I do not own 'Doc Martin'. 'Doc Martin' and all it's characters are property of Buffalo Pictures, I am just playing round with them a little! The fiction is purely for entertainment purposes.

Chapter Two

It was a wet, stormy night. Martin and Louisa had safely tucked James and Emma into bed and were settled on the sofa in the living area. Having returned from the estate agents and picked James up from cub scouts, it was now about nine o'clock and they were happy to have found some peace, at last. Louisa was was watching some period drama, Downton Abbey or some other, now in its seventh series, and Martin was catching up on the latest advancements in embryo screening and some trials in Russia on his iPad beside her.

"What do you think of what the estate agent said then?" inquired Louisa, keen to fill the silence during the ad break.

"Well, property prices in London are at an all time high, so financially it's an ideal time to sell."

"How long have you had the flat again?"

"It'll be seventeen years in October," replied Martin.

"Wow, that is along time! And you're sure you want to sell it?"

"Yes, we don't need the hassle of tenants on top of everything else and it's just sitting there otherwise."

"Not planning on running away from us anytime soon then?" she teased.

"Hmm, tempting." he said with a subtle grin.

She moved closer to him and snuggled into his chest. He instinctively placed an arm around her shoulder and she relaxed into his embrace. The storm still raged outside.

"Rough night." she said. "Aww, I hope Buddy's not too cold."

"Doubt it, you made me have heating installed in that shed last winter!" Louisa giggled at the thought of this.

"I know but he is getting old now and it was a very cold winter. Can't we let him in, just for tonight? He must be so scared on his own and it's such a rough night, please Martin!"

"No! He's got his own little house, he'll be fine!"

"Please, if we put him in the utility room, he won't bother us! And he never barks these days!"

"No."

"Pleeeeaaasse! For me!"

"... Oh for God's sake."

"Thank you!" Martin went to get him and groaned at the site of the rain as he opened the door. Less than a minute later, she heard Buddy's feet scatter into the kitchen and noticed his little body run up and jump onto the sofa beside her. She ruffled his wet head and he snuggled up to her.

"Get that thing out of my seat! Buddy! Floor, now!" Buddy did so in obedience and soon found his basket in the utility room. Martin quickly shut the door on him. "Ugh, it's freezing out there!" He sat down again beside Louisa and she cuddled up. They sat in silence for about fifteen minutes, not talking but appreciating each other's company. Both of them had lived alone for a number of years, and the times they had spent without company had seemed extremely lonely. Now, even five years into their marriage, time together, even in silence, was still incredibly valuable.

As Martin ran his fingers through Louisa's hair, she sighed contentedly, happy and completely at ease. She had never known such dependency in anyone until Martin. She was absolutely positive that whatever she did, and whether or not he agreed, she would always have his unquestioned support in everything. She could always rely on his being there for her. She knew that, if she asked, he would happily lay down his life for her at any instance, not that she'd ever want him too.

One of the times she had needed him most was when her father had passed away. It was two weeks before his due release from prison and James had been about three and a half. She was so excited about seeing him. Despite Martin's disapproval, he had agreed to allow him to stay with them, just for a few months, until he managed to 'sort out his finances' as he so carefully put it.

It was a Monday morning when the letter arrived. They were already running a bit late but the enveloped stamped with 'HMP Bristol' caught her eye in the post and she teared it open excitedly, awaiting news from her father. What she read changed her life. She had broken down in front of the mornings waiting patients and ran into Martin's consultation room. At first, he had turned in annoyance, however, the sight of the tears streaming down her face had worried him. His heart had lurched at the sight of her. He rushed over and she held out the letter for him to read. Sighing, and saying nothing, he wrapped her arms around her. They'd stayed like that for a while, Martin gently rocking his broken wife. For once in their lives, their careers and duties in their jobs had been secondary.

In the next week, she seemed to Martin to have cried out all the emotion Terry had caused her over the last thirty years. She'd told Martin everything; his gambling, her many weekends spent completely alone from a young age, the relationship between her mum and dad; all of it. Never before had she really been able to share this emotion with anyone and she appreciated it more than he could ever imagine. It was in that week that they had really grown close as a couple, sharing their inner most feelings.

Louisa was brought back to reality by the sound of Martin's gentle snoring beside her. Smiling, she stroked his hair and noticed the storm really was raging outside. At that second, a soft whimper could be heard though Emma's baby monitor and Louisa wriggled out of Martin's grip to attend to her daughter. Martin woke, startled, and looked at Louisa in a daze for a moment, before announcing;

"I was just resting my eyes."

"I'll just check on Emma," replied Louisa, unconvinced. Martin heard her talking at Emma through the baby monitor and smiled. Bringing Emma into the living room, Louisa said "I think she must have had a bad dream, she was in a bit of a state." Sighing, Martin took Emma and stroked her head and cuddled her gently. All three of them jumped when they heard a little voice behind them announce;

"Why's Ems allowed up when it's way past bed time?"

"James? Sorry, did we wake you?"

"No, I needed a drink anyway." Walking to the tap, he helped himself. Instinctively, upon his return he crawled into his mother's lap. Glancing at the clock, he was pleased to have made this move successfully, and logged that 11:14 was the latest he could yet remember.

Suddenly, a loud banging sounded on the back door, startling them all. Louisa and Martin looked at each other. As the banging persisted, Buddy began to howl from inside the utility room. This frightened Emma and she began to cry. The phone began to ring in the surgery and James shouted over it all that the knocking was scaring him.

Louisa comforted her children and Martin began for the door, the knocking was even louder now.

"Alright, I'm coming!" Turning the key and slowly opening it into the stormy night, he saw the figure of a soaking wet man standing before him. The frantic world inside the house and the raging storm outside froze as Martin logged who the late night visitor was. Of all the people he had ever met, this man enraged him most. Of all the people that could have been standing on his porch on a late Friday night, this man was the one Martin despised most. He was everything Martin hated. The sight of him consumed him with venom, jealousy and anger.

Before him, stood Danny Steel.

To be continued...

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