Hours later Ace and Graham are laying in her bed. Her head on his shoulder. Both of them sleepily smiling, "you sure you are ok with this?"
"I am more than sure Ace. I have been thinking about this for a few days. Since right around the first all night phone call."
She hides her face in his chest, "if everyone knew we were having regular all night conversations they would start back up with all the teasing."
"I know. I may have talked to Ryan about the teasing and butting in. I still make sure to set an alarm, so I am up before him."
"Graham, you need to try and get some sleep."
"Didn't I just wake up?"
"We both did, after exhausting the other." Graham starts to run a finger over Ace's birthmark. "What are you doing?"
"I like this birthmark?"
"The location?"
"That and it's small like you."
"Graham" Ace rolls her eyes.
"I like everything about you Ace."
"Good, because I like everything about you two Graham." She then kisses him so she doesn't correct herself saying love.
"I don't think I can do another round?"
"That's ok, I am content with kissing you, or talking to you or just laying here with my head on your chest." Graham closes the distance between them again and they share more kisses. Ace's phone goes off. "I don't want to get that."
"Then don't."
"It's Tegan's ringtone."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Ace gets up and finds her phone. "Hello Tegan," Ace sits back on the bed smiling at Graham who sits up and wraps his arms around her.
"What are you up to right now."
"I am with Graham."
"Ohh," Ace tries to hold back a blush as Graham kisses her cheek. "What shenanigans have you two been up to?"
"He has been helping me with the timers on my Nitro-999. We took a break for lunch a while ago."
"So you won't be hungry for a while."
"I wouldn't say that."
"Good, because Nyssa is getting off the phone with the Temple-Nobles and they are inviting you, Nyssa and partners to dinner tonight."
"Sure let me ask Graham."
"Ace, I was humoring you, I can hear his breathing."
"Oh."
"How close are the two of you?"
"Close," Graham starts to rub her bare back, Ace bites her lip.
"How close?"
"Tegan."
"What, come on I have to."
"No you don't," Graham whispers in Ace's ear that the phone isn't touching.
"What was that?"
"One sec," Ace turns to face Graham, "tonight the two of us along with Tegan and Nyssa are invited to a dinner with the people I told you about. How does it sound?"
"As long as we are together, I am fine with it."
"Graham," she laughs and brings her phone back to her ear, "give me the details. My boyfriend and I will be there."
"You are really annoying with him."
"Well, if you didn't butt in."
"Dorothy."
"Woa, my Christian name."
"I care about you."
"I know," Ace gets up, excuses herself and walks into her ensuite. "You know how I feel about him."
"I do."
"This is the one relationship I don't want to screw up."
"You won't. I see the way he looks at you."
"Is it the way I look at him?" Ace walks around the bathroom still talking quietly, so she isn't heard and a little bit cold.
"It is, I am going to let you go and be with him. Dinner will be at 8."
"We'll be there." Ace hangs up and goes back to Graham straddles his lap and kisses him deeply. After the kiss ends Ace looks into Graham's eyes and can see so much reflected in his eyes. She goes in to kiss him again this time slow and gentle.
"Ace?"
"Yes?"
"What were you and Tegan talking about that brought this on?"
"That I shouldn't be afraid to tell you my full feelings. She sees the way you look at me. It's the same way I look at you."
"So good?"
"More than good," she smiles, "I would tell you, but I feel like this isn't an appropriate time. We also might want to start thinking of getting ready for dinner with the Temple-Nobles and Tegan and Nyssa."
"When is it?"
"8 o'clock."
"So I should get back home to change."
"First I think you should shower."
"Do I smell?"
"Not to me, though I don't know if Ryan would appreciate you smelling like sex."
"Probably not. Want to go in first, that way when I am showering you can get dressed and while you are showering, I can call Ryan and tell him that you and I will be swinging by."
"Not together?"
"Ace," he moans.
"I see, or I feel. I am going now. You call your Grandson." Ace gets up and walks back to her ensuite and starts the water. As she gets in, Graham starts his call.
"Hey Ryan."
"What's up?"
"Ace and I are going to swing by in a bit, so I can get a change of clothes. We are meeting some potential donors."
"Just you two?"
"No, Tegan and Nyssa too."
"You and Ace are getting serious, if you are meeting potential donors."
"Is that a problem?"
"No, it's good to see you happy. I have said that Nan would want you to be happy."
"She would."
"Why are you telling me that you and Ace are stopping by?"
"It is your place too, I just wanted to tell you."
"See you soon Graham."
"See you Ryan." Graham hangs up the phone and hears Ace's voice coming from the bathroom with the water still running; he assumes she is singing. Getting up he moves closer to hear what she is singing. He recognizes the song as This Crazy Thing Called Love from Queen.
'This thing called love
I just can't handle it
This thing called love
I must get 'round to it
I ain't ready
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh)
Crazy little thing called love'
"Is Ace in love with me?"
'Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah
Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah'
A few minutes later Ace exits out of the bathroom, her hair up in a towel. "Your turn."
"You have an amazing voice."
"You heard me singing?"
"I did," Graham goes into the bathroom and turns on the water while Ace stands there for a second panicking.
'Did he hear that I love him.' Ace goes to her large walk in closet and picks out a nice blue blouse and a nice skirt that goes with it. After Graham gets out he makes sure his hair is dried before exiting the bathroom and stops short.
"You look amazing Ace."
"Thank you. Are you ready to head over to your flat, so you can find a different shirt?"
"I was also thinking of changing my pants."
"So, I will be sitting out talking to Ryan."
"Is that ok with you?"
"It is more than ok," she goes up to him and pecks him on the cheek. They walk out of her room and out of the house then get into Graham's car.
When they arrive at Graham's walking hand in hand after opening up the door, Ryan sees it and smiles at it. Ace joins Ryan on the couch as Graham goes to his bedroom. "How are you two doing?"
A smile growing on her face, Ace replies, "great."
"I am glad, I haven't seen him this happy in years."
"I like that I can make him happy."
"He also makes you happy?"
"More than words can begin to explain."
"You love him, don't you?"
"I haven't told him yet."
"How long?"
"Before everything happened a few months ago."
"You were just waiting for him to be ready?"
"Ryan," Ace turns to face him, "the things that are the most important are worth the wait."
"I know." Graham comes out of the room.
"How do I look," he walks closer to them.
Ace giving him a once over, "amazing.''
"Good, I was thinking on the way to dinner, we stop off and buy flowers for Mrs. Temple-Noble." Ryan's eyes go wide remembering something the Doctor once mentioned about one of their old friends. Ace and Graham leave after saying goodbye to Ryan.
