Disclaimer: New tricks doesn't belong to me, and neither do any of the characters, more's the pity.

This is set a while after "war on drugs."

Missing Dog

Beep! Sandra could hear the annoying tone through the fog of sleep. Beep! There it was again, she tried to place the noise, but her half conscious brain wasn't co-operating. Beeeep, beep, beep, beeep. Her door buzzer! She finally managed to compute, she brushed the sleep mussed hair out of her face and checked the clock. Two am on Saturday morning! Who the hell would be at her door at this time. She rubbed her face to try and clear her thoughts, of course she only knew of four people who would possibly be there. First would be her Mother, who wouldn't be at all bothered by intruding on her well deserved sleep, but she had spoken to her Mum earlier that evening and had already arranged to go and visit her at Whitemead on Sunday.

That only left her three 'boys', of which it could be any or more likely all, as they all knew she really didn't like being woken up, especially at the weekend.

Beep!

"They're obviously not going away, whoever it is." The sleepy voice of the warm body, spooned behind her, with his arm drapped over her stomach observed.

She sighed and pressed the intercom button.

"What?" She answered grumpily. Robert sighed and rolled onto his back.

"It's me, Gerry. Jack's here too." She felt the body beside her tense, her team had no idea that she and the boss had become an item.

"Why? it's bloody two in the morning."

"It's Esther, she's frantic. Brian went out to walk Scampi, he's not come home. She's afraid something's happened to him, or that he might have had a relapse." She suddenly became more alert.

"How long has he been gone?" She felt her heart sink.

"He went out just before nine. If he has gone back onto the drink, we've got to get him sorted before that bastard in charge finds out, he's just looking for an excuse to sack Brian."

"Could you let us in? The weather's filthy out here." Jack interupted.

"Oh sorry!" She pushed the button to open the outer door, before turning towards the 'bastard' in question. "He doesn't mean it you know." She smiled sadly at him.

"Yes he does, they can't stand me, that's why we've kept this a secret." He ran his hand through his sleep mussed hair, she usually found it very endearing, but at this moment all she could feel was dread that the fragile bond between them was about to be ripped apart. He pushed the covers back, getting out of bed. "We had better make ourselves decent, they'll be knocking on the door any second." He stated, pulling on his boxers. She nodded, pushing herself out of the cooling sheets.

"You go and put some coffee on, I'll let them in." She wrapped her dressing gown around her and went to open the door, Robert followed and went to the kitchenette, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of him padding around her flat in nothing but his shorts. Just then the expected knock at the door interupted her thoughts. She unbolted it and pulled it open, admitting the two soggy men. They stood and shook their coats out the water splashing on the floor.

"Sorry." Jack grunted. He looked up to see Gerry glaring daggers past Sandra, he looked past her and spotted their nemesis in her kitchen in his underware. Jack looked at Sandra, his face turning stern. "Are we interupting? Didn't know you liked to bring your work home."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Gerry almost shouted. Sandra closed her eyes, she knew Rob would be able to hear them. "Brian needs us, but he won't stand a chance now, that wanker will boot him out on his arse."

"Guys, please not now. What's important is that we find Brian." She saw Robert finish the coffee and head back to the bedroom. "Please." She was practically begging.

"Are you out of your mind?" Gerry was beyond hearing her, "of all the blokes in the world, you choose that one to f..."

"Gerry!" Jack interupted before his collegue could dig his own grave. "We'll deal with it later, right now there are more important things going on."

Sandra felt torn, she knew they were feeling betrayed, as far as they were concerned, Robert was the enemy. But she had seen the private side of the man, and had fallen head over heels for him. He could be funny, and playful and he wasn't afraid of showing his affection, at the same time he could be vulnerable, and she knew he had been so lonely, for most of his life. The boys all thought he was from a rich, upper class family, born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, and it was an image he had been able to keep up since becoming an adult . She had believed the same thing not so long ago, but she now knew the truth wasn't so perfect.

"I'll get dressed, there's coffee on the side." She whispered, following Rob into the bedroom. As she entered, she could see him silhouetted against the window. He had put his jeans on, but was now looking out at the driving rain. She knew he was hurt, Gerry and Jack could have no idea what affect their reaction would have on the man in front of her, she came up behind him and ran her hand down his back. She felt him tense slightly before he turned to her and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a fierce embrace, she put her arms behind his back and rested her head on his shoulder. "It'll be ok." She whispered. He nodded silghtly, but she could tell he didn't believe her.

