Tommy looked sympathetically at Barbara. She had to kiss him to break the spell, he could not act first or it would look silly. He wondered if she would. Or could with an audience. This was not what he had planned and his eyes apologised.

Barbara knew that there was no way out of this, she had to kiss him and it had to be more than a quick peck on the cheek. She glared at Stuart. He could wait. She would get even somehow. "We have to make this look convincing," she whispered to Tommy.

He bent down, put his hands behind his back and puckered up in an exaggerated gesture that he hoped might look like it was staged. Barbara smiled and adopted the same stance then planted a kiss squarely on his lips. She lingered just long enough to call it a kiss. The audience 'oooed' approvingly.

"No good!" Stuart cried, "he has been trapped so long in his own world only true love will set him free. Kiss him like you mean it Janice."

Barbara grunted and cursed under her breath. She inhaled deeply then stepped up to Tommy and kissed him tenderly. Tommy groaned softly then pushed gently back. Stuart had whipped the audience up again. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!"

When Barbara's lips tugged gently at his Tommy surrendered to his urges. He no longer heard or cared about the audience. All he could think about was how soft and willing her mouth was and how it seemed as if the last piece of a complex, difficult yet beautiful jigsaw puzzle had just clicked into place. His arms came around her and pulled her closer. Her arms slipped around his waist. They both paused to breathe or speak but his lips followed hers, never quite leaving them. When she opened her mouth slightly his tongue teased her. Without thinking their tongues greeted each other and expressed a deep, mutual and clearly lustful but loving desire.

In some background haze he heard the audience clapping and hooting. He jerked back to reality and reluctantly pulled away. He ripped off his whiskers and his hood. "You've saved me! Tis I Prince Bradley, lord of all Nanrunnel. Now that we have defeated the wicked witch you can share your life with me and we will live happily ever after."

Barbara was trying hard not to laugh at his sudden dramatics. "Yes, Prince Bradley, we can live in your castle and all the plants and animals will be our friends."

Tommy kissed her again in a dramatic gesture that swept her backwards like a tango flourish. They expected the curtains to close. Tommy thought he heard them squeaking shut so he held the pose. But it was not a fake kiss. It was real and it was wonderful. Barbara wanted to kiss him, her actions were not staged and he wanted to kiss her for eternity.

Stuart had enjoyed the way they hammed it up but watching them he knew what was happening between them was real and new. He was happy that he had been the catalyst for bringing them together but he knew he would pay for it later. He had enough sense to signal for the curtains to close.

Winston smiled up at them but thought they were just hamming it up for the panto. The DI and Sergeant would never really kiss each other and especially not in public. This was just for show and he saw his chance for a comic ending. He rolled away out of sight then found the fire bucket. He raced back on stage and threw the water over them as you might two randy dogs in the street. "Nya ha ha!" The audience roared with laughter.

After a brief, shocked splutter Tommy and Barbara resumed kissing. Stuart gestured to the boy to hurry and the curtain finally came across the stage. When it opened again for their curtain call Tommy and Barbara were still kissing. They waved to acknowledge the audience but never took their lips from the other.

"Wonderful!" Dorothy said as she came on stage to congratulate them all. "Funny and convincing. That last bit was priceless." She glanced across at her son. He had finally stopped trying to devour poor Barbara but they were still arm in arm. Their eyes had a soft light that she had never seen before and she was delighted for them. "Everyone out of your costumes. We have thirty minutes to be down by the harbour for the fireworks." She shepherded Winston and Stuart ahead of her as she headed off stage.

Tommy did not want to change, watch fireworks or do anything except take Barbara back to the house. They had a lot of things to talk about and he rather hoped they might start the new year the way he intended to finish it - in his bed, making love. Barbara pulled away and they peeled apart slowly, hesitating until just the tips of their fingers touched. "Hurry," he whispered, "I can't bear to be apart."

"Really?"

"Do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you? Make love to you?"

"You do?"

