Chapter Twenty seven
They didn't want to lie back on the dusty bed to dry so instead and rather bizarrely they poked around the main bedroom and it's en suite until they were dry enough to get back in to their clothes.
"It's plenty big enough for us." observed John
"Yes it's a good size and we are close to Mum and Dad but separate as well."
"Being close is important to you isn't it?"
"Yeah, for so long it was Mum and I against the world and then I left… Well I'm back now, and I've never had a Dad and now I do and a baby brother to boot, and a fiancé and I want you all near me. Is that selfish? John what do you want?"
"I want whatever makes you happy and I've not done any of this before, none of it so it's all new to me."
"If you aren't happy you will tell me won't you?"
"Of course I will and what will make me very happy now is to get that licence we need and arrange the travel we need to do."
Rose nodded and extended her hand to him,
"I'll just collect my bag and then I'll drive us."
Jackie saw them leaving and told them that the cleaners would go right through the wing that day and the next. Rose didn't mention their going away; she wanted to have the details to hand and present it as a fait accompli. That way there were less likely to be questions and if John was right they would only need a day, two at the most, so it shouldn't impact too much on any planning.
They were able to collect documentation for John as Pete had promised by 11am. He now had a birth certificate and passport and a provisional photo driving licence all in the very original name of John Smith and he joked that the name suited him perfectly.
"What do you mean?" Rose asked him.
"Well I'm not very original either am I? I'm a duplicate a carbon copy and even carbon based."
"Don't say that John. I prefer to think of you as…. As a twin."
"Twins eh?" and he waggled his eyebrows.
Rose rolled her eyes at him,
"Yes a twin and no I don't want or need the other thank you very much."
John still wasn't quite so sure about that but he kept is doubts to himself that was what this trip was all about anyway. He wondered if Pete had realised the passport would be tested so soon.
Rose was adamant that she didn't want to use Torchwood for their travel plans. It wasn't that she was going to hide what they were doing from Pete and Jackie but she didn't need to broadcast it and as such they chose a small and independent travel agent to handle their travel requirements. They could leave the next day and arrive home the day after. A hotel room was booked and all they had to do now was go home, pack and tell Jackie and Pete of their plans.
A license had been as easy to arrange as the travel, they could collect it in 10 days time leaving them free to marry whenever and wherever they chose thereafter; so long as the marriage was witnessed and registered all would be legal and well.
-
Back at the mansion Rose was nervous and pacing. They had each packed an overnight bag and Rose was trying to work out what to say at dinner.
"Just tell them we are having a night away to relax." suggested John.
"Mum won't like that she will think I mean a night away from her."
"How about you say a night before wedding preparations mean we are too busy?"
"That might work."
"Or we could tell them the truth?"
"That will start a whole other conversation off. I'll try the 'just a night away before we get stuck in line' and see if that works."
"Are you ready?"
She looked at her wrist watch and nodded.
"It's diner time at least if we aren't late they won't be in a bad mood straight away."
John caught her hand and pulled her to him,
"All we are doing is trying to find you a… a door to close."
"You mean closure? How very *politically correct.*"
"No I mean you need to say goodbye… properly. Otherwise I'm worried he will always hang over us like a dark, threatening cloud."
"The Oncoming Storm?"
"Quite. I couldn't have expressed it better."
"It's what…"
"It's what his enemies refer to him as… I know."
"Is it all really up there?" she indicated his head.
He nodded.
"How does that feel?"
"Molto bene… It feels better than it did before."
"Does it still hurt?"
"A little when I am tired but sleep takes care of that. Come on we'll be late."
"I feel like I'm about to be fed to the lions."
"I'm right beside you and I won't let anything eat you."
Rose sighed heavily, took John's hand and left the safety of the room to walk to dinner.
Dinner was fine. Jackie accepted Rose's story but John hadn't missed the furtive glances she kept shooting at Pete and he wondered if Pete was in for an evening of complaints from his wife. After all if Pete had not supplied him with a passport that very morning he couldn't be going anywhere, and the chances were high that if he didn't have the means to travel then Rose wouldn't be going away either.
They left as soon as they had helped to clear away and it was clear that Rose was very relieved to be away from them both.
"Are you sure you want to live so close by?" John teased.
"Yes I am but don't ask me to tell Mum I'm leaving her with a wedding to plan in two weeks and taking off for a night at the start of it again."
"I only intend marrying once Rose."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way. Maybe I should shut up and go to bed before I say anything else I shouldn't."
John rubbed her shoulders and felt how tense she still was. "You're tense." She shrugged and winced at the knots that action had revealed to her, "Yeah I am."
"Lie down and let me see if I can help with that."
She allowed him to lead her to the bed and before she lay down she lifted her t shirt over her head and then she lay on her stomach with her head turned towards him and with her eyes fixed unblinking on his taut and muscular body.