A/N: Another chapter, thanks for the interest in this. I'm loving writing it and there's plenty more to be posted.

And just because I call you up,

Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made.

If she didn't move then it would go away. As long as she didn't believe any of it was real then it would go away, or she'd wake up or… something. Even as the thoughts whipped through her fraught mind the figure laying behind her wrapped an arm around her waist and queried quietly, 'Are you okay?'

The illusion was shattered. Nikki stiffened immeasurably and came to the conclusion that she couldn't speak. Her throat was bone dry, not to mention the fact that she wasn't sure she could concoct a coherent sentence.

Diane's nails scraped her bare abdomen. 'Nikki? You're…' Her colleague let out a small laugh. 'You do know you're amazing, right? I mean, I didn't…'

She felt nauseous again. Sitting up suddenly didn't help her swimming head but it did silence Diane. Nikki extricated herself from the mess of covers and stumbled towards her robe draped over the back of her dressing-table chair. Infinitely self-conscious, she pulled it around herself quickly, but then she remained with her back to the bed. 'You need to leave.'

'We went through this earlier,' Diane said softly.

Nikki shook her head. 'I mean it.'

'You meant it then.'

She began to turn around but looked back to the wall instantly. 'And you couldn't just go, could you?'

A moment later she heard Diane also stand and approach her. 'Look, I know this is…'

'You got what you came for,' Nikki said unsteadily: when she felt her body begin to shake, she tried to convince herself that she was merely cold. 'Now get out.'

'Nikki…' Diane touched her shoulder then instantly withdrew her hand as Nikki flinched. 'Please!'

Losing what cool she'd managed to retain, she turned, walked straight past the constable, picked up her clothes from the floor and vaulted them towards the naked form. 'Get out!' Turning away again, she heard the sounds of Diane dressing with trembling ears.

Several minutes later she heard footsteps coming towards her and she tensed. But Diane didn't reach out this time. 'You know, you can protest all you want but you can't erase it.'

Then she left and Nikki felt her cheeks redden and her eyes well up. She moved to the window and pulled aside the curtain. She saw Diane exit below and walk down the path, then the constable looked back and caught her. But instead of appearing in any way triumphant, Diane just dug her hands into her pockets and trudged down the street. Nikki let the curtain fall back into place and turned to survey the room.

Immediately, she stripped the bed. It didn't take much effort; it was already in complete disarray. Balling up the covers she carried them straight down to the washing machine. As an afterthought she ran back up the stairs and took the clothes she'd been wearing down there as well. After starting the machine up, she next grabbed a cloth from the sink and went into the living room to tackle the red wine stain on the carpet. It was dry now, it was more difficult. She felt like she was wearing away the carpet with her efforts but she had to sort it out. She had to. Finally, it looked passable and she disposed of the cloth in the bin, washed the wine glasses thoroughly, returned them to the cupboard and disposed of the wine bottle in the bin in the yard. Then she went to shower.

The water was scalding hot but she couldn't bear to reach for the dial. Part of her liked the feeling of being injured; she felt like she deserved it. The last time she'd felt anything close to this had been when Doug and Liz had… Scrubbing violently at her fingernails, she banished that thought. One guilt was enough for the night, and it was a giant one she already had to contend with.

Turning her face upwards Nikki allowed the water to burn her face. She couldn't believe that she'd actually… She'd known it though. She'd known that letting Diane Noble through that door was the biggest mistake she'd ever make. She should've followed her first instincts and slammed it straight shut. She couldn't pretend she hadn't known what Diane wanted. She just shouldn't have…

But Diane had been gentle, caring. There was nothing that suggested conquest, nothing that Nikki half-expected from the PC. That was what was tipping her sideways. She wanted to categorise it as Diane trying to get one over on her, succeeding and then wanting to use it as ammunition forever. But… Against her will, Nikki recalled her nuzzling into her neck leisurely and letting her breath brush over her ear. There was nothing calculated about that moment. It was… Nikki couldn't categorise it. And she didn't want to. Reaching for the dial, she turned the heat up.

Doug returned at half-past one. He wasn't fully drunk, just tipsy. When he kissed her cheek though, she could smell the beer and she wrinkled her nose a little at the stench. He sat down next to her on the sofa. 'I thought you'd be in bed. You've got an early start.'

