A/N Thanks again for all the reviews - all lovely to read and certainly makes it easier to continue! One or two more after this one, I think, to bring the story up to the next part we see in Series 2.

Chapter 4

Caroline lay wrapped in the duvet of Kate's bed, contemplating the woman lying beside her. If she had been happy an hour previously, she had no words to describe what was now coursing through her. Kate was smiling back at her and Caroline's uncertainty about herself, about the future, seemed to fade away in the light of Kate's love. She mused about how funny this was, that love seemed to eliminate one's uncertainty, how suddenly, in Kate's presence, she knew, without doubt, what she needed and what she had to do. This had happened, this wonderful thing, despite her best efforts to control the situation toward a different and almost certainly less happy end, and so a part of Caroline felt free, for the first time in her life, to submit to this force that had taken her prisoner.

Kate's arm was resting on the pillows, positioned to allow her to twist strands of Caroline's hair lightly between her fingers. The feeling of serenity overwhelmed her as if there were nothing in the world that mattered except for the woman before her. She was lost in the blue eyes that communicated a hundred unspoken thoughts, a hundred feelings for which there were no words. Caroline's eyes spoke to her in ways she had never imagined were possible until that first day they met. At her interview at Sulgrave Heath, she had shaken hands with the Head Teacher, formidable by reputation, and seen that there was something in those blue eyes, even then, that seemed to cry out to her, to communicate something that couldn't be spoken. It intrigued her, Caroline had intrigued her and even in those very early encounters, Kate had sensed their imminent connection. Of course, years later and past the barrier of intimacy, Kate knew what the something had been; Caroline's unhappiness, her vulnerability but also her integrity. She couldn't say those things, not to anyone, not even to herself, because to do so would have been a betrayal of her marriage and of the promises she had made to herself, years before. And so, Caroline's eyes had done the talking for her; they had reached out to Kate, taken hold of something inside her and reeled her in, because something deep inside Caroline had known that Kate could save her.

The comfortable silence between the two women was broken by a low growl coming from Caroline's stomach. Blushing, she raised herself up onto her elbows and reached across the bedside table for her phone.

"Shit, Kate, it's half past eight!"

Kate was grinning. She loved watching Caroline at school, striding around the corridors in those glorious shoes, but even more than that, she had been thrilled, honoured even, to be able to get to know this woman underneath the Head Teacher exterior, the one whose stomach rumbled, who swore occasionally, who cried at the end of a book, who sang along to the radio when she thought no one was listening, who was terrified of everything and just hid it really, really well. This was her Caroline.

"Caroline, it's fine. We've nowhere to be, the boys are fine. I'm here. It's half past eight. Good, you've been able to relax a bit probably for the first time all week. Give yourself a break Caroline." Kate reached across and touched Caroline's arm, smiling.

"You're right." Caroline smiled. She couldn't help reciprocating Kate's expression. "But, I am hungry...clearly!"

"Come on then, let's go and make some breakfast. Let's see if the smell of bacon will encourage some life up here." Kate threw off the duvet, swung her legs out of the bed and stood, turning to face Caroline who was watching her, still smiling. "Caroline?"

"Ok." Caroline followed Kate's lead and began collecting her clothes from the bedroom floor, putting them on for the second time that morning. Kate took some jeans and a top out of the wardrobe and pulled them on, casting frequent glances across at Caroline as she did so. She could get used to watching Caroline dress in the morning, the light streaming in through the window behind her seeming to give her a glow of radiance. Kate walked around the bed toward the object of her attention and, reaching her, pulled Caroline, now fully clothed once more, firmly into her arms, kissing her cheek and neck as she did so.

"Mmmmmm, I could get used to this." Caroline wrapped her arms around Kate in response and closed her eyes. Caroline was struggling to remember a nicer way to spend a Sunday morning and was mentally going through her diary for the next few weeks, wondering how many more mornings like this she might be able to arrange.

"I was just thinking that." Kate kissed Caroline's neck again. After a moment, Kate released her hold on Caroline and took her hand instead. "Ready?" Kate headed toward the door.

"Yep." Caroline nodded and followed Kate out of the bedroom and quietly back down the stairs. There was still no noise from either of the boys' rooms and both women were grateful for the opportunity to spend time together like this.

Once in the kitchen, Kate busied herself collecting food items from fridge and cupboards, while Caroline boiled the kettle and got cups and teabags ready. They settled into a quiet scene of domesticity, moving around each other, touching and smiling whenever the opportunity arose. Once the tea had been made and the cups were full, Caroline stood for a second watching Kate.

"What can I do?" Caroline, not used to being inactive in the kitchen looked to Kate for direction. Kate smiled at Caroline and pressing her cup into her hand, guided her to a chair at the table, pushing her gently into the seat.

"You can sit there and relax, while I look after you for a change." Kate kissed Caroline and returned to her post at the breadboard. Caroline smiled and took a mouthful of her tea, watching Kate slice the bread.

"I could get used to this as well." Leaning back in the chair, Caroline wrapped both hands around the cup balanced in her lap.

"Good. I plan to spend a lot of time looking after you." Kate's words were spoken in play but her expression clearly conveyed her seriousness as she looked over her shoulder at Caroline. Caroline let Kate's words wash over her; the feeling of care almost unknown for such a long time initiated a physical response in Caroline and her shoulders dropped as her muscles relaxed.

"You're lovely." Caroline smiled.

