Author's note: Well, after a little blockade, a little FFnet time-out, a little bit of writing and a short vacation almost entirely without internet (aaaah, so relaxing) I'm back and I've already finished and polished a few more chapters. First I was not overly pleased with the continuation because I've originally had planned to stop with Barb and Ange going to bed but then I felt some of you were expecting more ;-)
When I finally went on writing this thing it turned in a little more dramatic direction. Also I've put my head above the parapet and this story had become a bit fairytale-like too, especially the part with... Ah, well, go ahead, read it ;-)
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Breakfast at Tiffany's
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Tommy was in the best of moods. The sun was shining and the day had started with the wonderful prospect of a free weekend without being on call and since he had had a fantastic dream about Barbara (without any embarrassing moments when waking up) he had decided to bother her with his presence. He had no real plans for the day but just thought he could spend it with her. She only had mentioned that she would enjoy the free weekend with doing the laundry, tidying her flat and to recruit stock. "Baked beans and bread, you know." she had said with a grin. Tommy smirked at that memory though later she also had cancelled their date for dinner.
Now, being here in front of her house he started to question his presence here. He thought that maybe she had other plans for the weekend too. Maybe she had other plans that she had not told him about at all. Maybe she would not want him at all to come around. On the way up the stairs he thought that maybe he really should not be here. He really should have called her first and ask if she would like to dine with him tonight. But then again, stepping out onto the gangway to her door and back into the bright sunshine, Tommy suddenly realised he actually did not care at all if it was appropriate to simply drop by. He just would say that he had been around somewhere near and just thought he could pay a visit. She could kick him out if she was not in the mood. Or not let him in at all. He will see. Tommy felt so adventurous that a whistling melody found its way into the corridor to her flat. He rang her bell and waited.
After a longer moment he rang it again but already was continuing to question his appearance at her flat. Is she out of town? He looked at his watch: twelve thirty. Or had she just spent her night somewhere else and is still not at home at all? He felt the familiar sting of jealousy but also knew he could easily talk himself out of a possible awkward situation with the hint at their friendship and that friends do pay visits to each other unannounced from time to time. Yes, something like that. A rational voice in the back of his head though still advised him to walk away again and leave her to her own privacy. Nonetheless he rang again and turned, leaning his back against the wall, not really expecting anymore that the door would be opened. I really shouldn't have come here without calling her first. I mean, I shouldn't... assault her like that. I don't even have a real excuse for showing up. I should-
The door opened and a croaky voice was heard. "What?"
The DI turned and the greeting he was about to say stuck in his throat when an unexpected but faintly familiar sleepy face welcomed him. Quickly Tommy checked that he was at the right door. "Umm, is Miss Haver-"
The woman turned into the flat clearing her throat before she called for its inhabitant. "Baaaarb!" Turning back to Tommy she obviously had found her voice but not her ability to see thus she narrowed her eyes shortsighted.
" 'n' you are?" she asked. The woman in the doorway was not really rude, it only was the hangover that was clearly written all over her appearance. Somewhere Tommy already had seen her but he could not quite name it.
"Umm, I'm Tommy Lynley. I'm-"
"Oh, shut up, Ange!" came the curse from inside the flat involuntarily cutting him short. It was Barbara's answer to her friend's loud call. The following muttered words probably were unrepeatably rude but her guests fortunately did not hear them.
"Aaah, the Earl!" Angela's face clearly lit up and she finally opened the door to let him in. Inwardly she cursed herself for not having put on her contact-lenses before opening the door. Or at least her glasses. "Sorry, I haven't put on my glasses. Hello Tommy. Come on in!"
In that moment Tommy remembered the face. Actually it had looked a bit less sleepy when he last had seen her and she definitely had not been in those ridiculously patterned pyjamas. "Oh, you're Miss Bower! Doctor Bower, I'm pleased to see you." And you wouldn't believe how pleased I am to see you and no other man...
Then Tommy started to grin.
