Another new chapter for you after a long break. And we're closer and closer to the end with every chapter :) I hope you'd like it Xx

Craig pulled over his eyes his green cap and impatiently shuffling on his feet as he was waiting for his transport, while the big snowflakes landing on his face, making him shiver and wonder what the hell he was doing here. He should be now in his apartment and lying under few layers of quilts and phone to Superintendent to say him that in such conditions he's not going to work and he wants a day off, but when he thought about Burge's visitation and about his case still standing in the dead point, he has to forget about his feelings and do his duty.

'Finally.' He said to himself as the familiar car appeared on the horizon, slowly beating the snow on the road. He tugged one end of his green and blue scarf so it tightened more around his neck, and he almost jumped inside the car, as he felt the nice warmness emanating from vehicle on his uncovered skin. 'What took you so long?' He asked as he closed the door with a slam.

'Didn't you look around?' John Paul asked him dry, raising his eyebrow, before he focused on the windshield and departed from Craig's home. 'So, how's that happened your car broke down?'

'It doesn't broke down.' Craig replied, a little annoyed. 'It just has a tough time.' He replied evasively. 'Sometimes it's happened, when everything's frozen down during one night and there's more snow than people outside.'

'Well, I heard different version. Bridget phoned to say, you left a switch on lamp in the car for all night, and battery didn't handle it.' John Paul said with a smirk, his eyes lightened up with amuse as he for moment looked at Craig. 'That's why I needed to give you a lift to work.'

'If you know better what's happened with my car, why you're asking me about it, eh?' He asked irate, blushing slightly.

'Just wanted to be biased.' He replied with a sly smile and glanced at annoyed partner who dig his face under the collar of the jacket so John Paul only could see a pair of chocolate, shining with irate eyes and his shape nose. 'You can't complain I didn't let you tell your version of events.'

'Oh, I'm really flattered with your kindness.' He snorted and without ask opened the clipboard.

'Yea, I see that.' John Paul said with a smirk and again glanced at him. 'You're searching for something?'

'For candies.' He mumbled and removed something silky from the clipboard. 'It's yours?' He asked amused, pocking his tongue out.

'Car is Niall's. But cassettes and pack of handkerchief in clipboard are mine.' He replied without interest, didn't bother even to shout at Craig for sticking his nose into his things without ask, knowing it won't change anything. 'I don't have any candies.'

'Well, it doesn't look like a pack of handkerchief to me.' John Paul frowned his eyebrows and his jaw dropped down as he finally looked at the left and saw a sexy, red underwear, surely belonging to the woman, hanging loosely between Craig's two fingers. 'But it looks like your size.' John Paul stared at him shocked, with cheeks like beetroot.

'Craig!' He snapped embarrassed and slowed down, before his car could hit at something or he could lose control at its because of slippery roads and end on some street lamp. 'Put it back!'

'I don't judge you. Everyone fancies something else.' He smirked. 'So it's yours?'

'Course not! Maybe it belongs to one of Niall's girlfriends or to 'Cedes. She borrowed his car two days ago.' He scowled. 'Put it back if you don't want me to wonder if you want to borrow them.'

'You don't have to bark at me.' Craig said with innocence smile. 'It's just look like your size, so I wondered…'

'Do I look like a transvestite?' He asked him annoyed. 'And you don't know what size I'm wearing.'

'I got a look on your four letters not once, so I can guess what size you're wearing.' He replied with a grin, suddenly forgetting about hated weather and tones of snow.

'One word more and we'll see how much of my shoe your mouth is going to take.' He snapped irate, ignoring small chuckle from the man's side. 'You really like make a fun of me, don't you?'

'I find it quiet funny and very entertainment.' He agreed and chuckled once again. 'But instead of being angry at me, you should be flattered with my comment about underwear. It was a compliment.'

'A compliment?'

'Yea, no many women have such great dimensions. They could be jealous.'

'Sometimes I wonder if everything's fine with your head.' John Paul mumbled and unsurely glanced at him. 'You're weirdo.'

'Because I said you have a nice bum?' Craig asked puzzled.

'Craig can you leave it, please?' He growled, barely stopping himself from bend over and hit the wheeler with forehead. 'I feel embarrassed if you don't notice it yet.'

'Yea, I noticed.' He said and hesitated for moment with another grin as he got murderous look from the man. 'Your phone.' He added as some melodic sound came to his ears from John Paul's side. 'You wanna me answer?' One cold look from him and he knew there will be better if he shouts his mouth to the end of his journey.

'How's the progress in Luthie's case?' Chief Inspector asked as he visited his subordinates from homicide in the common room where few people was already scrupulously working on their cases.

'We're in the dead point.' Bridget answered him and tugged unruly lock of hair behind her right ear. 'We don't have nothing new, so we need to check the all trails we have once again with hope we missed something.'

'We're in dead point from a long time, Bridget.' He noticed with a slant smile. 'If your lack of results it's caused by lack of people and time, I can ask superintendent to send you someone to help from other department.' He suggested and glanced at the briefcase at woman's desk. 'Or maybe it's caused by our inspector?' He continued with raised up eyebrow.

'We're fine.' She said firmly and pushed the folder down on the floor, before he could read something more. 'It's normal thing we're focusing pretty much at our friend who needs our help, but it doesn't mean we aren't trying to solve the Luthie's case.' She explained.

'And how's the progress in his case looks like?'

