"What's going on?"

"Must be for the funeral," Kyle replied. "Come on."

All the way to the gym they saw staff scrubbing paths or hustling by with boxes or trolleys laden with food. The place was a hive of activity.

Julian was pleased to see Kyle had brought Kara, but she begged off being included, explaining she had her own workout routine and she'd just sort herself out, so the trainer turned his apparently limitless energy on Kyle and spent the next forty minutes coming up with new and inventive ways to make his muscles discover new ways to feel pain.

Eventually Kyle stumbled back outside, Kara at his side and as he dragged himself back to the main house and into his suite.

When he entered his bedroom, Patricia was kneeling on his bed, still dressed in his football top, typing the speech up into a laptop. She paused and looked at him as he wearily walked in.

"How you feeling?"

"Had better days," Kyle murmured, then walked straight into the bathroom. To his surprise she'd run another bath for him. "This for me?"

"Yep. Hop in."

Kyle shrugged off his clothes and got in the bath, easing himself into the hot water. Patricia appeared and sat back on the unit opposite him, the laptop resting on her thighs.

Kyle just wanted to sink underwater. This morning had been a confusing nightmare, he didn't like that Patricia was pissed at him, and he was angry that someone else had manipulated him, and he'd used that anger during his workout. By the time he was done his body was trembling with fatigue.

"So I think this is just about done," Patricia said a moment later, breaking the silence.

"The speech? I'll read it in a bit," Kyle replied. "So do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but we should probably get the air cleared. I'm not mad at you any more."

Kyle looked at her, surprised. "That's good. I'm not mad at you either, if that helps?"

"It does," She nodded. "I'm going to find out who it was, Kyle. That's not a jealousy thing, although I was jealous earlier. I still am a bit, but if I'm saying we can't sleep together, then I've no right to demand you don't sleep with anyone else either."

"I've no intention of sleeping with anyone else, Patricia," Kyle explained. "Plus, it's probably wrong to say it, but I'm kinda happy that you're a bit jealous. Shows that you care, know what I mean?"

She chuckled and hung her head. "You're hopeless."

Kyle smirked and moved around in the bath, sliding carefully onto his side, trying to get his body into a more comfortable position.

"So where do 'we' stand?" He asked.

"We're good," She said immediately.

"Good as in?"

"Good as in I'm not pissed at you any more. As in we should kind of pretend it never happened and just act as if things are back to normal, hopefully."

Kyle laughed. "Normal for me is going into the office, no Island paradise, no amazing and hot assistant, no talking to people in the shower, or bath."

"Okay, situational normality," She replied, smiling.

"Situational normality? I like that."

"I liked amazing and hot assistant."

Kyle shrugged and winced. "It's true. I'd be lost if you weren't here, Patricia."

She smiled. "You keep doing that."

"What?"

"Saying these incredibly sweet things from time to time. It makes it really difficult to not want to jump your bones."

"So that's what does it for you?" Kyle grinned. "I'll have to remember that."

Patricia laughed. "No, there was a moment the other night when I came up the stairs and you were reciting the portfolio of companies and their locations from memory."

"That did it for you?" Kyle asked, laughing as she blushed a little.He moved again, trying to get comfortable and ended up sitting upright.

"Different strokes for different folks," She said a moment later. "I like intellect. Hot guys look good, but sometimes it takes a little more to stimulate the senses, know what I mean?"

Kyle thought for a second. "So last night when I was editing the speech?"

She bit her lip, smiling. "That was tough, getting out that bed."

Kyle chuckled, a broad grin on his face. "So if I started reciting the five year strategic objectives and office plan for my old work there's a chance you might hop in the bath with me then?"

"Don't try and get smart, Kyle. Besides it's not a list of information that does it for me. If that was the case, the amount of data I see on a daily basis would reduce me to a quivering wreck, or more likely kill me from exhaustion."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm gonna figure it out, Patricia. How to push your buttons."

"You know the rules, Kyle," She said, smiling.

"I'm not giving up. Now, in a completely unrelated note, is there any chance you can do that soapy massage thing you did yesterday on my back please?"

"Ha! And you've got no ulterior motives?"

"Of course I have, but right now I'm too sore to do anything. If I promise not to try anything, will you help me out?"

"You promise?"

