Saying I Love You
Chapter One

Summary: Just three little words; how hard could it be? Some of Sun Hill's finest are about to find out. SP, KS and SZ and maybe others along the way.

The words died on his lips as he looked at her. Seconds earlier his eyes had been gently probing her green ones but now the ground seemed like a safer place to look. This was the moment, he could feel it and he knew he had to take this opportunity or he would regret it forever. Somehow the words just wouldn't come out. He had had it all planned out in his head and he had known exactly what he was going to say to her but the hours, days, weeks and even months of preparation were failing him now.

"Sam…" He looked up at her now, feeling the familiar shocks through his veins as their eyes met.

"Yes?" She sensed something was up with Phil but couldn't put her finger on it. Self conscious she tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. They were stood outside her front door, the early evening air was a little cool and she was glad that she had decided to wear a jacket over her black cocktail dress. They had been out to dinner, not a rare occurrence lately. Sam and Phil had been casually dating for the passed two months but it had showed no signs of being a serious relationship until now.

Phil was beginning to wish he hadn't said anything but for once he didn't just want to follow Sam to her apartment on the pretence of having coffee and then leave in the early hours of the morning. It just wasn't enough anymore and he knew he had to tell her how he felt but he was still scared of ruining what they already had.

"Shall we go inside?" He asked, bottling out at the last minute. Sam knew that wasn't what he had been about to saying but she let it slide anyway. She was too tired for playing games with him now. Sliding the key into the front door she stepped inside her house with Phil close behind her. As usual the kettle was left to boil alone as Sam and Phil became otherwise occupied, the little black dress falling away before they'd even reached the bedroom.

The relief had taken over two of the larger tables at the Canley Arms. A major criminal had been arrested and the team were celebrating their victory in style, and with a great deal of alcohol. Dale Smith watched with envy as he watched Cameron Tait slip an arm around Kerry Young's shoulder, his fingers tracing circles on the soft skin of his neck. Smithy felt his fist clench around his almost empty pint glass of beer, if he squeezed any harder the glass was likely to shatter in his grip. He so badly wanted to be Cameron right now and it was killing him. Unable to stand being near them any longer, Smithy stood up and headed for the bar.

"Vodka please." He told the barmaid, and then downed the liquid in one gulp. Smithy took a breath as the alcohol slipped down his throat. He was in the process of ordering a second shot when someone slipped onto the bar stool beside him. It was Kerry.

"What you doin' over 'ere?" He slurred, the alcohol taking effect on his speech.

"Couldn't have you drinking alone now could we?" Kerry said, ordering another glass of white wine. Smithy insisted on paying.

"You should go back to your boyfriend." He said the last work like it was something vulgar.

"Cameron?" Kerry asked.

Smithy nodded, then knocked back another shot.

"He's gone home. Early shift or something tomorrow." It sounded like a lame excuse to Smithy's ears.

"Oh." He replied. He was about to get the barmaid's attention again when Kerry stopped him; she placed a hand on his.

"I think you've had enough for one night, don't you?" It was a rhetorical question.

"I think you're right." Smithy mumbled, watching as Kerry finished the last of her wine. "Wanna share a cab?"

Kerry agreed and followed Smithy outside into the evening air. The taxi pulled up a few minutes later and they climbed into the back seat. Kerry gave her address to the driver as it was nearer and she would be getting dropped off first. Smithy and Kerry sat next to each other on the back seat. Before they reached Kerry's flat they were already locked at the lips, hands roaming. They both staggered out at Kerry's flat and somehow made it up to her bedroom. Just another drunken one nightstand? To Smithy it wasn't, it never was.

Suzie and Zain had well and truly pulled the short straw. Overnight surveillance was a killer and they had been assigned the job. They parked one space behind a street lamp so there was enough light for Zain to be able to read the sports pages of the Canley Times while Suzie worked her way through a racy romance novel. It had been quiet so far and it looked to be that way for the rest of the night, just their luck. Zain folded up the newspaper and threw it onto the back seat, Suzie followed suit and placed a bookmark in her novel. Zain found the flask of lukewarm coffee and poured some into a plastic cup for him and Suzie.

"Well…" He said, sipping the coffee. "This is fun."

Suzie raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm having the time of my life." She replied sarcastically.

"It could be worse though." Zain mused.

"Oh yeah?" Suzie asked, wondering what could be worse than being holed up in a car that smelled of stale cigarette smoke and fast food when she could be at home soaking in a hot bath with a glass of wine.

"You could be stuck here with Mickey instead of me." He laughed. Mickey wasn't known for his patience during obbos.

"That's very true." Suzie replied. "And you're company isn't that bad."

Zain smirked. "Neither is yours." He took a breath. "Maybe we should go for a drink sometime when we finally get out of this car."

For a moment Zain was convinced Suzie was going to say no, then her face broke out into a smile.

"Yeah, I think we should."