room. They looked into the kitchen to see that nothing had been done it there then made their way up to the master bedroom.

Carlos shook his head when he saw all of his clothes in a heap on the floor again and that the bed had been tipped onto its side. He lowered himself to his haunches to look at the box he kept some of the gifts from their tour in. He dropped his chin to his chest and blew out a long breath when he saw that it was still firmly locked.

An hour and half later they had finished and stood drinking coffee in Carlos's kitchen.

"You will not do anything like that again?" Carlos questioned Urs as he drained his mug and set it down in the sink. "Keep things from David and myself." He continued when saw the quizical look on Urs's face

"Oh! No. No I won't." Urs shook his head and smiled.

"Good." Carlos nodded. "I think David would kick your ass from here to next Christmas if you did."

"He wouldn't be the only one kicking my ass if I did." Urs laughed.

"Franky?" Carlos questioned with a quizically raised eyebrow.

Urs nodded and smiled then shook his head. He placed his mug beside the one Carlos had used and looked at his watch. "I have to go."

"You are enjoying the ice-skating lessons I think." Carlos stated with a suggestive smile and quick raise of his eyebrows.

Urs smiled broadly and shrugged as he picked up his helmet and left Carlos's house. Carlos laughed and shook his head while watched him leave then snatched his head round as the house phone started to ring.

Emma jumped up and down excitedly as she turned to re-enter the hospital.

"He called didn't he?" Adam questioned with a broad smile, walking by her side.

Emma nodded quickly.

"So when are you seeing him?" Adam gave a her a nudge.

"Tomorrow. He's making dinner for the two of us."

"That'll be a nice change from those meals for one you're always bunging in the microwave then." Adam teased.

Emma laughed as she stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at him. Adam shook his head and laughed loudly.

"Have you said anything to Erin yet?" Adam questioned.

"No. She's guessed I've met someone, but doesn't have a clue who." Emma giggled and buried her face into her hands. "She's going to kill me when she finds out who it is."

"I know he likes you Em and you feel the same, but be careful. Remember what he's been through and that his emotions are still pretty raw, be patient with him and let him talk if he feels the need to. Don't expect too much, too soon."

"I know." Emma nodded and closed her eyes as she watched Adam walk away and wondered if she would ever be able to figure out how people ticked the way he did. She jumped up and down excitedly again, made her way back to the staff room and found the frozen ready meal she'd bought for herself.

She wrinkled her nose while she looked at the box.

"Hopefully I'll be having something a little tastier than you tomorrow night." She sighed as she threw it into the bin.

The microwave soon pinged and she barely paid any attention to how bland the Lasagne tasted while she ate. She was too happy to notice or even care tonight.

___________


Franky stood with her hands on her hips in the middle of the rink waiting for Urs to set foot on the ice.

"Come on." She beckoned him forward as she spoke.

"No way. Not with all these kids about." Urs shook his head and smiled at her.

"Why not? They're almost finished."

"I'll wait till they have thank you."

"Ok." Franky shrugged and looked down at the young boy who had moved himself in front of her.

"Your Serena's daughter, aren't you?" He asked sadly.

Franky knelt down on the ice when she saw the tears welling in his eyes. "Yes I am. Why?"

"She used to teach me. I miss her." He informed, roughly knocking the tears from his cheeks.

Franky nodded and fought to keep her own tears from falling when he flung his arms around her neck and gave her a very tight hug.

"She used to take us all around the rink like a train at the end of class." He sniffed as the rest of his ice-skating class joined him in front of Franky.

Franky laughed and nodded. "She used to do that with me when I was little." She stood up and addressed them all. "Would you all like to do the train with me?"

The whole class yelled and jumped up and down on the ice. "Him too!" They yelled, pointing at Urs.

"No." Urs shook his head and wagged his finger at her.

"Uh oh Mr Miserychops doesn't want to play." Franky teased while the children awwed and tutted before making a line, in size order from the tallest to the shortest, behind her. "Last chance. The train's about to depart."

"No." Urs replied firmly with a smile.

Franky shrugged as the boy laid his hands on her hips. She put her hands on top of his and started making steam train noises while they moved from the middle of the rink out to one side then slowly turned left the whole line moving fluidly as one. They completed one figure of eight circuit before the children left the ice. Franky smiled when the last child skated back over to her, gave her a very large hug and kiss before leaving the ice. She nodded and smiled as she watched her skate backwards before she left. Franky skated over to their instructor.

"Hey Ron. You didn't mind me doing that with them did you?"

"No. They've missed doing it. Somehow, it's not the same doing it with me. Your mum had such a way with them."

"That last little girl. How old is she?"

"Harmony Davenport. She's just turned six. Why?"

"She's showing some talent."

"I know. Just like you at that age." Ron informed with his arms crossed over his chest. He laughed when Franky blushed slightly. "I've had a word with her parents about getting extra lessons for her, but once a week is all they can afford. She could really do with a sponsor if she's going to get anywhere."

"Tell them she's got one." Franky smiled.

"Franky! Are you sure?"

"I'll sort everything next week. Just don't push her too hard." Franky nodded at the man who gave lessons to three times a weeks and skated over to where Urs stood waiting.

"You know I won't." Ron returned before leaving the ice to talk to the parents sitting around the rink.

"So Mr Miserychops is ready for his lesson now is he?" She giggled when Urs glared at her playfully. "Ok. You did so well last time, I think I'll teach you how to turn a corner today."

"But that means I won't be able to grab hold of you." Urs growled and reached for her waist, watching the adults and happy children leave the area over Franky's shoulder.

"Them's the breaks." Franky laughed and moved away from him. "Let's see what you remember. Ten lengths of the rink before I teach you how to turn."

"On my own?" Urs pouted.

Franky nodded and leaned herself against the wall of the rink while she watched him. He wobbled a little on the first few lengths but quickly remembered what he'd learned. She kept a careful count then moved herself to meet him as he finished the last length.

"Ok. Let's try some easy turns." She smiled then showed him how to turn a corner of the rink.

He didn't find that so easy and almost fell on the first corner. He tried again on the next one and actually ended up on his butt, though he didn't too hard. Franky laughed a little, shook her head then skated over to him and helped him up.

"Hah! It worked." He yelled as he pulled her close and kissed her long and deep. "What do you want to do after this?"

"Hmmm. That's a difficult one." Franky mused as he released the kiss. "The fair's in town." Franky shrugged.

Urs shook his head slowly.

"We could go dancing."

Urs shook his head again, this time a little a quicker.

"Mmm. The same as last night?" Franky questioned.

"But my place tonight." Urs nodded and kissed her again.

"You'll learn nothing if you keep doing this." Franky moaned as he gently pushed his tongue into her mouth and kissed her hungrily.

She laughed out loud when Urs pulled away slightly and raised his eyebrows at her before kissing her passionately again.

"I'm learning something new every day." Urs smirked as they linked hands and left the ice together.

Karen sighed heavily as she picked up the phone and dialled Carlos' number. She shook her head at the pile of patients's notes and the tape that her boss had just brought in.

"Hola."

"Hi Carlos." She sighed heavily again.

"Karen, you sound unhappy. Is there something wrong baby?"

"Mmm."

"What?"

"I don't think I'll be able to go out with you tonight."

"Oh, why not?" She grimmaced slightly on hearing the angry tone in his voice.

Karen sighed when she heard the tone of disappointment in his voice, listening to him grumble something in Spanish.

"My boss just brought a load of work in. He said it needs to be done before I can leave tonight."

"You cannot leave it until tomorrow?"

"I could, but then I would probably end up with three times as much to do. Besides which he needs some of the files first thing in the morning" Karen huffed.

"Your boss is the idiota." She heard Carlos hiss into the phone and she giggled.

"You're not wrong there."

"It will take you a while, no?"

Karen laughed as she heard Carlos laughing slightly at the other end of the line. "I'm afraid it will take me quite a while."

"You will just have to make it up to me tomorrow night." Karen shook her head, imagining the suggestive look his face was pulled into as he spoke.

"We have that climbing challenge tomorrow."

"Meirda, I was hoping you had forgotten about that. You will have to make it up to me another day then."

"Mmm. So what are you going to do tonight?"

"Go to bed and dream about you."

Karen laughed and shook her head.

"Or I might go round to David's and annoy Seb."

"Ok. I really have to get on with my work now. Can I call you later? When I get home?"

"Si, call me later. Bye Karen."

"Bye Carlos."

She shook her head again and started working on what she'd been given to do. She looked at her watch and it showed that it was almost 7:10 pm. She swore when she realised she would be at work for the next two hours at least. She hoped she was not going to have to put up with this much longer.

____________


Jamie giggled to herself as she sat on the edge of the king-sized mahogany sleigh bed rubbing her favourite moisturiser into her freshly showered body. She'd had, what she considered to be, the best day of her life so far. She looked at the bags and boxes that she had accumulated in just one day and thought she'd done very well indeed.

She picked up one box and pulled out a red criss-cross back v-neck full length evening dress that she teamed with silver sandals and inspected her fingernails closely once she'd laid the dress on the bed.

"Hmm. Not as good as I usually do them but I'm not the one who paid for them."

She turned to the mirror, admired her hair and nodded. She was very pleased with how it had been teased into a cascade of romantic curls. She had taken great care not to get it wet while she showered.

She slipped into the dress and had just finished putting her sandals on when she heard the knock at the door.

"Will I do?" She asked coyly while Marius Ramone looked her up and down longingly.

"You'll more than do." He growled into her ear as he kissed her gently on the cheek. "Are you ready?" He questioned, offering a slightly bent left arm to her.

Jamie took his arm and smiled as he pulled her hotel room door shut. She quickly looked him up and down and smiled when she saw he was wearing an Armani suit. She held her head high again and looked slyly at every man they passed as she and Marius made their way to the restaurant for dinner. She walked into the dining area and smiled to herself on hearing nothing but almost complete silence while the two of them made their way to a table.

Her meal that night consisted of a Ceasar salad, chicken breast dijonaise with chocolate mousse cake to finish. All of which was washed down with the hotel's best champagne. As soon as dinner was over they started to move to the cocktail lounge and Jamie realised that Marius would try to ply her with more drink and would probably attempt to grope her yet again. She suddenly clamped her hand to the left side of her head and moaned as though she was in severe pain.

"Something wrong my sweet?" Marius oozed while he moved his hand up her almost naked back.

"Migraine." Jamie whined and pouted. "I feel just awful. The lights hurt my eyes, the room is starting to spin and my head feels so heavy."

"Never mind." Marius oozed again as he lifted her into his arms. "I suppose it is to be expected, you have had quite a day. I will see you back to your room and let you rest."

Jamie rested her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes and moaned in mock pain while he carried her back to her room. He unlocked the door for her and stood her back on her feet once they'd passed through the doorway.

"You're sure you can manage on your own?" Marius questioned as Jamie pushed him back through the door.

Jamie nodded in pretend sadness. "I am sorry I spoiled your night." She pouted while she held her head again.

Marius smiled and shook his head as Jamie closed the door on him.

"Idiot." Jamie smiled to herself, leaning with her back against the door.

"Little minx." Marius smiled and shook his head while he grinned at the closed hotel room door.

"I thought you were seeing Karen tonight." Sébastien said as he and Carlos made their way into David's lounge.

"I was, but she's had to work late." Carlos humphed then flung himself down on David's couch. "Have you made arrangements to see the lovely Emma yet?"

Sébastien nodded and placed a wine glass on the coffee table in front of Carlos.

"She coming round for dinner tomorrow night." He informed whilst holding a bottle of wine up to Carlos who indicated for him to fill the glass.

"Are you sure you can manage that by yourself?"

"Done it before." Sébastien laughed, recalling the last time he'd been on crutches.

Carlos smiled and nodded in reply. "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Watching a few films, having just one drink." Sébastien reiterated the one by holding up his right index finger. "Then going to bed."

"Want some company?" Carlos questioned.

"You're ok for the films and the drink, but not for the bed." Sébastien laughed and settled himself into the chair he'd made himself comfortable in just before Carlos had arrived.

"You don't love me anymore?" Carlos sniffed playfully.

"You're just not my type cheri. Far too hairy." Sébastien shook his head and giggled. "Something wrong?" He asked on seeing the dark, brooding look slowly spreading across Carlos's face again.

"No, just trying to think how I can help Karen with something."

"Oh." Sébastien nodded and returned to watching the film. "What does she want help with?"

"She's trying to find an old friend of hers."

"Who?" Sébastien questioned whilst keeping his attention focused on the tv.

"Christopher Hunter she calls him. The last she heard of him he'd been beaten up. Then he seemed to vanish off the face of the earth." Carlos shrugged then launched in to telling him what he knew had happened..

Sébastien snapped his head round to face him with just the hint of a smile.

"Phone." He demanded while nodding towards the small table where David kept his phone and held his hand out.

"What's going on Seb?" Carlos asked as he handed the handset to him.

"Maybe something, maybe nothing. Just cross your fingers." He smiled and dialled Emma's number.

___________


Emma rubbed her eyes as she stepped through the main entrance to the hospital. She switched her mobile on to check for any messages. The lecture she needed to attend would start in an half an hour and she needed the fresh air to wake her up a little. Being inside the warm wards of the hospital always made her feel sleepy. She jumped slightly when her mobile started to ring again. She raised her eyebrows when she saw 'Private Number calling.' She accepted the call and waited for a response.

"Hello."

"Emma, It's Sébastien again."

"Oh. You haven't changed your mind about tomorrow night have you?" She asked while trying not to sound upset.

"Non! I can't wait."

"Good." Emma smiled and wrinkled her nose in delight. "So why are you calling?"

