Detective William Murdoch awakened with a start as the tinny sounds of the household telephone fills the previously quiet rooms of their Hotel Suite at the Windsor House Hotel. Julia Odgen Murdoch, a normally heavy sleeper, simply whimpers and turns over onto her side, her hair covering most of her face. Slightly rolling his eyes at his wife, William yawns as he crawls out of his warm bed and places his feet into his slippers. Shuffling over to the living room, the detective rubs his face in exhaustion as the phone is now on its fourth ring. Just as he is about to pick up the receiver, his wife exclaims from their bedroom, "William! The telephone!"

"Thank you, Julia!" He grumbles. "Hello? Murdoch Residence."

"Good evening, Detective Murdoch, this is your concierge. I'm so sorry to disturb you at this hour, but you have a visitor who wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent."

Willing himself to focus, William clears his throat in his distinctive way. "Can you please ask who it is?" Hearing some commotion in the background, the concierge returns to the telephone. "Well, sir, it's a Constable Crabtree, although he is not in uniform sir."

"Please ask the gentleman to show you his badge and ask him what the Inspector's drink of choice is." More mumbling is heard. "Sir, I see his badge here and he says, 'Whiskey'?" That was more than enough of an answer for the still foggy brained detective. "Send him up, please. Thank you."

Sleepily walking back to the bedroom for his robe, Julia sat up in bed at his footsteps and turned on the lamp closest to her. "Is everything alright, William? What time is it?" Placing his arm into the sleeves of his robe, the detective turned towards the clock on the chest of drawers. "My goodness, its 3am." Swiping her hair away from her face, the doctor stared at her husband. "What's happened, William?"

"George, he's on his way up."

Opening her eyes a bit and sighing, Julia was about to get out of bed so much was she on autopilot. "Where's the body?" Suddenly there came knocking and the detective briskly walked over, saying behind him, "No idea as of yet! Who is it?!"

"Sir, it's me, George," came a forlorn voice on the other side of the door. Unlocking and opening the door as quickly as he could, William found his friend in the hallway looking like the saddest man in the world. "George? What is it? What's happened? Come in!" Beckoning the younger man into the living room, the detective gestured for him to sit down on one of the couches. "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry to be here at such an hour but you're the only one I can talk to."

"Of course, George. What is it?" With a click, the detective turned on a nearby lamp, the light illuminating the constable's pale face and darkening bags under his eyes. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

Clearly uncaring for his own comfort, George simply nodded, adding, "No, thank you, sir. Again, I'm sorry."

Now dressed in her own robe and a shawl, Julia entered the room, a sudden look of concern on her face. "George! Is everything alright?" The constable and detective stood, William grimacing slightly. "George was just about to tell me, Julia."

Sensing her presence was not needed at the moment, Julia walked over to George, placing a light kiss on his cheek. "We're here for you, George. All of us. Don't forget that." Smiling slightly, the constable nodded. "I'm grateful. Thank you, doctor."

"Excuse me, gentlemen." She said as she gracefully headed back to her bedroom, squeezing William on the shoulder as she did so, closing the double doors behind her.

"So, George, what have you? Are you alright?"

"Sir, I don't think I can go on."

William looked pensively at his friend, who held his hat in his hands. "What do you mean, George?"

"Sir, I miss Edna. I miss Simon. She was…she was going to be-"

"I know, George. I'm sorry."

Feeling restless, the constable stood up, beginning to pace the room. "I had it all, sir. I was going to have a family, a family of my own. Like you."

"Like me, George?"

"Yes, sir. You and Doctor Ogden. A marriage, a life together with the person you love most in the world."

The detective shook his head slightly. "Yes, George, but you of all people know how long it took for us to get to this point. Plus, we have no children."

"Yes, but you made it didn't you? The children will certainly follow. When am I going to make it, sir? When am I going to be able to have what you and Doctor Ogden have?"

"George, you cannot compare your life to ours. Our paths are different. We aren't perfect."

Stopping in his tracks, the younger man gestured to his mentor and friend. "No, but at least you have each other, sir. I have no one. Edna Brooks was it for me. She was going to be my wife. Simon, my son." Tears were forming now and George didn't care, sod his dignity. "I had it all, sir. I had my work, my friends, my aunts and I had the two of them. I didn't need anything else in the world, sir. I didn't want anything else! Oh my Lord…" The constable began to sob uncontrollably, so much so that his legs faulted and William had to catch him, pulling him to the nearest couch. The detective was speechless, blown away not only George's candor, but his ability to emote so intensely, something he'd always admired in George.

