Part four of the series, along with Half Hearted Love Affairs, Not Always Out Of Reach, and I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. This story follows on from there…

Goodnight, Godbless.

"Nff!"

Smithy fought hard not to laugh, gathering Charlie in his arms as he pulled her towards his chest, holding her in his lap.

"Nff!" Charlie barked, trying to talk, settling for cupping Smithy's face in her hands, giving him a sleepy smile, promptly sneezing.

"...Thanks for that." Smithy passed her a tissue, kissing her forehead as Charlie shifted and settled in his lap, practically curling into a ball, gripping his jumper tightly and yawning.

"Ify." She yawned again, pushing her face into his neck, her arm curling around his neck as she tried to sleep. "Uff Nuu."

"Love you too." Smithy chuckled softly, stroking her hair, frowning at her raised temperature and ragged breathing. "You want me to-."

"Ooo!" Charlie shook her head, coughing hard. "I –neee!"

"You're not fine." Smithy sighed and all but cradled her, wrapping the blanket around her tighter as she fell asleep, putting the TV on softly to see the football results, glancing occasionally at the small dark haired bundle on his knee.

"Missus still chockablock?"

Smithy nodded, yawning as he slouched in the canteen chair, "She was tossing and turning all night…"

"Oh aye?" Dan smirked, shovelling a forkful of chips into his mouth. "Thought she was ill?"

"She is." Smithy narrowed his eyes and glared at Dan, causing him to frown and dip his head to avoid the glare.

Roger watched the exchange, hiding his smirk behind his cup.

"She says thanks for passing it on by the way," Smithy's glare darkened and he continued glaring at Dan who blushed slightly.

"Typical Danny-Boy, suffers from chronic foot in mouth disease.

Smithy just sneered and stood up, stalking out of the canteen, Gina blinking as the sergeant pushed past her.

"Sergeant!" Gina turned to speak to him, Smithy hot-footing it down the corridor and around the corner before she could.

"What's his problem?" Dan pouted, finishing his sandwich.

"Lack of sleep?" Leela answered from over her cup, causing Dan and Roger to exchange glances and snigger, "Boys!" she tutted, sighing.

"Get it away!" Charlie shrieked a week later, hiding behind Smithy and peering over his shoulder. "DALE!"

Smithy rolled his eyes and brandished his work shoe, pulling it back as he dropped it over the spider attempting the marathon across the kitchen, killing it.

"You squashed it!" Charlie blinked and peered down at the small body decorating the kitchen tiles.

"What did you want me to do? Stun it and sent it for care in the community?"

Charlie squinted at the remains of the spider, looking up at Smithy. "Poor Bob…"

"Bob?" Smithy said dryly. "…Bob the spider?"

Charlie nodded solemnly, her expression deadly serious. "He could have had a family of little Bob's."

"…You have got to get out more."

"I would!" Charlie pouted and leant against the counter, passing Smithy a wedge of kitchen roll, moving from the door to allow him to flush Bob to his final resting place, "But Gina won't let me back in the station till I've been to the doctors tomorrow."

"Can you blame her?" Smithy returned from the bathroom, grinning as Charlie slapped his arm. "I wouldn't let you in either!"

Charlie pouted and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up at him. "I'm better now…"

"I don't want your germs." Smithy chuckled and kissed her forehead, "And neither do the others."

"Well…" Charlie looked thoughtful as she reasoned it through, nodding. "If the male side of the force had the flu, they'd all be dying…"

"Oi!" Smithy wriggled his eyebrow and patted her backside. "I hardly-"

"Who gave me it in the first place?"

"Dan…"

"Who gave Dan it?"

Smithy looked sheepish and shrugged. "Mickey…"

"You!" Charlie kissed his forehead. "I've got it from you, Mickey and Dan – none of you were able to look after yourself, Dan was living on lager and pizza, Mickey thought it was the end of the world, and you were convinced you were hallucinating!"

Smithy smirked, returning Charlie's soft kiss. "You did look like Kelly Brook…"

"Dale!"

"…Only prettier."

"Good boy!" Charlie smirked and tweaked his cheek, pulling back to start cooking, Smithy smirking in response as he sat at the dining table.

"What time you going tomorrow?"

"Uh, when I can." Charlie glanced over her shoulder. "I want to get in and seen as soon as possible so I can get back to Gina and hopefully start tomorrow."

Smithy nodded, leaning across for the paper. "Would have thought you'd be glad of the time off…"

"I would be if you were off too…" Charlie pouted and reached in the cupboard in front of her. "There's only so much daytime TV I can watch without wanting to kill myself with a spoon."

"A spoon?"

"Trust me-" Charlie waved a ladle in front of his face. "It's preferable to 'I shagged my brother's dead wife's spirit and now I'm possessed by the soul of Cliff Richard' chat shows."

"…You don't have a brother."

"DALE!"