Part Four – Everything Will Be Perfect, Tonight And Forever.
An hour later Gary and Xavier were on their way back to Blitz And Pieces Bar. They were surprised to find that the Underground was working. Somebody must have been up all night prioritising the distribution of electricity to ensure that the only form of transport that wasn't affected by the roads being blocked still operated. The going was slow but they weren't complaining. As they reached the East End Gary was surprised to find that it was virtually unscathed, things had changed a lot since the last Blitz.
Once Xavier was installed in work with one of the staff to help on a weekday, Gary made his excuses and took a brief visit 'back to base'. He was desperately in need of a hot shower and his shop back in the past was the best place to get one. He left by the bar door and went round the back. With some difficulty he managed to get over the wall further down from where the portal was, into the joined together yard. Gary took a deep breath and walked through the portal all the time hoping that Ron wasn't on the other side wanting to know where he had been.
The shop was empty and there was no sign that anybody had been there looking for him, Gary breathed a sigh of relief and headed for the shower. He felt a bit of a shit sneaking back to the present like this, he would have brought Xavier back with him if he could. After a very rejuvenating shower Gary had a hunt in his cupboard for some spare clothes. There was only the old brown suit that Gary used for the past; it was a timeless item, it would just have to serve. Question was, did he go for the whole raincoat and hat thing; why not, might as well look completely ridiculous.
Gary went to sit in the shop for a while; he just had to kill a bit of time to make his trip back to base look realistic. He thought better of it when he realised that either Ron or Yvonne could suddenly appear and whisk him off to other commitments. He was much better off going for a walk in the present, maybe, he thought, he could pick up Xavier a little present to ease the toll of the war. Maybe a rather nice mint condition antique would please or a kettle that worked after an air raid maybe. Gary decided on the antique, his chances of impressing on the gadget front were very slim.
After an hour walking round Marks and Spencer Gary wandered into a record shop. This was so much more difficult than the past, he didn't know whether to buy a CD or not, he had no idea how Xavier's machine worked; he had never seen what the music was stored on. He flicked through the compilation albums absentmindedly, Ibiza this, Ibiza that. This was hopeless.
He went into a large newsagent next and picked up a copy of 'Ministry' the Ministry Of Sound's very own magazine. He took a sniff of the pages, it would never do; it smelled like it had been printed the day before which it probably had. Disheartened, Gary headed back to Blitz and Pieces.
He kept thinking as he walked back. He could take Xavier some whisky although he didn't know what the deal was with that. If alcohol was illegal he didn't want to go getting him into trouble. He let himself into the shop and had a good look at the stock; if only he hadn't taken so much to the antique shop that morning, there might have been something suitable amongst that lot.
Gary was about to give up and go back to the future when his eyes rested on a 1930s radio perched on one of the shelves. Reg had been throwing it out in the past after trying to fix it. He had brought it back thinking that even a broken radio might sell for something. It was still there and Xavier would receive broadcasts differently anyway, it wouldn't matter that it wouldn't work. He could place it on the mantelpiece and it would complement the look he had already gone for. Gary smiled a smug smile, he could deal with the future, not a problem; it just needed some extra thought.
He was still smiling to himself as he passed through the portal cradling the radio in his arms. Only once he was back in the future did he realise he was going to have to get it over the wall somehow. As if he needed proof that his visit to the future was meant to be, the waves parted before him. A recent delivery of stock meant that the adjacent gate was not locked; he easily passed through.
He went round the front only to find the door to the bar was locked. Looking through the window Gary found Xavier at his seat behind the bar his head in one hand as he studied some ledgers on the bar, the accounts he presumed by the grim expression. He knocked on the glass, Xavier looked up to see him and Gary had the pleasure of seeing him very much cheered up.
Xavier had to come to unlock the door himself.
"What's going on? Where is everybody?" Gary asked as Xavier got back on the stool. He placed the radio on the bar.
"I had to let Lucy go home sick, she's been up all night," Xavier answered glancing briefly at the books but not really taking them in, "I just locked the door till we open, easier to enforce entry that way."
