Thank you again for your reviews :)It does mean the world to me that people are reading this story and enjoying it. Thought I'd quickly upload this before work, so apologies if there are any mistakes as such - I take all responsibility. Please tell me what you think about this chapter - always nice to know peoples opinions.

Laura walked into the kitchen to see James hunched over a bowl of cereal 'well at least he's eating…', walking past him, she realised that she'd probably overestimated him; he was more or less lost in his thoughts, stirring the milk and soggy cereal around his bowl with his spoon. She watched him for a moment, whilst he seemed totally oblivious to her. His expression was morose with a clenched jaw; he's so intense she thought. Vaguely she hoped he was as oblivious to the world as this earlier - when she vomited as soon as she got out the shower. She didn't have the energy to deal with him fussing over her this morning. In the past few weeks, she'd found his ability to fuss about her astounding. If there was anything James could win a medal for it would be for that; something that she found surprising - her stomach gurgling crazily in agreement.

There'd been a good old bug doing the rounds of the lab for the past ten days or so, and it had taken the majority of the staff down. Due to being the boss, and the fact that only a few people were in she had to go in. It didn't really matter - she hated delegating with a passion; it meant checking everything. The only time she'd taken off more than a week was when Robbie died and she couldn't take another huge amount off again so soon. If she actually thought about it more carefully, it was more about hating being at home doing nothing except sleeping – at the moment she felt she ought to be doing something. James meanwhile had thought along the same lines, pestering Innocent to the point that she'd finally relented. Everyone knew James shouldn't be back this soon, so he'd been put on paper work duties. He was bored stiff, yet Innocent wanted to play this part at least by the book and didn't want to let James on any case just yet.

Planning her day in her head she sighed whilst finishing pouring her coffee. James, for the first time seemed to register she was there; looked up and watched her intently.

'You OK? You didn't sound too good earlier, and you look pretty peaky'

Oh God, he did hear. 'If you talk to all the women like that – no wonder you're still single!' She retorted.

He chose to ignore what she said, knowing that Laura hadn't slept too well last night what with his dreams.

'Laura, perhaps you shouldn't go to work today? Stomach bugs can really take it out on someone. Stay here and sleep'

James, I'm FINE. Anyway I can't just take the day off.. it doesn't work like that – most the staff are off.' She snapped back.

'I'm assuming that means they're hungover. They should stop making assumptions that you'll be there!' James ventured, trying to make it sound slightly banterous.

'They don't – y'know that, they were so helpful when… ' Laura was unable to bring herself to finish the sentence, leaving it hanging in mid – air. 'Besides it'll pass over, by lunchtime I should be fine, I'm probably over the worse… ' Laura said in a hopeful tone, that others –like James – could take as denial. She leant on the counter taking rapid sips of the hot coffee in her hand.

He watched her just drinking coffee, and not bothering to make any food. Concern rose inside him; 'Laura, is that all you're going to have? You should try to eat something..'

'Oh for God SAKE James!'

She slammed her coffee cup down, glaring at him, picked up her purse, and stalked to the front door, picking up her keys. Closing the front door, she smashed it with enough force that the frame around it shuddered. Don't be so bloody diva-ish Laura, she thought. Yet, she couldn't stop herself. She was just so cross.

James watched her go, letting out long sigh - that was for no-one but himself. Shit, this is a mess. He was tense, he felt his jaw clench even more, and he tightened his fists. He always said the wrong thing. It's all going wrong. To emphasise this thought he registered a vague butterfly feeling in his stomach, and how disappointed he felt with her being so frustrated with him. Shit. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach, he needed to go back to his flat– there was no question about it.

He got up from the table, and walked round to the sink, slowly placing the bowl in the sink -completely forgetting about the now congealed mess still in it. Picking up Laura's now tepid coffee, he let himself out in the garden to light a cigarette, with Monty following him. As soon as he sat down on the chair, Monty leapt up onto his lap. Normally, he would have picked him up straight away and put him on the floor so he didn't get cat hairs on his pristine black suit, but today he was too lost in his own guilt ridden thoughts. He didn't see the world coming to life around him; the birds singing their morning chorus, the pink and gold of the sky as the sun rose.

