Chapter 1- Hello, Laura

It was New Year's Eve in East Anglia and lovable rogue antique dealer Lovejoy had been brushing his black hair while wearing his black suit, white shirt, black belt and black shoes for the Annual New Year's Eve Festival hoping that he and Lady Jane Felsham would dance like professionals with his apprentice Eric Catchpole and her cousin Lady Penelope Morgan. It was a warm evening in the Suffolk town of Long Melford and he stepped out of his bedroom to see his barker Archibald 'Tinker' Dill dressed in his white suit, light blue shirt, white belt, white shoes and that white fedora with the black hatband which Lovejoy and Eric called the 'mobster hat'.

"Hey, Tink, is Eric ready yet?" Lovejoy asked as he saw Tinker looking rather like a 1920s gangster than his usual self.

"I certainly hope so, Lovejoy." Tinker replied as they both heard Eric's bedroom door open and Eric himself stepped out wearing his navy blazer, light blue shirt, yellow and dark blue striped tie, grey trousers, black belt and black shoes.

"Here I am, let's get down to the village hall before 7:30pm." Eric said as he lead his two friends to the front door in a rather happy mood because he and his band the Lords of the Underworld were performong there.

"Okay, Eric, if you say so." Lovejoy said as he opned the front door so he, Tinker and Eric could go to the Annual New Year's Eve Festival at the village hall and they all got into Miriam and Lovejoy himself drove to the village hall which was only 30 minutes away from Chez Lovejoy.

Luckly for both Lovejoy and Lady Jane and after being single for so long, Eric had finally had the courage to ask Lady Penelope to got to the the Annual New Year's Eve Festival with him and muh to his surprise, she had gladly accepted.

As soon as the three of them arrived at the the Annual New Year's Eve Festival at the village hall, Lovejoy and Eric saw Lady Jane Felsham, who was wearing a red blouse, a lilac shiffon scarf, a black skirt, a black jacket and black high heels, and her cousin Lady Penelope Morgan, who was wearing a pink blouse, a pink and purple striped scarf, a light blue skirt, a grey skirt and black high heels walking towards them. Speechless, Eric leaned over and delicately kissed Penelope on the lips.

"Eric, I'm so glad to see you." Penny said toughing Eric's forehead to hers despite the fact that he was taller than her.

"Thanks, Penny." said Eric as he looked into Penny's blue eyes and saw Lovejoy and Lady Jane kissing each other politely.

"I feel so alive as how there's Americans around here." Jane said breaking the moment between herself and Lovejoy, let alone Eric and Penny. Suddenly, a hand grabbed Eric's left arm and he turned around to find his librarian friend and lead guitarist Mark Taylor who was also his best friend, his police officer friend and rhythm guitarist Rob Duncan, his other police officer friend and bass player Toby O'Flanigan, his restuaranteer friend and keyboard player Ross Renton and his aristocratic friend and drummer Sir Russell Wellesley all looking at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lovejoy noticed Tinker looking out into the crowd to see a middle-aged blonde woman wearing a light green blouse, a white chiffon scarf, a dark green jacket, a dark green skirt and white high heels looking at him.

"Do you know that woman you're looking at, Tinker?" Lovejoy asked referring to the woman Tinker was looking at.

"Indeed I do, Lovejoy. Her name is Laura Sanders and she's a former girlfriend of mine," Tinker replied as he saw the woman looking back at him. "When I was in the army, me and a friend of mine named Harlan Westley were transfered to the U.S Army Base for 3 months of training, I was certain that we were determined to show our old general what we were worth until I met a female lieutenant named Laura Anne Sanders and we fell in love at first sight. Both Laura and I had seen quite a lot of each other that I had forgotten about my friendship with Harlan. The tension was starting to erupt when Harlan was discharged after 6 weeks and went back to England. I had been with Laura for 3 months, I had left poor Laura behind and we never saw each other again but last I heard, she married another friend of ours named David Lawson."

"I think that Laura might want to say hi, Tinker." Lovejoy said as Eric and his band, the Lords of the Underworld, got up on the stage to perform their song 'Run With Us' while Tinker walked over to the blonde woman looking at him.

When darkness falls,
Leaving shadows in the night,
Don't be afraid,
Wipe that fear from your eyes

If a desperate love
Keeps on driving you wrong,
Don't be afraid,
You're not alone

You can run with us,
We've got everything you need,
Run with us,
We are free

Come with us,
I see passion in your eyes,
Run with us

When the cold wind blows,
Turn your collar to the cold,
Don't be ashamed
If you need someone to hold

If you're sinking in quicksand
And it's dragging you down
And you feel you're going under,
We'll be around

You can run with us,
We've got everything you need,
Run with us,
We are free

Come with us,
I see passion in your eyes,
Run with us

When you're behind closed doors,
All alone, by yourself
And you're longing inside to be somebody else

You pick up the telephone
And there's no one on the line,
Don't be afraid
'Cause there's still time

You can run with us,
We've got everything you need,
Run with us,
We are free

Come with us,
I see passion in your eyes,
Run with us

You can run with us,
We've got everything you need,
Run with us,
We are free

Come with us,
I see passion in your eyes,
Run with us

"Excuse me, Miss. I'm looking for a blonde woman I knew years ago." Tinker said as he approached the woman and smiled at her knowing it wasn't possible and that he really was a very fine actor. The woman looked up at him and smiled back. Then, she jumped to her feet and hugged him.

"Tinker, is that you?" the woman said wrapping her arms around Tinker's neck. "I can't belive how much older you've gotten since I last saw you."

This was it, this was the first time they had seen each other in years and it was better than Tinker himself imagined. As they pulled apart, they looked into each other's large blue eyes.

"How did you know it was me, Laura?" Tinker asked quietly into Laura's ear. "I had a feeling you noticed me."

Laura smiled before she kissed him passionately and turned around to face Lovejoy who was smiling at him and said as she saw Lovejoy smiling at them "I never forget a voice!"

Little did she know this would be the first time she saw him in a very long time.

"Thank God." Tinker said as both he and Laura saw Eric's band performing a few more songs. There right in front of him, Laura had re-entered Tinker's life just as quickly as his first wife Patsy did.

Chapter 2- Flashback to the First Date

"Okay, Lads, listen up," Lovejoy said the very next day as he, Tinker and Eric were all standing outside Charlie Gimbert's Auction House like a group of teenagers about to make a sign of their own on Charlie's own sign. "Charlie's going to sell Tinker's old player piano and we gotta get it back."

Soon, the only noise near all three of them was cars pulling up and as another car pulled up, the door opened and Tinker gasped as he saw that it was Laura. The handful of memories they has shared in the late 1950s even when he had introduced her to her late husband David Lawson, who had died only 2 years ago from a mild heart attack, were wonderful and Tinker rather liked it.

"Laura!" Tinker said as he spotted his American ex-girlfriend. Laura turned around only to see Team Lovejoy which included her British GI ex-boyfriend behind her. The two of them ran up to each other and embrace in a hug which had made Eric a bit sick to his stomach despite the fact that he had been with Penelope for 3 months.

"Oh my God, this thing's made with real diamonds!" Lovejoy said as he took the necklace from Laura. He didn't realize how much Tinker missed Laura until he saw her again. Last time they saw each other was when he went back to the UK.

"I don't believe that for one second. You're lying, Lovejoy," Laura said snatching the necklace off Lovejoy after she pulled away from Tinker and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Then as she walked up to the auction house, she said to Tinker "How about I come over to Casa de Lovejoy on Friday night!"

Trying to take the attention off of himself, Tinker kissed Laura's left hand as she turned to leave and he remembered their first date.

Tinker and Laura were both having dinner at a restaurant near Laura's army base. Almost forgetting that she was a female lieutenant in the US Army and he was a male lieutenant in the British Army anyway, Laura felt very safe and at ease with Tinker. The two of them would go from laughing to fighting to gushing over each other between bites just like during two teenagers. Tinker wore a white suit, light blue shirt, white belt, white shoes and a white fedora with a black hatband and Laura was wearing a dark green srapless prom dress with a black petticoat underneath, a light blue cardigan sweater and dark green shoes.

"What's wrong, Tinker?" Laura asked noticing the look on Tinker's face.

"Nothing, Laura," Tinker said as he began playing with the food on his plate trying to get the next sentence out. "I'm only here for only 3 months." The words came out so fast that Laura didn't understand what he said at all.

"What?" Laura asked grimacing at how curious her short-term British boyfriend was acting.

"I'm only here for only 3 months." Now very clear, Tinker stretched his arm across the table and grabbed Laura's hand.

"Are you and that Harlan guy you're friends with gonna be okay?" Laura asked sympathetically.

"Me and Harlan are fine but if you need to go back to the army base, I'll understand." said Tinker. All of a sudden, the room began to spin and a sickening feeling began to rise in Laura's stomach. She knew Tinker was going to be there for 3 months but didn't expect to see Harlan unless it was fine with him.

"It's okay, Tinker, I'll be okay," said Laura. Taking a large sip from her glass of wine, she kissed Tinker on the cheek, got up and excused herself to go to the ladies restroom. "I'll be right back."

Outside the Gimbert Auction House, Laura began to remember that the necklace was made with real diamonds as she saw a man with cruly gray hair and gray-green eyes. The headache from earlier had not subsided but instead, now seemed to be splitting her skull in two. Digging through her handbag, she looked for a piece of gum, mint or anything that she could focus on right now other than the situation at hand. A minute or two later, she had saw the man looking at her and remembered that this was Lovejoy's arch rival Charlie Gimbert.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Laura said as her black leather handbag flew out of her hand. Exasperated, she didn't have a chance to look at his face before bending over and collecting and scraping her belongs back into the bag.

"Here, let me help," Charlie said as his right hand reached out, which she took, and he pulled her from the floor. Regaining her composure, Laura smoothed the wrinkles out of the dark blue skirt she was wearing and brushed a piece of hair away from her face. Still holding her hand in his, he stated "Charlie Gimbert."

The last thing Laura saw were his blue eyes before she said "Laura Sanders-Lawson" before she fainted and fell to the ground.

"Stop right there, jerk," Eric snarled as Charlie froze. The muzzle of Eric's revolver was pressed menacingly against the small of Charlie's back. Without making any sudden movements, he froze on the spot and slowly turned her head to the side until he could see a familiar mane of brown hair and an angry scowl.

"You're lucky you're not taking me for a ride in that thing Lovejoy calls a car," Charlie said. "You, Eric Morrison, drive like a maniac and if were you driving, I'll be thrown about all over the place."

Walikng over to Laura and picking her up in his arms, Tinker glared at Charlie and said "Stay away from Laura or you'll have me to deal with, Charlie."

"Fine, Tinker." Charlie said as he saw Charlie walking away with Laura and thought I think I'm in love with that Laura woman that Tinker's very attached too.

Chapter 3- No Use Getting That Necklace Off Me

Warm East Anglia sunlight poured through the blinds of the bedroom where Laura was sleeping. Stretching her arms above her head, she peered through one open eyelid to see her surroundings. Picture frames lined the mantle of a late 1920s-style fireplace; walls decorated in an Art Deco style and a photo of her on the nightstand enclosed the bedroom. Climbing out of bed, she looked outside to see the sun climbing over the trees. She opened the door to the balcony, stood outside and let the warm morning air engulf her body. After hearing banging of pots and pans coming from the kitchen, she felt like a member of Lovejoy's team as she walked down the steps in Lovejoy's cottage.

"Good morning, Laura," Tinker said standing over the sink pouring water into a teapot. He walked over and gave his ex-girlfriend a kiss on the cheek and walked her over to a stool at the breakfast counter. "Coffee?" he asked.

"Sure, Tinker," said Laura as everything from the sounds and smells of Lovejoy's home were the same as they were a few days ago. In her mind, this was perfect. "What the hell happened yesterday?" Oddly, Laura couldn't remember much of her encounter with Charlie Gimbert.