'Wasn't tired,' she said softly, throwing him a weak smile. 'Nice night?'

'Yeah, not bad.' He frowned. 'You okay, love?'

'Fine. Honestly.' As he yawned, she went on, 'Go to bed. I'll be up in a bit.'

After a moment, he stood. 'Don't be long.'

'No, I won't be.'

She heard him ascend the stairs then, a few seconds later, he called, 'Did you change the bed?'

Swallowing, she shouted back, 'Spilled my coffee over it. Don't worry about it.'

'Alright. Night, love.'

'Night,' she muttered, resting her head against the sofa and staring into the chair that Diane had vacated hours previously.

'You've dealt with Mrs Harper, Crayford Crescent, haven't you?'

Nikki sighed at Gina Gold's words. 'Yes. Why, what now? Not another crank?'

The Inspector shook her head. 'Not this time. Her shed was burned down last night, Roger and Tony attended. She's a bit shaken up about it. Could you get down there and see what you can find out? You might have more luck, being a friendly face.'

She nodded. 'Yes, Ma'am.'

At least out of the station her head felt a little less clouded. While she was trapped inside those walls she couldn't think; she was terrified of bumping into Diane around ever corner. The last thing she could stomach right now was the sight of her. She needed… time.

Before she knocked on the front door of Mrs Harper's home, Nikki scouted out the back of the property. The shed was a pile of ashes and charred wood, soaked from the downpour of the dawn. It wasn't the best sight to behold, especially because Nikki had experience with this woman before- she was hard as nails on the outside but it masked a genuine fear at living on her own after the death of her husband. You never knew what face you were going to get, the one blaming the police for everything or the one that was silently pleading for help.

Returning to the front of the house, she knocked on the door. When Mrs Harper answered Nikki instantly realised exactly which person she was dealing with, as the door opened on a chain and anxious eyes peered through the gap. 'Oh, it's you.'

'Can I come in?' Nikki asked.

The woman merely closed the door and reopened it, letting her into the house before locking the door again immediately. Nikki went through to the living room and waited until Mrs Harper took a seat before she did so herself.

'I had you lot round last night,' Mrs Harper said plainly, picking up a cup of tea and grimacing as she drank it. 'Clap cold.'

'I'll put the kettle on, eh?' Nikki suggested, standing and going through to the kitchen. Mrs Harper followed her, so while she hunted around for teaspoons and the like, Nikki said, 'We've got some CCTV from just round the corner, hopefully we'll get some names from that. We're doing what we can.'

'That's what you always say,' Mrs Harper answered. 'Teapot's in the left-side cupboard.'

'Thanks,' Nikki said, finding it. 'Well, I don't know what other officers say, but I mean it. We will find them.'

Her host leaned heavily against the door, crossing her arms. 'And what'll that do? That was my husband's shed, Sergeant Wright. Can't bring it back, can you? All his things…'

Nikki sighed. 'No, Mrs Harper, we can't. But justice is worth something, even if it is just a small consolation.'

Twenty minutes later Nikki left Crayford Crescent, a sense of fury burning inside her. They didn't get it, the kids who did things like this, just how much they could hurt someone with one little action. So while they were having fun watching the flames, an ageing woman was watching the last remnants of her husband's carpentry fade into smoke. They could never be replaced, but it didn't matter to them, did it? She was determined to get the culprits for this one.

'Yes!' she muttered triumphantly. The CCTV from Rainer Road had picked up two youths running away from the scene around the time of the fire and she'd managed to get a match on the system. Boyd Graves, from the Larkmead Estate; had form for ABH and theft, and he'd already spent eighteen months in a young offenders institute. He was shaping up to be a real menace, but at least they had a current address for him.

After picking him up with the assistance of Will Fletcher, she braced herself for a no-comment interview, or a heap of swearing and abuse. As it happened, he was more subdued that she'd anticipated, probably due to the injuries on his hand.

'How'd you get the burns, Boyd?' Nikki questioned.

'Cooker,' he answered sullenly.

'Really? You must be clumsy.' When he shrugged, she went on, 'Okay, where were you between nine and ten last night?'

'At home.'

