Chapter 10
AN: Once again thank you for your lovely reviews. So this chapter was a bit of a pain to write. I knew where I wanted it to go but I just couldn't seem to put pen to paper. Therefore I'm not totally happy with it but have decided to post it so we can resolve certain things and move on with our story.
Good news the next chapter is nearly finished and once I've started/am half way through writing chapter after that I'll post it.
'Remind me again how we ended up here.' Katie asked.
'Kerry.' Aggie answered.
'Right. An how..why is she here?'
'She kind of invited herself.' Donna replied.
'This is going to end badly.' Debbie sighed as she spotted Kerry coming towards them with a tray of multicoloured shots.
'Get these down you girls.' She plonked the tray on the table
Aggie picked up a shot and held it in front of her. 'Yeah..'
XXXXXXXXXX
'Oi, watch it man.' Kerry shouted stumbling out of the cab followed by a very drunk Katie. She looked up at her surroundings, 'what we doing here?'
'Ummm you got us kicked out of the last two places in town, we had to come home.' Donna laughed as she made her way around the back of the cab to meet Kerry and Katie.
'We'll be lucky if we're not barred from town.' Aggie exclaimed as she climbed out after Katie.
'But the nights still young.' Kerry cried out as she struggled to stay on two feet, Katie reached out an equally unsteady arm for support.
'Well I am not.' Debbie sighed.
'I really need my bed.' Aggie said as she leaned against the nearest stable surface.
'One more won't hurt.' Kerry said as she tried to encourage the girls to continue.
'I think Chas is kicking out,' Katie said grabbing hold of Kerry's arm, 'come on I'll walk you home.' She started to drag Kerry down the street.
'Night girls.'
'Night.' The remaining three chorused.
Katie and Kerry made their way down the road, Kerry oblivious to the giggles coming from behind her as she launched into a one way discussion with Katie about what a beast Dan was in bed.
'Ladies.' A smiling Pete exited the Woolpack. 'Good night?'
The girls shared smile.
'Yeah, not bad thanks.' Aggie replied.
Debbie rested her weight against Pete's shoulder. He looked down and laughed. 'That good huh?!
'Ssshhh.' Debbie muttered. 'I can already feel how bad this hangovers gonna be.'
'Come on you.' Pete wrapped an arm round Debbie, 'let's get you to home and bed.'
'You two be alright getting home?' He asked.
Donna and Aggie shared a look with each other then Debbie, 'Awwwww.' The two of them chorused.
'We'll be fine.' Donna assured him.
'But thanks.' Aggie added.
Pete shuffled his feet suddenly uncomfortable with the way Donna and Aggie were smiling at him and then at Debbie.
Debbie sighed, sensing the change in Pete. 'Ignore these two.' She smiled up at him.
Donna and Aggie giggled. Pete decided he didn't want to know.
'Come on.' Debbie said as she turned to make her way home.
'Night.'
'Night.' Donna and Aggie replied.
The girls watched as Debbie and Pete made their way home.
'Ladies.' A voice from behind greeted them.
'Ross.' Aggie smiled in return. She looked between Donna and Ross.
'Sooooo, I'm gonna.' She gestured with one hand in the air, 'go home.' She started to walk in the same direction Kerry and Katie had only minutes earlier. Ross and Donna shared a smile and moved to close the space between them.
'Sorry.' Aggie came between them and Ross took a step back. 'It's that way.' She explained pointing in the direction of the B&B.
Donna laughed, 'You ok?'
'Yeah, I'm fine.' Aggie brushed off Donna's concerns. 'You two have fun now.' She smiled knowing before making her way to the B&B.
Ross chuckled and took a few more steps to be closer to Donna.
'Good night had by all then?'
Donna laughed, 'Yeah.'
An awkward silence filled the air between them.
'So.' ...'About.'
They laughed awkwardly.
'You first.' Ross gestured to Donna.
She sighed and briefly fiddled with her purse.
'Rhona and Paddy are away for the weekend, did you wanna come back to mine? We could talk there.'
