I'm sure you started thinking I abandoned this story for good, but finally I was able to write another chapter and here is :) I'm very sorry it took me half year to update it and won't be surprise if most of you don't want to read it after so long break...Anyway I decided to continue this story, just like I promised.

But I don't promise I'm going to update is so often as my other stories, but surely you won't have to wait another half year for new chapter. I'll try my best to keep going with it :)

I hope you'd like the new chapter :)

Kitty meowed sadly from his basket as his bright eyes followed John Paul, gathering the pieces of porcelain from the floor as Craig had thrown their two plates and a cup after running out Chloe. John Paul lifted his head and looked at his boyfriend sitting on the couch with arms crossed against the chest and small figure still squeezing in his right hand. The older man turned toward him too and frowned his eyebrows as he got from his lover unfavorable look.

'What?' He snapped irate, ready for argue with him, seeing in how very courageous mood he was today.

'You're going to throw it on the floor, too?' John Paul asked him drily and pointed at figure in his hand.

'And if I want, then what?' He challenged him and waved slightly the figure.

'Then you're going to clean that mess from the floor.' The younger man replied and stood up.

'No one asked her to took Sean with yourself to the shop! She's using him as a bait for men!' Craig yelled after his lover and quickly jumped from the couch to follow him. 'I don't know how to talk with her, cause she's always doing the same. Why you can't tell her to fuck up from our family?'

'Cause she's my friend, Craig!' John Paul shouted irate and threw the remains of porcelain to the bin. 'And after your little show, I think she understands your point.'

'Yes, for one day!' Craig yelled. 'If you didn't take this job in the pub and stay in home with Sean, it'll never happened!'

'So it's my fault now?' Blood boiled in his veins as he turned around to face him. 'I don't believe you said that!' He stared at him with shock and hurt.

'You don't have time for us, cause you're working all the time!' Craig pointed accusingly finger at him.

'So why you don't give up your job, hmm? Sean isn't only my son. And you're spending in work not less time than me!'

'If I give up a job, who is going to pay for bills, eh? You don't earn so much money, John Paul, as me.'

'So now you're saying I'm useless? At least I know now what you think about me!' He yelled and stormed out from the kitchen. 'Don't touch me!' He pushed the man back as he grabbed him for the arm to stop him.

'You know I don't think that! I'm not thinking you're useless!' He ran after him toward bedroom.

'I don't want to listen this, Craig.' He said firmly and with a slam closed the door behind himself.

'But…' The rest of his words drowning in loud scream as his bare foot stepping on the piece of porcelain. Limping, he approached the chair and sat down on it, in hands squeezing his bleeding foot.

'What now?' John Paul cried angrily and popped his head into living room, trying to localize his boyfriend. His anger flew away as he noticed blood streaming down Craig's fingers and confused look on his face as he was searching for something to stop the bleeding. Before he could took something, John Paul was kneeling in front of him, pushing his fingers back from the foot to have a better look on the wound.

'It looks like some pieces of porcelain are still laying on the floor.' Craig fizzled with pain as his boyfriend squeezed the foot. 'Do we have an aid kit?'

'I took it to the pub and left it.' John Paul said with sheepishly smile.

'I should know it.' Craig growled and leaned back on the chair. 'So I can bleeding out now?'

'It's only small wound, Craig.' The younger man rolled his eyes. 'You'll be fine.'

'I can't walking with bleeding foot, John Paul! Give me some towel at least!'

'Don't dramatize, only stay here.' John Paul commanded and quickly raised up from the floor. 'I'll go for Chloe.'

'No way! She won't never again walk through our door!'

'I guess you can stay alone for two minutes?'

'John Paul!'

'We don't have glasses boss!' Darren gritted his teeth as Alice's annoyed voice came to his ears and this little punk girl tilted above the counter trying to see what he was reading.

'You're working in the pub, Alice. So we HAVE plenty of glasses.' He said irate, laying the newspaper on his laps so she couldn't see the title. He took a sip of his coffee and looked around the pub trying to localize more competent subordinates, but without results. 'Where are the others? Shouldn't they work now?'

'Don't know, boss. Maybe they have a break now?'

'I'm not paying them for sitting outside the pub.' Darren snapped, feeling it will be another day in hell. 'Go for them and say if they don't back to work for five minutes, they don't need to come back to work tomorrow.'