At hearing George's near collapse, Julia got out of bed and stood quietly at the door, listening in.

In between sobs, George rubbed his face harshly. "First Emily, now Edna. What have I done wrong, sir? What could I have done to warrant this? What is wrong with me?" Taking a handkerchief out of his pocket, the young man blew his nose and furiously wiped his face with the cloth.

"George, there's nothing more you could have done in regards to Emily and you almost went to jail for life for Edna. You're a good man, constable. We all know this. You need to know this. There's no need to change who you are for anything or anyone and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Any woman would be lucky to call you their husband. Do you think I would have chosen you to be my best man if I thought you were less than capable, less than a dear friend of mine? I wanted you to be there when I made Julia my wife after so many trials and tribulations. You were there the entire time with me, saw my ups and downs. I couldn't have made it through without you, constable."

For the first time in what felt like days, George genuinely smiled. "Thank you, sir. I knew Higgins couldn't have handled such a responsibility." William playfully punched him, laughing. "Indeed, George. See? It's perfectly normal to grieve, but you never give up. There's a woman out there for you, George. You may not feel it now, you may not see it now, but one day you'll wake up and you'll be married to the love of your life. I guarantee it. Just have faith. Faith is all you need."

Julia smiled deeply at this, reminiscing over the past few years and everything that she and William had faced both professionally and personally together.

"I loved her so much, sir. However shall I let her truly go? I hope they're alright and safe. It takes everything in me not to go looking for her, to tell her I'll join her…"

The detective eyed his friend. "I understand, George. If that is the decision you make you know that Julia and I will support you in whatever you need. Although, I really cannot imagine I could constantly have Higgins coming into my office every five minutes."

"And what about the tales of the supernatural? I'll certainly miss those." Julia said, unable to control her need of wanting to comfort George. William smiled at his wife. "Yes, even the supernatural."

"How can we not have you with us throughout our lives Constable Crabtree? How will we ever solve crimes? How can William survive without his right hand man?" The detective eyed his wife as she sat down on the couch across from the two men, pouring George a glass of cool water. "Julia…"

"You really do need me, don't you sir?" George's eyes lit with pure joy.

"Well, George…"

Embracing him in a fierce side hug, the constable yelped with glee. "I knew it, sir! I knew it!" Julia laughed, taking the water for herself since George was otherwise occupied. The detective on the other hand, was currently crushed in George's tightening embrace. "George, my ribs…"

"Oops, sorry sir!" the younger man said releasing him. "I feel so much better now, thank you both. I just have to have faith. Edna and Simon will be fine. I'll be fine. I'll find someone." Standing proudly and in a heroic pose the constable looked out the window, "I, George Crabtree am one excellent looking specimen and will endeavor to find my lady love, my Guinevere, my Main Marion, my Juliet but without the death part, my Queen Victoria but hopefully without all of the children, my-"

"George! George! Please."

Clearing his throat, the constable turned towards his friends. "Sorry, sir. I got a bit carried away there." Both Murdochs began to laugh, William shaking his head as he stood. "You're one of the good ones, George Crabtree. I'll see you in around 3.5 hours." The constable eyed his pocket watch with a sheepish grin. "My Lord, is it really that late?! I'd better go." Standing and joining her husband, Julia smiled, "Goodnight, Sir George Crabtree, King of Hearts!"

William smirked at his wife, holding her closer to him. "Goodnight, George."

"Goodnight doctor, sir." Just as he was about to leave, the constable turned toward his two friends and smiling deeply, racing over to them and enveloping them in a hug which they reciprocated lovingly. "Thank you. I'll never forget this. You two are the best friends a guy could ever have." Julia squeezed George's hand as he let go, "What are friends for, constable?"

After locking the door behind George, William Murdoch appraised his wife's shapely form as she moved towards the bedroom. Feeling eyes on her, she turned toward him. "Why, detective, I do believe you're staring at my backside." William coughed as she laughed, tossing her robe onto a nearby chair. "Well, I-"

"I suppose we'd better use up the remaining time we have before we have to face the day. What is your opinion of that prospect?" The doctor said, rolling her nightdress up to reveal her shapely legs. "What say you? Are you willing to sacrifice sleep for this endeavor?"

The detective felt a rush of excitement as he began to remove his own robe and unbutton his pajama shirt. "Who said we needed sleep to survive?" In a rush of giggles and flying clothing, the couple laid upon their bed, ready as ever to make the next 3.5 hours the best they could possibly be.