Chapter 26: Moving Forward

The evening trip to the hospital was DI Manson's second that day. He had initially gone in the ambulance with Andrea under the pretence that he wanted to ask her questions about what happened; his professionalism not even coming under any scrutiny by anyone except Superintendent Okaro who reluctantly allowed him to go. However, after arriving at the hospital the doctor explained that Andrea had received a nasty blow to the head. While they didn't think it was anything to worry about, they didn't expect her to wake up for at least a few hours. They also wanted to do scans just in case. Neil had known he would be no use there so had returned to Sun Hill for the afternoon.

Now as he entered the ward where Andrea was, he sighed. This had become all too familiar a sight. He hadn't known anyone to end up in hospital so many times in such a short period. He was trying to remember just how many times she has been in there when he noticed her eyes flicker.

"Hi," she smiled weakly as she started to come round.

"Hey," Neil said softly.

"Gabriel..." Andrea muttered before hesitating, "he's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes," Neil nodded, wincing as he pictured what he had witnessed earlier. Gabriel had pulled the trigger against his own head, his blood spattering over Andrea. As his arm released her she'd fell to the ground also. At first, people weren't sure if somehow the bullet had hit Andrea too but the paramedics said that she had fainted probably partly due to the shock of the situation but also because of her nasty head injury.

"It was so fast, I couldn't do anything..." Andrea said, the horror showing on her face as she tried to recall the day's events.

"Shhh," Neil said hushing her. "Just know you're okay. That's all that matters."

"Smithy?"

"He's fine," Neil replied. "No doubt he'll have to answer a lot of questions. As will you in due course..."

"And what about you?" Andrea asked. "Superintendent Okaro? Has he..."

"Has he fired me?" Neil said, anticipating Andrea's question. "No. But I do need to talk to you about that. But it can wait until you're feeling better."

"I'm fine," Andrea mumbled, instinctively reaching for her head. She could feel stitches where Gabriel had smacked her over the head with a gun. "A little bit of a headache, but fine."

"I still think you should rest and not be worrying too hard about everything that happened today."

"No, I want to know what is happening," Andrea said, trying to pull herself up into a more seated position. "I won't relax until I know what's going on. I want to know about everything today from you finding out what was going on to what has happened since I've been in here."

Rolling his eyes at her stubbornness, Neil agreed to sit and talk about the day's events.

"And don't get mad at me for saying this, but I would like to see Smithy too." Andrea said sheepishly.

Neil had a sense of Deja Vu as he remembered the last time Andrea had been in hospital and had asked for Smithy. That time Neil had been confused and jealous, unable to control his feelings. However, this time he just laughed. "I thought you might say that. So I brought him with me."

Motioning his hand towards the door Smithy entered, a bright smile on his face at seeing Andrea awake.

"Hello, stranger." He beamed. "Glad to see you alive in here once again."

Andrea laughed in response. "I need to thank you for coming to check on me after I didn't call you this morning. If you hadn't, who knows what would have happened."

"I had a strange feeling ever since I spoke to you this morning. I felt like you were going to do something stupid."

"And very stupid it was," Neil chimed in.

"I know," Andrea sighed. "I never even imagined Gabriel would have a gun. I just wanted to try and get him to confess on tape..."

"We get it," Smithy soothed. However, glancing at Neil he realised that the DI might need a little more convincing , though the relief on his face that Andrea was okay was clear.

"I got it too," Andrea sighed, thinking about how that now with Gabriel dead, it was almost useless. "I got him to confess again and got it recorded. It should be on several devices in my flat. Not that it matters now."

"It's still evidence of what that man did," Neil acknowledged. "He took the cowards way out when he was cornered."

"It'll help me too," Smithy smiled. "It shows everyone that I wasn't mad doubting Gabriel and his relationship with Kerry. My professionalism will be investigated over this whole thing I'm sure. However, Okaro thinks that due to what you and I found out about him, they'll let me get away with this one."

"I hope so," Andrea said, truly meaning it. Smithy was a great copper and she would hate it if her actions made him lose his career. It was bad enough knowing that she knew she'd probably ended Neil's.

"So what about you two?" Smithy asked. "What does the future hold for you?"

Andrea remained quiet and looked over at Neil.

"That's something we need to talk about," Neil said, giving little away. Andrea was worried that despite leaving his wife that something else could have changed again. However, Neil being here gave her hope that somehow they would still be together.

"In that case," Smithy began. "I shall leave and let you two lovebirds talk."

"Smithy," Andrea mumbled as Smithy turned to leave. "Keep in touch, yeah?"

He nodded as he left.