"You're easy to be lovely to." Kate put down her knife and took the few steps necessary to reach Caroline. Kneeling down in front of her, Kate rested her elbows on Caroline's knees and took Caroline's face in her hands. "Caroline, you spend your life looking after everyone, worrying about them; the boys, your mother, your staff and the children at Sulgrave. But now, you have me and that means someone to look after you. All the time." She looked up at Caroline, almost imploring her to believe the words she had spoken, daring her to ague. Kate pulled Caroline's face gently toward her and placed her lips on Caroline's, kissing her tenderly, sealing the promise she had just made. Caroline put her cup down on the table and drew Kate close to her, foreheads touching, an acceptance of Kate's undertaking. The two women remained for several moments each simply enjoying the proximity of the other, until the door opened.

As William's head popped around the opened door, both women turned to look at him, naturally moving away from each other as they did so. Seeing them so intimately positioned, William blushed slightly.

"Oh! I'm sorry...I'll...er...sorry." He moved to withdraw his head back into the hallway. Kate jumped up and pulled the door open before he could disappear.

"No! William, it's fine. Come back." Caroline got to her feet as well and reached around the door to take hold of William's arm.

"It's ok. We're just getting under way with breakfast." Caroline frowned at her sensitive son, understanding immediately that he wasn't embarrassed to catch her with Kate, rather that he had interrupted their moment. "It's ok. We were just talking, William. You didn't interrupt." She kissed him on the cheek and pulled out a chair for him.

Kate had returned to the breadboard and turned, beaming at William as he sat down, still hesitant.

"There'll be bacon and I can do some eggs if you'd like, as well?" Kate was smiling.

"Thanks, Kate." William smiled back, relaxing now. Caroline returned to her tea duty, refilling the kettle and finding a cup for William. Waiting for the kettle to boil, Caroline reached her hand out to Kate, caressing her arm, almost without realising. Kate met her eye and smiled. Again, the two settled into a comfortable pattern of moving around each other and William watched, marvelling at the quiet ease with which the women went about their tasks. He had certainly never seen his mum acquiesce to his dad's presence in the kitchen like this. Caroline set William's tea down next to him and reached out, stroking his face. He smiled at her and covered her hand with his own, his expression wordlessly conveying his contentment. Reassured, Caroline turned back to Kate.

"How long do you think, Kate? Shall I go and wake Lawrence?"

"Ummm...maybe ten minutes?" Kate looked at the pans in front of her and nodded.

"I'll go." William took a mouthful of his tea and got to his feet. "It's fine." He looked purposefully at Caroline before she could stop him and slipped out of the door.

"Is he ok?" Kate turned to look at Caroline.

"He's fine. He's fine." Caroline nodded. "He's happy. I mean he wasn't last night obviously, but he just wants John to stop behaving like a jerk and for everyone to be happy. He doesn't like the fighting, I mean none of us does, but William seems to take it more personally, he's angry with John for leaving me, for leaving us, actually and he wants his dad to be his dad, and stop being so...I don't know... bloody disappointing, I think. This is good for him, Kate...us. No fighting, no shouting, just getting on with our weekend, all of us together. It's good for both of them."

Kate prodded the bacon.

"We should do it more." Kate glanced across, almost shyly, at Caroline who was still standing by the door.

"Yes, we should." Caroline nodded her agreement, tentatively starting to hope that Kate might want the same thing she suddenly did. A few moments passed. "Come back with me tonight." She looked at Kate, unsure of the reaction she might get. "I mean, not necessarily with me. We have to address the possibility that there might be some serious cleaning up to do depending on what sort of state John's in, but later...for the afternoon, for dinner...and stay the night?" Kate had stopped attacking the bacon and had turned to face Caroline.

"Even though it's Sunday? And we'll have to go to school tomorrow?" Kate was scared Caroline had forgotten what day it was.

"Yes." Caroline said quietly, nodding.

Kate smiled.

"Ok."

"Ok." Caroline smiled softly back at her and there was silence for a few moments, before William came back through the door and they all heard Lawrence stomping into the bathroom above them. William, noticing the look on Caroline's face, looked from his mum to Kate and back again, not sure what had gone between them but certain something important had. Caroline smiled at him and gestured for him to resume his seat at the table. He sat and took up his tea again, watching his mother as he drank it. Caroline busied herself ferrying plates and bread and other breakfast related items to the table. After a few moments, Lawrence thundered down the stairs and appeared in the doorway. He looked hesitantly at Kate.

"Can I smell bacon?"

"You certainly can." Kate grinned at him.

"And eggs?"

"Yep." His eyes widened.

"Nice." Lawrence looked around the kitchen and seemed to take in the calm of the scene. "Thanks Kate."

"No problem." Kate was still grinning. As she decided the bacon was cooked and everything else was ready, she began serving. She surveyed the scene in her kitchen, busier than it had been in a long time and wondered how she was stopping her happiness bubbling up, how she was resisting the urge to throw her hands in the air and squeal with delight. Caroline had pulled out a chair for Lawrence and poured orange juice for him before collecting fresh cups of tea for her and Kate, placing them on the table and taking her own seat. Kate brought the food to the table and set it down, bending to kiss the top of Caroline's head as she passed to sit down herself. Caroline smiled again.

Lawrence looked at Kate and then at Caroline and his arm moved perceptibly toward the bacon.

"Help yourself, Lawrence, it's fine." Kate watched as he carefully constructed his bacon sandwich, adding ketchup in a very scientific fashion, and then set about demolishing it. And with the sunlight streaming through the kitchen window, the scene was calm; the boys talking about their plans for the coming week, the women exchanging smiles, caressing hands and, in stark contrast to the previous evening, both silently thanking John for the opportunity he had inadvertently provided.