38

Maggie jumped as the door to her room slammed and a very cross
little girl came in and sat on her bed.

"Emma! Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"That mean man out there, the one that just came out of your room?
He says that you don't love P.J., but you do, don't you? Daddy says
that P.J. loves you and that you love him, and that man was saying
you didn't, and that P.J. was silly to want to marry you!" Emma
huffed, crawling onto the bed and wrapping Maggie's good arm around
her. "It's not fair. If you're not going to marry daddy, then you
should marry P.J., cos he loves you lots, but that silly man out
there is saying you don't love him – and you do, don't you Maggie?"

And Maggie reached over and hugged Emma as best she could with one
arm.

"Of course I love P.J., sweetheart. That man just made a mistake. A
big one." Maggie said, and something in her voice made Emma sit up.

"Maggie? Are you all right? Who is that man?"

"That's MY daddy, Em. And he's usually a nice man, but he does like
people to follow the rules – and the rules say that I'm not allowed
to fall in love with another policeman in the same station. "

"But you did, cos you love P.J." Emma said, stating the
obvious. "And you want to marry him."

"Well yes I do, " Maggie said without thinking, working on pure
emotion by now. How dare he? How dare my father play me like that?
He'd known that P.J. and I were in love, and still he'd worked it so
that I denied it. I bet he thinks we'll break up, and I bet – hang
on………………………..

"Em, what was that about getting married?"

"Nothing!" Emma grinned, dancing over to the door and opening
it. "Hey, Maggie's Dad?"

Pat turned, only to see the same young lady that had shouted at him
minutes ago. "You're wrong. Maggie does love P.J. and she DOES want
to marry him, so there!"

There was silence, then – "Emma Louise Stewart, you get yourself
over here RIGHT NOW!" Ben hissed.

P.J. stood staring at Emma, trying to figure out what the hell had
just happened. How on earth – what the - were they engaged? Had he
asked her to marry him – and had she said YES? Wasting no more
time, he strode into Maggie's room.

"Mags? What – you - you want to marry me?" he said, moving over to
the bed, barely noticing that Pat, Ben and Nick had followed him
into the room.

"Emma said YOU wanted to marry ME!" she whispered, her brown eyes
never leaving his. "Do you?"

"More than anything. Mags, I'd marry you in a heartbeat. " He drew a
shuddery breath, and then got down on one knee, only to come face to
face with the side of the bed.

Standing, he grinned and raised one knee onto the bed. "Still
counts. Ok. Mags, you are the only woman I've ever truly felt this
way about, the only woman who makes me smile by just being there.
You're all I'll ever want, and all I'll ever need. You make me so
happy I don't know what to do with myself, and I never want to lose
that. I love you Maggie Doyle, and – well, will you marry me?"

With a little glance at an ecstatically happily bouncing Emma,
Maggie finally found her voice. "Yes" she whispered, "P.J., yes"

"WOO HOO!" yelled Emma, "See!" she spun around and glared at
Pat. "They DO love each other and they will have the fairytale
wedding, so there!"

"Emma!" Ben groaned, scooping her up under one arm, "We are out of
here. Guys, congratulations, and we'll see you later" he said,
dragging a protesting Emma out of the room.

"Nice one you two, " Nick said, reaching over to shake their hands
and dropping a congratulatory kiss on Maggie's cheek. "Come on Pat,
let's go," he said, trying to give the newly engaged couple some
time alone.

"No, Nick, I want to talk to him. P.J., do you mind? Just for a
moment, I love you, but I need to talk to Dad. Nick, take him
downstairs for a drink or something – hey, maybe you could go ring
shopping?" she said, wiggling her empty ring finger at P.J.

"Mags," he said, running a hand down her arm, before glancing over
at Pat.

"It's ok. I'll still be here when you come back – and I'll still be
wanting to get married to you. I love you P.J. Hasham, and nothing
will ever change that, nothing has so far, has it?"

"But – "

"Well, has it?"

"No, but – "

"So kiss me – " he did, "Mm, ah, ok, so kiss me again, and go" she
grinned, sighing happily as he drew the kiss out this time, making
sure that she would remember him for the short while they'd be apart.

