Liberties

"Ronnie!" Natalie walked across the cemetery where Ronnie was standing with a young female officer. He turned to see her approach.

"Guv." He looked up to where his fiancé was marching towards him across the cemetery. Sam shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked next to her.

"Can't you even visit Wes' grave without causing mayhem?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"You'd think." He shook his head sadly as Sam looked out over the graveyard.

"Did you see anything?"

"No, I was talking to Wes. I wasn't expecting someone to start firing guns at me ere. Means Partridge isn't alone though."

"Or you've annoyed two gunmen." Natalie raised an eyebrow. Sam smirked. "Gawd knows I've wanted to shoot you more than once." He shrugged as Sam stepped back before heading towards the science officers who had already begun working the site.

"Ronnie." Natalie paused

"Proves my theory. It wasn't Matty that was the target. This is to do with me and Valentine." He fell into step beside her as they walked away from the grave. "And that I was followed. I didn't tell anyone I was coming ere. I didn't intend to come."

Natalie looked away,blinking back angry tears.

"You could have been murdered." Her voice low. "I could've been telling your girls you weren't coming ome tonight. Or ever again."

"Guv." Ronnie spoke quietly, as if his potential death had just occurred to him. "I'm."

"Forget it." Natalie snapped, aware that she was out of the sight of the rest of her team. She shook her head as Ronnie caught her arm.

"Natalie? Nat, I'm ok. Look at me. Large as life and twice as ugly." He sighed as she looked away.

"Yeah."

"We're at work."

"Yes. Get your report on my desk ASAP." She made to move away but he held her arm.

"Nat?"

"You don't care? Do you? Some nutter Takes pot shots at you. Could have killed you."

"Of course I care." Ronnie spoke calmly. "I know what could have happened. Course I do but I ain't gonna let it stop me." He sighed as he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. Natalie held him tightly, pushing away all thoughts of what could have happened.

Xxxxxx

Joe put the phone back on his desk as he thought about the message Sam had passed on. There were two shooters and Ronnie Brooks was a legitimate target. Shaking his head he looked at Angie as she handed Kate a mug of coffee.

"Ronnie is ok."

"Thank God." Kate sighed.

"So? What now? We always knew Partridge wasn't alone in this. Now we have evidence he has a colleague." Angie sipped her tea. Jake frowned.

"Charge him. Murder and Attempted Murder. See if the prospect of a life sentence makes him more talkative." Jake decided as Joe placed his mug back on the desk.

"We have a Case."

"Yes." Kate stared at her friend. "We do."

"It's time we brought this to a close. We know he killed Valentine. That he claims the money was good, insinuating it was a hit job." Jake agreed. "We need him to give up the name of his employer."

Joe nodded slowly. "Cmon Ange. Let's do the honours." He pushed his chair back before heading out of the MIU office.

Xxxxxxxx

A/N please review if you have read it