Author's note: There are still a few chapters in this, but they won't be coming out daily. Keep checking as FF's notification system is not nearly as good as it used to be.

Barbara swallowed. Tommy was looking at her with those eyes. The ones that made her melt inside. "I… we… er… maybe we…"

Before she could stammer out a coherent sentence, a sharp but polite rap on the door saved her from saving something silly. "Excuse me, Sir. I have the Number 10 on the line asking to speak to Miss Havers."

"Number 10?" Barbara said, frowning.

"The PM's office," Tommy said.

"I know what Number 10 is," she snapped. "Sorry. I'm just confused. What do they want with me?"

"You'll know if you talk to them." Tommy gave her one of his Earl-smiles, the one that was a tad superior and usually annoyed her beyond measure. Today, he was more amused than condescending.

Barbara licked her fingers and then followed Denton into the room she recognised as Tommy's study. They had often sat around discussing suspects and theories here, usually over a whisky. She could use one of those right now. She picked up the phone, took a deep breath then tried to smile. "Barbara Havers."

"Just a moment Ms Havers," an educated and polite woman said. Barbara waited, wondering what on earth she had done to warrant a call from the PM's office.

"Babra!"

"Hello, Simon, how are you?"

"Good."

"And Pup?"

"He's so funny, Babra. Yesterday, he sat on Daddy's legs when he has his cupboard meeting."

Cupboard meeting? Ah, Cabinet meeting. "Your daddy said he likes dogs."

"Babra, Mummy wants me to ask if you can come to… dinner tonight and add one."

"Add one what, Simon?"

"I don't know. The piece of paper says Babra then a cross and number one. Mummy!"

"I'm sorry about that," Simon's mother said. "Simon wanted to invite you. It's plus one. We didn't know the name of your significant other, I'm sorry."

"I don't really have one."

"That's fine. You can come alone, it's nothing formal. Actually, if the weather holds, Peter wants to cook a barbeque on the terrace."

"I… I have a good friend, I'm staying with him until I recover but we're not... Can I bring him?"

"Of course."

"Are jeans okay? I didn't pack anything else."

"Yes. As I said, nothing formal. Simon wants to thank you. Well, we all do, but Simon needs to see you and see that everything is normal. He's been having nightmares and we thought if he understood you were alright, he'd be better. When he saw you in hospital, you were both in shock and…"

"I understand," Barbara said, butting in to save them both embarrassment. "What time?"

"I know it's early, but could we say arrive at six for six-thirty? Simon must go to bed by seven-thirty. Doctor's orders. When he gets overtired, his nightmares are worse."

"Of course. Umm, how to we get through the security?"

"Oh, sorry, yes. We'll send a car. What's the address?"

"What did the PM say?"

"It was Simon, and then his mother. We're having dinner there. A car's is coming at five-thirty. It's a barbeque."

"So Simon can see you?"

"Yeah."

Tommy tried to keep a neutral expression. "Do you have something to wear, or do we need to go shopping?"

"No, I've got my jeans. It's just barbeque attire."

"Will they drop you home, or would you like me to pick you up?"

"Us. You're going too."

Tommy grinned at her. "Oh, am I?"

"It was plus one. I told her we're not… you know. Just good friends. But you have to come. I can't do that alone."

"You could, but I'd be happy to escort you." Tommy looked at his watch. "We should have Denton's pies now if they're ready, and then you should have rest before we go." He walked to the door and called for Denton.

Barbara nodded. "Sure. I might use that bathtub."

Tommy bit his lip. Dare he suggest he could scrub her back?

Denton's pies were the best pies she had ever eaten, although Denton assured her the Australians did them much better. Will a full tummy, she retired to her room and found Denton had already run her a bath. There was a thick towel hanging nearby and a selection of bath salts. Barbara selected one that said it was for tired, aching muscles, and added twice as much as the label suggested. She climbed out of her hospital pyjamas and slipped into the bath. "Ohhh, that is good."

Tommy was waiting for her when she went downstairs at five. "Want a drink first?" he asked.

"No, thanks anyway, I need a clear head."

"There's nothing to worry about."

"That's easy for you to say. Which knife do you use for a barbeque?"

"Usually a steak knife, but let's just see what happens. If in doubt, mimic me."

Barbara raised herself to her full height, stuck her chin in the air, and with a clipped BBC-English voice, called, "Denton."

The door opened. "Yes, Miss Havers."

Barbara felt her face flush. "I… I'm sorry. I was imitating him," she said, jerking her thumb towards Tommy who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Not a problem." Denton backed towards the door. Barbara caught the wink he gave Tommy. Clearly, it was not just a master-servant relationship.

"Wait. I meant to thank you for running my bath. It was very relaxing."

Denton smiled. "I'm pleased you enjoyed it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare breakfast."

