"Savannah!" Eric's whiny voice hits me as soon as I step out of the elevator, "Where the hell have you been?" He snaps.

Where have I been? Attempting to find some clothes that look vaguely acceptable to wear to work, endeavoring to shower in a tiny, mouldy cubicle, and then trying to wrestle over to work from the other side of the city.

"Not now Eric!" I retort, keeping my head down as I walk towards my office, him following close behind.

"You're late."

"I don't care." I mutter, striding into my office and dropping my phone onto the desk.

"What kind of an attitude is that?" Eric scoffs as I sit down, "And what are you wearing?"

"The kind of attitude you have when your apartment burns down with everything you own." I retort, watching as his eyes widen.

"W-well, I am sorry to hear that."

"Sav!" Lucy flies into the office, blonde curls bouncing on top of her head as she spots me, "Are you okay?" She exclaims, "I saw your apartment block on the news! Is Brett okay?"

"Brett?" Eric repeats, nose wrinkling in confusion. Ah, that's right. There's no way Savannah would ever have a boy at her house.

"Yes, he's fine. Thanks Lucy." I smile at her and she visibly relaxes, shooting me a grin.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do!" She smiles and I nod.

"Brett Winters?" Eric mutters as Lucy leaves, "That was your apartment?" He exclaims, realization setting in as his eyebrows shoot up.

"Yes Eric." I confirm, grabbing hold of my mail.

"Why was Brett Winters with you?"

"Eric I need to..."

"Why?" He cuts me off and I grimace, slamming the paper back down onto the desk.

"Because I'm in a relationship with him." I snap, the expression on his face making me fear that he is about to faint in the middle of my office.

"You're what?" He exclaims, "This is fantastic!"

"No it isn't."

"It is!" Eric claps his hands, "This is big for us, an in with the Winters family!" He begins to pace the length of my office as I sit back, lips pursed. I really cannot deal with this today. "We must get you in front of a camera."

"No."

"What?"

"No." I repeat, looking back up at him, "Can I do my job now?"

"Savannah, darling!" Eric says, clapping his hands once more as he stops in front of me, "Tommy will be so happy to hear about Brett."

"What?" I snap, sitting back in my chair and looking up at him. What the hell kind of comment is that? Why do I give a shit about Tommy Ross?

"Do you think we can get him in here?" Eric asks, eyes blazing with excitement.

"We make women's clothes." I reply bluntly, crossing my arms. There is absolutely no point Brett being here apart from the fact that they want publicity.

"So? Publish a few pictures of him and women will be clambering to wear our designs." Eric smirks.

"No." I shake my head.

"Why not?"

"He doesn't want to be in the public eye." I say, looking down at the letter I've finally managed to open and scanning the words, something to do with the templates I provided last week not being sophisticated enough. For fuck sake!

"What about Alice then?"

"What?" I scoff, "No."

"Savannah we need one of them..."

"Fuck this." I explode, slamming the letter down and shooting upright as Eric watches, a stunned look on his face, "You know what Eric? I quit!"

"What?"

"I'm done with this joke of a job! You're so ungrateful all of the time, but now you want help?" I yell, "Fuck no!"

"Savannah do you know what you're giving up?" He snaps back as I open my desk drawer, grabbing hold of my chocolate and shoving it into my bag.

"Yes I do!" I retort, grabbing the notebooks that Elle gave me off the shelf, "I'm done wiping your ass Eric. Do it yourself." I yell, heading straight for the door, not a single doubt in my mind, "By the way, Alice Winters won't be returning." I announce, smiling at my flabbergasted ex-Boss. "She's wearing B Gordon Designs instead."

"B Gordon?" He wrinkles his nose up in confusion.

"Becky." I grin and his mouth drops open in shock.

"Becky?"

"Goodbye Eric." I snap, whirling around and heading straight for the elevator, ignoring the many eyes that are on me. I get it, I look like an absolute mess, I just publicly yelled at my Boss and quit my job, and now I'm heading out with a load of chocolate bars overflowing from my bag to the point that it looks like I have an obsession.

I really have not had a good time these last couple of days.

*~*~*

"Is it safe to enter?" I call out as I push the door open slightly, scrunching my eyes shut so that I don't give myself any more nightmares.

"Yes!" Becky exclaims, giggling slightly as I open my eyes, "Believe me, Ellis won't have the balls to show his face around here for a while." She smirks, sat on the bed with some designs spread around her.

"Good."

"I truly am sorry about last night." She says, turning back to her notepad and continue to shade with her pencil.

"I know you are." I snort, dropping my bag down onto the floor and pulling out a chocolate bar, "It's not the first time I've walked in on one of your escapades." I remind her, "How are you and Ellis?"

"We're good." She grins, "The sex is..." She trails off and I raise my eyebrows. She's speechless over sex? I never thought I'd see the day. "I've never experienced anything like it!" She finally admits as I eat.

"Really?"

"Really!" Becky confirms as I slouch down onto the edge of the bed.

"You two are made for each other."

"I wouldn't go that far." She counters, shaking her head.

"I just quit my job." I admit, changing the subject as I dive into another chocolate bar.

"What?" She exclaims, "Thank God!"

"Really? We have nothing Becky!" I remind her, running my hand down my face, "And now I've lost my income stream."

"I lost all my designs in the fire too." She says, looking down at the designs she's been working on for the last two days, "It's lucky Alice had taken her dress home earlier that day." She smiles, "She wanted me to tell you she'll be home from New York as soon as she can by the way!"

