Author's note: Thank you so much! I really, really love reading your reviews. Are you getting desperate? :-D

Sorry, this chapter contains the longest Rese and Liam story. I could not find a way to reduce it more and I didn't want to. This time it also has its own fictional author's notes mentioned here. There is a twinned Barb and Tommy version of course and I would say read that first when you reach the (X+) ! ;-)


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Mokita (Rese and Liam VI, 1119)

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On Sunday at about three o'clock in the afternoon the fan fiction site registered a new user.

At about half past seven in the evening a new story appeared on the front page of the Rese and Liam community.

Every five minutes thereafter Tommy checked if Barbed Wire would leave a comment.


Barbara had spent the entire weekend with house work, laundry, telly, a beer on Friday evening and many frustrating moments. She had strictly avoided her computer and had tried to sort her thoughts. She had needed to comb her feelings. Saturday morning she had spent one hour in her bathtub. Saturday afternoon, after a short walk to the store and a long stay on a bench in the nearby park, she had made some tea and had put a single scone on a plate and then she had sat there with the spoon in one hand the open jam pot in the other and a blank stare into infinity.

Then she had hated herself for loving Tommy.

She had spent the evening on her sofa trying to forget. Sunday morning, at twelve o'clock Barbara cumbersomely peeled herself from the warmth of her bed. She felt herself blessed with the pains of a bad hangover. Though she had bought enough stuff for a proper breakfast she only swallowed a salty buttered toast and then tried to enjoy the sun shining into her small flat, staring out of her window. Eventually she put herself as far together to be able to take down her laundry and iron the few items that needed it.

In the evening she called for a pizza and then she finally turned on her computer to at least check her E-Mails and play some solitaire for distraction.


It was shortly before nine o'clock in the night when she opened her browser and checked the R&L community.

A new story was published by a writer she had not seen before: Gwithyas Kres

This is Cornish! it struck her.

The search engine she used immediately translated it into English: police man. There was someone who wanted to mock her, she thought, even if that someone does not know. Barbara swallowed and recognised the title of that story.

Mokita - that which everybody knows but nobody speaks of

With mouth agape she stared at the monitor. She hesitated. She covered her mouth in sheer disbelief. The word looked too familiar to her. No, she knew it. It had been found written on the wall during a former case she had solved with Lynley. Nobody would know of it in the context of a case. It must have been sheer coincidence.

...but then... that Cornish writer's name...

Barbara still hesitated. Her finger hovered over the mouse button, the cursor already was on the link to the story.

PC Garrett is in prison and hardly could have turned into a writer on this platform. Is Nkata making his fun? But then again - how could he know of this platform? How would he know that she was reading there regularly so it would make sense to give himself such a mocking pen-name? Tommy? No, that was highly unlikely. Or... no... was it possible?

Barbara swallowed. She got up, poured herself a whisky, snuggled into an oversized furry jumper and took a deep breath. Ten times since her arrival at home she had started to light a cigarette but then did not. Two times she had lit one and stubbed it out after one or two drags. Now she finally lit one and smoked it half before she stubbed it out and sat down at her computer again. With a trembling hand she clicked on the story and read the author's notes.


A/N: This is a short story about a shift in their relationship. It's a hostage story. Imagine she had not only looked down the barrel of a rifle before but actually had been shot (but survived - thank goodness!). And not a year later she was on a major case again, still traumatised and being held as hostage again in a pub. Liam still was married at the time this story takes place but his wife already had left him. Something important is shifting.


Barbara swallowed. This cannot be happening!

The description was that of their former case. Oh, my...!

Barbara scrolled down and started to read the story.


(X+)


Mokita - that which everybody knows but nobody speaks of


MacKenzie and Gibson were in a little village on Skye. The case seemed to be linked to a rape and suicide fifteen years ago after which the perpetrator mysteriously disappeared. The whole village seemed to know and hide something and Bobby Parson, the perpetrator's son, had tried to commit suicide.

Gibson had driven to the pub to interview the landlady. Zapping through Bobby's digital photographs MacKenzie and the computer specialist saw PC Garner with a rifle on a picture with the victim.

His heart stopped. Therese is in danger!

Deeply concerned Liam called her. "Where are you?"

"At the pub."

"Who's with you?"

Garner was not there.

"Get out of there - now!"

"I don't understand, Sir..."

MacKenzie told her about the photograph. Garner meanwhile closed them in unnoticed.

"How did he?" Gibson asked. Then she recognised Garner and swallowed audibly.

"He's here." She disconnected.

"Gibson? ...Therese!?" MacKenzie closed his eyes briefly. Keep calm. Rescue routine step one...

