DS James Hathaway sat on the living room setee in the cottage that he and his fiance shared together. He was trying to prep for the OSPRE examination in order to make promotion to Detective Inspector. He didn't fancy his chances much of passing the bloody exam or getting promoted at all but he had to try. At least that was what DI Lewis told him because he belived Hathaway would do well even DCS Innocent belived it and Doctor Hobson had confidence in the ever so young Sergeant.

Lewis had told Hathaway that he would be retiring sooner or later and he had seen Hathaway take command in cases before and felt that being a great leader was what The Police Force needed.

There was only a handful of Sergeants from Oxfordshire Police trying for promotion notably some of Hathaway's friends such as Kershaw, Hilare, Mitchell, Renton, Dearden and Jackson. James thought that Kershaw, Jackson and Dearden had more chance of being promoted than he did mainly because they had all worked with Lewis longer than him but despite this they all thought Hathaway would make it too even if he doubted himself.

James sat looking through the books containing the traffic reguluations hoping that something went in. Nothing much was going in sadly. He would need all the help he could get.

A moment later help seemed to arrive in the shape of James's beautiful fiance Alesha Phillips a junior barrister who had moved all the way up from London to Oxford. Hathaway had met her through his old school friend Jacob Thorne while on detachment in London.

A Year earlier

When James met Alesha he felt a lot of sparks flying off her and found it so hard to belive that she was so gorgeous. Her long brunette curly hair, Her bright brown eyes, Her smooth dark skin, Her sweet smile and her long shapely legs. Alesha on the other hand was taken with Hathaway's mixture of footballer and member of the Royal Family good looks. She was also impressed with his guitar playing.

James and Alesha first got together after a hard case which very nearly cost both their lives. A racist serial killer was on the loose in London and had killed several members of the black community two of them were police officers. This serial killer was the brother of Dr Alec Merrick who was sentenced to life for raping Alesha and several other women and now this serial killer wanted payback on Alesha.

He very nearly killed her when he kidnapped her and it took the combined strength of Hathaway and the entire Major Incident Unit which included DS Matt Devlin (who had survived being shot) DS Sam Casey (who Hathway was friendly with from his days as a cadet), DC Angela Gunning, newly promoted DCI Natalie Chandler and of course the recently appointed DI Ronnie Brooks to find the racist bastard and put him away. Neither officer was happy to be getting help from Alec Merrick but then again he wasn't so keen on the police either.

The CPS had to drag out Merrick out of prison in order to help track his brother down and stop him. Merrick agreed but he still felt resentment against Alesha and the entire CPS for putting him away.

When at last Alesha and her captor had been found with the help of Merrick there was a very tender and very melodramatic moment when Hathaway and Alesha saw each other Alesha jumped into James's arms and kissed him hard and passionatly much to the amusement of Sam, Ronnie, Matt and Ange.

Alesha's kidnapped was arrested and charged with several counts of murder in the first degree and the kidnapping and attempted conspiracy to commit murder on Alesha Phillips.

When the trial came both Alesha and James had to give evidence in court regarding the situation which was a very gruelling experience especially for James who felt like he was giving evidence for the Zelinksy case all over again.

The trial soon ended successfully Merrick's brother was sentenced to life in prison with his brother and after the trial Alesha and James started seeing each other and kept in touch when Hathaway's leave came to an end.

A month later after Hathaway went back to Oxford Alesha got an offer to work at the CPS Office in Oxford and as you might expect she jumped at the chance to work near her boyfriend. Hathaway was equally delighted when Alesha moved to Oxford. James offered her the chance to move in with her which she did of course.

Whenever they had a free night Alesha and James went on double dates with Lewis and Dr Hobson who took a shine to the young barrister and kept saying how wonderful it was that James finally found someone and sharing some of the most funniest moments she had working with James and Robbie.

A year later at the Office Christmas party James surprised everyone including Alesha by popping the question underneath some mistletoe and screamed yes she would marry him and two days later got on the blower to all her mates back in London and told them the happy news.

James had asked Jake to be best man because it was thanks to him that James and Alesha met each other. Jake agreed of course as long as he could take the mick out the couple when doing the speech. Which was fine as long as Jake didn't overdo it.

Sam's son Ben was appointed pageboy Alesha had a soft spot for the little boy and apointed herself a surrogate aunt to the little fellow. Adrian and Sam were going to be James's groomsmen. While Robbie would be giving Alesha away down the aisle much to the dissapointment of Henry Sharpe, Ronnie Brooks and George Castle who all had fatherly feelings for Alesha and they were all in the running for the job but they understood soon enough. Ange got the job as maid of honour and her little daughter Justine got to be flower girl.

Hathaway's band were called in to play at the wedding reception it definitly seemed fitting.

Back to the present

James looked up at his beautiful future wife as she walked into the room and stood in front of him. Hathaway took her in and looked her up and down. She looked amazing. She wore a long sleeved black sweater short dress and black heeled boots these showed off her long smooth legs.

"Still sweating up for the big exam are we Sergeant"? Alesha asked smiling. James smiled back. He was about to ask what she was all dressed up for. Then he remembered that it was their engagement party in the ballroom at one of the local colleges tonight. It sounded a bit grandiose for Alesha but she knew it was all in a good cause.

" Be realistic sweetheart do you think I'll make DI?" James asked nervously. Alesha laughed walked round the back of the couch wrapped her arms round the neck of her future husbund, pecked his cheek and said "Babe if Robbie, Jean, Laura, Adrian and me say you can do it then you've got nothing to lose".

James still didn't feel convinced but he didn't dare try say anything about it he reached round and groped Alesha's bum which made her giggle like a schoolgirl being given an autograph signed by Mcfly. Alesha then jumped on James by landing on top of him and sending his revision book falling to the floor. She then kissed him even harder than ever before. James took that moment to run one hand through her soft hair and his other hand up and down her leg and underneath her skirt up to her thong.

"I think the confidence of my future wife will be enough" smirked James after a moment.

"I love you James Hathaway" Alesha whispered in his ear. "I love you to Mrs Hathaway" James replied with a grin.

Alesha giggled again, got up and said "Get ready soon darling this thing starts at seven Matt and the others arrive at eight."

"Let me just put this OSPRE stuff away and I'll be ready in a flash" came the reply.

Two hours later both James Hathaway and Alesha Phillips were walking hand in hand to the car that would take them to the engagement party at St Jude's College where they would dance the night away and most likely get slightly drunk.

THE END