Codes

Sam looked up at Mike and smiled.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," He replied.

Sam swung her legs down and, in her blood splattered clothes, sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's going on?" she asked, faintly confused.

"Kitty should be okay, they think. The boss is angry, though- she said you should have left it to the police, but then everyone, even that doctor she's going out with, told her to shut up. Not me, though."

"What did you say?"

"That she should leave you alone, because if you had 'left it to the police' Kitty would be dead, and I explained how I'd be more than happy to let the commissioner know that."

"You threatened your boss?" Sam raised an eyebrow at him. He nodded and laughed, before sitting on the bed opposite next to her.

"Everyone's very impressed with what you did, you know. But I'm afraid, Dr Nichols, I am going to have to ask you to accompany me to the station. We'd like a formal interview with you, nothing more." He grinned at her, so she didn't feel as worried any more. Leading her outside, he took her to a police car and sat her in the back. There were a few raised eyebrows from people entering the hospital, but Sam wasn't worried. It was Holby City Hospital, the journalists would soon clear her name. As they went to drive off, James, supported by Kitty's parents, came outside. Mike wound down the back window for her.

"Dr Nichols," James began, "I… we, would just like to thank you, for bringing our Kitty to safety."

Sam smiled at him, "You're welcome."

Just then, Yvonne slipped into the car next to Sam, tight-lipped and annoyed. She nodded at Mike, who wound up the windows drove away. Sam looked back, and saw James and Mr and Mrs Montague head back inside, together. She turned back to face forward, and concentrated. When they arrived at the station, it all became very formal, very real.

The interview room was cold and unforgiving. She wondered if people just confessed everything so they could get put in a police cell, which would be decidedly more comfortable. Yvonne entered the room, with a PC Sam didn't recognise, a woman, trailing behind her.

"So, Doctor Nichols, perhaps you'd like to explain the events leading to you finding Kitty Montague?"

Sam looked her in the eye. "Is this on tape?" Yvonne nodded.

Sam cleared her throat, and explained.

"I received a note, written by Kitty Montague in code, telling me where she was- to the best of her knowledge. I did present the evidence to you, but you ignored it. Decoding it, I began to ask around in the area she was in- I tried to tell you where she was, too. Then, seeing a message written in the dust on the window, I climbed over the garden wall and smashed the window in with a brick. Then I called an ambulance."

"Why not the police?"

"You'd have told me to 'go home, Dr Nichols, aren't there patients for you to make well?' or 'leave the criminals to the police.' You didn't care about Kitty, at all, all you cared about was looking nice." Sam sat down in the chair.

The superintendent took a deep breath, and pulled a face. "Interview terminated at 17: 35. You're free to go, Dr Nichols." Sam nodded at her, smiling, and left the room. Mike's arm wrapped around her waist,

"Do you know how amazing you are when you're angry?"

Sam smiled at him.

"You hungry?" Mike asked her.

"Starving," Sam smiled up at him.

"That's good. Because I just happen to have a reservation at a very nice restaurant," Mike joked, leading Sam by the hand into his car- not a police car, thank goodness.

Very nice restaurant, he'd said… Sam thought, well he'd got that right. Thank god he'd taken her home to change first, for now, instead of blood stained casual wear, she was wearing an aqua, floor length dress, studded with diamantes. The outside was disgusting, with slime up the walls and peeling paint. But the inside was beautiful. The chairs were padded with white leather covers; the ceiling was beautifully draped with twinkling fairy lights; lace, diamante studded curtains hung from the ceiling, dividing the tables. Each table was glossy, pale polished wood, with a shining glass top. The art on the wall was white and blue and swirly. It was amazing.

The food was amazing. Apparently, Mike had chosen a set menu, called 'date night.'

"They give you enough food for two, and you share," he explained.

Sam smiled at this. For the starter, the waitress placed a large, revolving glass tray in the middle of their table. On it, were millions of little canapés and tasters. The waitress had given them both a pale blue glass bowl, shaped like a leaf. There had been amazing little cubes of watermelon, topped with feta cheese and mint; beautiful light garlic bread topped with caviar; mini glasses filled with layered prawn cocktail; various types of sushi and little tarts filled with fish and vegetables.

"Which is your favourite?" Mike had asked her.

"The watermelon cubes," Sam decided, "you?"

"The sushi," Mike smiled, "The food's exquisite, isn't it?"

Sam smiled and nodded, but the conversation was stopped as the main meal arrived- one large, oblong plate, with a posh-looking pizza on it. Instead of pizza base, there was flaky, buttery posh pastry. Instead of tomato sauce, sliced tomatoes rested on top, drizzled in olive oil. There melting mozzarella was crumbled over the top, and a scent of basil and oregano filled the air. She'd only eaten a few slices, not wanting to look greedy, and Mike had happily eaten the rest. Then came dessert.

Dessert was amazing. There was beautiful, dark-pink heart, carved from frozen fruit-and-yoghurt puree, stood on a glass platter and covered in edible glitter. Scattered around the bottom of the carved ice, were fresh berries, some dipped in white chocolate, some drizzled in golden spun sugar. Sam began to eat slowly, trying to keep from eating too much, trying to impress Mike. But she couldn't resist it.

Damn my sweet tooth…

Sam thought, as she saw how Mike was picking around the bottom and eating the fruit, rather than the luxurious frozen heart. Sam was about to stop eating, when her spoon snagged against something metal. Digging it out, intrigued, Sam saw that it was a chain. It got caught on the end of her spoon and was pulled from the ice. Seeing it properly for the first time, Sam realised that it was a necklace. Hanging for the chain was an ornate, silver heart, glittering in the light. On the back was an inscription, it read-

My heart, forever yours…

Sam smiled at it, then looked up at Mike, into his deep, almond eyes-

"It's beautiful, Mike, I love it…"

He slid from his seat, and looped it gently round her neck. Planting a kiss on her cheek, Mike paid the bill and walked Sam home. When she finally closed the door, Sam took the necklace in the palm of her hand an admired it.

My heart, forever his…

She thought.