Disclaimer: Call The Midwife belongs to the BBC and others - I am simply borrowing their lovely characters.
Author's note: This is a prompt fic given to me by awkwardly-romantic over on Tumblr. There were a number of elements to the request so this is a multi-chapter piece to cover them all. However, none of the prompts feature in this update. I wasn't going to do this scene, but was told that I'd be disappointing pupcake fans if I didn't do my take on it, so here you go.
This part of Patsy and Delia's story has definitely been focused on by other authors. I recommend popping over to Archive of Our Own and checking out "Give Me Your Heart to Rely On" by ABroodyGay and "I Wanted to Ring Out The Bells..." by Bluebluebaby.
Thanks to Sittingonthis for the sense check as always.
"I can say, Welcome Home"
Patsy drained her metal bucket of dirty water into the sink, swilled it out and started to fill it again with cold water. The hot water tank had long ago emptied and the immersion heater was unable to keep up with the exacting pace she had set while cleaning the flat. The red-haired nurse had found the cleaning experience rather joyous. While the tiny flat she and Delia had picked out was certainly in need of a good clean, they had both seen past the grime and realised that it suited their needs perfectly. They had made good progress today and it was now certainly fit to be lived in, although there was a long way to go before it met her standards of hygiene.
As she agitated the water and added detergent, Patsy felt arms wrap around her and she smiled as Delia rested her hands on her forearms.
"I think we've done enough cleaning for today Patsy," she stated softly.
"I was just going to clean the windows. They're filthy," Patsy protested, although she had to admit she put no real effort in.
"They can wait. If anything, it's more convenient that they are dirty, given the flimsy curtains. In a way it gives us a little privacy," Delia pointed out. "Besides, our hands have been immersed in harsh chemicals all morning. I don't want you contracting contact dermatitis Nurse Mount."
"Oh, well. If you're making me stop for clinical reasons, I suppose I must abide by your decision, Patsy grinned as she turned off the tap. She turned round slowly, glad that Delia kept her arms looped around her. "But you know me, Deels. I need to have something to do to occupy myself. Any suggestions?" She gave her trademark lop-sided grin even as she noted Delia's eyes dilate slightly.
"Oh, I've got lots of suggestions. What I want to do right now though, is take a breather, eat our picnic and toast our new home," Delia responded with a smile.
"I like your thinking, Busby. Lead the way." She was about to break free from Delia's grasp but met resistance. "What's the matter?" She asked, frowning slightly.
"Absolutely nothing at all. Which is why I can now do this without my heart hammering for all the wrong reasons," Delia replied assuredly.
Patsy's frown deepened slightly. "Do what?"
Delia answered by lifting herself up onto her tiptoes and placing her lips gently against Patsy's. "This," she murmured, smiling as she felt Patsy respond instantly. They kissed languidly for a few moments, both enjoying the freedom that they had suddenly found.
Patsy eventually broke the embrace. "Come on. We've got pork pie and custard slices for lunch."
Delia sighed. "Perfect."
The two women worked quickly together to throw down a blanket and spread out their supplies. Delia huffed as she poured lemonade into tumblers. "I really feel we ought to be toasting our new start with something stronger than lemonade," she grumbled.
"We can't have you turning up for your late shift pie-eyed, can we Nurse Busby?" Patsy teased good-naturedly.
"I suppose," Delia agreed begrudgingly. "But as soon as we both have an evening free together, I demand a far grander celebration for our new flat," she declared, nodding to herself as she handed one of the glasses over to Patsy. They sat either side of the food and made quick work of it. Once most of it was gone, Delia took a moment to sit back and reality hit. They had done it. They were going to live together. She could scarcely believe their fortune.
"I want the only flowers to be real flowers, over there on that windowsill, where they'll catch the light each morning when the sun comes up," she decided, ignoring the fact that the windows were still in desperate need of cleaning.
"We'll have to find something better than that ghastly jug," Patsy protested.
"Oh I like it. It's as though somebody left it for us like a little gift." She smiled softly at Patsy for a moment. "And I want to smell coffee when I wake up. And bleach. Because that'll mean that you're here, or that you've just gone out."
Patsy raised her eyebrows, revelling in the younger woman's enthusiasm. Delia looked blissfully happy sat opposite her on a borrowed blanket from the Convent and eating from a couple of borrowed plates. Her heart swelled as she noticed the ring she had bought Delia hanging round her neck. Every time Patsy caught sight of the ring, it made her pulse quicken. When Delia had answered her proposal in the middle of the Jewellers, Patsy could have sworn that the whole world stopped for a moment. She still couldn't believe just how lucky she was to have Delia in her life.
