first_in_time | New Lives and Mourned Pasts

The trip was long but at least they had jobs to go to and somewhere to live even if it was small. They each had one suitcase half filled with clothes and a life they were leaving behind. Once they were left in the by the side of a dusty road on the outskirts of a small country town Barbara walked with Ian to their new home, unconsciously holding onto his hand as she had done so many times before. Their real estate agent waited at the door of their new home to hand them a set of keys. He wished the newly weds ever lasting happiness then left them to it.

"It seems I've missed my own wedding," Barbara said with a sigh as she put the suitcase down in the middle of the almost empty lounge room and chuckled a little. She was tired and felt dirty from all their traveling.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

first_in_time

Barbara was enjoying kissing Ian. He was warm, comfortable and loving. He made her feel safe and he gave wherever they were a sense of home.

Slowly, their kiss broke but Barbara didn't want to move away just yet. She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes.

"I love you."

From:

splendid_roman

"I love you too." He kept his eyes open, looking down at her. But then couldn't stay serious for very long. "Let's get married sometime."

From:

first_in_time

Barbara laughed and stepped back a little. "We should. I think we'd work."

She turned to the sink and started running water to wash up their tea things. She was thankful that they had hot water and didn't have to wait for it to be turned on by the real estate agent.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian found himself a tea towel, so he could do the drying up. "It's just as well," he said, more seriously. "There's no one I could explain the past two years to who would believe me."

From:

first_in_time

"I don't think you'd suit the padded cell they'd put you in for talking about spaceships, Daleks, time travel and other planets on a date. And besides, I like you right here with me," she added with a smile.

From:

splendid_roman

He smiled back. "That's just as well, since you're stuck with me."

From:

first_in_time

"You say that as thoug it's a bad thing," she told him and placed a mug on the drying rack.

From:

splendid_roman

He grinned and picked the mug up. "You might think it is after a while and you're sick of me."

From:

first_in_time

"I've spent multiple years trapped in a spaceship with you. I think I'll be fine," she told him and flicked a little washing up water his way.

From:

splendid_roman

He grinned and dodged the water. "Or I could get sick of you."

From:

first_in_time

"You enjoy my charms far too much," she told him and stuck out her tongue.

From:

splendid_roman

"Maybe." Having finished drying the mug he put it away, then put a hand in the sink to flick some water at Barbara.

From:

first_in_time

"I'm very charming," Barbra said as a fleck of water Ickes her nose, "you wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

From:

splendid_roman

"You are," Ian agreed and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara happily tilted her head up to receive the kiss, then smiled across at him and quickly finished the rest of the washing up. Once their mugs, plate and spoons were washed, she dried her hands on Ian's towel then wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"I'm glad that we don't have a lot to do for dinner," she said to Ian and rested her cheek against his back, "we can just relax and have an early night."

From:

splendid_roman

He stiffened for a moment when he thought about the sort of things married couples would do on an early night. But then relaxed because they'd had a long day today and school tomorrow and it would be good to get as much sleep as possible. "That would be nice," he said, putting his hands on hers.

From:

first_in_time

"I don't know about you but I am exhausted from all of that traveling and planning. I could almost sleep right here but I think I should shower first," she said and smiled before kissing the back of his neck.

From:

splendid_roman

He smiled too and turned round in her arms to look at her. "Why don't you shower and I'll heat up the pie for dinner?"

From:

first_in_time

"I think I can do that," she replied and kissed him sweetly. She liked how she was already growing in confidence when it came to kissing Ian. It would make pretending to be married a lot easier. Barbara left him to it.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian turned the oven on and let it warm up while he finished the drying up. Being domestic like this made it easier to believe they were married. And he couldn't deny that he liked being close to Barbara.

While the pie was heating he picked up the newspaper he'd bought that morning and started on the crossword.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara stayed in the shower until she felt clean and fresh. She brushed her hair, dressed in her only pair of pyjamas and, smelling faintly of her lavender moisteriser, went to find Ian.

"Which crossword is that one?" she asked as she sat beside him.

From:

splendid_roman

"The cryptic," he replied, moving it over slightly so she could see it better. "Which is why I only have two filled in and I'm not sure about those." He wasn't very good at cryptic crosswords, but it was the only one in the paper. He would have to get a different newspaper in future.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara chuckled. Not that she was much better at the cryptic but she had to be better than that.

"Did you often do cross words while we were on Earth?" she asked and reached out for his pen to fill in a word.

From:

splendid_roman

"I tried to do it most evenings. It was a nice change from marking. But I never could get the hang of the cryptic ones."

He looked over at what she'd written and then back at the clue. "Ah, of course."