"I love you Mags" P.J. said, moving over to the door and glancing at
Pat.

"Love you too. Now go!" she grinned. "I'll be fine"

"Listen to the boss, Patrick. You heard her" Nick grinned, pulling
him out of the door, but not without his own warning glance at Pat.
If he hurt her in anyway, he'd not only have to deal with a very
angry P.J. Hasham, but with 6"4 of very irate not so jolly green
giant!

39

"So." Pat said, watching the door close after P.J.

"So." Maggie agreed, carefully moving into a more comfortable
position, plumping the pillows behind her.

"You and P.J." Pat said, staring at the floor, coming to the
realisation that he either accept them as a couple, or create one
hell of a family rift.

"I love him Dad"

Pat sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. Really I am" he said, finally
looking up at her, "I just – well, I just wanted to protect you."

"Dad, I'm a big girl now! I can look after myself. I don't need
protecting, not from you or from P.J. Dad, look, I know you love me,
and I know you were only looking out for me, but you played me. You
made me deny that I loved P.J., and - "

"And I'm sorry. I just wanted the best for you Maggie, that's all
I've ever wanted, you know that!" Pat said, coming over to sit in
the chair beside the bed.

"And that's P.J. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me and
I love him. Dad, I don't know what's going to happen, I really have
no idea what we'll do, but I do know that I need him. I want to take
that chance. I want to see what happens. Dad, this - " she waved
round the room, " this may not have been life threatening, but it is
life changing. I don't want to go back to how we were, not now, and
I don't want to give him up. I'm marrying P.J. Dad. I'm in love with
him and I'm going to marry him."

"You are, aren't you sweetheart. " Pat said slowly, seeing the
determination in his daughter's eyes.

Maggie nodded.

"Despite one of you having to transfer"

"If we have to." She said softly, "but we'll face that one when we
have to. Dad, please, tell me you understand, "

"Oh, I understand Maggie, I understand that you two have to do this,
I'm just not sure how it'll end up."

"Neither are we Pat, " P.J. said from the doorway "But Mags is
right. We're taking this chance, and grabbing hold with both hands."
He told Pat, coming in and sitting on the edge of the bed, taking
Maggie's hand in his, smiling at her before continuing.

"Mags, you and me, we're a team. We get results and have the top
solve rate in the station. The Boss knows that, and he's got the
stats to prove it. He, ah, he also knows that I'm in love with
you. " he smiled softly. "It was pretty damn obvious how I felt when
I got the news about all of this."

"The Boss knows!" Maggie said. "P.J.! – "

Pat stood back, leaning against the wall in the shadow of the door,
watching P.J. and Maggie, really seeing them this time. Watching as
P.J. hugged Maggie to him, kissing her forehead gently. It was true,
he thought. They were in love, and there was nothing he could do,
even if he wanted to, to fix things. He smiled softly, finally
accepting the choice his daughter had made.

"The Boss is happy for us, Mags. At least I'm pretty sure he is. He
told me to look after you and bring you home. He told me to make
sure you were ok. He also said that he had a pretty good idea how
you felt about me" P.J. grinned. "Maybe he's not as - " P.J.
struggled for the right word, and couldn't find one. "Well not as
much in the dark as we thought."

"Suddenly I'm not looking forward to going home quite as much. He's
going to hate it that we've hidden this from him," Maggie said
softly. "Dad, no offence, but Tom's always been a sort of father
figure for us at the station, well, for me and Dash at least – " she
said, swatting P.J. as his eyebrows shot into the air at her comment.

"He'll be fine Maggie. He cares about you and wants the best for
you – and you have to admit I'm the best" P.J. grinned.

"You don't know that yet, Margaret, " Nick said from the
doorway, "Wait until you've sampled the goods – oh, hello Sergeant
Doyle, you're ah, still here then" Nick stammered as Pat stuck his
head around the door at Nick's words.

"Certainly am, young man. Certainly am" Pat said, staring up at
Nick, and giving Nick the distinct impression that Nick was only six
inches tall. "And I was just wondering what you quite meant by that
comment?"

