Time After Time

Take you to the good times, see you through the bad times

Whatever it takes, it's what I'm gonna do
Dennis scooted forward with a lazy smile, toying with the edge of her dress, and loving the way it had ridden up her thigh. His arms feel around her, his hands pressing into her bare back as she pressed close against him, beginning to murmur again as she brought her arms against his shoulders again.
Let 'em say we're crazy; what do they know?

Put your arms around me baby, don't ever let go!

Let the world around us just fall apart

Baby, we can make it if we're heart to heart

And we can build this dream together, standing strong forever

Nothing's gonna stop us now

And if this world runs out of lovers, we'll still have each other

Nothing's gonna stop us... nothing's gonna stop us now

All that I need is you, all that I ever need

And all that I want to do is hold you forever and ever and ever.



And when he saw that she was done, they laughed together, bowing their heads and wrapping their arms tight around each other. He worked his fingertips under her chin, searching out her lips and kissing her firmly for a moment.
"I don't know why... but I really love you."
"I love you too."
But their moment was stolen by Faye bashing out the house, apparently having discarded of her pyjamas and gotten changed. Dennis knew from the amount of times he'd sat round waiting for her to be ready to come down the pub with him and Tony that that was most definitely a record for her. She must have been pretty eager to see him married off, maybe she figured it'd stop himself sloping off to her house every couple of weeks! He watched her clamber into the car, throwing her stuff into the back, and beaming at the two of the as they sat entwined on the bike. God, he loved her and her not-so-subtleties so much.
Sharon dropped her gaze giggling again, as she concluded it was probably best that she and Dennis swapped sides. She'd swung her leg over just as Tony reappeared, bundling a tie into a bag. But he stopped as he slammed the door shut, to admire the view, letting out a low whistle of appreciation.
"D'you mind? That's my missus you're eyeing up!"
Sharon looked round and laughed, flinging her hair over her shoulder as she settled against Dennis' back. "Sorry!" she called, winding her arms into the now familiar position around his hips. "As medieval as he's being about it, he's right - I'm spoken for!"
"Yeah, and I can see why!" Tony agreed, pulling open the car door, and chucking his bag into the back too. "But, would either of you mind telling me where the hell it is you're planning to tie this knot of yours, cos I somehow don't fancy the twelve hour drive to Gretna!"
"Nah, don't worry mate!" Dennis assured him, content at letting the engine revv again, before pulling slowly off the driveway to clear the way for the car. "Will take us an hour, tops!"


Sharon revelled being back on the bike. Tony & Faye were never more than ten metres behind them in the car, and Faye had wound the window down and every so often would call out to Sharon, stupid little things like "You go girl!" or "Bloody hell, you nearly lost him on that corner babe!" as she squealed her way around the corners, enjoying the rush of the air against her face. God, she made Dennis laugh. He was beginning to think that he was gonna have to invest in one of these, after all, he was gonna be devoted to keeping his beloved for the rest of his life soon anyway, whether he liked it or not. But it was just as well he did like it. His wife. Wow, it was just gonna be so incredible



