Resurrection Part 3 Shadows in the Night

by rosera

Jackie thought Michael was gone from her life forever, but there is a surprise in store for her.....and Robbie!

Resurrection Part 3 - Shadows in the Night

Glasgow

Jackie always loved the night. Loved it for the solitude and darkness that allowed her thoughts to drift. Her mind would sometimes wander in any direction, helped along by the generous measures of white wine consumed at a regular rate. The wine cushioned her mind from the dark side of her day-to-day existence, the dead bodies, and the hopeless and helpless life stories that drove people to kill other people.

But tonight, as it had every night for the last year or so, her mind had come full circle, back to Michael. The wine sometimes helped to dull the worry, but never the unfailing hope that one day he would come back into her life, whole in mind, body and soul.

It had been three months since Jackie's supposed attendance at the Forensic Psychology training course outside London. Three months since she had heard anything about Michael, where he was, how he was.

After the initial shock of the newspaper reports about the exposure of an international drug ring by an unnamed undercover agent, there had been nothing, no news, no whispers, no nothing. To her it had been obvious that the breaking story was based on information from Michael, given to his controllers at the safe house outside London. The ramifications around the world were still being felt. Police services worldwide were cleaning out the suspected bent cops, questions were still being asked within governments from one end of the earth to the other.

As for news of Michael? No, nothing, just silence and a growing fear for his safety. The waiting and silence was telling on her nerves.

A couple of days after her return from her trip south she had asked Robbie round for dinner and had told him everything about those five days. Well almost everything she admitted to herself. The details of her 'relationship', for want of a better word, with Michael she had kept to herself. She suspected that Robbie had read between the lines but he didn't press her, and she had been glad, still suffering the effects of the raw and bleeding heart wounds so recently re-opened.

She knew her feelings for Michael were built on a foundation of friendship and respect that had grown to a deep and abiding love over more than ten years of working so closely together. A love that she had denied to herself for too long, until it was too late.

In accepting this she also admitted to herself that what she felt for Robbie was also love, love of a different kind. Love that had started as a mutual physical and mental attraction, attraction for the wild, turbulent side of Robbie, so different to Michael. But now it was blended with a degree of respect for this man. Robbie simply lived life to the full, out in the open for all to see, no shadows and dark corners like Michael whose life had always seemed somehow closed, never open to inspection except by those he trusted most.

With Michael gone she had come to realise that Robbie had grown in importance in her life and she had hoped that the difficulties of a few weeks ago would become buried deep enough for them to try again to move on, together.

Her mind drifted back to that night when loneliness combined with giving in to her feelings for Robbie had precipitated events.

They went out to celebrate Stuart's birthday, just the three of them. After dinner they moved on to a club and danced and consumed too many drinks well into the wee small hours. Stuart disappeared at some stage, gone off with some guy he met leaving Robbie to take her home in a cab. He said he would see her to the door, to make sure she was okay. But when they got to her flat he paid off the cab and followed her to the front door. Unlocking the door she had turned to say good night only to have him brush past her to stand waiting in the hall. She looked at him then and had seen the suppressed desire in his eyes and the little voice in her brain had said 'Why not? Maybe it was time to move on?' She was lonely, and she had to admit she had always been drawn to Robbie, drawn to the dangerous side of him. She knew she was playing with fire, but just this once she felt the need to bask in that heat.

He saw the response in her eyes and reaching past her, closed the door. Placing his hands on her shoulders he pushed her back against the wall, his whole body pinning her, the full length of him pressing against her. Their eyes locked each gauging the depth of need in the other, then his mouth descended on hers. At first the kiss had been hesitant then it deepened as his confidence in her surrender grew. His tongue explored her mouth and she found herself responding, unable to deny the feelings she had for him. He traced a line with his mouth down her jaw and throat alternately kissing and gently biting then coming back to her mouth to once again take possession of it. She felt his hands drop to her buttocks and stroke them through her skirt, pushing her pelvis into closer contact with his, demanding that she acknowledge his growing arousal. His hands moved up to her waist and pulled at her blouse. Lifting the blouse away from the waistband of her skirt, he slid his hands under and traced a caressing line up her back and shoulders, then back down to her bra strap which he very expertly unhooked. He groaned against her mouth as he felt the full weight of her breasts crush against his chest. One hand moved up inside the front of her blouse pushing the bra aside, reaching for her nipples and stroking them as they hardened. The other traced a line down her spine and thigh slipping under her skirt and moving up to cup one of her cheeks, stroking and caressing it, trying to mould her body closer to his.

She moaned deep in her throat. This seemed to push him further and he freed one hand to unbutton the front of her blouse, wanting total access to her breasts, her body. She grabbed his hair and, dragging him briefly away from her mouth she whispered,

'Robbie, wait.'

She had only meant to make him slow down a little, not rush this moment. But in his sexually aroused and alcohol fogged brain he had mistaken her meaning completely.

'Christ Jackie, just for once see me first…..not him! If it's so god damn awful to think of being with me just pretend I'm Michael.' Robbie snapped, his eyes almost feral with alcohol fueled lust.

She went rigid with anger. So, he thought it was some sort of competition for her, a competition that he had to win at all costs. She pushed him away, drew her blouse together and with shaking hands flung open the front door.

'Get out. Get out now.' She whispered, not looking at him.

Robbie stood there, not moving. His brain finally registering what he'd said.

'Jackie….I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Jesus….you know that I….I love you, I think I've always loved you.'

He tried to catch her eye, tried to will her to believe that he meant what he said. He moved to take her back in his arms but she shrugged him away, huddling in on herself.

'Love? No, more like lust Robbie, lust and desire for something you can't have, something that Michael always had. My love...and respect. You lose this round Robbie, you'll always lose to Michael because you will never be half the man he is, now get out.' She hissed at him, her anger spilling over.

'Jackie…please.'

'Go.'

Robbie stared at her a moment longer then, in an explosion of violent movement flung himself through the door, grabbing it and slamming it behind him.

She shifted uneasily in her armchair. The memory of that night still made her grimace, so much misunderstanding for so few words.

The days afterwards had been difficult. They had presented a facade to the world that said all was well, but underneath they simply couldn't even look at each other. Stuart picked up on the tension straight away. The uneasy situation came to a head one night in the pub when they obviously couldn't even stand to be near each other. He had dragged them both out into the street and had demanded to know what the hell was going on. It had degenerated into a knock down drag out screaming match in the middle of the pavement. Stuart tried desperately to referee from the sidelines. He had picked up the gist of the problem straight away, no surprise to him really, knowing the dynamics of the three-way relationship they had had with Michael, both men loving Jackie and neither prepared to acknowledge it.

When he felt that they had let off enough steam at each other he had called a halt. Pulling them face to face he had told them in cold and unemotional terms that if this was the way they intended to honour Michael's memory and friendship and, he stressed, love for them both, then he wanted nothing further to do with either of them. He would be asking for a transfer out tomorrow. He told them both to grow up and get over it, they were supposed to be responsible adults, not pubescent teenagers with rampant hormones.

The hilarity of Stuart, the youngest of them, telling them both to grow up and get over their sexual tensions had dawned first on Robbie and then on Jackie. Both had dissolved into laughter, much to the surprise of a stunned and chagrined Stuart. The whole affair had ended in group hugs all round and a lot of 'I'm sorry' 'I didn't mean it' and 'forgive me?'

She sighed at the memories and sagged further into the armchair. Glancing around the room she realised that so few really personal things remained. Since the end of her marriage to Brian she had shed much of what she associated with him. She had cut back to bare bones any little personal things that smacked of that failed relationship. The trauma of Michael's supposed death had brought everything to a head, made her realise that what she had with Brian was shallow, barely grazing the surface of real love. Michael's 'death', had been the catalyst for many things, but especially her admission to herself and to Robbie, that it was Michael that she loved. It had always been Michael. She had had to lose him to fully realise this, lose him twice. First the shock of his 'death' only to find him again in Australia, and then, being faced with the heart breaking reality of his marriage to Shelley. God, how those two words had hurt her to the depths of her soul. 'My wife'.

But now, the whole world was upside down. Shelley was dead, Michael hidden away from the world in the witness protection program, a marked man. She had faced confrontation with him in the safe house, his pitiful mental and physical state wringing her heart. That time she had been able to react, able to admit her feelings and to help him in any way she could. She held on to the belief that those five days had made the difference, had brought him back from the edge. She would have to learn to live with that small gift, the only gift she had been able to give to him. She may never know where he was. It was worse than believing him dead, at least in death there was finality. Now she only had belief and hope that he was okay, that he would survive.

She slowly shook her head at the confusion of memories of that late night encounter in Sydney and those precious days at the safe house. Somehow she had lived through it all, somehow she had come home to face life without Michael again. To what, life with Robbie? To settle for second best? Maybe. That decision just couldn't be forced, not yet.

Her mobile phone rang shrilly, shattering the silence and bringing her thoughts back to reality. She grabbed the phone from the coffee table,

'Jackie speaking.'

'Jackie, it's Rob…we've been called out. There's been a body found on the mudflats….again.' Rob sounded tired and pissed off at having his evening disturbed yet again.

