A close shave

Disclaimer:- Don't own them just borrowing!

Episode:- None

Pairing:- Sandra/Gerry

Rating:-T

Achieve:- . /group/new_tricksff/

Summary:- "Gerry! Oh my god what have you done?"

Author's Note:- In answer to the facial hair challenge in which one character grows facial hair and another is unimpressed by it. Enjoy and reviews would be delightful!

"Gerry mate I know Sandra's been away for a few days and all but have you given up on the whole personal hygiene thing while she's been gone?" Jack asked looking his friend up and down as he got into the car outside the office, Since their boss and Gerry's wife had gone to the annual policing conference in Cardiff four days before it seemed to him that Gerry had given up on the day to day routine of shaving and was starting to look distinctly scruffy.

"No, what are you implying are you saying I smell or something?" Gerry laughed scowling playfully as Jack shook his head.

"I wouldn't go that far but what's with the beard? Is it some sort of protest to the fact Sandra went away and didn't take you with her?"

"Nah it's a surprise for her coming home."

"A surprise? God Gerry you realise women generally prefer flowers, chocolates or diamonds? I know I'm a bit rusty at the whole romance thing but since when was a scruffy looking beard an acceptable welcome home gift for your wife anyway?"

"Look without going in to details you don't want or need to hear before she left we were watching some old cop show with that bloke Tom Selleck in it and she happened to say she used to fancy him she found his beard really sexy and….."

"Ok! Stop there I don't need to hear the rest." Jack interrupted wrinkling his nose involuntarily since his friend's had got together and subsequently married he'd been delighted by the fact they made each other so happy. They were most definitely better people for having each other but he really, really didn't need to know the details of their sex lives so far they had done a good job of keeping that part of their loves out of the office and that was the way he wanted it to stay.

"Relax Jack all I was going to say was I thought it might make for a fun homecoming if I grew a beard as a surprise. Now are we going to speak to our suspect or sit around here a while longer discussing my grooming habits?" Gerry smiled clicking his seatbelt into place as Jack pulled out of the car park. He's spent the previous few days finding it hard to resist the urge to shave while what was now actually starting to look like a beard grew For the first couple of days he had to agree Jack it had looked like he just couldn't be bothered shaving and it had irritated him but now it was starting to look like a proper beard and combined with the Hawaiian shirt and cocktails he had planned for Friday night he figured he'd be rocking the Tom Selleck as "Magnum PI" look. With that seeming to have been one of Sandra's previous fantasies he was sure it was going to make her homecoming extra special.

"No look I may not be able to make it in the morning to drop GJ off but I'll be there to pick him up when footie is finished." Gerry said cheerily as Paula agreed that she would drop her son off in the morning for football practice a job Gerry always did. The problem was that if things went as well as he hoped that evening he had a feeling being at his daughter's for eight the next morning may not be as easy as usual.

"Are you going to tell me what you have planned for tonight that you're so excited about? Dad are you sure Sandra's going to like it? Remember the last time you planned a surprise for her and ended up sleeping on my sofa for a whole weekend." Paula sighed the scepticism in her tone making him smile.

"Look I wasn't to know she was allergic to cats we'd only been together ten minutes then this time I know she's going to love it so how about showing a little more faith in your old man?" Gerry replied hanging up and glancing around the sitting room a final time before checking his own reflection in the mirror. He'd spent the hour since getting in from work making the sitting room into their own little Hawaiian paradise and with his newly grown beard neatly trimmed and his white chinos and red Hawaiian shirt he was ready for anything she could possibly want to fulfil her fantasy. Now all he needed was the woman herself and he was pretty sure he'd just heard her car pull into the driveway so nipping into the kitchen out of sight he prepared to finish the surprise once she was inside.

"Gerry I'm home!" Sandra called setting her case down in the hallway and wandering into the living room. "Where are you? I've missed you I was expecting a welcoming committee I…..Oh my god what the hell is all this?"

"It's a surprise." Gerry called from the kitchen the amusement in her voice spurring him on. "I thought you might like it if I brought Hawaii to you after that old show we were watching before you left. Close your eyes."

"It's great honey but I've already seen it closing my eyes is a little late don't you think?"

"Just do it I have another surprise for you." He called waiting while she grudgingly agreed before coming out and standing in front of her. "Ok open them."

"Gerry! Oh my god what have you done?" Sandra laughed looking him up and down for a second her laughter only increasing. "You look ridiculous what is that shirt like? Why have you grown a beard you really don't suit it and no one should wear white trousers once they are over the age of 25!"

"I thought you'd like it! You went all doe eyed over that Selleck bloke on the program you said you loved him and thought he was really sexy especially his beard." Gerry replied getting more and more irritated the more she laughed.

"Yes honey I did in the 80's when he was gorgeous and I was too young to know any better! Right now I'm perfectly happy with the man I have. The clean shaven one I left on Monday morning and have been looking forward to getting back to!" Sandra replied finally getting her laughter under control as she looked around the room. "I love the cocktails though and I'm still glad to be home."

"I'm glad you're home too." Gerry sighed going to reach for her as she gently nudged him away.

"No you don't!" Sandra smiled shaking her head firmly. "You don't come near me until you've lost the bear. I hate kissing men with beards it reminds me of those awful "friends" of my mother who were always trying to kiss me on the cheek and cop a feel at the same time."

"You want me to shave? Now?"

"Yes if you want the night to end the way you're hoping it will then definitely." Sandra smiled bringing her lips close to his ear for a second, "how about you lose the beard and I'll enjoy the cocktails then I'll help you get rid of those terrible clothes."

"I can live with that I didn't like the bloody thing anyway it make me look like my grandfather!" Gerry smiled leaving her alone and heading for the bathroom breathing a sigh of relief as he did. In retrospect he realised maybe listening to Jack and Paula might have been a good idea but at least this mistake was easily fixed and wouldn't result in him sleeping on Paula's sofa. He was all too aware though that it had been a close shave which was exactly what he was going to have but then he still had her promise to get rid of his outfit to look forward to so it wasn't all bad.