"That friend of yours in ICU, what's his name?"

"Chris. Christopher Hunter. Why?"

She listened while Sébastien spoke excitedly to whoever was keeping him company.

"Carlos's girlfriend Karen has been looking for him since she got back from Australia. She's an old friend of his." Sébastien replied quickly.

"Oh God!" Emma exclaimed and slapped her free hand to her forehead. "I'm so stupid."

"Why would you think that?" Sébastien laughed.

"He asked me to contact someone he referred to as Kazza before he fell into the coma. I searched through his address book but couldn't find anyone by that name, but I did spot a Karen. I just never made the connection."

"Do you think you can find her in the hospital?"

"She's still at work?"

"She might be. She called Carlos to tell him that she had to work late tonight."

"Ok. I'll see if I can find her. Get Carlos to try and contact her. Does he know what floor her office is on?"

Emma listened as Sébastien questioned Carlos.

"The sixth."

"Ok. I have to go to that floor for my lecture. I'll make my way up now and I'll see if she's still there. Keep your fingers crossed."

"I will. Bye Emma."

"Bye again Sébastien." Emma raised her eyes to the sky and pressed her palms together. "Please." She asked as she slowly closed her eyes.

She turned on her heels, switched off her mobile, re-entered the hospital and made her way to the lift. She smiled as she stepped in and pushed the button for the sixth floor.

_____________


"Don't switch that on you idiot." Anthony hissed quietly as he stopped Owen from turning on the light in Sébastien's bedroom.

"Sorry." Owen shrugged.

Both men turned on the small torches they had brought with them. Keeping their beams low, they started to search through Sébastien's wardrobe and drawers.

"What's wrong with you?" Anthony questioned when he heard Owen grumbling and complaining to himself.

"Nothing. I just really wanted to see those last two films tonight that's all." Owen humphed loudly.

"Oh stop complaining, you've got them all on DVD anyway."

"It's not the same." Owen grumbled again then returned to his task.

"What the hell?!" Anthony exclaimed after throwing the drawers open. "There's nothing here. All his clothes have gone."

"Nothing here either." Owen shook his head after he'd waved his torch around inside one of the wardrobes.

Both men startled and stopped what they were doing when they heard the sound of police sirens nearby. They switched off their torches, moved to the nearest window and peeked out of it very carefully.

"You did lock the door didn't you?" Anthony whispered as they watched one officer make their way to Sébastien's front door.

"Yes." Owen hissed.

They listened and heard the front door being tried then looked out of the window again to see what was happening. They could just hear the officers's voices through the window.

"Looks ok to me."

"Me too."

Anthony and Owen looked at each other wondering what the police officers were going to do. They took one more look out of the window and blew out long breaths as they watched the police car drive away.

"Let's get out of here." Anthony insisted, moving carefully towards the bedroom door.

"I'm with you on that one." Owen nodded as he moved away from the window.

They quickly made their way out of the house and over the fence that ran along the back of the house, the same way they had entered. Owen took the keys from his pocket and dropped them down a nearby drain while they nonchalantly walked back to Anthony's car.

"What you going to tell Jamie?" Owen asked whilst fastening his seatbelt.

"Look!" Anthony yelled as he turned his head to face Owen. "As far as she's concerned we did what she asked. Ok?"

"Ok." Owen held his hand up in surrender. "No need to blow a gasket. Geeze."

Karen stretched herself out as she pushed herself away from the desk for a moment. She stood and stretched herself out a little more only to groan and roll her eyes backwards when the office phone started to ring.

"Hello, Mr......Carlos slow down I can't understand one word you're saying."

"Sorry, Kazza......"

Karen's eyes flew wide and her snapped her head up on hearing the name he called her while she listened to Carlos laugh quietly.

"Where did you get that name from? Only one person calls me that."

"Christopher?" She heard Carlos question excitedly on the other end of the line.

"Yes. He's called it me since we were children. How did you know?"

"Because I think we've found out where he is."

"What?" Karen exclaimed as she dropped back down into her office chair. "Who is we?"

"Sébastien, me and Emma."

"Emma? How does she know him?"

"Brett is his best friend, si?"

"Erm.....yes. He did have a friend named Brett but I haven't been able to contact him on the last number I had for him."

"Brett is Emma's brother. He's been in Australia for the last two years."

"Damn!" Karen cursed and punched her desk. "So where is Chris?"

She listened as Carlos breathed deeply before speaking. "He's in the hospital."

"Which one?" Karen questioned as she heard a knock at the door.

"The one where you work." Carlos laughed.

She stood and made her way over to the door. She looked at the young woman who stood before her.

"I gather you've been looking for Christopher Hunter." Emma smiled as she stepped into Karen's office.

Karen nodded while she made her way back over to her desk and listened to Emma speak.

"Karen? Has Emma found you?" Carlos questioned.

"Yes." Karen nodded and sniffed.

"I will hang up and let you talk then."

"Ok. Thank you." Karen nodded as she hung up the phone.

She listened carefully to everything that Emma told her about what had happened to Christopher then told her about his relationship with Jamie Strawson and what she'd done to him.

"When can I go and see him?" Karen asked with her hand over her mouth and tears running down her face.

"Whenever you like, they're not fussy about visiting hours in ICU as long as it's not too late." Emma smiled through her tears.

Karen dried her eyes and flung her handbag over her shoulder.

"Now?" Emma questioned.

"Abso...bloody...lutely." Karen nodded with a smile.

____________


"I'm glad we went to the decorating store before we went to the cinema." Lauren said as she pushed the front door open quietly and turned on the light. "I forgot they close early on a Tuesday. Ouch!" She hissed after stepping on the keys that lay on the floor.

"Hmmm. And I'm glad that Owen wasn't there tonight." David huffed, struggling through the door.

"Me too. I still think he and Anthony hurt Seb, I'd like to know who gave them both an alibi for that night." Lauren nodded then picked up the note that lay with with the keys and read.

'Sis,
Staying at Urs's tonight. Rink keys returned as promised. Can you make sure Gabe gets the keys to the garage in the morning? Thanks. Have fun with the painting.

Love ya.

F xxxx'

"Looks like we've got the place to ourselves." Lauren smiled as she showed David the note.

David smiled while he opened his mobile and called to check on Sébastien. He nodded when Sébastien told him that Carlos was keeping him company because Karen was going to be working late. He grimmaced a little and apologised quite a few times when he told Sébastien that he was going to help Lauren with some painting and that he probably wouldn't make it home until very late, if he made it home at all. He smiled and said thanks when he heard Sébastien tell him not to worry and Carlos say that it was ok he would stay for the night. He smiled again as he closed his mobile.

"Lauren, are you sure this colour is going to be ok. It's not very erm......girly." David wrinkled his nose as he kicked the front door shut, his hands being otherwise occupied with picking up the tins of paint and painting equipment he'd deposited in the hallway so that he could make his phonecall.

"I told you, Stephanie doesn't like girly colours. She prefers the bold, in-your-face colours." Lauren huffed as she dropped the bag containing brightly coloured bed covers and curtains to the floor.

"If this isn't in-your-face, I don't know what is." David shook his head while he inspected a tin of very yellow paint.

"Come on, we've got quite a lot of work to do before we can even make a start on painting." Lauren laughed over her shoulder as they started to climb the stairs.

David nodded and followed dutifully behind Lauren watching every move her backside made as she climbed.

"Are you looking at my butt again David Miller?" Lauren questioned without looking back.

"No." David answered in a slightly higher pitched voice than usual.

Lauren stopped at the top of the stairs and pointed him in the right direction whilst saying that she needed the bathroom.

"Nice ass." Lauren shouted as she watched him walk along the hallway to the room that stood at the end.

David stopped walking, turned his head over his shoulder and beamed his usual smile. Lauren laughed loudly when he wiggled his backside at her before pushing the bedroom door open and lowering everything he carried to the floor.

"Lauren, I thought you said we had loads to do before we could make a start." David shouted from the room.

"We do. There's loads of boxes and stuff that we've been meaning to move to the cell......" Lauren stopped speaking as she reached the doorway.

The room was an empty shell just waiting for a homely touch. Lauren walked over to the window and smiled when she saw a note taped to the wall at the side.

'Sis,

Thought I would lend a hand by doing what you and Franky have been meaning to do since you moved in. Don't worry everything is stored neatly in the cellar. Don't want to get told off by Franky for leaving everything a mess, now do I?

Can't wait to meet my niece.

Love.

Dale.'

Lauren smiled and left the room for a few minutes to change into some old clothes. She soon returned dressed in a pair of raggy jeans, an old white baggy t-shirt and a baseball cap on her head.

"You high, me low?" Lauren questioned, standing in front of David with a paintbrush in each hand.

David rolled his eyes into his head as he wrapped his left hand around the brush Lauren held in her right hand, catching her fingers in his hand as he did so. He paused for a moment to look into her eyes and smiled softly when he saw that the sparkle had returned to them.

He slowly raised his right hand and gently held the left side of her face. "I love you Lauren." He whispered as he kissed her gently.

"I love you too David." Lauren nodded and smiled as he pulled her close and held her for a few moments.

"Ok. Me high, you low." David huffed a laugh. "No change there then."

Lauren laughed with him and smiled while he opened the can of paint and they started applying it to the walls. She scowled playfully at him when he flicked his brush in her direction, sending a fine spay of yellow paint across her t-shirt. She got her revenge by smacking his butt with the business end of her brush.

Almost three hours later they had finished painting all four walls twice and sat on the floor leaning against the door admiring their handiwork.

"Looks good doesn't it?" Lauren questioned.

David nodded as he wrapped his right arm around Lauren's shoulders and pulled her close.

"Yep! I'm glad I chose that colour." He laughed when Lauren giggled and slapped his chest playfully.

She snuggled her head into his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her a little tighter and rested his chin on the top of her head as the two of them quickly fell asleep.

Urs skimmed his thumb gently across Franky's lips while she lay sleeping in his arms. He held her close with his right arm then moved his left hand slowly down her body to her right thigh and eased her even closer to him. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head as he settled himself down to sleep even though it wasn't close to ten o'clock yet. The sudden and intense pain in the back of his left calf made him yell out loud.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He screamed in rapid succession, gripping at the offending limb.

"What's up?" Franky asked as she sprang awake.

"Cra....amp." Urs moaned. "Left leg."

"Come here." Franky shook her head, moved herself over to him and started to firmly rub his leg. "I told you, you should have cooled down properly."

"That's not helping." Urs hissed and screwed his face up in agony. Franky massaged a little firmer and watched as he finally started to relax.

"That better?"

Urs nodded and settled himself back into the pillows again while Franky resumed her place at his side.

"Why wouldn't you come onto the ice while the children were there?" She asked while she tracked her index finger back and forth across Urs's chest.

"Did you notice how good they were? I was not going to fall on my ass and show myself up in front of them." Urs confirmed with a sharp nod.

Franky laughed and shook her head at him.

"So what did you think to the CDs?" He asked as she draped her arm across his stomach.

"You could have warned me." Franky laughed.

"About what?"

"Carlos and how loud he is when he sings. I was listening to one song while I was crouched down by the side of the bike I was working on, then he suddenly sang really loud and I ended up on my ass. I got some really funny looks from the guys"

Urs laughed. "Have you managed to match voices to faces yet?" He asked as he started to curl his fingers in her hair.

"Mmm. I think so."

"And?"

"There's this one song, 'Passera' I think it's called."

Urs nodded. "It's one of my favourite songs. What about it?"

"There's one of you singing at the beginning of that. I'm not that keen on that voice." Franky wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

Urs rolled over away from her and humphed loudly.

"That's you I'm talking about isn't it?" Franky stifled a giggle.

Urs nodded and sniffed playfully.

"Are you sulking?" Franky laughed.

Urs nodded again.

"Really?" Franky asked as she ran her fingers through the back of his hair. She bit her lip gently while she watched the goosebumps rise all over his back.

Urs nodded once more and moaned softly.

"Oh Ok. I'll stop and go back to sleep then."

Urs moved quickly, rolled himself onto her before she had chance to move and watched her eyes darken a little when she felt his newly hard manhood pressing against her, somehow knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her again. She smiled up at him as he lifted his torso from her and looked into her eyes.

"Do you want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss you?" He asked between dropping delicate little kisses from her forehead down over Franky's nose to seduce her mouth again.

"No, I want to kiss you more." Franky laughed then kissed him hard, hearing a soft low moan when she sucked gently on his tongue. "What?" She asked on seeing the questioning look he gave as she pulled back, grazing his bottom lip between her teeth.

"Can't you see what you do to me every time I'm near you?" Urs asked breathlessly while kissing her throat, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin as he moved his kisses lower down her body, taking his time between the valley of her breasts.

"Uh-huh. I can feel it too." Franky gasped when she felt the tip of his tongue teasing her naval, his hands moving so softly over her legs she barely felt the touch even though tingles ran up and down her spine.

Allowing a small whine to escape as Urs ran his right hand over the mound of her womanhood, noticing that he was absorbed in watching her face as he slipped two fingers inside her and teased her for a while before adding a third.

"No." He whispered and shook his head when her climax began to reach its peak and she closed her eyes. "Don't do that. Don't close your eyes. Look at me." He instructed, brushing his lips against hers and smiling softly when she re-opened them.

Feeling strong pulses rip through her body as she came for the first time. Trying to regain her breath while Urs kissed her body again, shuddering once more when he used both his tongue and fingers to drive her over the edge again.

"I want you." Franky moaned while she watched Urs slowly lick his lips.

"I know you do." Urs growled then kissed his way back up her body and adjusted his position so that he was kneeling on the bed.