"You saw Lovejoy's arch rival Charlie Gimbert and somewhat passed out when you saw him. Lovejoy and Eric figured it was stress before Eric pointed his gun at Charlie. We brought you here and you fell asleep immediately. You've been asleep for nearly seven hours." Tinker replied.

"Oh my God." said Laura as she settled the cup of coffe down, rubbed her eyes and stood up to go grab a bowl of cereal as she thought He thought that I fainted because of that Gimbert guy.

"Tinker was really worried about you." Lovejoy pried as he entered the kitchen.

A couple hours later, Laura was finishing getting ready and waiting on Tinker to go to Lowestoft Park with her as she was digging through the suitcase she bought with her trying to find a nice outfit to wear on her day out.

"Tinker, could you please get the door?" Laura yelled downstairs when the doorbell rang to the house. At his former girlfriend's request, Tinker opened the door and stanind there was Charlie Gimbert himself.

"Charlie, I'm very sorry but Lovejoy's not in at this very moment." Tinker said as Charlie entered the house.

"I'm not after Lovejoy, I'm after that beautiful American blonde woman's diamond necklace I'm after and the woman herself!" Charlie said as he shut the door and saw Laura in a pink skirt suit, a black blouse and black high heels. Her face was bright red and she felt dizzy again while Charlie was staring from Tinker to her. After staring back at him, she took a deep breath and stood behind Tinker very timidly.

"Forget it, Gimbert, you're not having it and you ain't having me either." Laura said angrilly. Still shocked from what he just heard, Charlie still kept his eyes on Laura and his face was flushed.

"Leave Laura alone, Charlie." Tinker said as Laura backed into a table in the foyer. She knocked over a potted plant and glass crumbled onto the floor. Bending over to clean up, she felt a pair of arms grabbing her around the waist instantly.

Laura wrenched her lips away, a cry escaping her throat but she landed on the table with Charlie's weight on top of her.

Charlie's fingers made light work of Laura's jacket and blouse. A hand crept up under her skirt and she opened her legs a little more. At this very moment in time, Charlie stared longingly into Laura's beautiful blue eyes. She turned away causing him to realize that his arms were still wrapped around her tiny frame, he immediately grasped her breasts and she had slapped him across the face.

"Well, I'll be back for that diamond necklace, pet," Charlie purred as he left the house as Tinker hugged her tightly. "You haven't heard the last of me." His engine revved as he pulled out of the driveway and Tinker appeared at her side.

"What was that about?" Tinker asked. Laura's eyes were fixed on watching his car drive away.

"He grabbed my breasts so I had to slap him for that," Laura said as a bundle of tears streamed down from her eyes and she wiped them away quickly before Tinker could see. "I can't believe you let me sleep in your room." she laughed and the two of them chattered away as they walked back into the kitchen.

Chapter 4- Once You've Had American, There's No Going Back

"Hey, Tinker!" a warm, excited voice came from behind a young Tinker. There was another voice in the background mentioning something about coffee and the dining hall.

"Hello there, Laura." Tinker's voice wasn't exciting or affectionate or anything close to it. Instead, he sounded dead and soulless, meek and exhausted.

"Hey, Tinker," Laura said as she continued on discussing her roommate Lieutenant Hilary Price, their quarters and how she decorated it and how much she loved US Army life. She tried to make everything sound perfect and wonderful, hoping it creates some excitement from him. "I hear you're heading back to England in 3 weeks!"

He could hear her smiling when he replied "I know." Sighing, he knew what question was next and what he had to say. He had been up the entire night practicing over and over again.

"How's Harlan?" Laura asked. Tinker didn't know that she hadn't been able to sleep last night as she hoped for the best but feared the worst.

"He's barely contacted me since he went back to Britain," he said. "He was rather cross with me since we had seen quite a lot of each other that I had forgotten about my friendship with him." From behind his eyes, he could feel tears beginning to erupt as he thought about what he had to say.

"I understand. And hey, that means you'll definitely be home in a few weeks!" Laura said. Even though she was trying to make light of the situation, her voice began to break. She feared what he was about to say.

"Listen, Laura," Tinker said as tears began to fall down his cheeks. "I'm glad you'll be having a good time in the future and I'm really happy for you but I want you to think of me every year on the day I leave."

"I understand, Tinker," Laura said cutting him off, she wouldn't have been able to stand hearing him actually say it. She was still holding the tears in when she finished. "Look, you just take care of yourself. I'll still be with you." Listening to him take a deep breath, she said goodbye and kissed him before she broke down. He still held her to him wishing to hear her say something like I'll be right there or we can stay together. A few weeks later, Tinker had went back to the UK and sobbed. They wouldn't talk again for nearly 30 years.

Two days in East Anglia had flown by for Laura. Busy with the diamond necklace Charlie wanted from her, she had completely forgotten about it when her late mother gave it to her and was now trying to come up with some excuse to not give it to Charlie at the last minute.

"Laura, come on," Tinker called from downstairs. Grabbing her handbag and a pink cardigan, Laura walked downstairs. "Oh my God, Darling, you look amazing."

"Thanks, Tinker," said Laura as she kissed Tinker on the cheek and opened the door to the outside. "I guess I wanted to look pretty tonight." She really did look exceptional wearing a sleeveless yellow blouse, a dark blue skirt and a pair of white high heels. The only addition to the outfit was a pearl necklace and a pair of small pearl earrings. She looked outstanding.

"Laura, you always look beautiful," said Tinker as he and Laura left the cottage, went into Laura's car and headed to Lowestoft Park. "How can you find words for somebody you haven't seen in years but I'm glad you tracked me down."

"Me too," Laura laughed. "Tinker, I loved what you told me bfore you left." Tinker knew this was true but was still nervous and had trouble coming up with ideas. When they finally arrived at Lowestoft Park, Laura turned around and held put her hand for her very pale-faced ex-boyfriend to grab which he did and they both went in.

Arriving back at Lovejoy's cottage two hours later, Tinker and Laura opened the door to find Lovjoy, Eric, Lady Jane and Lady Penelope talking about what they were going to do on Friday night. Joining the group, Tinker looked around and saw them until he saw Laura staring back at him and smiling at him.

"Tinker," Lovejoy said as he gawked at his oldest and dearest friend. "I'm glad you told me you and Laura were going for a walk around Lowestoft Park today."

"I'm glad I told you, Lovejoy," Tinker said as he stared from Lovejoy to Laura and spoke softly to her. "Laura, could you help me with something later?"

"Sure." Laura said wanting to set aside their differences for the remainder of Friday which was the next day. The entire cottage also seemed to forget all the past feelings and moved on or at least for dinner.

Unable to control herself, Laura laughed softly but immediately clasped her hand over her mouth. She grasped Tinker's left hand and walked into the kitchen with him.

"Do you want to help me prepare dinner?" Tinker asked.

"Yeah, thanks, Tinker." replied Laura before they started kissing passionatly.

Chapter 5- The Double Date

A pair of large blue eyes was staring down at Laura when she woke up the next morning. Startled, she jumped before settling down realizing whom the eyes belonged to.

"Tinker, what are you doing?" Laura asked as she began to climb out of bed before Tinker stopped her.

"It's my boudoir, Laura but I've only been married twice and have a son called Raymond from my first marriage and two twin daughters called Bonnie and Connie, who I often get confused with each other, from my second marriage." Tinker said still staring. Pulling herself up and leaning on the headboard, Laura starred quizzically at her former boyfriend.

"That's okay, I've got my daughter called Gabriella and my son called Johnny from my own marriage befroe David died from that heart attack 2 years ago but do you really think that if we got married, you were gonna keep my locked up inside the house?" Laura asked. Easily, she climbed out of her bed and hugged Tinker softly.

"No, I guess not," Tinker said as Laura began to smile and rested her head on his shoulder. "Now come on, you go down to Felsham Hall to get Jane and Penelope ready and I'll stay here to get Lovejoy and Eric ready!"

"Ready for what?" Laura asked as she got ready to go to Felsham Hall where Jane and Penelope were.

"Lovejoy suggested that he and Jane double date with Eric and Penelope tonight. I think it'll be dinner and possibly a film afterwards." Tinker said as he rushed out of the bedroom.

At 6:30pm, Laura arrived with Jane, who was wearing a dark blue off-the-shoulder dress with matching shoes and a pink cardigan sweater, and Penelope, who was wearing a pink sleeveless dress with matching shoes and a light dreen cardigan sweater, as the two of them were lead into the living room and realized that Laura was wearing a dark green strapless prom dress with a black petticoat underneath, matching shoes and a light blue cardigan sweater.

"You look stunning." Tinker whispered in Laura's ear.

"Thanks." Laura said as she notice that Lovejoy was wearing his black suit, white shirt, black belt and black shoes, Tinker was wearing his white suit, light blue shirt, white belt and white shoes and Eric was wearing his navy blazer, light blue shirt, yellow and dark blue striped tie, grey trousers, black belt and black shoes.

"Well, I'm just glad about this date thing." Eric said doing that tie twiddling thing from those old Laurel and Hardy movies.

"Now, Eric, I've had a really great time with you since our relationship began." Penny said excited.

"Me too. Surprisingly." Jane laughed.

"Alright, I mean, I thought things would be really awkward but if you ask me, Eric sure proved me wrong." Lovejoy said as he, Jane, Eric and Penelope all left the house, got into Miriam and drove off.

As the others left, both Tinker and Laura looked at each other in the eyes and leaning down, Tinker kissed Laura passionately on the lips. When Laura pulled away, she realized what had just happened and ran into the bathroom. When the door opened a few minutes later, Tinker shrugged and thought that Lovejoy had forgotten something and turned around only to find Charlie who stood with both hands on his hips.

"What the hell do you want now, Charlie?" Tinker asked sternly ads he blocked the doorway.

"You know what the bloody hell I want, Tinker!" Charlie replied as he had attacked Tinker and Tinker had attacked him back.

"I hate fighting with you, Charlie but I'm sure I've done this before." Tinker said as both he and Charlie were slapping, kicking and hitting each other for the next half hour until Charlie, who had had enough of being slapped around by his own rival's barker, had grabbed him and threw him against the wall knocking him out.

"Tinker, don't say I didn't warn you about what I did to you last time!" Charlie laughed. He didn't move as Tinker slumped to the floor unconscious. As he grabbed Tinker, Charlie had dragged him to the back seat of his car and arrived inside again as soon as Laura was out if the bathroom and seduced her into telling him where her diamond necklace was.

"Now, darling, I'd like to have that necklace of yours right now." said Charlie softly as he grasped Laure's arm.

"Forget it, Jerk, you're not having it." Laura growled as Charlie grabbed her crotch and breasts until she slapped him in the face.

"Sod you, woman, if that won't loosen your tongue, maybe this will," Charlie hissed and with one swift move, Charlie grabbed her wrists and kissed her full on and as he let go, his female captive was still furious with him.

"Look, A-hole, you can have it over my dead body." Laura said firmly as Charlie placed a chloroform soaked handerchief over her mouth and nose causing her to pass out and then dragged her to the back seat of his car and drove off.

Chapter 6- Kidnapped

When Laura came too, she saw that she was lying on a small bed in a dark bedroom and looked around to see Tinker sleeping beside her. At first, she thought he was sleeping until she realized that he was out cold beside her and she snuggled closer to him and hugged him tightly hoping that he would wake up.

Oh my God, where the hell am I? thought Laura in puzzlement as she looked at her surrondings. This isn't my room in LA and it's not Tinker's either.

Climbing out of bed, she saw that her bare feet were touching the carpet that surronded this bedroom floor until she heard Tinker groaning and climbed back into the small bed beside him and asked "Tinker?"

"Oh my God, what in the name of Jack Hylton happened?" Tinker asked realizing his voice souded rather husky and Laura was beside him.

