AUTHORS NOTE: I wanted to use Stuart/Ewan again and this seemed like a wonderful idea. I'd like to point out that this is obviously set straight after Just Another Day (that's right, my first!) and it show s Stuart/ Ewan love! Yahh :)

DISCLAIMER: I only own Ewan, Ralph, Sarah and Denzel!

THE NIGHT AFTER THE CASE WAS CLOSED

"I can't believe it was Denzel," Ewan whispered that night as they laid in his bed, their arms wrapped around each other as they forgot what had happened to them a few days previous. "He was just looking for family and I thought we had given him that."

Stuart pressed his hand against Ewan's chest, his lips pressing a kiss to the spot where his heart was because he could hear how upset he was at the idea that he'd possibly failed at making the young American teen happy. "Ewan, you did everything. You gave him family, a job and love but his spoilt life in America took over." He promised smiling, his hands teasing the fiery red hair.

"His parents didn't love him," Ewan explained. "They just sent him off to different schools with enough prized possessions to make him completely popular. That's not a way to raise children. They need stability, rules and even punishment for doing things wrong." Stuart listened to him sigh as he thought of what he had done wrong. "I thought we'd given him a much needed second chance."

"You and Ralph did everything but Sarah was a temptation that neither of you expected," Stuart said sitting up and running his hands through his own hair as he looked down at the man who too was now sitting up and staring at Stuart in confusion. "You have to stop beating yourself up, Ewan because it doesn't do anything to help you or Ralph. He's now lost his girlfriend, a baby he had thought was his and his brother that he'd just learnt about. He needs you more than ever."

"Denzel needs me too."

"That's correct but there's not much you can do for him while he's inside apart from offer him support and let him know that you'll be there because I hate to break it to you but..." Ewan silenced Stuart by reaching out and kissing him. He knew what the detective had been about to say. Rapists were scum in prison and not only that but Denzel had murdered a pregnant woman in cold blood all because she didn't want him anymore. He was going to be beaten on like nothing but a piece of meat. Stuart ran his hands through Ewan's hair before breaking the kiss.

"I don't want you to say out loud what's going to happen to my cousin, Stuart. It just makes it more scarily real in my mind." He said sadly and Stuart for the first time felt slightly upset that he'd been able to catch the guilty guy because it really was hurting Ewan that this was happening to him.

"I'm sure Denzel will survive. He's a fighter." Ewan laughed as he pressed another kiss to Stuart's lips.

"You're too optimistic but I'm thankful for that," he admitted lying back down and patting the spot beside him. "I'm all cold and need a cuddle to warm up?" Stuart just laughed as he settled down next to him under the covers, his legs tangling with his.

"We think you're a big tough man because...?" his sentence cut off as Ewan just started to tickle him.

ONE WEEK LATER

Denzel sat in the prison cell that he'd been assigned, his cell mate snoring slightly in his sleep. The guy he shared with was a child molester but he'd enjoyed spitting on Denzel when he'd first walked in. He'd killed a small child and that wasn't acceptable even to some of the sickest murderers in the world.

His face was swollen from several beatings, his bottom lip split in three places and his left wrist bone had been stamped on causing it to snap. When Ewan had come to visit and had seen it, he had jokingly mentioned that at least now he had a weapon to protect himself against the people that were beating on him. Denzel had felt ashamed of allowed Ewan to see him in such a state because he knew that his cousin had managed to make people fear him. Other people in the visiting room had literally panicked when they'd watched Ewan walk in!

The bed sheet wrapped around his hands as tears blinded his vision line. He knew that it needed to be done. He needed to save his family's reputation one last time. One simple step and it would all be over.

The material was soft around his neck and when he made the one movement, he felt one tug before blacking out. It was a painless death after a long week of agony. Some people would have called that justice.

THE NEXT MORNING

Stuart sat at his computer desk, the mountain of paper work slowly killing him inside when he saw Ewan storming towards the bull pen followed by uniforms chasing him. Stuart stood up from his desk and moved towards him, "What's wrong?" He asked as he waved the uniforms away from him.

"You bastards put him in there! He was only a boy!" He shouted angrily causing both Jackie and Robbie to stand up from their desks, both fearing that Ewan would strike Stuart because he looked angry as hell. "You should have known that they'd eat him alive and then push him to breaking point!"

