James was taken by surprise. He'd never expected her to say that, well he knew when Alec had last visited, he had gone to comfort her and it had paid off. He thought he had got her to forget about who had been her boyfriend since she was thirteen.

"Are you certain Rose?" he wanted to double check and scratching his head.

Rose noticed he did that a lot, when he was nervous.

"I'm fairly sure. I've been feeling a bit off all week and something that should have happened didn't happen. I should talk to my mum and go get a test from the chemist's near work," Rose replied, trying not to show how nervous she was about telling who had become her new boyfriend over the last few weeks.

"Did you have any idea before now, Rose?" James asked her. "I mean that Saturday he didn't turn up?"

"No, not back then, I was okay," she replied, drinking her latte. "I understand if ya wanna break up James."

"What? Who said anything about breaking up Rose? Oh, I get it, you think I'll walk away without listening to you eh?" he wanted to know. "I wouldn't do that Rose. You thought he was coming back, you're not entirely to blame. He should be ashamed of himself, leaving you like that. If you are, are you going to tell him?"

Rose let out a nervous laugh.

"Are ya jokin' James? He made the choice not to come back, not me," she reminded him. "He let Tess get to him, I know he did."

"You could have done something about it Rose," James disagreed.

"Whose side are you on?" Rose went all serious.

"Yours. Look Rose, I'm not judging you. You loved him, you had no reason to think he'd leave you, the way he did but if he thought you wouldn't go back with him, maybe he finally gave up?"

"No, Alec wouldn't have done that, well not without encouragement and we both know Tess would have encouraged him not to. She has her claws well and truly in him, trust me. How can I go back and tell him James?"

"Then maybe you don't know him as well as you think you did?" James wondered. "Look, why not get a proper test, on your day off and make sure? I'll go with you, if you want?" he offered, getting his sunglasses out of his top pocket and putting them on.

Something about the way he did it made Rose want to die, he looked like Alec but he wasn't Alec and she had fallen for him in a short period of time or had she fallen for him sooner, before Alec left her?

"You have a different day off, you 'nana," Rose laughed.

"Well, I'm department manager now, I can change it, can't I?" he smiled as he dipped his sunglasses, making Rose die inside again and let out a shiver.

James had to let out a chuckle as she did. Now he knew it got to her, he intended doing it even more.

"In fact," he continued as he pushed the sunglasses back in place. "I'll make it permanent, if you want love?"

"You would? James, I just told you I'm pregnant, with Alec's baby and you're talking about continuing going out with me?" Rose couldn't believe what he was inferring.

"You need support Rose," he reminded her. "Another drink love or shall we walk on the pier? No going on the rides though, eh?" he smiled. "Can't sit here until lunch time, can we? Feeling a bit better now?"

Rose could only nod. Was he just winding her up and he'd break up when they got back? She didn't think he was the kind of person who would do that. Maybe it hadn't sunk in yet? They walked on the pier, James having a go at the shooting gallery, surprising Rose and the stall owner by winning Rose a fair-sized pink teddy bear and Rose wondering who was going to carry it around all afternoon but James offered to take it as they approached the restaurant attached to a pub where they were having lunch. She had to laugh when he asked a waitress where he could leave it while they ate.

Donna just had to see them as he handed the bear over.

"You won that, spaceman?" Donna laughed as she counted how many had arrived.

"Well, I might have had an unfair advantage," James replied, looking to see if Rose was taking any notice. "All those after school activities, I was in the shooting club."

"So you were," Donna recalled she used to go with her dad to pick him up after he moved in with them. "We used to go out to the sports ground to collect you. Did you tell Rose that?"

"Ah. Well not exactly. She was most impressed when she was asked to choose anything on the top shelf," he grinned as she looked to see where he was. "Best go and find a seat then?"

"I bet the stallholder wasn't as impressed as Rose was though?" Donna asked him. "I hope you're being serious with her James 'cos if you break her heart, I'll kick you butt. Understand?'

"Keep your cool Donna, I wouldn't hurt Rose, she had enough with that, with Alec," he reminded his cousin.

