Here is the end chapter especially for Sharon Anne Bell, I promise to write a new Fic again soon. I just need to jog the old ideas part of my brain. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story and for all your lovely comments.
As I said in the beginning it was a small Idea with just a starting point and I was totally unsure where it was going to led me .so I have ended up here but I'm glad I've managed to wrap it all up for you in this last chapter .Hope you x
Chapter two: Christmas day
Grace had woken the following morning to the sound of laughter and screaming as her eyes opened and her mind register that it was Christmas day .she tried to process the sounds …it sounded like a bunch of children out playing but it didn't seem right, she was confused.
Quickly grabbing her dressing gown and wrapping it round here she looked out of her bedroom window where the noise seemed to be coming from and was shocked at the sight in front of her eyes.
Overnight it seemed it had snowed rather heavily in fact and now Frankie, Spence ,Stella ,Eve and surprisingly Boyd were all out in the snow ,throwing snowballs at one another and generally messing around .Grace notice that there was a half made snowman in the middle of her lawn and laughed to herself as she saw Frankie still in her p-jammas and wearing a hat to covering her ears which was a sight in itself but Frankie caught unaware by Spence who had just stuffed a load of snow down her back led the young girl to scream in horror ,grace had just laughed watching from a distance .Grace also registered that Spence and Frankie seemed a lot closer since last night, did they have feeling for one another or was she just over analyzing things .She pushed that thought to the back of her mind –it would keep for a later date she thought to herself as she looked out of the window catching sight of Boyd who seemed to have been attacked by the other two girls as his coat was full of wet patches all over.
Grace moved away from the window and grabbed a pair of jeans and a baggy jumper and quickly got dressed. She knew someone was going to have to be the sensible one and play the parent .they would have to come in soon or they would all be ill especially as they were inappropriately dressed.
As she walked down the stairs she could feel cold air, which was strange and she felt the comings of a headache .She followed down the hallway which led to the kitchen and the back of the house to the garden and as she open the kitchen door she screamed so loud not expecting to feel the full force of a freezing snowball hit her right in the face.
The snowball Spence had thrown from outside was aimed for Boyd, but Boyd had quickly took shelter inside the kitchen in front of the door teasing Spence .Boyd had been quick enough to react as he ducked out of the way of Spencer onslaught, no one had notice grace as she had just enter the kitchen and Spence snowball whizzed through the kitchen and hit her, it was all bad timing. For Spence he didn't have time to warn grace as his snowball hit her smack in the face.
Boyd jump and turn immediately as grace's screamed.
'Grace' was all he could say
He heard Spence swear and the others just froze.
'Are you ok?' he asked trying to sound sincere and not laugh at the same time
'Who the hell threw that Boyd!' grace asked as she stood freezing
He didn't have to answer as he turn round to look at Spence, the girls outside were already pointing at him
'I'm so sorry grace' Spencer mumbled 'it was meant for Boyd'
'I can see that, as she took in his shocked face.' and began to laugh, Spence looked so worried like a naughty school child send to the headmaster office."It's alright Eve's going to get you anyway if you don't move now."
Spence turned round to look at eve she wasn't armed with anything so why was grace telling him to move then he felt it right on the back of his neck.
As Spence had turn to see Eve , at the same time Grace had quickly scooped up some snow by the back door and threw it at Spencer's back while he was turned
"Shit "Spencer jumped as the cold wet snow hit him and spinning back round to see who had thrown it.
Boyd had chuckled "don't mess with her Spence" Boyd had said as he looked over to grace
Grace just stood smiling at him "next time I be putting it down your trousers if you hit me or my house" grace said jokingly If you're going to mess around like a bunch of 5years go outside and do it. she pushed Boyd back outside
"Yes mum" Spencer Frankie Stella and eve chorused
"Why am I getting thrown outside as well?"Boyd asked Grace
"Because they need someone to watch over them and because Mr. .Boyd I do believe I just took a snowball in the face for you "
"Yes, but grace" Boyd moaned "it's getting cold"
"Well go and finish eve's snowman and then I will make you all a hot chocolate and then you can come in and drink it and get changed into some warm clothes."
"Deal, but make it quick. I'm freezing my balls off here."
"Is that literally Boyd?" grace asked as she looked down
"Grace…."
Grace had called them all inside after making mugs of hot chocolate for them all .They all had huddled round grace dining table and drank the warm liquid .
"I'm freezing "
"You know Frankie wearing you p-jammas outside when it's snowing is not advisable" grace said looking at the young woman who looked soaked
"Well I know that now "Frankie replied with her teeth chattering "I need a warm bath"
"Well, as soon as I'm done drinking this I'll run you one ok? "Grace told her rubbing her back to get some warmth into the girl
"Thanks" Frankie smiled
"what am I going to do with you lot " grace said as she looked around the group ,who looked like they just walked in from the school playground after having way to much fun and were now soaked and tired .
