Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply. I promised LewisHobsonFan this story for her Easter reading - a slow and gentle-(ish) romance.

"Havers! Stop!"

Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers swung around and glared at her boss. "What?"

Tommy did not want another of their arguments broadcast across the office. He closed and locked his office door then gestured for her to have a seat. "I have no idea, but first you were running late then after checking your email you've bitten off the head of Hillier's secretary, then poor Winston and now you are gnawing voraciously at my neck."

"I am not!"

Tommy sat behind his desk, keeping a barrier between them. He hated having to discipline her but she was clearly in one of her most irrascible moods. "Barbara, you either tell me what's wrong or I suggest you go downstairs, take a walk for ten minutes and come back with a better attitude."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"The words every husband dreads."

"You're not my husband."

"A fact for which, at this moment, I am eternally grateful." Tommy ignored her grumbling. "Well?"

Barbara slumped into the chair in front of his desk. "They sent me my three month warning letter."

Tommy looked up. "Really? You're almost forty? Well, I suppose you are given you're only a bit younger than me."

"Thanks. No need to rub it in."

"It's not that bad, Barbara. I survived. You will too."

"It's not my age, it's the test. I read the parameters. For my height, I'm a few pounds over the weight limit."

Tommy's tone softened considerably. He stood and he walked around his desk and sat on its edge next to her. "The test is nothing to worry about. If I can pass, you will. A few pounds won't matter much."

She glared at him. "Okay, quite a few pounds."

Tommy took the opportunity to openly appraise her body. He noticed a blush start in her neck and move up into her ears. He always enjoyed watching that. One day he hoped to trace it's journey with little kisses. He sighed inwardly. Somehow he had to find the courage to discover if she was attracted to him in that way, or whether she only saw him as her friend. The issue was that he was not sure he wanted to know. Every time he thought they were getting closer, she did what she had this morning, and withdrew behind her defensive walls.

She did not look particularly overweight, but her dowdy clothes hid her shape effectively. In his mind she had a wonderful figure, but he had little empirical evidence. He was staring and had to look away. "Not that many. We will cut out the after work chips and beers at the pub for a few weeks."

"And I can't do the sit-ups or other exercises." Barbara sounded disproportionally distraught. She stood and started pacing the room. "I'm going to fail."

"Even if you do, it's not going to change anything."

Barbara stopped in front of him. "You don't know do you? They changed the rules starting this year. If you fail, you get one more chance a month later. If you fail that, I'll be out."

"Out of what?"

"The Met."

She now had his full attention. "Seriously?"

"Yes. Inspectors and above just get put on a programme to improve their fitness. Us working folk get unceremoniously turfed off the force. They want the fittest and the best these days. No more Constable Plod."

Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her firmly into his side. They did not need words to convey their horror at being split up. When she sighed and leant her head against his shoulder, he shifted his weight and enfolded her in his arms. It had been a long time since they had been physically this close. It felt good. Too good. Her body was tense but as he held her and gently caressed her back, she relaxed. "We'll find a way. They won't split us up."

Tommy smiled as her arms went around his waist. He gently kissed her hair wishing he had to courage to kiss her properly. He briefly considered proposing marriage but feared Barbara would laugh at his extreme reaction.

After a few minutes, Barbara stirred. "Thanks, Sir. You must think I'm an idiot."

"Not at all. How unfit are you? We run around a bit and you seem to cope?"

"I doubt I can run five kilometres though. The last few years I just work, eat and sleep."

"What about your Aikido?"

"Haven't done any in ages."

"Do you want a week off to go to that dojo?"

"No, I have to do more than that. I'll work it out. Thanks for listening."

Tommy tightened his grip and held on to her as long as he dared. "Barbara..."

"Yes?"

For once, her eyes were unreadable. Tommy's bravery fled. This was not the time to tell her what he needed to say. "If there's anything that I can do."

She smiled. "Thanks, Sir. Maybe scan the classifieds looking for jobs that say 'wanted, ex-policewomen for high paid role'."

Tommy laughed. "You make that sound like... well, you know what I mean."

Barbara hit him playfully on his back with her fists. "Maybe I'd look good in leather." He reluctantly let her go when she pulled out of his grip, and with a smile left his office.

Barbara booked in for an assessment at her local gym, The Happy Body Fitness Centre. As she stood in her old lycra bike pants and a tee-shirt that was far tighter than she remembered, she shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"Barbara Havers?"

"Yes."

"I'm Ben."

"You're a man!" Barbara looked him up and down. His blonde hair and chiseled good looks were instantly intimidating.

"Um, yes. Yes I am. Is that an issue?"

"No, just an observation." Barbara felt her face flush the colour of a UK Mail postbox.

Ben frowned then shook his head. "Right, well Barb, we'll..."

"Barbara."

"Sorry?"

"I don't like being called Barb. Makes me sound too... prickly."

Ben smiled. "Okay. Is Barbara okay or would you prefer Miss Havers?"

"No, Barbara's fine."

"Good. Well, Barbara, I'm going to help you design a programme to meet your goals. Now, let's start with your height."

"163 centimetres."

"Weight?"

"75 kilos, give or take."

"Give, or take?"

"Between 75 and 78."

"Well you are a little overweight then. Let's do some measurements and then a pinch test."

Twenty minutes later, her vital statistics had been recorded on the gym's online system. Barbara cringed at the thought of people flicking through the files and saying, 'here's another fat one'. Her percentage of body fat measurement had earned a stern look from Ben. Every one of the chips she ate at the pub had found their way to her hips. She wanted to scream that she only ate them so she could spend more time with Tommy. She sighed. She could hardly blame him for her weight issues.

"So Barb... ara. What are your goals?"

"I need to be a healthy weight in twelve weeks and be able to run five kilometres in under forty minutes. I also need to be able to do fifty sit ups and deadlift forty kilos."

"Quite specific."

"I have a work fitness test."

"Right, well let's see." Ben typed furiously on his keyboard. Barbara sat on the hard plastic chair and looked at the pictures on the walls of fit young bodies sweating and looking far too happy. This was not a joyous thing. This was pain and humiliation. She hung her head and waited.

"I think you'll enjoy this programme, Barbara. Five days a week. Two in the gym and three in the pool."

"Pool? Oh no. I don't swim well at all. I can't tumble turn or breathe properly."

"No, not swimming, although that is good if you can add it in. I was thinking of aqua aerobics."

That sounded a lot easier than the gym. "I don't have to swim?"

"No, you stand in the pool and do exercises. It's fun. We have classes in the morning and evening, so whichever suits you better. Start with our Happy Splash programne and as you get fitter you can move up to the harder levels, Happy Circuit, Happy Turbo and Happy Deep."

"And the gym?"

"We'll go out now and run you through your routine."

"Okay. But can't we just focus on the situps and things I need to do for my test?"

"Not really, Barbara. We need to tone you up and lower your bodyfat. Moving big muscle groups uses energy after your workout to repair and replenish muscle fibres. You also need cardio work to improve your circulation and burn some energy. I guarantee this will work for you."

She nodded. "It better."

Barbara did not mind the five minute warm up on the treadmill. She did not even mind the rowing machine or the lat pulldowns, but once they moved onto the ab crunches and shoulder presses, her body started to object. "Is this really necessary?"

"Only if you want to pass that test," Ben replied with a misleading sweet smile.

Barbara grunted. "What's next then?"

"Free weights. No deadlifts until we build up those arms and strengthen that core."

Thirty minutes later, Barbara eased herself into her car. She ached already. This was going to kill her.