Waking to some sort of commotion coming from another room, Louise rustled a little before realising who was lying with her. She had woken up so many times before alone, that having someone by her side felt strange, yet it also felt incredibly nice too. Shuffling down into the blanket that she hadn’t remembered sleeping under last night, the warmth it created was so comforting, that she smiled as she buried herself gently back into Mark. She liked having someone close; she liked being with Mark.

Gripping tighter, Mark nuzzled his nose down into her face, while his arms held her firm, not wanting to let her go. Grinning slightly as he stirred, Louise smiled too, looking above at his peaceful face. Running her finger down the side of his cheek, before reaching his lips, he grinned even more, and as his eyes opened slowly, he kissed her finger softly.

"Good morning Louise."

"Good morning, Mr Read." Louise greeted, kissing his face once more.

"I think I could like more mornings like this…" He smirked.

"Just like?" Louise teased, kissing him again.

"Ahh, finally awake then!" Paul exclaimed, heading in through the door and switching on the TV. "I was thinking I’d have to go to work without my daily dosage of the Smurfs!"

"Smurfs?" Louise questioned, looking towards Paul where little blue cartoons appeared on the screen.

"Yes! The Smurfs! Oh my god, how could you not know about the Smurfs? Just recently, Papa Smurf sold some magic potion to a witch type person in the forest, and now, all the fruit has gone!" Paul told, beaming.

"Ohh…" Louise trailed off, glancing up at Mark.

"Its because they’re little. He likes to think they’re his only companions who understand how he feels." Mark whispered.

"Ohh…" Louise chuckled.

"Mark, I hope you’re not whispering rude nothings to our Louise there." Paul grinned, turning round as he sat cross legged on the floor, eating his cereal.

"What? Me?" Mark smirked.

"Be careful Louise. It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for." He warned, pointing his spoon in her direction.

"Oh, you are awake then. I didn’t want to come in and disturb you," Ben said, walking into the room and sitting in the furthest chair.

"Ahh, at least you have some respect Ben." Mark smiled.

"Hmm… yeah, I can see Paul hasn’t though." Ben observed, gazing at where Paul sat.

"Look! I’m sorry alright but I have to watch the Smurfs."

"Oh, you do, do you?" Ben smirked. "Well, that’s just about to change." He muttered, picking up the remote.

"Heeeey! Ben! Put it back on!" Paul whined. "You know I have the TV for twenty minutes in the morning! Don’t be so mean!"

"Yeah, well now that’s changed." He replied, smugly.

"Ben! Don’t!" Paul told. "Am I gonna have to wrestle you for the remote or am I just gonna have to tell Mark about your secret thoughts." He suddenly concocted.

"What secret thoughts?" Ben questioned.

"Yeah, what secret thoughts?" Mark followed, glaring at Ben.

"Here ya go Paul." Ben smiled, changing back over. "I have to go to work."

"Oh you starting your new job today?" Mark queried as Paul had his head glued to the TV.

"Yes, you are now looking at Ben. Ben the salesman." He flaunted, placing his hands on his hips.

"Salesman?" Mark almost choked.

"Yeah… why not?" Ben simpered as his arms loosened.

"Well erm… you just don’t erm, seem the type."

"Type?" Paul interrupted. "How can you say he’s not the type! He’ll have all those lonely housewives buying anything with the charm he has! You’re gonna do great mate!" He grinned.

"Thanks Paul." Ben smiled, proceeding to the door. "Oh Mark, that’s it." He told himself. "Chris wants you to go look for another job. He had to leave early this morning, something to do with travel agents wanting him to set up something for selling trips to Norway… anyway, yeah, he wants you to get a new job ‘cos sitting here all day while we’re working is well… not fair. So you’ve got to go looking today."

"Okay," Mark replied slowly. "You’ll help me Lou, won’t you?"

"Yep, sure." Louise smiled. "Good luck Ben." She called.

"Thanks!" He shouted back through before slamming the door behind him.

"Oh, and Mark, before you go out and job hunt or whatever," Paul began. "Remember you have to wash up." He grinned, standing up and placing his empty bowl in the kitchen.

