Sorry for the delay with this chapter. Had a few technical problems logging on but think I have sorted now.


"Thank you so much," Kate said to her lawyer as they left the court room. It was all over. She was officially divorced and had received a fair deal. An equal share of the profits of the sale of the house and more importantly, joint custody of Josh. It was everything she could have hoped for.

"You're welcome," the lawyer replied, leading the way into the room where Kate and she had left their belongings at the start of the day. On one of the walls in the room was a mounted flat screen TV showing a news channel on mute. Just as Kate was grabbing her bag and preparing to depart, Georgia's face appeared on screen. A reporter was at a local hospital and reading the subtitles, Kate discovered Georgia had been killed in the line of duty at the hospital.

"Oh my god!" Kate exclaimed, dropping her bag as she read the details of Georgia's death. A murder enquiry was being opened and a man hunt underway for the suspect.

"Something wrong?" The solicitor asked.

"I know her," Kate said, pointing to Georgia's picture that was back on screen. "She works in my unit. She's working with my partner at the moment," Kate continued, her mind instantly moving to Steve and how he was faring.

"I'm so sorry," the lawyer said as she read the screen and learnt of the young policewoman's death.

"I better get back," Kate said determinedly. Thanking the lawyer once more she was racing out the door and heading to Steve's flat, phoning Steve several times on the way but only got his answer phone each time. "Steve!" She called out as she entered the apartment, moving quickly through each room searching for him, but came up negative.

She was in the bedroom when she heard Steve come through the front door. She rushed to his side and quickly enveloped him in a hug. "You ok?" She asked tenderly, not letting go of him. "I saw the news on the TV," she explained.

"I'm better now I'm with you," Steve replied honestly, hugging Kate back just as tightly . "Survived a questioning from major crime and just been to see Georgia's parents with the gaffer. Was very difficult,".

"I can imagine," Kate replied as she gently released her hold on Steve. "What happened?" She asked as she caught sight of his bruised face and gently touched it.

"Georgia and I interrupted someone trying to kill the witness," Steve informed Kate. "I tried to stop him but he knocked me out. When I woke up I was alone,".

"Who is this witness?" Kate asked. "Some one really wants him dead,".

"They've succeeded,".

"Shit!".

"Kate," Steve said. "Is this bad of me? I'm so sad about Georgia but I'm so thankful it wasn't you," he said. He hadn't been able to think about much else since it had happened. "I don't know what I'd do," he confessed before kissing Kate hungrily, wanting to lose himself in her for a while.


"Steve?" Kate asked a little while later. They had just made love after their kiss had progressed. Kate had sensed Steve had needed her and let him take charge. It had been a quick coupling without much foreplay but still very passionate. She was now recovering in her new favourite spot in bed - head resting on Steve's chest whilst in his embrace. Her fingers were playing with the smattering of dark hair that he had on his chest whilst Steve was dozing, gradually being lulled to sleep by her gentle ministrations.

"Umm," Steve grunted, still trying to doze, not wanting to be dragged back to consciousness.

"I've been thinking," Kate continued, still stroking his chest.

"About?".

"Your case," Kate explained. She felt Steve tense at her words. "You need some help and I'm available,".

"Kate," Steve started.

"No, listen," Kate retorted, shutting Steve down. She knew he was going to say she had been banned from the case by the gaffer due to her friendship with Jayne Akers. "Lindsey Denton doesn't know me. I could help with that part of the investigation. I could go undercover…,". Steve opened his eyes at her suggestion. He wasn't particularly keen on it but recognised that it might be quite helpful in pushing their investigation forward. "What are you thinking?" Kate asked when she hadn't heard Steve reply to her idea.

"That I don't want you to do it," Steve started.

"Steve!" Kate interrupted, clearly annoyed as she shifted out his embrace to look him in the eye, about to argue her case. She hadn't thought that he would be like this with her.

"But," Steve interrupted back whilst putting a finger to Kate's lips to shush her, "I think that you should," he admitted. "I'm not Mark. I'm not going to stop you doing your undercover work, but I can see why he hated you doing it. I don't want you to do it for purely selfish reasons….. you'd have to move out,".

"To my new flat. Finally put it to use," Kate replied as her head resumed its position on his chest. "I don't want to move out either," she confessed, "but as soon as it was over I'd be back," she promised.

"Yeah?".

"Of course. Unless you don't want me to,".

"Of course I want you," Steve said as he rolled on top of Kate, propping his weight in his forearms. Looking in her eyes he dipped his head and kissed her. More gentle than before. This time he wanted to take as long as he needed to worship her. Moving from her lips he kissed down her neck, sucking at a particularly sweet spot he found.

"Steve," Kate groaned out. "Not there," she warned as she writhed beneath him, feeling the heat pool between her legs again. "Can't have any visible marks at work. We're supposed to be just flatmates remember?". Steve didn't reply but obviously heard her as his lips moved south and found a nipple. He began suckling greedily and felt Kate arch her back in response, a little gasp escaping her lips in pleasure. He finally let the nipple go and shifted himself so Kate's thighs were cradling him. Returning his gaze to her eyes, he watched as he teased her entrance before slowly penetrating her. He saw Kate bite her lower lip and close her eyes in response until his hips were touching hers.