Is this what it's about? Maybe that's where the nightmares are coming from - the fact that I like it here, and I like being with Laura?!It's all so wrong, I'm so wrong. What the hell is wrong with me? Then another thought cropped up unexpectedly and unwelcome; Do I like Laura more than just a friend? Guilt swept over him; and he had to forcefully push down nausea that had risen unexpectedly.

He never thought he could feel so much guilt as he had done recently. It was pretty much constant. Guilt from not being able to save either Lizzie or Robbie. Guilt at seeing their relatives. Guilt at pretty much moving into Robbie's house, and then enjoying spending time with Laura. The only way around the situation was to drink, but he was aware of Laura and Innocent watching him. When he got to Laura and Robbie's he was aware that Laura would count how many he had. After he had turned up to work drunk Innocent was now watching him like a hawk.

He absently mindedly stroked Monty, and let out a sigh 'It's all too cliché, Monty..' He shook his head, and ran his hand over his face. As he looked up he saw the next door neighbours curtain twitch It's six thirty in the morning – who spies on their neighbours at this time? Bloody witch. He should get to work - even if it was tedious and dull paper work for the time being.. At least it was something. At least she'd allowed him back, even if HR had said no.. But, he wasn't sure if he would ever want to get back into policing in full swing; the murders, the unnatural deaths, not after….. He'd felt like this before sure; when Robbie made the decision to retire, but this time was different. He wished he'd never returned, if he hadn't Lizzie and Robbie would still be alive. Pamela been right, he had failed himself and his colleagues. He shook his head to free himself of his thoughts, stubbed out his cigarette, scooped Monty up and stood up to go to work.

On her way to work, Laura found herself in a traffic queue to get to the other side of Oxford – due to a traffic accident, if there were any bodies she'd be seeing them later and suddenly a relatively quiet day would be full again. She sat there, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel;

Calm the hell down woman! You shouldn't have snapped at James like that. He just has your best interests at heart. He knows that you're sick, he had to take you home yesterday, for god sake. She sighed. She just felt so fatigued all the time, and the pain was a constant reminder, the grief would swamp her when she'd least expect it too. It didn't help that she would walk round a corner at work, and expect to see Robbie there, smiling at her, or a knock on the window of her lab and he'd be there with a coffee. Only he wouldn't be there every again. She shouldn't take it out on James, he was going through enough. She had to go into the station later to see DI Piper to discuss the PM results. I'll apologise to him then she thought.

Laura knew it would be cliché for her to vomit over a corpse. She hadn't done that since her first day as a student when she'd come face to face quite literally with her first mutilated murder victim and knew how badly it had gone done not only with her male superiors. She certainly wasn't about to start the habit again this late on in her career. It was also seen as bad practice when you were the boss, and she thanked her lucky stars that there was only Jess and Eve in this morning. It wasn't even like it was a murder victim just some unlucky sod who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had been crushed by their own windscreen, a victim of this mornings accident. Yet here she was weak kneed and swallowing down overwhelming nausea. Bloody bug. Without warning hot tears started to fall down her cheeks, and she realised with some shock that she was crying; whether it was because she felt so awful or whether she was crying for the car crash victim she was unsure. Usually, if she did cry, she tried to do it discreetly, and it usually involved a child, but today it was a mini snot fest. Between the nausea, the shakes, the blurry vision and snotty nose she was intensely relieved when the PM was over.

By the time she'd dealt with the body, washed her hands and found a tissue to wipe her eyes and blow her nose; the nausea had somewhat a-baited, yet in its place came bone crushing tiredness. She went into the staff lounge and slumped into the armchair that was probably alive with bacteria, but it felt so good to just sit. She closed her eyes, reckoning she should eat something in case she was sick, so that she wasn't sick on an empty stomach. Yet she couldn't find the energy to get up. Footsteps and the door opening made her force her eyes open and she saw Jess come in;

'Hobs; you're looking pretty peaky!'

'I must look horrific because you're not the first person to say that!' Laura replied sullenly.

