Danny looks across at seating area, Ash and Stacie are sitting with their heads together deep in conversation. Albert nudges the younger man, "They work well together don't you think?"
"I've known about them for ages." Danny remembers Stacie's homesickness, "Ain't no other man for her."
"Of course, I knew they'd end up together," Albert smiles and taps his nose, "Instinct. You and Mickey dancing around her like moths to a flame when the brightest star was always Ash."
"Yeah, alright, don't rub it in," Danny grimaces and turns to Emma. "Told you, Stacie's no threat to you or Mickey."
Emma looks up from the newspaper she's reading, "Oh I knew about that, Mickey told me. It's lovely."
"Mickey knew?" Stacie glares at the grifter who joins Danny and Albert on the bar stools.
"I knew what?" Mickey scans the team around him, "Oh you and Ash. Suspected it for months. Since I came back from Australia and found him lovesick and Stacie missing. Now where is Eddie, I could die of thirst."
Danny holds out a hand to Albert who wafts two fifty pound notes, "Hand 'em over, I knew after the puffa fish."
"Ah!" Mickey take the notes from Albert, "I guessed before I left for Australia, you know, the cactus plant."
"So let me get this straight, you all knew except me?" Sean looks baffled.
"Well we didn't know that they knew to be fair," Stacie smiles and Sean falls in love a little more.
Ash bristles beside her, "Lemme get this straight. Sean, you didn't know, Emma found out from Mickey who knew before we did and Albert and Danny think it was in about the time of the cactus plant or the fish?" He reaches over and takes the notes from Mickey who looks affronted.
Danny crows, "I win! I knew she wasn't in America for the last year."
"Wait a minute," Mickey is astonished, "you've been in London? Doing what?"
Stacie shrugs, "studying and dating Ash, until Danny told me he needed some help, Ash and I talked about it and thought it was worth it."
"So you knew she was going to be there?" Mickey looks sternly at Ash, "That's a huge risk."
"I'm a fixer, I knew it would work. Now this hundred quid... do you want to do the honours love?"
Stacie smiles, "This belongs to Eddie. Put them out of their misery and tell them why."
Eddie appears behind the bar and takes the notes from Stacie who blows him a kiss, Blushing he says, "I knew before the cactus. You lot are useless. They arrived here together, almost always leave together and his ringtone has been her favourite song since you started meeting here. And don't get me started on the looks and the kisses. Ash got thirty percent more kisses than any of the rest of you. I told Ash years ago to do something and for once he listened. And I knew she was back in London last year. And this, my friend will pay for the deposit on the hire of this bar."
"What bar hire?" Mickey looks worried when Ash winces and Eddie claps his hands to his mouth in despair.
"Well about that.." Ash takes Stacie's hand, "I was hoping you'd be free tomorrow about two?"
"I might be, depends what you're doing doesn't it?" A smile plays on her lips.
"I'm planning on hanging around the registry office in Chelsea." Ash looks nervously at Stacie, clears his throat, "If you'd care to join me?"
"Well Mr Morgan, I suggest you get on your knees."
"Bet that's not the first time she's told him that!"
"Shut up Sean!"
Ash dutifully gets on one knee and takes her hand, "Will you marry me?"
"Get a bloody room." Danny hollers, then looking at Emma and Albert for answers, "She did say yes didn't she?"
"I don't think you'd snog a man you weren't going to marry like that." Emma observes.
"So we've got a mark," Mickey grins at the team, "The registry office of course. Now we need a dress, the rings and a suit. Let's do this..."
Fin