Title: When things start falling apart

Author: Loz

E-Mail: loz06(at)yahoo(dot)com

Rating: T

Category: Neil/Andrea…All Neil/Andrea

Series: Story number sixteen. What follows are titles and story ID numbers:

(1) After he's at her door – 2486705

(2) When the mighty fall – 2506192

(3) While his wife's away – 2525486

(4) While they're away – 2543010

(5) When love's not working – 2543013

(6) Boundaries when broken up - 2562611

(7) What happens on the train – 2579012

(8) When they work together – 2595808

(9) When she wants him back – 2598312

(10) When they're stuck together – 2611364

(11) When they're back together – 2619492

(12) Life almost in balance – 2630121

(13) Life under pressure – 2666280

(14) Trying to have a life together – 2699235

(15) Outside influences on their lives – 2704730

(16) When things start falling apart - 2727112

Spoilers: So minor it shouldn't ruffle any feathers.

Archive (if applicable): www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net.

Feedback: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.

Summary: Neil's marriage to Philippa takes a dramatic turn and Bruce wants Andrea out of Sun Hill because the stories just aren't coming in and these both put Andrea under a lot more pressure.

Authors' notes: Unfortunately things are going to slow up a little from here on in; I've only got one more story typed after this one but plenty more written on paper. Happy New Year and a belated Merry Xmas from me!

Thanks: Thank you to all the lovely people who have been reviewing. I so enjoy reading the messages you leave for me. Lornz, Fabio, Meegan, aerialplug, Gem6, madz87, I'm going to start calling you my groupies cause you lovely people have reviewed all of my last few stories! Thank you: 0)

Disclaimers: All characters here not owned by me (all of them!) will come back (if I ever finish this story) slightly dishevelled, not falling apart. Cheers to the owners.


Neil badly wants the whiskey that sits on the table next to Philippa to be a tool to help her relax, not a celebratory drink. It's been a long time since she's just sat and done nothing, it doesn't dampen the fire inside of him and the last thing he wants is civility, nothing less than shouting the house down will make him feel better.

"I hope you're happy, pleased and proud." Philippa doesn't turn, lifting the crystal glass to take another mouthful of the body numbing liquid. "You let a murderer walk, you helped him get off." She remains stoic, back still to him. "Its no wonder people have lost faith in the system."

"You let a murderer walk Neil, you didn't do your job properly...it's not all my fault." Philippa stands and leaves and for a second he thinks he sees something in her eyes – guilt, regret? She's certainly not flying on the success induced high he expected her to be on.

"I won't be handling his defence when you appeal." Her voice floats down the stairs and Neil lies awake that night next to her wondering why she's not going to see the case through.


Bruce is already sitting on the bench as Andrea makes her way to their arranged meeting spot. He ends his call when she sits down next to him. As usual they don't look at one another, their only contact when she passes over the folder of information she collected on Yvonne, right back to Hendon. She felt sick doing it but something told her she was dancing along a line with Bruce.

"I want you to report daily."

Andrea stiffens knowing she has to protest carefully. "You want to meet daily?"

"By message will be fine." As she thinks about it, Andrea realises there's not much damage in his request.

"What do you want to know?"

"What you're working on, what the rest of the station is working on." Andrea realises where this is going.

"Then you're going to decide what story to pursue and how." Bruce says nothing but that's the size of it.

"You don't trust me." Andrea shakes her head disbelieving. "You think I've been filtering what information I give to you, so you're going to treat me like a first year intern."

"No." He replies forcefully, but it's the word that's more of a surprise to her. "You've lost your enthusiasm; you've been in there too long. Time to get out soon."

For a long time after Bruce's gone, Andrea sits and thinks about his words – time to get out soon. She doesn't imagine the pressure that squeezes a little more each day, the deeper she gets involved with Neil; the more Bruce thinks she needs to get out. Her life has become a vice, tightening a little by day, chased away for short periods when she's with Neil.


