It was past 7 in the evening when Clive finally made it back to Chambers to wrap up the loose ends of the day's case and start all over again on the next. As the dusk settled on the spring evening, chambers was now nearly completely empty, save for a couple of juniors filing out to the pub to drink the stress of the day away. Clive meanwhile wouldn't get to the pub for another few hours yet, maybe not at all this evening. Yes, the case today had been a straightforward slam dunk, but he knew Billy wouldn't let things get too easy.

Dumping his briefcase to the floor and tossing his jacket on the back of the chair, Clive turned his computer on to get a look at his case load. The remnants of his morning cup of tea still sat on his desk, left hurriedly earlier this morning. Waiting for the computer to load he made his way to the clerk's room to check his pigeon-hole. He heard the front door open and shut as someone else made their way in, and wandered back into his and Martha's room to go through his post. Sure enough, the intruder had been herself.

"Long day at court? How did it go?"

"Jury's out. Verdict tomorrow. Open and shut really, it obviously Police wrongdoing."

"You never cut them a break, do you?"

"How well you know me. You?"

"Same really. Not guilty. Open and shut, only took the Jury 20 minutes."

"Plain sailing at the moment. Billy won't let you get too comfortable though"

"I know"

He moved back to his desk as she rifled through hers, looking for a cigarette. Taking a seat, his eye was immediately drawn to one piece of post, franked from the Lord Chancellor's office.

"Shit" muttered Clive under his breath, glancing briefly to Martha who was still engrossed in her search for nicotine.

Carefully and quietly with his hearting beating frantically, he picked open the envelope. It was only until he saw the words 'Congratulations' and 'Queens' Council' that he allowed himself a breath. Smiling like an idiot, he got up and quietly placed the piece of paper in front of Martha.

"What's this?" she asked before taking it into her hands.

Immediately she burst into a grin and stood up to embrace him. Wrapped in eacho ther's arms, both remained quiet for a good 20 seconds before Martha broke the silence and whispered into his ear.

"What did I tell you?"

"That I should trust you when you said I was going to get it."

"And?" smiled Martha as they pulled away from each other, "Wasn't I right?"

"I suppose I'll have to take every word out of your mouth like Gospel from now on."

"I bloody hope so. Well done, you absolute idiot."

"Hey! There's no need for that. We're back on equal footing now." he shot back, descending into their flirty banter ritual.

"Hm keep telling yourself that, but I seem to remember I'm leading, 9-8. Who prepped you for the interview again?" she narrowed her smiling eyes at his.

"A no-nonsense Northern blonde who apparently won't shut up about it now. But it's fine since she'll be buying the drinks this evening" giving Martha a playful nudge.

"But seriously Marth" began Clive, as they came to rest side by side leaning into one another on the edge of Martha's desk, "I couldn't have done this without your help. Thankyou."

"You're more than welcome." replied Martha leaning into him "Mr Reader. Q.C"

With that, Clive wrapped his arm around Martha and brought her into his chest, placing a kiss into her hair. She responded by circling her arms around his waist.

"Look at us both" Clive said, Martha feeling the reverberations of his voice in his chest. "Did you ever think 18 years ago that we'd be here?"

"Speak for yourself" Martha hadn't given up teasing him just yet. Clive chuckled in response before squeezing her tightly and tickling her side.

"Oi, get off" she squirmed in his arms and batted his hands away before settling down and gently reaching back to the letter sat behind them.

"Dear Mr. Reader, I am pleased to inform you that you have been successful regarding your recent application to HM Queen's Council." … "I'm so proud of you."

"Right back at you" replied Clive.

"Do you want to go the Pub?" she turned her face up to meet his.

"Maybe in a little bit. I still just need to process this."

Martha gave him an understanding nod as she moved around to straighten up and stand before him, giving him a chaste but affectionate kiss.

Sometimes they did that. When no one else was around. Sometimes they were so utterly comfortable with each other, they'd be mistaken for a couple. And sometimes they were a couple. Before the pregnancy, they'd spent more than a few occasional late nights and early mornings solely each other's company. Since the miscarriage though, they'd been content to remain purely as friends, without the physical side. But Martha knew that restraint probably wouldn't last this evening. She had thought no more about reinstating it until about 3 minutes ago. They both knew it was inevitable.

She moved from her position in front of Clive back to her chair, packing away her briefcase and picking up her coat off the back. Clive turned to look at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Are you refusing?"

"Don't be an idiot." He teased back, mirroring her earlier jab.

They just gazed at each other across her desk for a few seconds, savouring the beginning of the evening, before Clive moved over to his to pack up his belongings, leaving tomorrow's case file untouched on his desk. Billy would not be pleased.