"Come on. We need to help find Brian." He said quietly, pulling away. She nodded and they both got dressed in silence.

Gerry and Jack stood in Sandra's little kitchen, sipping at the hot coffee, waiting for their boss to return.

"What the bloody hell is she playing at?" Gerry muttered.

"You've been married, you know how long it takes for a woman to get dressed."

"That's not what I mean and you know it. Why 'im of all people? I mean where do we stand?"

"In her kitchen in the wee hours drinking her coffee." Jack replied dryly, "Look, I know where your coming from buts let's concentrate on finding Brian, the rest can be dealt with when he's safe." Jack paused, "He makes a bloody good cup of coffee though."

"Yeah, I'll give 'im that. Maybe it's just the sex."

"Maybe." They lapsed into silence.

It wasn't many minutes before Sandra appeared, dressed and ready to go, followed by Robert. She picked up her phone and dialled Brian's home number. It had only rung a couple of times before a very stressed Esther answered. Sandra put the phone on speaker so they could all hear.

"Sandra, have you heard anything from Brian? Gerry and Jack are out looking for him."

"They're here now, we're going to help look for him. Do you know where he would have gone? Where does he normally walk Scampi in the evening."

"It depends, on a wet night like this he would have just gone round the block a few times."

"Gerry said he went out before nine?" Robert interupted.

"Yes, it was about twenty to." Replied a puzzled Esther. "Who's that?"

"It wasn't raining then, it was a nice summer evening, about an hour of daylight left, it didn't start raining until past nine. Where might he have gone then?"

"The park! Of course, he loves to let Scampi have a run in the evening, he normally goes out about eight but was a bit late this evening, the rain must have taken him by surprise, he'll have gone to the park. But why isn't he back?"

"Esther, could he have been tempted?" Sandra knew they were all thinking the same thing. "Maybe met up with an old friend or something."

"That's what's worrying me, but if he has he needn't worry about getting sacked because I'll bloody kill him myself." Sandra smiled at the older woman's ire, though she could hear the real fear behind the anger.

"Don't worry, we'll find him. You stay there in case he comes back." She hung up and turned to her boys. "Right. Where have you been so far?"

"We've driven all round his neighbourhood, and checked in the pubs along the way, nothing." Jack answered.

"Even if he had gone into a pub, they would have turfed him out by now, and from what I know of Brian, he wouldn't have taken Scampi into a bar anyway. We should check the park. In this weather, and with no light it would be easy to get turned around in the woodland areas." Robert grabbed his jacket.

"Here." Sandra took a torch out of the cupboard under the sink. "Do you have any lights?" She asked. Jack shook his head.

"The one in my car is out of batteries." Gerry admitted, "I don't suppose you've got any AAs?"

"There are some in my car. I have a torch as well." Robert grabbed his keys from the side and led the way out of the door.

"Of course you do, regular boy scout." Gerry muttered. Sandra glared at him as she shut her door.

Sandra and Rob got into his mercedes, and Gerry and Jack followed in the stag, they soon reached the park. it was completely deserted, not surprising considering the time and the foul weather. They parked up and all got out, Rob handed Gerry a new pack of batteries, he muttered a quiet thankyou and set about getting his torch working.

"So, do we have a plan of action?" Jack asked.

"I'm not going into those woods." Gerry stated. Robert looked at Sandra puzzled.

"Dendrophobia. Fear of trees." She explained.

"Oh, ok, well why don't Jack and I take the woodland, you and Gerry check round the public areas, you never know he may have taken shelter from the rain somewhere and lost track of time."

"Ok. Come on Gerry. Call if you find anything." She pulled her hood up around her face, and gave him a smile. He gave a shy smile back and set off in the opposite direction, Jack trailed behind. Sandra took a breath and turned to Gerry. "Well, arn't you going to ask."

"Ask what?" He replied grouchily.

"You've been biting your tongue so hard I imagine you'll need a blood transfusion by now." She tried to lighten the mood.

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you been seeing him? And why didn't you say something?"

