Please stick with us, we love Banna as much as the next shipper. It would be nice although boring if it was all plain sailing. The dragon, like she does in most fictions, had to rear her ugly head at some point. This is all in John's POV.

John's POV

The walk back to the chalet was not in keeping with the mood of the day. I didn't want to deal with Vera tonight, that much was for sure. Arranging to meet her the next day, Anna is reluctant to join me tonight. We reach my doorstep and I reach inside my pocket to pull out the key.

'Maybe I should just go back to mine,' she says, sighing and shrugging her shoulders.

'Why?' I ask, turning to face her.

'I'm not sure it's right.' She replies.

Responding to an urge inside me, I grab the top of her arms and push her against the door. Pressing my lips against hers, I kiss her with more passion than I ever have done before. Pulling away, I move my hand to her face, gently stroking her cheek.

'Now tell me this isn't right.' I whisper.

She responds by reciprocating my kiss, her hand on the back of my head, tugging me closer to her.

Breaking the kiss, we walk inside in silence. Turning on the lamp on the table beside the sofa, she sits down as I take off my jacket.

'Why is she here anyway?' Anna finally asks.

Taking a seat beside her, I hold her hand in mine. 'Look, Ill speak to her tomorrow, find out what she wants then send her packing.'

'You make it sound so easy.' Anna replies, looking towards the ceiling.

'Anna, why all the doubt all of a sudden?' I ask, leaning forward and resting my head in my hands.

'Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because your ex wife has turned up.' is her sarcastic response.

'What about what I said to you on the beach earlier? Does that mean nothing?' I sit back on the sofa now and she looks back at me from where she is sitting.

'It means the world.' she smiles. 'I guess I just want to know what she wants. Knowing my luck she wants you back.'

Laughing at the very thought of that, I begin to softly rub the centre of her back. 'Come here.' I growl. Looking at me, she smiles. 'I said come here.'

Leaning back, she settles herself against my chest as I play with her hair. 'I want you to realise this is it for me now.' I whisper. 'When the time is right, I can see me proposing to you. I can see us getting married, buying a house, having children. If we ever, God forbid it, break up I will never be with anyone else. I'd rather live a life alone than a life without you.' I hear her sigh contentedly as she undoes my top buttons and begin to play with the hair on my chest. 'Okay?'

'Yes,' she replies softly. 'I love you.'

I close my eyes as those words reverberate around my head. Nothing has ever sounded sweeter to me. 'I love you too.'

I have arranged to meet Vera in the amusements section of the Show Bar. I have bought Anna along with me, despite her misgivings. Moral support is needed and I realise I need Anna as I see Vera approaching. I couldn't handle the games Vera played when we were married, let alone when I haven't seen her for a year.

'Just to warn you, my ex wife lives in an alternate universe, don't listen to or believe a word she says.' I say to Anna.

Unlocking the door to let her in, Vera instantly begins spouting her poison.

'What is she doing here,' she hisses, looking Anna up and down.

'Vera, what the hell are you doing here?' I ask.

'Well I'm not going to talk to you in front of your floozy.' Vera continues.

Anna looks at me before moving towards the door. 'Anna.' I call after her. She turns to look at me.

'Come and find me when you're finished.' I nod, my hands firmly placed on my hips.

'Well John, I must say, she's a pretty little thing. How long have you been doing this one then?' Vera asks as she watches Anna leave.

'I have not been doing her.' I reply through gritted teeth.

'Ahh, that's not like you John.' Vera replies. 'Don't tell me it's serious.'

'Not that it's any of your business, but what if it is?' I ask. 'Come on then, what do you want?'

'Why would you assume I want something?' Vera says, trying to sound innocent.

'Because it's you Vera. What is it?'

She sighs before looking at me. 'It's the restaurants. Since you limped away and left me to it...'

'As far as I can remember Vera, you begged me to sign them over to you.' I say, arms folded, now leaning against a toy crane machine. 'What about Richard.'

'Don't bring Richard into this.' she replies. 'I need you John.'

'Why?' I sigh. 'You never needed me when we were married.'

'I need you to come and reinvigorate the restaurants. We could be a team again.' Vera smiles then and subtly rubs me on the arm.

My instant reaction is to laugh, although the look on Vera's face is deadly serious. 'Are you for real, Vera. Maybe after we've sorted out the restaurants, we could work together to solve the problems in the Middle East.'

'This isn't funny John.' Vera snaps. 'I'm going to lose everything.'

'Not my problem. It hasn't been since the day you signed the divorce papers and took me for everything I had.' Walking towards the door, I begin to turn the lock.

'I know you got your mothers house...' Vera begins.

'Ahh, it's all falling into place.' I say, staring at the ceiling. 'You want me to sell my mother's house and give you the money?'

'I just need some cash to re generate some income, renovate the business.' Vera explains.

