Fry pounced on Harry the moment she walked through the SI10 door "There's a new surveillance just come in" She jumped back slightly, almost into Dempsey's arms as he followed her through the door. He held his hands up as if to protest his innocence and that he wouldn't touch her. "Fry – you chasing the girls away again?" Dempsey asked but before Fry had any chance of explanation Spikings roared "If that's Topsy & Tim I want them in here NOW "
Dempsey and Makepeace looked at each other; Dempsey shrugged his shoulders and followed Harry into the inner office.
"Surveillance Sir?" Harry asked in her sugary voice
Spikings grinned and both Harry and James groaned inwardly with an instant foreboding.
"I'm afraid that I must have missed the progression DC Fry has made of late, but now I have been made aware of the extent of his advancement I am keen to correct my oversight and put him on full undercover with you." Spikings was looking directly at Harry
"Sir" she questioned
"It seems that the Taylor brothers are moving classy gems around again" he paused and grinned yet again, obviously as pleased as punch with himself "I thought a little foray to one of those social events at the Dorchester where they ply their trade may be called for"
Makepeace tipped her head in acknowledgement – that seemed reasonable but from the look on Spikings face she knew there must be more.
"I have asked DC Fry to accompany you Sergeant"
"What!" exclaimed Makepeace
"What!" jumped in Dempsey "We're the partners – the Sergeant and myself – we can go hang around, ask about a few gems…"
"I'm sure you could Lieutenant" Spikings turned to Dempsey; he felt disinclined to fund the two of them on an all expenses night out that he knew they would both enjoy "But now that Fry is up and running to your level of experience I have to spread the work around"
"Bullshit" Dempsey shouted
"Lieutenant you and Sergeant Makepeace have wined and dined and god knows what else at the taxpayers' expense in a variety of luxurious and expensive establishments…"
"Not to mention the times we've been shot at, attacked and assaulted on behalf of them and 'Her Majesty's government'!" Dempsey countered
Harry stepped in "Um I'm not quite sure I understand the bit concerning Fry and his career progression" she stood between Spikings and Dempsey "Sir?"
Spikings moved back around to his side of his desk and stood with his knuckles resting on the table; he looked from one to the other and back.
"Fry! Why bloody Fry!" he moaned "When we're closed with just skeleton staff on call I chose competent staff whom I trust are capable of handling a crisis to be on call…"
Harry realised where this was going "We left a direct phone number…."
"WE. WE. WE I thought I had made it explicitly clear sergeant that there was and never would be a 'we'…"
Harry looked towards the door with concern and contemplated asking Spikings to keep his voice down but she was spared the decision as Spikings lowered his voice.
Dempsey, who had checked with Chas that it had been quiet before they had decided to stay an extra day, piped up "There weren't any trouble…"
At the same time Harry had spoken "But we are partners and we do work together"
"THAT is not the point lieutenant and work is the operative word here I believe sergeant"
Spikings thumped his fist down
"1) If I put you on call I expect you to cover
2) I meant what I said about the 'we'
and 3) I am not used to having my Christmas day……. ruined"
"But like I said it was all quiet" Dempsey started
"Christmas day with Mrs Spikings and…." Spikings stopped and tried again "When you're married Dempsey…" he read Dempsey's face and stopped again "Well on Christmas afternoon I like to errrr… well I always come and visit my staff… gets me out of the house if you take my meaning…."
Dempsey looked from Spikings to Harry and back to Spikings "Well I ain't actually married…" Dempsey excused himself from the dilemma the best he could.
"I walked into my place of solace – my office: no TV, no relatives, no mess just a bottle of single malt and solitary silence for an hour or two – what more can a man ask for? Well anyway, I walk in only to be accosted by a large lady, in a flouncy dress, drinking sherry who insisted of planting a huge wet kiss on my cheek and told me that everyone was safe"
Dempsey and Makepeace glanced at each other
"God damn it she even had the Queen's speech on the radio"
"Aunt Isobel" Dempsey mouthed
"Fry's bloody mother" Spikings elucidated "For nearly an hour… no at least an hour I had to listen to that woman tell me how her son was keeping the whole of London protected over Christmas"
Both Harry and James tried to suppress their laughter but were unsuccessful
"Well" Spikings looked back at Harry and smirked yet again "I think Fry is considering the married couple angle for your undercover foray sergeant – he said he learned a bit about that in Ireland" Spikings grinned again "Seems Dempsey you told him how important it was to keep up the cover all the time" Dempsey ran his fingers through his hair and Harry studied the floor "Well go on then"
"Sir" Harry muttered
"Get out there and do some bloody work" Spikings growled
********
Fry looked around the office and then back at Dempsey, he coughed nervously which Dempsey deliberately ignored.