"Breakfast?"

Tommy put his hand on her shoulder. "Denton's an actor part-time. He's appearing in a production of Pygmalion this evening."

"Wow. That's fantastic," Barbara said. "Is it still on next week?" She looked at Tommy. "We could go."

"His Lordship came on Tuesday evening. I doubt he'd want to sit through it again."

"On the contrary. It's a date. Now, I better get dressed."

The black limo with bulletproof, tinted windows and soft velvet seats arrived exactly on time. Two burly gentlemen knocked on the door, asked for identification, and then ushered them into the car for the short ride. Cameras clicked as they entered the heavy black security gates at the end of Downing Street.

"They'll be disappointed when they review them and find it's only me," Barbara said. "I don't know how celebrities put up with it."

"Most hate it. Fame wears thin very quickly when you have no privacy."

The limo stopped, and the back doors were opened by two more security men. As they stepped form the vehicle, the heavy steel door swung open, and they were ushered inside. Simon and his mother were waiting in the foyer.

"Babra!"

Barbara bent so that he could hug her. He climbed into her arms so she stood again. It was hard to shake anyone's hand, so she just nodded as the PM came to join his family. "I see Simon has commandeered you. I'm glad you came."

"Thanks for having us. This is my work colleague, Lord Asherton."

"Lord Asherton? A pleasure to meet you."

"Please," Tommy said, glaring at Barbara. "It's Tommy. Tommy Lynley."

"So, not the King of Spain?"

Barbara laughed as Tommy rolled his eyes, but she could see his neck flushing red. "No, I believe the King has found his teeth and won't be returning," Tommy said good-humouredly.

"That's good to know. I'm Peter."

After shaking hands, they moved through to the rear of Number 10. Peter opened the French doors onto the sandstone terrace area. To one side was a closed barbeque that shimmered with heat.

"Pup," Simon called out. Barbara lowered him to the ground as the dog lolloped across the lawn, then face-planted as he tried to jump onto the terrace. "He's not good with stairs yet."

"He'll learn. I bet you couldn't climb steps at first either."

Simon looked at her as if she were a little mad. She grinned, then turned to Tommy. He was smiling and staring at her with a disarmingly dreamy look. "You either," she said, pulling him from his daydream.

Tommy helped the PM cook the steak, chops, and sausages while Barbara and Simon played on the lawn, throwing a soft ball to Pup. When the dog collapsed, panting and refusing to run around any further, they scooped him up and returned to the terrace. Pup slurped water from a silver bowl, and Simon offered Barbara a soft drink. She could do with a beer like Tommy and Peter were sipping on, but she politely accepted orange-flavoured mineral water.

If she had been at all concerned about feeling out of place, it was soon forgotten. The meal was just like you would have with old friends. When it was time for Simon and Pup to go to bed, She assisted his mother and read to him.

"Babra?"

"Yes, Simon?"

"Do you… get sacred at night?"

"Sometimes."

"I… I see the fire. It turns into a monster and chases us."

"I have that dream too. The best part is when the water spirit arrives and kills the fire."

"I don't get that bit."

"Maybe you wake up too soon. If it happens tonight, see if you can see the water spirit. He'll protect you."

Simon nodded. "Okay, Babra. But you saved me. Daddy says you went above and beyond."

Barbra laughed. "Did he? Well, I couldn't let anything happen to you and Pup. Now, you go to sleep. And don't forget the water spirit."

"Good night, Babra."

"Good night, Simon."

"Thanks for that," his mother said outside the bedroom. "Are you okay? It must have been horrific in there. We watched the footage form the fire brigade. I have no idea how you got out of there."

"I'm fine. Tommy's looking after me. The important thing is that we did get out."

Tommy woke to a bloodcurdling scream. He rushed down the corridor and into Barbara's room. She was sitting in bed, drenched in sweat and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Hey," he said, sitting beside her and taking her into his arms. "You're safe here. I won't let anything hurt you."

"I hate a bad dream."

"Yes, I gathered that."

"You don't have any clothes on."

"I have shorts on. I'm decent but if you'd rather I went and put on something."

"No." She grabbed his arm, digging into his flesh with her nails. "Stay, please. Just until I settle down."

Tommy held her until her breathing seemed stable. "Barbra, you're all wet. Why don't you have a shower. I'll call Denton to change your bed."

"You'll do no such thing. Poor man. You can't have him changing sheets at…"

"It's a bit after four."

"At four in the morning. I'll help him tomorrow."

"Then you'd better come and sleep in my room."

"I…"

"Don't look so scared. "I'll sleep downstairs on the sofa. It's not the first time I've done that."

"No. Please. I… don't want to be alone."

"Okay, come on then. Take a quick shower. It'll make you feel better. I'll wait here."