"I do," He replied, holding up his hand. "Scouts honour."

She chuckled and set the laptop aside. "Slide up the bath a bit."

Kyle did as he was asked, sitting upright halfway down the bath, his legs crossed and Patricia took a seat on the end of the bath behind him. Her hands slid into the water, lifting and pouring it down his back and neck and Kyle smiled, lowering his head.

She paused and then moved again, and Kyle felt her feet in the water at either side of his hips.

"That's better," She muttered. "It was a bit awkward."

"If it's easier for you, just get in," He suggested, chuckling a little.

"Yeah, you'd love that," She replied, and Kyle could hear the amusement in her tone.

"Of course I would. But you're the one who said we'll be all cool with seeing each other naked and all that, remember?"

"I never said we'd be sharing a bath, did I?"

Kyle felt the bar of soap in her hand as she began to work over his shoulders, gently probing at his sore muscles and he sighed in pleasure.

"Technically you're already in it," He muttered a moment later.

She never replied, and Kyle sat there, loving the feeling of his body relaxing and reacting to her fingers, kneading and softening the stiffness from his shoulders, neck and upper back.

"How does that feel?" She asked a few minutes later, pausing to rinse the soap off him.

"Great. Any chance you can do my lower back too?" His voice was sleepy and contented, and Patricia chuckled. "What?"

"I knew you were going to ask me that. Don't move, okay?"

Kyle nodded, his eyes closed. He felt her shift her weight for a moment and then he saw his football top hit the floor. Then she was in the bath behind him, her feet sliding past his hips and resting on his thighs.

"No peeking," She warned, her hands holding his shoulders in place.

"You're in the bath with me," He noted, smiling. "Naked?"

"Just behave, okay?"

He nodded. "I will."

Patricia's hands slid down his spine and pushed him forward a little, until his head was nearly in the water. He felt the bar of soap working into the muscles on either side of his spine, firm movements that sought out the knots and slowly smoothed them out. Her free hand came up and rested on the back of his head and he felt her fingers gradually begin to massage his scalp.

"Oh my," He murmured as waves of pleasure flowed through him.

"Good?"

"Amazing."

Patricia continued to massage him, and after a few minutes she moved her hands down his back, smoothing the skin and removing any residual soap. Kyle sighed, feeling incredibly relaxed and content.

"How's your pecs?"

"Yeah, they're sore," He admitted.

He felt her hands slip around his ribs, and up until they were resting on his chest. He expected her to sit upright behind him, so he was a little surprised when she pulled against him.

"Lean back. Slowly."

Kyle slowly leaned back and felt Patricia adjust her position behind him, until he was resting on her, his head on her shoulder. He could feel her breasts on his back, supporting him and her legs crossed over his waist.

"This is nice," He murmured.

"Put your arms on the sides of the bath," She said softly in his ear.

Kyle lifted them and then she began to pull water up and over his chest. It felt incredibly intimate and tender, as if two lovers who had been together for a long time were caring for each others needs. He closed his eyes.

Patricia began to run the bar of soap over his chest, coating him in circular swirls. She released the soap and it slid down between his legs. Her hands began to work the muscles of his chest, her thumbs pushing at the tension, her fingers probing.

Kyle could feel her breathing in his ear, could sense her concentration as she worked on helping him, easing his pain.

"This is bliss," He murmured.

"Glad you like it," She whispered. Her hands began to scoop up water and sluice it over his chest, rinsing him clean and then she draped her hands over his ribs. "That's you done."

"Thanks, Patricia," He murmured, not moving.

Patricia didn't move either, just lay there with hmi resting against her body, her arms wrapped around him.

"You know we have to move at some point, right?" She said a moment later.

"Nah, we don't," Kyle said. "We can just stay here all day."

"What about the funeral?"

"Push it back to tomorrow."

"Margaret will come in here and want you to try on your new suit," She added.

"Margaret?" Kyle murmured. "I need a gun or something then."

Patricia chuckled. "Yeah, shooting people is frowned upon here."

"I could take out a restraining order?"

"No courts."

"I could fire her."

"She wouldn't listen."

"I meant fire her from a catapult."

"That might work," Patricia allowed. "But we still have to get out the bath. Catapults don't build themselves."

"Don't we have people for that?"

