Bundled up in her black finery, Laura was relieved to find Robbie waiting for her. At a point in her life where she was torn up and terrified, having Robbie here was reassuring. She'd been hurt by his questioning and Ellen was livid, which hadn't helped the quandary any further. But in that terrifying evening when she genuinely thought she was going to die, Laura had realised that she simply didn't care. She'd fallen for Robbie a long time ago now, and she just wanted him in her life, however that manifested. So when he turned to her after the service was over, and offered a walk to blow away the cobwebs she'd accepted willingly. As they reached the steps, she'd slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and he'd smiled at her. They'd walked along, neither really caring where they would end up in the crispness of the autumn day.
After a while had passed, and Laura couldn't really have said how long, Robbie had slung his arm around her shoulder and she'd leaned into him as they walked. "How are you?" he'd asked and Laura sighed, before she answered. "Getting there," she replied, at length and without much conviction. "Being faced with your own mortality, betrayed by someone you thought you knew, might take a while to completely get past it," Laura observed, and Robbie turned to her, pain etched across his face. Laura looked up at him, suddenly anguished "I didn't mean you," she whispered and he wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against him, Laura nestling her head under his chin. They stood together in the autumn air, silence sat heavily between them. "God, Laura, I was so scared," Robbie murmured and Laura's eyes had smarted with tears. "I thought…" he began and she hushed him, leaning into his embrace, and they'd clung to each other. "I couldn't keep you safe, Laura," he'd told her and Laura buried her face in his chest, unable to prevent a sob rising in her throat. "I'm so sorry," he told her, though Laura barely heard him through her tears. "I didn't want to question you," he began and Laura shook her head. "You were just doing your job," she replied tearfully and Robbie considered her. "I should have stepped away, let someone else do it," he replied and Laura grimaced slightly. "I was too close," Robbie said and Laura met his gaze curiously. "I am too close," he continued, clasping his hands behind her back and Laura looked up at him, through tears that threatened to spill over. "Robbie," Laura murmured, resting her hand on his chest and Robbie sighed heavily. "I wanted it to be you," she owned and he frowned slightly. "James, leaping into the ground. I'm bloody grateful he did. But I wanted it to be you." Laura continued and Robbie sighed, meeting her gaze. They stared at each other, each trying to find the words and failing. "I had to catch them, Laura, get them into custody, stop them ever hurting you again," he tried to explain "I knew I could trust James to keep you safe in the meantime." Tears trickled down Laura's face and Robbie grimaced. "I'm sorry," he mumbled and Laura choked down a sob unsuccessfully. Robbie wrapped his arms around her, cradling her against his chest as she cried. He suspected she needed this. Laura was strong, resilient, but he worried she'd been putting a brave face on throughout all of this. It killed him to hear her say that she'd wanted it to be him, that he'd let her down. He hated himself for it. Sighing heavily he cradled her close, kissing the top of her head without really thinking about what he was doing. "I've got you, love," he murmured as Laura continued to cry "I've got you."
From a distance, Ellen observed them together. She had no idea what they had said to each other, but there was no mistaking the affection between the couple ahead of her. And Laura clearly needed a good cry. Ellen hadn't been able to persuade Laura to let go enough to let all the emotion she was clearly working through out, but Robbie obviously made Laura feel safe enough. And Ellen was glad for her. She turned, and walked back towards the crematorium and the car park.
