Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply.

Tommy Lynley dumped the books on the kitchen bench. "Make yourself at home. Do you want a beer or something stronger?"

Barbara Havers took off her coat. It was damp from the rain, so she hung it over the high back of one of his kitchen stools. "Beer's fine, thanks, Sir."

"I have Pale Ale, Pilsner or Wheat beer," her boss said as he looked in his fridge.

"Ale."

He passed her a bottle. "You should have heard Hillier carry on. Now, look here Chief Inspector! You stick to murder and I will handle the press."

"That's a lousy impression."

"Really? And how would you do him?"

"I wouldn't do him at all."

Tommy nearly spat his beer across the kitchen. "Sergeant!"

Barbara grinned cheekily at him. It was good to see her relaxed. The last few months had been hard for her. Since the Thompson case, she had gone through a period of self-doubt and low esteem. He was sure his promotion had not helped. Fortunately, he had persuaded her to finally complete her Inspector's exams although he was worried if she failed it might break up their partnership. Hillier wanted him to partner with the new hot-shot Inspector from Leeds. Her final exam was in three days, and he was helping her study.

Barbara pulled some letters from her pocket. "Oh, I picked up your mail from the door."

Tommy glanced at his post. They were all bills except one in an ornate cream envelope. He turned it over in his hand then opened it. "I wish I hadn't opened this one."

"Bad news?"

"Hmm? No, not exactly. Aunt Bertha has invited me to my cousin's graduation dinner."

Barbara tried to hide her smirk. "Aunt Bertha?"

"My father's youngest sister. Her name is actually Elizabeth, but as a child, she used her third name and it stuck. Father said she did it to annoy her parents."

"Third name? What was her second?"

"Elizabeth Gloria Bertha I think. She was named after her aunts."

"There are definite advantages to not being a toff. When's the dinner?"

"Three weeks on Saturday."

"You don't sound enthusiastic."

"Aunt Bertha thinks now is the time for me to get back out in the world. She has invited 'and partner' but I'm positive she will have a line of eligible women there for me to mingle with in the hope that someone takes my eye."

Barbara laughed softly. "Take a partner then she can't say anything."

Tommy frowned. "It's not that easy Barbara. I am not exactly popular after Julia. I'm sure the cry of 'lock up your daughters' went around very quickly. Not my finest hour as you said."

"Ignore what I say. People will understand. You were still grieving, and just starting to think about the future. Julia was young and attractive. You're only human."

"Yes, well I was a fool. Anyway, I don't have anyone I can ask."

"Surely you can think of someone."

"Why don't you partner me?" He had asked before he had thought about it, but he liked the idea. He enjoyed being with her. She was his best friend. She understood him like no one else.

Barbara nearly choked on her beer. "Me? I don't go to graduation dinners. I'd use the wrong fork or use it to stab some obnoxious twit in the eye."

Tommy grinned at her. "Just watch me, then use the same fork. You can't go wrong. Barbara, I'm serious. It would take the strain off me."

"And add it to me. No! Now are you going to help me understand the principles of Constitutional law and the Terrorism Act better or not?"

Three hours later Tommy was confident Barbara would pass her exam easily. "You have everything under control Barbara."

"Have I? Look at the time. I've missed the last bus. I'll have to ring a cab."

"I'll drive you home. I need some time to wind down after that. I haven't had to think about the potential conflicts between the 1988 Human Rights Act and the Terrorism Act for some time. You raised a valid point about Entick versus Carrington though; people are free to do anything unless the law explicitly forbids it."

"And how do we define terror?"

Tommy grabbed his keys. "You will excel in the exam, Barbara."

"Nah, be lucky to pass." Barbara stood back and let Tommy open the car door. She usually just hopped in, but he enjoyed it when she let him be chivalrous.

"I'll wager you finish in the top five percent."

"Top five percent? You're on," she said confidently, "what are the stakes?"

"Finish top five percent, and you come to my dinner. Anything else and I'll take you to dinner anywhere you choose."

"You realise you've provided me with an incentive to do less than my best."

"Have I? There is a bigger issue at stake, and we both know it. You'll do your best, won't you?"

Barbara looked across at her boss and nodded. If they were to stay together as partners, she needed to pass her exam. "Yeah, I will."

A fortnight later Lynley and Havers were summoned to the office of the Assistant Commissioner. As they walked up the corridor, Barbara wiped her hands down the side of her trousers. "Any idea what he wants?"

"Blood usually."

"Yeah, probably mine."

They waited in the ante-room silently. Tommy had a sinking feeling that after a decade together they were about to be split up permanently and he was not sure how he would react. He had become rather attached to Barbara, dangerously so.

The secretary's phone buzzed. "Commissioner Hillier will see you now."

The partners took a final look at each other. He knew she was thinking the same thing as him - they walk through the door as partners but might come out as colleagues without a purpose for existing.