Jess sighed, she was pretty sure Laura had come back to work too soon, she understood why she had; to get out of the house and to stop herself going mad, but the grief had turned her into a grouch. A sick grouch at that, who shouldn't be at work today…as she glanced back at Laura fighting to keep her eyes open on the sofa. Jess smiled thankfully to herself; she hadn't been struck down by the bug, her friends had always joked she had an iron stomach as such. She poured herself and Laura a cup of coffee that would be lukewarm at best, and put several teaspoons of sugar in to hopefully give her boss a bit of a buzz, she looks like she needs it. Walking over to the biscuit tin, she extracted several varieties that she knew Laura liked, and put them on the side table.

'Hobs.. coffee..'

Laura opened her eyes and saw the slight, pretty brunette with a coffee mug in one hand and a plate of her favourite biscuits in the other;

'Ah Jess… I knew there was a reason why I employed you…' She took it willingly, and put it on the table beside her. She felt slightly peakish for the first time since she'd been struck down, but knew the nausea could be back any minute, so ate a digestive carefully. It was probably a stupid idea, and she'd live to regret it, but she couldn't be bothered to get up and go and find some crackers, and she was loathed to ask Jess, since she wasn't actually a slave. Jess was watching her from the chair opposite.

'Hobs.. don't take this the wrong way, but should you be at work today?' Jess ventured.

'Oh not you tool! Hathaway was fussing over me this morning as well. I have to be here Jess, I mean, everyone else is off sick; it's just a pesky bug. It'll pass…'

Jess was loathed to mention anything to do with DI Hathaway staying at Hobson's or the fact that she been running off to the toilet and looking peaky way before the bug debacle had started. She'd mentioned it a few days ago, and had a dark muttered reply back, and realised for the first time that this was a definite no go area up for discussion with her boss.

'Ok.. Ok.. sorry Hobs.' Jess muttered, trying to think of something better to say; 'What are you doing this afternoon?'

'If I can sum the energy up' she said heaving a huge sigh; 'I'm going to the station; where I'm going to attempt to not vomit over DI Piper like yesterday and give him and DI Wells the results of their victims.'

'I'm sorry.. you.. what?!' Jess probed

'You didn't hear?'

'No…'

'God, the station gossips are lacking! He was eating a tuna mayonnaise sandwich… and the smell.. was just too much' she shuddered at the thought of it.. 'and I ended up vomiting over his shoes. He definitely wasn't pleased, nor was Innocent for that matter - who just happened to appear naturally at the wrong moment! She got Hathaway to take me home. It was mortifying, Jess. Mortifying. I'm a pathologist, dead mutilated bodies are my thing, and a bloody tuna mayonnaise sarnie takes me down!'

Jess smiled 'Oh Hobs!' and before either of them knew they were laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. Jess realised it was the first time in weeks she'd heard Hobs laugh; and it was lovely.

When they both stopped laughing, Laura paused thinking how wrong it had felt to laugh, but how she felt lighter. Suddenly she was hit by an unexpected craving; 'Y'know what I fancy Jess? Some cheese and crackers..'

A few hours later, and several strong coffee's later; Laura had enough energy to go and give the results to the Inspectors. She couldn't stop thinking she'd bump into Robbie, and had to stop the little feeling of hope that seemed to grow inside her. Instead, she rounded a corner, and literally bumped into Hathaway who was speedily walking in the opposite direction, he narrowly missed spilling coffee down himself. James frowned at seeing her;

'You seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere Hathaway!' She quipped hoping to make the awkwardness less so.

He nodded, looking glum, and looked down at the floor 'Just going to contaminate some fresh air with nicotine Doctor before Innocent comes looking for me.'

He looks so miserable she thought. She needed to apologise to him, clear the air.

'Look I'm sorry for being such a cow earlier James. can I cook us dinner tonight - to apologise… I do appreciate everything you're doing for me y'know that right?' God now he looks embarrassed thought Laura, an odd combination with the gaunt face and hallowed, blood shot eyes.

'I.. er… was thinking of spending the night back at my flat' James muttered.

