"Sir?" Hopkins hurried to catch up with the man before he left for home.

Lestrade paused, waiting. "What is it, Hopkins?"

Belatedly Hopkins realized the other Inspector probably thought the reason Hopkins was stopping him was work related. "Oh, I was just wondering something." Hopkins grimaced at his own wording as Lestrade continued walking.

It was a block later that Hopkins realized Lestrade was waiting for him to say more.

"Well, It's just, there's this girl…" Hopkins broke off, embarrassed. Determined, he tried again. "I think I, you know, love her, maybe."

Lestrade didn't reply, and Hopkins had used of his store of courage for the day. He wondered what he had been thinking, going to Lestrade for advice. He wondered if he were going mad.

"Never mind, sir, it's silly." He said quickly, sorry he had even brought it up.

Lestrade stopped, and turned to study the younger man.

"You were still small when your father died, weren't you?" He finally asked.

"Yes, sir." Hopkins nodded, wondering what that had to do with anything.

"Just Lestrade is fine." The man corrected. "We may call you 'Lad' and 'Boy,' but you aren't, really. Haven't been for some time."

Hopkins remained silent, considering this.

Lestrade was grateful for the silence; he was trying to figure out what to say.

"If you think you care about her, Hopkins, do something about it. If it works out, then you've gained something wonderful. If it doesn't, at least now you know. Either is better than wondering about it for the rest of your life."

Hopkins stared at the other Inspector. He wondered if he were dreaming. "Anything else?" He finally asked.

Lestrade considered. "Yes. A good relationship takes work. It also takes trust, sacrifice, compromise, patience, understanding, forgiveness, and love."

For some reason, Hopkins was surprise, even if he shouldn't have been. It was just strange to hear Lestrade talk about, well-

"Love?" He couldn't stop himself from asking. The man's relationship with his wife always seemed so formal. "Do you love your wife, sir?" He flushed as soon as he said it, and stammered an awkward apology.

Lestrade simply shrugged it off. Then he did the strangest thing He answered the question.

"Yes, I love my wife, Hopkins. I love her dearly."

Hopkins was silent for a few minutes, thinking. "Thanks." He said at last.

Lestrade shrugged uncomfortably. Then he gave the younger man a shove. "Now I am not about to start acting like a father figure, so don't even think about it." He declared.

For a moment Hopkins was completely lost. Then he remembered Sweeney, and Baker, and Smith. All of them had taken Lestrade's usual welcome to your first night on the beat lecture and turned the Inspector into some sort of hero. It had nearly driven the man to distraction, and had taken Bradstreet, Jones, and Gregson to get them to lay off Lestrade.

Hopkins wondered if Lestrade were actually old enough to be his father. To be honest, there was no telling with the man.

"Well, anyway, thanks." He finally said. "See you later, si- Lestrade."