'Can anyone verify that?'

'Yeah, my mate Pete.'

'Pete,' Nikki repeated, pushing over the CCTV stills she'd printed off. 'That'd be the lad with you, would it?'

Boyd was silent for a moment. 'No comment.'

'We can get you anyway,' Will put in. 'You might as well admit it.'

'I'm not going back to that detention centre!' the teenager burst out angrily. 'I haven't done nothing!'

'You've destroyed a woman's memories!' Nikki retorted with equal venom. 'That shed that you thought would make a good bonfire belonged to a man called Gordon Harper, he died a year ago and all that his wife had left of his life's work was in that shed.'

Boyd snorted. 'Well, she'll get over it.'

It took a great deal of self-control to restrain her impulse to shout at him. In a measured tone, she said, 'You're going back to that detention centre, Boyd, and I've got no doubt it won't be the last time. We'll be seeing you again. Interview suspended 14:13. Take him back to his cell, PC Fletcher.'

Her shift wasn't over soon enough. She hadn't thought when she'd exited the house that morning that she'd be racing to get back there, but there had just been too many cases coming through that dented her faith in humanity. Plus, they just served to compliment her guilt. For example, Mrs Harper's situation had reminded her that recklessness was no excuse for hurting somebody. And nothing was unavoidable if you resisted hard enough. The trouble was, she hadn't resisted at all; so she was fully to blame.

Sighing heavily, Nikki opened her locker, finding a folded piece of paper obviously pushed inside via the crack. She wasn't alone, and she didn't particular want to read it anyhow, so she slipped it inside the pocket of her jeans when she'd finished dressing. When she was safely in her car she found herself reaching for it, though she sat there for what seemed like an age before she unfolded it.

I'm not playing some kind of game. Believe that.

And that was it. Nikki reread the nine words several times then returned the note to her pocket. She started the engine then shut it off again.

It wasn't a game. That could sound so sincere but she didn't want to believe it was anything but a lie. What was worse, manipulation or… or the opposite of it? If she was being toyed with… Well, she could cope with that. It was a stupid situation to put herself in, but it was manageable to an extent. But anything involving emotion wasn't manageable, she knew that from experience.

When she got home she found Doug cooking. Not really a surprise in itself, but she couldn't recall him mentioning it, nor could she remember whether the kids were supposed to be in or not.

'What are we having?' she asked, moving to sit at the kitchen table.

He glanced over his shoulder with a smile. 'Lamb chops. Thought you might fancy a break from cooking.'

'That's nice, but you really didn't have to make an effort.'

'Why not?' he questioned. 'You deserve it.'

There was a lengthy pause during which the meat crackled in the frying pan. Then Nikki snapped herself back to the present. 'Um… Where are the kids? Who's eating?'

'Andy's out, that's it. Think he said something about studying. I could've misheard him, obviously.'

'Probably,' she agreed. 'Look, I can't sit here like a spare part. What can I do?'

'You're not touching the food,' he warned. 'I dried the bed sheets. Iron those if you're that bored. Oh, you do know there were clothes in there as well?'

Half-way through standing she seriously thought her legs would give way so she sat again. 'Yeah… Spilled the coffee down them as well. No use putting two loads through.'

'Now when I say that you call me lazy!'

She didn't answer him. Instead, she just collected the covers from the dryer and took them for ironing up in the bedroom. Separating the clothes from the sheets, she found her hand shaking as she fingered the casual top she'd been wearing the previous night. Diane had slowly lifted it upwards, dropping kisses on her stomach as she went, before carefully removing it altogether. Nikki tried to shake the image from her mind but she couldn't.

Leaving the ironing on the bed, she went to close the bedroom door. Then she pulled out her mobile from her pocket, along with Diane's note. She read it once, twice, then balled it up. Uncertainly, she scrolled down her contacts list and settled on 'Diane'. She stared at it for a minute then quickly pressed the dial button and lifted the phone to her ear.

Two rings and then, 'Hello?'

Opening her mouth to speak, Nikki immediately closed it again. She didn't know what she wanted to say. She didn't even know why she'd called. After spending the day pushing Diane as far from her mind as possible, she'd gone and ruined all her hard work just like that. But… Well, she couldn't explain it. She'd almost been on auto-pilot.