Spence, Stella and eve went to get changed into some fresh clothes, while Frankie took a bath. Grace had just gathered together everyone's wet clothes in a basket ready to be washed when she sat down on her bed and there was a knock at the door.
"Come in"
"Hi" Boyd said as he opened Grace's bedroom door "can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, sure "
"could I use your shower ,her looked towards grace's en-suite it just …he looked down at his feet I'm freezing cold and wet and Frankie is not moving out of that tub ,something to do with she'd forgotten how big and relaxing your bath was."
Grace laughed at Frankie comment about her bath tub but she was right
"of course, you know how it works, go on"
While Boyd showered in her en-suite grace quickly changed into a soft cream jumper and skinny jeans
When Boyd emerged from the bathroom he was fully dressed wearing a shirt and trousers.
"Are u ok?" He looked over at grace who was curled up in the middle of her bed looking pale.
"Yeah, I just feel a bit ill."
"Do you want me to get you anything?" Boyd asked slightly worried
"No, we've got presents to open Boyd and a turkey to eat, let's get downstairs, I'll be fine, probably just need something to eat "
"Ok "he replied reminding himself to keep an eye on her.
As grace and Boyd walked in to the living room they found everyone dressed and out of there wet clothes waiting for them.
"Present time, I think" Frankie said taking over as she handed out her presents .Spence dived in like a child searching under the tree for his as Eve sat back in grace's arm chair and relaxed waiting for everyone else to finish and Stella fought for space with Spence .
Boyd and grace in the mean time sat together on the sofa amongst the busy-ness of the four kids who eagerly opened there presents .every-now and again one of the kids would pass them a present to open as they went along.
In the end Spence had ended up with games and gadgets ,eve had mainly books and had already started to read one as she sat in the armchair .Frankie had an assortment of books and wine while Stella had received girly items like a handmade scarf, some perfume ,chocolates and bubble bath.
Boyd had ended up with quite a few bottles of whiskey and extremely rare bottle of wine grace had given to him ,which he knew hadn't come cheap .Spence had given him a brand new gadget which was a Bluetooth watch.
Grace had received a framed photo from Frankie that pictured Frankie, Mel, Spence, Boyd and herself together. She too had quite a collection of wine and Stella and eve had treated her to a day at a spa.
Grace had managed to get through lunch but was feeling a little under the weather; the rest of them had stuffed their faces at lunch and drank way too much wine. The team had now collapsed over Grace's sitting room. Boyd sat one end of the sofa half a sleep with his arm around grace who was curled up and leaning her head on his chest, trying to stop the feelings of being sick .Stella took up the rest of the room on the sofa stretch out asleep. Eve sat on the floor crossed legged reading her book from this morning that she had nearly finished while Spence slept in the love seat and Frankie watched the TV from the armchair.
"Boyd was woken when grace got up to move, as she left the room."
"Is grace ok?" Frankie asked
"I'm just going to find out" Boyd replied as he got out of the chair and headed after Grace
Boyd enter the hall listening for a sound to detect where grace had gone and it was then he heard it .Running up the stairs he found grace in the bathroom being sick .
After grace had finished being sick, she leant back against the cold tiles. Boyd had fetched a glass of water and a cloth to wipe her face.
"How you feeling now?" he asked as he took in her pail complexion
"Sick and cold"
Without saying another word Boyd lifted her, carrying grace into her bedroom and carefully placing her on the bed.
As grace pulled the duvet over her Boyd spoke "do you want me to get a doctor?"
"No" was Grace's weak reply "it probably just a bug, I'm sorry"
"hey, you don't need to be sorry" he told her as he took hold of her hand "if your ill there's not much you can do about it ,Just get better soon .I'll be downstairs if you need anything."
*********cut to living room downstairs**********
"Is she ok?" Frankie asked as soon as Boyd walked through the door
"I think she will be, seems like she has caught a bug or something maybe flu."
"Poor grace"
"I know"
"Me and Eve can clear the rest of the things away in the kitchen, so it's tidy for the morning the last thing grace will want to do is clean that lot."
"Thanks, I'm going to leave these two here " Boyd pointed to the sleeping forms of Stella and Spence " will one of you tell them not to disturb grace in the morning if I'm not up before hand"
"Of course replied eve "
"after the girls had gone up to bed ,Boyd sat in the kitchen thinking about how much he had enjoyed this weekend ,being around the team and back at Grace's felt right ,but he was also juggling other emotions he felt for grace ,there had never been a good time to tell how he really felt. He knew they had a connection but the question was, were grace's feeling the same as his? And was now the right time? Drinking the last of his whisky from the glass he pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and went to lock up the house.
Boyd checked in on Grace who seemed to be fast asleep and carried on to his own room .It was around 2am that he heard a wrenching noise climbed out of bed and walked toward the bathroom where he meet grace who had just thrown up ,she was sitting on the bathroom floor leaning against the wall .
"You ok?"
Grace looked up at him and made an incoherent sound
"Come on let's get you back to bed "Boyd said as he lifted her to her feet taking most of her weight "
"I feel so ill, peter."
