Save the Midgets

by BB

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story are copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp apart from those that proudly belong to the forum ;o)

SECONDARY DISCLAIMER No harm came to Reg Hollis during the writing of this story :o)

Vix and BB sat in the pub and talked about the day’s happenings.

They were still in shock, but the double brandys helped stop them from shaking.

"Could you believe it?" Vix said looking at BB.

"Huh?" BB said watching the two figures walking towards them. She did a double take and stated "And you aren’t gonna believe this either, Vix." She indicated with her head, and Vix turned to look where she was focussed.

"Oh my god!" Vix said aloud.

"No, not God," came the reply from the taller of the two figures. "Only us".

BB and Vix looked at each other in astonishment.

"Can I get you two ladies a drink?" the other figure asked in a more gentlemanly manner.

"Mine’s another brandy," BB answered immediately.

"BB," Vix said kicking her under the table.

"Ow! That hurt"

"It was supposed to!" Vix said winking at her.

"I’ll have a mineral water, please". She said fluttering her eyelashes at the man that stood beside her.

The other man pulling up a stool and expertly manoeuvring it in between his legs and sitting down, however, distracted BB.

"BB!" Vix said again with another forceful kick.

"Hmmmmmm," BB said as she placed his elbow on the table and dropped her chin to her hands to stop drooling all over the beer mats.

"You two are so funny," the green eyed male said as he laughed.

"It’s the brandy," Vix stated glancing over her shoulder at the bar.

The young dark haired fellow carried the drinks and joined them at the table.

"We thought you might be in here," the drinks carrier added. "Thought you might need some company after earlier".

It was Vix's turn to sit drooling now. BB kicked her under the table and said "Vix, it’s rude to stare."

Vix faced BB and proceeded to stick her tongue out, remembered the company and blushed virulently.

"Don’t mind us," the green-eyed man said laughing. "It’s nice to have a laff for a change, ain’t it Ben?"

Ben looked at him from across the table. "Sure is, Smithy."

The girls looked at each other and winked.

**

"Please BB, can’t we go for a coffee, my feet are killing me."

BB’s pace quickened as she saw yet another Sale sign, and she headed towards the heavily decorated store. "Not yet, in a minute," she said over her shoulder just before she disappeared into the store.

Vix harrumphed loudly and dutifully followed laden down heavily with bags.

She entered the store, and ignored the security guard as he flashed her an admiring glance. At five foot two, with a full head of blonde hair, she was a stunning sight. She knew this, but was saving herself for someone special.

"Over here!" BB shouted enthusiastically.

"I’m coming!" Vix said swapping the carrier bags around in her hands to try and even out the weight.

"I’ve found it. It’s perfect!" BB said reaching upwards and standing on tip toe to reach the glorious angel on the shelf.

"Bummer," she said loudly wiggling her fingers to try and stretch herself. The Angel however remained out of reach of her height, which was identical to Vix.

"I’ll get it," Vix said putting down the carrier bags and reaching upwards.

"Backsides you will," BB said crossing her arms across her chest as she noticed the admiring glances from the male passers by.

Vix followed the same procedure as BB but to no avail. She looked around for a tall person and smiled as the security guard made his way towards her. BB laughed to herself as Vix began the usual routine. The pout, which she had to perfection, and the delicate fluttering of the eyelashes.

"Hello there, little lady, may I be of some assistance?" the guard said as he neared the blonde bombshell.

"Actually," BB began.

"Yes, would you mind awfully getting that angel for me," Vix said with an extra flutter as she indicated towards the one remaining angel on the shelf.

"Of course, luv," the guard replied.

"And less of the little," BB muttered under her breath.

Vix nudged BB in the ribs and BB turned to face the other side of the store. She couldn’t bear to watch Vix flirting like this. Now if it was Ben she could understand it, but this hairy monster of a guard?

She turned back as she heard Vix thank the guard. "Anytime, little lady!" he said as he wandered off.

"Oi," BB shouted angrily.

"BB, he didn’t mean it like that" Vix said sharply.

"Not him you idiot, the git that’s just run off with our bags". BB said as she gave chase. She neared the door, as the two youngsters ran off down the street. "Call yourself a security guard!" she threw at the confused man in green, as she ran after them as fast as her little legs would carry her.

Vix ran after them, throwing one more flutter and a thank you at the guard as she passed.

**

"Get back here now!" BB shouted as she ran. She threw a look over her shoulder and saw that Vix was gaining on her.

"They’re not going to do what you say, BB," she said as she began to overtake.

"And like they’ll listen to you!" BB said as she tried to match Vix’s pace.

Before long Vix was near to the two lads and BB was well and truly left behind.

