Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright for Waking the dead or its characters – all rights belong to the BBC

Content: Heartache, angst, violence,

Rating T –

Hey everyone. I am so sorry that this has taken so long to update …. I hope you haven't given up on this story – or on Grace! I think the other chapters should fall into place quite quickly so hopefully it won't take so long for the next update. I know this story is more relationship & emotional based than the nitty gritty of the ins and outs of the case … I hope you don't' mind! THANK YOU to all of you who have read and reviewed - I really appreciate all your comments. I hope that you will continue to read …. And of course continue to review. Thank you. Xx

Beyond Grace

Chapter 9

Eve had returned from Taylor's house just after 7pm. She had spent the afternoon rummaging around the small bedsit looking through countless layers of clutter and filth in the hope of finding something that would suggest Grace had been there or lead them to her. Carefully she cleared the floor space, processing and bagging countless pieces of would be evidence to re-examine back at the lab as she went. She reached into her kit bag and retrieved some luminol liberally spraying it over the floor before shining an ultraviolet light methodically across the surface.

She swore loudly as the light returned a negative result. Where ever Grace was shot it certainly wasn't in that room, the absence of blood proving it beyond doubt.

Eve breathed in deeply trying to determine if she was relieved or frustrated at the lack of evidence. She was glad that Grace's last moments were not spent in the squalled, stinking, dank surroundings where she now stood, but with that knowledge she knew that they were no closer to finding her. She had a good relationship with Grace, almost immediately they seemed to develop an understanding of one another, but it was during her illness that the two became extremely close. Eve had watched her own mother fight hard against the same brutal disease. As a teenager she had seen her transform from a vibrant women full of life and hope, to a frail, grey, old lady as the disease took hold and ravished her body. She was too young to fully understand what was happening, too young to be of any great help. She remembered how she used to sit for hours perched on the edge of her mother's bed reading quietly to her, daily watching her weaken. When death finally claimed her Eve wasn't frightened by it, in fact, in many ways she felt it a welcome release. Her mother had fought hard, but she was tired. But with that release Eve knew deep down she was angry. Angry that death had stolen precious time from them both, that her mother didn't have the opportunity to see the women she had grown into. She often wondered if she would be proud of her, and the choices she had made. Her mother's death formed a huge part in her decision to pursue the career path she had, making sense of the incomprehensible.

When Eve had discovered that Grace was facing the same fight those long ago suppressed feelings began to rise within her again. The pain, helplessness and confusion of how unfair it was that so many evil people roamed the streets and the gentle, good, honest people like her mum, like Grace were dealt life's cruel indiscriminate blows. In many ways Grace had become a mother to her during her time with CCU. It would always be Grace she would speak to first if she needed advice or help, or just to let off steam when Spence was just being an idiot or Boyd was being a general prick, which was often. She knew Grace knew how to handle Boyd, knew when to push him and when to back off. Eve trusted Grace's instincts with him. She had saved her skin many times when Eve had missed the red midst flash in his eyes as she continued to berate him and push him to his limits. It was Grace who intervened and prevented the carnage that everyone knew would be inevitable had she continued. As the years had passed Eve could see how inter-dependable Grace & Boyd had become. Neither of them would ever openly admit it, but they were lost without the other, which is why it shocked her that Grace didn't want him to know anything about her cancer.

"You need to tell Boyd, Grace. " Eve hand was supportingly resting on Grace's arm. She could see the fear in Grace's eyes and felt the same helplessness she had years previously perched on the edge of her mother's bed.

"No!" Grace snapped back. "Promise me Eve; promise me that you won't mention any of this to him."

"Why? I don't understand. He would want to know." Eve looked at Grace completely confused.

"I just don't want him knowing. He's enough on his plate without fussing over me; anyway I'm not sure he would even care at the moment."

"Grace you know that's not true, of course he'd care. "

"Hmm well, still I don't want him knowing okay."

"Grace, he's going to be so hurt if he finds out you kept this from him." Eve held Grace's gaze and for a brief moment she saw the fear rest in her eyes before Grace once again gained control of her emotions.