'Another one? That's the third in a week. Look.…can you come pick me up, I've had a couple of wines and probably shouldn't drive.' Jackie said, looking at the empty bottle and thinking, more than a couple, more like the whole bottle.

'Fine, no problem, see you in 10?'

'Okay'

She pushed herself out of the chair and walked through to the bedroom, stripped off her tracksuit and slipped back into the work clothes discarded early. She hated these late night call outs, there was so little they could do until daylight but they needed to at least go to the locus and try to get a feel for the crime scene and interview witnesses, if there were any, before they had time to forget details.

Robbie picked her up and they drove through the night to Langbank. This was the third body found here in seven days. As if three deaths weren't bad enough this area had bad memories attached to it for all of them. This is where they had found Michael's 'dead' body, where she had thought her life too had died.

Robbie glanced at her, surmising her thoughts,

'Langbank again. Three bodies in seven days is getting a bit wearing.' He said.

'Aye, all shot through the head execution style then dumped in the same area.' She replied, staring ahead through the windscreen.

'Jackie? Have you noticed something else about these bodies? Something that seems to link them in another way other than where they were dumped?' Rob queried.

'No, but I guess you're going to enlighten me with your stunning insight.' She answered him, smiling to take the sting out of her words. She already had a theory on the killings but so far she had been too afraid to talk about it.

Robbie grabbed a couple of crime scene photos off the dash and dropped them in her lap.

'Look at them again, look at their physical features. If my theory is right the body tonight will fit the same general physical description. Early forties, blonde hair, blue eyes, around six feet tall.' Robbie glanced at her face trying to read her reaction.

Jackie stared at the photos, realizing that he too had drawn the same conclusions. She turned in her seat and looked at Robbie,

'You think these are supposed to represent Michael?'

Robbie looked sharply sideways at her,

'So you think they are related too? Why didn't you say something?' He snapped.

Jackie shook her head,

'It's too close to home Rob. I didn't want to admit it, but this third one nails it.' She sighed.

'But why, the whole world thinks he's dead? Why would someone keep killing look-alikes and dumping them where Michael was found? Sure we know he's alive but very few others do. Why would someone in Glasgow be killing substitute Michael's again and again and again.' Robbie went on.

'I don't know either, I don't like the smell this. I don't like it at all.' Jackie stared back out into the night, her mind a jumble of thoughts, none of them very coherent.

As they drove out onto the riverbank they found DCI Matt Burke was there before them. He had picked up Stuart on the way and the two of them were out on the mudflats with the body.

Burke looked up as they approached.

'Third one this week. This is getting a little monotonous.' He grumbled, obviously annoyed at being called out late at night and making no effort to hide it.

Robbie moved forward to examine the body. Crouching down he lifted the edge of the body bag to reveal the face of the victim. He remained there, staring at the all too familiar characteristics of a white male, blonde hair, early to mid forties and by the look of the body close to six foot tall. He was certain that if the eyes had been open they would be blue. Standing up he glanced at Jackie and nodded,

'Same again.'

'What do you mean same again?' Burke swung to face him.

'I think I know Sir.' Stuart blurted out, 'White male, blonde hair, blue eyes, early forties and a little under six feet tall.' Stuart was looking at Robbie, 'And all of the bodies found on the mudflats at Langbank.'

'So?' Burke snapped.

'Sir, this is where Mich….DCI Jardine's body was found. All of these men match his general description.' Here Stuart paused and looked across at Robbie, 'Am I right Sir?'

Robbie nodded at Stuart, glanced across to Jackie who also nodded in agreement,

'Aye Stuart, there are similarities.' Robbie said.

Burke's gaze swung between them. Then he focused on Robbie,

'You think that all of these murders are somehow linked to Jardine's death? That's ridiculous, Kennedy's still inside and we know he murdered Jardine. Why would anyone go around killing men for having a vague resemblance to a dead police officer, more than two years after his death?'

Robbie stared off into the distance as if seeking answers from the darkness,

'I don't know Sir, but you must admit that a link is possible?'

Burke just stared at him, his expression dubious.

'Look, it's late, I'm tired and to be honest I don't think this 'link' is really there but we can and will discuss it in the morning. Check with the SOCOs that everything's being dealt with then go home all of you, we'll run through this again tomorrow when we should all be thinking more clearly.' Burke turned away, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

The next morning Burke called a meeting for the whole team. As everyone gathered around he remained standing in the middle of the room eyes locked on the photo board where the shots of the three victims were pinned up. Gradually silence fell, Burke seemed to recollect where he was and turned to face the gathering.

'Last night a possible link was put forward by DI Ross and DS Fraser. At first I have to admit that I dismissed it, but after going over all of the facts of each apparently unrelated case I have to admit that the link they suggest is a possibility. Ross, would you care to expand on your theory?'

Robbie looked up, his glance sweeping around the room and coming to rest on the photo board. Not taking his eyes from the photos he said,

'I…we think the link is in the general physical resemblance of these men to the victim of another murder. A murder committed over two years ago, one which was solved and the murderer locked up.'

Robbie paused, 'Most of you will remember DCI Michael Jardine but for those who don't Jardine was murdered more than two years ago by Liam Kennedy. His body was found at Langbank on the mudflats.'

He paused again, a murmur had started up amongst those of the team who had been there in Jardine's time.

'For those of you who never met him, he was early forties….blonde…dark blue/gray eyes and …around 5 foot 11'. He spread these points out, allowing each to sink in.

'All of the current victims have the same general physical features. The only major difference is that Jardine drowned after being knocked unconscious and dumped in the Clyde. All of these men have been shot execution style.'

Now the noise had risen to more than a murmur, men who had known Jardine seemed suddenly struck by the facts before them, those who had not known him were asking others for details, past history.

Burke stepped forward again,

'All right, all right, keep it down. So now we begin the search for other links, links to Jardine's death, common factors with these men, anything that might tie in their deaths to Jardine's murder. But!' And here he raised his finger to emphasis the point,

'Don't lose sight of any other facts or clues that come up. It is possible that these murders are linked to Jardine's death but it's also possible that there is no link and, that the only common ground is between these three.'

'So, we start trawling through Jardine's files, looking for any link with these men. Teams of three, take two years each and work through the files.' Groans greeted this order.

'But Sir? Jardine was here for fifteen years. This could take another fifteen just to search his case files.' DS Grogan called from the back of the room.

Burke swung around to face Grogan, 'Well you better get started…. now.' He snapped back. He turned to Robbie,

'My office. You too Reid, Fraser.'

They crowded into Burke's office. He walked behind the desk and sat heavily in the chair, drawing it up to the desk and fiddling with the papers strewn all over it.

'Okay Robbie, there's obviously something else behind this theory of yours that you don't want spread around, but I think it's time you told me.'

Burke locked eyes with Robbie, aware that the tension in the room had just risen, tension that was radiating from Jackie. He swung his gaze to Jackie,

'Or perhaps you have something you'd like to say?' He queried.

Jackie looked him in the eye, 'No Sir. Nothing to add.'

Robbie took a deep breath which drew Burke's attention back to him,

'Yes? You have something to say?'

'No Sir, nothing.'

Burke simply stared at them, including Fraser in his glare. Stuart started to shift uneasily on his feet, also aware that some undercurrent was going on here, but unsure what was driving it.

'All right, get out of here. Start on Jardine's files, the most recent ones before his death. You've got two days to find a stronger link. If you can't substantiate anything by then we start again on other options. Understood?' Burke snapped.

'Yes Sir.'

The three of them chorused. They filed out of the office and spread out back to their desks and the files arriving up from the archives.

Eight hours later everyone was eager to call it quits for the day. A wasted day spent trawling through files, files that Jackie knew contained no link. The link wasn't in Michael's death, it was because he was still alive. Whoever was killing these Michael lookalikes was leaving messages, messages aimed at those who knew Michael was alive. The realisation of this had hit her when Robbie was explaining the supposed link to the team meeting this morning.

'I don't know about the rest of you but I'm calling it a day.' Jackie announced to the room.

'Robbie, Stuart? Want to get a curry, take it home to my place?'

Jackie made the suggestion because she couldn't face a night alone, and she needed to test her theory on Robbie and, maybe it was time to tell Stuart the truth, they would need his help and support in this.

Stuart looked up, a smile on his face at being included in the invitation.

'Thanks Jackie, sounds great. Don't really want to spend an evening alone after all this has been dragged up again.'

'You're on, let's get out of here.' Robbie chimed in.

They took Robbie's car to the take away, picked up their order and headed off to Jackie's flat. Jackie opened the front door and turning waved the other two inside.

'For once you're lucky. The place is tidy!'

She led the way into the lounge. She paused in the door from the hallway, something didn't feel right, something intangible but definitely out of place. Then she spotted a pair of men's shoes tucked under the coffee table. She froze, motioning the others to stillness. She scanned the room, nothing else was out of place. She moved slowly through to the kitchen, Robbie and Stuart just behind her. When she had left this morning everything was tidy except for a few dirty dishes she had left by the sink. Those dishes were now washed and stacked on the bench, together with others, more than she had left out this morning.

