Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply.

"Take him away, Winston." Detective Inspector Tommy Lynley shoved Viscount Barraclough towards his constable. "Out of my sight."

"That's typical of your lot," Barbara Havers snapped. "Just because Daddy's a lord and he went to Harrow he thinks he's above the law."

"My lot? He's a murderer. That's not my lot thank you, Sergeant."

They started to walk up the hill towards the car. "You know what I mean. Public school, rich parents. The trouble is nobody has ever said no to him, so he thinks he can do what he likes."

"That's a generalisation based on your prejudices, not a fact. From what Winston discovered, his home life was oppressively restrictive."

"Yeah, see, you're defending him."

"I am not. He brutally murdered his girlfriend."

"Christina Yates simply got in his way. She loved him, heaven help her, but to him, she was someone to shag while he waited until Mummy found him a nice, respectable wife. Then she gets pregnant, so instead of doing the semi-decent thing and paying her off, he takes her on a romantic weekend up here, kills her, then cuts her womb out, so there's no proof she was pregnant. Disgusting."

"I agree it's disgusting, but it's his character, not his social rank. Not every earl or viscount runs around murdering and dismembering their girlfriends."

"No, but they all think they can if they want to."

Tommy clenched his fists and tried to stay calm. He failed. Anger welled up inside. "You know Havers, sometimes I wonder how I put up with your blind prejudices. It's no wonder no other SIO can work with you. You are savage, opinionated, and intractable."

"And you can't see past your privilege. How do I put up with you?" She started to walk faster and moved ahead of him.

"Maybe it's time we went our separate ways then." With long strides, Tommy caught up. He walked to the driver's side of the car. "I'll take that as your transfer request. I'll process the paperwork on Monday. Now go home and cool off. Nkata and I will handle the interview."

"Suits me fine."

"Good." Tommy shook his head. "It's no wonder you have no friends with that chip you carry around. You don't have room in your heart for anything except anger and bitterness. If you even have a heart."

"Well, I certainly don't have room for rich, know-it-alls who think they know me."

They stood on each side of the car staring at each other before Barbara snorted then stormed off. Tommy unlocked his car, eased himself behind the wheel then slammed the door.

Barbara's rage ebbed and flowed during her long bus ride back from Essex. She could have strangled Lynley when he drove past the bus stop, tooted and waved then sped off. By the time she got to Camden, she was remorseful. His words had stung her, but hers had been equally vitriolic. There was no room in her heart, not because it was filled with bitterness, but because it was filled with him. Her handsome, frustrating, caring, poncy boss. How had she ever let herself fall for him? She sighed. This was not their first fight. He would ring, and they would both apologise and end up at the pub laughing about it.

Barbara was wrong. Tommy was tired of trying to convince her that his friendship and affection was genuine. In an odd way that he could not understand, he loved her more than life itself, but she was slowly tearing him apart. Being with her was becoming torture. Being without her... was worse. He had to act and break the cycle.

It was nine o'clock when he and Winston finished the interview. By a quarter past, he had sent his email to Hillier informing him that he would accept the Detective Chief Inspector role in Fraud. Hillier had promised it would only be a short stint covering maternity leave. In six months he would be back in CID as a Superintendent.

Barbara felt numb. She sat at her desk and reread Hillier's announcement.

"Morning, Sarge," Winston said as he arrived. "What's wrong?"

Barbara pointed to her screen. She did not trust her voice not to crack.

Winston glanced at it over her shoulder. "Yeah, he told me the other night. I thought you knew."

She shook her head. "I've been his partner for nine years, and he didn't have the courtesy to tell me first."

Winston took his coat off and hung it over his chair. "Do you blame him?"

She spun around. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you have treated him like he's got some terrible disease lately. You are always snapping at him. I guess... he gave up on you."

"I'm going for a fag."

"But you gave up years ago."

"Yeah, well I'm taking it up again." She grabbed her coat and stormed from the office.

Tommy avoided Barbara all day. He was not in the mood to explain. They would probably argue, and if she asked why, he would have blurted out the truth. Love was a capricious emotion. Loving Barbara was dangerous to health. He grabbed his whiskey decanter and headed for his bedroom.

