Sorry about this chapter taking so long but I've been ill and so has the computer, that is also the reason why this chapter is fairly short,

Alison.

Chapter 4.

Three days had passed since Jack's return. In the initial excitement Mark had not really noticed Steve's withdrawal, but now things had calmed down he began to note that something was wrong and was determined to find out what was bothering his son. making breakfast for them both he sat out on the deck and waited for his son to come up.

Steve made his way upstairs and spied his dad sitting on the deck, a light frown on his face. Steve swallowed as he recognised the expression on his face. He was still trying to think of a way to prepare his father in case they were right about Jack. The captain had made it clear that under no circumstance was he to say anything, he fully understood why, but it didn't make it any easier on himself. He still entertained the thought that they might be wrong. Putting on a cheerful face he went out and sat down.

"Morning dad," He said with forced cheerfulness that didn't deceive his father one bit.

"Morning son," He watched Steve for a few minutes while he eat his breakfast. Slightly darkened rings around his eyes spoke loudly that he wasn't sleeping properly. "Is everything alright?" He asked. "There's no problem between you and Rachel is there?" He had high hopes for this relationship and he would fight just as hard as Steve to save it if he could.

"No dad we're getting along fine," Steve quickly reassured him.

"Good," Mark said relieved. That had been his biggest worry. "A case then?"

Steve quickly seized upon an idea.

"Yeah!" He sighed. Well that much was true after all.

"Anything I can help with?" He asked concerned. Most of the time if his son had any problem he usually came to him with it.

"No dad ," He said with genuine disappointment. "Its down to a waiting game now," Mark knew his son well enough to know that he wasn't telling him the complete truth. But he also knew that at least for now he wouldn't get any more information from him. When he got to work he would ask Rachel, maybe she could tell him more.

Steve knew that his father had given up more easily than he had expected him to. He also knew that meant he intended to ask Rachel about what was going on. He hated the fact that she had been placed in the middle of what was going on and knew that his father would put pressure on her to tell him what was going on.

Rachel sat in the doctor's lounge trying to concentrate on writing up her patients notes. For most of the day she had managed to avoid Mark and so avoid the necessity of lying to him, Steve had phoned to warn her that his dad may try to question her about what was going on.

"Rachel could I have a talk with you?" Rachel looked up and saw Mark in the doorway.

"Sure," She said with a sinking feeling in her stomach. "What is it?"

"Has Steve said anything to you about work or anything ?" Rachel made the pretence of thinking about it.

"I know he was having a job with a case," She said. "But he hasn't given me any details," Mark sighed. He had hoped that she would have been able to help him find out what was going on.

"I had hoped he might have said something to you," He sighed and sat down in the chair next to her.

"I'm sure it will be fine," She told him, hoping that she was right. "Patience is not one of his strong points," Mark laughed.

"You noticed then," He laughed. Rachel thought back to the beginning of their relationship with a smile.

"One of the first things I noticed," She said with a smile. " Once I had picked myself of the floor," She placed her hand on Mark's arm. "I'm sure everything will be fine,"

"I hope so," He said. He just wished the sense of foreboding, he had felt since this morning would go away.

Steve stood with Cheryl. They were waiting for an informant, Joe Reynolds had phoned Steve earlier that day and said he had some information for him and had asked for a meet. Cheryl had come along at the captain's insistence. When at last the man finally showed up he looked nervous, frequently looking around him.

"Okay Joe," Steve said to him. "What you got?"

"If I tell you, You gotta protect me," His voice verged on hysteria.

"Okay," Steve said calmly. Normally Reynolds was a good source of information and very little rattled him. But he was rattled now and scared.

"Oh man this is big," He told him, running his fingers nervously through his hair. "Stewart's got!" The man got no further. Shots rang out, Cheryl ran forward as she saw both her partner and Reynolds drop to the floor.