Fry straightened his back and stood tall, then not sure if that was best changed his mind and slung himself across Dempsey's desk coughing again.
"You wanna try throwing yourself in front of the ladies Fry" Dempsey commented as he typed "that sort of move just don't do it for me"
"You think that would work for the ladies though?" Fry asked perkily
"Well…" oh hell thought Dempsey what was he getting drawn into "why not try it on one?" he suggested as a hopeful route out
"Actually I wanted a bit of advice on something else" Fry started quite confidently but then the nervousness spread and his voice wavered "it's sort of linked though"
Dempsey fought his intrigue, knowing it would be far wiser to keep out of the arena but he quickly capitulated. "Shoot" he said as he sat back and looked at Fry from head to toe and back. Fry felt Dempsey's eye roving over his body and blushed.
"Um…. Err…. Umm…"
Dempsey noted the hesitation and the longer it went on the more his dread increased
"It's about this undercover and…………."
Dempsey decided to help him out "You're going married with Harry I hear"
"Exactly"
"So what's the problem?" Dempsey had a few ideas himself what they might be
"Don't husbands and wives kiss"
"Some do – some don't even talk. You decided which sort you'll be?"
"Umm no, no. Well I guess I'd like to be the sort that talk" he paused
"That's good" Dempsey grinned "You and Harry you can talk, that's good"
"Yes but what happens if we have to… you know"
"No"
"Kiss"
"Oh I'd go for it" Dempsey felt mischievousness rise from within
"Would you" asked Fry brightly, drawn in my Dempsey's positive response
"Yeah"
"Well that's what I'm asking Dempsey….. How do you kiss Makepeace?"
Dempsey grinned impishly and invited Fry to stand next to him. "Place both arms round her waist" he instructed reaching his arms out to the imaginary Harry standing just in front of him. Fry tried to copy him but unlike Dempsey he had no concept of just where her waist would be or how far his hands should be apart; as a consequence he looked rather like a robot with two arms stretched out straight in front of him. Dempsey smiled and placed then lower "the sergeant ain't that tall" he suggested "and her waist is kind of tiny" he added as he brought Fry's hands together somewhat. Dempsey stood next to Fry again and placed his hands put again "now pull her towards you" he watched Fry " a bit more gentle, not too much just a little" he put Fry's hands back out to the imaginary Harry "watch me" and Fry made a second attempt. "Now watch me again" he instructed Fry "take your right hand, brush her hair back from her face and then hold the back of her head"
Tom and Dave were just about to walk back into the office but stopped as they looked through the glass noticing the two men standing there making what looked like robotic dance moves. Nudging each other they scurried along to the second office door and crept in from the back, standing in silent observation.
"Now you step just a little closer" Dempsey instructed Fry who took more of a leap for mankind "I think you just walked straight through her" Dempsey pointed out. He tried again "you're close – a tiny step just shows her you want to get even closer, you don't even have to move your feet if you can't do tiny, just lean in." Fry leant forward "don't forget you're holding her" Dempsey reminded him to place his arms out "Now move your left hand up her spine….. good man….. now tilt your face slightly ready to kiss her" Fry looked at Dempsey and tried to copy him
"Ready to kiss her" Fry echoed.
Dave and Tom could contain themselves no longer and let out a whoop and a cheer.
"Freeze" yelled Dave and instantly Tom was in front of them.
"Looks good from over here Fry" Dave teased "Looks like you've got Dempsey's moves ok"
"Ummm seems there's one problem up front though" added Tom looking from Dempsey's face to Fry's and grinning "Who're you kissing Fry? Your mother or your lover?"
Both Dempsey and Fry relaxed their pose, Dempsey sat back on the table; Fry shrunk down into a chair. "Makepeace" Fry whispered when it became obvious that Tom was not going to settle for no reply.
The answer was greeted by further whoops "That's so funny" Tom laughed and directed his comments to Dave as if neither of the other two were there "Dempsey's standing there his mouth half open and his tongue almost hanging out and Fry has his lips puckered as if great aunt Mabel is on her way over. They both fell about laughing, puckering their lips and kissing the air unaware that Dempsey was actually nearly as quite as Fry.
Makepeace walked in to the conviviality and as Tom and Dave enlightened her on the performance they had observed her face darkened. Dempsey stood to try and draw her to one side but as he approached her she raised one hand as if to hit him, but stopped; picked up half a cup of cold coffee as if to throw it but decided to gulp it down instead and stormed off slamming to door behind her.
"And you want to be married to her?" Dempsey commented
The slamming door had bounced back open with the force "I heard that Lieutenant" Makepeace shouted as she marched down the corridor
"Ouch" winced Dempsey.
