Ok, what you have all been waiting for is finally here. And you should be extra especially happy coz it's a nice long chap, for me anyway. Again, thanks to all my reviewers, you know who you are. Welcome to any new readers, love to hear what you think of the story.

Some little notes first, as have been rather slack lately and not replying to my reviews, ever so sorry.

samantha-nixon: yes, yummy is a fantastic word. So is pokey. (Sorry random work I just come across in a book I'm reading. Made me laugh)

Gemz: glad you finally worked out the right setting. Always the risk of rating your story M, grrrr. But didn't think that the whole rape thing was appropriate for the younger readers, not that it stops them, but it stops people from taking my story off so, you do what you have to.

Becca: well Phil's got to be scared of something lol. Actually that did happen to me once, guy I was seeing was scared but I dragged him on rides them he loved them. Hehehe. Isn't real life great, when it acts as inspiration anyway, the rest of the time it's just a distraction.

S-nixon: getting there, I promise. You'll just have to be patient. Be glad I'm not like some writers. (Just found a story, 416 PAGES!! can you believe it, of ANGST. (not bill though) God that does weird stuff you your head. It took them over 100 pages just to get them together in the first place. Frustrating)

Ok, now on with the story:

Chapter 14

It had been two weeks since the sky show, Sam and Phil had spoken a bit at work and Sam had babysat Maddie while Phil and Abi went to the concert of a band she'd never heard of. Apparently they were like the holiest of holies. But apart from that nothing had actually happened. Sam was overjoyed at reaching her week milestone without a bad dream, in fact she hadn't thought of Hugh at all that week. Her counsellor told her that she was doing really well and didn't have to come back for another appointment if she didn't want to. To celebrate Sam decided to see if she could work up the nerve to ask Phil out on a real date. She had put it off again and again and she had sworn that if she didn't do it today she would… not drink coffee for a week. Abi had heard her muttering it to herself unfortunately, so now she actually had to stick to it as she couldn't get going with out her morning coffee, the question was how?

She had butterflies in her stomach all morning…buzzing around like they were bees. "But they aren't bees, they're butterflies." Sam told herself, God now she was talking to herself.

"Did you say something?" Phil asked scaring her. Sam jumped and Phil chuckled, steady on there, you almost jumped a foot off the ground, are you ok?" he asked placing his hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down. Sam's breath caught in her throat, "Fine" she rasped, "Didn't say anything"

"Come on Sam, you can tell me" Phil looked at her strangely, "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine, perfectly ok, fine" Sam answered blushing furiously.

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much" Phil commented grinning. Sam squeaked and fled to the bathroom. She hadn't thought this would be so hard. She locked herself in a stall and tried to remind herself to breathe. She realised that she had never actually asked a guy out before. She hadn't dated anyone before Glen and anyone after him hadn't been serious, ever. They had all asked her she had agreed but it was only a fling. They never lasted, all had their stupid flaws, irritating laughs, bad hygiene habits, going and kidnapping her, being overly possessive. Peter Cavanaugh had probably been the worst—after Hugh—but even still, he had made the first move. She heard a noise, someone else was coming in. Sam opened the door and was about to splash some water on her face when the second door opened and Phil stood there.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"You are acting weird, I was wondering if everything was ok?"

"So you came into the ladies toilets?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I came into the ladies toilets, so are you going to tell me what's up or not?"

"Not" Sam answered and barged past him, thankfully the corridor was clear when she stalked out, she didn't want people to see her being followed out of the toilets by Phil Hunter, no matter how she felt.

"Sam, wait" Phil called. "I know there's something, just spit it out" he told her pushing her into a deserted briefing room.

Sam sighed, "But what if you laugh?" she asked her voice small.

"I wont, I promise" Phil assured her smiling and leaning back against the door. Sam sighed and turned around so she wasn't looking at Phil, "Umm… what are… would you… I… umm" she stammered.

"Come on, it can't be that stupid" Phil encouraged. Sam bit her lip, what if he did think it was stupid? What if he said no or, worse, laughed at her? She didn't think she could take that.

"I have this… thing going with Abi… she overheard me talking to myself and… she's going to withhold my coffee if I don't… do this thing… but… I don't… I'm not sure…" Sam stammered.

"With hold your coffee, wow, it must be something pretty serious" Phil commented.

