From his seat by the fire, Robbie watched, rather awkwardly, as Laura and Iain Mcleod reunited themselves.

It was all too clear that Laura knew the fellow pathologist well; they had embraced and kissed each other on the cheek before talking excitedly. Robbie noticed that the embrace they shared had lasted longer than just a brief hello embrace. After that, Mcleod had taken Laura's hands in his briefly as he spoke to her. Robbie felt a twitch of jealousy that he knew was bordering on the immature but that he couldn't ignore. He felt foolish to not to have thought earlier in the day, on meeting Mcleod, that of course he and Laura would know each other. Pathology was a tight knit community of peers, research groups and fellows so Robbie was puzzled that it appeared to be the case that Laura and Mcleod hadn't seen each other for what he assumed was a considerable time. As the two of them chatted enthusiastically Robbie ascertained, from what he could overhear, that Mcleod had been overseas, pioneering forensic and pathology schemes in disparate communities in subcontinent Africa and South America. Much of it helping, from what Robbie could gather, in the fight against criminal activity involving drug and human trafficking. There was also mention of the illegal diamond trade and rare earth metals. It sounded dangerous and impressive and Robbie saw that Laura looked transfixed. After a little more chat, of which Robbie couldn't hear, Mcleod bought a drink and he and Laura made their way over to the fireside. Robbie felt himself shrink a little into his seat. He had been right about Iain Mcleod – his credentials certainly backed up, and also added extra cache to his handsome good looks. Robbie suddenly felt old and worn out, a little baggy around the edges, like the old but comfy vintage leather chesterfield sofa that he was sitting on. He scratched his ear a little self-consciously as Laura and Mcleod reached the fireside.

"Iain, this is Robbie Lewis, a colleague from Oxford" Laura said brightly, smiling between the two men.

Robbie was inwardly hurt by just being referred to by Laura as a colleague. We're a bit more than that, surely? He thought to himself, and again, felt a bitter tang of jealousy suddenly rise up further inside himself.

Robbie smiled at Laura and then Mcleod but it was with tight lips and a succession of wary glances between the two pathologists, although Laura failed to notice.

"Robbie, ah yes, we met briefly earlier I think" Mcleod said

"We did, yes" responded Robbie as politely as he could muster. "Obviously, er, you and Laura know each other, then?"

"Yes, Doc and I go back a long time" Mcleod's tone of voice was soft and knowing and directed to Laura as he looked at her with a lingering gaze. He smiled an almost knowing smile, seemingly waiting for her reaction.

"Doc?" Said Robbie with a questioning frown that he knew straddled the line of friendly questioning and jealous irritation. Again, he couldn't help the feeling as it rose in his chest. He glanced at Laura and thought he saw the faintest hint of an uncomfortable look on her face, along with a slight blush that seemed to sink as soon as it had risen in her cheeks.

Mcleod was still gazing at Laura as he answered Robbie's clipped enquiry

"We all called Laura 'Doc' at med school, it was a bit of a joke as we all knew that she didn't want to go into general practice and we teased her mercilessly about her lack of a bedside manner"

Robbie again felt irritated. He suddenly found himself feeling protective over Laura. He was perturbed by the comment about her bedside manner. Robbie knew Laura had a deeply caring side that she often hid with her caustic gallows humour but Robbie had seen her compassion help and comfort many relatives of her patients.

"Right." said Robbie as politely as he could to Iain. "And what about you, have you not got a bedside manner?" as he spoke a little bit of the frostiness he was starting to feel towards the pathologist permeated his tone further.

"I don't know. You'd better ask Laura" Iain said, replying to Robbie but as he spoke it was Laura he directed himself at, giving her a meaningful and, Robbie noted with irritation, a flirtatious lingering look.

Robbie glanced between the two. Laura was taking a sip of her drink through an inscrutable smile but he thought he saw a slight colour rise in her cheeks again and she returned Iain's gaze over the top of her glass. She sipped again and then put her drink down on the table in front of her.

