"I hope your squeal about doctors doesn't mean you are getting cold feet?"

"It's not just my feet which are cold," I said.

"Oh dear, does that mean you are having second thoughts?"

Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by: Her with the red hair.
Part: one and three quarter hundreds.

We were surviving, the meteor storm was all around us but the force-field around Tardis held. I looked at the Doctor again, he was so dishy and so commanding. He was calling instructions to me and I just pushed buttons or pulled levers.

Suddenly bells started ringing and I felt things moving, a meteor had struck the Tardis and the Doctor was being sucked out into space. I felt something grab me, a hideous alien. I struggled then I felt myself falling too.

I screamed, opening my eyes as I hit the carpet on the bedroom floor. The alarm was still beeping, bloody thing and the 'alien' who'd tried to grab me was looking over the bed at me giggling.

"That was so funny, the alarm went off and you started to fall off the bed squealing, something about a doctor. When I tried to grab you, you shrieked and pushed me away."

I was as yet still lying on the floor, the duvet half on and half off the bed, and I felt about as energetic as one of the zombies from 'Shaun of the Dead'.

I was wanting to say something witty back, but my brain felt as if it had been put into cryogenic storage, and the only retort which came was a yawn. I was too tired even to laugh.

"I hope your squeal about doctors doesn't mean you are getting cold feet?"

"It's not just my feet which are cold," I said.

"Oh dear, does that mean you are having second thoughts?"

"No, it's the lack of duvet and winter temperatures." As I tried to untangle myself, Stella fell back on the bed laughing. Is there anything which doesn't make this woman laugh? A room full of Stellas would be the ideal audience for a comedian, mind you he'd probably be deaf when they'd finished.

I stood up and shivered, finally reaching the alarm clock and shutting off its irritating noise. I was now wide awake but had a head like the proverbial bucket, so how Simon was going to feel completely baffled me.

Most of me wanted to get back into the bed before it cooled down too much, the rest decided that I needed to act as the hostess and help my future husband and sister in law, get some breakfast. Duty won, doesn't it always? I grabbed a sweatshirt and some pants and pulled them on over the nightdress, then I scuffed into my slippers. It wasn't elegant, but it was warm and I was too tired to even think about breathing let alone about fashion.

I got downstairs, there was no sign of Simon. Where was he? I rushed into the kitchen, the kettle was hot to the touch. I raced around all the downstairs rooms feeling tired and weepy, where was he?

As I went into the dining room for the second time, he was just coming in through the French window with Kiki on her lead. "Hi sweety pie, the dog needed to go somewhere."

"How do you feel?" I asked waiting for him to confess to a headache or palpitations, or something. Because that's how I felt.

"Great," he grabbed me and hugged me, "Love you."

"I love you too, don't you feel at all hung over?"

"No, why should I?"

"Because you had at least a whole bottle of wine yesterday, that's why."

"Nah, doesn't worry me. I take it Stella is still here?"

"Yes, we decided it was easier for you both to sleep here than try and get you home."

"Sorry about that," is what he said but I doubt he really meant it.

"The amount you drink worries me Simon."

"It's okay, so you don't need to worry."

"Okay with you or with me?" I asked wishing I hadn't started this conversation.

"Just okay, I haven't got time to debate the issue now. Where is that bloody woman?"

At that Stella appeared in the kitchen. "Good morning brother," she addressed to Simon.

"Get your coat on girl, we're late." He handed her her coat and bag.

"What no coffee?"

"Move," he said angrily.

"Hey, just a minute." I said the irritation showing in my voice and body language. "The only reason you are late is because you got yourself drunk as a lord and then unconscious."

Simon roared at the 'drunk as a lord' element of my statement and it is very difficult to stay angry when someone is laughing, but I managed it.

"So don't you dare take it out on your sister for your own mistakes!"

"Finished?" he asked.

"Why?" I asked fuming.

"Boy you are so lovely when you are angry."

He ran off when I started throwing things at him.

I heard two voices call, "Bye," and the door slammed shut. It was half past five. I didn't know what they were on, but I could have done with some.

I went back to the kettle and made a pot of tea and poured myself a cup. Then I had to rest my head a moment, so I sat at the kitchen table with it resting on my forearms. I was still there an hour later when Tom found me complete with cold cuppa.

I heard the kettle click on again and with difficulty, I rose up. "Oh hi," I said yawning.

"Simon and Stella gone?" he asked making coffee.

"Yeah about half five." I yawned again.

"I think you need a bit more sleep, so go back to bed."

"I can't, I have things to do."

"Such as?"

"The project."

"You are not going anywhere near the project like that, it will take too long to undo any mistakes you make. Go to bed, NOW." The instruction was unmistakeable, even in my zonked out state, so I stopped arguing and went back to bed.

I took a while to get off to sleep, but I managed it eventually and awoke about half past ten, feeling much better. I showered and still wearing only a towel, called Pippa.

"There's been one suspicious character hanging around but nobody much."

"See you later." I hung up before she could respond, and dressed in my cycling gear. I was so muffled up against the cold, I could have been anyone. Which was how I got into the university and got them to notify my tutorial students I was open for business.

"Is that your bike?" asked Tim.

I nodded my response.

"Cool," he said and took his seat with the rest of the group.

It wasn't the best tutorial I'd done but they seemed satisfied that we had looked at the issues that concerned them.

"Thanks for your solidarity over the last few days."

Ivan chose to respond for the group. "Prof Agnew said the press were after you and that he'd appreciate our support in not talking to them. We just encouraged everyone else to do the same."

"Well, hopefully it's cooled off a bit now." Did I believe what I had just said, or was it wishful thinking?

"Don't matta," said Ivan, "anyone who says anything is in big bovver."

"Please don't threaten anyone on my behalf Ivan." I urged him.

"It isn't a threat, no one will talk to anyone who breaks ranks."

"What an old fashioned shunning?" I asked amazed.

"It works, or has done so far."

"Until they offer money." I suggested.

"Nah, they won't enjoy it if they do, we'll make sure of it." Said Louise.

"Crikey, don't ever let me fall foul of you lot. Is that why you're seeing me for tutoring?"

"Don't ask questions then no one will tell lies. But no it ain't, you just happen to be da best."

"Ivan, you look far too nice to be a gangsta." I smiled at him.

"Look bitch don't mess wid me or I'll tell my mummy." His voice got higher at the end and we all fell about laughing.

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