A/N: This isn't gonna have many chaps left. I thought I could write it but it's becoming a bit difficult, it will have a proper ending though.

'Susie, you're late.' Nora King complained as she walked in a half hour late and nervously pulled her sleeve down over her hand ignoring the now-familiar shot of pain.

'Bus took its time.'

'It did yesterday apparently.' Nora pointed out.

Susie shrugged. 'It does it a lot.'

'I don't care,' Nora said. 'We've got two new bodies in the kitchen.'

'Oh, yeah?'

'Andrew's the new chef, Monica'll be helping you out in the kitchen.'

'Great.' Susie muttered as she walked into the kitchen, this Monica would probably be another silly tart who couldn't tell one end of a broom from the other.

'Hi,' a woman said sweetly. 'I'm Monica.'

A blonde guy stepped forward with a meat cleaver in his hand. 'And I'm Andrew.'

Well, they looked competent enough. 'Susie. Do you know what you're doing?'

'Oh, I think I can manage.' Monica answered.

'Then we'll get along fine.' Susie said quickly and moved over to get her apron. 'Better get out there and get some orders.'

'Okay,' Monica said. 'Are you feeling alright, you seem a bit distracted?'

Great, the newbie was a nosy so-and-so. 'Don't worry about it, Monica, I'm always like this.'

'Oh.' Monica pursed her lips.

Susie clapped her hands. 'Get to work, yeah?'

Mid-morning Susie noticed a suspicious-looking black woman poking around the toilet area. 'Hey! What do you think you're doing?'

The woman held out her hand. 'I'm Tess.'

'I wasn't asking your name.' Susie said ignoring the hand.

Tess cleared her throat and dropped her hand. 'Environmental Health Official.'

Oops. 'Oh! I'm sorry... we were...'

'The object of these visits, Miss...?'

'Osbourne, Susie.'

'Susie, we want to see a typical working day, no artificial fronts.'

Was it just her imagination or was that little statement directed more personally at her than the café? Her imagination, surely? After all, how could this woman know about the artificial front she kept up as standard?

'Susie?' Tess interrupted her thoughts. 'Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted.'

Whoa! Deja vu or what?! 'It was just that... Um, can I help you?'

'Maybe later,' Tess smiled. 'I'll need to interview all the staff at some point.'

'Er, why?'

'That's procedure, honey.' Tess said before she moved towards the kitchen. 'We have to check you're reliable.'

Huh, reliable! Well, she was in a way. She made sure none of the customers saw her scars, she was careful not to let blood drip into the soup, that was being reliable.

Reluctantly she followed Tess into the kitchen feeling she should be there to support Monica and Andrew. It didn't seem they needed support though, Monica was having a very animated conversation with the inspector about... different types of broom. Andrew was off to the side looking mightily amused.

'Ah, Susie,' Tess grabbed her opportunity. 'Could you find time to show me around the kitchen?'

No... she couldn't. She had to get out of there, these new people were too much, expecting too much. Without pausing she fled the kitchen via the back door, ending up in the side alley that ran all the way round.

Breathing deeply she pulled up her sleeve and quickly surveyed last nights damage. Not as bad as it could have been, should have been.

She was mad to even think of this in work time, especially when Environmental Health were in. She steadied herself then walked back in to find Tess standing stony-faced by the coats rack holding a black bag Susie recognised as her own.

'Hey!' she said leaping forward. ' I never said you could look in there.'

'It's part of procedure.' Tess answered. 'Care to explain what you're doing with a kitchen knife in your bag?'