****
"So you are home" Dempsey stood on the front doorstep of 187 Camberwell Grove. He had knocked the door rather than use his key in an effort to show contrition; in his hands were a box of chocolates and a bottle of Harry's favourite white wine.
"Why wouldn't I be?" came the terse reply
"I rang earlier"
"I was busy setting the undercover"
"Well Fry…………."
"Don't bother Dempsey!" Makepeace stopped him, then continued "I've explained to Fry that he should spend some time researching both the Taylor's and the events going on at the Dorchester to firm up our cover."
As she spoke she walked back into the house and Dempsey followed "I told him married couples don't always talk"
Harry stopped short and turned round "Dempsey I'd keep quiet if I were you because you're not making it better" She took the wine and chocolates out of his hands and put them on the side "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to the Dorchester".
"Tonight?" Dempsey queried
"Frank and Charles Taylor are both expected there tonight firming up the arrangements they have for their jewellery sale tomorrow. Fry and I will be unrelated delegates at a conference being held near the Dorchester; we are staying there tonight – in separate rooms."
"Oh Fry will be disappointed" Dempsey teased
"You think this whole thing is so bloody funny Dempsey" Harry hit the roof "You stand there bloody teaching him how to bloody kiss me as if I'm some prize anyone in SI10 can win"
Dempsey shrugged his shoulders "I'm sorry – what more can I say?"
"Nothing! Excuse me I have to go" she pushed passed him.
"Oh and by the way - I'm American" Harry stopped as the thought of Fry doing an American accent; it caused her to laugh "he's not" she giggled and her anger at Dempsey weakened.
"That accent of yours is so sexy" Dempsey winked
"Well you're not going to hear it" she tried to sound determined but the weakening resolve displayed itself
"Well I might just call by the Dorchester later - I hear they have a good jazz singer, maybe buy a lady a few cocktails" Dempsey grinned as he saw himself in said hotel with Harry
"Fry is on this job with me" Harry stated the obvious, still trying to show resolve
"All the more exciting" winked Dempsey "See you later honey!"
Harry shut the door behind her without further comment knowing full well that Dempsey would be sharing a bed with her in the hotel later that night and cursing herself for letting him off so easily.
*****
It was like a school detention; Spikings had insisted that Makepeace covered New Year's Eve in the office and Dempsey he had put on New Year's Day, between them they had 36 hours to cover. They had received another lecture about being part of the bigger team and although he had made no specific accusation Harry wondered if Spikings had known of Dempsey's presence at the Dorchester or just assumed it. Spikings had phoned frequently under a variety of pretexts and as midnight approached Harry was bemoaning the situation and the unreasonableness of Spikings to Dempsey who walked over to her as he spoke "There might not be a 'we' but I promise you there's definitely an 'us'"
Harry looked up into Dempsey's eyes feeling their soft focus on her and her heart began to beat faster. Dempsey put his arms on her waist, pulled her towards him, brushed her hair back with one hand that then held the back of her head, he stepped closer to her, moved his other hand up to hold the centre of her spine and tilted his face slightly, opening his lips to meet hers.
Forbidden or not it was becoming increasingly hard for Harry to do anything other than close her eyes and blot out the SI10 office as her lips matched those of James and her arms held him close to her.
When they broke apart Dempsey looked into Harry's eyes, he couldn't tear himself away. The radio sounded out the chimes of Big Ben; Harry gazed back but managed to speak "Happy New Year"
"1988" Dempsey mused as he once again tried to tuck her stray hair away from the eyes he was gazing on then he suddenly jerked and put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small box "I finally found what I couldn't find" he explained offering it to Harry.
She looked at him uncertainly "don't panic" he laughed at her trying to hide the uncertainty that flashed across her eyes. She stood within his clasp, his hands both now around her waist as he watched her open the box.
She lifted out a pendant with its embedded jewels and silver mount "A partridge in a pear tree" she commented as she turned it around in her hand. She looked back at him "Don't tell Spikings I went shopping at the Dorchester" he grinned
"This is one of the Taylor brothers!" Harry laughed
"Well we never found any dodgy gems that night" Dempsey pointed out
"Correction Fry and I never found anything that night" Harry smiled as she kept turning it and admiring it. She stopped and thought for a moment counting on her fingers "On the 7th day of Christmas…" she began but the next words wouldn't come out of her mouth. Instead her eyes welled up, her arms wrapped around his neck, she kissed his cheek and as their lips were about to meet again she whispered "my true love"
His thumb brushed the tear away and he repeated back "my true love".
*********
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!
Happy new year