Double Dating 1/?

Disclaimer:- Don't own them just borrowing!

Episode:- None

Pairing:- Jean/James & Laura/Robbie

Rating:- M

Achieve:- http(:/) . /group/rebeccafrontlewisffarchive/

Summary:- Now together as two couples rather than four friends how do things go for Jean, James, Laura and Robbie now that everything has changed.

Author's Note:- Follow up to "Conversations with Other Women" this could strictly speaking be read on it's own if you are happy to just accept that we're dealing with two couples without knowing the background of how they got together but I'd advise reading Conversations first if you haven't already! At the moment the rating is precautionary since I've no idea where this will go but given that it's me writing it there's bound to be a little smut along the way so if that's not your thing don't start because you may not be able to finish if you know what I mean! Otherwise enjoy and reviews as always would be lovely.

"What time did you arrange to meet them at?" James asked sitting on the edge of the bed watching as Jean put the final touches to her make up.

"Eight, Laura made reservations apparently this place is amazing I've never been but she has and she says they do a mushroom risotto to die for." Jean replied smiling at him in the mirror as she watched him glance the length of her body before meeting her eye again. "Is this dress ok? Do you think I should have gone for something a little less summery I know it's June but it's not exactly summer weather outside and maybe it's a little revealing for dinner with friends."

"It's perfect, I was just thinking how amazing you look and I like a little revealing it reminds me what's underneath and that I'm the only person who gets to see it." James smiled moving across the room and standing behind her moving her hair aside before tracing the line of her shoulder blade from the broad strap of the green fitted knee length dress she was wearing to her neck with his fingers.

"Well I'm starting to doubt your objectivity when it comes to what I'm wearing; you always say I look amazing no matter what it is so I think you might be biased." She said quietly turning in his arms and kissing him gently. In the month since she and Laura had started out trying to put the world to rights over a glass of wine and both ended up in new relationships as a result everything had changed. She was happy for the first time in longer than she could remember she was with someone she genuinely believed loved her and wanted her for who she was and the more time passed the less time he was spending at his own home and the more time they were spending together. All in all it was going perfectly. When things had started she'd worried that it would make things awkward at work, or that Robbie might feel like it was all too uncomfortable knowing that she and James were together and it would make working together difficult. In truth though they had managed with relative ease to find a balance between work when she had to be his boss and often make decision or say things he didn't like and their home life and Robbie was so content in his new relationship with Laura that he barely seemed to notice the change in their relationship. Tonight though was going to be the first time all four of them had socialized together as two couples as opposed to four work colleagues and if she was honest that was worrying her a little. "Do you think it's going to be strange? I mean the four of us out together now that things have changed so much?"

"Why would it be strange?" James asked his confusion growing as she shrugged and he knew there was more to the question than she was saying. "I think we've managed to work things out well when it comes to work and Robbie and Laura have been our closest friends for years why would it seem strange to be out with them now they are together? We both said it was like they were together already before they ever were so why would tonight be any different?"

"I wasn't thinking about it being strange because they're together James I was thinking it might be strange for them that we are, well for Robbie anyway. I mean we are very careful not to bring our personal relationship into work with us so it's ok for him dealing with the idea that we're together but if he's actually faced with us as a couple tonight do you think he's going to find it all a bit weird and it'll sour the night a bit?"

"I think he'll be fine and if he's not Laura won't let it ruin the night anyway. We can't avoid each other socially forever and we've all been looking forward to tonight so relax I'm sure it's going to be fine. Now finish getting ready or we're going to be late I'll put some wine in the fridge for later you said to Laura about them coming back for drinks after didn't you?"

"Yeah she's all for it, I'll only be a second." Jean smiled giving herself a final once over in the mirror before lifting the small clutch bag off her dressing table and following him out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Robbie will you get a move on I booked the table for 8 and you know Jean and James are never late for anything I'd rather not start the night by keeping them waiting." Laura called from the sitting room of Robbie's small flat as she glanced at the clock again. They had exactly fifteen minutes to get to the restaurant something they would have no hope of doing if he didn't hurry up. Things had been so busy over the previous few weeks that other than a couple of quick meetings with Jean in the pub before they both headed home she'd barely seen her friend and James since they got together and she was looking forward to a nice evening but Robbie seemed to have decided that he was going to take all night picking a shirt or whatever the hell he was doing in there.

"I'm coming I was picking a tie I'm still not sure I've got the right one." Robbie sighed coming into the sitting room stopping half way through the door as she shook her head at him.

"Robbie it's a casual dinner with friends not an audience with the queen lose the tie and open a couple of buttons at the collar of your shirt for pities sake." Laura laughed not quite believing what she was seeing as she closed in on him making short work of his tie before undoing the top two buttons of his shirt and resting her hands gently on his chest. "That's better, god I thought you were going to take all night in there. Can we go now?"

"Wait, are you sure it's ok, I mean you look great and so will Jean and I'm sure James won't be in an open necked shirt he….."

"I'm sure he will, actually I know he will what's this about you can't seriously expect me to believe that you are getting this het up about what you're wearing for dinner, you're stalling so tell me what's going on before we are even later and lose our table."

"It's nothing." Robbie sighed making to move toward the door as she grabbed his hand and pulled him back again her gaze telling him he wasn't getting off the hook so easily. If truth be told he was nervous about the idea of them being out, all four of them, together for the first time in a while and with so much having changed. He wasn't sure how he should act, whether he should be affectionate toward her or not in the way he would if they were out alone or if it would make things seem uncomfortable. Not only that but he had no idea what sort of couple Jean and James were he knew them individually and could predict their reactions in most situations but as a couple he just wasn't sure what to expect. "Ok look how do we act?"

"I'm sorry you're going to have to be a little less vague honey because we don't have time for me to spend half an hour translating your "northern male" emotional hieroglyphics to get to the point you're trying to make." Laura laughed gently running her thumb over his lips as he stared back at her like a hurt toddler for a second. "I wasn't aware we had to act, not to repeat myself but it's dinner with friends not a state banquet."

"I mean do we do the things we normally would if we were out, do we hold hands, is it ok for me to put my arm round you? How are they going to act together? I don't want to ruin the night by messing something up and making them feel uncomfortable."

"Ok." Laura sighed thinking about her next words carefully before continuing. "You love me right?"

"You know I do."

"And you know that they know you love me?"

"Yes I'd say that's become pretty obvious over the years."

"So you act like you would any other time we're together this is no different we're going out together as a couple with friends who also happen to be a couple now. As for how they act together does it really matter? You know that they are making each other really happy, you've said it yourself that since they've been together they are both much happier people so it doesn't matter how they are together whatever that is we'll be happy for them right?"

"Yeah you're right, as usual." Robbie smiled lifting the bottle of wine off the coffee table for later in the evening before heading for the door. "Come on then we're going to be late stop dawdling."

"Don't push your luck or you won't have to worry about holding my hand or putting your arm around me because you'll be firmly in the dog house!" Laura laughed switching off the light as she followed him outside to the car smiling at the thought of what she was sure was going to be a really great evening.