"Not that it'll do me any good." [S1, Ep2 - Kate to Caroline]

Caroline sat at the kitchen table with a bag of frozen peas on her wrist, trying not to wince. Kate hovered around her worriedly. "Let me have a look now."

"Kate, you've only just looked. It's...fine."

"It isn't fine Caroline. And I want to see if it's still swelling." Kate was insistent.

Caroline gently removed the frozen peas so that Kate could see her wrist. It didn't look good. Deeply purple already and clearly very swollen. She looked at Kate hopefully, "I don't think it's any worse."

"You've got to be kidding Caroline!" Kate looked at her like she was insane. Then, decisively, "Right. We need to get you to A&E."

"Oh Kate, I don't think that's necessary!" Caroline looked dismayed.

Kate looked at her kindly, "Sweetheart, I think it might be broken."

"I bloody hope not, it's my left hand!" Caroline looked outraged at the thought.

"I know exactly which hand it is Caroline...but it's done now. And we need to get it looked at."

There was a pause, then Caroline tried for a compromise, "Ok. I'll drive myself to A&E."

Kate looked at her astounded, "Sometimes Caroline...for an intelligent woman...you say the...most stupid things. You can't drive with one hand."

"Well you can't take me. Lawrence isn't here to look after Olivia if she wakes up."

Kate faltered for a couple of seconds, then she said, "We can ring your mum and see if she'll come over."

Caroline opened her mouth as if to object, then she saw Kate's face and thought better of it. "Ok."

"Caroline. Are you alright, love?" Celia came into the kitchen where Caroline was still sitting with the now not totally frozen peas on her wrist.

"Hi mum. Oh it's not too bad. I think Kate is..." She tailed off as Kate came in behind Celia, still holding the car key.

"Kate is what?" The aforementioned said wryly, one eyebrow raised.

"Being a bit over-cautious, darling, that's all." A small smile.

"You have a look Celia and tell me what you think." Kate addressed Celia directly, clearly looking for back-up.

Mutely Caroline took the soggy peas off her wrist for her mother's inspection, feeling like she was nine years old again.

"Ooooo Caroline, that doesn't look good!"

"Thanks for that concise, medical opinion, Dr Buttershaw", Caroline muttered sarcastically.

Celia shot her a look that was intended to wither. "How the heck did you do it? Kate said you...slipped, wasn't it?" Celia looked questioningly at Kate and she nodded quickly. Celia looked back at Caroline.

"I uh...yes I...slipped..in here. Put my hand out to brace myself and as it hit the floor, my hand skidded out a bit on the tiles and I heard my wrist crack I think."

"We both heard it crack", said Kate.

"Oh, you were here too. That's good." Kate nodded again. "So, was the floor wet?"

"No mum, the floor wasn't wet." Caroline managed to stifle a sigh.

"Only you said your hand skidded...so I thought..."

"Right Celia, if you're ok to stay then, I'll get Caroline to A&E." Kate switched into her best teacher-taking-charge mode. "You shouldn't hear Olivia, she's out for the count but occasionally she wakes up for a drink or if she needs the loo."

"That's fine, love. You get off."

Kate put her hand on Caroline's shoulder gently, "Come on then, action woman, let's go and get you fixed."

Caroline and Kate sat together as the doctor examined the x-ray of Caroline's wrist. "Hmmmm...well Ms Elliot, this looks like a typical Smith's fracture to me." He pointed out the clear break on the x-ray. "You'll see that this bone here..." He pointed with his pen, "...is displaced." The two women nodded. Satisfied with their attention, he continued, "It's typical for the type of fall you had." The two women looked at each other and Caroline seemed to blanch a bit. "Falling with an outstretched hand will do this. It will require some reduction under local anaesthetic to realign the bone before we put a cast on." He saw Caroline's expression and smiled, "Don't worry, the anaesthetic will ensure you don't feel anything and we'll give you some decent painkillers too."

"Does this need to be done now?" Caroline asked tentatively.

"Yes. We need to get it back in position as soon as."

