Hey everyone, here's the next update for you.

Sorry its taken so long to update, had a slight bout of writers block but hopefully its sorted now :D

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me get above 200 reviews. I really do appreciate the comments and feedback, please keep them coming!

And finally, this is for Helena, early birthday present for ya!

Love you all Gemz xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 23- Back To Reality

Sam and Donna were up early the next morning to catch their flight back to Greece. They checked in at the airport and when they'd both cleared immigration, they began to walk to their terminal. "Can I ask you something Sam?" Donna as she tried to stifle a yawn.

"Course you can," Sam replied as he kissed the top of her head.

"If we ever come out here again to see Liam and James, can we please get a later flight back because I hate these early mornings,"

"I'd have thought you'd have been used to early mornings what with running the hotel on your own for the past fifteen years,"

"I am, to a certain extent, I'm used to waking up at six to begin the day, not waking up at two in the morning after only a few hours sleep,"

Sam laughed, "we didn't have to sleep you know," he pointed out.

"What else would we have done?"

Sam stopped walking and pulled Donna closer to him and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. They pulled away a few moments later, grinning broadly at each other, "I wish I'd stayed awake now," Donna said.

Sam smiled at her and kissed her softly once more before they sat down in the departure lounge. He had brought first class tickets for their journey back as well so they were first to board the plane. Once they'd found their seats and got themselves seated, Donna rested her head against Sam's shoulder and her hand on his chest. Sam wrapped his arm around her and her eyes eventually fluttered closed, succumbing to sleep.

Sam gently shook Donna several hours later. She stirred and opened her eyes, "hey," she said.

"Hey yourself, we're almost home gorgeous," Sam replied.

"Home," Donna smiled as she looked up at him.

Sam nodded, "my home is now wherever you are," he said.

"You do say the sweetest things,"

"I save them all for you,"

Donna leant across and kissed Sam softly on the lips and rested her head back on his shoulder, not going back to sleep, just enjoying the close proximity.

The plane landed a little while later and after Donna and Sam had retrieved their luggage, they hailed a taxi to take them to the ferry dock, where Bill was stood waiting for him. They had chosen to get a lift home with him to save them having to wait for a ferry. Sam and Donna got out of the taxi and the driver helped them with their suitcases. Sam paid the driver and he got back into the cab and drove off. Sam and Donna picked up their suitcases and walked towards Bill. "Welcome home Donna, Sam," Bill said as they approached.

He leant across to kiss Donna's cheek and then shook Sam's hand. Bill took Donna's suitcase off her as she climbed aboard the boat. Bill and Sam climbed aboard the boat and they soon set off, back to their life on the island.

The boat docked at the jetty a little while later. Sam picked up his and Donna's suitcases and put them down on the jetty. She got off the boot and picked up her suitcase. "You ready for this?" he asked.

"I've never been more ready," she replied as she kissed him before turning her head to look in Bill's direction, "we'll see you up there Bill, thanks for the lift," she added.

Bill nodded and smiled at the two of them, "no worries," he replied.

Sam took Donna's hand in his and picked up his suitcase and they both began to walk off the jetty and towards the villa. They climbed the steps to the taverna and as soon as they stepped onto it, everyone shouted, "WELCOME HOME!"

Rosie, Tanya, Harry, Eddie and Pepper were there, along with everyone else that worked at the villa. "Welcome home sweetie," Tanya said as she and Rosie approached.

"It's good to be back," Donna replied as she enveloped her fellow Dynamos in a hug.

"Was New York really THAT bad?" Rosie joked.

"I don't mean it like that. New York was…" Donna trailed off as her eyes followed Sam, who was chatting to Harry. He felt her gaze upon him and turned to look at her, their gazes locked, "perfect," she finally finished.

"Ooooh, really? We're going to want details, you do know that?" Tanya said.

Donna laughed, "where's Bill?' Rosie asked.

"He's still down on the jetty, sorting some things out on the boat I think. Anyway, changing the subject, have you guys been looking after this place?" Donna replied.

"Of course we have," Tanya said.

Rosie rolled her eyes slightly, "any problems?" Donna asked, seeing Rosie's reaction.

Tanya and Rosie exchanged a look, "no, none at all its been fairly quiet," Rosie said.

