#lisa duffy duffin

[dylanssassyhandsonhips]

Omg Charlie listen to your wife and stop suffocating her by wrapping her in bubble wrap!!

[casualtyconfessions]

Submitted by anon. Feel free to send in your confessions!

[cannondisabledcharacters]

Today’s disabled character of the day is Lisa Duffin (Duffy) from Casualty, who has depression, vascular dementia, and an unspecified anxiety disorder

Requested by Anon

[Image Description: Photo of Cathy Shipton playing. She is facing the viewer and appears to be inside a building. She is wearing a blue button up shirt with white on the edges of the collar, small silver earrings, and a silver pin on her right side. She has long blond hair tied in a pony tail and brown eyes.]

[blue-sky-and-rain]

family isn't only about blood ties

Duffy, S31 E31 

[cadihq]

𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚋𝚢𝚎, 𝙽𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚢

[chuffyfan87]

Growing Pains. Part 25c (NSFW)

"Yeh. I've got a track upstairs. It makes the car jump and spin!" Paul explained excitedly.

Peter held his hand out to his brother, “Show me?”

"OK." Paul took hold of Peter's hand and led his brother up to the room he shared with Oliver. He moved the ramp slightly. "If I put it here then the cars hit Oli's head when he's asleep!" The youngster explained with a huge grin on his face.

“Paul, that’s not nice.” Peter shook his head fondly.

"Its funny though!" Paul laughed.

“Maybe so.” Peter smiled.

Paul set up the cars on the track to show Peter. "What did you get for Christmas?" He asked.

“I got some money and some new clothes.” Peter smiled, sitting on the floor.

"Cool." Paul laughed as the car hit Oli's bed.

“Paul, you should be nicer to your brother.” Peter laughed.

"You call Jake 'doofus'." Paul pointed out with a mischievous shrug.

“Ok, you’ve got a point.” Peter rolled his eyes playfully.

Paul continued to play for several minutes before he spoke again. "Is mum gunna be OK?" He asked quietly, not looking up from his toy.

“Yeah. What makes you think she won’t be?” Peter asked gently, trying to work out what was going on in Paul’s head.

"She keeps getting hurt."

“I know.” Peter kissed his little brother's head. “Are you scared?”

"She was fine when she went out yesterday and then she came back hurt. Can't she just stay here? Then she won't get hurt."

“Sometimes mum and dad’s job is scary.” Peter kissed his head again, “And they get hurt.”

"Why do they still do it?"

“Because they like to care for other people.”

"Like Holly cares for animals?"

“Yes.”

"I like Holly." Paul smiled.

“That’s good. I’m glad.”

"She's not icky like the girls at school."

“You’re too young to be looking at girls.”

"I don't look at them, they smell!" Paul replied, pulling a face.

Peter laughed.

"Are you and Holly gunna get married? All the girls at school like to play weddings but I run away when they try and make me play!"

“I’d like to get married one day.”

"I don't."

“When you’re a bit older, you’ll change your mind.”

Peter played with Paul and his car for ages.

Eventually Holly came upstairs to see where they'd gone. "You boys having fun?" She smiled.

Peter blushed as he looked up, “Yes we are.”

"The girls put a film on. Your mum was asleep within ten minutes and your dad was barely keeping his eyes open when I left to come up here."

“I don’t think they’ve slept much from their shift last night.” Peter replied.

"Yeh I imagine it was pretty busy there last night."

“Paul? Do you want to go and watch the film with your sisters and brothers?”

"Yeh!" Paul beemed, jumping up and running out the room.

Peter remained sat on the floor and held his hand out to Holly.

She took his hand and sat down next to him.

“Can you believe it’s been a whole year?”

"I know, it's gone so fast!" She grinned.

He kissed her gently, “Maybe this year we can start some new chapters together?” He placed his hand on her stomach and met her gaze.

"I'd like to get married first." She smiled, placing her hand over his.

“I know. And we will.” He smiled.

"I can't wait."

“Neither can I.”

"I want my mum to be at my wedding." She whispered.

“Your real mum?”

"Yeh."

“Then let’s start looking for her?”

"I filled out the request form for my file but I've been too scared to post it."

“Let’s do it together?”