"It started just after that bitch Christy Berlin cut her claws on him. He came to see me that evening, after he let the cat out of the bag about my Dad, he wanted to appologise for insulting me, for using UCOS, for causing any trouble. He had no idea I didn't know my Father killed himself, and he realised he'd been taken for a ride by that cow. She chucked him as soon as she got the result she wanted. We talked a bit, drank some wine..."

"And ended up shagging each other?" Gerry added, lighting up his cigarette.

"Gerry! No, not then. He had drunk too much to drive, and spent the night on my couch. The next day he took me out for lunch. We became friends Gerry. I got to know a very different person to the one we see at work."

"So when did it become serious?"

"You remember the Michael Austin case? Actor shot on stage?" Gerry nodded. "It was my birthday, remember? Well Rob did. He booked a table for dinner, was going to surprise me."

"But James jumped in front." Gerry interupted, remembering the disasterous date Sandra had told them about.

"Yeah, it really hurt him. He didn't blame me or anything, but I knew he was upset. I went to see him after we left the pub."

"Then you ended up shagging." Gerry finished for her.

"Yes Gerry. That was when our relationship got serious."

"So why keep it secret from us? You've had three months to say something." Gerry's tone was accusing. Sandra knew she had hurt his feelings.

"I tried, so many times. But then something would happen to stop me. We agreed early on that nothing could change at work, we both had to continue to do our jobs to the best of our abilities. But as time went on, I know it hurt him, keeping us secret, I think he feels I'm ashamed of him or something, which I am not by the way."

"Is that why he's been particularly hard to get on with?"

"I think he was trying too hard. The time never seemed right, then the longer we stayed secret, the worse I felt for keeping you in the dark." She stopped and faced him. "Gerry. I never wanted to lie to you or the others, or hide things from you, but what I have with Rob makes me happy, and I want it to work." She pleaded with him, "Please try to understand, and keep an open mind. Please." Gerry smiled at her.

"I can't stay angry at you, you know that. Let's just find that daft northerner, then we'll see what happens."

Across the other side of the park, Jack and Robert made their way through the dripping trees, the rain was still pouring down and the ground under foot was starting to resemble the Somme. They trudged on in silence for a while, Robert shining the torch in wide arcs, trying to pick out any sign of Brian or Scampi amongst the brambles and ever thickening trees.

"Why do I get the impression that we drew the short straw." Jack grumbled. Robert let out a small chuckle.

"There was no way I was going to ask Sandra to come this way, and with Gerry being afraid of trees, that just left thee and me."

"Fair enough."

"Afraid of trees? Where does that come from? I thought the only thing that scared Gerry was paperwork."

"And commitment." Jack added. "I don't know, it goes back to when he was a boy, he won't tell us." Jack reguarded the the younger man's back, "you had better not be playing games with her." Robert stopped. He had been waiting for something like this since they had got out of Sandra's earshot.

"No games. I love her, always have." He almost whispered, the older man had to strain to hear him over the noise of the rain in the trees.

"Even when you were married?" Jack didn't like the sound of that, if this man had ended his marriage over an obsession with Sandra, how could he be sure it wouldn't happen again. Robert nodded softly.

"From the moment I met her. My marriage was all but over then anyway, We only stayed together because the children were small. Kaye already had husband number two lined up. He's richer, better connected and works from home, all the things I wasn't. All I could give her was my love, but that just wasn't enough." Robert couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice.

"I can't see that, I mean your not exactly poor are you, big house, boat and all that."

"Now maybe, but not when I met Kaye. I didn't have two beans to rub together. I worked every hour God sent, fought my way up the promotional ladder and sold my soul to the political animals to try and make her happy. Didn't work though, nothing was good enough. That's one of the reasons I love Sandra, she doesn't expect me to be anything other than myself." He started walking again.

Jack was a little bit in shock, he han never in a million years expected Robert Strickland of all people to be so open with him.

"Why didn't you want us to know?" He asked the question which really bothered him. He heard Robert sigh up ahead.

"Sandra wanted to tell you all when the time was right. I suppose the time was never right. I can see her point of view, I mean she's incredible, she could have any man she wants, I'm not exactly catch of the century, it would probably be a bit embarrasing for her for everybody to know about us."

"What on earth do you mean by that?" Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing, this wasn't the DAC Strickland he was used to.