'Okay, boss.' Alice mumbled giving him odd look. Darren ignored her and tried to focus at newspaper to which he returned, but he quickly resigned, when pair of dark eyes drilling a hole in his head didn't think about moving on. He gritted his teeth irate and glanced at the girl.

'I already said you what to do, didn't I? You have problems with memory or hearing?'

'There is some girl asking for job, boss. I told her to wait.' She replied, playing with her hairs.

'We already have full. I don't need another employer.' He said, returning to newspaper. 'Told her to go away.'

'But I told her to wait, boss.' She whined, making big eyes. 'I can't tell her now to go away.'

'Well, it wasn't me who told her to wait, right? I don't care how you're going to solve it. I just don't want to see her working here. Is it clear enough for you?' He asked her sharply, giving heavy glare above newspaper.

'It won't kill you boss, if you just talk with her for few minutes. She's a really nice girl and needs this work very much.' She didn't give up. Alice nervously shuffled on her feet, knowing she just stepped on very dangerous ground, seeing her boss murderous look and coagulated face.

'Which word you don't understand, Alice? Do I look like I've been carry out charitable activities? It's enough for me to cope with you all, every day! I don't need anyone new!' He snapped, wanting to strangle this stupid girl with own hands.

'But boss...' She whined again and Darren was really going to fulfil his wish, when he sensed another person in the room, standing behind his back. He turned around and almost dropped down a newspaper as his eyes stopped on very attractive young, tanned woman with big chocolate eyes and shining white teeth, in a short black dress emphasized her very feminine's shape, and showing everybody her long legs. Brown hair were tied above her neck with a blue staple, so Darren could admiring her swan-neck, wondering what such beautiful girl was doing in the pub like that. She was looking like a model, not a barman.

'Hi, I'm Natalie.' She said in a little shrink voice, giving him wide smile. Darren immediately jumped down from his chair and smoothed his hair as he approached her with a smirk. 'Alice said that maybe you can find some job for me.'

'Well, the plans changed...'Alice started, but Darren quickly silenced her, lifting his hand, before he gave his full attention the girl.

'Have you ever worked in pub, Natalie?'

'I was a waitress for few months, sir.' She replied with sweetly smile.

'Call me Darren.' He offered and winked to her.

'Okay...Darren.' He liked the way she was telling his name. It sounded perfect in her mouth.

'So, Natalie, when you can start the job?' He asked with a big grin as Natalie almost started jumping with happiness around him, laugh escaped her mouth.

'What?' Alice snapped behind his back, totally taken-aback. 'But you said...'

'I said you to bring the others to work, Alice. Yes, I don't forget about it.' He said through the teeth as he turned to her for moment before he flashed seductive smile to the new girl watching him with growing interest. 'What would you say about tomorrow night?'

'You think it's a good idea?' Chloe asked John Paul in whisper, as she kept glancing at Craig sitting on the couch in very warlike mood.

'You did the most stupid thing you ever could do...but I don't want lose your friendship. 'I'm still angry at you, but I don't want to lose you.' He replied with small smile and blushed slightly as Chloe leaned closer to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

'If only Craig would forgive me...' She sighed heavily and removed a bandage from the package. 'How big cut you have?' She asked this time louder, Craig. 'You need a bandage?'

'You think that patch on the underside of my feet will help?'

'I guess it means yes.' She mumbled and gave John Paul a bottle with hydrogen peroxide, and a few swabs. 'I'm not going to be around him when he's in such mood. We already made a big step, he let me come to your house.' She rolled her eyes.

'Fine, but you're going to help him with bandage.' He winked to her and with a smirk on the face approached his boyfriend.

'Jesus, what takes you so much time? I could bleed to death here!' He shouted, like always dramatizing.

'It's only small cut, Craig. It'll take you about two days to bleed to death.' He rolled his eyes and gently took his foot in hands. 'Stop being Drama Queen.'

'I'm not!' He snapped offended and pulled off John Paul's hands. 'And stop watching my foot, only do something with a cut! I have a meeting for an hour.' He glanced at his wristwatch and swore as he saw what time it was.

'And now you're telling me this? It's a business meeting?' He asked intrigued, critically looking at Craig's old tee shirt and covered with cat's fur tracksuit pants. If you're going to go on the business meeting in these clothes, good luck.

'Yes, so do it quicker! I need to iron my shirt and find a trousers suit to my jacket.' He sighed heavily and squeezed his eyes as first twinge of pain went through his body as John Paul started cleaning his cut. 'You don't need to watch it so closely, John Paul. There's no pieces of porcelain, there. I have so much time that already checked it.' He couldn't stop himself from little sarcasm.