'Yeah.' Ross smiled.
XXXXXXXXXX
'So how come your not as legless as the rest of them?' Ross asked as Donna opened the door to Smithy cottage.
Donna looked sheepish, 'oh I kind of skipped the last few rounds of shots.'
'Ahh.' He followed Donna through the door.
'So.' She started heading towards the sofa before she felt an arm spin her round and Ross's lips met with hers. Moments later her purse and keys feel to the floor and her arms found their way round his neck. Donna was lost in the moment.
She pulled away, her arms gliding to his chest. 'No.'
Ross looked confused.
'I did mean talk.' She lightly tapped his chest
A bemused smile fell upon Ross's face. 'Ok.'
Donna gestured to the sofa and they both sat down.
She took a deep breath, 'This thing between us.' she waved a hand between them just to emphasis her point. 'It can't be like before.'
'Ok.'
'No more jobs and scamming people.' She was starting to babble now.
Ross smiled. 'Ok.'
'Just us.' She barely stopped for breath, Ross found it incredibly sexy. 'Like a normal couple.'
The word 'couple' echoed through Ross's head, usually by this point alarm bells where ringing and he was looking to make the quickest exit but right now all he could do was sit here smiling at Donna as she babbled on, thinking he rather liked the idea of her and him together.
She was still talking so he cut her off with a soft kiss. 'Yeah ok.' He smiled and she beamed that killer smile back at him.
'Really?' Her eyes lit up.
He nodded.
'You're gonna go straight?'
He shrugged, 'Sure why not.'
'Just like that?'
'Donna.' It came out as a heavy breathless whisper, he moved in for another kiss, trying to stop all the questions. She kissed him back.
A few moments later she broke away again. She bit her lip looking slightly nervous.
'What?' He asked.
'It's just, can we keep this on the quiet.'
Briefly Ross's face fell, only for a moment.
'It's just what with Marlon and Laurel and I don't wanna confuse April just yet.'
Ross shrugged off his hurt, 'Quiets fine by me.'
She beamed that killer smile at him again and leaned in for a kiss.
'Thank you.' Her lips briefly touched his.
Breaking apart she fiddled when the ends of the hoodie he was wearing.
'I...' Tell him a voice inside her shouted, tell him now. She looked up her eyes meeting his, concern written all over his face. A part of her wanted to, the rational part of her knew she had to tell him sooner or later but she wanted to hang on to these moments of normalcy for just a little while longer. An she liked the way Ross looked at her, the way his touch made her feel, how he made her laugh. No one had made her feel like this in years, not even Barry and she'd been with him for a good couple of years. Soon the cancer would start taking over everything, life was never going to be the same and she was so desperate to cling to whatever happiness she could get before that happened. Ross would leave when he found out and she wouldn't blame him but at least she could have a few happy moments before the impending storm, didn't she at least deserve that?!
She shook off all those nagging doubts screaming at her to tell him now.
'Nothing.' She smiled.
Leaning in she kissed him, his arm snaking round her waist pushing them closer together so they became one.
XXXXXXXXXX
Donna rubbed the sleep from her eyes. 'What you doing.'
'Well I was trying to bring you tea and toast in bed but...' He shrugged his shoulders making his way to the doorway where Donna stood, he closed the gap between.
'Awwww.' Donna cooed. She rested her hands on his chest as his found their way around her waist. 'That's so sweet.'
Ross grinned. 'I have my moments.' He said as he leaned in for a kiss.
Before his lips could reach hers, Donna burst into a breathless coughing fit.
'Bag, ' she breathed heavily, 'front room.' She managed to get out before another fit of coughs took over. She sat herself at the kitchen table
Ross sprang into action, quickly obtaining Donna's bag from the front room. Grabbing the bag from Ross's hand she rummaged through it till she found the little box of pills she was looking for. A glass of water from Ross appeared in front of her.
It was a few minutes before everything calmed down.
'Thanks.' She smiled meekly as Ross took a seat in the chair opposite her.
'You alright?' He asked
'Yeah.'
