A/N: Beta'd by the very talented EmmyLovett, who also beta'd "Redemption."
The next morning had proved to be a slow start to their shift, for Emma and Sally. First they dealt with a dispute over parking, before pointing a lost tourist in the right direction.
As the day wore on, it was clear it was going to be one of those rare days, when crime seemed to take an occasional break.
Walking in the direction of Colshaw Street, where the first of the bombs had set in motion a terrifying chain of events, Emma felt icy fingers travel the length of her spine, and she shuddered, feeling goose bumps spring out on her arms despite the heavy jumper and overcoat she was wearing.
It had been redeveloped in the four years since the bomb blasts, and it hardly looked the same. But Emma fancied she could see the ghost of the buildings, as they were on the day of the blasts. So much chaos, and carnage⦠she shuddered again.
She felt Sally's hand on her arm, offering her support, and Emma's mouth twitched into a half smile, before nodding that she was okay, and continuing their patrol.
Deciding to have lunch on the go, rather than return to Sun Hill, their steps led them to the waterfront.
Emma paused, resting her elbows on the railing, looking out over the river, with a look of retrospect on her face.
"What's up, Em?" asked Sally, resting her elbows on the railing, also, as she gazed out across the Thames. "You've been a million miles away for the last half hour."
Emma sighed, and glanced briefly at Sally, before setting off on patrol again.
"Callum wants us to have another baby," Emma confided, as they walked along.
"But you don't?" Sally guessed, judging by the tone of Emma's voice.
Emma shrugged. "He's not the one who'll have to take a year out, is he? It doesn't seem five minutes, since we had Charlotte."
"Does he know how you feel?" asked Sally, a mental picture of Callum playing the doting father, crossing her mind. A gentle giant, she still found at odds, with the demanding Sergeant at work.
"I said, if he gave me another year, then I'd consider it," Emma admitted. "He agreed."
They walked in companionable silence, heading towards Canley Market.
A woman, not much older than twenty-two, or three, her blond hair falling in disarray from her hastily tied ponytail, headed in their direction, looking frantic.
"Please!" she sobbed desperately. "I can't find my little boy!"
Sally quickly took charge, consoling the young mother, as she questioned her. Emma reached for her radio, calling for back up.
Cars, siren's wailing, sped to the scene within minutes, and Callum strode purposely towards the two officers, settling his cap firmly on his head as he did so.
"I'm Sergeant Stone, Mandy, and we're doing everything we can to find Jordan okay? I'll give you a lift home, along with PC Stone, and we'll keep you updated as much as we can, yeah?" he said, guiding her towards the car.
Emma started to follow, and then stopped as the feeling of being watched made her shake. Curious she turned to look over her shoulder, but apart from the curious onlookers she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Her gaze travelled once more over the crowd, but no one particularly stood out.
"Emma!" shouted Callum, both authority and urgency in his tone, as he waited by the car, impatiently.
"Sarge," Emma acknowledged, shrugging off the uncomfortable feeling as she hurried to the car.
After talking further with Mandy, Callum indicated Emma follow him outside.
"What was all that about at the Market?" he wanted to know. "It's not like you to freeze up like that."
"It was nothing, not really. I'm sorry," she said, trying to put him off.
"Emma," he said, in a tone, which she knew, wasn't him just asking as her boss.
"I felt some one watching me again, which is ridiculous the amount of people there."
Callum frowned his concern. "The same as last night?"
Emma nodded. "When I look around, no one really stands out."
"Next time it happens, let me know, okay?" he replied. "See if I can spot the joker." He nodded his head in the general direction of the house, getting back down to business. "You're FLO on this one. Inspector insists." He patted her arm. "You'll do fine."
Emma returned to the house, where Mandy had been watching from the kitchen window.
"We've got officers out looking for Jordan," Emma reassured Mandy. "I'm PC Stone; Emma, and I'm going to be your Family Liaison Officer. Any questions you want to ask or information that comes through, I'm your point of contact. We will find him."
Mandy nodded wringing her hands nervously. "Do you have kids?"
Emma smiled, and nodded. "Two; a boy and a girl."
Mandy nodded, relaxing slightly as if relived to have someone who knew what she was going through.
"Been together long?" asked Mandy, curiously. "You and that Sergeant?" Then flushed a furious red. "It's none of my business, I'm sorry. I rabbit on when I'm nervous!"
Emma smiled. "What made you ask that?"
"I noticed the wedding rings and you have the same name. I was watching out the window, and he just seemed different when he talked to the other officer."
Emma saw no harm in saying, "We've been together nearly four years, and married for nearly two," she indicated if Mandy wanted a cup of tea, who nodded.
"Must be strange working with your husband?"
Emma nodded as she laughed. "It has its moments," she agreed. "But we've managed to separate the two. It helps that we're not paired together very often."
"Why hasn't there been any news!" Mandy wanted to know forty-five minutes later. "With the amount of police searching for him, surely they must have found something by now?"
"I know it doesn't seem it now, but everything that can be done, is being done," soothed Emma. "We'll check if we can see anything on CCTV, which will be a really big help in deciding which way he went. They'll also be asking people if they've seen a boy matching Jordan's description, and what direction he could have gone, that might match CCTV. Excuse me," Emma finished as her mobile phone rang. "Sarge?"
Mandy waited with bated breath as Emma took the call, her hands fighting their own private war in her lap. Emma suddenly smiled and nodded, even though Callum couldn't actually see it. "Will do, Sarge," she finished before ending the call.
"Jordan's been found safe and well," Emma explained, and Mandy suddenly burst into relieved tears. Emma put her arm around the sobbing woman's shoulders, reassuringly.
"He apparently saw some other kids playing and decided to join them. He's fine. Sergeant Stone is bringing him home now."
Mandy flew out of the door as Callum pulled up outside the house, fifteen minutes later.
Jordan was sat on the back seat, Callum's flat cap covering his eyes, making him tilt his head back so he could see. A Cheshire cat grin on his face, unaware of the panic he had caused.
Callum opened the rear door, and the youngster leapt out, Callum just having time to retrieve his cap before mother and son met in a tangle of arms.
"I've been in a real police car, Mummy!" Jordan enthused, as Mandy hugged him tightly to her, holding on for dear life as if she half expected him to vanish right before her eyes again.
Finally holding him at arms length, she admonished, "And make it the last time, d'you hear!" Before pulling him to her chest once more, fighting back her terrified tears. "Don't ever, ever do that again!"
Later that night Callum leant against the doorjamb as he watched Emma check on Devon and Charlotte, one last time, before retiring themselves.
"After what happened today, it makes you appreciate moments like this even more," whispered Callum, as Emma kissed each child in turn.
She smiled and nodded. If anything ever happened to them, she didn't know what she would do.
Callum lingered a moment longer, after Emma returned to their room. A sudden frown creasing his face, as the phone rang.
What idiot would ring at this time of night? He wondered angrily.
He looked around the room, one last time, before closing the door, gently, leaving it slightly ajar.
As he entered the bedroom, he pulled his jumper over his head, discarding it in the clothes hamper, so he didn't see Emma's expression. "Y'know waiting a year, might not be such a bad idea," he said, as he went about getting ready for bed. "The kids room isn't really big enough for three kids. Maybe we could use the time to look for a bigger place?"
"Emma?" he asked after a few minutes when she didn't answer. He turned and seeing her expression, was at her side in a second. "Darlin' what's wrong?" All thoughts of a possible move vanishing.
"That was Mum on the phone," said Emma, fighting to stay calm, the phone still cradled in her lap. "Dad's collapsed and has been rushed to a hospital in Devon."