Sam grinned, "It's my own fault actually, I've been trying to do this thing for ages but I keep backing out. I was trying to convince myself to do it this morning, I told my self that if I didn't do it today then I wouldn't be allowed coffee for a week, unfortunately Abi heard me so I can't go back on it this time." Sam explained, Phil always had a way of making her feel at ease.

"Talking to yourself, now that's a worry. But what exactly is this thing that she wants you to do, that you want to do?" Phil asked

"Do you want to go out with me?" Sam blurted out. Shit, she'd done it now, she sounded like a stupid teenager, he really was going to think she was stupid.

"What?" Phil asked not sure he'd heard right.

"I mean…dinner" Sam squeaked, "Do you want dinner… go out for dinner… with food and… dinner" she stammered.

"You… what? Huh?" Phil asked confused, was Sam trying to ask him out? It sounded like it but she couldn't be. Why would she want to go out with him?

"I erm…" Sam was a brilliant shade of red by now, "Abi, she was going to withhold my coffee," she said, her voice was still squeaking.

"Erm –let me get this straight, you were going to…not drink coffee if you didn't…ask me out?" Phil asked unable to believe this was happening. Suddenly Sam found this extremely amusing, it was what happened when there was a lot of tension or emotion around, she got really giggly. Sam cracked up laughing, nodding her head with tears of laughter running down her cheek. "Pretty much" she answered, she hadn't thought it was possible for her face to go any redder but it managed to darken a shade or two as she said it.

"So, dinner?" she asked.

"Love to, tomorrow night?" Phil answered trying not to laugh, unfortunately it was contagious. He cracked up laughing too. Sitting down next to Sam who had taken a seat on the table, he tried to calm himself down to no avail. "You should have seen your face, I didn't think you got embarrassed" he commented.

"Usually… I don't… it's just… I…" Sam collapsed into helpless laughter.

The door creaked open, "What's so funny?" Gina asked, her mouth twitching up at the corners, the sight of Sam and Phil lying on a table in stitches was… funny. This just made Phil and Sam laugh harder, Gina started laughing too, just because it was so funny to watch Phil holding her side and tears of laughter pour down Sam's face. Gary heard the laughter from the CID office, as his desk was the closest to the door. When he opened the door everyone else in CID heard it too, Gary went to see what was going on and Jo and Ken exchanged bemused looks.

"Now listen here, you two are supposed to be working, get back to your desk" Gina said as she tried to stop the laughter but was having great difficulty actually doing it.

"Sorry" Sam gasped. She and Phil managed to get just past the door before they cracked up laughing again.

"What's so funny?" Gary asked bewildered and they laughed harder as they headed back to CID. When they go there the laughter was pretty much under control but every now and again Sam would let out a giggle or Phil would let out a snort and it would set them off again. They tried to keep the noise down but, as usual, if you're trying to keep quiet people stare more. Eventually Neil resorted to sending Sam down to the writing room to do her paper work there, at least they wouldn't be continually setting each other off if they were separated.

"So, did you ask him?" Abi asked, she was sitting in the kitchen when Sam arrived home holding the coffee jar. Sam blanched, "You're taking my coffee with out waiting for an answer?" she asked annoyed.

"I just asked you" Abi countered.

"Yes, I asked him. Though why you're taking such an interest in my love life I'll never know." Sam sighed. Abi smiled and put the coffee jar back in the cupboard, Sam sighed in relief.

The next day Neil put her and Phil on a case of a burglary at the hospital, someone had broken into the pharmacy there and stolen some prescription medication but apparently, according to the CCTV, they hadn't left yet. The twist was while trying to escape he had knocked over some lab samples and the doctors suspected that he might be infected with TB. Phil offered Sam a mask as they walked along the hospital corridor.

"What's that for?" she asked laughing.

He put one on, "So you don't get infected" he answered, his voice muffled by the mask.

Sam laughed at him, "No thanks, I think I'll just keep my distance."

"But what if we have to arrest him?"

"Then we arrest him."

"But what if you get infected?"

"Then I'll make sure I don't get too close to you" Sam answered smirking. Steve was tailing them, and when they found who they were looking for, he cornered Phil. While Sam and Tony were questioning the man he pestered Phil.

"You were flirting with DS Nixon weren't you?" he accused.

"So what if I was?" Phil asked with a smirk.

"You have no chance" Steve told his brother.

"I don't think that way, you have to think positive you know, else you never get lucky" Phil told his little brother patting him condescendingly on the back. Steve shook his head, Phil was absolutely hopeless.