"I don't know, Tinker but wherever the hell we are, I don't like it one bit." Laura's voice said as Tinker opened his large blue eyes and saw that both he and Laura were lying on a bed in a dark bedroom and looked around the room they were in. Laura thought about Charlie did to her and started to cry.

"Laura, what's wrong?" Tinker asked as he saw Laura crying and hugged her.

"I think that Gimbert guy attacked you he grabbed you and threw you against the wall of Lovejoy's place knocking you out and when I came out if the bathroom, he seduced me into giving my necklace to him. I didn't wanna tell him but he to place a chloroform soaked handerchief over my mouth and nose causing me to pass out." Laura sobbed as she hugged Tinker right back.

"I forgive you for what happened, Laura but if I know Charlie, he does that with women who had any anitques," Tinker said as he heard footsteps walking up the stairs. "You go back to sleep while I deal with Charlie."

"Okay." said Laura as she and Tinker kissed passionalty as Tinker whispered "I love you" and Laura whispered "I love you too" and later, she fell asleep. It was now 8:45pm as Charlie opened the door in which Tinker and Laura were in and entered with his toady Frank Stephenson behind him. Stephenson could tell that Charlie was falling in love with Laura and wanted her to sleep with Charlie instead of Tinker.

"Okay, Tinker, give me the woman now." Charlie demanded as he glared at Tinker and Tinker glared back. When Frank walked over to the other side of the bed, he could see that Laura was already asleep and didn't want to wake her. The blonde American woman alseep on the bed was so glamorous and beautiful. Tinker paled. He understood what Charlie was saying. His stomach churned a bit at the thought of Charlie touching Laura and he knew it.

"I'm sorry but Laura's not for sale, Charlie," Tinker stated as both he and Charlie still glared at each other. "I know that, you know that and Mr Stephenson should know that by now."

Frank had notice that Charlie had enough of Tinker glaring at him and walked over to the other side of the bed both he and Laura were lying on and saw her sleeping peacefully unaware that Frank wanted to have a few seconds alone with her. Though Frank had now just looked at Tinker, Charlie made a deep purring sound in his throat as he stroked Laura's cheek.

"You, love, owe me that necklace and trust me, my boudoir will be the next thing you'll see." Charlie purred to Laura as he stopped storking her cheek and grasped her breasts again.

"I think I told you two days ago to get your hands off her," Tinker yelled as Frank tried to restrain him in order to stop him from attacking Charlie as Laura had woken up and Frank had let go of him. "Can't you see that you can't have Laura or leave Mr Stephenson in guard of anything?"

"Don't forget, I'm not stupid," Charlie snapped while Tinker kept Laura close to him as she was still asleep calmly and peacefully. "It's alright, sweetheart, I won't let Charlie get his hands on you."

Laura was not sure what happened when she woke up but she was still in the same bed she was in shen she woke up in that room earlier. Looking at Laura, Tinker took a deep breath and looked very worried as he said "Laura, are you alright?"

"Yeah, Tinker, I'm okay but what the hell's going on here?" Laura said as her heart sank but Tinker felt very upset as she sighed sadly. "If You-Know-Who's still here, I'm gonna kill him."

"Excusez moi, love but I believe that I can't help but overhear that you are going to kill me." Charlie purred gently as he stood near Laura's feet.

"Damn right I'm gonna, Gimbert," Laura growled as she saw Charlie with his fat aide Fat Frank. "I'm sure Lovejoy and the others'll make him more damn stupid and you'll wish you'd never met me."

"Laura, calm down," Tinker said as he pulled Laura closer to him. "You don't know what Charlie's capable of doing."

"Forget it, your dear sweet Laura's mine," smirked Charlie as he grabbed Laura by both sides of her face and kissed her full on only to get slapped across the face. "You and I should both know that by now."

Angry at the way he kissed her in front of Tinker, Laura yelled "I'd rather sleep next to that fat guy than next to you!"

At this very moment, Charlie gave Frank the sign to grab the pillow from under Tinker's head and place it over his face as Tinker whispered "I love you, Laura" and in turn, Laura replied "I love you too, Tinker." A few seconds later, Frank grabbed the pillow from under Tinker's head, placed it over his face and suffocate him with it until he was unconscious which he had done.

"Okay, Mr G," Frank said as he was sure that poor Tinker was dead. "I think Lovejoy's barker's dead."

"No, he's unconscious," Charlie said as Laura passed out in his arms. "I don't want him acting like Lovejoy himself interfering in my affairs, Stephenson."

Chapter 7- The Discovery

Lovejoy and Eric both spent the entire evening with Jane and Penelope but their dates made sure both women had everything they wanted which was just dinner at Renton's Roundabout which Ross and his uncle Gordon had owned and a movie which was Wayne's World. They had a great evening as they giggled at all the funny bits in that very movie.

By 8:45pm, the movie was over and both Lovejoy and Jane truly believed that Penelope was falling in love with Eric and hoped that maybe in the next few weeks, they could talk about a future together. As soon as the gang were outside the cinema, they were just about to head to Miriam as a male voice called out to Lovejoy.

"Lovejoy!" the voice said as a grey haired man with a brown suit, a white shirt, a red tie, a black belt and black shoes walked over to Lovejoy with a female companion with dark brown hair and was wearing a yellow sleeveless dress and yellow shoes.

"Hey, Johnny," Lovejoy said as he saw his old friend Dr John Paris with his female companion leaving the cinema. "You sound like the time you and my ex-wife Susan saw Charlie walking around school in just his underpants." Lovejoy made Dr Paris laugh almost to tears. They were still laughing when Eric, Jane and Penelope all took a look at Dr Paris and smiled at him while the good doctor smiled at them.

"Okay, Lovejoy," Dr Paris said as it suddenly seemed like Lovejoy and the gang got quiet. The woman with him turned around and saw the gang smiling at her as she smiled back. "Don't forget to tell old Tinker that he's got an ear check-up next Friday."

"Sure, John, I'll tell him that when we get home." Lovejoy said as he noticed the woman was waving at him and he waved back and both she and Dr Paris walked away.

"Lovejoy, what on Earth was that all about?" Jane asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Lovejoy entered Miriam with Jane in the passanger seat and Eric and Penelope in the back and then, they drove off home.

"Dr Paris wanted me to tell Tink that he's got an ear check-up next Friday." Lovejoy said placing both his hands on the stearing wheel.

"I suggest you do tell him, Lovejoy," Penelope said from the back seat as she hugged Eric. "It's the right thing to do after all." Lovejoy tried to argue but he knew it was hopeless.

"I'm gonna tell him anyway. This is like the time Eric told me he slept with a redhead during our trip to London 2 years ago." said Lovejoy as the gang arrived back at the cottage a few minutes later and entered only to find a note from Charlie to say that he had both Tinker and Laura in his home. "Guys, big problem."

"What is it, Lovejoy?" Eric asked concernedly like when Tinker heard that Charlie had kidnapped Ray.

"I can't belive I'm saying this but Tinker's gone," Lovejoy yelled as he guess that Charlie had been in the cottage. "Charlie's got him, Laura and the necklace."

Eric and the girls didn't know what to say but the current look on Eric's face meant 'this means war'.

A few seconds later, Lovejoy and the gang had gotten ready to rescue Tinker, Laura and the diamond necklace Charlie was due to put up for auction and had to know what would happen. Eric had packed a few spy-like gadgets into his backpack which had his initials E.M.C on the side of it.

"Eric, what the bloody hell are you doing?" Lovejoy asked as he saw Eric putting the gadgets in his bag.

"I gotta take a few gadgets and stuff so it'd be like one of those Bond films, Lovejoy." Eric said as he looked up briefly to check the time as it was now 9:00pm. Jane, who was now dressed in a black leather jacket, matching trousers, matching boots, a light blue roll neck jumper and a red chiffon scarf, and Penelope, who was dressed in a brown suede jacket, blue jeans, black leather boots, a pink roll neck sweater and a yellow and lilac striped chiffon scarf, sat at the table ready to help out and gave Lovejoy a map of Charlie's house where Tinker, Laura and the diamond necklace were.

"Wait a minute, Lovejoy," Jane said excitedly. "Charlie's got both Tinker and Laura and I believe we know how to get into his home."

"Jane's got a point and it's also a very good one, Lovejoy, Eric," Penny added sounding just as crafty as Lovejoy was as she smiled at Eric. "This may be like one of those James Bond films as Eric stated but this will be good."

Chapter 8- Okay, Now It's Personal

Laura sat up slowly and tried to shift her body around and realized that she was bound spread eagle across Charlie's large plush king sized double bed. The more she tugged, the more the thick ropes cut into her wrists and tightened around her ankles. As her eyes adjusted to the light of the room she was in, she was even more disturbed to realize that she is wearing someone else's clothes.

Instead of her dark green strapless dress, she was now wearing a yellow slip which came up to her tighs and had a slit up each side and whoever took the time to dress her also took the opportunity to clean her up and fix her hair in a quick up-do with several pieces of her blonde hair down framing her face.

What the hell's all this? What am I wearing? Oh God, this can't be good, Laura thought. Okay, think. What could this purpose for me being here and how would that explain this outfit?

But before Laura could ponder any longer, Charlie came out from behind a walk-in wardrobe. He was also wearing new clothes and to Laura's disgust, her slimy captor wearing a multicoloured dressing gown, silk blue pajamas, a pink silk cravat and brown slippers.

Laura's eyebrows flew up and her heart dropped through the floor hammering wildly. Charlie was walking towards his own bed and was now standing over her and said "You know what, Stephenson? I'll be glad when this little job's done. Tinker's presence was scaring me."

"Mr G, how could you? It's that necklace you want!" Frank said as if he sounded disgusted with what Charlie had said.

Laura's mouth went dry and her characteristic optimism fairly leaked away. Whatever Charlie had planned for her must have been particularly disgusting and sexual if he got "a turn" to soften her up. She found she didn't want to guess what his part in it must be if even he found it wonderful.

"Not only that but the owner herself too but I'll take it from here for the time being," Charlie said. "You guard Lovejoy's barker. I don't know what else you have planned if Lovejoy shows up but you're welcome to guard Tinker."

Frank sounded startled by the offer and happy by it as he walked to the bedroom door, opened it and then closed it. Tears were streaming from Laura's eyes as she felt a hand on her breasts and another hand on her crotch area but her mind was focused on what happened to Tinker. Her heart hurt as she opened her eyes to see Charlie leering down at her. Unable to control herself, she screamed to find him leering over her and hearing Charlie pulled the blanket off her, she flinched as he gazed at her body lustfully; she was careful not to breathe or sob.

"About time you woke up, love," Charlie purred softly. "This is most agreeable. Now if you'll be so kind as to lie still."

"What the hell are you gonna do?" demanded Laura. "Are you gonna get your sleazy hands on me?"

"Well, I think so," Charlie said as he knelt before Laura on the bed. His hands reached out and pulled the slip up to her wrists before undressing himself and climbed on top of her pulling the blanket back over them both. She tried to squirm away but the rope held her fast so that she could only twist from side to side as his hands began to grope her. "You're most certainly staying here tonight, pet."

"And what's with these clothes?" Laura asked. "Why the hell am I wearing this?"

"All your questions'll be answered in time," Charlie said. "As for now, I want you to relax."

"Oh my god," Laura groaned as Charlie was still lying on top of her while hoping that Tinker was feeling okay whatever Charlie or Frank did to him. "Tinker, please help me!"

Charlie looked at Laura's terror stricken face and without warning, climbed into the bed and knelt between her spread legs. She began kicking and screaming though it was of no help with her being tied down so tightly. Charlie pulled the slip up to Laura's wrists, removed his own clothing and lay on top of her.

Without another word, Charlie leaned down over Laura allowing his full weight to rest of her small body, his hands grasping her rocking hips holding her down forcefully. She instantly began to scream and kick more but Charlie took his time to adjust himself over her body and stared her straight in the eyes silently conveying the message that there was no escape from this fate.

