Title: An Important Word
Rating: G
Pairings: A little bit of Richard/Camille
Summary: A lack of communication leads to everyone making a fuss out of nothing in Richard's opinion.
A/N: Put this up briefly this morning then spotted many mistakes. Apologies for any spelling, punctuation and grammar issues. Warning for utter nonsense and fluff.
The Inspector was on the phone, pacing up and down his porch, when Camille came to collect him. From his tone she could easily surmise he was talking to his superiors in London.
"Yes Ma'am. 10:00 am UK time… That's very kind. I'll report at eight on Thursday…Yes Ma'am, goodbye," He smiled in greeting at Camille and popped into the bungalow to put the phone back. "That was the new Superintendent. She wants me on the next flight to London."
Camille was sure she hadn't heard him correctly, "Did you say you have to leave today?" She came round to his open door, found him folding clothes into a suitcase with the utmost efficiency.
"Yes."
"Just like that? No notice?"
"Well that's The Met for you," Richard replied. "They didn't give me any notice when they sent me here either."
The little lizard that he seemed so fond of had crawled up next to his case. "You're staying here," He told it firmly.
Camille was still at a bit of a loss as to what to do next, "Uh, do you need any help?"
"No," her boss replied, chucking a book on top of the clothes and shutting the case. "I've got everything. Thanks for waiting. I've got a couple of hours before check in so I better go to the station and sort things out."
He walked out without a backward glance. Camille was now torn between annoyance at his brashness about leaving and sadness at the fact he'd soon be gone. Climbing in behind the wheel she asked him, "Do you want to go back?"
He gave her an incredulous look, "Are you kidding? I can see my family again. Of course I want to go!"
Camille supposed she should be happy for him, but she was just increasingly angry that he seemed to have no reservations about leaving the island, leaving his team…okay leaving her, at all. Not wanting to fight with him just before he left, she choose to remain silent.
Richard gave her a rather confused and worried look, "Are you okay?"
"Fine," She said instantly. "Just fine."
Richard dragged his case into the station, Camille trailing behind. She'd been sulking in the car and he really couldn't figure out why. That woman would always be a bloody mystery him. Fidel stood when he entered the room.
"Are you going somewhere, Sir?" He asked noticing the suitcase.
"Did the case give me away?" Richard asked, sitting down at his desk and rapidly hunting through the paperwork to find what needed to be completed before his flight.
Camille rolled her eyes and told Fidel and Dwayne, "The Inspector has been told to report to London today."
"Today?" Said Dwayne and Fidel together.
"Yes, I don't understand why this concept seems so hard for people to grasp!"
The rest of his team shared a look. In fact, over the next hour and a half whilst he tried to prepare for leaving they shared a lot of looks, snuck a lot off odd looks at him and had a lot of whispered conversations. Having finished his paperwork he decided he should figure out what was going on before he left for his flight.
"Okay, what's going on?"
"We just can't believe you're leaving so soon, Sir," answered Fidel, looking rather glum.
"Yeah, we're used to having you around muttering in the corner..." Dwayne realised this wasn't the politest thing to say about his superior.
"I think what Dwayne is trying to say is that we'll miss you," added Camille quickly.
"You're being ridiculously sentimental!" Said Richard. "I'm sure you'll be grateful to be rid of me."
The look on Camille's face quickly told Richard he'd said the wrong thing, "How could you say that! We think you're happy you're leaving? Of course we aren't! We are going to miss you and don't you dare sat otherwise!"
Camille then rapidly went from angry to distraught and Richard became even more confused, "I'm sorry…" he said, "But I'm sure you can all cope until I get home in a week."
Now it was his team's turn to look at him in confusion.
"I thought your flight was today?" asked Camille.
Richard sighed, "Look, I know Camille when I speak to you it actually is in another language but you normally follow me. I'm flying to London today, I'll be there for a week, and I'll be home next Friday."
Everyone now looked rather relieved.
"So we don't have to break in a new Inspector!" Dwayne joked.
"You didn't break me in!" Richard objected. "What do you mean anyway?"
"We thought you were leaving, well, forever Sir."
"Oh! Oh, that makes a lot more sense," he said letting out a breath. "No, I just have to go give evidence at a trial. Now is anyone going to give me a lift?"
Camille had turned around when he had explained he was in fact not leaving forever to give herself a moment to stop grinning like an idiot, "I will!" She grabbed the keys to the car off the desk and walked out, trying to keep the bounce out of her step.
In the foyer of the airport, Camille grinned at Richard slyly, "You know, you said you'd be home in a week."
"Yes, I think we established that," he replied, clearly unsure where this was going.
"Home, you called Saint Marie home. Whenever you said home before you always referred to London," she clarified.
"I suppose I did."
She gave him a mega-watt smile, kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'll see you when you get home, Sir! Have a safe flight."
She walked away. He would definitely never understand that woman.