"And when you come back in, I can say; welcome home," Delia continued.
Patsy grinned and clinked her glass against the other woman's again in a silent toast. They sipped their drinks quietly for a few moments before Patsy placed hers well away from the picnic blanket. Silently, she gestured for Delia to pass over her glass and she put it next to her own before looking back at Delia carefully. She scooted a little closer and raised her hand to caress Delia's cheek. "I love you," she declared quietly but clearly.
Delia leaned into the caress and smiled. "I love you too," she replied before leaning forward to place her lips on her lover's.
Patsy kept the kiss soft to start with, but could feel her heart racing again. They were alone. There was absolutely no way they would be disturbed, except on their terms, which meant they were safe. They were safe at last to let things happen without being on guard somehow. To actually get lost in the moment. Patsy wasn't sure she wanted to get more intimate on a blanket borrowed from Nonnatus House however, and she recalled that they were on a schedule. Reluctantly, the midwife eased off and broke the kiss, smiling when she saw Delia leaning forward slightly, eyes still closed.
"Come on, let's tidy these things away."
Delia opened one eye and frowned before smiling cheekily and laying a hand on top of Patsy's, stopping her from picking up a plate. "Leave it. I think we have far more important things to be doing, don't you?"
Patsy canted her head slightly. "Are you really sure you want to? On this blanket?" She demurred.
Delia chuckled and shook her head. "Frankly I'd want to anywhere with you. However, while you were busy scrubbing the sink in the kitchen, I was busy dusting the bedroom and putting the sheets I purloined from Nonnatus on the bed." She smiled lovingly. "It's not spotless yet, but I think you'll find it acceptable."
Patsy grinned. "Are you sure we have time?" she asked, raising one eyebrow suggestively.
"Not for everything I want to do to you. But we have time enough," Delia replied, raising an eyebrow of her own. She got up slowly, careful not to knock any of the plates as she stood. "Shall we?" She asked softly, offering her hand as assistance for Patsy. She felt heat bloom across her cheeks as she realised exactly what it was she was asking Patsy to do.
Patsy felt her cheeks redden in return, although this was hardly their first time. There was somehow something very special about it though. This was very much them moving on with their relationship in a way Patsy truly hadn't thought was possible. She held out a hand and allowed Delia to help her stand, pulling the smaller girl towards her as soon as she was upright. Even as Delia wrapped her arms around her, Patsy found her lips again and kissed her deeply, feeling her pulse quicken as she heard Delia moan into the caress.
Patsy wasted no time, knowing that Delia would need to get ready for work soon. She pushed into the smaller woman slightly, making her back up. Purposefully, she manoeuvred them both into the bedroom, somehow managing to not break the kiss even as they moved. Patsy was vaguely aware that the room was very definitely cleaner than it had been, and the bed was, of course, meticulously made. She guided Delia to the edge of the bed and then pushed back slightly harder, ensuring they both tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs.
Delia quickly moved her hands to the buttons of Patsy's shirt and flicked them open rapidly. She pushed the blue shirt over Patsy's shoulders and allowed Patsy to take care of removing the article of clothing completely. She was far more interested in placing her lips on newly exposed skin as her hands drifted down to deal with Patsy's trousers.
Patsy cursed her fashion choice of tight-fitting pedal pushers as she realised they were wasting far too much time trying to divest them. In a grunt of frustration, she rolled off Delia and quickly stripped, pausing when she caught Delia's amused look. She looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry. When we have all evening and all night, we can take as much time as we need, but right now, I need you, and I don't want to waste a second."
Delia simply hooked an arm round Patsy's neck and drew her close again. "Remember where you were?" She asked, her voice surprisingly throaty.
Patsy answered with action, not words and ran her hands slowly up Delia's thighs and under the hem of her dress. "I have an idea," she murmured into Delia's neck as she nipped the soft skin there, inhaling Delia's perfume and unique scent as she laved attention at her pulse-point. Patsy's hands moved of their own volition, responding to the sounds Delia made. Within moments, the pair were focused solely on each other, completely immersed in the sensations they were experiencing.
For the first time, neither woman held back their moans, although years of restraint meant that they were not completely carefree. Somewhere in the recesses of Patsy's mind, she made a note that they would have to test the acoustics of the flat in order to avoid questions from the neighbours. It would take some time to break their strict rule of silence, so just hearing Delia make muted sounds of pleasure sent Patsy soaring. She was quite convinced from the other woman's response to her own vocalisation that Delia felt the same way.
