AN: Hi everyone! I hope you are all well. Sorry for those of you waiting for new chapters of Belladonna. I will finish that at some point, but I can't ignore my muse who, now that lockdown has ended (and I am therefore ridiculously busy with work) has suddenly decided to torment me with this idea for a story. Argh, I am too busy to write – but I can't ignore the muse. This new story could in theory be set anytime after The Quality Of Mercy – but not after events in Your Sudden Death Question. It's a little different to all my other fics not just because of when its set but also for the reason that it starts in canon but will then deviate into AU (i.e. not follow the timeline / events of the series) I hope however, it will stay in character to our heroes – in this way it doesn't link in with any of my other stories but I expect it to be in keeping with them and there might be the odd nod to some of my favourite tropes. I think it could be a long one, possibly not as epic as The Way Young Lovers Do, but plenty to get stuck into nonetheless. So, are you ready for a new adventure with our heroes? (which, incidentally, do not belong to me) If so, then buckle up, it will be a rocky ride. . .
The train carriage was quiet. It was a Monday morning, long after rush hour and the express train, so far, had been efficient and on time. In less than an hour and a half it was due to arrive at Sheffield Station.
Robbie looked idly out of the window. After changing trains at Birmingham, the scenery had become increasingly more rural and the fresh green landscape rushing by had, he realised, relaxed him a little. Not that he was unduly stressed, but as he watched the hills and woodlands pass by he thought to himself that it would be good to get out of Oxford for a few days, even if it was for something that, if truth be told, he thought was a load of cobblers. Hathaway, who was having exactly the same thought, albeit with a slightly less of a glass half full attitude, was seated next to him on the 4-person table seat, quietly reading his broadsheet.
Robbie checked his watch, it was 11.20. The train had just pulled out of Derby station and now it was non-stop to Sheffield. The weather was May fine. The sun was getting higher each day and the leaves had just come out on the trees. Sunlight doused the hills and valleys as the train made its way through the countryside and the soft array of greens and russets and pinks and yellows seemed to shine out from the landscape as the train reached full speed. The sky was blue and there were a few fluffy white clouds that happily tumbled their way above the wooded hills and sloping fields and farmlands. Every now and then the River Derwent made itself seen, broad and deep and flanked with willow trees and reeds and, as the train sped further into Derbyshire, the river became deeper and wider in parts, banked by rich green meadows dotted with cattle and sheep.
The soft regular percussion of the train filled Robbie's ears almost hypnotically for a while until he heard the thud-whoosh of the automatic carriage door open. Jean Innocent, clutching by the handles several paper food bags and clear plastic cups, stepped through the doorway and into the carriage. The train juddered slightly as it took a slight corner on the track and the motion caused Innocent to wobble slightly in the aisle. She deftly moved with it and dropped a little unceremoniously into her aisle seat opposite Hathaway.
Hathaway promptly put his paper down, a little embarrassed.
"Ma'am" Said Robbie, trying to sound helpful and sympathetic at Innocent's ungraceful return to her seat but The Chief Super didn't seem phased. She had a big smile on her face as she set down her buffet bar fare on the table in front of her.
"Now, I've told you, Robbie, please, while we are on our little sortie out of Oxford it's Jean, really"
"Of course, Ma'a. . . Jean" Said Robbie with a smile that he desperately hoped didn't display how uncomfortable he felt.
"That's the whole point of our week away, to get comfortably familiar and make strong bonds with each other so that our working relationships become solid and full of trust"
Hathaway smirked and glanced sideways at Robbie, transferring his own discomfort onto his older superior. Lewis shot him a discreet tightlipped glare, unnoticed by Jean who was now busily unpacking her purchases on the table in front of them.
"Well, gentlemen, can I just take this opportunity to thank you both for this. I know these sort of teambuilding things really aren't your cup of tea, for either of you, but I really do appreciate you both coming along. It really will help the whole department. You two are such a great combination when you both eventually put your heads together"
Both Hathaway and Lewis baulked slightly at this discreetly barbed comment but Robbie simply said
"Thank you, Jean"
"And I know what a good example your presence will be to DI Thompson" She continued, smiling broadly at Lewis "as well as DS Waters, and DC Andrews. DI Thompson just sent me a text to say they have already reached the hotel. I'm quite sure they will already be enjoying the facilities so I thought it was only right we had a little treat for ourselves" And she pushed a can of lager each to Hathaway and Lewis along with an assortment of sandwiches and crisps to share.
"Very kind, thank you" Said Robbie. He was actually quite hungry and not disappointed to see that Innocent had unfurled a selection of sandwiches onto the table, even if they were overpriced mediocre buffet bar offerings. Hathaway reached forward and took hold of a can of beer before snapping it open. It fizzed and frothed around his fingers and he took a drink before replacing the can back on the table and making a grab for a ploughman's sandwich.
"Thank you Ma'am" He said to Innocent, completely disregarding her previous request for the usage of first names. Nonetheless, she beamed back at him. Robbie took a BLT sandwich from the table and Innocent opened the packets of crisps fully onto the table for the three of them to share.