'Firstly you shouting at me cause I didn't pay too much attention to your cut and you were whining about bleeding to the death, and now you're sulking it's taking me too much time and should wrap bandage around your foot, preferably with eyes closed.' He said irate. 'You're worse than pregnant woman.' He stated, shaking his head.

'If you do it earlier and didn't leave aid kit in the pub, there won't be any problem! I can't be late.'

'So again everything it's my fault?'

'Boys, take it easy. We can solve the problem easily.' Craig glanced sceptically at Chloe, afraid of her new great idea. He knew how most of them end; usually very bad for him and his flat.

'Before you decide to do something, firstly tell me what you have in mind. I really want to have a flat in one piece.' Craig said sharply, didn't trust her even a little.

'I would take care about your foot if you promise me, you won't bite me to the death when I touch you. In the meantime John Paul would find for you a trousers, cause everybody know who has better taste in style in this house.' Her grin disappeared quickly as she noticed Craig didn't take it as a good joke, only observing her with murderous look, still not convinced to her idea. 'And he would iron your shirt...I only need to wrap bandage around your foot, Craig, it's not possible I could hurt you.' She assured him.

'Chloe's right. It's impossible if you won't move...But still I don't want to iron your shirt.' John Paul sighed and reluctantly stood up as he got a puppy eyes from his boyfriend. 'Where's your shirt?'

'In a commode. Second shelf from the bottom.' He grinned and carefully laid foot on the small stool, so Chloe could start her work. 'You really know what are you doing?'

'I was in Medical School, Craig.' She smiled softly and glanced briefly at John Paul searching for the shirt.

'Oh, really? I didn't know about it.' He looked at her with growing curious. 'So why you aren't a famous doctor now?'

'They kicked me out after one year.' She smiled sheepishly, feeling how the man tensed in her hands. 'But I was the best on the year with first aid, Craig! So nothing to worry about.' She assured him, but strangely Craig didn't feel relaxed.

'Thank God, you came back!' Alice breathed with relief as Spike came in to the pub along with Steve. 'I thought boss is going to kill us in a minute. I don't know what bites him today.' She screwed her nose while Spike leaned against the counter and looked around checking by himself how the situation between Darren and his subordinates develop.

'I don't know how you're standing his moods, babe.' Steve chuckled behind Spike's back and wrapped his arms around his waist. 'If I was you, I would kick him on the ass for it. He's the biggest jerk I've ever met.'

'But you're not me.' Spike said sharply and roughly pushed his boyfriend back, before he laid elbows on the counter and paid his all attention to the girl surprised with his outburst. 'Where is he now?'

'Table on the corner. You know, the one he likes so much.' She replied and glanced briefly at Steve still standing behind Spike, with hurt and shock written on his face. 'He hired a new waitress today, Natalie. She's kind of nice girl.' She added after little pause, deciding he should know what's going on in the pub when he's not there.

'New waitress? I thought we have set.' He said surprised, frowning eyebrows. 'I thought we set up that if he's going to hire someone, firstly he should inform me...He never did anything behind my back.'

'Well, Darren decided we may need her help.' She shrugged and looked down at the glasses in her hands. She was doing everything to get rid of his burning stare, but the man didn't give up, feeling that something wasn't alright.

'How she looks?' He finally asked, almost sure what has to pushed Darren to hire her without talking with him. He nervously tapped fingers on the counter, impatiently waiting for her answer.

'Like a girl.' She shrugged once again, didn't want to share with him more details. 'Nothing special.'

'Well, you saw her and, you're a girl, so I bet you have to take a look at her.' He said stubbornly, feeling a twinge of jealousy. 'Well? Oh, come on Alice, tell me something.' He growled irate, totally forgetting about Steve watching him with a growing shock.

'I don't know what to say!' She squeaked, suddenly jerking her head up so she almost hit Spike on the jaw. 'Stop pushing on me!' She yelled, close to tears. Spike stared at her with opened mouth, not sure if he should laugh or cry now. She was unbelievable.

'I just give you a simple question, Alice. What's hard in answer for it?' He cried irate, demanding the answer.

'She's just an ordinary girl! Has hair, face and pair of eyes!' She yelled and dropped down on the nearest grating where, she had a hope, Spike would leave her in peace.

