A/N Huge thanks to DanaCartwright who helped to provide the inspiration for this chapter and the next few to follow. In fanfiction... it's nice to know you are not alone!


Over her toast and coffee Alex flicked forward. There were no entries at all for two weeks, it must have been the honeymoon. Something was not quite right about this story. For all intensive purposes Sam seemed perfectly content in the 1970s. She thought back to her own marriage in 2008 and realised how quickly everything could go bad, sometimes right under your nose. It was indescribable but somehow she wanted to prolong their happiness for as long as she could. It seemed to give her hope.

28th October 1976

"Can anybody… find meeee, somebody toooo… looooove!" I sang happily to myself. How was I to know the Guv hadn't gone to the pub with the others?

"What is that god awful noise Cartwright? If I had known marriage would have made you this bleedin' happy I'd have put a stop to it!" He demanded as he came out of his office.

"Sorry Sir." I said quickly getting back to my paperwork. "It's a song by Queen."

"I don't care if it is a symphony by the entire bleedin' royal family, don't go caterwauling it around my office."

I only knew the song at all because I caught Sam singing it on our honeymoon. He thought I'd gone out for a walk but I forgot my sweater. He can't have heard me come back because there he was, in the shower, singing his head off. When he came out of the bathroom he actually looked embarrassed and I know it wasn't because he only had a towel tied around his waist. Despite the obvious distraction of my new husband almost naked, I couldn't help but tease him about his choice of song.

"So I'm not good enough then?"

He put his arms around me, his hair still damp, and kissed me. He tasted of soap. I just wanted to melt into him. With supreme self control I managed to push him away.

"Somebody to love?" I'd asked.

"Uh huh." He said pulling me back towards him. "And there you were…" He began to trace little butterfly kisses across my collar bone and up my neck.

"If you think you are going to get around me like that Sam Tyler you have another thing coming." I said, both of us knowing that I was already completely lost.

My fingers traced the contours of his shoulders. I allowed my nails to rake gently down his back making him shiver.

Determined lips found my earlobe causing what little resolve I had left to disappear along with the towel…

"Cartwright!" The Guv snapped his fingers causing me to jump. "If you could come back from bloody fairyland?" He looked around the office. "And where is your lord and master… I thought you two were joined at the hip these days or has he actually managed to slip the leash?"

"He's taking a statement from the member of the public who came in earlier Sir."

"That bleedin hippy?"

I nodded.

"A hippy came into my station… voluntarily… Not being dragged kicking and screaming… I don't like it Cartwright… I don't like it one bit."

Hunt charged through the double doors and turned towards lost property.

I went back to my daydream.


I couldn't warm to DCI Litton. In fact I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the greater Manchester and Salford area who could stand to be in the same room as the man."

'I know exactly what you mean.' Alex thought, remembering her own encounter with the misogynistic DCI.

"There was something about DCI Litton that made Gene Hunt seem like James Bond by comparison. I was bending over the filing cabinet when he and one of his officers must have walked in. I didn't even realise they were there until I heard the Guv.

"Smells like a tarts' bloody handbag in 'ere… Oh hello DCI Litton, didn't see you there!"

"Paco Raban actually." Litton replied.

"Well I'm sure you're not here just to stare at my WDCs' arse so what flea ridden cat dragged in you and your orang-utan?"

Sam leant back against the desk, a buff folder under his arm. I couldn't read the expression on his face.

"Seems you've got yourself a nice bit of totty on the team Gene. Next thing you know you'll be exchanging knitting patterns." Litton glanced over his shoulder at me. "Make us a coffee luv… mens' talk."

"Stay where you are Cartwright." The Guv snapped as I moved to get up. I sat down again.

Litton shrugged. "You've been treading on my toes again Geno. That job with Martin… that should have been RCS and you know it."

"One of my officers was targeted… that made it my collar." The Guv replied.

"That would have been you then darling… I always said women were trouble Gene, especially the pretty ones, but then you always had a weakness…"

"Wasn't DCI Litton busy buffing up his medals that day Tyler, while we were out doing the real work?" Hunt snapped.

