So, another addition to this series. Title speaks for itself I think!

With thanks to Sjsmatee101 for the prompt.

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Jealousy

Sarah Jane watched with interest as Alan arrived home. She was sitting upstairs in the spare bedroom where there was a handy armchair by the window, watching the world go by; it was a habit she sometimes indulged when she didn't feel the urge to look skywards. After decades of journalism a bit of people watching was something she enjoyed from time to time; and the older she got, the more she felt it kept her, quite literally, grounded.

She wondered idly where he'd been. She knew his normal routine – out of the door at eight thirty, just after Maria left for school; back from work just after half past five, sometimes closer to six if he'd popped into the supermarket on the way home. She felt no embarrassment or awkwardness at this familiarity with his comings and goings. Quite aside from her naturally curious nature, she felt it was her duty to keep an eye on those people she cared about. It was after eleven on a Friday night and it wasn't like him to be home so late. Maria hadn't mentioned it earlier – not that it was any of her business, but Sarah Jane didn't like the idea that she'd unknowingly sent the young girl home to an empty house an hour before. She pondered at how quickly the maternal instincts had kicked in since taking on all these youngsters. With Luke it was understandable; he was, to all intents and purposes, hers. But Maria had managed quite well without her for the first thirteen years of her life, and she had a mother, after all. And then there was Clyde too, she felt so responsible for them all. It was as discomfiting as it was pleasant.

Something else unfamiliar was prickling at her now, as she watched Alan unlock his door and step inside. She struggled to pin it down and eventually gave up and went to bed, lying awake for some time although she could not have said why.

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Luke and Maria headed off down the road on their way to the cinema and after waving them goodbye Sarah Jane wandered across the road to where Alan was just locking up.

"Off out?" she asked casually, inwardly rolling her eyes at the obvious question.

"Mmm," Alan answered, checking the door and turning to her with a smile as he pocketed his keys.

"Anywhere interesting? I noticed you were home late last night."

Alan gave her a searching glance.

"Keeping tabs on me now?" he asked with quirk of his lip, and Sarah Jane felt her face begin to colour unexpectedly.

"Keeping an eye on the street in general," she said, her tone defensive.

Alan chuckled.

"Actually, I was out on a date." He said, somewhat sheepish.

"Oh?" Sarah Jane questioned, her curiosity, and something else she couldn't quite identify, well and truly piqued.

"Mmm," he said again, "a friend of a woman at work. She's taken to setting me up. Apparently I can't possibly manage alone."

"How did it go?" Sarah prodded him, for some reason not quite sure what she wanted the answer to be.

Alan narrowed his eyes slightly and watched her for a moment before answering.

"Alright, actually. Why so interested?"

Sarah Jane huffed out a short laugh as she folded her arms and rocked back on her heels.

"I am a journalist, Alan, being interested comes with the territory." She regarded him briefly; "anyway, I was wondering if you and Maria would like to come over tonight. I'm cooking. Well," she quantified at his suspicious look, "I'm ordering pizza."

"Maybe," Alan agreed, "I think Georgina said she might have tickets to something tonight though."

"Oh," Sarah Jane nodded hastily, "well, perhaps just Maria then."

She turned to go, her mind racing, attempting to fathom why she was so bothered.

"Sarah Jane," Alan said quickly, reaching out to take hold of her elbow. As she turned back towards him he gave her a strange look.

"Is everything ok?"

"Of course," she assured him, "it's not a problem if you have plans, naturally." She attempted to move away again but Alan kept a firm grip on her arm and stared at her for a several seconds before flooring her with his next question.

"Sarah Jane... are you jealous?"

Sarah Jane gaped at him as he unwittingly caused the scales to fall from her eyes and put a word to the niggling prickle she'd been feeling since the previous night. For once speechless, she struggled to come up with a reply. After several moments, she managed to force out something along the lines of 'don't be so ridiculous' but it patently hadn't worked as Alan let go of her arm to fold his own and fixed her with the raised eyebrow that she knew he used on Maria when he wanted the truth.

She felt her cheeks redden again and she cursed her own weakness.

"Just tell Maria, will you?" she snapped, turning on her heel to head back to her house.

"I'll be there too," Alan called after her, waiting for her stop at her gate and turn back to face him again before continuing.

"It's a far better offer than whatever Georgina might have had planned. As long as I get a cuddle on the sofa after the kids have gone to bed." He fixed her with a meaningful stare and watched her pink cheeks turn scarlet before turning away to walk down the road, chuckling to himself. Maria had been right; 'another woman' had been all it took.

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Hmmm. Perhaps this chapter warrants a 'part 2'...let me know. Please do review. Ta!