Rosey had arrived by the time Jack and Florence got back to the station, and Ruby was gathering the blankets from the store cupboard to make a bed for them all on the station floor.

"We can use the mattresses from the cells," JP said, taking Rosey's hand and guiding her to go and get them.

"That's a good idea," said Jack, plonking his bag down on his desk and unzipping it. Jack undid his tie, taking it off and putting it next to the bag, then he took out all the cans and put them on the countertop in the kitchenette, then handed Ruby the blankets he'd bought from the Shack.

JP and Rosey slid one of the mattresses in on its side and let it slump in the middle of the station floor, then returned to the cells and got the other, doing the same. Jack did the only thing he knew how to in a crisis and made everyone a cup of tea. Ruby set up one mattress for JP and Rosey, giving them the two pillows usually reserved for those in custody. She then set up another mattress with a folded blanket for a pillow and then arranged another two beds on the floor made out of just blankets.

"I'll take the floor," said Jack, nodding to the layers of plush. "It's better for my back."

"I will too," Florence piped up, as she put her tins next to Jack's. "I don't mind."

Jack's heart leapt at the thought of being able to sleep next to Florence, even if it was on the floor. He looked over at her from his place in the kitchenette. Her eyes darted to him away again as she suppressed a smile.

"Are you sure?" asked Ruby, laying their pillows down at the head of the blankets. "I'll switch if you get uncomfortable, Sarge."

"Thanks," smiled Florence. "After many years of camping with my brothers, I'm used to sleeping on hard ground."

Jack and Florence locked eyes again. Then, Jack distributed the tea to everyone just as the rain began. It came down first in drips, then in droves as the water ricocheted off the roof, filling the station with a repetitive patter. "Here we go," Jack said with a grave sigh, looking up.

As he looked down, he caught eyes with Florence who nodded at him reassuringly. It was almost as if they could communicate telepathically, Jack realised. He nodded, knowing it was going to be fine. There was nothing he could do now. They just had to sit and wait it out.

"We forgot one thing, Sir," said Ruby, looking at Jack full of sombre.

"What is it, Ruby?" he asked, feeling his breath quicken. He couldn't go out again now without getting caught in the rain.

"We forgot to bring anything to do," she said.

JP laughed. "Don't worry, Ruby. There will be a pack of cards around here somewhere."

"Oh, that's good," Ruby sighed contently. "Because I bought three bottles of rum and I know there are lots of different drinking games we can play with a deck of cards, isn't there?"

JP and Rosey looked at Jack and Florence, the four of them bursting out into laughter.

ooo

Jack, Florence, JP, Rosey and Ruby all sat in a circle on the makeshift beds each holding a hand of cards. The electricity had gone in the station quite quickly after they were settled, which meant they could no longer listen to the radio for information on the storm. Florence had placed collections of candles around the station in disused mugs to light the room, leaving them all enough light to sit in a small circle between the beds to play and drink.

It looked as if they were conducting a séance, Jack thought, as he eyed them all suspiciously. He looked down at his playing cards wishing he could see through the hands of his friends. They had started out playing Rummy, Jack's favourite, then Go Fish and eventually, Ruby had suggested playing a game called Bullshit, which she had learnt in police college.

"What am I meant to be doing again?" Florence leaning over to whisper to Jack. They'd all had three or four rums already so keeping track was difficult.

"You need to get rid of all your cards," Jack told her.

"Right. And if I don't have the right ones I have to try and lie?" she asked.

"Exactly," Jack confirmed.

"Okay."

"Are you looking at my cards?" he asked, a playful smile on his face, jerking his hand away.

"No," Florence shook her head, trying to disguise a cheeky grin.

"You were!" Jack cried, jabbing a finger in her side.

"Stop it!" Florence laughed, doing the same back to him.

"Oh, stop flirting the pair of you," Ruby scolded. "Florence, it's your turn."

Jack and Florence looked down at their cards coyly, averting their eyes from one another. "Two Kings," said Florence, putting her cards face down on the deck.

Jack knew that Rosey had laid two Kings a few rounds ago, and he had one, so it's likely Florence was lying. "Bullshit," Jack called.

Florence, smiling knowingly to herself and turned over her two cards. There lay two Kings. She had set Jack up.

"So, you lied!?" he questioned Rosey.

"I did," Rosey confirmed and laughed.

"Pick up the deck, Sir," instructed Ruby, pushing the cards towards him. "And we have a new rule. If you get caught or you're wrong, you have to take an item of clothing off as well."

"No way!" JP cried as everyone protested. "I'm not having you seeing my naked wife!"

"I am not getting naked," said Jack.

"Well then you'll just have to play better then, won't you," said Ruby, gesturing to the cards in front of him. "Pick them up."

Jack did as he was told. In some ways, having the whole deck this late in the game was a good thing. It meant he could call people out because he knew what had already been laid, meaning people were less likely to lie. Perhaps he wouldn't have to take anything off anyway.

