04:13 the alarm clock flashed

'Hi Honey' Sam opened the door with a cheerful greeting.

'Hi Ma'am… I mean Sam… I mean…hi'. Honey stumbled over her words.

Sam laughed. 'Sam is fine', she smiled. She held the door open as Honey entered, closely followed by Will, Emma, Smithy and Gina.

'Hi Sam, Gina and Smithy greeted Sam with a kiss. 'Where is the birthday boy then? Gina asked.

'Who's that then?' Emma was puzzled.

'Surely it's Phil's birthday. I brought a bottle of whiskey like he asked.' Gina was very confused.

'What exactly did he say to you?' asked Will.

'That he was having a party, here, on New Years Eve, to celebrate, and to bring a bottle.' Gina recalled the main points of their conversation. 'I thought it was rather cheeky, stipulating what gift I brought, but one thing Phil Hunter has got down to a fine art is cheek.'

The small group gathered in the hallway laughed at Gina's mistake and held up their bottles of wine and beer. They all moved towards the sitting room. 'Oi!' Smithy stopped everyone in their tracks. 'You'd all better take off your shoes. Phil's a real clean freak.' He pointed to three plastic storage containers, neatly lined up beside the front door.

'Not that you'd guess from the state of his desk.' Gina and Sam both chimed in.

One by one they deposited their shoes and boxes, and once again headed for the front room.

The doorbell rang before Sam could follow them, so she turned back to let the next bunch of guests in. At the door stood Zain, Mickey, Kezia and Jo. Each greeted Sam in turn, and then Mickey announced that Susie had been in contact to say she couldn't make it.

'She couldn't find a clean black suit' Zain joked.

'Don't poke fun at Susie' Mickey defended her.

'Why, do you fancy her?' Zain asked sounding shocked.

'No but we all know you do' was Mickey' quit witted reply.

'Go on in children, I'd like a drink at some point tonight' Sam pushed them through the door.

They were all aware of Phil's obsession with shoes marking his wooden floors and cream carpets, and followed the example of uniform before joining in the party.

Jo's eyes scouted around the room but she couldn't find Phil.

'Where is the host with the most?' she asked with a cheeky smile.

'Oh, he's still in bed, Sam said openly.

'In bed?' Jo was curious.

'Yeah, I took him upstairs earlier…'

'Really?' Jo's voice was high pitched through shock. 'Well I never. I always thought you two would end up back together, but not just yet.'

'I took him to bed because he had a migraine' Sam said with raised eyebrows, telling Jo to keep her voice down. 'He said he'll come down later. I think that ship has well and truly sailed, don't you?' Sam's voice was tinged with sadness.

'I'm not quite so sure. Not if you don't want it to.'

'It's not just about me though is it? It takes two to tango and all that.' Sam finished her glass of wine.

'And only one of you is ready to dance again.' Jo finished her sentence.

'Listen to me going on, wine always makes me sentimental. I think I'd be best sticking to OJ tonight.' Sam walked away to get herself another drink.

'Should my ears be burning?' Phil's voice made startled Jo.

'They should be incinerated by now' she greeted Phil with a hug. 'You look…'

'Dreadful, I know' he admitted.

'Well, actually I was going to say peaky, but I'd have been lying, she grinned.

They laughed at their little joke, and soon everyone had noticed Phil's arrival and came to say hello.

An hour had passed, and it became clear to anyone with two eyes in their head that Phil wasn't well. His eyes were squinted, he flinched whenever anyone turned up the music, and he slurred as though he was heavily drunk, but he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol.

'Come on guys, my place is only ten minutes away, I'll order a couple of taxis so we can let Phil go back to bed. If you're any better later feel free to join us mate.' Smithy finished his announcement and took out his phone to dial a taxi.

'We'll wait ages for a taxi though, and I've only had one drink, and I can fit four more in my car' Sam put in.

'Me too' added Gina. 'I hope your spare room is free tonight Sergeant Smith.'

'Not now you've bagged it ma'am' Smithy replied, slightly drunkenly.