More awesome fluffiness in this chapter and some stuff that's a little angsty but still no proper kiss. Sorry guys. Is it coming... well... maybe ;P Depends if I can write the ending i want to (: Okay, massive thanks to Afroza-IX, XTimeGirlX, Dodgy and Deana for being awwesommme constant reviewers!

Bloom stopped suddenly, his hand flying up to touch his arm with a grimace and Martha turned to look at him, her eyes wide as his face creased in pain.

'Are you okay?' He smiled and looked at her, his eyes flashing with pain and fear at the twinges in his stitches as he moved his arm. 'John?' He looked back at her and she smiled reassuringly, if weakly in his direction.

'Yeah… yeah it just hurts a little but it's to be expected right?' He looked a little lost, despite Martha knowing for a fact that he'd been shot before in the side, it was on his record. 'I'm okay, Martha.' She stepped back and critically observed him in profile, the curl of hair that flicked over his face almost enough to make her reach up and… and… well, what? John didn't know, but he could see in her eyes that she wanted to do something, but before he could try to analyse it further it was gone and the tired look had replaced it. They had started walking by then but Bloom stopped for a second and dipped down to place a kiss gingerly on her forehead. Martha blushed, the soft colour giving life to her haunted face and he turned his eyes away as she slipped her hand in his, the slight pressure making him shudder slightly. Martha squeezed his hand as he shuddered, probably hoping to warm him. He was already way too warm and it was getting uncomfortable, especially now he was shaking and sweating slightly.

'John?' He shifted slightly, the sweat running down his back and his neck, a distinctly uncomfortable feeling in the prickly t-shirt he was wearing.

'I'm just hot.' She smiled a little and then he shivered slightly, the slight wind cooling the sweat on his arms. He touched her arm and then turned away. 'Martha I'm scared.' She looked at him, shielding her eyes with her hands from the harsh sunlight that sparkled in the corner of her eyes. She quirked an eyebrow to the point where it would be in danger of moving off of her face and into her hair.

'What do you mean scared?' Bloom shuffled his feet and sighed, tipping his head back as Martha stepped back, leaning her body against the wall of the hospital close to where she was parked. Bloom sighed softly and touched her arm, closing his hand a little too tight over the smooth skin of the top of it.

'Adile did this to me. Adile hurt me and I think she's going to hurt you.' She made to talk but he placed his finger over her lips. 'No, Martha please. Listen. You don't know her like I do and she will do anything to get back at me because I hurt her. If you get hurt it'll be my fault. Martha I can't let anything happen to you, I really can't because it would kill me; honestly Martha if she hurt you I… I'd know it was my fault and I would be eaten alive by the guilt.' Martha paused, her mouth hanging slightly open at his sudden outburst and he looked away, not feeling Martha's hand scrabbling for his. He felt her nails digging into his skin for a while and smiled a little to himself.

'I'll be okay, John.' He shook his head sadly and then pulled his hand from hers with a slight jerk that sent a short spike of pain across the new wound on his arm.

'You can't know that.' He gently touched her smooth hair and stroked it, his fingers entwining with the rich strands. 'You can't know that… you just can't.' She shook her hair out of his reach and traced the slight wrinkles on his hands with her fingers.

'If she wanted to hurt me she would have done it by now. Calm down.' But John couldn't calm down, his blood was racing in his veins and his heart was pounding in his ears. He was scared for Martha. Martha dropped her hand to her side; suddenly shying away from the physical contact she'd been craving from him for a while.

'I can't. I can't… I really, really can't. Martha if they hurt you I'll never forgive myself because you're my friend and I'll have let you down… Martha I can't…' His voice trailed off and there was silence save for the quiet rush of cars in the car park behind them. John pressed his forehead to hers and sighed, his breathing still hitched and his heart still pounding loud enough for the world to hear. 'I'm scared for you.' He breathed, his eyes closed as he drew in the scent of her and kept it in his mind, waiting until she drew away. She didn't. She kept her forehead to his and the sun, slowly sinking beyond the hospital walls, cast them into silhouette that was almost perfect. Her arms went over his shoulders and gingerly stroked the soft bandage, taking her hand away when he flinched involuntarily.

'I'm gonna be okay.' She whispered, softly teasing a curl around her fingers and smiled to herself as he placed his hands on her waist. They stayed like that for a moment before Martha pulled back, her rational mind snapping back over and hiding her emotional, fragile side. 'John I… I want to go back to mine. I'll be okay. You don't have to worry.' He looked down at her and closed his eyes for a moment as she tilted her head towards him.

'I will worry, every day.' She smiled and hugged him gently, her face pressed into his shoulder as he gingerly stroked the soft jumper that covered her shoulders.

'I'll have police around me every day John. I should be okay.' He sighed.

'Yeah… the whole "should be okay" isn't doing it for me.' His fingers sketched the quotation marks in the air and she smiled at his worried expression before she stepped away, lowering her eyes to the tarmac at her feet.

'Don't worry. I'll be fine and when you heal up I'll get you your job back and then you can protect me again.' Bloom shook his head sadly and smiled at her.

'That's if I want my job back.' She looked up and then he let out a soft laugh. 'I want my job back.' His face went serious and then she smiled, a small tinkling laugh escaping her slightly parted lips. He looked down at her. 'So… do you want some help packing your stuff up or are you okay on your own because I think I need to get some sleep when I get back.' She lowered her eyelids and stared at the floor with a burning rush of colour flooding into her cheeks. 'Martha? Am I being tactless?'

'No, no it's fine. When we get back you go to bed and I'll go. I'll get your job back and see you soon okay?' She smiled at him, but the laughter had left her face.

'Thanks, Martha.' He placed an arm around her as they walked to the flat.

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