Andrea woke up, to find an arm around her waist, she turned over to find Neil fast asleep, lying next to her on top of the bed duvet in the same cloths as the previous night. She turned to look at the clock, it was 4:30 in the morning. She gently eased her self out from under is arm and climbed out of bed and pulled the throw rug over Neil, and walked across to bedroom door, she stopped in the door way and turned to look at him, and smiled to herself that he was here. She turned on a light and the kitchen slowly came into focus, although she had, had a good night sleep, she had woken up quite suddenly, all she could remember was dozing of in Neil's arms and the next thing a flash back, a bang as loud as a cannon and Chris shouting her name. The next she had remember was waking up suddenly. She pulled open a cupboard and found the coffee and a packet of aspirin.
Neil: Coffee, at this time in the morning.
She jumped at his voice and turned to see Neil standing in the door way.
Andrea: Yeah well, I would have made tea, but that would mean stretching to the top shelf, sorry if I woke you.
Neil: It's OK, I'm surprised you even managed to sleep.
Andrea: So was I, Coffee?
Neil: Go on then, If your going to be for the rest of the night under the influence of caffeine, I might as well keep you company.
She smiled vaguely, and poured out to cups, and placed them on the kitchen table and they sat down. Neil took a sip of his and looked at her, as she sat staring into her cup.
Neil: Are you OK?
Andrea: Yeah
The high patchiness of her voice wasn't convincing.
Neil: Really?
Andrea: I don't now.
He got up and put his arms around.
Andrea: I can't do this along.
Neil: Your not along look, You've Chris and Becky, Yvonne, Honey ... and me.
Andrea: Yeah when your wife's away.
She didn't mean to snap at him
Neil: Andrea you now, that's not true but I've got to be care full.
Andrea: Here we go again. This all comes back to you, have you noticed a paten here, were on one big rollercoaster ride and we keep coming back to the same place.
She stood up and walked over to the window, as she could fell anger build up in her, she didn't want to fight not with him and her head was thumping.
Neil: I love you and I want to help you, but I can't if you keep shutting me out!
Andrea: How can I when you run away ever five seconds!
They was silence as they turned away from each other not wanting to turn this into a full scale argument.
Neil: Are you going to report it?
The question took her by surprise, a few seconds ago they were about to break into an argument over there relationship, maybe him catching her by surprise might make her decision different. She looked at him.
Andrea: I've got a headache
She picked up a glass, the packet of aspirin and walked into the bathroom.
Neil: Well?
She didn't look at him, as he came into the door way, instead she turned on the tape to fill her glass.
Andrea: You can't force me to do the right thing.
Neil: I want him caught.
Andrea: Why because it'll look good in the papers or so you can score brownie points with the DCI.
Neil: No, I want him caught for what he did to you.
Andrea: Yeah well guess what Neil, this isn't all about you.
She looked down at her over flowing glass, a second later the slamming of her bedroom door echoed around the room. She looked up and blinked tears out of her eyes. As the clock rolled by, they staid in there sperate rooms, she in the living room, he in the bedroom. They loved each other but sometimes, like all couples do they don't agree on certain things. By the time it had rolled round to nine, the sun was streaming threw the gap in the curtain, when Neil appeared, freshened up and fully dressed, tie and jacket.
Neil: I've got to go to work, you sure your OK?
Andrea: Yep
Neil: I can stay if you want
Andrea: No your OK
Neil: I could call Rebecca
Andrea: NEIL I'M FINE.
She snapped, they looked at each other.
Neil: Fine.
He turned and and walked towards the front door.
Andrea: I'm sorry.
He stud still and slowly turned to look at her.
Andrea: I now you want me to do the right thing, but this is my problem.
She got up of the sofa and walked towards him.
Neil: I just care about you that's all.
Andrea: I no, that's what I love about you.
He smiled, they looked in each others eyes and he slowly went forward to kiss her, there lips were centimeters apart when she turned her head and he kissed her check. She wasn't ready not yet. He stood back a little embarrassed.
Andrea: You'd better go, our your going to be late.
Neil: I'll see you latter.
She nodded and he left.
Becky: Gov?
Neil turned on the stairs to see Becky coming up behind her.
Becky: How's Andrea? Did you talk to her.
Neil: Yeah
Becky: Did she tell you what happened.
She was treading careful in case she hadn't
Neil: Yeah
Becky: And is she going to report it?
She said it in a rush, thinking it wouldn't sound such a painful topic if she said it fast.
Neil: No.
Becky let out a sigh of annoyance pass her lips.
Neil: I now.
He lent against the banister, he was obviously frustrated so Becky watched her back, she new what the DI was like when he was in a rage.
Neil: I've tried persuading her, but you now what she's like.
Becky: (Smile) Yeah -
She nealt on the banister next to him.
Becky: - proud and stubborn, and I wouldn't have my best friend any other way.
She glanced at him and saw a trace of a smile.
Becky: Look she's bee threw a lot recently but she'll get threw it, you both will.
It felt strange, talking relationship advice from on of his PC's but he was grateful all the same.
Adam: Neil!
They both jumped and turned to see the Supt looking down at them from the first floor a little surprised to she his DI having a calm conversation with a PC.
Adam: When you've got a minute (he made a head jester towards his office) PC Smith.
Becky: Sir.
He disappeared, and Neil looked at Becky
Neil: Thanks
Becky: You'll get threw this, if you love her, you'll be fine.
He gave her one final smile and walked up the remaining steps. He had his foot on the top step, when she had a sudden thought.
Becky: Eh Neil!
She was taken a back by herself, she had never called him Neil before, he turned also surprised.
Becky: Em about the other day.
He had a sudden stern look upon him.
Becky: Well I'm sorry about the things I said, I was upset because of Andrea and I took it out on you which, I shouldn't have done, because your my senior officer and it's between you and Andrea and it's got nothing to do with me and -
She stopped when she realized she was rambling on.
Becky: Well what I'm basically trying to say is, am I going to be put on report?
He studied her for a minute trying not to laugh.
Neil: No I'm not.
She let out a sigh of relief
Neil: On one condition.
She looked worried.
Neil: You bring me a brew, tea white one sugar.
She smiled and walked of towards the Supt's office. Maybe Andrea was right, maybe the DI wasn't so bad after all.
The sound of the front door closing and Neil's voice grabbed Andrea's attention, she walked out into the hall to find him standing there and she walked into his embrace.
Neil: How you feeling.
Andrea: A bit better.
She walked into the living room, with him at her heels
Andrea: A lot better actually.
She turned to face him.
Andrea: Look about before -
But he cut her office
Neil: Look I'm sorry about that -
Andrea: No you were right, I wasn't thinking about you, if we are going to be together, then it's about both of us not just me, and I was being selfish.
Neil: No you weren't I was the one who was pushing you and I don't want you doing anything you don't want to.
There was silence for a minute then.
Andrea: I didn't ask for this to happen to me but it did and I don't want anybody else going threw what I have, I couldn't live with my self if he did it again and I knew I could have done something about it.
Neil's heart rose a little, was she saying what he thought she was saying?
Andrea: That's why I've decided to go threw with the allegation.
His heart leapt with relief.
Andrea: But there is one condition.
Neil: Which is.
Andrea: If I do, I need you to be with me, and I mean it, no running off to Phillippa when it gets tough and no more excuses, I can't do this without you and if your going to bail out -
Neil: I'm not going to go anywhere.
He walked forwards and pulled her into his arms and kissed her on top of her head.
Neil: I promise, were going to get threw this.
She smiled into his shirt.
Neil: I love you
Andrea: I love you too.