"She did?"

"She rang me." Becky grins, "Told me that everyone loved her dress last night." She adds, "A few magazines snapped her photo too so fingers crossed!"

"That's great Becky!" I exclaim, reaching over and wrapping her in a quick hug, "I'm so happy for you!"

"But we still don't have a place to live or income!" She retorts and I rest my head on her shoulder as I bite my lip. "We only have this room for two more nights as well."

"Shit!" I exclaim, "What do we do?"

"I think we only have one option." She replies and I furrow my eyebrows. An option? I can't even think of one so I'm glad she's thought of a solution.

"We do?"

"Go live in the doorway of the Pilatzas Hotel." She giggles, "Hope a rich man offers us his room." Sitting up I shake my head at her as I laugh.

"No!"

"Oh right, we already have two rich boys!" She laughs and I raise an eyebrow.

"Becky..."

"I want to live with you." She says, reaching out and grabbing hold of my hand, "You know I do." She continues, "You're my sister and I love you." She grins, "But realistically..."

"You think we should move in with Brett?" I finish for her, sighing as I reach up and run my hand through my hair. Is it a good idea? I know that I'm having a baby with him, but to drag Becky into the middle of all that, to have her feel as though she is a third wheel...

"I think you should move in with Brett." Becky squeezes my hand, "I'll go live with Ellis."

"You?" I splutter, "With... a boy?"

"Yeah." She shrugs, "I can't invade Brett's private life." She smiles at me, "Ellis told me I'm welcome to stay with him for a while."

"Bec..."

"Sav, it's okay." She assures me before smirking, "At least I'll have access to round the clock sex."

"Oh, jeez!"

"It's true!" She laughs, "And you'll have it too!"

"Brett and I did stuff on the kitchen side." I admit, "The night before the fire."

"I'm glad it burnt down!" Becky scoffs and I raise an eyebrow at her, "I'm kidding! I've done so much on that kitchen side you would have burnt the place down yourself if you'd known!"

"For God sake Becky!" I exclaim as she laughs, wrapping her arms around me.

"What?" She giggles, "Glad you're moving in with Brett now?"

"Maybe I am!" I retort, both of us ending up lying down on the bed next to each other.

"I'll miss you!" She says, turning her head to face me.

"I'll miss you too roommate!" I reply, wrapping my arm over her as we lay on the bed together. She means everything to me, my gorgeous best friend who I have lived with for over a year and a half. I'll never forget the movie marathons we had, the gloopy, lumpy attempted ice cream we made, the analyzing of every date and every kiss, the crying together over everything.

She was the best roommate, and I'll miss her like crazy.

*~*~*

Turning right I walk into Brett's hospital room the next morning, stopping with a start at the sight of his shirtless back, his blue jeans slung low on his hips. I take a moment to glance over the new tattoo on his back, the shaded outline of a lion, the mascot for the Christlington College football team.

The foreign words of apology to me still lay on the upper right of his back, making me smile as I see them. On the other side I can see part of the Phoenix, the rest of it curving around the top of his arm and shoulder, out of my eye line.

A swift movement and fabric suddenly ruins my sight, Brett having shoved his arms through a dark green shirt and covering himself.

"Hey?" I call out and he turns, smiling at the sight of me as he buttons it up. My eyes follow the movements with his fingers and I find myself wishing I could tear it back off.

"Hey!" He exclaims.

"What are you doing?"

"I've been discharged." He grins, "I was hoping to come and surprise you." He takes a step towards me, his hand sliding around my waist.

"Oh, sorry!"

"Don't be silly, I'm glad you're here. You just missed Alice." He replies, "Why aren't you at work?"

"I quit." I admit, "Yesterday."

"Oh. Good!" Brett exclaims, taking a step away and walking over to the bag that Ellis went and got from his apartment.

"Good?"

"You hated it there." He justifies and I sigh.

"I have no income."

"It doesn't matter." He shrugs.

"Brett..."

"Don't." He cuts me off, walking back over and grabbing hold of my waist, forcing me to look into his eyes, "I know Stubborn Savannah hates it, but I've got us covered." He assures, reaching up and lightly brushing a finger over my cheek, "Now you can have some time off to relax and figure out what you want to do." He shrugs and I can't help but smile at his response.

It's not what I want, to be reliant on a man, I always wanted to be an independent woman who takes care of herself but Brett isn't trying to take that away from me, he wants me to enjoy what I do, and I know that as soon as I figure out whatever the hell that is, he'll support me.

"I love you." I exclaim and he grins, lowering his head to kiss me. As soon as he grazes my lips I feel excitement begin to build, the exhilarating feeling of desire that comes with a kiss from Brett never getting duller with time. Opening my mouth I let him deepen the kiss, his tongue swirling against mine. Pulling away I feel slightly heated, knowing that we need to stop or I'll definitely rip his shirt back off in the middle of the hospital room.

"I love you too." He says softly before taking a step back and turning back to pack his bag once more. I watch as he does it, rolling his sleeves up to show off his muscular arms. Reaching up he runs a hand through his brown hair as he furrows his eyebrows, clearly trying to decide whether he should pack the toiletries or clothes in first. I smile at the sight, giggling to myself at his current dilemma.

"I'll move in with you." I suddenly announce. He immediately shoots upright, turning back around to face me.

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