"I'll bloddy well enjoy this, pet," Charlie sighed. "It'll be a pleasure to take your innocence away and then crush you, darling." With that, he licked Laura lustfully with the very tip of his tongue along her cheekbone before taking her lips with his.

Pressing into her harshly, he licked her bottom lip trying to give her the chance to cooperate and open her mouth but she resolutely denied and attempted to turn her face away. Unimpressed by her attempted denial, he forced his way into her mouth by grabbing her face and pushing in on her cheeks. She unfortunately reacted just slightly by opening her teeth thus allowing Charlie to roughly explore her mouth mercilessly as she tried to pull away in disgust. His hands wasted no time as he reached down to her knees and then slowly felt his way upwards from her thighs to her stomach and finally to her breasts which were under the blanket. He grabbed them both in haste kneading them with intense pressure.

Finally, he released her lips allowing her to take a much needed breath as tears made tracks down her bruised cheeks. Laura continued kicking her legs and thrashing her arms though she was only harming herself more against the plush mattress as none of her attempts to harm her captor or escape were working.

"Please, please stop, please….I'm begging you...please." Laura begged Charlie as tears flowed freely and fiercely from her widened blue eyes. On the outside, he continued without even acknowledging her plea but on the inside, his heart twisted in desire as his groin hardened loving the sound of her voice begging and pleading with him.

Charlie stared for a second at the perfect beauty before him before finally realising her. By now, Laura wanted nothing more to curl up and go to sleep to try and pretend that what happened to her had never taken place but Charlie, however, had other plans.

"Did you enjoy that?" Charlie asked with that same nasty grin on his face.

"No!" Laura spat. "I told you, I'll never enjoy what you do to me! Never!"

"Don't lie to me, you Yankee bitch," Charlie snarled. "I heard you call out for your lover in the heat of the passion I lavished on your body. There's no escape this time."

In the small bedroom, Frank felt guilty for what he did to Tinker, walked over to the bed he was lying on and sighed "Tinker, If you can hear me, I'm sorry for what Mr G made me do to you. Usually, I'm much more willing for a task like that and I hope you forgive me for what I did."

Chapter 9- The Break In

Jet black hair covered Lovejoy's face as it was now raining outside. Jane and Penny were handed some gadgets by Eric to make sure that they had to get in, get Tinker and Laura and go home. They all crept in quietly and had to make sure that they didn't see either Bigelow or that jerk Charlie and since this had been like one of those James Bond movies in Eric's case, it seemed appropriate.

"OKay, Gang, here's what we do," Lovejoy said as he took charge. "I'll go and find Tinker, Jane, you find Laura and Eric and Penny, you two go after Charlie or Frank Stephenson and give them a bloody earful."

"I owe you for this, Lovejoy." Eric murmured. Astonished at what Lovejoy told him, Eric was eager to give Charlie a flying flip kick the second he saw him. As the whole gang split up, Eric grabbed his backpack and they had to do their jobs.

As he headed upstairs, Lovejoy had to make sure that Charlie wasn't approaching him as he and Jane spoke.

"Okay, Jane, whatever Chalie's up to, he's not getting the bloody hell away with it," Lovejoy said. "That man always thinks he knows what he's doing."

"You're right, Lovejoy," Jane said. "Whatever he's up to, I don't like it one bit."

Then, just when Lovejoy thought his mind would burst, Charlie suddenly stood in front of him and Jane scowling. Jane screamed but none of her previous encounters with Charlie prepared her for what he would do to her if she told him to leave Lovejoy alone.

"Alright, Lovejoy, how did you bloody get in my house?" Charlie demanded crossly. "I should have you arrested for this."

"Look, Charlie, your back door was open so me, Jane, Eric and Penny all decided to go in that way so there." Lovejoy answered back.

"It's been awhile for you, hasn't it, Charlie?" Jane asked as she spotted Charlie. "You auctioneers are all alike, so crafty, so inhibited and it only makes it worse. Leave Lovejoy alone and do it."

"Lady Jane Felsham, I knew where that voice came from," Charlie purred as he groped Jane's breasts. "Come on, I could use another women in my boudoir."

When her mind finally came back from wherever it had been, Jane slapped Charlie in the face while Lovejoy punched him and the two of them ran upstairs. Lovejoy had up the stairs and was still angry with what Charlie had told him but the sudden sight of Jane running towards Charlie's bedroom caught his attention. Gone was the anger he felt and he was now concerned for what had happened to Tinker as if some part of his mind had been taken over by another but if this were the TV show, Lovejoy would be speaking to the audience and as he spotted a door, he opened it and found Tinker lying on a small bed unconscious and walked over to him.

"Tink, wake up." Lovejoy whispered as his old friend had finally woken up after being suffocated with a pillow.

"Lovejoy, I'm so glad it's you and not Charlie," Tinker said quitely worriedly. "But if he's got poor Laura, I don't know what he'll do to her."

"I'm sure she's fine," Lovejoy offered cooly. "Look, Tink, Jane's gone to find her while Eric and Penny have gone after Charlie to teach him a thing or two."

"I certainly hope so too, Lovejoy," Tinker said as he got dressed and followed Lovejoy grabbing Laura's shoes, cardigan and bag. "If Charlie's slept with poor Laura, I hope Eric does anything to stop him at once."

"Come on then," yelled Lovejoy as he headed for the door and Tinker followed. "I think Jane might have found her in Charlie's room but if he's tied her to his bed, you can give him a slap in the face when you see him."

Jane entered Charlie's bedroom to discover that Laura was lying on a king sized double bed and was wearing a yellow silk slip with a slit up each side of her thighs which came all the way up to both thighs. Studying Laura's body, Jane was shocked to find out that she was bound spread eagle across Charlie's large plush king sized double bed and had also been violated by Charlie himself and suddenly saw Laura showing signs of waking up.

"Laura, wake up please." Jane said as she was in Charlie's bedroom and found Laura's sleeping body on Charlie's large bed in a yellow nightdress.

"Jane, am I glad to see you?" Laura said as she woke up to find Jane in the same room as her and untying her.

"I'm very glad to see you too and if you didn't learn that, you would have succumbed to what Charlie did to you. You're an old friend of Tinker's and we all know that by now." Jane said as the door opened and both Lovejoy and Tinker entered the room to see Jane and Laura.

"Excusez moi but I believe I heard one of you girls mentioning us right now." Lovejoy said as Tinker pulled Laura off the bed and hugged her.

Laura and Jane both didn't know what to say as Tinker lead Laura to the screen near Charlie's wardrobe and Laura had entered the screen, removed that yellow silk slip, came out wearing a green combat jacket, matching trousers, a dark brown roll neck jumper, a light green scarf and brown combat boots and fell into both Tinker's arms crying.

"Hey, Tinker, do you really wanna know what happened?" Laura asked.

"Of course I do, Laura but not if you're not ready to talk about it, I won't force you but knowing the truth would at least correct some of the ideas that have been constantly flowing through my head the past few hours." Tinker said softly.

"Okay, here goes nothing," Laura began. "I woke up in Gimbert's room tied to his bed and completely went nuts when I saw what I was wearing. That jerk must have changed my clothes and fixed my hair while I was out cold. I just about lost it but then, he came out of that screen and looked down at me as I was on his bed, he called me 'pet', 'love', 'darling' and a Yankee bitch and came on to me a bit. It was disgusting."

"It's alright, Laura, why don't you stop for a minute. Take a break. Here, just lean on me." Tinker said as he pulled Laura even closer to himself conforming their bodies together.

"No, I wanna keep going," Laura said. "I've gotta get this all out at once."

"Alright, Laura," Tinker replied. "It's your call but you can stop at ANY TIME."

"I know," Laura said as she continued. "As I saw Gimbert, I tried screaming and I had no idea what he had planned for me at this point. My first thought was that he was gonna kill me, I never…never thought…that he would try to…try to…"

The tears Laura had been holding back for so long suddenly gushed forward. Her entire body shook from the their force as she clung desperately to Tinker while he let her cry it all out running his hand continuously up and down her back reminding her that he was there with her, that she was safe now.

"I'm here, Laura and Charlie's not," Tinker sighed. "I won't let him hurt you anymore. I promise. You're safe here with me."

"Gimbert said that he was glad I woke up and that was when I couldn't hold back the crying as well as the screaming. I kept telling myself to calm down that any second you'd come to save me but I just couldn't. I was too scared. I knew that something horrible was about to happen and it started when he crawled in his bed and on top of me. Next, he pulled that slip I was wearing up to my wrists and got himself undressed. God, I have never been so ashamed to have him gawking and leering at me so unmercifully. I kept kicking and screaming and pleading with Gimbert to stop, to let me go but he wasn't listening."

Silent tears were now continuously flowing as Laura's memories were being replayed over and over again in her mind. Suddenly, she turned towards Tinker placing her hand on his chest and stared him straight in the eye.

"After that, Gimbert was on top of me and said…said…that it'd be a pleasure for him…for him to sleep with me," Laura said. "Tinker, he KISSED me! KISSED ME! It was so awful! It hurt and there was nothing but lust and greed behind it! I can never get that back, Tinker, never." She finished much more softly hating that he had taken something so precious from her.

"I thought I was ashamed before in front of Gimbert but then he…he pulled got that slip off me and he could see me," Laura sobbed. "It was GROSS! I knew then that was he was planning and that there was nothing I could do to stop him. All I could do was cry, Tinker. He started doing things to my body, things that only a love should do, Tinker and all I could do was cry. That Limey pig violated me. I had experiences like kissing for both you and David but not a jerk like You-Know-Who."

Finally, Laura stopped talking allowing her tears and emotions to take her over completely as she clung to Tinker's neck for support while he held her as tight as he can hope. Laura knew she felt protected and safe in his embrace all the while wanting to strip away all of her pain and take it into his own heart.

"Oh my God, I think I see Frank coming this way, Penny, let's hide." Eric whispered downstairs as he spotted Fat Frank and hide behind the couch with Penny but Frank was speaking to Charlie who was wearing a multicoloured dressing gown, silk blue pajamas, a pink silk cravat and brown slippers since before and after his encounter with Laura in his bedroom and they both headed for the roof with Penny and Eric following them.

"Eric, this is your daftest idea ever but it's very crafty and I love it." said Penny trying to sound firm and like she like this new idea of Eric's together but she really didn't.

Eric grabbed Penny with an occasional nip at her ear or shoulder as the welcome caresses continued. Penny's thoughts were in frenzied turmoil while the sounds of Charlie and Fat Frank walked past. Then Eric took his movements at Penny's waist and began to stroke with both hands. Eric soon found his efforts rewarded. Charlie was going to a door that lead to the roof and two of them followed him.

Chapter 10- Encountering The Enemy

The last time Eric had encountered someone was a few months ago when Ray was kidnapped and remarkably, this felt like the very same thing. He knew Charlie's place like the back of his hand after leading Penny to the roof where Charlie and Frank were, he was ready to put a stop to Charlie's plan once and for all even if it took him forever. Charlie, however, had made sure that he and Bigelow didn't want any intruders even if they were working for Lovejoy.

"Why don't you jump off my roof?" Charlie snarled at Eric as he held a gun in his right hand and held it at the younger man.

"I would if I could, Mr G, trust me." Eric answered back as his eyes remained focused on the door as it opened and Penny ran towards them.

"I hear that you've got a girlfriend too." Charlie stated as he saw Penny beside the door.

"We're just friends and leave her out of this," snapped Eric as he walked over to the roof's edge and Penny ran over to him. "And you better bloody well kill us both."

He had meant well wanting what was best for Penny and such but after since he saw Frank grabbing her, he let his guard down and began to walk over to him and karate kicked him in the stomach.

Upon seeing this whole display, Charlie grabbed Penny and threw her towards Eric and they both fell from the roof screaming until Eric grabbed a tree branch and Penny grabbed onto his waist as Frank knew Charlie wished that lightning would strike that branch.

