Hi everyone!

I'm going to mention Sasha, the woman that Richard was in love with at University. This happened in the tv show, in the last episode with Richard. They mention her... (I won't spoil anything about how that ended horridly, it'll end better in my story!) Anyway, that's the Sasha I mean. I hope I remembered everything correctly...

So Sasha isn't mine, just like the other DIP characters! Kris and Nick are mine... Oeooeoee... What to do with them?!

It's so nice to read your reviews:

Sweepeaspatch: Thank you so much for still being my beta! I got some new inspiration when I started posting this chapter, so I wrote a lot more and might have put some mistakes in there ;S ouch... Hahahaa and you will get MANY MANY details still about Richard and Camille in the cell hahaha. Just not all in this chapter yet...

Alice714: I'm glad you like the flashback part! I pondered about how to do it and how to write. I've used some of it in the coming chapters also. It seems better to me then just letting a character ''tell'' us what happened... But I wasn't sure readers would agree with that one. So I'm glad that you do!

Guest: Thanks so much!

IsabelMC: Yes, very contradictory hahaha. It's Kris, not Kim. Although Kim is a nice name too ofcourse haha. Yes, the humiliation doesn't make sense does it? You'll find out in time though...Thanks!

Guest S: Ahhh thankyou! So sweet that you're checking most weekends!

I had these chapters already written for ages, but had to make a long intro to get Camille and Richard at this moment. And now I can finally play with them further hahahaa... Poor them...

Chapter 34

Police Station

Nick straightened himself. "I need some time." He said without looking at Richard and Camille. He turned around swiftly and left.

Richard looked at Camille with surprise in his eyes.

She shrugged. She understood Nick. She walked towards the small kitchen and boiled some water for Richard.

"I suppose he will be back after the lunch hour is over?" Richard asked as he walked towards Camille.

Camille filled a glass with water and turned towards Richard. She leaned against the counter as her eyes swooped over him. At last they were alone. That had seemed like ages. They hadn't even been able to talk everything that had happened through. Some part of her had the idea that they should, another part told her that things were best to be left alone. And yet another part told her that she couldn't stop running until she found Kris. And when that had happened, then she could go on with her own life, thoughts and other things that might come up. "We'll see."

"We've got a job to do." Richard said sternly. "He can't just go wherever he wants to." This was not the way to do a job!

"He needs time Richard. Let him be." Camille took a sip of water as she studied him.

"What?!" Richard almost barked defensively before she'd even uttered a word. He knew that look. He began to know her better and better. He knew it well enough to expect something to come, something he probably wouldn't like.

"Nothing." Camille mumbled innocently with a heavy French accent.

He frowned. He had picked up on the thickening of her accent. That usually happened when she got emotional. When something touched her deep.

"Do you want some tea?" Camille offered as she took a cup from the cupboard when the water cooker finished.

"Is there something you have to say?" Richard asked suspiciously as he studied her back. She was even making tea for him. Was this a good sign? Or not so much? Had he done something wrong? So much had happened, he couldn't figure out what was on her mind. "You always have to say something... So..."He filled in and regretted it instantly. That hadn't been very nice... He was already on the offensive, so it seemed. He braced himself for what was to come...

Camille shrugged innocently as she turned towards him and smirked. "I don't know... It was kind of a shock finding out that you kissed me while I was unconscious. Not very civil do you think? Not something a gentleman would do." She studied his every move when she spoke.

Richard's nostrils flared. He took the bait immediately. "I did not kiss you!" He hissed at her. Why did he have to go through this again?! He had just specifically told her and the others the truth! Well... Not really the truth... But an interpretation of it.

Camille smiled as she took a sip of her water. "You couldn't hold yourself in could you?" She teased. "Even a witness saw it." She reminded him as her big eyes swooped over his face.

"Now you're just enjoying yourself. Do you think this is all one big joke?"

Her eyes flashed angrily at that as she straightened herself and stepped away from the counter. "Non, this isn't a joke to me Detective Inspector." She snapped as she stalked off towards her desk.

Of course it wasn't a joke to her. He shouldn't have said that. "Camille... I'm-" Richard began, apologizing was still something that was difficult for him to do.

