The photos lay on the table, this time it was the pair of them leaving Smithy's flat. They didn't go there often. Smithy had never said it but Cienna knew he didn't want her to sleep in the same bed he had shared with Kerry. Cienna wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. This time there were target marks around Smithy's head, the writing was on the back 'He doesn't love you.'
'I need a shower,' Cienna started to get up.
'Ci,' Smithy grabed her arm, 'we'll get him.'
Cienna forced a smile as she went into the bathroom and locked the door.
Cienna didn't cry easily but she could feel the tears coming, why had he said that, what she needed him to say was that he did love her. Sensitivity wasn't Smithy's strong point. And she had all those nagging doubts about him and Kerry.
Smithy sat with his head in his hands, why had he said that? Why hadn't he told her he loved her, he did love her. When she came out of the shower he'd tell her, he knew she needed to hear it.
-----
Cienna went straight to the bedroom to get dressed, Smithy followed her in.
'Do you mind?' she asked, 'you tend to make getting dressed difficult!'
She didn't want him to speak she was too scared of what he might say. Smithy took the hint and jumped into the shower himself. When he had dressed he walked into the living room to find her looking at the pictures again. He slid his arms around her waist and wispered in her ear,
'I do love you, you know that don't you?' he kissed her neck as she turned around to face him.
'I love you too,' Smithy ignored the fact that she hadn't answered his question as she kissed him.
------
After parade they went up to Okaro's office, Smithy threw the envelope on to his desk,
'I doubt there's any point sending them to forensics for all the help they've been, if it is a copper they'd know to wear gloves.'
'I know you're frustrated Sergeant,' Adam replied, 'but everyone is doing their best.'
'Cienna,' Jack started, 'we think it'd be best if you stayed within the station when you're on duty.'
'WHAT! You're joking right?!' she stared at Jack as if he'd grown another head.
'This is your doing isn't it?' she turned to Smithy.
'It was my suggestion, yes,' he knew better that to lie to her.
'But it's for your own safety,' he added hoping she'd forgive him.
'No one is going to do anything while we're at work! None of the photos have been taken at work.' she wasn't going to be confined without a fight.
'None the less I feel it is an appropriate step,' Adam said with a tone that told Cienna it was an order.
'I take it Smithy is confined as well?' it wasn't really a question.
'We don't believe he is in any danger, so no that's not neccesary at this point in time,' Adam said quietly.
'Fine,' Cienna got up and went to the door, 'l think that finding whoever is sending those photos is an appropriate step though don't you!' she walked out slaming the door.
'l'll talk to her,' Smithy said following her out.
-----
Usually Cienna avoided the female locker room whenever possible, there was usually a conversation going on that she just couldn't understand. Yesterday it had been Honey and Kerry going on about their hair color! Cienna didn't understand why they would even bother dying it let alone have a conversation about it. Because Cienna didn't get involved in the conversations very often she was always the last to get any gossip if she ever got it at all, again what was the point of knowing about peoples private life? As far as she was concerned she knew too much about the people who were the victims, offenders or just somehow caught up in an incident. She didn't care about what her colleagues did outside of work, she didn't care much what they did in work either as most of them seemed to bring their personal lives to work. All hell had broken loose when they'd found out about her and Smithy, Yvonne was beside herself that she hadn't seen it and Cienna hadn't confided in her about it. Cienna asked why she needed to know, Yvonne just gave her a blank look back. That was an answer in itself.
Cienna was only in the female locker room at all because theoretically Smithy wouldn't find her there, or at least if he did he wouldn't be able to come in. That was the theory anyway.
'Hiding?' she hadn't even heard Smithy come in.
'You're not supposed to be in here,' she told him.
'Anyone object to a bloke being in here?' he shouted, no answer, no one else was in there.
'Looks like it's OK,' he told her, he was such a git when he wanted to be.
'Leave me alone,' sutble wasn't working so she tried direct.
'No,' he sat down next to her, 'we need to talk.'
'Liar,' she turned away from him, 'you want to treat me like a kid, well guess what, keeping me inside isn't the answer.' She pulled away from him as he tried to put his arms around her. 'No,' she told herself, 'l'm not going to give into him.'
'What's next l'm not allowed to go anywhere without an escort?' she knew she was being out of line but didn't really care.
'You obviously don't trust anyone to look after me, so what you gonna do, be with me 24, 7?' any other time that might have been a nice idea. Or maybe not she was too independant for that, it was one of the reasons Smithy never paired to two of them together. On the odd day they did work together they hated it because they were in each other pockets. It was one of the reasons she hadn't asked him to move in, yet.
'lf you'll excuse me,' she got up, 'l need to find out where l'm working tonight because apparently l can't look after myself!'
Cienna pushed past him and walked out towards Gina's office.
Smithy sighed and headed for his office, he'd try again later. He could understand how she was feeling, if the circumstances were reversed he'd feel the same. But somehow he'd convince her he did it because he loved her.