A/N: Would just like to say, it's only been three chapters and I'm already getting such wonderful comments and I am so grateful for all of the kind words! I would really appreciate it if you guys could keep up with the feedback as it really inspires me to write and gives me pointers on how to improve :D Thank you!
...figures from 2008's survey showed a rapid increase in tourists, therefore, bringing in more money for the council which was used to improve the infrastructure of the area, including roads, buildings and power supplies. However, during March 2011 there was a sudden decline in...
Staring hard at my laptop screen, I could hear the whirring of the electronics inside as I typed. There was also an incessant buzzing in the room that I couldn't locate. Concentration was impossible.
...decline in tourists because of the
I shut the lid of my laptop down and took a deep breath. The whole office was empty so concentration shouldn't have been a problem. Glancing down at my calendar, the corners of my lips turned upwards a little, the photo of Colin and I printed on it always brightened up my day but then it also made me miss him even more.
I spent an awful lot of time on my own these days because Colin's career had really taken off since 'Merlin'. He was currently working on 'The Living and the Dead' and he was spending a lot of time away to film it. He asked me to go with him and despite how much I wanted to, I couldn't get out of work.
Looking around, I thought about how much I had been overworking myself since Colin left. I felt like I was trying to fill the void with paperwork and was failing.
My eyes shifted to the door when I heard the familiar creak of it scraping against the hard, wooden floor. One of my co-workers, Michelle, stalked over to her desk and began gathering up some files. I called out to her and she jumped in surprise.
"God! Don't do that, I didn't know you were here!" She clutched her chest and tried to laugh it off.
"Sorry," I turned back to my work only to hear the click of her high heels coming towards me.
"What are you doing?" Her waist-length, golden blonde hair touched my desk and shifted about as she spoke.
"Working - something not many people seem to do around here." I sniggered, picking up a black Bic pen.
There was a long silence, as if she was considering her next move. "Do you miss him?" I knew where she was looking, straight at my calendar was my guess. Her thin, spindly fingers gripped the calendar and flipped through the months, studying the photos. I, however, stayed silent, I didn't answer the question because it seemed obvious what I would say.
"How long has he been gone this time?" Michelle inquired, placing it back onto my desk.
"Eleven weeks and four days." I responded, squeezing the pen in my hand tighter.
"OK," Michelle abruptly launched into action and collected all of my papers together and threw them into my top drawer. Grabbing my laptop, she tossed it into my bag and settled the strap onto my shoulder. "Off you go."
"I can't go, I've still got work to do." I lied, I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to be alone in the house me and Colin shared.
"You have been overworking yourself for the last eleven weeks and four days. You need to go." She disciplined.
"No, I have to stay here!" I almost yelled.
"Leave. Trust me." She ordered and hugged me firmly.
"I miss him so much..." I sniffed.
"I know, that's why you need to go home." Michelle informed and I nodded. Maybe it was a bad idea to work all the time.
I trudged home nonchalantly as I was in no hurry. I finally got to my driveway and dropped my bag in shock. My eyes wide as I stared at the second car that was now in the driveway. The car I hadn't seen in eleven weeks and four days. The car I wasn't expecting to see for at least another month.
I shot through the door into the house, shouting for him. "Colin? Colin? I know you're here, you have to be here! Colin?"
Becoming more agitated, I surveyed the lounge and hallway. However, it was my nose that managed to point me in the direction of the kitchen where a heavenly smell was emerging from beneath the closed door.
Calmly, I opened the door to reveal my boyfriend holding his hand under the tap with a screwed up expression on his face.
"Colin..." I inaugurated and he quickly twisted around in bewilderment at my presence.
"Oh my God!" He exclaimed and I raced towards him, he opened his arms and caught me in a strong hug.
"I've missed you so much!" I almost cried and held him tighter. I felt his soft lips on top of my head, kissing me repeatedly.
"I've missed you more." He breathed. "Everyday I couldn't stop thinking about you, I found it so difficult to concentrate on anything. I'm sorry I've been gone so long."
"I'm just so happy you're here..." I stuttered, not knowing what to say. There were so many things I wanted to tell him but they all disappeared from my head as soon as I saw his face. "I love you so much."
He laughed heartily, "I love you too." He stroked the back of my head, letting his fingers get caught in my hair.
There was a long calm where we didn't say anything, just held each other because all we wanted was to be together after all this time.
"Uhm...Colin?" I asked.
"Yeah?" His face buried into my neck, kissing me softly still.
"What's that burning?" I furrowed my brows as I inhaled the fiery aroma.
Colin gasped, letting go of me and jogging over to the oven. He grabbed some oven mitts and retrieved a burnt cake from the scorching stove. Whining in frustration, he slammed the blackened mixture onto the hob and held his head in his hands.
"This was supposed to be a surprise and now I've ruined it!" He grumbled, kicking a stool.
"Woah, Colin, it's alright! Calm down, it's not a big deal." I soothed.
"Yes it is!" He shouted, making me flinch. He noticed he had made me jump and put a hand out to my arm but I backed away a little. "I'm sorry..." he apologised.
I shook my head in disbelief. "What's gotten into you?"
"I'm sorry. I just...I'm doing everything wrong! I'm supposed to be a caring, loving boyfriend and instead I'm away for long periods of time and I can't even treat the one person I care about in the world to little luxuries - like making her a cake - without burning myself and the cake."
"Let me see," I approached him and took his hand, turning it over to examine the burn on his palm. The skin was bright red and had inflamed a little.
He snatched his hand away, "it's nothing, I'm fine."
He caressed my cheek with his thumb and I held his hand there against my face, feeling the warmth of his touch. "I don't deserve you." He whispered.
"Now you listen to me, Colin Morgan, you are all I could ever want in a man. Yes, you are away for a long time but that only makes me cherish the time I spend with you even more when you are here, I have learnt to appreciate every second with you. And I don't care about little luxuries, as long as we love each other. You've tried to treat me and I feel so grateful for that. Of course you deserve me so please don't ever think you're not good enough."
Colin grinned. "You always know what to say."
"That's quite true," I snickered, "now lets eat some burnt cake!"
A/N: Hope you liked it, comment what you think!
