A/N: Sorry for the wait for this. The good news is that my next update for this shouldn't be long. Please enjoy. :)

A moment of disorientation hit Jackie as she wakened; until she realised where she was and why she was there. She registered the pillow and quilt cover, she couldn't even remember falling asleep on the couch. Michael had obviously retrieved it for her while she'd slept. A small smile played on her lips despite the circumstances. Still, she'd no doubt pay for it today, she thought as her hand unconsciously touched her lower back.

A look at her watch told her she should think about getting changed if she wanted to get to work on time. But that thought went out the window when the door opened and she smelled the coffee. She turned around with a brief smile as Michael walked in, freshly changed and carrying two mugs.

"Thanks," she said after he handed her a mug. She drank a few sips, feeling more like a functioning human.

"Did you get a good sleep?" he asked as he sat in a nearby chair.

"Surprisingly, yes," she admitted. "Thanks for the quilt and pillow."

"Don't mention it, I'm just glad you were able to get a decent sleep."

They sat in silence for a moment drinking their coffees. Both aware of why she was there, knowing that it shouldn't be brushed away.

"If you want some time off…"

Jackie shook her head, "No, thanks." Any leave would be spent contemplating the state of her marriage, there would be plenty of nights she could dwell on that. Right now, she needed the distraction. Plus the others would ask questions and she wasn't sure she could face that just yet.

"Are you sure?" Michael asked, concern etched on his face.

She nodded, "But thanks all the same."

They stayed silent for a moment. Jackie could almost see the thoughts — the questions, whirling through his head.

"I think I'll leave it a few weeks, wait until Brian's settled in London. Then I'll start divorce proceedings," she finally said, voicing his thoughts.

"No going back, then?"

She shook her head, "We would never get back to how we used to be. To be honest, I'm not sure I want to anymore." The admission surprised them both. She smiled ruefully, "If you asked me a couple of weeks ago, my answer would probably have been different. But now, I just want to move on."

"I'm sorry, Jackie," he said softly.

"It's okay," she felt like shit, but she just had to believe that she would come through the other side smiling. "Look, can we keep this between us? I don't want anyone else to know right now."

"Of course," he said.

"Thanks." Jackie drank some more of her coffee before glancing at her watch, "Right, I should really get a move on."

"Sure." He continued, "I might be away by the time you're ready. Can you lock up?" She nodded before he added, "I'll see you at the station then. Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she said before she finished her coffee.

"Okay, then," he said, hoping it was true.

It was almost like a normal day, not that Michael had many of those. But it was like the night before hadn't happened. Jackie showed no signs that anything was wrong, that her life was in upheaval. She just seemed like her usual self, Michael wasn't sure if that was good or not.

However, as the day wore on, he could see the weariness, her smiles weren't quite reaching her eyes. If the others had noticed, they didn't mention it. As Jackie wanted it that way, he decided that was a good thing.

Eventually, Robbie invited everyone for drinks. Jackie was thoughtful for a moment before she accepted. Michael wasn't really in the mood but went anyway for Jackie.

To the untrained eye, she looked content. But Michael could see that her cheerfulness was just a front, an attempt to hide how much the previous night had taken its toll on her.

He wasn't the only one to notice.

It was Jackie's round, and she was surprised when Stuart followed her. A brief smile passed her lips as she acknowledged him.

"Just thought I'd see if you're okay," he explained his presence.

"I'm great, just a bit tired after a long day of paperwork," she inwardly winced at the lie. "How are you?"

It was a successful attempt at changing the subject. But after their brief conversation, any enjoyment she'd felt had faded.

Were her feelings really that obvious?

She had felt Michael's glances at her throughout the evening. Although she knew he was just checking on her, she couldn't afford to look back; her eyes would give away her feelings. That would be fine later, but not now for the others to see.

No longer in the mood for socialising, she left after she finished her drink. It didn't take Michael long to follow her out.

"So…" Robbie began a moment after Michael had left, "I can't be the only one to notice that something's wrong with Jackie."

"I tried to ask her about it at the bar, but she just brushed it off," Stuart agreed.

"It must have something to do with yesterday. Brian looked fuming when I saw him."

"And you have no idea what it was about?"

Robbie shook his head. "Whatever it is, I think Brian's in trouble," he drank some of his beer.

"I hope Jackie's okay."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, you know what she's like," Robbie said confidently. But in truth, he was as concerned as Stuart was.

Jackie was glad when Michael suggested a movie. She had let him decide on the choice, not caring either way; it just seemed like a nice distraction. Watching movies together was something they'd used to do often, but she realised that the last time they had done so was before her wedding.

Why had they stopped? At first, it could be blamed on the honeymoon period that all new marriages experienced, but even when that had died down neither had made any kind of move to re-start something like this. A twinge of guilt hit her as she realised any one-on-one time with Michael outside of work had been almost non-existent.

That was until his shooting. An event that had led to them spending a lot of time together. In retrospect, it was no wonder that her marriage to Brian had fallen apart. Maybe it had died the moment the bullet had hit Michael.

But she couldn't think about that right now. Not when it had only been a day since her split with Brian. Her feelings for Michael was just something she couldn't deal with just yet.

Possibly not for a while.

She regarded Michael for a long moment as he enjoyed the film. A couple of months ago he had came too close to dying. Jackie could be living in a world where he was gone. So as bad as she felt right now, things could be worse; she could be without him.

