THUMP!

Jo put the kettle down, as a quickly stifled curse filtered back from somewhere along the hall. "SAM!" she glared at the petite blonde sitting at the kitchen table. Sam looked up.

"What's the matter?"

"For god's sake, Stu is blind. We leave doors all the way open, or all the way closed here. That way he doesn't bang into them." Without waiting for a reply Jo went to find him.

He was standing in the hallway, muttering under his breath and rubbing his forehead. "Stu." She took his hand in hers, "sorry hun."

"Not your fault," he said grumpily, "Had the feeling that letting HER stay before she marries Phil wasn't such a great idea."

"ssshhhh...let me have a look" Jo gently stroked around the bruise which was already forming above his right eye. He was doing his best, being blind was really tough on him, but Stu's naturally stubborn refusal to give in and drive to succeed were getting somewhere. He was starting to adapt.

"Cup of tea?"

"Thought you would never ask." He held his arm out to her, Jo slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, he was so proud of his ability to navigate around their home. She smiled, giving his arm a little squeeze.

He smiled. Jo's unfailing support made his life bearable. Knowing that his sight was gone forever terrified him, but with his best friend's help he was starting to cope.

# # # # #

"I'm meeting Terry and Mickey at the pub." Stu found the edge of the table with his fingers and guided the mug down onto its surface. He pushed his chair back.

Sam looked up. "How are you getting there?" Concern evident in her tone.

"Walking." He put out a hand and felt the edge of the table, took a step back and turned, heading for the hallway.

"Stu, I don't think that's a good idea." Sam followed him. "Jo?"

Jo raised an eyebrow and shook her head. Sam spread her hands wide.

"Got everything, hun?" Jo gently straightened out his jacket collar. "Yeah." He smiled at her and put his hand out, she took it and squeezed his fingers, silently slipping her front door keys into her pocket with her free hand. Sam raised an eyebrow and Jo frowned.

"Off you go then." He reached out to open the front door and went out closing it behind him.

They could see his outline through the glass, and Jo waited until he had moved off the top step before opening the door.

Quietly they slipped out behind him. Sam started to say something, caught the intent look on Jo's face and subsided. They slipped down the stairs and followed him.

Sam watched her friend as they followed Stuart, the mixture of emotions which crossed Jo's expressive face as he used the white stick to orientate himself on the pavement. He reached the pub without incident and they watched him inside.

Jo turned away.

"So that's what you do?" Sam gently put a hand over Jo's and squeezed it. "Follow him."

Jo's eyes were slightly over bright. "He's only been blind for five months, if anything happened I couldn't forgive myself."