Robbie motioned that he would check out the rest of the rooms, his look telling Stuart to stay with Jackie. He moved cautiously out into the hallway gliding silently down to the open bedroom door. He carefully peered around the doorframe. Jackie and Stuart were watching from the end of the hallway. As they watched Robbie seemed to freeze, then he turned back, leaned against the wall and slumped forward, his hands coming to rest on his knees. Jackie moved to go to him unable to guess what had caused this reaction. As she came closer she realised that he was shaking, shaking with suppressed laughter. She relaxed, but moving on she walked passed him and stood in the bedroom door.

There was a man lying on her bed. He was lying on his side, completely relaxed and deeply asleep. Her faced broke into a glowing smile. She knew that gently curled up form, knew too well the beloved features of that face, relaxed and almost child-like in sleep. Michael. His longer than normal tousled blonde hair was lying across his face and the hint of stubble showed tiny flecks of gray sprinkled through it. She crept forward silently, leant down and brushed the errant strand of hair from his brow. Michael stirred briefly, murmuring in his sleep. She slipped quietly back to the door.

'Goldilocks.' She mouthed to Robbie, his smile in reply showing his appreciation of the joke.

Motioning to Robbie not to make any noise, she headed back to the lounge. She too was struggling to suppress the laughter that threatened to bubble out of her, laughter of unalloyed joy from knowing Michael had come home, home to her. Poor Stuart still stood in the doorway bemused by their reactions and not knowing what to do. Jackie put her arm around Stuart's shoulder, causing him to start with astonishment at the physical contact.

'Stuart, it seems I have an unexpected visitor. We might leave him in peace to sleep, eh?' Jackie smiled into his eyes.

Stuart looked from one to other, still bemused by the laughter and joy that he saw in their faces.

'Who is it?' He had to ask.

'An old friend Stuart.' Robbie replied.

Seeing more questions coming he headed them off by pushing Stuart into the room and gently directing him to the sofa.

'Let's not worry about it just yet, eh? Let's eat the food before it gets cold, plenty of time for explanations later.' Robbie quelled the rising questions in Stuart's eyes with a fierce glance.

Michael woke suddenly, completely disorientated and starting up at the subdued sound of voices coming from outside the room. Jackie's flat, his senses registered, breathing in the subtle fragrance that she always wore. He had been on the move for days, never staying too long in one place, never really feeling safe enough to sleep properly. Until he had arrived here, the one place he had promised himself he would avoid. But he had been drawn here as if by a homing beacon to the one place he knew he was safe.

He must have fallen asleep. He had only meant to rest his head for a few minutes. The headache that had been pounding behind his eyes all day had not responded to the painkillers prescribed by the doctors so he had lain down just to close his eyes for a moment. But the moment had obviously slipped by into hours.

Did Jackie realise he was here? He couldn't believe that she would miss the signs of his intrusion, she must have decided to let him sleep. Rising from the bed and limping slightly he padded silently down the hall where he identified Robbie's voice as well from the soft laughter coming from the main room. As he stepped quietly up to the doorway he saw Jackie sprawled in her favourite armchair with Robbie sitting on the floor, back propped against the sofa. Both had wineglasses in their hands and an empty bottle stood on the coffee table.

Stepping into the room properly he opened his mouth to make some smart comment about drunken police officers when he spotted Stuart tucked into the corner of the sofa.

'Ah hell.' He murmured ruefully. 'Sorry, thought it was just you two.'

Stuart froze, a forkful of food halfway to his mouth, eyes dilated and jaw hanging open in total shock. Jackie glanced at Stuart then back to Michael. She stood up and walked across the room,

'Hello Michael, welcome home.'

She stepped up to him, unsure whether to kiss him or hug him. He answered the question for her, opening his arms he gathered her in, planting a gentle kiss on her mouth and then embracing her in a crushing hug.

Robbie scrambled up from the floor and stepped up to take Michael's out stretched hand in a hard clasp of friendship. His gaze meeting Michael's over Jackie's shoulder, their eyes locked, silently expressing all the unsaid questions and answers of the last few months. With colour heightened from the depth of emotion that had been expressed in that physical contact they all broke apart.

Michael stepped forward towards Stuart who sat still completely frozen, fork suspended in mid air.

'Hello Stuart.'

Michael smiled at him, that special quirky little smile he reserved for family and friends.

'No I'm not a ghost, just look a little like one at the moment.'

Jackie stepped around Michael and relieved Stuart of his fork before the food could fall off. This action seemed to release Stuart from his stasis. He bounded up from the sofa and stood trembling, his mouth working soundlessly. Then he simply grabbed Michael in a bear hug still unable to say anything. Michael, after the initial surprise, wrapped his arms around Stuart's shoulders and patted him on the back, somewhat paternally he hoped.

Pushing back from the embrace, Michael shoved Stuart gently back down on the sofa and smiled at him again as if to reassure him he wasn't dreaming.

He turned quickly, almost stumbling. Robbie reached forward and steadied him.

'Sorry, leg's still a little shaky. Catches me sometimes if I move too fast.'

Michael stepped across to Jackie's chair, lowering himself into it carefully. Jackie perched on the arm, her hand resting briefly on Michael's shoulder then tracing a line down his arm to rest on his hand. Michael turned his hand over taking hers and gripping, then releasing it, his hand then coming to rest on her thigh draped across the arm of the chair, the physical gesture unconsciously claiming her.

So, Robbie thought, the relationship had crossed the boundary from the emotional to the physical, the signs were there for all to see. He had suspected as much when she came back from down south. She had seemed different, somehow more whole. The only explanation that made sense to him was that the gaps in her soul had been filled. He dropped his gaze to his hands. So why had she let him go so far that night, why had she admitted her feelings for him before he had let his besotted brain run off at the mouth and stuff it up. He had thought that night she had finally closed the door on her love for Michael. How wrong he had been. He looked up to find Michael's gaze on him, a question in his eyes. Robbie smiled, gesturing that it was nothing.

Michael switched to Stuart who still remained speechless.

'Stuart, I…we owe you an explanation. First I owe you an apology. Jackie and Rob have known for sometime that my 'death' was a sham but I asked them to keep it from you. Not because I couldn't trust you but for your own safety as well as mine. Stuart, do you understand, do you forgive me?'

The shock of Michael, his boss, asking for his forgiveness finally loosened his tongue.

'Sir…I….I don't care about not being told, if you thought it was for the best then that's good enough for me, always has been. There is nothing to forgive, you're the boss. I guess I just can't believe what I'm seeing.'

Michael laughed, shaking his head at Stuart's logic.

'Not Sir Stuart, Mike or Michael will do, I'm not the boss anymore. In the eyes of the world I don't exist. Look…it's a long story and I don't know about you lot but I could do with a drink.'

Michael smiled at Jackie with that partially hooded upward glance of those dark blue gray eyes that had always melted her heart, hers and many others over the years she suspected.

Grinning she stood up and said, 'Juice? Coffee?'

'Got any Vodka?' Michael asked.

'Vodka? What happened to the non-drinker?' Robbie queried.

'He died a couple of years ago remember. Of late I've developed a taste for Vodka, preferably on ice.' Michael replied unemotionally.

Jackie made as if to argue the point but the look she copped from Michael made her bite back her reply.

'One Vodka on ice coming up. Robbie, wanna give me a hand?' Jackie moved towards the kitchen.

Over the next hour Michael, Jackie and Rob filled in all the gaps for Stuart. Where one left off telling the chain of events another would join in. Only Jackie spoke of her time with Michael at the safe house, as he seemed loath to delve into that shadowy period. Stuart simply sat and drank it all in, never taking his eyes from Michael very often, his expression moving from shock, sympathy and back to shock as the tale unfolded. When they had all fallen silent Stuart finally spoke up.

'But if things are so dangerous now, why are you here Sir….sorry..Mike?'

At that Jackie and Rob also focused on Michael wondering why he would risk all to return to Glasgow.

'Ian.' Was his one word reply.

'Ian?' Jackie queried, 'We haven't seen or heard from him since the funeral and he was in Germany working then and couldn't come back.'

'Aye, I know but I received information a week ago that he was in hospital here in Glasgow. He's been diagnosed with end stage liver cancer, he's only got weeks, maybe days.' Michael said, his gaze fixed on his hands folded around his glass.

Over the last hour he had steadily consumed four fair sized glasses of Vodka on ice and yet he seemed unaffected by the alcohol. Robbie thought he now understood the drinking, after all that had happened to Mike and now with this added burden, drink did seem like a suitable crutch to hold a shattered life together, he of all people should know.

Jackie placed an arm around his shoulder and leant down to drop a light kiss on his hair. A tender loving gesture not lost on Robbie or Stuart.

'Michael, I'm so sorry. But does Ian know you're alive?' She asked.

'Yes, Wallace arranged for him to be told, I insisted after they told me about his illness. I failed him in so many ways I couldn't let him die thinking I had deserted him again.'

Here Michael slumped forward in the chair his hands draped over his knees gripping the glass tightly, so tightly that it shattered in his hands.