"Jack. I'm not stupid, or deaf. I hear the names you all call me, I know what people think of me. Upper class ponce, just interested furthering my own career at the expense of others. All round tosser. Good old Bob, the politicians friend, God I hate it when they call me Bob." He stopped walking again and turned to face the older man. "I know we will never last, she'll get fed up with me, just like everybody else has, but for however long she wants me around, I will do everything in my power to make her happy, and I'll treasure every moment. No games, not ever." He continued on his way, Jack needed to ask him a question, but he had suddenly become afraid of the answer.

"What will you do? If we can't accept this relationship, I mean Brian still doesn't know, and what about your superiors, what if they decide to make yours and Sandra's life difficult.?"

"Then I'll walk away." Robert's answer was immediate and sure. Jack sighed, he had been afraid of this answer. "There's a thousand of me, she would soon forget me and move on. You're her family, you, Gerry, and Brian. If she lost you, it would hurt her far more."

"You really think that, that she would just move on?" Jack was starting to get angry, did this idiot really think Sandra would be so mercenary.

"Of course, I'm very easy to forget. Even my children have moved on, they call Henry 'Dad' now, at least they don't need to change their surname so people don't know he's not their real father."

"What do you mean?"

"Henry's my older brother." At that point Jack was hit by a realisation, Robert Strickland wasn't being melodramatic, or playing at being a martyr. He truly believed in what he was saying. Jack felt a hollow in his stomach, this man had been damaged sometime in the past, he wondered if Sandra had any idea what she was taking on. One thing he knew, Robert was underestimating Sandra.

"Sandra won't, she's stronger than that. If she truly cares for you she'll fight tooth and nail." He saw a sudden change in Robert's stance, his shoulders dipped and his head dropped. "What? For goodness sakes man, what's wrong?" Robert stopped. He leaned forward and put his hands on his knees. Jack put a hand on his back.

"She won't tell me Jack, I tell her all the time that I love her, but she won't tell me. I don't need an undying declaration of love, I don't want promises, they're worthless anyway. I just need to know she feels something, anything."

"Who did this to you?"

"What?" Robert looked at him confused.

"Who convinced you that you're not worth the effort."

"Lessons learned over a lifetime Jack, even my Mother gave up on me."

"How old were you?" Jack asked. Robert shrugged.

"Don't know. It's all I can remember." He straightened up. "I'm just one of those boring people, blending into the back ground. I think that's why I became a policeman. At least others have to pretend to respect me."

"You've hidded it well."

"Practise. Can I stop baring my soul now? I'm wet and miserable and we've still got to find Brian." Jack chuckled.

"I'm with you on that one. But we havn't finished this conversation."

They continued for another twenty minutes, it was coming up for four am, the sky was starting to show signs of getting lighter, despite the persistant rain. Suddenly Robert put his hand on Jack's sleeve.

"Do you hear that?" He whispered. Jack strained to hear, then he did hear it, whimpering. "This way!" They ran towards the sound, a small shed stood in a patch of trees, Jack knew this place, sometimes school parties came to the woodland and they used this area for camping. The shed was used for storing belongings. The whimpering was coming from the inside. They ran to the door, which was fastened by a wooden drop bolt. Jack undid the bolt and opened the door, suddenly a blur of brown and white shot past them and cocked his leg up the nearest tree. Jack was certain the springer spaniel looked relieved. Robert shone his torch inside, there in the corner, head pillowed on a rolled up tent was Brian, snoring softly. He started to wake as the light shone in his face.

"Wha.. Who's there?"

"Brian. Thank god, you've had us worried." Robert helped the man to his feet.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jack demanded.

"Here." Brian replied as though it was obvious. "It started to rain, so me and Scampi came in here to see if it would dry up. But the door locked on us."

"Why the hell didn't you phone?" Jack was spitting needles now.

"Me battery's gone flat. Why what time is it."

"It's four oclock in the bloody morning, we've been trudging around in the rain all sodding night looking for you!"

"Four! Bloody hell! Esther's gonna kill me."

"There's a que!" Jack glared at him. Robert went outside, he gathered up Scampi's lead and pulled his mobile out of his pocket, he dialled Sandra's number. She answered on the second ring.

"Hello, Sandra. We've found him."

"Thank God! Is he ok?"

