Disclaimer not mine.
Dinner
Sandra closed her eyes and leant against the kitchen worktop as she thought about the rest of her team and her family. Shaking her head she realised her team were her family. Biology didn't really come into it. Her mother had been critical and disinterested most of her life while her brother, the one she hadn't even knew existed until she was in her late 40s had little to do with her. Her family, the one that accepted her for the way she was, bossy, ambitious and as Gerry had once described her 'a whirlwind in heels' were three older men, three younger coppers and a woman who barely kept her own sanity dealing with them all. Then there was Strickland. Her senior and her friend. What was he to her? She had no idea if Gerry had invited him but she was beginning to feel ambushed. Everyone who cared about her, really cared about her was coming to dinner. In that moment it was just too much.
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"Hello Luv." Gerry smiled as he opened the front door. "Charlie, you're looking well luv. Get in 'ere out the rain." He ushered her and Steve through the front door.
"Gerry." Steve smiled as he looked around the living room with both hands shoved in his pockets. Charlie smiled slightly as she listened to Gerry talk about the others arriving. She felt sick, she liked all Steve's colleagues, especially Sandra but she hadn't even considered dealing with them on mass.
"Where's Sandra?"
"In the kitchen." Gerry sighed. "Asked her to keep an eye on the sauce. Last thing I want is that burning. Bloody nightmare." He shook his head as Steve nodded. Both men knew they weren't talking about the food. Charlie smiled sadly before sitting down on the sofa where Gerry had ushered them to. Steve squeezed her hand before sitting next to her.
"It'll be ok." He whispered once Gerry was out of earshot. "It's only the UCOS lads and Sandra. And he's not a bad cook you know."
"I know." Charlie sighed before letting Steve pull her a little closer.
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"Sir?" Jack stopped as he realised the younger man walking towards them was his senior officer. Strickland looked different in jeans and casual clothes. All Jack could remember seeing the younger man in was suits and ties. He looked a little awkward stood in front of him.
"Jack, Brian."
"You remember Esther?" Jack smiled as Strickland nodded.
"Of course." He smiled. "And please, don't call me Sir tonight. We're not in work."
"Do you know what this is about?" Brian asked. Strickland shrugged his shoulders.
"I know Gerry found Sandra. I know she is ill but I can't help but think this is going to be a little overwhelming for her."
"True." Jack nodded. "Sandra left for a reason."
"I know Gerry means well." Esther spoke quietly. "But if she is backed into a corner, she might just run again."
"And that is what I'm afraid of." Jack spoke calmly. "I know that girl. I've known her since she was a child. If she thinks she is threatened she'll fight back. One thing I've learned since meeting her as a stroppy fourteen year old is never back that girl into a corner. If Gerry has done that she might just end up resenting him more."
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Gerry walked into the kitchen as the pan on the hob began boiling over. Swearing he grabbed a tea towel before lifting the pan off the hob.
"Bloody Nora! Sandra?" He turned around, realising the back door was open. Sandra was nowhere to be seen. He glanced back at the living room door before switching the oven off and heading out into the back garden. He swore fluently, seeing that she was not in the garden. Running a hand through his thinning hair he wondered if he had pushed too far too soon.
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"Look." Jack paused. "You, Brian and Esther head over to Gerry's. He's expecting you. I'll be along in a few minutes."
"Why?" Brian asked. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing." Jack answered innocently. "Nothing, just going to nip to the offlicence. If we are going to ambush the girl we should do it with a good bottle of red. Don't worry, Brian. I'll pick up some lemonade for you." He watched as Brian rolled his eyes before leading his wife and friend towards Gerry's front door. Jack waited a moment before following the blonde he had seen leaving the alley way behind Gerry's house.
"Sandra?" He huffed as he caught up with her. "I had a heart attack six months ago. Don't make me run after you." He huffed as he finally reached her.
"Jack." She turned to face him. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm on the mend, remember?" He smiled at her. Sandra sniffed before nodding.
"I know. For leaving. I'm sorry."
"And so you should be." Jack fell into step beside her. "Where are you going?"
"Dunno." She sighed as they walked. "Gerry thinks I'm in the kitchen."
"A bit too much eh?"
"Yeah." Sandra sighed. "I heard Steve and Charlie talking and realised I'm never going to have that. What they have. Or what Brian and Esther or you and Mary had."
"I thought you were ok being single."
"I am." Sandra sighed. "Usually. But realising I'm on my own. I might be dying and I am on my own. I don't like feeling lonely Jack. I left to protect you and the others but I am just so lonely. Even with Gerry being so lovely, which is not a word I'd thought I'd use to describe him."
"No." Jack laughed slightly. "Gerry Standing and the word lovely don't exactly go together."
"And I've been a complete bitch."
"Now, you listen to me, my girl." Jack stopped, realising they were outside the gates of the police station. "You have not been a complete bitch. You have been trying to protect the people you care about. A bit of a rubbish way to do it, I admit but you were trying."
"Yeah." Sandra looked down.
"But what is going on? Why are you doing this?"
"Jack. I've." She paused. "I can't believe I'm telling you this. I'm having tests for breast cancer. I'm going to hospital tomorrow afternoon for a biopsy." The words came out in a rush as Jack listened, tears filling his eyes.
"Right, well. I'll tell the others. You don't need to do that." Jack decided. "And you are going to walk back into Gerry's house and should Brian put his size 9s in it I'll deal with him. Do you have everything you need if you are going in tomorrow? The Royal isn't it?" Sandra nodded.
"Yes, the Royal. Ward 21."
"Right then. A biopsy isn't so bad."
"It's cancer Jack. The doctors have told me that from scans and other tests. It's just a biopsy to see how bad it is. I'm not going to be back with UCOS for a while. I might need radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery. The works. I wont know until then." She swallowed hard. Jack nodded.
"Well, I know you Sandra Pullman." Jack stated confidently. "You are not going to let this drag you down. Ok, so you can't carry on working at the moment but you don't have to do this on your own." Sandra bit her bottom lip, trying not to cry. Jack shook his head, seeing the teenager he had met so many years earlier rather than the grown woman in front of him. "Come on." He hugged her. "We can beat this. You're not on your own. You never were."
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A/N More soon x
