He loved taking the train. Sure, flying was definitely faster, but there was something deliciously archaic about the train. It reminded him of all those epic novels he loved to read and he could pretend to be a distinguished Victorian gentleman, the romantic hero.

Another great reason to take the train was the views! God but he loved to watch the countryside and cityscapes, the meadows and rivers and lakes as they past by the window. And he would dream of owning a farm and leaving the city boy behind to become a successful horse breeder. And he would have dogs, three, no four of them! And hopefully he would have a wife… one day.

But the best reason to take the train was the view it gave him of people. If there was one hobby he loved more than any other it was people watching. And unlike the plane, each time the train pulled into a station, a dance of musical chairs was played. People he had already studied and wondered about; the old lady with the flower hat; the man with the ridiculous moustache; the young couple holding hands; would all leave to be replaced by the tourist and his map; the little girl and her porcelain doll; or the business women and her briefcase. It fascinated him!

And it was while he was watching that he saw her standing on the platform as soon as the train pulled into the next station. She stood, a frustrated expression on her tiny face, next to a suitcase almost as big as she was. Subconsciously her appearance made him smile.

He watched as she opened the carriage door and then, backing up the stairs, tried to drag the enormous case with her. She heaved at it and managed to lift it up one step, but then slipped and dropped the handle, causing the case to tumble back onto the platform.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" She yelled, stamping her little foot and he was amazed that even irritated, her voice was like a song.

Quickly, seizing the opportunity to meet the little angel, he ran down the centre of the carriage and called, "Hang on! I'll get it for you!"

"Oh!" She smiled at him with relief. "Thank you so much! It's a curse to be this small! Believe me!"

"I don't know… it seems to suit you." He replied as he descended the stairs and lifted the heavy bag up into the carriage.

She looked at him surprised by the obviously suggestive compliment and then smiled shyly.

He returned the smile and placed the suitcase in the luggage rack by the door. "You okay to leave it here?"

"Yes, that's great! Thanks again."

"Um, don't get the wrong idea or anything, but the seat next to me is empty… if you're interested?"

The girl frowned her brown eyes at him, cocking her head slightly and then, deciding that he was harmless, nodded and followed him back to his seat.

Only after the train had pulled out of the station did he work up the courage to speak to her again. "Um, so, work or pleasure?"

"Sorry?"

"The trip? Are you on business or are you on holiday?"

"University, Wesleyan, I'm due back in two days."

"Oh! Me too!" he said excited, "Law degree…"

"Media and Journalism." She replied.

Just then a phone rang and she rooted around in her purse looking for it and then answered it, "Hello?... Hi!... Yes I'm on the train... Don't worry I'll be fine… Yes… I'm really sorry about this, you know?... I didn't want to leave you like this… I feel awful… I know… yes…" She laughed and it affected him in a way no other sound ever had before; as if it somehow managed to float right into the very depths of his soul and take up residence there. "Okay darling love you… see you soon…. Bye."

His heart suddenly sank… Of course she would already be taken! Girls like her didn't just sit on the shelf! He had to know so he asked, "Boyfriend?"

And he almost cheered out loud when she shook her head, "No. Actually he's my ex… we were going to share a flat in Oakdale, but Wesleyan said I had to complete my course with them or I'd lose all my credits so…" and she gestured at the train to indicate her reason for being on it.

"That's unusual, you know?"

"What is?"

"Staying friends with an ex, sharing a flat…"

"Oh well it's kind of a special case, he's gay."

"Oh." And he suddenly felt stupid for pressing her on such a personal issue. God but he was a complete idiot sometimes! "I'm sorry! It's none of my business…"

"That's okay! I get it a lot actually. I'm just fed up because he really needs me to be there for him right now and the stupid university won't let me transfer…"

"Sorry about that…" and he genuinely was when he saw the sadness behind her eyes.

Suddenly, to his horror, she began sniffing and then crying.

"You bastard!" he thought to himself, "Why couldn't you just keep your big mouth closed!"

Quickly he pulled a pack of tissues from his jacket pocket and handed her one. She took it gratefully and wiped her little button nose in such an adorable way that he actually felt his heart do a little leap inside his chest.

"I can't believe I'm blubbering in front of a complete stranger on a train…" she said finally, "I'm so sorry about that!"

"It's no problem." And it really wasn't.

"He was in a terrible accident you see… and he lost his eyesight and now… now he's too proud to let anybody help him! So I thought if I lived with him then I could be there for him and he might actually let me… you know?"

He didn't really but he nodded anyway. So long as he could make the delightful creature feel better he was happy.

...

He wasn't sure when they moved on from small talk to not being able to keep their hands off each other, but after 12 hours into the journey the two of them had their tongues down each other's throats and about a million volts of electricity seemed to run between them. He had never wanted a girl like he wanted this one… RIGHT NOW!

She obviously felt the same way when she whispered in his ear, "I've never done anything like this before but… ah… do you think?"

He looked into her eyes, melting at the depths of them, smouldering with passion and then nodded and pushed her with his body to indicate she should stand up. He led her quickly through carriage after carriage until they eventually came to the first class sleeper ones. He checked the small window of each, until he found one that was dark and empty and pushed her inside locking the door and pulling the small blind down.

Within seconds he was undoing the delicate buttons down the front of her tiny floral dress and pulling one sleeve down to reveal her bra strap. As he kissed her neck he slipped a finger under the elastic and pulled the strap down her shoulder and over her hand so that one small perky breast was revealed, and he hungrily bent down to draw the nipple tight between his lips, making her gasp.