"Angela." the psychoanalyst corrected him. Once inside Tommy was offered the wonderful sight of Barbara in a crinkled mismatching ensemble of short night pants and a twisted top, her hair ruffled, her eyes sleepy, her face with clear signs of a crumpled pillow. The way she massaged her forehead and temple and grumbled foul words she obviously had a bad hangover. Many grumpy morning moments rushed through his head but this was by far the sweetest one.
Though he deeply pitied her for the headache she must have.
Barbara scuffled across the carpet and only a bit into the living area of her flat before she recognised who had pulled her out of the bliss of a deep long sleep-in.
"Look who's here!" Angela chirped innocently.
"Oh, holy shit." Barbara froze on the spot and groaned. Her brain suddenly was empty. This was the last moment of all that she wanted to be caught by her boss. The mismatching night wear, the horrible hangover, the empty bottles and glasses still on her coffee table, the general mess in her living room, the other woman in night wear - he had to recognise she was in Barbara's ridiculous night wear - and only her bed rumpled and not her sofa. Well, rumpled, yes, and in a mess like the rest of the flat, but there had not slept anybody on it. She moaned again, half from her headache, half from annoyance. Brilliant. Now he will note lesbian too. Next to drinking, grumpy, messy and clumsy.
Lovely. Tommy thought and his smile grew even wider.
" 'morn', Sir. A case?"
"Good morning, Barbara. No, fortunately no case. We're not on call, you forgot?" The broad smile he was offering did not at all match Barbara's thoughts about his possible new image of her.
"...forgot a lot of stuff, Sir." she mumbled and turned to her bathroom where Angela just had come out. "You found the aspirins?"
Angela nodded and asked whispering if she should leave her alone with him. Shock was all over her face when Barbara mouthed a clear NO! before she turned back to her DI.
"Sir...?" she did not exactly know what to say (or do) but fortunately Tommy sensed the uneasiness. Inwardly cursing himself once more for his inexplicable happiness and the desire to pull Barbara in his arms he finally felt awkward for having invaded her privacy and forced himself to stammer an explanation.
"Oh, I just dropped by to say hello because I was driving this way coming from- Ah, never mind. I'm sorry I just invaded your flat. I didn't think you might've slept in. Sorry, I just- I really didn't think when I stopped by. I should-"
"...keep silent until I've had a coffee and some aspirins? Yes, please. And please sit down, Sir."
In his back Angela mouthed a "Tommy!" and glared at Barbara who was trying to ignore it by making herself busy with rearranging the sofa cushions.
"Sorry, Barbara." Tommy pushed back the unruly lock of hair and grinned lopsidedly before he suggested that he would go and buy stuff for a proper breakfast since he believed that she still had not shopped her beans and bread and in half an hour when "the ladies" would have woken up completely he would be back and prepare for them the best reinforcing of life after having that certain glass too much. While his eyes twinkled with amusement his chin motioned towards the mess on the coffee table and once again he wondered what that little heap of pink salt on the carpet could mean.
"Only if you agree, that is."
"Mmmmh." Barbara answered so he let himself out again.
Immediately after the door had closed behind him Angela started to quietly squeal like a teenager. "Goooods, he's so cute, Barb!"
"Oh, get lost, Angie, what's he doin' here?" her still tired friend grunted. Barbara really had not wanted to be seen in that unflattering state.
"Isn't it obvious? Trying to spend some time with you, he really doesn't care what you look like. Remember what I've told you yesterday. You know what? I'll leave, I just go and change..."
"He's seen that you've slept in my bed. In my pyjamas!" Barbara whined.
"So you think he will remember them? Ahaaa...?!" Angela mocked her friend, already getting undressed.
"Wonderful. Now he'll also think I'm lesbian. I doubt that he'll come back anyway..." Barbara grumbled.
"Oh, bollocks, Barb. He'll think that we are close friends, which is the truth. And that's why I'm leaving. You make yourself presentable and we'll tidy up this mess around here and then you'll spend the day with him. Tomorrow morning I'm calling you for a briefing." Angela turned back to Barbara with an intense glare. "Very late in the morning! I expect you to have an exhausting night, understood?"
"Shut up, Angie, nothing like that will happen, and you stay. I couldn't quite-"
"You could! No go have a shower!"
"And you stay here!"
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...
