Hi guys. Thank you to all who read (and reviewed) my last chapter. Since it's taken ages for me to post this chapter it's a little longer than normal to make up for it. So time for things to get weird…

Chapter 6

Annie turned with a start only to find no one behind her. She breathed a shuddering sigh of relief and moved to stand up.

"Leaving so soon?" A voice said and Annie cried out, falling back down onto the floor.

"W-w-who?" Annie stammered. A girl in a red dress walked into her line of vision, she was cuddling a clown doll.

"Sam never told you."

"Told me what?" Annie said shrinking into herself.

"I'm his only friend. Why are you his friend Annie? I'm his bestest friend."

"You?" Annie could think of nothing better to say. The girl had a malice about her that she couldn't put her finger on, a haunting innocence that frightened the life out of her. The girl giggled dryly.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, this Mr Tyler is not yours at all." She said. Annie cowered still as the girl got even closer. She leaned into Annie's face and parted her lips as if to whisper.

"When, oh when, will it all end? Now I'm your only friend."

Annie was awoken by her own intake of breath. She sat in the dark, slumped up against her settee. The only light came from the television, the test card girl firmly back in her place.

"Stay there." Annie directed her words at the television screen before quickly switching it off, and staggering to bed.

Annie was surprised that she made it in early the next day. She passed DCI Hunt in the corridor and thought about saying something but decided against in, although she was sure he gave her a short nod as a greeting. Annie got changed into her uniform and went up to the women's department. It was a few minutes yet before she'd have to be downstairs to cover for Phyllis on the desk and so she used the time to make a quick phone call.

"Hello Operator." Said the voice down the line.

"I'd like to connect to a Hyde number, police station of C Division."

"Hyde 2612, love," Annie scribbled down the number, "Connecting."

It had occurred to Annie in the small hours of that morning, as she tried to go to sleep yet at the same time wishing not to dream, that Sam had come from Hyde to spy on A Division, even though, well, she wasn't even going to try and understand what happened in the end, but Annie guessed that if this DI Tyler was from Hyde, he may really be there with the malicious intent of bringing down DCI Hunt once and for all.

"C Division police station." Said a male voice from down the line.

"Hello, yes, can you tell me if a Detective Sam Tyler worked in you station recently."

"Tyler? No love, we had a Sam Williams, but he's just transferred to Manchester."

"Oh, that must be who they meant." Annie said quickly, fabricating a story in her head for the reason for asking just in case it was required.

"I'll give you the number if you like," And the male voice proceeded to quote A Division's number at her.

"Thank you sir, goodbye."

Annie's mind was reeling; it was all beginning to sound far to MI5 or some such nonsense. She headed down to the desk to relieve Phyllis. The radio was on next to her, turned to the local station.

"Good morning and here is the news." Annie sighed; she wondered whether her memory was good enough to recall the news from the same day when she first heard it. The whole experience was making her head hurt.

"Annie." Said a male voice behind her, and thinking it was the radio she spun around and exclaimed "Sam!"

"No, Chris." DC Skelton said, and Annie blushed, "Anyway Cartwright, I was wondering if you do a job for me."

"Yessir." Annie said.

"Great, can you phone this prison," He handed her a piece of paper, "and ask for the Governor, DCI Hunt wants to have the file for prisoner Jacobs sent down." Annie glanced at the paper and nodded.

"I'd do it myself, but DI Tyler's got me re-evaluating old case files or something." Chris said before walking off.

Case files, Annie mused, the first place anyone would look when they wanted to work out how a department operated.

The news was nearly finished on the radio and the entrance hall was deserted.

"Did I tell you the one about," The presenter began his anecdote but it cut to static, Annie fiddled with the knobs to retune it,

"Did I tell you about what really happened before the train blag?" It was Sam's voice and Annie's blood ran cold.

"Shut up Sam, there's better things to talk about than that." It was the Guv's voice.

"No, no, what did really happen." Annie pleaded to the set. Hadn't Sam always said he had to work out the reason he was there before he'd get home?

"Yeah, ok Gene."

"Don't you start making a habit of calling me that."

"Annie, I got a ring today. I borrowed one of your rings to get the size. I hope you don't mind, anyway,"

"I've gotta be off now Sam."

"Fine, see you later Guv'."

"Better. Bye Annie." Annie could here slight footfalls in the background.

"He's gone. You can keep the ring for safe keeping hay?" as Sam said it, Annie could feel a sensation around her finger and she looked down, to see nothing.

"Annie Cartwright, will you marry me?"

"Yes! Goodness yes!" Annie jumped up just as DCI Hunt came down to stairs.

"Careful Cartwright, you might hurt yourself." Annie didn't think she had enough blood to blush more than she did before.

"Westham beat Sheffield Wednesday." Annie blurted out, knowing it be something DCI Hunt could relate to, more so than if she'd said something about a new flick at the cinema with Roger Moore in.

"I didn't know you where a football fan."

"I didn't either." Annie muttered to herself as DCI Hunt walked away.

Annie arrived home later still flustered from the day's irregularities. Annie slumped down on the settee and closed her eyes.

"Shame, isn't it?" A voice said and Annie looked around. The Test Card girl was sitting on her sideboard swinging her legs.

"Go away." Annie said, closing her eyes tight.

"Shame that Sammy didn't tell you. It's a shame. Shame he had to ask only a body to marry him. It's a shame. Isn't it a shame Annie?" Suddenly Annie felt the anger boil inside her. She leapt up and turned on the girl.

"How could he be so stupid! Why did he ask, why didn't he say?!" She clenched her fists and looked up, "I'm stuck here Sam, and it's all your fault!"

Well that's it for another chapter. Please review, all comments and critique gladly welcomed.