"Short cut!" she said aloud, and turned right sharply. She wasn’t watching where she was going, and soon ended up coming to a full stop, her nose embedded in a navy blue coat.

"Out of my way!" she screeched angrily, pushing the chest away from her.

"What’s up, love?"

BB lifted her eyes, and suddenly became very weak at the knees.

Those green eyes, that mouth, that voice. She shook her head convinced she was seeing things.

"That way," she pointed breathlessly, "They went that way".

"Come on Ben," The tall man said breaking into a sprint. The slightly shorter man also dressed in blue, broke into a trot and followed.

BB could only watch as the two men of her dreams ran away from her.

"Wait for me!" she cried, taking a deep breath and starting to run as fast as her little legs would carry her.

**

As she rounded the corner, she heard Vix screech "Oh my god".

She’s seen them, BB chuckled to herself.

She looked ahead and saw the shorter of the two policemen had one youngster’s head expertly jammed up against a brick wall. The other, the green eyed vision of beauty to BB, was sat atop of the taller of the thieves.

Vix however, was glued to the spot, looking from one policeman to the other, as if to decide which one she preferred.

"You ok there, miss?" one of the policeman asked.

"She’s fine," BB said approaching and placing an arm around Vix shoulders. "She’s just pleased to see you, that’s all".

"And are you ok?" the green eyed man said as he climbed off the youngster on the floor.

"Me?" BB said astonished. "Yeah I’m fine".

"You ran into me with some speed, are you sure you didn’t injure yourself?"

He walked towards BB dragging the suspect behind him.

"No honestly, I’m fine." She flashed him a smile.

"Well, that’s alright then." He smiled back.

"These yours?" The other policeman said, holding aloft a number of carrier bags.

"They are," Vix said stepping forward to take the bags.

"How on earth did you manage to carry all of these?" he said clenching and unclenching his hand as the weight was lifted from it.

"Expert shoppers," BB said laughing.

"I bet you are," the green eyed man said.

"Anyway, ladies, we’d better get these two into custody." the shorter male said, manoeuvring the youngster away from the wall.

"I’m Vix." "I’m BB." the two women said, in unison.

"Pleased to meet you, Vix," the shorter man said smiling. "I’m Ben."

"I know," said Vix blushing.

"Pleased to meet you BB, I’m Smithy, but I bet you already knew that too," he said winking at her.

"Sure did," she said matching Vix’s shade of deep red.

The two girls stood dumbstruck as the policemen moved away with the two young lads in tow.

"What about the angel?" Vix said anxiously.

"Stuff the angel," BB said making the most of the rear view.

"But if we don’t get back to Jackson’s soon, it will be gone and Bubbles will be heartbroken".

"She’s gonna be heartbroken anyway Vix, when we tell her who we’ve just met!" BB stated, not quite knowing how she was going to break this to Bubs.

"She’ll be fine BB, she’ll understand," Vix said, placing a comforting arm around BB’s shoulders.

"Yeah right!" BB said the tears welling in her eyes.

"No blinkin angel, and oh, by the way we met Smithy and Ben today".

Vix hugged her close, and they made they’re way back to the store, to see if the one remaining angel was still there.

**

"I knew it!" BB said loudly.

Vix scanned the nearby shelves. "Nope, definitely not another one!"

"You reckon it’s worth asking?" BB said anxiously.

"Don’t think so." Vix said, once more swapping the bags around.

"You gonna tell her, or do I have to".

"About the angel".

"About everything" BB said lowering her head.

"Let’s try all the shops once more, then we’ll work out how to tell her".

BB smiled, "You said your feet were killing".

"Well that’s better than Bubbles finishing me off completely".

BB laughed loudly, then suddenly scowled.

"Whats wrong?" Vix said.

"Pratt alert, let’s go".

Vix looked over her shoulder, and spotted the security guard making his way towards them, she nodded to BB and they left the shop.

**

"So you’re alright then?" Smithy said, concern in his eyes as he looked at BB.

"Well sort of.".

He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well," Vix began. "Put it this way, we’re ok for now, but we won’t be later".

Ben laughed. "You’re going to have to explain."

"Well, when we had our bag’s stolen..." Vix began.

"We were about to buy an angel for Bubbles’ tree," BB continued.

"There was only one left," Vix carried on.

"And when we got back it had gone!" BB said lowering her head.

She felt warm hand placed on hers and looked up into the green eyes that smiled at her. "What was so important about this angel?" he questioned.

"I mean an angel is just an angel," Ben said looking into Vix’s eyes.

"But this angel was special!" Vix began.

"It looked like……………." BB stopped and laughed.

"Well?" Smithy questioned.