'I'm afraid the same.' She replied truthfully after small pause, glancing at him with resignation. 'Craig said he may finds something, but it doesn't sound like something big and as we know Darren is going be a unbelievable deponent, because he and Spike are partners in work…I don't know how we're going to help him.'

'Maybe then it'll calm you if I say that inspector Burge informed superintendent this morning, that she can't visit us today, because the roads are impassable.' He said with a small smirk. 'His judgment is postponed until tomorrow.' Bridget's eyes lit up a little, her teeth flashed in a smile.

'Thank God.' She whispered and covered mouth with hand.

'I want to be inform about progress in Luthie's case all the time, so recall inspector Dean to not forget about it.'

'Of course I do that.' She nodded and her smile faded as some thought hit her. 'Do you think she has something strong at Spike, that she decided to give us another day, or it's really only because of the snow on the roads?'

'I don't know, Bridget.' He sighed. 'Just keep on faith, everything's gonna be fine and they don't have nothing at him.' He added and with small nod of his head for goodbye, he headed toward elevator.

Craig was already panting as a bulldog as he finally climbed on the last small mountain of snow on the stairs leading to the commissariat, and moment late he found himself in a warm building, between blue uniforms young constables crowding around the hall. He took off the cap from his head and automatically smoothed hair as he was sure they were all standing proudly, giving him a look of some elf. He approached the reception already decorated with green and blue garlands above the desk and with red baubles hanging lazily in the light of colored lamps entangling two columns standing for the each side of the desk.

'What the hell is going on outside?' He yelled for the morning, straight into Anne's smiling face.

'Christmas is coming up.' She replied with the same wide smile, like she didn't notice in what mood the man was. 'That's happening.'

'Oh, that's great.' He leered with a fake smile, while thunders coming out from his dark eyes. 'But where the fuck are snow plows?'

'I think this year the winter surprised them.' She replied with a small grin and pushed the small bauble above her head. 'We need to buy a Christmas tree. You think I should go to superintendent?'

'Didn't I hear the same lthing ast year? You know what you should do? I think you should give shovels puppies and order him to remove snow from the stairs and pavement around the station, until municipal services decide to do it by itself.' He snapped, didn't care about any Christmas trees. 'Or better phone to them.'

'Craig, lit up a little. Christmas coming up, everyone should be happy around.'

'I'd be bloody happy if someone clean up that fucking mess!' He yelled louder, this time catching everyone's attention. 'We even don't have place to park our cars! That's ridiculous! How we can accept the applications if the police cars can't move?'

'It's not her job, Craig. So stop yelling around.' John Paul chimed in as he finally came in and thanks to Craig's shouts, quickly localized them.

'Maybe you can help me…'

'There's plenty of time to do it, Anne!' Craig barked outraged. 'It's only second in December!'

'I'm sorry, Anne, but Craig has a really bad day.' John Paul said to her in confidential whisper as he bended over the desk. 'He's like a ticking bomb since the whole thing with Spike, and we still don't get any results with Luthie's case.'

'You tell me.' She snorted and opened one of the drawers from her desk, as she noticed the Craig pushed the cap into the pocket of his jacket and was going to head off toward elevator along with John Paul. 'Craig, wait! I have something for you.'

'Later, Anne.' He said above his shoulder, keep going.

'But it's important! Spike asked me to give you that today!' She yelled flustered and stood up. 'Just take this bloody envelope!' Her joyful mood suddenly flew away.

'Leave it in my desk when you're going back to home.' He said back while the elevator door opened.

'But it's important!' She moaned, but he even didn't think about coming back.

Spike squeezed his eyes and murmured slightly as he rolled himself on the right side and stretched his arms out. He was a little surprised when his hands found a warm, soft in touch blockade on their way, letting his fingers dig into unfamiliar flesh dipper. He opened his eyes and unsurely glanced at his blockade which turned on to be Darren, sleeping tightly with his face turned to Spike, small smile crossing his lips. What the hell… He start thinking nervously, not quite remembers when he has let Darren to share his own bed with him, and when and why his arm was across his stomach, holding Spike in tight, intimate embrace.

He tried to escape from his arms, but when he only moved away, Darren instinctively followed him and caught in a tight grip while with a quiet murmur he snuggled his face into his neck and laid leg on his, so Spike could forget about moving anywhere. He growled quietly under the weight of his body and as he moved his hand across Darren's bare shoulder to push him back, he noticed something else, something which trilled him and made him forget about everything else. They were naked.

'She's not coming up, Craig.' Bridget replied and rolled her eyes as Craig start pacing nervously around common room when he got the news.

'It should calm me?' He asked her harshly, in mind thinking what this witch had in her sleeve, that she so kindly gave him a day. He knew something wasn't alright.

'I think so. We have a half day to think up about our strategy and move on with Luthie's case.' John Paul said and handed them mugs with coffee. 'For me it's excellent news.'

'For me it sounds like a big trouble. She has to has something really big at Spike and be sure her victory.' He stated and rubbed the back of his neck. 'What else she may has?'

'Don't you think we should focus at what we have?' John Paul asked him as he sat down at Charlie's desk. 'Cause I think we have nothing and the time is running out quicker than we want it.'

'We need to talk with Darren and got from him all what he has. He's the only alibi Spike's has.' She reminded and glanced at the calendar. 'Shouldn't be in work now?'

