Epilogue.

It was December. The air was cold, the trees were barren and the ground was frosty. Due to the impending millennium, Scotland Yard decided to be generous to all of it's divisions. Christmas balls were being held all over the country, for the 43 branches. The Metropolitan Police Christmas ball was being held at the Savoy. Every officer in the Met was invited. It was a strictly black-tie affair. Dinner, dancing, the whole nine yards.

The thought of all this made John Boulton's stomach curdle. 'Another Christmas alone.'

Since his parents had retired to Spain, and Mike was in Australia, John had no one to celebrate Christmas with.

'Just what I need. To be reminded how very alone I am. I'd rather be doing overtime.'

However, he seemed to be the only one who felt this way. Everyone else in Sun Hill seemed to be very excited about the prospect of a black-tie ball. Rod Skase already had his date, in fact he organised it the moment the invite hit his desk. Duncan Lennox and Shona were going. So were Jack Meadows and his wife. In fact, it seemed as if the whole station was going to the ball, except him. John wondered who would be left here to nick criminals. He decided to volunteer himself. At least he had a sense of duty, unlike all these other skivvers, a hollow thought, which he used to console himself with.

As he was walking to Jack Meadows' office, he overheard Kerry Holmes' all- too familiar whine.

"But please Guv. I don't have a date and I can't find one. I don't want to go." Kerry pleaded.

"Kerry, no. Tom Proctor has already volunteered to do the night shift. I can't afford to have more than him on. You've got the night off, regardless if you go to the ball or not. It's not my problem." Jack didn't give in.

"Yes, Guv." Kerry said, defeated.

John sighed and turned away to go back to his desk. There goes that little idea.

Kerry turned out of Meadows' office and saw John Boulton walking away. She had a flash of brilliance.

"John, can I have a word?"

"Not if it's about that bloody ball, you can't," he snapped. John was annoyed. It seemed as if everyone had resorted back to sixth form school disco mentality. They weren't children, although the whole nick was behaving as such.

"John, come on. It's probably the only time in our lives when we'll get to go to an exclusive black-tie ball at the Savoy! I really want to go, but I can't bear the thought of going on my own. Please take me. I promise I'll stop getting on your nerves so much, if you would just please do me this little favour."

John grumbled to himself. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "Ok, whatever, Kerry. I don't have to enjoy myself though."

Kerry grinned a widely, "I didn't think you would, not even for a second. Thanks, Sarge. I owe you one."

"You owe me more than one." John mumbled under his breath. He needed a cup of coffee.

* * *

John avoided talking to Kerry about it until the day before. He went up to her desk, stealthily, so not to be sussed by other members of CID, and said, "Pick you up at 7:30?"

Kerry looked up, surprised, and said, "Uh, yeah Sarge. I didn't think we were still on. You hadn't mentioned anything about it since I asked you."

John said, "We are unless you don't want to go. Either way, I don't care," he hastened to add.

Kerry said, "I bet you were a real charmer when a school disco was on."

John rolled his eyes, "I didn't go to any of them. I wasn't in to that sort of nonsense."

Kerry grinned inwardly. 'I bet he starches his boxer shorts.'

"Oh well, that's too bad Sarge. You missed out on some great pre-pubescent rituals. Anyway, 7:30 is alright."

"Try to be ready by then, alright?" John walked away and sat down at his desk

'What a complete wanker', Kerry thought to herself.

* * *

John tooted his horn and Kerry came out of her apartment. She was wearing a very lovely purple frock, with a black pashmina wrapped around her shoulders. He smiled at her.

"You look nice."

Kerry about fell over. John Boulton paid her a compliment! Has hell frozen over?

"Thanks Sarge. You look nice as well."

"We're not at work anymore. Call me John."

"Uh, alright... John." It about broke Kerry's jaw to say his first name.

"This is too surreal for words." Kerry said.

"You know it is. I can't believe I'm going to a dance with you."

John glanced over at her. 'She wouldn't be too bad if she would not be so mouthy. And if she hadn't ruined my chances of joining the flying squad.'

He looked over at her and for a moment; under the passing streetlights, she looked like June Gowan.

"I love you John Boulton, but I can't be with you yet. I need to heal. Escoverda's gone, but Thomas is still in my heart. Perhaps someday, I will be able to love you fully, and I will be able to move on from what happened."

"June..."

"I will find you, I will let you know when I'm ready, John. I don't expect you to wait for me, but please know that I'll never forget you."

