Disclaimer not mine

Family Man

Richard sat in the parked car outside the police station and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and knew how close he had come to being shot. The thought of the young PC with a bullet wound in her shoulder made his stomach churn. She really had saved them all. He shook his head, wondering how a man that was already dead could be murdered. It just seemed too weird. His mobile phone vibrated on the dash board, sighing he picked it up wondering what Kat or one or the boys wanted this time. Smiling he saw the text from Janine.

"I'm coming home." He smiled, wondering just when he had become a family man.

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Janine closed her eyes and rested her head back against the sofa. She had never been so glad to sit and listen to the children arguing over the television. Charlotte slept peacefully upstairs while Ellie moaned that the boys were watching the football again.

"Tomorrow you pick what we watch." Janine stated. "Let them watch the match, there'll be no peace until you do."

"Thanks Mum." Tom sat next to her on the sofa.

"Ok." Ellie ran a hand through her hair. "I'm going to ring Jenny."

"You saw Jenny at school." Tom frowned.

"Yeah? And you watched the year 9's play football but your watching it again now." Ellie snapped.

"Mum!" Tom turned to Janine to see her half asleep on the sofa. "Doesn't matter." He smiled before turning back to the television. Ellie picked up the phone before heading up to her bedroom while the boys groaned at yet another bad refereeing decision. The front door clicked shut just as the pundits began discussing the first half of the game.

"Janine." Richard loosened his tie before sitting next to her on the sofa.

"You ok?" Janine smiled slightly. "You look .."

"Knackered? Yeah I am." He smiled. "You?"

"Knackered. Spurs are winning."

"Oh." Richard watched as Tom and Michael stared transfixed at the television.

"Charlotte is in bed and Ellie is currently running up my phone bill so I think things are back to normal." Janine rested her head against his shoulder. Richard sighed before kissing her hair.

"I'm glad you're home." He whispered as Janine sighed happily.

"Yeah, me too."

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"So." Kat lifted up her glass or lager as Shapps returned from the bar. "He's pleading guilty then?"

"Can't really do anything else." Shapps sat down and sipped his pint, one eye on the barmaid a few feet away. Butchers munched a crisp.

"Not really." Butchers answered. "He shot one of us, he had drugs in the kitchen and we found a firearm in the house. Bet forensics are 'aving a field day with that."

"You only found the gun because it was pointed at your head." Kat laughed as Butchers shrugged his shoulders. "That's how you found it."

"Can't bloody miss it then." Butchers laughed as Shapps shot him a glare. The barmaid seemed disinterested in the three police officers in the corner of the bar. Kat sipped her drink, relieved that the case was over.

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"You sure you're ok with me staying?" Richard asked just after Michael disappeared upstairs. "I mean, you're home now and Michael is here."

"Richard." Janine turned to face him as he spoke.

"You are staying. If you want to." She paused. "I mean, you don't have to. I'd like you too." She blushed slightly before turning her attention back to the news. "What's this?"

"Oh, nothing." Richard picked up the remote control. "Just an arrest we made earlier. Must have made the press."

"Guns? Richard? What exactly happened when I was in hospital?" She watched as he took a deep breath. "Richard?"

"Everyone is fine. We arrested a killer and you know what the journalists are like. Always making the story bigger than what it is." He squeezed her hand as she nodded. "You need to rest."

"How can I rest when you are almost getting killed?" She yawned.

"I am not going to get myself killed. Well, not intentionally anyway." He smiled at her. "Not when I've got you by my side." He watched as she shook her head.

"Well, I'll be back to work before you know it. Try not to get you or the rest of my team killed before then. Or worse, in Hoggs bad books."

"Ah, well."

"You haven't?" She laughed. "Have you?"

"Come on." He held his hand out to her. "Bed."

"Now that." Janine smiled. "Is the best thing you've said since I got home." She got to her feet and let him lead her up the stairs wondering just when they had become a family.

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A/N Thank you all for reading.