When they reached the sea front, Sharon just leant against his back while he toyed with her hands, waiting for Tony & Faye to draw up alongside them, exchanging a wordless smirk as they caught sight of the pier, stretching out intothe deserting sea, ablaze with uncomfortably bright neon lights. But, oh the memories, had that really been today?
"What are you two smirking at eh?" Faye laughed, joining them as she left Tony cursing the parking meter.
"Nothing!" Dennis grinned cheekily, getting up and offering Sharon his hand, pulling her into his arms and seeking out her lips.
Faye dutifully averted her eyes as she realised that tongues were coming into play.
"Euch, spare me!"
"Oh you managed it then?" she asked disbelievingly as she felt Tony snake his arms around her waist.
"Piece of piss. Just had to give it a good - oh give over!"
"What?" Dennis questioned, with wide innocent eyes as his friend's exasperated cry forced him to break off from Sharon's kiss. She giggled as she straightened up, pushing away the smudged edges of her lip gloss.
"Mate, I have plenty of good pornos at home I could be watching. Y'know, where it's warm and I ain't freezing me bollocks off while you cop a feel of your missus?"
"You ain't gonna have any bollocks at all if I find any of that filth in my house mate, I can tell you!" Faye muttered, shooting him a warning look.
"Hey hey, you'll be getting the queue if I find out your husband's been getting off on thinking about my wife!"
Sharon hit him the chest with the back of her hand. "We ain't married yet y'know!"
"No." he replied, kissing her again. "But we will be this time tomorrow."
And while Faye was happy to watch them both with a dopey smile on her face, fighting the urge to say "Awww!" Tony was fidgeting and couldn't settle his gaze.
"Right c'mon you lot, we gonna go find a club or summat?"
Sharon smiled, but she had felt Dennis tense. "Wha'ssmatter baby?"
"Nothing... it's just... we've been at Angie's Den for hours... do we really wanna be surrounded by a load of puking fourteen year olds for the rest of the night an' all?"
"Excuse me, but if you did what I pay you for, there wouldn't be any puking fourteen year olds in our club!"
Tony chuckled, raising his eyebrow as they all started to walk aimlessly. "Oh yeah, what's this she pays you for then Rickman?"
Dennis lifted his hand and clumped Tony round the back of the head, which made Sharon gasp in horror as she nestled into him, and Faye snigger. "You are one sick bastard Tony." he told him, shaking his head and pulling Sharon closer.
They stumbled upon a club called Mickey's about ten minutes later. That just had Sharon and Faye looked round for each other and for some completely baffling reason that Dennis and Tony just didn't want to contemplate, starting singing "Oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Mickey!" before creasing into fits of giggles.
"Mate, are you sure we should let these two drink?"
That was met by a snigger from the girls as they turned towards their respective partners, looping their arms round their necks and singing still.
"Oh Mickey, what a pity you don't understand; you take me by the heart when you take me by the hand. Oh Mickey, you're so pretty, can't you understand? It's guys like you, Mickey - oh what you do Mickey, do Mickey, don't break my heart Mickey!"
Within seconds of each other, the girls found themselves been kissed fiercely.
And when they drew back and asked "What was that for?" they were astounded to be met by the same answer.
"Had to shut you up somehow!"


Having clubbed together the £50 to get into this place from worn notes they found in wallets and back pockets, they rushed through, hopefully before Sharon and Faye decided to start singing again, cos yeah, the security of this place really looked like they'd find it funny to have the millionth and one person belt out Toni Basil at them. Tony almost immediately decided they'd been ripped off, after all, they were only being blinded by God knows how many different colour lights, swinging this way and that, and everyone there seemed to be at least a foot shorter than them. None of them knew it was the class Faye convinced him the place possessed, or the size of the bloke he'd have to challenge that stopped him demanding his money back.
And they didn't really care. Dennis was pretty smitten by the length of the spirits list and for Sharon & Faye, it was the sheer size of the unashamedly large dance floor. Mickey's obviously hadn't forgotten it was Valentine's either, the disco ball was throwing little heart shaped lights all over the floor, raining down on the throng of bodies, and there were bright shiny garlands everywhere, candles flickering in the centre of the tables. But it seemed to pass them all by. Dennis wanted to get to the bar, but Faye was leaning on him, pulling over her shoes and abandoning them under an empty table. And when she straightened up, Sharon grappled for his hands, pulling him onto the floor, crying "I love you!"
"You think that one'll work do you?" he yelled back with a laugh, drinking in the rhythmic sway of her form as she absorbed the beat around her, raising her hands and clicking her fingers, turning to meet Faye, who was simulating her with a grin..
They're picking up the prisoners and putting them in a pen

And all she wants to do is dance, dance!
"Always does!" she told him sweetly as he snatched up her hand and forced her to spin against him, holding her hips and loving the way she moved underneath his finger tips.
Rebels been rebels since I don't know when

And all she wants to do is dance!
She struck out and wandered a length to her side, loving the way it felt to have him swing into her as he countered her.
Molotov cocktail, the local drink

And all she wants to do is dance!
She span underneath his hand again, over and over as she savoured the sensation of her head going light, before he forced his knee quick between her legs and lay her back his arms for a split second, pulling her up again in a moment.
Mix 'em up right, in the kitchen sink

And all she wants to do is dance, dance!
Pressing her hand into his shoulder, she stepped slowly round him, drinking in the image of him stood there, the outline of every muscle, before she was in front of him and her arms were around his neck again.
Crazy people walking round with blood in their eyes

And all she wants to do is dance, dance, dance!

