Football Fever
Chapter 2 - England v Trinidad & Tobago

Things weren't going quite so well for Samantha and Stuart though. Stuart was still disappointed that Sam had chosen to spend the previous evening with a group of colleagues rather than be alone with him. It seemed like the cracks in their relationship were appearing already. Sam was having similar doubts too, she was hurt that Stuart had walked out on her the night before even though she knew she couldn't blame him entirely as she had changed their plans at the last minute without asking him first. Still, Sam was wondering exactly where their relationship was going and if it was heading for disaster like all of her previous ones.

"Morning Sam." Phil smiled at her as he walked up to his desk.

"Heya." Sam replied, receiving a glare from Stuart. When Phil had gone Sam turned to Stuart.

"We need to talk, don't we?"

Stuart's shurg was non commital. "If you say so."

Sam was shocked, she thought Stuart genuinely cared about her but now he didn't seem to be bothered at all. For a moment she didn't quite know how to reply and instead she got up and walked briskly out of the room.

"Is she okay?" Phil asked Stuart as he saw Sam leave.

Stuart shrugged again.

"Aren't you going to find out?"

When Stuart shrugged again, Phil got up and tried to catch up with Sam.

"Sam!" He called, gently taking her arm. She spun around expecting to see Stuart but she was surprised and hurt when it wasn't.

"Phil?"
"Are you okay?" He asked.

Sam sighed, that was a good question.

Zain and Suzie arrived at work late the next morning as they'd had to take Suzie's car to the garage. A few people looked up as they walked into CID, not many of them noticed that they had arrived together but a few had seen Zain and Suzie leaving in the same car the night before. They weren't paid detectives for nothing.

Suzie went over to her desk and smiled at Kezia as she sat down.

"So what happened with you and Zain last night?" She asked, clearly she wasn't going to be a Trainee DC for long Suzie thought.

"Nothing." Suzie lied.

"Aww come on Suze, I saw you going off in his car last night after you left the Pub." Kezia pressed for more information, knowing she wasn't being told the whole story.

"My car broke down, he was giving me a lift home." Suzie explained.

"Never heard it called that before." Kezia muttered before receiving a glare from Suzie. "Sorry." She smiled. "What are we working on today?"

Relieved that Kezia had finally moved off the topic of her and Zain they got down to work.

"Was it me or were you just flirting with Sergeant Smith?" Yvonne Hemmingway asked Kerry on their refs break.

"I was not." Kerry replied. "Damn, was it that obvious?" She asked afterwards in a quieter voice.

Yvonne nodded slowly. "Sorry hon, but it really was!"

"Great!" Kerry sighed, stirring some sugar into her coffee.

"I shouldn't worry about it." Yvonne told her. "He's definitely interested in you."

"You think so?" Kerry asked, looking up hopefully at her friend.

"I know so." Yvonne smiled before taking a bite out of her bacon sarnie.

"Smithy?" Kerry called out after him in the corridor later on.

"Kerry." He smiled, turning round to face her. "What can I do for you?"

Kerry smiled too. "I wondered if you fancied going for a drink sometime?"

"Yeah sure, how about Thursday?" He asked.

"Yeah cool." Kerry tried not to be too keen but she was glad that he had said yes.

"Yes, I'll be home tonight. Yes, by seven if I can. No promises though Pippa, I'm sorry you know what my job is like."

Neil heard his wife's protests on the end of the phone but he was used to them now. If it wasn't for Jake, Neil knew he would have left Philippa a long time ago.

"Is Jake there?" He asked.

"Yeah, he's just got home from school."

Philippa passed the phone to her and Neil's five year old son Jake.

"Heya Jakey." Neil said, his voice filled with the enthusiasm that it lacked whenever he spoke to his estranged wife.

"Hi Daddy." Jake said, the joy of speaking to his father obvious from his voice.

Andrea Dunbar, who had been working on a case with CID passed the door and heard Neil's voice. Her curiosity made her open the door a crack, hoping that no one would notice as they were all busy at work. Andrea crept into the room and from the expression on his face she could tell that he was having an animated conversation with his young son. Andrea couldn't help but smile at the obvious joy his son brought to Neil. He had told her himself that Jake was the only thing that stopped his marriage to Philippa falling apart completley.

Thursday was the next match of the World Cup 2006 and the relief and CID at Sun Hill Police Station decided to stage a repeat of the last match. At seven o'clock they were all assembled in the Canley Arms.

Smithy felt guilty for arranging to meet Kerry on the night of the match, he knew she wanted them to spend some time alone together and he did too so he hoped she wouldn't mind watching football first. To make up for it Smithy had secured them a table in a more private corner or the Pub where he could see the big screen television and have some privacy with Kerry at the same time.

"I'm really sorry about this." He apologised at half time.

"About what?" Kerry asked, putting down her empty wine glass and looking into his green eyes.

"Well this is hardly private is it?" He replied.

"No but it's okay. I'm enjoying it." She smiled.

"Fair enough but I insist on taking you for dinner tomorrow night."

Kerry didn't argue, why would she?

"Could Stuart not make it tonight?" Phil asked gently as he moved to stand next to Samantha.

Sam shook her head, after their fight on Tuesday Stuart and Sam had been avoiding each other at all costs. Phil, who had never wanted them to be together wished it could have happened some other way, he hated seeing Sam so upset. He wasn't sure if Sam and Stuart were still together or not and he didn't like to press the issue because he knew that it would only hurt her more.

"Do you want to come and share a table with, Zain, Suzie and me?" He asked gently, noticing that had been alone until he had found her.

"Yeah okay." Sam gave him a weak smile.

She followed him over to table that he had been sharing with their colleagues and she took a seat between Phil and Suzie. Sam wasn't really a football fan and tonight she really couldn't be enthusiastic about the game and was beginning to wonder why she'd come at all. She hated the feeling of being alone in her house but being with a crowd of people didn't stop her feeling any less lonely.

"You going home already?" Andrea asked, as Neil made his way towards the door.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry Andrea but I've got to get back. I'll never hear the end of it if I miss Jake's bedtime and I know he really wants to watch the football."

"I understand." Andrea smiled.

"Thank you, that means a lot." Neil replied. "Walk with me to my car." It wasn't a question, it was statement.

Andrea followed Neil outside to his car.

"I'll call you tomorrow." He promised as he kissed her before getting into his car.

"You'd better." Andrea replied with a fake smile, she sighed as she watched him drive away and not even the cheer from inside the pub could lift her spirits.

Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, I'm glad you're liking it! Please keep reviewing! There will be some more of each of the pairings in the next chapter! Thanks to Lornz and Babybel for helping with the brainstorming! Luv, Vikki xxx