"Its been in my bag since before Christmas." She admitted.

“Tonight on the way home, let’s post it?”

"O-ok." She smiled nervously.

There was a silence between them, Peter’s thumb stroking over the back of Holly’s hand.

"Do you think we'll find her?"

“It’s worth a look.”

"I want to be able to tell our children about where I came from."

“You never know, your mum could be looking for you too.”

"I hope so." She smiled.

He smiled and kissed her again.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked hesitantly.

“You can ask me anything, babe.”

"Did it make you feel different? When you found out about your dad."

He nodded. “Yeah it did.”

"In what way?"

“I don’t know, I can’t explain it. I was a bit pissed off at first..” He admitted.

"Coz they hadn't told you sooner?"

He nodded, “I mean, it was pretty obvious who my dad was...”

"You do look a lot like him." She agreed.

“Mum and dad were just... Caught up in the idea they were just friends.”

"I can't imagine those two ever being 'just friends'." She chuckled.

He laughed, “I don’t think it was ever a stage for them.”

"So they hooked up and then pretended it never happened even though your mum got pregnant? How they manage to keep that a secret for so long?"

“Ask my parents. They’ll tell you.”

"I'm not sure I wanna have that kinda chat with your mum and dad..!" She giggled.

He giggled. “Nah, neither do I really.”

"That's one of the few upsides of my parents total lack of emotional interaction with each other - no awkward conversations!"

“Awkward conversations aren’t the worst, trust me.”

"What's worse?"

“Hearing them engaging in physical activity.” He laughed.

"Oh..!" Her eyes widened.

“Yeah, they’re not exactly quiet.” He chuckled.

"That's not a mental image I needed..!" She giggled.

“Sorry babe.”

"I imagine they'll be a bit more restrained for a while..."

“You’d like to think, wouldn’t you?”

"You don't sound convinced..." She chuckled.

“I don’t think anything would stop them.”

"But your mum can't walk unaided right now..."

“If mum wants something, she’ll usually get it.” He shuddered, “Can we change the subject? I think my lunch might make a reappearance.”

“What are you two laughing at?” Charlie asked from the doorway as he was passing. He’d come upstairs to grab a blanket for Duffy as she seemed colder than usual.

"Nothing!" Holly giggled. "I thought you were asleep."

“I was but I was cold, so I’ve come to grab a blanket. Are you both okay?”

"Yeh, we're OK. I'm amazed Lisa can sleep, her ankle must be agony!"

“You’d be surprised.”

"She's not having much luck with broken bones lately." Holly remarked.

“I know.” Charlie sighed.

"Dad..?" Peter questioned, picking up on the tone in his father's voice.

“She’ll be ok.”

"What's going on?" Peter pressed. "It wasn't just an accident was it?"

“Of course it was an accident.” Charlie paused, “I think your mum’s got brittle bones. It makes them easier to break.”

"I'm not surprised. She's lost weight since the last time we saw her. That was only a week ago dad!"

“I’m really trying, son.”

"I'm not blaming you." Peter sighed.

“I know.” Charlie sat on the edge of Paul’s bed and paused. “You know your mum’s problem, don’t you?”

"I know she's not getting any better. If anything, she's getting worse. She's a nurse, surely she knows the damage she's doing to herself." Peter sighed.

“It’s an addiction.” Charlie paused, “Like Louis’.”

Peter nodded.

“If only it was easy to ask for help.”

"What are her options?" Peter asked, he really wanted to help as best he could. It was obvious that it was tearing his parents apart.

“There’s three. One of which hasn’t worked so far.”

"The therapy sessions she's being going to?"

“Yeah. Anyway, come on, let’s go downstairs..?”

"OK." Peter agreed, though he wanted to press his father further he knew now was not the time.

Charlie smiled sadly as all three of them went downstairs, Charlie with the blanket in his hand. He was concerned to see that Duffy looked even paler than when he had left her to go upstairs and was still sleeping heavily despite the surrounding noise from the children.

Charlie took her wrist and discreetly tried to take her pulse, observing her respiration rate.

Peter moved to stand beside his dad, giving him a nervous look.

Charlie counted.

Peter became increasingly agitated though tried to hide it from his younger siblings.