Wide eyed pistol wavers who ain't afraid to die
Hooking her arm around his waist, she pulled him roung quick, and he pressed against her almost immediately, making her skin burn.
And all she wants to do is.... all she wants to do is dance!

And make romance

She can't feel the heat coming off the street

She wants to party (ooh!)

She wants to get down (ooh!)

And all she wants to do is.... all she wants to do is dance!



Sharon stepped back from him and raised her arms again, closing her eyes as she let the music take her and concentrated on tracing perfect figures of eight with her hips.
Well, the Government bugged the Men's Room

At the local disco lounge

And all she wants to do is dance, dance!
Moving towards Dennis again, she wrapped her hand around his chin, looking him deep in the eyes as, oh-so-innocently, her groin happened to play against his.
To keep the boys from selling all the boys from selling

All the weapons they could scrounge.

And all she wants to do is dance!

But that don't keep the boys from making a buck or two

And all she wants to do is dance, dance!

They still could sell the army all the drugs that they can do

And all she wants to do is.... all she wants to do is dance!

And make romance
He bowed his head a little and seemed quite content to spend the considerable break from the lyrics working her willing mouth, Her arms were around his neck again, pulling him in that little bit deeper. After all, she knew it was very wrong of her to deny the man who was going to be her husband anything he so desired!
When they broke apart, he stepped forward on his left foot, and her on her right, so the movement of their hips countered. His hands settled against her, enthralled by the sheer simplicity of the action. Bless him.
Well, we barely made the airport for the last plane out

As we taxied down the runway, I could hear the people shout

They said "Don't come back here yankee!" - but if I ever do

I'll bring more money, cos all she wants to do is dance!

They regrouped after that and Dennis & Faye happily disappeared off to the bar before Tony could fight off his fifteen year old admirer, who for some bizarre reason had latched onto him on the dancefloor and... something to do with his shoes... had decided she was going to marry him and give him at least six babies before she was twenty. She wasn't to be deterred by him flashing his wedding ring either, even though it was pretty obvious by the way he was tremoring that he was showing her it in the way you'd show a crucifix to a vampire who decided to make you into breakfast, lunch and dinner.
He collapsed opposite Sharon without realising she was the only one there. She smiled at him, and he'd barely returned it before he was craning his neck, searching out his wife and friend. And when he spotted them, he rose immediately, muttering something about "giving them a hand." So Sharon had to reach across rather desperately, dropping her hand on his arm and exerting the pressure to get him to sit again.
"Tony... can I just talk to you a sec... please?"
He waited silently.
"Look.... I... I know you're not thrilled about Dennis and me... who we are... why we are... I know how close you two are... and I suppose it's only right I should thank you... today has been one of the greatest days of my life... and he wouldn't have done it without you... just... know that he makes me really happy yeah? And whatever happens when we do head home, he's gonna keep doing that, and me... I'm just gonna keep him... cos we'll be married... and I know that probably sound really naive but... it means a lot to us both... you'll probably find this hard to believe, but Dennis... he's been talking about it all day... us getting married... and it scared me... it scared me for all the reasons it scared you. But why shouldn't I? When I know he means it?"
Tony took in her words silently, gracefully, nodding as she finished. "I can't judge you Sharon. I don't know how it is for you and Rickman. But I do know I ain't never seen him as happy as he's been since he found you and your sister in Walford... and I've known 'im since he was fifteen. So if it's you that makes him happy, then go for it. I can't stop you. But that's guy's like my brother..." Sharon smiled as she realised what he'd said, and where her own error with this whole situation lay. He was like her brother too. Only, this time tomorrow, he'd be like her husband as well. "...but if you hurt him, so help you, and that's all I'm gonna say alright?"
"Fine." she beamed, squeezing his hand thankfully. "Cheers Tony."
"No problem."
"Hey, hey!" Dennis cried warmly, arriving back at the table carring two cocktails that didn't look a healthy colour at all. Aha, Sharon recognised them. "What's going on 'ere?" He set the glasses down and settled next to Sharon, laughing as Tony wrenched his hand away, dropping into his lap as Faye and two double vodkas, no ice appeared on the table too. "You really are having it off with her ain't you Tone?"
"Eh? Oh.. Oh yeah, been shagging her senseless for months mate, sorry."
"Well that's the first I've heard of it!" Faye guffawed, reaching over for one of the cocktails. "Dennis?"
Sharon slid off her seat onto Dennis' lap, his arms falling around her waist as she put her arms around his neck, dancing up the nape and looking to play with the curl.
"Nah, Sharon told me earlier."
"Early wedding present. Never mind baby," she simpered teasingly, "that's the passionate affair all over with, just for you."
"Oh, I am loved." he grinned, kissing her lightly. But then he drew back, brow furrowed in confusion. "Hang on... I thought you said I was the passionate affair? Mending your broken heart and all that?"
"What's this?"
"It's him she really wants, Faye babe. I'm the rebound, engagement and everything."
"Sorry." Sharon muttered, but Faye just giggled as she watched Tony flush.
"Don't be, I'm flattered... didn't think I could pay anyone to take him off my hands! So does that mean I get Dennis? Christ I must be the only woman under forty he's ever met and not slept with, I must admit, I didn't half feel left out. Fancied him rotten when I was a teenager, bastard went through all my mates, and by the time it was logically my turn, I was with 'im over 'ere. I got bored waiting for you Rickman."
"Well that's a shame, I coulda shown you a good time."
"Excuse me, that's my wife you're talking to!"
"Yeah, talking to, you've been jumping mine!"
"I wish I had, that'd stop you being so cocky about landing her wouldn't it? No offence Sharon, but you must have a screw loose if you're willing to spend the next forty years with this guy..."