'I bet she doesn't has one eye, otherwise Darren wouldn't hire her as a waitress.' He snorted and tilted above the counter to have better look at the girl. 'So?

'What came into you, Spike?' He sighed as Steve asked him in disbelieve, shaking his head. 'You're behaving ridiculous! Darren only hired one girl behind your back and you're dramatizing like he just sold the all pub! Jesus, what's wrong with you?'

'Nothing!' Spike snapped. 'It's just unfair what he did. I bet he hired her only because she caught his eye, not because we need extra help.' He couldn't stop the anger rising in his body.

'It's not the end of the world, Spike. I don't get you sometimes...You're behaving like you're jealous about him!'

'I'm not!' He exclaimed outraged trying to sound hurt, but his suddenly reddened cheeks and eyes automatically avoiding Steve's ones, betrayed him. 'I'm not...' He repeated, but this time less powerful and quieter. He noticed a hurt in Steve's eyes, his lips made a thin line. He licked his lips, knowing it's a little too late to pretending that nothing changed. 'I think we need to talk.' He finally said quietly, for the first time looking straight into his eyes.

'Yea, I think we should.' He said coldly and looked away from the man as someone's steps approached them. 'But I guess not know.' He added with ironical smirk as his eyes wandering around bottle of alcohols standing behind, now full standing and watching them with growing curious, Alice.

Before Spike could say something, loud giggles interrupted him, making him to turn around and see who was standing behind him. His heart fluttered in his chest as his eyes stopped at familiar pink shirt, before they noticed a familiar handsome face, broken into heart-melting smirk as he probably was telling his famous jokes, which understood only Darren, someone standing on his left.

Spike moved his head a little on the left and his jaw almost met with a hard floor as he finally saw Darren's partner. Very pretty girl with beautiful smile, in very short dress was for Spike the worst nightmare ever. She was looking like a bloody model with legs to the sky and he felt so...ugly and small next to her. Didn't have any chance at Darren with her.

'Oy, what's going on there? I heard you yell at each other.' Darren asked sharply, surely not happy about the fact that they just interrupted him with a flirt. 'So, who's going first explain me that?' Spike gritted his teeth as the girl smiled widely and looked at Darren with admiration. He wanted to stab her with a piece of the glass.

'Spike is angry, because you didn't tell him that you're going to hire, Natalie.' Alice said quickly and suddenly felt very small under Spike's murderous stare. Darren lifted his eyebrow amused, as his eyes moving to the younger man.

'If I knew it's so big deal, I'd phone for you.' Malicious smirk appeared on his face, as the girl giggled behind his back, making a good laugh at Spike. They both looked to have a really good fun at Spike's cost.

'Well, now you know it is.' Spike blurted, wiping off the smirk from Darren's face. 'Next time let me know when you're going to recruit new staff or buy something new to the pub.' He added coldly and walked outside the pub, didn't want to be seen by anybody.

'What was that?' Natalie asked surprised, laughing slightly as Steve excused himself and walked toward toilets confusing Darren even more. 'He's always like that?'

'He just has a bad day, I guess.' Alice replied with unsure smile.

'Oy, you're not going to check if he's alright?' Darren shouted behind Steve, in front of his eyes still seeing Spike's angry face and eyes shining with tears. In response he got only cold look, before Steve pushed the door and disappeared in the toilet. 'What the hell is going on between them?' He immediately asked Alice, who knows everything what's going on in the pub.

'They had a fight. A really bad one.' She sighed sadly.

'Really? So about what they argued? Broken pipe?' He couldn't stop himself from little sarcasm. 'Knowing Steve they couldn't fight over something more important.' He winked to Natalie and she laughed loudly like he just told a really good joke.

'They argued about you, if you have to know.' She replied reluctantly.

'About me?' He lifted his eyebrow and licked the lips, as he intrigued waiting for further revelation.

'If I knew he's going to make such a big problem of that, I wouldn't ask you for give me a chance and would go find a job somewhere else.' Natalie said, giving him a sad smile.

'Oh, come on. He can't overreacting about such bollocks! Everything's going to be okay. He just needs a relax a little.' He assured her and gently stroked her hand in response getting small giggle.

'They argued about you, not about you hiring Natalie.' Alice explained giving him knowingly look, and then realisation hit the man.

'Oh...' He couldn't help but smirk of satisfaction appeared on his face for a same thought he has such a big impact on Spike. 'So, who won?'

'It's not funny, Darren. It looks pretty bad.'