'Shit! Sorry Jackie.' Michael exclaimed, dropping the pieces on the carpet and inspecting his bleeding hands. He reached down to pick up the broken pieces but Robbie was before him,

'Leave it Mike, let Robbie do it. Stuart there's brush and pan in the cupboard under the sink, bring it in will you.' Jackie ordered.

Stuart raced into the kitchen, bringing back both the brush and pan and a cloth to staunch the bleeding.

Jackie held Michael's hands, gently dabbing at them with the cloth, wiping away the smeared blood and inspecting them for glass slivers. Michael simply sat there looking away as if not involved in the whole incident, then as if he suddenly became aware of the all the fuss he pulled his hands away,

'Don't, don't fuss for god's sake. It's just a few cuts, I've survived worse.' He snapped.

'But Michael, I need to check for glass.' Jackie reproached him.

'I said leave it. For god's sake, just leave it.' His voice rising in anger at the look of hurt in her eyes.

'Mike.' Robbie rapped out, 'Enough….Jackie was only trying to help. Don't take your frustrations out on us okay?'

Michael's head snapped up, resenting that tone of voice from his one time subordinate. They locked gazes, both battling for command of the situation. More than the argument over a broken glass was contained in those locked eyes, much more. Michael's eyes dropped first.

Suddenly he stood up and walked into the kitchen. They could hear the water running as he washed his hands and obviously checked them for possible embedded glass. Silence reigned.

Movement in the doorway drew all three pairs of eyes.

'I'm sorry, okay? Sometimes my…temper gets the better of me and I forget who I'm lashing out at. Sorry.'

He walked across the room and fell back into the chair. Reaching up he gently stroked feather light fingers down Jackie's face in a gesture clearly asking for forgiveness. Jackie grabbed his hand and dropped a light kiss into the palm. He smiled ruefully acknowledging that her forgiveness was too easily won.

Jackie glanced at the wall clock, 2.00 am.

'I …need sleep. I think we've all been through enough tonight. And, we've all had too much to drink for anyone to consider driving.' She held Robbie and Stuart with a look.

'Stuart, you get the sofa, I'll get a sleeping bag for you. Robbie you get the spare room, bed's already made up.'

Before he could stop himself and let reason win Michael said,

'And me?'

Immediately he mentally kicked himself, so much for his intentions of staying away from Jackie and not starting anything again.

Stuart held his breath, knowing what the answer would be but wondering if she would come out and say it in front of them all.

'You….' Looking Michael in the eye, finger raised imperatively, 'Get the other side of my bed. You already know where it is so there's no need for directions for you.'

Michael couldn't help but smile, he had seen Stuart's glance of surprise and wondered if she would try to cover up that which must be so obvious to the others. But then Stuart held their trust in most things, so there was no need to exclude him from this.

Then he saw Robbie's eyes, saw the darkening colour, the quick dilation signaling anger, the drooping lids, the glance sliding away so he couldn't, wouldn't meet Michael's gaze. The hurt and despair was obvious in the slightly hunched shoulders, the minute physical and mental withdrawal. Michael knew he had to talk to Rob, talk to him at length… alone. He had not meant to get involved with Jackie again, he had intended to keep his distance. But with her physical presence so close, the smell and feel of her, he had given in to the need in himself, the need to be with someone who loved him unreservedly even if only for a little while.

Michael knew the reality was that he would have to walk away from Jackie, walk away for the rest of his life if he were to protect her. He needed to know that she would be cared for, loved as he loved her and who better to give that love and support than Robbie. He had known for certain in Australia that Robbie loved Jackie and believed he had lost her, again. Michael hadn't needed Shelley to point it out to him, he had seen it in Rob's face the moment he registered that Michael was alive. He also knew that somewhere deep inside Jackie had feelings for Rob. That there was a spark between them had been obvious from the first day, Michael had resented the new DI's open and flirting manner to Jackie, had been jealous if he was honest with himself.

But for now it had to wait, there was time to get through it, time to reach an understanding with Robbie about caring for Jackie.

Jackie did the rounds of the room to say good night, hugged Stuart, hugged and lightly kissed Robbie on the cheek her hand resting momentarily in his before stepping away. She took Michael's hand in hers playing with his fingers, and then arm outstretched let her fingers trail gently away through his as she left the room.

Robbie followed soon after, a brief wave and good night to Stuart, for Michael a handshake, held for longer than normal with a look passing between them that spoke volumes of their mutual feelings for Jackie. Michael nodded once as if in answer to an unspoken question. Robbie's eyes slid away a tiny spark of hope burgeoning in his mind from that silent communication.

Jackie knew when Michael slid into the other side of the bed about an hour later. He must have stayed talking to Stuart. She lay there not moving, her back to him, waiting for him to make any move. She felt him settle on his side and knew that he was facing her. Slight movement, a light gentle kiss on her bare shoulder then he settled once again and judging by the slowing rate of his breathing fell asleep quickly. She relaxed and drifted off to sleep herself.

Twice during the remaining hours of the night she was woken by his twitching and moaning, almost a whimpering in his sleep. Knowing the nightmares that were causing this she simply put her arms around him, murmured soft words of comfort and had the happy knowledge of knowing that this eased the bad dreams as he quickly settled back into a normal sleep, the nightmares banished for another night.

When she woke with the daylight she slipped gently out of bed, careful not to disturb him. Closing the door of the bedroom she walked quietly down the hall tying her bathrobe in place. The smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen meant that someone else was up before her and had started the essentials of life.

The doorbell rang. Cursing quietly and hoping that the bell hadn't woken Michael she quickly raced to open it before whoever it was could ring it again.

Throwing open the door she froze, shock tinged with horror showing clearly on her face. Matthew Burke stood there, hand raised as if to ring the bell again. Noting her look he smiled deprecatingly,

'Morning Jackie, sorry to drag you from your bed but I want to talk to you about this theory of Ross's. Can I come in?'

'Sir! Ah, well it's not exactly convenient at the moment. Sorry Sir.'

Jackie squirmed a little under his questioning gaze. Then taking in her bathrobe and disheveled hair he guessed that she must have man in the flat. A blush of embarrassment rose to his face but just as he was about to excuse himself and leave Stuart wandered out into the hall carrying two coffee mugs.

'Jackie, I've made coffee and toast do you think M……..Sir!' Stuart was dumbfounded and nearly dropped the coffee mugs in shock.

Burke looked from Stuart to Jackie and back to Stuart, both of them frozen and speechless. Suddenly the bathroom door at the end of the hall was flung open and Robbie came out dressed only in his trousers, waistband undone, with his shirt draped over one arm and a damp towel over the other.

'Did I hear the words coffee?' Robbie said.

Then registering that no one had answered him he looked down the hall and saw Burke standing at the front door, he too then froze in place. Jackie began to giggle the ridiculous side of the situation striking her. Stuart, catching it from her, looked to Robbie who simply stood there staring. Burke opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a word a door was flung open half way down the hall.

'What does it take to get some sleep around here? Could you not make more noise if you tried?' Came a stentorian yell.

Out stepped Michael in boxer shorts and t-shirt, hair all over the place, desperately in need of a shave and so obviously just dragged reluctantly from bed. Taking in the scene with Burke glowering from the front door, the others transfixed in shock he muttered,

'Ah bugger!' his face a mixture guilt and chagrin.

He looked at Jackie, swung round to Robbie and then to Stuart as if seeking inspiration on how to carry this off. It was too much for Jackie and Stuart, both collapsed with laughter, laughter that Robbie joined in mainly at the look on Michael's face, the look of a hare transfixed by the car headlights.

Michael recovered first, sweeping a look of scorn over his laughing friends. He walked down the hall, stretching out his hand to Burke,

'Hello Matt, just in time for breakfast I think, provided Stuart hasn't spilt all the coffee.'

Burke took the proffered hand, unable to think of anything to say or do. They stood there, a frozen tableau, hands locked together, eyeing each other off. For Jackie memories of those few days before Michael's 'death' came flooding back, the two of them like jackals circling a piece of dead meat, warily eyeing each other for strengths and weaknesses.

'Oh stop it the two of you.' She snapped no longer laughing at the situation.

She dragged Burke through the door and closed it behind him. Turning Michael around she shoved him in the direction of the bedroom.

'You' a finger pointing at Michael, 'and you,' she pointed at Robbie, 'get dressed both of you. Stuart, kitchen and more coffee. Now, move it the lot of you.'

All three men looked at each, shrugged and moved off to do as ordered. Jackie was in charge.

She turned back to Burke.

'Sir I can explain everything.'

'I hope so Reid, I do hope so.' Burke drawled.

She noted that Jackie had become Reid. He was angry and probably as baffled as Stuart had been last night, he was just hiding it better. She showed Burke through to the lounge and left him to Stuart's care, raced back into the bedroom and dressed in haste. Her only conversation with Michael was a hissed command to leave Burke to her, don't make the situation worse by stirring up old grievances. Michael shrugged but didn't answer, she took this for agreement.