"I'll take my chances."


"So I don't get him then?"
Sharon shrugged apologetically. "Sorry Faye, truth is... the sex is just too good."
"Oh Jesus Christ!" Tony groaned, knocking back the rest of his drink with a desperate gasp. "Why do women only ever talk about sex?"
"Oh sorry, should we just throw in a mention for the footie here and now?" Faye demanded sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Sharon.
"Rickman, back me up h-" But his voice trailed off and he threw up his hands in despair. "No, you don't care do you? Not while you've got her there bragging about-"
Dennis just grinned at him while Sharon seemed to ponder her next words.
"Hang on, aren't you guys meant to think about sex every six seconds?"
"Better make that five." Dennis murmured flirtatiously, slipping his hand gently under the edge of her dress, working his fingertips up her thigh. "Or maybe even four..."
"Oh yeah?" she challenged, catching his lips for a second. "Tell me how it goes."
"Vodka... Page 3.. you... sex... Vodka... page 3... you... oh look..."
"Mmm, what is it baby? Page 4?"
"Oh, you're funny you ain'tcha?"
Murmuring her agreement, their lips met again, but Tony seemed to have blocked out all images that concerned exchanges of saliva and began to talk casually.
"So Dennis, if you can go from that... to that... does that mean you wanna see your missus on Page 3?"
Faye whacked him on the arm with one of the flyers left one on the table as the question caused the two of them to seperate, rather reluctantly. But she decided to pay more attention to the flyers. What was the point of having them inside anyway? It wasn't like you could take one back and say "Come to the this club night with me - it was a couple of nights ago, but hey, we're still good!" She just supposed they'd had too many printed out. "Tone, shut up."
But Dennis didn't seem to care, answering the question outright. "Nah mate, I don't. Why do I need to see it on paper when I've got the real thing waiting at home?"
"Well, listen to him!" Sharon laughed, rolling her eyes. "Maybe you should make some room in that self-assured little mind of yours for the footie eh?"
He didn't answer her, nuzzling gently at her neck, and making damn sure they could all hear him murmuring ""Vodka... Page 3.. you... sex...vodka... Page 3.. you... sex..." against her skin, thus proving he evidently had no room for the football.
"So c'mon then!" Faye cried, drumming her hands into the table and making it shake. "As a fellow woman Sharon, it's pretty much my right to gossip unashamedly about your sex life!"
"Mmmm... this could get interesting..." Dennis said quietly, lifting his head and nestling into Sharon's shoulder instead.
Tony only groaned, rubbing his bleary eyes and knowing he could do nothing but listen.

