5 More Minutes

"Sandra why are we doing this?" Brian sighed as she handed him yet another box from the evidence store at the back of their office and wobbled on the step ladder as she grabbed the shelf to stead herself.

"Because I'm sick of adding things to this store and never taking anything out of it! It's not supposed to be a permanent storage solution it's supposed to be were we're meant to keep things until we're finished with them then take then back to the central evidence unit!"

"We know guv but why are we doing it today? Are we getting a royal visit or something you're not telling me about?" Gerry sighed as Brian handed him yet another box which he passed to Jack in the makeshift conveyor belt they had going on.

"Sandra they're both right surely there's something more useful we could be doing today than this!" Jack snapped setting the box down on the table and crowding round the door of the store room as Gerry and Brian joined him.

"Look you three we've finished our current case and if we start another one now we'll have nowhere to put the files until we go to court! Now last time I checked I was still in charge in this office!" Sandra shouted turning on the ladder to face them about to open her mouth to continue her rant when the ladder wobbled again and she tried to grab a shelf for support instead bringing two boxes away in her hand as the ladder fell and took her with it the loud crash as she hit the floor being the last thing she heard.

"Sandra!" Brian shouted as he, Jack and Gerry rushed forward moving the boxes that had fallen with her.

"Shit get something to put under her head! Quickly!" Gerry said quietly as Jack and Brian both left the store in search of what he'd asked for and he knelt down beside her. "Sandra, Sandra come on wake up, are you ok speak to me."

"Do you think we should call an ambulance? I mean if she's hit her head maybe it's serious she should have ….."Brian called from the other side of the room as his words were interrupted by a quiet groan from Sandra.

"Gerry?" She murmured as he put the rolled up jacket Jack had handed him under her head.

"Yes I'm here are you ok?"

"5 More minutes baby I'm so tired they won't miss us if we're a few minutes late, just 5 more minutes." Sandra said quietly lacing her fingers with his and squeezing gently as his eyes shot to where Jack and Brian were bot staring at him from the door.

"I think she's fine give her 5 more minutes Gerry." Jack smiled raising an amused eyebrow at him.

"Well, well." Brian laughed as Sandra started to stir realising her hand was still in Gerry's and pulling it away quickly.

"I think it's a bit late for that sweetheart." He smiled as she glanced from one of them to the other gently rubbing the back of her head.

"So you two are…..well for want of a better word, together are you?" Jack smiled as Sandra looked angrily at Gerry. "Don't look at him Superintendent Pullman he didn't let the cat out of the bag you did."

"Don't be stupid I haven't…"

"5 more minutes baby I'm so tired they won't miss us if we're a few minutes late, just 5 more minutes." Brian interrupted as her eyes met Gerry's and he nodded staring at the floor.

"Shit!" Sandra muttered her eyes widening as Brian pulled a twenty pound note from his wallet and handed it to Jack!" You knew!"

"Of course we knew, well I did Brian as I'm sure you've guessed didn't believe it."

"How did you….."

"I'm a detective Sandra you may have thought you were very discrete but we're all trained observers remember. To be honest working with you two has always been a bit like spending your days dodging flying hormones but the last few months it's been ridiculous. If I'd had to put up with many more days of supposedly covert glances and little touches you thought no one was seeing I was getting to the stage where I was going to tell you two to stop trying to pretend nothing was going on and give us all a break."

"Look it's not that we didn't want to tell you both it's just….."

"Complicated!" Sandra finished smiling at Gerry as he helped her to her feet.

"Yeah well let's go for lunch and you can explain all that then the drinks are on me….." Jack smiled.

"You mean me!" Brian replied shaking his head as they all grabbed their coats.

"Well maybe next time I tell you something you'll believe me." Jack laughed as they let the office and the paperwork behind.