Thank you so much for the kind reviews and encouragement! I'm glad to be apart of the Doc Martin fanfic community! Obviously I have decided to continue on exploring Martin and Louisa's relationship. So, we'll be picking up right where we left off in chapter one. The rating might change as we go along but probably won't go higher that 'T'. I am hopeful that I can update regularly since next week I will be on holiday break from school so I'll have plenty of time to work through this over the next month. I hope you like it!

Chapter Two

"Will you stay the night?" Louisa asked as she released her hold on Martin.

"Um, I don't know. I mean, I don't have any clean pyjamas to change into."

"Can't you just sleep in your underclothes?" She gave him a playful smile.

"Uh, best not." Martin watched her smile fade and quickly tried to explain himself. "I've been wearing the same suit for almost two days, Louisa. Not to mention the number of bacteria and pathogens I picked up from that filthy farmhouse and that horrid dog that attacked me."

"What? You were attacked? Where?"

"Oh, um, my arm. It's nothing. The bite didn't break the skin." He pushed up the sleeve of his suit and held out his arm, revealing a mouthful of reddening canine punctures dotting the skin of his forearm. Louisa gingerly inspected it as best she could. "There'll most likely be some bruising tomorrow, nothing serious," he assured her.

Louisa frowned and smoothed her fingers over the afflicted area. "I know, but still, it must have hurt."

Martin let out a quiet grunt and pulled his arm away. "I think it would be better if I cleaned myself up back at the flat. I don't want to expose you or James to anything harmful."

Louisa let out a tired sigh. "If that's what you want. But I'm letting you know that I really do want you to stay."

"I know. I'd like to. If I wasn't covered in dirt and god knows what else . . ."

"I understand, Martin. You're just looking out for our health, and I appreciate that."

Martin ducked his head and tugged on his ear. "If you'd like I can come over tomorrow before the surgery opens and we can discuss our living arrangements."

"Yes, Martin, I'd like that."

Martin gave her a half smile, relieved that she didn't rebuke his offer. "Um, I'll say goodnight, then?"

Louisa smiled at him in return. "Goodnight, Martin."

Martin stepped closer to Louisa and bent down to kiss her cheek. "Yes, goodnight."

Louisa stared at him in disbelief as he turned to say goodnight to James, completely caught off guard by his sweet gesture. After all, he did initiate their kiss after they watched the helicopter take off back at that field. She smiled to herself. He was finally starting to learn that there was nothing wrong with showing a little affection towards someone you love.

"I'll walk you out?" Louisa suggested as he turned to leave the nursery.

"Yes."

They reached the front door of the surgery and Martin opened it before facing Louisa. "Um, thank you, Louisa, for giving me another chance to make things work between us. I know you weren't too keen with the couples therapy, I wasn't really either and -"

Louisa silenced him with a gentle kiss. "You're welcome, Martin. And like I said before, going through therapy, it's the start of a new beginning . . . for us."

Martin looked down at his shoes as his chest began to swell with something he'd rarely felt since the beginning of their relationship. Glancing back up to meet her hopeful eyes, "Yes, it is."

"See you tomorrow morning, then? Bright and early as usual?"

"Mm." He turned to leave but Louisa stopped him.

"Martin?" He faced her once more and she hesitated. "I love you." He didn't answer her back right away and she feared that this was a repeat of the day where they had rescued James from Mrs Tishell at the Castle and he wouldn't say those three little words a third time just for her. But, as was becoming more frequent of late, he surprised her.

"I, um . . . I love you, too," he said before quickly clearing his throat and turning away.

Louisa stepped out and stood on the slate steps, watching as he made his quick trek down the steep hill. Things were going to get better, she just knew it. He wouldn't let her down, not when it came to them.

. . .

"So, James, what'll it be this morning, hmm?" Louisa asked her little boy as she looked around the kitchen. James was seated in his high chair, eagerly waiting for his breakfast as he repeatedly slapped his hands down on the plastic tray in front of him.

"Fruit and some oatmeal?"

James let out a string of incoherent syllables and gurgles. Louisa smiled at him and began unpeeling a banana.

Louisa was in the middle of feeding James when she saw Martin stop and knock on the window above the sink. She gave him a smile and he entered the kitchen a moment later.

