Chapter 6

Tommy woke up first wondering where he was but then remembering the last day and night and also feeling Barbara cuddled up beside him.

He could feel her steady breath ion his chest which made him smile. She really fitted perfectly in his arms and what was more it felt so right having her there.

He allowed himself a few more minutes of this pleasure of simply holding her before opening his eyes and looking at the watch.

It was nearly 8 am so they had been asleep for approximately 6 hours. Tommy couldn´t remember the last night he slept 6 hours without waking.

He got up carefully without waking Barbara and went to the kitchen and phoned Winston.

"N´Kata!"

"Morning Winston, how did the questioning go?" Tommy asked.

"Good morning Sir. It went rather well. I don´t know exactly what I did but after 2 hours he broke in and confessed everything. So now I only have to write the report for you to sign," Winston answered quite pleased with himself.

"Oh, that is great. Congratulations! I knew you would do great if you got the chance. Seeing that the case is closed I think there is no need for Sergeant Havers and me to come in today."

"How is Barbara by the way, Sir? I think she could do with a relaxing weekend," Winston sounded concerned.

"She is still asleep but okay so far. As the side-effects of the painkillers can occur up to 24 hours after taking them I am up to my promise to stay with her until they are over. It´s still possible some happen and then she shouldn´t be alone the doctor said. So finish the report and also take the day off, Winston. I will inform Hillier now. Have a nice weekend and see you Monday." Tommy tried ot sound as professional as possible.

"Okay, Sir. Please give my best wishes to Barbara and take good care of her. Have a relaxing weekend too and see you Monday." With that Winston ended the call.

Quite pleased that there weren´t any smug comments Tommy called Hillier to inform him and then searched Barbara´s kitchen for something to eat.

He knew from the beginning that it was a hopeless search. He only found instant coffee, toast and jam. Not really surprised Tommy wondered if she ever ate something else at home.

Knowing that there was a small supermarket nearby he wrote a note for Barbara placed it beside her and went to buy some essentials. When he came back 20 minutes later she was still fast asleep so he went to the kitchen and made some coffee first.

Barbara woke up feeling more dizzy and sick than last night. She was wondering if she had dreamed watching TV with Tommy last night and also sleeping in his arms the whole night. She had been half awake during the night feeling his arms around her but now he was definitely not here.

She opened her eyes and tried to sit up only to fall right back into the pillow as her circulation wasn´t working okay. Her head ached like hell and she felt really sick so she couldn´t suppress a moan.

Tommy was immediately at her side coming out of the kitchen: "You´re okay, Barbara?"

"Morning, Sir! Not quite, my head feels like a brass band is marching through it and I´m in desperate need for the bathroom," Barbara answered slowly.

Tommy helped her up carefully: "That´s what the doc said could happen. So let me help you to the bathroom." They made it there and then Tommy left her to have some privacy but was waiting in front of the door. He could hear her throwing up and tried to remember what the doctor said he should do in this case.

When he hadn´t heard any sound for a few minutes he entered the room again. Barbara was sitting on the rim of the bathtub looking dreadful.

"You´re okay, Barbara?" he asked again. "Good that I haven´t eaten yesterday evening, made it not that gross," she tried to joke getting up only to sit down again as her head felt like it wanted to burst.

Tommy took a washcloth made it wet and putting one hand carefully on her back the steady her he cooled her face with it. Then he just lifted her up slowly in his arms and carried her back to her bed.

There he placed the cool washcloth on her forehead trying to ease away her headache a bit. Noticing that she also started to shiver he covered her with the duvet again.

He let her sleep for another hour in which he was busy packing a bag for her.

He would take her with him to his house when she woke up again. It would be easier for him to take care of her there knowing his kitchen and what was in it. Also he was in desperate need of fresh clothes and shaving himself.

So when he told her when she woke up he was surprised that Barbara wasn´t objecting much a sure sign that she wasn´t feeling well at all. The only thing she said was: "Sir, I´m sure you don´t want me throwing up in your car." That was so Barbara-like it made him smile. "Don´t worry, you get a bucket for the way," he said briskly.

They made it to his car faster than he had thought. He drove carefully through town trying to avoid any hectic moves with the car. Shortly before they arrived at his house he saw a drugstore and stopped remembering some things the doc said would be helpful.

"I am back in a few minutes," he said and went into the Boots. He got a stick against headaches with peppermint and lavender oil, some cool-packs as the one he had at home wouldn´t be enough and some herbal infusions to ease off the sickness.

On his way to the cashpoint something caught his eye and on a whim he took that too.

Barbara was sitting in the car eyes closed hoping they would be there soon. Why had she agreed to this change of location but then thinking about Lynley´s comfortable sofa or spare-room bed which she both had used already before she knew why. Luckily the sick feeling was better but the headache was still there and she felt rather cold.

Tommy came back within a few minutes as promised and soon they arrived at this house.

Tommy brought her in to the sofa and made her comfortable lying down there. He got her a rug first and then went to fetch her bag and his shopping bag.

Back in the kitchen he put the kettle on and then went back to Barbara. He put a bit of the peppermint-lavender-oil on her forehead and then put a cool-pack there. "Ouch, that´s cold," Barbara objected and started to shiver again. She tried to put the cool-pack away but Tommy stopped her: "Don´t, it will help with the headache as you are not allowed to take any painkillers at the moment."

"But it makes me cold all over," Barbara complaint. Tommy went back to the kitchen and came back quickly. "That´s why I bought you something," he said giving her a smile and holding something lilac-blue and fluffy in front of her.

Barbara opened her eyes and looked confused at the Eeyore Tommy was holding. "You bought me a stuffed toy?" Tommy smiled his special just-for-Barbara-smile. "It´s not just a toy," and with that he put it in her arms. It felt wonderfully warm as it had a hot-water-bottle inside and Barbara sighed: "Thanks, Sir, this is just what I need." She closed her eyes and was asleep in a few minutes again.

Pleased with himself Tommy went to shower and shave. Dressed in his comfortable jeans and a plain t-shirt he went back to the kitchen to make some chicken-soup. Comfort food as his grandmother had called it. He remembered that he got ill with a bad cold when visiting his grandparents and his grandma´s soup helped him to recover.

He had loved spending time at his grandparents although they died when he was about 10 years old. It was less formal than home there and his grandparents had shown their love to each other quite openly.

There had always been laughter in their house. He remembered that he had always hoped that his home would be like that too. It hadn´t worked with Helen but somehow he was sure it could work with Barbara.

So when the soup was ready he went to check on Barbara. She was still asleep so he changed the cool-pack in her forehead and then started to do some work for the Estate on the computer, checking mails and information his mother had sent him. He sat at the dining table so he could also have an eye on Barbara.

A/N: Again it took longer than I hoped to write the next chapter, sorry for that. But thanks for all the nice reviews and comments via pm to help me to go on.