Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply. I normally don't do crossovers, and this one isn't one even though I have borrowed a couple of the other main figures from another show for part of it. I have been busy with uni etc. and was only going to start publishing this later, but Tess twisted my arm. Chapters will probably be a few days apart.

"DI Havers."

"Hi, Barbara. Is now convenient or are you up to your ears in an investigation?"

"Sir! Hiya. I'm just on my way to see Hillier. I've been summonsed. No doubt I've offended his sensibilities again somehow."

"I wish you would call me something other than Sir."

"Mr Lynley. Lord Asherton?"

"Tommy would be my preference."

"No. I can't do that. How are you?"

"You mean you won't do that. I'm well. I thought I might come to London this weekend and I was hoping you'd join me for dinner on Saturday."

Barbara did not hesitate. "Yeah, that'd be good. I'm off duty all weekend."

"I know."

"How?"

"I rang Winston to check. No point in coming down if you have to work."

Barbara frowned. Did he just say he was coming down to see her? "What brings you to London?"

"A few bits and pieces. You keep finding excuses not to visit me in Oxford, even though you promised you would, so I thought I'd come and see you."

"I've been busy." And scared.

"I miss you, Barbara."

She felt her face redden and was glad he was not there to see it. She had pined for her old boss far more than she cared to admit. "Yeah, me too."

"There's no one to argue with me here, and everyone is very deferential. I need to be told what a poncy fool I am every now and again."

"You're a poncy fool."

"Haha. It works much better in person. So, will I pick you up about six on Saturday? Nothing fancy. Just a meal in a pub over a few pints."

"Yeah, okay. I'd better go. I'll see you then."

"Terrific. See you Saturday and good luck with Hillier. Bye."

"Bye." Barbara put the phone back in her pocket and sighed as she entered Assistant Commissioner Hillier's outer office. His secretary smiled sympathetically. That was never a good sign. She tried to think what her crime had been. No doubt she would be told in no uncertain terms very shortly. It was only Thursday. Saturday seemed so far away.

Thirty minutes later, Barbara phoned Tommy. "Hiya."

"Barbara? I take it things didn't go well with Hillier."

"Sort of. I can't make dinner on Saturday. I'm being seconded out of London for six months."

"Oh! Where?"

Barbara smiled to herself. Tommy was disappointed. "Guess."

"Yorkshire?"

"No."

"Birmingham?"

"Oh heavens no! I'd hate that."

"Well, they've had a lot of issues there lately. Cornwall?"

Barbara laughed. "That would be funny. No, closer."

"Do I have to guess every police service in England before you tell me?"

"That might be fun."

"Barbara!"

"Okay. It's Thames Valley. I'm going to be based in Oxford." Barbara could hear Tommy smiling in his silence. "Major Crimes Unit," she continued, "they have a contract DI there who is finally retiring, and they need someone else to help out until they finalise their restructure next year. Hillier said it was 'only appropriate' that he sent me."

"That's an excellent opportunity Barbara. And we can see each other more often."

"You couldn't wait to go there and leave me." She had not meant to snap, but his decision had hurt. It still did, even if she had understood and quickly forgiven him.

"You know why. It wasn't you. I didn't want to leave you, Barbara. You know that. And this is the best possible outcome, for both of us."

"Maybe. Anyway, I'm coming up on Saturday to meet the team. I'll go back on Sunday; then I have three days to move."

"Then we can have dinner here on Saturday."

"Sorry, Sir. I'm having dinner with the new team. The DI that's retiring, Lewis I think, he's invited me to dinner. He's married to the pathologist, or I believe he is. He's living with her at least. The other DI is like you apparently - very smart and arrogant."

"Who said I'm arrogant?"

Barbara laughed. "Hillier."

"Well, I can wait a few more days I suppose. Where are you staying?"

"This weekend? I don't know yet. Any recommendations?"

"Stay with me."

Barbara was not sure she believed her ears. "Haven't you just got some dingy room in a college?"

Tommy laughed. "That's just for my research. I'm living in a townhouse near the river. I have a spare bedroom."

"Yeah, okay. That'd save some hassle, and you can help me look for a room somewhere. The Met'll pay me a bit over £100 per week allowance. I imagine I can get a broom cupboard for that."

"One that will hold about one broom! There are places in the suburbs that won't dent your budget too much. Or you could stay with me. My house is close to the police station at St Aldgate. It would make sense to stay here."

Barbara was shocked. "What would Hillier say to that?"

"Nothing. You're only renting a room. You don't have to say where. Besides, I'm not in the service anymore. There's nothing he can say."

"You only took a twelve month sabbatical to write your book. You'll be back." Barbara was suddenly unsure. "Won't you?"

"I don't know, Barbara. I honestly don't know. But that doesn't change the fact he can't say anything - even if he learns I'm your landlord. At least promise me you'll think about it."

"I need to see it first."

"Of course. What time are you meeting the team?"

"Six o'clock, for dinner."

"Come up on Friday night. We can go to the pub, and I can show you around Oxford on Saturday before you meet them."

Barbara sighed. There was no point even pretending that she did not want to see him. "Okay, thanks. That'd be great. But no guarantees I'll live at your place. It might ruin our friendship."

To her surprise, Tommy agreed. "It might. I understand your concerns. Let's just see how it feels for both of us when you get here. Stay here this weekend and when you come up next week. No need to make any rash decisions. I won't be offended if you want your independence."

"Okay. I'll ring you when I'm leaving London, and we can sort out details."

"Wonderful! I'll see you tomorrow night then. And I'm happy to give you a hand to move if you need it."

"Thanks. We can talk about that on the weekend. See you tomorrow."

