Authors Note: Two chapters left of this so I suppose the time is right for more Robbie/Jackie talks :) Sorry I haven't been writing much recently, real life and stuff has got in the way. Anyway it's summer now so I hope to be writing quite a bit and I have missed chatting to all you as much as we used to! :(

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this, except Dave and any other ones you don't recognise.

Built Up Walls

Robbie honestly had no idea how to feel about his situation with Jackie, he didn't know what to make of her mixed signals. Being with her over the years had always been some of the best times he had had but to admit that he loved her would be a serious mistake because it had the ability to destroy everything they had grown to have between them. As he approached their shared room he still was worrying about what might happen if he accidentally let anything about the past couple of days slip out of his mouth.

He walked in to see Jackie sitting on her bed with her knees brought up to her chest and a book in front of her. She was already in the top and cottons that she had been chilling out in since they got here and looked as cute as Robbie had ever seen her. It was obvious that she wasn't taking in a single word of what the book said but he wasn't sure if that was because he had just entered the room or because she had been thinking for even longer. Robbie walked around the room, desperately trying to find something to entertain himself with. Damn not being allowed any kind of technology, even texting random ex flings would be better than this.

Jackie couldn't take the tension any longer so closed the book and sat it down on the table in between the two beds, "Look I know we said that we would forget it but I can't."

Robbie smirked a little at the little patience she had considering he had only been in the room for four minutes. "Good because neither can I."

He slowly got up onto her bed and crossed his legs just in front of her. Neither of them knew if they were actually able to speak so sat staring into the other's eyes for minutes until he began to see hers flicker with someting he had only seen a small number of times from the woman in front of him. Fear. She was terrified of what she was seeing in the dark abyss of his eyes.

"I'm scared Robbie, I don't know if I can fall hook, line and sinker for another guy, especially you because I know what you're capable of."

"Jackie, I would never hurt you. You should know that by now."

"You say that but you haven't watched you break all those women's hearts like I have."

"No because I've been the one bloody breaking them. Do you remeber what I said on our last night, about loving someone so much? Yeah, well, that girl was you. Even when you're pissing me off as much as you are now you are the one person I care about more than anyone else."

"I know," she sighed. She had always known deep down how he felt about her but had never dared approach the subject. "I know but I don't want to. You've said you have been in love with some women before like this, and I understand that you want to make out to be more into me but you are always this in love with some tart or other, and I know I can't shape up to any of them."

He gently ran the side of his thumb down her cheek and although she couldn't accept what he was saying she couldn't resist melting into his touch. "Jackie you're all I ever want. I've messed up in the past, especially when it's involving you but I can't bear to be without you - even if it's just on a platonic level."

"Can you give me the night to think about it, I promise I'll have an answer some time tomorrow."

"Yeah. Just make sure you do think about it. If you don't want to give us a shot then I'll accept it but I do think it can work."

Jackie silently nodded as Robbie stood up off her bed. He wanted to kiss her forhead or in the very least tell her that if she said no then everything would be okay, though he knew if she rejected the offer then they would never be the same again, but instead he seetled for squeezing her shoulder before he went to have a shower.

By the time Robbie got down to breakfast the next morning the other three were almost finished. Jackie avoided looking at him for the most part but couldn't resist having a few moments of staring at him; it was a habit she had grown used to and didn't intend for it to stop even if it was causing problems between them. Robbie caught her eye a couple of times which made the electricity that was already coursing between them grow ten-fold in intensity. Before they got the chance to actually talk alone, Dave came sauntering over to the table, announcing they had fifteen minutes to finish up so they were in time for the wall climbing to begin.

After Robbie had finished his slice of toast they headed over to the tallest building in the grounds and when they entered they saw the handgrips up the wall. Each of their mouths dropped open when they gazed upwards: the wall seemed to carry on forever with no pauses.

A few moments later and soem more of the centre workers came to help them with the gear and to give them some tips on how to succeed in overcoming the wall. They already knew Matt was refusing to do the climbing but now it seemed as though Stuart was now going to bail as well, "There is no way I'm climbing that!"

"Stuart, come on, it's not high at all." Robbie said with his cocky smile.

"It is so Robbie."

Jackie piped in at this point, "I'm agreeing with Stuart, there's reasonably high and then there's this."

"Jackie, are you scared of heights?"

"No. Well not always. But this wall is ridiculous."

"It's okay doll I'll be down here to rescue you if you fall." The response Jackie gave was one of her well practised eye-rolls as she got harnessed up,

"Get a move on then Ross, you aren't scared, are you?"

"No way Jacks. Just making sure you were okay." In fact Robbie was actually pretty terrified of the height that lay in front of them but he had grown accustomed to putting on the bravado in front of the other three so much that it came naturally, almost. Jackie could see in his eyes that there was a little apprehension of what was coming next but she just smirked and got ready to attempt to beat Robbie.

Three and a half minutes later and they were both back on solid ground; Jackie with a smug grin on her face and Robbie looking completely broken after losing to her.

"Well that was simple. I thought you weren't scared?" All three had watched as Robbie got hesitant nearer the top of the wall, just before Jackie hit the ceiling.

"You got a headstart and I let you win."

Burke stood up for Jackie at this point by telling the truth, "No she didn't Robbie. Face it, Jackie beat you completely fairly."

As Robbie and Jackie began to take off their harnesses and things Jackie told him, "I never said I hadn't done some climbing before."

Robbie shook his head in disbelief, "So you were bluffing when you acted scared?"

"No, I have genuinely never climbed something that height but I used to be quite good."

"You devious bitch."

"You know you love me," she hadn't meant to say anything like that, it had just slipped out, and now they were standing in silence, not daring to even imagine what the other was thinking at this time.

To Be Continued.
Next Chapter: The team have to take part in an assault course where they have to help each other out. Robbie and Jackie face up to the topic that's been catching up on them over the past few days.