Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply. I have had two snippets in my head for a while, and finally thought about how to incorporate them into a story.

"Where will I drop you, Winston?" Detective Inspector Tommy Lynley asked as he merged off the M1 and into London's traffic.

"Anywhere near Victoria Station is fine, thanks. I am meeting some friends for drinks."

"And you, Barbara?"

"I didn't drive today, so any Tube Station."

"I can drive you home."

"It's out of your way."

"Nonsense. I have some errands to run. We can drop Winston off at Victoria then you can come back to my place while I collect a few things, then I will drive you home."

Barbara looked over and smiled. "If you're sure."

"I am. Right, that's settled then."

Barbara turned her head and looked out the window. Her boss was organising her life as usual. "So it seems."

Tommy ignored her or failed to pick up on her clue. "I had an interesting call today," he continued.

"Mmm?" Barbara feigned disinterest.

"From Britain Has Bachelors. There are thinking of doing a 'peer of the realm' theme."

Barbara turned. "What? They want you as a bachelor?"

"Yes, the show's not called Britain Has Widowers."

She grimaced. "No, but you?"

"He's not that bad looking, Sarge," Winston said, "a lot of girls would swoon over him."

"Pfft." She turned to Tommy. "Is that what you want? Swooning girls?"

Tommy raised his eyebrow. "Hmm, I prefer my women a little older, but when it comes to swooning, beggars can't be choosers."

She looked at him over the top of imaginary glasses. "So what did you tell them?"

He smiled disarmingly. "I thought it was one of your favourite shows?"

"Hardly. It's demeaning. Not just to the women, but they make the man look like a complete tosser."

"Yeah, but he still gets to snog gorgeous women," Winston piped in.

Barbara turned and glared at him. "Winston! There's more to a relationship than snogging." She resettled herself and looked over at her boss. "And I won't watch if you're going to be handing out roses to poor women and rejecting them."

"Well, I can't keep them all." There was a gleam in his eye that annoyed her.

"That's never stopped you before."

Now Tommy glared at her. "Unfair, Havers. I have never had more than one woman at once."

"Good to know."

"And for the record, I politely declined."

"Good."

"Good."

Barbara looked at her boss and shook her head. "So, Winston, any plans for the weekend?"

Winston was still shaking his head when he entered the pub. Stuart Lafferty called him over to a table in the corner where he was chatting with a group of constables from the station. "How was your day with Houses of York and Lancaster?"

"Still bloody." As they moved to a private table, Winston quickly retold the story of the argument in the car. "Do you think they will ever realise they are in love?"

"Oh, I think they know that, Winston." Stuart grinned broadly and tapped the side of his nose.

"How do know?"

"I'm a pathologist. I'm trained to observe small details."

Winston frowned. "I'll get a drink. Then you can tell me why."

Tommy stepped back and let Barbara go first. "Sergeant."

"Thank you, Sir." Barbara looked around the hallway. His house always impressed her no matter how often she came through the door.

As soon as he closed the door, Tommy took Barbara's hand and pulled her towards him. "I've been waiting to do this all day."

As her arms snaked around his waist, he ran his other hand up her back and into her hair. Their lips crashed together. Both took contented sighs as their kiss turned passionate, almost violent.

"Me too," she said as they paused. "Do you think we fooled Winston?"

"He caught me looking at you at lunchtime. If he read my thoughts..." Tommy kissed her again.

"Mmm. He caught me thinking about this morning. I must have been smiling from ear to ear. We can't expect to hide it forever, but no point in rushing to tell people."

"Mmm."

"Mmm, what Tommy?"

"This morning," he purred as he kissed her neck. "I... mmm... let's continue where we left off."

"So, spill," Winston demanded as he put two beers on the table.

"I think they are sleeping together."

Winston spat a mouthful of beer across the table and slopped more over the rim of his glass. "No!"

Stuart laughed as Winston wiped his mess with a napkin and then placed a paper coaster near the biggest puddle to soak up the beer. "I think so, and they will tell us very soon."

"Why?"