'Look outside, it's going to take him ages to get here from Spike's flat.' Craig sighed heavily and took a sip of his coffee, in his new mug, as John Paul pleasantly noticed. 'And Spike doesn't has alibi, Bridget. At the time of murder he was fucking wandering around the town, where no one saw him…I thought about phone to Hannah, I guess she may be more believable for judge than Darren.' He suggested and finally sat down next to woman.

'She's his fiancé.' John Paul noted. 'And don't even bother to phone to her, since what I heard she and Darren had a pretty bad fight recently, so it wouldn't be a good idea to bring her at Spike's interrogation.'

'They're going to break up with each other?'

'No.' John Paul replied sharply, didn't like Craig's a little too much cheer up voice as for his taste. 'They're gonna make up soon. Everyone knows Darren doesn't see world beyond her.'

'Lucky girl.' Bridget murmured with a sigh and traced the monitor of computer. 'So what are we gonna do know? Focus at Luthie's case?'

'Until Fred takes Darren's place.' Craig agreed. 'We need to find more about Anne's Luthie. It looks like somehow she's connected with murders.'

'She didn't has any records and was clean as a tear. It's going be hard to find something about her.' John Paul said and bite down on his pen.

'We can ask victims wives about her. I bet they have to knew each other.' He suggested.

'But how it's gonna help us?' Bridget asked puzzled. 'Why someone would wanted her death?'

'That's exactly what we need to find.' Craig pointed at her finger. 'From who starts? Mrs. Brain? John Paul, are you still with us?' He asked as he noticed that man was far away with his thoughts, staring at the opposite wall like if something has appeared on it.

'Why you didn't take the pack from Anne?'

'Because I have more important things to do.' He replied nonchalantly. 'The pack can wait, and she also.'

'But it's from Spike. Maybe he decided to write a letter to you instead to talk with you face to face.' He suggested.

'Don't be stupid.' Craig snapped irate. 'Instead of playing in these odd games with us, he should be thankful we're trying to save him from a prison.'

'But we have nothing.' Bridget noted, but quickly regret it as she noticed a dangerous glint in man's eye. 'Spike is coming back tomorrow, so I guess he tells Craig what he sent to him.' She added drily and fixed eyes at the monitor. 'So whose address you want first?'

When he woke up Darren was already knelling next to his bed and making a white line of powder on the cover of some old book, before pushed it toward Spike as he noticed he was already wake up.

'You bought me drugs?' He asked shocked with confuse staring at the powder, wondering if it's dream.

'You're a wreck of human…I thought this is gonna help you a little.' Darren replied quietly like he was afraid he'd ruin something if he speaks up louder.

'How you got it?' He didn't understand what's going on here. Who was this man and where was Darren he knew? He popped himself into elbows and stared at man with shock.

'Don't worry, it's clean.' He assured him and pushed the book more to him.

'It's not what bothers me.' Spike replied and with shaking hands received the present.

'So what's then?' He asked puzzled, frowning his eyebrows like a small kid.

'It's against your rules!' He almost shouted straight into his face, didn't understand how this could happen. 'You shouldn't buy me drugs, Darren. You're not a druggie and doing it, you only going to have problems soon…What if the dealer sell you off, or someone saw you?' He was shaking with nervous.

'Don't worry, Spike. I was careful, no one saw me.' He said and showed him teeth in a gently smile. 'It's for you. Stop thinking for once.'

'It should be me saying this.' Spike said with a half smirk and finally bended over and almost moaned with pleasure as narcotics rushed through his systems. The book fall down from his hands and head fall down against the wall, as his eyes closed tightly and content smile played on his dry lips. He felt how Darren moved and took the book back, but didn't has a strength to look up at him or even thank him for everything he has done for him. He knew he was risked very much, but even once he didn't hesitated from help him or do even the most dangerous things, he'd never done. He knew he was pushing Darren on the limit, but the man seemed to not notice it, or he was pretending he isn't, and keep taking a part in his dangerous game.

He opened eyes after few minutes, when he still could sense Darren's presence very close to him, but he was so quiet he couldn't localize where exactly he was. Firstly he noticed his dark messy hair protruding above the bed, and then noticed his long, slim legs, bent at knees on the floor.

'Darren?' He called him softly and heavily moved himself into sitting position. The man didn't answer or move, he was just lying without any signs of life, making Spike's heart jump to his throat. He quickly slipped out from the bed and landed on the knees while his right hand cupped Darren's face as the other one moved on his neck to check the pulse. Quick and unregular. Close to hysteria he stared at his closed eyes as his hands blindfold tried to find a mobile phone in Darren's jeans. 'What the hell are you doing?' He asked him in harsh whisper as at the same time when he was fighting with the material of jeans to remove the phone from the pocket, he noticed a remains of white powder at another book pressed under the bed and Darren's left hand. He could felt the plastic surfer under his fingerprints when Darren's eyes opened widely in one shot and his arms wrapped tightly around his waist pulling Spike straight into his right shoulder, didn't let him move.

'Boo.' Darren said in a whisper and grinned widely like he said a good joke. He firstly didn't notice how hard Spike was breathing right now in his arms, how his eyes stared at him back with fear and shock, and low lip was trembling, but when he did it, he knew he has done the most stupid joke ever, and understood that he only reminded him about the tragedy which happened to him only few days ago. 'I just wanted to cheer you up.' He said quietly as he noticed tears gathering in Spike's eyes, the same which have been falling down above his boyfriend's death body. He felt like a shit.

