"Alright, mate! How's it going?".
Steve caught a glance of himself in the rear view mirror of the car and pulled a face. That wouldn't do. Far too familiar he thought. He hadn't seen her in over a year and wasn't sure he could use the word 'mate' when it came to her anymore, much to his disappointment.
"Alright... Ma'am?". No that was crap. She'd look at him like he'd grown another head. She might have been higher rank than him but he'd never called her that before and it didn't feel right to start now.
"Alright...Kate?". Yeah, Steve thought as he nodded to himself. That sounded best. Keep it simple. Try to sound relaxed; like you hadn't been waiting for this moment since she left AC-12.
He chanced a look out the car door window and glanced at the main entrance of the police station. No sign of her. Perfect. Plenty of time to work out what he was going to say after greeting her.
He could feel his heart racing and his palms sweaty against the steering wheel where they rested. Why was he so nervous about seeing her again? He was never this agitated around her when they were partners. She was the one person he could truly be himself around without fear of any judgement.
He was beginning to think that convincing the gaffer that they needed a CHIS on MIT wasn't as good an idea an he had originally thought. And definitely not suggesting her as the intelligence source. But the opportunity to see her again was too tempting.
He was missing her more than he would like to admit. Constantly feeling like he had no idea what he was doing in his life, so much so that he felt everything was spiralling out of control. Privately he would never admit to anyone the unhealthy dependence he was developing on pain killers and alcohol. It was his dirty secret for the time being. Professionally, he was toying with following her lead and leaving AC-12. Had a nice position ready and waiting for him at VCU. All he hd to do was say the word.
And then Farida had walked into AC-12.
Possible corruption going on with in MIT under DCI Davidson. Kate was the DI on the team. How could he pass up the opportunity to see her again?
Very quickly his VCU plans were put on the back burner and he was hatching a plan for Kate to be his CHIS. He'd charm her into accepting his offer and then, bosh! It would be just like the old times. Kate undercover and he would be her handler arranging secret meet ups in his favourite graffitied underpass. Perfect. Everything would be right again in his world with her there anchoring him in place.
Which led him to his current whereabouts. In his service car parked outside The Hill where MIT were based. He'd sent her a text not 10 minutes ago informing her he was outside.
He just had to work out how to charm her into agreeing to be his CHIS. She wasn't going to like it as it would put her in a very difficult position with her new colleagues, but he kept telling himself she would have done anything for him when they were partners. He was keeping his fingers crossed that she still felt the same way...or this investigation was going to be very difficult indeed.
He glanced out the window again and saw someone stood at the top of the stairs that led into the police station. Shit! It was Kate. And she was looking around for him.
How was he going to signal to her where he was? Idiot! He berated himself. You've spent far too long stressing about what you were going to say to her when you should have been thinking about how to get her attention. He had to think of something quickly or she was going to disappear back inside and he wouldn't get the chance to talk to her at all.
Desperately looking around the car, Steve tried to find something he could use to let her know he was there. The headlights? Bit naff. Kate would definitely have something to say to him about that if he used them. Windscreen wipers? Useless as she wouldn't hear or see them from that distance. The horn? Definitely not. That would get the attention of every police officer inside the building.
"Err...Err...shit! Do something... a voice urged him in his head.
It was going to have to be the headlights. Taking a deep breath he flashed them once. Then a mischievous thought entered his brain. If she was going to tell him off for the headlights, might as well give her something to really have a go at him about. She was gorgeous when she was angry and he coudn't pass up the opportunity to see her in full rant again. He flashed the lights on and off in a jaunty little rhythm four times until he was sure she'd seen him.
He watched her descend the steps outside the station and make her way over to the car. As she got closer, he could see she wasn't very impressed. Oh yeah! Steve thought. She was going to let him have it for that signal!
He pressed the button on the drivers door to unlock the whole car so she wouldn't have to wait before being able to enter the vehicle.
"What kind of nobby signal was that?" she asked clearly annoyed, before she'd even closed the door behind her.
Steve smiled. Not even two seconds back together and things were just how they used to be. Her totally in charge of him. He really shouldn't have worried about seeing her again.
"Go round the block, in case anyone's watching," she ordered.
No worries," Steve replied as he dutifully started the car. Just like every other male who had a significant female in his life, he was totally whipped. But he didn't care. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he actually rather enjoyed being bossed around by Kate Fleming.