After an hour of talking herself hoarse Burke was slightly less belligerent although his attitude to Michael was still bordering on suspicious. Burke seemed particularly pleased when Michael let slip that his minders didn't know he was in Glasgow and had listened with something approaching glee when Jackie and Robbie had bother ripped into Michael for not having any surveillance in place. He agreed however, that Michael would need discrete surveillance. He also agreed to arrange a very quiet visit to the infirmary so Michael could see his brother Ian.

Standing up to leave Burke took control of the situation,

'Jackie, you're staying home today, you're on sick leave. Ross, Fraser, I want you back in the office and continuing inquiries into these murders, we can't let them slip no matter what.'

'What murders?' Michael asked, looking at Robbie.

'Mike, not your problem, okay?' Robbie replied smoothly. Burke swung around at this,

'So you've changed your mind about the link?'

Robbie tried to deflect Burke away from the topic,

'No Sir but I don't think Mike needs to get involved.' Robbie's facial expression was trying to convey to Burke to drop it, not let on about his theory on the murders.

'Rob, I think your wrong, Michael should know.' Jackie cut in.

Robbie grimaced, Michael caught the look and stood up moving in front of Robbie, blocking him from leaving.

'Should know what?'

This came out like an order, the tone of voice Robbie had heard all too often in the past.

'Look Mike, it's just a theory I have and…' Michael cut him off. Turning to face Burke he snapped out,

'Care to enlighten me?'

Burke glared at him, not impressed with the tone of voice either,

'There have been three murders in the last seven days. All of them white males, early forties, blonde hair, blue eyes and around six-foot. All of them found on the mudflats at Langbank.'

Michael made as if to interrupt but Burke raised a hand to cut him off.

'None of them drowned. All were shot through the back of the head, execution style.'

Michael stilled, he eyes glazing over, thoughts turning inwards.

Jackie touched his arm,

'Michael? What is it?'

Michael seemed to marshal his thoughts, glancing at Robbie then Jackie his eyes finally came to rest on Burke.

'Three men? All with a general description that could fit me? All found at Langbank?' Burke nodded agreement.

Michael turned and began to pace around the room,

'How, how could he know? Wallace or Spencer? But even Wallace doesn't know for certain where I am. He's maybe guessed, knowing I would want to see Ian. Probably on my tail already. Spencer? But he never knew the full story.' He muttered, the conversation obviously with himself. He paused in his pacing, then coming back to face Burke,

'Dreyfus, John Dreyfus or he may be using George McSwain.' Michael ground out between clenched teeth.

Burke looked a question, 'Dreyfus, McSwain, who is he?'

'He's the man who was hired to kill me.' Michael stared fixedly at Burke. 'He was reported killed. Wallace's men thought they had him trapped in London and that he died in a car accident, car exploded on impact.'

A combination of shock and disquiet registered on the other faces. Robbie reacting the faster,

'Kennedy, same scam he used to make us believe he was dead.'

Michael swung around to face Robbie,

'Aye, somehow he knows everything, everything about Michael Jardine, everything about Mikey Stevenson. What we don't know is who hired him, who fed him the information. When we thought he was dead we lost the trail. Wallace is working on a theory but I can't discuss that now.'

Burke bristled at this implied slur on his ability to maintain confidentiality.

'And before you go off half cocked and start throwing your weight around it has nothing to do with you, any of you.' Michael drawled focusing on Burke. 'What you don't know can't hurt you, or…be used against you. Understood?' Burke gave one brief curt nod, acknowledging the truth of Michael's words.

Burke glanced at Robbie, 'All right, so now we have a name or names, at least it's a starting point. Ross, Fraser, get moving. Trash the file search and get everyone out on the streets looking for this Dreyfus guy. I don't suppose you have a photo by any chance?' He asked Michael. Michael just shook his head. 'Pity.' Burke muttered.

Turning to go Burke said,

'I'll have a team outside within the hour, nothing obvious, just surveillance. Do us both a favour and stay here today. I'll arrange the hospital visit for tonight, late tonight.'

Then Burke stuck out his hand,

'Can't say I'm glad to see you back, not with the trouble you've brought, but I am glad to see you alive. Later eh?'

Michael took the proffered hand briefly,

'Cheers Matt, I appreciate it believe me.'

Jackie saw them all off and returned to the lounge. Michael was still just standing in the middle of the room, chin dropped on his chest, hands in his pockets, obviously deep in thought. As she walked in he raised his head and gave her a brief smile and held out his hand to her. She walked forward and took it. They just stood there, holding hands and looking at each other. Michael let his gaze wander over her face, as if re-imprinting her features on his memory, adding a depth and subtlety to the stored information. She simply stood there feasting her eyes on all of him just like someone starved of food and water would be transfixed at the sight of a table full of food and drink.

Knowing he should be keeping a distance, putting space between them to cushion the inevitable he seemed unable to resist her.

Drawing her forward he slipped his arms around her waist pulling her in close.

'So…what will we do with the rest of the day do you suppose?'

His eyes brightened with a look of pure mischief. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a cheeky grin.

'Michael, this man. Do you really think he's responsible for the deaths of these others?' Jackie couldn't help asking.

Michael dropped his arms and turned away. He walked towards the window and, hands in pockets, shoulders slumped, stared fixedly out.

'I don't really want to think about it Jackie. I don't want to think that maybe I'm responsible for more deaths. I've enough tallied up against my name already. Do you think I really want to face the facts that three more men are dead because of me?' His voice was tired, drained of emotion.

'Michael, I'm sorry. I'm just…worried about you.'

Jackie came up behind him and slipped her arms through his from behind, clasped him around the waist and let her cheek drop to rest on his shoulder, the warmth of his body thawing the chill wrapped around her heart. His hands came out of his pockets and rested over hers crossed at his waist. They stood like that for a few minutes, then Michael turned around within the circle of her arms, his hands coming up to rest on her shoulders.

'You still haven't answered my question? ' He smiled into her eyes, seeing the emotion so close to the surface.

Before she could answer, his stomach answered for her, with a very commonplace growl signaling hunger. They both laughed and said together, 'Breakfast!'

After they had eaten Michael went off to shower while she tidied up, putting away the sleeping bag Stuart had used, washing the coffee mugs and the breakfast things. When she had finished she went into the bedroom thinking she might have time to tidy the bed, maybe even change the sheets, only to discover Michael flat on his back, fast asleep, arms flung out and snoring gently. He had obviously showered and changed into clean shorts and t-shirt but that was as far as he had got, the rest of his clean clothes were still draped across the chair waiting for him.

Well she couldn't blame him, it had been after 3.00 a.m. when he had finally come to bed and Burke had called just after 7.00. Smiling she drew the duvet over his sleeping form and wandered out into the lounge again. She chose a CD, switched on the stereo and turning the volume down low, sat back on the sofa, swung her legs up and let her head rest on the arm, closing her eyes and she let herself drift in the soft sounds of the classical music.

She too must have fallen asleep. She woke to the gentle touch of a whisper light kiss. Her eyes snapped open. Michael was crouched on the floor beside her, his eyes alight, reveling in the opportunity of waking her with a kiss. She smiled at him,

'So sleeping beauty awakes?' She cracked.

'Who are you calling sleeping beauty, I'm the one that woke you.' He retaliated, smiling at her, letting his gaze wander down her body stretched out on the sofa. Before she could reply he stretched himself out beside her, forcing her back so that she was crushed between him and the back of the sofa.

Gazing into her eyes, seeing the love shining out of them, in his mind he justified his actions, 'just once more, let me love her just one more time.' The small quiet voice queried once, 'and Robbie?' The answer came quickly. He would have the rest of his life with her, Michael only had these few hours.

Jackie watched his face, puzzled by the play of emotions she saw there, dismayed by the sadness lurking in the back of his eyes. Michael smiled,

'Now that I have you where I want you shall we proceed with our interrupted plans?'

He ran fingers down her face, cupping her chin and raising her mouth to his. They lay there kissing like pair of teenagers on a first date, urgent hands wandering all over each other's bodies, hungry mouths seeking out places that drew the most response. They had a brief tussle to see who would wind up on top which she won by dint of cheating, tickling him in the ribs and while he was defending himself she swung her leg over him and, sliding on top, pinned him to the sofa completely.

Smiling down at him she slid her hand down between them, stroking his groin and was rewarded with an instant response.

'If you keep that up too long you could ruin everything.' he whispered against her mouth.

'I thought that was you're responsibility.' She said, 'Keeping it up that is.'

He laughed deep in his chest, she felt the vibrations through her own.

'Talking dirty now are we Inspector? My my…how our standards have slipped.' He responded.

Then the danger of the immediate future and the reality of what they were about to do struck both of them, this final consummation of their friendship, commitment, respect and love for each other. The time before at the safe-house had only been a brief interval, one providing the other with support and responding to an immediate need for affection and physical release to drive away demons from a past life.

Taking her face in his hands he stroked his thumbs gently across her cheekbones, the tenderness of this gesture bringing tears to her eyes.

'Ssshhh, no crying eh?' Michael whispered, drawing her head down and kissing her lightly.

