Hey guys, okay I'm not super happy with this chapter...sometimes I love it and others I hate it. But I can't seem to revise it, so I'm just going to post it and let the chips fall where they may and all...bearing in mind I'd just read Wooden Heart before writing this...hope you guys like it
It took three songs before she could finally drag Jack off the dance floor.
"Aren't you pleased to see me?" he asked teasingly as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
She eyed him with an evil smile. "Mr I'll be back in time to get you out of it showing up at the reception?" she asked.
"Well you know aliens," he said shrugging.
She rolled her eyes. "You had a full house didn't you?" she asked.
"Oh you should have seen their faces when I threw it on the table!" he gushed before quickly correcting himself. "I mean, it was like a war zone out there Rosie! I was battling five, maybe six--"
"Yeah yeah, just don't go spending your winnings on me again, it's embarrassing!" she goaded him.
"Oh you know you love it," he replied, pulling her closer, before a frown crossed his face. "Funny, I don't recall buying a clone of myself though," he said, one hand already moving to a weapon, though Rose quickly put her hand over it to stop him.
"Jack, I'd like you to meet...Jack...and Martha...and the Doctor," she said softly, motioning to each of the three in turn.
Jack instinctively pulled Rose closer at the third name. "I thought--"
"Yeah, we all did. Look, we can't discuss the how's and whys here. That journalist Mr Tellall..." her voice trailed off with a groan. "Mr Tellall, it's so good you could stay for the reception."
The short man beamed at her as he held notepad and pen at the ready. "Oh how could I not after that delightful scene at the church?" he asked, and Rose could have sworn she saw 'Front Page' scroll across his eyes. "So is it true, Torchwood have mastered cloning?" he asked, looking between the two Jacks.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Of course not! And we have no intention of even trying," she added, knowing if she didn't there would be a comment somewhere in the story implying they were trying but had yet to do so succesfully.
"And this is the famous Doctor?" he asked, already going for another angle.
Rose sighed. "You of all people should know that is completely fictional," Rose stated as though bored of the subject, not daring to meet the Doctor's gaze. "Mr Tellall may I introduce Jack's twin, Captain John Harkness, and our very dear friend, Captain John Doctor. And of course you've already met Adeola Jones," she added. "As you can see, with all the Captains and Johns around, it's easier if we refer to them as Jack, Captain and the Doctor, so he's not confused with an actual Doctor...though as you can probably guess Davey's always been a huge fan of his, which is probably why he named the character for him."
"Quite," Mr Tellall said as though having just bitten into a lemon. "Well must be off, have to go chat to the dear wedding couple," he said, a very fake smile smearing across his face.
"Of course," Rose said with just as fake a smile. Soon as he was out of earshot she flicked her ear comm. "Mickey, new Martha is Adeola, old Jack is John and the Doctor is Captain John Doctor," she murmured.
"Gotcha," he replied a moment later, just before Mr Tellall reached him.
Hitting the piece off, she pouted at Jack. "Tell me why we can't retcon him again?"
"Ask your dad. Personally I just want to throw him off a cliff or something," Jack replied.
Captain Jack eyed the pair. "Why do you even allow journalists in?"
Rose glared at him. "Please don't show off and say you don't have to deal with them," she grumbled. Before he could respond though, both Jack and her wrist consoles beeped twice and a blue light flashed once. "Oh great," she said, glaring at Jack. "Won't be here for at least two weeks huh?"
"As far as their previous trips had signalled," he replied, sighing himself at yet another interruption. "How long do you think you'll be?"
Rose looked around the group. She knew it was better to go on her own, but leaving all this group unsupervised together? That was practically asking for more trouble!
"What sort of threat is it?" the Doctor asked as though reading her mind.
"The very annoying alien kind," she sighed.
Captain Jack grinned though. "Ooh, do we finally get to see you in action?" he asked.
And just like that Rose knew there was no way of getting any of them to stay, just as she also knew she was probably going to regret it - a lot - later.
"Nice office," he said as they entered her office fifteen minutes later.
"Jack!" Rose said disapprovingly.
Captain Jack frowned at her. "What I was just saying--"
"Not you, the other Jack," she told him.
"How come I have to be 'the other Jack'? How come he can't be?" the other Jack pouted.
