Hey! Here's todays second update, and I'm about to make a start on the next chapter which I'll hopefully upload first thing tomorrow morning. :D

No, you're still not going to find out what's wrong with Theresa! It's time for a bit of Leo with some Harry and Nikki thrown in... :)

Thank you to EmmaJ1996 for the review, you make me one very happy little writer! This chapter is dedicated entirely to you!

Please read and review! Let me know what you think... is this going to be Cassie? Or will it be false alarm? How should Nikki react the return of Theresa and Cassie?

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to some very clever person at the BBC who woke up one morning with an excellent idea for a drama called Silent Witness... unfortunately that person is not me.

Enjoy,
Much love x

Chapter Nine

He found himself alone in his office again. The mahogany wooden desk was hidden underneath a paperwork mountain, the computer purring timidly somewhere underneath the collection of sticky notes that clung to the monitor. Sat in the comfortable red computer chair Leo slumped across his desk with his head in his hands. What on earth was he thinking? He should never have come into work today. Not after last night, not whilst Cassie was missing. He should be out there looking for her, doing his duty as her father.

He had received a phone call from his solicitor that morning; he could expect divorce papers through his door any day soon. Theresa had clearly been in touch with her lawyer the moment he had left her house last night. Part of him felt guilty, for being with Janet, technically he was having an affair. He was still married to Theresa and even though he had been lead to think she was dead, he still felt as though he had been unfaithful. He had married her, 'for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health'. He sighed. 'Till death do us part'.

Death hadn't parted them. A near death experience had. His wife and daughter had been placed in police protection and he was left to grieve over their loss. The police had looked him in the eye and expressed their condolences. They had stood in that churchyard beside him as he had said his last goodbyes to his family, the two people in this world whom he had loved more than anything and anyone else.

A surge of anger ran through him; all that time they had known. They had known that his wife and child were still alive and yet they had just stood there and given him sympathetic looks and told him how sorry they were for his loss.

He slammed his fist down on the table relived when he remembered that he hadn't opened the cream blinds that guarded the window of his office. At least none of the young technicians were looking on and watching this unusual display of behaviour. He didn't particularly want to be part of their gossip sessions in the small staff kitchen. They seemed to know everything, the technicians he employed. Their keen eyes were always watched, always noticing, and should anybody ever need information on any of their colleagues there was nothing they couldn't tell you over a quick cup of coffee.

Coffee. That was what he need right now, a cup of strong brown coffee, or something stronger. No. Coffee would do, he needed to be able to think clearly in case any news came in on Cassie.

He heard the sound of suppressed laughter from outside his office, and surely enough when he opened the door he could see the source. He watched his two younger colleagues, his friends, for a moment. Their behaviour often mimicked that of a flirtatious teenager fuelled by rampaging hormones.

Harry was stood, bent forwards slightly, behind Nikki, who was sat at his desk. They were staring at something intently on the screen of Nikki's laptop; Harry making the occasional whispered comment into the ear of his blonde co-worker. Nikki would giggle quietly and glance up at the rugged looking male behind her before quickly turning her attention back to the screen. Leo opened the door a little wider and slipped into the open space of the lab. Neither Harry nor Nikki paid him any attention, he laughed inwardly and he wondering when the pair would wake up and realise what was staring them right in the face.

Harry was now leaning on the desk, an arm either side of Nikki, the two of them still watching the screen. Harry whispered something to Nikki again making her eyes widened and her mouth for a little circle as tried hard not to snigger.

"Harry!" She admonished though there was a trace of a smile painted on her face.

He coughed, just loud enough for them to here. The both jumped like school children getting caught doing something they shouldn't be. Nikki's cheeks flushed an attractive blossom shade of pink, whilst Harry seemed to become incredibly flustered.

Leo raised an eyebrow, "Are those reports finished?"

Nikki smiled at him before standing up, a small jet-black folder in her hand.

He gave her a quick smile, "Put it on my desk please Nikki"

She hastily made her way into his office as Leo walked towards Harry.

"What about yours Harry?"

Harry looked at the floor and red hue rising to his cheeks. He hadn't done it. Leo knew that already of course, Harry's paperwork was never in on time, in fact he doubted Harry ever completed his paperwork, instead Leo was fairy certain that Nikki finished most of Harry's reports. Her elegant style was instantly recognisable.

Leo was thankful that Nikki took it upon herself to do such a thing, Harry was an excellent pathologist, indisputably one of the best in London, but his paperwork was distinctly lacking something, that something usually being the words themselves.

"I need it by the end of this week please Harry." He said simply to which Harry just nodded.

He was about to turn back around and head towards the kitchen and make himself that cup of coffee he had promised himself when Harry looked up at him.

"Any news on Cassie?" He asked.

Leo looked at him and shook his head. "Not yet. The police say that there are indications that she may not be with that Steven. Fresh footprint leading into the woodland at the back of the house or something, they said they'd be checking out the area today."

Harry nodded.

"Theresa seems to have changed." Harry stated.

Leo sighed, "Yeah, she couldn't even look me in the eye. I had a phone call today too, she's filed for a divorce…"

Harry shook his head, "I always thought, you know, that you and Theresa were the perfect couple. I mean I know I'd only ever seen you together a few times before the accident, and well, I know you're with Janet now… but… it just seems wrong… you know, her not wanting anything to do with you…"

"I know", Leo sighed again, "Life's complicated like that, I guess things just changed, maybe they'd changed before the accident and I was just to caught up here to notice anything."

The phone in his office rang, the shrill sound intruding on their conversation. Leo ignored it, instead choosing to focus his attention of a picture of himself, Nikki and Harry on a night out. Nikki was in his office anyway, whatever it was he was sure she could deal with it. She was by far the most competent young pathologist he had ever worked with and although whenever he was away he left Harry in charge, he only did so because he knew Nikki would keep him in line, and that if he didn't Harry would throw a tantrum like a three year old toddler refusing to go to bed.

He turned, as Nikki emerged from his office looking pale and shocked, as though she had just seen something disturbing.

"What's up Nikki?" Harry teased, "Seeing dead people?"

Leo rolled his eyes and Nikki lips fluttered into a small smile.

"Leo… that was the police, they said they couldn't get hold of Theresa and… well… that they think they've found Cassie…" She stuttered, tripping over the words as they fell from her mouth.

His heart stopped beating as he sprinted from the room and down to his car, pulling his mobile from his pocket and dialling the number of the DI he had met a the crime scene the day before.


Nikki stood there feeling left out. Harry looked worried, but for an entirely different reason she did. He clearly knew something she didn't.

"Harry what's going on?"