He started rocking his hips in a slow gentle tempo, cherishing every movement within her. "I want to see you, Kate," Steve murmured and she slowly opened her eyes, her pupils dilating with desire as her hips quickly mirrored his. They continued their slow dance until it reached its conclusion, never once breaking eye contact.


"Ok so we find the gaffer and tell him about our idea?" Steve checked as they rode in the lift up to the main office of AC-12 the next morning. Kate nodded. They had both agreed that Kate going undercover would be a great help in their investigation and wanted to run the idea past Hastings. The lift pinged, announcing their arrival before the doors opened with a quiet swish and Steve and Kate strode out purposefully.

There was a buzz in the air of the office that the partners picked up on immediately. Two couriers in motor cycle kit were in the bullpen with a lot of boxes. Ted appeared by their side and updated them before they had a chance to wonder what was going on. "They've turned over the Witness Protection files. Let's get cracking," Ted explained. They were finally going to know the identity of the witness who had been hunted down and Ted was excited as it was a major break through in this case.

One of the couriers approached Ted with a file in his hand. Ted signed for it and once he had the file in his possession couldn't help but glance inside. "Mother of god," he said as he passed the file over to his best team.

"Christ," muttered Kate as she finally found out who her her friend Jayne had been protecting. It wasn't who she was expecting at all. Tommy Hunter. The gentleman she had last seen at the scene of Tony Gates's suicide. Steve looked at Kate. Was this information going to change their plans about Kate going undercover? They held a silent conversation with their eyes before Kate nodded her head at him.

"Err can we have a word once things have died down a bit, sir?" Steve asked Ted. Kate was still going to try and investigate Lindsey Denton.

"Aye. Find me in a little while," Ted said before heading off to organise his department. By the end of the morning, they had paid him a visit in his office. Ted had thought their strategy to be a good idea. He would be on the look out for a way of getting Kate embedded in Lindsey Denton's police station as soon as possible. Until then she would help out at AC-12.

Whilst they still could, Steve and Kate took the opportunity to have lunch together. They chose somewhere outside the office as it offered them some privacy but was over way too soon. On their return to the office it was once again buzzing, and once again it was due to a blast from the past.

"What's that tosser doing here?" Kate asked, shocked as she clocked Dot Cotton sitting in a side office of AC-12.

"Buggered if I know,". Steve was as equally as unhappy at seeing him as Kate. Dot had been a complete pain in the arse during the Tony Gates investigation. "Sir….?" Steve asked Ted nodding at Dot, as he joined them.

"Our investigation's expanded into Witness Protection. The Deputy Chief Constable's ordered me to bring in the specialist from AC-9." Ted replied, explaining Dot's presence.

"Dot?" Steve and Kate questioned in time. Both found it hard to think of Dot as a 'specialist'.

"Let's give the bugger a chance. After Tony Gates' team were disbanded, Cottan distinguished himself, got promoted, and the fact is he was the one member of that unit prepared to give evidence against his boss. He's a born anti corruption officer; poacher turned gamekeeper,". Kate and Steve looked unconvinced at Ted's words. "I expect you both to conduct yourself with nothing less than complete professionalism," he warned the pair before leading them in to the room where Dot was sat with the rest of AC-12.

After a quick introduction, Dot took to the floor rather enjoying being the centre of attention. He informed AC-12 of Tommy Hunter's new identity and the reason it was believed he had been murdered. Judging by the difficult questions that both Steve and Kate threw at him it was obvious they didn't agree with his comments, but he thought he had handled them well.

A little while later Dot saw Steve and Kate huddled together working on something. Not trusting the pair of them and keen to know what they were doing, Dot sauntered over to them with the idea of at least trying to break the ice with them. Getting up close he could see what they were doing and was a little relieved. He had pictured the worst and thought they would be working on disproving the theories he had spouted to AC-12. Instead he found them working on a food shopping list.

"Something wrong, Dot?" Asked Steve who had seen him just standing idly by.

"No," replied Dot. "Just does the gaffer know you are using police time to do that?" He continued, pointing at the list.

"It's 4:45 Dot. We are leaving in fifteen minutes," Kate argued.

"Woah. Sorry," Dot said, holding his hands up in defence. "Gaffer told me you were housemates. Just didn't strike me you were so domesticated DS Arnott," Dot baited. Steve remained quiet. "It's quite sweet really," Dot continued. "Maybe I'll start calling you The Arnott's or somemat," he teased, "seeing as you come as a pair now,".

"Piss off, Dot!" Steve finally retaliated, fed up with the man. Looks like he was still a major pain in the arse and just as annoying as ever. His promotion hadn't changed anything.

"Round the office you really ought to be calling me 'sir'," Dot couldn't help getting one last jibe in about the fact that he was both Kate and Steve's senior officer now.

"Sir," acknowledged both the friends following protocol.

"Have a nice time shopping," Dot said as he walked away.

"Twat!" Said Steve giving his opinion on the DI.

"Arsehole," voiced Kate at the same time. The two looked at each other and have a smile. Police protocol had quickly been forgotten.