That morning, as they had waited for Innocent to join them at Oxford Station to get the train, Lewis and Hathaway had exchanged cynical notes about how dreadful the week away and its proposed activities and intended outcome was going to be. Several months before, Innocent had approached all the departments for volunteers for the teambuilding week away. Responses had been flaccid from all, despite the luxurious accommodation on offer along with a week away from the office environment. In the end both Lewis and Hathaway had given in to Innocent after she promised them first choice from the staff annual leave calendar. This was a rarity in itself and both men jumped at it. Hathaway had already booked a trip to Mexico for his time off and Robbie was glad to be able to plan well in advance a nice week, along with weekends at either end, to Manchester to visit his daughter Lyn.
Other staff, whom Innocent had managed to somehow persuade were making their own way to the Country Hotel in the Peak District where the course was based. Robbie was glad that DI Thompson, one of the other attendees, had elected to go by car and not joint them on the train. Thompson was a bright young fast tracked DI, not that much older than Hathaway but very much a "Lad" in the way that Hathaway wasn't. Robbie disliked him, as did Hathaway and the two of them spend a good ten minutes highlighting their personal grievances about the DI. Robbie sighed. He supposed he would have to try and rise above it all, but he wasn't sure if Hathaway would do so. The motivational teambuilding activities were a red rag to Hathaway and Robbie knew that he would get some sort of sport and mileage from the week away, mostly at Thompson's expense and certainly to the detriment of the department.
"Now, the other good news" Innocent said, after she had eaten half of her brie and cranberry sandwich and had several sips of her merlot "is that Doctor Hobson will now be joining us"
"Oh?" Said Robbie interrogatively, his eyebrows raised. Innocent noted how he had suddenly perked up at the mention of the Doctor. She smiled to herself. She knew there was an attraction and a bond between the two of them, she had always been good at spotting such undercurrents between people. What a lovely couple they would make if they ever got together, and the integrity of them both, Jean was sure, would indeed strengthen the relationship between the two departments. She smiled at Robbie then found herself scolding herself for thinking of the department before her team. She hoped to work through such issues on this week away.
"Yes, she's actually up in the area on personal business, so she won't be staying with us at the hotel but she will be joining us each day for the courses and the activities"
"That is good news" Said Hathaway "Hopefully her presence will balance out the, shall we say, exuberances of the other participants"
"Now now James, those sort of comments are exactly what I want to curb. I'll let it go for now but as soon as we hit the hotel I want you on your best behaviour"
Robbie chuckled gently at Jean's comment and she smiled back warmly at him after giving Hathaway a reproachful glance.
Robbie, still smiling, looked out of the window. He kept smiling to himself. The fact that Laura was going to be around for the week had instantly buoyed him. Since his return to Oxford from the BVI their friendship had grown and deepened. Laura had helped him a lot through his grief and he had soon found that he could approach her to talk through his problems, both concerning work and even family. Bit by bit, through her kindness and genuine willingness to listen, he had let his emotions run and she had gently corralled them back for him, each time with patience and wise words. He realised, over time how much she meant to him in this respect, and also, when he dared to admit on occasion, he had come to realise that he was deeply attracted to her. They had even shared dinner a few times along with after work drinks but work always seemed to conspire to keep them on a level that deemed they kept a distance. He wondered if she felt the same, whether she thought there was anything pursuing. But always, he thought, what would be his appeal to her? He knew she went on lots of dates, she was always off somewhere on her days leave; he'd seen her out with other men. But she never mentioned a relationship. When he did see her out with someone, he found, increasingly so, a feeling of jealousy and then guilt because of Val. Even so, he couldn't ignore his slowly evolving feelings for her. Despite this, Robbie was just pleased to know that Laura was going to be around for the week and that he partly had an ally and friend other than Hathaway. He was quite sure that Jean Innocent would have pressganged Laura into joining the teambuilding activities and he smirked to himself a little as he imagined her response to it all. He looked out of the window as the landscape blurred by, a mix of fresh spring greens and yellows, white splashes of hawthorn blossom and, like a broad satin ribbon, the dark brown of the Derwent as it snaked its way through the valley and dales.
Eventually, the landscape changed into farmland and rural industry and to the east the land became flat as far as the eye could see, with only electricity pylons and power station cooling towers to break up the expanse of farmland as it reached the horizon. The hills rose up to the west as the express sped through Chesterfield station where Hathaway saw the crooked spire and pointed it out to Innocent. This, along with a brief history of how it became twisted which earned him points with her. Not long after Chesterfield the train guard announced that the final destination was near and people in the carriage started to stand up and gather their belongings and root out luggage and coats from the overhead compartments. As the train slowed and pulled into Sheffield station, Robbie realised he had been thinking about Laura since Innocent had announced she would be joining them on the week away.
Yes, he thought to himself, a trip out of Oxford was exactly what was needed.