AUTHORS NOTE: Okay. So like I told Lee, I was tidying up my documents on the laptop because I realised I couldn't find ANYTHING and I stumbled upon this unfinished little piece of fiction that is two months old and I'd forgotten about it (sorry, Lee). It was apparently a song fanfic but I don't recall what song because I didn't write it down *hangs head in shame* so I've changed the song to one I think fits. It's not as length-y as my latest ones but hey ho, it's a fanfic all the same.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Taggart or the lyrics to "Far Away" by Nickelback

***

Stepping into the office, Jackie groaned as she saw Robbie sat in her chair eating some greasy burger he'd obviously picked up on his way in. Biting back the urge to scream at him, she just took off her coat before then losing it as she watched him press buttons on her keyboard. "What are you doing, Ross?" She hissed and he smiled at the use of his second name.

"I was just checking your e-mails for you." His tone of voice made it sound as if it was something he did often and she clenched her jaw tight as she moved to stand next to him before tipping him off her chair. He landed on the floor in a dishevelled hump, his burger getting all over his face as he landed on it. He cursed aggressively before standing up, his body whipping round to tower over.

"You asked for that! You have an annoying habit of interrupting my life and I'm fed up with it." She growled angrily before noticing something in his eyes. "What?" She finally asked moving over to him.

"That last e-mail was a job offer in London." He muttered unsure of what to say because he didn't know what he would do if she left. He watched as she moved round and read the e-mail before a large smile spread across her face. "Jackie..." was all he could manage to say as he looked around. How did he not know that she had been planning to go?

"This is exactly the reason for why you shouldn't read my e-mails, Robbie." She teased slightly but she knew that Robbie wasn't in the mood to tease from the way he was shaking his head at her. "I was going to tell you eventually." She excused herself moving over to him after grabbing a tissue and when she reached him, she started to wash away the burger off his face. "I just got scared every time I tried because I knew you would react like this."

"If you knew I would react like this why are you leaving?"

"I need a change of scenery, Robbie!" She stated flatly before bringing her hand down. "I do love it up here, Robbie, but I want a bigger challenge. I want to help out with the knife crimes and such things that are helping in London."

"There are knife crimes here!"

"Robbie..."

"Is there a guy involved?" He suddenly asked and Jackie couldn't help but look at him in surprise because out of the reasons for leaving, she didn't think that one would get thrown in her face even though it was the reason, even if it was only a small part of her that was leaving because of a guy. When she had been offered the job, she'd wanted to say no because she really believed that Robbie would eventually wake up and realise that they were meant to be together. She had been about to talk to him about it when his mobile had rang and he'd answered the call. At the end of it he had arranged a date and was grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. That had been what made Jackie's mind up about leaving. She could no longer sit about at her age wishing for that one guy to look her way. She was now finding it hard to concentrate around him and she knew that it was just easier to move to London and start again. She had no family keeping her up here.

"Why would there be a guy involved?" She finally responded and Robbie just laughed as he shook his head.

"I do believe that that was a stupid question to ask you."

"Thanks Robbie." She growled under her breath moving to her chair and reading the e-mail again unsure if she wanted to nip herself that it was really happening. She couldn't believe that at her age, she had still managed to get a job in the police force.

"Are you sure you want to leave here, Jackie?" He whispered looking down at her again before perching down on the corner of her table before sighing gently. "I mean you have everything you like here, a great boss that allows you to walk all over him, a great best friend and partner then you have me." He added a wink after mentioning him. "We all know it's breaking your heart to be running away from me."

Jackie bit the inside of her cheek as she refused to admit that it was true what he was saying. Her heart really was breaking in two at the idea of leaving him behind but she didn't even want to think about it so she just stood up and shook her head.

"Everyone needs a change, Robbie. You might want to live here forever but I can't. You know you might like it in London. The nightclubbing scene is apparently a lot bigger." She teased before smiling at him. "I'm happy that you are fighting desperately for me to stay but there is nothing you can do that will make me stay." Well there was but she knew that it wasn't going to happen so she wasn't even going to bother counting her chickens. "I suppose I better go give the boss the good news."

"Are you telling me that he doesn't already know that you are planning on leaving us?" Robbie said not wanting to be in her shoes when she did inform Burke. Robbie knew that the boss had a soft spot for Jackie. It was almost as if the boss saw Jackie as a daughter or something from the way he always protected her.