Camille looked up at him as she turned her computer on.

"You know that I'm not good with words!" He suddenly spat out.

Her eyes grew big and both her brows rose as she studied him. "A simple 'sorry' would have been just fine, but-"

"Arrr- The- Hmm... U-" Richard turned red now and it looked like his insides were in a knot he couldn't get out of.

"Calm down Richard. No need to get all worked up. As I was just trying to say; you don't owe me an apology." She focused on her computer screen now.

"G- H- What!?" He managed with a thick throat. He understood nothing of her!

"You were right. I won't joke about it again." Camille promised him seriously. She had just been curious. Had he really kissed her? And she had missed that. She wished she would have been conscious for that! Now wasn't the right time to interrogate him further about this. But she wouldn't let this go. He could count on that.

Richard studied her. She didn't seem to be joking now. Then he gave her a stern nod. Like he would a student who had finally listened. "All right then." He put his arms behind his back as he straightened himself. "Carry on." He walked back towards his desk.

Camille rolled her eyes and shook her head as she studied her computer screen again. "I'm going to put my notes in the computer. Maybe we all need a little time. We haven't had much rest since everything happened."

Richard sighed and nodded as he wanted to sit down but stopped and turned towards her. He took a few paces back to her desk.

Camille looked up from her screen at that. "Was there something else, sir?"

"It's a... I-..." When she had been asleep this morning he had looked up how to comfort someone on his computer. The internet could provide one with many answers, if one knew how to use it that was..."I was wondering..."

"Oui?" Camille urged.

"Err... Yes... Well... Do you... Are you-... Are you in need of comfort right now?" Richard asked clumsily.

Her right brow rose as she tried to read him. "What do you mean?" She asked carefully.

Richard swallowed visibly. "I meant that..." He suddenly didn't know where to put his hands. He put them behind his back again clumsily. "With what's going on with Kris... It's..." No, maybe in his pockets. "Difficult for you... I thought that... I would like..." No, that seemed too nonchalant. He took his hands out of his pockets and put them behind his back again. Where did one leave hands in such a situation? How did she do that? He'd never focused on that. He should, the next time they were in a difficult situation, he should study what Camille did with her hands and her posture. He cleared his throat. "I would like for you to-" He shrugged. Why were words so difficult? "You know..."

Camille shook her head. "Non." She answered slightly amused. "Richard... We've been through enough these last days or weeks even. Just spit it out. It's me, remember?"

Yes, he could remember that it was her. That was the whole problem. "Well I... I read that a hug would give comfort." Now his hands were clammy. Awful! "Just for a moment. And I thought-" He would smell like sweat. This wasn't a good idea at all! "Never mind it's stupid." He turned around. What had he been thinking!? That she'd been in his lap for hours didn't mean that she- That she wanted to touch him or wanted to be in his near vicinity anytime soon... But he had thought... As a friend... To comfort her... Just that, nothing more...

"What? You thought what?" Camille asked confused.

Richard turned towards her again. "I just read that... Most people are comforted by- You know. And if you feel the need to- be comforted, then I could... You know..."

"You would hug me?" She filled in as she studied him.

"Well..."No. Forget about it. She'd reject him. And that was okay. Wasn't it? "I suppose that you can call it that." He was just doing it for her. So it wasn't really rejection. It wasn't like he needed a hug. Or wanted one. "If that would... Soothe you... In this difficult time." Although her warm body against his had felt... Like heaven... And something he really shouldn't think about right now. He wanted that again. No, he couldn't. This wasn't fair towards her. He was acting like a stupid teenage boy! She probably already had enough suitors, she couldn't use another one in her work space who was her senior officer for crying out loud! What was he even thinking?! This was proposteros! It hadn't been her idea to get so close to him. That whole closeness thing had done something to his proffessionalism! No, it hadn't. This was just something friends did. And she was a friend. An important one. He just wanted to be there for her. "If you'd like." He quickly added as he nodded at her.

Camille uttered a laugh shortly. This man really had social issues. "Usually people don't make an appointment to hug, but thanks for the offer."

Richard noticed how her dark eyes became warm. They seemed a dark deep brown now, instead of black. Was that even possible? "You know that I'm not impulsive or that I can't 'feel' when people need such things." He blurted out annoyed.

