Eternal Flame

Summary: Imagine after her 3 week break, Sam left Sun Hill to take a DI's post elsewhere. 5 years later, she returns to replace Neil and she's got a new life. Will her old feelings for Phil resurface? Will start SS but not the SS we're used to…

Chapter 1- Old face, old place

Sam Nixon pulled up outside Sun Hill Station. It had been 5 years since she'd last been back here. This time, things were different. She was a DI and she'd got herself a new life. She'd got a new man, to whom she was engaged to. One of the main reasons she left was because she'd finished a relationship with Phil Hunter and she couldn't face seeing him everyday, knowing that what she'd put him through had broken his heart. Phil was now part of her past, she knew he was still there and was determined not to allow past feelings to cloud their working relationship.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, upstairs in CID, Phil was discussing with Jo, now a DS, who the new DI was going to be. 'So come on Jo, who do you reckon the new DI is,' Phil was saying.

'I don't know Phil. We'll find out soon enough, I think whoever it is, is due to start tomorrow. This time tomorrow, we'll know who has replaced DI Manson.'

Neil left Sun Hill a couple of months earlier after being offered a promotion elsewhere. Being the career-obsessed idiot that he is, took it and left Sun Hill for take the DCI's post that was offered to him in Croyden.

'I just hope the new DI's a bit less like Manson,' Jo said.

'I liked him. He knew how to get some good results. He knew the way to motivate his team,' Phil replied.

'Ooh look,' Jo said, she was looking out of the window.

'What is it?' Phil asked.

'It looks like Sam's back,' Jo replied.

Phil looked up at the mention of Sam. He went over to the window and saw her being greeted by Jack outside in the car park. It had been over 5 years since he last saw her. Yet it seemed like yesterday since she'd broken up with him. That as one moment in his life that had stayed with him, for all the wrong reasons. He really loved Sam and she just totally ignored his feelings when she finished things with him. It broke his heart even more when she announce that she was leaving Sun Hill to take up a DI's post elsewhere.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Are you ready for this?' Jack was asking Sam.

'If I thought I wasn't ready, guv, I'd never have taken the job,' Sam replied.

'You know Phil's still here don't you? What I mean is with the history between you two is it going to be a problem?' Jack asked.

Jack was fully aware of the romantic history that Sam and Phil had shared before she left. He also knew that the history between them was a factor in Sam leaving. 'No, of course it won't guv. I won't let it affect our working relationship,' Sam replied.

'Good, we'll unveil you as the new DI tomorrow morning at the briefing,' Jack said.

'OK, I'll see you tomorrow,' Sam said and she watched as Jack walked away. She looked up at the station. It hadn't changed much in the time she'd been away. She was looking forward to seeing everyone again, especially Phil. She felt that she didn't really have a chance to explain some of the decisions that she made and why. Despite not seeing him for 5years, she still saw him as a really, really close friend. She wanted to put things right between them and just hoped he'd listen.

Plz do feel free to put in a review who you think Sam's fiancé is. I've already written up to chapter 3 so I know who he is. If u wanna find out soon, u no wot 2 do. Press the big blue button and review. 3 reviews b4 nxt goes up. Luv Gemz xx