Charlie counted twice before sighing and putting her arm back under the blanket.

[bygone-age]

Holby City Bake Off Week 5

Something slightly different this time - it's girl's night! We start a day or two after Dairy week and Nicky puts her idea to Jac.

~~~~~~

WEEK FIVE - DAIRY WEEK

"What do you think then?"

Jac didn't look up.

"About what?"

"This."

Nicky shook the book she was holding right I was Jac's face. She took it out of the younger woman's hand and looked at it properly.

"Prohibition era cocktails?"

"Yup. Girls night at mine next week. I even found some period canapé recipes on Pinterest. Just need to make sure there's enough alcohol and mixers and that shouldn't be too hard."

"Alright. It's half term next week and Emma's at her dad's, so I don't have to get back early and I've got a bottle of prosecco and a couple of open bottles. We're not doing fancy dress though, it'll be a right fuck on, especially at this short notice."

"Well, I saw Ms MacMillan on my way and she said she can get some of those headbands the women used to wear, but other than that, we don't need to bother."

"Fair enough. I'll go down to the ED after Mr Mountfield's triple bypass and ask Duffy if she's up for it. Rumour has it she mixes a mean cocktail."

******

Charlie and Duffy were just leaving the ED after their shifts when Jac caught up with them.

"Duffy, Nicky's doing girl's night next Tuesday for twenties week, are you up for it? I heard you do a bloody good cocktail."

The older woman grinned.

"I do mix an excellent sidecar, if I do say so myself, I'll be there."

"Great, I'll text you her address la- what's that face for Fairhead? You like we're about to start binge drinking in the cubicles."

"I've had her cocktails, it might be quicker if you did just that."

"Oi! They're not that bad! Cheeky sod!"

"Elle's birthday? How much vodka was in those martinis!?!"

"Duffy, you married a lightweight!"

She laughed.

"Tell me about it! He refuses to even drink any whisky cocktail I make!"

"Which is why lightweights aren't invited. See you next week."

******

A FEW DAYS LATER

TASK ONE

"Bloody hell woman! How much whisky is this!?!"

Jac was wincing from just a small mouthful of what was supposed to be a Rob Roy cocktail.

"Exactly what the recipe says to use, but it is a stronger whisky than you should probably use. It's the only whisky we have though."

"Now I know what Charlie was talking about!"

They shared a laugh as Roxanna, Nicky and Essie came and sat down.

"Nicky, this Yellow Bird is delicious! Where did you get the recipe."

Roxanna took another sip of her drink.

"Online. There's a website with a load of twenties era cocktails and there's the book I got."

Conversation stopped for a couple of minutes when a contestant's custard tart fell on the floor shortly before the time ran out.

******

TASK TWO

"What the hell is a bayonet!?!"

Essie's tipsy mispronounciation provoked a round of laughter.

"It's a beignet! It's made with choux pastry and fried and- basically it looks like a posh donut."

"Oh! Why don't they just call it a French donut?"

Duffy stood up with a wobble. Lol

"No idea. Who wants a sidecar?"

Nicky giggled before replying in a singsong voice.

"Meeeeeee!"

Duffy chuckled.

"I'll put a pot of coffee on as well. Just in case, because we are definitely not sober."

******

TASK THREE

"He is a horrible man. My Charlie wouldn't be that mean, he'd kind. Because he is kind, very very kind."

"Ssssssh! She'll wake up!"

Nicky pointed at Jac, who was busy snoring on Essie's shoulder.

"You're going to have to wake her up eventually."

"In the morning, when I can put a cup of coffee, some ibuprofen and a slice of toast in front of her. You saw what happened the last time and she wasn't even fully conscious!"

Roxanna smiled. Of the five, she was the only one drinking coffee. Two Yellow Birds and a Sidecar were enough for her. Even if they'd demolished most of the canapés, it wasn't enough to soak up all the alcohol.

"Well not everyone would have their boss as a houseguest, especially when they've put away the alcohol we have."

Duffy suddenly piped up.

"It's very kind of you Nicky, just like my Charlie. He's very kind you know."

"It's not that kind, I'd just rather deal with a hungover Jac Naylor than wake up a Drunk Jac Naylor. Even if I have to tell her that she missed double elimination."