The kiss deepened, drawn on by the depth of love in them both. His hands moved gently, caressing and searching. Hers pushed up his shirt wanting to feel his warm soft skin beneath her hands, to feel the real essence of this man she loved, had loved for so long.

With movements reminiscent of a slow tango clothes were removed, bare skin revealed and bodies molded into one. Their bodies in tune, they climaxed together surrendering to each other and drowning in their shared love.

As the day wore on, they made love again, this time less desperate and less emotion charged than the first time. It was a simple act of love, a satisfying of the physical need to possess each other's bodies. They ate some lunch but wound up back on the sofa, making love a third time then both of them falling asleep, side-by-side wrapped in each other's arms.

It was the phone that woke them. Shrilling loudly, disturbing the peace drawn around them by the afterglow of lovemaking. Jackie slid from the sofa, snatched up Michael's shirt and put it on against the sudden chill caused by the loss of another's body heat.

She grabbed the phone,

'Hello.'

'Jackie? It's Rob, I need to talk to Michael.'

Jackie held the phone out, smiling at his naked form draped along the sofa, still half asleep. Realising where her eyes were heading he grabbed his shorts and struggled into them before taking the phone from her hand. She slid back onto the sofa beside him, her fingers trailing up his side, down his back and leg, coming to rest suggestively on his thigh. He lightly smacked her hand away, smiling at her to stop, to leave him alone, just for a minute.

'Rob, what is it?'

Michael continued to bat at her hands as they roamed over his body pausing suggestively in very delicate places.

'Michael, the visit tonight is all arranged and we have some extra protection fixed up. I'll be over later with the necessaries, okay?'

'Okay, any leads on Dreyfus, anything I should know?' Michael asked.

'No, nothing yet but the word is out on the streets, if he's around we'll hear about it.'

'Don't bet on it Rob, he's one of the best, he'll have his tracks well covered.'

'Okay, okay. Jackie looking after you all right?' Rob queried, unable to stop himself from trying to guess what was happening at Jackie's flat. Not that he really needed to guess.

Michael looked at Jackie perched beside him on the sofa with only his t-shirt on.

'Oh aye, you could say that.' The smile in his voice telling Rob everything he wasn't actually saying.

Suddenly Michael sobered,

'Rob, we need to talk, okay? We have to talk about…things, maybe tonight after I've seen Ian. Understand?'

There was silence at the other end of the phone, then

'Aye Michael, I understand. Yes…I understand.'

Robbie rang off and Michael put the phone down on the coffee table.

'What was that all about?' Jackie asked.

'Nothing, just boy talk okay?' Michael didn't meet her eyes.

'Oh aye, boy talk about what?'

'Leave it Jackie, it's something Robbie and I have to work out okay? Just leave it.'

Michael stood up, and putting out his hand he drew her up from the sofa,

'A bath sounds like a good idea don't you think?'

He smiled at her, a tacit apology for cutting her out of what he and Robbie had to discuss.

It was after 8.00 o'clock before Robbie and Stuart arrived. Jackie opened the door to them as their arms were full carrying funny shaped parcels, like large shopping bags but sealed at the top.

Robbie dumped his bag on the lounge floor and smiled at Michael,

'Protection.' He said, dropping down onto the sofa and stretching his legs out. Stuart placed the smaller bag on the coffee table,

'More protection.' He quipped, a cheeky grin spreading across his face and lowering himself onto the sofa beside Robbie.

'I need a hand in here if you all want to be fed.' Jackie called from the kitchen.

Stuart bounded up and walked quickly into the kitchen, returning with a loaded tray in his hands. He placed the tray on the coffee table, pushing the small parcel aside.

Jackie followed Stuart in, seating herself beside Rob on the sofa and, smiling all around said,

'Okay dig in, it's not often you get me to cook so make the most of it.'

'Oh, almost forgot.' Robbie said, dragged a bottle of red from his coat pocket.

He carried it through to the kitchen where the sound of a squeaking cork could be heard before he returned with four wine glasses which he passed around, filling each glass as he went. He paused briefly before Michael, eyebrow raised in question,

'Mike?'

'Aye, just a half please Rob, I'll need a clear head tonight.' Michael replied, holding his glass up to receive the wine.

They ate in companionable silence, broken only by the occasional comment on the food, the wine and the light teasing about Jackie's culinary skills.

After the meal Robbie grabbed the two parcels and motioned Michael to follow him through to the bedroom. In the bedroom Robbie stripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a lightweight flexible vest and what looked like a normal baseball cap, just slightly bigger than normal.

'Bulletproof.' Robbie said, offering the vest to Michael to try on. 'You'll need to strip off, it's supposed to be worn next to the skin.'

'What's with the cap?' Michael asked.

'Pick it up, you'll see.'

Michael reached over and picked the cap up from the bed where Robbie had dropped it. He was surprised at the weight. Turning it over in his hands he realized that it too was lined with bulletproof material, hence the weight.

'You expect me to wear this as well? It'll give me a massive headache just from the weight of it!' Michael exclaimed.

'So will a bullet in the brain. You'll wear it whether you like it or not. This guy's into headshots and this is the best option we could come up with. You don't have any say in this Mike, if you want to leave this flat to see Ian you're wearing it, okay?'

'Okay, okay, I give in.' Michael raised his hands in mock surrender.

He dropped the cap back on the bed and, lowering the vest to the floor he dragged his shirt over his head.

'Jesus Michael!' The exclamation burst from Robbie. He stared in horror at the crisscross of ugly scars and welts that showed all too clearly on Michael's torso. Michael glanced down, frowning at the scars.

'Oh sorry, forget sometimes. Pretty ugly aren't they? Guess that's what happens when ten tonnes of concrete fall on you and you live to tell the tale.' Michael's tone of voice seemed to make light of it but the underlying trauma of being the only one to survive horrific injuries such as these seeped through.

'Mike' Robbie seemed to struggle for words to express what he felt, 'Shit...words seem so inadequate, but I'm sorry Mike, sorry about Shelley,' Michael flinched at that name, 'sorry about Ian, sorry about the whole damn thing.'

'I know Rob…and I'm sorry about Jackie.' Michael replied.

Robbie stared at him, not really sure if he understood what Michael meant.

'Look, now's not the time or place. Later, when we get back from the hospital maybe we can thrash this out. There are things you need to understand Rob, things I need to explain, okay?' Michael locked eyes with him, stressing that Robbie had no choice either.

'I don't think I need any explanations, the truth is plain enough from where I'm standing.'

Robbie hunched his shoulder slightly, that small physical withdrawal he made when he didn't agree with someone but knew he had probably lost the argument.

'No Rob, you don't understand…don't argue now,' As Rob opened his mouth to reply Michael cut him off. 'Look let's just get on with this and the rest will take care of itself.' Michael lifted the vest and opened the fastenings.

Robbie stepped forward to help ease the vest on, trying not to stare at the scars, the mismatch of healing, new and old skin. All he could think was that if this man, his friend, had survived all of the these injuries, the loss of his wife and child and now the added loss of his younger brother, he Robbie was not going to add to that by fighting over Jackie. She had made her choice and he would live with it, somehow.

Just after midnight a call came through from Burke advising that all was ready for the trip to the hospital and that a car was on the way. Michael had been fidgeting with the vest all evening and had flatly refused to try on the cap even though Jackie had made a joke of it. But as they rose to leave Robbie picked up the cap and held it out to Michael. Michael stared first at the cap then at Robbie.

'No cap, no hospital. Which is it?' Robbie ground out, his tone of voice leaving no room for argument.

Michael took the cap, weighing it in his hands then, pushing his longer than usual hair back with his other hand fitted the cap on. His accompanying grimace told everyone what he thought of this precaution but he didn't say a word. Earlier Robbie had also passed out handguns to both Jackie and Stuart. When Michael had put his hand out Robbie had simply shaken his head and mouthed 'No way.'

From the front door they walked quickly to the waiting car, forming a wedge around Michael with other plainclothes officers standing around the car scanning the street for any signs of life. Michael was thrust into the back seat bracketed by Rob and Stuart. Stuart had out maneuvered Jackie and had forced her into the front seat where both he and Rob felt she would be a fraction safer in the event of an attempt at a killing shot.

The trip to the infirmary was quickly accomplished with only one car following, Burke had considered that a motorcade might attract undesirable attention.

Through the back entrance, up two flights of stairs and down a short corridor brought the group to a private room in the Oncology ward where Ian was being cared for. Robbie and Stuart stopped at the door leaving Michael, with Jackie just behind him, to walk quietly to Ian's bedside. A figure detached itself from the shadows in the corner of the room bringing both Rob and Stuart rushing in, weapons drawn. Michael's hand flew up, signaling them back.

Superintendent Wallace stepped into the light,

'Hello Michael, I knew it was just a matter of time before you showed up here. It was really quite rude of you to dash off like that without telling us. Caused quite a few problems for us. Spencer was really in quite a state for a few days.' Wallace drawled quietly, his clipped upper-class English accent betraying just a hint of anger.