Placing himself so that Franky's right leg was between both of his and lifting her left one on to his shoulder. Running his hands up the sides of her body as he pushed himself deep inside. Hearing her beg for him to take her hard and fast and more than happy to oblige. Himself groaning with pleasure as she gripped tighter and tighter around him with each thrust and her fingers curled deep in his hair. Enjoying the mild pain she inflicted when she came again and pulled his hair a little. Neither of them caring that the bed's headboard was banging violently against the wall as he pushed a few more times before the final thrust. Holding his breath and emitting a loud, almost animalistic groan as they came.

The two of them remaining locked together, quivering while they adjusted themselves so that they could hold each and kissing each other gently until they'd separated as they had the night before. Settling down to sleep in the same way after retreiving the duvet from the floor, taking a look at the clock and both of them giggling a little when they saw that it was only eleven o'clock at night.

"Promise me something." Urs requested after lifting Franky's face to meet his own and seeing a questioning look. "Don't ever close your eyes again when we make love. Besides feeling everything, I want to see it too."

"I promise." Franky nodded then placed a kiss on his lips, both of them keeping their eyes open.

"Mon Dieu! Where the hell did he get this bed?" Sébastien asked Carlos while he bounced up and down slightly on the bed David had in the spare room. "It's as hard as a rock."

Carlos huffed and puffed as he moved one of the large suitcases into the room.

"You didn't have to bring that up." Sébastien shook his head.

"You need your pyjamas and other clothes for the morning."

"I only wear pyjamas when I sleep in a hotel." Sébastien informed. "And Urs helped me sort my clothes for tomorrow before he left." Sébastien nodded towards the small wooden chair that sat in the room.

Carlos shrugged. "You can manage on your own?"

Sébastien nodded and started to prepare himself for bed.

"Then I shall say goodnight." Carlos smiled as he left the room and made his way back downstairs to sleep on David's couch.

"Night Carlos." Sébastien shouted after him.

He still moved quite slowly and it took him some time but he managed to remove most of his clothing before he stood up again and made his way to the bathroom. He smiled when he saw that someone, probably Urs he thought, had set up his toothbrush and a few other personal care items in there for him. He took a quick look around and smiled when he saw the shower. It was a model that he knew had a very powerful showerhead.

He left the bathroom to make his way back to the bedroom and smiled when he heard Carlos talking quietly to someone and quickly assumed that Karen had called when he heard Carlos say. "It is definitely him?" He sighed deeply as he lowered himself onto the bed and covered himself over with the duvet. He looked out of the window into the night sky and smiled when he saw the full moon shining brightly in a star-filled sky. He closed his eyes and quickly ran through a few meal ideas for the following evening before drifting off to sleep with a contented smile on his face.

___________


Carlos startled as his mobile started to ring. He had just made himself comfortable on David's couch and covered himself with the blanket he'd removed from the bed Sébastien was sleeping on when it went off.

"Hola." He whispered quietly as he answered.

"Carlos. It's me." Karen sniffed.

"Are you ok querida? You sound upset."

"No. I'm fine. Where are you? Why are you whispering?"

"I am staying at David's for the night to keep an eye out for Sébastien while David helps Lauren with some painting."

"Why would Lauren be painting at this time of night?" Karen questioned.

Carlos shrugged. "I forgot to ask."

He shivered when he heard Karen giggle.

"What are you doing?" He questioned on hearing her sigh.

"Oh, just watching the end of a soppy romantic film before I head off to bed to dream about you."

Carlos laughed. "Karen, the man at the hospital. Is it definitely him? The man you have been looking for." He closed his eyes and swallowed hard when he heard her sniff.

"Yes. Yes it is. It’s him. It is Chris."

"Bueno. I am glad." Carlos nodded.

"Erm.....Would you mind if I spent some time with him tomorrow afternoon? I only got to spend a few minutes with him and I think Emma deserves a break." Karen asked hesitantly.

Carlos smiled and shook his head. "She has been spending muy time with him?"

"Every spare minute she could find."

"Then she has earned a break, si?"

"I would say so. You never know, he might wake up now someone more familiar is with him." Karen yawned. "I think I should go now. It's been quite an evening again. Goodnight Carlos."

"Goodnight Karen." Carlos whispered just before he closed his mobile.

He made himself comfortable again, wrapped the blanket around himself and smiled happily as he quickly fell asleep.

Wednesday

David cracked an eye open as he woke and immediately closed it against the brightness that greeted him.

"Geeze that's bright." He complained, rolling his head on his neck to ease the stiffness.

"She'll love it." Lauren smiled as she raised her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. "Thanks." She continued with a quick kiss on his lips.

Lauren stood and stretched herself out before she took a look around the room, making a mental note of what she needed to do before Stephanie arrived.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work." David asked as he stood and stretched himself out.

Lauren turned round to face him with an exasperated look on her face. "Didn't you hear what I said when we left the cinema last night?"

David bit his lip and thought for a moment. "What?"

"I told you I'd booked today off, so that I could sort the carpet and bed out for the room." Lauren shook her head and rolled her eyes backwards.

"Oh yeah." David nodded. "Do you want me to take you?" He asked, moving over to where Lauren stood and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"No. I'll walk." Lauren shook her head. "The shop I want to go to is only down the road."

"Are we still going to watch this climbing challenge tonight?" David asked after he'd turned Lauren round to face him.

"Of course." Lauren laughed.

"Share the joke."

"Franky's arranged with Karen and Carlos for us all to go to 'Los Locos' afterwards without saying anything to Urs."

"And 'Los Locos' is?" David questioned.

"Oh! It's a nightclub, but they only play Latino style music."

"You mean Salsa and that sort of thing?" David gulped.

"Ah-ha." Lauren laughed when she saw the look of sheer panic spread across his face. "Don't worry. I'm not that good at that sort of dancing either. I just go for a good time."

"Ok. I'll go." David flicked his chin in the air when they heard loud knocking at the front door.

"That'll be Gabe for the keys to the garage." Lauren smiled, pulling herself slowly from his arms and walking over to the door. "Stop looking at my butt Miller." She yelled back as she walked down the corridor.

David beamed his usual smile and shrugged his shoulders then started to clear up the brushes and other items they had used the night before. He re-sealed the paint tin, picked up the brushes and carried them carefully down to the kitchen where he found Lauren making coffee and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

"I thought you couldn't cook." David stated as he looked into the saucepan Lauren was occupied with.

"I said I couldn't cook very well, but it would be a sorry state of affairs if I couldn't even manage scrambled eggs and some toast wouldn't it." Lauren smiled wryly while she served up the meal.

She watched David's face intently while he ate quickly. "Well?" She questioned once he'd finished.

"Horrible. I only finished 'cos I was really hungry." He laughed.

His eyes flew wide when he saw Lauren approaching him with a large frying pan held threateningly in her right hand.

"I was only messing. It was good, really good." He swallowed loudly, grabbing hold of the same hand, pulling it gently back down to her side and kissing her gently.

Lauren smiled, tidied up the kitchen then made her way upstairs to shower and change her clothes. She and David left the house together and walked up the road to the shop she had told him about earlier. She chose a metal framed multi-coloured mid-sleeper bed with a slide and tent that she knew Stephanie would love. One that would be delivered and assembled the following day. The carpet she picked was a plain navy blue easy to clean one that could be fitted that afternoon. She shook her head at David when he moved his hand to his back pocket to pull his wallet out.

"If you really want to get her something, perhaps a Playstation game." Lauren shrugged when she saw the disappointed look on his face. "I wouldn't have a clue where to start with those things."

David nodded then smiled broadly, realising that it would mean taking a trip into town to one of his favourite stores.

__________


Someone was shaking him again, though not as gently as the day before. He swung his arm at them and told them very impolitely to go away in his native tongue.

"Carlos please wake up. I can't stand it anymore." He heard Sébastien complaining.

"Can't stand what?" Carlos sprang awake as he spoke. "Are you ok? Is there something wrong amigo?"

"I'll say there's something wrong." Sébastien flicked his chin in the air while he stood over Carlos.

"What?" Carlos queired, flying from his seat and looking his friend up and down.

Sébastien chuckled to himself and shook his head when he saw the worried look on Carlos's face. "There's something wrong with you. How can you snore like that and not wake yourself up?"

"I'm not that bad." Carlos humphed and dropped back down on the couch.

Sébastien laughed. "Was I right last night? About Christopher?"

Carlos nodded. "Si. Karen is very happy she's found him."

Sébastien smiled and nodded as he turned to head for the kitchen. He looked through what David had in his cupboards and wrinkled his nose.

"Carlos have you any plans for this morning?" He shouted into the lounge.

"No. I have nothing planned until this evening. Why?"

"I need to go food shopping. I can't do much good with what's in here." Sébastien shook his head at the jar of peanut butter and the few other items David liked.

Carlos came into the kitchen, looked into the fridge and shook his head. "Even I have more in my fridge than that. He did say there was something else he had to do before we fetched you from the hospital, but he couldn't remember what."

Sébastien nodded as his stomach rumbled loudly. "Oh crap! I've just remembered I don't have any money or a credit card. How am I supposed to shop without them?"

"Meirda. I can't help you either." Carlos shook his head as he placed his hand on his right butt cheek and remembered that his wallet had been taken in the robbery.

"Urs?" Sébastien shrugged while he reached for the phone.

____________


The sound of a phone ringing woke him and he fumbled around on the nightstand without turning his head to look for it. He found it quickly and answered.

"Ja." He yawned quietly and smiled when Franky started to stir, still wrapped tightly in his arms.

"Urs, I didn't wake you did I?"

"No Seb. Is there a problem?" Urs fibbed.

"Oui. I have a small problem."

"Tell me."

"I've asked Emma over for dinner tonight and there is nothing in David's fridge or cupboards. I really need to go food shopping but neither I or Carlos have any cash or credit cards and I was wondering if you could loan me some money."

"How much?" Urs questioned.

Though he never usually loaned money to anyone, he was prepared to make an exception, knowing that the Frenchman couldn't access his funds at the moment.

"Would fifty be asking too much?"

"No. That's fine. I'll be over as soon as I've dropped Franky at the garage." Urs huffed a laugh on hearing a sigh of relief released down the line.

He knew how much his friend enjoyed his food and insisted on using the very best ingredients he could find. He smiled as Sébastien thanked him and hung up. He set the phone down on the nightstand and smiled a little broader when he looked down to see that Franky had opened her eyes.

"What time is it?" She questioned.

Urs turned his head into a very awkward looking position to look at his alarm clock.

"Almost 8:00am." He informed with a gentle kiss on her lips. "I suppose you have to go into the garage today."

"'Fraid so." Franky nodded as she pulled herself from his arms, stood and stretched herself out. "Was that Seb's voice I heard on the phone?"

Urs nodded. "He's asked Emma over for dinner tonight. David has next to nothing in his cupboards as usual and he needed some money."

Franky smiled broadly and nodded then headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. Urs followed her and stepped in behind her.

"What do I need to wear for tonight?" He questioned while Franky delighted in washing his hair for him.

"Tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt." Franky smiled when she saw the serene look on his face. "The sports centre provides the shoes for beginners." She informed as she tilted his head backwards to rinse him off. "You'll need some smarter clothing for afterwards though." She moaned quietly, watching soapy water run downwards over his chest and the rest of his well-toned body.

"Why? What are we going to be doing?"

"We're going somewhere with the others afterwards."

"Where?" Urs demanded as he pulled Franky close.

"Not telling." Franky shook her head before she tilted it back under the showerhead to wet her own hair.

"Tell me." Urs requested, nuzzling her neck and dropping soft delicate kisses against her throat.

"No." Franky shook her head while she ran her hands over her hair to rinse the shampoo out.

Urs continued to ask where they were going after the rock climbing while they mutually washed each other's bodies. Franky shook her head and refused to tell him each time. They were barely able to fight the urge to make love again while they dried each other off and got dressed. Franky decided to get breakfast from home after seeing that the only things Urs had in his kitchen cupboards mostly contained nuts or nut oils.

"Sorry." Urs apologised with a kiss on her shoulder while Franky wrinkled her nose at his favourite breakfast cereal.

"It's ok." Franky smiled as she turned her head over her shoulder and kissed him gently on the cheek. She looked at the time on the kitchen clock then turned Urs's head to look.

"I suppose I'd better take you home." He huffed when he saw that it was fast approaching 9:10am.

Franky nodded and smiled as he pulled her tight to him.

"Happy Anniversary." He whispered once he'd released her from a long deep kiss.

Franky looked at him quizically at first then laughed and nodded when she realised what he meant. It was one week ago today that they had met each other and she had never been happier.

They left his apartment hand-in-hand and kissed each other gently while the lift took them to the ground floor. Franky blushed slightly when an elderly female tenant of the apartment block stepped into the lift, smiled broadly at them both and gave her a wink as they stepped out.

"What's wrong with you?" Franky asked Urs when she saw how red his face was.

"Erm......That was....." Urs coughed. "That was my neighbour. Her bedroom is next to mine. She probably heard everything we got up to last night. I can hear her playing the oboe in her lounge from my bedroom and that's quite a distance from her bedroom."

"Oh. And you know that how?." Franky giggled while Urs coughed again.

"I was going to buy her apartment until I saw how badly it had been decorated. Mine was a blank canvas."

"It still is." Franky teased and watched Urs stick his tongue out at her.

"I haven't seen much I like over here and I still haven't unpacked properly." He shook his head. "Like I've had the time."

"So it's my fault?"

"Absolutely." Urs nodded once with a smile on his face and joined in with her laughter.

