CHAPTER 22
Rachel woke up before the alarm went off, and lay there for a moment, feeling warm and content. She rolled over onto her side, and felt John's arm tighten around her waist, as if, even in his sleep, he couldn't let her go. She opened her eyes, and looked across at him, his face only inches from hers, relaxed in sleep, and looking absurdly young, even with the stubble darkening his chin.
She lay there luxuriating for a moment longer, then wriggled out from under his arm, and turning off the alarm, made her way into the bathroom.
When she emerged, 20 minutes later, showered and almost dressed, he was still asleep, lying on his stomach with his head turned to one side, and she sat on her side of the bed, and leaned down, kissing him on the cheek. His dark blue eyes opened slightly, and he groaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head.
"You have to get up," she said, "We have to be at work soon."
He grunted, and moaned, then opened both eyes and looked at her.
"I think I'll take another week off, and stay in bed," he murmured, putting the pillow back over his face.
"Oh no you don't buster," she said, pulling it off, then grabbing the quilt and pulling that off as well. "I'm not going to be the only one working for a living. Besides, I thought you couldn't wait to get back to work."
"Most of the time I do," he replied, "But my enthusiasm wanes at 6.30 in the morning."
"Go and have a shower," she said, laughing, "and I'll make you some breakfast. Tomorrow, you can make it for me. Whose car are we going to take?"
"Mine," said John, disappearing into the bathroom. "Yours is in serious need of a service. It was missing a little, when I drove it to the physio the other day."
Rachel screwed up her nose, and muttered something derogatory under her breath about cars.
When John emerged from the bedroom, Rachel was sitting by the window, drinking her first cup of coffee for the morning, and watching the early morning traffic. She looked up and smiled when she saw him, gone was the scruffy look that he had favored during his convalescence, in its place was the sleek and well groomed John that she had known from before. He was immaculately dressed in a dark gray suit, with a pink colored shirt, and gray striped tie. She gave a wolf-whistle, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Back to the grindstone," he said, and sat opposite her, picking up the glass of orange juice she had placed there for him.
"You know, you don't scrub up too badly," she said to him, and he grinned at her.
"It's all done with mirrors," he said, "A total optical illusion. One day when you kiss me, I am going to turn into a frog."
Are you insinuating that I am a princess or that you are a prince?" she enquired, "Or that I am a wicked witch?"
"Well, I am much too polite to insinuate anything of the sort," he replied. "You choose."
"You know, if you have to chase down a suspect, or clamber through a deserted building, or down a muddy hillside, that suit will not retain its new and pristine condition for long. Why don't you wear jeans or track pants or something more practical?"
"Oh please, allow me my little vanity, just for this first day back," he said "You know as well as I do that Bailey won't let me lift anything heavier than a coffee cup, let alone go chasing anyone today, he'll treat me like a baby for at least a week."
Rachel smiled into her coffee, knowing only too well that he was right, they would all flutter around him for a while, not only Bailey.
"Well," she said, putting down her cup, "Are you ready for this - lets go to work."
He picked up his car keys, clipped his mobile phone onto his belt, and followed her out of the door, locking it behind him.
The End
I hope that some of you enjoyed my story, and didn't find it too boring or silly. I am currently trying to write a follow up to my Charmed fanfic, 'Regrets', but am having a hard time trying to get enthusiastic about it. - Please let me know what you thought of this story. I hope you all have a very Happy and Safe Christmas.
Rachel woke up before the alarm went off, and lay there for a moment, feeling warm and content. She rolled over onto her side, and felt John's arm tighten around her waist, as if, even in his sleep, he couldn't let her go. She opened her eyes, and looked across at him, his face only inches from hers, relaxed in sleep, and looking absurdly young, even with the stubble darkening his chin.
She lay there luxuriating for a moment longer, then wriggled out from under his arm, and turning off the alarm, made her way into the bathroom.
When she emerged, 20 minutes later, showered and almost dressed, he was still asleep, lying on his stomach with his head turned to one side, and she sat on her side of the bed, and leaned down, kissing him on the cheek. His dark blue eyes opened slightly, and he groaned and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head.
"You have to get up," she said, "We have to be at work soon."
He grunted, and moaned, then opened both eyes and looked at her.
"I think I'll take another week off, and stay in bed," he murmured, putting the pillow back over his face.
"Oh no you don't buster," she said, pulling it off, then grabbing the quilt and pulling that off as well. "I'm not going to be the only one working for a living. Besides, I thought you couldn't wait to get back to work."
"Most of the time I do," he replied, "But my enthusiasm wanes at 6.30 in the morning."
"Go and have a shower," she said, laughing, "and I'll make you some breakfast. Tomorrow, you can make it for me. Whose car are we going to take?"
"Mine," said John, disappearing into the bathroom. "Yours is in serious need of a service. It was missing a little, when I drove it to the physio the other day."
Rachel screwed up her nose, and muttered something derogatory under her breath about cars.
When John emerged from the bedroom, Rachel was sitting by the window, drinking her first cup of coffee for the morning, and watching the early morning traffic. She looked up and smiled when she saw him, gone was the scruffy look that he had favored during his convalescence, in its place was the sleek and well groomed John that she had known from before. He was immaculately dressed in a dark gray suit, with a pink colored shirt, and gray striped tie. She gave a wolf-whistle, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Back to the grindstone," he said, and sat opposite her, picking up the glass of orange juice she had placed there for him.
"You know, you don't scrub up too badly," she said to him, and he grinned at her.
"It's all done with mirrors," he said, "A total optical illusion. One day when you kiss me, I am going to turn into a frog."
Are you insinuating that I am a princess or that you are a prince?" she enquired, "Or that I am a wicked witch?"
"Well, I am much too polite to insinuate anything of the sort," he replied. "You choose."
"You know, if you have to chase down a suspect, or clamber through a deserted building, or down a muddy hillside, that suit will not retain its new and pristine condition for long. Why don't you wear jeans or track pants or something more practical?"
"Oh please, allow me my little vanity, just for this first day back," he said "You know as well as I do that Bailey won't let me lift anything heavier than a coffee cup, let alone go chasing anyone today, he'll treat me like a baby for at least a week."
Rachel smiled into her coffee, knowing only too well that he was right, they would all flutter around him for a while, not only Bailey.
"Well," she said, putting down her cup, "Are you ready for this - lets go to work."
He picked up his car keys, clipped his mobile phone onto his belt, and followed her out of the door, locking it behind him.
The End
I hope that some of you enjoyed my story, and didn't find it too boring or silly. I am currently trying to write a follow up to my Charmed fanfic, 'Regrets', but am having a hard time trying to get enthusiastic about it. - Please let me know what you thought of this story. I hope you all have a very Happy and Safe Christmas.