"I love you quirky!"

And there it was; the few words that made his heart tear in two... Rose had stormed out a while back, but Gary wasn't too fused. He didn't love her; to be honest he'd say she was rather annoying.

Miranda didn't reply, instead; she let Mike kiss her.

Gary slipped out unnoticed.

He went around to the restaurant and let himself in, he threw his keys on the bar and grabbed a bottle of scotch. Sat alone.

"Where did Gary go?!" Miranda asked not long after.

"Probably chasing after Rose..." Penny started.

"Why are you always asking after him?" Mike hissed jealously.

"He's my best friend..." Miranda added.

"You're not thirteen no more, you don't need to keep texting him.."

As Mike said it Miranda had sent a text, "Where've you gone?! Mx"

"And whats with the kiss?!" Mike added.

"Whats your problem?" Miranda whispered angrily.

"Him" Mike hissed before going through to the bathroom.

Luckily non of the remaining guest figured they were having a little argument.

Miranda was left alone in her flat. Everyone had gone and Mike had left, he had work the next day.

she had a quick wash before going through to the bedroom; fretting over Gary, where did he go? The questiong kept replaying in her mind.

Miranda went to get her Pj's on.

"Oh hello..." Miranda said softly realising Chris and Alison's son was still asleep on her bed. She picked up her phone to ring Gary.

"Gary?! What times Chris and Alison coming for Jonathon?!"

"Crap... I forgot about him" with that he hung up.

Miranda looked at her phone before putting it down on the side.

within minutes there was a knock at the door, Miranda went to answer.

"Gary.. where did you go..."

He smiled as he entered her flat, he had his blue zip up hoodie on that he kept at the restaurant, the hood dangling down his back. "Yeah... sorry about that" he sighed.

"What was up?" Miranda asked flicking the kettle on.

Gary sat at the table as it was back to it's original place, he twiddled his thumbs. "I had to get away for a bit, I'm sorry..."

Miranda put a coffee in front of him.

"Thanks" he smiled taking a drink.

"Was it all that with Rose?"

Gary shook his head; "No; it was just" he sighed, "I don't know.."

"Anything I can help with?" Miranda smiled.

He shrugged, "I'm alright" he added taking another drink.

Jonathon started to cry.

Gary stood up and went through to her bedroom.

"Alright little fella? Mummy will be here soon..." He smiled picking him up.

Miranda followed him through and watched from the doorway.

Jonathon soon fell back asleep.

Gary smiled putting him back down before going back through to join Miranda at the door.

"They should be here soon..." He smiled. "I'm sorry about earlier, I'll make it up to you.."

Miranda smiled. there eyes interlocked.

The brink had once against returned.

They both slowly lent in, there lips met slowly.

Neither pulled away, it didn't feel wrong to either of them, it felt right.

Gary slowly pulled away for air; smiling at her...

Miranda curled her fingers into the his shirt before pushing him up against the door frame, snogging him.

The front door opened.

They both jumped apart, turning around, Mike stood there.

"I forgot my phone..." He gestured towards the sideboard. "Care to explain?"

Miranda and Gary both looked at each other, neither saying a word.

"Let me rephrase the question, how long has this been going on?"

"Nothing's been going on..." Gary started.

"So I walk into see you kissing my girlfriend; and you stand and deny it."

"Obviously I kissed her, but nothing else has been going on." Gary added.

"Well, make the most of it, your not seeing her again..."

"WHAT!?" Miranda and Gary added in unison.

"Your not seeing him again.."

"He's my best friend, you can't stop me!"

"Your not in charge of her!"

"I love her, that's enough.." Mike added.

"You love her?!" Gary laughed, "Sure you do, trying to ban her from seeing me, you claim that's love? You don't know the meaning of the word.."

"Oh, and you do?" Mike said defensively.

"Yeah, I do in fact, when you've been around someone for more than fithteen years. Your best friend; made you laugh, cheered you up when your down, been through so much with you. Been through so many important factors of your life. Argued with, made up with... and for the majority of that time, you've been trying to figure out how you feel..." he was speaking to Mike, but looking at Miranda at this point, "Because I love you... I love you Miranda..."

"Get out..." Mike practically shouted.

"No, Mike, you get out..." Miranda piped up.

"What, no!" Mike started.

"I'll go, I'll see you later..." Gary whispered before fastening up his hoodie and leaving.

"So where do we stand?!" Mike pleaded.

"I shouldn't have led you on, im sorry.."

"So you don't love me?" Mike whispered.

Miranda shook her head.

"it's Gary isn't it, it's always Gary. Gary, Gary, Gary!" Mike started to get wound up. "today I was offered the chance to work in Africa, but I refused it, for you, but you know what I hope I never see you again." Mike slammed out of the flat.