He tried to calm him down with one hand gently stroking his back, while the other one entangled between his hair, but it seemed to only bring different effect. Spike was almost crying now, shaking with anger and despair, while he couldn't bring out his voice. Without too much think he did the last thing which crossed his mind, and he was sure it could work. At least it always works at Hannah. He moved his face closer to Spike's and kissed him lightly on the corner of mouth, before he pulled back and with anticipation scanned his face for some reaction, to make sure he has done the right thing. Spike eyes seemed to be even bigger now, mixture of shock and surprised written in them. Darren hesitated only for moment before he tried once again, this time letting his lips stay a little longer. Few seconds later it turned out that it was Darren who has been left surprised as Spike's head suddenly jerked up and he kissed him back, straight into lips.

He felt on the chest as Spike's heart beating as a crazy and how his eyes widened once again as he realized his mistake and tried to escape from his embrace. But Darren didn't let him go. He closed the gap between them and didn't give him a chance to protest, he kissed him and cupped his head with hands to make sure he's not gonna pull back. But it looked like Spike didn't even think about doing that. He wrapped arms around his neck and eagerly responded, suddenly forgetting about his all doubts and common sense.

'What are we doing?' Spike asked in a whisper, while Darren moved with his lips down his neck, as the hands fighting with his shirt. 'We can't.' He argued weakly, but his all protests Darren quickly cutting off with another fiery kisses and small touches at his burning skin.

'Maybe we can't but we want.' Darren finally replied as he helped Spike to get on the bed. 'You wanna argue about that?'

'Yes…No…Yes!' He snapped and tried to pulled him back, but Darren quickly grasped his wrists and pinned down above his head. 'We both know it's mistake.' He whispered. 'We're gonna regret it tomorrow.'

'Not me.' He said firmly and let his shirt slipped down from the shoulders, before he laid down on Spike's body and start moving lips from his neck toward his arms covered with tattoos, with tongue tracing every black lines off from his pale skin. 'Shh.' He whispered and laid finger on his lips. 'Go with flow.' His white teeth flashed in darkness as he grinned widely, eyes became almost black as his pupils grew up under influence of drugs, his skin burned Spike's fingertips with heat.

And he goes.

He could expecting everything today, but surely not that he's going to end on the cold floor after the painful meeting with a hard door as he decided to take a look at documents in his office, while the door suddenly opened. He felt as warm blood was slowly running down his fingers as he squeezed his hurting nose. He swore loudly when the door opened once more and he saw John Paul's golden hairs while he stared at him apologetically.

'I'm so sorry, Craig. I didn't hear you.' He said quickly and knelled down to take a look at his face. 'Let me look.'

'Yea, I'm sure you didn't know.' He snapped and pushed his hands back.

'You think I did it with purpose because of how you made a laugh of me in the car?' He asked puzzled. 'Are you sure I hit you on the nose not a head?'

'Will you give me a hand?' He asked irate. 'I'm bleeding!' John Paul rolled his eyes and reluctantly helped him to stand up.

'It doesn't look so bad as you still can snapping around.' He noted drily with a slant smile, only pissing him off more. 'Maybe next time you should get a better blow.' Craig opened his mouth in protest, but no words came in from his mouth.

'Maybe I go down to Anne and ask her for something to stop the bleeding?' Bridget offered with a small smile as she stood above them to check what's going on.

'Better call an ambulance.' Craig snapped with hate glancing at John Paul. 'It may be broken.'

'It's not broken.' John Paul said firmly, rolling his eyes. 'You just need a cotton wool. That's all.' He said in expert tone and pushed him into free chair. 'May I look now?'

'Only for moment.' He finally agreed and took his hands back from the face. John Paul smiled softly to him and how gently he could touched the nose, making him a whimper. 'Sorry.'

'Maybe you phone for your brother? He's a doctor, he might take a look at me.' He suggested and let his head fall down a little.

'Your nose it's not bleeding so much anymore and I'm sure it's not broken so there's no reason to call him.' John Paul stated with a slight smile. 'It's still hurting?'

'Course it is.' He replied irate. 'You hit me with a door, you think it's gonna stop hurting after two seconds?' He shivered slightly as John Paul suddenly moved closer and kissed him gently on the nose.

'Better?' He asked with a sly smile as Craig scanned his face with unsure.

'A little.' He murmured and licked his lips with anticipation. 'I think I need something stronger.'

'Oh, really?' He asked with a small grin, before he kissed him shortly on the lips. 'If you're again going be a pain on the ass for me or others, I'm gonna hit you with a door once again, but this time with purpose, and you can forget about any kissing and late visits in your apartment.' He said in whisper, looking straight into his eyes. 'You understand?' But Craig didn't answer him, only covered his nose again with a hand and unsurely looked around, until Anne and Bridget joined them with an aid kit.

'There are some cotton wools and something antiseptic.' Anne said, handing objections John Paul. 'And envelope from Spike.' She added, giving him unappreciated glance. 'I'm not going to chase you around the station. If you don't want to open it, your choose. But I did my part.'

'Fine. If there's gonna be some problem about that, I'll tell Spike you gave me that as you promised him, but I didn't bother to read it. You're happy, now?' He fizzled with pain as John Paul secretly kicked him on the ankle and sent him a warning look.

'Why Spike would write a letter to you?' Bridget asked puzzled. 'You're seeing each other practically every day.'

