Hello!Thank you all for the lovely reviews - Calliope, tigpop, and Lizziginne!
Lizziginne - I do indeed know who Karen Gillan is! I love doctor who... :D & thank you lots, I wish I was as pretty as Karen!
Here's the next chapter, I can see roughly two more chapters of this before it ends... but there'll be lots of one shots from me in betwen revision and exams. I won't be starting another multi-chap until after my GCSE's because I simply won't have the time. Please review, I will love you forever if you do :) Todays question... What's your favourite boys name?
This chapter sort of just fills you in on Leo/Janet's feelings and I don't know if you'll think they're slightly out of characters or not, I just can't see Leo and Janet being serious all the time, surely we all have our playful sides. :D
Enjoy,
Much love x
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The clock has yet to strike ten when the shrill scream of the phone pierced the peaceful atmosphere in which the couple were eating their breakfast. Leo sighed; he knew what this phone call was going to be about. He pushed his chair back, the screech of defiance as it scrapped against the beech coloured wooden-effect laminate flooring made him grit his teeth.
Walking briskly down the hallway he reached the cappuccino coloured wooden table on which the phone sat. He could see the small contraption shaking in its holder, the vibration ran through the table making the papers laid on it shudder slightly.
He could hear Janet it the kitchen, scrapping and rinsing the breakfast plates, as he reached out and grasped the phone. He brought the cool plastic cover to his ear; he could feel the chunky smooth rubber buttons rubbing against his skin and for a moment he wondered whether he would be able to speak, his mouth had gone dry and his heart felt as if it had lunged into his throat causing him to choke on it. He took a deep breath.
"Professor Dalton speaking..." his voice was hoarse and quiet.
"Oh Hello Professor, its Dr Briggs here..." He sounded very upbeat, and sudden Leo felt a burden he hadn't realised was there rise up off his shoulders.
"Hello, is this about Cassie?" Leo already knew it was.
He could see the doctor grinning as he spoke, "Got it in one. Yes, I was just checking you'd be coming in to see her today..."
"Of course." Leo said abruptly before realising how harsh he sounded, "Sorry, I mean, I'll be in later this morning."
"That's quite fine Professor Dalton. It's just that we've come to the decision to discharge your daughter today." The young doctor's voice was still smiling.
"That's fantastic news!" He couldn't help but feel elated at the prospect of his daughter being home for her birthday.
"Well, that was all. I'll see you later professor."
"Yes, thank you. Goodbye." Leo hung up, a large grin spread rapidly across his face.
He wandered back into the kitchen and leant against the doorframe very much like Janet had done earlier that morning. He observed his girlfriend as she busied herself cleaning and tidying the kitchen, although it was almost spotless and he couldn't see anything that really needed seeing to, then again as Janet and Nikki were always reminding him, he was a man and men very rarely noticed anything like that.
He watched her for a few minutes as she wiped the sides and the windowsill oblivious to his gaze. He wandered slowly across the room until he was stood behind her. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her waist; she jumped at his touch before laughing and turning to face him.
"I hope you've got a very good reason for sneaking up on me like that." She giggled.
"Of course I have..." He laughed with her, "Cassie's getting out of hospital today."
Janet's face fell and with it Leo's hear t plummeted. Of course, he should have realised that Janet might not be as ecstatic as he was about Cassie being discharged from hospital, after all the meant that Leo's time would definitely be divided between the two of them. His daughter, from his first marriage, would become a prominent feature in his life and Janet was probably scared that she would become second best. He knew just how much Janet longed to have children of her own, but he'd never wanted any after Cassie, not when he thought she was dead. To have more children would be to betray her memory, and he couldn't bring himself to do that. Maybe now that things had changed, and she was still alive, he and Janet would be able to have a child of their own.
Janet watched as Leo's eyes became darker and the smile was wiped from his face.
"Leo, please don't be thinking what I think your thinking." She whispered, "You know I want Cassie here, you do know that don't you?"
"But you look so disheartened." He spoke quietly.
"I was just shocked that it was so soon, after yesterday I thought they'd want to keep her in for a little while longer. You do realise that if she's being released today, you're going to have to take me shopping. We've got nothing ready!" Janet spoke, her voice becoming higher and higher as she realised the enormity of the task ahead of her.