He shuddered as Franky straddled his bike behind him and wrapped her arms tightly round his waist. He covered her left hand with his own and squeezed it gently before he released it, kicked the bike to life and pulled a small wheely as he roared away. They were outside the garage and saying goodbye to each other in much the same way as they had the day before in what seemed like seconds.

Karen shook, staring at the the long narrow envelope she held in her hands. It felt quite full and she closed her eyes while she ripped it open and removed the contents. She drew in a deep breath, opened her eyes and read the letter.

Her eyes flew wide and she spun around in happiness once she'd read that the position she'd applied for was hers. They had been so impressed with her CV and references that they had decided they would offer her the job without an interview. Waltzing herself around the room she smiled as she imagined the look Mr Duncan-Stewart would have on his face when she handed him her notice. One more week of working for that tyrant at her contracted hours and she would be free to work the hours she pleased.

She was virtually giddy with laughter as her mobile rang. She smiled when she saw who was calling.

"Good morning gorgeous." She answered cheerfully.

"Buenos dias hormoso. You sound very happy this morning." Carlos laughed at the other end of the line.

"I am." Karen sighed happily.

"Why so?" Carlos questioned with another, slightly louder laugh.

"Because my brother has been found and I have the most gorgeous boyfriend in the world." Karen shrugged and sighed again. She'd decided not to tell him about her new job just yet.

Carlos laughed again.

"Did you want something Carlos?" Karen questioned as she picked up her briefcase and headed out of her door.

"I forgot to ask what I need to wear for this climbing challenge."

"Oh nothing special. Tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt will be fine." Karen nodded while she checked the road and quickly walked across it.

"Ok. I will be at the hospital for six. You will not be late?"

"Not a chance of that happening today." Karen shook her head. "My boss has gone to Birmingham to give a lecture. I won't see him until tomorrow now."

"Bueno." She heard Carlos sigh and could imagine the quick nod he gave while he spoke. "Adios hormoso. I will see you later."

"Later handsome." Karen smiled broadly as she closed her mobile and entered the hospital.

___________


"How's the head this morning?" Marius asked as they stepped from the hotel.

"Head?" Jamie questioned. "Oh! The migraine. It’s fine, just fine." She smiled and linked arms with him. "What are we going to do today?"

"I thought we would start with breakfast from the best patisserie in the whole of France." Marius smiled with a point to a small shop across the road from the hotel and pulled her gently towards it. "What would you like?" He questioned while he looked in the window.

"You choose." Jamie shrugged as they moved into the cramped shop to place an order.

Marius ordered a pain au raisin form himself and a pain au chocolat for Jamie.

"What do think?" He questioned, the two of them walking down the street while they ate.

"Not bad." Jamie sniffed once she'd finished and delicately wiped the sides of her mouth.

She hadn't been paying attention to where they were walking and looked at Marius quizically when he suddenly stopped at a shop doorway. Her eyes flew wide when she looked up at the sign above the door. She looked back to Marius who was smiling broadly and shaking his head at her.

"Come." He insisted as he pushed the door open. "And when we have finished in here, we are going over there." He nodded to some across the road to some very expensive looking boutiques.

They walked into the shop together to be greeted by one of the smartly dressed shop assistants.

"Good morning Monsieur Ramone, welcome back to Cartier, Paris."

"Good morning Martine. I would like to buy this young lady a ring."

"A ring?!" Jamie snapped her head round from the large display of diamond necklaces she was looking at. "Marius we barely know......"

"Not that sort of ring. It is far too soon for that." Marius shook his head. "I meant a ring for your right hand as......." He paused to think. "….a token of my affection."

Jamie nodded and covered the gulp with a smile.

"What stones were you thinking of Monsieur Ramone?"

"I think diamonds, the clearer, the better for this lady, don't you think Martine?" Marius oozed as he lifted Jamie's right hand and kissed the back of it.

"Whatever you say Monsieur Ramone." Martine nodded politely, turned towards the back of the shop. She bumped into another assistant on her way and spoke to her. "Have you seen who's out there and what he's got with him Simone?"

Simone took a quick look then came back. "My God. It looks like she got poured into that outfit and forgot when to say stop."

Both women giggled loudly.

"Oh to be a fly on the wall when she finds out what he's been up to again." Simone grinned.

"Remember last time?" Martine questioned.

"That was one hell of a punch Brandie gave him." Simone nodded.

"You'd have thought he would have learned his lesson by now."

"He won't learn until she divorces him and takes her fortune with her."

"It'll serve him right when she does." Simone laughed and quickly made her way back into the shop. She nodded politely when she saw Marius and Jamie, though inside she was cracking up laughing just as Martine was.

Martine returned with a tray full of ready cut diamonds. Marius selected a large Marquis cut stone and asked for it to be mounted in the fanciest platinum setting the store had.

"It will be ready by Saturday morning Monsieur Ramone." Martine informed while she handed his credit card back.

Jamie smiled as she stood, inched her black mini-skirt back down and linked arms with Marius before they crossed the road to the boutiques. The rest of her day was spent trying on several exclusive gowns of which Marius bought ten. Jamie returned to the hotel completely exhausted but very pleased with her latest acquisitions.

"Wow!! Something smells good." David beamed as he entered his kitchen dressed in an off-white shirt and black trousers. He sniffed once he'd opened the door to his oven. "You know me and Lauren could be persuaded not to go out tonight." He smiled at Sébastien who stood in the kitchen doorway scowling at him. "What is that in there?" David questioned as Sébastien slammed the door shut.

"Moussaka." Sébastien informed still scowling.

David looked at him confused for a minute. "That's Greek isn't it?"

Sébastien huffed and nodded.

"Looks like there's more than enough for two." David continued, looking through the glass door and seeing a large deep dish that he couldn't recall owning.

"I'll try and save you some." Sébastien huffed again. "Now out!" He instructed as he stepped into the kitchen and tried to shoo David out of it with one of his crutches.

"My kitchen." David retorted, opening the fridge. "Whoa! Is that what I think it is?"

"What does it look like?" Sébastien sighed.

"Your mother's lemon meringue tart." David beamed.

"Exactly." Sébastien nodded.

David opened his mouth to speak again.

"I'll try and save some. I make no promises." Sébastien laughed recalling the time they'd all visited his mother before the tour.

She'd made the same thing and the American had eaten three large pieces while they told her how excited they all were. He laughed once more and finally shooed David out of the kitchen.

"You know anytime you want to move in permanently...." David laughed as he walked backwards through the lower floor of his home to the front door.

Sébastien shook his head and laughed then watched a laughing David run to his car. He closed the door and dropped the lock before making his way upstairs to change his clothes.

___________


Emma shook slightly while she walked down the short pathway to David's home dressed in a short midnight blue cocktail dress that flared from her waist. She had accessorised with Erin's delicate silver necklace that had a small diamond set into a block of silver as its pendant and the ear-rings that matched. A simple silver bangle and its matching watch were wrapped around each wrist. Black three inch sling back evening shoes with pleated detailing and a small bow were on her feet and she carried a small black handbag, big enough to carry her house key and a small purse, in her right hand. Her hair had been left hanging lose to fall in its natural way over her shoulders.

She smiled as she remembered how beautiful her mother and sister had told her she looked just before the taxi arrived. Erin was on her way out for the night too but didn't need to dress up as she was only going for a quiet drink with a friend from work.

She drew in a deep breath, bit her lip lightly as she closed her eyes and knocked. She waited patiently for Sébastien to answer knowing that it would take him some time to get to the door because he was still on crutches. She swallowed loudly when she heard the lock being fumbled with then smiled broadly as the door swung open. She felt her heart start to beat a little faster when she saw him dressed in cream trousers, a white shirt that he wore open at the neck and standing in the doorway open-mouthed.

She laughed nervously while Sébastien shook his head and swallowed hard to regain his composure.

"Please come in Emma." He smiled as he took hold of her left hand, gently pulled her over the threshold then kissed the back of her hand while he pushed the front door shut with one of his crutches. "You look magnifique."

Emma blushed bright red. "Thank you. Something smells good." She sniffed and smiled.

Sébastien escorted her through to the dining-room where he had laid the table just for the two of them and set the lighting to an intimate level. Soft classical music played at a low volume and could just be heard in the background. He smiled while he poured a full glass of wine for Emma and half for himself. He smiled as he moved over to the kitchen and hobbled around without the aid of his crutches. It hurt to do it but he managed to push through the pain while he served the Moussaka with a freshly prepared crisp salad and crusty bread. They talked about family, friends, interests and their careers while they ate.

Sebastien shaking his head in disbelief when Emma told him that the man she had planned on marrying had ended their relationship just days before the ceremony. Saying that he had never really loved her, that his father had pushed him into the relationship because he thought Emma would be a good match for him, that he had no feelings for her other than as a friend and he was leaving for the States the next day, despite the fact that his father had threatened to disinherit him and he would receive not one penny from the building company he owned.

Emma sighed while she told Sebastien that it had hurt to be told so close to the wedding, but that she was glad he had. That he'd held her hands tightly and looked directly at her while he did so. Tears had run down the man's face while he spoke. He'd finished by apologising sincerely for hurting her that way and asked if they could still be friends as he considered her the best friend he'd ever had. Though upset and very hurt, she had agreed to remain friends with him and they chatted at least once a week online. Her parents, siblings and friends all knew the truth and had been remarkably supportive once they'd accepted the news.

Sébastien laughed loudly when Emma told him about her sister and how she would kill her when she eventually found out that she'd had dinner cooked for her by one member of her favourite group.

"Does she have a favourite?" Sébastien questioned.

Emma nodded. "For the singing voice it's David, for looks it's...."

"Don't tell me." Sébastien interupted and rolled his eyes backwards. "Urs?"

Emma nodded and laughed.

"And do you have a favourite?" Sébastien questioned, making Emma blush bright red as she nodded.

"Who?" Sébastien teased.

"Well if you don't know by now I'm not going to tell you." She shrugged and laughed in reply.

Both of them laughed and smiled as they finished the first course of their meal.


Part 43

"You're not climbing dressed like that are you?" Urs questioned Franky who stood before him dressed in a pair of tight fitting knee-length black shorts and a blue t-shirt that showed every detail of her well-toned body.

"Why? What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"Nothing." Urs growled as he pulled her close. "You do it on purpose don't you?"

"And you don't? I've seen the pictures on the website." Franky giggled and smacked his backside.

"Hey!!"

"You ready?" She questioned as she took hold of his hand and led him through the sports centre to where the climbing wall had been built.

Urs swallowed hard once he saw what he and Carlos were about to climb.

"How high did they say that was?" He whispered, leaning into Carlos's left ear.

"Thirty-five feet." Carlos replied while he fidgeted in the harness. "Why?"

"Just looks a hell of a lot more." Urs shook his head. "Where's Karen?"

"Gone to get another pair of shoes for me. The ones they gave me had a small split in them, she wouldn't even let me put them on."

"Something wrong?" Franky questioned while she looked at the wall now tightly strapped into a harness herself.

"No." Urs shook his head.

"Yes." Carlos moaned while he wriggled in the harness Karen had helped him strap himself into. "Does this thing have to be so tight? I think it is more uncomfortable than the one you wore on Saturday."

Franky laughed and shook her head. "Believe me, it isn't."

Carlos shrugged but looked at Franky suspiciously as he pulled at the strap that sat near his groin. He spotted Karen returning with the shoes and smiled. He gave Urs a quick nudge when he noticed how similarly Franky and Karen were dressed.

"What's with the platform at the top Karen?" Franky questioned as her friend came to her side.

"A new idea someone's come up with. Instead of climbing down or being lowered by Mark and Jason....." Karen paused to nod towards two men who stood waiting with ropes held loosely in their hands. ".......there's a staircase at the back of the wall that you can go down and it comes out just there." Karen pointed to a small door off to the left.

"Good idea." Franky nodded. "You up for a bit of fun?" She asked quietly while she pointed at Urs and Carlos.

"Like what?"

"A bit of free-climbing and a bit of abseiling." Franky whispered so that neither man heard.

Karen nodded enthusiastically.

"Good." Franky nodded and moved over to where Urs and Carlos stood waiting.

"What's this?" Urs questioned after Franky had connected a clip to the front of the harness.

"It's a belay device. You have to have it in case you slip off or fall. Mark will be able to stop you hitting the floor."

Urs turned to look at the man Franky indicated and gave him a polite nod.

"Here put this on." Franky instructed as she handed Urs a helmet.

Urs looked at the thing and remarked on how ugly it was while he put it on. He laughed loudly when he saw Carlos wearing his.

"You think you look any better?" Carlos questioned, looking at Urs with a smirk on his face and his head shaking.

"All right you two." Karen giggled.

The whole group walked up to the wall and listened to the instructor while he told them how to climb, what the strange looking colour-coded lumps on the wall were, which were footholds and which were hand holds. Urs and Carlos listened more carefully while he told them that what the colours meant, yellow for and easy climb, orange for a little harder and red for a difficult climb that was best left to experienced climbers. He asked them if they'd ever climbed before and Carlos was a little surprised when Urs said yes but it was when he was a lot younger. The instructor told them both to use the yellow route and moved over to his right to a small glass fronted office from which he would be able to see everything.

Franky counted them both down and stood to watch how well they did.

"Not doing bad are they?" Karen whispered into her ear once they were well off the ground.

Franky shook her head and bit her lip lightly, her eyes widened in surprise. "No. You know Carlos is pretty good at this." She huffed a laugh "Watch how he's thinking at least one handhold or foothold ahead of himself. Are you sure he hasn't done this before?"

"He says not." Karen nodded her head and smiled while she watched how well he climbed. "He went quite pale when I told him how high he was going. Urs is doing pretty good too." Karen nodded towards Urs climbing just a few feet below Carlos.

