Bill heard his bedroom door open, he inhaled the waft of bacon cooking in the kitchen.

"It's a dream, Ninj is back and she is making me breakfast!" He groaned at whoever opened the door, "Get me an Alka stat!"

Dan laughed, "Mate it's 10 am, Jilly is making the breakfast, we need to be at the ground for 11 or we will miss playing. You also need to chat to Boston. I think he and Ninj had a fight last night. He is in a bastard of a mood."

"Oh, that is a lot of information for a man in my condition to process without chemicals Deadly, Alka please." Bill opened one eye and surveyed the mayhem of his room. He had no idea how he was going to play today.

"Alka will be in the kitchen now shake a leg, Paddy." Dan backed out of the room. Mission accomplished.

Bill picked his kit up off the chair and dressed slowly not to make any sudden movements which may hasten a fall or a vomit. He carefully shuffled into the kitchen. Jilly was cooking bacon on a production line and the lads all sat stuffing their faces.

"Oh Bill, thank the good lord you are here!" Jilly smiled when she saw him. "I spoke to Heather this morning, all fine. She says to call her from the pub after you have won this afternoon. I spoke to your mother, she says not to call her until you are completely sober, so I suggested Tuesday, is that ok with you poppet?"

Bill nodded his head whilst gulping down the Alka Seltzer Dan had given him. "Anything else?"

"Yes," Jilly came over and whispered in his ear, "you might want to talk to the Yank when he has calmed down, he is in a bad way."

"Oh God!" Bill groaned, "I take it loves young dream isn't back on?"

"Indeed it is not!" David came into the kitchen, out of breath from a run. "Women! I am officially not interested in anything beyond meaningless sex ever, ever, ever again!"

Jilly and Bill exchanged glances. Bill looked at Jilly pleadingly. Jilly rolled her eyes and went over to David.

"Quite right darling! Terrible, terrible thing having sex with someone you like. Not worth it in the long run." she looked at David and saw the hurt in his face.

Jilly grabbed him and gave him a cuddle. She pulled away and looked at him.

"Now go and have a shower get ready to grapple other fine young men and chase odd shaped balls around the park. I will meet you in the pub later and we can eye up the next willing victims together. What do you say to that?"

"Sounds great," David said flatly, leaving the room to go upstairs for a shower.

"Three weeks, that is it, she will be gone and he will get better, I promise!" Jilly said out loud to no one in particular.

Later that afternoon, Jilly met Nikki and Lyn in the Stargazey for the next round of Bill's Stag Night/Weekend. Jilly brought over the bottle of wine to the table and saw the glances exchanged between Nikki and Lyn.

"Ok girls, what's up?" Jilly asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Oh, where to start." Nikki laughed, "There is some shit going on with Boston and we need to get to the bottom of it."

"Why," Jilly asked taking a drag on her cigarette, "he was perfectly heartbroken this morning when I saw him. Has he gone and topped himself or something?"

"Or something." Lyn laughed, "We went to the match today. All of the lads were so hungover. Richard had to puke on the touchline ten minutes in...," Nikki poked her in the side to keep her on track with the story, "anyway the game was between Chelsea and the Royal Free. That anaesthetist Fiona was getting off with before Boston, was on the other side..,"

Nikki interrupted, "Get to the good bit Lyn."

Jilly chuckled at them both trying to tell the tale as quickly as they could.

"All the way through the game, David and this guy were niggling each other, you know elbows and tackling a bit roughly..,"

"Then ten minutes into the second half, David and the frog get into an argument off of the ball and ...' Nikki interrupted.

"David knocks the frog out!" Bill sat down heavily in the chair next to Jilly.

"Hells teeth!" Jilly exclaimed, "laid back, never loses his temper Boston actually hit someone."

"I had to run over and stop him from killing him." Dan added kissing Nikki on the neck whilst sitting down next to her, "He was seething, shouting about toast and Red Rum, no idea, he just flipped."

"Referee sent him off, suspended for God knows how long." Richard sighed, bringing five bottles of beer with him. "He is with Emms, who for some reason, spoke to the authorities and smoothed it so that the frog won't press charges. I mean the frog went down like a sack of shit."

"Bang, good night Vienna," Bill shook his head, "I have known him for what? Nearly ten years, never seen him kill a fly. You?"

Dan and Richard both shook their heads.

