Anywhere But There

Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: 'The Bill' characters depicted in this story is copyrighted to Thames Television/Pearson Corp

The room was dimly lit, only a small table lamp illuminated the room. Andrea sat on her king-size bed, tucked up underneath the thick, soft duvet. Reading a book she'd brought as an university student. Pride And Prejudice.

The book about the man who didn't seem to be the one for her - the opposite of her type, but became the man of her dreams and prayers. Much like Neil she thought. But there was no way Neil was an eligible bachelor.

Minutes and chapters passed, eyelids blinked and cars in the distance drove passed.

All was quiet and peaceful, until she heard a load electric buzzing sound, it was her intercom. Some selfish person wanted her attention, this late at night. She picked herself out of bed and slowly glided over to the intercom set on her wall.

"Hello, who is it?" Andrea asked, hoping they had a rightfully adequate answer.

"It's me, Neil… can I come up?" Andrea sighed, they didn't have a good reason to be there.

Andrea pressed the button that allowed him in, and opened her front door, waiting in the doorframe she saw Neil running up the stairs in twos. Holding a bunch of flowers,

"Hello, these…these are for you." Neil held out the bunch of purple and yellow flowers.

"Iris', how did you know I liked them?" Andrea asked as she held them, she hadn't forgiven him completely, but this was a pretty good start, but she remembered, she was suppose to be angry at him - so she turned cold.

"Can I come in?" Neil innocently asked, Andrea placed the flowers down on the nearby corner table.

"Why?"

"So we can talk."

"We talked yesterday, about everything… you know that think you said. That I say one thing, then do another… I hate to break it to you - but that's not me, it's you! You told me that you understood, and that you would let me get this one thing, then we would be together - I asked if you were sure that you were alright and you said that you was…." Neil shuffled uncomfortably, knowing what was coming, as Andrea continued.

" Then suddenly, when I was on the phone to a man that had helped me get some information, you planted a remark that was totally out of order, then you went off on one! You're the one that's a hypocrite, not me!"

Just then, Ann from the flat next to Andrea poked her head out from her door,

"Andrea, sorry but it's late - could you keep the noise down?" Andrea sighed and dropped her head in her hands, lifting them she sounded muffled as she talked.

"Yes, sorry Ann, good night." Ann left the couple to it, and Neil gave Andrea a look that told her he wasn't going to move. Andrea gestured for Neil to come into her flat,

"You better come in, but we are just talking!"