Franky shook her head and furrowed her brow. "He needs to push a little more with his legs. He's letting his arms do most of the work and pulling himself up the wall rather than actually climbing it." Franky breathed deep and moaned quietly in the back of her throat, watching his arm muscles flex and contract. "They're nearly at the top shall we get ready?"

Karen laughed as she looked at her.

"What?" Franky shook her head.

"Franky Gibson I do believe you're thinking about something else other than climbing, you're blushing redder than I've seen."

Karen laughed when Franky told her to shut up with a laugh, nodded and moved off to her starting position and put her helmet on.

"Which route?"

"Red." Franky shrugged and smiled while she looked at Karen through her long eyelashes.

Karen took a quick look at the wall and nodded.

"Do you think they know we're watching?" David asked as he and Lauren sat at one of the tables that stood in the coffee shop of the sports centre, placing themselves so that they had a good view of the climbing wall.

"No." Lauren shook her head, sipping on an iced cappucino. "Only Franky does."

David giggled quietly while he watched Carlos pulling at the harness.

"David."

He turned to face Lauren on hearing her speak his name.

"Have you told them about Stephanie yet?" Lauren questioned.

"Not yet, No." David shook his head. "I want us all to be together when I do."

"How do you think they'll take it?"

"I'm pretty sure they'll all be ok about it. If not...." David shrugged. "...then that’s up to them. This is my life and my relationship. As long as I'm happy I don't see what they have to worry about. Kid or no kid, I'm very happy with you Lauren." He smiled and touched her face with the back of his right hand as he spoke. "I know Stephanie is your child. I won't interfere with the way you want to raise her and I know you'll respect my opinions. I just hope she will too, I know we can make this work, even though it's happening very early in our relationship. I do want children of my own too at some point. That's a very small part of the reason Jenni and I broke up. She didn't want any, ever. Not that we would have had any anyway, our relationship hadn't been working for a long time. We split by mutual agreement, months before the tour started. I see her once in while, when I go home, but we never seem to have much to say to one another. We were two totally different people by the end and as long as she's well and happy that's all I care about. Ok?"

Lauren sniffed and knocked the tear from her eye as she nodded then turned back to watch their friends climbing.

"Oh my God, Carlos beat Urs." David laughed out loud. "Urs is going be so pissy now."

"Maybe so, but just watch this." Lauren informed while they watched Franky and Karen climbing.

She listened to him gulp loudly when Franky hung from the wall by one arm before she waved at someone on the ground then continued to climb.

"What are they going to do now?" David questioned.

He laughed loudly when he saw the stunned looks on Carlos and Urs's faces while they watched what Franky and Karen did, before they turned and ran through the doorway at the top of the wall.

"Come on Missy, Salsa time." He said as he stood, shimmied a little and pulled Lauren into his arms.

"You're nuts." Lauren giggled.

"About you, yes." David nodded before he kissed her gently.

___________


"You cheated." Urs yelled after reaching the top of the climbing wall just after Carlos.

"Did not." Carlos retorted. "You're just jealous because I beat you Mr Muscle & Fitness." He continued, jabbing one finger at Urs's chest as he said 'you'.

"Yes you did. You started climbing before Franky said go."

"Did not." Carlos snapped quickly.

"At least I'm not huffing and puffing like an old man." Urs hissed back at him.

Carlos glared at him then let fly with a whispered tirade of Spanish expletives which caused Urs to laugh.

"Hey you two stop arguing and climb over on to the platform." Franky yelled from the ground.

Urs and Carlos did as she requested then leaned over the side to watch Franky and Karen climb. They looked at each other questioningly when they saw looks on both women's faces. They stood wide-eyed and open-mouthed watching both women remove their harnesses and drop them to the floor.

"Ready." Franky smiled.

Karen nodded as she raced Franky to the wall.

Urs and Carlos watched in amazement as both women climbed up the red route, arm and leg muscles flexing and contracting while they climbed. Franky just pulling ahead of Karen because she climbed a little quicker.

Franky and Karen laughed and smiled at each other as they moved upwards. They were about halfway up when they heard the manager of the sports center shouting.

"Hey you two what are.......Franky Gibson and Karen Clarke I might have known." He smiled and shook his head when he recognised who was climbing.

"Hey Robert." Franky waved, hanging from one arm.

"Just this once Franky." Robert warned. "Free climbing isn't really allowed."

"Ok. Sorry Robert." She nodded.

"Franky! Be careful." Urs shouted.

Franky shook her head as she looked up at him. She looked down slightly to see Karen almost catching her up. She smiled once more, before moving again.

"Told you we would win." She laughed once she'd leapt over on to the platform and dropped a quick kiss on Urs's cheek.

"I still say he cheated." Urs grumbled.

"No he didn't." Franky shook her head. "He beat you because you didn't climb, you pulled yourself up with your arms. You'll only have yourself to blame if you're sore in the morning." She continued as Urs wrapped his arms around her waist while she ran her hands up and down his forearms.

Franky laughed when Carlos stuck his tongue out at Urs and nodded.

"You enjoyed that didn't you?" Karen asked as she clambered onto the platform and gave Carlos a similar kiss.

"Yes. Fancy doing it for real at the weekend." Franky nodded after telling Urs and Carlos to remove their harnesses.

"We have plans." Carlos informed quickly, pulled the harness off and rubbed at his groin where the harness had been as discreetly as he could.

"We do?" Karen questioned as she looked at him with surprise.

"Maybe." Carlos smiled and handed the harness to Karen.

He looked at her in confusion while she slipped it on and adjusted it to fit. Urs looked at Franky in much the same way when she did the same with the one he had been wearing. Both women looped a rope through a caribina, climbed back over the rail and stood on the edge of the wall. They looked at each with big smiles again counted to three then pushed hard away. They laughed while they abseiled their way down the wall in one fluid move.

"Crazy women." Urs and Carlos shook their heads as they spoke, then turned and ran as quickly as they could down the steps at the back of the wall.

"What are we doing now?" Urs asked, wrapping his arms around Franky after she'd removed the harness.

She laughed then looked at Karen and Carlos with an evil little smile on her face.

"Did you?" Karen questioned.

Franky nodded.

"Did you what?" Urs questioned again.

Franky looked at him again with a mischevious glint in her eye. She whispered in his ear and gave a little shimmy as she pulled away.

"Oh no!" Urs wagged his finger at her. "No way. No way I'm going." He insisted while he backed away from her.

"Yes you are." Carlos laughed, grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him towards the changing rooms.

"We're coming too." David and Lauren shouted from the reception area waving at the foursome as they flew passed them.

"Arrrrrgh." Urs screamed while Franky and Karen laughed and headed for the changing rooms.

"That was lovely. I couldn't eat another thing." Emma smiled as she sat back in the dining chair and laid a hand on her full stomach. "Thank you."

Sébastien smiled back and shook his head. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"You really did all that yourself?" Emma questioned after taking a sip of wine.

Sébastien nodded. "The dessert was my mother's recipe."

"It was wonderful." Emma nodded.

"Erm.....Emma.." Sébastien paused and twirled the stem of his wine glass between the index finger and thumb of his right hand for a few seconds before he continued. "I don't like to complain, but that physio they're sending round to help me, he's very rough and he's impatient. David nearly punched him this morning because ..........."

"Who have they sent?" She questioned with a sigh as she looked at him.

"Marcus Slater."

"I might have known." Emma nodded and pursed her lips together. "I'll see if I can get them to send someone else. We get a lot of complaints about him. God knows how he qualified as physio therapist in the first place. He didn't hurt you did he?"

"Non. He just wanted me to move a lot quicker than I feel I can at the moment."

"You're sleeping ok?" Emma questioned.

"Fine." Sébastien nodded and started to stack the dishes so that he could take them into the kitchen.

He tried to decline when Emma offered her help but soon realised it was useless to argue with her. He smiled and felt himself shudder when his hand covered hers for a few seconds as they both moved to pick up the dishes at the same time. He laughed slightly when he saw how red she went.

"David's going to be happy when he gets back" Sébastien laughed, holding up what remained of the lemon meringue tart.

Emma threw her head back and laughed a little.

"Shall we go into the lounge?" He suggested with a nod towards the door.

"Sure." Emma nodded and picked up the bottle of wine and two glasses.

"Not visiting Chris tonight?" Sébastien questioned as he sat down on one end of David's couch.

"No." Emma shook her head and sat down close to Sébastien. "Karen spent quite a while with him today. I think she might even have got through to him. He gave one of the nurses' hands a slight squeeze just after she left."

"That's a good thing?" Sébastien questioned.

Emma nodded. "I just want to get my hands on that Jamie Strawson." She hissed.

Sébastien swallowed hard at the mention of her name.

"Oh I'm sorry Seb, I forgot." Emma sighed and screwed her eyes tight together. "Did she take you for much money?"

"It's not the money I'm bothered about." Sébastien shook his head. "It's having this done to me and being laid up like this. I hate it! I can't do half the things I like to do. I hate having to rely on other people for help." He yelled as he pushed the crutches hard away from him sending them clattering across the wooden floor. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." He apologised as he turned himself to face her.

"It's ok." Emma shook her head and laid her left hand on his right knee. She smiled when he laid his right hand on top of hers and squeezed it gently. "It still hurts doesn't it? I don't mean just the physical aspect, I mean the emotional too."

Sébastien nodded and swallowed hard while he closed his eyes. He held Emma's hand a little tighter and allowed his tears to fall freely. "I think......I know Franky and Lauren are right now, but I can't understand why Jamie had her brother and his friend do this to me. I'm sorry. I really thought I'd got past all this."

"It's ok. It’s going to take a little longer than a few days to get over what you've been through." Emma shook her head and gently stroked the left side of his face with her right hand as she spoke.

She smiled softly as Sébastien brought his left hand up to take hold of her right and gently kissed its palm. He continued to look at her through tear-filled while he held her hands tightly in his and lowered them slowly to rest on his right thigh. He chewed on his bottom lip, fighting hard to control himself.

"It's ok." Emma smiled softly. "Let it go."

Sébastien closed his eyes and leaned forward so that his face was buried into the left side of Emma's neck. He released her hands, wrapped his arms around her waist, held her tight and cried quietly while Emma wrapped her own arms around him and stroked his back gently. They stayed that way until Sébastien stopped crying.

"Feel better?" Emma questioned as he looked at her with a smile on his face.

Sébastien nodded and took several deep, cleansing breaths and started to relax.

"Where have the rest of them gone tonight?" Emma asked as she handed him a tissue.

"Err......climbing at the sports centre then Salsa dancing." Sébastien grunted a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Emma asked.

"Urs....and Salsa dancing! Carlos....strapped into a climbing harness." Sébastien snorted a laugh then threw his head back and laughed hysterically.

____________


"Ah-ah. No. No way I'm going on that dancefloor." Urs shook his head while a giggling Franky tried to drag him from his seat.

"Chicken!" Franky huffed and plonked herself down next to him. She wriggled away from him when he wrapped an arm around her waist and tried to pull her close.

"I'm sorry Franky. I just don't like to dance in public. Not like that anyway." Urs whispered in her ear.

He closed his eyes, gently stroked her half-naked back and skimmed his fingers just under the side hem of the white halter-neck top she wore. He bought his left hand over to rest on her knee just below the hem of her short white salsa skirt.

"It's ok." Franky shuddered as she replied. "We can just sit here and watch the others."

"Or you could take a turn round the dancefloor with me." Michael beamed from the front of their table and held his hand out to her.

"Michael!" Franky yelled as she jumped up and hugged him. "I'm sorry I haven't been around, been a little busy" She apologised and hugged him again.

"I noticed." He replied nodding at Urs once Franky had introduced them. "Very nice. Can I have him when you've finished with him?" He whispered in Franky's ear.

"Behave yourself." Franky laughed and slapped him lightly on the arm.

"Are you coming or what woman?" Michael asked, offering his hand again.

"You don't mind do you?" She asked as she turned to look at Urs.

"No. You go and enjoy yourself." Urs shook his head and smiled. He watched the couple closely while Franky and Michael made their way to the dancefloor and tapped his fingers on the table as a Tango rythmn started to play.

He blinked rapidly and swallowed hard while he watched the way they took hold of each other to begin. His eyes widened as the crowd of dancers stepped back and gave the dancefloor over to the couple. The finger tapping stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowed and his breathing grew ragged as he continued to watch them. What was this he was feeling he had in the pit of his stomach? Like he'd been kicked there. Could it be jealousy? Urs shook his head. 'No, stop thinking like that, they're only dancing.' His head reasoned and he wasn't the jealous type. He'd seen his ex-girlfriends dancing with other men many times, but nothing like this current feeling had ever overwhelmed him before.

It was the way they were dancing that did something within him. His head told him not to worry, while his heart felt like it was being ripped out. He hated the close body contact, the very close, intimate body contact the pair were having. He pursed his lips hard together when he saw Michael pressing his groin against Franky's leg. He bit his lip hard as they locked their eyes on each other and breathed heavily as though they were passionately attracted to each other. Urs swallowed hard again when he saw the way Michael was touching her with his hands, running them lightly over almost all of her body and legs. He almost yelled out loud for him to stop when he saw how close his lips got to hers when he spun her into a dip, only for Franky to snatch her head away at the last second.

"She's very good isn't she?" Carlos questioned as he dropped down next to Urs.

"What?" Urs asked, his eyes still following Franky and Michael around the dancefloor.

"Franky. She's a fantastic dancer." Carlos nodded.

"Mmm." Urs nodded sharply the look on his facing darkening.

"Something wrong?" David questioned as he flopped down on the other side of Urs.

"No." Urs replied with a very quick look at David.