"So how big?" Neil says into the phone, his eyes stray over to Smithy, leaning over Jim and his desk. "No it's a flat." He taps his pen watching the uniformed sergeant. "How much?" He gets to the point.

Jim and Smithy disappear out of sight and Neil wishes the woman would talk a little faster. "I'll be there around five, is that suitable...Thank you."

His attempts to find out what the new case Smithy has bought to CID are thwarted by his mobile phone. Philippa calling it reads and for a moment he allows panic to grip him.

"What's wrong?" He says immediately.

"Nothing, why?"

"You never call me at work is all," he instantly relaxes.

"I've just seen Phil Hunter." Immediately Neil knows this isn't going to be pleasant, Phil's reputation and actions to match don't only cause him grief.

"I've invited him to Castilia Saturday night, at seven, I trust you won't embarrass me and act like you know nothing about it."

"I wish you hadn't done that, Phil's supposed to work for me." Neil sighs rubbing his face, a tension headache developing.

"I need to be around friends Neil, a night free from hostilities. You can make your excuses but it will look pointed." Neil realises she has him and that was probably the plan.

"I'll be there." He hangs up without saying goodbye, he's too late Smithy and Jim have gone.

Later as he leaves early he tries not to glare at Phil but his subordinate smirks at him, knowing what Neil is holding back.


"How'd you get here so early?" Andrea asks seeing Neil in the archway of her flat.

"Close your eyes." He steps to her, pushing the flat door closed.

"Why?" She asks suspiciously.

"Just do it." He blocks her from further progression into the flat. Sighing she complies letting Neil lead her to the sofa.

"Is this going to hurt?" She jokes opening one eye but can see nothing past his hand.

"Be patient." Neil smiles, he can't believe he didn't think of this before. "Hold your hands out on your lap."

Andrea complies looking over where Neil's voice comes from, her head tilted too high.

Neil lifts the tiny furry gift from the box that had a blanket covering it, the dark ensuring the gift didn't give away its true nature. He holds the puppy next to Andrea's face knowing it won't be able to resist licking her affectionately, he's not wrong.

"Did you just lick me?" Andrea's voice is almost high pitched, the puppy lands in her hands on her lap courtesy of Neil. Her eyes instantly open.

"Oh my God," her voice is both surprised and happy; the puppy's cute face instantly endears itself to her. "Can I even have a dog in this building?"

"You can." Neil watches as she pets the tiny animal that's small enough to carry under her arm or in her handbag.

"She's so cute." He watches the joy the gift has bought her; his face becomes misty as he sees how happy she is. "She won't get bigger than mid shin."

"Why did you, I love her, my birthday's been and gone." Andrea doesn't look at him; too busy petting the puppy that rolls over to have its stomach rubbed. Andrea laughs out loud.

"I was thinking about what you said, about having something that's ours."

"Yeah," Andrea says watching Neil rub the puppy's stomach. There's more love in her eyes than words could ever express. In a minute Neil mirrors her look, it's Andrea who leans in to kiss him.

She feels the puppy wiggle in her lap and Andrea looks down to find her new companion looking up at them. "She's watching us." Andrea almost squirms, putting a hand in front of the innocent eyes.

"We have to decide on a name, what she's going to eat, where she's going to sleep, we have to train her, house training too and if we…" He trails off and places his hands over the floppy ears, "want to de-sex her." His actions have Andrea once again laughing till there's tears. She suddenly has an image of walking in the park hand in hand with Neil who throws a ball for their pup to chase, she doesn't banish the image.

"Cally." Andrea says out of nowhere and looks to Neil for approval.

"Cal." He shortens the name smiling; she's just made their first joint decision.

"The pet store will still be open."

Two hundred pounds later, Cally has a bed – elevated off the ground, jumpers and bedclothes, food, a collar personalised with an engraved pendant with her name on it and Andrea's phone number, car harness, essential medicine and more toys than she can play with in a day.

