From One Patch to Another
Chapter 2: The Queen Vic

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! Sorry this one has taken longer than expected! Please review! Xx

The drive to Walford took a lot less time than Sam expected, which was a good thing seeing as she hadn't particularly enjoyed the car ride with Max. It wasn't that she didn't like him, in fact she found him quite charming and definitely attractive but there was no way she was going to let him know that. He was too damn cocky for his own good and there were just too many similarities between him and Phil.

Max parked the car in a side street and he and Sam walked into Albert Square together, their breath coming out in frosty gasps in the cool night air. The only sound that could be heard were dogs barking and sirens blaring in the background, as well as the tap of Sam's knee high boots on the cobbled streets.

"We should find him in here, if my information is correct." Max said, pointing to the warmly lit and inviting Queen Victoria pub.

"Okay." Sam replied, keeping her face impassive for her own sake and because she knew her presence could risk blowing Phil's cover more than anyone else in the world.

Max opened the door and stepped inside the pub where they were met by a gust of warm air and chattering voices. He led the way to the bar and ordered a pint of beer for himself and a red wine for Sam. They found a table in the corner, slightly away from the other locals and sipped their drinks.

"So, do you know how anyone in here is?" Sam asked as she toyed with the stem of her wine glass.

"The landlady here is Peggy Mitchell; she lives upstairs with her son Phil, her nieces Ronnie and Roxy and her grandson Ben." Max informed her.

"Okay. Her son is called Phil? That's going to be confusing." She mused.

Max nodded, surprising Sam by not making a sharp comment. "True, but Hunter is known as Jack Branning here, don't forget that."

Sam said nothing, looking down at her wine glass instead. She knew she had the potential to blow this operation if she wasn't careful. Whoever had decided she should be in on this clearly hadn't thought that possibility too. Sam forced herself to crush the hope that Phil might have asked specifically for her to be involved.

"I won't." She finally said. "Now, are you going to buy me another drink, or what?" She smiled sweetly, she might as well use the time she had to spend with Max Carter to her advantage.

"I've gotta go, babe." Ronnie Mitchell told her boyfriend, running her fingers through the soft hair on his chest. "Aunty Peg wants me working tonight 'cause Dawn called in sick."

"Do you really have to go?" Jack Branning asked, trailing his hand down the side of her smooth, porcelain skin.

Ronnie nodded, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She retrieved her knickers from the floor and her bra from the back of the chair in the corner. She went around to Jack's side of the bed and leaned over to kiss him.

"You taste good." Jack moaned into her mouth. "Hurry back, okay?"

"You could come with me." Ronnie suggested, slipping her jeans on and zipping them up. "Free drinks, on the house."

"Don't tempt me." Jack replied, watching as Ronnie buttoned up her black silk shirt.

"Ya love it." Ronnie replied with a teasing smile. She climbed back onto the bed, straddling Jack's waist. "I'll make it worth ya while, baby." She said.

Jack sighed, pushing Ronnie off him so he could get up and get dressed. He put his shirt and trousers back on while Ronnie brushed her hair and reapplied her make up in the bathroom mirror.

"Ready to go?" Jack asked.

"Right behind ya, babe." Ronnie smiled, following Jack out of his apartment and into the cool London night.

Jack smiled as she took hold of his hand and led him towards the Queen Vic. He had been worried about taking part in an undercover operation so soon after his transfer to Special Ops but he hadn't had to worry about leaving his life behind. He had already left Sam, he hadn't seen Cindy in months and both his children were well out of harm's way. However, he had never imagined he would end up falling for someone; especially someone like Ronnie Mitchell.

"So, is Phil actually going to appear at all tonight, or was this just a ploy to get me very drunk?" Sam asked, when Max returned from the bar with her third glass of wine.

Max smirked. "He should be here, he's supposed to be." He said, turning serious and looking at his watch.

"Okay," Sam replied, not quite sure how to respond. Part of her, a very small part at least, would be almost relieved not to have to see him tonight. She was aware that her hair wasn't anywhere near perfect and the make-up she had applied twelve hours ago was fading. She concentrated on trying not to drink her wine too quickly, especially seeing as she hadn't managed to fit in dinner before Max had phoned.

"This is fun isn't it?" Max commented after a few minutes of silent drinking and Sam glared at his sarcasm, but he simply grinned.

Phil buttoned his jacket up further as he and Ronnie crossed Albert Square to the Queen Vic. Ronnie smiled up at him as he took her hand again and they fell in step together. Ronnie felt her heart lift a little with happiness, a feeling she had not allowed to experience in a long while, especially not with a man. However, she felt like she had found someone she could love and trust in Jack Branning. He was 'bad boy' enough to appear mysterious and desirable but Ronnie could tell that there was nothing truly dangerous about him. In many ways she was right, but in a very crucial way she was very wrong.

Phil Hunter pushed the door of the Queen Vic and he and Ronnie were greeted by a blast of welcome, warm air. He held the door open and Ronnie slipped passed him, enveloping him with the scent of her perfume. Ronnie smiled at his show of gentlemanliness.

"Thanks, Jack." She smiled, heading towards the bar while Phil looked for a vacant seat. He was scanning the far end of the room when he spotted a familiar blonde woman. His breath caught in his throat when he saw that she was with another man. Without a further thought about Ronnie Mitchell, Phil strode to the end of the room where she was sitting.

"Sam?" He asked, incredulously.

The smile that lit up her face did not go unnoticed by Max. "Phil!" She replied, with enthusiasm before she noticed Phil was now glaring at her. Sam felt the confusion overwhelm her again but she and Max obeyed as he pointed to the exit. Not for the first time that evening, Sam wondered what the hell she had got herself into.

Sorry if referring to Phil as Phil and Jack is confusing. Let me know if you can think of a better way for me to do it! Please review! Xx