'What happened to going to the bank with a business plan?' I suggest.

'Come on John, you know I have never been good with that sort of thing...'

'Again Vera. Not my problem. What makes you think I would sell the one thing I own that is worth anything, to give the money to the person who took it all away from me in the first place?' I open the door and step back, allowing her to walk out.

'This isn't over.' she hisses.

'I don't doubt it Vera, enjoy your stay.' I reply. Looking up, I see Anna sitting opposite us, outside reception. Unfortunately, Vera has seen her too.

'So, how do you deal with the alcohol and the violence then?' She shouts as she walks past.

'The what?' she replies, a puzzled look on her face. Vera laughs, looks back over her shoulder at me before disappearing out of sight.

Anna walks towards me then. 'What was that all about?' She asks.

'The usual. She wants the shirt off my back.' I breath in deeply.

'Why?' Anna looks at me. I shake my head and smile, not wanting to get into all this now.

'Come on, we'll be late for the morning meeting and I don't want to be on Mikey duty for a fortnight.' Taking her hand, we walk around to the stage door.

Sitting in my chalet after late night disco duty, it's nice to get away from the events of the day and for it to just be me and Anna. We hadn't seen Vera since that morning, and I certainly wasn't going to go out of my way to find her. I was hoping she'd just disappear, although in reality I knew that wasn't how Vera operated.

Holding Anna in my arms, our hands laced in each others, I don't think I could ever feel happier than when I am beside her. In these moments we don't often say anything, just being with each other superseding the need for speech. However tonight, I knew there were things Anna wanted to know and I could sense she was finding the right time to approach the subject of Vera. The elephant in the room.

'There is something I want to know.' Anna asks.

'I knew there was something.' I reply. 'What is it?'

'What did she mean about the alcohol and the violence?'

I roll my eyes before closing them. 'Have you ever seen me touch a drop?'

'No.'

'And have I ever been violent?' I ask, instantly remembering the time I hit Thomas.

'Well..'

'And don't include Thomas.' I interrupt.

'No.' she says. 'But what did she mean?'

Unexpectedly, we are interrupted by a knock at the door. 'Who the hell is that?'

'Well, answer the door and find out.' is Anna's intelligent reply. I get up and open the door.

'Hello John, can I come in?' It was Vera.

'I actually have company Ver...' she storms in past me and sees Anna sitting on the sofa.

'Isn't this cosy,' Vera says sarcastically.

'Well, yes it was. What do you want?' I ask, closing the door.

'Look John, I'm just going to go.' Anna gets up off the sofa and grabs her jacket. Stopping by me as she leaves, she reaches up and gives me a peck on the cheek. This just isn't Anna, and the look I give her tells her that is exactly what I am thinking. She leaves, and with her goes a piece of my heart.

'Right, now she's out of the way, we can talk business.' Vera says, taking off her coat and making her way into the kitchen.

'Vera, I am not selling my house so you can have the money. End of.'

'Where do you keep your mugs?' Vera asks, banging cupboard doors. I close my eyes and the sound of slamming doors transports me back to the morning of mine and Anna's exploits in the shower. Although upset Anna had left, I also knew the longer I was alone with Vera in my chalet, the more suspicious it would become. Sighing, I decide to hear Vera out.

'Okay Vera, what are you plans?' I sigh, sitting down at the table.

'You're going to hear me out?' She asks, shutting the cupboard door she had just opened.

'Whatever it takes to get you out of here.' I say, indicating for her to sit down.

'Well, you sell your mothers house.' she begins.

'Yeah, I got that bit.' I say, pinching the top of my nose. 'And how will you pay me back?'

'Unbelievable.' I turn to see Anna standing behind us.

'Excuse me, but this is none of your business.' Vera spits, looking at Anna with contempt.

'Well, yes it is. I am John's girl...'

'I think ex wife over rules girlfriend,' Vera interrupts.

'Are you really going to let her take all your money,' Anna turns her attentions to me.

'Yes, he is.' Vera replies smugly.

All the while they are arguing, my head is my hands and the reason why I now own the house is all I can think about. Anger becomes the overbearing emotion as I stand up and grab my car keys from their hook in the kitchen.

'Vera, if I give you this money, you do realise you are going to pay me back. With interest.' I snap, wagging my finger at her. She nods. I turn to see Anna shaking her head and laughing.

'What?' I ask. 'Since she has returned, have I ever given you reason to doubt me?'

'Well no, but I can't believe you are giving in...'

'Giving her the money will get her off my back.' I interrupt Anna. 'Do you realise you are, in essence, arguing over my mother. Her death is the only reason you are here, Vera. Her death is the only reason I have the house, the money. I'd rather have my mother back than the house.' I stop then and rub my eyes. 'You too carry on, but I am not listening to any more of this.'

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