Author: CallumStone'sgirl
Category: TV shows The Bill
Disclaimer: I don't own The Bill. I only own Sophia, Stephen and Janette Blackburn.
Genre(s): Romance/Hurt/Comfort.
Pairing(s): Callum/OC
Rating: M
Summary: Sophia Blackburn is a very troubled woman. She trusts no-one but her mother. What happens when her mother is killed? How'll she react when Sergeant Callum Stone offers a shoulder to cry on? Will there be romance? Or will she run off and get herself killed?
Title: Heart of Stone
Warning(s): May be some language.

Chapter 9: Love is...

It'd been a week since my mother and I had argued about Callum's feelings towards me and vice versa; and it had been a week since I walked out on my mum and went to stay with Callum; and after last week, though he wouldn't admit it; there was some serious sexual tension between us. I'd asked Callum to take me to the station; so that I could actually show my mum that I was safe and that I was okay, and the drive to the station; was a nightmare. Callum was tense and I was tense because Callum was tense so it made the whole drive down to Sunhill station tense. I was actually glad when I got out of the car and was able to not feel Callum's tenseness anymore; because it was driving me crazy.

I walked into the station and smiled at the sight of Jo on the front desk.

"I see mum's got you doing desk duty" I said.

Jo smiled at me and nodded.

"Well; someone has to do it; your mum's in her office" she replied.

I nodded and thanked her before going through the doors and making my way up to my mother's office. Once I got there; I took in a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" My mum asked.

I opened the door and was actually quite shocked at what I saw; my mother looked like she hadn't been sleeping.

"Umm...hi" I replied.

She looked up at me and her face seemed to brighten up a little.

"Sophia?" She asked.

With a nod; I entered the room and closed the door behind me; my mother had me in her arms within a millisecond.

"I've been so worried about you; where've you been?" She asked.

I sighed.

"I've been with a friend; and I've been safe; as you can see, because if I wasn't, I wouldn't be here right now" I replied.

She looked down at me and her face was one of knowing.

"You know where I was don't you?" I asked.

My mum closed her eyes.

"I had my suspicions" she answered.

I sighed and looked down.

"I'm sorry for walking out on you mum; but I really do love Callum" I said.

She chuckled a little.

"You don't even know what love is yet sweetie" she stated.

I smiled and looked at her.

"I know what trust is; and the first time I ever saw Callum; which was on his first day, my heart, my head and my body were literally screaming trust at me" I said.

This seemed to make her a little confused; she knew that I only trusted men when I knew they weren't going to hurt me; but to trust Callum on his first day here; I think my mum may have just realised that something had happened.

"Well; if you trusted him Sophia and you still do; then I guess that I have to trust him. I'm not alright with the fact that you both have feelings for each other; and I also know that there have been times when you have both acted on your feelings" she said

I felt my eyes go wide at her admission.

"How?" I asked.

She gave me one of her looks.

"I'm not stupid Sophia; you're just like I was at your age" she replied.

I looked down and then sighed.

"I trusted him enough to tell him about what dad did to me" I said.

My mum sighed too and pulled me into a hug; that's when I decided to ask.

"Speaking of; why d'you look so tired? Now I know that it's not because you've been worried about me; this is something worse isn't it?" I asked.

She pulled away and looked down at me.

"You know that your father escaped arrest when he...did what he did to you?" She asked back.

I nodded and felt my eyes go wide again before I looked down.

"He's back isn't he?" I asked.

My mother gave a sigh; and I knew what the answer was.

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A few hours after my mother had actually told me that; yes, my father was back, and that they were trying to find him; I was sat in the canteen; with a cup of coffee in my hands thinking about my father and what he did to me and why he did it to me; I was so interested in my thoughts; I didn't notice Nate come into the canteen and sit opposite me, until he began to talk.

"Penny for them?" He asked.

I looked up and then looked back down.

"You honestly don't want to know Nate" I replied.

He smirked a little.

"Come on; whatever it is, it can't be that bad can it?" He asked.

I looked up at him and sighed.

"Oh I don't know; how about finding out that the man who...assaulted you when you were sixteen...who also escaped arrest when you were sixteen...is back and you haven't got a reason as to why he's back" I answered.

His smirk fell and he looked down; I then realised how spiteful I must have sounded.

"I'm sorry Nate; I'm just pissed off and upset beyond belief" I said.