James turned in his seat to see who entered and his eyes lit up as he noticed it was his father. He let out a squeal and almost sent his bowl of oatmeal flying towards Louisa.

"Someone's excited to see Daddy. Can you say good morning to Daddy, James?" James didn't respond and instead reached back for his breakfast. Louisa let out a quiet sigh as she wiped her boy's face with a hand towel.

"What is it?" Martin asked her as he set down his medical bag and took a seat next to James. "Morning, James." He completed his usual greeting by brushing his fingers over the boy's head and cheek.

"Oh, I'm probably just being irrational. But he's so close to saying his first words. I mean he's a little over a year old, shouldn't he be more vocal by now?"

"I'm a doctor, Louisa, not a child psychologist. What do your American child development books say?"

"Oh, Martin!" she huffed. "There's nothing wrong with America or their opinions on child development."

"I know. I wasn't criticising. I was merely inquiring that you should -"

"Yes, thank you, Martin," Louisa interrupted him then noticed how he shied away from her. "Sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted you. I'm just being irrational - emotional."

"Could be you're -"

"Martin! Stop it! I don't need you giving me a medical lecture."

Martin remembered from past experience and decided it was best to stop talking. He turned his full attention to his son, who decided to start feeding himself. His hands and face were now covered in oatmeal and mashed banana.

Louisa continued to scramble around the kitchen, making more of a mess than tidying up. Martin followed her movements with a cautious eye. With Louisa he was never quite sure if her irritation and moodiness was because of him or from some other underlying factor.

James finished off his breakfast and Martin wiped his face clean one last time before facing off with Louisa. Looking down at his watch he said, "Louisa, the surgery opens in half an hour. We should really start discussing our permanent accommodations before patients start coming in."

Louisa stopped her scrambling about and sat down across from Martin at the table. "Yes, I'm sorry, Martin. I just have a lot on my mind. There's so much to do at the school with all the time I missed recently."

"I see."

"I'm glad you do." It came out a little sharper than she intended but Martin didn't seem fazed by it.

Martin let out a breath and began, "I was thinking that this afternoon over lunch I'll have Morwenna make sure to reschedule any patients during that time. That way I can start packing and moving my things back into the surgery."

"Maybe I can help you . . . if you want."

"Yes . . . Good. I mean, I'd like that."

"Good." Louisa internally flinched. She hated their one-word, one-sentence conversations. She knew he wasn't an adept conversationalist, but she had hoped their brief time in therapy would have helped him open up a bit more, at least with her. Patience, she told herself. It was going to take a lot of hard work and patience to get their relationship to where they both wanted it.

"Will you be free from the school at lunch?" Martin asked her. "I know you said you had a lot to do."

"I'm sure I can escape for a little while and help my husband move back into his proper home."

Martin took that as her deciding factor and ducked his head in acknowledgment. "Right. Good. I um, I should get ready before my first patient arrives." He held onto James' hand for a moment before standing and retrieving his medical bag.

"Yes. Janice should be here in a few minutes." She turned to look at James who was fascinated by his fingers. "Can you tell Daddy to have a good day, James?" Again, the boy had no interest in talking and continued to play with his fingers.

"Louisa!" Martin said with a bit of irritation as he turned towards the hallway under the stairs. "James will speak when he's ready to, don't push him."

Louisa rolled her eyes but smiled. At least he was listening to her more. "Mmhm, yep, thank you, Martin."

"Honestly," he mumbled under his breath as he neared the consulting room.

"Mornin,' Doc," Morwenna announced in that chipper voice of hers. Martin was startled and he put a hand to his chest to calm his breathing. "Glad you're all back in one piece, eh? Heard that Penhale had to help with the rescue."

Martin shook his head. "Uh, not really. The man's entirely incompetent. Put us all in more danger actually."

Morwenna shrugged. "Yeah, but he enjoys being a police officer, incompetent or otherwise."

"Mm. Do you have the first patient's notes?"

"Right here." She handed over the sleeve of notes and remained unmoving in front of him.

"Is there something else?"

Morwenna shook her head. "No. Just glad you're back, Doc. Anything new happen with you and Louisa?" she asked eagerly.

"What? That's none of your business. Now get back to work." He waved a hand towards the reception area and he waited until she made it back to her desk before entering the consulting room. Honestly, he thought as he sat down behind his desk to start his day. What is it with these villagers and their incessant need to gossip?