Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply. This is only rated M for the theme and some language.

"This is absurd. It wasn't like that all!" DI Tommy Lynley almost shouted at his accuser.

He was in an interview room in the bowels of the Met. It had a horrible sense of déjà vu as Superintendent Michelle Tate sat sneering across the table at him. "Face it Lynley, you're a reprehensible moral coward who bullies your way through life with your title and feudal sense of ownership over the land and your serfs."

"Don't hold back Superintendent, tell me what you really think." Lynley shot back. Until now he had never hated anyone but himself, even his mother, but now he understood the emotion and why it drove people to unspeakable acts.

"I have you Lynley and this time no one is going to come to your rescue. There is no doubt and I have the evidence right here to ruin you and your precious reputation."

"There is nothing you can do to me Tate that I fear but rest assured..."

"I can take your 'beloved' sergeant away for starters!"

Tommy stood and pushed the table angrily. Tate smirked at him with a look in her eye that Tommy recognised as revenge. He had escaped her once and this time she had no intention of letting him go. Now he had shown her his vulnerability; Barbara. He sat down, accepting his fate.

"Stop it, both of you," Assistant Commissioner Hillier snapped. "I know you have history with the Oborne case but Superintendent Tate is a key Professional Standards officer and her investigation has merit. We just played you the tape Lynley, it looks real and it looks damning."

"Has anyone asked Barbara, I mean DS Havers, about what happened? She will verify it was not as it looks."

Michelle Tate licked her lips. "She's being interviewed now. We didn't want you getting to her first and pressuring her to lie for you. She's done that before. We know that but this time we can prove it. Were you sexually harassing her then too? How long has this been going on Lynley?"

"I have never harrassed her, sexually or otherwise. We have a strong relationship; a close relationship. Ask anyone. Why would she stay my partner for nine years if I was abusing her?"

Tate snorted. She stood up and her chair clattered against the wall. She leant over the table into Lynley's face and bellowed at him. "You're a detective and you ask that? What about all the battered wives who put up with years of violent abuse? It's the same for Havers. She is trapped by you. She feels you are the only person who will partner with her and I bet you have been very explicit in your threats. The woman has no family and few friends. She has no support system. You have become her world and you are using that power for your own selfish ends."

Tommy glared at the veins protruding on Tate's forehead and then closed his eyes. He had to imagine Barbara's smiling face in front of him with her deep green eyes comforting him to stop himself launching across the table and beating the life out of this odious woman. You have no idea about my relationship with Barbara.

Hillier broke the tension. "Look Lynley the CCTV is quite clear. You are both arguing then you pin her to the wall and kiss her as you grope her. She pushes you away then you grab her hands and pin them to the wall above her head while you kiss her again and seemingly frottuerise her while she is struggling to get away. When you release her she yells at you then runs off camera and you chase her. Surely you can see why the Professional Standards believe they have a case. You are kissing the woman for heavens sake! Havers of all people. Have you taken leave of your senses man?"

Tommy stood and stared down at Hillier. He was well past the point of caring about his job. After this tape that was gone for sure but now they were spoiling what had in fact been a very beautiful moment. "I will not have you, of all people, insult Barbara like that."

"Sit down Lynley, you're in no position to object," Tate barked. She snarled as she asked him, "so you admit you kissed her? That in itself is enough to have you dismissed. And if she's foolish enough to protect you then her career is over too. Now why don't you tell us everything and get this over with. Either way Detective Inspector, when you leave this room you will be simply Thomas Lynley, shamed policeman."

Tommy had nowhere to move. "I want to see my solicitor."

The policeman seemed nice enough. He was late fifties and spoke softly. "Sergeant Havers, I am DI Godfrey Stanley from Professional Standards. We have received information that appears to show DI Lynley behaving unprofessionally towards you. We have investigated and reviewed some CCTV footage and believe we have enough to send him before a disciplinary hearing on a charge of sexual harassment and if you wish we will press charges for common assault."

"That's ridiculous! DI Lynley has never harassed me and no, I have no intention of pressing charges."