"Goodbye, Eric, you were the best apprentice Lovejoy himself could ever ask for and I mean it," Charlie smiled for the first time all night since he violated Laura. "Au revior, Penny, you deserve Eric for him being a pest to mankind."

"Bye, Guys," Frank said. "I know I don't bloody well know your names but I'll never forget you too."

"Okay, is it me or is Charlie Gimbert the biggest loser in the universe?" Eric asked as he saw Lovejoy, Jane, Tinker and Laura in a window. "I think I've got an idea that'll save us both."

"Eric, if this works, I'll hug you to death," Penny said as she felt herself slipping. "I know Jane loves you like a brother. She told me that once, she's proud of me for choosing you and following my dreams."

"I love you too, Penny and you bloody well know that by now," Eric said as he saw the window. "I think that Jane and Laura'll catch you if you go past the window and haul you in and Lovejoy and Tink'll catch me if I go past the window and haul me in." Eric said as he noticed Jane and Laura opening the window so Eric let Penny let go of his waist and jump towards the window causing the two older women to catch her and haul her in and a few seconds later, Eric let go of the branch he was grabbing and jumped towards the window causing Lovejoy and Tinker to catch him and haul him in.

Eric and Penny hugged each other for the fact that they had gotten out of a dangerous situation alive. Luckily, the next time Lovejoy and co would come would be on a much happier note with a much different circumstance. Eric didn't know that though and his eyes were so focused on Penny that he finally calmed down.

Chapter 11- The Tale Of Two Lads

When Eric was being pulled inside the window to Charlie's bedroom, he suddenly realized that Charlie was acting like a villian from one of those James Bond movies he often saw. He rubbed his sore tired eyes and felt his splitting headache screaming in the darkness. Looking at that nightstand, he faced a black and white photo of Charlie and Lovejoy from sometime in the early 1960s. He stood and gazed at the photo for a long time realizing that even though Lovejoy may have been at war with Charlie, they might have been friends once.

Bloody hell, I didn't know that Charlie Gimbert might've been pals with Lovejoy years ago, thought Eric as he stared from the photograph to Lovejoy and Tinker hoping for an explanation. Why didn't he get rid of it in the late 60s or some other time?

"Listen, Eric, I feel so guilty about that photo but I'm bloody sure Charlie would've thrown it away since we went to war." Lovejoy said seriously but Tinker just sighed and decided that it was time to tell the truth.

"I'll tell them the whole tale, Lovejoy," Tinker said putting a pleading look on his face. "You've got to let me or Eric will be ashamed."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Tink?" Eric asked as he saw that narrator look on Tinker's knowing-looking face.

"It all started in the early Spring of 1963," Tinker said with great seriousness. "My first wife Patsy and I had recently moved to Suffolk with our son Raymond who had been born the previous Summer and I had just been working with Walter Gimbert as a young helper."

One Spring evening in 1963 while Patsy Dill took her son Raymond to visit her sister in London and Tinker was at work, Charlie and Lovejoy, both of whom were college students, came with a 19th century vase and saw a robber so Charlie gave that guy a good seeing to while Lovejoy called the police.

During the Spring and Summer months of that year, the two of them originally turned to intimidation as a way of dealing with criminals, gathered a small group of their college pals to help further their cause and asked Tinker to join them which he had done but the group splintered into two smaller gangs in the Autumn of 1963 when Charlie grew greedy and used their increased antiques clout for his own personal gain while Lovejoy and his gang, on the other hand, continued to take extreme action against Charlie and his schemes while also working tirelessly against Charlie and the two of them had been at war ever since.

"So now you all know," Lovejoy said as he heard Charlie and Bigelow coming up the stairs. "I know you might be shocked about that."

"There now Lovejoy, you and Charlie were in college at that time, believe it or not, and this was all a future thing in those days," Tinker said and then he turned his attention to Eric. "And Eric, now you know the whole story, I know that you'll want to deal with Charlie the next time you see him but sometimes, I've forgotten what it's like to be with you two."

As soon as they all discovered the open window, Lovejoy, Jane, Tinker, Laura, Eric and Penny all jumped out of it fully dressed and headed towards Miriam and made a quick drive home. Charlie was glad to see him go and he promised to get his revenge as usual not to mention getting Laura to himself again.

"Laura," Tinker told Laura softly. "No matter what happens, I'll always love you"

Laura smiled. She gently grabbed his hands and brought her mouth up to Tinker's left ear.

"I'll always love you too, Tinker." she whispered.

Then as they were all in Miriam, Lovejoy put on a demo tape of the Lords of the Underworld and as he drove off, Eric started to sing a song the band recorded called 'Suzi Baby' which was probably about Suzi Quatro, a singer who Eric had a crush on as a teenager but first, he said along with his demo tape self "You know, Suzi? I've been thinking a lot about you lately and, well, that's why I wrote this song." and then, he started to sing

I love you, Suzi,
I want you to walk with me,
I'll take good care of you, baby,
Call you my baby, baby

You'll die for my sins
And you know that I would die for you, right?
What's the matter, baby?
You're trembling, Suzi, baby

Your love is my life,
Whenever I'm without you, there's a blackhole in my life,
Oh, I wanna believe
It's all right

'Cause I get lonely in the night
And it's up to you to save me,
Suzi, baby

Chapter 12- Eric's Plan

"Fellas, breakfast's ready!" Tinker yelled from the kitchen the next morning. Lovejoy and Eric dragged themselves into the kitchen and sat at the table as Tinker had put breakfast on the table and noticed that Eric's hair looked a lot like a bush.

"I can't believe Charlie Gimbert got his bum kicked." Eric giggled as he noticed that Tinker was watching the same photo of Laura he had since they had first met but this photo was from the late 1950s.

Lovejoy watched his two associates sitting face to face as they always did at the table with him between them and suddenly said "Okay, I know you're glad to have Laura back, Tink but she'll just leave you again."

Tinker sighed and saw the sparkle in his employer's blue eyes and smile that genuine smile that he had idolized. As he turned his head, Tinker saw Eric putting pen to paper adding lyrics to some music Mark had given him.

"Eric, what are you doing?" Tinker's voice asked as he warmed Eric's heart and he smiled.

"I'm writing a song, Tink. You guys wanna hear it?" Eric asked as he knew that Tinker was worried about Charlie trying to kidnap Laura again.

"I think we should, Eric. I doubt you and the other lads'll have a hit." Lovejoy said as Eric nodded, cleared his throat and sang like a British 80s rock singer.

Ten thirty in this hotel room,
You and I locked in the gloom,
Lost out of love once again
But I've got you here with me, friend

'Cause you're here in my arms,
Here in my arms,
Here in my arms,
Here in my arms

Last time I looked, it was nine,
You know that all things then were fine
Now I've gone and lost it again
But I've got you here with me, friend

'Cause you're here in my arms,
Here in my arms,
Here in my arms,
Here in my arms

You know that it's like leading a mild life,
The clothes in my younger days were so wild
And it's time I met someone like you
And I hope to make certain that it's true

Last time I looked, it was late,
That's when I started to break,
It's a long long way till the end
But I've got you here with me, friend

'Cause you're here in my arms
Here in my arms
Here in my arms
Here in my arms
Here in my arms
Here in my arms
Here in my arms
Put you here in my arms
Here in my arms

Lovejoy grinned like a female fan at a Def Leppard concert and clapped happily while Tinker had tried to smile during the song but his mind was racing with what Charlie had done to Laura running through her mind. That was the real Laura who kissed him as he saved her. Lovejoy fixed his barker a glass of hot tea and Tinker walked over to the couch. He sat with his chin in his lap the entire time. He had not even considered a next concert for Eric's metal band.

"We're performing at the Youth Centre next Saturday night? Okay, Sir Russell, I'm sure Lovejoy pulled some strings. And let's hope the kids there'll be like fans at a real rock festival," Eric said happily on the phone to Sir Russell but Tinker wasn't really paying any attention. "And guess who else is coming." With those few words, Eric had woken Tinker up from his stupor.

"Who?" Sir Russell's voice on the other end of the phone line asked sounding very interested.

"Jane, Penny, Berkeley, Captain Gerarety, Rob, the other cops and librarians, Ross's uncle, the waitresses, Simpson and the kids if we can find any! No, I know Lovejoy won't even think of inviting Charlie Gimbert or Fat Frank, he ain't good with names." Eric continued to laugh and Tinker just sat there in a very bad attitude thinking No Laura? Why isn't she coming? Was she not invited?

"Say, Eric, you didn't invite Laura, did you, young fella me lad?" Tinker asked hopefully but tried to make his voice sound worried.

"Tink, I overheard Jane tell Penny that Laura goes back to the USA next Friday, sorry about that!" Lovejoy answered for Eric as he ended his phone conversation with Sir Russell.

"Oh." Tinker sighed.

Meanwhile at Felsham Hall, Jane and Penny were out and Laura hadn't woken up yet until she heard the door opening. She gasped when she saw that Charlie had entered the spare bedroom she was in as he came up to her, he made a deep purring sound in his throat and softly said "I can't belive how clever it was for you to leave that window of the spare bedroom open so I could get in, love."

"Don't make me call the police, Gimbert!" Laura screamed as Charlie put his left hand under her chin and lifted it up to look at her face.

"You wouldn't, darling." Charlie told Laura in a phony French accent.

"I would, you jerk." Laura snarled like she did before Charlie had violated her.

"Laura, are you awake yet, sweetheart?" Tinker's voice asked as he entered Felsham Hall probably with Lovejoy, Jane, Eric and Penny in tow.

Laura's heart skipped a beat when she heared Tinker calling out to her wishing Charlie would go away and leave her alone.

"I'm up, Tinker but Gimbert's in the spare bedroom with me and he won't get the hell out." Laura yelled causing Charlie to freeze on the spot and slowly look up to find Tinker in the doorway.

"What do you want from Laura now, Charlie?" Tinker asked pulling Laura away from Charlie.

Charlie soon pinched Tinker across the face causing him to fall backwards on the bed and said "I'll get what I want, when I want and however the bloody hell I want. See, that necklace your girlfriend's got will be mine if she gives it to me, Tinker!"

"Forget it, you lousy pig," Laura told Charlie as soon as she was dressed. "I'll never give that necklace to you if you were the last scumbag auctioner in the world and I damn well mean it."

At those words, Charlie left the room via the window and climbed down the ladder. Laura ran to the wall and slid down burrying her face in her knees noticeing that Thinker was hugging her tightly. She smiled for the first time since she was rescued from Charlie's home and hugged Tinker back.

Chapter 13- Let It Be

Lovejoy found Tinker standing outside Felsham Hall staring for Laura on account that he hadn't seen her all day.

"Have you become a peeping Tom?" Lovejoy asked startling Tinker but she didn’t take her eyes off the house. "That's illegal, you know." Tinker just shrugged his shoulders.

"Now, Lovejoy, you can't be a peeping Tom when there's nothing to see." Tinker said as he got up and walked back to Miriam with Lovejoy.

"Are you ready to go shopping?" Lovejoy knew this was a dumb question seeing as Tinker was feeling sorry for himself.

"I guess so." Tinker said but before he could get inside the car, Lovejoy grabbed his left arm.

"Tink, are you okay?" Lovejoy asked as he dragged Tinker inside Miriam.

"I think I might be," Tinker said sadly. "If I never see Laura again, I'll kick myself."

"Okay but it's going to be amazing. I was up half the night last night getting everything ready," Lovejoy said as he drove to the Great Yarmouth Plaza. "Now, let's go shopping."

"No, Lovejoy. I'll be fine. If Eric's there, I want you to punch me." said Tinker looking out of the passanger's seat window.

At the Great Yarmouth Plaza, Tinker managed to clear his head. Since seeing Laura last, he had not been able to rid himself of this sulking feeling. Even Eric was worried that he missed her and they would have to move back. Tinker had this feeling that he recognized the shadowy frame but couldn't think of who it was.

