Takes place a few days after the arrest of Michael Lombardi.

Waverley's office

"Nick you sure about this?" Waverley asks Nick as the sit in her office.

"It's not what I want to do, it's something that I have to do."

"Buchanan are your sure is there anything we can do to make you stay?" Jarvis asks him, this surprises Nick that Jarvis is prepared to do anything to keep him here.

"No Sir right now I need to do this."
"Well I'm not happy to allow you to do a transfer, a secondment yes I would have no issues but a transfer Nick, that's permanent." Comes from Waverley.

"I know but a secondment doesn't guarantee I get something I would like or even enjoy this way I get a choice in where I go what I'm doing, and Sydney they're short Homicide Detectives. This way I get to stay working for homicide just in a different city. Also this way you can get someone in to take over my position as well, it then won't be leaving the team short."

"I wish we could change your mine Buchanan it's going to be a really big loss to us here, as well as the team. We're not going to be able to full your shoes." Comes from Jarvis.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence in my skill level Sir, but it's for the best for me right now."

"Well to be honest Nick, I'm not happy to authorise a transfer I'm going to ring them and see if we can do a secondment. I really do not want to lose you full time Nick, and neither does Jarvis or Wolfe. So we have to find a way around this. A compromise that makes us all happy in this room."

"What about taking some leave Nick?" Comes from Stanley Wolfe. "Gives you some time away from the place, to think and decide really if this is the best thing for you."

"Yes some leave now that is a good idea Stanley. What do you think Nick? Do you think a few weeks leave might be of help?"

"I would prefer more than a few weeks leave Ma'am?"

"That won't be an issue Nick how much time do you want off?"

"Could I ask for three months leave?" He asks unsure if they will grant three months leave hoping they just give him the transfer as he has requested.

"I'm sure we could manger that couldn't we Commander Waverley?" Comes from Jarvis, trying to not let Waverley shorten the leave, they all have a fear Idea of why he's taking leave.

"I'm sure we can since this has come in so soon after your kidnapping we can put you off on stress leave, you will need to see Claudia a few times to correspond with my paper work, but we surely can give you a few months leave on stress factors."

"I've already been seeing her ma'am so that won't be an issue, I thought I would have to see her to be able to return to work so I went on my own."

"Even better Nick. So shell we action this as of now you're on leave. I will get the paperwork sorted out with Claudia, Stanley sort out a temporary replaced to come in and help out the crew. Nick if at any time you need to talk to us please feel free to come and see anyone of us, we do not want to lose you."

"Will do ma'am. And thank you all for your support."

Nick leaves Waverley's offices and collects his gear from his desk before heading home.

Once home he starts packing a few bags of clothes and other items he will need. He goes through his fridge and figures out what he is going to take with him from it and what else he is going to need. Two hours after being at home he receives a phone call from Commander Waverley saying everything is all go and he can go do what he needs but that he will need to touch base with Claudia and work out session times to see her, he also informs the Commander of where he is heading off to in case they need to get in touch with him. Informing her his only form of contact will be his mobile phone. He finishes packing everything up loading up his Ute, as he gets in to his Ute Jen arrives.

"You off somewhere?" She asks as she walks up to him. Noticing the chilli in the back of his Ute.

"Yes I am, Waverley has placed me on leave."
"Oh were you going to tell me?"

"No not really."
"Why?"
"Well after the way things went the other night and the fact you have been avoiding me as much as possible since at work, I thought you were having second thoughts yet again. I can't go through that Jen. One minute on the next off, you won't accept me transferring so this can work so where does that leave us mm? Right back where we were a few months ago. Hiding this from everyone. You said you didn't have the answers that day in my car, and you also said you didn't want to string me along while you tried to figure it all out, how do I know that you are going to stay that all this stuff that has happened with Dane Majors, is the only reason you came back." He takes a moment to gather himself together to give her a moment to speak but nothing comes out of her mouth.

"We need some time apart Jen. You need the time to figure out if this is really what you won't because if it is I'm transferring out, regardless I know what homicide means to you it's all you have ever done, just like me, but the job if staying means I can't have you then I'm leaving well to be honest I'm going to transfer one way or another, I can't stay in the say squad as you Jen, I can't sit beside you and pretend I don't love you, pretend that I don't want you in my bed every night to love, and hold. To wake up to in the morning. I can't be that close but also that far away at the same time. The last few months have proven that too me, I love working there Jen but for me I can't do it any longer. I'm sorry that this is how it has to be, but it's for the best for now. I'm on leave for three months I will be back and forth. So think about it. You know how I feel, how I have always felt about you it's never been a secret Jen and you know that. Anyway I really need to get going otherwise it's going to be late by the time I get where I am going." He pulls her into his chest and hugs her, places a few kisses on the top of her head, before letting go and getting into his Ute and driving off.

Jen stands there watching Nick drive off and out of sight, before locking her car and getting the key for his house, she enters and goes and curls up on his bed and falls to sleep, a restless sleep. Dreams plaguing her all night long.

When Nick got to his Cabin in Kinglake not far from the city, it was quiet enough to feel like you were hours away from the city, but when in fact it was only a short drive back to Melbourne. Having decided that this place would be the best place to go for the time being. Allowing him not too far to travel when he was called upon back at work for anything that Waverley or Claudia thought he should do. He just hope Jen would not follow him up here or come and visit. He really wanted some time alone. He knew how he felt for Jen, he had always felt like that, no matter how many times he tried to tell himself he only fell in love with her because of their job together. But his feelings never went away then her returning only made them stronger, how the team hadn't noticed the little things they did for each other, making drinks, sharing cups of coffee or tea. They hadn't said anything if they had. The only thing about all of this he was sure about was his feelings and that he couldn't stay in Homicide no matter what Jen decided.

He finished bringing everything inside the cabin, before eating and settling down for the night.

Unknown to him was the way Jen was sleeping and where, how she was tossing and turning, waking and then falling back to sleep. He also had a restless night, his dreams plagued with different ways of Jen telling him she couldn't do this.