That night Sam got home as early as she could. Abi was waiting for her when she got there. "Look what I got on sale today," she said holding up the most gorgeous dress Sam had ever seen. "It's for your date tonight, and before you say it I know I shouldn't have but look at it as though your borrowing it for the night, it fits me too."

"Oh God Abi, I love it. Thankyou" Sam said hugging her daughter.

"Ok, no need to get soppy" Abi laughed and handed Sam the dress, "Go try it on."

Sam obeyed and came down the stairs a few minutes later wearing it. Abi gasped in surprise, her mum looked drop dead gorgeous. The dress was a light golden colour so it complimented Sam's hair and her skin tone really well. It had spaghetti straps with gentle silver threads woven through the material so it sparkled when she moved and it just skimmed below her knees. Sam did a little twirl then frowned, Abi wasn't looking very happy. "What's the matter, doesn't it suit me?" she asked disappointed.

"No, it's just…it looks better on you than it does on me, it's not fair."

Sam laughed, trust Abi to think of that as a downside. Back up in her room Sam looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't sure about this dress, it revealed a lot of skin and it might convey the wrong message. "Abi, are you sure about this dress? It's not too…revealing?"

"Of course mum, you look great."

"That's what I'm worried about" Sam muttered. She didn't want Phil to think that they might…Sam just wasn't ready yet.

"Mum, I know what you're thinking and believe me you don't have anything to worry about. Phil's a good guy and he won't try anything ok. Anyway, if you let what happened to you ruin your life then Hugh's won." Abi told her mum gently as she fixed Sam's favourite necklace around her neck. It was a simple gold chain with a diamond-studded locket hanging from it. Sam's mum had given it to her after the entire Glen fiasco. It was a family heirloom and it had Abi's picture in it. Sam's favourite one from when Abi was five and a recent one of the two of them taken for Abi's seventeenth birthday.

"Yeah, you're right, I know that. But it's so hard to forget."

"You don't have to forget. Remember it and deal with it and it will make you a better person" Abi told her.

"Where did you learn that?" Sam asked astounded by her daughters…wisdom.

"From you" Abi answered smiling at her in the mirror.

"Thanks sweetie, you've been a great help" Sam said giving her daughter another hug. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"You would have done what you always do and thrown yourself into your work" Abi answered with a wry smile. Sam grinned sheepishly and jumped when she heard the doorbell.

"I'll get it, you have to make an entrance" Abi said and ran down the stairs. Sam took a few breaths to compose herself then headed down stairs, she could hear Abi giving Phil the third degree and decided that she should probably stop her before she went too far.

Phil was grinning ear to ear, he thought it was sweet that Abi was taking on the protective mother role, if a little worrying. She had been forced to grow up so much in the past few months but she seemed to be coping really well. He didn't know why but something, instinct maybe, made him turn towards the stairs. Sam was descending and there was just one word to describe her.

"Wow" he exclaimed. His heart jumped when he saw her smile

"Thanks, you don't look too bad yourself" she said with a grin. Abi threw Sam her coat and she put it on then he offered her his arm and she took it happily. They walked out the door looking every bit the happy couple.

They arrived at the restaurant half an hour later and a waiter showed them to their table. It was in a secluded corner near a window overlooking the Thames.

"This is amazing Phil" Sam said taking her seat.

"I'm glad you approve," he said taking his. They ordered their meal then Phil cleared his throat, "Sam—you know I'm not really good with this whole first date thing"

"I thought you would have mastered it by now" Sam teased

"Yeah, but not with someone I actually like, someone I want for more that just a one-night stand" Phil replied grinning awkwardly.

"Ok, neither am I, though probably for very different reasons"

"Ok, glad we got that clear" Phil sighed relieved "So…um –what your favourite band…or singer? What sort of music do you like?" he asked. Sam smiled, his nervousness was catchy.

"I'm not really picky, I like a bit of everything, can't stand rap though"

"Me neither"

"If anything, I really like Jazz and blues. My dad absolutely loves Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, though he loves Nat King Cole but I can't stand him. I grew up with them so I like them."

Phil grinned, he had never heard Sam talk about her family before but it was clear she loved her dad. "I love Jazz too, but my mum was a huge Beatles fan, and she loved Vince Jones and the Bangles so I grew up listening to them. I can't stand Diana Krall though."

