Flashback. August 1995, Edinburgh

Lee lifted his head from where it was buried in Lucy's shoulder, and kissed her forehead the her lips before reluctantly separating himself from her. Lucy sighed as Lee untangled their limbs and moved to lie beside her. He found himself unable to move from this position for a while, his heart still pounding, his breathing shallow and uneven, and smiled as he heard Lucy try to get her own breath back.

Eventually Lee rolled onto his side, propping himself up by his elbow. Lucy had one arm stretched out on the bed above her head, her face was flushed and her eyelids kept fluttering open then closed again. He couldn't take his eyes off her, grinning as he watched her body continue to tremble. After a while she turned her head to face him,

"Are you staring at me?", Lucy could feel Lee's eyes on her.

"How could I not? You're beautiful"

Lucy smiled shyly, "thank you".

"Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay. That was...amazing. I really wish my first time had been with you, that I hadn't been so stupid and wasted it on Scott".

"Thanks Luce. Is it okay if I call you Luce?

"Yes, I like it"

"You know what, as bad as the experience with Scott was, don't beat yourself up about it. You weren't stupid, innocent maybe, but he was clearly a total bastard. Life's too short for regrets though, that's what my grandma used to say. Everything happens for a reason". All the time Lee was dancing his fingers absentmindedly across Lucy's stomach, drawing patterns on her skin.

"Quite the philosopher aren't you?"

"Not really. I just mean, when something bad happens to you, you have to put it down to experience. Like when I got sacked from the job I loved at Pontins. I probably wouldn't be where I am now if that hadn't happened"

"You know you said when you tell people you're a comedian they tend to judge you, think you're just about telling jokes. If only they knew you were so worldly wise".

"Hey, a bit less of the worldly wise please, that sounds like you're saying I'm old!", Lee had a twinkle in his eyes as he was talking, so Lucy could tell he was only teasing.

Lucy turned onto her side and rested her hand on Lee's hip. He wrapped an arm around her, and shuffled until their bodies were touching.

"No...I mean there's more to you than just jokes. You have depths. And that's a good thing". Lucy hooked her leg over Lee's, and found his hand, linking their fingers.

"You still think I'm funny though right?"

"Of course I do. Of all the men I've ever met you're definitely the most fun to be around. I genuinely think you're hilarious, you know that. You make me laugh all the time".

"Apart from just now in the bedroom I hope. I love to make people laugh but when I'm bed with a woman, laughter's not really the effect I'm going for".

"I thought it was obvious the effect you just had on me in bed. I've only just regained the power of speech. Believe me, now I understand what my friend Emma meant when she said older men were better lovers because they're more experienced".

"Experienced? That's another way of saying I'm ancient right?", Lee teased, chuckling as he spoke.

"That was supposed to be a compliment...I've got one question, what with you being so old and everything", Lucy grinned mischievously.

"What's that?"

"How tired are you?"

"A bit. Only a bit", Lee raised his eyebrow as he spoke.

"Good, because I was just thinking I could use the benefit of your experience again"

"Is that right?"

"God yes", Lucy's voice was faltering now.

"In that case I'd be happy to help", Lee's smiled seductively, then closed the gap between him and Lucy, kissing her passionately...

...

January 2015, the McKillop house, Surrey.

"I was due to go home at the end of that week, but Lee asked me to stay. I agreed, much to the anger of my parents. We spent the next two weeks all but barricaded in his room. Of course he had to go and perform in the evenings but that's when I caught up with sleep. We went to see the odd show together but apart from that we hardly left his bed.

Lee's show was really successful, and he won a prestigious award for new comics. All in all it was an incredible few weeks. I'd only known him for less than a month but I'd fallen for him hard. He told me years later that he'd been in love with me right from the start too, he just didn't have the guts to say it in case I didn't say it back.

Eventually...I had to go home, as I had to start getting ready to go away".

"Of course, your year abroad".

"All the time I was with Lee I tried to forget I was going to Japan, as I couldn't bear the thought being so far away from him. I even thought about not going, even though that would have meant quitting my university course".

"Your parents would have killed you".

"Yes, and it was Lee, showing his worldly wise side again, that made me realise I had to go. He reminded me of the time I said how much I wanted to travel, said I'd regret not going, and he didn't want to be responsible for that. He was right, of course, and we promised to keep in touch, but it was so hard saying goodbye at the end of the Summer".