Chapter 5

"Stace." Smithy called out to his sister, as he let himself in. Sighing deeply he shut the door behind him. He was tired and worried about what Dan had told him earlier that day, and how Stacey had reacted when he had questioned her about things.

He was pulled out of this thoughts by laughter coming from the lounge, frowning slightly he headed to the room, finding PC Dan Casper and his sister sharing a joke. Feeling a presence in the room the two officers looked up.

"Hey Smithy. How was your day?" Stacey greeted her brother, getting up and hugging him. Dale hugged her tightly back, glancing over at Dan.

"I better be getting off" Dan said standing and avoiding his sergeant's eyes.

"Oh ok. Thanks for tonight" Stacey grinned following him to the door.

"That's ok. I'll see you tomorrow" he smiled. Smithy watched on as they shared a kiss, before Stacey shut the door on him. She glanced up at her brother and sighed inwardly. She knew what was coming.

"You all right?" she asked him heading back into the lounge.

"Yeah. So you and PC Casper and item now?" Smithy questioned.

"For god sake Dale you aren't on duty now. But it answer to your question I guess me and Dan are" Stacey replied.

"Ok…right. We need to talk" Smithy said sitting down on a chair, while Stacey flopped down on the sofa.

"Yeah? What about?" Stacey asked.

"About today. Stacey I know there is something going on" Dale said firmly.

"And so what if there is? What's it go to do with you?" Stacey fired back at him. Smithy was slightly taken aback by her tone, but pulled himself together quickly.

"Because you are my sister. And you are all I have Stace, you know that. I know you never got on with mum and Dad either" Smithy said softly. Stacey glared at her brother, as a wave of emotions swept through her bringing with them a load of pain.

"You're right I didn't, but I couldn't get away from it, unlike you Dale I couldn't run! We were there for each other, and then you left! You went off to the army, you ran. You left me" Stacey screamed, shaking with every single bit of emotion that was rushing through her. Smithy watched his baby sister, guilt flooding through his whole soul, as he realized all the hurt he had caused the one person he always held close to him.

"Stacey…I am so so sorry" Dale told her getting up and going to hug her.

"Get off me…you want to know why I wont talk to you? Well now you know. You broke that trust the day you ran Dale" she cried, turning on her heel and racing to her room. She slammed the door behind her and burst into uncontrollable tears.

Smithy sank back into his seat, not even bothering to stop his tears falling. She was right he had run, and now he was paying for being a coward. Stacey was in trouble and because he has selfishly thought of himself, he couldn't help her, she wouldn't let him in. Because he had walked away from pain instead of facing it, he had lost the most important person to him. He had lost his sister.