'What did you expect? You wouldn't have agreed to me coming here once you knew Dreyfus was still alive, so I had no choice.' Michael's voice hardened, 'Besides, it's drawn Dreyfus out of hiding or haven't you heard?'

'Yes, I've heard. I had a full briefing with DCI Burke this morning. Some of my team are now assisting in his inquiries into the look-alike murders.'

'Michael?' An anguished whisper came from the bed.

'Get out Wallace, get out now. We can argue the rights and wrongs later.' Michael snapped out, already moving forward to the bedside to take the hand being held out to him.

Michael stayed for two hours at Ian's bedside, no one else was privy to their conversion, not even Jackie. There was little movement around them, other patients stirring briefly, night staff attending to their needs. A nurse came into the room about an hour after they had arrived carrying a kidney dish with a syringe and swab in it. She was allowed through, having been checked by officers outside and then by Jackie. The needle was Ian's pain medication. The nurse administered the dose and spoke briefly to Michael hinting that Ian would probably drift off to sleep once the contents of the needle hit.

For the next hour Ian wandered in and out of consciousness sometimes speaking sometimes simply holding Michael's hand, no words between them.

Just after 2.00 a.m. Robbie came into the room,

'Mike, we really need to go soon.'

'I know, I know, just five more minutes okay?' Michael whispered, his voice breaking under the strain.

Robbie backed out of the room, looked at Jackie and motioned that she should go in,

'He's gonna need you, he has to walk away and he'll need your help.'

Jackie stood there, tears welling in her eyes. She nodded understanding that she had to somehow help Michael through this next crisis, help him survive yet again.

As she walked up to the bed Michael rose still holding Ian's hand. With his other hand he gently brushed the errant strand of blonde hair that had fallen across Ian's brow.

'Family trait.' He whispered. He leant down and dropped a tender kiss on that brow, then stroked the fine light blonde hair, so much like his own, in a final gesture of farewell. He placed Ian's hand gently down on the blanket, letting go with difficulty.

Suddenly he spun around and quickly walked from the room as if he couldn't stand to watch his brother lie there dying any longer. Jackie saw the brief flash of tears coursing down his cheeks before he brushed them angrily away.

Moving even faster he caught the rest of them flat-footed and headed off down the corridor, passing Wallace without a word or gesture.

Down the hall an orderly was pushing an empty bed, slowly negotiating the obstacles along the corridor. Michael drew level with the orderly just as a jogging Robbie caught up with him reaching for his shoulder in an effort to slow him down. Looking up Michael locked eyes with the orderly.

'Dreyfus!' Michael hissed just as the gun came out from under the bedclothes and took aim at his chest. Robbie, seeing the gun aimed at Michael, kept going, cannoning into him and knocking him off his feet. The gun went off, the sound shatteringly loud in the confines of the hospital. Robbie dropped to the floor coming to rest on top of Michael. Michael struggled to get out from under him, to get to his feet and get after Dreyfus when suddenly he realised that Robbie wasn't moving, wasn't trying to get up and chase Dreyfus.

Grabbing Robbie to shake him, thinking he may have been winded by the fall his hands came away covered in blood. Robbie's blood. Robbie had taken the bullet meant for him.

'Oh god, no Robbie, no.'

Michael moaned, rolling Robbie over and clasping him to his own chest as if somehow he could hold him tight enough to force life back into Robbie with the strength of his hold. Jackie and Stuart skidded to a halt both dropping to their knees beside Michael.

'Michael, let go, let me look at him.' Jackie begged.

But Michael seemed lost to reason, holding Robbie in his arms, rocking backwards and forwards like a father cradling a dying child.

Suddenly Robbie coughed and groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

'Michael, he's alive. For god's sake he's alive, let go so we can see where he's hurt.' Jackie was practically screaming at Michael, trying to get through the blanket of his anguish and self blame.

Doctors and nurses began arriving from everywhere. Stuart managed to pry Michael's arms lose, taking him in a hold similar to how he had been holding Robbie, hoping to somehow cushion the crushing blow if Robbie was dying.

A doctor tore Robbie's shirt open and revealed a bulletproof vest like Michael's. The vest was covered in blood so it had to be coming from somewhere. Ripping the vest fastenings away he eased the vest off and revealed a shallow bullet scar up the inside of the arm and entry hole high on the ribs going in under the arm. The blood was oozing slowly from the wound now but more bright blood was welling from Robbie's mouth.

'Must have penetrated the lung. Well he's not dead yet. Get that bed over here now. You, you and you, help me lift him.'

This was flung at a hard breathing Burke and uniformed police officers who had arrived at the run and were now crowding around. Between them they lifted Rob onto the bed and moving quickly the doctor headed for the lift to take him to emergency. Burke and three armed uniformed officers remained on guard, scanning the corridor for any further threat.

Jackie turned back to Michael, still sitting on the floor held gently in Stuart's arms.

'Help me get him up.' She asked Stuart.

Together they drew Michael to his feet, supporting him on both sides. She held his face between her hands, forcing him to look at her,

'Michael, listen to me, he's still alive. They've taken him to emergency, he'll be okay. Michael are you listening to me, he'll be okay.'

Please let him be okay she prayed silently knowing that Michael couldn't take one more death on his hands. His still fragile psyche had fallen apart again at the thought of losing Robbie, being the cause of the death of another person so close to him.

As Jackie stared into Michael's eyes willing him to hear what she was saying she saw some degree of recognition and sanity return. He shuddered and straightening, shrugged off their lose hold.

'I'm okay.' He said. 'Where's Robbie, where've they taken him.'

'They've taken him to emergency, he's alive Michael.' Jackie touched his arm to emphasise her point.

Jackie watched as the façade of control slipped across Michael's face. The look in his eyes gave him away though, that haunted, hunted look he had had after Shelley's death. Jackie prayed that his tenuous grip on sanity would hold.

Burke stepped up and getting Michael's attention snapped,

'Where's Wallace, we need to get the hospital sealed off, not let Dreyfus escape this time.'

Michael nodded, still slightly dazed by events and not thinking too clearly.

'Jackie, go to him, stay with him and make sure he's okay.' He said pushing her gently towards the lift and signaling for one of the armed officers to take her. With some reluctance Jackie responded to the pressure of the hand on her arm leading her away, Michael gestured her away again, his eyes begging her to go and be with Robbie.

Wallace came pacing up the corridor, out of breath and an angry flush in his cheeks.

'We lost him.' He raised his hand to stave off any comments. 'He had his escape route planned well. At least the hospital is locked down now, no one can get in or out without my say so. I told you this sort of thing would happen if you went it alone.' His anger now boiled over and was directed straight at Michael.

'Shove it Wallace, I've got more important things to worry about than your ego.' Michael ground out between clenched teeth.

'Now look Michael, I've just about had enough of your …' Wallace was suddenly flattened against the corridor wall, Michael's hands around his throat, his grip none to light.

'I said shove it Graham, I don't give a shit about you or any of your bloody problems. My friend is downstairs maybe dying because you couldn't do your job right in the first place so don't come whining at me that you've had enough. You have no idea what enough is.' He roughly released Wallace and swung around to Burke,

'I'm going down to the emergency room now and check on Robbie. Stuart, stay here and watch Ian. I don't want him left alone.' Michael snapped out, the DCI Jardine tone of command well and truly in place.

He glanced back at Wallace,

'I'm sorry, but just don't push me any further, you may not like the consequences.' Michael headed for the lift, the armed uniform officers flanking him, Wallace trailing behind massaging his throat.

In the emergency room there was no sign of Robbie or Jackie. Michael collared the first doctor and asked what was happening.

'They've taken him to surgery to remove the bullet. The vest partially deflected the bullet and apart from a minor tear in the right lung there are no other major complications. He'll be fine.' The doctor smiled reassuringly,

'Look why don't you go back up to the second floor? They can contact you up there when he gets out of theatre. We can arrange a room for him on that floor so you don't have to move around too much.' The doctor glanced at Wallace who nodded in confirmation.

Michael suddenly sagged against the wall the relief of knowing Rob was okay washing over him. Straightening he pushed off from the wall and headed back to the lift.

Back on the second floor Michael quickly looked in on Ian, still sleeping or perhaps unconscious. Coming back out he came face to face with Jackie.

'Robbie?'

'Out of theatre, he should be up here soon Michael, he's okay.' Jackie said, the relief in her face and voice evidence of her stretched emotions.

Michael drew in a deep jagged breath at the release of pressure, knowing Robbie was going to be okay.

'Jackie love, can you give me a minute with Superintendent Wallace….please.' He took her hand, stroking his thumb across the back of it. Jackie looked at him seeing the shadows in his eyes, knowing that he was planning something and he wasn't going to let her in on it. Fear for him sharpened her response,

'No, I'm staying, whatever you have to say to him, you can say in front of me.'

'Please Jackie ….don't fight me on this.' Michael begged. Jackie continued to stare at him knowing that she should stand her ground. Then suddenly she gave in, accepting his request. She shrugged and walked away down the corridor.