Tommy came closer and brush some hair from her face. "You thought that was acting?"

"No, I just...us? I mean...I don't just want to be a conquest Sir."

Tommy's face and heart fell. "I thought you knew me better than that Barbara." He pushed past her and stormed to the male dressing area.

Barbara could have kicked herself so she kicked the bucket on the stage instead. It clanged noisily as it rolled away. "What are you so scared of?" she asked herself.

"That it will last and you'll be happy."

Barbara jumped at the sound of Dorothy's voice. "Sorry I didn't know you were there. I think I'm scared it won't last and I'll lose him."

"No, you won't lose him. Neither of you are used to happiness. You exist, you manage and you survive but only with each other there. Now together you can live; you can have someone love you; you can love them; you can be happy. You just need to believe you deserve it."

"She does deserve it."

The women turned to see Tommy standing at the edge of the stage. He had changed into jeans and a light blue shirt. Dorothy hurried off the other side leaving them alone.

"I'm sorry," Barbara said slowly, unable to look at him.

Tommy came over and took her in his arms. He softly kissed the top of her head. "Don't be. Mother's right, we're dependent on each other and neither of us want to lose that. That's why you must know you'd never be a conquest. I came back to tell you that. I do want to make love to you but in our own time. This is not about sex Barbara, it's about love. I love you and I meant what I said on stage, I want us to spend our lives together."

"We already are."

Tommy cuddled her closer. "Hmm, I was thinking it should be legal and maybe we should share our love a little; expand the family."

Barbara smiled into his chest. "You mean buy a dog or something?"

"Maybe two dogs or more," he replied, "one for each of our children perhaps."

"You've kissed me for five minutes and now we're having multiple children together?"

Tommy nibbled her neck and was rewarded with just the wriggling delight he had hoped to elicit. "Not yet, there's one or two things that have to happen first."

"You know, I should be petrified but I'm not. I love you Lion-Rabbit," she said affectionately. He frowned. "Well you're not Bradley and I can't call you Sir or Lord Asherton now." So much had happened today but Barbara was relieved. Finally she did not have to hide her feelings for him and learning they were returned made everything seem possible, even a house full of dogs and children.

"I'll take Lion-Rabbit but it might sound a bit strange to the vicar. Maybe we could settle on, I don't know...a more common name, say...Tommy?"

She laughed softly and shook her head. "Maybe. I love you...Tommy." Her sincere tone melted any residual doubts or concerns. He would never be sure who initiated the kiss but he would never forget it. There was no lust, just two bodies expressing a seemingly bottomless love for the other; a kiss that confessed understanding and respect; commitment and patience.

In the end they had scurried to the harbour just in time for him to make his speech thanking the town for the year past and wishing them success for then next year. Barbara stood beside Stuart and Winston, still in her costume. After his speech he possessively held her to his chest and rested his chin on her shoulder as they watched the fireworks. "I can't wait the three hours until next year," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Because that's the year we'll be married and hopefully have our first puppy." Her mouth fell open in shock or protest so he covered it with a kiss.

Just before midnight Dorothy took fresh drinks to Winston and Stuart as they stood on the lawn gazing up at the clear, starry night. "Bit different to London," Winston said.

"Yes but very peaceful away from the crowds and countdowns," she replied, "where are Tommy and Barbara?"

Stuart jerked his thumb in the direction if the house. "Up there."

They all turned. In the window of Tommy's bedroom the couple were silhouetted behind the curtain. "They're still kissing!" Winston exclaimed. "I still can't believe it. They fight all the time and..."

"You've never felt the tension between them?" Stuart asked.

"Well yeah, I guess it has been overdue."

They watched as the shadows slowly undressed and moved away from the window. "Well we know where the fireworks are at Howenstowe," Stuart quipped.

Dorothy smiled. "At last!" She glanced at her watch. "Oh look, midnight. Happy New Year everyone!"

Note: I had planned to finish this weeks ago to be more time appropriate but reality intervened.