After a long day at school, Graham walks in with flowers for Ace. "Tegan, Nyssa, where's Ace?"
"Bedroom, she complained about not feeling well," replies Nyssa. He doesn't say anything; with flowers in hand he heads to the bedroom. When he opens the door lights are off and he swears Ace is asleep.
"Graham," he hears his name from the bed.
"I hear you're not feeling well." He sets the flowers down.
"No, I think it's the tuna I had for lunch," she sits up as he walks to her side of the bed, flowers forgotten on his dresser.
"Anything else," he feels her forehead, "you're not running a temperature, so that's good."
"I feel like I should be, what's that smell?"
"Me?"
"No your smell I always like, it's a new smell."
"One of the clubs was selling flowers, and I thought you would like some."
"I love you," he sits next to her and she lays her head on his shoulder. "You didn't need to get me flowers."
"You've been more tired this week and this time of month when you don't have energy you want to be left alone. I just wanted you to have some reminder that you are loved."
"Graham, I always feel loved, well now I do," she weakly smiles before jumping up and running to the bathroom, he follows her to hold her hair.
"I don't think this is from tuna my love." One hand rubbing her back, while the other holds her hair.
"Then what could it be?"
"I don't know, is there anything I can do?"
"Put the flowers in some water and make me some sprite."
"Anything else?"
"Stay in bed with me?"
"I would love to do nothing more, hold you in my arms, rub your back, tell you silly made up stories until you fall asleep."
"Sounds lovely," she moves to get up and Graham follows suit, first going to the kitchen making a small glass of sprite, Mel corners him in the kitchen.
"What is going on?"
"Ace isn't feeling well, I'm taking care of her."
"Need help? She doesn't get sick much."
"I got it; thank you though," he sidesteps so he can go back to the bedroom, Mel watching Graham make his way into his room that he shares with Ace.
She goes to the living room where Tegan and Nyssa are talking. "Ace really isn't feeling well." Mel sits on the chair to the left of the couch.
"She's an adult with a boyfriend that loves her deeply, she'll be ok, he'll make sure she is taken care of." Nyssa polity tells Mel.
"I'm her sister though, if something is wrong."
"Mel," Nyssa turns to face her friend, "if it was major he would tell you. It's probably just a small bug and they are keeping their distance."
After Ace finishes her sprite she curls into Graham's arms as he rubs her back. "So tell me a story."
"There once was this alien called the Doctor, they could change their bodies when they were about to die."
"How?"
"Through a process called, um regeneration. While in their 7th body, they meet this teenager who is working on a planet that is not her home."
"Why isn't it?"
"She's being used as a pawn in a game, she thinks the reason she was swept away was because of her little explosives that register a 9 on the Richter scale." A soft chuckle comes from his chest. "When the two meet the Doctor is traveling with a redhead who has this ear-piercing scream. The two meet up with this older man, who the girl just doesn't like. Throughout the first meeting she and the man keep arguing until the redhead goes off with him and says she will change him."
"Does she?"
"We don't know, the Doctor won't see her again until decades later. The teenager starts traveling with the Doctor, she calls Professor and always will unless she is in danger or in any type of pain. The two become best friends and travel together for over 10 years. They meet aliens, her long lost brother, and," he feels her breathing even out as she falls asleep. "One day will meet a man who falls for her fiery attitude right away. I love you." He loosens his hold on her and tries to stay awake in case she needs him if she wakes up.
….
The following Thursday, Mel, Tegan and Nyssa go out for a girls night while Ace stays home with Graham as she isn't feeling well again. "Don't cancel your movie night with Dan," she tells Graham while standing in the kitchen reaching for some saltines.
"But."
"Graham, he's your best mate. I'll be in the bedroom."
"He won't mind you sitting on the couch with me."
"Does he know I'm not feeling like myself?"
"He does, but not that it's been almost every day for a week. With finals finishing up he will think it's because you are just stressed."
"That's it!"
"What?"
"It's because of finals why I'm like this," she pulls his face towards hers and kisses him quick and hard. "You are brilliant!" She makes her way to the bedroom as he shakes his head, getting a feeling in his gut that he pushes to the side as Dan knocks on the door.
"Are you getting that Babe," she shouts from the bedroom.
"Dan, how're you doing?"
"Good, just took my last final, you?"
"Fine, Ace didn't go out; she was feeling stressed about her final tomorrow, and wanted to turn in at a decent time tonight."
"Does she want to join us for pizza?"
"I'm sure she won't say no to the pizza," Ace comes out wearing one of Graham's oversized shirts and some sweats. "Ace, pizza?"
"I can eat," she sits down as the two men talk and order pizza.
Two hours later Ace has her head on Graham's shoulder as the three watch some movie she isn't paying attention to, she's just listening to Graham's heartbeat and steady breathing as she falls asleep.
"Are you sure it's just finals keeping her like this," Dan asks Graham, pausing the movie.
"Yeah, I'm sure, do you want to keep watching? She can sleep like a rock sometimes." As the movie continues Graham's mind moves to how Ace has been the past week, well past few weeks, sick and tired all the time. He doesn't realize the movie is over until Dan calls his name. "Huh what?"
"Are you sure everything is ok?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Nothing, I'm going to go," Dan walks out, Graham picks up Ace and carries her to bed, locks the front door after making sure she is comfortable. Knowing her last final is tomorrow, they will make the 2 hour drive back to her home after she is done; forced to either stay at his or her parent's house. She picked hers this time.
….
The following day the Ace rushes back after completing her last final to find Graham packing his bag. "Really waiting for the last moment aren't you?"