'Nikki?' Diane said after a lengthy pause. 'Are you okay? Come on, talk to me.'

Still she found she couldn't articulate anything. Diane had asked how she was. As though they were… something to each other.

Another silence and then, 'I hope you got my note.'

Dropping the phone into the bed, she opened her fist and straightened out the piece of paper.

I'm not playing some kind of game. Believe that.

It was all very well and good saying that, but what would believing that really mean?

The next couple of days passed in some sort of haze. She was off shift until Wednesday, which meant a chance to relax, refresh herself and generally catch up on things she'd been neglecting. By Monday, however, she was wishing she was at work instead. There was too much pottering around her head to make her household jobs anything more than an effort at simply moving dust around; and as for relaxing- that was a joke! She didn't think her shoulder muscles had stopped clasping together since Friday. Then again, she didn't want to be relaxed as such; that'd trivialise what she'd done. It was a lose-lose situation really.

Daisy was usually the first one home but she'd called as soon as school finished to ask whether she could go to her friend, Emma's, for tea. Nikki hadn't protested, especially considering the number of times she'd had to cook for Emma in recent months. It was a nice change for the pair to be elsewhere. Rebecca had dance class and Andy never appeared until the evening so the only one she was expecting home was Liam.

He arrived just after four, slamming the front door and going straight up to his room. Taking a deep breath, Nikki left her mop propped up by the kitchen door and followed him up there. 'Oi,' she said, walking through the open door. 'What's wrong?'

He glanced at her then went to his CD collection and picked out a disc. 'Nothing.'

'You might as well tell me,' she answered. 'Your Dad's not home for another couple of hours and I've got nothing better to do than stay right here.'

'Leave it, will you, Nikki?' he replied angrily. 'Just leave it.'

Part of her wanted to stay but she recognised she wouldn't get anything out of him until he calmed down a bit. 'I'll be downstairs,' she finally said.

Half an hour later, as she was peeling the potatoes for the cottage pie, he entered the kitchen tentatively. 'Hiya.'

Washing her hands, she sat down and the kitchen table and waited for him to do the same. 'What happened?'

'He's back. Greg Clarke, he's back.'

Nikki let out her breath. 'I thought he'd been permanently excluded because of all the bullying?'

'Yeah, well,' Liam answered with a shrug. 'He's still come back. He's gonna kill me.'

'No,' she said firmly. 'He's not. I'll get onto the school in the morning, see what the hell they're playing at. But, even if he… Liam, listen to me… Even if he is back full-time, he can't touch you.'

Her stepson snorted. 'You serious? I broke his nose. He'll break my legs!'

'Me and your Dad won't let that happen!'

'You can't be around all the time,' he argued miserably. 'And what if I…'

She knew what he was afraid of. 'Just try to keep your cool. If he's just trying to wind you up ignore him. It's the only power he's got.'

'But last time, when he said Mum was a…'

'What does he know, eh?' she interrupted. 'He's a silly lad looking for something that'd get to you. He hit on a sore point.'

'She's not mad!'

'I know that. And as long as you know it, it doesn't matter what that little… It doesn't matter what he thinks.'

'Nikki?' he said after a moment. 'Can you not tell Dad yet? Just till we know.'

'Course not,' she answered with a small smile. 'You gonna help me with the tea then?'

He stood quickly. 'I've got homework.'

'Yeah, funny that.'

It was, unfortunately, true. Greg Clarke was back at the comprehensive because no other school in the district would accept him and the headmaster was too soft. Nikki had dreaded talking to Liam when he got home on Tuesday but he seemed to know it already and just shrugged answers to her questions about how he was. Doug, on the other hand, was a different matter. He'd wanted to knock Greg's block off at the time; it had taken Andrew's best efforts to control his father. Seeing Doug like that had been a bit of a revelation for Nikki- he'd always been so calm and collected- but his family in danger was evidently the one thing that triggered his anger. He could arrest murders, muggers, arsonists and terrorists with impartiality, but the second anyone harmed a person he loved his protective streak came into play.