"I think he might have been Guv." Sam replied, his eyes never leaving Litton.

There seemed to be an age before anyone spoke. "Anyway…" Derek Litton was suddenly jovial again. "Small matter of Peter Royce."

"What about him?"

"We believe he is connected with a major drug ring, and as you know Gene, that comes under RCS jurisdiction."

"Peter Royce… Peter Royce… name rings a bell… Tyler?"

"It does sound familiar Guv." Sam nodded.

"Don't play bloody games with me Gene. I know he is in this station. I want him transferred into my custody… immediately." Litton said. Without even being able to see his face, I could imagine the little mans' moustache twitching in agitation.

"Ah… you mean our hippy gentleman? Can't help you I'm afraid." Gene said. I could swear there was a hint of a smile.

"He was merely helping us with our enquires." Sam added. "Nice bloke."

"Very nice… could do with a haircut." Gene agreed.

"He was free to go over an hour ago." Sam finished.

"You let him go!" Litton growled. "He's a bloody hippy and you couldn't even fit him up for possession!"

"That would have been wrong." Hunt said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just because he has long hair and wears a dress does not make him a bad person."

Litton clenched and unclenched his hands. Realising he was going to get nowhere he stormed towards the double doors, his flunky at his heels. "You've not heard the last of this Hunt!" He spat.

As his footsteps disappeared down the hall, I noticed Sam had lowered his head, he was trying not to laugh.

"Don't you dare say one bloody word Tyler, you smug bastard!"

Sam coughed. "No Guv." He replied handing the folder over.

"I'm not surprised he wants our Mr Royce." Sam continued. "If half of what's in this statement is true, Litton is in it up to his neck."

The Guv clapped his hands together. "Time to celebrate then I think… Railway Arms… Tyler you can buy me a pint."


Sam was leaning against the lockers while I collected my handbag, he seemed distracted.

"What was so funny?" I asked.

"Huh?"

"Peter Royce?"

"Oh. The Guv wanted to do him for possession on the basis of him being a long haired, unwashed, greasy, hippy bastard… After he'd seen what was in the statement he agreed that it was perhaps in Mr Royces' best interests to disappear for a while instead."

"I bet that went down well… what happens if DCI Litton finds him?"

Sam smiled. "I would say that would be extremely unlikely…"

He held out his hand for mine. "Drink, Mrs Tyler?"

Leaving the station we turned left instead of right.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "The pubs' that way."

"I want to show you something first." Sam said pulling me along.

I giggled. "If that is a line it's really terrible."

He pecked me briefly on the lips. "Annie Tyler, you have a one track mind, but it's not that, come on."

Little did I realise at the time we were being watched.


"I tried to buy that song today." I said as we walked.

"What song?" When Sam was single minded about something there was no talking to him.

"The Queen single… Somebody to love…I went into Woollies but no-one had heard of it."

Sam wasn't listening. "We're here."

The something turned out to be the most adorable house. It wasn't too far from the station in a quiet street. Sam already had the keys.

"What do you think?" He asked once I'd inspected every room.

I didn't know what to say.

"You don't like it?" He looked disappointed.

I had a lump in my throat… "It's… it's perfect!" I managed to gasp.

"If you like it then it's ours… I wanted to let you see it first but I can sign the papers in the morning."

I threw my arms around Sams' neck. I wasn't exactly sure what I'd done to deserve this wonderful husband but I certainly wasn't complaining.

So that's how you ended up in that house Annie Tyler. Alex thought. You loved it, and yet after Sam died you left without a second glance, even leaving your precious diaries behind.

She took a mouthful of coffee before realising it had gone completely cold.

'And Litton… I knew that man was trouble. Did he have something to do with why Sam had to disappear? Bevan had seemed to think so.' The answers would have to wait for now. Alex glanced at her watch. If she wasn't in CID in half an hour there would be hell to pay.