"These close and closest things: how changed they seem!"

Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human

Gillian hears the roar of the engine approaching up the lane when she was in the middle of wrestling with changing her duvet cover. She wriggles out of the armfuls of material and crawles across her bed to peek through the window. Yes, that is them. Robbie's big daft car is already pulling into the yard. Gillian grins, purses her lips, then lets herself grin again, a little sheepish at her own excitement.

'They're back,' she yells, scrambling for the floor and abandoning the wretched duvet to its own devices for the time being. She trots down the stairs and pats her dad on the shoulder as she passes the sofa.

'That our Raffy back?'

'Yup,' she calls behind her, already opening the door. They are out of the car by now, Raff lugging his helmet. Gillian feels the small familiar rush of thankfulness to see him unharmed. It might be daft, worrying about his biking, and she is used to coping, putting it out of mind, but it still makes her glad each week to get him home in one piece.

'All right?' she calls.

'We'd a great day, hadn't we Robbie?' Raff's smile lights up his whole face. Gillian smiles back, gives him a gentle whack on the arm as he pushes past her.

'Watch you don't tramp mud all through the place.'

He is already gone, shouting 'Hiya Grandad' as he clatters into the living room. Gillian stays where she is, swinging on the door frame slightly as she and Robbie look at each other.

'Hello.'

'Hi.' She lowers her voice and feels a different sort of smile begin to creep across her face.

'Are we still on for tonight?' he asks.

'Yup.'

'Half past seven ok for you? Only I've got to get cleaned up.' He looks down at himself and sniffs slightly. Gillian folds her lips together, trying to suppress the wave of inappropriate thoughts that suddenly washes over her.

'Yeah,' she says, a little breathless. 'Got to get me glad rags on too.'

Robbie holds her gaze steadily for a couple of seconds, then he reaches out and moves closer, one large hand coming up to gently brush her hair.

'You're... sorry, it were... sticking up like.' He looks a bit embarrassed. Gillian puts a hand to her hair, flattening it madly.

'It's fine, I was...' Her cheeks redden slightly as she realises she can't tell him what she was doing to get so dishevelled without him understanding why she was doing it. Then she thinks, to hell with it, he might as well know what her expectations are of the night. She looks him dead in the eye.

'I was changing the bedding, on my bed.'

'Right,' Robbie breathes, still pretty close. He nods and, to his credit, he doesn't break her gaze. She wonders briefly if he might kiss her there and then, but he doesn't.

'I'll see you later then.'

'Yeah. See you later.' Gillian watches him down the yard and stays to wave as he drives off. It's funny to be going out on a proper date like this, all arranged and everything. It's funny to be going out with Robbie again after all this time, after all these years, especially, of them not getting on, of her thinking he hated her guts. It's funny how nervous she is. She likes him though, she is sure of that, if only she can get past him being all chivalrous or whatever it is he's playing at. Gillian feels a little thrill go through her. He has run away from her a few times now, when she's wanted him to stay over and it's starting to drive her berserk. If he will only... open up a bit... She thinks she could like him a lot.

'Mum!' A shout from the house snaps her out of her reverie.

'What?' She is inside in a moment, thoughts flying to her dad. 'What's happened?'

'Nothing's happened.' Alan himself is quick to reassure her.

'Wait'll you hear.' Raff is grinning like a mad dog.

'What?' Gillian folds her arms.

'It's not that exciting.' Alan pats the sofa beside him. 'Have a sit down.' The other two both ignore him. Raff can't stand still and Gillian isn't moving until she has got an answer.

'Grandad's asked me to be his best man.' Raff stands up a full two inches taller than normal, pride radiating off him. Gillian's jaw drops.

'Oh love.' She looks between the two of them, her father and her son.

'Oh Dad.' Her face breaks into a grin almost matching Raff's.

'What a lovely idea!'

'Well, it were... it seemed logical,' Alan says quietly. He's looking at the pair of them like he doesn't quite understand what all the fuss is about.

'Oh come 'ere.' Gillian wraps Raff in a big hug and he hugs her back. Alan smiles at them fondly. Gillian drops onto the sofa then and hugs him too. Raff flops down on the other side.

'Thanks Grandad. I'll be honoured.'

Alan laughs. 'Honoured my foot.'

'We'll have to get you a suit.' Gillian leans forward. Raff looks a bit stunned.

'Err speaking of suits,' Alan chips in. 'Shouldn't you be getting suited and booted yourself? For your big night out?'

'Give over.' Gillian nudges him. 'It's nowt.' She can't quite hide her little smile though and her dad shakes his head.

'Oh aye.'

Gillian sneaks a look at Raffy to see how he's taking this. He rolls his eyes. That's all right then. He knows about her and Robbie, of course. In fact, Robbie has possibly said more than she has to the lad. So long as he isn't going to get in a strop about it, Gillian is happy.

'I'm stopping at Jake's house tonight anyway,' Raff announces.

'Are you now?' Gillian's retort is only half-arsed indignation. He's old enough to do what he wants and look after himself, she reckons, and his mates are all right.

'Yeah.' Raff gives her a patented teenager look. 'I'm not stopping in listening to you two...' He draws the line at actually saying "going at it" but he pulls the most hideous face instead. Gillian twitches the cushion out from behind her and lobs it at him.

'Go on then, if you're going, go'n get ready.' She fires another cushion as he raises his arms round his face and makes a run for the stairs, chuckling.

'And mind your own business!' she yells after him. As she collapses back against the cushions again, Alan takes her hand and pats it. She turns her head to look at him.

'You all right Dad?'

'Grand love.' He smiles softly at her. 'You have a good time tonight. You deserve it.'

Thank you to everyone who read Our Numbered Days. I adore Gillian so that must be why I find myself writing Gillian/Robbie when I am normally a femslash writer. I'm very confused - I really did expect to write Caroline/Kate stuff but the right story hasn't come to me yet.

I hope this is ok and if anything does sound off, please tell me!