He turned around and they shared a smile. "I can put something else on if you'd prefer."

"It's okay. I'd been meaning to watch this one anyway," she replied before turning her attention to the film.

A little while later, her phone buzzed.

Brian.

The days where her heart fluttered in excitement were long gone. Now she just felt a slight uneasiness at the thought of a text from him.

As she read his message, she could feel Michael's eyes on her. Feeling his concern, she took a moment to process his text before she answered Michael's silent question.

"Brian's officially accepted a move to London. He leaves in a couple of weeks. I can move back in then."

"How good of him," Michael snarked.

Jackie sighed, "I can't really blame him, not after everything I told him last night."

Michael decided not to remind her of the several things she could blame Brian for.

"Is it okay If I stay here for a couple of weeks?"

"I told you, you can stay as long as you like."

She smiled slightly, "I don't want to intrude."

"You're not. Look, you were there for me when I got shot, let me be here for you for this."

Jackie nodded as she wondered what she had done to deserve his friendship.

Michael paused the movie, not really in the mood for it anymore. "How about I make us some hot chocolate, eh?"

"I think I'd like that," she smiled.

Michael returned the smile before he got up from the couch and left the living room.

Somehow, Jackie mused, Michael had always managed to make her world seem lighter.

She would never stop being thankful that he did.

The next two weeks passed by quickly. It hadn't taken long for Jackie to settle in at Michael's. She knew she would miss him when she returned to her own flat.

Michael was still the only person who knew that her marriage had ended. Though she was certain that Robbie and Stuart suspected something was amiss, they hadn't asked her. Truth be told, she was glad of that, the thought of telling others overwhelmed her.

Brian had sent the occasional text, updating her about London. They had even met to discuss some practical matters and Jackie had brought up the topic of divorce. Brian had been surprised at that but had seemed to accept it. He only asked that she waited for him to get settled before either of them contacted a lawyer, she agreed.

There had been some low moments, but thanks to Michael those were brief. She wasn't sure what she would have done without him.

All too soon the time came for her to leave. Brian had left for London the day before, so there was no reason for her to stay.

No matter how much the thought of leaving depressed her.

As she got the last of her things, she regarded the spare room with fondness. She hadn't expected to feel quite so at home here, but she had. Going back to the flat she had shared with Brian seemed unappealing, with too many memories, some pleasant, some awful.

Jackie forced a smile on her face, masking her real feelings about going away. She left the room and found Michael in the hallway. Her smile changed to one that was more genuine, albeit ruefully.

"Thanks for everything, Michael."

"It's the least I could do," he said. "Will you be alright?"

Jackie nodded.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I won't. But feel free to pop by yourself. I'm not exactly expecting any visitors anytime soon…" she trailed slightly as she realised that Michael hadn't been at her place since Kennedy had shot him. "Unless that's too—"

"I'm sure I'll be fine," he said reassuringly. "I might even take you up on that."

Their eyes locked for a moment before Jackie looked away, not wanting to show the effect his stare had on her.

"I better go," she said finally.

Michael gave a small nod before she got closer to him and hugged him. This was silly, she scolded herself. She would see Michael at work, just as she usually did.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said when the hug ended.

"Unless a case comes up later," he said half-jokingly.

"I hope not, no offence," she smiled.

Michael smiled back. "None taken."

"I'll see you."

"Bye, Jackie,"

She went to the door before she turned around briefly and flashed him a quick smile, then she was gone.

Michael exhaled; it shouldn't be so difficult to let her go.

It wasn't a surprise to find that he enjoyed living with Jackie. It was much preferable than her brooding on her own.

Selfishly, he was glad that she was staying in Glasgow. He just wished it hadn't been at the cost of her personal happiness.

Even if he had (secretly) started to dislike Brian.

Not to mention that her proximity brought up all the feelings he'd tried to put away. But just because her marriage was seemingly over didn't mean that he planned to vocalise those feelings.

Jackie was now a newly separated woman, who hadn't even started divorce proceedings yet. No, she needed a friend and that was what he would be.

But when all of this was over?

Maybe he could…

Michael shook his head; this was insane, not a good thing to think about when trying to help your best friend.

Maybe it was for the best that she'd moved back to her own flat.

Jackie was unprepared for the emotions she felt when she returned home.

The place now looked a lot emptier; she hadn't realised how much of a mark Brian had left here. Which sounded strange, this place had been theirs. Technically, it still was. In reality though, it was just hers now, but it would never really feel that way.

How could it, when a lot of the things in here had been bought by the both of them? Guilt hit her as she looked around the living room. Sure, Brian had done some questionable things towards the end of their relationship. But Jackie hadn't been perfect either.

The truth was that she had married a man who was not, and never would be, the love of her life. No matter how hard she had tried to convince herself that he was.

In the end, she had wasted both of their times.

Jackie looked forlornly at one of their wedding pictures before she picked it up. She took a deep breath before she collected the remaining pictures of the two of them. It would be too hard to look at them, not now that it was over.

As she found a drawer to store them, she took one last look at the top one. It had been taken before their wedding. They had looked so happy, at the time she thought she'd been the happiest she'd ever been.

Jackie wasn't sure that was true anymore.

She blinked back tears as she placed the pictures in the drawer.

What a mess she'd made; what a bloody mess.