She'd given Andrew some money to take the girls to the shopping centre and Liam was hiding in his room until the news had been broken. Doug had returned home from work in a fairly jovial mood, which could be a positive or negative thing, and was humming the theme tune to The Flintstones whilst making them both a cuppa when Nikki decided to broach the issue.

'I had to call the school today,' she began tentatively, seeing him break off immediately from his task and turn to her questioningly. Deciding to get it all out, she went on quickly, 'Greg Clake's expulsion's been rescinded, he's back on a permanent basis.'

Doug's easy smile fell into a frown as he sat down at the table. 'Does Liam know?'

'Yep. He told me about it yesterday.'

'Yesterday?' her husband repeated. 'Why didn't you tell me last night?'

'Because he asked me not,' Nikki answered simply. 'Now, he's not happy but he knows we'll support him.'

Doug shook his head. 'I want to see the headmaster.'

'It won't help! I've been through it all with them. Apparently, Clarke's made a deal with his social worker, they've got to give him a decent chance.'

'What, and meanwhile Liam's too scared to go to school?'

'He is scared, but he's angry as well,' she replied. 'That's more worrying. I don't want him getting expelled.'

'I wouldn't blame him if he did,' Doug said. 'What that little…'

Stemming the tide of his guilt, she interrupted, 'Him getting kicked out of school won't help, will it?'

Grudgingly, he shrugged, in a way very reminiscent of his son. 'Suppose not.'

Nikki stood and went to draw the blinds down on the evening. 'Take him out for a burger or something. He's sat up there terrified you'll blame him for some reason.'

Doug sighed and then nodded. 'I just don't want to see him hurt again.'

'I know that. He does as well.'

A couple of hours later Nikki had just about finished sorting out the cupboards that the kids had managed to create chaos in. The door went and, since Andy and the girls were already back and in their rooms, she knew it was Doug and Liam returning. Rinsing her hands, she went to greet them in the hallway.

She stopped short as she saw they were accompanied by an apprehensive-looking Diane. 'Hello.'

'Look who we found wandering the streets,' Doug said, taking off his coat. 'She tried to get away but I wouldn't take no for an answer.'

Sincerely wishing he had, Nikki examined the constable's face which was studiously directed away from her. There was a slight red tinge to the cheeks but Nikki was more focussed on the lips and the tongue that flicked out over them periodically to really notice. Blinking several times, she managed to ask, 'What were you doing around here?'

Diane looked up and met her eye, causing her stomach to jolt. 'Visiting friends. Or at least, I tried to. They weren't in.'

'Pity,' Nikki answered.

'Not really,' Liam said and for the first time she noticed he seemed brighter than he had for the last twenty-four hours. 'You wanna see that program?' he questioned, looking to Diane.

She smiled. 'Sure.'

After she followed him up the stairs Doug moved into the kitchen. Nikki lingered in the hallway, unsure of what was actually going on and wondering whether she was dreaming. It was definitely reminiscent of a dream she'd had on Saturday night but this seemed too real. No, Diane Noble was actually in her house again, after she'd vowed never to let her over the threshold ever again.

'What program's he talking about?' Nikki queried, following her husband into the kitchen.

He was busy with the kettle. 'Oh, he mentioned I bought him that Chelsea/Arsenal cup programme. She seemed interested.'

'Did she?' Nikki glanced to the ceiling in the knowledge that Liam's room was directly above them. 'Where'd you find her?'

'End of the road,' he answered. 'She seemed a bit lost to be honest. Does she take sugar, do you know?'

'I don't know,' she admitted.

'Oh, I'll go ask her,' he said, going out of the kitchen. When his footsteps pounded on the stairs, Nikki let out the breath she'd been holding and rested her head against a kitchen cupboard.

This was too much. This was something she couldn't handle. Diane being back in the house- talking to Doug- it was just too strange, too much. Looking into Diane's eyes had reminded her of Friday night, of the futile resistance she'd tried to put up, and the way Diane had silenced her concern with a small smile. She didn't know why the constable affected her so much, but she could never recall feeling quite so alive at any other time. Involuntarily, she glanced towards the counter near the window where Diane had approached her and…

'No sugar,' Doug said, coming back into the kitchen. 'They'll be down in a minute.'

Nikki cleared her throat. 'How'd it go with Liam?'