"Oui, I know. Thanks for the offer. I'll keep it in mind. I just don't feel like hugging or touching anyone right now. I just want to finish my notes, put things in order. And when I have everything in order and clear and we have Kris then I will maybe have time to think about other things."

"But how will you be comforted now?" Richard asked.

"I don't. I don't need comfort. I just need to put my teeth into this case."

"Of course. Right. Yes." He walked back towards his desk. Then that was settled. He'd offered it. Like a friend would do. And that was a good thing, wasn't it? He felt her eyes on him and he met her gaze.

"Thank you." She said in a soft voice as she smiled warmly at him.

He nodded quickly and thought of something else as fast as he could. "Have you heard from Dwayne and Fidel?" He asked in a bussiness-like tone.

"Oui. They're almost ready with interrogating everyone. They think they can come with a full report tomorrow."

Richard nodded. It had seemed best after everything that had happened to sent Dwayne and Fidel to interview all the guests from the party. To find out what they knew, and more importantly, what they knew about the diamonds. Ofcourse the Commissioner had insisted on interviewing the big Fish among the criminals. His focus was on the diamonds. He had more or less ordered Camille and him to focus on finding Kris. And that had felt best to Richard, because he knew that was most important for Camille now. And ofcourse Nick had chosen to help in finding Kris too. Richard sighed deeply.

Camille looked up from her notes and raised an eyebrow.

Richard read a question in there. "It's just so much. So much has happened these last days. It feels like weeks since the party, but it's only yesterday. Can you believe that?" He asked.

"Oui. I feel the same." Camille said softly. She tried to hide her sadness as she focused on the computer screen again.

Richard looked at his whiteboard that stood against the wall. It was still blank. "I haven't put anything up yet. I wanted to wait for you." He explained.

Camille looked from the whiteboard to Richard. It was unusual for him not to run to the board instantly after a case. Instead of doing so this morning, he had waited for her. And that warmed her heart. He'd let her sleep in this morning, made sure her maman was there and had waited with summarizing all they had as of this far. But still, it didn't feel good. "Merci. But I would have preffered you'd woken me up this morning to leave together for work."

Richard cleared his throat. "Yes, I could imagine so. I just made a decision right that moment. I don't think if I'd woken you then, you would still have enough energy right now. This way, we get a lot further then with you being exhausted."

Camille pressed her lips together and then bit her lower lip. She wasn't used to someone caring for her like that. It usually ticked her off, immensily. Her nostrils began to flare as irritation began to boil in the pit of her stomach to make it's way up to her chest. She opened her mouth just as her telephone rang.

Richard breathed out in relief. Even he could sense the tension in her. He studied her face, trying to read off of her what was happening on the other line.

After a few minutes Camille hung up and looked at him. "It was maman." She explained. "She says Nick is in a bad way and asks if we can come for him. He's at la Kaz. She tried to reach Fidel and Dwayne but couldn't."

Richard nodded.

Camille stood up and took her bag as Richard started to follow her but then changed his mind. He stopped in his tracks as he looked up at her. "I'm not sure... If I can be of any use. Maybe you should go alone." He could mull over the case himself. The whole case was a big puzzle.

Camille turned around to face him. "What?" Her gaze flew over his face, reading him automatically. "Why?"

Richard cleared his throat. "Why?" He straightened himself. "Really Camille.. You know that I'm.." He looked away. Didn't dare to meet her gaze. "I'm not that good with emotions and everything." He admitted ruefully.

Camille huffed as she put her hands in her sides. "What? You think he's crying? I don't think so."

"No, but-"

"You're a man."

'Yes?" Richard asked confused. What did that have to do with it?!

"Well? Are you not?"

"Yes, of course I am!" Richard said incredulously. Where was she going with this now? He sometimes could just not follow the logic in that brain of hers... If there even was any logic up there? But somehow... He had to admit, there always was. He just couldn't understand the puzzle she was. She just kept changing the pieces. The woman was complicated. And always would be.

'Maybe Nick needs a man right now." She started walking again. She was too impatient to wait for his slow behavior.