"She'll have to be de-sexed; she can't go to the park…" Neil shifts his weight to the other foot as Andrea looks through the oven at their boxed meals, he looks sympathetically at Cally. "Don't do that." Andrea can't stop herself from laughing. "She can sleep in the laundry, she has to have some obedience training and she has to be house trained."

"You know you'll have to take her out." In the next room a soft toy squeaks.

"She'll learn to hang on." Andrea investigates the noise, the little puppy gnawing at a plastic bone. They don't know it but to the outside observer they could be mistaken for proud parents.

"What are we going to do with her Saturday when we go out?" It brings the phone call earlier crashing back to Neil.

"Philippa's organised for us to go out Saturday night with Phil." Neil doesn't need to add to his voice the fact he's not looking forward to the night.

"Phil Hunter?"

"They're friends." Its clear Neil doesn't approve but there's something else in his tone.

"You don't think they're...?" Andrea drops into the sofa, for a moment Neil thinks about it then smiles.

"No, Phil could never look me in the eye if that was the case, his cockiness hides mass insecurity." Andrea laughs but she's not really sure why.

"Well you couldn't be angry or come down the mountain if they were." The comment doesn't sit well with Neil. "It'd be cosy if it was." She tries again.

"Not to mention bold and inappropriate, kind of like you sitting across the table from Philippa." Andrea baulks at the idea.

Later that night Andrea awakes to an unfamiliar sound, encased in Neil's arms she waits for her brain to kick in and decipher the sound. Next to her, Neil also stirs his groan indicates his displeasure at being snatched from slumber. Andrea's not immune to the cries of her new pet.

"You know what this reminds me of, getting up to cries in the middle of the night." Neil mumbles from behind her.

"Don't say it." Andrea mumbles back, pushing the covers off herself.


At four Neil considers extracting himself from the little outing that night, appearances be damned. But something pulls him back, maybe it's the fact the house seems lighter with Philippa's occasional smile, perhaps it's just a sense of decency. Neil doesn't want to think maybe a tiny bit of him suspects there's something going on between Philippa and Phil, his presence designed to stop anything starting or continuing. Is it an attempt by Philippa to put him off by putting them together in front of him? Neil shakes the thoughts out of his head.

The car trip is silent until Philippa says, "thank you for doing this; I know it's not easy." Neil doesn't reply, he doesn't know why, anger or maybe he just can't think of anything to say, it seems to be genuine but a cynical section of him can't help but think he's being set up.

Phil is propping up the bar when they arrive, a pre dinner drink while he waits for those who will be joining him. He embraces Philippa kissing her on the cheek. His greeting of Neil though polite is stiff and Neil is guarded.

He watches Philippa and Phil laugh and joke through the meal as though he wasn't there. Inside he seethes, watching Philippa cover Phil's hand with hers, Phil lapping up the attention.

"So what are you working on at the moment?" Phil asks and Philippa's smile evaporates, she shifts uncomfortably in her chair. Neil waits with interest for her answer.

"What isn't she working on, she's going to defend the world and save us all." Neil's words would be complimentary if it wasn't for the bite.

"Nothing special at the moment," Philippa smiles uncomfortably at Phil.

"Yes we all need protecting from the MET monster, unfortunately it doesn't stop her working so much her family never sees her, but then again we're expendable, the extras in her life, there to play a secondary role so that she doesn't look like she's all about her job. A justifiable sacrifice for someone climbing a career ladder."

"Neil can we not do this here?" Philippa hisses and Phil shrinks uncomfortably in his seat.

"Why to save you the embarrassment? You didn't think about that as you sat here and put on a show for me for the past hour." He slaps the napkin that once rested on his lap on the table.

"Neil." Phil comes to Philippa's defence or to try and neutralise the situation, either way Neil doesn't care.

"That's Sir or DI Manson to you." He stands and walks out, not looking back.