Essie tried to sit up straight with Jac still snoozing on her shoulder.

"You think it'll happen tonight?"

"We're about halfway through, so it's a good time to do it."

The remaining four of them settled down to watch the rest of the round and the elimination.

******

EPILOGUE

Twenty minutes after the end of the show, everyone who was conscious was on coffee. Roxanna had cleared Nicky's coffee table, Essie was making a valiant attempt to tidy the alcohol away (even if it did take three attempts to put the top back on the cognac), Nicky and Duffy were making sure that Jac was comfortable and Charlie and Sacha had arrived to take Duffy and Essie home.

"So, how was girls night? Where's Jac?"

"She fell asleep two minutes into the showstopper. Three and a half cocktails and some canapés finished her off."

"And she called me a lightweight! Hopefully, she won't feel too bad in the morning."

Sacha had his arm around Essie, keeping her upright.

"Do you want me to wake her up? I can take her back home before I drop Essie off."

Nicky tried to shake her head, but thought better of it.

"It's alright, she's comfortable on the sofa. I don't she's in till tomorrow afternoon, so she can get a cab back to hers in the morning to shower and change."

"Fair enough, but ring me instead and I'll come and pick her up. We should get going, goodnight."

"Bye. Bye Essie!"

Essie waved sleepily, then squinted through the doorway.

"Roxanna? I think your taxi is here."

This prompted the rest of the goodbyes before Nicky closed the door and locked up.

END OF WEEK FIVE

NEXT WEEK: DESSERT WEEK - Everyon does merengues. Seriously, there are tons. Nicky also does her vegan cookies again, but mainly merengues. Except for Bernie and Serena, who doe a Bombe Glacée (show offs).

~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed this! All cocktails are genuine prohibition era drinks that I got off the Internet.

EDIT:- I accidentally skipped Dessert Week, so I've gone back and changed it.

[fridgeontoast]

[benthecavers]

Slowly starting to get sick and tired of Charlie shouting at Jade for no apparent reason...

[dylanssassyhandsonhips]

Casualty S31,E32, Reap the Whirlwind, Part One.

“Iain’s disappointment in his sister leads to tragic consequences.”

[casualtyconfessions]

Submitted by anon. Feel free to send in your confessions!

[holbyconfessional]

Casualty S33 Episodes 21 & 22

Nope, not a two parter, just epically behind!

Going to go backwards, so Episode 22, last night’s, first:

Well, I was suitably impressed that the Iain arrest storyline was wrapped up so quickly.  I had visions of weeks of it stretching ahead, culminating in something recorded on the 999 call exonerating him...  Very, very pleased that it wasn’t dragged out further.

Whilst I was watching, I was pondering Jan’s reaction in getting Iain arrested.  Now, I am totally against the leniency she has shown him in his actions in the past, he’s got away with things he should seriously have been brought up for.  But I can’t help but feel that part of her reaction here was because she always knew Iain was telling the truth about Ross - not on the surface, but deep down - and she hated Iain for forcing her to confront what she worked hard to subconsciously ignore.  Having said that, I did feel pretty sorry for her in the final scenes with Ross, then with Iain in the prison.

Did we know Jan was with a woman? 

Ethan.  I felt sorry for him earlier in the episode when he was leaving a message on Alicia’s voicemail.  But then found myself totally perplexed by his reaction when she called him back.  Cancel the call, yes.  Delete her number straight away?  OK, you don’t want to speak to her again because you realise it’s a toxic situation.  Check.  But now, when she tries to call again, how will you know it’s her, to decline the call??!!  Ah, well.

The biting patient.  Anyone else think they missed a trick here?  Surely that could have been a far more interesting case than just a late aside from Louise to Duffy about how there were far more complicated issues with the patient than they thought.

And finally Duffy.  Oh, my, she is deteriorating quickly.  Like, REALLY quickly.  Another storyline that I think must come to a head soon.

