Chapter 14

Simon felt seven shades of humiliation flush over his cheeks as he shuffled off the examination table in what resembled a surgical gown.

"You can go behind the screen and put your clothes back on while I go and clean up," the doctor told him, handing him his clothing.

"Thanks," Simon mumbled, slinking away and feeling like an idiot for throwing up on the doctor's shoes when he spotted the large needle the police surgeon was about to use to remove several phials of blood for testing. He slipped behind the curtain and started to pull on his underpants when he heard the door opening and assumed Kelly had returned. "Kelly? Is that you?"

"Not unless I've had a sex change without being consulted about it," a familiar but sheepish voice came from the other side of the curtain.

Simon froze. It surely couldn't be. To his dismay the corner of the curtain moved and Robin peered around.

"Robin!" he cried in alarm, "you can't come in here!"

"There's nothing I haven't seen before," Robin pointed out.

Simon realised at that moment that he still had one leg in the air, pulling on his underpants, and toppled over. After righting himself and hurriedly pulling on his underwear he backed away a little as Robin stepped behind the curtain.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed.

Robin hesitated.

"Is it true?" he asked eventually.

"Is what true?"

"Kelly said you… were reporting… a crime," Robin began as sensitively as he could.

Simon looked down. He couldn't bring himself to meet Robin's stare.

"I think you'd better leave, Rob," he said, "I've already heard where you're planning to put my iPhone, and I've already have a variety of medical instruments up there this morning so I'm not in the mood for anything additional."

Robin could feel his cheeks flush. He still didn't know what the truth was behind what he had seen the previous night but he was beginning to see that something was very wrong with his approximation of the situation.

"No iPhones," he promised, "I… might have said a few things I didn't mean when I got to work this morning." he paused and watched as Simon continued to dress in silence. "So are you going to tell me what really happened or am I going to have to read the report to find out?"

Simon pulled up his trousers and took his time fastening the belt. Eventually, not even glancing at Robin, he said,

"Did you get a good look at him?"

"At who?"

"When you came back last night and thought I was being unfaithful," Simon's voice wavered, "did you see what he looked like?"

Robin scratched his head.

"It was kind of dark," he said, "the curtains were closed and he…. He had his back to the door. I only saw the back of his head." he swallowed to keep bile from rising in his throat. "And his arm around you."

For the briefest moment Simon glanced at Robin with hurt in his bloodshot eyes.

"And then what did you do?" he asked.

Robin shuffled a little and scuffed his foot on the ground.

"I yelled at you but neither of you woke up," he whispered, "so I went to the kitchen and found you'd managed to down more alcohol in a day than you had in your life. I wrote you a note and left. I didn't want to be in the same flat. I stayed at Graham's."

"Graham?" Simon repeated. Robin nodded. "'Come-and-look-at-my-ice-cream-scoop-collection' Graham?"

"I had no where else to go," Robin sniffed. He watched as Simon slowly pulled on his shirt and buttoned it. "So what did I get wrong?" he whispered, "What really happened?"

Simon glanced at Robin.

"I've just been through this twice," he whispered, "please don't make me go through it again."

Robin let forth an involuntary sob which caught Simon by surprise.

"Please?" he begged, "I'm so worried about you, Si. This is worse than when you were in a coma… at least this time you can tell me what's happened… it's the fact that you won't that's killing me inside."

"It can't be killing you any more than the way it made me feel when I tried to call you and I found out you'd broadcast your plans for my iPhone around the station," hissed Simon.

"Please?"

Simon took a deep breath an let it out slowly. He could feel nausea rising inside his chest again as he thought about the night before.

"It's Keats," he whispered.

Robin hesitated.

"Keats?"

"Jim Keats."

"The… eighties guy?" Robin repeated, "the one you kept seeing in your cereal or on the TV?"

"Please don't ask me to explain how this is possible, because I do not know," Simon said quietly, "I came to find you yesterday when you didn't come home and left me a message about getting caught up at work. I wasn't in a good way and I needed you. I'd had a bit too much to drink and I don't think I behaved very well when I arrived…"

Robin bristled just a little.

"Yes, I have seen the CCTV footage," he admitted.

Simon looked at him seriously.

"You saw the footage?" he repeated.

"They're going to show it in the CCTV blooper reel at the Christmas party," Robin said a little angrily.

Simon couldn't care less.

"The guy," he cried, "did you see the guy? The one that took me home?"

"Well, yeah… I guess," Robin tried to think back.

"Describe him," Simon urged, "Please?"