"But you've been up all night too," Gary observed.
"I am the owner, I have no choice; I have to be here." Xavier explained with a shrug of his shoulders and looking very tired, "If the bombers had only knocked the electricity off in this part of town we could have locked up and gone home."
"Don't wish for it, it may happen soon enough."
"Really, you think so? You don't think that last night was an isolated thing?"
"I wouldn't have thought so," Gary said wishing he were doing more to cheer Xavier up.
Xavier suddenly noticed the large Bakelite box on his bar, "What's that then?" he asked.
"That is an early 20th century radio I picked up on the way back," Gary said with a smile.
"Wow, I've never seen one of these things where did you get it?"
"That antiques shop you told me about yesterday, I was just passing and it jumped out at me."
"It's fantastic, can't be many of these around," Xavier said turning it round to have a good look.
"Would look great in your apartment too," Gary added.
"You're not about to tell me you can't go out tonight are you?" Xavier asked with a grave face as he thought of it.
It wasn't quite the reaction Gary looking for, Xavier was such a cynic, "No, of course not, I just thought it would be nice."
"Good," Xavier said cheering right up again, "It is a very nice radio."
"You do look a bit too tired to be going out though," Gary observed.
"No Gary, stop it, I'm fine," Xavier said firmly, "If you want out of tonight you had better just say so."
Xavier was really tired, Gary thought, he was so up and down, so suspicious and eager to think the worst. When had he ever let anybody down when he had promised? OK, well yea, but when had he ever let Xavier down, more to the point.
"I am here till you want rid of me," Gary re-assured, "Tomorrow is a different matter, but today I am all yours."
"Tomorrow you have to go away?"
"Yes, tomorrow I have to be back at work big time."
"You're going away?"
"Yes, I have to go away."
"OK, let's make tonight a good one then," Xavier said with the sigh of someone attuned to the logistics of war.
"I certainly will do my best to make it a really good night although I really think we should skip the clubs and just stay in."
"Order in some food and stuff?" Xavier suggested.
"Yep," Gary replied, "Nice and relaxing, after all, we might be up again tonight with the bombs."
"You've got a deal," Xavier said smiling and handing him a joint.
As lunchtime approached it got a lot busier and Gary found himself helping behind the bar. At least he was trying to help, he just couldn't remember where things were and Xavier was no help, he thought it was hilarious. He did feel unconditionally appreciated though, something he hadn't experienced in a while. He did enjoy it in a funny sort of way but he was glad when the girls turned up and they could go, he enjoyed being alone with Xavier more. Tonight it was slightly different though; they had been working all day so he was in a completely lucid state of mind, it made him feel nervous.
Xavier picked up a selection of smokes to take home including a whole packet of 20 Special Six. The Special Six caused something of a sensation amongst the girls and Gary knew why now, it made him feel even more nervous. He picked the radio up and held it underneath his left arm and offered the other one to Xavier.
"Have a nice night boys," One of the girls called out to them as they left, Gary coloured violently.
They walked to the tube in virtual silence only to find that it was inexplicably not running. However a printed poster told them that the next one up the line was running trains on to the rest of the stations.
"It defies logic," Xavier commented, he looked worn out. They started walking to the next station.
"You going to be OK?" Gary asked.
Xavier nodded, "I've done it before, they're always doing this, doubt it has anything to do with the bombs."
They walked on through the east end, a lot of it Gary recognised; it was very weird. He kept thinking he might run into Yvonne or something, it wasn't a feeling he was used to getting in the past. As they walked Gary felt that Xavier was leaning on his arm more, he wished it wasn't so far.
When they got to the station Xavier wanted to sit down for a minute so they chose the most comfortable wall.
"I wish you could stay with me," Xavier said suddenly as they sat in silence.
Gary didn't know how to reply.
"This damn war," Xavier continued, "Everybody getting separated and sent off God knows where all the time." He lit a joint.
"You can't light that in the blackout," Gary warned as Xavier had warned him the night before.
