Hey guys, next update for you. Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter: Laura (SaMaNdPhiL4eVeR), Sam, ihearthuxon, Laura (S-Nixon), DetBarb and Tee. Please keep it up, luv ya all Gemz and Laura xxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 20- Waiting For An Answer

Sam pulled up outside Sun Hill station a little while later. She locked her car up and went upstairs, into the main CID office. She went into her office and sat down behind her desk. She looked out of her window and saw Phil leave his desk and open the doors to the main CID office. She smiled to herself as she pulled a piece of paper towards her, quickly scribbling a note. She folded it up and left her office again, walking towards Phil's desk. She put the piece of paper on his desk and walked back towards her office, closing the door as she entered.

Phil re-entered the office a few minutes later, carrying a cup of coffee. 'That's got to be some kind of record,' Jo commented.

'I don't know what you mean Jo,' Phil replied.

'Well, it's only 9:05 and you're already on your second coffee, what's up?'

'Nothing's wrong,' Phil said as he sat down at his desk, putting his cup of coffee down onto his desk.

He saw the folded piece of paper on his desk, convinced that that wasn't there when he left. Curious, he reached out and picked it up. He unfolded it and smiled to himself, the note said: Interview room 2 1:00. I'll be waiting xxx.

Phil smiled to himself as he looked towards Sam's office, he caught her eye and Sam turned to smile at him. He tore himself away from Sam's gaze and turned his attention back to his computer and began to type.

At about 12:50 that afternoon, Phil stood up and left the office again, he walked down to custody and stood outside interview room 2. He looked up and down the corridor, just making sure that he wasn't seen. The only officer he saw was Smithy, who was processing some prisoners on the custody desk. Phil pushed down on the handle and entered the interview room, closing the door behind him. 'I thought you'd be early,' he heard a familiar voice say.

Phil turned around and smiled as he saw Sam sat on the table in the interview room. He locked the door and walked over to her, he kissed her softly on the lips and pulled away, gazing into her eyes, 'have you given any thought to what I said?' he asked.

Sam sighed quietly to herself, 'I've done nothing but think about it since Tuesday morning,' she replied.

Phil nodded; he understood what she was trying to say, 'I need more time Phil,' Sam continued. 'I'm just not ready to make a decision that will impact on my future just yet.'

Phil cupped Sam's face in his hands, using his thumbs to gently stroke her cheeks, as though reassuring her, 'Sam,' he said. 'It's OK, I understand.'

Sam looked up at him, 'you do?'

Phil nodded, 'I'm prepared to wait as long as it takes for you to reach a decision,' he said.

Sam smiled at him as she stood up. She put one hand on the back of his neck, pulling her closer to him as their lips met in a kiss. It was soft and tender at first but quickly, the passion between them began to take over. Phil pushed Sam up against the wall of the interview room and ran his hands down her body reach her waist. Sam reached up and began to unbutton Phil's shirt, which soon fell to the floor. Phil hands made their way back up Sam's body and gently slid her jacket of her shoulders before making a start on unbuttoning her blouse, which fell to the floor on top of Phil's shirt. Sam ran her hands gently down Phil's chest until she reached the top of his trousers, she slowly undone the belt and they too fell to the floor. Phil ran a finger down Sam's spine and unzipped her skirt; she kicked her shoes off and started to kiss down Phil's chest. He brought her head back up to his and kissed her once again, lifting her up so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. He carried her over to the interview room table and lay her down on it as he went in for another kiss…

'Hmmm, that was fun,' Phil whispered as she gently kissed Sam's neck.

Sam didn't say anything; she just smiled at him as she went to retrieve her clothes.

Ten minutes later, she and Phil were both fully dressed. 'I think we'd better be getting back,' Sam said. 'Before anyone realises we're missing.'

Phil smiled at her as he kissed her once again, she responded wrapping her arms around his neck. Sam pulled away and unlocked the interview door; she took one last glance at Phil, smiling at him once more before she left.

Sam switched her office computer about 5:30 that evening. She was still as confused as she was that morning; her work still hadn't done anything to erase the thoughts that were constantly going through her mind. Sighing quietly, she stood up and picked her bag up before leaving her office. She looked around the main CID office and saw that Phil wasn't there, he must've already gone. The only person she could see was Mickey, who had just come off the phone, 'you now off guv?' he asked.

'Yeah, I am Mickey,' she said.

'See you tomorrow guv, have a good night,'

'You too Mickey,' Sam said as she opened the main doors to CID and left.

Phil re-entered the CID office about 5 minutes later, carrying a cup of coffee. He looked into Sam's office and noticed it was empty. Sighing quietly to himself, he walked back towards his desk and sat down. 'Where's DI Nixon Mickey?' Phil asked, trying to sound casual.

'She left about 5 minutes ago sarge,' Mickey replied. 'Why do you ask?'

'Oh no reason,' Phil said as he bent his head back over his paperwork. Sighing as he did so, he hadn't spoken to Sam since their encounter in the interview room earlier in the afternoon, he knew that he had said that he understood that she needed more time, but it didn't mean that each time he saw her, he wasn't hoping that she had told Stuart she was leaving him and that the two of them could now be together. He remembered how she had smiled at him as she turned away from him and headed back towards the office, surely that meant that he meant something to her, he had made the mistake of declaring his feelings to her before and it hadn't ended well and for each day that passed without Sam telling Phil what he wanted to hear, he worried that the result of fifteen years ago would remain, that she would leave him once more.

Sam sighed as she reached her car in the yard; she wondered why Phil had left without saying goodbye to her, and how long she could not say anything back to him about his declaration. She knew what he wanted her to say, but she couldn't say it, by saying that she loved Phil it meant that her marriage was truly over, that she had made a decision that she couldn't go back on. She knew that it wasn't right to keep stringing Phil along, he was a good man, he didn't deserve someone like her who seemed incapable of making the hard decisions, she groaned as she climbed into the car, she had never thought that she would see Phil again, let alone be confronted by this problem once more. She had made a decision fifteen years ago and had come to regret it over the years, but then there was another decision she had made five years ago when she agreed to marry Stuart, Stuart was safe, loyal and unlikely to ever hurt her, but who was Phil? Someone from her past, someone who she knew loved her, but he was still someone who still had the same reputation that he had had back then. He had two children by two different mothers and somehow he still seemed the riskier option, even after his declaration of love. But when she was with him, she felt as if she was back at Hendon again, back in the time where he sent her flying in the corridor, where their eyes had met for the first time, there was passion there, passion that had re-ignited in the most unusual places, her office and even an interview room. Passion that she enjoyed and made her feel like she hadn't in years, passion that she had perhaps never shared with her husband, perhaps she needed to tell Phil how she felt about him, perhaps she could leave Stuart and the two of them could be together, just her and Phil and the past mistakes could be forgotten. She sighed again as she started the car and reversed out of the yard, hoping for a quiet night at home, where her life would suddenly fall into place.

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