Looking over at him, Jackie shook her head. "I told him the minute I saw the job. He's looking for my replacement." She commented before knocking on Burke's door and stepping into the office. There were a few moments before there was a loud cheer of joy and Robbie watched as Burke moved round his desk and gave Jackie the briefest of hugs.

Outside in the main reception, Robbie sat back in his chair and wondered why she hadn't told him. They had always been so close. Jackie was that one person that could tell when there was something wrong with him and could always talk sense into him. He was used to having her about. Why would she suddenly just want to up and leave now? He understood that she was probably desperate for a change but why would you want to change something as perfect as what she had? Sighing, he ran his hand over his face and tried to think over how he could convince her to stay but he couldn't. Instead he just decided to face the fact that he was going to lose his best friend to London.

***

The whole department crowded into the small bar and they all laughed about old stories of Jackie, discussing how they were going to miss her. A stupid cheap banner had been tacked up above the bar wishing her luck in her new job and Robbie was close to reaching up and pulling it down so that he could screw it up in her face so that she would see that he didn't want her to go. He did realise that that was completely selfish but it was exactly how he felt.

Music started to play and he pushed himself through the crowd so that he could get to her. Pressing his hands against her hips, he leant down and whispered in her ear that he wanted to dance with her. Her eyes closed as she revelled in the close proximity that they were sharing before nodding in response to his question. Taking her hand, he led her to the floor and pulled her close to him so that they could move slowly to the beat of the song.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Jackie bit back the urge to cry as she realised that she didn't want to go if she had any chance to be with Robbie. Looking up at him, she went to mention that she loved him but stopped as someone tapped Robbie on the shoulder. He let go of Jackie and turned round to look at the woman before smiling happily, his arms wrapping around her as his lips claimed hers. Jackie looked down at the floor not wanting to feel awkward before quickly excusing herself so that she could leave the bar.

"Jackie, wait!" Stuart called as he chased after her. "What's wrong?"

"You didn't need to follow me. Go back inside and have a good time with Ewan." She ordered before suddenly bursting into fat, embarrassing tears and falling down to the floor. Stuart looked at the state of the floor and grimaced because his own suit bottoms were an expensive present off Ewan and he didn't want to ruin them. Jackie saw and laughed, "Don't stay with me, Stuart. I'm just an embarrassing old woman that loves to sit in the middle of the street and cry her eyes out."

"Firstly, you aren't old." He corrected before sitting down next to her realising that Jackie was more important than any pair of trousers. "And secondly, you are not embarrassing. You're just another woman that has fallen for the Robbie Ross and is showing that she can't take her heart being trodden on anymore because you've fallen harder than any of the other fans that he has."

She wasn't even concentrating at first before turning to look at him and shaking her head. "Wow so everyone but him knows."

"Either that or I'm really good at noticing things." He laughed before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and kissing her cheek gently. "Please don't tell me that Robbie is the reason you are leaving me here alone."

"Stuart..."

"I'll kill him." The man grumbled under his tones as he turned to Jackie. "Do you think running away will fix your feelings for him? Ever heard the expression that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'?"

"Have you ever heard the expression 'out of sight, out of mind'?" She challenged right back before chuckling as she looked over at him. "Why are we outside bickering like children?" She whispered before taking hold him gently and holding him close.

"Because I want you to stay and they're all completely selfish reasons. I'm not lying when I say you are my best friend. Only you have ever understood me and been there for me over many things." He laughed before turning to look at her. "But here you are discussing leaving us? Why don't you stay and see if Robbie finally notices you?"

She bit back a sigh as she realised that since Stuart had found 'happy ever after' with Ewan, he had failed to realise that in the real world guys like Robbie didn't fall for girl's like Jackie. He didn't look at her short, dumpy figure and think about dragging her into his bed for a hot night of passionate lovemaking. He looked at her and saw another one of the guys. A woman he could talk to about the problems he was having with his latest bit on the side and that was all he'd see her as. She could change her whole wardrobe and Robbie wouldn't notice her. She could arrive butt naked and Robbie... no that's a lie. That would be the only way Robbie noticed her.

"It's too late for that now, Stuart. I've accepted the job and I'm prepared to just get the hell out of here. I'll probably find a handsome Londoner to put up with me for a while." They both stood up and Stuart looked over at her, his eyes glistening with tears as he held out his arms for a hug. Stepping into them, she laughed to herself as she realised that moving away was stupid but she couldn't do this anymore.