Stuart put his hand on Winston's arm and pushed it down so that his beer glass sat firmly on the table. "I believe there will be a little Lynley arriving."

Winston's eyes went wide. "Noooo!"

Stuart put his hand up to the people who had turned to stare. "We're okay, folks, thanks."

"Barbara and Lynley? Having a baby? But that means that they have had..."

"Sex? Yes, Winston, that's how it usually happens ."

"But how?"

"I'm not familiar with their bedroom habits, but I suspect he'd be a missionary man, but she's probably into being a cowgirl."

"Stuart!"

Lafferty laughed. "Oh, come on, you must admit it would be interesting to observe them."

"No, it wouldn't. Do they know?"

"What? That they're having sex? Yes, most likely."

"About the baby."

"I think Barbara does, but Lynley can't, or he wouldn't let her do anything. You know how protective he can get of his sergeant."

"Poor Barbara."

"I don't know. Something tells me she is enjoying every minute."

Barbara lay back against the pillow. "Bloody hell."

Tommy rested his head on his elbow and looked down at her. He traced his finger along her shoulder and down her arm. "Is that disapproval, my love?"

She smiled up at him and shook her head. "Definitely not, just exhaustion."

"Good." He caressed her cheek. "I want to make you happy."

"You do. I am lucky to have you."

"I think I am the lucky one." He kissed her cheek. "Having your love."

"So, you weren't tempted to have beautiful women throwing themselves at you?"

Tommy laughed then bent down and kissed her neck. "No. I was insulted they asked."

"What did you say?"

"That my fiancée would disapprove."

"Fiancée? Where are you hiding one of those?"

"Well, it's about time you were don't you think?"

"Why?"

"Call me old-fashioned, but..."

"But, what?

"I'm not blind, Barbara, and I can count." He put his hand on her abdomen. "When were you going to tell me about the little one?"

"Oh, that."

He frowned. "Yes, that. It might be insignificant to you, but it means a lot to me."

"I didn't want you to feel obligated."

"Obligated? I helped create him. Or at least I seem to recall we have done this often enough for me to suspect I contributed."

"Yes, of course, it's yours, if it exists. I don't know for sure. I haven't been brave enough to do a test. And I can't guarantee it will be your son and heir." She turned her head away from him.

"I thought we had been pretty careful."

"Not always." Barbara closed her eyes. "I took a couple of badly calculated risks with that damned diaphragm. I should have stopped you, but..."

"We wouldn't have stopped, would we?" Tommy noticed her face blushing. He bent down and kissed her cheek. "Barbara, I want this. We talked about having children sooner rather than later given our ages."

"That was hypothetical, and we didn't talk about getting married."

"Didn't we? I suppose I assumed the only reason we hadn't married yet was that we wanted to keep working together. And for the record, if you're not pregnant, then I'd like to work on resolving that as soon as possible."

"I'm not a broodmare."

Tommy took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to imply that. I don't know if I will be a good father, but I can't think of a better mother for my children. I'd like to have a family with you."

Barbara grabbed his sides. "I'm sorry. I love you, Tommy, and... I want your child. And you'll be a wonderful dad."

He frowned at her mood change. "I hope so. I love you too." He kissed her lovingly.

"Hmm."

"Just in case you're not pregnant, do you want to start trying now? Or will I rush to Boots and buy a test kit?"

Her kiss answered that question.

There was a knock on Tommy's office door. "Come in."

"Hiya," Barbara said as she shut it behind her.

Tommy looked up and grinned. "Well?"

Barbara walked over to the side of his desk. "Your doctor confirmed the results."

"I wish you had let me go with you." Tommy stood and gave her a brief hug.

"How would that have looked? Me taking medical leave and you going with me. Everyone would have assumed, and if I wasn't then..."

Tommy nodded. "I'm going with you for all future appointments though."

"Agreed."

"So, when will we meet our child?"

"He said he thinks I am almost eight weeks, so late November. Don't smile at me like that."

"Why not?"

"Because it makes me want to..." She coughed. "And we can't. Not here."

"We could," he said with a wicked, lustful grin. "I've printed out our resignations."

"You're not wasting much time."