'Maybe he has something important to say, but Craig didn't listen him up.' John Paul suggested with a sly smile.

'So it's again my fault?'

'Never mind.' Bridget sighed already having enough their quarrels. 'I'll phone to Fred and asked him if he's in Spike's place. If we need to start work properly we need his help.' She stated, unsurely glancing at two men.

'I think I saw his car outside.' John Paul said and put the cotton wools to Craig's nose. 'You look lovely.'

'Get lost.' He snapped in his warlike tone and picked up the nearest document. 'Get back to work, there's nothing to watch.'

'Looks like Grinch returned.' Anne noted drily and with jerked up head marched out, before Craig could answer.

'You always know how to win the people, don't you?' Bridget grinned slightly and hid behind her computer before documents from Craig's hand could land on her head.

He felt strange with Darren pressing into his back and with his warm breath on the neck as his arm lazily were lying on his waist, holding him in the embrace. No, that it felt bad or unpleasantly, but strange. It'd be the first time when someone is so close to him, didn't feel disgusted with him, and showing him some affection after the night spent together. It was something new for him, and felt even quite nice, if he stops thinking about the heavy body sleeping on him. Maybe for Darren it was something natural to show your partner some affection after the night together, but not for him. He felt uneasy and confuse, not sure if Darren wants him to reciprocate his fondling or just lie here and pretend nothing changed. But something changed.

He felt as Darren moved sleepily behind his back and the hand reached his to squeezed it gently as he lifted his head and kissed him lightly in tattooed arm. He wanted to push him bacl and tell him to not doing it, but his lips betrayed him, as they broke into small, content smile which Darren surely noticed as he bended over his body, to check if he was already wake up.

'Morning.' Darren said with hoarse voice and let Spike rolled onto his back so he could take a look at him. 'How are you feeling?'

'Tired.' Spike replied with weak voice, making the other man chuckle. 'And you?'

'My head is pounding.' He sighed and nuzzled his face into crock of Spike's neck, kissing the skin lightly. 'I don't understand how you can take this shit.'

'Years of practice.' He replied with a small grin and let him held himself in a tight embrace once again. 'I'll make a breakfast for you.' He offered, but Darren shook his head and pulled him back.

'Why we just don't lie here for a while, hmm?' He suggested with a grin and gave him a chaste kiss. 'It's still early.'

'I don't like lie in bed. Can we just stand up, please?'

'What's the matter?' Darren asked him softly, didn't let Spike fool him. 'Did I do something wrong?'

'No, it's just…' He sighed and for moment hide face in hands while Darren gently was stroking his head. 'Why are you kissing me and doing these all boyfriend's stuff?' He finally asked.

'We've spent a night together.' He replied like it was the best answer for everything. 'It wouldn't be normal if I don't show you any affection, don't you think?' He continued as he noticed confuse in Spike's eyes. 'I don't regret what's happened last night.' He assured him, looking deeply into his eyes. 'Really.'

'And that's all?'

'Well, what else you want to hear?' He asked, not quite understood his question.

'What about Hannah?'

'What's about her?'

'You're gonna break up with her?' Spike asked, glancing at him unsurely, didn't know how to move for the new ground.

'Break up with her? No, course not.' He was almost laughing now, amused with his question. 'Not once we had a fight, but in the end we always made up. This time it's going to end the same. Me and you was only a one night thing, right? There was always something more between us…and one day we just go with flow and it happened…Right?' He repeated and his smile start fading as he noticed that Spike didn't look like for him everything is fine.

'Right.' He finally agreed, without look at him. 'Take a shower, in the meantime I'll make a breakfast for you. You like boiled eggs?' Darren stared at him speechless for few seconds, understanding that maybe in Spike's dictionary there wasn't the sentence, one night thing, and his cold, distance voice seemed to confirm that.

'It'd happen sooner or later.' He said quietly, like it was a good excuse, explaining what just happened last night. 'You know that.'

'You didn't answer me.' Spike replied with distance, affirmation of Darren's conviction there was no point in go on with this conversation.

'Yes, I like.' He finally gave up and heavily raised up from the bed to find his boxer. 'You know I've never promised you anything. We're just friends.' With benefits, Spike added coldly in thoughts, understanding Darren wasn't any better than Craig. He could be sweet, gently and loving with him, but mentally he was the same as his bloody stepbrother. Carrying about myself, not others. 'We both needed.' He added with sharp voice trying to force him to speak up to him, but Spike was silent as enchanted. Darren shook his head slightly and when he only wore his boxer, marching toward the corridor.

'The towel is in the right cupboard.' Spike added before he stood up and slowly wore his boxer and black with green streaks sweatpants, before he moved toward the window. He glanced briefly above his shoulder when Darren suddenly returned and waved some yellow envelope in his hand.

'It's for you. Your neighbor said it's from your brother.' He said without emotion as he handed him his consignment. 'Didn't know you have a brother.' He added and didn't wait for the response, he was sure he wasn't going to get, he left him alone. Spike waited a little longer to make sure he's not going to come back for a moment, and turned toward window, before with shaking hands he opened the envelope and tipped down her content. His eyes widened and heart start beating as a crazy as his eyes were wandering over few pictures of Darren buying drugs from Ed, and the other one presenting his block along with black car belonging to Charlie or Fred. You idiot, he thought with anger, couldn't believe that Darren has been so careless. On the last card was a small message for him, written with red paint looking like a blood; called off your people from your flat at 5 p.m. if you don't want me to help your boyfriend to fall into troubles. Be alone, otherwise the game just let begin.

