The stars! Harry turned the light in the kitchen off and opened the door to the shared garden. It was a clear night and as she looked up into the sky she could see the stars again. Was Dempsey watching them she wondered, she could stand here and see the same North Star as he could, she wished so deeply that he was standing here next to her. What if he was back in a prison cell. He would be able to see very little, maybe nothing. How could he have his rights taken away when he was innocent? The injustice made her indignant.

She shivered as she felt his fingers run through her hair, as she imagined seeing the whole Milky Way instead of 8 stars! She heard him call her 'my princess' as if he was there standing next to her, she was truly back in Ireland but then she heard Fry calling Dempsey Makepeace and her anger rose "Bloody Coltrane" she shouted.

"Is everything Ok Madam?" The local bobby sat on watch outside called from the other side of the wall. "Yes, goodnight" Makepeace replied. The chill of the clear evening suddenly swept into her bones and that, combined with the reminder that she wasn't completely safe here in the UK, took away any pleasure she had got from star gazing. She took her memories back indoors, and ran a bath in the hope it would help her relax and find a happy memory to take to bed.

She fought her frustration at wondering for how much longer she could cope with a stranger outside her house all night, but the only way she could banish it from the forefront of her mind was when she decided to ask Spikings to have it removed the next day.

Her turmoil was no better after a bath so she took her notes from the surveillance up to bed to read through and check. At least they had the desired effect of making her sleepy and she turned her bedside light off and slept fitfully as usual.

***

Dempsey hadn't slept properly for the two weeks he had been in police protection. The courts weren't safe and although he had moved around a lot once dropped off by the police he hadn't been sure who he could trust and had always kept waking himself to be sure he was safe.

Simone had been a real angel, she had picked him up, wandered the streets and bars with him; it was so much safer being a couple than a lone guy when that was what they were looking for. It had felt like some of the good old times, drinking and dancing in bars at three am seemed safer than sleeping. Simone was still drinking too much, in fact she would be useless as an informer if anyone picked her up and whilst Dempsey could see the bonus he really worried for her.

The bigger problem had been making himself presentable for court, he would shower and shave in the cell washrooms and dress in a shirt and tie. He couldn't keep sending home for stuff so he'd just bought some more suitable clothes. Eddie had been to visit his mum and attempted to reassure her but she didn't understand why Dempsey had refused the police protection, staying in the cells. Eddie hadn't explained about the corruption, the less she knew the safer she would be.

It had been on the Tuesday after Harry had returned that Dempsey had decided to send Harry a tape, He and Eddie had toured the music shops looking for it. Dempsey had ended up standing in front of a shop assistant singing the song, as it was easier to remember the words that way and the helpful girl had looked down many lists to find it.

"Why not buy a good American song?" Eddie tried to suggest

"Because I want this one" Dempsey looked forlorn "Eddie" he was pleading and Eddie saw the transformed Dempsey "This is so different isn't it" he half asked, half confirmed.

"So very different, now can we get back on task"

"I can order it from England, it'll take 5 days to arrive"

A sudden inspiration flashed across Dempsey "Can you just get it delivered to an address in London?"

The assistant went away and made a phone call and returned to confirm that would be possible. Dempsey provided the address, hoping Harry would know it was from him. He needn't have worried.

Now running of emotional energy he climbed out of a taxi outside Harry's home. He took his bag and paid the taxi. He ran up the steps and put his bag to the side of the door. He then moved around the house, trying to check if Harry was in and where she was, he wanted to surprise her. As he climbed over the wall he decided that all the downstairs rooms were dark and empty, upstairs was in darkness likewise and he wondered if that was an indication that she was out or in bed.

He concluded it didn't actually matter, if she was out she would find him on her return, if she was asleep he would find her in a few seconds. His knees were actually beginning to knock, he returned to the front steps and started to fish in his pockets for his keys, at least she had conceded it was easier for him to have one sometime back than keep on breaking in. In truth she didn't like the idea that it was so easy to get into her home so giving him a key had hidden that fact.

As his hands were in his pockets Dempsey was jumped upon from behind and held on the floor by two uniformed policemen. One grabbed Dempsey's' wrists and cuffed them behind his back.

"OI! what the hell do you think you are doing?" Dempsey was fuming

"I rather think the question is what the hell do you think you are doing?" the taller of the two uniformed officers smirked

"I am arresting you on suspicion of leaving unmarked packages with the possibility of terror threat and the attempted forced entry with criminal intent of harming the occupant." The second PC sounded quite proud; at least the most boring job in the world had provided him with something to report for once!

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"You left a bag on this doorstep; you act somewhat shadily by looking through the windows and then climb over the wall around to the back sir! In my book that is acting suspiciously, now you will please accompany me down to the station"

"Err Brian" the fellow PC sounded anxious

Brian wondered what was wrong whilst his fellow officer looked at the bag "We can't leave that if it's a bomb"

"OH NO, DON'T GET BOMB DISPOSAL TO BLOW MY BAG UP" Dempsey could see this scenario going horribly wrong.

"Well we can't leave the bag, we can't drive him in"

"Call for back up, get someone to take him in and someone to check the bag"

"CAN I SPEAK" Dempsey tried to shout above them

"You're under arrest"

"I'VE JUST COME HOME!" he yelled

"This is not your home Sir" Brian smuggly pointed out, "We know who lives here and it's not you"

"Look I have a front door key" Dempsey started to reason

"And we're supposed to believe that makes you live here?"

"OK so I don't exactly live here......."

"Don't you now Sir!" the tall PC cut in "Well, well, just as we were saying..."

"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" Dempsey suddenly asked

"We're the night protection SI10 have commissioned us"

Brian nudged his partner warning him for giving away too much information.

Dempsey groaned "If you open my wallet you'll find my SI10 ID card, now I suggest you do that rather quickly if you want to keep you lowly job constable."

At the nod of his partner Brian took the wallet and found the id, he raised his eyebrows to his partner in panic who desperately fished for the cuff keys. A light came on upstairs, and another in the hall way.

"GET ME OUT OF THESE" Dempsey didn't want these oafs around when Harry saw him, he was incensed that these bungling idiots had his hands tied and invaded this private moment.