'James, don't be such a bloody diva' He looked up at her, and she could see the anger in his face shit. 'Come - I don't want you to sit at home alone.'

He relented thinking it would be better to be with her than sit in his flat, drinking and then waking up with a hangover from hell; 'Sure. I'll send you a text when I leave here.'

They started walking off in other directions, Laura felt relief; she turned back and shouted at his back;

'Oh and James, if you're going to drink me out of house and home, replenish the stocks', he turned around and saw her smiling at him cheekily. He felt the tell – tale fluttering's in his stomach, which was immediately dismissed by guilt.

DI Wells, Innocent, Sergeant Paige and Laura all stood at the whiteboard of his latest murder victim. Laura was finishing her results; 'there's some bruising to his right eye, if he wasn't dead he'd now be sporting an incredible black eye and also some across the bridge of his nose as well as his hand – the knuckles to be precise, and cuts on his cheek…'

'So he was in a fight before he was killed?' Innocent ventured

'I believe so, yes…' Suddenly, the smell of orange hit her full force, causing nausea to sweep over her SHIT. Not again! She looked up to see DS Paige idly peeling an orange whilst staring at the board. Pull yourself together woman! '…it was definitely not one sided. So your murderer may also be sporting wounds like he has.'

The smell of the orange was now incredibly pungent, she swallowed desperately to keep the nausea at bay as DS Paige mentioned a suspect who had also looked like they could have been in a fight, and was sporting lacerations to his cheek. The room was suddenly very warm and airless. She looked up to see Innocent studying her curiously. She needed to get to the toilet now.

'Sorry.. ' They all looked at her, as she ran out the room, pretty much pushing past others in her hurry to get to the toilet.

'Obviously dead bodies are one thing, oranges and tuna mayonnaise are another thing entirely' quipped Innocent. 'Excuse me gentlemen…'

She stopped by the water fountain in the corridor and poured some water into the plastic cup idly, and then walked down the corridor to the women's toilets. All the while her mind wandered away from work to a time when just the smell of eggs where enough to make her vomit, and how she couldn't get enough of marmite on chicken. She shuddered at the thought of it now.

She can't be, could she? Innocent sighed heavily, causing several officers to look up to see her walking towards them and suddenly duck out the way into the nearest offices. Christ this is a fine mess. You could be wrong Jean, she could just be ill with this bug. But this is the 5th time in about 3 weeks that you've witnessed a 'symptom' so to speak. The first time was to Hathaway about how much she was craving cheese, and why on earth wasn't he replenishing the stocks and then you walked in on her having what looked like a small cheese party in her office; the smell of oranges and tuna mayonnaise were enough to make her sick, and you'd seen her before the bug running for the loo. Additionally, she looked dog tired - but that could be grief talking, she mused You could look like a right fool though, but if she was right, women stick together right? It's the least she could do, look after her if so. Hathaway would be useless…

She walked into the women's toilets and glancing at the cubicles she was relieved to find she and Laura where the only ones in there. The tell-tale sounds of someone vomiting rose from behind the locked stall.

Finally, Laura emerged from the cubical to find Innocent standing there - just staring at her - a plastic cup of water in one of her hands, she looked thoughtful yet at the same time her face creased in concern. She looks like a bloodhound with her hair straightened the thought popping into Laura's head unexpectedly.

'A past time of yours is it Innocent, listening to others in the toilet?' she jested. Yet Innocent, just kept staring at her, mute… 'What?' Laura asked, abruptly; starting to worry she had something on her. Innocent wordlessly passed her the cup of cold water, and although Laura was confused as to why she was just standing there not saying a word but looking at her intently she took it gratefully. 'Thanks', and rinsed and spat her mouth out, all the while looking at Innocent behind her in the mirror.

Jean for her own part was trying desperately to figure how to word the question that she wanted answering. She was aware that even though she was behind Laura, Laura could see her because of the mirror and she was peering at her like she was wondering whether Innocent had lost her marbles. The more Jean studied the woman in front of her through the mirror, the more she realised the amount of time that was going by was making it a doubly awkward situation, and she should just ask her.

'Are you pregnant, Laura?' Jean blurted out into the silence.