He crushed the card in his hand and threw it behind flowerpot, while the pictures he quickly hid between books on the shelf. He glanced at digital clock to check how much time has been left for him. Six hours. Enough for the last move to put together the all pieces of puzzles.

He pretended he was watching something through the window as he heard Darren's steps on the corridor and moment later he was back in the bedroom, with white towel tied up around his waist. He even didn't move, when the man approached him without word and wrapped arms aroundhis waist, before he pressed his still wet body to his back and kissed him shortly on the neck.

'You calmed a little?' Darren asked him softly and laid chin on his shoulder, when the man gave him a quiet consent to do it, as he bend his head for the right giving him a place, and laid his hands on his.

'You can tell.' He replied quietly, wondering if Darren was hearing how loudly his heart was beating right now, and how his pulse running out just not far away from his fingertips.

'I need to go back to work, but Fred will take my place soon. I'll come for a dinner.'

'Tonight it's not your shift.' Spike recalled him and pushed his hands back as his fingertips start moving dangerously too close to his wrists.

'It doesn't mean I can't change that.' He replied with a small smile and finally pulled his body back, so Spike could breathes with relief. 'You want something from shop? You have some orders?'

'Don't come until six o'clock.' He said quietly.

'Why?' He asked puzzled. 'You're not going anywhere, are you?' He glanced at him suspiciously.

'Course, I'm not.' He forced his lips to smile slightly. 'Just need a little time for myself, to think up about some things. Just come back later.'

'Fine, but don't do nothing stupid, okay? I want to see you in one piece.' He grinned before he started wearing up his clothes.

'I'll try my best.' He replied with another fake smile, knowing that today is the day, when the curtain is going up and actors come on the scene to play their last stage; where there's no boundaries between past and present time. It's the day of truth.

'We thought you're not going to come here today.' Bridget said for welcome when Darren finally appeared in the common room. 'What took you so long?'

'Couldn't sleep good last night.' He replied evasively and put his things down on Charlie's desk. 'You found something interesting?'

'That Anne Luthie's was pregnant when she died. In a third month.' John Paul replied above his laptop. 'So at least claims Mrs. Bunch.'

'Dear God.' Bridget shook her head. 'How big tragedy. I can't imagine what Michael Luthie was feeling.'

'It was him who caused the accident.' He recalled her.

'It was never settled down who was driving the car that night.' Darren said and almost burst in laugh when Craig returned from the bathroom with cotton wools still sticking in his nose. 'What's happened to you?'

'And why you're grinning like an idiot, eh?' He replied drily as he settled down next to John Paul. 'If I don't know you spent night at Spike's flat, I'll be sure you were with Hannah and had more interesting things to do than sleeping.'

'Craig, can you leave it?' John Paul asked him as he noticed how Darren's grin disappeared and suddenly he was looking very uneasy around them, almost guilty. 'You want a coffee, Darren? I'm going to make for myself.'

'Yea, sure.' He mumbled and glanced at Bridget's monitor. 'What is it?'

'I asked Danny to check what kind of sleeping pills he found in Randall's stomach.' She replied and pointed at some name. 'It looks like he got Rohypnol.'

'Rohypnol? Is he sure?'

'Yep, and I think it's a good news for us. We don't find any bottle with Rohypnol in their flat and also in the trash container outside the building, so there's no prove that Spike bought them and gave Randall, before his death.'

'If they find out Spike is druggie, they very easily challenge your opinion.' Darren said firmly, approaching the news with distance. 'What else do we have? Because we have something, right?'

'No, we don't have.' Craig replied instead of her and finally removed the cotton wools from his nose. 'We kind of counting on our luck, right now.'

'And someone already deliver this message for Spike?' He asked, scanning their faces. 'Does he know he's going to be charge for killing his boyfriend?'

'I think he already knows where he is standing.' He said quietly, in fingers rotating his pen. 'We need to get him a really good lawyer and be a good bode this witch doesn't has nothing more at him. The HIV test isn't enough prove to put someone behind the bars.' He added firmly.

'I hope you know what are you doing.'

'I hope too.' He said with a half smirk and handed him document with Anne Luthie's personal data. 'Check her friends. She's the only trace we have now.' He ordered and got back to his work when he only noticed John Paul coming back with two steaming mugs.

'They're not going to come in?' The petite, old woman in ugly pink sweater and with a storm of white curls on her head asked, when she handed him a cup with tea and glanced briefly toward her small garden, where in front of white fence where parked black car, with man and woman inside.

'No, ma'am. They're suppose to watch the house why I'm chatting with you.' Spike replied with a kind smile and took a sip of his tea. 'It's very kind of you, ma'am, you decided to talk with me.'

'Oh, in these days I don't have too much entertainment, and I was really intrigued when you told me you want to talk about my niece.' She said and put the plate with biscuits in front of him.

'So, it's true Anne Luthie was your niece, Mrs. Newborn?'

'Yes, she was. Nice and very polite girl, you wouldn't find second girl like her.' She nodded her head with a small sigh. 'It was so big tragedy for us, when we found out she had a car accident…We couldn't believe she's dead.'

'I'm sure it had to be really hard for you, ma'am.' He said softly and gently touched her hand. 'I'm taking, you know her pretty well, then?'

