BETA: None. WILL have spelling and grammar mistakes. (Please don't complain as I've just warned you.)

Sex: Not in this chapter.

Swearing: None

Setting: Chapters One - Six take place during episodes 1 & 2 of season three.

CHAPTER THREE

Joe sat in his office across from Miles. It looked like they'd made a breakthrough with the case, if only his life was so easy. Since Mansell's wedding it seemed Kent was in his thoughts more than usual. It wasn't easy, especially as the young man seem to be disturbed by their current case. Joe wondered if it was bringing up some memories for his attack. Joe had tried to be supportive without crossing the line they'd laid between them, but when he saw that shadow slip over Emerson's features, it was difficult. He would feel this over powering desire to drag him away and find a way to make him forget the horror. It was that unsatisfied desire that had him snapping at his ex, more than was deemed necessary.

He raised the glass of whiskey to his lips and looked over to his sergeant. Miles had that same look of fear, only his had nothing to do with the case. "How's Judy?"

"She thinks its cancer, and it's difficult to tell her otherwise the way the doctors frown and pat her arm and tell her nothing except we'll see you after the scan."

Joe looked at his friend sympathetically. "And you? How are you coping?"

"Oh, I'm alright." Miles sighed, taking a sip from his glass.

"Oh come on, we've got a whole bottle here. Talk."

"She's always there. I get home she's there. If I want to be on my own, she leaves me alone. If I want company, she's by my side. In fifteen years she's never told me what to think, she's backed me up even when she knew I was wrong. She lets me be me and doesn't make me feel guilty about it."

Joe looked down at his glass, Miles words sending an envious pain through him.

"That's why I can't lose her."

Joe looked at his friend for a moment, "To find someone like that's incredible." he murmured, remembering once again what he'd lost. Kent had never wanted him to be anything other than himself, he'd understood him like no one in his life had ever done before. He hadn't wanted him to chance, not even at his worst moments. And he'd blown it, flushed it away with one stupid, ill-thought-out accusation, rooted in fear and jealousy.

"Don't get me wrong she can half nag." Miles joked, desperately needing to lighten the conversation.

Joe laughed sadly.

Miles looked across the table at Joe, seeing the sadness and knowing the cause. He wanted to tell him to sort it out, that he should talk to Kent, but with Joe refusing to acknowledge he was gay, let alone his relationship with the junior officer, he couldn't just say it. It wasn't as if Joe had confided in him.

"Why haven't you ever married?" Miles asked, hoping to draw that confidence out of the distant and secretive man.

Joe leant back in his chair, running his fingers against the edge of the desk nervously. "Bit personal."

"But there are ways now, civil partnerships."

"No." Joe cringed but couldn't deny the continued question of his sexuality. "You don't get it at all." he laughed painfully.

"If that's not the issue then what is?"

"I'm a very particular man. I like to have things a certain way. I'd rather live alone that try to accommodate someone who…." Which had been part of the cause of his break-up. He'd woken up to the realization that Emerson was actually becoming a part of his screwed up life, and he'd freaked out. "….who doesn't understand that."

Miles watched him closely, finally getting it, he was scared. But Kent obviously had understood that, he'd watched them for months while they'd been sneaking around, he's seen the way the young man went out of his way to make things easier for the superior officer, making sure the officer was tidy and up to Joe's standards, he still did, even now.

"I won't chance." Joe said with resignation. "I except that's the way it is, and always will be."

Miles took a sip of his drink, determined that if Joe wasn't going to fix things, he would. How he came up with the plan to push Joe till he broke was beyond him really.

~WHITECHAPEL~

Miles sat at the kitchen table rubbing at his eyes; another murder the previous night had proven them wrong about Salter, which meant they still had a madman out there. Joe had sent him home for a few hours rest but he couldn't sleep. He looked across at his wife, stood by the kitchen sink looking a little better this evening, but still he could see the worry in his eyes. "I've got an idea on how to sort Joe and Kent out." he announced, hoping to distract her from her own worried.

"Oh, yes?"

"There's this bird in forensics that's taken a bit of a liking to the boss."

Judy turned to frown at her husband. "But Joe doesn't…"

"He says he straight." Miles smirked. "So, I figure I'll get him her number."

"You're going to try and set him up with this girl?"

Miles shrugged. "Way I see it. a) He'll call her, they'll get along and Joe will finally get a girlfriend, b) he'll finally admit he's gay and I can actually tell him to sort his relationship out with Kent or c) He'll call her, see that he's not interested in anyone but Kent and fix it. - Either way, it's a win-win."

Judy laughed disbelievingly. "And that's your master plan? What about the young woman?"

Miles shrugged. "Don't worry; I'll make sure she knows there are no guarantees. - But I've got to do something, their both bloody miserable and it's driving me insane. I'd thought they would have sorted it out by now." he sighed, sipping at his tea.

"Joe did royally screw things up, Ray."

"He made a mistake, granted it was a blinder but we've all made them. - I hate to sound all soppy and romantic, you know that, but I've never met any two people better suited. And the office was so much easier to work in back when they were sneaking around. The atmosphere's been off for months and I'm getting tired of it."

"Well, I hope you know what you're doing."

Miles nodded confidently, sure that this time next month, things would be back to normal.

~WHITECHAPEL~

"Marcus Salter has been charged and remanded into custody…." Miles announced closing Joe's office door and thrusting his hands into his pockets. "With all the lights on." he grinned.

"Good." Joe said firmly, putting his watch back on.

"Well…" Miles pulled a small bit of paper out of his pocked. "….now you've got a bit of free time." he handed it over.

"What's this?" Joe frowned taking it,

"Remember that SOCO, Lizzie Pepper? That's her number."

Joe's gaze snapped up to meet his friends as he opened the small sheet and staring down at the digits.

"Wh…Wh…What?" Joe stuttered.

"Well, she likes you and she's single." Miles said talking over the superior officers babbling refusal.

"You asked her?" Joe stared wide eyed.

"Well you weren't going to." Miles smiled.

"No."

"Well, just have a drink. Give her a ring. You might have lots in common."

Joe stared down at the number, uncertain what he was meant to do. He wasn't interested in dating anyone, he wasn't even sure he could date anyone. Kent had kind of been the exception. "I know…I know your trying to be nice." he murmured, refolding the paper perfectly and holding it out for Miles. "But really, this is way beyond your remit as a sergeant. - I can manage my own life."

Miles smiled, confident in his victory. "Don't lose that number." he said, turning and leaving the man's office. "I worked hard for that."

Joe sat there staring down at the number, unable to believe that Miles had done it. Lizzie seemed nice enough but he wasn't….dateable. He glanced out into the incident room, watching everyone getting ready to leave for the night, all going home to someone. Kent glanced back at him and he found himself tempted to ask him out, just for a drink, then he turned and left.

Joe watched him go swallowing hard. Absently, probably out of loneliness, he reached for his phone and the paper, beginning to dial the number. A knock on his door stopped him and he glanced up to see Ed.

"You doing anything tonight?"

Joe cancelled the call instantly, refolding the paper and slipping it into the drawer of his desk tidy. "No, why?"

"Fancy joining me and some friends for a pub quiz?"

Joe smiled. "Sound like fun, thank you." he got to his feet and grabbed his coat.

A/N: I love Miles's speech about his wife because it kinda fits Kent too. Kent having stood by Joe even when everyone else thought he was crazy. So I just had to use it. And that Joe doesn't deny he's gay when Miles brings up Civil Partnerships, only help cement our belief in him and Kent, right? The writers of Whitechapel are geniuses.