Disclaimer: Doc Martin and recognizable storylines belong to Buffalo Pictures.

The Fearless Prince and His Faithful Hound - Chapter 7

still Friday

Louisa walked down Fore Street. She had spent the previous afternoon listening to, and contributing to, the dog and the car accident story. Every single time she heard any part of the story she found herself thinking, 'It could have been Martin. Martin could be in the hospital.' She realised just how much that thought affected her.

She had used Thursday evening to catch up with schoolwork, then did not sleep as well as she'd hoped. She wanted to blame her potential anaemia, but she knew it was because she was preoccupied.

Not that she and Martin didn't already have spectacularly bad timing, but she was so upset when her father showed up just when Martin had gotten up the nerve to ask her out that she only introduced him as "Dr. Ellingham." She pictured his sad face again.

She remembered the hours spent worrying about him going into the woods for Mark. She distinctly remembered how she felt more upset about Martin than Julie seemed to be for Mark.

She thought about being tied up in Martin's office, facing him. How he looked at her, thinking, scanning the room, and trying to make Jonathan back off without anyone getting hurt. She remembered being worried for Martin, because if Jonathan was going to hurt anyone, it would be the person who could do him the most harm. Sweet Martin, harming someone. Ridiculous.

She'd also worried at the time that Jonathan would figure out how she and Martin felt about each other and use that against them. Thank goodness he didn't notice.

And, oh, how anxious she had felt as he backed up over that cliff. She'd caught his look of longing before he switched back to doctor mode.

Louisa turned the corner now where the accident had occurred. She thought about how scared she'd felt. She picked up her pace a bit, remembering.

This morning she'd heard Martin's short radio interview while buying school supplies from the Pharmacy. The school nurse was part-time at Portwenn and another school, so it wasn't always convenient for her to go to the Pharmacy. As Mrs. Tishell hung on every word, Louisa was thinking about Martin's voice. She liked its tone, and decided to make it her mission to make him laugh.

Back at school, someone had showed her the newspaper article, "Dog Saves Doc!" She shook her head with a knowing smile. 'Oh, he'd hate that,' she thought.

That afternoon she wondered how the dog was doing, and also about her and Martin's upcoming date. As for the former, she had run into Pauline in the grocery, and had heard about the dog being claimed by its owners. She thought this might bother Martin, and she decided she would go see how he was doing.

The date itself had her speculating. 'I was wondering if you might like to have dinner with me?' he'd asked. She wouldn't have minded if he'd meant he'd make dinner for them at his cottage.

Louisa finished climbing Manor Road, walked around to the back of the surgery, and knocked on Martin's kitchen door. She opened it and let herself in. "Martin?" she called.

"Just a minute," he called back.

Martin was working on the clock. He had successfully got it running, and was just making a few minor adjustments, when he heard the knock on the kitchen door. Hearing Louisa's voice, he picked up a mirror and had a look at his teeth.

Louisa noticed a small paper bag on the table. It had unfolded itself open and she glanced inside and could see the leather strap of what looked like a belt. She couldn't resist and pulled the strap out. It was a collar, and it had a stamped metal tag. She read, "Lucan" along with "Martin Ellingham" and the surgery's address and phone number. Her heart broke for him. What a sweet thing he'd done.

Martin entered the kitchen at that moment and saw her with the collar. His mouth opened, but he couldn't think what to say. He sighed and looked sad and embarrassed. She gave him a sympathetic half smile.

"Oh, Martin. I heard from Pauline about the dog's owners showing up." She held up the collar. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Well, not anymore," he said, trying to sound dismissive.

"But you were certainly thinking about it, weren't you? I'm so sorry."

She stepped over to him and embraced him, and stayed holding him until he hugged her back. She rubbed his back a couple of swipes and moved back, took his hand and led him to the couch.

She continued holding his hand as she began to speak. "I know you always say you are just doing your job when you help people. But I think you are brave, and to me, you are also faithful. The way that dog protected you, and helped me, too, makes me think of all the things you've done for others. The way you went into the woods for Mark, and over a cliff for Ted."

"Well, I didn't do too well when we were all tied up in my office," Martin said, sadly.

She took his hand in both her own, lifted it, kissed it briefly, and let their hands drop to her lap.

"I know that's because you were overthinking, and that's how you are. You wouldn't just think only of yourself. You needed to be sure we could all be safe if you did something. Besides, you grabbed the gun from Jonathan later."

She reached up and touched his temple, brushing his sideburn and then cupping his face. He leaned his head into her hand.

She continued, "Besides being brave, you took care of that dog and were even thinking of being its owner. I also thought he was a stray, but I guess not. That's a good thing, though, for him. Yeah?"

"Yeah," said Martin.

He sounded so sad, she moved her fingers through his hair to the back of his head. She pulled him to her, kissed his forehead, and hugged him. He embraced her, their heads side by side, as he breathed deeply in and out.

She leaned back, putting her hands on either side of his face, and they kissed. Her kisses comforted him, and she felt so nice in his arms, his hand in her glorious hair. Their kissing slowed, stopped, and she snuggled up to him.

With the warm solidness of him in her arms, she stopped worrying about losing him. With the warm softness of her next to him, he stopped feeling so sad about the dog.

"Louisa?" Martin mumbled.

"Yes, Martin?" she answered, hopefully.

"I don't like you having a key so easily accessible right outside your front door."

"See?" said Louisa. "Always looking out for me. I think I could get very used to that."

THE END