Rose sighed, rolling her eyes. "Because I knew him first," she said giving him a cheeky grin. "Fine, Jack," she said turning to the one she'd known longer, "We're sticking with what I said to Mr Tellall - from now on you're Captain Jack or John, and Jack, you're just Jack," she told her boyfriend.
"How come...oh I guess that's fair considering I've been de--"
"Jack!" she said, glaring at him.
He gave her his most charming grin, and knew she was biting her cheek to stop herself doing the same. He winked, before grabbing the print out from the printer on her desk and sitting down in the spot all his hinting had been referring to, raising a brow in invitation.
Captain Jack watched as Rose blushed and turned back to her desk. He was definitely going to have to have words with himself - or at least his alternate self – later, and not all would be disapproving! But seeing as Rosie didn't seem keen to discuss it, and no doubt the Doctor would feel the same as soon as he clued on, decided it was best to bring the topic back to the one at hand. "So how does this work?"
Rose smiled at him gratefully, but it was Jack that spoke. "First off, we go through room roll call," he said, holding up the papers in his hand. "In order of threat we have one Jack Harkness, one Captain Jack Harkness--"
Captain Jack cut him off with a laugh. "And how do you figure you're the bigger threat?" he challenged himself.
Jack smiled. "Cause that's what it says on here. It can only tell the difference between us by number of weapons, and I know how many I'm packing," he replied, giving himself a cheeky grin before turning back to the paper, giving a soft chuckle before speaking. "One unknown with a heart murmur," he said looking over at the Doctor.
"Unknown and a heart murmur?" the Doctor repeated. "Blimey, not the most polite of machines is it?" he asked, trying not to scowl.
"It doesn't actually say 'Unknown'," Rose told him reassuringly as she sat on the edge of her desk, looking over at Jack, giving him a stern look and raised brow.
He sighed. "It should just say unknown," he grumbled. As Rose continued to stare at him, he sighed again. "Fine! One friend you haven't met yet with a heart murmur," he said, pulling up his nose as he turned back to the Doctor. "Happy?"
There was no need to ask though, the huge grin on the Doctor's face was answer enough as he beamed over at Rose who just winked at him.
"Anyway, we also have...ooh bad luck Martha! One human with an ear infection!"
"Not again," she grumbled.
The Doctor shook his head. "You really need to start taking better care of your ears Martha," he told her sternly, though his grin belied his tone, causing her to just roll her eyes as she felt her ears.
"And bringing up the rear is one Rose Tyler," Jack finished before dropping the papers onto the couch beside him.
"Didn't think you would be the least threatening one, Rosie" Captain Jack said, raising an amused brow at her.
She rolled her eyes at him. "As it's my office, I'm not on the list. But someone just gets an ego boost thinking he's the toughest just 'cause he has the most weapons tucked away," she told him.
"Better than being unarmed," he replied as he looked over at the Doctor.
"Anyway," Rose spoke up, feeling a testosterone battle building. "I still say I should just do this alone," she said, eyeing the three men, hoping they'd just agree.
"Not a chance," the Doctor was the first to respond.
"And let you have all the fun?" came Captain Jack's quip.
"And no way am I leaving you alone with these two!" Jack replied.
She sighed, raking her hands through her hair before placing them back on her desk either side of her. "Fine, simple rules – keep your minds to yourself. Think happy thoughts and if you feel like someone's pressing in, imagine slamming a door, tends to push it back. Soon as we're in, we send it on its way and hope it's a long, long time before it comes back this way," she said all in one breath.
"You've come across it before?" Captain Jack asked.
She nodded softly. "It comes by this way every so often. We've isolated its pick up scoop to just this office since blocking it out completely doesn't seem possible...well not with what we know anyway," she added, looking up at the Doctor hopefully.
"What happens when you're picked up?" he asked, the sad look in her eyes not going past his notice.
"It uh...finds it's way into your head, finds your worst fears and puts you through them. If we can block it out it only takes about five minutes for it to tire and let us in, but if it succeeds? Can be going through the scenario for anything up to an hour."
"Two," Jack replied, his face void of all his previous emotions as he moved to sit beside her.
She gave a small smile as she took his hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly. "Just don't let it in," she told him softly, before she grinned, "and if you do, don't think of the Doctor," she added, poking her tongue out at him.
He glared back. "Bit below the belt there," he grumbled.
