Moving Out

Rory sat on the bed as she looked at the full suitcases. They had been working since that morning and Stephen had managed to pack all of his stuff in one suitcase while she had packed three. She had to borrow a suitcase from Boo and Thorpe in order to fit all of the stuff she had. She couldn't remember how it all got there in the first place. Clothes, books, photos, and other belongings filled the cases and she suddenly became very thankful that Stephen also had to take his police car so at least they had transport. That did, unfortunately, mean that they had to travel in uniform.

Boo, Callum and Freddie were also packing up things from the living room in boxes. They had been to see the new place the day after Stephen and Rory had and all had agreed that the downstairs area was the perfect place for an office. Thorpe had come by and was helping them pack the official work into his car. At least they didn't have to travel in uniform. Stephen was whistling as he transferred papers from box to box, excited to be moving. Rory was amazed at how fast they could manage it all. They only seen the flat three days ago.

Rory leant back against the pillows and glanced around the room. As excited as she was to be moving into their new home, she would miss this room and the memories it held. This was the room where she and Stephen had argued. He had hurt his head and she had freaked out. But he told her he loved her that day and that was start of everything. This was the room where they made love for the first time, both of them inexperienced and nervous but completely sure that this was what they wanted. This was the room were she and Stephen had woken from countless nightmares always to be comforted by each other. This was the room she sat in when she had phoned Jazza to tell her she was engaged and was met with excited screaming down the phone. This was the room that held so many moments of her life, good and bad, and soon it wouldn't be theirs anymore. But she smiled when she thought about how excited Freddie got when she found out she was finally going to have her own room with an actual bed.

As she thought about it, Freddie actually came into the room carrying a small pile of clothes. "Hey Rory."

Rory pulled herself out of the trance she'd put herself into. She smiled. "Hey Freddie."

"Hope you don't mind but since everything's moving round, I thought now might be a good time to move my stuff from Boo and Callum's room and put them with the rest of my stuff in here."

Rory shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Drawers are empty now except for your stuff. It's all yours." She gestured to the drawers and Freddie smiled at her before walking over. "So, are you excited? New home, just you and Stephen."

Rory grinned. "Yeah, loads. I still can't believe it's all happening." She picked up a book on the bed and thumbed through it. "Sometimes I'm scared that it's all a dream and... I'm gonna wake up and be in that house in Highgate searching for his ghost. I mean, obviously I know it's not but, still..."

Freddie shut the drawer and walked over to Rory, sitting next to her on the bed. "This is all real because of you. What you did...there's not many who could do that. In fact, I think no one else could. I admire you so much. It's impossible not to. And all of this, getting married, moving out, it's all because you were brave enough to do what others wouldn't dare to."

Rory nodded gently and sniffed. "It wasn't bravery that made me drink that crap Jane gave me. It was the knowledge that it would either take me to him or take me nowhere. I thought it might kill me. And if it killed me and there was nothing then I wouldn't be able to care. Or if it killed me and took me to Stephen, I wouldn't care because at least I'd be with him. I sat there with him, wherever it was, and I remember kissing him and thinking if this is it, that's fine, because he's here and he's safe and we're together."

"But you came back."

"We found the way back together."

"And you've been together since."

"And always will be."

"It's very romantic."

Rory laughed as she wiped her eyes dry. Freddie gave her a hug. "Smile Rory. You got him back. Everything's ok now."

Rory nodded happily. "Yeah, everything's perfect."

The door opened that minute and Stephen came in. He was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Right then. I think everything's ready to go. Are we?"

Rory nodded and stood. "We are."

Stephen smiled at her and went over to the bed to pick up his case. "I bet you're excited to get your own room Freddie."

"Gosh, yeah. I mean, it'll be weird not having you two right next door but I gotta say I'm not gonna miss the couch."

Stephen chuckled as he lifted his case from the bed and rolled it to the door. Rory looked at her three cases, trying the figure out which one to take first. She lifted the one nearest the edge and set on the floor while Freddie took another. Rory smiled her. "Thanks sweetie."

"No problem."

"Callum?" Stephen called into the living room.

"Yeah?"

"Could you come and get Rory's last case?"

She heard Callum chuckle as he made his way to the bedroom. "Sure thing."

He appeared through the door a second later and took Rory's final case with a smile. Rory thanked him and they went out into the living room, where Boo and Thorpe were holding boxes.

Stephen nodded. "Looks like a few trips to the cars."

The group murmured their agreement before leaving the flat and heading down to the cars. The official work that Callum, Boo and Freddie were transferring we're going with them in Thorpe's car while Rory and Stephens belongings were going with them in Stephens police car. Rory, Freddie and Callum pulled over Rory's three cases and Stephen loaded them into the boot next to his. Rory went back up into the flat with Boo, Callum and Freddie to get the rest of the boxes while Thorpe talked to Stephen between the cars.

In the living room, each of the four picked up a box. While Boo, Callum and Freddie made for the front door, Rory detoured to the bedroom. She stood in the open doorway looking into the room that was once theirs, now Freddie's. She thought one last time about all the memories they had made there and smiled.

It was time to move out and make some new ones.