DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp
She woke up lying next to him; his hair, eyes, mouth and his voice just made her melt. She knew before she got to know him that he would have an effect on her. The main attraction started a few days before. She was sitting in the canteen drinking tea with Yvonne and Kerry, "So?" Andrea Asked Kerry
"So what?" Andrea and Yvonne exchanged glances.
"Well what happened between you and Cameron? What did you say to each other, or do?" Kerry giggled
"How did I know that this would come up sooner or later. Huh?" She placed her empty mug on the saucer, "We just talked about the future, then after a while – when it got late we went to bed... Nothing happened! We just held each other, that's all. You two happy now?" Yvonne raised her eyebrows at Andrea.
"So how about you Andrea, who's in your sites... Please don't tell me it's that DS Hunter." Andrea smiled: timidly, she knew that this question would come up one day. She looked up towards the trouble-some twins, "Well there is someone, but I really doubt he feels the same, he hardly even talks to me." Kerry smiled, "Well girl you gotta' work your charm on him, be in his face. Do things to get his attention, but don't show yourself up!" She looked around; "I better be off! I'll see you two later"
"See you later Kerry!" Yvonne added, just before she walked out of the door.
"How come you never told me about the-man-who-doesn't-notice-you? I'm with you nearly every day! You have to tell me. Go on!" Andrea glanced around the room, and moved closer to Yvonne's ear.
"PC Dunbar... PC Hemmingway. How long are your refs?" Superintendent Okaro stood behind them. Andrea picked up her tea and made herself towards the tray rack. Yvonne followed, as soon as they where out of earshot they started talking about the Super. "What's his problem, wish I had a nice heated office... Then I could act like a spoilt brat too!" Yvonne and Andrea continued to giggle about men and life for a while, they were both on the beat today. The Super Adam Okaro wanted the public to see the officers instead of hearing their sirens.
Yvonne asked Andrea all though the shift about the man she nearly got to hear. Andrea was strong and wouldn't budge. "Come on! I won't tell anyone..." Andrea was walking next to hear, every now – and – then she would glance down an ally or in a shop front. To hear Yvonne saying she won't spill the beans made her laugh. One of the main reasons that most of the secrets round the station was out was because of Yvonne. "All right I'll give you three clues, and if you get them all you will know who I fancy then? But if you don't I'm not going to tell you!" Yvonne sighed
"Well if I have to bring my detective skills into this – then I will!" Andrea continued to walk along the High Street.
"Number one – No matter what the situation – he is rarely in panic." Yvonne grimaced.
"Right, so he's as cool as a cucumber! Got it, next..." Andrea looked in deep thought, she knew she had to make them hard so Yvonne wouldn't get them.
"Number two – He likes tea with milk and two sugars..." Yvonne stopped
"Oh great how is that going to help..." Andrea stopped and looked back.
"Let me finish!" She continued striding down the street Yvonne followed, "He likes tea, especially made by his Colleges." Andrea glanced at Yvonne, searching her facial expressions for thoughts.
"Right, so he's a lazy Git – Got it, now please make the last one a bit easier."
"I will... When I think of one!" She Watched Yvonne,
"Great. Now I can't get the last easy one! Until you think of it – how long is it going to take you? and how long is it going to take me? – and I don't know who it is!" Andrea laughed. "You will – soon."
They continued walking for three streets; they passed shops, roads and drivers with roadrage. Soon enough they were coming up towards the river. They loved the streets buy the river – it was quiet. Nothing happened by the river, well not the top end of Sunhill turf. Yvonne continued pestering Andrea about Mr. Mystery Lover. Andrea enjoyed the strain she was putting of Yvonne knowledge of her colleges.
While they were walking a woman ran towards them – out of breath and panicking. It rose the immediate attention of PC's Dunbar and Hemmingway.
"Help, you gotta' elp, there's a baby. A baby in the water, this way now!" Yvonne grabbed her, and tried to ensure her to stay calm.
"Tell me again – but slower." Andrea and Yvonne started to get worried as the woman's story progressed.
"There's a baby in a wheely bin in the river! A man put it in there; I didn't think anything of it – until I heard crying. You gotta' go and help. I can't swim!"
