They watched as Christy Berlin shook her head and walked into the hospital room. Sandra bit back her anger as Strickland made up his excuses to leave, evidently heartbroken at yet another failed relationship.

"You boys get home I'll clear up here" she said as walked after Strickland, "Sir?" she hesitantly called at his retreating body.

Strickland sighed and turned to face her, "Yeah?"

"Dinner. My place 8pm, don't be late".

Strickland's face took on a surprised and half embarrassed look, "I-i" he stuttered.

"Well your hardly going to cook after that bitch in there ditched you are you?" she put plainly, "and you can give me a lift to the station too".

Strickland smiled softly, "shall I bring wine?"

"I'd be upset if you didn't".

Strickland nodded, "I'll be in my car".

Sandra nodded and walked back to Christy Berlin and her parents.

She'd been cooking since she got back at 6, she'd barely had any time to clean her living room, move all the laundry from the basket to her room and dress!

She cursed herself as she looked at the time. 7:55.

"Bollocks!" she swore as the spoon she was using burnt her hand. Running it under the cold tap she thought about what she was going to wear, "should've bloody thought about that before Sandra!" she chastised. Drying her hand on her shirt she turned the oven down slightly and walked to the stairs. She was about to go up when she saw a silver car in her driveway.

DAC Robert Strickland's car.

"Oh shit" she groaned. She was a mess. The food wasn't ready, her house was definitely not ready.

She looked at the front door, waiting for a knock but none came.

The shadow of her boss was there but it was almost as if he was waiting for 8pm.

Sandra smiled at his formality and unlocked the door and opened it. Sure enough he was there.

"h-Hi" he smiled and held out a bottle of red wine, "I hope I'm not too early" he bit his lip as she took the wine off him.

"No not at all. I've just got to change but please, come in".

Strickland smiled and walked in, "it smells lovely. The food I mean".

Sandra smiled and took his coat off him before hanging it up, "I've been having to cook my mother meals. She's refusing to eat anything the hospital give her".

"How is she?"

"Good. She's getting better, it's still going to be a long process but she's recovering well and the Doctor's hope to have her back at the home by Wednesday".

Strickland nodded, "let me know if you need time off work and I'll arrange it".

Sandra smiled, "Thank you sir" as she placed the wine bottle on the table and got two glasses down from her cupboard, "dinner won't be too long" she added as she poured wine into the glasses, "make yourself at home" she smiled as she walked upstairs.

Strickland looked around at Sandra's kitchen and smiled. Much like his, it was basic, all the mod-cons however, but no life. No memory or tell-tale sign of love, it was just there for food.

In his old house, the one he had lived in with his ex-wife and children, their kitchen was full of dents and scratches from when the children had been growing up. Stains on the oven from where he'd burnt meal after meal hopelessly trying to cook a meal.

Rufus and Hermione would always laugh and hand him the take out menu of their choice. So many memories were made in his old kitchen. He wondered if just so many could be made in his new one.

There was a knock at the door.

Strickland immediately turned to look at it, torn between investigating like the good little copper he was, and formality. After all, this wasn't his house. This was Sandra's.

"Could you get that Rob?" Sandra called down.

Rob.

Strickland smiled at the nickname on her tongue, it sounded so simple and easy. Sweet and familiar. He walked over to the door and answered it.

"DS Pullman?" the young chewing-gum-popping woman behind the door said.

"No no I'm DAC Robert Strickland. Do you need to speak to her?"

The woman handed him a file and then a form, "sign here" she stated and popped her gum. Strickland signed quickly and watched as she walked off to a motorbike that was leaning against the wall.

"Who was it?" Sandra asked as he shut the door.

"Some woman, there's a file here..." Strickland trailed off as he turned and faced Sandra.

She was wearing a dark red dress, hugging her figure and amplifying her bright blue eyes. She gracefully walked downstairs as she fiddled with an ear-ring.

"What? Have I got something on my face?" Sandra asked as she looked in the hallway mirror.

"No no it's just... you look.. uhm, well, you look beautiful" Strickland stuttered.

Sandra smiled, "really?"

Strickland nodded, finding his mouth dry and his mind unable to form coherent sentences, "very beautiful" he added.

Sandra blushed deep red, almost as deep as her dress, "thank you".

Robert handed her the file "here's that uhm, file" he stuttered, unable to keep his eyes off her. God she was so beautiful. Christy wasn't a patch on Sandra, no one was. She was a true Goddess and he loved her.

Did he?

Was that why he really didn't feel as comfortable with Christy as he could have? Because he was in love with Sandra? They'd spent so long together already he'd always figured they would just be very good friends. He didn't think he'd fallen for her.

"i-I'm sorry" he whispered as he glanced at the name on the file Gordon Pullman. Sandra placed the file on the table by the door, "what for?" she questioned as she walked into the kitchen and stirred their dinner.

"I had no idea you didn't know about your father. I'm so sorry it was incredibly rude of me and I completely agree if you want to punch me or poison me".

Sandra frowned, "Well if I was angry at you I wouldn't be doing any of that" she stated, turning the heat on the oven down as she began to put the food onto plates, "besides you weren't to know. Half the bloody station knew and I didn't" she bit her lip, "I just keep thinking what if everything I know about him is a lie. What if he didn't really love me? What if he was going to leave me and mum?" her eyes filled with tears as she placed the plates on the table.

Rob saw this and strode towards her, wrapping his arms around her as tears fell, he rubbed her back muttering, "he loved you Sandra, he did and you know it. And if he didn't? It's a bloody good job he's gone because he'd have me to answer for. Nobody hurts you and gets away with it".

"Is that why DS Rob Petty got his nose broken in custody?"

Rob smiled and stroked her head, pulling away slowly he smirked slightly, "I have no idea what you mean".

Sandra laughed, "it was the ghost of the interview room then?"

Rob nodded, "complete bugger that ghost is".

Sandra smiled and pulled away, "come on we should have the food before it gets cold, I promise it's not poison".

"I highly doubt anything you cook would be poison".

"You've not tried my cottage pie then" Sandra laughed.

Rob chuckled and pushed Sandra into her seat before sitting opposite. Clinking their wine glasses together they sat in companionable silence as they ate their meal.

Snuggled on the sofa, stomachs full and slightly tipsy Rob stroked Sandra's face. They were watching some documentary on the TV about animals in the rainforest. Sandra smiled at Rob and held his hand against her face, "you're warm" she hummed as she leaned into him more.

Rob wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady as he nodded, "very warm...warmer with less clothes on though" he added. Yes, he'd only just had a relationship end this afternoon but it wasn't a real one was it. And this was Sandra Pullman! Visitor of quiet a few raunchy dreams of his.

He licked his lips slightly as she looked at him.

Oh god she was taking too long to answer.

Say something Rob! He urged his mind, he opened his mouth about to add something else when Sandra's hand slid up his shirt. He gasped softly as her cool hands met his warm flesh.

"Mmm" Sandra grinned, "you're right. Very warm. Fancy making my bed warm too?" she smiled and pulled her hand back.

Rob's eyes widened at the offer, he nodded quickly, coughing slightly he stood up and swayed. Sandra's hand found his as she guided him upstairs.