Heya guys, next update for you. Sorry for the slight delay, this was meant to be up on Tuesday but my computer was playing up. Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter: Laura (SaMaNdPhiL4eVeR), Laura (S-Nixon), SassyJ, Sam, Tee and DetBarb. Please keep doing so, luv ya all Gemz xxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 14- Distractions

Phil woke up at about six the next morning; he stretched out his arm to where he assumed Sam would still be sleeping. He sat up as he realised that she wasn't there. The bed was cold and empty where she'd had been sleeping. Phil looked around and saw that all her clothes had disappeared, he sighed to himself as he realised that she'd gone. She obviously regretted what had happened between them and had gone back to Stuart. Phil didn't think Stuart deserved Sam, after the way he'd treated her over Rachel, she deserved better, better being him. Phil really thought this had meant something to Sam but obviously he had been wrong, he wasn't sure how to react to that. He had waited sixteen years for what had happened the night before and he had longed to wake up with her but that hadn't happened, and he was gutted. The aching void that he thought had gone the night before was back again and he so desperately wanted it to go away.

Phil got out of bed and headed towards his bedroom door. He wanted to head into work early, he had to try and talk to Sam, find out why she'd left, he needed to know where he stood after what had happened.

Sam woke up at about 6:30. She sat up and yawned, Stuart's side of the bed was already empty. Sam hadn't got much sleep at all; she had been too busy thinking about what had happened between her and Phil. She was in two minds, she so badly wanted to keep the family together but on the other hand, the chemistry that she had with Phil was overwhelming and she knew that she couldn't avoid that forever, it wouldn't have done either of them any good. She wasn't really looking forward to that day much at all, Sam knew she would have to face Phil and explain why she left. She didn't know what to do, she had always put her children's happiness before anything else but maybe, that hadn't done her any favours whatsoever. If she hadn't put her children first, she probably wouldn't be with Stuart, she would've been with Phil and none of this would have had to happen, she would've been happy but as it was, she wasn't. Things between her and Stuart hadn't got much better since she'd agreed to come back; Sam had only agreed to come back for Adele and Marcus' sake, her kids meant everything to her and she didn't want to see them get hurt. Despite this, she still felt incredibly guilty about betraying her husband of sixteen years with Phil, he had never done anything like that to her and that was how she repaid him.

She went downstairs a little while later and entered the kitchen, 'awww, you spoilt the surprise,' Stuart said.

'What surprise?'

'I was just about to bring this up to you,' Stuart said, gesturing towards the tray that was on the kitchen worktop.

'Thanks Stuart, but I'm down here now, I may as well have it here,'

'OK then,' Stuart said, feeling slightly put out.

Sam smiled at him as she sat down, the guilt that lie in the pit of her stomach was beginning to grow, he had gone to all this trouble for her, it showed he still cared. She wished that she could be more enthusiastic about this but that was impossible for her, she had other things on her mind and she wasn't in the mood to receive romantic gestures. Sam still had no idea of what she was going to say to Phil when she saw him that day at work, she had no idea of how he was going to react to her leaving.

Sam opened her office door after that morning's briefing and closed it behind her. She looked at her desk and smiled to herself, she didn't have any paperwork to do today, thanks to Phil helping her the night before. She hardly had time to sit down before a knock on the door disturbed her from her thoughts. 'Come in!' she called.

Jo opened the door, 'guv, a new case has just come through and I was wondering if you wanted to work with me on it,'

'Thank you God,' Sam muttered, she turned to face Jo, 'yeah why not Jo, I could do with getting out of the office today,' she said. 'Fill me in in the car.'

Jo smiled at her as she watched her DI take her coat back off the hanger and follow her out of the office.

'So what is this case then?' Sam asked.

'PC Green and PC Gayle were called to an incident on Rudkin Road this morning and found an IC1 female unconscious in her house, it looks like she may have taken a drugs overdose, Beth and Ben found a used syringe lying beside her, they think its probably heroin. The victim's name is Catherine McDonald and she was found by a next-door neighbour. Catherine's in St Hugh's, we need to take her statement,'

Sam nodded as she got in the car, she was glad of an excuse of get out of the office, being out of the office meant that she didn't have to face Phil and therefore, put off the conversation that they would inevitably have about their fling the night before. She knew they would have to talk about it eventually; Sam had no idea what she was going to say to him and putting it off seemed like an obvious solution. Stuart couldn't find out about this, it would destroy him. It wasn't like it was anything new to her, keeping secrets from him; she had kept one secret from him for nearly sixteen years, to protect his feelings, she knew it would devastate him if he knew.

Sam and Jo arrived at St Hugh's about fifteen minutes later. They went to the front desk and were greeted by the receptionist, 'can I help you?' the receptionist asked.

'DI Nixon, DC Masters Sun Hill CID,' Sam replied as she and Jo showed the receptionist their warrant cards, 'we're here to see Catherine McDonald.'

'Third bed on the left,' the receptionist said.

'Thanks,' Sam smiled at her as she and Jo walked towards the bed that the receptionist indicated.

'Catherine McDonald?' Jo questioned towards the woman sat in the bed, she was blonde, early thirties and had blue eyes.