"Kyle."

"I know," He muttered. "Honestly though, did you enjoy that?"

"Honestly?" Patricia replied softly. "It's been the nicest thing I've experienced in.... months."

Kyle sighed. His hands slid off the edge of the bath to rest on her legs and he turned his head to face her. He realised that he hadn't really considered what she'd been through in the last few weeks and months, with Danny Tripps, her mentor and friend dying. Then she'd been thrown in to look after him, and that must have been so stressful for her.

"You worried about today?" He asked gently.

"A little," She admitted, her gaze fixed on the wall. "It seems like saying goodbye to him, but I don't really want to. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely," Kyle said gently. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

She nodded once, then sighed. "I miss him."

"I bet you do."

"This whole thing with you is confusing me too," She admitted quietly. "I thought you and I could have the same sort of relationship that Danny and I had, but it's different."

"How different?"

"Well, we never did anything like this for starters," She said, a slight smile twitching at her lips. "There wasn't that type of attraction there."

"But you were close?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes distant. "I suppose it was a bit like a father-daughter thing, or really close friends. We just got on well and spent a lot of time together."

"And you wanted to recreate that with me?" He asked gently.

"I guess so."

"You know we can be just as close, right?"

"I didn't plan on us being this close though," She admitted.

"It doesn't make it a bad thing though."

She shrugged a little. "Maybe."

"Well, if it's any consolation to you, the last few days have been the most stressful I've ever encountered in my life," Kyle explained. "I know I've said it before, but I'd have been totally lost if you hadn't been at my side, and as for this, right now. This is the best thing that's happened to me since I got here."

He saw the gentle smile on her face and her felt her arms squeezing him, hugging him, holding him to her. She sighed.

"And all good things must come to an end," She said, a soft smile on her face. "We have to move, Kyle. Lots to do." Her arms released him and slid back, gently pushing at his shoulders to move forward.

"One last question before we get out."

"What?"

"Would you do this again?" Kyle asked intently, watching her.

She smiled. "Wait and see, Kyle."

He chuckled, then slowly sat upright, feeling the water churning as it poured into the gap between their bodies.

Patricia's legs slid back, behind him, and he felt her get up and out the bath. The shower cubicle door opened and closed and he heard the shower come on.

"You're in the shower?"

Patricia laughed. "I have to wash all your sweaty water off me, remember."

Kyle chuckled. "Good point."

He dunked himself under the water, then sat up and dragged himself out the bath, rubbing briskly at his skin with a towel, then wrapped it around his waist and went out to the bedroom.

Kyle tried to remember what was on his schedule this morning, and drawing a blank, he picked up his phone and checked his diary to see what Patricia had listed on it. Workout at six, Margaret at half seven, breakfast at eight.

He glanced at the time, seeing it was only four minutes from half past seven, and dropped the phone on the bed. "Margaret will be here in four minutes," He called to Patricia.

"You better put on some clothes then. Boxers and a dressing gown will do," She called back.

Kyle grabbed a pair of boxers, realising idly that it was the first time he'd had underwear on since he arrived on the Island. He slipped them on, and being unable to find a dressing gown, he pulled on an oversized football top and returned to the bedroom.

Patricia had a towel wrapped around her body and was wrapping another around her head. She smiled as she saw him.

"Thanks for the chat, Kyle."

"Thanks for the massage, Patricia."

They stood looking at each other for a minute and Kyle felt really close with her.

"You better head outside, meet her ladyship," Patricia suggested.

"You take all the fun out of things sometimes," He replied, grinning. "See you in a bit."

Kyle got outside, lit a cigarette and barely managed to sit down before Margaret arrived looking harassed.

She had someone with her, a short woman with blonde hair who she introduced as Agatha, and between them they were carrying several items of clothing in clear plastic hangars.

Kyle ditched his cigarette and followed them into the lounge area of his suite, where he was ordered to take off his top and put on a black collarless shirt, then handed trousers, so he slipped them on too. While he got dressed, Margaret disappeared into his bedroom, emerging a few minutes later with a shoebox.

He could immediately feel the quality of the clothing he was wearing, and the trousers seemed to fit him perfectly. Margaret pulled a pair of black shoes out the box, a sock sitting ready in each shoe, so Kyle slipped them on too, then stood up.