"You're jealous." Carlos laughed.

"No I'm not!" Urs snapped.

"Yes you are." David insisted.

"There is no need to worry my friend. They are only dancing friends." Carlos informed with a pat on Urs's thigh.

"Doesn't look like it from here." Urs hissed and folded his arms across his chest. "Just look at the way he's touching her. He's got his hands all over her and she's letting him."

"That's just how the dance is performed." Carlos smiled.

Urs watched again as Michael pushed Franky harshly away from him and she slid across the floor on her knees while she looked at her dance partner through dark hooded eyes and breathed hard as they finished the dance. Michael smiled as he gave Franky a courtly bow then offered a hand to help her stand up. The couple gave an appreciative bow and courtsey then smiled broadly as they left the dancefloor to a loud round of applause.

"Urs calm down." Carlos asked reaching for his arm and missing as Urs stormed towards them. "It was only a dance and........"

Urs grabbed Franky's right wrist and pulled her towards the exit.

"Hey! Whoa! Hold on a minute!" Franky yelled angrilly as she dug her heels in and whipped her wrist from his grasp. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Urs shook his head and turned away from her.

"Oh really." Franky exclaimed, moving herself back in front of him. "Then what's with the angry looks and the pulling me over here?"

Urs turned to look at her with his forehead furrowed, his eyes narrowed and lips pursed tight together.

"You're jealous." She smiled on seeing the thunderous look on his face.

Urs shook his head. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are." Franky laughed.

"It's not funny Franky." Urs snapped. "Watching another man touch you like that, makes me....makes me...."

"Jealous." Franky finished for him.

"I think I have every right to be. Letting another man touch you like that, you're no better than Jamie!" Urs yelled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Franky yelled in reply.

"She might dress like a whore, but you were the one behaving like one just now. Why didn't you just let him have you right there in front of me? It was pretty obvious you wanted him to." Urs snapped again as he nodded back towards the dancefloor.

"Oh was it really?" Franky's eyes flew wide and her mouth pursed tightly while she glared at him. "Take it back."

"Why? Can't you handle the truth? What are you going to do next? Work your way through all of us."

"You swine!" She yelled as she slapped him hard across the face, making his head snap harshly to the right.

Urs rubbed at his stinging face and tears pricked his eyes as he watched Franky run away from him to make her way out of the nightclub.

"Franky wait. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." Urs shouted while he ran after her.

"Go to hell." Franky yelled tearfully over shoulder, pushing open the door that would lead to the stairs that lead down to the street.

Urs stopped running as the door swung back quickly and hit him hard in the shoulder.

"Amigo, what the hell did you just say to her?!" Carlos asked after he came to Urs's side.

Urs closed his eyes and repeated what he'd said.

Carlos stood stunned by what he been told. "No wonder she slapped you like that. You deserved it."

"I know. I only said it out of......jealousy." Urs nodded and dropped his chin to his chest as he rammed his fists into the pockets of his trousers.

"Then you should not have said it at all should you?"

"No." Urs shook his head sadly. "I don't even know where all that venom came from."

"Urs, there's no need for you to be jealous of Michael." Carlos shook her head and rolled his eyes backwards.

"Why not? You saw the way he touched her and the way she reacted." Urs replied as he raised his head to look at him.

"Dios, it was only a dance and I think they danced beautifully together." Carlos sighed. "The Tango is a very intimate and a very passionate dance you know that."

Urs nodded and swallowed hard, recalling that he'd watched Carlos's sister perform the dance with a friend when they'd all visited a similar nightclub in Madrid during the tour and how proud her husband had been of her. The man giving her a huge smile and a tight embrace as she stepped off the dancefloor with her partner.

"There really is no need for you to be jealous amigo. It's plain to see how much Franky loves you every time she looks at you. Obviously you can't see that she loves you and only you." Carlos shook his head. "And Franky is nowhere near Michael's type anyway."

"Why not? She's a beautiful woman." Urs snapped at his friend.

"I know she is." Carlos nodded. "But you are more Michael's type than Franky will ever be." He laughed and raised his eyebrows.

Urs looked at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed when he realised what he was saying. "You mean he's gay?"

"Si he is and he's known Franky for a long time." Carlos nodded and smiled. "Not that it should matter one way or the other if he is gay. You were wrong to say what you said to Franky. Very, very wrong. I met Michael when Karen and I were here the other night. He told me he and Franky are good friends and they dance together when she's here, nothing more. Now go. Go on. Get after her." Carlos flicked his head towards the door as he spoke.

"What have I done?" Urs whispered as his right hand flew to his mouth.

He ran quickly down the stairs and made his way out of the club as fast as he could.

"Something wrong sir?" A bouncer asked him while he scanned up and down the road.

"My girlfriend. She came running out of here a few moments ago, probably in tears. Do you know where she went?"

"Does she have long fire red hair?"

"Oh you mean Franky?" Another man asked from behind Urs.

Urs nodded after glancing over his shoulder and seeing a hint of anger in the man's eyes. It was all too clear that this man knew Franky quite well too.

"She hailed a taxi. Perhaps she went home." The first bouncer shrugged, pointing off to his right.

"Thanks." Urs nodded as he hailed a taxi of his own and gave them Franky's address. He heard his mobile ring, looked at it to see who was calling.

"Sorry Seb." He sighed as he closed his eyes and turned it off.

"My God! Look at the time." Emma exclaimed as she stood up and looked at her watch. It was almost one o'clock in the morning. "I really should be going. I have to be at work for eight."

"I'm sorry if I've kept you talking too long." Sébastien shook his head as he quickly raised himself from the couch. He winced and yelled out loud when he straightened his injured leg a little too quickly. "Mon Dieu!"

"Are you ok?" Emma asked on seeing the pained expression on his face.

"Non!" Sébastien groaned and shook his head.

"What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"

"My leg. Where the stitches are."

"Ok. Do you want me to take a look?"

Sébastien blushed bright red knowing that he would have to drop his trousers so that she could see what was happening with his leg and wondering what David would think if he walked through the front door at that moment. He knew he would make jokes about it for weeks if not months. He drew in a deep breath and grumbled something in French while he unfastened his trousers and dropped them to the floor. He started giggling as he watched Emma's face turn bright red.

"I'll err......I'll be as quick as I can." Emma giggled, then knelt down and inspected his wound.

Sébastien pursed his lips tight together and continued giggling while he nodded.

"Uh-oh." Emma grimmaced once she was standing back up.

"What's happening?" Sébastien asked as he perched himself on the arm of the couch and looked down at his leg.

He suddenly felt quite ill and almost brought his dinner back up when he saw the trickle of blood oozing slowly from the wound.

"It's ok." Emma lifted his chin and indicated for him to look at her rather than his leg by pointing at her face. "I think you've pulled a couple of stitches out."

"I feel sick."

"Still don't like the sight of blood, huh?" Emma questioned.

"Non. Not since......" Sébastien shook his head.

Emma nodded as she reached for the phone. "Just stay there and try to stay calm."

_____________


"He said what?!" Lauren fumed once Carlos had informed them all of what had happened between Urs and Franky.

Carlos shrugged then nodded his head. "That's what he told me."

"But he said he didn't mind Franky dancing with Michael." Karen shook her head.

"It wasn't the fact that she danced with him, it was the way they danced." Carlos nodded.

"Doesn't he know that the Tango is an intimate and passionate dance?" Lauren shrugged.

Carlos nodded again.

"He shouldn't have compared Franky to Jamie like that though." David sighed. "That was cruel and totally uncalled for."

"I know." Carlos nodded. "That is why I do not blame Franky for slapping him."

"She slapped him?" Lauren questioned with a look of astonishment on her face.

"Si. Very hard, across the face. He had a handprint there when I spoke to him."

Lauren shook her head and blew out a long breath.

"What's wrong?" David asked as she did it.

"Franky has got to be fuming mad to strike out like that." Lauren looked to Karen who nodded in reply. "She never hits out unless someone has really hurt her. At least I've never known her to."

"Me neither." Karen sighed and shook her head. "Where has Urs gone?".

"To try and find Franky." Carlos informed.

"You don't think she'll end it with him do you?" David asked as he looked at Lauren again.

"I don't know. She might, after what he said. Why?" Lauren shrugged.

"Because it would kill him if she did. He loves her already. I've never even seen him look at any woman like he does Franky." Carlos sighed heavily and swallowed hard. "I still remember how bad he was after his last relationship ended."

"Oh I don't even want to go there again." David sighed and shook his head. "God knows how we got him on stage for those last few nights."

"Why? What happened?" Karen questioned.

"He retreated into himself. He spent most of his time either in the gym or locked in his hotel room." Carlos huffed. "He didn't speak to any of us for almost....." He paused to think.

"A week." David reminded with a heavy sigh.

"Si. A week. And he barely ate anything either. He almost collapsed backstage after the final concert."

"I was at that one." Lauren shook her head. "He looked ok."

"Amazing what stage make up can do isn't it?" David smiled wryly. "Shows you what a good actor he is too, other than the three of us no-one thought there was much wrong, just Urs being sulky again."

"Sorry." Lauren smiled as she gave David's hand a quick squeeze.

"It's ok." David shook his head and smiled.

"What do you think we should do now?" Karen questioned. "I don't feel like dancing knowing that Franky and Urs are upset with one another."

"Me neither." Carlos shook his head as he wrapped his right arm around Karen's waist

"Let's go back to my place for coffee, we can discuss things better there." Karen suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement and quickly left 'Los Locos' nightclub.

____________


"I'm sorry Seb, Urs and Carlos aren't answering and it sounds like David has left his mobile upstairs." Emma sighed while she listened at the bottom of the stairs. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"You wouldn't mind?" Sébastien smiled, keeping his eyes focused on her rather than his leg while a paramedic looked at the wound.

"No." Emma shook her head and smiled in return.

"Ok. You can pull your trousers back up now." The paramedic laughed when he saw how red Sébastien had gone. "We'll take you down to accident and emergency and let a doctor have a look."

Sébastien nodded as he re-zipped his trousers and fastened his belt.

"Can you manage on the crutches or do you want me fetch a wheelchair?" The paramedic asked.

"I can manage." Sébastien nodded.

"Right. Your key?" Emma smiled while she held one up to Sébastien who nodded. "Come on then elevator trousers, let's go and get you sorted."

"Elevator trousers?" Sébastien looked at her quizically as they left the house and Emma locked the door.

"Sure." Emma giggled and nodded her head. "They're up, they're down, they're up. They'll be down again when we get to hospital."

Sébastien roared with laughter once she'd explained the joke. Emma smiled and shrugged. The pair continued to giggle as they made their way to the waiting ambulance.

Franky bit her lip hard as she made her way into her home. She had refused to cry in the taxi that had brought her home, but tears now streamed down her face as she walked into the lounge and turned the tv on then she dropped down hard on her couch.

She couldn't believe those words had come from Urs's mouth. Those words that had cut her to her very core. The words that he'd used to compare her to Jamie. She was nothing like Jamie and he had made her sound ten times worse.

She wasn't the one who virtually prostituted herself, that used men left, right and centre to get what she wanted. She'd worked hard, damned hard for everything she had. She'd told him how much she loved to dance and it was hardly her fault he didn't.

She turned her head over her right shoulder when she heard the gentle knock at her front door. She drew in a deep breath as she stood up, quickly blew it out and wiped her eyes as she headed for the door. She composed herself once more and stopped her tears from falling as she swung it open.

"Franky I......." Urs started to speak with his head lowered shamefully to his chest.

"Well! What do you want?" She snapped quickly.

"To apologise." Urs swallowed hard as he raised his head to look at her.

"For what?" Franky shrugged staring at him, her face expressionless.

Urs lowered his head again. He couldn't bear to look at her. He could see how much he'd hurt her just by looking at her eyes. "For what I said to you at the nightclub."

"Oh. You'd better come in then. I won't discuss things like that on the doorstep." Franky sniffed as she spoke

She turned and headed back into the house towards the lounge door. Urs raised his head again and looked into the hallway to see her disappearing into the lounge. He stepped across the threshold, quietly closed the door and followed her. She wasn't in the lounge, but he could hear sounds coming from the kitchen and made his way in. He closed his eyes when he saw her standing in front of the kitchen sink with her back to him, staring out of the window into the blackness of the garden. He approached her, laid his hands on the tops of her arms and tried to turn her around.

"Don't." She asked as she shrugged him off and moved away from him. "Don't touch me right now."

Urs dropped his hands to his sides. "I'm sorry Franky. Carlos explained about Michael."

She shrugged again. "I don't care if you're sorry or you aren't Urs. The fact that Michael is gay should not make any difference to what you think of me. If you really love me you those cruel words would not even have entered your mind never mind come from your mouth."

"I-I-I do....I do love you." Urs stuttered.

"You've got a very funny way of showing it." Franky hissed.

"Franky, I know your angry with me right now......" Urs began.

"Angry!" Franky huffed. "Oh No Urs. I'm not angry. I'm absolutely furious!"

Urs nodded. "Ok. You're absolutely furious with me and I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I really am sorry. Please forgive me, I do love you Franky."

"You obviously don't Urs." Franky shook her head. "I think you told me exactly what you think of me when you said those things."

"I do." Urs nodded his head as he repeated and sniffed. "I really don't think of you like that."

"Then why did you call me that? Why did you compare me to Jamie? I'm nothing like her. I've worked damned hard to get the garage back on its feet and for everything I have, never asking anyone for help. I am not a whore!" Franky yelled as she whirled round to face him, her face finally showing how angry she was. "If that's what you think of me because I slept with you so quickly then you're wrong. I've never fallen so quickly for any man and I don't use people like that. I told you right from the very beginning how much I love to dance and you said it wouldn't be a problem if I danced with someone else because you don't like to dance in public."

