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Epilogue

"Lucas." Ros sat at the small table in the café as he placed two mugs of steaming hot coffee in front of them. He appeared quieter than she remembered. He looked up and held her gaze. "Thanks, for earlier."

"It's what friends are for." He smiled as he lifted his mug to his lips. Ros narrowed her eyes slightly, unsure as how to answer. "And I know you don't go in for friendships as a rule. Jo told me."

"Ah." Ros glanced at the liquid in her mug and smiled slightly.

"Colleagues." She glanced back at him. "Colleagues are ok."

"Yeah." Lucas smiled back at her. "Colleagues are ok. Definitely but we're friends."

"Friends." Ros said the word like it was an alien concept. "That could work."

"Yeah." He nodded. "I think it has been for a while now."

"Don't push your luck."

"I'm not." He held her gaze as her lips twitched into a half-smile. "Luck has nothing to do with it. Did you see Jo? Before she left?"

"Malcolm took her home. She spent hours with Ben's mother. " Ros closed her eyes. "Jo and Ben were close."

"Friends?" Lucas watched as Ros fell silent.

"Yeah. Maybe more than, once. I dunno." Ros fell silent remembering the young man whose body she had found days earlier. So much had changed since then. Connie's treachery had come to light, her death stopping a nuclear explosion in the heart of London, Harry's kidnap and Ruth's unscheduled return. Ros closed her eyes, it was all too much but she would never let her junior officers see how she was affected. She was the Section Chief, Harry's second in command. The events since Ben's murder had happened so quickly she was sure the rest of the team had trouble processing them. Lucas sipped his drink as he watched her. It was clear her mind was anywhere else but at the café with him. He just hoped it wasn't with Meynell and the events that had happened weeks earlier.

"Earth to Ros."

"What?"

"You were miles away." Lucas watched her intently. Ros snapped her eyes back to his. She had half expected to see pity but it seemed as though he was scruitinizing her. She lifted her mug once more unsure of what to say. She had never been one to be slow with the sharp comment or sarcastic retort but something in Lucas' eyes silenced her. "Are you ok? Ros? It's been a hellish few weeks."

"I know." Ros sighed. "I was there. Why are you doing this? Why are we even here?"

"The coffee is good."

"Lucas."

"Because maybe, just maybe Ros you aren't the only one who needs a friend."

Ros smiled slightly as Lucas held her gaze. She had a feeling that maybe, just once having a friend like Lucas would be ok. Having someone who was willing to help her pick up the pieces could work.

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A/N Please review.

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