Nate looked up at me and he smiled a little.

"It's alright Sophia; you have every right to be angry and upset" he said.

I smiled at him and put my hand on his hand.

"You know...you're a nice bloke Nate" I stated.

He smiled and looked down; I guess he was blushing.

"I mean it; you're a very nice bloke" I said.

This time he chuckled and then I got up; walking around to him and pressing my lips to his cheek.

"Mum's probably going to tell you about what happened; about who it is and what he did to me; and I'm going to say this now, I don't want your pity; I don't want anyone's pity; I'm actually just glad it happened to me and not some other poor sixteen year old" I said.

I then walked out of the canteen and came face to chest with Callum; I looked up at him and he looked down at me. I managed a small smile; but it seemed that Callum knew something was up, because he grabbed my arm and led me to the male changing rooms of all places.

"What's up?" He asked.

I looked up at him and sighed.

"He's back Callum; my dad's back and I don't know what he wants" I replied.

I felt the tears rolling down my face and Callum pulled me into a hug; he'd shown me his vulnerable side and I'd shown him little bits of mine; but now he was seeing it at its full.

"I don't...know what...to do Callum; h-he's back a-and I'm scared" I admitted.

Callum hugged me tighter and I felt him rubbing my shoulders in a comforting manner.

"It'll be alright Soph; we'll catch him, and then he won't be able to hurt you again" he said.

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After allowing myself to cry into Callum's chest; we were just sat there with me in Callum's lap and him hugging me to him; he was actually rocking slightly, just like what my mother used to do to me when I was a little girl. I then looked up at him and he down to me; and I felt something spark between us, because our lips connected in a passionate, yet soft kiss, my arms came around his neck and I straddled him so that I could get better access. But then he put his hands on my hips and pulled away.

"Sophia...I...we can't; not only because your mother's forbidden me from acting on what I feel; but also because you're at you're most vulnerable, and I don't want to take advantage" he said.

I put my head on his shoulder and sighed.

"I just want to feel like everything's fine Callum; I don't want to have my dad back, I don't want to have to be struggling with my feelings for you" I said.

He sighed and pulled me closer; making me sit sideways on his lap again before hugging me; I guess it was safe to say that he knew of my feelings for him and that he knew that I knew of his feelings for me.

"Sophia; we can pretend that everythings fine; we can stay in our own little worlds so that we don't have to face reality; but some time or another, we will have to face reality, and you have to accept that what your father did to you, yes it was a bad thing, and yes, it hurt you. You have to...forget about it" he said.

I looked up at him.

"I can't forgive him for what he did Callum; I'll never be able to forgive him" I said.

Callum looked down at me; looking very sincere.

"I'm not saying forgive him Sophia; I'm saying you need to forget about it; because if you can't do that, then you can't move on and then your father would have won" he said.

I sighed and tears began to fall again.

"It's so hard" I whispered.

I felt him put his forehead on the side of my head.

"I know it is; I've been through it remember? It'll take time; but you need to move on with your life" he said.

This time I calmed down again and then stood up; looking Callum in the eye and nodding.

"You're right; I do need to move on with my life; and I'm going to start; by helping you guys find that son of a bitch and put him down...like a fucking dog" I growled.

Callum got up and put his hand on my face; before he actually pressed a kiss to my cheek. My mum chose that time to walk in and see us.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

I turned to face her.

"Callum was just comforting me mum; I needed a shoulder to cry on; or in this case, a chest to cry on and Callum provided it" I replied.

She nodded and then all three of us walked out; I turned to my mother.

"I want to help you find dad" I said.

My mother stopped and looked at me.

"Are you sure sweetie?" She asked.

I nodded and looked down to Callum's hand, before interlacing my fingers with his.

"Yeah; I need to put what he did to me; behind me and I need to move on with my life; sort of like; forgive and forget, just without the forgiving part" I answered.

My mother looked at our hands and nodded; before looking at Callum.

"You and I shall have words in my office later" she said.

Callum nodded and then my mother walked off.

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A/N: So here's the next chapter; I know it seems a bit long winded; but hey; I think Callum's actually coming to terms with the fact that he is actually in love with Sophia. I hope you enjoy it. I'd like to say thanks to...

XxGeemaxX
Xxcallum and smithy at the same timexX
XxCallum's a babexX
XxStubbornNinjaxX

For your wonderful reviews. Enjoy

CallumStone'sgirl