"DI Arnott," Steve muttered half asleep into his phone. He had been fast asleep in bed until the ringing phone had started. It wasn't a good start to his weekend.
"Sir. It's Chloe," came his reply.
"You can probably call me Steve at this late hour," Steve informed his junior colleague as he rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up. "How's the party going?" He asked as he looked at the clock by the side of his bed. It was 1am.
"Umm...," was all Chloe said.
"Everything ok?" Steve asked, instantly alert after detecting Chloe's hesitation at answering his simple question. His police instincts told him there had to be a reason why Chloe was calling him at this hour.
"I think DI Fleming has been the victim of a spiked drink," Chloe informed him. "The bouncer said there's been a spate of them recently,".
"Is she ok?" Steve asked, as he swung his legs out of bed. He really hoped she was as he had been the one to encourage her into going. If she wasn't he didn't know if he'd ever forgive himself
"We're on our way to the hospital...,"
"Which one?" Steve asked as he got up and started to dress.
"She's ok, sir," Chloe informed her boss, knowing he cared deeply for his friend. "She's just not her usual self. You'll see when you get here,".
"Can you stay with her until I get there?" Steve asked as he finished his quickest dressing ever.
"Of course," Chloe agreed. "We'll be in the ED at City General,".
"Ok. See you soon," Steve informed Chloe before hanging up.
In record time, Steve made it to the hospital and to Kate's side. "Hey," greeted Steve as he entered Kate's cubicle. Kate was lying on the trolley with a hospital gown over her clothes as a doctor examined her. Chloe was sat on a plastic chair beside her. Steve took one glance at Kate and could see her pupils were widely dilated and she was having trouble focusing. She looked stoned out of her brain or very pissed. She recognised her friend though and smiled at her visitor.
"Hey babe," was her cheery slurred greeting. Steve looked at Chloe a little confused. Kate had never greeted him like that before in all the time they had worked together.
"Are you her husband?" the doctor asked, after Kate's greeting.
"Partner," Steve replied truthfully although the doctor took it in the more widely known use of the term. Chloe smiled to herself. They both pretended they were in a relationship with each other yet weren't. It was sort of sweet. Maybe they just needed a little nudge in the right direction? "Is Kate ok?".
"She's obviously been given something," the doctor replied. "I want to take a blood sample to see if we can figure out exactly what, but she's not being very co-operative,".
"Right," said Steve decisively before going up to his friend to try and talk some sense in to her. Getting right up close to his partner he stuck his face so it was inches from Kate's. "Mate, you've got to let the doctor help you. It's just a small prick and then it'll be all over,".
"Bet you say that to all the girls!" Kate teased, but allowed Steve to take her arm and keep it in place whilst the doctor took the necessary sample. "Ow!" she yelped crossly as the needle punctured her skin.
"I'll be back shortly," the medic said before disappearing with the filled bottles and leaving the three police officers alone..
"So what happened?" Steve asked Chloe as he took a seat, his hand not leaving Kate's.
"I don't know. She was fine and then I noticed she was behaving strange. She complained of feeling dizzy so I helped her to sit down,".
"You said you think her drink was spiked?" Steve clarified as he took a look at Kate who was now dozing.
"Yes because of what happened next,".
"What happened next?" Steve asked, worried.
"I saw her being led out of the room by a man she'd met at the bar earlier. When I caught up to them he had DI Fleming pinned against a wall and he was trying to take her jeans off. She was just stood there not doing anything and when he left after I mentioned you were a police officer she just sank to the floor. Her drink being spiked is the only thing that makes sense because she didn't take any thing else,".
Steve's heart lurched when he heard what Chloe had to say. This man had to be caught before he did anything more serious. "I've got a friend who works in the drug squad. If there's a spate of these happening in the city then he'll be working on it. I'll give him a call tomorrow. Would you be able to talk to him if needed?".
"Of course," Chloe said confidently.
"Thanks. He's going to have to try and talk to Kate as well but I doubt she'll remember much. She's completely out of it," Steve said, checking Kate was ok as he spoke.
"I'm really sorry, sir," Chloe apologised.
"Steve," Steve corrected. "And don't worry I don't think she's badly broken. I'm sure she'll be fine once she sleeps it off. It could've been a lot worse," he said, trying not to think about what he would have done if she had been assaulted. "A lot, lot worse. Thank you for being a good friend and keeping a close eye on her".