"Oi, Preston!"

Gary turned around, Mike's fist suddenly smashed into his face. Gary stumbled back into the wall. His hand automatically went up to his nose, it was bleeding. Gary took it, he probably deserved it; he tried to walk away.

"No you don't" Mike grabbed hold of him and smashed face forward into the wall.

Gary struggled and smashed his elbows into his ribs, punching Mike in the face.

mike shoved him back into the wall, smashing him straight into the gut winding him.

He slowly fell to the floor.

Mike started kicking at him as he tried to get back up.

"GARY!?"

Chris came running down the street. He grabbed hold of Mike by the neck and grabbed a hold of him; yanking him off of him.

Alison came running down shortly after, getting to Gary's aid.

"Go on posh boy get out of here.." Chris yelled shoving him away.

Mike started to walk, wiping the blood from his face.

Chris knelt beside Gary.

Gary couldn't fight back the few tears pricking in his eyes.

"Lets get you back, do you want to go to back to Miranda's?" Chris smiled.

Gary nodded weakly.

"come on..." Chris pulled him up and Gary swung his arm around his neck.

"I feel sick..."

And with that Gary threw up everywhere; all over the floor.

"Come on, your alright..." Chris helped him inside.

Gary was wiping the blood from his nose and head with his jumper. Holding his side in agony.

Alison ratted on Miranda's door.

Miranda answered. "He's been lovely. He's fast asleep" Miranda started.

"Come on, where nearly there..." Chris said puffing and panting as he helped Gary up the stairs.

Miranda watched on in horror as Gary was pulled up the stairs.

"What happened?!"

Gary's face was badly messed up. His head had a big lump, dribbling blood from a cut and his nose poured. His jumper and shirt were completely ruined.

Miranda helped him into the flat were he sat on a chair. She quickly grabbed clothes and tissues. "two minutes"

Gary nodded in pain.

Miranda went over to the bedroom were Chris and Alison where they were sorting Jonathon's things.

"Thanks for having him"

"No problem, what happened to him?"

"I don't know, I just saw that posh kid, Mike beating the hell out of him, his face was pretty smashed up too though, but not as bad as his." Chris added.

"thanks for getting him back to me.."

"No worries, were getting off now..."

"See you later lovely" Alison said hugging her with Jonathon before leaving.

"let me know how he is tomorrow." Chris added before kissing her cheek and leaving.

"Ow.." Gary said flinching as she wiped at his nose. He held a bag of frozen peas to his head to reduce the swelling.

"How did it start?" Miranda asked softly getting a fresh cloth.

"I was just walking home... I was only just after the restaurant... and he just hit me, I was trying to walk away but, he just" Gary didn't finish.

"Take off that hoodie and shirt, I'll put them in the wash..." Miranda said as she tided up the tissues and put them in the bin.

Gary shook his head, "It's fine.."

"You can't stay in them, come on..."

Gary smiled at her and unzipped it, handing it to her, he started to unbutton his shirt; pulling it off of his shoulders, flinching with pain.

Miranda put them in the, 'newly fixed' washing machine.

"At least there not in the dish washer" He teased putting the peas back on his head.

"I'll put them in if you want? make them crisp and fresh" she replied laughing.

"I'm fine!" he laughed.

"Hows your head?"

he removed the peas and showed her.

"your gonna have a nasty lumpy bruise there... and a lovely black eye..."

Gary groaned.

Miranda kissed it, "All better!" she smiled rubbing it in gently.

Gary smiled at stood up, limping towards the sofa. His leg was pretty smashed up too.

"Stop there a second Gary..."

He stopped and turned to face her, a confused expression his face.

"Your stomach..." Miranda nodded towards it.

Gary looked down at it, the side of it was all bruised.

"That's why it hurts.." he added sitting down on the sofa and looking at it closely.

Miranda followed, putting her feet up on the table. "Where do we stand then?"

"Where sitting?" Gary avoided the question with a supposedly funny joke.

"You know what I mean..."

"Well, what do you want to do?" He smiled. "I really want to give us a go... you know how I feel... how about you?"

Miranda kissed him.

"I think that's your answer then?" he laughed before kissing her back.

He wrapped his arm around her, flinching as his side collided with her.

She snuggled in as gently as she could.

"I think we'll skip the sex..." He whispered.

Miranda laughed, "I'm too tired!" she yawned.

Gary chuckled snuggling his face into her head, his stubble, tickling it.

"I never said, I love you too!" Miranda added kissing him.

True, the night had had some difficulties, but the conclusion was the best, even though the build up was painful...