'She was my the oldest brother's daughter. I've been in their home very often, until her mother died on cancer, when Anne was fifteen. Then everything changed.'

'What's happened?' He asked interested.

'My brother.' She replied with a slanting smile. 'After her death, he became unbearable. If he could, he'd lock Anne in her own room for the rest of her life, only to protect her from the world. He very quickly cut off the all contact with family and make sure his kids don't have any contact with us. Sad isn't it?' She smiled sadly to herself and pushed the plate with biscuits toward him. 'You look very pale today, son. You need a sugar.' He smiled to her and finally took the biscuit.

'Do you have your brother address, ma'am? I'd like to talk with him.'

'Oh, I'm afraid I can't help you, son. He's already dead. Heart attack, six years ago.'

'He had problems with heart?'

'Since Anne ran away from home and moved to Michael's flat. He never liked this boy and was doing everything to ruin their relationship, but without any results… I thought he's heart is gonna burst when he heard she died in the car accident and this boy survived. He'd killed him, if his son didn't stop him on time.' She replied agitated. 'I'd never forget his face that night…He died that night as little Anne.'

'I didn't know Anne had a brother.' He said surprised. 'I didn't see any information about him in her documents.'

'Maybe, because he changed the last name after her death.' She replied with a small smile. 'He and his father had never had a good relationship, so when Anne only died, he decided to change his name for his mother maiden name.'

'Do you remember it?' He asked with hope.

'Oh, I'm sorry, but no. It was years ago and my memory isn't that good as the other day.' She replied with apologize smile. 'But I'm sure I have somewhere his picture with little Anne. I can find it for you.'

'It'd be really kind of you, ma'am.' He flashed his teeth in a wide smile. 'Do you have any contact with your nephew?' He asked when she put the glasses on her tiny nose and removed some old box from the sideboard.

'No, he was a very strange boy…Good, polite, but there was also something violent about him. As a teenager he was a small troublemaker, his mum's was not once crying because of him.' She sighed and start rummage through the box. 'I remember like once he beat his classmate so much, he almost lost his right eye. I was very surprised when my brother said he went to police school.' She added and shiver slightly.

'So he's a policeman?' He couldn't believe in his luck. He was so close…

'Well, I don't know if he finished the school, but if he passed it, I wouldn't be surprised if he works now at some commissariat in town. I didn't see him for years, so I even don't know if I recognize him on the street.' She replied and finally removed some picture. 'Oh, it looks like I have it.' Spike took the photograph with shaking hands and looked closely at portly man in his mid-forties with a stern countenance, before he noticed three children in different age holding each other hands as they're standing in a row in front of his father. The small Anne in navy blue dress and teddy bear in left hand was showing her all teeth in a wide smile, while the boy next to her, in his teenager years was looking like a smaller copy of his father, if you don't count blue eyes and few bruises on his beautiful face, his eyes seemed to look into the distance, just above the lens. The last boy didn't look much older than Anne. He was very pale and looked almost sick, while his dark eyes sad like as a basset, staring at his hand keeping in a tight grip of Anne's brother.

'Who is this last boy on the picture?' He asked and gave the photograph back to woman. 'What's his name?'

'Oh, it's my brother's third son, adopted.' She replied and smiled softly. 'He was a really polite boy, but very secretive. He was like a ghost, he was living with them in the same house, but like he was invisible for them...I know I shouldn't talk rude about dead, but I think they didn't treat him good. I think it'd be better for him if someone else adopt him.' She smiled sadly. 'I'm sorry, but I don't remember his name. I just know it was a weird one.'

'What's happened with this boy? You think he's still in contact with his stepbrother?'

'Don't think so. They always treated him like he was a leper. When he was eighteen he left the house without saying a word to his father or siblings.' She sighed. 'He just disappeared.'

'Do you have any idea where he can be right now?'

'Since what I know from my brother he was working in many places, but didn't stay in them for long. He very often was changing homes, that's why my brother never could hunted him down…He wanted to inform him about Anne's death, but no one knows where he was…But I remember the strange thing which happened last year.' She said after a small pause.

'What thing?'

'There was a postcard for my brother, from Ibiza, if I good remember.'

'You think it was from him? He doesn't know your brother is dead?' He asked confused.

'No, we couldn't contact with him.' She replied. 'Of course I'm not sure if it's from him, because there was only three words on it and his signature.'

'What's he wrote, ma'am?' He asked, hardly could sit on the couch, he was so excited.

'I forgive you. Peter Pan.' She smiled widely.

'Peter Pan?'

'That's how my brother and sister in-law called him when he was a kid. He always seemed to live in a different world.' She chuckled slightly.

'Can I take this picture? I swear I'll give you it back for few days.' He promised.

'Oh, sure. You can keep it, if it's going to help you somehow.'

'It is, ma'am. I just find what I was searching for.' He replied with a grin and looked at one of the boys, pretty sure he recognized him. You didn't change as much as you want, he thought and smiled slightly to himself before he took another sip of his tea and hid the picture in the pocket of his jeans.

'Central to Charlie and Megan.' Charlie almost poured the yoghurt on his trousers when the woman's creepy voice suddenly speak up from shortwave transmitter.

'This is Charlie. What's wrong?' He asked and glanced briefly at Megan who decided to stretch out her legs and was walking down the street now.

'You're need on Bakery Street 7 now. Someone is shooting to the people from the flat on the second floor, so be careful.'

