Thank you again to those of you reading this and reviewing, all are appreciated :) This chapter is a scene between Mitchell and Charlie where Mitchell is rattled by a revelation, based on an idea by Lady Athenais, my muse to whom i owe far too much (or at least my own body weight in chocolate!)

All errors are my own and unintentional. Thoughts appreciated as always.


Nine:

It's the first time that he's been here and he's cautious. He walks slowly past the desks and casts the occupants suspicious looks. They pretty much ignore him; one or two of them glance at him as he walks by but don't give him another look. His mouth is dry as he follows the young blond WPC to a small office at the back of the room and waits behind her as she taps on the door and pops her head in.

"A Mr John Mitchell is here to see you Guv" she informs him.

"Send him in. Any chance of any tea coming this way?" he hears Charlie enquire.

"Sure, coming up" she stands to one side to allow Mitchell to go inside. He smiles his thanks.

"Would you like a cup of tea Mr Mitchell?" she enquires and he shakes his head and he watches her dimple a smile Charlie's way before closing the door. Mitchell turns to look at Charlie.

"She looks like she's just left school" he comments and sits on the chair that Charlie indicates.

"I think she's a kick in the arse off thirty" he replies and Mitchell raises a surprised eyebrow.

"Really? She doesn't look it"

"I suppose at our ages, thirty is practically infancy. How have you been?" He watches Mitchell sit back in his seat and cross his right ankle over his left knee. He jiggles his left leg nervously, a compulsion Charlie is beginning to recognise.

"Okay, no complaints" he replies.

"I heard Joey Campbell tried to give you some jip the other day"

"The word being tried, made a bit of a mess but he paid up, just about ruined my suit though" he frowns.

"I can imagine your young lady wasn't happy about that" He watches how Mitchell's expression shutters. He still won't talk about her to him. He opens a desk drawer and sifts through its contents for a moment. At that minute there's a discreet knock on the door and the blonde WPC returns, carrying a steaming hot mug of tea. She smiles at them both as she comes in and places the mug on the desk beside him. Charlie looks up at her and he smiles.

"Thank you Sally, much appreciated" Mitchell watches how she turns a little pink and he looks back at Charlie. It's like a bell going off in his head; the WPC is sweet on Charlie. He swallows down a smile and lowers his head and keeps it down til she leaves.

"I think she likes you" Mitchell comments when he hears the door click closed. Charlie picks up the mug and takes a sip.

"Who, Sally?" he just shrugs and then he grimaces and put the mug back down.

"She can't make tea worth shit though, too sweet" he pushes it across to him.

"You like yours sweet enough to rot your teeth, you have it" Mitchell just shakes his head and then wonders belatedly, how does he know how he likes his tea?

"I believe you have something for me?" Charlie reminds him and watches as Mitchell reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and takes out a crumpled brown envelope. He hands it over and watches him open it and peek inside. He watches his eyes light up as he upends the contents onto his cluttered desk.

"Is that okay?" he asks, watching him count it all. He slowly lifts his head and he looks at Mitchell.

"Okay? Mitchell this is absolutely amazing! I told you once word that Big Bad John was about that people would start paying up and on time, word travels fast and those who try and play silly buggers quickly learn not to" He informs him gleefully, he peels off a thick wedge of notes and he tosses it across the desk.

"Your cut" he tells him and he watches Mitchell's eyes widen and his mouth drop open as he picks it up. He looks at Charlie in stunned amazement.

"There's close to four hundred quid here" he whispers and Charlie just shrugs.

"So? You've earned it, call it a performance bonus from the Head Office and enjoy it, take your young lady out on the town and have a good time with it" He looks back down at it. The possibilities are endless, they can go anywhere, do anything with this kind of cash.