Jackie watched from the door of Ian's hospital room as Michael and Graham Wallace, still standing in the corridor, spoke quietly and at times heatedly for ten minutes or more. During their conversation she noticed that both men at times glanced in her direction. Her anger grew at being excluded from something that obviously involved her. She began to pace the corridor, waiting for signs that they were finished. Then Wallace raised both hands in a token of submission, shook his head, and walked quickly away. Michael walked back towards her, head down, obviously lost in thought. As he came closer she saw he had drawn into himself, the shutters went up in his eyes, his face closed to all emotion. She had seen that look so many times, 'he's hurting and he won't let the world see it' she thought.

Straightening up he stopped, coming face to face with her.

'So are you going to tell me what that was all about?' She queried, a sharp edge to the question.

'No.' Was the simple answer.

She bristled, but before she could retaliate and tell him just what she thought of his secrets he slid his arms around her waist and kissed her.

'No, I'm not going to tell you…so stop trying to bully me into it.' He paused, 'Have I told you how sexy you are when you're angry?' He whispered, smiling into her eyes. The sudden change of mood nearly threw her,

'Oh no, you're not sliding out of this argument Michael Jardine. What the hell are you up to?' She rasped out, her anger and frustration nearly boiling over.

Still holding her lightly he continued to smile at her, one eyebrow raised as if querying why her anger was directed at him. Then leaning forward slowly he brushed a tender light kiss across her mouth, down her jaw to the hollow of her throat, kissed the pulse beating there, once again marveling that this drew an immediate response in her pulse rate, then back to her mouth where he breathed,

'Nothing…nothing you or anyone can change. Besides, this is more important than arguing.'

With that he captured her mouth completely and deepened the kiss, tongue exploring, demanding a response from her. For a moment she didn't and wouldn't respond. Then, her senses responding of their own volition, she answered the question his mouth was asking. Time seemed to stand still, they were lost to their surroundings, not noticing the glances and smiles of Stuart and the armed police, the look of concern from Burke, they simply remained locked in each other arms, kissing, hands gently caressing.

The sound of lift doors opening, other voices and the clatter of a hospital bed exiting the lift brought them back to reality. Not releasing her immediately Michael looked deep into her eyes,

'I will love you always, remember that.' He whispered for her ears only.

Reluctantly letting go of her he walked away towards the approaching bed.

Robbie lay on the bed, bandages across his chest and upper arm. He was conscious but his face showed signs of the pain and the effects of the physical shock he had suffered. Michael took possession of one of his hands and holding it walked with the bed into the empty room prepared for him, Jackie and Stuart not far behind. He stayed there simply holding Robbie's hand and not speaking while the doctor and nurse hooked up the monitors. When they seemed satisfied Michael simply said,

'Leave us please. Everyone.' His look included Jackie and Stuart. Jackie made as if to object,

'Stuart, would you please look after Jackie for me, a coffee or something?' The voice was DCI Jardine again, not one you argued with.

Jackie looked long and hard at him, then nodded, as if saying 'Okay just this once I'll do what you ask.' She walked out of the room with Stuart in close attendance. Burke went to walk into the room, wanting to check on Robbie but Stuart putting his arm out restrained his senior officer, talking quietly and subtly moving him away from the room.

'Rob? You okay to listen? We need to have that talk right now, time's running out.'

Michael dragged a chair to the bedside and sat down still not releasing his hold on Robbie's hand.

'Mike? I'm sorry, should have spotted him sooner. Did they catch him?' Robbie's voice was shallow, his breathing a little laboured. He reached up and pulled the oxygen mask off, throwing it aside.

Michael grabbed his other hand and brought it back to rest on the bed.

'Robbie, don't talk just listen okay? I have to go soon. Dreyfus got away. It's no longer your problem. Your problem is out in the corridor and as suspicious as hell.' Michael replied.

'Rob, I won't be coming back. This time I have no choice. Ian will die soon, very soon according to the doctors and I've made my peace with him. Now I need to make my peace with you.'

Michael glanced to the corridor aware that Jackie's eyes had never left his face even from that distance.

Looking back he tighten his grasp on Robbie's hand.

'I know you love her as much as I do. So now you have the chance to prove it. I'm gone, out of here forever and neither you nor I can change that if either of us or Jackie and maybe even Stuart are to survive this mess.'

Robbie tried to break in but Michael went on,

'Just for once in your bloody life Robbie Ross will you shut up and listen. I will not be back and wherever I go Jackie can't come with me for both our sakes. I will not be responsible for the deaths of any more people I love. From now on she's yours and…she knows it. In her heart she knows it. She knows I love her, she knows I can't take her with me and ….she knows that if she is too survive this she needs to love someone else and, be loved back and that someone had better be you because I'm not giving her up to just anyone, got it?'

Robbie squeezed Michael's hand tears welling in his eyes as he tried to express what he felt for this man, his friend.

'Look at it this way, a life for a life. You gave me your life today, so I'm giving you one back, Jackie's and you better not cock it up okay?' Michael smiled to take the sting out of his words.

They remained like that, hands clasped in friendship, work mates and friends, good friends, joined by a common love for the same woman.

Wallace appeared in the door.

'I have to go. Robbie? Love her…take care of her…take care of yourself.' Michael gripped Robbie's hand tighter between both of his and looking into his eyes he smiled his farewell.

Coming out of the room he nodded to Wallace and moved across to speak to Burke.

'Thank you Matt. Thank you for being there and not asking too many questions. They were and are a great team. Make sure you look after them, all of them.'

Glancing from Jackie to Robbie he smiled at the nod of understanding from Burke,

'Goodbye.'

Michael put his hand out and Burke took it in firm grasp.

'Goodbye Detective Chief Inspector Jardine. You've been a hard act to follow.'

Burke dropped Michael's hand and stepped away knowing what was coming next and not really wanting to witness what he knew was going to be a difficult scene.

Michael turned to Jackie, her mouth already forming a silent 'No.'

He moved to stand in front of her and taking he face in his hands he leant forward and brushed a butterfly light kiss on her mouth.

'Yes.' He whispered. 'He loves you, you love him. I love you both, always will. Make that love last a lifetime okay? That's an order Inspector.'

Once more he brushed a kiss on her lips, and drawing her head down he kissed her brow,

'I love you…forever.' He whispered again.

Turning he moved quickly away unwilling to even look at her again, knowing his resolve to leave couldn't weaken. Glancing at Wallace and Stuart he motioned them to join him and they headed off to the lift, not looking back. Jackie looked at the retreating back, her eyes wide, mouth open. For a moment, she couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. She watched that blonde head turn a fraction, just for a moment, and then look forward. Suddenly she was angrier than she'd ever been.

'Don't you dare walk away from me again Michael Jardine!' She ground out, her voice throbbing with anger.

He faltered, then stopped. Wallace stopped beside him. Wallace half turned glancing between Jackie and Michael.

'I've loved you from the first day I met you! I can't recall a day I didn't think about you, didn't hear your voice or see your smile. Alive or dead, Michael Jardine, I still loved you! Don't walk away again, don't do this to me again…..please!' Her voice dropping to a begging plea. She struggled for breath as her emotions threatened to shatter what little control she had left, taking a deep breath she practically screamed at him.

'How dare you decide my future? Who the hell do you think you are?'

Michael remained still, then slowly turning to face her but never meeting her eyes he spoke, his tone of voice brutal, knowing he had to cut her down now and end it.

'There is no future…with me. I cannot and will not allow anyone to sacrifice themselves for my mistakes, not again. There has to be an end to it and it ends…now.' The finality of that last word caused Jackie to flinch as if struck.

Turning back he walked away to the lift. Wallace followed slowly still glancing at Jackie, waiting for an explosion.

Jackie remained frozen for a moment then realizing that he was really leaving she broke and made to follow him. Burke stepped in front of her, restraining her gently.

'Let him go Jackie, you know you have to.' Burke's voice was gentle, understanding. 'Right now you have someone in that room who needs you just as much, maybe more.'

Jackie stared at Burke, at first not comprehending anything other than Michael had left her, rejected her for her own good.

'You stupid selfish bastard Michael Jardine, do you think I want a future if you're not in it.' She whispered.

As she sagged against the wall, the fight gone out of her, Burke slipped an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. Turning he led her into the hospital room, to Robbie.

Downstairs cars were waiting, engines running, armed officers surrounding them scanning the hospital courtyard for potential threats. Wallace got into the first car, signaling officers to get Michael into the second. Michael paused briefly and turned to Stuart.

'Goodbye Stuart. I know you'll look after both of them and keep them on the straight and narrow.'

Then realizing that his choice of words was somehow not really appropriate for Stuart his cheeky smile broke through and was glad to see the answering grin in Stuart's face as he too saw the funny side of the whole thing.

'You're a good police officer Stuart and you've been a good friend. Take care eh?'

'Sir? It's been an honour. Good luck.' A brief handshake that turned into an even briefer hug and Michael slid into the back seat of the second car and was immediately flanked by plainclothes officers.

The last sight Stuart had of his friend and former boss was a hand waving through the back window then the cars swung out of sight. Silence descended on the hospital courtyard only to be broken again by the distant wail of an ambulance siren. Life goes on.

End