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Sunday Morning

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The next day started with a heavy rain. It clattered against the window panes and trickled down the walls. The world outside was grey and dark and it mirrored the mood inside the cottage.

Their bags had been packed the previous day already. Now there only would be breakfast and departure. Barbara got up with the same sad feeling she had gone to bed with and it almost did not really raise her mood when she found the breakfast table already set and a huge pot of coffee waiting for her.

"Morning..." she quietly mumbled. She did not feel at all like hiding her disappointment.

Tommy was not in the best of moods either. "Morning, Barbara." he sighed looking up from yesterday's papers. He folded them immediately and forced a smile into his unhappy face. Yesterday's conversations had not gone as planned and he feared he would be forever unable to voice his feelings.

They had coffee and toast with butter and jam. Originally they had planned to go grocery shopping yesterday but since Pentally had confessed everything and they knew they would leave soon there was no more need for food. The fridge was almost empty.

"Our last breakfast, hm?" Tommy eventually said. When Barbara had sat down at the table he had put the papers aside but they still did not talk much.

She just nodded. "Mhm."

"Not very bountiful, our table..."

"Well..." In fact she did not really feel like talking at all. She did not even feel like looking at him in case she would not be able to hide that she would miss this. If she had looked up she would have seen Tommy's sad eyes watching her close while he munched his toast.

He had no idea how he could cheer up her mood, or his that is, or how he could finally break the tension and say what he had to say. He missed this already. It only had been one week here in the cottage, living together almost like a couple, sharing so many wonderful moments, but it felt as if it was what they should keep for the rest of their lifes. Not only kept hidden in their hearts or stored in memories but keep it alive.

At some point he got up with a sigh.

"Did you walk the dog already?" Barbara quietly asked.

"Not yet. I thought you'd want..."

"Well, then... I'll go." She fetched the leash and called for Frizzles. In the doorway she turned. "We could-"

"I'll tidy up." Tommy had said it in the same moment she had started to suggest they could go together.

Now her shoulders slumped. "Mhm."

Barbara opened an umbrella and left the cottage to go for a stroll. This really was the last time with the adorable dog and it only made her even sadder that she was alone with Frizzles. She missed Tommy's proximity from previous walks. She could have cuddled into his side while they were searching shelter under the umbrella. The pouring rain only fed her dark frame of mind.

Returning to the house she heard Tommy rumbling upstairs. After rubbing down the dog who had become rather wet in the harsh weather outside she went up too. Frizzles followed wherever she went. They met Tommy in the corridor. He was just carrying his bag out of the bedroom.

"Hiya." he cautiously smiled. With a thud his bag dropped onto the floor.

"Hi. Ready to leave?" Barbara quietly asked.

Tommy shrugged defeated. "Well, I guess we have to."

Frizzles sniffled at Tommy's legs and nudged his thigh with his nose to get some cuddles from him.

"He's a bit wet." she said watching how affectionate Tommy ruffled Frizzles' head.

"Oh, you wild thing you." He talked to the dog. "That's a dog's life, isn't it? Yeees, you like that..."

"I'm going to miss this." Barbara sighed. Tommy looked up at her. He was about to tell her that he would be going to miss her too but then she went on and his face fell. "I'm so sad Hillier wants to give him away to a random family."

"He will choose them wisely, I hope." Then an idea came to his mind. His face lit up a tad and he winked. "Why don't you...?"

"No." She shook her head immediately. "I think, if it'd be one of us it should be you taking him home. You're already used to have one from your youth's days. I bet you'd give him a nice new home." She thrusted the dog's leash into his hand and made a defensive step backwards.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" he doubted. Frizzles had gone back to Barbara in the moment his leash had changed hands. "Obviously he wants to stay with you."

With a quiet voice Tommy added that he could not blame him. It conjured a coy smile on Barbara's face and when Tommy made a step towards her she took back the leash. In that moment Frizzles turned again, this time he wanted to receive more cuddles from Tommy. If it was not such a sad moment it would have been hilarious.

"I'm not so sure about that." Barbara softly laughed. Apparently Frizzles played with them.

Looking up from the dog she met Tommy's eyes. They held their gaze and shared a long and deep look. They always had talked without words but right in this moment their silent conversation was as intense as it never had been before.

Only this time they were talking about something new. It felt as if the world had shifted just an inch to where it should be and with the knowledge they would soon leave this cottage the constant undefined sizzle between them suddenly had turned into something concrete. His head slightly tilted, his lips almost invisibly smiling and his brow just a tad raised Tommy silently asked something vague about not parting now, not parting ever. His plea almost was palpable. Barbara almost felt the question and her answer was a silent affirmation. He saw that she straightened her shoulders. Her eyes shone and beamed longing for him. She put all the love she felt for him into that look. So that he would not misunderstand her she even came one step closer. He understood very clearly.

Frizzles sensed it too. He wagged his tail looking at them when they alternated holding his leash again and their fingers brushed. It sent a shiver through them both but they dropped their hands.

"It isn't very complicated, Barbara, is it?" His voice was low.

"It depends from where you look at it, Tommy."

"I know it's simple. Very simple."