"Same at Uni, not a thing, a lover not a fighter." Dan sighed.

"Boys, he is coming over, I imagine the piss taking is at normal levels?" Jilly sat up in her chair.

"Nope,' Bill shook his head, " he is VERY touchy at the moment, never seen him like this. So I for one am going to try any subject apart from France, Fiona or Rugby."

"Oh FUCK!" Nikki hissed, "Is that Suzie? Oh good grief, he hasn't has he?"

"I hope not." said Jilly flatly, "That shrew is not welcome in my company."

David sheepishly made his way to the group and looked at them all, he cleared his throat.

"Ehm, I did something really out of character today and I want to say I am really sorry. Bill man it's your thing and I have kind of ruined it."

Bill made to interrupt and David stopped him.

"No, Bill really, look you guys carry on, I am going to have lunch with Suzie," he motioned behind him to her.

The group looked at Suzie with loathing which she returned.

"I know you guys don't like her. I kind of need to be somewhere where I can sort my head out and Suzie has offered to put me up at her place for a couple of weeks until I figure all of this out. Guys have a great night." David walked over to Suzie and left.

"Bugger me!" Jilly said loudly, half of the bar turned round, she added, "Please." to a cute barman who winked at Jilly and she blew a kiss to him.

"What the hell happened last night?" Bill asked.

 "I spoke to Fiona this morning, she was seething." Nikki informed the group, "they went back to hers, had mind blowing sex and then a huge fight."

"Normally it is fighting then sex is it not?" Jilly asked.

 "Well, Fiona says the fight was about David thinking that they were back together after the sex. She told him that they weren't, he got dressed and left." Nikki added.

"I am confused" Emlyn stated, "why are they both so angry if it is over?"

"Because it isn't,' Jilly explained, "he is upset because he wants her to stay and she is frightened that he will bang someone else."

"Why doesn't she stay and they can work it out?" Emlyn asked.

"Because that would be too simple Emlyn!" Jilly laughed, "Drink up, it will make more sense when you are pissed." she winked at him and nodded towards the bar.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I have thrown up solidly for twelve hours." Fiona whimpered, "I think my tongue will crack up the middle and my head will spin round in a minute Heather."

Heather laughed, "I have boobs so big they hurt, I have to pee every hour on the hour and I am puking for two hours solidly every day."

Fiona jammed the phone under her chin as she made her way from the kitchen to her bedroom, "You have top trumped me there again Heather!"

"You have no luck! Split condom is no fun love. The morning after pill is shocking, with a hangover double shocking. Do you want to hear something super shocking?" Heather had to find a way to tell Fiona about David.

"Why not," Fiona laughed, "my life couldn't get any more shit if it tried at this point." Fiona was berating herself for succumbing to David. She felt the universe was punishing her for it with her reaction to the morning after pill.

"David knocked out that frog you are having dinner with tonight." Heather heard Fiona's intake of breath.

"Shut up! He did not!" What on earth had happened?" Fiona was taken aback. Oliver hadn't said a word about it today when he rang to confirm where to meet.

"He did! At the rugby yesterday, bang. Bill said it was scary. Then you will never guess what?" Heather was pacing the shocks for Fiona.

"Nope, I am at a loss?" She was. If Heather then told her that David was an alien she could not be more shocked.

"He has moved back in with Suzie." Heather winced as she relayed the information.

Fiona felt her stomach drop and her mouth go dry. "He did what?"

"He is staying with Suzie until he sorts his head out." Heather winced as the words left her mouth.

"What a total wanker!" Fiona spat her words out, "He loves me, he wants to be with me, then next minute he fucking runs to that icicle." Fiona was livid. 

"I know, just don't freak out ok?" Heather didn't know how to tell Fiona the rest of her news.

"Why will I freak out...Oh, hold the bus. Is he bringing her to your wedding?"

"He might." Heather steeled herself for Fiona's reaction.

"Wanker! That's it, I am going to bring Oliver then. "Fiona took a deep breath to calm down, "That is if its ok with you." Fiona sighed she had temporarily forgotten her manners.

"Course, I thought having a quick wedding in London with no family meant that there would be no fist fighting. At least with this set up, it will be like a Saturday Teatime Wrestling match. My money is on you honey with Suzie."

"Thanks," Fiona laughed, " Look I have to go and make myself look human for Oliver."