"OK, ummmm... let's start with the basics... when did you last do it?"
"What time is it?" Dennis asked immediately, making Faye shake her head disbelievingly as she looked to her husband who dutifully peeked under the cuff of his shirt.
"Quarter to one."
"Almost four hours ago then."
"F*ck, is it that long?"
"Uh-oh... get the man a dark corner!" Faye giggled, obviously having heard him.
"Someone get me another drink." Tony groaned. But he was ignored as Sharon turned the question back on his wife.
"What about you?"
"Lunchtime. I was meant-" she looked pointedly at Tony. "-to be doing the ironing, but someone got other ideas, so please excuse the fact my husband looks like he's been sleeping in that shirt for weeks..."
Dennis snorted out a laugh. "Over the ironing board Tone? Bloody hell..."
"No... more the living room floor... I always did love that carpet!"
"Faye!"
"Oh baby, what? This is what us girls do... and I know for a fact you've spoken to 'im about me before now..." She glared over at Dennis. "I still haven't forgiven you for that..."
"What?! What did I do?" he cried, feigning innocence.



"You know damn well what you did!"
"I don't." Sharon said slowly, looking between them both with interest. "What did he do? Dennis..."
"I mighta told a couple of people..." he admitted, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze.
"Oh, and what a couple it was! You told Karen of all people... it was her you were shagging at the time right? And she told Jasmine... or were you shagging her? And Jasmine told Leanne, who told Briony down the newsagents, who dogged me up proper when I went in for a pint of milk the next day, and she passed me over to her boss who tried to sell me God knows what filth!"
"What was it?"
"I don't know exactly, but from the look of the free instruction DVD, you needed to be naked and be very handy with a leather strap... I swear, he didn't see me for dust!"
"Oh my God!" Sharon gasped, covering her mouth with her hand instinctively. "Dennis, you evil bastard!"
"Yeah well, if these two will insist on playing Doctors & Nurses..."
Right on cue, Faye blushed. Oh, bless her. But she recovered quickly enough and quizzed "Weirdest place?"
And Sharon & Dennis met each other's eye, each searching the other's face for their answer without requiring words. The longer they spent on it, the clearer the answer became and they broke out into wide smirks as they faced their companions again, laughing gently.
"That would have to be the beach."
"Never?! Which one?"
Sharon bit down on the edge of her thumb before she cleared her throat and oh so casually said "This one."
Faye, her glass lifted to her lips, slammed it back down, spluttering on the liquid in her mouth as she realised precisely what she was drinking. "Eurgh!" she gasped, just trying to breathe. "When?"
"About eight hours ago..."
Tony laughed as he toyed with a flyer, folding down the edges to make a paper aeroplane it seemed. "Well, if she has the bucket... he's got the spade..."
"And how would you know?"
And they collapsed into fits as he darted off to get more drinks. Sharon's sides hurt and Dennis was clinging desperately to her, afraid that if he shook much more, she was gonna slide off his lap.
Faye was wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh God, I'm sorry, I never knew he was so sick."


