A/N: Okay, so this is the first story I've written for The Bill and firstly, I hope it's alright. Secondly, I don't really has a plot line as such, but I kind of encompass a vague idea of where it's headed. Saying that, it is un-beta'd so all mistakes (beware, there many be many) are mine and for those, I apologise. I don't own The Bill or the characters and I have, no doubt, got pieces of information terrible wrong (police protocols, times of shifts, equipment etc) but Smithy/Stevie are just too good a couple to not write about. IMO, anyway. So here we go! Oh, and sorry about the length, it will get longer I hope. But lastly, read, review and enjoy! x
She ran her fingers gently across her neck and visibly shuddered at the recollections. Never again would she powder the line between following your head and your heart. She'd truly believed he had good in him and although she was right, it didn't ease the pain. It certainly eased the banter at work, but then again, it wasn't as if her colleagues had never been in a similar position before. Putting the past where it belonged - behind her - she finished getting dressed and drove to work.
"Nice bruising," was the first retort Stevie heard, and had it not been him to say it, she was sure she wouldn't have taken it half as well.
"It's all part of the job," Stevie's grin elicited a throaty laugh from her colleague who loosely slung an arm around her shoulders (in a purely platonic way, of course.) "Plus, it adds to the effect."
"The effect?" Smithy raised an eyebrow, a smirk evident behind his eyes. "Care to elaborate?"
"Yeah, you know, the 'hard-as-nails, I'll-kick-your-arse' kind of look. I carry it off rather well, if I do say so myself."
"Right," Smithy laughed, "Hard as nails, eh? Well remember that DC Moss because I'll be putting that to the test."
Stevie rolled her eyes and sharply twisted out of Smithy's arm with one, fluid movement. "Ooh, banter Smithy, banter!" With that, Stevie quickly darted into a nearby interview room and watched as Smithy, unfortunately for him, walked directly into the door in front of him. He looked back at Stevie who peered through the glass in the doors, offering Smithy no sympathy but instead sending a wink in his direction.
The day was fairly bleak in comparison to those of the previous weeks; no murders, no leads to follow, purely catching up on paperwork and the odd moment spent interviewing misguided teens who'd been caught stealing flip flops.
Evening came and Stevie's shift was over. Glad to have finished, she ventured out to her car, paper work in one hand and her keys in the other. Taking a precautionary look around her, Stevie clambered into her car, shut the door and promptly locked herself in. Whilst her attack had, albeit being fairly traumatic, been controlled of sorts, it somehow increased Stevie's wariness and she found her self feeling more on edge than she had for a while. Taking a deep breath and steadying her nerves, she drove home, showered and climbed into bed. It was about time she had an early night.