"Camille wait." Richard grabbed her upper arm to stop her. Touching her skin made him tingle all over. He let go off her quickly. Green eyes clashed with dark ones. Was she serious? He wasn't a 'man's' man, the one that drank beers until they fell down and yelled at soccer or some other game.

"You are coming." Camille ordered as she walked towards the Defender purposefully.

"What specifically do you mean with 'man' and 'what he needs'?" Richard asked as he ran after Camille clumsily. "And since when do you give me orders?!" He asked more authoritative.

Camille yanked the door to the Defender open as she gave him a look. "Sometimes men talk easier to men."

"O yes, that would be so-" Richard put up his finger as he hurried to the passenger's seat. Camille seemed to be in a hurry. "But-", he began as he sat and Camille started the car. "I'm not... The usual kind of man."

She raised her eyebrow at him. Then she turned the car on.

"I mean... I'm not into all that man-talk and all..."

Camille sighed. "You're the only man I have right now. So you'll just have to do." She spat impatiently. Richard raised his eyebrows at her use of words. That could be interpreted in another way easily. "We'll just have to see." She said quickly as she focused on the road.

Richard didn't want to see. This was typically Camille Bordey. Impulsive. He wanted to plan ahead. Know what he was up against. Analyze. Not just 'plunge' himself into something. Especially when it came down to someone's feelings. Difficult feelings. It made him cringe. Trying to comfort Camille was one thing. But comforting a man he barely knew... Richard clutched his brief case to his chest. And received another raised eyebrow from Camille as she looked pointedly at the brief case. "Just in case." Richard explained.

Camille shook her head and rolled her eyes. He could see her jaw working overtime.

"Wouldn't it be too difficult.. To talk... About... You know."

Camille sighed again. "About what?" She asked in a tired tone. Sometimes his emotional clumsiness really annoyed her. This wasn't the time to plan and be slow. This was the time to act, get there as fast as possible. "My best friend becoming an evil psychopath?"

"Er... Yes..."

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm going to find out."

La Kaz

"This isn't what I imagined when you said he needed time. I was thinking more along the lines of a short lunch break." Richard muttered in Camille's ear as they walked towards the bar.

"Richard!" Camille chastised in a whispered tone so no one would overhear. "Be supportive! The man is in pain."

"I'm not a psychologist." Richard snapped back as he took her arm to stop her. "And neither are you. We have work to do."

"How can you be so insensitive?" Camille hissed beneath her breath. "Wouldn't you be broken if I had used you like that, played you, seduced you even?"

Richard almost took a step back at that. He hadn't even thought about that. "I... I didn't mean... I just meant that I don't work well like this. This running around and talking to people all the time. I need time to think, alone! You're better off here without me. You wanted me to help you solve this case. This is not my way."

Now it was Camille's turn to grab his arm and shake him. "Get a grip Richard. A lot of people are in pain right now. Nick could use your support. Be supportive." She ordered him. "That's part of the job too. Socializing. Being there for people. If its not for the people that you do this job, what do you do it for then?!"

He stood there with open mouth, staring at her.

"Snap out of it!" She grabbed him and dragged him with her.

"Nick." Camille greeted as she halted in front of Nick who was sitting at a far away table in her maman's bar.

"My dear wife!" Nick welcomed Camille. "And Detective Inspector Poole. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" He whirled in a loud voice.

Camille looked from the loud man, to the bottle of scotch next to him and then to her maman. She gestured towards her. Why had her maman given him so much? Catherine shrugged in defense.

Richard's eyes followed the nonverbal chat between Camille and her mother and understood nothing of it. He sat himself down clumsily.

"A drink?" Nick asked as he placed the bottle in front of Richard.

"In the middle of the day? No thank you. I still have work to do." Richard mumbled.

Camille sat down now too as she gave Richard a warning glare. "Nick, how are you?"

"I'm fine. As you can see."

"Ah oui. Look... I don't know you very well." O... How she could use Kris right this moment! But that was the whole problem wasn't it? "But I guess this is not your normal way of being. And you're drunk."

"My God! Stunningly beautiful and smart!" Nick noted as he took a swig of drink.

Richard looked at his watch. "It's the afternoon. Do you really think drinking is a good idea? So early? It's still a work day where I'm from."