"Hey, Tink, are you sure you're okay?" Eric's voice asked from behind Lovejoy and Tinker as he ran towards them.

"I'm fine, Eric, don't worry." Tinker said as he walked away from Lovejoy and Eric and tried to find Laura. She wasn't there. Like any other day ath the Great Yarmouth Plaza, it was bustling with people. Everyone from foreign tourists to working people going about their daily business.

After being joined by Eric, Lovejoy and Tinker took off for the nearest clothes store to stock up on their needed potentials. Before leaving, Tinker had written up a list of any new clothes he, Lovejoy and Eric intended to purchase as Eric said "You see, I learned something today. Yeah, sure, I laughed at Fat Frank the first time I saw him but what's wrong with laughter? Just because we laugh at something doesn't mean we don't care about it. We're all friends here but we also rip on and laugh at each other so where was the harm in that? The people that are wrong are the ones that think people like me and the guys should be "protected" and kept out of the public's eye. The cool thing about me being in a band is that I'm in your face and you gotta deal with me whether you laugh or cry or feel nothing. That's why me and the guys are gonna rock your birthday party at the village hall tomorrow night, Lovejoy."

"Thanks, Eric." Lovejoy said hugging his apprentice.

With the list, it didn't take long for the three of them to complete the task. The only problem that arose was when an assistant at the Men Only men's clothes store had asked Eric to try out the clothes Lovejoy and Tinker had chosen for him. Upon entering the dressing room, Eric suddenly realized that he didn't know which outfit was lamer. To him, clothes were just clothes. But here, there were so many to choose from just to name a few.

After contemplating for almost ten minutes trying to decide which outfit to wear, Eric came to the conclusion that it wouldn't hurt to mix them all together. At the last minute, he remembered that he couldn't care less on Tinker's sense of style but prefered Lovejoy's sense of style better so he opted to leave that one out.

Ten minutes later, Eric emerged from the screen in a light green shirt, a dark blue denim jacket, dark blue jeans and a pair of brown ankle boots much to both Lovejoy and Tinker's surprise. The two of them widened their eyes when they saw just the way he was dressed.

Eric looked down at himself happily and then, turned to Lovejoy and Tinker smiling sheepishly and said "Sorry, Guys, I had to choose my own sense of style and not copying you too."

Tinker tutted while Lovejoy shook him head in amusement and said "Now I know why lads your age don't usually do this sort of thing with me and Tink except you, Eric."

As the three of them left the mall, Tinker began humming that song You're Driving Me Crazy which was the first song he and Laura had danced to while he was in America. Now, he sighed with all of his heart as he got inside Miriam. Sighing, he looked at the plaza and thought I wish she would be there.

Chapter 14- Meeting Again

Tinker walked into the village hall the next evening with Lovejoy and Eric. He began to feel dizzy and he knew a headache was about to erupt. As he walked inside, he heard some rock 'n' roll music and people's voices bellowing in the hall. Tinker nodded as Lovejoy and Eric hugged jane and Penny. The noise swept into the hallway, surprising him but he couldn't take his eyes off of all the people. Everyone was crowding around the door when he walked in.

"Hello, Your Lordship." Sir Russell said as he rushed over to Tinker and gave him a hug.

"Hello, Sir Russell." Tinker said as his faitful 'follower' grinned and nodded. Tinker had on the same outfit he wore when he and Laura were at the village hall as everyone said "Happy birthday" to Lovejoy as the people all around him came up and gave him a hug wishing him a happy birthday. Soon, Lovejoy was circled by Tinker, Hal Berkeley, Sean Gereraty, Gordon Renton, Rob Duncan, Johnny Paris, Jane, Penny and the Lords of the Underworld. There were flowers and candles at the center of each table. Beautiful crystal plates sat at each setting.

"Wow, Lads, this is too much." Lovejoy said astonished. He was surprised to be having such a good time and had almost forgotten Tinker noticed that Laura wasn't there.

"Nothing's too much for you, Lovejoy." Hal said grabbing his best friend's hand. "Seriously, we're just glad we knew it's your birthday today, Lovejoy." Everyone sat down at the table and people continued to come up to Lovejoy wishing him happy birthday and saying hello.

After the food was served, the room settled down slightly, but conversations were still buzzing. Eric and Mark had the bar keep create a special drink for the party and there was an assortment of desserts not including the birthday cake itself.

During dinner, Lovejoy suddenly became aware that there was one missing seat at the table straight across from Tinker.

"Gordon, who's missing?" Tinker asked knowing the answer.

"Eric and the lads lied, Tinker, they did invite Laura." Gordon said as he nervously twisted the napkin in his lap waiting for his friend's answer.

"Why didn't he come?" Tinker asked as he began looking around the room thinking she might walk in the door or be standing in the corner.

"I called him this afternoon after I left Lovejoy's house," Sean said as everyone at the table had stopped talking and were anxiously watching his reaction. "Lovejoy told her that you were in a strange mood and that it might be for the best that he didn't come."

Tinker looked around the room and than back at his friends, pushed his chair out from under the table and said "I'll be right back, Fellas." Lovejoy began to stand up to stop him but Eric held him down.

"Tink, where are you going?" Johnny yelled over the crowd.

"To find Laura!" Tinker yelled back running out the door.

Noticing the lights were turned off in the village hall when he walked in the door, he figured that Eric and his band were getting ready to play. Everyone was talking amongst themselves when he walked into the room and several people waved and smiled when they saw him. When she reached her table, Laura, who was wearing a dark green strappy dress, looked at him, ran towards him and hugged him.

"Tinker." Laura said standing before Tinker breathing heavily.

"Laura," Tinker replied. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I was afraid that you didn't want to see me after what Gimbert did to me," Laura said as she was about to cry. "I think I love you."

"I know," Tinker said as he kissed Laura passionately on the lips. "I love you too, Laura darling."

Then, Hal got up into the stage with a microphone and said "Here are several fine young men who I'm sure are gonna go far since they performed here on New year's Eve. Ladies and gentlemen, the Lords of the Underworld!"

"Lords of the Underworld, Lords of the Underworld," Lovejoy chanted and the whole audience joined in as Eric and his band walked onto the stage. "Lords of the Underworld, Lords of the Underworld, Lords of the Underworld."

"I'd just like to say this gig rocks!" Eric said as he grabbed the microphone from Hal.

"Hey," Mark said. "If you ever see Charlie Gimbert here, tall him to kiss your arse."

"One, two, three, four!" Sir Russell said as the band began to play a heavy metal version of Happy Birhday to Lovejoy.

Happy Birthday to you, (Happy Birthday)
Happy Birthday to you, (Happy Birthday)
Happy Birthday to Lovejoy,
Happy Birthday to you!

"Thanks for being our manager and friend, Lovejoy." Ross called to Lovejoy and then, the curtain fell.

"Yeah, Charlie Gimbert's not here to screw this up." Toby said as the curtains started to close.

"Hey, I think they liked us!" Toby said as the curtains were closed.

Tinker said "Laura, I fell in love with you the first time I met you in July 1960 in the US Army base in LA. Every day, I'm sorry about the last 30 years and the fact that we didn't spend them together. Laura, before you go next week, I want you to know that I love you."

"I love you too, Tinker." Laura said.

Tinker and Laura kissed and stood in the middle of the floor in love with each other just like they were 30 years ago.

Chapter 15- Caught Again

"Good morning!" Jane and Penny said as they saw laura waken up and looking up at them.

"Hey, I never told you girls this but I was as big as a house when I was pregnant with Johnny but a bit lighter when I was with Gabby," Laura said as she got out of bed. "Your house, on the other hand, looks fantastic."

"You look fantastic, Laura." Jane said when three women arrived in the kitchen. She pulled out a chair for her young cousin and gave her a glass of tropical fruit juice. She, however, was enjoying a cup of tea with Laura who gave a crafty smile at the ladies housekeeper Vera.

"Thanks, you're only saying that to make me feel better after what Gimbert did to me." Laura said as she smoothed down her red long sleeved velvet blouse. It wasn't too late though as Vera cleaned up the mess of plates, cups and other trash lying around the house as the three of them left the table.

"Well, are you going to show us?" Penny asked as the three women left the house but Laura couldn't wait to see Tinker's expression when he saw her.

"Oh, maybe later, girls… as long as you tell Tinker I wanna speak to him." Laura said as she dug her left hand into her handbag and found her mirror and checked in case Charlie was behind her but as she turned around, Charlie grabbed her right arm and gripped it tightly.

"Got you now," Charlie hissed softly and lustfully. "Isn't this cute? I've got you right where I want you but I should tell Tinker he's missing something."

Waving at the window where he saw Tinker's face, Charlie stepped aside to reveal Laura beside him. Her blonde head was lowered though she was trying to call him to help her. Much of the skin she could see was covered with bruises and cuts and a small trickle of blood was coming from the corner of his mouth.

"Laura!" Tinker yelled as he dashed out of the door and ran towards Laura until Fat Frank stood in front of him blocking his way.

"Tinker!" Laura gasped as she lifted her head weakly and in her eyes, Tinker could see the fear and concern within them.

When Laura lowered her head, Charlie began to laugh "Forget it, I told you before and I'll bloody tell you again, your dear sweet Laura's mine, we should both know that by now and there's nothing you can do about it."

Tinker's entire body stiffened as he growled "What do you want? I can make any deal with you."

"Tinker," Charlie laughed. "You think so rudimentary. It's not a deal with you or Lovejoy I want…"

Tinker gulped waiting.

"I want that necklace Laura gave to you." Charlie said.

"Sorry, Charlie but the answer is no." Tinker said.

Laura's head shot up as fast as she could without forgoing all of her strength as she said "Good going, Tinker, you won't give my necklace to him if he was the last Limey auctioneer on the face of the Earth!"

Tinker saw Charlie trying to grab Laura again and yelled "Let her go! Leave her alone!"

Before he could shout anything else, Laura said "Tinker, no." And at that very moment, Charlie slithered over to Charlie until their faces were inches from each other.

"What did you say?" Charlie asked furiously. Tinker couldn't keep the loathing inside anymore. He could see Laura hugging him trying to keep tears from spilling over. He slapped Charlie across the face. Instead of exploding, as Tinker had thought and hoped, he clapped his hands. Frank came to his side. The taller man grabbed Laura and Tinker was horrified.

"Your argument's with me," Charlie told Tinker as he coolly examined him. "Don't involve that dumb blonde you call an ex-girlfriend!"

"Laura's an old friend of mine, Charlie," Tinker said furiously and then yelled "Help! Somebody help! Help me! Help! Oh, help! Please! Charlie's got me and Laura." He started taking rapid shallow breaths giving the appearance that he was hyperventilating. The others ran out of the cottage and saw Frank grabbing Laura.

"Let her go, Charlie." Lovejoy growled as he punched his arch rival in the face. Within a second, Frank let Laura go and held Lovejoy by the throat while Eric's left hand was clamped over Frank's mouth. Eric continued to cut off Frank's air until he slumped over unconscious. He and Penny looked over at the others who had run over and knelt next to them.

"You may have won this round, Lovejoy," Charlie yelled as he put Frank in the passanger's seat of his Rolls Royce and drove off. "But you haven't won the war and you haven't heard the last of me not by a long shot."

"We'll be waiting, trust me," Eric giggled. "You aoin't having Tinker's girlfriend and speaking of girls other than Penny, Kim or any other girl who's made eyes at me lately,the other girl some adolescent head banging polytechnic dropout like me would think of dying for might be Suzi Quatro."

Chapter 16- Yes, Laura, I Still Love You

Laura was wrapped up in a blanket sound asleep on the couch when Tinker came down the next morning. Leaning over, he kissed her on the lips causing her to wake up and stare into his blue eyes.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Tinker said kissing her once again.

"Good morning to you too, honey," Laura said, her voice still scratchy and tired. "What time is it?" Rubbing her eyes, she got up and wrapped the towel around her cold body.