"We have excellent support services and counselling to help you. It may assist you to understand the devastating impact this can have on your life And how you can begin to break the cycle of intimidation and violence."

She was incensed. "Tom... DI Lynley has only ever had a positive impact on my life. I'm not even going to listen to this nonsense." Barbara stood and went to leave the interview room.

"I'm afraid you have no choice Sergeant. Let me show you the tape."

Barbara watched the first few seconds and groaned. She knew what had happened and could see how it looked. Tommy was in trouble and she could not help him because they would never believe her version. The world as they knew had just ended. Barbara leant back on her chair and swallowed hard to stop from screaming.

Stanley stopped the tape. "Do you still want to protect him after what he did? The man is groping you and frottuerising you."

"What the hell is 'frot your eyes'?

"Rubbing himself indecently against you."

Barbara had enjoyed being a policewoman but she was not going to let Tommy take the blame for a situation she had created. She was exasperated by the allegation and frustrated that she could not defend Tommy. "It was my fault," she said, "we were talking about something important and I wasn't listening. That's why it looks as if we argued but it wasn't like that and he did not harrass me. The kiss and the frottuerising or whatever you call it was consensual."

"Do you and DI Lynley kiss often on duty?"

"No, that was the only time."

"Do you kiss often outside of work?"

Barbara saw a pattern emerging and regretted speaking at all. Anything she said would be twisted and distorted and debased. "No comment."

"Come on Barbara, May I call you Barbara?"

"I prefer Sergeant Havers."

Stanley's tone changed dramatically. "Look love. I came in here believing you were a victim. I'm beginning to think differently. If you are under his control we can protect you and your career. He's a bloody toff who carries on as if he is God's gift to the service. You're a reject from that many partners it's not funny. You must be a real difficult piece. For some reason he keeps you round; probably so he can lord it over you. It's natural that you have become reliant on him, that you have been sucked into his web without even realising it. He might be shagging you, I don't know and I don't really care. He might've said he loves you but take it from me girl you ain't his type, not for the long haul. He's gonna leave you in tears and I'm gonna leave you here to think about it all for a while. You're smart enough to know what to do."

Stanley flicked off the interview tape and left her alone in the room. She looked up at the dull white ceiling tiles that were speckled with brown water stains and tried to count the holes. She needed to clear her head of the thousand conflicting thoughts and emotions. She had struggled in recent weeks not to be overly emotional. She did not want them to see her cry so she hugged her arms as she put her head on the table. She wanted to bang it repeatedly but all that would do was give her a headache. Her partnership with Lynley was over because of one mis-timed kiss and there was absolutely nothing she could do.

Lynley greeted his friend Hugh Jameston with a warm handshake and a taut grim smile. "Thank you for coming Hugh. I'm in a spot of bother I'm afraid."

"So it seems Tommy. I've asked to see a copy of the tape. Do you want to explain what happened?"

"Not to them, no, but it was not harrassment."

Before Hugh could answer a young policeman came through the open door struggling with the large, antiquated video system. "Just press play," he said gruffly as he retreated and pulled the door closed.

"Let's see it then Tommy," Hugh said as he slipped off his coat and sat beside Lynley.

They watched in silence but Tommy could sense the shock on his friend's face. Hugh was trying to hide it but he had clearly expected it to be less explicit.

"I won't lie to you, prima facie it looks fairly bad Tommy. Even I can see it is definitely you and Sergeant Havers so we cannot deny it occurred. You say it wasn't harrassment. I think you better tell me the story, all of it."

Tommy told him what had happened. He spoke about the lead up and what had followed off camera. Hugh listened and smiled. "Well that makes sense Tommy but you do realise what it means if you tell them, for you and Barbara?"

"I know. I will offer to resign of course, if they leave Barbara alone."

"Tate's circling for blood Tommy. I don't think your resignation will be enough for her. She wants to ruin you."

"She can't. The job is not important anymore. It was, but that's changed. I will be fine but I'm worried about Barbara. This will be distressing and she might say something stupid and sacrificial. Can you arrange for me to see her please Hugh?"

"I'll see what I can do."