By this time their meals had arrived and there was silence for a minute while they ate. From there the topic turned to movies and favourite actors then to politics though that was quickly trashed. After that it was their past, what schools they had gone to, favourite subjects, favourite and least favourite teachers, favourite memories. It turned out that they actually had a lot in common and the time flew. Eventually it was time to leave Sam got their coats while Phil got the bill then they left together. Sam was glad that she had worn the dress, she felt so special in it, though Phil's constant attention might also have something to do with that. She wished Hugh could see her now, she was getting her life back and more. This was probably the happiest she had ever been.

"Do you have to go home yet? Only there's something I wanted to show you" Phil asked nervously, the evening seemed to be going well but then again he wasn't a very good judge of that.

"I'm sure I can stay out a bit longer" Sam agreed smiling. They drove down towards the Themes and Phil pulled up at Skippers Wharf about ten minutes later. Getting out the car he walked around and opened Sam's door for her. She shivered a bit in the cold and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Leaving the car they walked to the end of the Wharf and stood there for a moment. It was beautiful, that waves were lapping up against the side and you couldn't hear the noise of cars. Just the wind and the water, the lights of the city reflecting on the water, casting strange shadows. "It's gorgeous Phil" Sam exclaimed.

"Not yet, wait a sec" he told her kissing her gently on the cheek then he reached for his pocket. There was a click sound as if a button was pressed down then he wrapped his arms around her waist, and turned her to face to bridge up ahead. This reminded Sam of a list Abi had pinned up on her wall. Confessions of the heart it was called. It started,

A kiss on the hand –I think you're beautiful.

A kiss on the lips –I love you

A kiss on the neck, I want you.

All the way down to; holding your waist – I can't live without you.

Suddenly there was a bang and a massive green firework lit up the sky, it was soon followed by a purple one, and then a blue. Sam was astounded, surely Phil hadn't organised this for her.

She lent back against Phil, feeling his warmth through her coat. Interlocking her fingers with his she watched as firework after firework exploded. She could see some people had some outside to watch them too and felt special knowing they were for her. Eventually there was crackling in Phil's pocket. "They worked, I can't believe they worked. I guess time doesn't matter. Anyway, that's the last of them, hope you have a great night" Phil grinned and took a two-way radio out of his pocket.

"Thanks mate, you too" replacing the radio he tuned back to Sam who was looking at him in a completely different light.

"You organised this for me?" she asked amazed.

"Of course, I want you to know how special you are to me, you seemed to love the fireworks at the sky show so this seemed like a perfect idea" he told her placing another tender kiss on her lips.

"What did he mean, the time thing?" Sam asked confused.

"The fireworks were my grandfathers, he never used them but we don't know why. Matt was worried that they'd be too old and they wouldn't work but they did" Phil explained.

"Thankyou so much" Sam told him happily. She now knew that with Phil's help she could overcome the pain Hugh had caused her. He made her feel special and that was what Hugh had taken away from her. Sam wrapped her arms around Phil's neck drawing him in for a kiss. Their lips met and Sam's breath was taken away. Phil's lips were so warm and sweet, she felt as if she had electric sparks playing up and down her body leaving a warm tingling sensation. Phil's body fit to hers perfectly and where his hand rested on her cheek, it felt as if it was sizzling. Her tongue probed slightly into his mouth, his probed into hers. She pulled him in, deepening the kiss, forcing her tongue deeper into his mouth, fighting with his for control. She felt his hands wrap around her waist and she found she needed to concentrate on breathing.

"Wow" Phil breathed when they finally came up for air.

"Mmm" Sam murmured and bit her lip, smiling impishly. She moved her right arm around his waist and her left hand around the back of his head, pulling him in for another kiss

When the two of them came up for air again Phil wrapped an arm around her waist, "Come on, it's cold, we'd better get home" Sam smiled and nodded.

Phil drove Sam home, walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight. Watching him walk down the path Sam wondered when had her luck changed. She couldn't believe that life could go from being so horrendously awful that she didn't want to get out of bed in the morning to so amazingly wonderful she didn't want to go to sleep in case she woke up and it was all a dream. Sam opened the door and walked inside, closing the door and then peeped through the window, watching Phil drive away. "So, how was it?" Abi asked making Sam jump.

"Amazing" she answered after getting over her shock. Abi started pestering Sam for details and she wouldn't leave it alone until she had gotten a word for word account of the entire evening. Finally Sam headed up to bed, she would have sweet dreams till morning.