** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1
Double dating – 10/?
"Are you sure you're warm enough honey I can go back to the car and get an extra blanket." James asked pulling Jean a little closer under the soft blanket that was covering their shoulders as they watched the floating candles that covered the river and waited for the firework display to start.
"God man will you stop fussing over her she's not made of glass you know and she's quite capable of telling us what she wants you know that as well as I do. Actually you and I know better than most how firmly she can put her opinions across when she wants to." Robbie laughed rolling his eyes as Laura playfully swatted his arm.
"He's just being sweet and considerate leave him alone. By the time he gets to your age he'll has stopped doing it too." She teased as Jean snuggled a little closer to James kissing him gently.
"Yeah Robbie don't be such a misery I happen to like him spoiling me now and then don't ruin it." Jean smiled winking at Laura as Robbie huffed sulkily.
"Now they're ganging up on me and you're letting them what happened to male solidarity."
"Hey I know when to keep my mouth shut and they wouldn't be ganging up on you if you weren't picking on me in the first place." James laughed the atmosphere in their small group, back in the same spot they'd picnicked in earlier, making him sigh contentedly. They'd had an amazing meal then walked along the river as the lanterns were released then found their spot again ready for the fireworks. With Robbie and Laura huddled under one blanket and him and Jean under another he couldn't wait for the firework display.
"It should have started ten minutes ago what do you think is holding it up?" Robbie asked as he shifted slightly looking at the cordoned off area on the other side if the river where a disturbance seemed to have started.
"I don't know but it definitely looks like something's going on over there maybe we should check it out." James replied making to move as Jean gripped his arm.
"No you don't; if there's something going on there are uniforms all over the place who can deal with it." She said firmly as he ignored her as did Robbie. "God do I have to pull rank on you two?"
"We're not going over we're just going down to the edge of the water to have a look over to see what's happening." James sad kissing her distractedly on the cheek as he got up and followed Robbie down to the edge of the river.
"Can you believe those two?" Laura sighed glancing at Jean as she shook her head. "I mean we're having a fantastic evening after an equally great day. One hint that there might, and it's a big might, be something going on and they're off like Batman and bloody Robin."
"They'll never change. Do you remember a few years back when they decided to "help" the uniforms on your birthday when there as a disturbance across the road and I ended up with complaints about them being drunk and mouthy?"
"Oh yea, though it turned out they were right about that bloke in the end."
"They usually are it doesn't change the fact I've spent far too much of the last decade lecturing them about doing things by the book or fielding off complaints about them from disgruntled members of the public."
"You wouldn't have it any other way." Laura smiled as Jean shrugged smiling in a way that confirmed the statement. "You'd be bored out of your mind if you suddenly found yourself surrounded by "yes me" and you wouldn't have met James."
"Yeah I know, they're coming back clearly their super powers weren't required." Jean laughed as Robbie and James came back up the hill and joined them again just as the first firework cracked into life and exploded in a burst of colour.
"It was nothing important it looked like they were just having trouble getting started." Robbie said as he slipped back under the blanket with Laura.
"Yeah panic over." James agreed doing the same with Jean.
"Good you can put your cape away and go back to wearing your underpants on the inside." Laura laughed winking playfully at Jean as the boys exchanged confused glances and James went to speak before he was distracted when the display started in earnest.
Settling together with her head resting on James's shoulder Jean sighed contentedly. The sky was a blaze of coloured explosions that mirrored the way she felt her life had been lately. Every new crack and bang brought more beauty and light into her days. Ever fresh morning light brought colour that she'd thought was gone from her life forever and as another perfect day ended she had never been more happy to be huddled under a blanket with the man she loved under a rainbow sky.