'What are those pills for?'
This was it, this was her chance to tell him everything and maybe he would stay. But then again she wouldn't blame him if he didn't. Tell him, a little voice inside her said. No, came another. Donna felt conflicted, she should tell him, heck she should tell everybody. But she didn't want to deal with pity and the awkwardness; she wasn't ready to be made to feel like a victim. She just wanted to be normal.
'Oh, these.' She gave a sheepish smile looking down at the pills in her hand. 'I've uh, I've got a little chest infection.'
Silence filled the space around then, Ross was staring at her and she wasn't quite sure that he had believed her.
'Are you sure your ok.' He asked.
'Yeah, it will be gone in no time.' She lied.
'Well if you're sure,' he leaned forward, a hand rested on her knee, 'although maybe we should get you back to bed just in case.'
'No. I'm fine.' she started to protest.
'No I think we should definitely get you back to bed.' He grinned.
She looked at him. 'Oh.' She smiled. 'Maybe your right.'
'Mmmmhhmm.' Ross mumbled.
Donna felt a different kind of breathlessness take hold of her as his lips met hers.
XXXXXXXXXX
Donna sat on a bench watching April and Arthur play in the playground.
'Well don't you just look like the cat that got the cream.'
Aggie plonked herself in the bench next to Donna, she gave April and Arthur a small wave.
Donna smiled. 'How's the hangover?'
Aggie smirked at her friend, 'Better thanks. Soooo?' She nudged Donna clearly eager for her news.
'We talked...a lot and we've decided to try at being a proper couple, no more games.'
Aggie was taken aback 'Wow that's...great.'
'We're gonna keep it quiet, just for the moment so.'
'Of course mum's the word.' She looked at Donna confused. She wasn't sure how that was gonna work, Donna didn't need to be keeping things, people that made her happy secret. She was gonna need all the supported she could get, surely Marlon and Laurel would understand that. None the less she was happy Donna would have even more support now.
'I'm glad you've got someone else in your corner now.'
Silence fell amongst them and Donna fidgeted awkwardly in her seat. Aggie bit her lip and took a deep breath.
'You have told him?'
More silence, Donna looked at the floor.
'You said you'd talked.' Aggie tone was sharp.
'We did.' Donna tried to defend herself
'You just failed to mention you're in the early stages of lung cancer.' Aggie snapped at Donna, this had gone on long enough.
A flash of fear crossed Donna's face. 'Ssshhh keep it down.'
Aggie huffed, looking around her, no one was around.
'How much longer do you think you can go on like this?' Aggie was doing her best to control her temper but was failing badly. This was not a discussion to have with a horrendous hangover. She lowered her voice. 'Really and truly ? 'You're lying to everybody and I'm lying by default.'
Guilt engulfed Donna. 'I'm sorry. 'I just need a little more time.' She pleaded
'You've had time. That's what coming down here with April was all about.'
'I know, its just...hard.' She took a deep breath, trying to keep her emotions in check and her tears at bay.
Aggie sighed, running a hand through her hair, she didn't want to say it, well not like this, not here but maybe it was time for some harsh truths.
'It's only gonna get harder Donna. You're going to have to start radiation treatment soon and what if you have to have the surgery?'
'I...Uh...' She faltered, she had no answer, she knew Aggie was right
'When are you going to tell April, Marlon? What are you going to tell Ross?' Aggie was on a roll, the floodgates were open and it all came spilling out. That invisible line they'd been dancing around the past month had been crossed and there was no going back.
'It's just a bit of fu...
'No it's not, it's gone past that. You forget I know you and I may not know him but I've seen how he looks at you.'
Donna's head snapped to attention.
'I just want everything to be normal for a little while longer.'
The truth...at last
Aggies face filled with sympathy, reaching out she placed a hand over Donna's.
'But it's not.' Aggie whispered.
Donna abruptly drew her hand from Aggies.
Aggie sighed, she wasn't a fan of ultimatums but, here goes nothing, 'If you don't say something I will.'
She stood up and left Donna alone with her thoughts.