The second chapter is here!
As usual, tell me if you liked/didn't like. The first two parts are just more detailed scenes of the episode; the third part is where I added my own bit. I know this story doesn't go into as much detail as my one-shots do but I wanted to make this similar to the structure of an actual sitcom. I'm a little rusty about what happens in this episode and how the party comes about it the first place as I haven't watched it in a while and only watched scenes I needed to get the lines but I tried my best.
Enjoy!
#2 – Party (Series 3, Episode 4)
It could have happened like this…
It hadn't been too difficult to organise a surprise birthday party for Lucy. Just invite a few people (all happily married, of course), order in some booze and make sure Tim had minimal involvement in the entertainment. Done.
Except, of course, by the time the party was due to take place, it wasn't a surprise at all. Lee had no one to blame but himself, though. That'd teach him for trying to lie his way out of tricky situations. Lucy had found out all about the 'party' and had conveniently decided not to go away for her big 3-0 after all.
She walked into the kitchen, standing across from Lee who was leaning against the kitchen counter winding Barbara up. Nothing out of the ordinary there.
She picked up the scrap of paper resting on the counter in front of Barbara.
"This my guest list?" Lucy asked as she scanned the hastily written names on the paper.
"Some surprise party this is turning out to be." Lee huffed. Although he'd made it all up at the beginning, he still wanted to prove himself to Lucy and make this party a success.
"Least the chocolate fountain will still be a surpr- oops!" Barbara pressed her lips together, eyes wide, when she realised what she'd said.
However, Lucy didn't seem to care about the chocolate fountain and she frowned as she realised what all these names on the guest list had in common.
"These people are all married with kids!" Lucy sighed. "This is the exact reason I wanted to go away in the first place. I'm gonna be the only person there without a partner."
She looked genuinely hurt and Lee suddenly felt guilty for his meddling. He hated to see Lucy so upset.
"You've still got a boyfriend, he's just not coming." Lee consoled.
Lucy looked a little embarrassed, staring down at the paper in front of her. "Look, I haven't got a boyfriend alright. I never actually said that I did."
"Yes you did." Lee replied while taking a moment to question the excitement and relief rushing through his mind. Lucy didn't have a boyfriend!?
"No, I didn't, you said that. I just… didn't deny it." She admitted.
"That's the same thing!" Lee exclaimed. "Anyway, you won't be the only single person at this party." Lee added, looking pointedly at Lucy.
She continued scanning the guest list absentmindedly. "Yes I will."
"No you won't. I'm a single man." Lee said awkwardly.
He'd realised a long time ago that he'd have to spell things out to have a chance at getting anywhere with Lucy. Problem was he wasn't the kind of man that liked spelling things out. He was more an avoid-the-situation type of guy.
Lucy finally looked up at him, an amused glint in her eye. "Well that's not completely true." She said.
"I haven't got a girlfriend." Lee frowned, confused.
"I meant the man bit." Lucy teased, laughing. At least she seemed to have cheered up slightly.
Lee smirked back, eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to deliver his immense come-back.
Barbara cleared her throat, Lee and Lucy turning reluctantly to face her. Truth be told, they'd forgotten she was there.
It was effortless the way they seemed to get swept up in their own little bubble. Always had been.
….
Lee scanned the dimly lit pub, his eyes settling on Lucy who was sitting at his usual spot at the bar. The party was due to start in half an hour so Lee had made himself scarce from the flat, leaving the finishing touches to the others.
He kept his eyes fixed firmly on Lucy as he approached. He'd be kidding himself if he said his eyes hadn't been almost-permanently fixed on her since they'd started living together. She was gorgeous, clever, funny. Anybody else would have made a move by now, he often told himself. But he wasn't anybody else and besides, it wasn't just that he fancied Lucy, there was something more but at the moment Lee was too scared to examine what that something more was.
Still, it didn't stop their flirtatious back-and-forth.
"Hello saucy." He greeted as he sat down on the stool next to her.
"It's not too revealing is it?" Lucy asks, patting down the hem of her dress.
"No I mean you smell like gravy." Lee jokes.
Lucy rolls her eyes but can't stop the smile that comes soon after. As infuriating as he was sometimes, he could be quite funny.
"I wouldn't expect a man like you to recognise the faint aroma of Chanel Number 5." She retorts, trying to keep a straight face.
The straight face mission soon fails when Lee leans in and inhales dramatically. "Ah, Bisto."
"Alright, how about this for a chat up line… Are you an electrician?" Lee begins.
"Ooh perfect. Take me now, Mr. Darcy." Lucy replies, used to his 'chat up lines' by now.
"'Cause when I saw you from across the room, you gave off a certain spark that sent a current racing through my body." He finishes, adding a wink for extra effect.
