Sex Education

Ruby Tuesday

Liam stirred slowly. He had been in a deep, heavy sleep. He'd dreamt of Mary Crawford last night. He'd dreamt of her off and on over the years but last night had been vivid. She'd looked not as she'd looked then at 17 but how she could look now at 20. Her gorgeous dark curls had still cascaded down her back unchanged. She'd only grown in beauty as her confidence had. She was still bold and happy to be herself. She still laughed and made Liam feel things he hadn't felt since her. He breathed in deeply. He could still smell her hair. Fruity and floral. Warm, soft skin pressed against his. He frowned as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. She was really here. Asleep in his arms. He watched her lashes flutter in the early morning light. How had they ended up back here again? After all this time?

He had another gig tonight. Noel would kill him if he wasn't at sound check on time. It still looked early but he couldn't be sure. He didn't want to lose her again. Last night had been magical. As it had always been with her. Every word. Every touch. It was like their souls were connected. Liam stood carefully so as not to wake her. He shuffled into his boxers and sat at her desk. The clock said it was 9am. Plenty of time. Souncheck wasn't till 3.

He sat there in the light of the sunrise and read every single one of her letters that she'd written him. His heart ached deep in his chest. He was still in love with her. He'd never stopped. And it sounded like she was still in love with him. What was to be done? He was going all over the place. Mary's work was here. He out his head in his hands and sighed. He was fucked. They were fucked.

"Having second thoughts?"

Liam jumped at the sound of Mary's slightly husky, sleep heavy voice.

He gazed back at her covering her modesty with her duvet. Her skin and hair was glowing in the light. Stunning. His heart skipped a beat. He smiled. He'd said the exact same thing to her in Ireland.

He shook his head.

"No. You?"

Mary shook her head.

"Do you need to go?" She asked.

Liam hesitated.

"Not right now. I read them." He said quietly.

Mary's eyes widened and she flushed.

"All of them?"

Liam nodded.

"Wish you'd sent them to me."

Mary swallowed thickly and nodded.

"Why? Would you have waited for me Liam?"

Liam pushed himself back from his desk and looked out the window feeling slightly wounded by her insinuation. Although she wasn't entirely wrong.

"Is that so hard to believe? Liam Gallagher shags everything in sight so there's no way I'd be faithful right?"

Mary frowned sensing the hurt in his voice.

"Liam...that's not what I meant. I just meant long distance relationships are hard and they never work so I saved you the bother."

Liam nodded.

"Yeah they are hard. But for you...I'd have tried. I'd have tried everything. For us."

Mary felt an emotional lump form in her throat. Liam was being so gentle and earnest. She'd never really thought about how much she meant to Liam. She'd always assumed, wrongly, that although he'd obviously loved her, that she was the one that hadn't moved on and still thought on him. She assumed That Liam would have a fit bird on his arm a few months later and that he'd never think of her again. Wrong. She'd been so wrong. She walked over to the window wrapped in her duvet and pressed herself against his back. She pressed her lips gently between his shoulder blades. She felt him shiver and the tension easing off in his shoulders.