Leo looked confused.
"Oh come on Leo" Janet cried exasperated, "We need to get bedding and curtains, we need to get her something to occupy her when she gets here. I can take her shopping another time for clothes and other girly things, but she needs the essentials now."
Leo's mouth formed a small 'O' shape.
"Oh, well we can get bedding and curtains at that shop where we bought the ones for our room. That's on route to the hospital."
Janet smiled, "When we get to the hospital I'll ask her when she wants to go shopping. You never know, she may feel up to it this afternoon. "
Leo could see the cogs whirling inside Janet's mind, she was clearly planning all the shops she and Cassie would visit, where they would stop and get a drink and a quick bite to eat before doing a last mad dash around the shops they previously visit to make a few last minute purchases. Leo rolled his eyes at her; he would never understand how women could have such a dedication to shopping.
Janet giggled at his reaction and then sighed dramatically, "You do realise you're coming with us don't you?"
"What?" Leo held his hands up, "Janet, no way. Not a chance. I am not going shopping with two women, it'll kill me!"
This time it was Janet's turn to roll her eyes.
"No it won't, and anyway she's your daughter, and I'm your girlfriend. We're spending your money. I wouldn't demand that you came if it wasn't for the fact that I need your credit card." He spoke as if it was all a very simple matter, and that she couldn't understand how Leo hadn't grasped the concept of why he was needed. Then she laughed and her little facade was shattered.
Leo chuckled, "So you're just using me?"
"Of course." Janet giggled.
He rolled his eyes and reached behind her gathering some of the soapy water in the washing up bowl into his hands before splashing her with it. Janet gasped as the water sunk through her clothes and soaked her skin.
"Leo Dalton!" She cried before reaching behind her and grabbing this dishcloth and proceeding to whack him across the face with it.
Leo let go of her waist and rushed back across the room chuckling to himself. They were behaving like children, but it was these carefree moments that often opened his eyes to just how much Janet meant to him and how lucky he was to have someone like her, someone who could take away all the pain and anguish from a moment, someone who could make him forget about all the responsibilities and expectations that came with being an adult, and a professor, and who could give him moments of child-like bliss and happiness like this one.
"Finish up and then get ready, I said we'd be at the hospital later this morning. I bet Cassie can't wait to get out of there." He smiled at his girlfriend and then left the room.
He contemplated the number of things that needed doing before he brought his daughter home, he decided to start with her room, the bedding and curtains could be sorted by Janet, who would know the sizes needed and the colours suitable for the bedroom of a teenage girl, but Janet wouldn't be able to rearrange the furniture or empty the wardrobe of the heavy storage boxes that were currently hiding in there.
The mammoth task was certain to take a while, but Janet would take at least an hour to get ready. He had no idea why, she was beautiful naturally and yet she felt the need to apply make up and spend ages fussing over her outfits, and even when they left the house he knew she'd complain about the way she looked. She just didn't seem to see how perfect she was, but to him it was a clear as day.
He had a beautiful girlfriend and a beautiful daughter and he was going to spend the rest of his life protecting them and working hard to provide them with everything they could possibly need and more. It would be hard at first, he knew that, Cassie was going to have to get used to being around him again, and she was going to have to accept that Janet was his girlfriend and therefore an equally important part of his life – though having seen the way Cassie had taken to Janet the day before he wasn't that worried. Maybe Cassie would be able to confide in Janet more than him, there was a twinge of disappointment that this might be the case but he crushed it with the overwhelming happiness he was feeling, his daughter as back in his life and coming home to him!
"Leo?" Janet shouted from their bedroom next door taking him by surprise, he hadn't heard her come up the stairs.
"Yes love?" He called back.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked.
"The question is my dear, are you ready? I know what your like with your make up." He chuckled.
Janet appeared in the doorway, her natural looking make done and her hair pulled up in a simple ponytail.
"Well at least one of us puts some effort in" She giggled back, "Now, how about we go get those curtains and bed sheets, then we can go to the hospital and rescue Cassie."
Leo nodded, "Sounds like a plan."
