An Unwelcome Return
DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters and original plot depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp
The wind felt cold, and the air smelt like it was going to rain. She stood outside, shivering. She wanted to go home - but she knew that she had to do this, she had to give her sympathy to the dead, and her love to the alive. Well just the one.
As she stepped out of her dreamed state, she realised that she could see her breath, and that it was gently raining - she hated this type of rain, it was more like a mist than raindrops, but she stood there, shivering and allowing one hand to escape from her pocket to wipe the rain of her brows and her nose.
After a while the large church doors opened and there was a light sound of conversation. Reg Hollis was the first person to leave, followed by other officers from CID and friends and family of Ken's. Reg stopped and turned to see where the super was, so he could remind him the time of Marilyn's furneral, but instead he saw a rain-drenched face and soaked through clothes. He walked closer to the shivering reporter, who met his gaze.
"Hi Reg, how are you feeling?"
"Andrea? But I thought... we all thought..." Andrea cut him off.
"I know, I discharged myself from the hospital today to say goodbye, MIT put me on witness protection while I was at the hospital, so i was under a different name, and my arrival was on a strict need-to-know basis, most people at the scene didn't know I was taken to hospital."
Reg watched a few people exit the church before asking, "Why were you on witness protection?"
Andrea dropped her head, and raised it slowly, "I know of a very corrupt officer, and all my evidence was burnt in the fire, I told the first fireman I saw to alert MIT, he didn't understand me, but they soon came and escorted me away. All the evidence has been collected and he is due to arrested today, I got a message about ten mintues ago that he was being questioned at Barton Street, so I was safe - for now." Reg nodded along, not knowing if any of this was being taken in.
"But that still doesn't explain why you are standing outside, why didn't you come in?" Andrea giggled gently
"I was told by Okaro that I wasn't to step inside the church unless I'd been searched for any reporters gear, and as I arrived late... no-one was here to search me, so I waited till it was over..." Just as she said the last word, Neil walked out - not yet noticing Andrea, but he was talking to Phil. Andrea nodded at Reg and walked away, catching a small piece of conversation as they slowly walked away from the main doors, as Andrea stood by the brick doorframe, out of sight from them and anyone else that exits, so she could hear him before someone shouted her name,
"What time was it suppose to be?" Phil asked as Neil put his hands in his coat pocket
"I don't know, I tried to find out but no-one knows. There was no chance I would be able to go anyway, the Super had asked me to escort Ken's wife into the building, so there was no way for me to leave."
Andrea was just about to walk over to them, but just as she did she felt a pain in her stomach at what she saw. Phillipa walked over to Neil and linking arms, Neil acknowledged her and they said good bye to Phil as they made their way to a familiar gold Volvo.
"Neil!" Adam Okaro called, Andrea was still standing by the wall. It was no surprise that as Neil turned around to see what the Super wanted he saw Andrea, dripping wet.