"I know, you don't look great, let's get you back to bed so you can sleep. I'll get you some painkillers."
Boyd helped grace back into bed and gave her the painkillers to take "just get some rest, I'll be in the next room. " He told he as he was about to leave.
"Peter?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you stay?"
"Stay?" Boyd was shocked she asked him to stay .As he thought it over in his mind grace voice drifted in
"please" and that was it, every-time she said please he couldn't say no .so silently he climbed into the other side of the bed lying next to her .It was then her noticed she was shivering and he took a risk , spooned her body but grace hadn't move away if anything she relaxed at his touch rubbing his had up and down her arm to generate some warmth back into her. Finally she had stop shivering and fallen asleep and Boyd had laid his arm protectively over her stomach. "Get better soon" he whispered into the air before he allowed himself to drift back into sleep.
*********Boxing day ***********
Boyd woke early the next morning to find grace still fast asleep in his arms. As he moved out of the bed grace protested ,moving to where he had slept but stayed asleep. As he walked down the stairs he thought about seeing if the others were up when he open the kitchen door to go and make some coffee to wake himself up he found four faces looking up at him as if they were waiting for something.
"What?" he asked tired as he had a disturbed sleep.
"How's grace?" they all asked
"Asleep, and I would like to leave her that way, she was sick again last night."
"Can't we even make her some breakfast ?" Stella asked feeling useless
"We could make something light for her to eat, or maybe just a cup of tea "Eve chipped in.
"Ok, something easy on the stomach" Boyd replied as he stirred his coffee
So the kids set to work on making grace's tea and somehow the team had decided dry cracker were the best option for an upset tummy. They placed it all on a tray and asked Boyd if they could go up and give it to her
"What all four of you? It only takes one to carry the tray!" Boyd had stated but the kids had insisted, they all cared dearly about grace and wanted to check she would be ok
"Five minutes, max, then we are leaving her to rest, its boxing and we he pointed around the group have a ton load food, board games to play and Christmas TV to watch."
"Yes, sir" the group chorused
"Good" Boyd replied with a smile, looking after the kids wasn't going to be so bad after all he thought.
The troop had return once they had checked on grace and gave Boyd the update that grace seemed full of a cold as they all gathered round the table to commence gaming. Around lunch time Boyd had checked on her again taking her a mug of tea to drink and a jug of water ,she looked a little more awake but still wanted to sleep. So Boyd had left her to rest and went down stair to the other.
The day had been strange the team had gone about their daily business quiet relaxed in grace house but quiet without grace's warmth and bubbly atmosphere. It was early evening when the team sat down in the living room with a glass of wine each and turned on the TV. The door had not long after that opened to reveal a tired looking grace wrapped in a warm dressing gown.
"Grace what are you doing up?" eve was the first to up to show her concern.
" I can't sleep ,for the last 20mins I've been tossing and turning, I just needed to get up" she replied groggy.
"I'll make you a cup of tea, Spence got up to go and get the offered drink."
"How are you feeling?"Boyd asked from his seated position on the sofa
"well I've stopped feeling sick, I'm just bunged up with this cold and sore throat she told him as she came to sit next to him lifting his arm so she could cuddle in next to him.
"I'm sorry for spoiling your day" she said to everyone as she got comfortable next to him
Boyd had been took back by the sudden shift in their relationship ,grace had made point of moving his arm to cuddle in next him and he was still taking that in as he processed why she was saying sorry .
"Its fine "Frankie and Stella had reassured her while Boyd still carried along the same thought pattern
"It doesn't matter does it as long as we are together as a family, that's what the unit is a family isn't it?" Boyd had said
"Thank you and yes I class you lot as family" Grace had nodded in agreement.
"To family then" Spence had raised his glass of wine as he hand grace her mug of tea
"To Family" they all toasted
Later that evening why Eve was outside smoking and the rest of the kids had headed off to bed Boyd and grace were left sitting on the sofa.
Boyd voice suddenly broke the silent "I like this "he said
"What?"
"This ….me and you like this" he gestured to their embraced position
"Umm…it's nice" grace said tired not really wanting to move
"Grace I'm being serious, I'm trying to say…..that ….well…"he rubbed his freehand across his face finding it hard to say the words he really wanted to.
"Grace sat up realizing he was being serious."
"I've…never found the …rite time…..err…..look grace I just going to do this once and if I'm totally out of line you can tell me to piss off"
Grace looked slightly confused at what he had just said but before she had a change to say anything Peter Boyd's lips had touch hers sending shivers down her body. As they pulled away he lent his head against her forehead and whispered "was I totally out of line grace"
"You really can't read women can you? But I am flatter you still find me attractive even when I'm ill Boyd, you must have it bad "
"Grace" he moaned
"Sorry, if it helps, I love you too." she whispered back and then kissed him to confirm it.
Boyd had smiled and pulled her closer holding her "I do love you Grace I just didn't know how to say it."
"I've known that for a long time peter, now are you going to take me to bed please?"
The End x
