Nothing Compares To You

Freeze Frame

"DEBBIE DARLING!" Simon stood at the doors welcoming his guests. As she walked in from depositing her coat, she spied her friend standing smiling, arms open. He was exactly as she remembered. Tall, broad, loud and impossibly warm and affectionate. Joe waved from a few feet away, he was small, quiet and equally welcoming. They were like two halves of the same person. And she'd missed them both immeasurably. This felt more like coming home than anything else she could think of.

"SIMON!" She actually squealed and tottered in her impossibly high heels and almost fell into his arms. "Oh God I've missed you!" She kissed his cheek and he hugged her tightly. "Happy Birthday - can't believe you're so OLD!" she giggled and he pretended to be wounded.

"Oh how the lady doth stab me to the very heart!" he staggered back and Joe rolled his eyes as he watched them. "Not that you're much behind me darling!" Simon air kissed her as they parted.

"You two just don't change do you? Always the same with them" Joe addressed Debbie's companion as he walked up. "Hi - I'm Joe, Simon's husband - pleased to meet you....?"

"Iain, Iain Walker.. likewise. I've heard a lot about you both." Iain smiled a little awkwardly and Joe took his arm.

"Come on, let's get you some champagne, leave these two to it." he smiled and guided Iain away to a table laden with glasses and canapes.

"You look beautiful Debs, that colour really suits you. Seems being half a world away has improved your dress sense if nothing else!"

"Ooooh you!" she thumped his chest and laughed "And I see you're as much of a catty bitch as always."

"But that, my darling, is what you love about me isn't it." he smiled gently and kissed her cheek. "God I've missed you girl. Please tell me you're staying for a while? I could do with your advice on a couple of little things. Joe and I, well, we're making some big decisions and I really need my BSF to help."

"Your BSF?" she was puzzled.

"Best Straight Friend!" he winked and she laughed.

"Oh Simon I love you. I've missed you and your immaculate turn of phrase so much. Yes, I'm planning on staying for a while. But, and this is a BIG but...

"Like yours?"

"Oi Cheeky! No, not like my butt. I meant DO NOT say anything in front of Iain, I haven't discussed it with him. It just, well, it just hasn't been right? You know what I mean?"

"Safe with me love, safe with me." he patted the hand resting on her arm. They made a move to collect a drink and Simon looked Iain up and down, nodding. "Well, he's a looker!" Simon approved. "Nice ass too! Although he's no.."

"Simon! You're a married man!" she interrupted, thumping him playfully. "Eyes on your own prize if you don't mind!"

"Ah darling, just because I'm on a diet doesn't mean I can't look at the menu." he winked and they both laughed. Then he paused and looked at her steadily. "You always did have good taste you know lovie."

She nodded "Maybe so, but I don't think that was ever the problem was it Si? "

"He's coming - tonight - you do know that don't you?" Simon almost whispered to her "Does... " he indicated Iain with a movement of his head "know who he is? "

"No. I didn't tell him. All I said was my ex was......" she trailed off as movement at the door caught her eye. She felt the world stop. "here" she whispered almost breathless.

There he stood, blue suit, white shirt, beautiful ginger blonde hair in waved and his beard neatly trimmed. It was his eyes though that really captured her, just as they always had. Ocean blue-green, alluring, piercing her soul. Nothing had changed and yet everything had changed. Gone was the young impetuous rising star. Now, in his place, stood a mature, handsome, smouldering Hollywood stalwart. The years had been good to him and, despite it all, she felt herself melt as she looked. He was way out of her league now it seemed. As if to reinforce the point, on his right arm, hung a beautiful reminder that she was no longer his world.

The beautiful reminder was 5'10", wearing a skin tight red dress, high heels and about £20k worth of silicone, hair extensions and nails. She smiled and her teeth would have blinded even Matt Murdoch. Debbie suddenly felt very small, dumpy and old. Simon saw her wither under the glare of comparison.

"You're beautiful Debs and at least I wouldn't be scared to put you within ten feet of a naked flame." he hissed quietly into her ear, making her grin and look down, blushing. "Talking of naked flames, he's looking at you. No, strike that, he's positively entranced by you." he gave her a little squeeze. "I'm not going to force anything, but if I can help... anyway, I need to say hello. Will you be ok?" he looked at her and she nodded.

"I'll go and speak to Joe and Iain. You go on, please, this is your party. Speak to you in a bit." she reached up and kissed his cheek then turned on her 4inch heel and walked back to the others.

Her mind kept replaying the image and the words... 'he's entranced' no, it couldn't be possible could it? No. Tom was with Barbie or whatever her name was. She was just the 'ex' the spectre at the feast. The Miss Haversham of the group. Best days behind her.

As she walked up to Iain and Joe, she caught the tail end of the conversation.

"Oh my GOD it's really him, its LOKI! Look Debs.. LOOK!" Iain spun her round and pointed very unsubtly to the door.

"Yes, yes it is." she said with a pride she had forgotten she had, "He's been our friend since before he went to RADA. " she looked up at Iain, a sudden idea coming into her head. How to break the ice, how to ease into what could be very VERY awkward. "Do you want to meet him?"

Joe looked at her with surprise and she just nodded as if to say, 'I know what I'm doing'.

"MEET him oh Jesus Christ YES!" Iain was almost panting with excitement. In fact, his reaction to seeing Loki was far and away more animated than he'd been with her. Ever.

"Come on then" before she could change her mind, she grabbed Iain and half dragged him across the room, bearing down on where Simon was busy greeting the new arrivals. As she approached, he looked up and something flickered through his eyes as he saw her. She didn't give him a chance to speak.

"Hi again!" she smiled and took a breath. "Iain here is a huge fan. I hope you don't mind. Tom, this is Iain he's my..."

Before she could say any more, Iain grabbed Tom's hand and started to shake it enthusiastically like some mad fanboy. Which, in that moment, he absolutely was.

"Pleased to meet you Iain, I'm Tom, Tom Hiddleston - Debbie's husband."

The world stopped.

"I - I mean - I WAS her husband. We're divorced, sorry. My bad." he flushed scarlet and Debbie, Grace and Simon stared at him. Iain was too far gone in his fan frenzy to even notice.

"Such an honour, really." he was still holding Tom's hand until he realised that Tom was staring at him as if he were mad. "sorry!" he grinned and Tom laughed.

"Quite ok. Now, if you'll excuse us, I think Grace needs so champagne. You're fond of champagne aren't you love?" he turned to her and her eyes, previously boring a hole into Debbie's skull, now turned back to him.

"Oooh yes darling." she kissed his cheek somewhat unnecessarily and pulled Tom away, "It's over here love. Come on. Why don't you join us Iain - you and Tom can chat more. I'm sure Simon and Debbie have alot to catch up on. You know what OLD friends can be like" her voice dripped honeyed poison and Simon winked.

"Oh you have NO idea lovie."

Tom allowed himself to be dragged away and Simon turned to Debbie and whispered in her ear, "Like I said....entranced."