Far too soon, they lay gasping in each other's arms, revelling in their nearness even as cool air chilled damp skin. Patsy grabbed the blankets and covered them quickly, even as she snuggled closer into Delia. She glanced briefly at her watch. "I will not be denied ten minutes cuddling the love of my life," she declared, smiling as Delia gazed up at her, brow sweaty, and eyes gleaming. She really didn't think Delia could look any more beautiful.
"Who in their right mind would refuse that?" Delia mused, grinning madly. She brushed a strand of hair away from Patsy's eyes. "I can't believe we've managed this. It almost feels too good to be true," she whispered.
Patsy adjusted her position slightly, leaned down and kissed Delia's engagement ring where it rested in the hollow of her neck. "I still can't believe you had the nerve to say 'I will'," she murmured.
"I think proposing in the middle of a Jewellers somewhat trumps my couple of words. Although really, what else could I say? Frankly, I'd have said yes if you'd presented me with a loop of yarn," Delia replied easily, even though she could feel her pulse quicken. There was silence for a few moments as they basked in each other's warmth.
"I love you," Delia muttered softly.
Patsy looked into the other woman's blue eyes and smiled earnestly. "I'm the same," she replied, smirking as Delia furrowed her brow at her. "Come on, we need to get a move on."
The women hurried from their warm bed and Patsy retrieved her own clothing while Delia collected her uniform. The red-haired nurse gathered Delia's clothes together and placed them in a neat pile at the foot of the bed once she had straightened the covers. They would need to get a laundry basket she mused silently to herself. She grinned as she realised that there was a long list of items they would need to turn the flat into a smoothly running home.
Delia hurriedly placed pins in her hair in an effort to get it somewhat presentable. Once it was up, she took her nurse's hat from Patsy's outstretched arm and used yet more pins to secure it in place. She peered into the mirror in the bathroom and decided that would have to do.
As she rushed through the living room, Delia winced at the blanket and plates still lying on the floor.
Patsy shook her head and guided her to the stairs. "Don't worry about it. I'll tidy up later."
"That's most unlike you," the Welsh nurse teased.
"Well I certainly won't be making a habit of it, but I think I can bend the rules just this once," Patsy decided as they skipped down the stairs.
As they left the flat, the midwife held out her hand. "Shall I take the keys and get a set cut for you?"
Delia smiled as she handed the keys over. "Yes. I'd come with you but I'll be late on duty if I don't fly."
Patsy glanced at her watch. "Gosh, yes. It's twenty to."
Delia's eyes widened and she felt her heart lurch. "Twenty to? I thought it was about quarter past." She looked at her watch anxiously before looking back up at the red-haired midwife. "Oh, I must have got water in my watch."
Patsy smiled. "Take my bike," she offered.
Delia's eyebrows shot up. "Are you sure?"
Patsy nodded quickly. "Park it outside the nurses home. I'll fetch it before my shift tonight. No-one will ever know." Her smiled softened as Delia stepped past her to get to the bike and she unwrapped the burgundy scarf from around her neck and looped it round the younger woman's. "Take this as well. I don't want you catching cold."
Delia smiled back softly, recalling the moment just a short while ago when Patsy tugged the blankets over them to keep off the chill, telling her that ten minutes of snuggling was equally as important as the time spent losing themselves to passion.
"You really are a sort of angel." Delia's accent seemed thicker now, and she knew her emotions were still running high. "Tragedy is, no-one will ever know that either."
Patsy grinned and stepped to one side as Delia took the bike and stepped onto a pedal. She pushed off and swung her leg over to sit on the saddle but concentrated on riding, rather than turn around to wave back at Patsy. She knew instinctively that she was watching her and was determined to ride the bike correctly, so that Patsy would have nothing to worry about.
Even as she pedalled, Delia allowed her mind to wander back to just a few moments ago and couldn't keep the smile from her face even as the chill air battered her. She would return to the flat tomorrow morning and bring with her the clothes from her room in the nurses home. It might take a couple of trips, but she was looking forward to moving in properly. It was a dream come true at long last, and Delia daydreamed of Patsy coming home to her. It was only when her momentum became suddenly lateral and she was crashing towards the ground that she realised that something was dreadfully wrong. She had barely registered the pain of being struck before her head hit the pavement and she knew no more.
To Be Continued...