'Well, I can't help it, can I?'

'You started it, so have a guts to finish it.' Alice said unfriendly, surprising his boss with suddenly change of mood. 'I'll be on the back. Someone has to receive an order.' She added drily and walked out, leaving the man speechless. Did she notice something between me and Spike? No, she couldn't...She just bluffing, that's all.

'It looks like not only this guy has a bad day, today.' Natalie stated, eyes following Alice. 'What she was talking about?'

'Don't have any idea.' He lied, nervously scratched his head. 'Will you can stay here for moment? I think I need to talk with Spike.'

'You're going to show him who is the boss, right?' She winked to him and bite her low lip. 'You're too good for them, Darren. You need to show them who is in the charge here.' She said, looking with admiration at the man.

'Yea, I'm going to pay him back for his today's arrogance.' He licked his lips slightly at the same thought of how he's going to show him the right place. 'Wait for me here, Natalie.' He couldn't help but felt a little aroused with a thought that Spike is so jelaous about him, that he had a fight with his saint Steve.

'Can I go with you, Darren?' She pleaded him, making big eyes. 'You're so sexy when you're bossing around.' Darren grinned widely and almost agreed, unless his mind wandered toward Spike and to punishment he was going to give the man for his unpleasant behaviour.

'Not today, Natalie. I need to talk with Spike privately. I'm not sure if he's in mood today to get a reprimand in front of such beautiful, nice lady.'

'Oh, you're such a charmer, Darren!' She giggled and blushed slightly as the man winked once again to her and slowly walked out from the pub, whistling happy song under the nose.

Craig was already late when he appeared in the front of small cafe. He nervously looked around the tables trying to localize a person with whom he had an appointment. He smiled softly as his eyes caught a storm of long, brown hair and pair of bright, green eyes belonging to good looking woman sitting not far away from him.

'I'm sorry, you have to wait, Sophie. But I had a little accident.' He said for welcome before he leaned closer to the woman and kissed her on the cheek. 'I hope you didn't wait for me too long?'

'I just came.' She smiled and handed him a menu. 'So what kind of accident, you had?' She asked with curious glanced at him.

'I had a piece of porcelain in my left foot.' He sighed heavily and laid the menu on the table, didn't even look at it. 'And the Perfect Chloe wrapped the bandage around it on so pretty, that I needed to take sneakers, cause no shoes fit on my foot.' He picked a little his trousers up to show the woman his dirty, old sneakers. She laughed loudly, shaking her head.

'They very fit to your working costume.' She giggled. 'I guess you told John Paul you're going for a meeting with client?'

'Well, I needed to say him something, right?' He gave her knowingly look. 'You want to drink something?'

'No, not really.' She shrugged.

'Good, come on. I'm taking you to very nice place.' He winked.

'Why we can't stay here?' She asked as she wore her white jacket and looked at him sceptically. 'It's a nice place too and far away from the main street.'

'Maybe it's a nice place, but I don't want to be seen with you alone by John Paul's friends...You forgot about the deal?'

'No, I didn't forget.' She sighed heavily. 'You really think it's a good idea?'

'It's very good idea. Trust me.' He smiled softly and entwined his fingers with her. 'So what's the news from the big world?' He asked her with playfully smile as he pulled her forward, toward bus station.

'Nothing interesting.' She shrugged and gently stroked his fingers. 'Better tell me, what about John Paul.'

'What about him, eh?' She felt how he tensed.

'Everything's fine between you two?'

'Since when you're interested in how's John Paul? I didn't meet with you to talk about him.' He snapped irate. 'If you want to know how is he, phone to him. I have better proposition for you, how to spend today's afternoon.' He grinned, pulled her closer.

'Well, you're still together so I wonder how you cope together.' She said with innocent smile and kissed him in the corner of his mouth. 'It's a secret?'

'He's alive, and still leaving with me in the same flat. Happy?'

'Well, it doesn't sound like a fairy tale for me.' She noted. 'If you don't feel good in home, you know you can always move to mine flat. You know you're always welcome.' She offered with flirtatious smile.

'Yea, I know...But I don't think it'd be a good idea.' He sighed and leaned against street lamp as they stopped. 'I couldn't do that to Sean...'

'Only to him?' She asked quietly, her bright green eyes focused at him.

'I guess not only to him.' He replied after a long pause and sent her a sad smile while he checked his wristwatch. 'Where is this bloody bus?'