"You let your ex go James," she reminded him.

"That was different, she left me – by letter," James remembered. "What was I supposed to do about it Donna? She did it from Hollywood when she got that part in a series about a vampire."

"Well, she was a bit of a drama queen," Donna laughed. "Rose is looking for ya."

"Ah, sorry love," James apologised as he stood behind Rose's chair to help her.

Rose couldn't get over how good his manners were but that was what all Donna's family were like and she'd learned a few things about his parents, how they had died when he was thirteen. That was the age Alec had lost his mother but James was older than they were. Maybe that was why she'd taken to him so quickly when she realised she'd lost Alec for good?

"Are we okay here?" Rose wondered as they'd got a table to themselves. "Are we supposed to join the others?"

"Donna would have said something," James replied as he sat opposite. "Besides, do you really want to sit in the middle?" he smiled as someone was now trying to squeeze in at the larger table

Rose just smiled as a large man was making the attempt.

"He'll get made fun of at work tomorrow morning," Rose remarked, trying not to laugh as a puzzled waiter put a jug of water on the table.

"Excuse me Madam, Sir. Are you with the party at those two table over there?" he addressed James.

"Ah, yes," James tried to put his serious voice on. "As you can see, there are not enough places," he pointed to one space left opposite the struggling man, who had made those at either side of him move up. "You need to speak to the woman at the end there," he pointed to Donna, who was counting heads again then looking in their direction after she'd only seen one space left.

"Excuse me," Donna called across to the waiter. "You laid one place short, there isn't room for those two over there," she pointed to Rose and James, thinking trust it to be them.

"My apologies Madam," the waiter began.

"Who are you calling Madam?" Donna wanted to know. "Do I look like a madam?"

Rose was trying not to laugh, unsuccessfully as she picked up her napkin. After sorting it out and Rose and James staying where they were and Rose remarking the other tables reminded her of school dinners though not when she was in Paisley, the rest of them retreated to the bar but after James got the pink bear he'd won for Rose, they went off for a walk along the sea front.

"I don't think I could have stayed in that stuffy bar," Rose told James as they stopped for a while.

"Me neither," James agreed as he put his spare arm around her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Not my idea of a day out, spending the afternoon in a bar."

Rose leaned into him and put her arm around him, the first time they had done so while they were out. She was thinking less and less about the times she'd been here with Alec and Alec himself but she'd not forgotten about him altogether.

"So, what are you going to do with the bear eh?" James teased her.

"Leave it at your house?" Rose joked back.

"Do you want to? Maybe you can start staying over at weekends? What do you think?" James wondered. "Tell you what? If we have the same day off, you could have an extended weekend? Stay over Monday night as well until Wednesday morning?"

"Really?" Rose asked, not sure about it. "Wow, I'd never really thought about it James?"

"Well only if you want to? Is it too much?" he asked worriedly, thinking it might be a bit much.

"It's not that James. It's, well, what if I am pregnant? What then?"

"You think I'm going to throw you out?" James asked, now being even more worried. "Don't think like that Rose, please. We can talk about it, if you want? See what your mum thinks first. She might still insist you tell Alec."

"It's not up to her, is it?" Rose replied. "He's never even rung me James. I wouldn't have minded if he had and he'd told me."

"Don't get upset Rose, please? I can take care of you, if you want?" he offered, seeing she had a sad look on her face.

"James, it's a big responsibility ya know?" she asked him, wondering what he was thinking by even offering when he knew the baby, if she was pregnant, wasn't his.

"I know Rose. I know we never talked about, you know, if we loved each other but? I mean we should talk about it? Promise not to run if I tell you something?" he asked as he led her to a bench facing out to sea and praying Donna wouldn't walk up this far. "I think I've loved you for a long time, since Donna first introduced us."

"Wow," was all Rose could manage to say. "That's a long time ago James, just after Donna and I became friends. I mean I remember her saying she called ya 'spaceman' because you used to go stargazing with your granddad all the time when ya were younger."