When Barbara got home a pile of letters and junk mail had been pushed through her slot. Bills, more bills, a council notice about anti-graffiti paint for local walls, and a brochure offering discounted electronics and homewares. She was about to toss the junk mail in the bin when one floated to the floor. She picked it up. Soulmates Online, the heading said. She read through the promise of friendship with scientifically matched people. 'Answer our comprehensive 200 question profiler and be instantly matched with like-minded and compatible friends. You are in control. Friendship only, or more if you desire. We ARE NOT a dating site. We aim to help lonely people connect.'

"Yeah, like hell." She shoved it into the bin with the rest of the junk.

Tommy did not see Barbara for three days. He was assigned to double with DCI Broughton before her maternity leave started. He had hoped that by the time he returned, Barbara would have calmed down enough to apologise and work out a truce. Now they were not working together he could also start asking her out. Maybe then she would get the message.

Without Lynley, Barbara's life was infinitely worse. The new DI, a fat lazy slob with some disgusting personal habits, was also sexist. So far, DI Smithers had assigned her to fetch the tea and filing. She had taken three days of this treatment without exploding. She was not unusually tolerant, she just did not want a scene and be thrown out of the Met.

"What's this?" Smithers demanded.

"My leave request. DI Lynley had not signed it before he... left." Barbara had pre-dated the request form to the week before her argument with Lynley. "I am owed almost three months on full pay. The DI told me I had to get it down."

"What are you going to do with your two months?"

"I am going into retreat."

"What are you? The French Army? What sort of retreat?"

"Not that it's the Met's concern, but I am going to an Aikido dojo." That sounded convincing and slightly menacing.

Smithers scribbled his signature. "No great loss. I don't believe in female detectives. The system forced you on to me. When you get back, I will have found another sucker to take you."

Barbara tried not to smile. "Whatever."

Winston bumped into Lynley in the lift. "How's Fraud, Sir?"

"Hello, Winston. Quiet but interesting. It's a different challenge. How are you getting on?"

"We hate it now, but hopefully you'll be back soon."

"And Sergeant Havers? She hasn't returned my calls."

Winston frowned. "Didn't you hear? She's taken two months leave and run away to some Aikido dojo. I think she thought that was better than a stint in Bronzefield for murdering Smithers."

"I see." The lift stopped, and the doors opened. "This is my floor. No, I didn't know about Barbara. Take care, Winston."

On his first Saturday off, Tommy drove down to the dojo where she had stayed once before. The owners remembered her, and him, but were unable to help. Barbara was not there.

Tommy drove away hurt and confused. He had previously called at her flat two or three times. He had tried to ring her but had been met with silence. Barbara did not have an answering machine, and she had left her work mobile with Winston as per policy. Without knowing her personal email address, Tommy had no way to contact her unless he wrote a letter. He regretted their fight, and he knew he had taken his promotion out of spite, but he had hoped they could reconcile and begin a new phase. She always forgave him, just as he forgave her. This time they had run as far from each other as they could. Tommy feared it was too far.

Unable to afford the dojo, Barbara had taken two weeks and hiked through Snowdonia. With a strict budget, she had stayed at obscure B&Bs and avoided any other human contact. She arrived back in London fitter but just as confused. After restocking her fridge with frozen meals and beer from Tesco Express, she sat back and contemplated her future. It looked bleak. No job. No Tommy. No hope.

She thumbed through her mail. It was mostly advertising with a couple of bills. Another flyer for Soulmates Online caught her attention. She looked to the sky. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

The next envelope was addressed by hand and had obviously been personally delivered. She recognised the handwriting instantly. Barbara took it to her couch and sat. Her hands were shaking as she tore it open.

Barbara,

I heard you were on leave had gone to a dojo. You appear to be at a different one this time. I hope wherever you are it is helping you.

I am sorry for what I said when we argued. That said, your biases are coming between us, and it hurts and angers me. We are not as different as you think.

I have to Manchester for a month, but I would like to catch up in person and talk when we are both back in London. We need to sort this out.

Please ring me when you return.

Tommy

Barbara screwed up the note and threw it on the floor. "Helping me? You condescending piece of... My biases! What about yours?"

She went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. Barbara looked at it, then put it back and found the whiskey in her cupboard. Tonight she needed more than beer to sleep.

Propped up in bed, she opened her laptop and typed Soulmates Online.