"He's fine for now, took shelter from the rain in a shed and got locked in. He was asleep when we found him."

"WHAT! We've been trudging around in the wet, while he was tucked up all cosy, I'm going to kill him."

"I think you're third in line behind Jack and Esther." He chuckled. "Why don't you call Esther then head back. We'll meet you at Brian's"

"Ok, see you soon." He hung up. They started trudging back to the car.

"It's a bit wet and muddy, has it been raining like this all night?" Brian asked.

"Yes." Was all Jack said.

As they walked, Robert was out in front with Scampi, Jack and Brian fell behind slightly. Brian nudged Jack's arm.

"So what's he doing here?"

"He was at Sandra's when we went to get her to help us look for you."

"Why, is it a new case."

"No, not unless he's in the habit of delivering a briefing in his briefs."

"Eh!"

"He was walking aroung her flat in his boxers, Sandra was only wearing her dressing gown. I think we interupted them."

"Bloody Hell!"

"Sssshhh."

"But I mean, Sandra and Strickers. How long have they been at it? Why didn't she say something. I mean what's she playing at? This affects us all, what happens if..."

"I'm not deaf you know." The man in front called back. 'Later' Jack mouthed to Brian.

They finally made it back to the car, Brian eyed the sparkling mercedes m-class, then looked down at the muddy, wet springer, slobbering up at him.

"Maybe we had better walk." He said.

"No way! I'm not letting you out of my sight until you are delivered safely home." Robert argued, opening the tailgate and encouraging the dog to jump in. "We have a work experience lad in the car pool next week, I'll give him the car to valet."

"That'll be an experience all right, 'welcome to work experience, here's the bosses car, don't break anything'. Poor kid will be a nervous wreck." Jack laughed.

"It will be fine, if he does a good job, I'll pay him on the quiet."

"Isn't that against the rules?" Brian queried.

"He can't be paid for working in the police car pool. This isn't a police car."

"Perhaps I'll get mine in." Jack wondered, "It could do with a good clean."

They all piled in Robert's car and he drove them back to Brian's in silence. As they pulled up out front, the front door opened and Esther appeared, her face a mix of fury and relief.

"Brian George Lane, I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you!" She said, coming to meet them.

"I'd prefer the first. Sorry love, I didn't mean to worry anyone."

"I know, you never do. Oh look at the state of Scampi, get him into the utility room, then go and get dry." She ushered Brian away then turned to the other two men. "Oh, you two are even wetter than Sandra and Gerry, I didn't think that was possible, come on lets get you dry before you catch your death, I'll get some towels, go straight through to the kitchen." She went back inside, leaving the door open for the men. Jack started up the path before noticing the younger man wasn't following, he turned back and reguarded his boss, who looked anything but at the moment, his hair was plastered against his head, unruly strands falling across his face, his clothes soaked through, mud up to his knees, he looked more like a schoolboy who had been caught doing something he shouldn't, and his face showed a nervousness that Jack had never seen on this man before. He knew what was bothering him.

"Come on, it's no good trying to get away, Esther can be a force of nature, don't struggle and she won't hurt you." He joked. Rob smiled and started up the path. Jack knew the man felt as though he was walking into the lion's den, this would be the first time he would have to face them all together.

They went into the hallway, and shut the door. Robert stopped and took his incredibly muddy shoes off, Jack followed suit and they made their way to the kitchen where Esther was waiting with towels.

"Oh goodness, look at the state of you, lets get you out of those soaked things. Jack, here's some trousers and a shirt. They were bought for Brian at christmas by my sister, but she got a size too small, so they should do you untill I can get your stuff clean and dry. Here's a towel, go and use the shower, warm yourself up." Jack nodded and went upstairs. She turned to Robert and frowned, "You might be more of a problem. You're taller than Brian, but much skinnier..."

"I'll be fine, I'll just go home and get changed." He assured her.

"Nonsense, I'm not about to let you spend another second like that after you've spent most of the night looking for my idiot husband, here, just put the towel around you for now, I think Mark left some things here last time he stayed, he's a bit shorter than you, but about the same build."

"Honestly! I'll be ok..." He tried to reasure her retreating back as she went back upstairs.

