Thanks to every1 who reviewed the last chapter: Sam, Kelly, Laura, Tee and Gemz!! Cheers for your support, it means a lot :)!! This chapter is for u guys!!


Chapter 7

Thinking Things Through

A rough looking Jo rushed into the CID office ten minutes late only to be met by a rather un-amused looking DI Manson who was just leaving his office. Jo gave him her best cheeky, cheesy 'please don't shout at me' grin that she could manage in her hung-over state. Neil momentarily closed his eyes and shook his head before leaving, pretending not to have noticed the exchange that had occurred.

"Good Morning Jo!" Phil said as he spotted her just having rushed over towards her desk.

"Morning…yes! Good…most definitely not!" Jo replied whilst rubbing the temples on her head as Phil and Mickey laughed.

Jo let out a sigh of relief as she headed over to the water dispenser before Mickey piped up "Rough night was it?"

Jo took a gulp of the water before replying "Whatever makes you say that Mickey?" in an innocent tone of voice.

"Well unless you tend to go for the 'bear with a sore head, bein' dragged through a bush backwards' kinda look often?" Mickey laughed.

Jo stood there giving Mickey the deathly stare before sarcastically replying "Cheers Mickey…you really know how to make a girl feel special!"

Just at this moment Sam walked over to Jo's desk. "Look Jo about last night…" Sam began before she was interrupted by Jo.

"Don't worry about it, it's fine." Jo protested.

Sam continued "No it's not, I shouldn't have snapped at you. You were just tryin' to help. Look I'm sorry alright?"

"Apology accepted." Jo replied as she and Sam shared a smile before Sam turned around and headed towards her office, but not before giving Phil a little smile that made his heart skip faster, as she passed his desk.


Later on in the afternoon…

As Stuart entered CID ready to start the evening shift, he spotted Sam working away in her office.

"Hey." Stuart said rather awkwardly as Sam's head snapped up from her paperwork.

"Stuart…Hi." Sam's reply was just as awkward as Stuart's comment, neither knowing what to say to one another due to a conversation that the pair had engaged in the previous night.

"I err…I just wondered if you'd thought any more about what we talked about last night?"

"Uhm…look Stuart, I just need some time to think about it." She replied softly whilst thinking is that really too much to ask?I mean I told you last night that I needed time, I don't want to make any decisions that I may come to regret!!

Stuart nodded his head before replying "Well if you have to think about it for this long Sam, then maybe you've got your answer."

Sam stared at him in disbelief. "Yeh? And if you keep pressuring me for an answer, then I'll give you one a lot sooner than expected…and believe me you wouldn't like what I had to say!" She snapped at him angrily. How dare he!!


Meanwhile…

Jo and Phil were going through a list of possible suspects for the armed robbery on Tulker Street when they could hear raised voices coming from Sam's office. Jo looked into the office and then back at Phil. "Ooo the cracks are really showing in their relationship lately. She doesn't look happy…in fact neither does he. What dya reckon they're talking about?" Jo asked, thinking aloud.

"Maybe she finally saw sense, and is dumping the loser!" Phil smirked at the thought.

"Phiil!" Jo rolled her eyes.

"What? You don't like him just as much as I don't!" Phil said raising his eyebrows.

"Play nice…there's a good boy!" she smirked back.

Stuart stormed out of the CID office sending the swinging doors flying as he did so, as the office descended into quietness. As whispers could be heard, Phil stood up, and made his way over to Sam's office, quietly knocking on the door before entering.

"I err…look I just wanted to see if you were alright?" Phil spoke softly.

Sam sighed, before turning her head and smiling at Phil. "Oh Phil…" she said as she stood up and perched on the edge of her desk.

Phil walked over, and sat next to her. "You know I meant what I said last night. If you need me Sam, or you just wanna talk, then I'm here."

Sam looked up at him and gave him a warm smile right from the heart. "Yes I know, but you don't have to be Phil, it's not fair."

"What dya mean it aint fair?" Phil asked confused. "You're my friend Sam."

"But you shouldn't have to hear me go on an' on about Stuart, I mean…we have history don't we, and I can understand that it must be uhm…weird for you, what with me being with Stuart and everything." Sam stuttered.

"You think I'm jealous?" Phil exclaimed.

"No, that's not what I was trying to say!" Sam sighed. "But…well now you mention it, are you?"

"No!! Of course not!" Phil said, a little too quickly. "Look, you know what I think about Stuart, I think he's an -"

"Yes I know, lets not go there hey." Sam chipped in.

"Yeh well anyway, I think you can do better...a lot better."

Sam smiled. "What like you ya mean?"

"Well now you mention it…you have had better, why lower yourself?" Phil smirked.

"You really do have a very high opinion of yourself, don't you?" Sam scoffed.

"So you don't deny it then?" Phil smiled.

Sam shook her head whilst laughing slightly. "Unbelievable."

"Ye, so I've been told many a time." Laughed Phil as Sam smiled at his bigheadedness.

"Look you know where I am alright…" Phil whispered softly before getting up to leave.

"Phil!" Sam called after him.

"Yeh?"

"Thank you." She whispered, as they shared a smile before he nodded and left the station after another long day.

Sam turned the light off in her office, before gathering her things and heading out of CID. Stuart was working through the night, which meant she would have time to think things through…to think about her and Stuart and where they were heading. She loved him she knew she did, but what kind of love it was she had yet to figure out…


So this chapter has a few unanswered questions, which shall be revealed very shortly :)!! So u know what to do…plz review!! Thanks every1 :)!! Virtual cookies for you all!! Lol. Laura x