A/N: This is for all my loyal fans, I can't believe I forgot to put
this one up, so just for that you get 2 chapters :D
John had gone out on a case with Kerry so I couldn't ask him if I was right. I thought about leaving him a note on his desk but I had second thoughts about that incase Beech found the note instead. In the end, I decided to wait for John to return and speak face to face with him. I tried to get on with my case papers but I frequently found myself clock-watching. In a desperate attempt to stop myself clock- watching, I logged onto the Internet and checked my emails. There was one from Hodges, which I obviously couldn't open, One from Kerry, obviously sent from her mobile which read:
'Hiya Claire, Just about ready to kill Bulldog, apparently it's my fault the suspect got away. I can't exactly help it if the suspect goes out the back entrance that Bulldog was supposed to be guarding. Hope your afternoon is better Kez x'
I smiled, it sounded like Kerry was having a rough time. My final email was from my sister Eilleen, which read:
'Big sis' Don't forget the partay on Friday. Please bring that gorgeous fella of yours too, invite Kerry as well if you like. See you 7 sharp. Lil' Leeny'
I sighed not really wanting to go but I had promised Eilleen I would. Clicking on 'Compose Message' I wrote a quick one to Kerry:
'Kez, Party Friday nite, wanna come? Claire x'
Within minutes a reply came back: 'Who's party and can I bring Mickey?'
I sent one back:
'Eilleen's, yeah bring Micks'
I decided I needed to speak to John about his bullying Kerry, its not Kerry he's angry at, it's me and it's not fair to take it out on Kerry.
Half an hour later John and Kerry came back
"Claire tell 'Leen' I'm coming, I'll tell Mick later"
I winked at Kerry before turning to John
"Boulton" I said sharply to get his attention, once he was looking at me I carried on:
"You gotta stop picking on the younger members of this department, they're not there to blame for your mistakes"
"Yeah they are, they're for doing the shit we are too good for"
"Our D.C's are as much equal members of this department as we are" I growled aware that Duncan was listening.
"Yeah right"
I could see the anger sparking in John's eyes and I knew I was treading in dangerous territory, when John went into a rage there was no telling what he would do.
"You can't blame Kerry for not catching your suspect, she was behind him for gods sake! Quite frankly it was you that fucked up not Kerry so I think she's deserves an apology" I was almost shouting now, I was so worked up.
The anger in John's eyes was on fire, I wondered what he was going to do.
I realised as he advanced towards Kerry, he was going to attack her. I leapt up and stood between him and Kerry.
"Kerry get back" I warned, watching him advance on me. I was starting to get a bit scared now; John had never taken his anger out on me.
As he got close to me he growled:
"Vicious little bitch aren't you"
Then he hit me!- he slapped me hard across the face. The whole office gasped including me as I raised my hand to my face gingerly.
We all watched John walk out of the office and down the hall. Suddenly I heard a voice say:
"Not gonna stand for that are you?"
I strode after John and spun him around:
"You don't hit me and get away with it"
I slapped him back twice as hard before kneeing him in the balls for good measure.
As he limped away from me, I yelled:
"Got yourself a new reputation now, as the SunHill woman beater!" " You hit your own girlfriend" I added sadly a minute later.
I held my head high as I entered the office again, even though my face hurt like hell. I managed to hold in the tears until I got to my desk, where I collapsed in a flood of tears.
I slumped over my desk, my head resting on my arms.
"Claire?" Kerry said quietly
I didn't look up as I didn't want the whole office to see my cry.
I jumped involuntarily as Kerry knelt down beside me and put her arms around me.
"I guess this means you two've split up now then?" Kerry asked gently
I looked up at Kerry and smiled sadly
"We split up about two months ago Kez" I said quietly
"And you didn't tell me?" Kerry said sounding hurt
"I'm sorry Kerry but we were working through it. I'll tell you before the party Friday because most of them know what I told John"
"Everyone else knows?"
"They don't know we split up, but the know who I really am. I couldn't tell you who I really am but now my life may be in danger"
"Don't worry about it now" Kerry said reassuringly
"I can't believe John hit me"
"I wouldn't have expected John to hit a woman"
"I drove him to it, I pushed him too far and he had no choice but to hit me. I channelled his anger at me and I have to pay the price" I sighed. John's reputation would never recover from this.
