Disclaimer: I do not own Waking the Dead or any of its episodes or characters. I'm just borrowing them for a trip down the pub- I promise I'll return them (sober!) in time for work tomorrow.

Pairings: Boyd/Grace

Spoilers: Series 1- Set sometime between Episode 3 ('A Simple Sacrifice') and Episode 4 ('Every Breath You Take')

Rating: K+

Notes: This is my first WtD fanfic, so please be kind! Reviews and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. I don't pretend to be an expert on how the Metropolitan Police work, so this is just focusing on characters rather than cases. Please let me know if I've 'captured' the characters well!

Chapter 4: Somewhat Curious

"Is it just me, or is Boyd... happy?" DC Mel Silver demanded as she stared at the closing door of her boss' office. DS Spencer Jordan followed her gaze, then shrugged.

"Must be a woman."

"So you do think he's happy?" Mel persisted, and Spence grinned.

"Let's hope he keeps this up- we might get a quiet day for once."

Mel paused for a second to consider her colleague's reply; and in that second the door to the Cold Case Unit's main office swung open to admit forensic pathologist Dr Frankie Wharton. She was humming under her breath, but stopped short when she saw the expressions on her colleagues' faces.

"Alright, what's got into you?"

"Boyd," Mel began dramatically, pausing for effect, "is happy."

Frankie glanced through Boyd's office window in time to spy him glaring at his computer screen.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well we walked in and he actually walked out of his office and smiled and said good morning!" Mel explained. "And it wasn't in a sarcastic way!" she added quickly, forestalling the question on the pathologist's lips.

Whatever retort Frankie might have been about to make was lost as Boyd's office door opened again and the three in the main office turned to look at him with identical suspiciously innocent expressions.

"Morning Frankie! Nice to see you," Boyd greeted his pathologist with a smile, and she smiled back, trying not to let her confusion show on her face.

"Morning, Boyd."

"Team meeting as soon as Grace gets here," he told her, and she nodded mutely. As the door to her boss' office closed again, she turned back to her two friends.

"Okay, that is not normal!"

"What isn't?" a fresh voice enquired, and the three wheeled round just in time to catch Grace Foley's warm smile as she greeted them. "Morning all."

"Morning Grace!" Mel greeted her friend with a smile, the other two adding their greetings a split second later. Grace dropped her bag on the nearest desk and shrugged out of her coat.

"What isn't normal?"

"Boyd is happy," Frankie informed the profiler with one eyebrow raised sardonically. Spence shook his head.

"I still say it's a woman."

"What makes you so sure?" Mel asked.

"Well what else ever makes him happy?"

Spence's question hung on the air as Grace picked up her bag and walked into her office, her retreating back hiding her secret smile. Once she had hung her bag and coat on the stand, she meandered over to her desk and picked up the phone, making sure she kept her back to the others, whom she could still hear hotly discussing the potential cause of Boyd's apparent sudden happiness.

Despite his apparent interest in the computer screen, Boyd's attention had actually been focused on the happenings in the main office, and it came as little surprise to him when his phone began to ring- he's caught the full benefit of Grace's secret smile.

"Boyd," he answered smartly, expecting the caller to be Grace but at the same time not wanting to risk annoying the Commissioner, should he be the one at the other end of the line.

"Apparently you're happy." Grace's accusation was gentle, teasing, and a genuine smile broke out on Boyd's face at the sound of her voice.

"Better start yelling," she advised him sincerely. "Wouldn't want them to start suspecting anything now, would you?"

Boyd chuckled. "You've got thirty seconds to get out of that office before I yell you for the team meeting." He put the phone down.

Grace smiled and counted to thirty as she lifted a couple of files from her bag, listening for the background chatter to cease, signalling that Boyd had entered the main office.

Out in the main office, the three younger members of the team observed Boyd intently, wondering when he would appear for the team meeting that had been scheduled for Grace's arrival. The phone call had delayed proceedings, of course, but the smile the boss' face made all three suspicious at once.

"Told you it's a woman," Spence muttered darkly.

"Maybe he won the lottery," Mel opposed her colleague a touch sarcastically. Frankie shook her head.

"Nah, he'd've told us if he did. I agree with Spence- it's gotta be a woman."

"Thank you!" Spence took a mock bow, earning himself an odd look from Boyd as the Detective Superintendent strode into the main office to gather his team.

"Grace!"

Smiling to herself, the profiler appeared from her office; and the team meeting began without a further hitch.