"Yeah, trust Donna," he laughed, taking her hand. "It's true though Rose. Did I ever tell you, I took that job just to get to know you better? As soon as Donna said there was a vacancy, I asked about it. Want to know what I really used to do, before I got the job?"

"Astrophysicist?" Rose splurted out laughing and nudging him.

"Rose. Be serious," James tried not to laugh as well. He started laughing along with her, louder than her as they continued. "No, stop it Rose. You're not far off though."

Rose stopped suddenly.

"No way James, you're winding me up," she declared.

"No, seriously. Ask Donna if you don't believe me. I'd just finished university, did she never mention it? It was seven years ago to be precise," he recalled.

"Yeah, I remember," Rose sighed as James put his arm around her, having put the bear under the bench. "Donna had decided she was going to be my friend when she found out I was having a long-distance relationship with Alec. She said she didn't know how I did it. Was it seven years ago?"

"Yeah, does it seem longer?" he asked as he put the fingers of his other hand through hers as she reached out to him.

"No, it doesn't seem that long," Rose replied sadly. "Geez. Just tell me what ya used to be."

"What I was going to be," James corrected her. "I did physics, I was going to be a teacher."

"No way!" Rose was surprised. "Alec's half-brother was a physics teacher, he also did history. Well he wasn't going to, until Alec's mum died and he did a crash course to get his teaching certificate in time for the next term. They thought they were only cousins then as well, that's another story though."

"Yes, well. Best leave it eh love?" he suddenly bounced back. "The thing is, I was willing to leave it, to work near you. I hoped you'd get tired of waiting for Alec," he admitted.

"James, I had no idea honestly. Why did Donna never tell me?" Rose wondered.

"I asked her not to," James replied. "She knew how serious I was about it. Then she told me about the job so I took it. I took a break from teaching, I'd just finished my training. I was already doing maths."

Rose couldn't believe that not only did he look like Alec and John, he'd also been a teacher.

"Rose, there are things you need to know about me. My parents not only left the house to me. I get a monthly sum from money I was left, my uncle arranged it all for me, they were partners in an insurance firm. Then my uncle retired through illness, he wanted to pass it on to me but I'd never have fitted in. I mean imagine me, selling insurance," he laughed.

Rose was trying to take it all in.

"The thing is, he's in the middle of selling it, it's worth a fortune now. I don't really need to work in the store Rose, I did it to be near to you."

Rose suddenly felt sick and leaned forward.

"Are you okay love?" James sounded concerned.

"What?" Rose managed to say. "Yeah. I don't understand James. Why me, when you knew I was seeing Alec?"

"I thought that was obvious? After Donna had introduced us, I couldn't forget you Rose," he replied. "It's nothing to do with Alec leaving you, although the way he did it was just wrong. If he'd not left you, I would have done nothing. Say something Rose," he urged her when she didn't answer.

"I don't know what to say James," she replied, sitting up slowly. "We should go find the others."

"Do you need time to think about this? I can take you home when you get back, if you want?" he offered.

"I don't know? Was I supposed to be going back to your house?" she wondered.

"Yes Rose, you left your things for morning, remember?" he reminded her, giving her a smile. "Maybe we should leave it though?"

"No James, it's okay," Rose assured him as she recovered from the shock. "It just came as a bit of a surprise. I come from the east end of London and look at you."

"What? Rose, don't even think like that," he told her. "Do you think that matters to me? You just don't get it, do you?" he shook his head and turned towards her, taking both her hands.

"Get what James?"

"You didn't know Rose, did you? I mean you knew about the house but that was all. Don't you see? That's all that matters," he grinned, going to kiss her.

He had been so busy trying to assure Rose it didn't matter to him, he'd not noticed Donna had seen them from a bit further down and she surprised them.

"I knew you two would be hiding away somewhere," Donna called as she came up behind them, James seeing her out of the corner of his eye.

"Ah Donna. Rose was just saying we should come and find you, weren't you Rose?"

"Yeah. Sorry but staying in the pub wasn't my idea of a day out," Rose told her friend.

