A/N: Well, so much for a break. My new pet-hate is uni which is annoying since I actually live there full-time. Ok, rant over. The updates on this might not be as fast as I'd like now but they will be regular. Thanks for being patient.

Voices hushing as she walked into rooms wasn't a new occurrence, it came with the status of being a CID officer among PCs yet there was something about the way Amber Johanssen and Honey Harman's mouths clamped shut which made her suspicions rise. 'Everything alright?'

'Yes, Sarge,' they answered in unison.

The little she had heard approaching the door indicated that was a blatant lie. 'I thought I heard you mention Sheelagh Murphy.'

Amber sniggered.

Her defences well and truly up, she answered sharply, 'I suppose I said something amusing.'

'No, Sarge, it's just...' Honey faltered slightly.

'There's a rumour going round,' put in Amber. 'We just wondered where Sheelagh was.'

Sam frowned with something of an inkling of where this was going. 'She's eight months pregnant, probably at home.'

'And where's home?'

'Sorry?'

'It's true she's living with you isn't it?'

For a moment she considered a plain lie yet that was an avoidance of her relationship more than anything else- she thought that a little unforgivable. 'What's your point?'

'Nothing, Sarge,' said Honey hurriedly. 'It's nothing to do with us.'

'No, it's not.'

'But...' Amber said slowly. 'You are sleeping with her, right?'

That almost caused her to show some emotion. One quick composition act later and she snorted. 'Is that what you think, PC Johanssen?'

The young woman shrugged. 'It's what I heard.'

'Tell me, Amber, do you ever plan to make CID?'

Leaving it at that, Sam made her exit. Once out in the corridor though she allowed herself a moment of breathing time.

For a few months now she'd been eavesdropping on the gossip mongers to check who the hot topic of conversation was- it hadn't been at all a surprise when she'd whisked by the office only to hear Sheelagh under discussion. What had been surprising was that no one had cottoned on sooner. It wasn't as though they were being particularly secretive, what would be the point in that? But one thing that worried Sam was the fact that Sheelagh took gossip to heart and with less than a month to the birth... Well, keeping Sheelagh calm was her priority. At that moment though she wasn't sure how to accomplish that.

Of course, usually she knocked. If anyone understood the desperate craving for privacy it was Sheelagh. Just once in a while when the kids were younger she loved her own space, she knew she should've kept in mind that Abigail, as a young parent, might need the same consideration. Since the door was ajar, however, she just walked straight in.

Abi was sleeping on top of the bed covers while Belinda fussed quietly in her cot by the window. A thin ray of sunshine drifted over the bed and Abigail's legs and a... Sheelagh stepped forward an inch to reiterate... Yes, a snake of blood was slithering onto the blue duvet, coming from, undoubtably, the twenty or so small cuts on the young woman's left arm.

Unsure what to do, Sheelagh retreated back into her bedroom.

'You wanted to see me, Guv?'

Jack Meadows looked up, his frown at being interrupted disappearing almost immediately. 'Yeah. Sit down, Samantha.'

It wasn't very often that the DCI worried her but as he sat back with his arms crossed over his chest her concern started to rise. 'Is there a problem?'

'You and Sheelagh Murphy,' he said bluntly. 'You're the hot topic of conversation round here.'

Considering the altercation with Amber and Honey three hours earlier it was no surprise. Though this was fast even by Sun Hill standards. 'Oh?'

'It's true then?'

'What have you heard?' she countered.

'You're living with her.'

'That's no secret.' After waiting pointlessly for him to continue in his interrogation, she added, 'And, yes, I'm in love with her.'

He shrugged. 'It's nothing to do with me, as long as you're happy. What concerns me is the effect on certain officers.'

She smiled diligently. 'DI Manson's known for three months, he hasn't got a problem with it.'

'How did he..?'

'It's a long story.'

'Fair enough. Well, then, that's settled. Back to work!'

It had taken Sheelagh an age to work out her course of action. Discovering Abigail was self-harming wasn't a surprise in itself- for the last few months the young woman had been a growing concern on Sheelagh's part, perhaps just because she had been around to notice the slightly erratic behaviour and mood swings. Selfishly, though, she had avoided the issue and Sam, either working or panicking about the impended arrival had missed it completely. In one way that had probably made things worse for Abi. These things were a cry for help after all.

So, after some deliberation, Sheelagh had dug out the number of an old friend from her nursing days who had moved into specialist counselling. Her plan was to deal with this by excluding Sam. No offence meant to her girlfriend but Samantha would probably fly off the handle- blame Abi- and that wasn't what was needed. Diplomacy, something Sam used on occasion, had to come into play.

With this in mind, Sheelagh seated herself at the table with a cup of tea, all ready to confront her stepdaughter. However, the first person to come through the door wasn't Abigail, it was Sam. 'Hiya.'

Sheelagh rearranged her face into a smile to receive her kiss. 'You're early.'

'Well, I'm a good copper.'

'And entirely modest. Good day?'

'Erm...' Sam sat beside her. 'I'm not sure.'

Knowing that look from old, Sheelagh braced herself. 'What's happened now?'

'We're officially the latest bit of station gossip. I caught Amber and Honey talking ealier and Jack called me in for a word.'

'Oh...' Sheelagh digested that. 'Is it a problem for anyone? Jack?'

'You know Jack, he's everybody's dad. Just wants a smooth machine with happy worker-elves.'

'You make it sound so sweet.'

'It is,' Sam answered with a smile. 'Anyway, I know it's not the ideal time what with the baby...'

'Don't fuss. We knew it was bound to happen.'

'You're taking this well.'

'Frankly, I don't care what Amber Johanssen or Roger Valentine think about my life. It's mine to mess up as I please.'

'Mess up?' repeated Sam. 'The faith you've got's remarkable.'

'Shush,' Sheelagh replied, kissing her lightly as Abigail sauntered into the kitchen, Belinda on her hip. 'Hi, you two.'

Abi smiled broadly. 'Hiya. Say 'hi', Bel.'

Belinda gurgled and coughed.

'Do you want me to take her?' Samantha offered, standing.

'Cheers, Mum.' After handing her daughter over Abi took a bottle of juice from the fridge. 'This is what she wants , I think.'

Watching the two generations of Nixons struggling together, Sheelagh asked, 'Everything alright, Abi?'

The blonde smiled again. 'Perfect. Thanks.'