I'm sorry it's been such a long time readers. I'll try to do better.
Chapter 6
Jo looked up when Jack came back in to the office, a disapproving look on his face as he closed the door behind him and over to her.
"She's nice, Gina." Jo stated.
"Yeah, she is. I don't think June would agree with you but…"
"Why? They've not hit it off then?"
"We're not here to talk about June."
"Guv?"
"Jo come on, do you really think it was a good idea to come all the way down here in your condition?"
"I needed to get out of the house, I was going crazy cooped up."
"Gina said you looked about ready to collapse, and frankly, I have to agree."
"Okay, so I probably shouldn't have walked all the way down here. It was stupid okay?"
Jack grabbed a chair by the door and brought it over, and sat beside her, taking hold of her hand.
"I worry about you, that's all." He spoke softly.
"Yeah, I know you do."
"How did it go with June when I left?"
"I thought she was going to walk out at first, but I told her if she did, then she wasn't to come back, so she stayed."
"You got things sorted out?"
"I think so, still blames herself, like you do but as you said, I can't do anything about that, can I."
"No, you just have to let us deal with that side of things."
"So come on then, why don't they get on, June and Gina?"
"I don't know, I haven't had a chance to find that out yet?"
"I might go down and see June, try and find out."
"Jo?"
"I won't be long, and then I'll go home, I promise." She smiled.
"I know you will, because I'll be driving you there myself."
Jo went quiet for a moment before she looked up at Jack, feeling his warm hand over hers.
"June was asking questions earlier about you and I."
"What did you say?"
"Not much really, what could I say when I'm not even sure myself what's happening?"
Jack leaned in and kissed her, Jo's eyes closing at the contact, before a smile appeared on her lips.
"Well I'm divorced Jo, have been for a while."
"Yeah, I know."
"You want me to tell you how I feel about you, well I would have thought my actions the last few months would have told you what you needed to know."
"Well I didn't want to just assume, did I."
"You want the truth, then I'll tell you. I'm falling in love with you, that's the truth. I'm not saying you have to feel the same way, that's just how I feel. When the doctor told me after those first few weeks that you'd make a full recovery, I knew in that moment that I loved you, because I couldn't imagine life without you, either at home or at Sun Hill."
"Jack."
Jo closed her eyes tightly, feeling him loosen his hold on her hand, she quickly grabbed it again, not wanting to let him go.
"Why did it have to take this situation for us to realise what was right in front of us?"
"Sometimes we just have too, it's a bloody awful way to have to discover it but, at least we did, and the important thing is, you're gonna be al-right."
"Yeah, we all will…in time."
…
June was at the back of the relief as Gina gave her introductions to the officers who hadn't been able to attend the morning briefing she'd held. Listening to her go on and on about what she expected from her team, what her pet peeves were, including lateness, which June knew was a direct hit at her for earlier. As she finished up, and everyone filtered out of the room, June walked over to her, Gina looking up.
"I did already apologise for being late earlier, you really didn't have to ridicule me in from of the relief for it."
"I wasn't aware I was June, just making a point, that's all."
June was about to respond when Jo appeared in the doorway, the two women looking up.
"Jo, what are you doing here?" June asked worried.
"I just popped in to see Jack, thought I'd stop by."
"You didn't walk here?"
"I think she's already had a lecture about that one, no need to go on about it again June." Gina spoke.
"I wasn't going to actually." June replied, anger in her tone.
"Gina helped me up to see Jack earlier." Jo added.
"Did she."
"Well, I ought to get back to work. It was nice to see you again Jo, hopefully you'll be back soon."
"Thanks Ma'am."
"Gina."
"Thanks Gina."
As Gina left, Jo looked at June, seeing the annoyed look in her eyes.
"She's not that bad June, give her a chance."
"What, like she's given me. She didn't like me from the moment she met me. Apparently she doesn't like suck ups."
"Oh and that's you is it?"
"According to her."
"Well then she obviously doesn't know you, does she? Give her time to settle in and she'll see that for herself."
"Yeah, I guess. So, you were bored huh?"
"I just want to come back to work June."
"You're still in a lot of pain, one wrong move and you could end up back in hospital. Now you don't want that to happen, do you?"
"Of course not but, all day at home, no one to talk too. I'm going nuts."
"Well like I said, I'll come around before work, after work. I'll keep you occupied, and before you know it, you'll be back."
"I hope so."
Jack came up behind the two women, a look of annoyance on his face, which Jo could see immediately.
"Right DS Morgan, the car is outside, home time."
"I'll call by tomorrow okay?" June smiled.
"Okay, see you then."
As June walked away, Jo gave a look at Jack.
"Don't treat me like child Jack, especially not in front of colleagues yeah."
"Yeah, look sorry. I've got things on my mind."
"What's up?"
"Oh nothing."
"Come on, tell me. You want to vent, vent to me. Make me feel like I'm doing something."
Jack ran a hand over his face before looking back up at Jo.
"I had a phone call after you left the office, one I have to say I wasn't expecting."
"Bad?"
"Depends on how you look at it?"
"Go on then?"
"Frank Burnside, he's coming back."
"Frank's coming back here…to Sun Hill?"
"That's what I've just been told."
"Well this is a surprise."
"Or a bloody nightmare."
Jo looked on with sympathy in her eyes.
"Come on, let's get you home." Jack smiled, his hand on her lower back.
To Be Continued…