"What's happened?" Stuart asked again but at that moment, Burke stepped out of his office with a sombre expression.

"Mr McIntyre, I'd rather you didn't shout at my detectives."

"Detective Burke, I could be doing a lot more than shouting at your detectives. I can promise you that," he pointed out and all four detectives knew that he wasn't messing around.

"Ewan, please tell me what's happened," Stuart pleaded, his hands reaching out to take hold of Ewan's face so that he could make him look at him. It was the first time Stuart had seen Ewan cry over Denzel and he was worried about what Ewan was going to say that had pissed him off.

"Are you saying you don't know already, Stuart?"

"I really don't..." he said flustered before turning to look at Burke who was staring at Stuart, his jaw slightly open as he looked over at him.

"Denzel Stratton committed suicide in the early hours of this morning," he informed the three detectives. Stuart bit his lip gently before turning back to look at Ewan, his own sympathy apparent as he reached out to take hold of him. His pain only increased when Ewan stepped out of reach and just shook his head.

"You're all bastards. You killed my family," he said angrily before turning to walk away. He ignored Stuart's cries of his name, tears falling down his face as he thought of how he should have tried harder to save his cousin.

Stuart's face was also wet with tears as he turned to look at Robbie and Jackie, his arms wrapping around his chest protectively. How could it be that he found someone he truly loved over a murder case and over the same case, he lost the person that he loved the most. Both Robbie and Jackie moved towards him, their arms wrapping around him as they uttered comforting words even though they both knew that neither would help.

THAT NIGHT

A knock at Stuart's door caused him to stare at the clock in confusion. No one would come knocking at three am? It was an ungodly hour to be awake unless you were having problems sleeping like he was. He debated ignoring it but the knocks became more aggressive and more persistent so he decided that answering it would be the best option before his neighbours complained. He threw open the door and stared at Ewan.

"Tell me you love me." Ewan whispered softly and Stuart just stared at him.

"Are you drunk?" He asked seriously causing Ewan to smile slightly as he moved into the apartment, pushing past Stuart was surprised that he had just walked in.

"I sure as hell wish I was because I'd be a lot braver to be stood here with you admitting that I love you." Ewan admitted truthfully once Stuart had closed the door and turned back to look at him, his eyebrows raised as he listened to what he was saying.

"Are you kidding me?" Stuart demanded. "You were in my office this morning call me a bastard because I had apparently killed your cousin and now all of a sudden you love me yet you're claiming not to be drunk?"

Ewan moved towards him, his hands trapping his face as he made him look at him. The same action Stuart had done to him this morning but Stuart remained standing in front of him, his gaze locked with Ewan's. "This morning I was a jerk and I admit that. I treated you and your friends like shit because I didn't have anyone else to channel my frustration at and I hated myself afterwards it. I was seriously contemplating following Denzel but realised I had so much to live for as long as you love me."

"Is this you saying that if I don't love you you're going to kill yourself because no pressure or anything?" Stuart had tried to sound serious but a smile had broken free as he'd said the words realising that this conversation was unbelievably surreal. He had only known the guy just over a week and yet the conversation seemed like one they needed to share. Ewan smiled at him before starting to laugh.

"I'm not that crazy but if you don't love me then I do believe a little part of me will die inside." He admitted truthfully as he reached over and kissed Stuart. "I know that you and your fellow detectives aren't to blame for what happened to Denzel. He's to blame. He's the idiot that decided to kill Sarah and her unborn child..." He paused as if realising once again for the first time that a member of his family had been able to do that before continuing, "I just wish he had fought it out!"

"Ewan, you told me yourself about the beating that Denzel went through. Maybe it was best that he did go through what he did and ended it that way before someone else..." he stopped talking because he knew that what he wanted to say wasn't something that Ewan wanted to hear.

"Well then maybe his death was for the best and now he's got the happiness that he's always wanted," he smiled softly before looking over at Stuart. "So do you love me?"

Stuart laughed, "there was never a moment where I didn't. You're the one that burst into my office and called me a bastard." He pointed out with a big grin on his face, his hand reaching out to pull Ewan close. "I think this has to be a record."

"What sort of record?"

"How quick a couple can fall in love, argue and then fall back in love again." Stuart laughed pressing a kiss to Ewan's lips, smiling at the laughter that he had killed off with the kiss. He knew now that no matter what hit them, the pair would make it through in the end. Even if it was only week one.