Catherine looked up, 'yeah,' she replied.

'DI Nixon, DC Masters, Sun Hill CID,' Sam said as she and Jo showed Catherine their warrant cards, 'we've come to ask you a few questions about what happened last night.'

Catherine gestured towards one chair beside her bed, Jo took it but Sam remained standing, 'do you remember what happened in the lead-up to you taking an overdose of heroin last night?'

Catherine nodded, 'I'd had a row with my boyfriend, Dave. He found my stash of heroin and asked if I was back on drugs. I was on them about nine months ago but he helped me get clean. When he found the stash last night, he shouted at me, saying that he'd been wasting his time trying to get me clean. Dave stormed out, I was devastated by what he'd said, I turned back to the drugs and injected myself,'

'Can you give us your boyfriend's address; we'll need to inform him,'

'Dave lives with me, at 27 Rudkin Road,'

Sam noted that down and smiled at her, 'who did you buy the drugs from?' she asked.

Catherine shook her head, 'I can't say,' she replied.

'Why not?'

'He threatened to beat me up if I told anyone,'

'If you tell us who he is, we can protect you, stop him from doing this to anyone else,'

Catherine shook her head again, 'I'm too scared,' she whispered.

'Right,' Jo said as she finished writing, 'we'll come back if we need anything Catherine,'

Catherine nodded as she watched Sam and Jo leave the ward. 'What next guv?' Jo asked.

'Let's go to Catherine and Dave's house, see if he's turned up yet,'

Jo nodded as they approached the car and got inside.

Jo and Sam pulled outside 27 Rudkin Road and saw that Ben and Beth still stood outside, Ben was restraining a white, early thirties man who trying to get into the property. Sam got out and walked towards Ben, 'what's happening here Ben?' she asked.

'CSE's almost finished in the house, this guy keeps trying to get into the house, claiming to be Catherine McDonald's boyfriend guv,'

'I am her boyfriend,' Dave replied, 'I live here with her.'

'And your name is?' Jo asked as she approached the group.

'Dave Phillips,'

'OK Dave,' Sam said, 'are you aware of the incident that occurred here last night,'

Dave shook his head, 'your girlfriend took an overdose, she's in St Hugh's,'

'Is she? Oh my God!' Dave exclaimed.

'Can you tell us what happened?'

'We had a row,'

'About?'

'I found her stash of drugs and accused her of using again. She's only recently got herself straightened out. I said a few things that I didn't mean, in the heat of the moment and stormed out,'

'I see,' Jo said, 'do you know who she would've brought the drugs from?'

'Probably her old dealer, Marco, I don't know his surname,' Dave said, 'I can't believe she'd have taken an overdose though,'

'Shall we take you to St Hugh's? Sam asked.

Dave nodded as he followed Sam and Jo back to the car and they drove off in the direction of St Hugh's.

'I think I've found him!' Jo exclaimed later that afternoon.

'Who this Marco guy?'

Jo nodded, 'Marco Massey, he's already got form for dealing and he came out of prison eighteen months ago after serving a five year sentence for possession with intent to supply,'

'That's got to be the guy,' Sam said, 'have you got an address?'

Jo pointed towards his address on the screen and Sam wrote it down, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phil walking past, 'shall we pay him a visit now, see if he's at home,' Sam said.

'Yeah, why not,' Jo replied.

Jo stood up and followed Sam out of BIU.

'That was a complete and utter waste of time,' Sam said as she and Jo re-entered the CID office about an hour later.

'Why was it a complete waste of time?' Stuart asked as he turned around.

'Marco Massey wasn't at home guv,' Jo replied.

'Where else could he be then?'

Jo shrugged her shoulders, 'we could set up surveillance on his home, he'll have to go back sometime,' Sam said.

'That's not a bad idea,' Stuart replied, 'do you mind being a part of this surveillance operation tonight then Sam?' he added.

Sam shook her head, 'course not. You and the kids can survive one night without me, can't you?'

Stuart nodded his head, 'how about you Jo?'

'I can't guv, sorry. Made other plans,'

'Well, you can't do this on your own Sam, I'll find someone else to join you,' Stuart said as he left the main CID office.

On his way back to his office, he bumped into Phil. 'Ah, DS Hunter,' Stuart said, 'can I have a word?' he asked gesturing towards his office.

'Course,' Phil replied as he followed Stuart inside, closing the door after him.

'Have you got any plans for tonight Phil?' Stuart asked.

Phil shook his head, 'no, I haven't guv, why do you ask?'

'It's just Sam's on a surveillance operation tonight, to catch a drug dealer and I don't want her there on her own so I was wondering if you'd be prepared to join her,' Stuart replied.

Phil's heart skipped a beat, he was being asked to go out on surveillance with Sam, alone. He knew what he wanted to say to this; of course he was going to say yes. She had been avoiding him all day and this was the perfect opportunity to talk to her, find out where he stood after last night. 'Yeah, I'll do it,' Phil finally said.

'Great!' Stuart replied, 'I really appreciate it Phil.'

'No worries,' Phil said as he left the office, sighing happily at the thought of spending another evening in Sam's company.

Apologies for the length of this chapter ;)

Reviews always appreciated xxx