"It wasn't my idea either," Donna insisted. "We were all going to meet on the end of the pier and go on some rides."

"Great!" James replied, making Rose jump as he went for the bear. "Ah, what are we going to do with this?"

"I'll look after it James, I don't feel like going on any rides," Rose insisted.

"What's wrong with you?" Donna wanted to know as James held his other hand out to help Rose get up.

"Rose wasn't feeling well earlier, were you?" he asked Rose. "Not very good on coaches, are you?"

"How do you know, spaceman?" Donna wanted to know.

"Leave him Donna, he's right," Rose insisted, a bit tired of Donna insulting her cousin and since James was now her boyfriend, she thought Donna should have a bit more respect for him. "Don't ya think ya should stop calling him that when ya both outside?"

Donna was taken aback. Rose had never said anything before.

"You two are serious?" Donna soon recovered. "I only call him that because that's what he wanted to be, didn't you James?"

"Leave it Donna," James told her. "That was a long time ago."

"Oh, I don't know? You used to go up to granddad's allotment all the time when he had his telescope out," Donna reminded him.

"Bet that was fun," Rose nudged James as they started walking back to the pier.

"Anyway," James tried to change the subject, seeing Rose smile.

"What's really wrong with you Rose?" Donna wanted to know as she walked alongside Rose.

"I told ya Donna," Rose replied.

"I've known you a long time Rose, it's not like you. No, something else is wrong."

"Rose will tell you if she wants to," James reminded her.

They reached the start of the pier where some of the others were already gathered and began walking to the end.

"You'll never get that on any of the rides," one of the girls laughed at seeing the bear.

Despite being encouraged to go on the fast rides, James stayed with her but he managed to get her on the Big Wheel as Donna took the bear and Rose just prayed she wouldn't start to feel sick. They were stuck at the top as the wheel was loading, Rose putting her arm in James's.

"It's been a good day out though," he was saying to her.

"Yeah. Sorry about the other rides," Rose apologised.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm glad you feel a bit better. So, tomorrow I change my day off? Best tell Donna then?" James smiled.

So while they waited for the coach to arrive and the others were coming out of the restrooms, including Rose, James went to talk to Donna.

"That's a bit short notice," Donna told him at the news. "So ya can be off the same time as Rose?" she guessed as he'd not said.

"Ah, well yes. It makes sense Donna," he defended himself.

"Of course it does," she replied, resisting still calling him 'spaceman'. "Are ya sure Rose is okay? She's taking her time," Donna noticed as most of the others were back and the coach was approaching the pick-up point. "I'll go get her, you make sure everyone gets on and tell those who are smoking to hurry up and finish."

"Me?" James pointed to himself and seeing the men in a group laughing and smoking.

"You're in charge of the electrical department, you're used to ordering people around," she reminded him.

He didn't want her to know he only ordered the three men under him when he needed to, like when they were playing around on Saturday afternoon watching the football when they knew half the management team were off and the others wouldn't bother checking they weren't watching live TV. Why they weren't allowed to watch live TV puzzled him when they were covered by the store's TV licence but he supposed the manager didn't want to show any favouritism towards any channel.

Donna had found Rose leaning over the sink as the last of the women left the ladies' room, Donna telling them the coach driver was waiting for them.

"Tell that to Rose," one of them replied as Rose had just come out of the cubicle and was now pretending to dry her hands.

"Come on Rose, anyone would think ya didn't want to sit on the back seat with James," Donna teased her. "What's really wrong and don't say you get coach sick 'cos I don't believe ya. Oh, did James tell you something?"

"Such as?" Rose asked Donna as she stopped the dryer by taking her hands away.

"He told ya about his parents, didn't he? Or did he tell ya why he took that job?" Donna wanted to know.

"Both," Rose admitted. "Why did he never tell me before?"

"Does it bother ya?" Donna asked as James was now the only one not on the coach and the driver had started the coach up.

"I don't know Donna," Rose replied, thankful her friend hadn't guessed she was pregnant and it was Alec's, not James's.