'Not too bad actually. You know, he's worried but he knows we're on his side. You got through to him.'

'Did I?'

Doug smiled and moved to wrap an arm around her waist. 'You know you did.'

Allowing herself to be consumed into his arms for a moment, Nikki tried to relax. It was easier said than done, especially when there was a noise in the doorway and she instinctively knew who was there. She tensed, then painted on her best smile and pulled away from Doug. 'I'll be right back,' she said, seeing a hint of something that appeared to be jealousy flitting across Diane's face.

As she reached the top of the stairs she bumped into Liam coming out of his room. 'Hi.'

'Diane downstairs?' he questioned.

'She's with your dad,' she answered and watched him trot down the stairs. His pleasure was a bit concerning; he didn't get on with that many people but when he liked someone enough to give them the time of day… Well, it was a rarity. The last thing she wanted was him forming an attachment to Diane though. If Nikki had her way he'd never see her again.

After spending five minutes aimlessly pottering around in the bathroom she finally got up the courage to go back downstairs. Stopping in the doorway she could see Diane sitting in the same chair she'd occupied on Friday night. Standing in this position, Doug and Liam sat on the sofa couldn't see her, but Diane glanced over and uncertainly smiled. Nikki couldn't smile back but she did know one emotion, at least, was present on her face- fear.

Stepping fully into the room she went to sit in the armchair on the other side of the room, practically opposite Diane. She was embroiled in a discussion about the Army with Liam. Nikki couldn't say she was surprised about Liam pursing that line of enquiry because he'd already looked into it as a career, but Diane was talking freely; something Nikki wasn't used to. Diane was so closed, protective of herself and her history, which was a way of life Nikki could sympathise with but not relate to. In her own life she'd always been happy as an open book. Well, with two notable exceptions, but she wasn't proud of either of them, and she certainly wasn't content with the lies she was telling to cover her emotions over Diane Noble.

It was surprising that Doug didn't draw attention to the fact that she barely spoke for the hour that Diane occupied that chair, but perhaps he put her quietness down to Liam's situation. It didn't matter either way, because the three of them were getting on fine. It amazed Nikki how Diane could just sit there and talk to Doug without looking guilty in the slightest, but she managed it. Maybe she was as cold a bitch as Nikki had first decided. No, she quickly told herself, because she'd seen her in warmer moments. And she'd felt her warmth physically. There was no way she could, when recalling Friday night, truly believe that Diane was playing games with her. She wanted desperately to believe it but she couldn't. She'd felt closer to Diane than she could articulate on Friday and she didn't want to believe that was all a fabricated mess. But that begged the question, what did she want to believe?

When Diane announced she should be going Nikki felt relieved, yes, but a fragment of her felt some other emotion, one she couldn't name. Despite the horrible situation part of her didn't want to see the constable leave. Quickly shaking that feeling away, she and Doug saw her to the door. Diane was polite, overly so, which wasn't surprising. But as she slipped over the threshold she looked straight at her again and Nikki felt her body react. Then she was gone.

'Nice night,' Doug commented, going back into the living room.

After a moment, Nikki followed him. 'Yeah.'

Leaning against the wall, Nikki began to wish she'd had breakfast. She hadn't felt like eating then but now her stomach was rumbling, probably through nervousness, and she wished she'd taken a piece of toast or something to settle it. Still, there was nothing she could do about that now, not while she was waiting, quite impatiently, for Diane to arrive at work.

Finally, the constable appeared and, seeing her waiting, immediately came over. 'Morning.'

Nikki glanced around before she spoke. 'You shouldn't have…'

'Why don't we go somewhere and talk about this?' Diane suggested. Then, as Nikki's eyes flickered around, she let out her breath in a disbelieving laugh. 'What, you're afraid to be alone with me now?'

A pause and then she admitted, 'Yes.'

Diane sighed and moved to stand beside her, leaning against the wall in a similar manner. 'I didn't mean to cause any trouble last night. I just… I wanted to see if you were alright. Then I saw Doug and Liam leave the house and I…'

Interrupting, Nikki asked, 'You were out there that long?'

'I know, I sound like some kind of stalker.'

No. It sounded… nice. But she didn't say that. 'I want you to leave me alone.'