'You need to call someone else. Me and Megan need to stay outside inspector Spike's building.' He said firmly.

'The application came from your boss, inspector Craig Dean. He told to call you off.'

'Are you sure?' He asked surprised. 'It has to be mistake.'

'It's not. Bakery Street 7. Leave Fred in flat and go to place how quickly you can.'

'We're on the way.' He said with a slanting smile and reluctantly waved his hand to caught Megan's attention.

'What's going on?' She asked as she popped her head inside the car. 'Don't tell me you want something from the shop.'

'We're need on the Bakery Street. Craig's order.' He replied and pointed at the seat. 'Get in. The quicker we got there, the sooner we come back here.'

'Okay…But what about Fred?' She glanced at him puzzled as she fastened up her seatbelts.

'Staying. You're ready? Good.' He said and departed from the building with squeals of tires. 'I just hope Craig knows what's he doing.'

'Why exactly you needed to visit this woman?' Fred asked him for the third time, nervously crowding around the living room.

'I told you. It's my aunt.' Spike replied irate, while he was watching how Charlie's car suddenly departed from the street. 'I promised her, to visit her soon.'

'I didn't know you have family here.' He said surprised.

'I have only aunt.' He shrugged. 'Didn't see her for years…It'd be really bad of me, if I ask you to buy painkillers and something sweet to eat for in the shop on the corner?' He grinned slightly to him, while the man rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

'Yes, it'd.' He said, but smiled. 'Fine, I'll bring them for you. But don't you even think to go somewhere, when I'm out.' Fred warned him. 'I'll be back in a minute.'

'No worries. I'm not going anywhere.' He assured him with a fake smile while he handed him money. 'And buy something for yourself. My fridge is empty.' He added.

'Sure.' He winked to him and fastened up his jacket before with a smirk he headed off from the flat. Spike only waited for that. He picked up the keys from the flowerpot and ran to the desk. He put the keys into the lock of the drawer and for moment fought with it, before he opened it and start rummage through the documents, throwing them on the floor.

'Where the hell are you?' He snapped to himself irate, swearing at his colleagues for cleaned up the drawer. He moved toward the bookcase and start throwing the books around himself. 'You have to be somewhere…' He mumbled to himself in the same time as the door from the flat opened with a gride. The books fall down from his hands and his heart start pounding. It's too early. It couldn't be Fred; the steps were slow and ponderous, and there was no sound of the zipper of his jacket.

He was standing there as a paralyzed, until the unknown person came to the living room and with a small smirk removed his hand from the pocket of his coat to showed him a gun hanging on his forefinger.

'You were searching for it?' He asked him in a low voice, amused. 'You think Craig would leave you a gun since you're a suspect of killing Randall?'

'It looks like you know him pretty good.' Spike replied, nervously glancing at the gun in man's hand. 'You're early.'

'I'm glad you did what I told you. You don't want to hurt anyone else, do you?'

'You think you're so smart, but just look what I found.' He said with cocky voice, while he removed the old photograph from his jeans. 'You were very careless. Just think what would happen if someone else finds it.'

'Well, I'm a lucky guy, don't I?' He asked. 'Fortunately no one else is going to see it. Nice job, Spike.'

'How you can be so sure, that I already didn't show the photograph to someone?'

'I'm not stupid. I watched you.' He replied with a grin. 'Soo…would you give me a picture and stop this comedy, brother, or you're gonna waste our time? You know it's the end. There's no more time.'

There was something creepy in the way Spike grinned to him as he handed him the picture, and how the other man mirrored it in a predator way, while his grip on the gun tightened and their eyes met in silent unison. You just need to face your demons.

It was half past five, when Darren stopped the car in front of Spike's building and got out from it with a bottle of wine in hand, didn't even bother to check if Charlie's car was on the place. He pushed the door with his free arm and almost ran on the stairs to get into his partner's apartment how quickly he could and check why Fred hasn't answered his phone.

He was already on the second floor and was going to remove his spare keys when he noticed that door from the flat was half opened. He felt the cold sweat on his skin, his hand automatically reached for his gun. He slowly, carefully pushed the door and with arms stretched out forward and gun held tightly in hands, he came in, looking around.

'Spike? Fred?' He called loudly as he checked the bathroom and was already in the half way to the living room. 'It's not funny…Fred?' He called once again and with bated breath he came in. The books and documents were discharged around the whole room, the same as the remains of flowerpots and mugs. 'Spike!' He ran to the bedroom, which didn't look better than previous room, but there was no signs of men in the flat. There was only few small puddles of blood on the dark carpet and the white wall deprived of curtains which this morning was still hanging above the window. It couldn't…

In a second he was outside the flat and running down the stairs. Megan and Charlie. They had to see something. He almost fall down on his head, when his foot suddenly slipped on something and in the last moment he caught the balustrade, saving himself from collapse. Blood. Few streaks of them were shining on the sole, while another droplets covered the higher steps. He put his foot down and without second thought, followed the trail which seemed to leading him toward the middle door, where cleaners keeping their brooms and other stuff helping them in cleaning. He put the finger on the trigger and took a deep breath before with one, quick move he opened widely the door with free hand.

'Jesus.' He whispered as his eyes caught Fred's body packed in a tiny room, with hair stuck with a blood and half opened eyes staring at the opposite dirty wall. 'Craig, we need you down, at Spike's flat.' He said to his mobile phone with shaking voice. 'Spike has been kidnapped.'