"I didn't really take that much in," Robin said crossly, "I was too busy thinking my boyfriend had cheated on me in my own bed!"

"Please," Simon repeated, "it's very important."

Robin took a deep breath and shrugged.

"Couldn't see that well, it was only CCTV," he began, "Dark hair… glasses… long, dark coat."

Simon couldn't help tears returning to his eyes.

"I need your help," he whispered.

"What do you need me to do?" Robin asked quietly.

"I need that tape," Simon told him, "I need to see for myself. See with my own eyes. I need to be sure."

"I would think CID have the tape by now," said Robin.

Simon froze.

"Why would CID have the tape?"

"A DI came down for all the notes about your case," Robin told him, "because of your position in the station it's become a CID matter."

Simon closed his eyes and fell back against the wall.

"Shit," he cursed.

Robin bit his lip nervously.

"Shit?" he repeated.

Simon looked at him seriously.

"Fastest cover up in history is now in progress," he said quietly.

Robin hesitated. He thought the incident that occurred outside the room was pretty unusual but was too busy worrying about Simon at the time. He bit his lip nervously.

"Oh, God, Si," he whispered, "I…I think someone just took your evidence. He asked Kelly to give him the bag."

Simon took a deep breath.

"And she did?" he asked.

Robin nodded slowly.

"She didn't seem to have a lot of choice," he whispered.

Simon nodded slowly.

"In that case," he whispered, "it's a good thing I anticipated Keats's response and kept back a sample."

He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small bottle filled with dark liquid.

"I… hope that's not a urine sample," Robin contemplated.

Simon gagged.

"No!" he cried, "it's coffee." he cast his eyes downward. "Bastard made me black coffees to sober me up and added his own special ingredient." he slipped the bottle into Robin's hand. "You have to look after this for me," he urged, "get it to the lab. I need to know what he did to me."

Robin closed his hand around the bottle and nodded, fighting back tears. He slipped it into his pocked and looked seriously at Simon.

"I'm so, so sorry, Simon," he whispered.

Simon couldn't quite bring himself to reply. He couldn't quite forgive Robin for assuming the worst, even with all the circumstantial evidence. He'd thought their relationship was stronger than that.

Before either of them could say anything more, footsteps approached and the doctor's voice began;

"You can come out now, DCI Shoebury. I'm sorry I took so long. Who'd have thought leather would be so hard to clean of vomit?"

Simon cringed and avoided Robin's gaze, not wishing to have to answer any potential questions about how the aforementioned vomit had found its way onto the doctor's shoes. Instead, he peeled back the curtain, revealing both himself and Robin to a surprised doctor. Robin raised a hand in nervous greeting.

"Hi," he smiled amiably.

The doctor took a step back.

"A… a person appears to have materialised beside you," he addressed Simon nervously.

Simon sighed.

"This is Robin," he began, "he's my…. Friend."

Robin turned to Simon with a hurt expression.

"Am I just a friend now?" he whispered.

Simon looked down at his shoes.

"Well, according to your note we're certainly nothing more," he whispered.

Robin's heart sank. It was becoming clear that it would take a little time for them both to forgive and forget.

"I'm so, so sorry," he whispered again.

The doctor looked at Simon.

"DCI Shoebury, would you prefer some privacy while I talk you through the results of your examination?"

Simon hesitated. He wasn't altogether sure himself, but Robin answered the question by simply reaching out and taking his hand.

"No," he said quietly, "I… I'd like Robin to stay."

The doctor nodded.

"Very well," he said, He looked seriously at Simon. "I can find no wounds, abrasions or bruises," he began, "nothing to suggest any kind of rough treatment or a struggle. But more importantly I can find no signs that you were sexually assaulted."

Simon let out a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding.

"W-what? Honestly? Are you serious?"

"There is no sign that you have had sexual intercourse within the last twenty four hours, consensual or otherwise," the doctor told him honestly.

For a moment Simon forgot to breathe. Then he felt someone squeezing his hand and he heard his own voice crying, "Oh thank GOD!" over and over.

He remembered little of the moments that followed, not the arms that flew around his shoulders from a relieved Robin, nor the words from the doctor telling him when the results of his blood tests would be back. All he could think about was that Keats hadn't gone to the extreme that he had feared - and felt sure he'd have been capable of if he'd wanted to.

The condom wrapper, the nudity, the pair of them entwined in bed had all been part of a vile, terrible game meant to split Simon from his rock. It had very nearly worked.

What Simon still had to work out was why, how… what the hell he was supposed to do now.