Disclaimer I do not own New Tricks. It is owned by the BBC and Wall2Wall productions. No copyright infringement intended.

Sibling Rivalry

Sandra sat at her desk staring in to space. It had been a quiet week for UCOS and for once she was pleased that they hadn't been dragging up old and very cold cases. There had been a few difficult cases recently and she knew that the team needed time to recover. Hell, she needed time to recover. Sighing she walked to the office door.

"Brian, what are you doing?" She watched as he sat at his desk. His cycle helmet still on.

"Oh nowt to worry about Sandra. Just tidying up a few loose ends" She watched as he pressed a few buttons. "Sandra you're a woman" She rolled her eyes.

"Last time I checked. Why?" She was never quite sure where Brian was going with his lines of thought. He was certainly a genius but it was a fine line between genius and insanity where her friend was concerned and she wondered this time where he was standing on that line.

"It's mine and Esther's wedding anniversary on the weekend. Come Sunday Esther and I will have been married for forty years" He smiled as Gerry walked in the room.

"Poor Esther, she could have killed you and got out in less" Brian scowled as Jack laughed.

"Congratulations Brian" Jack smiled as he took his jacket off.

"What are you getting at Brian?" Sandra ignored her colleagues but couldn't help the smirk at Gerry's comment.

"I want to do something. You know special. Family stuff. Just don't know what" He shrugged as Gerry rolled his eyes.

"You really are a useless twonk you know" Gerry laughed as Brian began to look even more offended. "Get on to your Mark, see if he can come up and bring that fiancé of his. Have a party. A marriage that long is something to be proud of" Gerry watched as Brian nodded.

"A party" He smiled as though it was the best idea he had heard. "What do you think Sandra?" He turned as his boss stepped back slightly.

"Oh" She looked at the floor "Don't ask me about families" She turned and closed the door to her office before settling down and getting out the paperwork she had been trying to avoid for so long. She didn't see Jack and Gerry stare at each other before Gerry turned and started telling Brian what an idiot he was for upsetting their boss.

"I didn't upset her. She's probably got work to do" Brian insisted as Jack shook his head.

"Yes, she probably has. We all have. But Brian, you know how much Sandra hates anything to do with family. You know she only found out about her brother last year and her and her mother have never exactly been close. No husband, no children, no real relations apart from a half brother she rarely sees and a hypercritical mother. Did it ever occur to you she might be a little lonely? For Gods sake Brian" Jack shook his head again.

"He's right mate. But a party is a brilliant idea. I'm sure Esther will love it" Gerry smiled as Brian finally remembered he had his cycle helmet on and began tugging at the straps.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandra stared at her telephone. She had been meaning to ring Tom since she had turned up on his doorstep after the case with the fake psychic. She sighed. It was ridiculous. She knew she wanted to talk to her brother but just couldn't get her head around the fact she only had a brother because her dad had committed adultery. She sighed. It wasn't as if she had always been so unforgiving. But it was her dad. In her eyes he had always been perfect. But then there came the revelations that he had not died of a heart attack, but had committed suicide after internal investigations had started investigating him. After Jack's team had found out he was a corrupt police officer. She still cried about it, but never in front of her mum and certainly not in front of her boys. That would be unthinkable. She shook her head angrily as she thought about the man she believed to be her father and the man he actually was. It had been easy to idolise him as a child. He was the reason she had joined the force but the man she had found him to be was a sharp contrast to her recollection of him.

"Oh Dad. Why did you do it?" She covered her face with her hands as she fought the tears. It wasn't for the first time that day that she had been on the verge of tears. The office door opened as she looked up.

"Not now Gerry" She sighed. The older detective watched for a moment before ignoring her completely and taking a seat opposite her desk.

"He didn't mean it. Brian. He didn't mean to upset you" He watched as she nodded.

"I'm ok Gerry. Really" She smiled as he raised his eyebrows.

"Good. In that case I think you should know something" He waited as she finally met his eyes.

"Oh God" She sighed "What have you done this time?" The resignation in her tone made him smile.

"Not me Sandra" He watched as she narrowed her eyes. "Tom is in reception."

"My brother Tom?" Sandra heard her own words and they sounded alien, even to her.

"The one and only. Wants to talk to you. Says he has a case" He watched as she straightened her red jacket and pushed her blonde hair behind her ears before standing and walking out of the office. Gerry was dumbfounded at the speed of her actions.

"If he thinks he can just waltz in here and drop another bombshell on us he has got another thing coming" She yelled over her shoulder as Jack and Brian watched as Gerry tried to keep up with her.

authors note. Shall I continue?