Now back to Episode 21.  I did actually watch this at the time, but didn’t (and still don’t) have much to say.

We had Louise taking Ernest in, which was incredibly kind, but pretty risky, especially with his history of theft.  We had the ridiculously rude CT surgeon (I think I saw someone say he’s supposed to join HC?  Surely not??!!), and we had the mentally ill guy who thought shooting people would stop them taking his farm from him and his heavily pregnant wife despite their massive accumulated debts.  Oh, and Iain pretending the man’s gun was out of bullets despite knowing there was one left and kind of hoping he’d get shot. Then, of course, there was Base.  Genuinely sorry to see him OD, I kind of liked him.  But a nod to the truth of it, relapse rates are SO high, and ODs from relapse so common, as people use the same amount they always did, yet their bodies have lost the tolerance for it.

Not a favourite episode of mine, by a long shot.

[teamchuffyfansite]

Duffy has a serious fall, and Charlie comforts her. What is wrong with her?

BBC Casualty on Saturday 1st December.

[chuffyfan87]

Growing Pains. Part 21a (NSFW)

Cowritten with @disastrousintention. Trigger warnings for discussion of eating disorders.

-x-

Duffy rose early the next morning, slipping into the kitchen whilst Charlie was still asleep to clear up the plates from their meal the previous evening.

Charlie woke up not long after Duffy had got out of bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Once she'd finished getting rid of the evidence of how little of the takeaway she'd actually eaten she headed back through to the bedroom, startled to find Charlie awake and waiting for her to return.

“Good morning beautiful.”

"Hi. You been up long?"

“Not long sweetheart. You?”

"Only a few minutes, I went to the bathroom."

“What do you fancy doing today?”

"You mentioned a walk along the beach..?"

“I’m still up for that if you are?”

"I'd love to."

He yawned and stretched, “Did you sleep ok?”

"Yes, this bed is very comfy." She smiled, sitting on the edge of it.

“Maybe we should invest in a new bed?” He moved to kiss her shoulder, “How’s your neck looking?”

"Do you think we could fit a four poster in our room at home?" She mused. "My neck looks like I spent the entirity of last night making out with an overly hormonal teenage boy!"

“I think so.” He chuckled. “I am a hormonal teenage boy.”

"Anyone would think you were sixteen not sixty-odd!" She giggled.

He chuckled. “I never grew up!”

"You didn't."

He kissed her shoulder and then her neck gently.

She relaxed back into his touch, her earlier anxiety melting away.

He planted gentle kisses along her shoulder.

She giggled as he pulled her backwards so they both lay on the bed.

His hands began to roam her figure.

"We're never going to make it to the beach at this rate..!"

“We’ve got all day.”

"We have. Shall we take a shower?"

“Two minutes.”

She raised an eyebrow in question as to why the delay.

His hand moved down her back.

She shifted slightly in his arms which allowed him to travel lower and grope her bottom.

His hand squeezed her bottom.

"Fancy some wet 'n' wild fun in the bathroom?" She whispered.

“Depends if it involves you being wet and wild.” He whispered.

"I wouldn't suggest it if it didn't."

He squeezed her bum again, “Come on gorgeous.”

Standing up from the bed she held her hands out towards him.

He took her hands in his.

She giggled as she led him through to the bathroom.

“You’ve got such a beautiful giggle.”

After closing the bathroom door, she turned on the shower allowing steam to fill the room.

His hands began to roam her curves again.

She pulled him close and began to kiss him passionately.

He slid his tongue into her mouth.

His hands slid into her hair as he walked her backwards towards the shower.

He giggled softly as her back collided against the tiled wall.

She let out a little squeal as the tiles were still quite cold despite the steaminess of the room.

His erection pressed against her thigh as he continued to snog her.

Reaching out her hand she flicked the shower to spray them both in hot water.

He moaned feeling the water cascade over them.

"I promised you wet 'n' wild."

“Yeah you did.”

"Turn the handle next to the shower."

He turned the handle next to the shower after a few seconds of searching blindly.