"Nice." Lucy laughs. "Are you a fish monger?"
"Why?" Lee puffs out his chest, ready for the compliment that is sure to follow.
"'Cause you stink." She replies flatly, but soon breaks into a smile.
Funny how she seems to smile the most whenever she's with Lee.
"Well look on the bright side, with your Aunt Flossy and Uncle Singeon going we still won't be the smelliest couple at the party." Lee said.
"Couple?" Lucy asks hesitantly. Maybe it was just a harmless slip of the tongue? Maybe she was just overreacting picking out the word like that?
"Well, not a couple obviously. I just thought seeing as we're gonna be the only single people there we could just sort of hang out together." Lee clarifies.
Lucy sighs, looking down at the sticky table because she doesn't want to see that look of disappointment on his face when she tells him. If he'd have just said from the beginning that was the idea, she'd have been more than happy to go to the party with him. They always seemed to be dancing around each other, never daring to take that leap, which is what created most of their misunderstandings in the first place.
"Actually I'm not going on my own; I'm taking someone I know through work." She sighs.
And she just wishes more than anything that this stupid party didn't exist and that she could sit here at the bar all night swapping crap chat up lines with Lee.
Problem is, she doesn't know he's thinking the exact same thing.
…..
The party hadn't exactly been a success and both Lee and Lucy were more than relieved when the last guest had gone home and the night had eventually drawn to a close.
"Maybe we should tidy up a bit." Lucy said as she noticed Lee coming in from the kitchen, two glasses in hand.
"Oh, don't worry; Barbara's doing a couple of hours tomorrow. We'll tidy up after she's gone." Lee replied, settling down on the sofa with Lucy and handing her a glass.
"Thanks." Lucy said, after a moment of comfortable silence.
"What for?" He asks as he turns to face her.
"For pouring warm chocolate down my fake boyfriend's trousers." She smiles.
"It's not the first time and it won't be the last." Lee promises seriously.
Lucy finds herself thinking that with Lee, that statement might not be entirely a lie. You just never knew with him. It was actually one of the things she liked about him, if she was being honest with herself.
Liked about him!? Where had that come from, she thought to herself.
"You know all things considered this hasn't been the worst night of my entire life. I'm glad I didn't go to Venice. Here's to Tim, this surprise party was a pretty good idea." She admitted.
If it wasn't for the party, they wouldn't be sat here now, so it hadn't been a complete disaster after all.
"Actually, it wasn't Tim's idea. It was mine." Lee said quietly.
"What d'you mean?" Lucy asked, an annoyed tone creeping into her voice.
"You're gunna laugh at this. When I was on your phone I was actually trying to find out who this mysterious boyfriend was. When you caught me I panicked and made the whole thing up." Lee said in a rush.
"And why the hell do you care who I'm seeing?" She frowned.
However, the way Lee was looking at her soon made the frown disappear from her face. He looked shy, embarrassed almost. They had once again found themselves on the edge of that something and Lucy wondered if this time it would end like it always did; with both of them feeling awkward and disappearing off to bed. Separately.
"Just wanted to see what his intentions were, that's all. See if he was treating you right." He said defensively.
"Lee, if I was going out with the bloody Pope you'd have something to say about it!" Lucy said.
"Course I would! The age gap would be almost as bad as when you were with Guy." He retorted.
"The point is," She lowered her voice, the next part of the sentence almost a whisper, "I want to know why you never like the guys I'm seeing, or even thinking about seeing."
Lee took a deep breath. "Because… I… I mean they… the ones you pick just never treat you like you should be treated, okay?"
Once again he'd bottled out and changed his mind halfway through saying what needed to be said.
"For God's sake." Lucy whispered. She pushed her hair back from her face and stood up. "I'm going to bed." She told Lee.
Lee stood up and followed. He doesn't know why he's pushing this but he does. "Lucy, what's wrong? I can tell you're mad."
She stops just before the step that leads to the dining table. "I'm not mad, just… frustrated."
"That makes two of us." Lee sighs, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Well come here then." Lucy says, and then she's grabbing his shirt with both hands, pulling them closer together and kissing him hard.
Lee responds immediately, hands all over the place as he kisses her back with equal enthusiasm. Eventually the kiss – and their hands – slow down. Lucy's come to rest on his shoulders while one of his rest on her waist, the other pressed flat against her back, holding her to him. Both of them just stare for a moment, wondering who'll be the first to shatter the silence.
"Well, that was, erm-" Lucy begins, unsure of where to go from there.
"It wasn't unexpected." Lee says, putting a strand of her hair back in place.
"No it wasn't." She agrees.
They readjust themselves so they're standing at arm's length, still touching.
"What now though?" She says.
And because Lee can't think of a reply, he just pulls her close and kisses her again. And again.
It could have happened like that. But it didn't.