"Er, am I interrupting?" Tim said, his mother smiling as she stood
behind him – and Nick's face was a picture of relief at the
interruption. "Maggie, I've come to tell you that you can go home if
you want. Your scans are all clear, and the results of your tests
are fine. Mum'll – ah, I mean, Sister Wilson can sort it all out for
you, but you can go as soon as you're ready – and I take it from
that smile that you're ready to go!"

"No offence Tim, but I can't wait to get out of here. Shut up you, "
she swatted P.J. again. "I know what I just said, but you know what
I meant. Anyway, P.J., did you bring me some clothes? Can you drive
me home? Dad, are you coming back with us? P.J. – "

"Hey! Slow down Maggie!" grinned Carol, "There's one or two things
that need sorting. First, will you have someone to stay with you at
home in case you need help?" she asked, having already ticked off
the question on her sheet.

"Dash'll be there, won't she Peej?" Maggie said, her brown eyes
smiling up at him.

Momentarily stumped, P.J. stared right back at her.

"P.J., don't stand there looking like a stunned goldfish. I'll move
into the Watch House, and Maggie can move in with you. Dash'll be
fine about it. " Ben grinned, shoving Nick into the room so that he
could join the conversation. Ben grinned as Nick steered clear of
Pat, moving over to the far side of the bed, and not quite catching
Maggie's Dad's eye. Pat wasn't going to forget that one in a while!

"That is if Maggie wants to" Maggie said eyeing Ben and Nick who
eyed her right back. "Ok, ok, so I want to. " she blushed
slightly. "Anyway, shove off you lot, so that I can get this all
sorted and go home!"

40

"So Young Freddy definitely ate his breakfast, had his cuddle and
then went out for his exercise" Dash McKinley said into the phone,
making a face at Adam as she did so. "Pardon? Yes, of course Mrs
Earl, I'm writing all of this down on an incident form, and someone
will be out to visit you as soon as possible. Who? Well, I'm afraid
that I'm right in the middle of something at the moment, " she said,
frantically shuffling papers noisily, " Er, pardon? Oh, yes, yes he
is. And I'm sure Constable Cooper would LOVE to come and see you
just as soon as he can!" and she grinned as Adam glared at
her. "Thank-you and goodbye Mrs Earl. Yes, I'm sure Young Cooper
will find Young Freddy" Dash spluttered, before hanging up and
almost falling off her chair with laughter.

"You've got a fan there, Adam, Mrs Earl likes you! She asked for
you, that lovely young man with the lovely eyes and the impeccable
manners'" Dash said in a sing-song voice. "And I'm so upset that I
can't go, but we're so short staffed that – " she spun round as the
door opened.

"Not anymore " Adam grinned as Nick strode in, holding the door open
for Maggie, P.J. and then letting it begin to swing shut as Ben came
in.

"Lovely Shultz, " Ben grinned, "Just lovely. I'm still going to
suggest it. I still think that Benjamin is a perfect name for your
first born – Benjamina if it's a girl. You know you want to! And you
know Zoe will love it"

"I think it's a really good idea" piped up a small voice, and Dash
peered down and grinned at Emma. "But Emma is a much prettier name.
Come on then Nick, you said I could go and see Zoe when we got back –
and we're back!" she said pulling at Nick's hand as Nick groaned.

"What is this? I'm being attacked by Stewarts all over the place!
Remind me again, HOW long are you here young Emma?" he said,
squatting down next to her, before scooping her up in a piggyback
and leading her out of the station, as Ben followed laughing.

Standing behind them, Maggie was grinning happily. They really were
nuts, this lot, but she wouldn't trade them in for anything.
Glancing over at P.J., her smile brightened. They had decided that
they would start as they meant to go on at the Station, and that
meant acting as coppers, and not as an engaged couple. So, however
much she wanted to move over to him, and to feel his arms around
her, to feel his warm body moulded against hers, she wouldn't. They
couldn't. Shaking off the small icy niggle of worry, Maggie forced
herself to smile again, something that wasn't hard when she caught
sight of Dash.

