Epilogue: Right Here (reprise)

“I've made a commitment/I'm willing to bleed for you/I needed fulfilment/I found what I need in you”

6 months later

Barbara hastily locked the front door and half ran down to the car where Tommy was waiting. She clambered into the front seat and he grinned and passed her a coffee and some pastry thing which was her breakfast.

“All set?”

“Yes, let’s go before we hit traffic. It takes around three hours to get there,” she told him after taking a sip out of the polystyrene cup. Tommy grinned and carefully pulled out of his parking space whilst she flicked through the radio settling on a channel. She leaned back into her seat and looked out of the window watching the buildings and houses over the hours morph into farms and small cottages as they drove out away from the city.

“You did call to say we were coming right?” she asked suddenly half way through their journey and he rolled his eyes.

“Yes Barbara, I didn’t know you worried so much,” Tommy laughed switching gears.

“Humph I was only checking.”

He shook his head and sighed as soon a familiar landscape came into sight. They had calculated the time well and so were to arrive around eleven thirty which was perfect as they would have the rest of the day to settle. This trip had been rather spontaneously arranged quickly by his mother who had been urging him to come sooner.

When he pulled up in the drive his mother was coming out to greet them and he was enfolded in a tight hug before being released quickly. He raised an eyebrow as his mother hugged Barbara for longer and, a little awkward, Barbara patted the older woman’s back.

“Welcome the both of you,” his mother beamed and Tommy graciously thanked her. “Oh it’s nothing at all. I’m so happy that you are both here.”

Tommy went to the boot and started up unload their suitcases and someone came up to help them. Barbara went to help but his mother stirred her into the house and she had no choice but to cast him a helpless look.

“I am so glad you are here.”

“Well, I’m glad to be here,” Barbara smiled and noticed that Lady Asherton was looking at her closely. Examining her was a better observation.

“You know I’m also glad that he is with you,” at Barbara’s confused expression she continued. “You do him good, so different and yet the same. I always thought something… I guess I was right.”

Before Barbara was able to have a sensible reply Tommy came in and his mother directed him to his room, their room. Barbara flushed a little thinking that she would be sharing a bed with him whilst in his mother’s home but since his mother didn’t seem to mind Barbara shrugged that thought away.

“Barbara why don’t you go and see if you like the room,” his mother nudged her to follow her son and then retreated into the dining room behind.

“Wow that was…different,” Barbara breathed when she was next to him and he flicked her an amused glance.

“How?”

She just shrugged her shoulders and he smiled understandingly. “You know she loves you – thinks you are charming. Remember how delighted she was when I told her than you and I are together?”

Barbara grinned and looked around the room then wandered to the window and flung it open, the sun peeked though the clouds and she breathed in deeply.

“So like the room?”

“It’s perfect.”

He came and stood by her side looking out over the landscape and their hands touched and entwined. His finger felt the ring round her finger and brought it up so he could look at it.

She tilted her head and looked at him expectantly. “What?”

“I think tonight, once everyone is here, is a good time to announce to everyone our news.”

She thought about it and eventually nodded. “They will only find out soon enough anyway.”

He grinned and kissed her. “I dread to think what type of engagement party they will throw for us.”

Barbara wound her arms up around his neck and shoulders, leaning in. “One really posh I should expect, with women in flowered hats and cucumber sandwiches.”

“I thought you liked those?”

“I do,” she giggled as he rolled his eyes and leaned up to kiss him. “You know… I love you.”

“I know,” he grinned.

“You do?” she frowned and he nodded.

“Mmhm,” he kissed her again.

“How?”

“Instinct.”

“Oh.”

“Barbara?”

“Yes?”

“Be quite and kiss me,” he murmured and she laughed and did exactly what she was told and kissed him for a very long time.

Finished.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this and thank you all reviewers - you kept urging me on! Now I will just be writing one shots on Lynley and Havers :)