The Duke of Edinburgh Silver expedition was due to take place in Scotland and the group of ten would have to get two trains – one from Holby to London Euston which would take an hour and a half and one from London Euston to Inverness which would run overnight and take around 10 hours. Given that most people were working until 5pm on the Friday that they were due to leave and the fact that their overnight train didn't leave until 11:50pm, Guy had given them all the liberty to travel to London themselves and meet on the platform at approximately half past eleven. However, the junior doctors didn't have a couple of hundred pounds to spend on train tickets so Zosia, Arthur and Dom were travelling up to Scotland on a coach which was far cheaper, but far less comfortable.
"Well this looks… cosy." Dom said sarcastically as he walked along the centre of the coach that would be driving them overnight. They'd booked a sleeper coach and so on the left and right were bunk beds, all with thin blue curtains to pull across for privacy and there were three bunk beds from the bottom to the top.
"Well it's better than sitting in cramped seats." Zosia shrugged as she dumped her hiking bag on the end of one of the beds at the back of the coach and Dom then put his bag on the one above her. "See you in god knows how many hours." She sighed before she disappeared into the bed and pulled the curtains across.
"Well, looks like you're on the bottom Digby. I'm sure it's not your first time there." Dom quipped as he climbed the small ladder to the top bunk.
"Need I remind you we're in public?" Arthur protested.
"Ah, good evening everyone." Guy smiled as he approached Jac, Jonny, Mo, Adele, Sacha, and Colette on the platform at London Euston station. "Now while we're all together I'd better explain what's going to happen. When we arrive in Scotland, we'll meet the junior doctors at the station, then walk to the Loch Ness National Park. The circumference will be 49km in total split over three days. Tomorrow, we'll cover 18km which will be about 8 hours of walking and since we're all covering the same route we won't be splitting into teams this time. Does anyone have any questions?"
"Have you heard anything from Jesse?" Adele asked as she wondered what had happened to him. The only thing she knew was from hospital gossip and that was that there would soon be interviews for a new anaesthetist on Darwin.
"Yes, Dr Lawe has resigned and he won't be returning to Holby City Hospital. He's decided to move on." Guy replied with gritted teeth. "Therefore, he won't be taking part in the remaining Duke of Edinburgh expeditions." He added. "Now, shall we start getting on the train?"
"I honestly cannot wait to be in Scotland again." Jonny smiled as he and Jac entered their cabin on the train which had bunk beds, a sink and a counter. "I'm gonna show you all the delights of Scottish cuisine and I've got to take you to a pub one night, I'll teach you how to play pool."
"Who said I don't already know how to play pool?" She frowned.
"Do you?"
"That's beside the point." She quipped.
"You don't then." He concluded. "So you will come to a pub one night?"
"We'll see." She replied simply.
"Oh come on. Scotsmen, beer and a pool table, what's not to like?" He protested. "I take it I'm on the top bunk." He concluded as she had just sat down on the lower bed.
"Well I'm not sleeping in a bed that small with someone with RLS."
"I do not have restless legs syndrome." He moaned. "Anyway, you're one to talk. I'm not the one who hogs nearly all of the covers and leaves their partner with frostbite."
"I still don't understand why she wouldn't take my money to come on the train rather than going on some cramped coach for 9 hours." Guy sighed as he and Colette settled into their shared cabin on the train.
"Does she know that you know about her and Jesse?"
"Well I haven't specifically had a conversation about her sleeping with a man 20 years older than her but I think she suspected something after he left. She might think that he gave me a reason as to why he left after the tension on the bronze expedition."
"Well maybe that's why. If she suspects you know, she won't want any more contact with you than she has to."
"But I'm not mad at her. Jesse took advantage of her."
"Zosia knew what she was doing Guy."
"No, she wanted companionship and Jesse swooped in on her when she was vulnerable. I know Zosia might've been in the wrong but he did far worse; he's known her since she was a baby."
"What happened to that speech you gave me the other day about putting it behind you and forgetting about it now that Jesse's gone?" Colette complained.
"You're right. Let's just focus on the 49km we're going to be walking since I know you're so looking forward to it."
"Why did you have to pick something so far?" She moaned.
"Oh dammit." Adele exclaimed as she shorted through her bag that was laid on the bottom bunk of the cabin she was sharing with her sister.
"What?"
"My phone's ran out of charge and I forgot my charger." She admitted. "You've got that portable battery charger haven't you?"
"Yeah but it's only got one or two charges in it and I'll need it for my phone." Mo stated. "There's a plug at the side of the bed, go and ask the others; I'm sure someone brought an iPhone charger."
"I wonder if the rest of the nursing staff on Darwin have thrown a party yet." Jonny aired aloud.
"Why would they throw a party?"
"Because you're gone." He quipped and he then frowned as there was a knock on the door. "Adele, what can we do for you?" He asked after opening it.
"Have either of you two got a charger for an iPhone?"
"No." Jac replied immediately.
"Yes you have, I saw you pack it last night." Jonny laughed.
"Please? I'll give it back in the morning." Adele pleaded.
"You can borrow it." Jonny stated as he opened the top of Jac's bag, reached down into them and then pulled out a white charger.
"Thank you." Adele smiled and Jonny then closed the door and slowly turned around to receive an icy look from his partner.
"What?!"
"How is she ever going to learn if you answer her every beck and call?"
"Teaching Adele? What are you? Her mother?" Jonny laughed.
After popping to the bathroom in the early hours of the morning, Jonny returned to his cabin where he found his partner fast asleep on the bottom bunk, laid under the duvet and facing away from him, towards the wall. He knew he'd be in big trouble if he woke her up – it would be like waking a lion – but he knew he'd sleep easier on the moving vehicle if he was with her so he slipped onto the bottom bunk, under the duvet behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Unfortunately, the movement caused her to stir.
"Are we there?" She mumbled.
"No, not yet. We've still got a long way to go. Just close your eyes and get some sleep." He whispered as he prayed she wouldn't fully wake up; she was still rather sleepy.
"Nice try. Go back to your bed." She ordered sleepily without even opening her eyes.
"I won't fidget, I promise." He chuckled.
"I mean it Maconie." She said more firmly. That was it, Jonny concluded, she was awake.
"Alright, I'm going you grumpy cow." He huffed as he shuffled out of her bed.
"Remind me again who paid for your return train ticket and who saved you from having to go up to Scotland on a dingy coach?"
"Goodnight Ms Naylor." Jonny whispered before he kissed her on the cheek and then climbed up onto his bunk. "I'll see you in Scotland."
"Ugh, don't remind me." She scowled before she buried herself under the duvet and attempted to get to sleep.
Thank you for reading and I hope you're exams are going/ have gone well if you're sitting exams this summer :) Please leave me a review as they encourage me to keep on writing!