Barbara almost missed the exit from the M40. A thousand fears about the next six months cycled through her mind. Most troubling though was why she had so readily agreed to stay with Tommy this weekend. It had only been nine weeks since he left London, but it felt like nine years. She had been given his office when he took his sabbatical. It still had his smell. Sometimes she would hide in there, avoiding everyone. She just closed her eyes and pretended he was in the room. Occasionally she could even hear his voice. She could never admit it to anyone, even Tommy. It was crazy. She feared she was going slightly mad, yet it kept her sane.

They spoke on the phone several times a week. One or other always had an excuse. Two or three times Barbara had called to ask where specific files were, even when they were open on her desk. She had not even tried to justify it. She simply needed to hear his voice, and she sensed it was mutual. His excuses for ringing were even flimsier. One morning he rang because he had dreamt she had slept in and claimed he did not want to risk her running late. Ironically it was their hour-long call that made her arrive well after her starting time.

If she moved in with him, it might be impossible not to let on how much she needed him in her life. It made sense. It would save her money, and it sounded as if he lived within walking distance of the station. Tommy's book would keep him as busy as her work, so they probably would not get in each other's way. It was tempting. Very tempting.

Tommy's directions were easy to follow, and she pulled into a visitors car space in front of a row of ancient stone terrace houses. She smiled when she saw curtains on the second floor flick back into place. He must be anxious too.

The neighbourhood looked expensive. Well-kept limestone houses lined both sides of the road. Some were two storied, like Tommy's, while others were simpler single cottages. They were all trimmed with evil little creatures above the drainpipes. As she got out of her car, she thought the gargoyle's eyes followed her. Further up the street, she noticed a quaint Tudor-style house with lopsided small-paned windows and a neat thatched roof. This felt so alien in comparison to the crowded estates around Camden.

Her modest Japanese car looked out of place amongst the flashy Jaguars, Mercedes and the odd sporty Italian convertible with wide tyres. Barbara imagined one tyre probably cost more than her car. Tommy's familiar car was missing. She was double-checking the number on his house when he opened his door. "Barbara! It's wonderful to see you."

"Hiya," she managed before he squeezed her in a quick hug.

"Where's your car?"

"I have a garage out the back. You access it from a private lane. We can put your car in later." He herded her inside. "Come in. How was the drive up? Do you want to see your room first?"

Barbara felt her face go red. "No hurry," she muttered.

Tommy stood looking at her. It was vaguely unnerving until he gave her a wide, cheeky grin. She had missed that. "It's wonderful to see you, Barbara."

She had expected his house to be old and dingy. Instead, it was open and modern. Extensive renovations had transformed it into something unique. With many of the original walls removed, it had a very open plan feel. A void above the lounge room extended to the exposed roof beams. Black steel columns supported the floor above. Their hardness contrasted with the muted reddish timber of the polished floor and exposed ceiling. A large, steel, open fire pit with white stones separated the lounge area from a kitchen and dining room. Barbara could imagine curling up on the soft leather sofa and reading one of the books from the massive bookshelves built into the wall under the staircase.

"Wow! This is so different to what I expected."

"They call it a Manhattan loft conversion. When I first saw it, I wasn't sure, but the bedroom won me over."

From anyone else that would have sounded like an invitation to his room. Barbara knew Tommy better than that. He was only stating facts. She wandered past the fireplace into the kitchen tucked into a far corner. The windows were high but let in good light. Everything was matt black except for the polished stainless steel benchtops. The refrigerator and dishwasher were hidden artfully behind cupboards. At first, she did not see an oven. It too was matt black with dark glass doors. "It's very... black."

Tommy laughed, and for a minute Barbara thought he was going to pick her up. His face coloured as he stopped short. "There's a downstairs powder room through that door. It has the washing machine and dryer too. Let me show you upstairs."

Barbara followed Tommy up the steel staircase. The treads were open and stamped with what looked to be and old factory name - Kilmers Cotton. Barbara held the iron railing tightly. "Interesting stairs."

"Yes, they come from an old warehouse in Lancashire I believe. This is the guest room."

Barbara did not realise he had picked up her bag until he placed it on the floor beside a large bed covered in crisp white linen. The room was minimalist but functional and stylish. An open wardrobe alcove was next to the door to the bathroom. A small desk and thin modern desk lamp and two wooden bedside tables were the only furniture apart from the invitingly soft bed. "Wow, this'd be my room?"

"Yes, if you like it. Of course, you can add more decoration if you want to. It's a bit spartan."

"No, I like it! And it'd keep me tidy."

"You have your own bathroom. No bath, just a shower. If you ever want a bath, you can always use mine. I haven't used it yet."

Tommy wandered out of the room, and she followed him along the small landing. His room was huge. It had a similar bed but was almost twice as wide. "You could sleep your whole harem in that!"

"And how many do you think are in my harem?"

"Based on the bed I'd say about twelve!"

"In my dreams. No, sadly there has only ever been me in that bed."

Barbara peeled her eyes from the bed and surveyed the room. A huge floor to ceiling window dominated the room and looked over a flat roof which she presumed was his garage, and onto the willow-lined banks of the river. Beyond were the steeples of the old university town. "Oh yes! I see why you fell in love with this!"

Tommy came up behind her and stood so close she could feel his warmth. "It's beautiful in the twilight when the town is silhouetted against the sunset. You can sit in the bath and watch it if you want to."

Barbara turned and smiled. In the corner of the room was a free-standing white bath that reminded her of a turtle tipped on its back. "Okay, where do I sign?"

Tommy laughed and put his arm around her shoulder. He gave it a quick squeeze and briefly leant his head against hers. "It's so good to have you here! Fancy that pint? There's a great pub by the river about three minutes walk."

"Even better."