Disclaimer I do not own Law and Order UK. All copyright belongs to Kudos, ITV and Dick Wolf. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. Slight, blink and you miss it cross over with Scott & Bailey.

A Shoulder to Cry On?

Natalie stared into space, hardly able to believe what had happened. It seemed unreal, but she knew Ronnie had been right. Her father had been capable of killing a man. Her self opinionated, loud mouth, loving dad had killed a man. It may have been under provocation, it may have been manslaughter by means of diminished responsibility but her dear old dad had taken another man's life. Then he had lied about it. Even when the rest of the world knew he was lying. She closed her eyes for a moment as familiar footsteps approached her.

"Guv."

"Ronnie, I've been suspended." She looked up. "On Gardening Leave they said. Until they work out what is most appropriate. Apparently being the DCI of MIU isn't the done thing when your dad is a convicted killer." She rolled her eyes, knowing what her friend Jill would say. "I might go away for a bit. The boys are away at uni and with the school."

"Natalie."

"I could. Wes, has enough of my workload already to cover for me and the powers that be have wanted me gone for a while."

"Natalie." Ronnie touched her hand, bringing her back to the present. "You need to go home."

"Yeah." She sighed, "Ron, my dad is in prison."

"I know." He sighed. "I know luv."

"He killed someone. He killed a crook but he took a man's life." Natalie paused. "I thought I knew him. I thought I knew my Dad."

"Natalie, come on." He ushered her out of the foyer of the Old Bailey and down the steps to a taxi Matt had called for him earlier. He frowned as he watched his friend, his normally stoic and sensible boss fall apart in front of him. Quietly he gave the taxi driver Natalie's address before squeezing her hand as she fell silent.

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"That was tough." Wes sighed as he walked out of the court. Kate and Jake glanced at the floor in front of them.

"What will happen to Natalie?" Kate asked, aware that Matt and Joe were just a few feet away talking to James and Alesha.

"How do you mean?" Wes frowned. "I know she's been on leave while the investigation was ongoing but it's over now."

"Don't be naive." Jake sighed. "You know what Kate is asking. What will happen to her career now she is a daughter of a convicted criminal?" Wes shrugged his shoulders.

"She has the best track record than the rest of us put together." Wes stated. "All I know is her job is safe. She took time out to look after her mum and had to take leave because of the trial but I dunno. The powers at be do not need a unfair or constructive dismissal on the books. She's too good a copper to let her go." Kate smiled slightly as she fell into step beside both men.

"Yeah, anyway I think Ronnie will look after her." Jake raised an eyebrow as Wes smirked,

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"You don't have to stay." Natalie sighed as she threw her purse on the kitchen table. "And you should have let me pay for the taxi."

"Don't be daft." Ronnie shrugged, watching as his friend went through the motions of making them coffee.

"You still got your sweet jar in the office?"

"Yeah."

"You till stopping the younger ones pinching one?"

"Sugar is bad for them. Too late for me, but Matt and Joe are obsessed with health and fitness so I am saving them from themselves. Anyway, eating sweets is bad for them. What sort of example is that to set young Cameron?" Ronnie smiled as Natalie looked up from the fridge. She blinked heavily as Ronnie realised what he had said. In a second Ronnie was at her side, wrapping her in his arms as she cried.

"Me and my big mouth." He whispered as she cried. "You will be ok. You and your boys will be fine." He rubbed soothing circles on her back as she cried. He felt Natalie nod against his shirt.

"Yeah." She pulled back. "Oh God, Ronnie I am sorry. Look at your shirt."

"It's fine. It'll wash." She smiled as he rested his hands on her shoulders. "Your dad will need you to be ok. He's going to be stuck in there for a while yet."

"He's 78. He was given fifteen years. Fifteen! He'll die in prison." Natalie covered her face with both hands. "He may as well have been sentenced to death."

"Natalie." Ronnie took her hands away from her face. "Listen to me."

"No." She shrugged his hands away angrily. "No, he killed a man. He deserved to be found guilty. He deserved to go to prison. But fifteen years. He may be out in eight. If he's still alive. Good God." She shook her head. "My Dad."

"C'mon." Ronnie pulled her into his arms once more, letting her cry into his shirt once more. "Let it out luv. Av a good cry." He kissed her hair as she stilled in his arms. Moments later she was looking into his eyes. He was so close to her, his guv, his oldest friend that he couldn't stop himself. It was taking advantage, he knew it but he couldn't help it. Moments later her lips were on his and he didn't have the will power or heart to stop her.

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A/N One more chapter I think then back to The New Boy. Please let me know what you think.