Steve looked at his watch. It wasn't too late and he really did want to act now.

"Steve?" Kate prodded after his announcement which he hadn't expanded upon.

"The money will be in her mum's things, I'm sure of it," Steve said. "She was anxious about their whereabouts earlier. Watching you and Josh just now reminded me. Lindsay wants them returned to her and the home were looking at sending them to her in prison. We have to move before it's too late,".

"But what about Josh?" Kate asked.

"Bring him with us," Steve suggested.

"Cool!" Josh said. He had no idea what was going on but it sounded exciting. He'd heard lots about what his mum did at work and finally he would get to see her in action. This evening was getting better and better.


"Well?" Said Kate as Steve approached the car a bit later. She was waiting by it with Josh in the car park of the nursing home. The place was swarming with forensic officers and they really didn't need a five year old's finger prints mucking up the evidence.

"It's there!" Said Steve, his face breaking into a smile. "We got her. Proof that she was in on the ambush. It's not certain yet but the forensics person I spoke to said he's fairly sure they will be able to match the money here to that found in the Aker's flat,". Kate smiled and hugged Steve. This horrible case was finally over.

"So we caught the bad guy?" a little voice asked beside them, causing Steve and Kate to break apart.

"Bad girl," Steve corrected him, "and yes we did Josh," he confirmed as he lifted the little boy up. "And if it wasn't for you wanting to unpack then we would never have cracked it,".

"So I helped?" He asked, proudly.

"Yes you did, mate," Steve congratulated the little boy.

"Steve! Kate!" the little group heard from across the car park. Ted Hastings had finally arrived and had been kept up to date on events via police radio. He was making his way over to them. "I hear congratulations are in order for solving the case!" He said ecstatically once he joined them.

"Yes, sir," Steve and Kate replied in sync.

"Well done the pair of you,".

"I helped too," Josh informed Ted from Steve's arms, not wanting to miss out on some praise. Kate turned red with embarrassment.

"Is that right, little fella?" Ted asked Josh.

"Uh huh. Steve said so," Josh informed Ted.

"Oh well if DS Arnott says so, then it must be right," Ted agreed. "Well done to you to," Ted said and held out his hand for Josh to shake. "I think you three can push off if you like," Ted declared. "You've done more than enough. I would like to be the one to inform Ms Denton of our findings, if you don't mind,".

"Thank you, sir," Steve said.

"Any plans for the weekend?".

"Not really. I'm thinking someone deserves pizza for helping solve this case,".

"Yay!" Josh agreed. Pizza was his favourite meal.

"You could have run that past me beforehand," Kate mentioned. "Can't say no now, can I?" She grumbled, not that she really minded.

Ted smiled. The three of them were so close they were almost a family. He was happy that things were working well for them all after a rather stressful couple of months for Kate. "Well have a good time," he said, dismissing them. "I'll see the pair of you on Monday. There's things we need to discuss," he said, not wanting to say more with Josh listening in. Ted saw Kate's face fall. "There won't be any action taken against you," he informed the pair, hoping it would alleviate some worry. "I can't see any rules have been broken, after all I broke your partnership up and as far as I recall, I haven't reinstated it," he said, the sentence left dangling hoping Steve and Kate would get his drift, which they did. "I just think it would be prudent to discuss the future. That's all,".

"Yes, sir," Steve and Kate agreed before taking their leave of the scene.


When Kate awoke the next morning she was in Steve's arms and surprised to find the man in question wide awake. It was usually she who woke before him. "Morning," she said through a yawn as she stretched and turned in his embrace so she could see him face to face.

"Morning," Steve replied as he gave her a brief kiss on the lips. He had stayed the night after the pizza had been devoured and the pair had enjoyed a private celebration after solving their case.

"You ok?" Kate checked.

"Of course," Steve replied. He always slept well after sex but this time there was also the added relief of the case being over. "Just been thinking about what the gaffer said last night, that's all,".

"What bit in particular?".

"The bit about our future,".

"Should I be worried?".

"No. I don't think so," Steve answered as he tenderly swept some hair out of Kate's eyes. "I really like you, Kate," Steve continued.

"Good. I really like you too," Kate confirmed.

"I think I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he confessed. Kate froze.

"Are you proposing?" She asked, not sure how she would answer if he was. She had only just got through a divorce and wasn't in any rush to marry again so quickly.

"No!" Steve replied with a smile and Kate relaxed again. "Not yet, anyway. Maybe in the future," he added, informing her of his intentions.

"Ok," Kate said. She could live with that.

"No I was thinking about living together," Steve revealed. "I know you've only just got this place but if we both sold our flats, we could get a house together. With a garden for Josh to run around in…and maybe that brother he still wants," he added. Josh was still mentioning that occasionally to both Kate and Steve.

"Josh wearing you down on that idea is he?".

"I think it would be pretty awesome to try and have a baby with you, Kate. What do you think?".

"About the baby?".

"And the house?" Steve reminded her.

It was an easy decision but she made him wait a while until she could see he was really nervous. "I think I could be persuaded to try both things," she revealed, "but it would probably mean one of us transferring out of AC-12,".

"You don't know that," retorted Steve, "but if it has to be then I will happily transfer. Knowing I'm going home to you is all that matters wherever I'm working,".

Kate smiled. She felt the same way. "We should probably tell your mother that our relationship has changed,".

"Yes we should," Steve agreed. "We've got that weekend with her in two weeks to celebrate her birthday. How about then?".

"Sounds perfect. I think it will make her weekend. Is Josh awake?" Kate asked quietly as she moved closer to Steve.

"Haven't heard him," Steve answered. "Probably still in a cheese coma from all that pizza he had last night. Why?".

"Just wondering if I've got time to have my wicked way with you before he stirs, that's all ," Kate said seductively as she moved on top of Steve. It didn't take long before she was lowering herself onto him and they both were grinding against each other, being as quiet as possible in case Josh was awake.

"Mummy you were being naughty," a little voice from the doorway said as Kate removed herself from Steve after they were both sated. Kate and Steve froze. They both looked to see the bedroom door had been opened, and neither was sure how much Josh had witnessed or heard. Both were thankful that they had kept the covers over them. "I saw you bouncing on the bed," he continued. "You're not allowed to do that," he informed his mother.

Kate smiled. He had no idea what he had just seen but she was happy to go along with what he thought. You're right, Joshy," she said. "I was just happy after solving the case. I won't do it again," she said.

"Good. I'm hungry. Are you and Steve going to get up. It's breakfast time," he announced.

"Give us five minutes," Kate replied. They needed to recover a little bit.

"Can I watch cartoons then?" he asked.

"Sure," said Kate and Josh happily trotted into the living room leaving Steve and Kate alone. They looked at each other and burst into laughter, both relieved they hadn't scarred the little boy for life.