The memory almost made him wince in pain. He missed June more than he could say. Many nights went by that he wondered if he'd ever see her again, if she'd make good on her promise to find him when she was ready, or if she met someone else, another American. He wasn't waiting for her, but no one else could compared to her. The way she laughed, the way she captivated his soul. There were times that he wanted to jump on a plane to Washington D.C. and find her, beg her, to be his. He loved her too, he couldn't say it out loud yet, but he knew it, deep down in his very core.

* *

The ball was an absolutely beautiful affair, complete with a speech by the Commissioner of the Met, and, of course, an orchestra. John sat with Kerry, Duncan and Shona, Rod and his girlfriend (who resembled a Stringfellow's dancer), Don Beech, Claire Stanton and Danny Glaze. Across the way from them were most of uniform. Dave and Jenny Quinnan, Polly Page, Reg Hollis, Sam Harker and Cass Rickman, Tony Stamp and Di Worral. The supers all sat together, Mr. Brownlow, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Conway, Mr. Monroe, and DI Deaken with their wives and girlfriends. June Ackland and Bob Cryer sat together with Jim Carver, Matthew Boyden, Vicki Hagen, Gary McCann and Smithy. All in all it looked as if the whole nick had turned out for this event. John was almost glad that he made the effort, even if the main reason was so that he would not have been left out.

After dinner and speeches, people started mingling and dancing to the orchestra. John was talking to Duncan and Shona when he looked up. His jaw dropped. Duncan said something, but it didn't register. Shona turned around to look, as did Duncan, and the majority of people in the room.

There, at the top of the steps was June Gowan, wearing a long black dress that resembled Audrey Hepburn's. Her hair was braided and piled on top of her head. She had black gloves on up to her elbows. She was looking around the room, scanning the crowd for someone in particular. Her eyes focused on John, and she smiled a wide, happy smile. She walked down the steps towards him.

"I wasn't sure if you would be here, as I didn't reckon these sort of do's were exactly your scene, DS Boulton."

John's heart thudded in his chest, his breathing was shallow and his pulse was racing. 'My God she was beautiful. My God.'

"You look really nice, what a gorgeous suit." June smiled up at him, fingering his lapel.

"You look... absolutely stunning. Magnificent." John's throat was dry.

"Will you dance with me, John?" June asked.

"Of...of. of course, June."

'Get yourself together, concentrate,' John thought to himself. He couldn't believe she was here, for him, after almost two months of being apart, she shows up out of the blue like this. His mind was racing, as was his heart.

* * *

Duncan Lennox leaned over to Kerry and whispered, "There's the reason he's been so grumpy for the last few months, I'm willing to bet on it." Kerry just grinned and sipped her drink.

Reg Hollis saw June walk in, but had the misfortune of standing almost directly behind John Boulton. He was sure that she was coming down to him. Imagine his surprise when she started talking to the Sarge! Reg was a bit let down, but didn't let it show. He started talking to Polly instead.

"Can you believe his luck, landing her?"

Polly said, "Nah, it won't last. She's too nice and he's too miserable."

Polly's words turned out to be the general consensus among the Uniform staff regarding John Boulton and June Gowan.

Meadows and Brownlow shot each other glances when June and John started dancing, but didn't say anything.

* * *

John and June danced together in silence for a while. He held her hand firmly while they blended in with everyone else. She looked up into his eyes, inhaling his cologne. She guessed correctly that he wore Obsession for Men, one of her favourites.

"June... why did you come here?"

"I'll tell you in a second, just dance this song with me." She smiled and he pulled her closer to him. He was surprised when she didn't resist.

After the song finished, she said, "Come for a walk with me." She took him by the hand and led him out onto the patio, overlooking the Thames.

"Look up, John, look at the moon."

John looked up and saw the full moon shining down on them, reflecting in the black waters of the Thames. He wasn't sure, but almost thought he saw a shooting star as well.

"John, once upon a time, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. He said that he made one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

"Yes I know this, June." John looked at her, trying to figure out what the point of all this was.

"Every day of our lives, we take small steps and giant leaps. Sören Keikkergard, an existentialist philosopher, once said that man must take the small step from the ledge of doubt, leaping into the giant abyss of faith. Yet again another small step and another giant leap."

John cocked his head to one side, "I'm not sure I follow you."

"Coming here tonight, was, for me, a giant leap. What I'm about to do now, is a small step."

The lights of London twinkled in the darkness, reflected from the river. The moon bathed the city in its pale white light. Music and laughter carried in the breeze, on the crisp winter evening.

Two solitary figures embraced to became one silhouette in the moonlight. Separate and alone as they were individually, together they completed each other. Where there was pain, was healing. Where there was anger, was joy. And where there was doubt, was love.