Both men seemed to be waiting for her response.

"No comment" she said and Robbie saw the look she returned to Iain was laced with both mild flirtation and also a slight warning tone in her voice. Robbie knew straight away that there was some sort of relationship history between them. He frowned to himself; suddenly he really didn't want to be there.

"I, er, I think I'll let you both catch up and go and rescue James" he said, glancing over to the other side of the lounge where Thompson was trying to coerce Hathaway into a game of snooker.

Laura glanced up and smiled warmly at Robbie; she didn't notice his discomfort but she had seen him give Iain what could only be described as a visual grilling, almost as if he was one of his suspects. She also couldn't disregard the slight hint of coolness in Robbie's tone. Mcleod ignored Robbie and asked Laura if she wanted another drink. Robbie, with a face like thunder made his way over to Hathaway and the others where Thompson had started to rack up the snooker balls on the table. Within a few minutes, the other Detective Sergeant from Leeds had been roped in and a doubles snooker match was in full play. Robbie was glad to be distracted by the game and, to Thompson's chagrin and Hathaway's smug smile, was soon well into a high point break.

Over an hour later and the game, the best of 3 frames, had been easily won by Hathaway and Lewis, although most of the successful pots had been executed by Robbie.

"Sir, I had no idea you were so accomplished at the game of snooker" Hathaway declared, genuinely shocked by Lewis' skill.

"Yeah, well, I'm not really. I've been out of the game for a while. It's been a very long time since I've played to be honest"

"Well, you made it look easy, Sir. You should play again"

Robbie thought back to the last time he'd played a game. It had been just before Val had died. He used to meet a friend once a month to play at a club in Oxford but after Val's death he'd not had the desire to go back to playing. He wondered where his prowess had suddenly come from.

There was talk of more drinks but Robbie had had enough. He didn't fancy teamwork seminars or paintballing the next day after one too many and besides he couldn't be sure if the hotel bed would afford him a proper night's sleep. He suddenly felt old and weary but it wasn't to do with mixing with the younger members of the team. He glanced over to Laura. She was listening to Mcleod, her face full of interest, smiling softly as she listened, her eyes bright and alert and clearly transfixed by what he was saying.

"I'm going to call it a night, James. See you in the morning" Robbie said as he turned away from Hathaway and the group of younger DIs and DSs.

"Sir" said Hathaway, a little surprised at the change in Lewis' mood.

Hathaway watched as Lewis headed across the lounge to the doorway to the rest of the hotel. He frowned. Something had upset his boss. Earlier, he'd been his usual world weary self, but still chipper about the whole situation. Something had happened to taint his mood and even the easily won victory over Thompson hadn't seemed to facilitate any joy or merriment. Usually when Lewis was in such a mood it was to do with his late wife, but there was something different tonight, something about Lewis' manner that wasn't tinted with the shadow of grief. Hathaway saw that a sharp irritation or resentment had suddenly come over his boss. He watched him leave the lounge, walking quickly as he took himself straight through the doorway. Hathaway frowned again. Then he looked towards the fire where they had originally seated themselves at the start of the evening.

And Hathaway saw Hobson chatting with Dr. Mcleod, they were sitting close.

Ah thought Hathaway. The mist clears. Perhaps, thought Hathaway, his boss' return to form hadn't only been in the game of snooker. There was clearly another game on the go that had stirred his boss into play.

Hello everyone. Thanks to all of you who keep reading, and especial thanks to those who leave a message and review – it keeps me writing! I don't think that Robbie is particularly geared to be a snooker player but neither did I think he could be a fly fisherman either (as we found out in one episode where he is fishing with Hathaway and Hathaway's dad) So I think although not highly so, it is plausible that Robbie could be interested in snooker. Incidentally, I think there is a Morse episode, "Settling of the Sun" ? where he rolls a few balls about on a snooker table but doesn't actually play.

Anyway, thanks for your continued interest and I hope you stick with it, this story is really only just beginning. . .