I've been a little quiet on this front to I thought I would write a little quick two shot. I was watching the first episode this afternoon and this came to me.

Silliness

Chapter 1

"I don't want any silliness from your nurses"

The words echoed in Grace's head.

"Thank you Marshall. I'll see that this childish behaviour is sorted out. Just remember that you shouldn't take any of this teasing too seriously."

Poor Flora Marshall had been close to tears when she had turned up at Matron Carter's office. Seeing her this way made Grace feel sorry for the young volunteer. She truly did try her best and wanted to please and had been ridiculed and tricked for it. A sweet cup of tea and a shoulder to cry on was what she had needed. After she had calmed Grace had asked her what was wrong and with gentle coaxing Flora had come out of her shell. As Flora had recounted her story, Grace's anger had flared up. The VAD's were, as Roland had said, here to help and seeing them treated as children seemed to defeat that fact. Marshall was brave but she couldn't handle everything alone. She had put on a face to please her colleagues and tried to act older than she truly was but underneath it was easy for her to be hurt and emotionally wounded.

"Thank you Matron, I'm sorry for being such a child about it." Flora apologised, the reprimands she had been given made her think that she was always in the wrong.

Grace smiled at the young girl "Marshall none of this is your fault. If anyone is to blame it is Corporal Foley and the others who have teased you. Don't blame yourself."

"Yes, Matron. You won't tell anyone, that I've told you, will you? It's just, if people find out they might treat me as a sneak, and then I would have fewer friends than I already have. Working with them would become rather difficult, if they thought I ran to someone at the first sign of trouble. They wouldn't trust me, you see."

"I promise you I won't tell anyone that I don't need to. I will have to report this to Colonel Brett and I will assure you that he will keep this strictly confidential."

Flora still looked worried, so Grace tried again.

"Marshall, I can tell you that nobody will know that this conversation has even happened."

At this she seemed assured and smiled.

Grace nodded to her, and she took her leave. Once the door had shut on the office, Grace sighed to herself. She felt for Marshall, she really did and knew why the men bullied her. It was because she was innocent. It was something that many people would have envied. Her innocence protected her from the cruel reality around her. She rose from the desk and headed, to Roland's office.

She rapped on the door sharply and waited for him to give her permission to enter. She was used to entering without his permission but thought that she should do this officially, and to keep up pretence. After several moments, with no response, she knocked again, louder this time. Still she got no response. Finally she entered his office. She was greeted by the sight of him sleeping at his desk. She went up to him, and knocked her knuckle sharply against his desk. He was a deep sleeper.

"Roland, wake up!" she shouted, while shaking him lightly by the shoulder, to try and wake him.

He still slept on, with a pillow of paperwork to cushion his head.

There was nothing for it, Grace thought, she would have to tickle him until he woke. She knew, that there was one spot on his neck, where he extremely ticklish. She lightly brushed her fingers against the base of his neck and trailed them up until she found the spot. He squirmed under her touch and his shoulders tensed, but he didn't lift his head from the desk. Grace tried again and heightened the pressure of her fingers. She kept trying until she was properly tickling him. By the time he woke up she was using both hands. He moaned as he lifted his head.

"Grace, why did you have to wake me?" He groaned

"Roland, it's the middle of the day. That isn't the traditional time for sleep." Grace commented as she set out making some tea to properly wake him up.

He rose from the desk and walked to the stove, where she was standing and laced his arms around her waist.

"Well my dear, if you didn't keep me up half the night, I would be able to keep my eyes open during the day." He murmured pressing a kiss against her shoulder.

She blushed slightly at the memory of the previous night

"I am here for a serious reason, you know."

"And here I was, thinking you came to see me because you missed me."

She turned in his arms and smiled "Of course I miss you, I miss you throughout the day. The question is, do you miss me?"

"Do you doubt that I do?" he asked looking into her eyes

She frowned at him in exasperation "Why must you answer a question, with another question, you ridiculous man?"

"Well excuse me, you've just gone onto a different topic, by using a question."

"This is becoming silly now." She sighed in annoyance "You, go back to your desk and do your paperwork and I, will bring you a cup of tea."

He placed a quick kiss on her nose and went back to his desk.

"What is this serious reason you came to talk to me for, then?" he asked as she brought the tea over

Grace sat down over the desk from him.

"I wanted to talk to you about your surgeons and the orderly's, especially Corporal Foley and Captain Hesketh-Thorne."

"Oh, yes? Sounds like an unlikely combination but go ahead."

"Well, they've been making fun of young Marshall." She admitted

"Well is suppose, that it is just a folly. It will all blow over." He dismissed

"Roland, this is serious." Grace wasn't going to let him get away that easily "You told me when they started here, that you didn't want any silliness from the nurses. You said that they shouldn't give the volunteers a hard time."

"Well that was the nursing staf-" he started but she cut him off before he could continue

"How is this any different?!"

"Well…the VAD's they're….they do…." He struggled to find an answer

Grace sat back and looked at him as he struggled to find an answer. His frown deepened as he saw the smug smile on her face.

"This is nothing, that's what you really think isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose I do, but that's because the VAD's are tough." He tried to convince her.

"Fine if you won't do anything about it, I will!"

With that Grace rose from the desk and stormed out slamming the door behind her.

Please Review and tell me what you think