The glare Camille gave him made Richard squirm in his seat.

Nick smiled at Richard as he studied him. "My God!" He said in exactly the same tone on purpose. "Authoritative, stern and pedantic!"

"Maman, coffee s'il vous plait." Camille called for Catherine.

"Why haven't you married that one already?" Nick asked as he looked at Richard.

Richard frowned as he looked shocked at Nick and then at Camille.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Never mind. You are slow." He looked at the bottle in front of him. "And you know what? So am I." He began to laugh. "Do you know why I'm slow Richard?"

"Erm...No." Richard mumbled insecurely. He really didn't feel at ease. The man clearly wasn't himself. Was already overreacting like drunk people so often did. He didn't like drunk people. Although, he could understand under these circumstances why Nick was drinking.

"Well, I took the plane immediately to go after Kris. It was like my feet just got a life of their own, you know? There wasn't any thinking involved not even about the fight that was in store. I just wanted her to be safe." His blue eyes focused on Camille now. "Is that so wrong?"

"Non." Camille answered sadly. She looked up as her maman placed a drink in front of her. And coffee for Nick, tea for Richard.

Nick shook his head as he looked into the distance. "Three years with that woman. Day in day out. You think you get to know someone. You know what I mean right? You two... You know each other in and out don't you?" He pointed between them.

Catherine bit her lip as she looked from Richard to Camille who were staring at each other now.

"Not in and out. Just a bit perhaps." Richard told him.

"Just a bit?" Nick asked.

Richard shrugged. "Well.. She's French." He explained.

Catherine sighed out loud and left. She couldn't take this anymore...

"This isn't the time for jokes." Camille whispered sharply.

"I wasn't jok-" Richard stopped talking when her glare almost bored through his face.

"That woman. If I get my hands on her... I could kill her." Nick snapped as he took another swig of the bottle. "But you know what it is?" Nick bent forwards. "I feel so empty. I feel sick. It hurts."

"What does?" Richard asked.

Nick shook his head and looked away. "She left. She just left. And she changed." He looked at Camille now. "My Kris is no criminal. It's like she became evil or something. I lost her." He shook his head. "O god did she annoy me. Awful. But now she's gone... I miss her. SO much. I don't know what to do without her. It's like she took a part of me. So strange. It's like there's an empty hole inside of me now."

Camille gave him a sad look. She recognized the feeling.

"I've never felt like this for any woman before." Nick looked at Richard. "Have you?"

"Huh?" Richard uttered surprised. "The... Eh..." He stammered and flushed as he felt Camille looking at him.

Camille leaned her chin on her hands and gave Richard an interested look. She couldn't imagine that Richard had had a big love in his life really...His biggest loves were puzzles and books.

"I er... Perhaps yes." Richard admitted softly.

What?! "With who?" Camille almost barked as she had her brow raised again. What woman had found the way to his heart?! She was jealous instantly!

Richard looked at Camille carefully. Why was she so fierce all of a sudden? "Well... I do have some life experience if I may say so." He stated as he glared at her. That woman! Annoying as hell today.

"How did you get over her?" Nick asked, totally oblivious of the thick tension between Richard and Camille.

"I..The- I... I..." He didn't really know. Sasha... Did he ever get over her? "I don't know if I ever did..." Richard admitted softly as he thought about it. The strange thing was that he hadn't thought of her for a while now. When had that happened?

Camille whisked away the bottle from Nick angrily. "That's enough, isn't it?" She stood up and carried it to the bar.

"I don't want to feel like this." Nick said.

"No...O... I can imagine so." Richard nodded softly.

"What helped you?"

"O... The..."

"Yes, what helped you to get over the love of your life?" Camille asked as she stood next to the table again. Her voice sounded venomous.

Richard didn't understand why. It hadn't been his idea to join Nick in the first place! Did that woman even come with a manual? If she did it would be so big that he'd need a truck to carry it! He shrugged as he looked into the distance. "I'm not sure really. I think it hurt for a very long time. For years maybe. Years and years to be honest..."

Camille studied Richard and her mouth almost fell open. Who knew a woman could touch his heart that much? To leave him pining for her for years and years? Who was she?!

00000

What did you think?