"Ummm...with the cast...I won't have to...take off my wedding ring, will I?" Caroline sounded almost frightened of the answer that might come. Holding Caroline's non-injured hand, Kate felt Caroline's grip tighten and she used her other hand to stroke it comfortingly.

The doctor smiled kindly. "No, you should be ok. The cast will just cover the top of your hand and be anchored around your thumb so your fingers will be free." Caroline's grip loosened on Kate's hand in apparent relief. Kate was moved at how much the symbol of her wedding ring clearly meant to her. She blinked back tears, determined to be strong for her wife.

"Ms McKenzie?"

Kate looked up as she heard her name and smiled at the nurse who'd addressed her, "Yes?"

"Your...wife's procedure is finished. You can go through and see her now. We're just getting some painkillers for her, then you can take her home."

Kate stood up, "Thank you...thanks. Is she...alright?"

"Yes...yes, she's fine. Just a little...woozy from the painkillers." Kate followed the nurse through the corridor. "She's just in there", she indicated a room and Kate went in to find Caroline on the bed.

"Kate! Hey look, I've got a caster plast!" This said by a rather loopy Caroline as she waved her cast in the air.

Kate caught the waving arm gently and urged it down by Caroline's side. She smiled and stroked Caroline's face, "So you have."

Caroline's expression suddenly turned serious, "I just said that wrong, didn't I?"

"Just a little." Kate kissed the cheek she'd just stroked. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Good! Can we go home?" Caroline's enthusiasm was quite endearing.

"We just need to wait for your painkillers, then we can."

"Oh I don't need them!"

"You might...once the ones you've taken wear off."

"Have I taken some?"

"Yes Caroline, I think you have." A wry smile.

"Caroline, wait a minute darling, I'll open the door for you." Kate hid her frustration at Caroline insisting on trying to open the car door herself, despite her current incapacitated state.

"I can do it", Caroline muttered as she decided that she should try to use her right, uninjured arm, crossing it over her body though rather than turning in her seat. The strong painkillers however inhibited her coordination and she got her right arm tangled in her left now encumbered with the cast.

Just then Kate opened the door from the outside and Caroline, having clearly been leaning on the door, lurched outwards. Kate acted quickly and moved forward to catch her, gently holding her shoulders to stop her falling. Caroline, whose head was tucked downwards as she'd been trying to look at her arms and figure out why they were tangled, found herself with her face in Kate's cleavage for a moment before her wife gently pushed her back upright.

"Oh. That was nice", Caroline leered.

Kate smiled despite herself. "Don't get carried away Caroline, I don't think you're quite up to seduction yet."

"Are you imp...imp... Are you saying I couldn't?" Caroline was clearly outraged.

Kate smothered a smile, "Never Caroline. As if I would impugn your seduction prowess." She deliberately used the word that she realised Caroline had been struggling for through the haze of the painkillers' effect. "Now come on, Casanova, let's get you inside."

"Is she ok, Kate?" Celia peered uneasily at her daughter.

"She is fine, mum", Caroline said snottily. "And she can...stalk for herself." A little slur.

Celia sniggered, "Clearly so." Then to Kate, "I'm going to ring Alan to come and get me, love. That way you won't need to leave...Tinkerbell here." She inclined her head in Caroline's direction.

Kate nodded, "If you wouldn't mind Celia."

Left alone with Caroline, Kate put her hand comfortingly on her shoulder, "Are you ok?"

"Yep." Decisive.

"Ok." Not convinced. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Maybe...a glass of wine'd be better." Caroline smiled hopefully.

"Not a hope, Caroline. Not on top of the painkillers you've taken."

"Oh. Really?" Disappointed.

"Really." Firm.

"Ok. Tea then. Just not any of that Earl Grey stuff you like". Sniffy.

A small smile passed over Kate's face and she turned away as she asked innocuously, "What would you like then?"

"I'll have a lass...a laps..." A deep breath, clear concentration and slowly, "lap sang...soosh... My usual. Please."