"8:00am in the morning." Tinker said as he had brought down Laura's pink dressing gown and placed it on her shoulders. Standing a the window, they both stared with amazement at the mid January day outside Lovejoy's cottage as he tickling her side.

"Stop." Laura screamed. Kissing her again, Tinker walked into the kitchen and began fixing them both a cup of coffee.

"What time do you want me to take you back to Felsham Hall?" Tinker asked when Laura came into the kitchen. Handing her the cup, she wrapped her hands over the warm cup bringing life back to her fingers.

"About 9:30am," Laura said taking a sip. "Do you wanna wake the others up or do you want me to do it?" Sitting on a barstool, she looked through the corner of the kitchen into the living room where his piano was sitting.

"Lovejoy's often awake early but Eric's a notorious hard sleeper." Tinker smiled seeing her excitement.

Tinker's jaw dropped when he saw the piano in front of his eyes. Walking towards the stool, he sat down laying his fingers on each key feeling the smooth hard surface since he was jazz trained.

"This is remarkable, Tinker." Laura said as Tinker was pleased by the beautiful instrument visualizing his fingers dancing over each key.

"I know you like it." Tinker said as he felt Laura placing her hands on top of his as he pretended to be playing a song.

"But how did you afford this?" Laura asked.

"Well, it's not a new one and it was a wedding present given to me by a friend of my first wife Patsy," Tinker said as Laura took her hands off his and placed them in her lap. "Laura, it's amazing and I know it was expensive." His fingers stopped dancing and they sat still on the keys.


"Will you play something for me?" Laura asked. Tinker took a deep breath, straightened his back and positioned his hands. The familiar tune of "Goodnight, Sweetheart" warmed up the room.

"Alright." Tinker replied as he played and opened his mouth and the beautiful words to the song came out.

Goodnight, sweetheart, all my cares are for you,
Goodnight, sweetheart, I'll be watching o'er you,
Tears and parting may make us forlorn
But with the dawn, a new day is born

Lovejoy, followed by Eric, Jane and Penny, came downstairs following the music.

So I'll say goodnight, sweetheart, sleep will vanish sorrow,
Goodnight, sweetheart till we meet tomorrow,
Dreams enfold you in them, dear, I'll hold you,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight

Gathering around the piano, everyone watched Tinker perform as Laura just stared at Tinker.

Goodnight, sweetheart, sleep will vanish sorrow,
Goodnight, sweetheart till we meet tomorrow,
Dreams enfold you in them, dear, I'll hold you,
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight

Everyone of them was clapping as Lovejoy said "Let me tell you something, Tink, you're a great pianist and singer, right?"

"That's true, Lovejoy." Tinker replied.

"I know, I've heard performing since the 60s and seeing that you play songs from before I was even born was okay." Lovejoy said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Tinker craftilly.

Lovejoy raised an eyebrow and said "I might as well tell you this, Tink but you see… Laura goes back to the States on Saturday."

The shock hit Tinker like a tidal wave as he said "Oh my God, she'd never do that."

"I know but it's true," Lovejoy sighed. "I mean you two are old Army sweethearts but I can't imagine you ever forgiving yourself."

Tinker visibly shook and said "Lovejoy, Laura's an old friend of mine, yes but she's got to go back on Saturday!"

"You and I both know the bloody truth, Tink," Lovejoy stated. "If she comes back to East Anglia again, I can always set you two up on a date or something."

Tinker felt tears in his eyes as he hugged Lovejoy and said "Thank you for your concern, Lovejoy."

Chapter 17- Girls Only

The remainder of the day was spent in the company of others waiting until 10:30am when Laura, Jane and Penny all went back to Felsham Hall. Whether shopping or playing basketball or doing a lot of singing, time flew bye and before Laura could notice, she had that feeling that Charlie was back on her trail. The htree of them were busy getting things ready for Laura to head back to the USA on Saturday and working around schedules and household chores were really starting to take a toll on her newly found relationship with Tinker. Jane and Penny was constantly taking Laura shopping for clothes before she went back home.

"Oh, I'm so tired." Laura said as she pulled the covers over her shoulders and buried her face in her pillow. On the other side of the bed, she thought she heard David or Tinker yawning, reaching up and turning off the light. Suddenly, she cast her mind back to the day that her daughter Gabby was born in 1966 which was a year before the Summer of Love.

At 5:26pm that evening, a nurse came out of the delivery room.

"Mr David Lawson?" she said.

"Yes?" David asked practically racing over waiting for the news nervously.

"Congratulations, Mr Lawson," the nurse said smiling. "It's a girl."

"It is?" David asked like he couldn't believe it. "It's here? I mean, he's here?"

"That's right." the nurse said.

David felt a little faint but relieved at the same time. After thirteen and a half hours, he was now a father. David wasn't sure what to make of his and Laura's families of they found out but he didn't care. The nurse led him to the nursery window. He looked around inside the nursery at all the babies in there.

"So which one is she?" he asked.

"The blonde one on the left in the third row." the nurse said as she wheeled over the baby aardvark. He was fast asleep when they all saw him.

"She looks exactly like Laura, I'll give her that." David agreed.

David came to his senses a few minutes later and the nurse led him to Laura's room. She was exhausted.

"Hey, Laura," David said. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Laura admitted. "But it's now all over."

"Yeah," David said. "So, what do you want to name her?"

"Well, I thought about this for a while," Laura agreed. "I thought maybe we could name her Gabriella."

"Gabriella Lawson," David said. "I like the sound of that."

The nurse returned to the room with the baby. She gave her to Laura and she and David looked over her.

"Yeah," David said. "She looks a bit like a Gabriella to me."

"Welcome to the world," Laura said to her baby. "Gabriella Marion Lawson."

"Laura, what are you doing?" Penny's voice cheery bellowed into the living room when she walked through the doorway. She had changed her pink skirt suit into a pink roll neck jumper and a pair of navy trousers while Jane had changed from her dark blue skirt suit to a white jumper and a pair of brown trousers.

"Taking a nap," Laura groaned. "Penny, me and Tinker both got up at 5:30am this morning."

"Come on, Penelope, Laura's tired," Jane told her cousin. "If you marry Eric, your parents could disown you but I want you to be happy like I am around Lovejoy!"

"Jane, I had this dream last night that me and Eric were married at the courthouse and went straight to the honeymoon." Penny giggled.

"That sounds good to me because I had that same dream about me and Lovejoy last week!" Jane said as she and her cousin carried Laura off the couch and up the stairs to the spare bedroom.

Chapter 18- Words Will Always Hurt

"Laura, are you here?" Tinker whispered walking into the spare bedroom at Felsham Hall. It was 9:30pm and the house was dark and locked up. "I brought you something." Still whispering, he saw the light on in the bathroom.

"Yeah," A sniff came from inside of the bathroom and Tinker pushed open the door. Laura was sitting on the edge of the bathroom with a box of tissues in her lap. Her red eyes looked up at him when he walked in. "I can't believe I go back to LA on Saturday." Wiping her eyes, she tried to cover herself.

"Me too." Tinker said as he ran to Laura's side when she bent over to pick up the messy tissues. Grabbing her hand, she looked up and more tears were streaming down her face. Quickly, he too was becoming upset.

"I wanna go back to LA but I know I'll end up forgetting you again." Laura sobbed. Tinker embraced her and she cried into his shoulder.

"It's alright, I understand." Tinker said as he ran his fingers through Laura's hair.

"I don't want to hurt Jane and Penny's feelings, they've been working so damn hard." Laura said, her voice sounding tired and sore.

"Laura, you've been working hard and you need a break. Plus, you're leaving, not me," Tinker said. When Laura pulled away and looked at him, he wiped her tear away with his thumb. "Maybe I should talk about saying goodbye to you unlike last time with Lovejoy."

"I guess you're right." Laura sighed as she fell into Tinker's arms feeling excited he was here.

"You guess?" Tinker laughed as Laura stopped crying. They both laughed and began cleaning up the mess of tissues. "I brought you that diamond necklace back." A huge smile spread across her face as he gave the necklace back to her nd they walked into the spare bedroom.

"Thant's great, Tinker," Laura said hugging Tinker. "And the packing's going great too." Now happier, Laura kissed Tinker on the cheek and he kissed her left hand in turn.

Then, Tinker's lips were hot on Laura's. She was propelled backwards until they she landed on the bed with Tinker's weight on top of her as he said "Thank God Charlie hasn't gotten his hands on you again."

Tinker's fingers made light work of Laura's blouse. A hand crept up under her skirt and she opened her legs a little more until she said "Look, you need to look like you were at least a little bit roughed up by some lousy jerk. Can't have you trotting back to Lovejoy looking all happy and loved out, can we?"

"As long as the 'roughing up' part doesn't happen. The last time Charlie did that cost me a fortune in dental-work." Tinker said probing a filling with his tongue.

"I didn't suspect anyone like Gimbert would beat the crap out of you." Laura said as she pulled Tinker away from her as they heard the door opening.

"I'm sorry I never told you," Tinker said she and Laura sat down on the bed. "Deep down, I just want you to be happy and never forget me no matter what happens."

"I hate using bad words in front of women but what the bloody hell's going on here?" Lovejoy asked as he saw Tinker with one arm around Laura. "I would've expected something like what happened in here from Eric, Tink but not you."

"Laura, I would've expected the same thing from Penelope as well but not you," Jane said as she wrapped her arms around Lovejoy. "Thank God we didn't see you two naked with that blanket over you two."

"Thank you for telling me," Tinker said as he got off the bed and spotted Lovejoy by the bed itself. "It's just that I haven't been this damn frisky in years."

Me too but I'll be scared to death if I never see or hear from Tinker again," Laura said as she pulled half of the blanket around her. "I'm sure It'll screw him up."

"Stop," came a voice from behind them. Everyone in the room shifted their gaze to Charlie who was at the door. "Stay away from your girlfriend, Tinker. She's mine!"

Laura glared hotly at Charlie narrowing her eyes. As he walked towards the bed, Charlie's narrow catlike eyes seemed to burn into Laura's like golden fire. Laura couldn't stop herself from thinking that Charlie was still the ugliest creature that she had ever laid eyes on.

"My, my, ma cheri," Charlie told Laura in that fake Franch accent. "What a surprise this is!"

"Look, Gimbert," Laura snapped. "I told you to get the hell away from me, okay?

On reflex, Charlie instinctively ordered fat Frank to drag Lovejoy, Jane and Tinker out of the spare bedroom and locked the door behind them. Laura heard herself scream in fear as Charlie was now on top of her. His eyes met hers and the blonde womman shivered involuntarily.

"I'm glad to see you again too." Charlie said to Laura, his voice just as soft and alluring as the time he had violated her.

"Don't make me call for help." Laura threatened as she struggled in vain to get out from under Charlie's full weight.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you again for some time." Charlie smirked.

Laura ignored him and demanded "Why the hell are you doing this to me?"

"Don't worry about that," Charlie said. "There are far more important things for us to discuss."

Laura managed to tear her eyes away from him and look to the door in case Tinker barged in telling Charlie to get off her and asked "What the hell do you want with me?"

Charlie raised an amused eyebrow and slowly curled a corner of her mouth upward. Laura felt an intense pain in her head and stifled an agonized grunt through gritted teeth. She felt herself drifting into unconsciousness.

"I thought that'd be obvious," Charlie hissed, his voice far away as his grey-green eyes flashed. "I want you!"

Chapter 19- People Wanna Party

An hour later, Laura's ordeal was over after Tinker hauled Charlie off her. Feeling glad to see Tinker again, Laura smiled like the time she welcomed her son John Taylor 'Johnny' or 'Li'l Tinker' Lawson. He was born with a head full of dark hair and looked just like his father. David said that he already acted like his mother after entering the world with as stubborn as ever.

"Thanks for saving me, Tinker, now why don't we go get something to eat?" Laura asked as Tinker wrapped his arm around her and escorted her out the door.

