Author's notes: Hell, it suddenly is icy cold here. Hard to keep Summer still in mind in that story. I even tend to picture Cat's Alpenfest in snow *wraps herself in a warm rug*

Thanks for all your lovely warming reviews so far. Here's another chapter.

Good morning everybody. The weekend is over and now it's...

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Monday, Monday

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Barbara had gone to bed with the most happy smile and the most joyful feeling in her belly she had had for years, but still accompanied by a small fear how on earth all this will develop. Her inner turbulence had been so strong that she had fallen asleep only late in the morning. Her alarm clock had pulled her out of her deep dreams almost too late. After a quick shower and a quicker breakfast she searched for her new shoes. It was an unusual warm day and the light Italian leatherware would be suitable. She could not find them so she sped to her car and drove to the Met in her usual sneakers.

When she arrived at her desk a little too late to be on time for the appointment with Hillier she found a folded card on it and a grinning Nkata, whispering behind his monitor with the DCs Johnson and Brijesh.

On the card was the picture of an enormous bouquet of red roses. Barbara swallowed and hesitantly read what was written on the inside.

Thanks for the intangibly wonderful time. LiamX

After her heart stopped and came into gear again Barbara sharply looked up at the three cheeky colleagues. They've read it. "Oh, fuck..." she cursed under her breath.

She, and hopefully she alone, knew that it was from Tommy and not from a bloke named 'Liam'. Luckily her colleagues acted like they did not know and wound her up.

"Hey, Barbie, you're quite late, huh? Had a nice week... end?" Winston laughed. Secretly he had checked it today in the personnel files - DI Lynley's second (he had four) name was William. Additionally this certain DI Lynley, eighth Earl of Asherton, had seemed to be in a very special happy mood this morning. Winston had not seen him putting the card on the table but he put one and one together and was sure that there had happened something between them finally. Winston had made up his mind and let the boys think otherwise. It would give his dear superiors more time to work things out. This was everything but an easy relationship between them, he thought.

"And a long one..." Brijesh giggled.

"New lover, eh?" Johnson chuckled.

"Shut up, you nitwits." Barbara grumbled. " 'n' get back at work."

In a vast hurry she rushed up the stairs to Hillier's office.

It was just two minutes after ten when she knocked at his open door and entered.

" 'morn', Sir." she nodded at him. DI Lynley earned a quick glance and a shy smile. "Sir."

Tommy's heart made a giant leap. He could swear he had seen her love for him in this short look and if not such then there was definitely pure joy to see him. There will be something very special to talk about after this debriefing with Hillier.

"Brilliant, DS Havers made it only two minutes late." the Chief Super ironised while he went to his coffee brewer.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but Nkata detained me at my desk." Her eyes met Tommy's briefly to let him know she had read his card. Her mouth formed a thank you.
" 'n' there was a traffic jam after a heavy accident on the Upper St. Martin's Lane, at the Cranbourn Street junction, so I had to make a detour. And I had been already late because I couldn't find my shoes. It's-"

Two voices interrupted her. The Chief Super told her that if she wouldn't have had her usual cigarette in the car park then she would have made it in time. But the lower voice from the man on the chair next to her drowned him out in fact.

"You've lost them in my coach, Cinderella." Barbara stared at Tommy and turned pink at the sight of such an amused and still tender affection in his eyes.

More to Tommy than as an answer to Hillier's statement Barbara said that she had quit smoking and did not delay her arrival here with a quick smoke in the car park. A small proud smile appeared on Tommy's lips. He understood that she had done it for him.

I want that bloody debriefing to be over as soon as possible. Barbara thought while their eyes locked.

We have to talk. Tommy thought. We so have to talk.

Hillier seemed (or played) oblivious to the sudden electrical tension in the room and cleared his throat.

"Ah, that's fine, Havers. Good, good. Now, come on, can we start now?"

The debriefing had been as unpleasant as Barbara had foreseen it. Hillier had received the reports and had read them early this morning and now had asked some inconvenient questions about them but knowing that this would be the last time this whole affair would be brushed Lynley and Havers heroically endured it.

Afterwards Barbara had been dismissed alone because the Chief Super had to have another private conversation with the Inspector. She had slowly gone back to her desk where she went through all those undone things that had summed up during the last two weeks they had been away. Winston dearly hoped that the two DCs would bugger off so he could have a personal interrogation with Barbara about the time in Rome but they busied themselves at the desk next to him so he only could exchange a few words with her. He was entirely curious about the details.

When Tommy finally came down he loitered in the open space office, searching for an excuse to speak with Barbara. Seeing that they won't be alone he finally vanished in his office. First he had to have his work done, which would be quick so he thought, then he would ask her for lunch.

He should have been distinctively quicker because due to the fact Nkata had asked her first, he had to share Barbara's presence with the DC. It really was awkward. The only thing Tommy and Barbara wanted to have was a small moment alone so they could get that thing between them cleared. They needed to speak about Rome, about them, about the previous evening's chat, about the buds of love they recently had discovered under a layer of old brown autumn leaves their lives were covered with. The only thing Winston wanted was to be somewhere else. Lynley and Havers always had been odd but the tension now was unbearable. It was blindingly obvious that something had happened between them that was not yet solved properly.

Unfortunately Lynley received a call from his mother about some business with the stables of his manor so he excused himself from the lunchtable and promised to be back in the afternoon. Even more unfortunately that did not happen. Barbara finished her work before he had returned. She had extended the time as far as possible but could not find more excuses or more unimportant little things to be done so she drove home. For a short while she only pitied herself. It had taken a little for her to realise that this was futile but then she fished her mobile out of her bag and typed a text message:

[ Still busy with the horses? ]

Tommy thought she must be able to hear his sigh on the other side of London when he answered.

[ Unfortunately yes. Have a word later? ]

Barbara grinned and had a very good idea.

[ Absolutely! Today dinner at 8. Dress nicely. I'll pick you up. Bx ]

She did not need to wait long for his answer.

[ Of course I will pay! ]

Barbara chuckled. I should call him. Honestly, we're not some silly teenagers.

But that giddy feeling, this happy buzzing in her belly was far too pleasing so she answered with another text.

[ No objections this time, you stubborn rich inspector ]

Tommy grinned. If an argument about who pays would lead to where it had in the story... Wow...

He typed: [ What a pity ]

All alone, sitting on her sofa Barbara laughed remembering the argument of the Rese and Liam Birthday story and where the objections of the protagonist had led.

[ Macho! ] she answered with a light tingling in her belly. Maybe it will lead us to...

[ Oh yes, please show me more of your straightforward side ] First Tommy was shocked about himself but then he grinned.

This text message made her blush deeply. Obviously he had that same story in mind.

[ Cheeky you! I'll catch you at 7:30 sharp ]

[ Yes Ma'am! ]

The rest of the afternoon she rummaged through her wardrobe trying to find out what she should wear in the evening and of course it was not 7:30 sharp when she finally arrived at his doorstep.

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