When Tony returned with the drinks, he was little less red, and the rest of them were barely breathing. Sharon was resting her head against Dennis' shoulder, laughing so hard she was crying, and he was just cradling her, forcing out his own laughter. As they heard the glasses clink against the table, they all tried their best to draw breath and calm down. Sharon pushed against Dennis' shoulder and straightened up.
"I have to go... powder my nose!"
Faye cackled, making the liquid in her glass bubble. "Mmm, no! Sharon, don't go in there!"
"Why not?"
"It's Valentine's night - that means there's fourteen year olds copping off in the toilets!"
That raised a very loud and vocal grimace from the lot of them. The problem was, it was probably true!
"C'mon, we should go dance, see if we can't pull you a gorgeous bloke..." And she knocked back the rest of her drink, slamming her glass down with a gasp before getting to her feet, pulling Sharon up too.
"Er, excuse me..." Dennis coughed, rather reluctant to let her go. "...she's gonna be married to this gorgeous bloke in the morning!"
"Exactly! This is her last night of freedom, she's entitled to one last fling!"
"Not while I'm watching she's not!"
"Then don't look." Sharon told him flirtatiously, moving in to meet his lips. She left him with a soft and lingering kiss, skipping off with Faye to a clearing on the floor while Dennis slumped back, sighing passionately and shaking his head gently in disbelief as he admired the way she was moving, pretty sure she was only doing it cos she knew he couldn't help but watch.
"F*ck." he breathed lustily. "What's she doing with me?"
"Well, last I heard mate, she was gonna marry you..." Then Tony leant close, smirking, "...as long as she don't find herself a twenty year old blue eyed boy out there that is..."
"Nah, she wouldn't... I mean... miss all these trips to the beach?"
He tilted his head back laughing. "You really are sick Rickman, you know that?"
"Oh yeah? Well, maybe I should go to the doctor eh?"
"Oh for God's sake, that was once!"
"Course, it was mate!"
And they spent several minutes throwing insults back and forth as they laughed into their drinks, one eye always on the girls, unashamedly strutting their stuff. But Dennis couldn't deny a stirring inside as he saw Sharon pulling Faye by the hand back towards the table.
"Look out." Tony muttered teasingly out the corner of his mouth. Dennis ignored him and smiled brightly at them both.
"Have fun?"
"Well, we tried, but her over here was desperate to get back to you."
"Is that right?"
Sharon just pouted, sliding back onto his lap. "Yeah." she simpered. "I was missing you."
"Aww, I was missing you too baby."
And as Faye squeezed round the edge of the table, Tony reaching out, pulling her against him and kissing the base of her neck; Sharon was surrendering to Dennis' kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and slowly fighting him to allow her tongue to dominate his mouth.
"Oh shit..." Tony chuckled into Faye's ear. "...there's something I never thought we'd have to suffer - Rickman in love..."
Faye just grinned and kissed her husband's words away, only breaking off with an excited "Mmm!" as she saw the tall bloke with the drop dead gorgeous blue eyes and dark ruffled hair glance longingly over at their table.
"Sharon, your admirer's back!"
Sharon knew immediately who she was talking about. The guy was truly gorgeous, and she'd loved it when she'd realised it was undoubtedly her he had been eyeing up, his gaze continuously upon her as she deliberately moved around the dance floor, just to test him. She grinned at Faye, and wriggled round on Dennis' lap, catching the guy's eye and smiling. Out the corner of her own eye she caught Dennis' disgruntled scowl, and though that made her just want to cover him in kisses, she pulled his arms back and got up.
"Sorry baby, you're just gonna have to miss me a little bit longer, that was my cue."
"Cue for what?" he asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing. As Faye creased into giggles, he whipped his head round and glared at her. Tony was pushing her hair back, trying to get a better look of her face. But her laughter was making her shake so much, it was pretty pointless, and they just waited to hear her announce.
"I told him she was getting married tomorrow and she offered to do him in the toilets..."
"Right, that's it... you are going nowhere..."

