"What's this?" Andrea sighs spotting another envelope stuck to her locker door.

"It's a wedding invitation." Leela fills her in. "Reg and Marilyn's wedding."

"But it's shaped like a steam train." Andrea observes confused.

"Yeah, they're getting married on the platform and then the reception is on a steam train overnight. In the morning you get off back at the station."

"Did you get an invitation?" Andrea asks the newest PC.

"Yes, everyone did."

"What the whole station?" Andrea asks with an element of disbelief.

"Well they'd have to send out a hundred invitations just to get ten replies." Amber pipes up.

"Take it you're not going then." Andrea says dully.

"No, I have better things to do than spend 12 hours on a train with boring coppers." Amber blatantly informs them.

"No, I'm not offended." Leela mumbles.

"There's always the best man." Andrea suggests.

"It'll be Tony Stamp." Amber brushes away the suggestion.

"Brothers of Reg and Marilyn," Leela tries.

"Euugghhh."

"Catch the bouquet?" Andrea tries again.

"Have fun." Amber smiles before leaving them in peace.

"Amber doesn't believe in marriage." Andrea sighs mockingly. "'Bought as close as she comes is a one night stand that happens twice. Thankfully there's only one thing you have to promise to do there."

"Be gone by morning." Andrea and Leela say together.

"You know I'm looking forward to this." Andrea feels her mood lifting. "It's not platform nine and three quarters is it?"

The two women leave the locker room laughing.

"It's in a month, enough time to buy a new dress." Leela points out. "Goodnight." Andrea is already semi distracted having seen Phil and being reminded of her conversation with Philippa earlier.

"Was the DI pleased with our result?" Andrea asks casually approaching Phil.

"Yes but one success hasn't stopped him burying his head in last months stats though, they're enough to put anyone to sleep."

"That's why he gets the big bucks." Andrea grins walking casually away.

His door is open, body hunched over what must be the bane of his existence, other than the criminal too smart to be caught.

"Philippa and I spoke at the courthouse today." At first Neil jumps with her voice splintering the silence but then his body tenses and fear grips his face. For a moment Andrea feels ashamed he thinks she may have spilled all – somewhere along the way he's entertained the idea she could be vindictive. "She asked me about the case you and I were working on, a café acting as a front for selling stolen goods."

Fear turns to anger from Neil, pushing back and out of his chair, striding to shut the office door.

"Well you wouldn't have looked so stupid if you hadn't shut me up and pushed me away the other day outside because I wanted to tell you…"

"Who said anything about looking stupid?" Andrea raises her voice, getting her back up immediately.

"Kevin Masters came over, he thinks my job is television glossy and likes to live vicariously. I used the burglary case developments because I thought it would be easy for you to remember. I was going to tell you so you'd be prepared if what happened today occurred but all I got was you out of control because I was watching you and Gabriel."

"You expect me to believe that you think anyone would believe you were looking at Gabriel that way. Other than that I don't need you to keep me updated on your scheming and lies to your wife, I'm not a part of that anymore."

"Than what are you doing here?" Neil yells. "You're pushing me away one day and pulling me back the next."

"This from a man who openly yearns for me whenever he sees me, corridors, briefings, the lot but he can't commit to me," Andrea's voice joins Neil's.

"You never wanted us over because of me, you were scared because we were getting so close and you might actually have to commit to me." There's no point Andrea pushing back the tears, they're a force beyond her control. It's partially true, the closer they got the harder it would have been to commit because of her role at the Daily News, Neil would have to know, she couldn't keep lying. Neil realises the impact of his words, words that for both of them rose above what their hearts felt in the heat of the argument. He approaches with the intention of apologising only to have Andrea step back.

"I'll leave your things at the front office and I want my key back." She says but just can't find the venom to make the words bite. She doesn't even slam the door closed behind her.


Later that night she packs Neil's things again; she doesn't bother to wash the shirt she has slept in more nights than she cares to count. Securing the box she writes Neil Manson across the top in her best-disguised handwriting. She immediately takes it to her car banishing Neil and his things. In the morning early before Marilyn arrives Andrea leaves the box on the front cover.
"You're looking a little happier these days." Yvonne nudges Andrea in the pub a week later. She doesn't know what happened to the box and isn't losing sleep over it either.

"We had it out a little while back and said things we didn't mean. It's driven a wedge between us and now things aren't so nice. I don't feel as sad about leaving him."

"Kind of like cruel to be kind."

"I always thought there was something sick and twisted about that." Andrea replies spotting Neil across the pub with CID.

"Maybe," Yvonne replies drowning the last of her beer, "Another?"

'Sure." Andrea says absently thinking about what she can't tell Yvonne, that this might give them the breathing space they need to sort out what they have to so they can get back together.

Across the pub she flicks her eyes to Neil who's listening to Phil speak. She flicks them back onto Steve who's telling a story. She feels the urge to glance over again; he's still not looking in her direction – engaged in another conversation. She comes back to Steve but doesn't feel Neil's eyes on her. They play this game for ten minutes, slightly mistiming so each does not catch the other in the act. It's Honey who encourages the group to move location but Andrea's not in the mood.