She giggled softly. "Oh come on," she turned to the two men in front of her. "You should have seen what he thought you looked like, it was hilarious!"
The Doctor was tempted to ask why a form of him that apparently didn't look like him had been there, but hesitated when Rose shook her head ever so slightly before wrapping her arms around Jack's arm. She wasn't telling the story to embarrass him, but to draw him away from whatever fears had been tapped into during the two hours. As she leaned forward and kissed Jack's cheek, whispering something in his ear that caused him to smile once more, the Doctor realised he was going to have to keep a firm grip on his own mind as some fears he hadn't even realised he had started to surface.
Captain Jack cleared his throat slightly to draw the pair out of their romantic moment. "Sorry, just wondering why you refer to it as an it?" he asked.
Rose nodded understandingly. "As far as I've been able to explore, it's just a spaceship set adrift, no signs of life inside."
"Yeah, a spaceship with a twisted hard drive," Jack grumbled, though he grinned down at Rose as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
The Doctor felt a tingling sensation and saw Rose tense up. Apparently it was pick up time. Glancing over at Captain Jack, he smiled at the man who grinned back at him, before turning to Martha. He frowned as he watched her pulling on her ear and he was suddenly worried he'd made the wrong choice forcing his group on Rose. And then they were in a forest that looked all too familiar.
Rose clenched her jaw as she turned to face the Doctor and Martha. "I thought I said keep your minds to yourself! If I recall, think happy thoughts was in there too oh and even a 'if you feel like someone's pressing in, imagine slamming a door'," she seethed.
"Rose, it doesn't look so bad here. Maybe it's just their happy thought?" Jack tried reassuring her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
The Doctor bit his lip as he glanced over at Martha who was looking very guilty.
For her part, she did feel horrible because she'd been so focused on her ear a few moments earlier that none of Rose's instructions were ringing any bells.
Rose continued to glare at the pair a moment longer before turning to Jack. "You know, I'd almost believe that...you know, if it weren't for that lovely monster looking thing over there," she said, pointing to a distance not far from them.
They all turned to look, the two Jack's wide-eyed while the Doctor groaned. Martha felt more than a little de ja vuy.
If you put a dragon and a spider in a blender, she decided, and then gave the result to Dracula as a pet...That would be the result. It had an emaciated, lizard-like face and body, and huge bat wings, though the skin between the bones was tattered and grey. Its legs tapped against the ground when it paused, as if it were feeling its way towards its prey. Arched above its head was a great spiked tail.
"It's the one from--" she stuttered out, but the Doctor quickly cut her off.
"I told you right from the start that you could never replace Rose. She would never do something this novice," he seethed, before turning to Rose and grabbing her hand. "Come on Rose," he said with a charming smile before dragging her behind him as he ran away from the creature.
For a stunned moment Rose let herself be dragged from Jack's grasp, before she cursed under her breath, realisation sweeping over her. "Jack, slap Martha! This is all her fears, you need to get her to snap out of it!" she yelled as the Doctor pulled her along faster, seeming to notice his companion's yelling was drawing the creature towards them.
They weren't even that far away when he suddenly stopped and pulled her into his arms, beaming down at her with a look she'd longed to see for so long. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying desperately not react to it. "Doctor, I need you right now. This isn't you, it's taken over, I need you to snap out of it!" she yelled at him, aware the creature was getting ever closer as he just continued to stare at her with a goofy grin.
Meanwhile Jack had grabbed Martha's arm, spinning her away from the interlocked pair, trying to avoid looking at them himself. Grateful that Rose had told him to, he slapped her, watching her blink a few times in shock before speaking. "Martha, this isn't real! You heard Rose, close your mind to this, you can't think about your fears right now! I mean if I let mine out..." he trailed off, suddenly feeling like he'd left the back door of his spaceship wide open. "Shit!" he exclaimed, before letting go of Martha and running as fast as he could. "Rose!" he yelled out as he began drawing weapons and taking aim at the creature.
Captain Jack was rooted to the spot, no one having noticed he was starting to face one of his own fears that he had to live with on a regular basis – having to watch those he cared about die in front of him. He watched in horror as Rose spun out of the Doctor's grasp as she turned to face the creature that even now was being ripped apart by the rounds Jack was laying into it, but it seemed to have eyes for only one target as it's tail raised high in the air, piercing through Rose's stomach and slamming her onto her back as it struck deep into the ground. The creature fell to the ground shortly after, not having been able to survive the attack it had just endured.
