AUTHORS NOTE: This is just a boredom buster one shot. We all know that Colin McCredie has been axed from Taggart (heart still breaking!) so I thought I'd write reasons for the loss of my favourite character that are more flamboyant than the one they've given him! After all the years he gave them too...

DISCLAIMER: I only own Ewan and yes the case is shizz but that's not important xD

Exit #1

"You have no right to accuse him of this!" Stuart roared angrily as he burst into his boss' office. Burke looked up from his desk, his hand reaching up to take off his reading glasses as he sighed. He should have been waiting for the moment when Stuart had found out what had happened.

"Stuart..." He started but didn't get much further.

"Why would you accuse Ewan of killing a gay man and even then say its homophobic based!" He shouted not even thinking how he could be saying these things to his boss. Burke knew how surreal it sounded but in the end he stood up.

"Your partner has a background of "gay bashing" as he called it back in his interview. The only reason he didn't get put behind bars then was because the parents of the young gentleman that was nearly killed didn't want anyone to know so they dropped the charges!" Burke held out the file he'd been reading and Stuart stared at it. He shook his head.

"He grew up in a hard time and his parents were homophobic. He did it to cover himself. Now he doesn't care what anyone thinks of him, he's made a name for himself. Even the police fear his name!" He shouted and fell down into a chair, his hand tightening against the file as he read through the details. By the end of the file, tears were falling heavily down his face. "This was a long time ago. He had nothing to do with that kid's murder, Burke." The steel in his voice caused Burke to look up but was too late as he'd already left the office.

How had they been blind? Why had they accused Ewan knowing full well that it was ridiculous for a gay man to be accused of killing another gay man on the grounds of homophobia. It had been solid and only brought up because of Ewan's record. Burke knew through the history of being with both men that Ewan had done things he regretted as a teenage boy so that his brother would be proud of him.

Burke should have thought it out better instead of pushing away one of his detectives. He had known better than to think that Stuart would see the logic behind the arrest. A voice inside his head snapped that had happened because there was no logic behind the reason. He ran his hand over his tired face as he continued thinking of what had happened.

The actual murderer had been found, the motive being a jealous ex-lover that wasn't happy that the boy had moved onto something better and he'd been too cowardly to do it without his ex-lover seeing his face. He'd caved one day and had threatened to shoot himself but thankfully Stuart had made sure that hadn't happened.

"I fucking told you all," the anger in his voice was apparent as he threw the guy, now in handcuffs, towards Robbie. His jaw was clenched and Robbie actually felt worried for Burke because Stuart actually looked as if he wanted to use someone as a punching bag. Everyone knew that Burke would be number one on his list because he'd issued the warrant for Ewan's arrest. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go get my fiancé out of jail and hope he doesn't blame me for this!"

Burke could still remember how bad he'd felt and how desperately he had wanted to apologise but he had failed because every time he had close to picking up the phone or even going round, he had stopped himself. He had more than putting Ewan away on his conscience because during his short stint in the pen, Ewan had been beaten and raped. Ewan hadn't fought back because he had wanted to get out in one piece. He remembered seeing the state of his face all covered in bruises and cuts then there had been the horrible limp that he'd had. When Robbie had tried to help him, Ewan had actually flinched as if he'd felt someone that he'd known as his friend was going to hurt him.

"We need to talk," Burke said to Stuart as he walked into his office. Stuart hadn't bothered to take his coat off and just nodded his head as he moved into the office. "Stuart, we need to apologise for what happened but the evidence pointed towards..."

"What evidence?" Stuart asked calmly. "Come on, I've been a detective long enough to know that you had no evidence apart from the history of homophobic behaviour and that Ewan owned the nightclub. Hell there was nothing link Ewan with the victim and yet he still ended up in jail where he was abused."

"Stuart..."

"No. Nothing you can say can make this better." He said seriously as he looked at Burke. "I used to love my job. I used to know that I was doing something that was keeping the world safe and I was one of the detectives that fought on our side. I have never wanted anything to do with a team that's bent. I thought I had found the perfect family and friends in you guys,"

"And you have Stuart because we do love you and we are grateful for your friendship!" He looked over at him and then Stuart just nodded his head before handing something over to him. Burke looked down at it and then back up at Stuart, "Stuart..." he said staring at him but Stuart just shook his head before turning to leave the office, ignoring the pleas of his name.

Burke picked up what Stuart had handed him and took a deep breath. How the hell did he pass this on? Everyone would be crushed and he knew because he felt it too! He heard Jackie's laughter indicating that his two detectives were back from interrogating their main suspect. He stood up and headed towards the door, his hand running over his tired face. How was he going to handle this?

"Boss, the guy apparently has an ironclad alibi but I'm not buying it. He was too twitchy," Robbie called over as he tried to phone someone. Eventually he gave up and put his phone down on the table. "This is getting silly. Why can't I get through to Stuart's phone?"

"He's probably broken it," Jackie said. "Has he phoned yet and said why he isn't come in yet?" She asked Burke and Burke looked at them. He decided the best plan of action was to be blunt with them.

"I have bad news," he said softly looking over at them. "He came in to see me last night and he handed me his resignation. He's also taking the three week notice off as holiday time which he'd saved up," he said to make them realise that there would no longer be any Stuart in the office. The two detectives stared at him.

"He's just gone like that?"

"He and Ewan decided they needed a new start so they're planning on moving." Burke explained lightly and he was about to continue when Robbie slammed his hand down on the table.

"This is bullshit!" He shouted. "We all agreed that there was no point in arresting Ewan and now we've lost our best friend. I hope the fucking justice system is happy," he walked out of the office, his anger obvious in his hunched shoulders. Jackie just sat on her chair, tears silently falling down her cheeks as she felt a loss.