A/N: I apologise in advance for the following chapter, which is basically fluffy mush. Really, I am sorry. I don't know what I was on when I wrote it, but I seriously can't be bothered changing it. Hope you enjoy it and thanks to those people who reviewed, I have decided to be nice and extend the 'original review' challenge for a few more chapters, but so far 'Little People' is winning. –LP managed to submit a review that was honest, made a comment on the content of the chapter, gave a personal opinion, and gave a correction/criticism. So thankyou very much, and this chapter is dedicated to you—LP.

Just a short note to say that yes, I am aware that Neil's son is really called Jake; I just changed it because in this story, James is a teenager, and I wanted to differentiate the two. Oh, and Pippa is not dead, just in hospital…for now…hehehe

Chapter 26

"Samantha, my office now" Neil said curtly as she walked into the office. She walked into his office dreading what was going to happen, she knew she shouldn't have gone off like that yesterday.

"Guv, about yesterday, I'm really really sorry. I know that I was out of order and–"

"Samantha, I'm not mad and I'm not going to punish you."

"You're not?"

"No. Abi told me what was going on, she explained about your mum and I want to know, do you need some time off?"

"No, I'm fine Guv"

"Ok, well in that case I have some conditions. You must keep to strict meal times and you must eat something at breakfast lunch and dinner. You must go home at the end of your shift, no staying overtime to complete things, and you must take your antidepressants. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Guv—but I don't need my antidepressants anymore"

"Sam, I said I had conditions and you had to stick to them, if you're not willing to then I will give you two weeks leave. That includes all of the conditions."

"Ok - but if you just let me have another evaluation by the doctor he will tell you I don't need them anymore, I swear"

"Ok Sam, you get those results to me tomorrow morning or you start taking those pills, ok?"

"Ok" Sam agreed happier, she hadn't expected this but his terms were fair and they would probably give her more time to spend with Phil so she was happy to comply.

Sam left the DI's office in a good mood and everyone noticed the change. She was working a dog-napping case with Ken at the moment and the other day he had tried explaining it to her twenty or thirty times without success. Today Sam read over the notes herself and she made a break-through on the case. Working with Hugh hadn't been a complete waste of time, she knew basic patterns, which people stealing things used in order to minimise the risk of getting caught. The one used in these was one of the most basic, leave a safety net area around your work or home and steal from all around so there was basically a doughnut shape of crime scenes and the perpetrators home was in the middle of the hole. Ken wasn't around at the time so Sam decided to get a cup of coffee and see if he showed up. Gina approached her at the coffee machine a bit later.

"Hello" she said reservedly, with Sam it was a bit like walking on broken glass lately.

"Hi Gina" Sam said in a weird sing-song voice.

"Why are you so happy today?" Gina queried, happy that Sam hadn't bitten her head off.

"Number of reasons" Sam said, avoiding the question deliberately. She sipped her coffee thoughtfully, watching while Gina got hers. Gina was drumming her fingers on the table and suddenly something caught Sam's eye.

"What's that?" she asked immediately. Gina was wearing a diamond ring on her left ring finger. In Sam's experience that only meant one thing.

"Nothing" Gina said nonchalantly, but none-the-less she hid her left hand.

"Who's it from?" Sam asked excitedly.

"No one" Gina muttered and fled to her office. Sam followed her and shut the door behind her.

"Now, there's no danger of anyone over hearing us, spill!"

"Spill?" Gina asked amused.

"Abi uses it" Sam explained, "And don't try and change the subject."

"Ok, it's from Jonathan" Gina admitted.

"Jonathan? Jonathan Fox? I knew it" Sam declared and Gina chuckled. It was practically identical to what Sam had said when she had first found about her and Jonathan.

"Yeah, yeah, it's not public news though so shut up."

"Of course, congratulations though."

"Thanks, you know in the last two months you're the first person to have noticed"

"I'm surprised Honey didn't pick up on it, looks like her prediction came true after all."

"Mmm… thank God. It would be from here to Timbuktu in five seconds flat if she did." Sam laughed and Gina smiled, she felt like she had her friend back for the first time in weeks. Sam had been so jaded and distant for ages, probably something to do with her mum's death.

"Do you… would you like to be…Jonathan has asked his best mate to be his witness… would you be mine?" Gina asked awkwardly.

"I'd be honoured" Sam said joyfully.

Ken was in CID when Sam returned and she walked up to him bouncily, "Hey Ken, ready for some detective work? Coz I have a lead on the dog-napping case, come on." Ken just stared at her as if she had two heads. He had been having a discussion with Gary before she walked in. He had told him to watch out for Sam because she was unusually happy today, but that was putting it mildly. It was like saying that getting shot in the shoulder stung a bit.

"You coming?" she asked, standing near the door. He shuffled over after swigging back his coffee, this was too weird. Sam skipped down the stairs and greeted Marilyn cheerily. She had the car started and facing out when Ken arrived, choking back his doughnut.

"Ok, what we've got is basically a doughnut syndrome" she paused, smiling when she realised that was what he was eating. "It's loose but I recognised it. The perpetrator tries to keep the crime scenes away from their house and they end up creating a buffer zone around their house"

"So what we have to do is have a look in the buffer zone for someone who has too many dogs?"

"That's about the size of it, yeah" Sam agreed. By this time they had reached the area on the map where Sam guessed the dog-napper was. After driving up and down for a few minutes they spotted a pet shop. "You thinking what I'm thinking?' she asked grinning.