'Why?' Diane questioned simply. 'You don't mean that, not really. You didn't want that Friday…'

'You should've left!'

'Why, because I was making it difficult for you?'

Nikki stared straight ahead at the road and the milling vehicles. 'And why are you doing that?'

'Oh, for the hell of it, of course!' Diane retorted, shaking her head. 'I'm not gonna spell out for you. You don't need me to.'

'You know, last night, I thought you were gonna tell Doug.'

'I wouldn't do that,' she answered quietly. 'What's the point?'

'You get to hurt me?'

'Nikki, how many more times? I don't wanna hurt you. I want the opposite! Look,' Diane went on quickly, shifting so one shoulder was against the wall and she was looking at her, 'you can say what you want about Friday but I was there, remember? And you don't get that turned on if you're not interested. Believe me, I know.'

Half-involuntarily, Nikki shifted to mirror the position of her colleague and found herself faced with those penetrating green eyes once more. 'It can't happen again.'

Diane smiled a little. 'You didn't say you didn't want it to.'

'I'm married! I've got a family! I'm not going to jeopardise all that just because I…'

'Fancy me?' Diane finished quickly. 'Nah. I mean, why bother? It's not like you can't stop thinking about Friday night or anything. Who are you fooling, Nikki?'

The PC walked off towards the station entrance leaving Nikki resting her head against the cool brick and wishing the wall would swallow her up; or at least tell her what to do.

'You okay, love?'

'Hmm?' Glancing up from her magazine, having been stuck on the same car advertisement page for five minutes, Nikki tried to smile. 'Yeah, fine.'

He closed the bedroom door and came to sit down on the edge of the bed. 'You know, I've been stood over there for ages and you didn't notice me. You were off somewhere, I think.'

'Just couldn't concentrate. Are you coming to bed now?'

Doug nodded then reached for her hand. 'I'm not that tired though.'

'Oh.'

'I'm sorry!' she hissed, quickly pulling on the clothes she'd dropped on the chair when she came to bed, not daring to look at her husband.

He was out of the bed a moment later. 'What are you doing?'

'I'm getting dressed.'

'Yeah, I can see that, Nikki. Where are you going? It's nearly midnight.'

'I just… I need some air,' she said, buttoning up her top and trying to locate her socks. 'I'll go to Annie's,' she added as an afterthought. Her sister had landed on her doorstep enough.

'Don't you think you're overreacting?' Doug said, touching her shoulder. 'I don't mind. It doesn't matter.'

'No,' she replied bitterly. 'It does.'

Having already sat in the car for twenty minutes she was starting to feel cold. When she'd left home she'd seriously had the intention of going straight to her sister's but, somehow, the car hadn't gone in that direction. She was parked outside a block of flats that she hated herself for coming to, but she still couldn't find the strength to turn around and leave. Neither could she find the courage to go ring the bell either.

Poor Doug. He probably wondered what the hell was going on. The thing was, as soon as he'd touched her she found she couldn't bear it. Her first instinct had been to get him away from her, because the image in her head wasn't of him. The image wasn't even male. She was half-disgusted with herself, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Here, in the darkness and seclusion of the empty street, she could finally admit it to herself; this physical attraction for Diane was something she couldn't control. All she knew was that it was an overwhelming desire battling inside of her. Everything she did was infused with the notion of a repeat of Friday night, and every fibre of her morality argued plaintively against it. She had every reason to steer well clear- there were five reasons sleeping at home right now. There was Liz, miles away and probably not sleeping- she was a definitive argument for steering clear. That old familiar guilt mixed with the current dilemma made her feel sick.

She got out of the car, looking at the building with lights glowing through curtained windows in front of her. A moment later she found herself walking towards it, her heart racing. There was an entry phone system but she managed to catch the door before it shut on a young couple returning from their night out and, climbing the stairs, Nikki found herself outside Diane's flat.

Raising her hand to knock, she let it drop back to her side. Was she losing her marbles? She had to be. Swallowing, she knocked swiftly. Less than a minute later the door opened and Diane stood there in a nightshirt that barely reached her knees.

'I don't know what the hell I'm doing,' Nikki said by way of explanation.

Wordlessly, Diane opened the door wider and let her past.