Ringtone for Winnie

The cast has been removed, but he still needed a sling to stop him aggravating his injury and was restricted to minimal duties. Ten days on and the whole contingent at SRU HQ was starting to suffer right along with Spike Scarlatti. When the Techie was happy everyone's happy; but when he's miserable everyone just want to tear their hair out. Ed Lane made a comment to the Team that Spike "makes for an ideal shooting target. He's an absolute pain in the ass; constantly moaning about being bored".

"Look who's talking?" replied Jules. "But let's face it… we're all like that when we're bored."

"Speak for yourself," said Sam which promptly earned a mocked kick in the shin.

Ed palmed the problem off the Greg, "What's the solution here Boss?"

Parker shrugged, "I'll speak to him." He went in search of Spike and found him in the Gym, "Scarlatti, Briefing Room One."

The Techie had been running on the treadmill for a good hour. He grabbed a towel, patted himself dry and ambled after Parker. He sat on the table on one thigh, "Hey Boss, what's up?"

The Boss pointed to a chair across from him with his chin, "Why don't you sit down?"

"Nah, I'm very sweaty," the Techie replied and Parker was amused. "Spike, how ya doin?"

"Good."

The Boss tilted the chair back, "So what did the specialist tell you last time?"

"Not much really. He asked me if I'm still in pain, etc, etc. I told him I'm managing it. He said I'm not allowed any heavy lifting with the right arm for at least six weeks. I've started physical therapy, Boss. Motion exercises." Greg nodded and waited for Spike to continue.

"Full recovery from an olecranon fracture requires lots of work. I exercise my right arm multiple times a day, every day. Dr Enmore said recovering strength often take longer than expected; sometimes, 6 months or more. But he said I'm the best patient he's ever had the pleasure of treating."

The Boss grinned, "I bet he says that to everyone he sees." Spike broke into a smile, "I think so, too."

"So he's not fooling anyone… this Dr Enmore." Parker then paused and scrutinised him closely. Spike thought, Oh, oh.

"Why don't you stay home and rest? You can't even drive with that arm being held together by a plate and screws. Rest it, and wait till it heals properly."

"Stay home to do what? Watch DVDs 24/7? I'm gonna go crazy if I stay home." Greg Parker gave him a tight smile, wagged a finger towards him and gave him a stern command. "You wanna be here, fine! But quit moaning. That's an order."

He got up to put his files away when his eyes drifted in the direction of the despatcher's desk, he had an inspired thought, "Go help Winnie," he said, "Tell her it's an order."

The Techie suddenly came to life, "Good." He was up and out of the briefing room before Parker could say another word, the Boss sighed and silently prayed that he wouldn't annoy the pretty despatcher to death.

Spike went to shower off his sweaty self. With one arm barely able to move, he dressed up in easy civvy clothes, and slipped his feet into a pair of loafers. Tying laces was still out of the question. He looked at himself in the mirror and saw his handsome reflection smile back at him. Good to go.

He walked towards the despatcher's desk, grabbed a chair on the way, wheeled it next to Winnie who was utterly surprised, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Boss said I should help you," he replied with a killer smile. He plopped himself down on the chair with enthusiasm, adjusted it to his frame and said, "Ok, what do you want me to do?"

Winnie looked at him with a quizzical expression and said, "Seriously?" He nodded energetically. The despatcher got up and said, "Wait here…" she placed her headset on his head and marched off to see the Boss.

She knocked at the door and waited to be acknowledged. "Come in." Parker glanced up from his paper work, "Winnie, it's only temporary. Just to get him out of my hair." They both laughed, the pretty despatcher recovered with a quick witted response, "So now you've dumped him on me so I could lose mine, too?"

The Boss, Negotiator and sometimes flatterer said, "I know you can handle him. You'll be right."

She sighed audibly. "I expect a raise, Boss. Child-minding is not part of my job description. But I'll do it for you." Greg Parker laughed out loud at the cheeky repartee.

As Winnie walked back to her desk she intuited that Spike had done something he wasn't supposed to do. She asked him half accusingly, "Did you do anything while I was away?"

Spike gave her the puppy dog look, one that implied he was hurt by the unjustifiable accusation, "Nope, I've been a good boy."

"I wish I can believe that."

Minutes later came a "hot Call". Out of habit, Spike jumped up to join the Team. Ed turned to him and said, "Where do you think you're going with that?" indicating his street attire. "Look at you. Polo shirt, denim pants, and loafers? How far do you think you can go with those?"

"But I'm ok to be in the Command Truck," he protested. He turned to Sam, "Help me with my vest, quick!"

The Boss sternly told him to go back to Winnie, "There's nothing you can do in the Command Truck you can't do here, Spike."

The Techie responded off the cuff, "Except here I don't have your back, Boss."

Leah tapped him on the shoulder, and turned him around to face her. "We've got it covered, Spike. We've got his back."

And, Jules said, "Besides… before there was Scarlatti, there was Callaghan."

He looked at his Team and said, "Ok. Be careful guys."

Spike sat next to Winnie the whole time and as it turned out they worked very well together. They both knew when to get out of each other's way and when to take the driver's seat.

The incident was resolved without a shot being fired. The subjects were secured and the Team got back in one piece.

"Good job, Officer Scarlatti," Winnie said at the end of shift.

He smiled at her and said, "Good job, Miss Camden. See ya tomorrow."

Winnie reached her apartment to find a note from her flatmate, "Out clubbing… see you in the morning." She was glad her flatmate was out. It meant peace and quiet. She stretched out on the couch, and hugged Officer Teddy Scarlatti. He's soft and cuddly. But the peace was broken by a song… Joe Cocker?

You are so beautiful to me

You are so beautiful to me

Can't you see

You're everything I hoped for

You're everything I need

You are so beautiful to me

She listened intently. Not moving a muscle, hugging the teddy bear for dear life. She glanced up at the CD player, the dial was on the off position. She stood up to follow the sound but just as suddenly it stopped. Ok, that's really spooky.

She sat back down. A minute later, there it was again, Joe Cocker singing "You are so Beautiful." The sound… it was coming out of her purse. She tipped out the contents. It was her mobile phone. She picked it up and there was Spike's bedimpled face on the screen.

She answered it tentatively, "Hello?"

"Hey," he said. "I just wanna say how much I enjoyed working with you today." She was speechless. "Ah, tongue tied… that can only be good."

She broke out of the trance, I've gotta put my foot down, so she roused on him half-heartedly, "Don't fiddle with my phone again."

He laughed and said, "What's wrong with that? Now, at least, you know it's me calling." He hanged up and she was left holding her phone close to her heart. Spike's subtle strategy must have worked because before she knew it she was playing the song on youtube and day-dreaming of Spike.