Author's Note: This is my first attempt at Fan Fiction of any type so please bare with. I know that The Falling Darkness was covered multiple times after it was first broadcast, but I re-watched series 4 recently and all sorts of things started to whirl round in my head. Now that I've finished school, I'm allowing myself to work these ideas into stories and publish them. I think this will be a two-shot as I've already got an idea of what will happen in the second chapter, but who knows!. Reviews always welcome, and I hope you enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I hope that someday I will be able to create characters that are even half as fantastic as these; but unfortunately not as yet. I do not own Lewis or any of its characters.
They walked arm-in-arm away from the cemetery in comfortable silence. Both Robbie and Laura had been hit hard by the last case and the events it entailed. Neither of them, Laura in particular, were ready to talk about it (even to each other) quite yet.
She was exhausted by the whole ordeal. Not only had she almost lost her life; but her best friend. The man that meant more to her than anything else in the world; and that was almost worse. She'd felt betrayed by Robbie as he asked for her alibi; but in the back of her mind she'd known he was just doing his job. She was fully aware that DCS Innocent would've been pushing him for her statement, and the fact that he waited so long before retrieving it was what told her that he didn't view her as a suspect. This man beside her had saved her life. Chased down the mad-man that had tried (and almost succeeded) to kill her, through the pitch black grounds and desolate building of the hospital, to make him pay for what he'd done to her, and to them.
He was relieved to have regained her trust. He'd flat-out refused to even entertain the possibility that Laura could've been the cold-blooded killer he had almost been forced to accuse her of being. This meant nothing. He had to take her statement, get her alibi. Even if it was just to prove to the rest of them that she couldn't have done it, that she was completely innocent. "Bring her in.". Just thinking about those words made his stomach churn. He had felt physically sick as he said them. The lump in his throat swelled violently as they frantically raided the house for any sign of Laura. Her screams were more than he could take. He couldn't be the one to get in that grave with her. He knew that he wouldn't have been able to hold himself, let alone her, together. "Get her out of there!" were is shouted words to Hathaway as he ran after her captures, the people who had almost taken her from him; unable to bring himself to look at the despaired woman that he had betrayed. The woman that he should have done everything he could to protect.
••••••••
The two had been so wrapped up in their own musings, they'd failed to notice that they'd been walking for over an hour and were heading toward Laura's house. Laura unlocked the door, stepped in and turned to face Robbie. He could see the despair in her eyes, but could also see clearly, her attempts to hide it. She was a strong woman, and he didn't wish to insult her by treating her as if she wasn't; especially seeing as he wasn't sure if they were 100% back to normal. "Will you be alright, Laura. On your own, like?" The genuine concern in his voice made her smile. A smile that she hoped would convince him of her answer. "Yeah. Pyjamas and an early night, and I'll be right-as-rain in the morning." Robbie was sceptical, but decided to go along with it, not particularly wanting to argue and risk putting anymore tension between them. "I'll leave you to it then. As long as you promise to call me if you need anything? Anything at all." She leant up and kissed him on the cheek. "I will. I promise... Thank you Robbie." He rested his hand gently on her arm, looking deeply into her bright blue eyes. "Eh, it was nothing. You get some rest. Goodnight pet." "Night Robbie."
••••••••
Laura locked the door behind Robbie, as he turned and walked down the path away from the house. She sloped up to her bedroom to change for bed. It wasn't until she went looked in the bathroom mirror that she noticed the tears, streaming down her face. Everything that had happened suddenly catching up with her all at once.
It was then that she heard the knock at the door. Laura slipped back down stairs, stopping suddenly, just as she was about to turn the key in the lock. Recent events had unnerved her, but deciding the knock was too polite to be threatening, she continued. The shock and relief of seeing Robbie Lewis' face on the other side of the door, brought the tears she'd been attempting to hold back cascading down her cheeks.
••••••••
Robbie felt uneasy, leaving Laura on her own in the house. It was her house, yes, but this hadn't kept her safe before had it? Even with a uniformed police officer directly outside, she'd still been taken, and almost sent to her death. He pushed this thought to the back of his mind, trying to convince himself that the only people who wanted to hurt her were no longer a threat. He soon realised that his attempts were futile, as five minutes later he hadn't got any further than her next door neighbour's driveway.
Turning on his heels, Robbie headed back to the house. He couldn't believe how stupid he'd been; leaving her alone after all that she'd been through! The sense of guilt he felt was only deepened when the door swung open to reveal a distraught Laura. Bundling her into his arms, he stepped into the house, closing the door behind them.
••••••••
She sobbed silently into his chest, while he gently rubbed her back and murmured comforting (or so he hoped) words into her hair. A few minutes had passed when Laura pulled her head away from Robbie. "Sorry..." she sniffled whilst attempting to regain composure. "Hey... It's alright." he said, cupping her cheek in his right hand, wiping the remainder of her tears away and enveloping her again in his arms.
"C'mon, I think you were spot on about that early night! You alright if I use your spare room?" he said, trying to lighten the mood slightly as he followed her up the stairs. "Robbie..." Laura wasn't quite sure how she could phrase this next question without scaring him off. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her as she nervously chewed her bottom lip. "Feel free to say 'no', Robbie, but would you come in with me... Just for tonight?" He paused briefly. Of course he wanted to give her all the support that she needed, but couldn't help but think that it might look like he was taking advantage of her vulnerability. However he could see the pleading look in her eyes, and decided that it was his duty to be there for his best friend, just like she had been there for him all those years ago. "Aye, of course I will, if it'll make you feel safer." He smiled at the look of relief that spread across her face. "Though I must warn you, I've only got me keks to sleep in!" Laura laughed at this. He hadn't heard her laughter in what felt like years, and it reassured him that, in time, she would mend.
Laura slipped into the bathroom to brush her teeth, and when she was done Robbie took her place. "Spare toothbrushes in the cupboard above the sink." "Great, thanks pet."
When he came out, Laura was already tucked up (and practically asleep), so Robbie walked over to the vacant side of the bed, chucked his clothes on a chair, and settled in next to her. He gently lay his arm over her shoulders and pulled her slightly into him, to reassure himself that she was still there, and to provide her the comfort and safety she needed. Absent-mindedly, Laura rested her cheek on Robbie's chest and wrapped an arm around his waist. Both sighed contentedly, and drifted off to sleep.
••••••••
A few times in the night Robbie was woken by muffled cries from Laura, who, he assumed was having nightmares regarding the events of the last couple of weeks. He wasn't worried. To be honest, he'd expected a lot worse from a woman who was kidnapped from her own home and very nearly buried alive. So he simply held her a little closer, and once she appeared to be sleeping soundly once again, he would too.