Snapped out of whatever spell had been put over him, the Doctor collapsed on his knees at Rose's side, tears already forming in his eyes. "Oh Rose, you can't die!" was all he managed to croak out, feeling as though her death were completely his fault as he held her hand, daring not to try move her lest he cause her more pain.
Jack was at her other side, trying to force the spike out of her as he watched her watching the Doctor, her body already going into shock.
There was so much she wanted to say, but the blood gurgling up her throat prevented any of it, and then all went black.
Martha stood by Captain Jack, who she'd managed to drag along to stand next to the creature, only a few feet away from the grieving pair.
Captain Jack felt tears trailing down his cheeks as he stared at the blood stained form of one of his best friends. How had he let this happen? Why didn't he react faster?
The Doctor was mumbling incoherently in Galleyfreyian, pleading, begging with Rose not to die, even though her limp form and the loss of heart beat in her hand were signs that it was too late for that.
Jack watched on as the cold stare of death filled her eyes once more, but this time they weren't aimed at him, but the Doctor. His two greatest fears colliding into one. The thought snapped him out of his grief as he clenched his jaw and forced himself to stand. "That's it, let us in right now," he bellowed, looking around the forest they were in, causing Martha and Captain Jack to look at him in alarm, though the Doctor's gaze never left Rose. "Jack, help me get him away from her," he ordered his other self as he moved round to the Doctor.
Captain Jack was so stunned by it that he did exactly as he was told, unable to meet the Doctor's blazing eyes as the pair exuded all the force they had to drag him away from Rose's form.
Martha looked between the body and the three men in horror.
"Martha, move!" Jack yelled at her, causing her to jump as she followed them.
The Doctor was still trying to pull away from the pair, thrashing and swearing as he tried in vain to fight his way back to her.
In the end Jack forced him to the ground and knelt heavily on his chest, pushing most of the air out in the process. "Rose tells me that you can live a bit longer without oxygen than the rest of us, but let's not test exactly how long today alright?" he growled.
The Doctor glared, his knuckles white from being clenched in such tight fists. But he knew Jack could be as stubborn as an ox, and he doubted this one would be any less.
Watching the Doctor lay still, Jack gave a thankful nod, though stayed put just in case. "Right, this is just a scenario, just putting our worst fears into reality. Now if we all concentrate, close our minds, we can get the hell out of here," he told the group sternly.
"But Rose is dead!" Martha exclaimed as though he hadn't noticed.
"Not helping!" he roared back, his jaw working frantically as he forced himself not to look over to her, to run and hold her as he had last time he'd been faced with her death. "Rose is fine, as soon as we get out the scenario, she'll be fine. She'll be pissed off, but..."
"Fine?" Captain Jack offered, a small smile tugging at his lips at his other self's lack for words, the loss of Rose already slipping away as he closed his mind to the scenario.
Jack glared at his other self for a moment, before smiling too as he nodded. "Yeah."
"You can't be serious!" Martha spoke as though the pair had gone insane.
Jack glared over at her for a moment before turning to the Doctor. "She's your companion, you explain," he said as he climbed off the Doctor, realising a moment late that he hadn't checked the Doctor understood before he did so.
But of course the Doctor did now that it had been pointed out to him, he'd just been too caught up by emotion to see reason before. He looked at Martha as she looked between him and the body. "Stop looking at it Martha, it's not real," he told her firmly, having difficulty forcing himself not to look. "Relax, we're all safe...oh let's just do it the quick way," he sighed, putting his hands on her temples and forcefully closing the door to her mind, causing her to jump in fright.
But as soon as it was done the area they were in changed to that of the interior of a spaceship.
There were a few short coughs behind them, but as they turned to look round, Rose was already jumping to her feet. The smile the Doctor might have expected wasn't there, instead a deep scowl crossed her face as she marched towards the door on the other side of them. He stood in her path, trying to meet her gaze, but she refused to, instead looking over at Martha.
"She's your companion, you deal with her," her voice was venomous as she practically spat the words out before making her way round him and to the door, where it was clear her fury only grew as she waited for it to open.
Martha glared at her back as she stood beside the Doctor. "She makes it sound as though it were all my fault," she grumbled to him, hoping for some sympathy and possibly a hug.