"Just the last few things, how was your final," he turns to face her and smiles.
"Long, glad it's done and we get a few weeks off."
"Most of which we will be spending with your family."
"Have any issues with that?"
"No, just that with how you have been feeling lately, we will be getting questions."
"Like what kind," she puts her hands on her hips, Graham knowing when to shut up doesn't respond. "Graham?" There is a knock on their bedroom door.
"Are you two ready, we should only take one car; we are only going to one place."
"She saved you this time, if you bring that up again though; we will finish this, understood?"
"Understood," he tries to give her a kiss but she turns her head. He knows he shouldn't have said that. He grabs his bag and moves to grab Ace's.
"I can take my own," she snaps it from him and they head out, she does decide to sit next to him in case she falls asleep. "Don't think this means I am happy with you," she whispers.
"I know." About halfway through the drive she leans her head on his shoulder and as she succumbs to an uneasy slumber. Not happy with Graham, but knowing with him right there she will be safe sleeping.
"What's up with her," whispers Mel.
"She's tired."
"And has been getting sick more often. That's what you two were fighting about earlier," he diverts eyes to make sure she couldn't see the panic in his eyes that she heard them fighting back at home.
"Couples fight."
"Yeah, but you two don't do it often."
"We understand each other, sometimes we walk away before anything can get heated and come back and talk it over rationally; with calm heads."
"Graham, are two in trouble."
"No, we still love each other and want to spend forever together. Nothing can tear us apart. Ace will always be my one and only." Mel knows something more is up but can't put her finger on it.
A little over an hour later, "Ace you might want to wake up, we should be there soon," he says, kissing her lightly on the side of the head.
"Huh," she says, slowly waking up.
"We will be home any minute," he smiles at her lovingly.
"Great."
"What you don't want to see Mom and Dad," says Mel from the driver's seat.
"Mel, don't start," Graham warns her. He knows the talk the two of them had.
"I will start, Ace, you have been sleeping a lot; I think the two of you are hiding something ever since you came back from school early sick."
"Melanie."
"Dorothy, I am your sister."
"And nothing is wrong with me. I just took too many classes this semester. I'll be taking a few less classes next." Mel looks at Graham through the mirror who doesn't meet her eyes.
"You have only been like this for the past few weeks. Did something happen between you two?"
"MELANIE," Ace looks at Graham.
"She heard our fight before we left."
"Mel, we rarely fight, but when we do it is heated, though this one wasn't on his part."
"Why is that," Mel wants to get between the argument to see if she can figure out what is going on.
"What we argued will not be repeated around others, now focus on driving," Ace tells Mel. She turns to face Graham who shakes his head. The rest of the ride is done in awkward silence.
Once the car parks Ace gets out first to hug her parents, both can tell something is up, "what's wrong," Zoe asks.
"Ace has been sick lately and sleeping a lot," Graham's eyes go wide as Mel says that, he backs up knowing how saying that affects Ace at the moment.
"Oh Sweetie," Zoe goes up to feel Ace's forehead, "you're not warm."
"Of course I'm not warm, I just had been stressing on my finals and a few 20 page papers," Ace says trying to get away from them, Graham follows her inside.
"Ace, my Love."
"Why is everyone up in my face, first my boyfriend, then my sister who tells my parents about everything." He moves closer to her, but keeping a small space.
"We all love and care about you."
"Well, can everyone please leave me alone," Liam comes as the others enter the house.
"I'll leave you alone about this, but I will not leave this relationship."
Eyes going wide, "I do not want to break up," she covers her mouth and runs to the closest bathroom; Graham follows her.
"Ace, can I hold your hair?"
"Yes," comes the muffled voice. A few minutes later they exit the bathroom to find waiting Zoe looking at them rubbing her stomach. 'What is going on with me,' Ace thinks to herself.
"Come on everyone, let them be," Zoe says, "can someone help me with dinner?"
"Zoe, you go rest, you're due in a month. Harry," Graham turns to him.
"Why to make," Liam tries to come up with a witty remark before getting cut off.
"I like to cook; I have been cooking dinner a lot lately." Graham glares at Liam as Ace holds her stomach again.
"He's a wonderful cook, and has been making some wonderful food."
…
Later that night Graham is walking out of the room he and Ace are staying in, he is stopped by Zoe. "How is she?"
"Ace?"
"Yes, my daughter that you love and can't spend one night without."
"She's doing better, I was about to get her something to drink."
"She's not sleeping?"
"Not really."
"I'll come with you," the two make their way down to the kitchen, "Graham, I wanted to ask you something?"
"If it's about Ace, I won't answer. She's already not happy with me."
"It's not that, but it isn't a good idea to go to bed angry."
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you."
"I have something else, if you want to call me mom, you can."
"Okay?"
"If that's okay with you that is. I know you are going to be an official part of this family one day," she smiles at Graham, feeling the baby move.
"I'll think I do that," He grabs a cup and fills it with water, "night."
He heads back up and into the room putting the glass next to Ace's side before going over to his side and laying down.
A few minutes later, "Graham?"
"Hmm."
"I still can't sleep."
"Ever since we've been sleeping in the same bed we have always at least been holding hands." Graham turns, "Can I touch you?"
"Yes," he puts one arm over her, finding her hand splayed out on the sheets and locks his fingers around hers. "This is nice."
"I agree, your mom said I could call her mom. Is that ok with you?"
"Why wouldn't it be? I love you, we know that we will be together until our dying days." A short time later they both fall asleep.