And just to keep Sharon's attentions focussed, Dennis, with a bit of encouragement from Faye, decided they were gonna throw some vodka around and play some drinking games. As Tony went happily off to discover some vodka and some shot glasses, Faye was gleefully rubbing her hands, looking towards Dennis and promising "I'm gonna get you so wasted you ain't gonna know where she's gone..."
"Try it babe." he shot back, lips twisted into a very obvious smirk. "I'm doing the choosing here..."
"Oh, you are, are you?"
Dennis just raised his eyebrow; and barely a breath after that, Tony staggered through the crowds carrying a small and round chrome tray, with two bottles of vodka and the four required shot glasses. He set it down gently and as the rest of them cheered and clapped appreciatively, he took up his place next to his wife, waiting for someone to take charge.
"Oh God." Sharon whispered, eyeing the bottles dubiously. "I'm scared."
"Ah, you'll be fine." he told her warmly, though he definitely saw where she was coming from as he caught the way his friend was eyeing Faye up, and the way she was drinking it in, smiling back at him.
"Fuck Me." he said simply.
"Oh finally, he asks!" she roared, choking on her laughter as she unscrewed the cap on one of the vodka bottles and sloshed the liquid into the glasses, passing them round.
Sharon went rigid and slid off Dennis' lap back to her own stool with a bump. "OK, I'm very scared."
"You mean you've never played?" Tony asked, astounded.
She couldn't ignore the possibilities contained in those words and snorted out a laugh as she shook her head.
"Well..." He placed his palms against the edge of the table, and lifted one and then the other, resulting in two beats before he followed it up by clapping his hands twice. "And you just keep going."
"Right..." she said slowly.
"And we all need names..." Dennis murmured at her silkily. "And I think we should call you... oh after your little stint earlier, I think... Jealous... and Tone...?"
"Desperate." Faye quipped without giving him chance to answer his address, but he didn't protest.
"I like it." Dennis laughed "And for Nurse Harrison over there-" He grinned at her as she reddened again. "-I think... Dirty..."
"That makes you Frantic, then!" she shot back and he did nothing but nod in approval.
Tony shook his head disbelievingly, although the corners of his mouth rose tellingly as he looked back at the still bewildered Sharon as he tried to keep up the beat - that was about all she had mastered.
"Alright, so... Desperate Fuck, Desperate Fuck, better than a Dirty Fuck..."
Faye pounded her hands against the table top. "Dirty Fuck, Dirty Fuck, better than a Frantic Fuck..."
Tony looked back at Sharon. "Got it? No returns, no hesistation, no messing up the names or the beat, or you'll be glugging the necessary for ten seconds..."
She laughed, ducking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose to prepare herself. "Alright then." she nodded, joining them in the beat.
"OK... 1...2...3 - Fuck Me!"
"Fuck Me!" they chorused back at him, hardly able to hold themselves together as they eased into the rhythm.
"Desperate Fuck, Desperate Fuck, better than a Jealous Fuck!" And Tony swung round to look at her, smirking.
"Jealous Fuck, Jealous Fuck, better than a Dirty Fuck!"
"Dirty Fuck, Dirty Fuck, better than a Frantic Fuck!"
Dennis assessed his options. With no returns, that meant he either Fucked Tony or Sharon... oh the choice!
"Ah, hesistation!" Faye cried, flinging her finger in his face accusingly before slamming a bottle in front of him.
"No, hang on, that's not fair... he's my best mate and she's my fiancée!"
"So do both, they don't care! Shut up with the excuses and drink!"
And they carried on with the beat to encourage him, yelling "Drink, drink, drink!" He completely ignored the glass, just snatching up the bottle and wedging it between his lips before tilting his head back defiantly and glugging. He straightened up again, gasping his way through the burning sensation on the back of his throat. They all whooped, evidently impressed. He put the bottle back down and rejoined the beat.
Tony restarted the chain. "Desperate Fuck, Desperate Fuck, better than a Dirty Fuck!"
"Dirty Fuck, Dirty Fuck, better than a Jealous Fuck!"
"Jealous Fuck, Jealous Fuck, better than a Fra-" And meeting Dennis' glittering eyes, she collapsed into giggles, crying out in her defence. "But it's not!"
"Course it's not honey, now come on!" he insisted, passing her the bottle. She shot him a look that, if she had not been smiling so wide, would have left him in no doubt as to how much she hated his arrogance, even if she loved it simultaneously!
"Go on, Sharon! Drink, drink, drink, drink!"
As she pulled the bottle back, she shoved it back into Dennis' hand as she lunged across, mashing her mouth against his. Tony & Faye laughed, childishly raising an "Ooooh!" between them to acknowledge him letting the bottle drop onto the table (and he was bloody lucky it settled on its base rather than tilting and upturning) and pulling Sharon closer, sharing the taste of the liquid glistening on her lips.
"Mmmm." she breathed huskily. "I think I like this game."
"Me too..."
Playing for the next twenty minutes, the contents of the two bottles was diminished, and they were all starting to slur somewhat! And Faye was the one that had to go and get the third bottle; not that any of them really needed it, or even thought they would be able to bring themselves to touch it. But anyway, they decided that since Tony had managed to turn Jealous F*cks into Yellow Ducks that it probably wasn't wise to send him off to the bar this time.
