Disclaimer New Tricks is not mine

Authors note I am so sorry! I have had a tonne of work on at college, and then realised I hadn't done my NCIS secret Santa entry, so oops! Please forgive me! There is only one chapter left, and my aim is to write it and post it before Christmas!

Enjoy!

A White Rose

Sandra laughed softly as she placed down onto the table the next round of drinks. Gerry, Steve, Danny, Robert and she were all gathered at their favourite pub which was sat by the side of the Thames. She hadn't been back there since just after Jacks funeral, when they had all sat down, drunk, and told tales of the old days. So when she had first stepped in she had been hit by a wave of bitter sweetness. But then Robert – as though he had known exactly what she was thinking and feeling – softly took her hand and squeezed it. Reassuring her that instead of being sad that the man who had been like a father to her was no longer there, she should be happy, because he was where he wanted to be; with Mary. And he would forever be in her heart, and watching over her.

They were on their third round now, and everyone was laughing and joking about some case that had happened whilst she was away in France. There was a hint of sadness when they spoke about it to her, because she knew that she'd pretty much walked out on them without a second glance. But then again, she'd had to do what was right for her – we all do at some point in our lives. And if she hadn't done so, then she wasn't sure that she would have Robert by her side and be sat with those she considered family.

However, Sandra and Robert had still not told the group about their relationship. After hearing Brian and Esters response, a few of her nerves had been soothed. Mainly because she knew that if Brian hadn't liked the idea then he would have told her in no uncertain terms that he thought she was a fool. However he hadn't, sure he had been a little reluctant – she'd expected that. But Ester had been over the moon for her, and that had made Sandra's day. "Aha!" Said Gerry, a broad smile on his face. "Crisps!" And with that he reached out and grabbed the packet of ready salted crisps that were on the tray.

"Oi, I wanted them!" Said Steve from beside him – attempting to pinch the packet out of his friends hand.

"Well I got them, ever heard of first come first serve mate?" Gerry asked as he ripped the packet open. Sandra took her seat, and removed her glass of white wine from the tray. The blonde couldn't help but smirk at the antics of the pair in front of her, and Robert just rolled his eyes. He sometimes wondered how UCOS had managed to survive so long, and maintain such a high clearance rate when all they seemed to do was act like children.

Maybe the rest of the Met should take a leap out of their book?

Sandra reached across the table and grabbed the half eaten packet of KP roasted peanuts. Gerry always bought them when he got a round in. Yet she was the only one who ever ate them, and that was just one of those things. The quirks in their friendships. Like the fact she'd always buy Walkers ready salted crisps for them and only ever one packet, even though Gerry and Steve would fight over it. And as she watched them now, she realised how stupid she had been to let them go.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Robert watching her, and she smiled before nodding slightly. It was time to tell them, to be honest and face those that mattered most. So she looked over and coughed politely, but Gerry and Steve were still bickering, so she grabbed a peanut and chucked it at them. Three peanuts later she rolled her eyes. "Hey! I bought them!" Gerry said when he finally realised what was going on.

"And I'm not coughing for the good of my health." She retorted. The former officer shrunk back. It was a reminder of their friendship to him. He'd forgotten – almost – what she was like. That she was one of the few women who didn't fancy him, whom his charm did not work on.

"So what's going on Sandra?" Asked Danny, politely, from his seat where he was sat drinking Orange juice. She smiled at him; the only hope of them ever actually getting to the point of the conversation was sat there in the corner.

"I . . ." She began, all of a sudden hit by a wave of nerves. If they didn't approve, if they didn't want her and Robert to be together . . . she knew that they would tell her. After all when had they ever shied down from confrontation? But what scared her was that she didn't know what she would do. If she had to pick through them and him, it would break her. They were all her family and she didn't want to lose either one of them. Robert slipped his hand into hers once more, just like he had so many times since that night. "We have something to tell you." She said, looking over to him, and watching as he smiled at her.

As Gerry watched the pair, a cheesy grin spread across his face, he had twenty quid resting on them being together, and he was not in the game of betting on losing odds.

"Erm . . ." Sandra began, scared and not knowing how to approach the subject.

"You're together." Said Danny, knowing exactly when to step in. Her gaze flickered over him quickly, and she smiled in thanks.

"Yes, we're together. And I know you're not going to be happy-"She began, only to be cut off.

"-Thank god! Danny Boy you owe me twenty quid!" Gerry stated, whilst Steve just laughed.

"You had a bet on us!" Robert exclaimed, unlike Sandra he was not quite as accustomed to the inside, behind the curtain, antics of the boys.

"Gerry no doubt has a bet on Jesus and the Devil getting together." Said Sandra, as she watched the money be unravelled. But before Gerry had the time to take his prize, she leant across the table and took it – a smug smirk proudly on her face as she did so.

"Oi!" Gerry said, glaring at his former boss.

"Any bets on me are mine." She said as she slid it into her pocket. "That'll pay for the next few rounds."

"Fair enough." The former officer said, deciding that he would only have spent it on the next round anyway.

"I'm pleased for you Sandra." Steve said, reverting the topic back.

"Thank you." She said, with a real smile on her face. And Robert pulled her closer, and she went willingly.

"Does this mean you're sticking around?" Gerry asked as he drank the last of his pint. His voice was masked of emotion, but after knowing him for so long, she could tell that there was hope hidden in there. And she was glad, because it meant that even after everything she had put them though, he still cared. Their friendship had with stood everything, and they had managed to come out the other end. That was something which meant more to her than anything else ever would.

"Yeah." She said, glancing at Robert, with a small smile on her face. "I'm sticking around."