"The fit looks good," Agatha said quietly, almost timidly.

"Of course it does," Margaret snapped. "I measured it myself. Walk around."

"Me?" Kyle asked.

She looked at him like he was dumber than rocks, so he shook his head, but did as he was asked, walking back and forth, from side to side until they were satisfied that the trousers were a good fit.

Margaret handed him a waistcoat, a rich black colour that matched the trousers, then fiddled with the strap at the back until it was fitting him right. He received a frown and a lecture on how he should never fasten the bottom button, but at that point they were interrupted by Katie and Heidi appearing in the doorway.

"Oh, my," Katie said, looking at him.

"Very nice work, Margaret," Heidi said nodding as she examined Kyle. "Kyle, you really suit that colour. And keep doing what you're doing at the gym, because it's really working."

Um, thanks," He replied, a little amused. He met Katie's eye and she nodded at him, then winked.

"Jacket." Margaret ordered, and Agatha hurried over with it. Margaret stood behind him and slipped it on over his shoulders, patting the sleeves, and tugging at the back of it. "Turn around. Walk about."

Kyle did, glancing down at the jacket as he did so. He felt smart, much smarter than he ever did in a new suit at work. This was something else entirely.

"That'll do," Margaret said, nodding.

"What about a tie?" Kyle asked.

"No tie. No collar. That's what you wear today to the funeral," She ordered, then turned to Agatha. "Now go and get Miss Katie's outfit and bring it here."

She whipped back to Kyle. "Go and see Shiro right now and tell him to trim your facial hair."

"After breakfast," Kyle said.

"Did I say after breakfast?" Margaret snapped.

Kyle's expression turned hard. "Are we going to have another one of these conversations where I tell you I don't like your tone, because amazing suit or not, I'm not putting up with you speaking to me like that."

She opened her mouth to say something, but seeing Kyle's expression darken, she thought better of it and swept out the door, leaving Agatha to clear the bags.

"Thanks for the suit," Kyle said before she left.

The smile she gave him as she turned made Kyle grin.

"I didn't think anyone could shut her up like that," Agatha said quickly. "Made my day."

"No problem," Kyle smiled.

He turned to go and get changed and saw Patricia standing in the doorway to her room watching him.

"Enjoy that?"

"Shutting her up? Hell, yes."

"Nice suit," She said, eyeing him up. "Really nice suit."

He shrugged. "I like it."

"Well, you better go hang it up, and don't wrinkle it. Margaret will come back in and check. Breakfast's in the bar this morning."

"Okay."

Kyle walked through to the bedroom, spotted an outfit that Margaret had picked out for him for the day and shook his head at the madness of what his life was becoming.

It took him a few minutes to get changed, this time into a pair of black jeans, a faded t-shirt with a loose black shirt over the top, and a pair of sneakers. Smart, but informal and casual.

"Strange combination if there's guests arriving," He muttered, but shrugged and gathered up his phone and headed for the door.

For the third time that day he lit a cigarette, although this time he was able to smoke it in relative peace and quiet. Kyle felt good. Considering how badly the day had started with the argument with Patricia, it had improved significantly when she'd slid in the bath with him and they'd... bonded, for want of a better word.

He knew he was really smitten with her, knew his heart rate jumped a little every time she walked in the room, something he really wasn't expecting with both Katie and Kara around. They'd been the object of his fantasies for years and he'd felt his body react to their presence too, although with new memories overlaying the old ones he knew he wasn't thinking of them as fantasies any more. Real people, with real emotions, concerns and both going through what he was. The fact that they were also his sisters changed things too.

Still, he would catch Kara making some movement that would remind him of her lapdance, or he would see Katie smile and be drawn back to the nighclub, or the pool, or her room.

"Why is nothing ever simple?" He muttered.

Breakfast was different that day, with a buffet being provided for them as all the staff were running about getting the place prepared for the funeral and the guests arriving. Heidi was off doing something, Garius was helping out Edwin and it fell to Patricia to bring them up to speed.

"Okay, today's going to be busy, different from the last few days though," She said, putting her coffee down. "The guests are going to start arriving from about ten o'clock, so there has to be one of you there to meet each of them, preferably all three. Because you're who you are, they're your guests, so you have to welcome them."