"Well hopefully he will never find out then, at least not until he has nothing to worry about. Seriously Eve, he's been through so much already with what happened to Luke and now this Lynda Cummings thing. He won't admit it but it has him shaken up pretty badly, the last thing he needs is to be distracted by this." Eve continued to search Grace's face, the fear she had seen seconds before now masked now by utter concern for Boyd.

"Seriously Grace, even when you're facing the biggest challenge of your life you are still more concerned about Boyd and how he feels than you are about the support you need. He doesn't deserve you you know."

Grace smiled warmly as she took Eve by the hands "Promise me Eve, this stays between us, yes?" Eve nodded her head in reply unable to bring herself to verbalise the words.

"Thank you ….." Grace continued "…. and keep an eye on him for me eh? He's not as strong as he likes to think he is."

Eve rolled her eyes "What … Boyd's welfare again?" she laughed before adding "I will, seriously Grace try not to worry about him though, we need to concentrate on you and getting you fit and well again." Eve reached over and hugged Grace tightly knowing full well that her words had fallen on deaf ears.

As Eve arrived back at the lab she placed the packages containing the evidence she collected at Taylor's neatly on the bench in front of her logging each one as she did so. Picking up the telephone she dialled Boyd's' extension.

"Yea" He sounded distant.

"Hi Boyd, its Eve."

"What did you get at Taylor's?"

"Nothing to talk about yet, I've brought some samples back with me, and will begin to run some tests on them, we should be able to at least get a DNA from them, confirm for sure it's Taylor."

"Was there nothing more substantial to go on?"

"She didn't die there Boyd, there was no trace of blood."

Boyd closed his eyes and let her words wash over him.

"Are you sure?" he softly said.

"Yes, yes of course I'm sure. If Grace had been shot there we would of definitely found blood no matter how well someone had tried to clean it."

Boyd swallowed hard. He suddenly became aware of the tension that had built within him. He had fully expected Eve to tell him that the place had been covered in blood which someone had tried to clean. He fully expected her to come into his office, look him in the eyes and tell him she had found Grace's blood all over that dirty hole. Now, he couldn't explain the emotions that were engulfing him. He felt relief, but was confused as to why. He wanted to find Grace; he needed to find her, so why did he feel such an overwhelming relief? The answer unveiled itself to him quicker than he was prepared for. He put his head in his hand rubbing his forehead as the realisation swamped his body. The realisation that he wasn't ready to admit that she was gone; he didn't want to let her go. He couldn't let her go. He knew the minute he admitted she was gone, the minute he held her lifeless body in his arms, would be the minute he was finished. There would be no way back from this. The longer she was missing the more he was justified in spending every waking minute thinking about her, remembering her and the way they were with each other, what they were to each other. When she was still missing he had a reason to continue, to fight on. No-one could blame him for that. No-one could blame him for not wanting to say goodbye to his closest friend.

"Okay thanks Eve." He replaced the handset before she had a chance to reply.

Eve carefully removed a cigarette butt from one the evidence bags and dropped solution on it before placing it into the machine to her right. She switched it on and walked over to the computer screen searching for the photo Boyd had been sent of Grace. Something wasn't right, she couldn't put her finger on it, but it wasn't right. The scene was too perfect. She searched through the files and clicked on the video file of Grace's message, pressing replay every time it finished. The phrasing bothered her. She isolated the start of the message and played it again and again, unsure if she was willingly herself to hear something that wasn't actually there and yet she was sure of it, sure Grace was trying to tell them something. She rubbed her hands over her face. Spence had been right; they were too close to this case. She knew it was affecting her and how she was processing things. Her mind unable to separate the truth of the evidence from the truth of her pain. Once again, she pressed play and listened to Grace's voice.

"Peter, I know that you will be blaming yourself for this, guilt is a strong emotion obviously …."

After he had spoken to Eve Boyd had allowed his thoughts to run riot through his mind. His memories, feelings, longings and pain all fighting for room as he tried to focus. He had sat reading through Taylor's copy of Grace's book trying unsuccessfully to prevent himself from imagining the horror his friend had went through. He knew the very worse that people were capable of and it made him sick.