Donna looked at them both suspiciously but didn't have time to pursue it as Sam came back over to her, "I'm going to take our stuff upstairs, leave you and the girls to catch up," he said as he kissed each of them on the cheek.

"I'll come with you Sam, I wanna see if everything's still standing,"

Sam nodded as they picked up their suitcases and began to walk away. They walked through the kitchen, lobby and courtyard and everything looked the same as it had when they had left. They went upstairs to their bedroom and opened. "Home sweet home," Sam said he put his suitcase down on the floor, Donna following suit.

"Home sweet home indeed," Donna replied as she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him.

Sam kissed the top of her head and smiled into her hair, "I think the unpacking can wait until tomorrow, don't you?"

"Hmmm, I think so too," Donna said. Sam laughed, "let's go downstairs and rejoin the party."

Sam nodded as Donna took hold of his hand and led him out of the bedroom.

They went back downstairs and enjoyed a nice dinner with Rosie, Tanya, Bill and Harry. Sam and Donna went back up to their bedroom later that evening and shut the door behind them. They were so exhausted that they both undressed and got into bed. Sam pulled her closer, spooning her tightly and giving her back, neck and shoulders light kisses until they both fell asleep.

The early morning sunlight filtered through the windows the next morning, waking Sam up from his sleep. He looked up and saw that Donna was still asleep, in the same position that they'd fallen asleep in the night before. Sam pressed his cheek against her shoulder and smiled. He turned over and got out of bed, finding his boxers and putting them on. Sam quietly opened the bedroom door and made his way downstairs to start breakfast. He found enough food in the cupboard to make scrambled eggs on toast and began cooking.

Donna rolled over in her own bed, reaching out for Sam. She opened her eyes when all she felt was an empty space, she spread her hand over the void in their bed, the mattress still felt warm beneath her, meaning that he hadn't been gone long. Not wanting to be blinded by the sunlight, she turned back over and tried to go back to sleep. She failed miserably, it seemed insane to her that she couldn't sleep without Sam beside her and had only been back with him for a little over a week. Donna got out of bed and began to search for something to wear. The first things she came across were Sam's shirt and her undies, she pulled them on, leaving the top three buttons undone and went off in search of Sam.

She heard some clattering coming from the kitchen as she approached so Donna guessed that Sam was in there. She stood in the doorway and saw Sam stood in front of the oven, pan in hand, wearing nothing but his boxers and an apron. It looked quite comical but to Donna, it was almost natural to have Sam pottering around the kitchen in nothing but his boxers, looking like he'd just got out of bed. She sighed and leant against the doorframe, waiting for Sam to realise that there was no longer just him in the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder and saw his beautiful wife stood in the kitchen doorway, wearing nothing but his shirt and her undies. He didn't know what it was about her but she made the smallest things, like wearing his shirt, seem so sexy. "Morning gorgeous," he grinned.

"Good morning," Donna grinned back at him. She walked further into the room and wrapped her arms around Sam from behind and kissed his naked back as he placed his hands on top of hers where they lay on his stomach. "What you cooking?" she asked as she removed her hands from his stomach and sat herself down on one of the counters, making sure she still had a perfect view of his naked back and the way his muscles worked together with his movements.

"I'm making us breakfast," Sam replied.

"Really?"

Sam nodded, "you don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," Donna said as she continued to watch him.

Once the eggs had finished cooking and bread had been toasted, Sam plated up the food and put it down on the breakfast table. He sat down on one of the chairs and began to eat, Donna following suit. They soon finished breakfast and Donna looked up at him, "how did you learn to cook like that?" she asked, amazed at the gorgeous meal she had just devoured.

"My mum taught me some basic cooking skills before I left home. They come in handy when Lorraine walked out on me, Liam and James," Sam answered.

Donna smiled at him as she stood up and picked the plates up. She took them over to the sink and washed them, Sam watched her the whole time, completely entranced by her movements. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her gently on the neck. "So…it's back to reality today, isn't it?" he said.

Donna nodded, "you're not complaining, are you?" she replied.

Sam shook his head, "it's the start of our real lives together, and I can't wait,"

Donna turned around his arms and hugged him. She too was looking forward to starting their real lives together. Their honeymoon was so perfect that it had exceeded Donna's wildest dreams but now, it was back to reality for the two of them, and they were both looking forward to facing everything in their lives from now on, together.

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