"I know. I know you're not a wh...what I implied you were. You're nothing like Jamie. I only said those things because I was....I was jealous and I didn't know how to handle what I was feeling. I've never, ever felt like that before." Urs nodded and chewed his bottom lip as he spoke.

"I find that hard to believe."

"It's true. I erm....I've not been involved with very many women, but they've all made me feel used in one way or another, especially the last one. I think they were only with me for what they could get out of the relationship. Yes we went out to nightclubs and they danced with other men, sometimes much more seductively than you did with Michael, but I never, ever felt what I did tonight. Honestly, I didn't know how to handle it."

"Do you want me to give up dancing just because you can't control your jealousy?" Franky shook her head and glared at him. "Because it just ain't gonna happen Urs. I won't give up dancing......."

"No." Urs shook his head vigorously. "No, I don't want you to do that. I would never ask you to do that, because I know how I would feel if you asked me to give up singing. I couldn't do it."

Franky breathed deep while she nodded and tried to compose herself again.

"I've really hurt you, haven't I?" Urs closed his eyes and swallowed hard while he asked the question.

"Yes you have." Franky sighed heavily then sniffed loudly.

Urs opened his eyes to see tears streaming down her face. He stepped forward so that their faces almost touched. He raised his hands to gently cup her face and blinked slowly while he wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

"I'm so sorry." He apologised as he gently kissed her left cheek.

Franky didn't react as he pulled back from the kiss, she just stood there with her arms by her side and her eyes closed. Urs moved his hands to lift hers, to hold them gently in his own against his chest. He chewed on his bottom lip again and allowed his tears to fall while he waited for Franky to open her eyes but they didn't move.

"Please listen to me Franky. I really am sorry" He sniffed and screwed his eyes tight together while he tried and only just succeeded in stopping his tears from falling. "Please don't tell me we're through. I couldn't bear that. I love you so much already. I know the Tango is an intimate and passionate dance and I'm not usually the jealous type. Watching the way Michael touched you, it was.........I felt like everything inside me was being ripped out. I let my temper get the better of me, so much so I thought I was going to explode and said what I did because I felt betrayed again. Honesty, I've never felt that before and I didn't know what to do." He shook his head vigorously from side to side as he swallowed hard again.

Franky opened her eyes and looked at him. "Promise me something." She asked.

Urs snatched his head up and opened his eyes quickly. "Anything. Just tell me what."

"That you'll never say anything like that again." Franky smiled as she raised her right hand and gently stroked the left side of his face where she'd hit him.

Urs swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "I promise."

"Good." Franky nodded. "Now get out. I never want to see or hear from you again." Franky sobbed as she nodded towards the door that led to the lounge.

"Franky. Don't. Please don't do this." He begged, shaking his head slowly.

"Get out, before I slap you senseless!" Franky yelled.

Urs shook his head. "No."

"Get out!" Franky shouted through gritted teeth and raised her hand to slap him again.

Urs shook his head again grabbed hold of her arm and held it gently but firmly away from him. He could barely bring himself to look at her. The look in her eyes told him everything and he felt her pain. His words had obviously been like arrows to her heart because she looked at him as though she was slowly dying inside.

"No. Franky please don't, don't end it. I know...." He paused to swallow and struggled to do it. ".....I know I deserve it and probably a lot more, but please believe me I'm truly, truly sorry for what I said. It was cruel, viciously cruel and you're right, I shouldn't have thought those things or said them. I do love you."

Franky slowly relaxed her arm and lowered it when she saw the heartbroken look in his eyes. He looked at her like she was tearing his heart out and ripping it to shreds right there in front of him. It was almost the same look she'd seen when he'd told her how his previous relationship had ended. His eyes widening for a few seconds before they blinked rapidly while chewing on his bottom lip and swallowing hard. It was obvious that he'd been hurt badly, that what had happened between the two of them had hurt him even more and he'd realised what a huge mistake he'd made. She couldn't bear to see him like that. She closed her eyes and nodded as tears streamed down her face again.

"All right. I forgive you." She sobbed as she lowered her chin to her chest. "Just don't ever say anything like that again."

"I won't." Urs said after taking a step closer.

He hooked his finger under her chin, gently lifted her head, closed his eyes and swallowed hard as he kissed her very gently on the lips.

Franky gasped when Urs flung his arms around her upper arms and chest, pulled her close to him and he held her tight. She wrapped her arms round his waist and returned the hug. She rested the right side of her face against his chest and listened while he apologised three more times in quick succession then took some deep cleansing breaths while he rocked her gently from side to side and curled his fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck.

"I'm sorry I hit you." Franky shook her head once she'd pulled her face off his chest and looked up at him. "I shouldn't have done that. There's never a good excuse for doing that." She smiled.

"No. No, I deserved it after what I said." Urs shook his head and gave her a weak smile. "Look at me, thirty-something years old and I'm only just finding out what real love is all about. I do love you Franky, I wouldn't have come here tonight if I didn't. I thought I was in love with the last girl, but I obviously wasn't, otherwise I would have fought for her like I did for you."

Franky smiled as she nodded. "She really hurt you didn't she?"

"No. Not really." Urs closed his eyes and shook his head quickly.

"Yes she did. Otherwise there wouldn't be such a sad look in your eyes whenever you talk about her. What's happened tonight couldn't have hurt you this deeply. I can see it Urs, despite the fact you're trying to hide it just like you did when we were out riding. I want to understand why you reacted like you did tonight, but I can't if you won't talk to me or tell me why. Can I?"

Urs swallowed hard and shook his head sadly before he began to speak.

"Ja. She did hurt me, but not on her own. I didn't exactly tell you the truth on Monday." He said quickly. "Erm.....She hurt me that badly that I wouldn't talk to anyone about it when it ended. I spent whatever free time I had locked in my room or down in the gym, giving the equipment hell. I hardly ate, drank or slept. I lost a lot weight and I still haven't put it all back on. I even thought about giving it all up and quitting the group to see if I could find someone that wasn't interested in me for the fame. I didn't think I would ever get back to normal. If it hadn't been for Carlos sitting me down and talking to me one night, making me see that I wasn't the one who'd done anything wrong, I don't think I would have and I wouldn't be here now. I gave her everything I had but it wasn't enough and here I am now, with you asking nothing of me and I almost threw it away."

"Tell me the truth then." Franky requested, taking Urs by the hand, leading him into the lounge and sitting down beside him once he was seated.

"There's not much to tell really. I met her while I was out shopping for my mother's birthday. She was working in a chocolate shop and offered her help when she saw that I was having trouble making a decision. There was so much to choose from, so much that my mother would have liked that it made my head spin. We flirted with each other for a while and I asked her out that night. She was great at first, while we recording the album and promoting it. Then we had to go on tour. That's when things started falling apart. She came with me for the first three weeks but hated the hectic pace, the not having much time to spend together. She hated Seb the moment she met him, thought he and I were too close. He is friend and a good one, but he's not my best friend. None of the guys are. I told her that but it didn't do any good, she suspected there was something going on between the two of us and accused me of using her to cover it up. We had a huge argument about it, she went back to Switzerland and started cheating a few weeks later. I didn't know anything about it until it the tour was almost over. My eldest sister, Joelle, spotted her kissing the man she cheated with and told me it was no innocent kiss. I told the guys I didn't know who it was, but that was lie. I knew who it was the second I heard his voice."

"Do you want to tell me who it was? I'll understand if you don't."

"A man I considered to be a very good friend of mine. One of my very best friends. Someone I've known since childhood. Peder Cottier. He's a very successful businessman, owns a lot property in and around Lucerne." Urs shook his head and sighed heavily. "That's what hurt me more than anything she did. I would have trusted him with my life. He knew I was seeing her, because we'd bumped into him when we first started dating and she knew he was a good friend, but they still betrayed me. I thought the guys would take the piss and that's why I shut them out until a few weeks ago."

"She sounds a little like Jamie."

"She wasn't quite as bad as her. She did have expensive tastes but wasn't so demanding. She didn't really like me being around our fans or the amount of time I spent with the guys, but she never made that much of a fuss about it. None of that childish foot-stamping and screeching that Jamie does. She didn't like it when I wanted to spend time on my own either or if I wanted to stay in the hotel. She couldn't understand that I didn't need to be around her twenty-four seven. She would just sulk until I apologised or gave in and took her out. She didn't like David or Carlos that much either and she wouldn't have done what you did to help Seb that's for sure, even if she could have. She would have made me take her home, asked me to stay the night and told me not to worry about him. Sex was never anything special with her or any of them actually, usually over before it really started and I did all the work. Hell, she didn't even kiss me the way you do, neither of them did. You see every woman I've been with has either cheated, lied or moved on to someone with more money in the end. I've never made love to......with any woman the way I do with you and I've never.... you know....... orgasmed at the same time. I've never, ever experienced that." Urs paused, gave her a slightly embarrassed smile and flushed a little.

"The guys will tell you what I'm like. I tend to keep my troubles to myself, don't let my feelings show easily, not even to my partner. Believe me, I wouldn't have allowed you get this close, so quickly if I didn't feel comfortable with you." Urs shrugged and reached for the hand she'd moved away when they'd taken their seats. "It normally takes me weeks just to do this with my girlfriend....." He paused and raised their entwined hands "......never mind making love with them. I know we've only been seeing each other for few days, but I've felt like we have a very special connection since the day we met. You...... you amaze me every day with the way you put others before yourself and your independence. You're a very special woman Franky, I know that and I'm very lucky to have found you. I guess I reacted the way I did tonight because I don't want to be hurt anymore. I just......I just want someone to love me for the real me, not the image I portray on stage, nor what I do or what I can give them. I want someone who doesn't need to be with me every minute of the day, someone who won't complain when I want to be on my own once in a while. I think.......I already know I've found that in you. I know I've hurt you tonight, but I won't ever say anything like that again. I've had my heart broken so many times and I suppose what happened with her left me a little insecure that I find it difficult to trust any woman completely."

"I see." Franky sighed and raised her right hand to cup his sad face whilst shaking her head and moving to squat in front of him. "Listen to me. You can trust me completely. I might dance with other men now and again, but that's all I will ever do. I do love you for who you are Urs not because of what you do, what you have or what you could possibly give me in the future. I am not interested in you for the fame. You could have nothing and be a nobody for all I care. I might flirt or joke around with other guys. That's just the way I am, because I've spent most of my life around men. I know how to give as good as I get and I do have a lot male friends, but I don't and I won't ever cheat. I've been there myself. I know how painful that is and I could never inflict that sort of pain on anyone else. I promise I will never, ever hurt you like that. If anything like tonight ever happens again, please just talk to me instead of flying off the handle, Ok?"

"Ok. But nothing like that is ever going to happen again. I do trust you Franky and I know you love the real me. I'm sorry for doubting you and hurting you tonight." Urs nodded his head quickly while he stood to face her, he raised his left hand to cover hers, closed his eyes and gently kissed her palm.

He opened his eyes again to see Franky smiling at him with her head tilted to the left. He wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulled close to him and kissed her gently, but firmly. He moaned into her mouth as her arms encircled his neck and her fingers curled in his hair. He deepened the kiss and held her tighter to him when she responded and he felt her legs almost buckle under her.

The four of them sat in Karen's lounge in complete silence, drinking coffee each of them wondering what, if anything, was going on between Urs and Franky though neither of them vocalised what they were thinking.

"Do you think we should call him?" David asked Carlos suddenly.

"I tried while you were in the bathroom. His mobile is switched off and there's no answer on his home phone." Carlos nodded.

"We could....." David snatched his head up then looked back down at the floor. "........I forgot we tried there on the way home."

Carlos nodded when he understood that David had meant they'd tried calling at Urs's home on their way back to Karen's.

"Have you tried Franky's numbers Lauren?"

Lauren nodded sadly. "No answer. She's probably disconnected the home phone and switched her mobile off."

Carlos startled when his mobile started to ring. He shrugged and answered when he saw Sébastien's name showing on the screen.

"Hola Seb."

"It's not Séb, Carlos. This is Emma speaking."

"Emma! Where are you? Is there something wrong with Seb?"

"There's no need to panic. We're down at the hospital, Seb's just ripped a couple of stitches and has had to come in to A&E for a doctor to have a look at his leg. He didn't want David to worry if he came home to find that he wasn't there."

"A and E?" Carlos looked at the phone quizically.

"Accident and Emergency?" Karen whispered questioningly.

"Sorry force of habit. I meant Accident and Emergency."

Carlos turned to Karen and nodded. Then told David he would explain shortly.

"Does he want us to come down?"

"Erm....I'll put him on and let him explain."

"Carlos?"

"Si. You have a problem Seb?"

"Ah-ha. I need to borrow some money from someone to get a taxi home for Emma and myself. Urs has his mobile switched off, which is weird and there's no answer on his home phone."

"There's probably a good reason for that." Carlos sighed heavily.

"Oh! What?"

Carlos briefly explained to Sébastien what had happened at the nightclub then listened as Sébastien cursed in French while David said he would go the hospital and sort the taxi out. Carlos relayed the message to Sébastien, both said their goodbyes and hung up.

"You're not going to settle tonight until you know Franky is ok are you?" Carlos asked an aggitated Karen.

"No." She shook her head and closed her eyes in reply.

"Ok. We'll go to the house to see if she's gone back there and make sure she's ok." Carlos smiled as he pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Karen asked, returning the smile.

Carlos shook his head, opened his mobile and ordered two taxis.

____________


"What happened?" David questioned as he stepped into the reception area of Accident and Emergency with Lauren at his side.