"It's no good. You've been adopted. There's no point struggling." He turned to the sound of the voice from the door. Sandra stood smiling at him, he momentarily lost the ability to reason, she was wearing a huge white dress shirt which hung just low enough to cover her blushes, a pair if light blue lycra shorts and a thick pair of woollen socks. Her hair had obviously been washed and left to dry, it hung around her face, crinkling slightly. She noticed him staring at her strange outfit. "Sexy huh!" She quipped.

"You have no idea." He croaked.

"Seriously!" She laughed. "If I had known this was all it would take to impress you, I wouldn't have bothered with all those hours of getting beautified for your benefit." He walked over to her and cupped her face with his hands. His touch was featherlight.

"You're always beautiful to me, no matter what you're wearing." He whispered. She put her hands on his chest.

"And you're soaked." She pulled back, smiling, "Get out of this stuff, Jack won't take long and then you can get warmed up in the shower, Esther is going to cook a full breakfast, there's no escape." She new he was uncomfortable, she helped him shrug his soaked jacket off his shoulders and pull the equally wet shirt over his head. She wrapped her arms round his shoulders, he returned the embrace. "I've spoken to Gerry, he's not thrilled about us, but he's willing to keep an open mind. Jack seemed ok. Just relax, It'll be ok." She leaned in and kissed him lightly. He smiled against her lips and pulled back.

"If I've got to take my trousers off, then we need to stop that." He grinned. She laughed. He stripped down and wrapped the towel around his waist. Sandra retrieved his wallet and phone, before taking his clothes through to the utility room, as she came back in, Esther returned to the kitchen.

"I've put Rob's stuff in the machine, so as soon as Jack's stuff comes down it can be turned on."

"It's here." Esther handed the wet clothes over and Sandra dissapeared again. "I found these, Mark used them to go jogging, he left them in the wash, I've had them in the airing cupboard ever since." She handed Rob a pair of cut off joggers and a t-shirt. "The shirt might be a bit snug on the shoulders, but Brian's would hang off you. I really must cut down on his cakes and biscuits." Robert couldn't help but smile. They heard Jack coming down the stairs, he went straight into the lounge where Gerry was watching telly. Sandra came back into the kitchen.

"It's all washing. The coats are hung up drying. Scampi is flat out in his bed." She told Esther.

"Thank you." She looked at Robert who was still standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing nothing but a towel, looking awkward. "Why don't you get yourself in the shower, it's the first door at the top of the stairs," Esther ushered him out of the kitchen, "You don't have to stand on ceremony here, luv." She watched as he went up the stairs then turned to Sandra. "It's been a long time since I had a body like that in my kitchen, makes you realise how much Brian's let himself go." She winked. Sandra blushed, but couldn't help laughing.

"I'm a very lucky girl." She looked down at the floor, a sadness crept over her.

"What's wrong?" Esther saw the change in the younger woman's mood.

"I'm scared I'm going to lose him. I didn't tell anyone about us, I was scared of their reactions, and now they've found out like this... Oh Esther, he's been so hurt by just about everybody who were supposed to care for him. He always thinks of everybody else before himself. If the boys don't accept him, he'll leave, and I don't want that. But I don't know what to do." She had tears rolling down her face now.

"Do you love him?" Came a voice from the door. Jack stood leaning against the door frame.

"Are they all right in there?" Esther asked him.

"Dead to the world. Light weights." He gruffed. He fixed Sandra with a look which she knew from the past meant he meant to sort this out. "I'll ask again, and I want an honest answer, do you love him?"

"Yes. Yes of course I do. Would I be in this many pieces if I didn't?"

"Then you need to tell him, because he doesn't know that." He saw her frown. "I've just spent three hours walking through wet woodland with that man, and I have seen a side to him I never knew existed. I found this out. That man is not used to being loved unconditionally. He is expecting you to choose us over him, he thinks you're embarrased to be seen with him, but he doesn't blame you, he thinks that is just how it should be. He has been dumped on by just about every person in his life. You need to make sure your not one of them." He stopped as she stared at him, a horrified look on her face.

"I'm not embarrased of him, I never wanted to hide him. I just wanted to protect him from the gossip. Oh God, he really thinks I'm ashamed of what we have?" The tears rolled down her face freely now, he gathered her in his arms.

"I know that. Now you have to tell him."