Without warning his mobile phone began to vibrate loudly on the desk where he had long ago thrown it. He knew that both Spence and Eve were back in the office, so it was neither of them trying to reach him, and as there was no one else he wished to speak to he buried his head further into his hands. His attempts to ignore it however were futile as the vibration continued. Frustrated he reached out and lifted it quickly, his blood running chillingly cold as he caught sight of the caller ID.

He starred for what only could have been a few moments but felt like an eternity. His heart pounding his chest as if trying to escape its confinement. The phone continuing to vibrate in his hand, the ID continuing to flash on the screen.

Grace Grace Grace Grace Grace Grace

He could feel his throat begin to constrict, his mouth becoming increasingly dry, he swallowed hard as he answered.

"Hello." He softly said.

His words were met only with silence.

"Who is this and how the hell did you get this phone?" He said the urgency rising in voice which was met with only laughter from the other end. Male laughter.

"Taylor, you listen to me – I'm gonna track you down, and nail you to the floor then beat the living crap clean out of you. Tell me where I can find Grace." Boyd had automatically sat bolt upright in his chair, his face reddening with rage and hatred as he yelled into his mobile phone.

"Now, now Mr Boyd that's not a very nice way to great an old friend now is it." Taylor replied his tone full of provocation.

"Look Taylor you don't know me, and I don't know what the hell your problem was with Grace, but I swear to you by the time I'm finished with you, you're not even gonna know your own name let alone anyone else's – now tell me where I can find her."

"Oh I think you'll find I do know you and I don't have any problem with Grace, DSI Boyd – the problem I have is with YOU."

Boyd sank back in his chair, Taylor's words hitting him like a heavy weight in his chest.

"What did your problem with me have to do with Grace?"

"You don't even remember do you?" Taylor's tone changed from one of taunting to one of despise.

"Highgate 1982 – I remember."

"Do you remember what you did DSI Boyd?"

Boyd did remember, he remembered exactly but he hadn't come into direct contact with Taylor. He hadn't been the one to arrest him, or interview him. Taylor should have no idea who he was.

"I remember." Boyd said quietly. "But why take Grace, why didn't you just kill me? You know when I catch up with you Taylor you are gonna wish you'd killed me instead. Are you listening? Now tell me ….. WHERE'S GRACE?"

Taylor laughed loudly again as he replied. "She is right here Boyd, right here beside me."

"You're a sick ….." A wave of emotions overtaking his body causing him to begin to shake.

"Now Peter, play nice otherwise I won't let you talk to her."

"Wha …." Boyd's voice broke off. He leaned forward using his desk to support him, his body reeling unsure of what he was hearing. He struggled to keep his breathing under control, fighting to keep his thoughts in line. Swallowing hard he continued.

"Whatdya mean?" he asked immediately holding his breath in anticipation of the reply.

"I mean, Peter, that unless you are nice to me I won't let you speak to the lovely Dr Foley."

"But she's …"

"Dead? No, well, not yet anyway."

"The photograph ….." Boyd tried to shake the confusion from his mind. He had seen the photograph; he had seen Grace lying there lifeless covered in blood.

"Ah yes, it turned out rather well didn't it. I was very proud of the finished results. It's amazing what you can do these days with the right computer package and some pig's blood."

"You mean Grace, she's …"

"Alive, oh yes – but how long for depends on you."

He tried to gather his thoughts, as he processed the information Taylor had given. "I want to speak to her, let me speak to Grace." Boyd exhaled slowly closing his eyes; his breathing was heavy, his heart beating harder than he knew was possible. After a few long moments he heard her voice.

"BOYD"

"Grace, Grace are you okay?" He could feel his eyes sting as tears began to pool within them. He could barely believe this was happening.

"Help me Boyd… please"

"Grace where are you?"

"That's enough Mr Boyd."

"TAYLOR PUT GRACE BACK ON THE PHONE ….."

"I said enough! Now you have one hour. You come alone, and you tell no-one. Understand? If I even suspect someone is following you I will kill her – don't doubt that for one second Boyd."

"Whe …. Where do you want me to go?"

"There's a disused warehouse on the Kempton Industrial estate. Meet me there and Boyd don't be late." The phone went dead.

Boyd grabbed a pen and scribbled Kempton Indus Est on his notepad before tearing off the paper, grabbing his coat off the back of the chair he ran out the door and out of the office speaking to no-one.