Chapter One

Summary: SamPhil. KerrySmithy. HoneyGary. It's Samantha Nixon and Phil Hunter's first day as probationers at Sun Hill. As newbies they share a common ground but it doesn't mean that their relationship will get off to a good start. But how will it end?

This is a taster of my new fic, I hope you like it. I'm not sure about the title and would love some suggestions and reviews! Please review! Vikki xxx.

Three alarm clocks sat on the bedside table next to Samantha Nixon's queen size bed – each set for five minutes after the other. There was no way that she could afford to be late today of all days. At sixty thirty am when the first alarm sounded, Samantha was already pulling on her dressing gown and heading for the bathroom to shower. Wrapped in her dressing gown Samantha drank her black coffee in front of the morning news and forced down a slice of toast. She knew she would regret it later if she didn't eat something now. The butterflies of nervousness in stomach soon turned to ones of excitement as she pulled on her new uniform in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She twisted her long blonde hair into a low bun and admired her reflection with a smile. Samantha made sure she left her small one bedroom flat in plenty of time to beat the morning rush hour traffic. She drove her little car towards Sun Hill Police Station, eager to start her first day.

At three minutes to eight Philip Hunter rolled out of his bed and stared in disbelief at his bedside clock. It couldn't be that time already surely. He knew he should have set the alarm before he went to sleep the previous night but he had been so preoccupied with other thoughts about his upcoming first day as a probationer. Phil made a wild dash for the bathroom to shower but typically the other tenants had used up the hot water and he was forced to wash under water that was likely to give him pneumonia. Phil managed to down a cup of sweetened coffee but he was held up by his tie, which refused to stay in the correct place. Typically the traffic was against him all the way to the police station. What a great start to his first day as a probationer.

"I'm Inspector Gold, you must be PC Nixon." Gina Gold greeted the young probationer at the front desk and led her along the corridor to her office. "No needs to look so terrified, the criminals are nothing compared to me." She laughed, Samantha joined in nervously.

Gina looked at watch, PC Hunter was late on his first day, and this was not a good sign. Eventually he burst into Inspector Gold's office looking both dishevelled and embarrassed. Gina and Samantha's eyes headed towards the door and Samantha felt her mouth hang open but forced herself to close it before he noticed. He stood near six foot tall with messy brown hair and eyes the colour of melted chocolate. He also looked to be a little older than her.

"Sorry ma'am." Phil muttered, looking at Gina. "Traffic and all that." He explained.

Gina stared at him coldly. "PC Nixon managed to be here on time, early actually."

Phil sighed; he hated people like the perfect PC Nixon.

"I'm Samantha." She introduced herself when Gina had left them alone in the briefing room before the other coppers arrived.

"Phil Hunter." He replied, refusing to shake the hand that she offered to him. However, he secretly, or not so secretly, checked her out while she looked away. She was quite short, five foot two or three maybe but she was petite with blonde hair and shining green eyes. Phil wondered if she had a boyfriend, or a girlfriend for that matter, not that it usually mattered to him. Girls just seemed to like him and what kind of a man would he be if he turned them down? There and then he wondered if this naively pretty Samantha would be one of his next conquests, he couldn't help hoping so.

They waited in silence for the rest of the relief to arrive slowly and in small groups. Gina Gold took her place at the front of the room, a tall dark haired man named Sergeant Smith stood to her right and Sergeant Wright was stood at her other side.

"I'd like to start by introducing our new probationers PCs Samantha Nixon and Phil Hunter."

They received appraising glances from the people who would be their colleagues, their friends and perhaps even their lovers. Samantha felt her cheeks burning with a blush but Phil seemed unaffected, he was clearly used to the attention. Samantha couldn't say she was surprised with looks like that and the arrogance to match. She knew she had to stop thinking like this, it was so unlike her and she barely even knew Phil.

PCs Kerry Young and Reg Hollis were assigned to puppy walk the new probationers. Kerry teamed up with Samantha and Phil was paired to work with Reg much to his disappointment. He winked at Kerry before following the older man down the corridor. Kerry turned to Samantha and smiled, but her eyes never left Phil's retreating form.

"Finally some new talent around here." She paused when Samantha didn't reply. "Don't you think?"

"I…" She stuttered uncomfortably.

"You're not a…?" Kerry began.

"No." Samantha shook her head. "No…"

"You've got a boyfriend then?"

Samantha shook her head again, eager to turn the conversation away from her personal life. "Do you?"

Kerry smirked, her blue eyes sparkling with something Samantha didn't quite understand.

"You could say that…" She said, but refused to continue instead she led Samantha to the back of the station where the patrol car was waiting.

Phil was already enjoying his first day as a probationer, there was no doubt about that he just wished he could have been paired with anyone except Reg Hollis. It didn't seem fair that Samantha had been paired with the hot blonde when he was stuck with the only man he had ever met who actually enjoyed paperwork. When they headed back to the station for refs break he was pleased to see that one of the tables was unoccupied except for Samantha and Kerry. Phil paid for his cup of tea and headed towards their table, aiming to lose Reg in the process.

"Hey." He said, taking the seat next to Kerry and across from Samantha.

The girls stopped their conversation in order to greet him. Kerry was about to bring him into the conversation when she saw a familiar face appear in the entrance to the canteen. She drained her cup and left the room with a smile on her face, leaving Samantha and Phil alone together.