"Hey! I did it yesterday!" Mark shouted back out to him, sitting up slightly in protest.

"Yeah, well… well I have to go to work." Paul told, pulling on his coat. "See ya later Markie boy. Bye Lou."

"Bye," Louise answered, hearing yet again the door close shut.

"I always have to clean up after those guys." Mark pouted.

"Aww. Well I’ll help you then." Louise proclaimed, jumping up. "Come on." She urged, pulling him into the kitchen.

Pushing her hair out of her face as she slowly filled up the sink, Mark crept up behind her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, and pulling her close.

"Mark!" She shrieked, her hands covered in soapy bubbles.

"What? Can’t I have a morning cuddle?" Mark grinned, one arm holding her tight while the other snaking up to the sink.

"I thought you had to go job hunt, and in fact, help wash up. I’m not gonna do everything for you." Louise giggled.

"Ohh right, no maids here I’m afraid." He smiled, scooping up a handful of bubbles.

"Maids? I made it pretty clear on the first day I met you that I didn’t like maids." Louise huffed as she turned to face him.

Memories of how and where she lived being brought up, made valid the feelings she couldn’t quite get rid of for Anton. Maybe it was the money and lifestyle she once led that she felt was pulling her back a little. Or maybe it was the fact that she was now living the "want what you can’t have" phrase that everyone always used and that ultimately could have been true? But then again, what she felt for Mark was something she had never experienced before and, the more and more time she was spending with him, that root just grew deeper, growing stronger.

"Lou, you know I was only joking." Mark smirked, the bubbles resting in his hand.

"And smirking too," Louise chuckled. "You’ll have to do better than that Mr Read."

"What like?" He teased, moving a lot closer and leaning in for a kiss.

"We’ll see…" Louise smiled, drawing closer too.

Jumping back quickly, he threw the bubbles from his hand, like a child, and as they landed all over Louise, the shocked laughter that followed was enough to bring out a new war.

"Oh my god! I can’t believe you just did that!" Louise laughed, reaching behind her. "You’re gonna have to pay Mr Read."

"Oh, Mr Read is it now," He chuckled, ducking from the bubbles that came flying from her.

"You’ll have to do better than that Miss… Miss Lou!" He grinned, echoing her words as he darted towards the sink.

"But how? I’ll just block you!" Louise retorted, obstructing the sink as Mark charged at her.

"My strength will over-power yours!" He hollered like a super hero. "Then we’ll see…"

Continuing the water fight that seemed to emanate through harmless fun, the floor as well as each other were covered in splashes of water, dotting them like puddles of a friendly storm. Laughing as Mark finally closed in on her, he held the bubbles high above her head as she squealed and tried pushing him away.

"Mark! Don’t" Louise giggled, pushing his hands away as one arm slipped around her waist.

"Would I?" He smiled innocently, wiping a droplet on the end of her nose.

"You’re so sweet…" She commented shyly.

"So are you." He grinned, pecking her lips in which she pulled him in for a longer kiss.

"Come on, we best be getting to town. You have job hunting to do."

"But I’d much rather stay here with you all day…"

"Mark, you know you can’t. The others are counting on you." Louise said, slipping past him. "Come on, I’ll come with you, help you look."

"But you don’t have anything with you." Mark said pointedly.

"Ahh well Mr Read, this is where my clever thinking comes into view." Louise replied, dashing into the lounge as Mark trailed behind, catching her hand.

"This." She beamed, holding up the deep red dress she arrived in.

"Lou, I don’t want this to sound erm… deflating, but you can’t walk around town in that." Mark tried telling sensitively.

"No silly!" Louise laughed. "I’ll take it back and claim the money off it! It’ll be easy!" Louise revealed.

"You can’t do that!" Mark chuckled.

"Why can’t I?" Louise asked. "It’s my dress therefore my money."

"But what are you going to wear until we get there?"

"Looks like this is gonna have to do! Well, maybe a slight change." Louise smiled. "You don’t have a problem with me looking like this do you?"

"No, no." Mark grinned, edging closer. "You’re beautiful in whatever you wear." He whispered.