Esther watched the scene unfold in front of her, she watched as Sandra pulled away from Jack and wiped her eyes on the tissue he held out to her.

"Sandra love, can I ask you something?" Sandra nodded. "Were you two together when Brian went into rehab?" Sandra nodded again. "So when I told you the union was only paying for half of Brian's treatment, and the other half was coming from an anonymous source, that was you?" Again Sandra nodded.

"And Robert." She whispered. "He wanted Brian back on the team as much as anyone." She sighed. "He didn't want anyone to know. It couldn't get out that he was supporting one particular employee, he had to be seen to be impartial. If he had been found out there would have had to be an enquiry."

"Which would probably resulted in Brian being sacked, and Robert re-asigned." Jack finished. He knew how the internal politics of the upper ranks of the force worked. Any sign of weakness, and you were yesterday's news. Sandra nodded again.

"He's a good man Jack. And he deserves to be happy. And I want to be the one to make him happy."

"Then go up there and make him happy." Jack said, then realised how that had sounded as the two women both raised their eyebrows. "You know full well what I mean." He scowled, shaking his head.

"Jack, why don't you go and catch forty winks with the others. I'm going to get some breakfast sorted, It's nearly six o/clock, I had the chance to doze while you were all out searching." Jack nodded and went to make himself comfy in the lounge. Esther turned to Sandra. "Go on up. Tell him what you need him to know. The door on the right of the landing is the spare room, it's all made up. Get some sleep, you must both be exhausted. I'll come and get you in a couple of hours. I'll make sure no-one disturbs you." Sandra hugged the older woman then went upstairs. She could hear the sound of the shower. She tapped lightly on the door, but there was no answer, so she opened it quietly and slipped inside, shutting it again behind her. She just watched Robert for a while, he was standing motionless in the shower, his hands braced against the wall, his head hung down, he was letting the water run down his shoulders and back. She wondered how somebody who had so much going for him had so little self esteem. He must have sensed her because he lifted his head and smiled at her. She smiled back. He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, Sandra picked up the towel and handed it to him. She watched as he rubbed himself dry, then slipped into the short joggers and T-shirt. She wrapped her arms around his middle and put her head on his shoulder. He curled his arms around her in a protective embrace and kissed the top of her head.

"What's this about. Are you alright?" He asked worried. She nodded against his chest, he put a hand under her chin and lifted her head so he could see her face. She had tears rolling down her cheeks. "Hey, what's happened?"

"You really thought I was embarrased by you?" She whispered. He closed his eyes. "I could never be embarrased or ashamed of you, you're incredible and I can't wait for the day I can enter one of the police functions, dressed to the nines, on your arm. I'll be the proudest woman there. I just didn't want people to gossip about you. I'm so sorry. I Love you." His eyes snapped open at the last three words. He looked into her eyes and saw the love in them. It took his breath away. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her, she returned the kiss with the whole of her being. He eventually pulled back.

"What about the team?" He asked.

"They'll get used to it. They'll have to, I'm not giving you up." She kissed him again. She drew away and took his hand. "Esther suggests we get some sleep. The boys are all flat out downstairs, she said we can crash in the spare room for a couple of hours." She led him to the room Esther had indecated, she took off the socks and shorts before slipping under the covers, he stripped off the tight shirt before spooning up behind her. They soon fell into a deep sleep.

A couple of hours later, Brian, Gerry and Jack clustered around the table as Esther served up a full english breakfast. Even a freshly bathed Scampi had a serving.

"What about Sandra?" Gerry asked.

"And Robert." Jack added. He'd told the others certain snippets of what he had found out that morning, and he had convinced them to give Strickland a chance, for Sandra's sake.

"I'll go and wake them." Esther said. She crept upstairs, and tapped lightly at the door to the spare room. She couldn't hear anything so she opened the door a crack and peeped in, her heart melted as she spotted the couple curled up together, fitting so perfectly with each other. They were both sound asleep, and looking so comfortable, Esther just couldn't bring herself to disturb them. She crept over to the window and closed the curtains, before tiptoeing back out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

When she got back to the kitchen, the men there looked at her with puzzled expressions.

"I'll put some up for them. They can eat later." She told them. "Let them be for now."

End?

This was supposed to be a short little one shot, but it got out of hand. It seems to want an epilogue, let me know what you think.