Half an hour later they had the animal welfare picking up the dogs and the pet shop owner was admitting to everything and naming names. It was a good result all round and the DI was very pleased. He still thought it fit to mention that she needed to eat something though, considering it was well past lunchtime. Sam immediately went to the canteen to appease his Royal Highness. She was sitting down eating when Honey entered, after getting her food she came over to sit with Sam. This was regarded with interest as CID and uniform didn't usually mix, June and Jim being the one exception to that rule.

"Guess what?" Honey told her grinning.

"I have no idea, what?" Sam asked shaking her head.

"I'm pregnant."

"Really? Congratulations. How long have you known?"

"Since this morning."

"Have you told Phil yet?"

"Yep, after you left the hospital this morning, so you're going to be an auntie."

Sam laughed, "Yay, I never get to see my niece so that'll be great"

The rest of the people in the canteen were watching their animated discussion with interest, as far as they knew Sam and Honey didn't even know each other that well, but there they were, talking and laughing. Tony tried to hear what they were saying but couldn't, they were talking too quietly. "What's up with those two?" Yvonne asked curiously.

"No idea, I thought you might know."

"Nup, not a clue."

"But you're Honey's best friend."

"Apparently not, looks like Sam can claim that now"

"So ask her" Tony persisted.

"Ask me what?" Honey demanded.

"Umm – since when were you and Sam best friends?"

"What's it to you?" Honey asked and Sam laughed at the expression on Tony's face, he looked like a rabbit caught in the spotlight.

"Nothing" he muttered.

"Honey, aren't you supposed to be out on patrol with Lance?" Gina asked annoyed.

"Actually, there was something I wanted to discuss with you" Honey said smiling.

"Mmm – I'm listening."

"Can we talk in your office?"

"Sure" Gina swept out of the room and Honey followed her.

"She's asking to go her office, there must be something seriously wrong, what'd you do Lance?" Tony chuckled.

"I don't know" Lance said grinning, he knew Tony was just taking the mickey.

"I don't think it's something you did Lance" Sam commented mysteriously. It was more like something Honey and Steve did.

It took them a moment to realise that Sam was speaking to them as if she were one of them, or a if they were equals at any case, that she had excused herself and was halfway to the door when Yvonne asked, "Do you know something we don't?"

"I might" Sam smiled secretively, "I'm sure Honey will tell you all soon" and she left.

The rest of the day passed quickly and five o'clock soon rolled around. Sam was just finishing typing the paragraph she was working on when Neil rolled by. "Sam, what are you still doing here?"

"Sorry Guv, just finishing up."

"Good to hear, I expect you to be here bright and early tomorrow morning, with that doctors note."

"Yes Guv" Sam said and he left. She closed her computer down and got her things together and left. Phil was propped up one a few pillows watching TV when Sam arrived but he immediately turned it off and got up to greet her.

"Hey beautiful" he said kissing her deeply.

"Hey" she said hugging him tightly.

"Guess what…the doctors have said I can get out of here on Friday."

"That's great."

"Have you made room for my piano yet?"

"Haven't had the heart but I was thinking, no one ever uses the computer and I need to get a new one anyway. If we got rid of the computer we could put it in there and I can set the new computer up in the lax room, or we could get a family laptop or something"

"The lax room?"

"Oh, right. Abi convinced me we needed an entertainment room. We spent a week clearing all the stuff out of the junk room and we got a new TV in there, it was time for an upgrade anyway, I think that other one was older than Abi. There's a few beanbags in there and a really comfy sofa we got at a garage sale."

"Oh, so why's it called the lax room?"

"Abi nicknamed it, you know, like relax."

"Cute" Phil muttered, he had missed so much while he had been in the coma, it felt like he was in a different place sometimes.

"Don't be like that" Sam told him kissing his cheek.

"Sorry, it's just…"

"You missed a lot, I know… but you'll catch up, and there's a lot of things that'll happen now that you're awake, better things."

"Thanks, what would I do with out you?"

"Fester and burn" Sam grinned. Phil chuckled. Sam kissed him lightly on the cheek then made to move away but he pulled her in tighter, deepening the kiss.

When they parted she said apologetically, "Sorry, this was a flying visit, there's something I need to do or Neil's going to start breathing fire."

"What?"

"I need to prove myself mentally stable or start taking my antidepressants."

"Ah, well get going then."

"I'll be back soon" Sam promised.

She had rung up for an appointment at lunchtime and thankfully there had been a late cancellation and she had managed to get in. The doctor was very nice, the same one she had seen before after five minutes in his company he had declared her mentally stable and signed something to that effect. When she had this Sam returned back to Phil's room.

"Just coming back to say bye, I have to go and get Maddie from Lynn."

"Ok, see you tomorrow yeah?"

"Of course, but we can drop by after dinner if you want."

"That'd be great."

"Ok, I'll see you in a few hours."

"Can't wait" he whispered and kissed her gently. He couldn't believe it, he was the luckiest person in the entire universe.

When Sam picked Maddie up Lynn was happy to see a smile on her face. "So it went well I take it?"

"Phenomenally" Sam grinned.

"How well is that?"

"He's still going to be moving in."

"That's great" Lynn exclaimed.

They had dinner and then went to visit Phil. Sam was so happy now, not something she would have believed possible last week.