Kate, now facing the kettle, her back to Caroline, tried not to let her shoulders shake as she giggled silently.

Celia came back into the room. "Gillian's coming to get me. She popped in to ours apparently, so she said she'd pick me up. It'll save Alan coming...now it's dark out."

"Do you want a cup of tea while you wait, Celia?"

"No thanks, Kate. I'd better not. I've already had two. Oh and you're almost out of Lapsang Souchon."

Kate started to giggle again while Caroline and Celia looked at her quizzically.

"So, how's the patient?" Gillian's question to Kate was genuinely concerned.

"Not too bad at the moment...but I'm a bit concerned about how she'll be once the painkillers she's on wear off."

"Did they not give her some to tide her over?"

"Oh, yes they did...but the ones she's on at the moment are clearly pretty strong. She's higher than I've ever seen her on alcohol!"

"Is she?" Gillian looked gleeful.

Kate smiled at her sisterly joy, "She's in the living room, go and see for yourself."

"Will do. You still coming to Calamity's birthday tea tomorrow?"

"Of course. Olivia would be devastated if we didn't."

"Excellent." Gillian sauntered into the living room, trying to quash her grin. "Hiya Wonder Woman, how're you feeling?"

"Hi Gillian!" Caroline smiled. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"No thanks. I'm driving."

Caroline mock scowled, "Kate won't let me have one either...and I'm not driving."

Gillian laughed, "Who'd've thought Caroline Elliot would be under the thumb."

"Piss off." The words seemed harsh but Caroline smiled despite them. "Kate is...wonderful. And...she looks after me."

"She does. She's a very lovely woman." Gillian smirked before continuing, "God only knows what she sees in you."

A few minutes later when Kate and Celia came into the living room, Gillian was laughing uproariously, clutching her stomach. Celia asked, "What's so funny?"

Between gasps of laughter, Gillian replied, "Oh...just Caroline. She can be...very...entertaining, y'know."

Caroline looked at Gillian and put her index finger to her lips, "Shhhh."

The next day, the strong painkillers having worn off, Caroline was grumpy. Her coordination and ability to do things for herself had been hampered by the cast and having limited use of the thumb on her left hand and she wasn't dealing with it well.

Kate tried a combination of ignoring her snippiness and encouraging normality. "Caroline darling, we need to leave for Gillian's by three. Do you want a hand with anything?"

"Why don't you just go without me? Better still, do we have to go at all?"

"Caroline, you know Olivia has been looking forward to this! And you told Gillian we'd be there yesterday."

"Did I? I don't remember that."

"Well you did. And we are. So what can I do to help you?"

"Oh Kate! I can't go. I can't even take a shower, let alone dress myself properly!" Caroline sounded almost petulant.

"Well, I can help you with that." Calm, measured tone.

"How? How can you?" Challenging. Still snippy.

"It's not an insurmountable problem, Caroline. You can take a bath, instead of a shower and keep your cast out of the water. And I'll help you to wash and then get dressed." Calm. Reasonable.

Quietly, "But I wanted to wash my hair."

Kate smothered a smile. "I can do that for you. You never know Caroline, you might like it." Tried to lighten the mood.

Caroline's voice quietened, her tone reluctant, "I don't like having to rely on you, Kate. You've got enough to do."

Kate didn't try to hide her exasperation, "Caroline, we're married! You'd do the same for me. In fact you did when I was pregnant." She stared at Caroline, almost daring her to deny what she'd said. Caroline was silent, so Kate prompted, "Well, didn't you?"

Forced to respond, Caroline conceded quietly, "Yes, I suppose so."

Kate looked at her for a few moments before cupping her face gently and stroking her cheek with her thumb. Then, determinedly, "Right, let's get the bath run then."

About a quarter of an hour later, Caroline was in the bath, her left arm dangling outside the tub, wrapped in a towel for extra protection.

"Thanks for this, darling. I'm sorry I've been a snappy cow."

"That's ok." She paused for a beat, "I'm used to it", Kate said from her station, kneeling by the bath.

