Could things be worse for Sam Tyler? Well, things are can only get better when you've reached rock bottom. Welcome to chapter 7…

Chapter 7

Sam didn't dare return to the office instead he walked, alone, along the Canal. He almost wished he hadn't told Annie to go back to the office. He felt the numbness of hopelessness seep into his whole being. He tried to think of songs to cheer him up, even Bill Oddie inviting him to 'do, do, do the funky gibbon', didn't lift his mood, as he knew that that song didn't even exist yet. With a snap of cold around his neck he realised he was under a bridge and still walking, following his feet. He'd found himself doing that too much since he'd been there. Leaning over the railings into the murky water below, he saw a warped reflection of himself staring, wide eyed back at him. With a grown he pushed away from the railing and headed in the general direction of home.

"Sam, Sam, ready or not he's coming!" The girl's voice pierced into his dreams of nothingness. Sam's eyes snapped open to find himself in the dark void that he had visited her in the last time.

"Who!" Sam demanded reaching out to touch her but she moved, with out moving, away from his grasping hand.

"The Hunter is coming for little Sammy rabbit." The girl giggled and then screamed with laughter. Sam couldn't bare it and yelled out,

"Gene?! Not him, no!" Sam said with instantly fading ferocity.

"Mr Morgan doesn't like Mr Hunt, Mr Hunt likes you." The girl giggled again and nodded knowingly. "Oh yes, Mr Hunt likes you, you're his friend Sam." She stifled another giggle, and faded into nothingness.

Sam woke up to a knocking on the door. Distantly he contemplated who it might be as Gene usually knocks down the door after the second rapping. "Sam, let me in!" It was Annie and Sam nearly threw himself at the door to open it. Annie stepped in with a smile that quickly faded. "I came into work early, paperwork, y'know, and I overheard the Gov speaking on the phone, to Morgan. From what I could make out, he's coming Sam." Sam nearly collapsed at this but instead sat slowly down on the edge of the bed.

"Great, I've got about two hours to pack my bags, right?" Sam muttered, looking round to see what he actually owned out of the flat; then laughing shortly.

"Sam, I spoke to the Gov, last night when I went back to the office." Annie said sitting down next to Sam and Sam raised his head, "I told him about your Mum yesterday, everything else you told me too, and I even pointed out how great the department's been since you'd been here. So he sat, listened-"

"-Open another bottle of scotch." Sam put in and Annie nearly nodded.

"-Listened some more, and said, and I quote, ''suppose I'll have to let your boyfriend stay then, wont I?'". Annie finished with a rather good impression of the Gov and Sam lent over, pushed Annie backwards onto the bed and kissed her with heartfelt joy.

Annie and Sam, almost hand in hand, pushed into the office to the usual rhubarb. Sam strode over to Gene's office and with a quick knock went inside. "What is it Tyler?" Gene half-demanded and Sam smiled.

"I just wanna thank you for letting me keep my job." Sam said with a grin.

"You'll need to get rid of that smile Sam, Morgan's-"

"-I know, Annie told me." Sam put in and Gene nodded.

"From what Annie's told me, the bastard would have left us all to die, and if it wasn't for you're good shooting we would have all been six feet under by now." Gene said leaning back in his chair, lighting up a fag.

"You should see my Play station scores." Sam quoted himself with a smile and Gene half nodded.

"Don't worry about Morgan, we've beaten up Litton in this office and I'll be damned if a Hyde bastard is gunna be an exception." Both Sam and Gene grinned.

As Sam turned to leave Gene stood up; making Sam turn. "So where are you from?" Gene asked catching Sam's eye.

"Manchester, born and bread, Gov." Sam said and Gene nodded.

"Gordon Benit, y'mean my department's gunna be as bad a Hyde in 30 years?"

"Seriously Gov, it's almost better off this way, blame New Labour for the change." Sam said.

"New?" Gene questioned but Sam left the Gov's office while Gene was left to ponder politics.

Ok, I lied, but I didn't want to rush the ending 'cos I felt the conversation with Annie and Sam and then Sam and Gene was important, tying up loose plot ends etc. But I think I really do mean it this time, Chapter 8, last chapter guys. I hope so far you've enjoyed the ride!