"Really?" Except for the love she felt for him nothing concerning their so very different lifes seemed to be simple.

"Well, it's been a wonderful stay here, apart from work. Even with work. We've successfully shared this house..." Tommy said raising his hand. Barbara also raised her hand receiving the leash from his grip but he kept touching her. His knuckles stroked the back of her still held out hand. "...morning, day, evening and... night. And always caring for Frizzles." he continued, his voice even lower now.

Boldly Barbara spread her fingers and interlinked their hands. She almost pulled him towards her.

"Can't we just..." Tommy gently pulled her closer to him. His voice was merely a whisper. "...share this dog?"

Frizzles sat down and pricked up his ears. He was not sure if they were still talking about him. The tension between the humans had culminated, knowing there would be no more case related interruptions this time. Both also knew that this would be the last moment they had here. Back in London they would be at work again and live in separate places.

"That would be a bit diffcult." Barbara croaked. With their chests almost touching their heads inevitably had drawn closer together. She was going to kiss him if they only would stop talking.

"Why?" He smiled. Their faces were only inches apart. Her heart beat furiously.

"We don't share a home in London." It was a weak objection from Barbara and she knew it. She only said something to fill the silence. All she wanted was to kiss him. His lips already hovered above hers. She felt his breath in her face and the intensity of his scent hit her nostrils like a heavenly attack. Now she knew for sure that they would kiss and she looked forward to it as well as she feared it. All her insides were in a happily expectant turmoil. After the sad mood of the previous evening and this morning's breakfast she had not really thought it could happen at all. And so easy at that.

"We can easily change that." Tommy breathed.

"Tommy?" she was hoarse and impatient.

"What?" he was almost inaudible.

"For heaven's s- !" She could not end her sentence telling him to stop talking. Tommy had stopped talking and closed the last distance to Barbara's lips.

They carefully kissed. Only briefly but it was so soft and felt so wonderful although they still stood a short distance apart. Their eyes still were open because both felt the need to watch each other. Barbara wanted to see how genuine this kiss was and Tommy had to know how she would react although he knew she would have ordered him to kiss her if he was not already doing so. In the end both were utterly surprised how easy it had been to overstep that border. Still looking into each others eyes they saw mirrored happiness and a cautious hesitancy but also the clear desire to repeat the gentle touch of their lips.

"But is it a good idea?" Barbara aspirated her question into his face. Tommy could feel her breath on his skin.

Instead of giving her a proper answer he simply kissed her again. This time he pressed his lips firmer onto hers and hoped she would have closed her eyes like he had. Of course Barbara was unable to resist and she was unable to not return the gentle nudge. Only in her dreams it had felt like this although she never had experienced something similar in real life. It had been nowhere near as good as this. And she knew they had not even really started. Her fingers almost crushed his hand when she felt desire bubbling to the surface but just when she was about to open her lips Tommy retreated.

"I believe it's a brilliant idea." he hoarsely murmured.

"Woof!" said Frizzles. He was watching them with a curious expression.

Barbara briefly laughed. She was slightly nervous but there was no more need to be afraid. Tommy still looked at her open and honest. In return he was glad he could not see any of her usual armour. She gave him a shy but hopeful smile and finally leaned into his embrace. Tentatively he had put his free arm around her. Their other hands still were interlaced.

Still she had to ask. "Are you sure, Tommy?" Her voice trembled. "I..."

Another soft kiss stopped all her concerns. Tommy was very sure. Then he nodded smiling. "For quite some time very much so. How about you? I have the vague feeling..."

"Probably even longer and surely surer." she cut him short. Her face was grinning.

"That's almost impossible."

Blushing about her own courage and with a voice slightly too loud than intended she dared him: "Well... Kiss me again and you'll see."

At first she was able to feel his grin when his lips crushed back on hers in a kiss that was desirously firm and tenderly soft all at once. His grin died completely when he felt that her lips had opened for him. When her arms were looped around his neck and her fingers buried into his hair and his hands had found their way under her jumper their kiss grew even more in its intensity. Unfortunately they had to part for the pure need of oxygen. Both were pleasantly out of breath like only lovers could be.

"Let's stay another day." he whispered onto her lips. "I would not want to drive on wet roads anyway."

"What will they say when we don't come back today?" Barbara halfheartedly objected while she nibbled at his upper lip. Her eyes refused to open.

"Nothing." Tommy softly bit her lower lip and chuckled lightly. "It's Sunday, they won't even notice. We have a few days off anyway. And we still have something to work out."

They started right away. The kiss and their touches turned needier. Neither of them hid their desire. It had been pent up for too long until they finally had set it free. Her fist still had been clenched around Frizzles' leash but with the rising desire Barbara eventually let it drop to the ground.

Moments later they tumbled into his room.

For a while he had watched the door that had closed before his nose could have peeped inside. It had turned boring so eventually Frizzles trotted away. He was not allowed in that room but if his new mistress would not need her bedroom he would have it all for him alone today. He intended to take a nice long nap on her bed. He did not care about the laughter and the sweet sounds coming from the other room. He was used to louder and distinctively more unpleasant noise.

Oh, what a lucky boy he was, finally having two humans who obvioulsy loved each other.

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