The Sequel. The Little Rose.

Chapter Nine. Teaching Sean.

"Okay Pookie," Sean said leading the way into the kitchen. "Do you want to go out for dinner or do we see what we have here? Girl's choice." He smiled.

"Let's stay in Sean. Are you okay with that?" Sang asked quietly as she sat on the stool Sean held out for her.

"Absolutely, Pumpkin. It will actually be nice to have some peace for a while." Sean leant next to Sang and picked up her hand looking at it, apparently absentmindedly. Sang wasn't fooled.

"I've been eating Sean. Promise." Sang said narrowing her eyes.

Sean merely shrugged, his flirty grin firmly in place. "Busted. Sorry Pookie, it's the doctor coming out in me. Since you already caught me is, your headache better now?"

"I'm fine Sean. I promise. I told you I would try to remember to tell you and I did."

"Yes, you did Pookie. Thank you for that. Now we've got the doctory formalities out of the way, how about we decide what we want to cook."

"I don't really mind what we make. This is your kitchen Sean. You're the chef, and I'm feeling brave." Sang smirked watching Sean pull a box out of a cupboard.

"Oh come on, Pookie, I bought this especially for us to play with, after I saw your home movie," he exclaimed, holding it up. "Don't you want to play?"

Sang's eyes widened in delight. "Hey, that's a pasta press. I haven't used one of those in years" She grinned. "Haven't made pasta in years either, Sean. Now are you feeling brave? That's the question."

"Anything, any time, Gorgeous. Try me." Sean said.

"Alright. We'll cook lasagne. From scratch. No bottled garbage allowed. Deal?"

"Are you challenging me, Pookie?" Sean asked, delighted with Sang's happy, relaxed demeanour. "Because I should probably point out that I'd never turn you down."

Sang rolled her eyes and decided to ignore that last comment. Hanging around with Sean and all the guys for so many months, she was learning that sometimes there were double meanings to things and it was probably better not to ask.

"Okay, then we'll make the meat sauce first, then the béchamel sauce and while the meat sauce is simmering we'll make the pasta and let it rest. Do you have fresh herbs?"

"Um, fresh in a bottle." Sean paused. "I think they're fresh. I'm not here a lot, Pookie. You know that."

Sang sighed. "What about nutmeg. Is it bottled too?"

"If I have any then, yes, it is."

Sang opened the refrigerator door and winced at the contents.

"You weren't joking when you said you weren't here much," Sang commented as she looked at the lack of fresh supplies.

Her eyes widened and she gingerly pulled a packet out holding it between her finger and thumb. "I am not putting that disgusting packet parmesan cheese garbage on any lasagne I make." She stated firmly, holding it well away from herself with a horrified look on her face.

"You've got some cheek harping on at me about what I eat if you call that food," Sang muttered as she grabbed the kitchen bin and started turfing contents out of Sean's fridge. "If you haven't got a fresh block of cheese in here somewhere we're going shopping." Sang continued investigating much to Sean's amusement. He thought it was great she felt so at home she was comfortable enough to go through his fridge.

But that didn't mean he couldn't tease her. A little anyway. "God. High maintenance much, Pookie." He smirked. "There's nothing wrong with powdered cheese."