"Stuff it," Xavier replied and Gary couldn't have agreed more.
Eventually they got back to Mayfair on the tube and Gary made tea whilst Xavier ordered their meal. The radio took up a proud place on the mantelpiece. During the day somebody had been in to fix the windows so the apartment was nice and warm for them. The whole time they were eating the meal Gary was worrying about what he had got himself into. As if bigamy wasn't enough he had gone and got himself into another relationship. A relationship he couldn't even tell Ron about, how on earth was he going to cope. Somehow lying to Xavier about his 'war work' seemed worse; he couldn't get his head round it. It was as if he felt Xavier was seeing right through his lies and merely saying nothing; he was losing his grip. He wished that Xavier would hand out the joints then he could smoke into another world, do whatever took his fancy and not worry about it.
Xavier was looking at Gary, "What's the matter?" he asked in a concerned voice, "You've been so quiet."
Gary immediately felt the guilt pile up, it wasn't Xavier's fault he was a confused mess.
"You don't regret last night do you?" Xavier asked, "I'll understand if you want to leave." Although he said he would understand he looked as though he would be devastated.
"No," Gary said firmly, "I don't regret it at all, it's just been a long time."
"So you don't fancy me enough without the drugs?" Xavier accused, he looked downtrodden and betrayed, it was partly down to fatigue but he also had a point as far as he could see.
Think about it, Gary thought, it wasn't as if anybody in the past needed to find out about this, as if anybody would believe him. Ron, Yvonne and Phoebe were all away, why would they guess that this could happen. Ron was used to being told the truth about everything, he wouldn't suspect one lie; a lie which would sound like his usual activities. The war was nearly over in the past, he would have to make some serious choices soon and stick with them. Just one more fling as a time traveller, just the one more, after all, he had never made it with Yvonne's look-alike in the 19th. He looked to Xavier and tried to swallow his nerves, nerves were all that was stopping him; Xavier thought he didn't care.
"I can do it without Special Six, I would have done last night but we were smoking them anyway," Gary said in a moody voice in mock offence at Xavier's accusation.
"Come sit with me then," Xavier said patting the seat next to him on the sofa and dimming the lights.
Gary went to sit next to Xavier.
"Prove it," Xavier said.
Gary couldn't move, he tried but nothing happened.
Xavier undid his tie and unbuttoned his shirt then ran his hands over his shoulders pulling Gary towards him.
"Not here, in the bedroom with the music on," Gary suggested.
Xavier smiled, "You old fashioned thing!"
"Oh, you have no idea," Gary said pulling Xavier to his feet. He nearly killed himself trying to pick him up and Xavier nearly died laughing.
"Oh God, you are something," Xavier managed to gasp.
"Stop it, you're spoiling the mood," Gary said trying to be stern but laughing himself now.
"What mood? You're nervous as hell," Xavier observed holding on to him with one arm over Gary's shoulder and the other round his waist.
"Of course I am, do you think I do this every day?"
"No, I don't," Xavier said, "I just thought for a while that you're standoffishness today was Gary wanting to get away. I didn't want to be a one night thing, cast aside with the dawn."
"I don't do that, I have to go away, but you're not a one night thing,"
Xavier smiled ruefully, "No, I'm a two night thing."
"I would stay longer if I could," Gary insisted and meaning it.
"You would?" Xavier asked happily surprised.
"Yes, I would," Gary said trying to pick Xavier up again.
"Stop," Xavier said laughing again, "You'll hurt yourself."
Somehow Gary managed it and they got to the bedroom, he sat Xavier on the edge and nearly fell over on top of him. Xavier was still laughing as he reached over and picked up the packet of Special Six and held one out to Gary.
"No," Gary said, "I said I wouldn't."
"You've told me all I need to know," Xavier told him lighting one for himself, "It's OK now."
"Everything will be perfect tonight," Gary enthused.
Xavier gave Gary a look that he would later know the meaning of, "Doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be tonight." He leant over and turned the music on.