"Head Office are very impressed with you young man, keep this up and you'll have a bright and rosy future ahead of you" Charlie tells him. The mention of Head Office pushes all thoughts of the cash in his hands out of his mind. He folds it up and shoves it in his inside pocket. He looks back at Charlie. His eyes are magnified behind those awful glasses. He watches him take them off. He opens his desk drawer again and takes out a small white card. He reaches across his desk and gives it to him. Mitchell frowns as he looks at it. It's of a launderette that's near to the Moonlight and he looks at him in askance.

"For your soiled shirts and suits, they're good at their stuff and don't ask any questions. Helps that Alexander owns the business" he grins.

"They also deliver to the club so you could leave a supply of shirts and a couple of suits there, just in case" he suggests and Mitchell slowly nods. It makes sense and it would stop Josie asking too many uncomfortable questions. He pushes it in his pocket alongside the money.

"Thanks"

"Just tell them Charlie sent you, you'll get a good discount" he adds and Mitchell smiles faintly. He watches Charlie stand up.

"Can I give you a lift anywhere?" he asks as he shrugs on an overcoat and pats down his pockets as if making sure he hasn't forgotten anything. The money Mitchell has collected is back in its envelope and Mitchell watches him push it into one of the pockets. It's then that he becomes aware of the steady spatter of rainfall against the small office window. He doesn't fancy walking home in that. He gets to his feet.

"Sure, that'd be grand thanks" he replies.


Mitchell does a double take at the sight of the Jaguar.

"Whoa, nice car" he comments in a low voice, admiring the gleaming dark green paintwork. Charlie smiles at him as he unlocks the driver's door and gets in. He leans across and unlocks the passenger door and watches Mitchell climb in.

"A present to myself, it's something isn't it? The best thing that ever happened was the invention of the combustion engine. Could never be bothered with horses, they hated me and I hated the bastards right back" Mitchell can't help himself, he chuckles as Charlie starts the car and the engine purrs into life like a contented kitten. The grin Charlie flashes at him is one of pure pleasure.

"I don't ask for much but a nice car makes life just that bit better don't you think?" Mitchell thinks of his Volvo parked outside of the flat. He doesn't use it all that often, preferring to walk or take the Tube to get where he needs to be. Maybe he could get a new car? He ponders the idea for a moment or two.

They crawl through the Friday night rush hour traffic. The rain spatters against the windshield, the wipers slap it away. Mitchell watches it, it's surprisingly hypnotic.

"So…it's Friday night, you have any plans?" Charlie enquires and Mitchell looks at him, slightly startled by his question.

"Anything my girl wants to do…I owe her that much…" he answers and Charlie looks at him.

"Oh?" Mitchell turns his head and looks out of the window.

"She found the suit Joey Campbell all but ruined, saw the shirt, I had to think quick on my feet, she doesn't know about…that part of what I do" he answers in a slow, reluctant tone. He then looks back at him.

"Ah." Charlie sighs.

"Can I be honest with you?" Mitchell asks him and Charlie takes his eyes off the road and the traffic to look at him.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you Mitchell" he replies calmly. Mitchell sighs slowly.

"Josie…she's not like…"

"Like us?" He watches him nod.

"She's not a vampire but she obviously knows that you are. You came all the way from Bristol to London to be with her, you've sworn off blood and you're living together like a human couple. We already know all of this" he returns his attention to the road and Mitchell feels a frisson of alarm shoot through him. The car slows at a set of traffic lights on red and Mitchell turns his head to look out of the window. His hand searches for the door handle. He can feel the panic begin to rise. His fingernails scrape along the inside of the door.

"You already...what the fuck…let me out, I'm getting out!" he snarls at him. He begins to punch at the window which makes more than one pedestrian stare at him strangely.

"Jesus Mitchell…Mitchell calm down son, no one's at risk here!" Charlie retorts, his voice rising at the threat of damage to his precious Jag. Mitchell's head snaps around to scrutinise him, a deep frown on his face. It makes him look intimidating, downright dangerous.