Then there was an awkward silence in the room. Andrea's anticipation was almost audible and Neil seemed nervous too. They had both known the path to finding their own way wouldn't be easy; they'd known that from the first moment they had given in to their desire for each other back when Andrea hadn't long been at Sun Hill. Neither of them could have predicted the amount of twists, turns and obstacles that they would face though, especially lately. Neither of them had seen the blackmail coming and certainly hadn't seen the results of today as part of their future. Their time investigating Gabriel together was over and it meant now that decisions about their relationship had to be made.

"So..." Andrea whispered to break the silence. "What are we doing Neil? I'm guessing if Okaro hasn't sacked you he doesn't know you moved in to my flat."

"About that...It's currently a crime scene so I'll be staying away a while." Neil paused as he noticed Andrea's face fall. "I don't mean I don't want to be with you, Andrea. I do. But I just need to stay at a hotel while this investigation is ongoing. The last thing we want is to jeopardise it through our relationship. And Okaro's right, Sun Hill doesn't need this."

"I get it," Andrea said sadly. "But you do want to try and make a go of things once the dust has settled?"

"I do."

Andrea felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she heard Neil's answer. She hadn't realised how worried she had been about how much today's events could have affected their relationship. While she was sad he would have to move out of her flat only the day after moving in, she was glad that Neil still wanted a future with her.

"And what about your career? My career?" Andrea questioned, wanting to know Neil's thoughts so that hopefully she could begin trusting that their relationship would work out.

"So," Neil said, taking deep breath. "I had to tell Adam Okaro about us working together with Smithy to investigate Gabriel..."

"Oh no," Andrea interjected. "But you said he didn't fire you?"

Now she was confused.

"Okaro's actually agreed to keep my involvement quiet as to not raise suspicion of our past relationship. Thankfully Smithy never mentioned my involvement to anyone so as far as the station is concerned, only you and Smithy had been investigating Gabriel," Neil shrugged. "I didn't say anything about our romantic relationship now. I felt it was something that quite frankly wasn't any of the Super's business. Though I'm sure he may suspect something, I think as we uncovered a dangerous colleague in our midst, he is choosing to ignore his suspicions about us for now."

"So what? We just keep us secret again?" Andrea said, annoyed at the idea.

"Let me finish!" Neil chucked, amused by Andrea's reaction. "I'm done with all the lies and all the hiding. I want to be together without all the creeping around. Now that Philippa knows, the only thing holding us back is Sun Hill. So I've put in for a transfer."

"What?" Andrea said, surprised. "To where?"

"Essex Police has a vacancy for a DI and I thought the change of scenery could do me good."

"Neil," Andrea sighed. "Changing locations doesn't change the fact that our careers don't go well together."

"Sod what the stereotypes of our careers are!" Neil raised his voice. "While it's naturally frowned upon there's no law that says a police officer and a journalist can't date."

"True..." Andrea muttered.

"So I have put in for this transfer already as I feel like it's far away enough for a fresh start, away from the prying eyes of Sun Hill but close enough to London so I am never too far from Jake. It's a fairly easy commute for you for work too, if you'll come with me?"

"You want me to move with you to Essex?" Andrea said, trying to process everything Neil had just said.

"I know it's a lot to ask. It'll be a big change for both of us. But I can't work at Sun Hill and be with you. It's not an option."

"And what if they recognise me or my name? My undercover story was a huge headline." Andrea was panicking. Not because she didn't want this new life with Neil. In fact, it sounded wonderful. But she was scared it would just be a dream that wouldn't work. She couldn't help but have a lot of doubts.

"Andrea, what I want most in the world is to be with you. If seeing you in this place four times isn't enough to make me realise that then I don't know what is. I can't even begin to explain to you how I felt when I saw Gabriel holding that gun to your head..." He trailed of, gulping, trying to pull himself together. "I want to make this move to have a chance at having both you and my career. But if something happens that means my career can't work alongside our relationship then I'll find another career. I just want to give us a chance at life and happiness."

The thought of Neil changing career pained Andrea and she just knew she had to pray that this would work out. She couldn't hide her huge smile at the thought of them moving away to start a new life together.

"I will be moving there in few weeks," Neil said. "Hopefully by then the police will be done interviewing you over all this Gabriel stuff, or not too long after. Then I want you to come and move in with me Andrea. Will you? Will you give our relationship this chance?"

"Of course I will," Andrea beamed, impossible to hide her delight as Neil bent down to kiss her.

They talked for a while of the day's events and also their plans for the future until Andrea grew tired. As she had a head injury the doctor had insisted she stayed in hospital overnight just as a precaution. Soon she was fast asleep.

As Neil left the ward he turned back to look at the beautiful woman lying there. He couldn't believe his luck and for the first time in a long time he felt truly happy. Would this be his happily forever after? He couldn't be sure. But he couldn't wait to find out.