"Who knew showers had a 'pulsating mode'..!" She giggled at his facial expression.

“Pulsating mode? Never heard of a shower having one of those.”

"I ended up having a bit of a play with it last night and discovered it by accident."

“It’s different..”

"Its quite nice in certain places..."

“The shower?”

"Yeh." She smirked as she stretched to grab the shower and began to slowly run the water over herself, letting out moans as the water hit certain parts of her body.

“Are you enjoying that?” He asked as he watched her closely.

"Mmm!" She moaned more as she moved the spray lower, her eyes closed, her head lent back against the tiled wall.

Charlie knelt down and kissed her stomach and her hips.

She moved the shower back to her breasts as his lips moved closer.

His lips trailed further down her body and planted kisses either side of her thighs.

She shifted her leg to rest her foot up on the edge of the bath over his shoulder.

He began to kiss the inside of her thighs. Slowly kissing nearer and nearer to her centre.

Nevermind wet 'n' wild - she was quickly getting hot and bothered!

He looked up at her, meeting her gaze.

"I want you so badly right now!" She gasped.

“Which part of me?” He smirked.

"Any part that'll get me off!"

“You’re really horny!”

She nodded, her free hand creeping down her stomach to touch herself.

“Touch yourself.” He watched her hand.

Her fingers started to explore, little moans escaping her lips.

He wrapped his hand around his cock and moved it up and down. This was hot!

She opened her eyes slightly as she heard Charlie begin to moan. Spurred on she moved her fingers faster and deeper.

“Duffy!” He moaned and stood up. He began to kiss her as his hand moved faster against his length.

She somehow managed to grope around and place the shower back in its holder so she had both hands free once more.

“Are you going to make yourself come?” He whispered against her lips.

"Unless you want to." She panted.

He placed his hand on her wrist, stilling her movements.

She whimpered, her eyes dilated with passion.

He removed her hand and replaced it with his own.

She wrapped her hand around his cock and began to slide it up and down.

He moaned as his fingers began to move inside her.

Her moans grew in volume as he stroked all the right spots.

“I take it, I’m hitting the right spot.” He whispered breathlessly in her ear.

"Fuck yes!"

“Won’t be long until you come all over my hand.” He nipped her earlobe.

She moans grew loud and hoarse as he rubbed against one particular spot. That was all it took to unleash her orgasm.

He slowed down his movements slightly as she orgasmed.

Her grip on his cock tightened slightly as she came.

His fingers continued to move but at a gentle pace, “Good girl.” He whispered in her ear.

She grinned triumphantly as she felt his cock begin to twitch in her hand as she stroked it.

He removed his hand from inside her and brought his hand to his mouth. He held her gaze as he sucked his fingers clean.

"Do I taste good?"

“Yes.”

She opened her mouth and tilted her head towards him.

“You want to taste yourself?”

She nodded.

He removed his fingers and placed them gently into Duffy’s mouth.

She circled her tongue around his finger before sucking it gently.

“Like the taste of yourself?”

"Mmm!"

He picked her up and found himself entering her.

She slid up and down the wet tiles, the water cascading over them as he thrust into her.

“You make me so horny!” His fingers dug firmly into her hips. “I love you so much!”

She kissed him again, their bodies hot and wet as they fucked.

Charlie pulled out at the last minute and came all over her thigh.

"Messy boy!" She giggled inbetween passionate kisses.

He rested his forehead against hers.

"You ok?"

“Yeah. You?”

"We made quite a mess!" She giggled.

“So we have.” He kissed her forehead and rested his forehead against hers again.

"Was that wet 'n' wild enough for you?" She giggled.

“It certainly was.”

"Now we need an actual shower before we go for that beach walk."

“Yeah we do. I love you.”

"You're the best husband a woman could wish for."

“And you’re the best wife in the whole wide world.”

[rainbowsxxdiamondsxxsparklesxx]

Lisa "Duffy" Duffin Aesthetic

[bygone-age]

Holby City Bake Off Week 4

After the mini epic that was Bread Week, Dairy Week will be a lot shorter, honest!

