To Me, You're Perfect (Sarah / Alec)
A tie-in with Big School Series 2 Episode 4.
Even if her career did end, she knows her life wouldn't be horrible.
A huge thank you to sweet Georgie for beta-ing this. You're awesome.
“Alec?”
The first thing Sarah sees when she comes round the school gate is Alec leaning against the side of his car, looking every bit like the sexy male lead in the old school romantic films. She bolted out of her classroom when she got the call from him, informing her that he was just outside her school. Truth be told, before she ran out of her classroom to see him, she was sitting alone, wallowing in self pity. After that grave mistake she made, she thinks this will be the last time she ever gets to step foot into her beloved classroom again.
“What are you doing here? I thought you had a case.”
Sighing, he reaches up to cup her tear-stained cheeks ever so gently. “I had to see you, Darlin’.” She called him immediately after the incident in the toilet but she didn’t tell him her reason for calling, he could hear it in her voice that she was very upset. How can he continue with his day knowing that his Sarah is in so much distress that she had to call him?
The tenderness in his big brown eyes broke down her defences and she lets her head fall onto his chest with a loud sigh. “I made a really stupid mistake with Ofsted.”
“Who’s Ofsted?”
“Inspectors of schools and teachers,” she explains dejectedly. “I might have accidentally bribed them. My career is over! I can never teach again,” she cries and her tears now fall freely. She feels him pull her into his arms and lets herself cry freely into his broad shoulders. “I’m such an idiot, Alec.”
“Not at all.”
“I am!” she argues. “I tried to change my teaching style and my lessons, it backfired on me so badly. Then I tried to cover up for that mistake with another one and accidentally tried to bride the one woman who has the power to end my career! What am I going to do, Alec?”
“Shh,” he murmurs, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “Darlin’, you could always work on the children’s novel you’ve always wanted to write.”
“That’s not really helping,” she pouts. “Do you know how hard it is to write and publish a successful novel?”
“If anyone can do it, it’s Sarah Postern,” he says encouragingly. “If all else fails, we’ll move to the little town in France you love so much. You can teach the French kids English.”
“You’ll move to France for me? You can’t even speak the language.”
“Then I’ll have a reason to be close to you all the time. Sarah, whatever happens, you’re not alone.”
Sarah sighs blissfully, her earlier strife somewhat forgotten. Her DI definitely fits the part of the romantic male lead perfectly. “Thank you,” she murmurs into his solid chest, breathing in his scent. “I’m sorry you had to come all the way down here to deal with me.”
“I’m not,” he replies easily, pressing a kiss so light on her forehead, it feels like butterfly wings brushing across her skin. “You should know I love seeing you.”
“Even when I’m a mess like this?”
“Hot mess,” Alec corrects lovingly. The smile he loves so much finally emerges in her face like the sun peeking from grey clouds after a long day of rain. “To me, you’re perfect.”
“Did you just quote a line from a film?”
“What film?”
“Never mind,” she says with a smile and a shake of her head. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Distantly, Sarah hears a familiar squabbling coming towards them but tries to ignore it. It’s been a long, very stressful day for her and damn it, she deserves a treat in the form of her very perfect boyfriend. She hears a chorus of “Sarah!” and “Babes!” from afar, although it’s coming towards them very quickly. She curses silently in her head and pulls away from Alec begrudgingly. He offers an understanding smile and kisses her hand.
“I should be going anyway. I’ll pick you up later.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“Before you go,” he whispers with a shy smile as he passes her a rose. “I thought you might like it. I picked it up on my way here.”
“I love it. Thank you.” Charmed, she gives him a small peck on his lips with the promise of more later tonight before she walks away with her colleagues. She tosses Trevor a glare when she hears him muttering something awful about Alec under his breath and then stares at Keith, daring him to make a comment.
They make their way to the headmistress’ office where the Ofsted people are in silence. Her heart’s pounding in her chest and she feels breathless but she knows her future won’t be horrible thanks to the rose in her clammy hands.