2.
Steve was not the sort of man to wear his emotions on his sleeve but seeing his best friend so close to death had broken him. Kate Fleming was the toughest person he had ever met and certainly the best copper he had worked with. He sighed heavily, his best friend had been shot. He was too slow. Running a hand over his face he tried not to think he was sat in a hospital waiting room covered in her blood as he waited for her to pull through. She had to pull through he thought quietly. There was no way he would allow himself to consider a world where his best friend wasn't there He looked up as he heard footsteps heading towards him.
"Chloe."
"The Gaffer said you needed some clean clothes." She smiled slightly as she sat next to him holding a carrier bag. He sighed, not even having considered the state of his clothes. He really didn't care. "Kate isn't going to appreciate seeing you covered in her blood when she wakes up. And I found this one loitering outside the A&E entrance." She nodded to a teenage boy he hadn't noticed. The boy had the same dark hair and same eyes as Kate.
"Josh."
"Is that my mum's blood." The teenager stared straight at his shirt.
"Yeah."
"Bloody Hell."
"What are you doing 'ere? Where's your dad?"
"I heard you on the phone to him. The hospital had already told him. Mum not changed him as her next of kin." The teenager explained. "I said I wanted to come. He told me no chance, so I got my bike."
"Good lad." Steve glanced at Chloe. "I, er."
"Get changed. I'll get back to the office." She squeezed Josh's shoulder as the teenage boy nodded.
"Find who did this? Yeah?"
"Yes." Chloe promised. Steve nodded once before heading towards the gents toilet. Josh slumped in the chair he had just vacated.
"Dunno what we'd do without Chloe." Steve sighed before disappearing into the toilets.
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Ted Hastings was not a happy man. The night had dragged into the early hours of the morning and they were still no where near finding out what had happened to Joanne Davidson and Ryan Pilkington. He sighed, throwing his pen on the desk. Part of him wanted to call the hospital, speak to Steve, the other part didn't want to temp fate. No news was good news as his old Ma had always said. He looked up as the door to his office opened.
"For the love of God." He mumbled under his breath as Carmichael stood in the doorway.
"Any news on DI Fleming?"
"Kate." He corrected. "Her name is Kate, short for Katherine."
"I know." Carmichael frowned, the usual smugness gone from her expression. "I."
"Do you? Because I had the impression we are all numbers to you. All just pawns that can be moved here, there and everywhere at your choosing. You know we are closer than ever to getting the head of the OCG. Of getting whoever the Hell H is."
"I do not know that."
"Oh aye, you do." His northern Irish accent sharp against her softer voice. "Listen to me. Kate and Steven are on to something. The intel Chloe got has put us on the front foot for the first time in years. We are finally getting somewhere. Could have made an arrest tonight. Kate could be home not in a hospital bed! Or for all I know the morgue! You know she has a boy? Son - just a wee lad."
"I am aware of that."
"Why did you do it? Why call us off? Leave her without decent back up?"
"I made an operational decision."
"And Kate Fleming paid the price!" He snapped before marching out of the office.
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Steve sat next to the young man who reminded him so much of his friend. He knew the teenager and his mother had a somewhat awkward relationship at times. Steve blamed her ex-husband for that. Mark Fleming was an idiot as far as he could see, although he would never say that to the boy next to him.
"Dad."
Steve was shaken from his thoughts as the man Kate had once been married to approached them.
"Joshua."
"Hi." Steve waited for a response but was blanked. "She's been taken to theatre. Hole in her lung apparently." Mark continued to ignore Steve as Joshua swore.
"Did you not hear him?"
"You've school tomorrow." Mark continued. "I told you we weren't coming here. Your mother cared more for her job than us so now she pays the price."
"You really believe that?" Steve wanted to punch him. Josh shook his head.
"Dad, I."
"Do me a favour." Steve handed the younger lad some coins. "Get me and your dad a coffee. Anything you want." Josh took the hint, walking away as Steve held Mark's arm. "Now, you listen to me. You knew Kate was a copper when you married her. You think she doesn't love that boy? You're an idiot. He is the reason she is still breathing. You threw the marriage away, not her."
"I didn't cheat."
"She made a mistake. You made a bigger one." He narrowed his eyes. "You know something? I was glad when you filed for divorce. She's too good for you. You know that, that's why you treated her like shit. So, she didn't come home on time that often. You know why? Because she cares about the cases. The people we help. She cares about her team and you know what? She told me she didn't want to bring her work home with her. So sometimes that meant getting a drink to calm down." He paused. "If you'd looked past your fucking ego you'd have seen that. But don't you dare tell that boy his mum is anything less than amazing. She loves him. Sooner or later he's going to see that you are the one who kept him from her not the other way around."
Mark scoffed.
"Anyone would think you love her."
Steve shook his head, stepping away from the other man as the nurse called his name.
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a/n please review