"What are you talking about, no one's at risk? We're talking about the Old Ones, Head Office; they don't take kindly to humans knowing about us…" Mitchell hisses at him. Charlie sighs and clicks the indicator and turns into a side alley. He parks and switches off the engine. The ensuing silence is deafening.

"Listen, you forget, I'm a copper. Did you think I would hire you to do what you're doing without researching you first? Sure your reputation is legendary all by itself but I do my homework, there's nothing I don't know about you" He watches him fold his arms and his chin hit his chest. He shifts slightly in his seat to face Mitchell face on.

"We have something in place here Mitchell, and it's called quid pro quo and basically it means that if you scratch my back then I'll scratch yours. You keep doing what you're doing, you keep making money hand over fist, you help Alexander maintain his reputation, you keep me happy and in return you'll be left in peace, you and your girlfriend will be left to live your wannabe human lives" He watches him carefully.

"You can't protect us from the Old Ones" Mitchell mumbles. Charlie leans forwards very slightly and Mitchell lifts his head.

"Oh yes I can" he informs him in a soft voice. He sees the puzzlement cross his face.

"How...wait a minute…" he looks into his eyes and they widen slightly.

"How old?" he asks and Charlie slowly smiles.

"Do you know when the Wars of the Roses happened Mitchell?" he asks him and watches him shake his head.

"That's when I was recruited, by Alexander, his rumoured nickname was The Great but I don't know if that's true or just a rumour that got out of control" He sighs quietly.

"Close your mouth Mitchell, you're catching flies" he tells him.

"As you know, we can and do live phenomenally long lives so it's not unusual to want to seek companionship, to find someone that you want to spend some time with. With us, if that need for companionship turns into something more…meaningful then we have ways to make sure that happens" he sees the confusion on his face and his sigh is louder.

"Fuck me, Edgar was right about Herrick, he is a prick" He starts the car again and merges back into the late afternoon traffic.

Mitchell sits miserably beside Charlie and the rest of the journey passes in silence.

Mitchell lifts his head when the car stops again and he realises that they're outside of the flats. For a moment all that can be heard is the sound of the rain pattering on the roof and windows of the car.

"You alright?" Charlie asks him and Mitchell looks at him. He makes an attempt to rouse himself.

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry just a lot to take in" he answers. He reaches for the door handle.

"Thanks for the lift" he tells him and Charlie reaches across and grabs his upper arm. Mitchell's head swings back around and the look he sends Charlie is dark.

"Careful. I don't like being touched" he warns him. It doesn't make Charlie loosen his grip or even let go of him.

"Don't go looking for a fight Mitchell; I'm not the enemy here" Charlie retorts and Mitchell sighs and looks out of the window.

"Go out tonight, get pissed, have a good time. I'll be at the Moonlight tonight if you want to talk some more, alright?" Mitchell doesn't respond and Charlie tightens his grip forcing him to look back at him.

"Alright?" he reiterates and Mitchell just nods. Charlie lets go of his arm and watches him climb out of the car.


He's barely aware of the rain as he stands on the pavement and watches the car pull away. He shivers and doesn't know if it's actually cold or it's down to the chill that has suddenly invaded his bones. He waits until the car is out of sight before turning and going into the block.

The flat is empty. He checks his watch. Josie will be home soon. He hangs up his jacket and then remembers the money Charlie gave him and he takes it out and for a moment he looks at it. He wonders whether it's all worth it.

She smiles at him as she comes through the door. He watches her shrug her raincoat off and hang it up beside his.

"You okay?" she asks after stealing a hello kiss. He makes himself smile.

"Yeah. Hey do you want to go out tonight? I thought we could go to the Moonlight? It's been ages since we danced and got pissed, what do you say?" her eyes sparkle and she smiles

"It sounds like a plan. Do I have time to have a bath first?" he smiles and kisses her again.

"Take all the time you need "he tells her and watches her go into their bedroom.