"You could be wearing a Tesco bag and you will be beautiful."

Fiona put the phone down, swore solidly for ten minutes and then decided to get ready. She got her green silk wrap dress and heels out. She found her dark green underwear that would match.

Perhaps if Oliver lived up to his reputation then he could see it. She was meeting him at the restaurant which was near the flat. She grabbed her handbag and silk scarf. She turned to leave her bedroom. She looked at her horrible room. It would only be three weeks and she would be out of here into a new David less chapter in her life.

David sat in the restaurant looking at his bruised knuckles feeling like a total idiot. Suzie was running late. So he sat alone, with a glass of red wine. He mused over the last two days events and tried to make sense of his actions and feelings.

When he ran onto the pitch on Sunday he saw Oliver immediately. A rage erupted inside him every time he looked at him. He had no idea why, from the get go he wanted to physically maim him.  When Oliver stood next to him on the pitch, he had asked David about Fiona. Throughout the game, he began to tell David in graphic detail what he was intending to do to her, how often and where. He could just about cope with the taunts and the innuendo. However it was when Oliver said that he was going to be working with her in Jersey, in three weeks and that he was going to be moving in with her, that is when David lost all of his self-control and punched him.

He was unsure why that piece of information had got to him more than the others. Was it the confirmation that she was moving on. Leaving him. Not coming back. Going with someone else. Living with someone else. David continued to stare into his wine. He thought about Fiona so much he was sure he could smell her perfume. Her taste, her noises. Her laugh. However he really could smell her.

He looked up and his heart stood still.

There was Fiona, standing on her tip toes looking around the room for someone. David instinctively shrunk down into his chair. He watched as she found who she was looking for and he nearly threw up when he saw it was Oliver.

David watched as Oliver stood up as Fiona approached. He smiled at her, his dark blond hair Gallicly dishevelled and brown eyes twinkling. She saw his black eye and she made to touch it. Oliver winced and Fiona made a sympathetic gesture.

David felt trapped. He had to leave before he was spotted. He began to panic wondering how he would let Suzie know where he had gone. He hatched a plan to write a note to Suzie when she walked in. Suzie dropped into the chair opposite called over the waiter and ordered a large glass of red wine.

"David I have had the worst day." she sighed, "You look like shit. What is wrong, why are you shrunk in your chair?'

"Oh Suzie, Oliver, you know the guy I punched, he is here and I think we should leave," David whispered.

"Indeed we will not!" she retorted, "This is my local place and I will not hide from anyone." Suzie meant it.

"Suzie please, it is really embarrassing, what if he wants round two?"

"I doubt it David." she laughed, "Anyway let's have dinner and then we can go back and relax. I have nothing in and we will never get anywhere else at this late notice."

David decided to omit that Fiona was in the restaurant as he didn't want a further scene between anyone. He ordered dinner and watched Fiona out of the corner of his eye. He watched her relaxed and laughing, flirting with Oliver. Each time she laughed his heart tugged. He wondered if she was thinking about him at all.

Suzie went to the toilet and David watched as separately Oliver made his way to the gents. 

Fiona took a sip of her wine, she thought that Oliver may have stood her up given the incident with David. When she saw him, she had to admit that David must have been very angry to have administered such a punch. It did make Oliver look more rugged though she mused. She took another sip of wine and she began to relax. She felt the trauma of the last few days leave her. She sat back in her chair and looked around the restaurant.

Her. heart. stopped.

She saw David waving at her from his seat. He was mouthing that Suzie was at the toilet. Fiona dropped her head in her hands. She looked up and motioned that when Oliver and Suzie came back that the two of them should meet outside the toilets.

Oliver came back and Fiona excused herself. As she made her way downstairs she felt his breath on the back of her neck.

"Wow, you don't waste any time do you?" David growled in her ear, "You are wearing my favourite green underwear too I will wager."

Fiona felt herself go weak at the sound of his voice.

She spun round to face him, "Well then, take them back why don't you?" she laughed, "Might be a bit big for flat chested icicle woman though!"

"Jealous?" he laughed. She looked great and he loved that her blood was up. It meant she still cared.

"Of her?" Fiona grabbed her sides, "Am I hell! I mean come on David, I know I said go and shag everyone you had. But really, you had to start with her?"

David took Fiona by the hand and pulled her closer, "Why do you care?" he demanded.