"It looked like Reg Hollis, and it was for Casey from Bubbles". Vix stated.

The two men laughed loudly.

"An angel that looked like Reg Hollis!" Smithy said, lifting his drink.

"Bubs is gonna kill us, especially when we tell her………." BB stopped again.

"That we met you two…" Vix expertly continued.

"Aaaah" Smithy said with a knowing look on his face. "Is that THE Bubbles?"

"Yeah," BB said the tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey don’t get upset," Smithy said rubbing BB’s forearm tenderly.

"But she’ll be so jealous," Vix said. "She’s mad on you, and Ben," she said as she looked at Ben. He quickly smiled proudly.

"Don’t worry, we’ll sort it," Ben said taking Vix hand.

"Yeah, you two stay here for half an hour, we’ll be back".

The two men stood and quickly left whispering between themselves as they went.

"What was all that about?" Vix said looking at BB.

"BB!" she kicked her again.

"Huh? Oh sorry," she said looking at her forearm.

"Dunno, but I need another drink".

"Not another brandy!" Vix said laughing, "You’ll be drunk by the time they get back."

"Naaaaaah, mineral water for two?" she said fishing in her pocket for some money.

"Yes please," Vix said looking at her watch. "Only twenty eight minutes to go".

"And I can’t wait!" BB said making her way to the bar.

**

"They’re not gonna show," BB said holding her glass up to the light and watching the bubbles.

"They will," Vix said, looking at her watch for the seventh time in the last thirty seconds.

"Oi, you two coming?"

The girls spun round and saw Smithy in the doorway.

The stood quickly grabbed their bags and followed him out of the building.

"Stop looking at his bum!" Vix said elbowing BB in the ribs.

"I heard that," Smithy said as he held the back door of the car open for the girls.

"And you can look all you like, BB," he said, as he took her hand as she clambered in.

"Oi Vix, move over," she said squashed as the door closed.

"I can’t, there’s someone else in here!"

"Who’s that then?" BB said, struggling to find the seatbelt.

"Only me," came a deep voice from next to Vix.

Just then Smithy opened the drivers door and the light illuminated the rear of the car.

"Oh my God!" Vix and BB said in unison.

"Right, where does she live then?" Smithy questioned.

**

"Shhhhhhhhhhh," BB said as she knocked gently on the door.

The three men stopped laughing and took up their positions either side of the door out of sight.

Vix heard the door opening and nudged BB.

"Hello you two!" Bubs said smiling and looking down at the carrier bags.

"Did you get it?"

BB looked down at the floor, and Vix began to whistle.

"You didn’t get it?" Bubs said loudly. "But you promised you’d get it for me so I could make Casey’s Christmas!" her voice booming.

"But Bubs, you won’t believe what happened, we had our bags stolen". BB began.

"And Ben and Smithy came to our rescue". Vix continued.

They watched as Bubs visibly paled.

"Then we went back to the shop and the angel had gone," BB said, once more lowering her head.

"So let me get this straight" Bubs began.

"Not only did you NOT get the angel, you met Ben AND Smithy, and you didn’t ring me to let me know, I would have been down there like a flash you know I would. Casey will be heartbroken, and as for me well……….. Mind you I suppose you two are happy, after all two doesn’t share very well with three, does it?" she said, the tears coursing down her cheeks.

"But we have brought you a present," BB said, grinning.

"It’s a very special present,"

"And you think a bar of chocolate or a packet of Twinkies will cheer me up!" she was about to slam the door, when she caught sight of movement at the side of BB.

"Did someone just pinch your bum!" she said.

"Eeeeeeerm," BB said, trying not to laugh.

"You’d better come out, boys," Vix said, stepping into the flat.

BB followed her and they stood either side of Bubs with their arms around her shoulders.

"Come in, number one!" Vix said loudly.

"Hello there, Bubbles," Ben said as he jumped from the side of the door.

Bubs sighed.

"Come in, number two," BB said, smiling and watching Bubbles' face for a reaction.

"Yo, Bubs" Smithy said as he sprang into view.

"Hmmmmm," Bubs said, raising her eyebrows.

"Come in, number three!" Vix, BB, Smithy and Ben all said together.

Bubs saw a hand appear round the door, holding an angel that looked exactly like Reg Hollis.

"The angel!" Bubs said astonished, without checking the owner of the arm, she grabbed the angel.

Then a head popped round the door. "Any room for one more?"

She looked at the figure as he stepped slowly from the doorway.

Vix and BB smiled at each other proudly.

"Sam?" Bubbles said, in astonishment.

"The one and only," he said smiling.

"Anyone for mistletoe?" Smithy said, pulling three sprigs from his jacket pocket and handing it around.

**