"Oh God, I need the biggest cup of coffee you can get in East Anglia." Tinker said but as his voice disappeared, Lovejoy and Jane walked up to the two of them and smiled.

By 9:30pm that evening, Tinker and Lovejoy arrived home with Jane to find Eric and Penny watching Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure on TV and assumed that they would not like being disturbed.

"I heard that Frenchy bloke in this movie was a real wuss in real life." Eric said as he refered to Napoleon Bonaparte or 'the short dead dude' as Bill and Ted called him.

"Eric, this is the scene where Napoleon Bonaparte discovers the joy of watersliding at Water Loop Water Slide Park," Penny said giggling. "Jane told me about this before." As they snuggled close to each other, the Boys & the Girls are Doing It by Vital Signs played during the scene.

Ooh yeah!
Street mean tough and sweet boogie woogie shuffle,
Somebody somewhere’s jumping into trouble
Now things come alive all over town,
It happens every night when the sun goes down,
We all know the boys and the girls are doing it,
Yeah, we all know the boys and the girls are doing it

Torn outta passion with a passion to survive,
Can't stop believing, it's staying alive,
Susie told her mama and her mama told her dad,
They looked in the book and the book said "bad",
We all know the boys and the girls are doing it,
Yeah, we all know the boys and the girls are doing it

Lovejoy listened to the song from the TV and, along with Jane, joined Eric and Penny on the couch. Lovejoy's heart swelled as he knew that Eric was a heavy metal fan and saw both Bill & Ted movies about 3 times and Wayne's World recently.

I think Eric's band'll be famous, Lovejoy thought as he began thinking about Eric and the Lords of the Underworld being a world famous rock group. When the scene of Napoleon finished, Lovejoy winked at Eric who grinned back. I think they'll make it big.

"Have you ever thought of getting a record deal in London, Eric?" Lovejoy asked. Stopping in her tracks, Eric looked at him curiously. "Seriously, I think you should."

"Beats me, Lovejoy." Eric said as he continued watching the movie.

"I think you should be a famous singer as well, Eric," Jane said as Eric looked at her. "Teenagers in this town think you're be the best singer they've heard."

"I doubt that we all like your band, Eric." Jane said as she lay next to Eric and began to watch the rest of the movie.

"I said maybe," Eric said suddenly. "Maybe I should talk that over with the rest of the guys at our next band practice. Lovejoy's already a great manager and we ain't got a bloody record deal yet."

"What about the bloody demo tapes?" Lovejoy asked suddenly as he put on Eric's latest demo tape with an added track called 'People Wanna Party'. "I can't wait to let people in London see you lads live."

Sometimes, it seems so hard baby just to survive, yeah,
Living for the weekend working nine till five, yeah,
Working up a sweat trying to earn your daily bread, yeah,
Struggling to work when you'd rather stay in bed, yeah,
Sometimes, you've got to break loose and party on, dudes

'Cause people wanna party, party, party
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party
So party on, Dudes!

Sometimes, it seems so hard just tryin' a earn a dollar,
Blisters on your fingers, dirt upon your collar
So you put up with the grief, you put up with the stress, yeah
But you better take it easy or you'll work yourself to death, yeah,
Sometimes, you've got to break loose and party on, dudes

'Cause people wanna party, party, party
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party
So party on, Dudes!

Sometimes, you've got to break loose and party on, dudes
'Cause people wanna party, party, party
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party
'Cause people wanna party, party, party
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party,
'Cause people wanna party, party, party

Chapter 20- Laura's Going Back

"Tink, is that you?" Lovejoy called as he stood outside the bathroom that night.

"Yes, Lovejoy, sorry I'm taking so damn long." Tinker called obviously trying to skirt the issue placed on him.

"That's okay, I forgive you." Lovejoy said as Tinker stood in front of him dressed how he remembered him.

"Thank God for that." Tinker sighed as he felt tears in his eyes.

Lovejoy shook his head to shake away his dizziness. As feeling came back to him, he realised that Tinker knew Laura was gong back to LA.

"Tink? Are you okay?" asked Lovejoy as he saw his friend crying. "You're crying, aren't you?"

"Damn right I am," snapped Tinker as he struggled to hold the tears back. "I'm just to upset that I may never see Laura again!"

"Okay, Guys," said Eric as he walked back to his bedroom with a glass of water. "Why's Tink crying for and what the bloody hell's going on here?"

"Tink's upset 'cause Laura's going back to LA tomorrow morning," Lovejoy replied. "He's also got this big fear that he'll never see her again."

"It's nothing," Tinker said as he calmed down. "I just worry too damn much. 'Tis nothing that shall prove to be of import to us."

The thought of hearing from Laura that Charlie had violated her had upset him since he knew that Charlie himself was too strong and too heavy for Laura to fight.

It didn't take long for Lovejoy and Eric to understand that Tinker was now in a state of panic. Realizing that the charade was over, he walked ove to the mirror and saw that bruise from that incident with Charlie but his shoulders hunched, he covered his eyes with a hand as he thought of what happened between him and Laura years ago.

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Laura asked.

"There's a slim hope," Tinker said. "I only fell over Lt. Henderson and got this bruise on my damn forehead."

Slowly, Laura walked up behind Tinker and slipped her arms around his waist. Only then did he relax letting out a deep sigh and turning in her arms to gathered her close.

"I forgive you 'cause I know tht you didn't know what it was you were doing. I still love you," Laura confessed. "I think I always will. So long as you can be yourself, I'll stay and even go through with our next date as planned."

"Sorry about that, Laura," Tinker sighed. "I'm going back to England in 3 days but never doubt that I still Love you. I don't want to forget you even in 30-odd years."

Laura's heart twisted painfully within her as she said "It's okay, Tinker. I still love you too and you do this too easily now."

Tinker gave Laura an odd look and said "I hardly think it matters. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep. No one knows I'm going but maybe I should tell David Lawson first."

Laura hesitated, uncertain of what might happen to her with Tinker gone but he stroked her hair and cupped her face and then made her look down at him.

"That's for the best especially since you wanna tell David first, I think he's just as cute as you are." Laura said as she left the sickbay.

Tinker's face was filled with grief when he tried to shut his eyes and it was only as he fell asleep that Laura realized he could easily have called Dr Franklin who checked on his while he was asleep.

Chapter 21- Goodbye, Laura

Tinker's cheeks stung from the cold,winter air when he arrived in Lowestoft Park. Wrapping his white wool scarf tighter around his neck, he caught sight of Laura and knew her week's stay in East Anglia had been everything she imagined when she was a teenager and she would daydream about exploring the world. Waving to Tinker, Laura sat by the bench next to him. Waking out of her daze, she heard him clearing his throat as he tried to stop crying.

"Hey, I'm going in an hour, Tinker." Laura sighed as she felt him put an arm around her.

"I know, Laura but I'm happy I get to say 'goodbye' this time."Tinker said as he started crying like a moron.

"Yeah," Laura sighed as she watched Tinker's face grow cold and hard. "Me too."

That got to him. Tinker's face softened as he again sat beside Laura on the bench and for a moment at least she thought she saw his younger self again as he said "Your love for me has grown stronger with time but I'm glad you didn't kiss Charlie."

To Laura's surprise, Tinker brushed a few stray strands of her hair away from her face as she said "I'm glad that I never kissed that Limey jerk either but I hope you give him a piece of your mind."

Troy where are we going?” Gabriella was restless and in a temper sitting in the passengers seat of Troy’s car. “I didn’t expect to be driving around on my wedding night.” They had left the wedding a few minutes before hand and were now driving through Albuquerque in the dark. Opting out of using a limousine, they bid their friends goodnight, Troy jumped into the driver’s seat of his car and they headed out.

“Hey, we’ve got a big night ahead of us, don’t fall asleep on me!” Hearing Gabriella yawn caused Troy to accelerate.

“Don’t worry, I have big surprises for you!” She reached over in his lap and grabbed his hand. “So where are we going on our honeymoon?” He shook his head no and continued driving.

“We’re here,” a few minutes later Gabriella squinted her eyes trying to see through the darkness. “Where… Troy this is the cemetery?” Coming to her side of the car, he opened the door and helped her out of the car. “Our honeymoon is the cemetery!”

“Just wait,” Clutching her hand tightly, they wove past tombstones and statuettes.

“This is so creepy!” Her body shook in the cold and her voice quivered, causing him to wrap his arms around her.

“It’s not,” his voice was remarkably firm and collected. When he stopped, it didn’t take long for her to realize where they were. “I just thought it would be appropriate, he would have wanted to be there.”

“Yeah, but he was Troy.” She buried herself in his side for warmth and for comfort.

“I know, but if it’s all the same, I wanted to introduce him to my new wife.” His knees fell down on the cold Earth, but his hand was still laced with hers. “Dad, we did it, can you believe that? I married the most beautiful person in the world! We’re going to have a family soon and I’m sure they’ll play basketball and sing and most importantly, be happy.” He stood up, brushed the dirt off his knees and wrapped an arm around Gabriella. “I love you dad, and I miss you every day.”

“He’s always with us Troy, always.” Gabriella kissed him on the lips and turned back towards the car.

“I hope he’s proud of me,” Meeting her at the top of the hill, the walked in pace together until they reached the door of the car.

“He is.” She climbed in and missed him turn around back towards the grave.

“I know.” He climbed in himself and turned on the engine before looking at her, “so are you ready to go to Paris?” It took her a while to realize what he had said.

“I love you too Troy, forever and ever.”

Chapter 22- The Letter

From outside Lovejoy's cottage, Tinker was able to stand in the shadows and observe his own surprised reaction. He had to admit that he'd greatly enjoyed his time with Laura during her visit, just as he'd enjoyed waering that 'mobster outfit' as Lovejoy called it.

No doubt having Laura around proved entertaining and he knew it. And if he knew Charlie, he had ways of charming women into entertaining him in other ways...

Tinker watched as Lovejoy handed him a letter enjoying the way her hips moved beneath the cloth of her dress. Then he shook his head and berated himself. She was beneath his notice and hardly worth the trouble of seducing, love spell or not.

It had been a lifetime at least since he'd last indulged in the pleasures of the flesh, having long since lost an interest such fornications. Too many lifetimes of such dalliances had left him bored with the act as well as the fallout.

He'd found his life so much less complicated since he'd stopped partaking in that mortal ritual!

Still... there was something about this woman that he found appealing; far too appealing! “Bah!” he growled. “In the end she will prove no different than the others; a weak toy good for only a moment's diversion!”

Yet, she had managed to awaken his libido and he wondered at why that should be so. Perhaps it had something to do with the way she'd looked at him on the stairs and at the funeral pyre; a demonstration of a strong will and spirit... Or perhaps it was that she seemed to challenge him directly?

“Shadow Demon!” he roared.

“Yes Master?” came the entity's voice as it slipped into the light.

“Once our new guest has slept, invite her to dine with me tomorrow evening,” he commanded.

“And where shall that be, Great Venger?” the demon asked subserviently.

“Have the meal served upon my terrace,” he answered. “Now leave me and see to it I am not disturbed except in the most dire of circumstances!”

The shadow demon vanished and Venger instantly teleported to his chambers, intent upon seeking his bed.

Dear Tinker,

I know that if you're reading this, then I'm back in LA and I know that you’re probably blaming yourself but you shouldn't 'cause it's not your fault really. Tinker, I've never seen you in years until just now but with either you or David, I had the greatest times. I mean, I had the chance of being with you again for a short while, right? I guess what I'm really trying to say is that just because my life has ended doesn't mean yours should too. You need to be with Lovejoy as a pal 'cause that's your destiny. And when you fulfill it and get your shanshu, yeah, Lovejoy told me about that Mr. Big Secret Keeper when you get it, I want you to find someone that makes you happy, that you can love with all your heart, mind, body and soul. The way I loved you.

Love Laura

THE END