"Cal…" she said warily.

"I know you're apprehensive luv, but answer me honestly, what would be so wrong about it?" They both sat back into the couch, he twisting slightly to face her. She had her hands clasped in her lap, nervous, Cal noted.

"For one thing we work together." She realised how lame an excuse that was after she'd said it.

"So? Everyone already thinks we're sleeping together anyway." Gillian's face contorted into one of humoured outrage.

"What? Cal! No they don't…do they?" she added meekly and he nodded.

"You know, by right I should fire the whole bloody lot of them for getting that one so wrong." Gillian laughed at this and she caught the smile that lingered on his face. He could always make her laugh and that was the attack plan he kept coming back to. When she was angry, confused or upset. He made her laugh. Something struck her suddenly.

"What makes you think I even want to sleep with you?" His answer to this would be interesting. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You must be joking. I knew before you did." She grinned at his arrogance and shook her head. He was probably right of course but the execution of his answer was typical.

"You know arrogance is not attractive Cal." He grinned.

"Yeah I know. But it's worked on you for years hasn't it? Way back to the start I wager. Right back to all of those early sessions. Before you got married, before I got divorced. It's always been there between us, hasn't it? She risked a glance at him. He continued off this look.

"And every time it looked like the time was right, something came along to mess it up. We toed those lines of marriages and divorces and all that stuff. But not this time. This time, there's nothing. There's no line to toe, despite what you might say. You find me a good excuse why this shouldn't happen, luv." Gillian took a deep breath, digesting everything he'd said, running it through her head and figuring out what he was really trying to say to her. Finally she looked up at him.

"Clara." He frowned.

"Gill, I told you this already. Poor man's version of you. I don't want her." She had to smile at this but he had missed her point.

"You're missing the point Cal."

"Well what is the point Gill?"

"I don't know yet. I'm trying to figure it out. She's got you on a leash and I'm willing to bet she doesn't share her pets willingly." He nodded, seeing what she meant. Then he frowned. She once again managed to get him away from the point he'd been trying to make. He shook his head, giving her a sly look.

"What?"

"You're good you are. Change the subject sufficiently enough to make him forget what he was originally asking. Very clever." She smiled at his compliment even though she knew what was coming next. He stood up and she frowned.

"I should go." He started walking toward the door and she jumped up to see him out. Stopping in the hallway he turned to face her again, not counting on how close behind him she was. They stood just a few inches apart and Cal couldn't help but glance down at the closeness of their bodies.

"Answer me just me one thing," he began, taking a deep breath, "Do you want me?" He looked up at her, his eyes catching hers but realising nothing in them. When she didn't answer he bit his bottom lip and moved to turn away. Her hand on his face stopped him and he looked back just in time to see her leaning in slowly and placing a soft kiss on his lips. Closing his eyes, he parted his lips, inviting her and she accepted, tongues colliding as the kiss deepened. Dropping his hands to her waist, Cal pushed her back against the doorframe to her sitting room, one of her hands in his hair, the other pushing at his jacket. He released his grip on her to let it slide off to the floor. Breaking apart breathless, Cal pushed his lips to her neck, kissing, biting, marking her as his.

"Ow!" she yelped and he grinned into her neck.

"Sorry luv…" Taking a step back he looked at her, face flushed, lips bruised and the hint of mark already appearing on the side of her neck. He pulled her to him and kissed her again. Softer this time, less urgent and more precise. His hands found their way to the bottom button of her blouse and began to unbutton them slowly as they kissed.

Gillian let her eyes close as she kissed him, wondering why she'd been so against this at the start. She could feel the vibrations going through her as he worked his way up her blouse.

"Oh shit," he said suddenly and she opened her eyes. As it turned out, the vibrations had been from the phone ringing in Cal's pocket. He turned the screen to her and the name 'Zoe' showed up on it. A flash of contempt darted across Gillian's face.

"Oh now, none of that," he teased, kissing her again as he answered the phone.

"Twice in one night Zo, you must be bored." He greeted her as Gillian's hands moved to his shirt, unbuttoning from top and working her way down. Cal swallowed hard. He hoped this was a short conversation.

"I have a proposition for you." Zoe's voice leaked through from the other side of the phone. Gillian was nibbling on his other earlobe.

"Oh yeah? Last time you said that I was nearly arrested…" He felt Gillian falter and he stretched on arm around he waist as a reassurance.

"This one's safer. Is Emily home yet?" Cal froze momentarily.

"Eh?"

"Emily? You know our daughter, that human shaped mass with some serious mood swings?" Cal's eyes widened. He knew there was someplace else he was supposed to be tonight. Gillian had stopped everything she was doing, Cal's shirt half open in her hands.

"Well, she definitely takes after her mother then. And no, she's not home yet. Her curfew's not until…" he glanced around for a clock and Gillian pointed. 10:45.

"Eleven." Zoe offered and Cal retorted.

"No. Half eleven with me. I'm very liberal like that." He smirked. Zoe was just about to speak again when he cut in.

"Listen Zo, I'm a bit tied up here at the moment. Let me call you tomorrow. You can tell me whatever it is you needed to then, eh?" The last part of the conversation was incomprehensible to Gillian so she watched as Cal hung up the phone, eyes wickedly taking her in.

"I hope she doesn't want us to work a case." Gillian said quickly and he shook his head.

"No, it's nothing like that. It's a potential 'get out of jail' on our financial situation but I'll know more tomorrow." Gillian nodded. While she couldn't say she'd be totally happy accepting help from Zoe, it would be better than Clara, who seemed to be intent on having a physical, continuous input into how they did things. He started buttoning his shirt.

"Luv, I've got to go. I forgot I had Emily tonight." Gillian nodded.

"It's fine. You should go." On this phrase, Cal stopped and looked at her.

"We'll continue this tomorrow yeah?"

"In work?" Gillian asked with a smirk crossing her face and Cal stifled a laugh, reaching down to pick up his jacket.

"I didn't think public places were your style love but I'm game if you are." He grinned as he leaned in and kissed her. She let her hands slip to his face.

"Well considering you were almost arrested for something, that doesn't surprise me." He pulled his head back from her momentarily, a curious look on his face.

"That could have been for anything. Shop lifting."

"It could have been. But it wasn't." He grinned at her as he reached for her front door, kissing her again as he did.

"No it wasn't. If you're very good, some day I might tell you what it was for." He smirked as he stepped outside the door. She shook her head.

"Something tells me I'll find out either way." He grinned back at her.

"Goodnight luv." She nodded her own goodnight in return then shut the door just as he hailed a cab.

Ok so really long chapter here but once I got going well, there you have it. R+R please!