John had gone out on a case with Kerry so I couldn't ask him if I was right. I thought about leaving him a note on his desk but I had second thoughts about that incase Beech found the note instead. In the end, I decided to wait for John to return and speak face to face with him. I tried to get on with my case papers but I frequently found myself clock-watching. In a desperate attempt to stop myself clock- watching, I logged onto the Internet and checked my emails. There was one from Hodges, which I obviously couldn't open, One from Kerry, obviously sent from her mobile which read:
'Hiya Claire, Just about ready to kill Bulldog, apparently it's my fault the suspect got away. I can't exactly help it if the suspect goes out the back entrance that Bulldog was supposed to be guarding. Hope your afternoon is better Kez x'
I smiled, it sounded like Kerry was having a rough time. My final email was from my sister Eilleen, which read:
'Big sis' Don't forget the partay on Friday. Please bring that gorgeous fella of yours too, invite Kerry as well if you like. See you 7 sharp. Lil' Leeny'
I sighed not really wanting to go but I had promised Eilleen I would. Clicking on 'Compose Message' I wrote a quick one to Kerry:
'Kez, Party Friday nite, wanna come? Claire x'
Within minutes a reply came back: 'Who's party and can I bring Mickey?'
I sent one back:
'Eilleen's, yeah bring Micks'
I decided I needed to speak to John about his bullying Kerry, its not Kerry he's angry at, it's me and it's not fair to take it out on Kerry.
Half an hour later John and Kerry came back
"Claire tell 'Leen' I'm coming, I'll tell Mick later"
I winked at Kerry before turning to John
"Boulton" I said sharply to get his attention, once he was looking at me I carried on:
"You gotta stop picking on the younger members of this department, they're not there to blame for your mistakes"
"Yeah they are, they're for doing the shit we are too good for"
"Our D.C's are as much equal members of this department as we are" I growled aware that Duncan was listening.
"Yeah right"
I could see the anger sparking in John's eyes and I knew I was treading in dangerous territory, when John went into a rage there was no telling what he would do.
"You can't blame Kerry for not catching your suspect, she was behind him for gods sake! Quite frankly it was you that fucked up not Kerry so I think she's deserves an apology" I was almost shouting now, I was so worked up.
The anger in John's eyes was on fire, I wondered what he was going to do.
I realised as he advanced towards Kerry, he was going to attack her. I leapt up and stood between him and Kerry.
"Kerry get back" I warned, watching him advance on me. I was starting to get a bit scared now; John had never taken his anger out on me.
As he got close to me he growled:
"Vicious little bitch aren't you"
Then he hit me!- he slapped me hard across the face. The whole office gasped including me as I raised my hand to my face gingerly.
We all watched John walk out of the office and down the hall. Suddenly I heard a voice say:
"Not gonna stand for that are you?"
I strode after John and spun him around:
"You don't hit me and get away with it"
I slapped him back twice as hard before kneeing him in the balls for good measure.
As he limped away from me, I yelled:
"Got yourself a new reputation now, as the SunHill woman beater!" " You hit your own girlfriend" I added sadly a minute later.
I held my head high as I entered the office again, even though my face hurt like hell. I managed to hold in the tears until I got to my desk, where I collapsed in a flood of tears.
I slumped over my desk, my head resting on my arms.
"Claire?" Kerry said quietly
I didn't look up as I didn't want the whole office to see my cry.
I jumped involuntarily as Kerry knelt down beside me and put her arms around me.
"I guess this means you two've split up now then?" Kerry asked gently
I looked up at Kerry and smiled sadly
"We split up about two months ago Kez" I said quietly
"And you didn't tell me?" Kerry said sounding hurt
"I'm sorry Kerry but we were working through it. I'll tell you before the party Friday because most of them know what I told John"
"Everyone else knows?"
"They don't know we split up, but the know who I really am. I couldn't tell you who I really am but now my life may be in danger"
"Don't worry about it now" Kerry said reassuringly
"I can't believe John hit me"
"I wouldn't have expected John to hit a woman"
"I drove him to it, I pushed him too far and he had no choice but to hit me. I channelled his anger at me and I have to pay the price" I sighed. John's reputation would never recover from this.