This is for Jay, who is very sad today!

Author Warning: Extreme physical violence! Don't read if you're easily upset!


Back in the office, John called Connor over to him:

"Here Con c'mere"

I watched Connor toddle over to John

Lifting him onto his knee he said:

"Con, go and tell you mum she's beautiful"

I smiled then blushed as John looked at me.

"Mum!"

"What Connor?"

"Dat man sed you're beooutiful"

"Claire have you forgotten what happened between you two?" Kerry asked

"I'll remember not to come looking for you as a shoulder to cry on if it all goes wrong then"

"It's not going to go wrong this time, Claire and John are made for each other" Duncan said strongly

I looked up as a shadow loomed over me

"Peter" I said nervously, he'd broken my arm once when he'd been angry

"I'm filing for divorce on the ground of adultery"

"But I haven't been unfaithful" I protested

"Not you, you stupid woman" He roared raising his hand

I flinched and cowered in my chair, I was terrified this time

"You can't talk to her like that" John's accent was strong as he spoke

"What you gonna do about it?"

"This" John brought back his right hand and landed a right hook across Peter's face

"Get in there bitch" Peter spat, indicating the empty DI's office

I knew John had just made things ten times worse

I got up and followed meekly behind Peter

"Claire, don't go in there" John pleaded

I had to go in there I had no choice, I jumped as Peter slammed the door behind me

Suddenly the room was filled with the sound of flesh hitting flesh, I cried out time after time as his fists rained down on my body, I knew the rest of the office could hear my feeble cries, I gave up crying out, I was reduced to sobbing quietly, the blows stopped coming and I realised Peter was pacing up and down.

Just as I looked up, Peter's arm came flying towards me, knocking me off the table and into the wall.

I cried out as I hit the floor.

"You bitch!" Peter spat, kicking m in the ribs several times, I flinched as I felt several ribs crack and break.

Wrenching open the door, Peter decided he wanted to beat someone else up:

"Where's that ginger bastard?"

"No!" I cried out

"No what bitch?" He said kicking me again

"Not... my ginger bastard" I gasped before, lying on the floor sobbing with pain

"Right, where is he?" Peter roared

I dragged myself forwards and grabbed his ankle bringing him down, Peter kicked out catching me square in the face, I heard my nose crack as it broke and the blood poured down my face.

I could see Kerry shielding April from seeing the state of me.

I brought my hand to my face and lay down, I felt like dying.

"April stop crying child and come here" Peter said almost normally

Taking a deep breath I heaved myself to my feet and lurched unsteadily toward Peter, I heard Mickey and Duncan gasp at the state of me.

"You might be able to bully me but I won't let you bully my children" I growled

"You don't know what you're talking about woman" He took a swing at me; it took all my strength to duck the blow and remain on my feet.

My hand found a cutlery knife on the filing cabinet, picking it up I stabbed Peter several times in the shoulder.

"Argh!!" He roared in pain, spinning around, he lashed out at me, catching me across the face, sending me crashing into the filing cabinet.

I lay in a heap on the floor, the pain too much to bear.

I heard Nick Klein's distinctive voice as he saw me lying on the floor, Smithy must have joined him as I heard him say:

"Oh my god! Is she all right?"

Peter was complaining that I had stabbed him as he was dragged away; I instinctively cowered away when a shadow loomed over me.

"Claire? Are you all right?" I heard John's soft scouse voice as he took hold of my hand

"It's gonna be all right babe, don't worry" I flinched as John tucked my hair behind me.

The last thing I remember was John squeezing my hand before everything went black.


Another Author Note: There is a sequel to come so look out for it, it's called Coming Round