Unforgettable

"Now, needless to say, Deacon and Bevis are dangerous criminals. It's likely that they'll be armed. So no heroics. Got it?" DCI Meadows finished briefing the team of officers sitting and standing in front of him. There were nods and shouts of "Guv!" before they got up and went their separate ways. "Right, you're with me." Sam said to Phil as they went for their coats.

Phil immediately broke out into a smile. "Sitting in a car with Samantha Nixon…my lucky day."

Sam giggled as Stuart walked past, scowling. "Get a room."

Phil went to say something, but Sam stopped him, shaking her head, giving him a 'he's not worth it' look. "Muppet." Phil muttered under his breath, before swinging an arm around Sam's shoulders and guiding her out of CID towards the car.

--

Sam sighed deeply and looked at her watch. "Well this is riveting." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Phil looked over at her from the drivers seat, and she continued, looking at her watch. "We've been here 45 minutes and not a thing has happened."

"Criminals aren't really known for their punctuality." Phil said, smiling.

"Well, something should have happened by now. Jack said Deacon and Bevis would be here 45 minutes ago!" Sam exclaimed.

"Think of it this way." Phil said, a sly grin starting to show on his face. "The more time Deacon and Bevis take to show, the longer we get to spend in this car. Alone." He finished, looking intently at Sam.

She smiled and laughed. "Not a chance!"

Phil smiled. "Damn."

Sam laughed, and the car fell silent yet again, until Jack's voice came across the radio. "We have eyeball of Bevis. He's heading your way, DS Hunter."

"About time." Sam muttered, looking out the window.

"There he is. Scumbag." Phil said when a 20 something man walked past, a smug look on his face, like he was God's gift to the world.

"All units, go go go!" Jack yelled. Phil stepped on the accelerator, and it wasn't long until Bevis twigged, and he started to run, Stuart following closely on foot. Bevis ran down an alleyway and disappeared. Phil came to a screeching halt when they had driven into the alley. He wound down the window and shouted to Stuart, who was already there. "Where'd he go?"

"I don't know. I chased him down here and –" he stopped short, distracted by the sound of something hitting the pavement. "I think he's behind these bins somewhere." Stuart said, referring to the huge green and blue bins lined up against a wall. Immediately Sam and Phil jumped out of the car and joined Stuart in the alleyway. Phil motioned that he was going to look at the other end of the alley, while Sam and Stuart stayed where they were. Just as Phil went to look behind a bin, Bevis ran out from behind of one, shoving Phil out of the way.

"Stop, police!" Phil yelled, but Bevis ignored him and ran towards the car, jumping in behind the wheel. He slammed the door shut and started up the engine. Phil, kicking himself for not taking the keys out of the ignition, exchanged glances with Sam and Stuart over the top of the car, wondering what the hell they were supposed to do, when the car suddenly revved, and the little white lights on the back lit up. Stuart sensed what was going to happen, and the adrenaline started to pump through his veins. "Sam, watch it!" He yelled, and at the last minute he jumped at her, pushing her out of the way of the reversing car. They landed on the concrete together, coming to a stop when they rolled into the wall.

"Stuart, are you right?" Sam desperately cried, underneath of him.

"Fine. You?"

The answer was lost between them when Bevis revved the car again, and shot forward. "STOP!" Phil out an arm out in front of him, but it made no difference. The last thing he heard was the love of his life screaming his name. Sam and Stuart watched in horror as the blue car drove through Phil, sending him flying back over the car, landing with a sickening thud on the cold, hard concrete where he had previously stood. There was no noise except for the sounds of a car driving away fastly in the opposite direction until Sam started to scream hysterically, clutching at Stuart's top. He held onto her shaking hand, breathing irregularly.

"Oh my God, oh my God." Sam whispered, taking jagged breaths. Stuart stood up, pulling Sam up with him and they made their way over to Phil's lifeless body, lying awkwardly on the ground. They heard the whir of sirens approaching, and tears started to roll down Sam's porcelain white cheeks, her mascara streaking. With an agonizing cry, she flung herself on top of Phil, sobbing into his chest, while Stuart stood next to them, his face pale. He remained silent, while Sam cried and screamed, getting more and more hysterical. Finally, Stuart snapped out of his trance-like state, and he gently pulled Sam up to her feet, and wrapped his strong arms around her, holding her as though he'd never let go again.

Rain began to fall lightly, as the ambulance pulled into the alleyway, closely followed by a white car. Jack and Gina ran out and immediately saw Sam and Stuart standing as one. Their expression of confusion on their face changed drastically once they walked past the ambulance and saw Phil's dead body awkwardly lying on the cold, wet road. "How did this happen?" Jack asked quietly.

"Bevis. He took off in the CID car. I pushed Sam out of the way, and then he drove straight into Phil…" Stuart stopped, his low hoarse voice breaking. Gina nodded and lightly touched his arm to signify it was okay. The rain continued to fall as the paramedics placed a red blanket over the body that was DS Phil Hunter, while Sam, Stuart, Jack and Gina watched silently and solemnly.

--

"And the next person to speak about Phil is his close friend and partner, Samantha Nixon." The balding man stepped away from the wooden podium, leaving it vacant. Stuart squeezed Sam's hand, and she rose from the bench, straightening her black skirt. She silently made her way up the small carpeted stairs, and adjusted the microphone, bending it down so she could speak clearly into it. She smiled and laughed sadly when she got it right. "Phil always used to tease me about my height." She started.

"He would hold the car keys above my his head, and told me if I could reach them, I could drive." The staff of Sun Hill Police Station laughed and smiled, all thinking the same thing. Sam smiled too, and it slowly faded when her lip trembled. She took a breath, and blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill out.

"I've never been good at speeches, you lot should know this." She cast a glance over her colleagues sitting in front of her.

"Which is why I've prepared something else." She smiled sadly. "Phil always encouraged me to do it more…I guess he's finally getting his wish."

She nodded at the bald man, and lightly touched Phil's coffin, whispering "This is for you.", as Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" started to play. Sun Hill's finest watched in silence as Sam cleared her throat and took a breath, before she softly began to sing.

Unforgettable, that's what you are

Unforgettable, though near or far.

Like a song of love that clings to me

Tears began to roll down Sam's cheeks, but she continued, unfazed.

How the thought of you does things to me

Never before, has someone been more

Unforgettable, in every way and forever more

That's how you'll stay

Her voice began to catch in her throat, but she continued to sing, determined to get to the end.

That's why darling, it's incredible

That someone so unforgettable

Thinks that I am

Unforgettable too.

She finished, and the room remained silent, not a dry eye evident. Slowly, people began to applaud her, but Sam kept her back turned, stroking Phil's coffin lightly. "You're truly unforgettable, Phil Hunter." She whispered.

"I love you." She smiled sadly. "Forever and a day."