"Ah, Sergeant Havers!," Hillier effused. "Come in, sit down."

"Sir." Barbara nervously took a seat while Tommy stood as close as he dared behind her chair.

"I wanted to be the first to congratulate you. You brought great credit to our little department."

"I did?"

"You haven't seen the results of the Inspector's examination? You topped the exam Sergeant. I have no idea how you did it, but of the 133 candidates, you were the only one to score over 95%. Apparently, your treatise on potential human rights violations was excellent. I had no idea you could write an essay. Several of the candidates were fast-track entry graduates you know."

"Excellent work, Barbara." Tommy was so proud that he wanted to hug her. He settled for a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Hillier was hypocritically acting as if he had personally coached her. Hitting him was tempting. Instead, he decided to take advantage. "Well, Sir, as you said the other day, I need to have the best partner I can in my new role. It looks like I can keep Inspector Havers."

Hillier glared up at him. "She might need to gain experience somewhere else. Topping the list does make her appointment almost immediate, but I would like some time to consider our options."

"I think you have proof that I learn best working with DCI Lynley, Sir."

Hillier looked displeased but slightly cornered. After a long pause, he conceded, "it might be best for your first six months to have continuity. We can reassess after that time but you will be expected to lead cases now Havers."

"Yes, Sir. I understand. Thank you, Sir."

Outside Hillier's office, Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her. "Congratulations, Barbara! You do know what this means."

"Yeah, six months for Hillier to find a reason to separate us."

"Forget that. We'll manage that at the time. It means you are coming to dinner on Saturday."

"Huh?" Barbara looked puzzled, then the penny dropped. "Oh, bugger! But I don't have anything to wear."

The last thing Tommy had ever expected to do was to go dress shopping with Barbara. She had reluctantly accepted his offer to pay, but only after he insisted it was a gift for doing so well in her exam. After a quick call to his sister, he had taken her to a small shop in Davies Street. Judith had kindly rung ahead and briefed the dresser about the function, Lynley's position and Havers' likely reaction.

Without fuss the dresser soon had Barbara outfitted in a simple, mid-calf length frock that took Tommy's breath away. The deep purple dress was quite plain which seemed to please Barbara. The colour highlighted her hair and eyes superbly. The soft material gave the sleeveless dress and ethereal quality, and as she walked the clever cut accented her hourglass figure. Even with her ratty haircut and standing in trainers, she was beautiful. He wondered why he had never noticed that before.

"Stop grinning like that! I look stupid all dolled up don't I?"

Tommy gave her his most serious look. "On the contrary Barbara. You look gorgeous." Her dark blush accentuated the dress. The dresser was standing behind Barbara and smiled knowingly at him. Tommy nodded. "We'll take it! And we might need some shoes."

Tommy discreetly paid while Barbara was getting changed. It was more expensive than he had expected but it was good value. Just to see her in it once had been worth every penny. The dresser quietly passed him the name of a hairdresser. He wondered how he could suggest that to Barbara without insulting her.

"Ready?" he asked when she came out of the change room. "I have the name and address of the shoe store."

The dresser came up to Barbara and looked at her hair. "Ms Havers, if I could suggest one more thing - your current style doesn't flow with the dress. I have given Lord Asherton the name of a hairdresser. If you tell him you need a little trim to go with the Paxton Peebles; I am sure he could help."

Tommy saw Barbara blush again. "Thank you,' she said politely then scrambled for the door.

"I understand that the shoes are needed, but a haircut? I can't afford forty pounds for a trim. And you've spent enough. I don't even want to know what that dress cost."

Tommy would have lied if she had pushed him. Barbara would think it was an exorbitant waste of money. "Barbara, think about it from my perspective. If I turn up with a stunning woman on my arm, then my aunt will think that I am managing to move on with my life and leave me alone. If I turn up with my best friend who is half-heartedly pretending to be interested in me, she will see through it in an instant. A forty pound haircut probably buys me months of time to sort myself out without interference. That's an investment I am willing to pay."

Barbara shook her head and muttered something that did not sound at all complimentary to his family. "All right, but I do not want to be made to look stupid."

The shoe fitting was remarkably easy. A modestly heeled pair of purple and silver strappy sandals suited Barbara and the dress perfectly. Tommy nodded at a clutch bag that matched, and the smiling saleslady included it in the package as if it came with the shoes and Barbara seemed no wiser.

The hairdresser took one look at her hair and tutted. "Oh no dear, that simply won't do if you have a Paxton Peebles!"

Twenty minutes later, Tommy had to wind his jaw from the floor. The change was subtle and could be argued to be a trim, but it made a huge difference to her. Instead of hanging in choppy layers, the line was smooth. When she tossed her head as the hairdresser asked, it swung evenly around her face. Barbara smiled and laughed. Her eyes lit up, and she looked stunning. "Wow!"