"So, WPC Banks" Murphy grinned, setting two large coffees and a plate of chips onto their table "What have you got to tell me?"

"It's Kaitlin, please" She told him gratefully taking a cup and sipping it slowly "D.I Drake"

"Yes. What about her?" He asked eagerly, shoving a chip into his mouth.

"She was amazing" She smiled "Give s a lot of hope, she did"

"Hope?" He asked

"We WPC had someone to look up to. Finally thought that we could make it as a superior officer, too. We all really respected her, even if the blokes didn't. Especially Shaz. They were good friends, her and DI. Drake, she looked up to her so much and it was kind of sweet really. Ma'am was more like her older sister than her boss."

"So everyone liked her then?" He questioned, evidently very curious

"Yes, more or less. The men took a little longer to warm up to her at first, thought she wasn't capable of running CID with The Guv, but they all came to realise she was the best of the best. She put The Guv in his place, too. Quite a lot in fact. The only person he'd listen to, even if they did always argue"

"So they didn't get on well then? If they always argued..." Murphy concluded

"No!" Kaitlin exclaimed "The complete opposite! They were really good friends. When they did argue, they used to make it up fairly quickly. They had their own special little table in Luigi's, where they got drunk every night. He had a little nickname for her, too. Bolly. Was quite sweet really. She never minded either, he'd insult her all the time and didn't care. But if someone else did...she'd get really mad. The Guv and D.I Drake we really close. If they had fallen out we all suffered. It's no wonder he misses her"

"Where DID she go?" Murphy asked her, intrigued

"Nobody really knows. Her, Shaz, Chris, Ray...they all just disappeared. We were told they were all transferred somewhere else, but sometimes the way he acts when people mention them. Especially Ma'am, it's like...like she died or something"

"Died..." He repeated

"You mustn't tell The Guv I told you, sir!" Kaitlin panicked "He'll kill me!

"Don't worry" Murphy reassured her, "I won't. Tell me more about their relationship. Hunt and Alex's"

"Well..." She began "Loads of us thought they might be...you know... together, sometimes they acted as if they were. The way they looked at each other and talked in privacy all the time...Shaz thought they really liked each other, but were too stubborn to admit it. It's sad really. All this time. Everything they've been through and they still can't admit it"

"Been though? What have they been through?" He asked intrigued

"Ma'am was in a coma, once. For a few months. The Guv accidentally shot her during a blag. He felt so guilty, but he went into hiding, knowing everyone would think him guilty, coz the day before they had their biggest argument ever, and he told her to stay away otherwise he'd kill her. Not that her ever would. He's saved her life so many times! She's been kidnapped, and drugged, and knocked out, and left for dead." Kaitlin took a deep breath and another few sips on her coffee; she glanced at her watch casually, but became alarmed when noticing the time "I have to go, sorry sir. My break finished fifteen minutes ago" She stood up and ran for the door as quickly as she could.


Murphy sat back into his seat, pushing the empty plate of chips away from him. He drained the last of his coffee and closed his eyes in thought. He now knew so much about Alex and Hunt. The next time they argued he would use it all against him. Then he would think twice about messing with Harrison Murphy.

He felt hot breath on his face, and opened his eyes to reveal a fuming Gene Hunt looming over him.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Murphy?" He yelled, "You're break finished half a bloody hour ago"

"Sorry" He smirked, feeling a little like a young school boy facing the fearsome headmaster.

"Get in CID" Gene ordered "Now"


The door slammed against the wall as Gene stormed in, Murphy not far behind.

"I think you're forgetting who makes the rules around here" Gene said, stopping in the middle of the room and turning to face his DI

"Oh, I know who's in charge, sir" He replied innocently "Trouble is, do you?"

"WHAT?" Gene bellowed

"You don't make law, Hunt. You just make sure other people follow it" He shouted back, his voice echoing in the silence "I think you've got a bit too big for your boots in the time you've been sat around, arguing with your little D.I's, drinking yourself stupid with whiskey and smoking yourself to death"

"What do you want, Murphy?" Gene whispered dangerously, edging closer

"You and your team leave me the hell alone" He answered, matching Gene's tone of voice

"Fine!" Gene barked, pushing Murphy away, "Now piss off!"

"Oh, Hunt?" He called, walking backwards, "How's Alex Drake? I heard she got transferred. Guess she couldn't stand you any longer"

"YOU BASTARD!" Gene shouted, running up to Murphy and punching him the face. He fell to the floor in shock, as Gene jumped on him, pounding his body furiously with his fist. He bashed Murphy's head off the floor, as blood poured out from his cuts and injuries. Gene knew he should stop, but the pain he had bottled up for so long, the anger he had repressed, was coming flooding out on the first person who dared mention her name. He felt a few pair of hands grab his arms and pull him up, off of Murphy. Instead, he began to kick his ribs, as he was slowly dragged away from the mess that Murphy had now become. "Get your bloody hands off me!"

Gene breathed heavily, trying desperately to calm down. Murphy wriggled around on the floor, attempting to stand up. Gene span round as the door flew open, and a rather shocked police officer stepped into CID.

"What the hell's going on?"