The doctor returned about an hour later with the blood test results. Kate had been give a mixture of drugs, including benzodiazepines. "There's not much to do but wait until they leave her system," the doctor admitted. "It could take up to 72 hours before she's back to normal,".
"Does she have to be in hospital?".
"No, but she shouldn't be left alone," the doctor advised.
"Ok," answered Steve.
"And keep her hydrated,".
"Will do," Steve promised. "So we can go?".
"Yep," the doctor said.
"Ok looks like you're coming home with me, mate," Steve informed Kate who was now awake. Their hands still entwined from earlier. Steve helped her sit up and swing her legs over the side of the trolley.
"Lucky me," Kate answered with a smile, although it quickly vanished once she sat upright. "Uh oh," she said.
"What's wrong?" Steve asked.
"Don't feel so good," Kate informed him. Steve took a look at her and she had gone quite pale. Guessing what was about to occur, Chloe thrust a cardboard bowl into Steve's hands just before Kate threw up into it. Steve rubbed her back until her retching had stopped.
"You ok?" He asked Kate. She nodded.
"Sorry," she apologised.
"How on earth did someone manage to spike your drink, eh? You usually wouldn't be caught out like that?". Kate shrugged her shoulders.
"Are you mad at me?" Kate asked.
"Never," Steve said as he gave her a hug. "I'm mad at the person who did this to you," he told her.
"Steve?"
"Yes, mate?".
Kate pulled back out of his embrace and framed his face with both her hands. "I love you," she informed him, sounding serious but still looking stoned. Steve had longed to hear those words from her mouth for such a long time now, but he knew she would never remember any of this in the morning.
"I love you too, mate," he said to please her before giving her a kiss to the top of her head.
Steve turned to Chloe who was still sat beside Kate silently. "Do you want a lift home?" He asked.
"Are you sure?".
"Wouldn't have offered if I wasn't," Steve told her. "I want to make sure you get home safe as well. Are there anymore of those bowls around? I'm in my Mazda and I really don't want vomit all over the interior if I can help it,".
"I'll be fine!" Kate piped up, very confidently. Her declaration of love already forgotten in her drug addled state.
"Well just to be sure eh?" Steve suggested as Chloe took a couple of bowls that were nearby. He gently helped remove the hospital gown that Kate was wearing and helped her off the trolley.
"I could kiss you right now," Kate slurred as Steve held her close to make sure she was steady on her feet.
"Maybe not right now, mate," Steve said as he cast a glance at Chloe, wondering if she was listening. "We've got company. We'll embarrass poor Chloe,".
"I'm ok," Chloe replied quickly knowing Steve wouldn't like her answer. Kate smiled at Chloe's reply.
"To be honest, mate, I'd rather wait. You've just vomited," Steve came up with another excuse quickly.
"Fair enough," Kate replied accepting Steve's excuse before he wrapped an arm around her waist. Kate reciprocated and slipped her hand into the back pocket of Steve's jeans before giving his butt cheek a little squeeze, smiling broadly at Steve's discomfort at her actions. Steve was just grateful that Chloe hadn't seen anything. She was slightly ahead and helping with doors and lifts.
"You got your car back!" Kate exclaimed as she saw what car they stopped at. It had been taken away for forensic investigation following Kates arrest, and like everything else needing admin, was very slow at being returned to Steve.
"Yes," Steve replied as he fumbled for his keys whilst still holding Kate up with the other arm. "And only the handbrake needed some work doing to it, so you didn't do as much damage as I feared!" He gently teased his friend about her driving. He didn't mind about the damage- just as long as she had been ok.
"I'll get in the back," Chloe offered, knowing it was going to be easier than trying to get Kate in there as the car only had two doors.
"Thanks," Steve replied, as he opened the passenger door and pulled the passenger seat forward to allow Chloe access. Once she was in, Steve helped Kate in. "Mind your head, mate," he warned as he got her sat down. He closed the passenger door before getting himself in behind the steering wheel. Once sat down he reached over Kate to get her seatbelt fastened. She tried to help but wasn't much assistance, moving around whilst Steve reached over her that he ended up accidentally cupping one of her breasts.
"My lucky day," Kate said as Steve reddened in embarrassment again. Luckily Chloe hadn't seen what had happened.
"Just sit still," Steve ordered and eventually succeeded in buckling her in.
"Thanks, sir," Chloe said as she got out of the car at her house.