He sighed before meeting her gaze, forcing his face into a neutral expression. "That's because, to an extent, it was," he told her, not surprised at her look of shock and annoyance. "Martha only you and I have ever seen that forest or that monster. Your mind was still wide open when we arrived and that's what that scenario used first...though I think as it progressed we all had a few demons come out," he added, glancing over at the two Jack's who both watched Rose.
Jack looked over at him then, clenching his jaw slightly as he knew the Doctor knew it was his fear that had gotten her killed. "Told you she'd be pissed," he said as though to try lighten the mood.
The door finally began to open and Rose stormed through it, not caring that the others weren't right behind but some distance as she stormed to the 'leader' onboard.
"Ah Miss Tyler, it has been some time since you displayed that particular--"
His words were cut off as she sent a fierce right hook at him, sending him crashing to the floor. "I told you never to use that again. Why should I spare your ship now?" she asked well aware the others had seen her display.
"I thought you said there were no life forms onboard," Martha said, glad she remembered something of what Rose had said.
"There aren't," Rose replied without looking back at her as she continued to glare at the form that was rising from the floor. "Just an illusion like everything else."
Jack slowly walked up behind her, standing directly behind without actually touching her. It was only as she gave a small nod that he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as physically possible. "I'm so sorry," he murmured as he ran his hand up and down her arm.
She just nodded again. She knew there would be discussions between them later. A pandora's box had been opened between them once more thanks to Martha's foolish actions. She couldn't blame Martha entirely though. She had been the one not to look at Jack in those final moments, to only have eyes for the Doctor. For all his bravado, she had known since before she had finally decided to date Jack that he was extremely jealous to the point of insecure when it came to the Doctor, she hadn't needed to see his version of the Doctor to know that. Still, she felt completely wrecked. Dying in the scenario always did that. She turned in his arms to wrap hers around his waist tightly, letting her head rest on his shoulder. It was only then that she spotted the Doctor watching her with a forlorn expression. She would have to apologise to him later too. Why hadn't she listened to her gut and just refused the others entry to her office?
Pulling away from Jack slowly, she kissed him softly on the lips, letting her hand run down his chest before stepping away. As she turned, the first person she saw was the other Jack. His eyes brimmed with tears, though she could tell he'd already been crying earlier by the trails down his cheeks. She gave him a soft smile as she walked over and engulfed him in a hug.
"I'm sorry," he murmured into her shoulder.
She frowned. "What for?"
"I couldn't save you," he mumbled.
She couldn't help but give a soft chuckle. "It's alright. If I recall there were a few others in there that didn't manage it either, myself included," she added, grateful to get a soft laugh out of him in return. "Seriously, the amount of times I've died in there, it's almost second nature...though do you have any idea how painful it is coming back from the dead?"
He gave her a wicked grin. "You know, I just might," he said gently.
She eyed him, half glaring as he just continued to grin. In the end she decided she'd have to discuss that one later, now was just time for cheering up. "So, I've been meaning to ask – how is it you seem so much older and wiser than the Jack I've got over there but managed to keep your youthful good looks?" she asked, loud enough for Jack to hear.
"Oy!" he protested though he too was grinning now, just happy seeing her happy...even if it were slightly bizarre watching her as though she were in his own arms.
Captain Jack just beamed. "Oh you know, I just get better with age. Kinda like a fine wine," he told her as he kissed the top of her head.
"Or a smelly cheese," Jack added before frowning. "Hang on...did I just insult myself?"
"Yes," the pair chorused back to him laughing, before Captain Jack nudged her in the direction of the Doctor.
She glared softly at him. "What is this, pass the parcel?" she mumbled so only he could hear, earning herself a smack on the butt as she walked away, causing her to glare over her shoulder at him and another 'Oy' from Jack.
Tucking her thumbs into her belt straps, she suddenly felt very nervous facing the Time Lord. If it had been any other time she would have even laughed at herself for referring to him as that rather than just the Doctor, but suddenly she felt like a disobedient child having to apologise to her teacher.
"Oh just hug already," Jack said in exasperation despite all the inner turmoil pumping through him.
The pair gave embarrassed laughs before moving into an awkward hug, which almost automatically changed as their arms wrapped around each other, arms tightening instinctively.