~~~~~~

DAIRY WEEK

SUNDAY EVENING

"Bastard!"

John Gaskell looked up from his paperwork and put on his best "I'm pretending I don't know why you're pissed at me" smile.

"Rox! What can I do for-"

"Don't you dare pretend that you don't know why I'm here, you little shit! What the fuck were you thinking!?!"

"Oh. You mean the baking thing? It seemed funny at the time. I'm guessing you don't agree?"

"No I bloody well don't! You know how private Henrik is and how the hell are we supposed to prepare in two days!?!"

"Come on Rox! It's baking a few cakes and putting the kettle on, not a five course dinner with silver service."

"I'm covering for you tomorrow, have you forgotten that little detail?"

"Oh shit. Yeah, sorry about that. Really. Pay you back?" John at least had the sense to feel genuinely guilty.

Roxanna smiled. Like somebody who just thought of a great payback.

"Oh you will, I guarantee that."

******

TUESDAY

HENRIK AND ROXANNA

"...you should have seen his face! He has to spend the next fortnight "offering guidance and advice" to groups of gifted students!"

Henrik, who'd been arranging cake slices onto a new cake stand, merely looked up and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, alright, he thinks he has to spend the next fortnight on an initiative he hates, but it serves him right for dropping us in it! And anyway, he's actually good at it. He's not a professor because it looks good on a letterhead, he's a bloody good teacher when he chooses to be."

"All true of course, but the last time you and John had a "prank war", as I believe it's called nowadays, I had to lie the police."

Roxanna stole a lemon bar from a plate and laughed.

"I remember! You invented two new conditions in process! The Dean didn't know whether to be awed by your ingenuity or to suspend the three of us!"

"Luckily, he decided just to pretend it never happened. On the condition it never happened again or at least that it never got back to him again."

"What time is everyone coming? These are lovely, by the way."

"The lemon bars a recipe I found online. They apparently go well the Earl Grey tea Ric is bringing. He'll be here just before nine - he's been visiting Darla today. Sacha is picking up Charlie and Duffy, they should be here in a few minutes and Ms Naylor will be calling as soon the programme starts. Hopefully, her mood won't be too affected by having to work - according to Ms McKendrick, her "cupcake aim" is deadly."

"No Bernie and Serena?"

"Family dinner. They're meeting Cameron's girlfriend. Serena told me the whole family will be there, so she's anticipating lots of stress."

"I hope it goes well, for Cameron and for them."

At that moment, the doorbell rang and while Henrik finished getting things ready, Roxanna went to let their guests in.

******

NIKKI AND JAC

"...so I've done a dairy free chocolate cake, a ton of vegan cookies because they're really easy and take like ten minutes in the oven - I did some this morning while I had my breakfast - and I did a blueberry buttermilk cake and a banana yoghurt cake in case it's all about using alternative dairy products. I sent the banana cake and half the cookies to Mr Hanssen's."

"Impressive, I just bought loads of tea and a kettle. And a Disney themed tea strainer and an infuser."

Nicky stopped doing the paperwork she needed to finish before nine.

"Why didn't you just borrow the one from the break room?"

"It's crap and this one only cost a fiver, the Disney stuff cost more. "

Jac motioned to Nicky's paperwork.

"I've got prep Mr Murphy's valve replacement to finish, you get that done and make a check of the ward and I'll see you in the office."

******

"What the hell are maids of honour!?!"

Jac's voice sounded slightly screechy through the the speaker of Sacha's phone, but everyone agreed - the choice of technical was strange, to say the least.

From his seat on the couch between Duffy and Sacha, Charlie took a drink of tea before replying.

"Tudor tart apparently, made using cheese curds or sweetened milk curds according to Google. You can also put jam in them."

"Didn't they do a Tudor week when they were still on the BBC? They should have just done that."

"Probably a rights thing. According to the net, it's twenties week next week, that should be interesting."

For the next few minutes, tea was drunk, cake was eaten and talk revolved around the technical results and the following week's theme.

END OF WEEK FOUR

NEXT WEEK: TWENTIES WEEK - Cocktails a plenty at Nicky's when she hosts a girl's night. Roxanna supplies costumes, Duffy makes the strongest Sidecars ever and Jac has an impromptu sleepover when she falls asleep during showstopper and everyone is afraid to wake her!

~~~~~~

Well, there we are! Hope you enjoy that. Obviously Nicky wasn't the only person that baked, but I've had over twenty tabs open on my phone for over a week, so I thought it would be simpler to concentrate one person (and Henrik's lemon bars). That means that all recipes are genuine and available online, apart from lemon bars which are a converted pound cake recipe (that is available. don't ask me how it was converted, Henrik did it). You can buy Disney themed tea accessories.