"Hey!" Caroline looked up, protesting Kate's words to meet her wife's smiling eyes. Then, softly, "I resemble that remark."

Kate leaned in and kissed Caroline's mouth softly before saying, "Come on then, let me wash your hair."

Caroline leaned her head back and let the water cascade over her. Kate's hand gently smoothed her hair back, following the path of the water, then she cupped Caroline's hair, running her fingers through it to ensure it was all wet. Finally, gently pushing her head back upright, she took the shampoo and poured a little out.

Caroline was already starting to concentrate on the sensations Kate's hands and the water were producing. To give herself over to the sensuality of the moment. As Kate started to gently rub the shampoo into her hair and then massage her fingertips into her scalp, Caroline relaxed even more. She closed her eyes in order to enjoy it and to relax into it.

Kate noticed Caroline's eyes fluttering shut. She enquired softly, "Is that acceptance then?"

Without opening her eyes, Caroline smiled and replied, "God Kate, this is...divine."

"I'll take that as 'you were right, Kate'". Said wryly.

Caroline grinned, "You are always right, Kate."

Caroline wandered into the kitchen at Gillian's. Behind her she could hear Olivia and Emily Jane giggling together as they played. Gillian followed her in, "Hey Wonder Woman, you doing alright?"

"Yes..thanks. Just need a glass of water to take a couple of painkillers."

"Oh..no problem." Gillian reached into a cupboard and poured a glass of water, then handed it to her.

"Thanks." Caroline took the painkillers with a big swallow of water.

"It's a bit painful then." Gillian observed quietly.

"It's not too bad. Just aches a bit."

Gillian looked at her for a bit before saying, "I suppose this means you'll be out of action for a while."

Caroline looked at her quizzically before saying, "It'll be a bit difficult at work for a while but I can probably work around it."

A small smile appeared on Gillian's face and she said, 'I didn't mean at work. I was talking about your...kitchen activities."

Caroline's face blanched a little but she tried to ignore the clear implication. "Well...Kate is a good cook...so it won't be a problem."

Gillian lowered her voice, "You know I wasn't talking about your cooking skills Caroline." The blonde woman just stared at her, trying not to crack, so Gillian pushed her luck a little more, "So. You haven't actually said...what point were you at...in the great...scheme of things...when you fell off the table?"

Caroline gasped and looked utterly shocked. She hissed, "How did you...who told you that?!"

Gillian laughed out loud. "You did Caroline. Yesterday. You were very talkative yesterday." She winked.

Caroline was still staring at her open-mouthed when Celia walked in. "What are you two talking about in here?"

Gillian, still smiling broadly said, "Kitchen tables, Celia. Caroline was telling me how robust hers is...how sturdy it is. Very versatile." Caroline glared at her, daggers in her eyes.

Celia looked at Gillian's grinning visage and decided not to pursue it. She harrumphed gently, turned and walked back out. Caroline, not trusting herself to speak, gave Gillian one last glare and turned away as well.

Later, driving home, a sleeping Olivia in the back seat, Caroline told Kate what had happened. "I'm really sorry Kate...I didn't realise I'd said anything." She looked over Kate, who was silent, looking straight ahead as she drove them.

Caroline felt more and more uneasy with every second that Kate didn't speak. "Kate. Please, say something. Look I'll...talk to Gillian, make her promise not to say anything." Still nothing. "Kate, I realise I've betrayed you and I am truly sorry...not that it'll do me any good.." She tailed off feeling miserable.

Looking over at Kate again, she suddenly noticed her shoulders shaking as she fixedly stared straight ahead through the windscreen. "Are you laughing?"

Kate's giggles burst out of her, having been held in for far too long. "I'm sorry Caroline, I couldn't resist."

Caroline visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping, "Ratbag", she muttered, but she put her hand on Kate's thigh, squeezing it gently.

Kate smiled broadly, covering Caroline's hand with her own for a moment, "Caroline Elliot, who'd've known that life with you would be so exciting."

Caroline smiled, "I wasn't aiming for it but it seems you inspire me."