"You best write to me often. I'm also going to convince Ewan to open a nightclub down there so I can come visit you often." She smiled and squeezed his hand but daren't say anything because she knew it wouldn't come out very well. She nudged her head towards the bar hinting that they should probably move inside. He nodded with confirmation.

***

That night, she locked her front door and sighed as she realised that everyone had said goodbye to her apart from Robbie. He'd obviously gone back to his latest one's house to have some kind of fun. Her party must have been very dull for him. She sighed as she stepped away from the front door and headed to the kitchen but froze when there was a knock at the front door.

She headed back and looked through the peephole to see him standing there, his hands in his pockets and his feet kicking at the floor. She took a deep breath before turning the key in the lock and opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

"We never finished our dance." He mumbled backing her into his flat and slamming the door shut behind him. He looked through her CD albums and then eventually settled on and placed it into her CD player. "May I have this dance?" He asked holding out his hand to her and she mumbled something about being tired but he just took hold of her hands and pulled her close to him.

"This time, this place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, too late
who was I to make you wait?"

The words washed over Jackie and she knew what song was coming, she could hear Robbie muttering the words in her ears and she bit back the tears that had been threatening to overspill since she'd realised that he had gone home without saying goodbye to her.

"Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know, you know, you know I love you"

He said those last three words into her ear and he realised that he meant them. He should have said them to her a long time ago. Why did he have to choose today to tell her that he loved her when he knew that she was leaving for London in less than two days? It made his heart break knowing that he had lost his chance with that one woman he needed the most in his life – apart from his mother.

"I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore"

Listening to him sing the words made her heart ache and she knew that if she listened to anymore, she'd start putting silly ideas in her head of him loving her back. She knew they were stupid thoughts but when she was surrounded with them, she felt so good inside but here she was dancing with the man she loved and all she could think about was moving away so that he couldn't hurt her anymore than she already felt.

"On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand"

Taking hold of her hand, he brought it up to his lips and he smiled as he noticed that made her finally look up at him. Her eyes were glittered with unshed tears and he hated knowing that he was the one that had made her feel like that but he didn't say anything. There were too many emotions being shared between them to disturb the moment with words.

"I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know, you know, you know I love you"

The kiss on her hand had sparked desire deep inside her abdomen and all she could focus on was the way his mouth shaped the words of the song, the way his hand on her back was starting to move around in circles and how it burnt deep into her flesh. She pressed her head against his shoulder and felt his chin against her hair and all she could feel was upmost desire. She could imagine herself taking him into the bedroom, giving her body to him and then every morning they would wake up next to each other because that was how it was meant to be.

"I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore"

The second chorus was too much for Jackie to take and she moved away from him, her head shaking as she moved towards the window. She didn't want to listen to this anymore. She didn't want to think of what could happen between them when she was leaving in less than two days. She'd be turning around and never returning because she didn't want to return to hear that he'd settled down or even worse, got married.

"But you know, you know, you know I wanted, I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed, I need to hear you say that I love you (That I love you)
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you (And I forgive you) for being away for far too long
So keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore"

Robbie realised this song would have worked wonders to play to her for when she came back but at the same time it worked now because he knew that she had been missing from his life for too long. He'd always admired this woman. He'd treated her as a best friend and one of the lads but now he realised that she was much more than that. She was everything he'd ever wanted in the world and it had taken her decision to leave to make him notice that without her, his life was nothing.

"Believe it
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it"

At these lyrics, Robbie moved towards her and pressed his hand against her shoulder so that he could turn her round to look at him. Her eyes stared into his and he could see the tear tracks on her pale cheeks. He just cursed to himself before pulling her tight against his chest, his lips pressing a small kiss to the top of her head. Then she suddenly moved away and started to sing along to the final lyrics of the song,

"Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go"

His heart went out at that moment and he took her back into his arms, his fingers to one hand tilting her chin towards him so that he could take her lips with his. He didn't care about London right now. All he cared about was here and now and how wonderful she felt to be in his arms. He knew that they had some serious talking to do but that could wait.

***

AUTHORS NOTE: There you have it. A story I wrote two months ago that had been neglected among all my other files. I'm not a huge fan but I obviously liked it enough to save it! You know the drill, Read and Review please :)