The Back Up Benefit

The Break Up

We didn't talk much after that. We both went back to sleep in a hug.

Next thing I knew someone was shouting. I looked around, blinking with sleep. I saw James at the door and red faced in anger as he found me asleep in Ricky's arms and clothes on the floor. This must look awful.

"What the hell are you doing with my woman?!" he roared and marched over to Ricky's side of the bed.

"It's not how it looks." I justified.

"Shut up bitch!" James snapped at me and pushed me away from Ricky.

I lost my balance and rolled over and off the bed, hitting my head on the bedside table. I heard Ricky call out to me but I couldn't see anything for a moment. I climbed my way back onto the bed to see James punch Ricky in the face.

"No! Get off him!" I shouted and threw myself at James to try to get him off Ricky. I knocked James to the floor giving Ricky the chance to reach over and grab my phone off the bedside table.

"You! You're cheating on me with him and this is how I find out?" James roared.

"I'm not cheating on you but I am breaking up with you! You wanted me to chose between you and my best friend." I shouted back. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

James didn't reply with words. I felt a sharp sting of the back of his hand across my face. I gasped and held my searing cheek in shock. There was a moment of silence before hit me again, this time a punch that knocked me onto my back. I tried to kick him off me as he hit me again and again. Then he stopped and fell backwards. I saw Ricky with a baseball bat in hand and blood on his face.

Things got a bit fuzzy as the next thing I knew police were running into the room and Ricky was knelt next to me.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"My head hurts so much!" I winced.

"Stay there. Don't move. You might have concussion." he said soothingly.

"You've got blood on you." I said and reached up to wipe his bleeding nose. "Has he hurt you?"

"I'll be fine." he said softly.

"Where's Percy?" I asked.

"I shut him in the kitchen when I let the police in. He's fine." he told me.

After James was taken away by police some paramedics came in to check us. They decided to be safe we should go to hospital to be checked over. I put a hoodie on over my pyjamas and Ricky put his jeans and coat on before we left. At the hospital we sat together in a cubicle and held hands while we waited. I'd been for scan to see if the bang to my head had caused any damage and I was relived that everything was fine. Ricky had a broken nose and was starting to bruise up already.

"When everything's sorted I want to take you out on a date." he announced.

"A date?" I asked with a small smile.

"Yeah, you and me having a nice romantic meal in a posh restaurant. No sex or funny stuff." he smiled weakly.

"Not a friend date?" I asked. I wanted to make 100% sure we were both thinking the same thing.

"Not a friend date!" he chuckled. "I'm crazy about you Liz. I have been for ages. I think in a way I've been in love with you the whole time."

I grinned and felt fireworks of excitement in my tummy. I realised that was why things felt different between us recently. I had been in love with my best friend the whole time. Not platonically like I did with my other friends. Very much not platonic! It was way more than just the close friendship I thought I felt.

"I love you too!" I grinned and then kissed him on the cheek. "Although let's wait until next week. I want to look my best for our date. No bruises and sore noses."

"I think you're beautiful no matter what." he smiled.

"You charmer!" I giggled.

When we were discharged from hospital with painkillers and bruises we took a taxi back to mine. During the journey we both leant in to kiss and were almost touching when we went over a bump and my forehead hit Ricky's nose. We both swore, him much more so.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry!" I gasped.

"It's ok! It was an accident!" he grumbled.

"We're not having much luck today are we?" I asked.

"No!" he laughed a little. "At least that bloody snob is gone though. He can't love you as much as I do."

"I'm never going to get sick of hearing that!" I smiled blissfully. "I love you too Rick."

We spent the rest of the journey cuddled up in the back seat with our arms around each other, grinning like idiots considering how bruised we were.

At my flat we gathered up a few things, put Percival in his carrier and headed over to Ricky's house. Neither of us wanted to stay at mine. Despite James still being in police custody it didn't feel safe.

We settled in for the rest of the day at Ricky's house. Percival was having fun running around the lawn in the back garden. We sat on the patio in the sun and watched him binky with joy at having the breeze in his fluff. He loved to frolic in the garden when he stayed over at Ricky's as much as he loved to snuggle on my bed.

When we were sitting outside I also gazed adoringly at Ricky. It must have made him uncomfortable as he turned to me and pulled a face.

"Stop looking at me like that. It makes me feel weird." he smiled.

"Sorry." I mumbled. "I just can't help it. You're so handsome!"

"No I'm not!" he laughed.

"Yeah you are!" I told him.

I leant over and kissed him softly. This was different to when we'd kissed before. What was passionate but a little detached was now sweet and gentle. He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist. I put my arms around his shoulders and continued kissing him.

"I wish I didn't have to leave in the morning." he sighed.

"We'll manage. We can talk on the phone every day until you're back. Then we can go on our date." I told him.

"I'm going to take you somewhere really posh. I'm going to romance you so much." he smiled.

"Oo, I'll get a new dress!" I grinned. "Hell, I'll even make one!"

"You'll look amazing in anything!" he told me.

"You're charming. I think I'll keep you!" I teased.

"Good!" he grinned and gave me another kiss.