A/N: Another short chapter sorry. Guess my brain's slowing down. And because they're so short I'll post them together.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

The Ripper paused at the sound of footsteps and a hushed gasp. Joe vaguely saw a woman through his blurred and dazed vision. He held his breath, fearing for the woman's life as he watched the ripper rush away. He tried to reach out for him, tried to stop him but he was in too much pain. So he found himself just lying there as their murderer, their Ripper got away.

~WHITECHAPEL~

He wasn't sure how long he lay there, he hadn't even realised he'd passed out but out of the daze he heard a familiar voice.

"Joe? - Joe!"

It was hard and filled with worry. Joe felt a hand slapping his cheek. "Joe? Wake up. God Joe, you have to wake up." the voice tightened and Joe thought he heard tears in it. "Jesus, Joe! Don't you dare die on me."

Slowly his mind put everything together, the voice with a face, the face with a name. "Em…" he groaned, forcing his eyes open.

The junior officer released a strangled sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God. Are you alright?" his hand was brushing as the inspector's rough cheek.

"T-the R-riper." Joe groaned, trying to get up.

"You should stay there, you might have other injuries. I'll call an ambulance."

"No!" Joe snapped, forcing himself to sit up, his head throbbing and spinning, he could feel the trickle of blood down the side of his face. Taking a few breathes he focused. "The Ripper?"

Kent frowned. "What?"

"It was him. Here. Did you see him?"

Kent's eyes widened and he glanced around. "No, I didn't see anyone. Are you sure?"

"Yes." Joe snapped indignantly, fishing in his pocked for a handkerchief and pressing it to the cut on his head.

Kent was pulling out his mobile. "I'm calling the ambulance, then I'll call the Skip."

"No." Joe shaking hand shot out to grip Kent's. "No ambulance. Call Miles. We need to search his flat."

"Who's flat?"

"The Ripper. He has a flat here. We need to search. We need to know where he's gone." Joe insisted, leaning back against the banisters. "Call Miles." he ordered.

Kent hit call and waited, a noise echoed up from the floor below and Kent lent over the banister to see Miles strolling up the stairs fishing out his phone. He hung up instantly and called out to the older man. "Skip! It's the boss, he's been hurt!"

In a few moments, Miles, McCormack and Sanders where standing over their DI with looks of concern painted on their faces.

"Next floor. First door from the stairs. - Ripper." Joe remarked matter-of-factly, wincing as he tried to stand only to go dizzy and slump back down.

"He's in there?" Miles frowned, looking up the stairs.

"No, he got away. We need to search the flat." Joe breathed through a fresh wave of pain.

Miles turned to McCormack. "Get the ram out the car. Go!" the larger Scotsman ran back down the stairs. "Go watch the place." Miles ordered Sanders, who took off up the single flight.

Miles glared down at his boss. "You alright?"

"I'm fine. - It's nothing." Joe said determinedly, his gaze flickering over the older man's shoulder to Kent for a brief second. He looked paler than usual and Joe hated himself for scaring the man. "Just a bit dizzy."

"I told you not to come in here without back up." Miles said harshly, before turning on Kent. "Where the hell were you?"

"I - I…"

"It wasn't Kent's fault." Joe snapped. "I told him to wait for forensic in Wilkes Street."

Miles looked between the pair and heaved a heavy sigh. "Fine. - But it was still a stupid thing to do boss. This isn't Chelsea you know, this place could get you killed."

Joe glared at the older man with a look that said he was very well aware of where he was and what could happen to him. He was also angry at the way the man's words had cause Kent to turn almost deathly white.

"We'll give it a moment. Let you get your sea legs back." Miles said, just watching the DI.

Foot-step were heard and the men shifted as McCormack rushed up to them. Miles nodded for him to carry on toward the flat before holding out his hand to his boss. "Ready?"

Joe nodded, took the older man's arm and got to his feet, completely ignoring the pounding in his head and the sickness clawing at his stomach. He turned to start up the stairs with Kent and Miles at his back.

"Sir, you've got a head injury, you need to go to hospital." Kent insisted sharply.

"I'm not going anywhere." Joe snapped back.

"You're nearly as pretty as me now." Miles Joked.

"Not quite." Joe returned the banter light as he pulled open the door to the fifth floor; Miles laughing at his comeback.

Standing outside the Rippers flat the men exchanged nervous glances.

"You ready Sir?" Miles asked.

Joe took a breath. "Do it."

McCormack gripped the battering ram tight in his hands, pulled his arm back and used all his force to send the thick front door crashing back against the inside wall. Cautiously the men slowly cross the threshold of number 45.

TO BE CONTINUED…

THANKS FOR READING AND REVIEWING.

A/N: For the life of me I can't understand what Joe says after Miles say the 'nearly as pretty as me' line. I've rewound my tape a dozen times. I really have to get this on DVD. Of course I'm sure one of you wonderful readers will enlighten me.

Message to dhh: I know what you mean, I don't read unless I have to, well except Mills and Boon trashy novels. Though I have started Good Omens because everyone keeps going on about it and I figured why not. But I'm a slow reader, mainly because I'd rather spend my time writing and reading fan-fiction. I haven't read Prided and Prejudice, in fact I haven't even heard of it. *shrugs* I did try to read a book called Mr Darcy's Diary once but could get into it. As for Anne Elliot being a feminist, what the hell? Anne spends the whole time moping over her lost love and wishing she could get married. How does that make her a feminist? I hate it when they use modern language in classics. Like that crappy Romeo and Juliet movie. If it's a modern movie use modern language, if it's set in the era it was written use that era's language, don't mix them up. Drive me crazy.

Lastly; I know you want some UST but I'm afraid that may have to wait till season three. Whoops, spoiler *slaps hand over mouth* if I can get through season two that is.

GATERGIRL xx