As Laura's sobs subsided, Robbie retained his grip around her. Having her within his arms was such a relief. He'd been plagued with nightmares, waking suddenly, cold and full of dread ever since that fateful night and he dreaded to think that impact it had had upon Laura. And he was reluctant to let her would have been content to stand and hold her close all day, keep her entwined in his arms, where she was safe. She was so delicate in his arms, even in heeled boots, she was barely level with his shoulder and he felt unexpectedly protective. Laura shifted her head so that her cheek was resting on his collarbone and Robbie smiled at the sensation. "Better?" he murmured, and Laura nodded, wiping away another tear. "Come on, there's a pub just down here. Let me buy you a drink love," he suggested and Laura nodded. But neither of them moved. Laura was reluctant to move from the safety of his embrace and Robbie had no desire whatsoever to let her go. After a few minutes had passed, Laura looked up at Robbie and smiled weakly. "Sorry," she murmured and Robbie hushed her. "Don't," he told her. "Alec kept trying to touch me," Laura said suddenly "when I was with Ellen, in the hospital." Robbie frowned. "I couldn't stand it," Laura continued and Robbie grimaced. "He made my skin crawl. And then, the twins. All that soil. It's taken me days to feel comfortable in my own skin," she finished, settling her cheek against his chest again. Robbie sighed, retightening his grip around her. "Oh, Laura, love," he murmured "I wish I'd worked it out sooner.""James came to see me," Laura began and Robbie frowned. "He told me you'd held off questioning me for as long as you could, defended my honour" she continued. "I couldn't believe it of you Laura, any of it," Robbie told her and Laura nodded. She drew herself out of his arms, and held out her hand which Robbie willingly took. Laura turned and they began to walk again. A silence sat more comfortably between them as they walked, and after a few minutes the pub Robbie had had in mind loomed into view. "Drink?" Robbie enquired, as they reached the pub and Laura grimaced. "Make mine a coffee," she replied lightly and Robbie quirked an eyebrow at her. "Too early for a G&T?" he began and Laura smirked slightly "Well, the psychologist Innocent is forcing me to see until I've finished my compassionate leave has suggested it might not be wise to imbibe whilst I'm on medication," Laura replied quietly, as Robbie held the door open for her, and she ducked under his arm to make her way into the bar.
Laura undid the belt on her coat, and shook her coat off, laying it carefully over the chair, settling herself into the window seat. She leant her chin on her hand, considering the day so far as she waited for Robbie. She was relieved the funeral was over. It felt like a weight had lifted from her shoulders, and she'd drawn a surprising amount of comfort from Robbie's arms around her. At some point, she mused, when she was feeling a little less fragile, the two of them really had to work through all of this, but right now she was grateful for his presence, plain and simple. Ellen was heading back to London, and in due course, she'd be back at work though she still had another week of enforced leave to get through. Robbie set a cafetière on the tablet in front of her, along with a jug of cream and two mugs, jolting Laura from her musings and he smiled at her. "Coffee as promised" he told her, and Laura smiled. "Coffee with cream feels very indulgent," she observed, pouring some into her cup and reaching for the cafetière. She pushed the plunger down slowly, enjoying the simplicity of it all. "I figured you could use a bit of a treat," Robbie replied, reaching into his pocket and setting a couple of packets of shortbread fingers on the table. Laura smiled broadly and began to pour the coffee, first into Robbie's mug and then into hers. Robbie shifted himself so that he was sat next to Laura in the window seat, and he leant his arm along the edge of the window sill. Laura leant back, and Robbie allowed his fingers to rest across her shoulder. She sipped her coffee slowly, savouring it. Robbie dunked a finger of shortbread in his mug, and then ate it with an air of satisfaction. "How long have you got left on leave?" Robbie enquired and Laura took another gulp of her coffee. "Innocent's told me to take what time I need," she replied "but I'm on enforced compassionate leave for another week. I'll see how things are next week. It would be straightforward enough to ease back in, come back in a "phased return." Laura looked up at him and he smiled at her. "What are you going to do with your leave this week then?" he asked and Laura considered her mug. "Find somewhere new to live," she owned and Robbie grimaced. "Not sure I can stay in the house. Might rent somewhere for a while. I mean, I like my house but I'm not sure I'll ever feel safe there again," Laura replied sadly. "I'm owed a load of time," Robbie began "if you want some help packing up." Laura sipped some more coffee and then smiled a little. "Thanks," she replied softly.
"I'm almost tempted to jump on a plane somewhere, just hide out for a bit, but it feels a bit self indulgent," Laura said after they'd sat together drinking their coffee. "Where would you go?" Robbie asked, curious and Laura tilted her head to one side as she considered this. "Well, December in Europe, I'd probably head south, somewhere warmer. Be good for my old bones to get some warmth on them," Laura replied and Robbie scoffed. "I might get away with the old bones remark about meself, but you lass, you're young yet," he retorted and Laura chuckled. "This last month has put years on me," she replied levelly and Robbie winced. Laura rested her hand over his. "Fancy rescheduling Glyndebourne? We never managed it." she asked bravely and Robbie considered her for a moment. "Alright," he said "let me speak to Herself and get the time off. But yeah. When?" Laura sipped her coffee before she replied. "Next weekend? Gives me a few days to sort a couple of things out, and then I can relax a bit before I come back to work," she answered and Robbie thought about it. "I'll speak to Innocent this afternoon," he replied and Laura smiled to herself.