Sharon seized the interlude with vigour, sliding back onto Dennis' lap and loving how his hands roamed across her abdomen as she forced her tongue into his mouth, received warmly by his own. Tony looked up through his bleary eyes and groaned, slouching back down onto the table. When it was that his wife finally found her way back to the table, however, he was the first to straighten up and greet the new bottle, pouring it shakily into the glasses, managing to lose a lot of the liquid and leave it on the table. But he didn't know or care.
"OK, new game! Have You Ever?"
"Yes, I have." Dennis shot back, not missing a beat as he drew back from a reluctant Sharon, who instead let her head flop onto his shoulder, groaning.
"He probably has an' all!" Faye laughed as she glared at Dennis.
"Brilliant question babe - have you ever had anal sex?"
As Faye gasped, lifting her glass and emptying it over his head, Dennis and Sharon creased up, worried that they might just fall off the stool because the floor seemed to be moving underneath them.
"None of us are answering that! Now, watch yourself, or it won't be the vodka next time, it'll be the... hic! bottle!"
"Have you ever downed a bottle to yourself?" Sharon asked, thinking she may as well tone it right down to begin with.
"You're just wriggling off the hook there baby, if you'd mentioned wine, you know you'd have been knocking one of these back!" Dennis told her as he obediently poured a shot, passing the bottle over to Tony as he knew he must, before tipping the liquid to the back of his throat.
"True. Maybe I'll share that one with you then!" she murmured, kissing the taste from his lips. As they moved back, without taking his eyes off Sharon, he asked;
"Have you ever covered anyone in booze... just to...?"
Sharon grinned and reached for her shot, toasting him as she leant back against him.
"Whiskey don't half taste good on you, y'know babe." Tony slurred affectionately to Faye as he clinked his shot against her glass.
"You too mate.." Gasping as the taste of the vodka hit her tongue, she rolled her head back before asking "Have you ever been in bed with more than one person?"
"What, you mean, like a threesome?"
"Yuh huh."
"No!" Sharon laughed, happy to see that Dennis looked just as bewildered.
"Me neither." he said sadly. "Not to say I didn't dream about it every night when I was a teenager though. Oh yeah, me, Kate Moss & Claudia Schiffer would have got on like a house on fire, I just know it!"
"Yeah, I'll bet you would have. So have you ever been sleeping with two - or more-" Faye looked pointedly at Dennis at that point, and he just smiled back at her. "-people at the same time?"
Sharon leant over and found herself fighting Dennis for a glass. Giggling as she straightened up, she offered him her glass just as his came towards her.
"Here."
"There you go darlin'."
And they tilted their glasses so they clinked together before disposing of the liquid. "Down the hatch!"
"You dirty bastards! Yours is gonna be a great marriage ain't it?"
"Oh yeah!"
"Have you ever done it up against the wall?"
"Yes mate!" Dennis grinned, reaching proudly for the bottle. And seeing as they all required a shot, they raised their glasses to each other, total and utter respect flooding their little circle.
"Have you ever..." Faye gave the two opposite a knowing look, raising her eyebrow as she spoke. "...done it outside?"
"Oooh, Faye, anyone would think you were trying to get us drunk darlin'!"
"Me?!"
She giggled, but Tony drowned her out. "Have you ever done it under water?"
"Oh yeah." Dennis enthused. "Me & the Little Mermaid are like that!"
"Shut it you." Sharon warned, hitting him weakly in the chest with the back of her hand. "You mean like, in the bath... the shower, that kind of thing? Cos no."
"Jesus Sharon, the men in your life aren't very passionate are they?" Faye observed, a sympathetic edge to her tone as she oh so subtlely knocked back a shot.
"Excuse me, but I'm the men in her life... and believe me, we're gonna fix that one!"
"I love you, you know."
"Oh now you love me. That's charming that." But his smile teased her as he glugged the vodka too. She seized the glass, pulling it away.
"Who was she?"
"She was crap."
"Oh, I'm so glad!" she muttered sarcastically.
They heard a thud and all looked round in alarm, Sharon and Dennis closer to tumbling off the stool than ever before. But thankfully, they remained upright, wound together as they took in the image of Tony sprawled out on the table top, his eyes barely open, slurring
"Actually, I meant the sheeee... sheeex in the seeea..."

Faye sighed, lifting up Tony's lifeless arm and realising he had really and truly conked out. "Goodnight Seattle!"
"Awww, bless him, he looks cute!"
"Sharon... he looks like a tosser... " Dennis told her flatly. "...kinda fitting really cos that's what he is, never could handle his drink..."
"Oh, and you can I suppose?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"C'mon then!" And she clambered unsteadily up, and he let himself be pulled up with her, his arms still wound around her waist, the ridges of her spine pressing harder into his chest, as she wandered towards the dance floor, pulling him with her. His hands feel obediently round her hips as she began to swing her hips rhythmically to the beat pounding through the place, shaking the very walls. He tapped out the beat against her hip with his fingertips as he moved into her, meeting each circuit.