C/W. Brief mention of abuse.

"Where on earth are Matthew and Alice" Jean bemoaned as she looked at the clock

"I'm sure they will be here soon my love. We've still got plenty of time" Lucien crossed to Jean and rubber her shoulders soothingly. "Remember this is supposed to be a pleasant relaxing evening celebrating with our friends"

Jean turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you"

Lucien looked amused. "What for?"

"For being you. For loving me." She kissed him, intending it to be a quick peck, but Lucien had other ideas. His arms snaked around her waist to her back and he puller her closer and nipped at her lips with his teeth. Jeans hand rose to the back of his head and she threaded her fingers through his soft hair. Her other hand found the soft curls at the base of his neck and she curled her fingers in to it.

"Wow, guys. You really weren't kidding about the kitchen thing were you?" Mattie appeared in the doorway. They broke apart still looking at each other not in the least bit abashed. Lucien smiled at Jean and she returned it before turning to Mattie.

"Oh Mattie, You look lovely!"

Mattie was wearing an off the shoulder dress of deep burgundy the neckline of which crossed slightly in a V shape. Mattie grinned. "Thanks Jean, I forgot I had this, I don't think I ever wore it" She looked around the kitchen. "What have you done with Rose?"

"She's uh, in with Charlie" Lucien tried to hide a grin behind his bushy beard and failed.

Matties heart sank. Oh yeah, Charlie. Her boyfriend.

Just then the phone rang. Lucien swept across the kitchen and answered it "Blake residence. Oh Alice, Yes we wondered where you'd got to, is everything alright?"

Jean looked at him and frowned slightly as she listened to the one-sided conversation.

"Yes of course. No we won't start without you. Yes, alright. See you soon" He replaced the receiver on the cradle and scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"Well?" Jean prompted.

"It seems Matthews leg is giving him a bit of trouble. They're still at Alice's flat."

"Oh well then. We've got a bit of time up our sleeves"

"However shall we fill the time Mrs Beazley?" Luciens impish grin was back

She threw her arms around his neck once again "I'm sure we'll think of something. Now where were we Doctor Blake?"

Mattie rolled her eyes and turned around to go back to her room. As she did she heard muffled voices coming from upstairs. She sighed. Maybe she would read a book in the lounge room.

Charlie was pacing the floor of his room as Rose sat on his bed. He ran his hands through his hair "So what are you saying Rose?"

"I'm just saying maybe its time we stopped whatever this was" she motioned between them.

"But why?" Charlies face grew suspicious. "Are you seeing someone else?"

She stared at him. "No I'm not, But what if I wanted to?"

"Go right on ahead. Sleep with the whole town if you like"

"That's not fair Charlie. You always knew this wasn't a serious thing"

"Did I?" he stuck his hands in his pockets and stared at the door

"Charlie, You're my friend. And it's time I started acting like one. To continue doing this would be using you" she reached out her hand and rested it on his forearm. "I've doing a lot of thinking lately, about things, about you and I, and about what I want in life" She stood up and moved in front of him. "Please Charlie, I don't want to lose our friendship." There was only a stony silence from him as he avoided her eyes. "You were my first friend here. Please don't be like this"

Charlie finally looked at her and realised she had tears streaming down her face. "hey look, I'm sorry." He sighed "You're right, I wasn't being fair to you. Or to me" he rubbed her shoulders "Come on, wipe your face. I'll always be here for you no matter what happens, You can't get rid of me that easily"

Rose leaned her head in to his chest and hugged him as she sniffed "friends?"

"Friends" he looked down, brushed her fringe from her forehead and lightly touched the neat stitching. "now tell me what happened this afternoon"

Alice sat in the armchair with Artemis on her lap, waiting, until finally Matthew exited her room, fully clothed. He was still limping, and leaning heavily on his stick but his face wasn't in pain.

"Better?" she enquired

"Much. Thank you. What did you do?

"Simple massage"

"Well it worked"

"Of course it did."

Matthew looked around the room searching for something to say. His eyes fell on the picture frames he had seen before. "Odd choice of décor, Framed greeting cards?"

Alice's face flushed "They are the first cards I had received in years. No one had ever bothered to celebrate my birthday and I was too strange for anyone to remember to send me a Christmas card. Not until I became friends with Lucien and Jean. I've never actually had what I would call friends. Until now"

Matthew shuffled awkwardly. Alice had a matter of fact way of saying soul crushing things that unnerved him. He couldn't imagine not having anyone to celebrate his birthday with. He thought of the many Christmas cards that were delivered to him daily during December, and made a mental note to send one to her this year.

"What did you mean with the comment to your cat before about me being a policeman and not holding it against me?"

Alice looked away. "It's just that the police back home… they were never very nice to me as a child, They uh, they never believed me." She scratched behind Artemis's ears distractedly. "I went to them and reported my parents, the abuse, but they did nothing. Said I had a wild imagination. Sent me back home where I'd just get another beating for 'telling tales'. Most of the time it was my father, but my mother, well she was just as bad, pretending we were a happy family" she spat the last word bitterly. "So I guess I learnt pretty quickly to not trust the coppers" She stroked the cat in her lap until Artemis stood, arched her back and leapt of her lap with grace. She rubbed her palms on her thighs nervously. "You are obviously very different."

He was startled. The way she spoke was so calm, so ordinary, as if it were just a normal every day conversation, not one where she was baring parts of her soul to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dump all that on you." She looked at him and smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "We'd better get going. I rang and let Lucien know we were running late but I don't want to hold them up too much longer, and it looks like it's going to rain"

Matthew reached out his hand and went to touch her shoulder and cringed when she pulled away. "I'm sorry."

'No, its fine really," she faltered. "I just, well…. physical touching is still not something I'm very good with. Outside the Doctor/Patient relationship anyway."

There was an awkward silence

"Thank you, Doctor Harvey"

Alice smiled at him "Please call me Alice." She smirked. "After all you've lay in my bed half naked now." This time the mischievous smile reached her eyes.