"Maggie!" Dash yelped, coming around the counter and going to
smother Maggie in a hug, stopping as P.J. moved slightly, moving to
protect the woman he loved so much from Hurricane McKinley. "How are
you?" she asked, hugging her gently, smiling at P.J. over Maggie's
shoulder as she saw him relax again. It was only a miniscule
movement, and one would have to be a damn fine copper to pick up
P.J.'s reaction, but a damn fine copper was exactly what Dash
McKinley was.

"Good, good, still a bit tired and I've got an impressive collection
of bruises, but I'm fine." Maggie said with a smile.

"So you're home? They let you out? Ok, Adam, obviously they let her
out" she said, turning and sticking her tongue out at Adam, who
shrugged his shoulders innocently as if to say What?'

"And don't give me that look, Adam Cooper, I know exactly what you
were doing, I can see your reflection in P.J.'s office window, you
idiot." She said, turning back to Maggie. "What I meant was – do you
have to go back, or are you out for good?"

"I'm out for good, Dash. I've got to take it easy for the rest of
the week, and I need someone with me to keep an eye on me, but yes,
I'm out, and I'm home." Maggie said.

"Well that all works out perfectly then, cos I'll be around to make
sure you don't fall off your perch, and when I'm working, you can –
well, I'm sure P.J. here won't mind staying with you when I'm not
there." Dash said, sorting everyone out in her usual super efficient
manner.

P.J. glanced at Maggie with a small smile. This was going to be
interesting.

"Maggie!" Tom Croydon's voice boomed across the office. "Doyle, I'm
sorry I didn't come out sooner, I've had Mrs Earl on the phone,
wondering where that lovely young Cooper boy was' And then I come
out here, and lo and behold, I find that lovely young Cooper boy'
is still here. She wants to see you Cooper, so get going!" and he
grinned as Adam's face fell. "Oh, and take McKinley with you as back
up. I got the feeling that that cat hadn't taken a holiday of his
own accord. Reckon you've won a heart there, my boy!"

"WHAT?" Dash groaned, before catching Tom's eye. "Yes Boss" she
sulked, grabbing her jacket and glaring at Adam, who was acting the
gentleman, holding the hatch open for her with a flourish. "You'll
keep Adam. Honestly, it's you she wants, I don't see why – "

"Just go, you two!" Tom said with an exasperated sigh. "And as for
you two," he turned to the other couple in his team, "My office now."

Shutting the door, and coming to sit behind the desk, Tom rubbed at
the bridge of his nose. "It's like watching a replay of you two with
Cooper and McKinley. I'm never going to live this down. Word'll get
round, you know, I'll be the Boss of the Love Boat, or something
like that." He sighed, before straightening up, catching them
smiling at each other.

"You two. It's real, isn't it?"

"As real as it gets Boss," P.J. told him, reaching over and giving
Maggie's hand a quick squeeze. "We're getting married Tom. We know
what that means, and what a headache it'll be, but - I love her
Tom, and I'm not going to deny it anymore."

"Maggie?" Tom said, shifting his gaze to her, knowing the answer.

"Boss, I'm sorry that you had to find out like this, but yes, I do
love him." She sighed. "Tom, I – we, we haven't been lying to you or
anything, I mean this all only happened very recently, but well, I
suppose we've felt like this for a long time. We just never admitted
it until now."

"Doyle, it's ok. I'm not upset or anything. To be honest, I'm
surprised you two held out for as long as you did, I would have
thought you would have got together months ago!" and he grinned at
the stunned expressions on their faces.

"Surprised you there, didn't I? Honestly, what, do you lot think I'm
blind or something? If you know someone well, which I do with both
of you, then you can see the sparks – and any more sparks and this
place would have been an inferno. Ok, so what's next. The Powers
That Be, I suppose. I don't want to lose either of you, and I'm
going to have to do some very fancy footwork to do that. Maggie,
where are you staying? At P.J.'s I suppose, " he said, answering his
own question, "Ok, go and unpack, and I'll see what I can do this
afternoon." He said, coming round the desk as Maggie and P.J. stood
up, and gently hugging the woman he looked on as an almost
daughter. "Welcome home Doyle, it's good to see you in one piece" he
said softly.