"Andrea and Yvonne sprinted in the direction the frantic woman pointed in. Andrea ran faster on ahead while Yvonne radioed in for an ambulance and explained the situation to CAD. Andrea arrived at the scene and straight away saw the slowly sinking wheely bin. Yvonne was on her way, but she was far behind – and Andrea didn't want to waste precious time, so she took of her belt, hat, tie and boots. Then slowly dipped herself into the water. As soon as she was deep enough she swam out towards the upside down bin. She dived under the water and came back up of the water inside the wheely bin, the baby was floating on a cardboard box. Which wouldn't last long in the river. She had to think. And fast. She dived back under the water and swim out to the river bank.
"Yvonne. The baby it lying on a sheet of cardboard that's nearly sunk, we need to act fast. I can't get the baby out unless I take it, under water – but it might drown. So I'm going to move it closer to the bank, get some people to help pick it up. Now!" Yvonne nodded and gathered some people passing and briefly explained the situation.
Andrea was under the bin next to the baby – who was still crying. Andrea tried talking to it, trying to stop the tears – it was distracting her. She held against the side of the bin and pushed with her feet as propellers. Slowly it was working. She didn't know when to stop so she just carried on. Until she could move any further. She could hear shouts from the outside and thought that she was near the banks. She held the baby close to her and soon enough the bin lifted of them both. Andrea looked up and thanked the Lord she could she the daylight. Kerry took the baby of her, and honey called Yvonne to help get Andrea out.
Everything was a blur. What just happened? The woman, the bin and the baby. Maybe just maybe she was a copper. She saw the flashing lights of the ambulance and the baby being passed to the Paramedics. Kerry offered to go with it and Honey got Andrea a blanket. "Here, put this on it'll warm you up. I put your things in the car. If you like I can drive you to the hospital?"
"No it's alright – thanks, I just want to get back out there. Yvonne will take me back to the station. Did you hear the call then?" Honey leaded Andrea towards the car and opened the passenger door. Kerry and me were nearby so we thought that you'd need help. Well done by the way – Quick thinking. I better get back, Yvonne won't be long, she's just thanking the people who helped. See you later." Andrea looked up with her soaked though jet black hair.
"Alright, thanks Honey" Honey smiled and made her way to her car.
"You ready, hero?" Yvonne walked over to Andrea, "I mean if your not signing autographs!" They laughed.
"Come lets get back, I need dry clothes"
When they arrived back at the station some of the relief congratulated Andrea on her rescue. Cameron was walking with Tony, they see a saturated Andrea and stop to talk.
"I heard about the baby, is it going to be OK? I also heard about you two being hero's...Well done!"
"Yeah, great job!" Tony patted Andrea on the back while Cameron nodded at Yvonne. The girls smiled at each other. "I could get use to this" Andrea sparked, Yvonne sighed
"Get it gracefully while you can – It's not often people are willing to admit that you've done a good job"
Andrea and Yvonne walked down the long corridors, some more sparsely filled than others. Andrea had decided to also take a shower and told Yvonne to wait for her in the computer room – so they could write up their reports. Yvonne agreed.
The warm water pelted from the shower, Andrea loved showers. She was never one for baths – the thought of sitting in dirty water didn't really appeal to her. She ran her soft hands though her hair to enlarge the shampoo into a ball of white foam. When Andrea had shampooed, conditioned and rinsed she rapped a long towel around her and made her way to her locker. The WPC locker room door flung open and three men rushed in, with the third man slamming the door behind him, as they turned around from the door, they witnessed Andrea in nothing but her towel. And in a Mexican wave – fashion they stopped in their tracks. There was a pause no-one knew what to say.
"Wow! Andrea, I... I uh... We are hiding from the Bourgh Commander, she's on the war path looking for us." He wasn't a charmer but his cute looks made Andrea do nothing but smile.
"It's alright Gary, a few seconds earlier you lot would have caught me naked!"
The men looked around at each other in disbelief. "I told you we should have come in here earlier!" The short one said, he was very popular with the relief and he made Andrea laugh.
"Ken! Look guys you can hide in the lady's loos OK, I need to get dressed," She opened her locker and picked up her shirt. Andrea glanced at the men, reading for a signal of understanding. "OK?"
The men nodded, "Sorry to barge in on you like that Andrea, It'll never happen again." Rob said while opening the door to the toilets ajar to see if the coast was clear or not. "Come on guys we can make a run for it from here!" Ken and Gary were reluctant to leave Andrea in her state, but frequent reminders of who was looking for them made them move much faster. "See ya later" Gary added before he disappeared behind the door. Andrea giggled to herself.