Disclaimer - I do not own Line of Duty. I wish I could write as well as the team behind it and Jed Mercurio. All copyright belongs to BBC television and Jed Mercurio. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

Best Friends

DI Steve Arnott was not a man to let things get to him but the most recent case and the death of a young, potentially corrupt police officer had got under his skin. That and the realisation that his best friend, his most trusted friend and colleague had even momentarily thought he had set her up. Swearing as he made his way to the fridge in his kitchen he knew a beer would only temporarily make things hurt less, just numb the edges in a way the codeine he had been taking for his back never could. Staring into the fridge he silently cursed himself for not getting to the supermarket in what felt like forever. He grabbed the beer, slamming the door shut just as the doorbell began ringing.

"Not now." He mumbled, intent on ignoring whoever it was that dared to turn up to his flat on a Sunday night. He had planned on a quiet beer and watching the BBC police show everyone else seemed to be addicted to. He wanted to know what the fuss was all about but knew he'd only end up picking up mistakes in the procedural drama. Sighing he had a feeling whoever was currently leaning on his doorbell was not going to get the hint. He took a swig of his beer before heading to the door.

"Kate."

"You drunk?" She looked from him to the beer. "No? I am."

"I can see." He ushered her into the flat. "What's wrong?"

"They are making Hastings retire, I mean. Why?" She held out her hands. "Then Jo turned out to be a nightmare. My husband. Mark. You remember Mark?" She turned as Steve nodded. "Well, he's not my husband any more!"

"Divorce finalised." Steve sighed, he understood. Kate was an expert at going undercover, at inhabiting a world not her own but in her own personal life she was a mess. "Sit down, I'll make you a coffee."

"And my Josh? My baby boy."

"He is not a baby anymore. You know that. He's what? A teenager?"

"Fifteen." She closed her eyes. "My boy, he's 15 going on 25! Says he is going to stay with his dad when I'm working and see me when I'm home."

"Sounds fair. Joint custody."

"I'm never home!"

"Yeah, you are." He smiled slightly as he waited for the kettle to boil. "You're a good mum and a good copper. "

"I thought you betrayed me! I thought my best friend had betrayed me." She clapped her hand to her forehead. "I am SUCH an idiot."

"Now, there I'll agree with you." He called back.

"You hadn't though."

"No, I hadn't. And I never would. You know that." He walked back into the living room to see his best friend sat on the sofa, her feet on his coffee table, snoring gently. He rolled his eyes as he put the mugs he was carrying down. "And you snore." He covered the sleeping woman with a throw he kept on the back of the sofa before settling down to watch the TV. He knew she would have a blinding headache when she woke up, which he would remind her was her own fault but somehow he knew, he just knew they'd be ok.

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A/N Please review