Author Note: I can't think of a more appropriate reason to finally get my butt in gear to finish these last two chapters than the fact it is Penelope's first birthday on Monday. I wouldn't know this little princess-devil-child if it wasn't for Helen and ultimately Robbie/Jackie so it means a lot.

Grave

"Thought I might find you here." The sun was beating down on the grass as he knelt down beside Jackie in front of the gravestone. Her long hair was falling down across one shoulder with her knees pulled up to her chest. She was wearing a pair of three-quarter length jeans and a white smock top.

They had been together for over two years but this was one of those events where they both did not feel comfortable being touched immediately. More so because they didn't come up to the grave most years - usually on the anniversary it would just be a solemn day in their house without any mention of the subject.

"Can you believe it's been fifteen years?" She hadn't expected Robbie to come and find her but she wasn't going to send him away as she once may have. The anniversary of Michael Jardine's death was one of her least favourite days of the year but it was bearable, no longer heartbreaking to think that she would never see her friend again.

"Nope. Still remember it like it was yesterday." It had been such a different day back then - even the Scottish weather had been depressing - and it would always be one of the hardest blows any of them would have to face. They had been different people too, had never thought they would be as they were all these years later. They would have been more inclined to think they'd have fallen out one final time and not spoke in year. The last thing they imagined was a successful marriage which they were both settled into, with the additional frisson of excitement caused by a future grandchild thanks to Jamie and his partner. Their lives did not include children and had not for longer than they cared to remember so they couldn't wait to finally see a new life on the world, instead of someone's endpoint.

"He would never forgive me for having wed you. You were like a sister to him while I was the annoying guy next door who just wanted to fuck you." Jackie laughed as she wiped away loose tears. She loved how he knew not to ask if she was okay, simply continued to be himself and let her do as she felt necessary. He could make her laugh when she was at her absolute lowest, she still didn't understand how he had managed that for the past two decades.

"Language!" She chastised, avoiding the glare of the older woman nearby who could hear every word they said.

As they got lost in thoughts once more she found his hand with her own and squeezed slightly. Within seconds he had separated that contact in favour of wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. He kissed the side of her head as she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling of utter contentment.

"You made everything right though, even back then when I was angry as hell you could get through to me on rare occasions even after a drink." Neither would deny they had wasted a number of years before they found happiness in each other but all that mattered was they were both still here. They missed those friends who were no longer around, such as Michael, and for that reason there was no chance they were going to allow the other to get away. Although Robbie had not always seen eye to eye with his former colleague, he would consider him a friend for the remainder of his life, and he missed him a hell of a lot.

"Fancy getting pissed tonight? In celebration of him, you know." They didn't drink as often as they used to either, there was no need to feel lonely with a bottle of alcohol when they could go to their spouse who would try anything in their power to make them feel better. Even when the problem in question could be linked back to the other they were a team now to ensure no harm came to their partner.

"Sounds like a good plan," she muttered as she nestled in to his arms. They sat in silence thinking about what had happened over all the years, the comfort of having the person they loved most next to them enough to let them recall the good times.

"Did you realise this grass is going to make our arses of our jeans an absolute state?"

"It's a good thing we have spares at home then isn't it?"

"Or we could just not bother getting redressed."

Jackie elbowed him quite hard in the ribs as the other woman in the vicinity tutted at them while walking towards the exit. His wife however could not help but start laughing again, she had long since become accustomed to the various types of looks he would receive. She wouldn't change him for the world, the additional benefit of him being such a prat was that she knew nobody else would want him for whatever time there was left.

"But seriously Jackie, love, you aren't getting in my new car covered in muck."

"Who put money to that new car as a birthday present for you?" She asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow daring him to argue.

"Hey, Michael, just so you know she does love me sometimes of her own free will. She was the one who propositioned me first."

"And you know, Robbie, that he would not believe that blatant falsehood for a second."

"You definitely kissed me first."

"I did not!" They debated for a long while as they sat on the hard ground, all the while knowing that wherever Michael had ended up, he would be glad they had at last found the thing they had unknowingly been searching for all their years.