"I don't know, I just do." Fiona's eyes welled up. She bit her lip to contain her emotions. She inwardly berated herself and blamed the wine and hormones.

"Goddam you, woman." David sighed, "I want you right now." he pressed her against a wall at the bottom of the stairs. David pulled Fiona closer to him and she did not resist. he drank in her smell. He could see her heart beating out of her chest. He dropped a kiss on her and she responded readily.

"David, I am going to be back in my flat in one hour, if you want me, be there." She ran past him and back to Oliver, her faced flushed and her heart racing.

David collected himself and returned to Suzie.

An hour later Fiona's heart leapt as the doorbell rang. She buzzed David in and she left the door open for him. David closed the door and made his way to the bedroom where he found Fiona lying on top of the bed wearing only her underwear.

"Oh my life." he sighed removing his top and jeans as quickly as he could. "Do you know how many trips to the wank bank I have had about you in this?"

"Not interested David."'she laughed producing a condom from under her pillow. "Put this on, do me hard and then leave please."

"Wouldn't dream of staying past my invitation." he grinned pouncing on top of her.

"Jesus are you trying to kill me! The cause of death M'lud being shagged senseless by a Yank who can't take his weight on his elbows."

"Shut up woman." he smiled as he kissed her throat. That part of her that he claimed as his own.

Afterwards, they lay together. Fiona snuggled into David's chest as he stroked her back. Both deep in their thoughts, not speaking in case they broke the spell.

David cleared his throat to speak.  "How did it go yesterday?"

"Awful." Fiona sighed, "Sat all day at the GUM clinic and then got the pills. Like clockwork four hours later I am throwing up like a 16-year-old on the cider."

"I am sorry." he sighed and kissed the top of her head. "It's all a bit rough on women contraceptives."

"Preaching to the converted. However I think I can get into my hot pants now. I must have lost half a stone yesterday."

"Jersey huh?" David had to find out if Oliver was telling the truth.

"Oliver has a big mouth." The truth was, she had met Oliver at the consulate and they went for tea afterwards.

"I think that is where his largess starts and finishes." David giggled to himself.

"Ooooo has he got to you?" Fiona was shocked that David was so jealous.

"Nope," David sighed, "you have."

Fiona felt the air being sucked out of the room. Her brain clouded with all of the responses she could have to him. His words hit her in the chest. She felt her throat tighten and her eyes fill. She breathed heavily to gain composure. "..and you me." she managed.

"Babe, why are we doing this?" He needed to know.

"Doing what? Having meaningless sex?" Fiona asked.

"Not being together. Fiona, you have to admit we are right together. The sex is mind blowing we like each other."

Fiona sighed, "I concur with all of the above. I just need my head to be straight about it."

"Sure," David managed, "is there an eta on that?"

I wish there was David." Fiona needed space and time. If it was right between her and David they would make their way back to each other.

"So you and Oliver...." David wanted to know if it was something really going on between them.

"So you and freezer drawers?"

"It's not like that Fi, she is a friend. She offered me somewhere to stay whilst I sort myself out. "

"No benefits?" Fiona smiled into his chest.

"None yet, I doubt there will be, you see I am a little hung up on someone else." David continued to stroke her back, "Whilst there is hope I am staying where I am."

"Ah, you have two and a half weeks left."

David pulled Fiona up to meet his eyes, "You really are going aren't you?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" Fiona was shocked that he doubted her.

David took a breath in and sighed, "You are the most stubborn person I have ever met in my life."

"Why is that David? Because I don't want to do exactly what you want me to do?"

"Yes."'he grinned," I want to stay in your bed forever and you don't want to. That is not fair"

"Well," she smiled, "you are here now. I did say to leave after the shagging, so unless there is round two...."

David kissed her and rolled her onto her back. "Three and four should be good too."

Fiona woke ahead of her alarm. She watched David sleeping and her heart ached. She wanted to call into the ward cancel her shift and stay with him all day. She knew that would not be on the cards but she allowed herself to ponder the prospects as she dressed quietly and left David a note.

David awoke a few hours later and stretched. Noticing she wasn't there he read her note on the pillow.

'Gone to work. Have a nice life. Love Ninj."

"Goddam woman!" He slapped the mattress in frustration. Sighing David dressed and walked from her flat to Suzie's house.

So do you think she will go?

Why is he back with Suzie?