"Hello?" Miranda answered her phone, voice shaking.

"Miranda! Oh thank goodness! Are you alright?" His smooth voice replied. Air filled Miranda's lungs as Gary's words hit her. She forgot about all her cares in the world. They stopped when she heard him speak to her.

"Gary" she whispered. "I'm fine. Why are you ringing at this hour of the night?" Miranda hated lying to him, but she didn't want him to know the truth.

"I was just calling to see how you are and how everything is back there. So, how was your day?"

"Oh good! The shop was busy today, so I had my hands full there. Didn't see mum or Tilly today and thank goodness" her voice turned high-pitch as she lied. Gary knew her better than she realised. "What's your cooking course like?"

"Yeah, yeah good. Really full-on, though. Great teacher and I'm learning heaps"

"That's great, Gary. You'll be glad you've got another week then" Miranda sighed.

"I guess, but I miss you. This first week has felt like a century. It's gone so slow" Gary whined.

"That's how I've felt as well"

Silence fell on the phone. Realisation hit Miranda that this second week was going to feel like another eternity. Tears dripped from her eyes and she was glad Gary couldn't see her right then. She was crying so much today.

"Miranda. Are you really alright?" Gary broke the silence.

"What? Yes, I'm fine. I'm a big girl Gary" She teased.

"You really are a terrible liar" He chuckled.

"Ok FINE! I've had a really bad day! Work was boring, mum and Tilly don't listen, it rained all day, had a nightmare and I JUST REALLY MISS YOU!" Miranda let it all out. She didn't think through what she was going to say, it just slipped off her tongue.

Gary sniffed on the other end. "Miranda, I miss you too. More than you know. I just thought you should know that and that you shouldn't let this one day wear you down. You're much stronger than you realise. Have a fresh start tomorrow, and before you know it, we'll be together again. Alright?"

Miranda took a deep breath, letting Gary's sensible advice soothe her. "You're right. I'll wake-up, have a shower, go for a walk and call into the restaurant and have club sandwich for lunch"

"Sounds like a good plan! And I'll call Clive and make sure there's another lot of lasagna ready for your lunch" Gary laughed.

Miranda was really enjoying talking to Gary. Even though she couldn't see him, she still felt his comfort that he seemed to radiate. Part of her had a burning desire to have him back home, part of her had to stay strong for him. She couldn't bear the thought of him leaving his course (which he really seemed to be enjoying) just because she had a day that wasn't quite according to plan. She knew herself that she was a terrible liar, but she tried her best to mask her voice.

"So, how's the weather in Card-" A short quick rapping on the door cut Miranda off. "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE BLOODY KIDDING ME!" Miranda lost her cool and blew. "Oh, sorry Gary. Someone's at the door. Don't know who would be here at 10 at night". She reluctantly left the comfort of her couch and plodded over to the door, phone still to her ear.

She opened the door, a strange warm breeze blew into the flat. "Look, I don't know who you are kind sir or madam but it really is quite late and I'm-" A familiar chuckle made Miranda look up. It was Gary, phone still at his ear.

"I can come back tomorrow if that suits better" Gary teased.

It took a while for Miranda to process her thoughts. What? How? When? Why? Her phone fell through her hands, frozen with shock. He couldn't be here, he was supposed to be in Cardiff... For another week. Just to check that he really was there and that she wasn't dreaming, she threw herself at him.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, his wrapped around her waist. Tears ran down her face for what she was hoping would be the final time today. Salt water stained the front of his shirt as she cried into his strong, muscular chest. His face lay in her hair, he really missed the smell of her shampoo.

Gary simply held her, rocked her. He kissed the top of her head before he spoke softly.

"Miranda, I'm never far away". She had stopped crying now and was looking up at him, chin resting on his chest. Her knees felt slightly wobbly; she was exhausted and it had been a long day. Very long indeed. Feeling that Miranda was about to fall any second, Gary walked them over to the couch where he pulled Miranda onto his lap.

"Gary, " Miranda sighed into his chest "How are you here? I mean... Why... What..." Her voice trailed off and she rested her hand on his heart.

"Well, Clive called today and said you'd just been into the restaurant. He said you weren't well. Tired and hungry. Sounded to me like you we're perfectly fine, nothing different" A deep chuckle rumbled through Gary's chest as Miranda lightly slapped him. She couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Clive did say you seemed upset and not yourself and I quote: 'She didn't ask for free food' ".

"Rude"

"I was going to call you on my break at course but some idiot burnt their food on the stove so I had to help clean up. Stevie called me later on saying she was just talking to you and that you were really down, and I told her that I was on the train home. I struggled to convince her to shut up about me coming home"

Miranda laughed into his shoulder. She was struggling to keep her eyes open so she gently closed them and slowed her breathing down. Never before had she realised how tired crying could make her. Gary could feel her breathing evening out and saw that her eyes were closed so he gently placed her on the couch and quickly nipped into their room to get the duvet off their bed. Once he was back, he pulled her back onto his lap and threw the duvet over them.

Still cuddled into his shoulder and hands resting on his chest, Miranda whispered quietly to him while she was still half awake "Thank you for coming home today, Gary. I love you"

Her whispers tickled his neck and he smiled, closing his eyes too "I love you too, Miranda" he said, kissing her on her forehead.

Gary thought that Miranda was the best thing that have ever happened to him. He was so much more open with his feelings and knew that no matter how he felt about something, Miranda would be there. And he couldn't ask for much more. It was only fair and he was more than happy to return the favour.

Gary had planned on watching a little bit of telly to relax, but he was so cosy and content just sitting there watching Miranda sleep. he loved the way she would sometimes twitch or lightly snore and on the odd ocassion she would sleep talk. Wrapping his arms tighter around Miranda, it didn't take him long for sleep to find him.