A/N: Thought maybe a few people needed a break in this piece. And please don't expect this many updates so quickly ever again! I have no idea what's wrong with me.

'Yeah, he shows definite signs of sexual abuse,' Ramani informed Samantha in the CSU interview room. 'I suppose I better tell the DI.'

'Hang on,' Sam said. 'You do know what he thinks?'

'I've a fair idea,' she answered. 'Tony?'

'Bingo, he's completely obsessed,' Sam said. 'Is there any way of ruling Tony out at the moment?'

'Not until we get the DNA back.'

'When will that be?'

'Not until tomorrow morning,' Ramani said regretfully. 'I expect Manson will want Tony suspended or something.'

'Well, he can't do that,' Sam replied. 'I won't let him do that.'

'I think if I phrase it in the right way I can put him off the idea.'

'Thanks, Ramani, Sam smiled. 'Now I have to go clean up another of his messes.'

'Another one?'

'Mmm, don't ask.'


He knew he should be there, Manson would get the wrong idea yet again but, having seen Ramani leave the boy in the examining room, he felt he had to check if Adrian was alright.

Tony knocked lightly on the door, entering when a voice told him to. The voice turned out to be the nurse who stood as Tony entered.

'Can I help you?'

'I brought Adrian,' he explained hesitantly. 'Just wanted to see how he was.'

She smiled. 'I'll leave you to it.'

After she left Tony sat next to Adrian. 'How you holding up?'

'They wouldn't let me talk to you.'

'Yeah, I know, mate,' he soothed. 'We just had to find out what had happened to you.'

'I'm sorry.'

'What for?'

'Not telling.'

'Can you tell me who's been hurting you, Adrian?'

'No.'

'He can't hurt you,' Tony said quietly. 'I won't let him.'

'I don't know them!' Adrian shouted.

'Them?' Tony repeated. 'There's more than one?'

Adrian nodded. 'Yeah.'

'Mate, all I want to do is help,' he said gently. 'How many?'

'Three, I think,' answered the boy with trembling lips.

'I'll be back in a minute, alright?'

As Adrian nodded Tony exited the room heading for the DI's office with a certain determination.'

He pushed through the door without knocking. 'I've just been speaking to Adrian.'

Manson stood angrily. 'Under which authority?'

'My hunch,' Tony said with equal anger. 'And I know you think I had something to do with it but I didn't. Adrian just admitted he hasn't been abused by just one man.'

'What?'

'He remembers three men.'

'You better not be messing me about,' Manson warned.


'June,' Sam knocked on the door. 'Can I see you a moment?'

'Is it important?'

'I think it is,' Sam said evenly. 'It's about Jim.'

'Thanks, Samantha, but I'm not interested.'

'I think you should be.'

'Why?' June exploded. 'You weren't there.'

'I saw it, June,' she replied. 'Manson threatened him in a way, that's why Jim drank. He was forced.'

'I've already had this conversation with Jim,' June said but she looked a little less certain.

'Have you had dealings with the DI before?'

'Not that much, no,' she admitted.

'Then you don't know what he's like. Manipulative, spiteful, he knows how to hold a grudge.'

'So Jim was telling me the truth?' June asked.

'Yeah, he was.'

'God, I'm such a fool!'

Sam shook her head. 'No, he's just good at what he does.'


Staring at the drink wasn't going to make it go away, and the longer he stared at it the harder it became to resist.

Jim knew perfectly well all his chances would be blown if he so much as lifted the drink up but he'd been sitting in the pub for over an hour. It was make or break time.'

'Jim?'

'Come to throw some more accusations in my face?'

'I suppose I deserved that,' June conceded as she sat down. 'I spoke to Samantha Nixon.'

'And what did she have to say?'

'A few home truths, I think,' she replied. 'I'm sorry, Jim.'

'I've been sat here for ages,' Jim said. 'Just wondering.'

'Wondering what?'

'Whether it was worth it, holding out for you.'

'You take a drink of that if you want to, it won't stop me...'

He looked up. 'Stop you what?'

'Loving you,' she finished.

'I wish I didn't have this... problem,' he said. 'If I didn't maybe we could make a go of it.'

'Who's to say we can't?'