There wasn't much space to manoeuvre within the carriage, but he spotted a small bedside table attached under the window and he pushed her over to it, lifting her up onto it so that her legs could hook around his waist.

Kissing her deeply on the mouth he felt as her hands pulled at the bottom of his shirt and he quickly moved back to help her lift it over his head. His skin tingled as she touched him and he returned his mouth to her yearning lips…

He felt his way up her thighs and as he pulled her underwear down, he noticed briefly the small trains pictured on them and he chuckled inside at how cute that was, not to mention ironic!

"Have you got a…" but just as the words left her breathy lips her eyes fell on his hands as he removed a condom from the wallet he drew out his pocket.

"Always be prepared." He heard his father's voice say in this head and he smiled as he thought, "Thanks Dad!"

He squeezed closer and her breasts, full and soft, the one visible nipple hard, rose against him, her mouth opening under his. His hands drifted lower, grasping the swell of bare buttocks. The train rocked hard and they lost their balance briefly, grappling with each other in an effort to stay upright, but once steady he closed his eyes, breathing hard. He entered her gently at first, but she used her body to ask for more and they lost themselves in hard thrusts, both screaming their passion, drowning in the powerful feelings only this type of union could create…

When he woke up he was on the floor of the train staring up at a rather unimpressed train conductor. The girl was gone. He didn't even get her name.

...

"Hey, shift up…" Luke said.

Noah was lying on the garden sun bed, stargazing, and he shifted over slightly so that Luke could lie down in the crook of his arm. "You were on the phone for a long time?"

"It was Terry." Noah immediately tensed at that but Luke continued anyway, "We don't have to testify in court."

"What?"

"She says they have plenty of evidence from his apartment and our written statements will be enough."

Noah's relief was obvious, "Good. Then we don't have to attend the hearing at all?"

"No, but I'm still going too."

Noah sighed, "Why can't you just forget it?"

"Because I'm not like you Noah. I need to know that he gets what he deserves. I need to know that justice is served. And not just for you and for me, but for all those other people he hurt. I need to know that he's going away for good."

Noah nodded, "Okay then." And he kissed the top of Luke's head before interlacing their fingers. After a few minutes of silence he said, "I've been thinking…"

"Hmm?"

"How about a pool?"

Luke looked up at him without lifting his head, "You mean out here?"

"Yeah! I can't afford to put one in right away but maybe one day?"

"Well Noah, you know I could pay for a pool…"

"I know! But I want to contribute to it as well. So I'll start to save up for it, okay?"

Luke smiled, "Okay! I think it's a great idea! We can come back from work and hop right in for a swim…"

Noah squeezed him tighter and said, "I don't want the pool to swim…"

"Oh no?" Luke asked confused.

"Nope…" Noah smiled cheekily, "I just want to be able to sit here and watch while you swim!"

Luke punched him, "Pervert!"

And they laughed together.

Just then they noticed Jonathan and Maddie standing on the other side of the patio. They seemed to be having a heated conversation. She said something to him, shaking her head, and then turned to storm off into the house. Jonathan stood obviously devastated and then walked off sadly around the side of the building.

"Do you think they know?" Luke asked.

"That they're in love?" replied Noah, "I don't think so."

"Pretty weird situation really, isn't it?" asked Luke.

"Maybe we should step in…"

"I don't know, Noah, it's not really any of our business…"

"Yes, but Maddie's always been invested in our relationship… maybe we need to return the favour?"

"I still can't believe she got married without telling anyone! It's just not like her at all!"

"No, and I get the feeling we still don't have the full story…"

...

The students were loud and animated as they packed up their books to head off to the next lecture. Maddie just finished writing down a thought in her notebook, before closing it and standing up.

"Maddie?"

She sighed at the voice, "Hello Greg."

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Look Greg, I'm really sorry but I'm not interested in getting involved at the moment."

"But I don't understand, Maddie? One minute things looked like they might happen between us and the next thing they're not." After a while when she didn't answer but just continued to pack her rucksack he said, "Who is he?"

"He?" Maddie asked, not looking up.

"Who are you seeing now?"

"Nobody!" Maddie said with conviction.

"Don't give me that, I know you're seeing somebody."

But before the conversation could continue Professor Williams approached them from below.

"Hello Professor." Said Maddie and Greg nodded at him.

"Where were you this morning Greg? We had an appointment at 08:30?" The Professor was obviously annoyed.

"I was working out with the team…" Greg replied nonchalantly.

"Well I hope it was a good workout because it just might be your last!"

"No way Professor Williams, we have a game next week!"

"Not if your last paper is anything to go on! You and I need to have a nice long talk, so I expect you in my office first thing tomorrow morning! Understood?"

Greg sighed but nodded his agreement and the professor returned to the front of the lecture hall to pack up this things.

"What a jerk!" Greg said to Maddie, "Want to hang?"

"No." Maddie replied, "No thanks." And she hooked her bag over her shoulder and followed the professor down the stairs. By the time she reached him the lecture hall was empty so she felt safe to say, "Bruce? There's something I need to talk to you about."

"I'm sorry Maddie," he said without looking up, "I don't have the time."

"But you've been saying that all week!" she said with desperation.

"I'll call you, Okay?" and he leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth.

"No! It's not okay…" she moaned, but he walked off before she could say anything else. "Shoot!"

She didn't notice Greg watching from the corner.

(I hope you are enjoying the LA Series so far… please let me know if you are…)