"I'm sorry," Rose murmured into his ear.
"Me too," he murmured back.
She couldn't help but grin. The inevitable 'what for's would apparently be waiting till later. "Tell her I say sorry too," she whispered.
"And why can't you?" he asked quietly.
She sighed, hoping he wouldn't have picked up on that quite so quickly. "'cause I'm not sure I am yet."
"Well how bout we sit on that apology till you are then," he replied, finally pulling away from her as he beamed down at her.
No judgement, no forcing her to do it. God she loved this man!
"So, what exactly are you lot then?" he asked, pulling away completely as he turned to the aliens that had stood idly by during these exchanges, putting on his glasses.
"We only deal with Miss Tyler," the 'leader' said firmly.
"Not today you don't," the Doctor replied as he made his way over to one of the control panels, pointing his sonic screwdriver at it. "Well well well, I thought you were just the stuff of fairy tales, horrible cruel fairy tales, but fairy tales all the same," he murmured as screen upon screen flashed before him.
"Did I mention I hate fairies?" Captain Jack asked, thinking of Estelle.
"Really?" Jack asked him, frowning. It was the first time he hadn't been able to hold his own gaze before looking to the floor, worried by what he'd seen in the other Jack's eyes. And the first noticeable difference between the pair.
"Fairies aside," the Doctor spoke, bringing both back to the present. "There was once a story of a planet that sent out ships like this...well did exactly what this one does. Some would harvest worst fears, others greatest dreams. Some even just messed with people's emotions, making you feel in love with your worst enemy, or suddenly have super powers...anyway all it really was was an expensive imitation of the Game Station," he finished, looking at Rose.
"You mean, this ship...is for someone else's entertainment?" she asked, anger surging through her once more.
"Was, yes," he said, with an evil grin.
As if on cue the illusions of aliens shuddered. "What have you done?" screeched the leader.
"Oh you know, just redirected your scoop fields," he told them tugging on his ear. "Apparently you had your entire network connected, so it's not just this one ship that will be visiting your own planet, but all of them. Happy viewing," he said with a grin before the ship transported them back to Rose's office once more.
"They're really going to put there own planet through what they've put us through?" Jack asked in amazement.
"Well...for about six months. Long enough for every viewer to experience every channel...and then they'll automatically shut down...thought it only fair," he trailed off, trying to keep his gaze away from Rose now that he remembered the company they were in.
Rose nodded softly. "Right well...I guess we should get back to the reception," she paused, glancing at her computer. "Pete'll be wanting a full report on the latest adventure," she sighed, quickly sitting at her desk and loading it up.
"He'd want a report at the reception?" Captain Jack asked, raising a brow.
Rose grinned, rolling her eyes. "No, but he'll want it first thing Monday morning."
"Rosie's not allowed at work tomorrow...or Monday morning," Jack clarified for the others.
She just glared at him in return, though kept typing.
Captain Jack couldn't help but laugh. "What, you've been suspended or something?" he asked, still chuckling.
Her glare moved from Jack to Captain Jack. "And here I thought you two were different," she told him, rolling her eyes. "I have a restriction on how many hours I'm allowed to work each week. Apparently left to my own devices I work too much," she added, pouting slightly as she typed the final comments and attached it to an email to Pete.
"You? Work too much? Was a mission just getting you out of bed before noon!" the Doctor teased.
"Oh I wish I could get her to stay in bed till noon!" Jack replied without thinking, causing Rose to blush and the smile to fade from the Doctor's face.
"So what's the restriction?" Captain Jack asked, hoping to get over the awkwardness as quickly as possible.
"70," she replied, getting up.
"60!" Jack corrected with a stern look.
She rolled her eyes, before turning back to Captain Jack. "60 with full resources, and I can play back up for 10," she clarified.
"Two weeks breaking it in a row, and we're putting our foot down," Jack grinned.
She raised a brow at him. "How are you putting your foot down? Pete's in charge, Mickey's taking care of withholding my IT and mum's banned you from staying at the house after the stories you told Davey last time. The only place your foot is going down is in your spaceship!" she retorted. Realising the comments he was about to make about that statement, she quickly added, "So, back to the reception then. They'll be cutting the cake in a minute!"
So what did you think? Reviews for this one appreciated even more so than usual just cos I'm feeling finicky about it. Thanks heaps in advance!!