"No problem. Thanks for looking after Kate," Steve replied.
"Hope she's ok," Chloe said quietly.
"She'll be fine. I'll speak to you in the morning after I've spoken to my mate in drugs,".
"Ok. Bye, Kate," Chloe said as she turned and waved to Kate who waved back rather enthusiastically in return from the passenger seat. Chloe departed for her flat and Steve watched until she was safely inside.
"Right you," said Steve as he got back in his seat, "let's get you back to mine," he continued as he started the engine.
"Steve?".
"Yes mate?" He replied with one eye on the road.
"I feel weird,".
"You going to be sick?".
"No! Just feel ...weird,".
"Well you've been drugged, mate. I'm not surprised,".
"Don' like it," she slurred. "Can't think straight," she continued, closing her eyes in an attempt to see if that helped. "Sorry if I've said anything embarrassing,".
"I'll forgive you,".
"I didn't mean it about you having a small prick," she mumbled, eyes still closed.
"No offence taken. I know you were just joking," Steve replied, humouring her.
"It looked fine when I saw it," she rambled on, too stoned to be paying attention to what she was saying. Steve took his eyes off the road to look at Kate.
"Are you still teasing? Because you better be,".
"Maybe," Kate answered with an enigmatic smile as she opened her eyes and looked at Steve. "Maybe not," she added, casting doubt on his conviction that she was joking, which he was a little troubled about. There was no point in delving further into that conversation until she was sober again
There was zero traffic on the road at that late hour and they were soon pulling up in front of his apartment. "Here we go," Steve said as he parked and killed the engine.
"We're at your place," Kate said a little surprised.
"Nothing getting past you tonight eh?" Steve said as he got out the car and helped his friend out.
"You taking me to bed?" Kate asked flirtatiously.
"Yes but not like that," Steve informed her as he helped her get to his flat.
"Shame,".
Steve let her comment pass, instead he led her to the kitchen and sat her down at the table before filling a pint glass with cold water from his fridge dispenser and placed it in front of her. "And we're not going to bed until you drink that," he informed her as he pointed at the glass.
"Not really all that thirsty," Kate countered.
"Doctors orders," he commanded. Kate made no attempt to drink the fluid. "It's for your own good. You'll feel so much better tomorrow,". It took a while but eventually the water was drunk. "Good girl," he praised Kate before leading her into his bedroom. He sat her down on his bed whilst he searched his drawers for something she could wear in bed. He eventually found a large blue T-shirt.
Kate had flopped down on her back and was attempting to go to sleep when he turned his attention back to her. "Not quite yet, mate," he said as he helped her to her feet. "Do you think you can get changed into this?" He asked as he held up the garment. He really hoped she could as he didn't want to be the one to have to do it.
Kate looked at him vacantly whilst she processed what he was asking in her drugged state. Eventually she nodded. "Excellent," Steve said. Before he could do anything else Kate was trying to remove her top in front of him. "Not here!" He said quickly before stopping her from progressing further. "In the bathroom," he ordered as he turned her in the direction of the room and gave her a little push. "And please leave your underwear on," he begged. He didn't want her waking in the morning wondering if she'd been taken advantage of,".
She disappeared for a little while and he heard her shuffling around. "All done?" He asked when it went quiet. He found her sat on the toilet trying to go to sleep. "Nearly done, mate," he said as he found a spare head for his electric toothbrush. He waited whilst she cleaned her teeth before guiding her to his bed. "Here you go," he said as he helped her settle down. "Wake me if you need me, ok?" He said and she nodded. "And there's a bucket here in case you need it, alright?".
Going round to his side of the bed Steve got undressed to his boxers and T-shirt before getting in beside his friend. He never thought this would be how they spent their first night together. Turning his back to her he tried to go to sleep trying to forget that Kate was in his bed in just a T-shirt and her pants. Behind him there was a lot of shuffling as Kate rolled over several times. "You ok?" He asked quietly.
"Yep," was Kate's reply. "Just trying to get comfy," she informed Steve. He felt her come up behind him until her head was on his pillow and wrap an arm around his abdomen. "You're nice and warm. Like a hot water bottle," she informed Steve before promptly falling asleep.
Steve had thought it would be difficult to get any sleep that night, but Kate had just made it ten times worse. She was spooning him so he could feel the entirety of her body pressed up against him. Squeezing his eyes shut and trying to think about something else, Steve tried his best to get some sleep.