He turned to the specialist. "Call the armed sponsor unit! Get 'em to the King's Head quickly."


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He drove to the scene like a horseman with a vengeance, the only thing on his mind was Therese in the pub. I need to get her out of that horror! I need to be faster!

The minutes stretched and it was the longest ride to a scene. MacKenzie arrived in the same second the cavalry did. All jumped out and hid behind the cars. Loud voices could be heard from inside. MacKenzie was sweating in fear.

It shouldn't be Therese in there!

She had just returned from her recovery time and still was traumatised. Liam knew that she did not sleep - he had heard her pacing her room tonight and nearly had knocked to ask if he could do anything for her. Now it could be too late.

Don't even think it!

MacKenzie briefed the Chief of the armed forces.

"...he's taken hostages, including my sergeant."

"Is he armed?"

MacKenzie gave him a deprecating stare.

"She. No." She hates weapons.

For now they would stay in position. MacKenzie worked through rescue routines to stay calm and told himself that everything would be fine. He called her but Therese did not answer.

Liam cursed. He hoped she would cope with-

A shot, screams, rumbling inside.

Liam immediately jumped. He needed to get into the pub. He needed to be there with Therese. He needed to help her. He needed to-

Stay rational!

At the car in the front row he ducked and tried to call her again.

Still no answer.


Is she able to talk him down? What the hell are they doing in there? And why the hell do those armed blokes stay outside? Why don't they do something? We can't just watch that damn door!

The ever so calm society lad needed to do something, needed to move. He could not stay outside when Therese was inside, unarmed, unprotected, in danger.

"I've gotta go in!"

"Absolutely no way! If anyone goes in it's us."

Reluctantly Liam accepted that. Minutes passed, more cavalry arrived, more fears built inside.

I can't lose her. She's my anchor. He would tell her when this horror was over.


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Suddenly glass splintered, another shot was heard and instinctively Liam ran to the door. He did not think about the danger, his mind was filled with the wish to get Therese out of there.

He could hear her voice. She is alive! His heart made a joyful jump.

The landlady stormed out of the pub screaming.

"Get in! Help her!"

"Go!" The armed officers were put in motion.

They all rushed in, weapons directed to PC Garner on the floor, a furious DS Gibson kneeling on top of him, grumbling, cursing and punching him as hard as she could.

For a second Liam rejoiced seeing her so wild and angry and so very alive. She still kicked Garner when Liam pulled her up. All the way out she even struggled against his firm grip when he dragged her away.

I need to get her away from that scene.

" 't's okay." he said. She is alive. My tough Therese.

Liam dragged and pushed Therese into broad daylight where she finally stopped her rage. His own trembling hand soothed her shoulders. She was visibly on the edge of coming apart. He did not care how the cavalry handled the situation inside. All that mattered there and then was in his arms - the vulnerable woman who had faced a rifle for the second time in too short a sequence. Liam pulled her against his chest and moved Therese away from the door. His chin rested on her head.

She sobbed without tears. She fought for air and still processed the moment. Liam knew she had to cry. She could not bottle it up again. He was there to help her.

With all her might Therese clung to his arms, wrenched his sleeve and tore at the cloth. Her eyes still stared into nothing. Relieved to have her out of there alive Liam caressed her head with his cheek and let a few tears fall. The officers around them did not care for the two detectives and they did not care for them. In fact Liam did not give a damn what anybody would have thought about the DI embracing his Sergeant in such a tender way.

He tried to shush her gently and then she finally fell apart. Turning her face into his chest, she started to cry. Tears soaked his shirt but he did not care. Heavy sobs trembled through her little body which felt even smaller than ever.

" 't's ok." he whispered once more when his hands drew soothing circles onto her back. While she cried he held her in a tender and warm embrace. This was not between two officers, this was between Rese and Liam.

She probably had not felt the gentle kiss he placed on top of her head.

And never would he tell her.


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During this hostage-taking DI MacKenzie had not spent a single thought at his wife. His only thoughts had been with DS Gibson. Liam only felt that he could not bear to lose Therese.

After the funeral they finally exchanged a few words about how she had felt after her shot and how she felt now. Therese said that something had shifted. Nodding Liam told her that she appeared to be stronger.

And she was. Leaving the graveyard she went ahead and he followed.

Something deep inside Liam had shifted too. Only he had not yet realised it.

And life went on like it always did.


(+X)


Barbara kept staring onto the monitor with wide eyes for a few minutes and relived those moments of the hostage-taking. Tears ran down her face and fell onto her keyboard.

No, indeed, I haven't felt his kiss.


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...

A/N: The next chapters will need some time - sorry.