They went round again, Jack calling out "Bullshit" on practically every turn as everyone was starting to forget what was already in the pack. Slowly, everyone's shoes came off, then their socks, followed by their shirts. Rosey folded when she knew her next go would result in removing her trousers. Both JP and Jack had vests on, so avoided baring their chests to the team but JP eventually lost his trousers, sitting in his boxer shorts. As time went on, Ruby happily sat in her bra and pants, with Florence in her bra but still holding onto her shorts.

"We should quit whilst we're ahead," said JP, throwing his cards on the deck. "Otherwise, we're all going to end up naked."

"That's the point, JP!" Ruby scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm out," said Florence, copying JP.

"And me," agreed Jack.

"You're all just a big bunch of spoilsports," jeered Ruby, although she was smiling. She'd had her fun and that was all that mattered. "Anyone else for another drink?"

"Wouldn't hurt," said Jack. As he did so, a flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by a rumbling roll of thunder. Jack cowered at the lights and sounds, and Florence quickly put her arm around him to soothe him.

"It's alright," she cooed, drawing him into her arms.

Jack realised he was dangerously close to Florence's bosom. "Just shocked me that's all," he said, clearing his throat and sitting up.

Ruby poured everyone another drink and handed them round. Rosey relaxed on the makeshift bed, next to JP, talking quietly together and sipping their drinks. Ruby downed her rum like a shot and flopped down onto her own bed.

"We should probably try and get some sleep soon, I suppose," she mused.

Jack looked over to Rosey and JP and saw that Rosey was already fighting to keep her eyes open, probably thanks to the generous amount of rum Ruby had given her over the course of the night. Then, as he looked back at Ruby, he saw that within the seconds since she last spoke, she had closed her eyes and fallen into a deep sleep.

JP looked over to Jack, smiling at his co-worker. Jack could see his eyes were hazy from the rum too.

"Good night," he whispered to Jack and Florence.

"Night," they said in return, as JP laid his head down to sleep as well.

Florence and Jack both laid down on the floor next to each other. They had somehow, thankfully, ended up very close together. Jack realised that he was still just in his vest and trousers, without a shirt, socks or shoes, and Florence was topless except for her bra and still in her shorts.

She turned on her side to face him, cradling her head in the crook of her arm. "How are you feeling now?" she asked quietly. "About the storm. Is it still worrying you?"

Jack turned on his side and faced Florence, coping her position. The gentle flicker of the candles cast shadows around the room and over her face. He angled himself to see her better. "I'm okay," he said simply. "I feel better that we're all here together and the place is locked up. I just hope the Shack is still there when I go home tomorrow."

Florence nodded. "I think it will be okay."

Jack thought about the storm. Back in London, there was adverse weather occasionally but nothing on this level. How could that be fair? It was just pure luck on his part that he had lived on one side of the world and not the other. "You know, all over the world people put up with natural disasters all the time," said Jack. "I feel a bit silly for getting worried about it, you know."

"It's understandable," replied Florence, gently. "You've never experienced it before."

"Not like this," agreed Jack. "I guess it goes back to what we were talking about earlier," he said. "How can God allow that level of devastation to happen to people's lives. I can't understand it."

Florence shrugged. "I won't pretend that I know."

Jack sighed. "Back when I was a kid, things were so simple. There was a God, and he was good, and he loved you. But then when I grew up, I just realised life was just a series of disappointments. Bad things happened all the time and I wondered how that could happen if God was meant to love and protect us," sighed Jack. "Then Kathleen died," he went on. "And I was even angrier with God than I had been before, you know. But on some level, I needed to believe, for my own sanity, that she had gone to a better place. Somewhere where she could be loved and protected, even in death. Somewhere like heaven… or paradise… or whatever God's kingdom proclaims to be."

"I know," Florence said, reaching out her hand and taking his palm, rubbing her thumb affectionately across the soft skin. "It's not easy, having faith," she chuckled bitterly.

"Faith is a gift," he replied. "Some use it, some return it, some leave it on a shelf somewhere and never look back. Sometimes it's all three," Jack mused. Florence forced a weak smile and pulled the blanket up around herself. "You're not cold, are you?" he asked.

Florence replied by scooting closer to him, bringing herself under his arm and under his own blanket. He responded by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and drawing her in. She arranged her own blanket over the top of his, so they had two layers and laid her head down on his chest. Jack thought she could probably hear how his heartbeat was quickening, having her so close to him.

Jack nuzzled the top of her head, planting a soft kiss. Florence sighed contently. "You're so warm," she whispered.

Jack gulped. "I am."

Florence arched her neck, looking up at him. He looked down at her, deep into her eyes, their lips dangerously close together. "I get scared of storms too, you know," she told him, her voice barely audible. "But you make me feel safe."

"Do you want to talk about what we did?" he asked, thinking back to the kiss in her lounge.

"No," she replied, gently. "I want to show you what I want," she said, craning her neck forward pressing another tender kiss to his lips. She pulled away, looking deep into his eyes. Her breath tickled Jack's lips as he inched his head forward, pressing his lips softly to hers.

"And this is what I want," he said, against her lips, before kissing her again.

He closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of Florence's soft lips as they broke apart, breathing each other in. They carried on, sweet kiss after delicate sweet kiss, inching as close as they could, wrapping their arms around each other until they could get no closer.