"I stood up a little too quick and pulled a couple of stitches. I'm fine now." Sébastien smiled as he stood up.

David nodded his head then introduced Lauren to Emma. The women linked arms and chatted quietly while they walked to the taxi behind David and Sébastien.

"How did it go?" David asked as the automatic door opened.

"Great. Until this happened." Sébastien laughed and smiled then turned his head back over his shoulder to look at Emma. "So what caused the argument between Franky and Urs?"

David explained in a little more detail than Carlos had and Sébastien swallowed hard while he shook his head.

Sébastien climbed into the taxi first and David allowed Emma to make herself comfortable next to him. He smiled softly at Lauren and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he held the taxi door open and allowed her to enter. He quickly settled next to her, asked Emma for her address and instructed the driver to take them where they wanted to go.

__________


"What do you think we should do?" Karen asked while she and Carlos sat in the taxi outside Franky's home.

"Do you really think she's still up?" Carlos questioned, leaning forward and looking at the house.

Karen nodded. " The lounge light is still on. She usually leaves the hallway one on and a lamp lit in the lounge when she's out."

Carlos looked at his watch and blew out a long breath when he saw that it was approaching 2:30am. "We do not want to be knocking on the door at this time of night do we?"

"I don't really want to, but......." Karen shrugged. "I know we'll go and take a peek through the window like Lauren and David did the other night, if we don't see anything then we'll knock on the door."

"Ok." Carlos shrugged.

They left the taxi together, asked it to wait for a moment or two, made their way quietly up the driveway and across to the lounge window.

"You look." Karen nodded towards the window.

"No you. It's your friend's house." Carlos whispered in reply.

"It was your friend that got us into this."

"You're the one who wanted to make sure Franky was ok." Carlos growled a little louder.

"Ok. Ok." Karen raised both of her hands in surrender. "We'll look together."

Carlos nodded and held Karen around the waist while they stood at the side of the window. They both leaned forward and looked through the window. Karen turned her head and smiled as she looked up at Carlos who turned his head and smiled down at her. They pulled back slowly, leaned against the wall, raised their eyes to the sky and sighed heavily.

"Happy now?" Carlos questioned Karen as he pulled her into his arms and smiled again while he looked into her eyes.

Karen nodded quickly. "You?" She questioned, twirling her finger in the chest hair that was visible above the open buttons of his shirt.

"In more ways than one." Carlos nodded as he bent slightly and kissed her gently. "Home?" He questioned once he'd released her.

Karen nodded as he took her hand and lead her back to the taxi. She entered first and smiled again once Carlos sat beside her and pulled her close while he sent a text message to David.

____________


"Thank God for that." David smiled as he closed his mobile.

"Thank God for what?" Lauren questioned.

"The text message was from Carlos. Looks like everything is ok between Urs and Franky. He and Karen saw them through the lounge window, snuggled up together and kissing each other." David sighed happily while he smiled at a relieved Lauren.

"Oh good." Sébastien sighed as the taxi stopped outside Emma's home.

"I am glad." Emma smiled then climbed out of the taxi. "Where are you going?" She asked Sébastien asked when he followed her.

"I'm going to walk you to the door." Sébastien smiled and flicked his head back towards the taxi.

"Oh! Ok." Emma nodded after she'd looked to where he'd indicated and saw Lauren and David kissing.

She walked beside him while they made their way slowly down the driveway.

"Have you thought what you're going to do about your home yet?" Emma questioned, removing her keys from her handbag.

"I'm going to sell it and look for somewhere new." Sébastien nodded.

"Any ideas where? There are some really nice places on the market at the minute"

"How do you know that?" Sébastien questioned.

Emma laughed, shook her head and blushed bright red. "You'll think I'm silly."

Sébastien shook his head and smiled at her. "Tell me."

Emma grunted a laugh. "There's an estate agents on the High Street that sells some of the best properties in town. Sometimes, when I'm walking past the window I take a look and fantazise about living in a house like that."

Sébastien giggled.

"Told you it was silly." Emma tutted and rolled her eyes backwards.

"Non. Not at all." Sébastien shook his head. "I used to do the same thing. Would you like to help me look?"

Emma's eyes flew wide and she gulped. "You're sure you don't want one of the others to......"

Sébastien shook his head. "They would only get bored. I am very picky."

"Ok. When would you like to start?"

"Tomorrow?" Sébastien shrugged hopefully. "Or should I say today?" He questioned after he'd looked at his watch.

"Ok. I have this afternoon, tomorrow and the whole weekend free." Emma nodded and smiled.

"Would one thirty be ok?"

"That's fine." Emma nodded as they reached her front door.

Sébastien glanced at the large piece of wood and wrinkled his nose while he huffed. He was hoping that they would have a little more time. He balanced himself on his right leg and took Emma's face gently into his hands.

"I will see you later today then. Goodnight Emma." He whispered just before he kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Huh?" Emma asked as she looked into his eyes. "Oh! Err....yes....erm..... later....Thank you again for erm......dinner. It was....it was wonderful." She sighed happily as she unlocked the door, walked in and stood in the open doorway, watching him walk away.

The fingers of her left hand touched her lips and her eyes widened when she spotted Erin heading down the pathway to the house. She giggled as Sébastien paused for a second and wished her a goodnight.

"Goodnight Sébastien." Erin nodded at him without thinking.

Erin suddenly stopped walking and turned on her heels just as Sébastien turned his head over his right shoulder and smiled at her. Erin turned her head back to the front door to see Emma standing there laughing hysterically.

"Emma Harper! You'd better run like the Devil's on your tail because I'm going to kill you." Erin yelled as she charged towards her sister.

Sébastien stood at the open taxi door and laughed as Emma's front door slammed shut.

"Accounts?!" Urs exclaimed with a headshake and a wrinkled nose from his position laying beside Franky on the couch that faced the window. "We can't go out tomorrow..........tonight?"

"No. I have to do the accounts tonight, otherwise my employees won't get paid on Friday and then I'll have them all moaning on Saturday morning and there'll be nothing I can do about it." Franky smiled as she kissed him.

She stopped and snapped her head up when she heard a noise outside the window.

"Did you hear something?" She questioned Urs while his left hand slipped from her shoulders slowly down her back, between her skirt and underwear to caress and cup her derriere.

"No." Urs shook his head and used his right hand to turn her face back to his while Franky moved his hand away from her bottom. "You don't do make up sex do you?" He asked when she placed it against her lower back.

"No. Sorry." She sighed and shook her head.

"It's ok." Urs shook his head. "It's the first time I've been refused, every other woman I've known demanded it whenever we argued."

"To make you prove how much you loved them?"

"I suppose, ja."

"Well I don't. I never have and I never will. It doesn't resolve anything in my opinion. Talking things through, being honest with each other is what does."

"So you want me to tell you about the other women I've known?" Urs asked with a slight shudder and watched Franky nod. "Ok. And you'll tell me about your relationships?"

"Of course."

He moved his right hand to the nape of Franky's head, curled his fingers in her hair and pulled her close to him. He placed his lips gently on hers and kissed her softly, his mouth taking its time to taste every detail of her. He removed the clip that held her hair up and shook it lose. He buried his face into it and smiled while he inhaled her fragrance.

"What did you want to do tonight anyway?" Franky asked between dropping kisses along his jawline.

"Anything but accounts." Urs smiled while he nuzzled her neck. "Can't you do them first thing Friday morning?"

"No." Franky shook her head and pulled away to look at him. "Thursday has always been the night I do my books and I'm not going to change for you." She smiled while she tapped his nose. "And don't even bother doing that." She laughed when he looked at her with big soulful, pleading eyes. "I'm becoming immune."

"No you're not." Urs replied pulling her close and blinky winking her again as he kissed her a little deeper.

"You can do that all night. I'm not changing my mind."

"You're sure?" He questioned while he nipped gently at her earlobe.

"Positive." Franky nodded resolutely as she shuddered.

"Absolutely positive?" He questioned again as he brushed his lips lightly along her jawline. Sighing softly as he did so.

"Yes, abso.......Mmmm" Franky stopped talking when his mouth found hers again and they kissed each other deeply.

"I think I can do something to change your mind." Urs replied as he rolled off the couch, stood and scooped her into his arms.

"You can try." Franky sighed and flipped the lightswitch off before they made their way upstairs. "So?" She questioned once they were under the covers and holding each other.

Realising that she was serious, Urs took a deep breath then released it slowly before telling her of the women he had dated and how long they'd lasted. Shrugging and shaking his head when he saw Franky's eyes widen after admitting to having two one night stands in his twenties.

"So?" He asked once he'd finished.

"My first serious boyfriend was Joseph Thornton. I dated him for just over three years. I don't even know how it lasted that long. He didn't like Michael at all, Joe's homo-phobic. He told me I had to stop seeing him one night, I refused because Michael's been as a good friend as Gabe and no man tells me who I can and can't be friends with. I didn't like a couple of Joe's friends but I would never have asked him to stop seeing them for my sake and I did make an effort whenever they were around. He got really angry when I refused to break my friendship, grabbed hold of me and went to hit me. We were in a cafe at the time, Gabe had just come in, heard the two of us arguing and stepped in before Joe could strike. He backed off immediately and stormed out of the cafe after telling me we were through. He tried to apologise the next day, but it was too late. I'd finally seen him for what he really was and there was no way I would go back to him. A few months later I started dating Matthew Jenson. He was nice, never raised a hand to me or anything like that. We were together for about seven months, then someone sent him photographs of me hugging Mitch. He dropped me without giving me chance to explain that Mitch was ill and needed a friend to turn to. Wouldn't talk to me at all. After him came Jeffery Marsden. I dated him for just over four months. I ended that one when I found him in my bed with his brother's fiancee."

"There's been no-one serious since?" Urs questioned as he pulled Franky a little closer.

"No. I've not really had the time, what with getting the garage solvent again and everything else I've had to deal with. It wouldn't have been fair to go into a new relationship under those circumstances."

"Would you have turned me down if things weren't right with garage by now?"

"Yes I would." Franky nodded and watched Urs's eyes widen a little. "It really wouldn't have been fair on either of us Urs. I was dealing with so many people, paying off debts here, there and everywhere. Constantly on the phone, pleading for more time, I couldn't even have a decent conversation with Lauren for months. Just imagine trying to build a new relationship with all that madness going on. No. It wouldn't have been right."

"I suppose." Urs nodded, trying to imagine how bad the garage's finances must have been if it had taken so long to put them right, build the business back up again and have it make enough for Franky to live comfortably on.

Shaking his head when he realised that they must have been in a terrible mess and how hard she must have worked after recalling that one of his father's friend's businesses had gone bust a few years ago. That the man had had a nervous breakdown trying to keep it afloat before admitting defeat. Finally concluding that he held a very strong and determined woman in his arms.

"And the future? How do you see that?" Urs asked after placing a gentle kiss on Franky's lips and slowly running his fingers up and down her spine.

"I want to stay independently financially secure. I would like to get married and have at least two children one day, but it's far too early for you and I to be thinking along those lines don't you think?"

"Mmmmmn." Urs nodded and gave Franky a quick smile as her eyes began to close, obviously in need of sleep he realised after looking at the clock, seeing that it was approaching 3:30am and she would have be up in a few hours to open the garage.

He gave her a quick kiss goodnight then lay there for a few moments thinking about what she'd just said. His thoughts turned to Liana, his middle sister. Three times married, twice divorced and in the midst of another. Watching her go through all the pain, anger and anguish was a big part of what had kept him a bachelor for so long. He wanted children of his own, that much he was sure of, had been since his eldest nephew had been born. Could he? Would he ever reach that point in a relationship where he would offer marriage?

Deciding that Franky was right, though he felt like his opinions regarding marriage were beginning to change, knowing that she was on the pill because he'd spotted a new packet on her nightstand the first time they'd made love, he'd seen her take one the following morning and somehow knowing that she wouldn't try to trap him by becoming pregnant, he closed his eyes and held Franky a little tighter as he drifted off to sleep.

___________

"I'm sorry Marius." Jamie grimmaced as she pushed her hotel room door shut. "I got my dates mixed up. I thought I was due on next week."

"It's ok." Marius shook his head. "Who'd be a woman by choice?"

Jamie smiled sweetly and shrugged again. Once her door was firmly shut she threw her head back and laughed. "What an asshole. At least he'll leave me alone now, for the next seven days hopefully."

She sighed happily while she made her way to the bathroom and started running a bath. She giggled as she remembered how she'd allowed him to kiss her and move his rough hands over her, arousing him, making him think she was going to go all the way with him. That would not happen, not with him anyway.

Maybe she would if she could get close to the man Marius had introduced her to that night. Tall, dark, handsome and incredibly rich. Much richer than Marius anyway. She laughed as she remembered what he'd whispered into her ear as he kissed her cheek. 'Would you let me entertain you?' He'd asked with a cheeky smile just before his manager had shouted 'C'mon Robbie, the limo's waiting.'

"Oh what now?" She hissed when she heard the knock at her hotel room door.

She opened the door and glared at the pageboy who stood there.

"Yes." She snapped.

The pageboy nodded down the corridor and Jamie watched open-mouthed while the biggest display of flowers she'd had ever seen was wheeled into her room. The pageboy handed her the card with a nod and a smile. Jamie opened the card and read.

'Can't wait to entertain you. Call me when you get back to England. I'll be waiting. R.'

An eleven digit number was written underneath the message.

She pushed the hotel room door closed, threw her head back and laughed once the flowers were in her room. She made her way back to the bathroom, dropped her dress to the floor, lowered herself into the tub and washed away every touch that Marius had made on her body.