"I don't want to take any chances."

"You are going to smother me with all that cotton wool."

He gestured for her to sit on the edge of his desk. "Probably, but secretly you love it."

"Yeah, I do."

Tommy chanced a quick kiss, but they soon became lost in it. "We should resign. Now!"

Barbara nodded. "Yeah, then go home."

Winston knocked on the door while Stuart wrestled with the package. "Don't tear the wrapping."

"Why did you have to buy such a big one?"

"I thought..."

The door swung open. "Winston, Stuart, hello. Come in. Barbara's in the... What on earth is that?"

"It was Winston's idea," Stuart said as he tried to get a better grip.

"You'd better come in."

Winston followed his ex-boss down the hall and into the family room off the kitchen. Lynley's hair was slightly longer, and he had a somewhat trendy three-day growth. For the father of a newborn, he looked remarkably calm and relaxed.

Barbara was sitting on a comfortable looking leather couch holding a bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket covered with little giraffes. "Hi. I can't get up, but it's wonderful to see you."

"You too."

Lynley sat on the armrest and put his arm around Barbara who turned and smiled at him. The way they looked at each other, there was no mistake about their love. Winston felt slightly awkward. He glanced over at Stuart who gave him a decidedly smug, I-told-you-so look.

Barbara turned back to them. "Come and meet Tristan Thomas Lynley."

Winston peered at the baby. "He's got your eyes and Sir's hair."

"Tommy, Winston. Call me Tommy."

"No, it's okay. That wouldn't seem right."

Stuart elbowed in and gently pushed the cloth away from Tristan's eye. "You're so cute, aren't you little one? Yes, I'm your uncle Stuart, and Uncle Winston and I have bought you a present. Winston, fetch it. I left it in the hall."

Winston raised his eyebrow. "Who died and made you boss? Yes, alright."

Tommy nudged Barbara. "We might have to build on to accommodate it."

Winston was dwarfed by a giant floppy parcel wrapped in blue paper covered in teddy bears holding balloons. "Happy birth, Tristan."

Barbara turned to Tommy. "You weren't kidding."

Tommy had the chuckles. "I know."

"What on earth have you two done?"

"Nothing bad," Winston protested.

Barbara flicked her head at Tommy. "You'd better open it. I don't think Tristan and I can manage from here."

Tommy stood up and accepted the parcel, knowing that Stuart and Winston were bemused by his ex-sergeant ordering him around. In truth, she always had. And he willingly obeyed. "May I tear the paper?"

"No fun if you don't," Barbara said.

Tommy leant the parcel against the table. It was taller than him. He began to rip away the paper. Whatever was inside was white and furry. Then it turned black. He tore the paper with a youthful glee he hadn't felt since he was a child. "A giant panda!'

Barbara laughed so hard, Tristan began to mewl. "He's wonderful, thank you. He can go in the corner of our bedroom until Tristan grows up."

"What should we call him?"

"Pan der Bear"

Tommy whacked her playfully across her head with a big paw.

A year later:

Tommy came into the bedroom where Barbara was folding clothes. "Mother's taken Tristan to the park."

"Okay, good. We need a break."

"From our son?"

"No, your mother."

Tommy wrapped his arms around her from behind and began to nuzzle her neck. "Hmm, that I can relate to."

Barbara turned in his arms. "I'm folding our laundry."

"That can wait."

"Easy for you to say." She leant down and picked up a pile of baby clothes and shoved them against his chest. "Second shelf, left-hand side."

Tommy grumbled but dutifully put the clothes in the wardrobe. When he returned, Barbara was bending over Pan der Bear, straightening him. Tommy put his hands on her hips and pulled her against him. She stumbled and they fell onto the bear. Their faces were close and Tommy's mouth soon found hers. Within minutes they had shed their clothes.

"Tommy," Barbara said as she lay in his arms.

"Hmm?"

"We didn't think about precautions."

"Does that worry you?"

"No, you?"

"Not in the least, but don't ever tell Tristan that Pan der Bear helped conceive his brother or sister."

"I'll leave that to you, Dad. The birds and the pandas."