She shuffles outside into the cool night air surrounded by her colleagues warmed by the pints of beer and shots of spirits. Through the muddle of conversations Andrea watches her friends stumble onto a nearby club. Alone out the front she hears the doors swing, she hears his steps, the swish of the material of his suit and the scent of his aftershave. He breathes deeply watching his warm breath create a faux smoke as it hits the night air.

"You need a lift?" He asks softly and cautiously. Without thought or analysis Andrea accepts and says thanks.

"You weren't keen to push on?" Neil says once they're inside the quiet of the car.

"Didn't feel like it." It's the last words uttered until Andrea exits the car. A quiet truce seems to have settled between them and neither is keen to be the reason it ends.

"Thank you." Andrea says looking at Neil as he pulls up outside her flat. She pushes the door closed and doesn't watch as the car glides away through the night streets.


"Just the person I want to kill." Yvonne grits her teeth finding Andrea on refs in the canteen; she looks up from her paper bemused. "Whatever you did to CID can you go up there and kiss and make up because I'm up there helping them like every other shift and some of them seem to think I'm their personal tea cart."

Andrea smiles not letting Yvonne know she never has to wait on anyone. "Smithy said it's good if you're looking for a promotion later in your career."

"What to head canteen lady?" Yvonne retorts.

"You're obviously the 'chosen one.'" Andrea kids shrugging and enjoying her friend's discomfort.

"Oh please Andrea." Yvonne grabs her hand. "You're on good terms with the DI; he can smooth over whatever it is." Andrea doesn't show outwardly how untrue the last statement is.

"I go upstairs and do that and Amber becomes a better option than the two of us combined." Andrea reasons. "Cheer up and I'll buy you a pint at the pub tonight."

"Speaking of, where did you get to the other week?" Yvonne questions.

"I got a cab and went home." Andrea says simply.

"You're no longer my friend," Yvonne says semi seriously sitting back into her chair…Andrea just smiles.


"Andrea." Marilyn's high-pitched voice pauses her as she rushes through the front waiting area. She glances obviously at her watch, hoping Marilyn will realise she's running late.

"Marilyn I'm really late." Andrea emphasises, hoping to be buzzed through, only to realise it isn't going to happen.

"What is with you and the DI?" Suddenly the least of Andrea's concern is the fact she's late. She steps carefully to the front desk not wanting anything further to be announced to the station. "I've had a package here for him for weeks and an envelope here for you for the same amount of time and neither of you will come and collect them."

Andrea breathes an invisible sigh of relief. "Buzz me through please."

"Andrea," Marilyn whines.

"I'll come and pick up mine after the shift." Andrea knows full well she'll break the promise.

"I'm not a post office." Marilyn sulks finally buzzing her through. She mumbles something about being a bride and Andrea coming to her wedding. She doesn't know Andrea is now going to use her as her excuse for being late.

The locker room is empty and silence inevitably means Andrea starts to think. The packages in the front office are symbolic of her relationship with Neil she realises, sitting on the shelf not going anywhere, afraid to be touched in case they explode causing permanent damage. After all they've already been rattled a number of times.


"Oi Andrea." The Inspector hastens her pace; dressed in full uniform she swings a cream folder in her hand. "Take this to the DI would you." It's not so much of a question as an order.

"Ma'am," Andrea replies but Gina Gold misinterprets it.

"I'm going to be late for court and I've got to have a fag before I watch Philippa Manson tear shreds off Lance and Steve." She looks stressed to say the least and Andrea thinks maybe she can see a nicotine withdrawal shake.

"Ma'am I didn't mean to question or protest." Andrea defends.

"I know it's me I'm about to crumble." She puts the folder in Andrea's hand and hurries towards the exit.

Andrea stares at the folder wondering what will come of this visit to Neil, a continued truce or resumed hostilities…only one way to find out.

He's leaning over Sam's desk squinting at a web page, around him Ken, Jim and Phil have gathered. Andrea doesn't get close enough to see what's going on, standing back till the discussion is over. He knows she's there for him and nods in the direction of his office despite Andrea beginning with 'Sir, Inspector Gold…'

"Keep me updated," he requests of Sam heading to his office starting a disbandment of the gathering of CID officers.

Neil closes the door behind them, Andrea this once having hoped to avoid a closed door meeting; it seemed there'd be more chance of a continuing peace with the door open.

"Inspector Gold asked me to give you these, she's gone to court." Andrea says keeping it professional and it lasts until his fingers meet hers holding the folder. The very electricity she'd felt the first time they'd touched and kissed comes flooding back, she can see he's equally affected. She wants so much to step in and kiss him but finds it just as easy to break eye contact from him and let go of the folder.

"Thank you." He says sitting down and that would be the end of the transaction but something keeps Andrea there, a sense he has more to say. "I'm going to be at this wedding." He begins looking down.

"I figured as much." Andrea interrupts, she knows where this is going, Philippa will be there and all behaviours that come with her. "It's not a problem." She answers confidently, Neil finally giving her his eyes. She waits a beat before opening the door.

"Andrea." He says with the door open.

"You don't have to say it Neil." She replies and severs the connection between them with his office door.


To be continued…In the next story. Story ID - 2579012