A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reading this, especially DanaCartwright for reviewing. I've only ever spent one day in Manchester so I'm basically making it up; it's not going to be factually correct so I apologise to any Manc readers for ruining your city as you know it. Don't hate me for it though, please. x

"Drive until you lose the road or break with the ones you've followed"

-The Fray, How To Save A Life

Sam drove Annie back to his house. It was only ten minutes away, and he played the radio quietly. He deliberately picked one of the stations that wasn't playing modern dance music. If Annie really was telling the truth and she was from 1973, he had to break modern society to her gently.

The thing was, though, as impossible as it seemed, everything about her suggested she was telling the truth. Sam was a detective; he knew how to spot if someone was lying. Either Annie was an accomplished liar, an amnesiac or she was actually from 33 years in the past, and had somehow fallen through time.

"Here we are," Sam declared, pulling into his drive. He wasn't sure why he'd even brought his car that day; Saturdays were drinking days and he never drove in because he could never drive home. It was just a lucky coincidence he had taken it that morning.

"You've got a nice house," Annie remarked as she got out of the car.

Sam laughed. "Wait until you see the inside." He unlocked the door and let Annie in, stepping over a pile of post on the doorstep. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's fine," Annie told him. "My house is a mess as well. Lizzie brought the boys over yesterday."

"Lizzie?"

"My sister," Annie explained with a small smile. "She's got two boys, Daniel and Robert. They're good boys, but they ruined my house with mud."

"Playing football?" Sam guessed. "I used to do that as well. My mum would have a go at me because she'd usually have only just cleaned, and I'd come in with mud everywhere." He smiled at the memory. "Have you got kids yourself?"

Annie shook her head. "I'm still focusing on my career. I don't even have a boyfriend at the moment. In a way, I'm glad. He'd be back in 1973 without me right now, probably thinking something bad happened to me. God, they probably all think that. What if I can't get back? Will they forget about me?"

Sam took a tearful Annie in his arms. "I promise I'll try and work out how to get you back. But for now, you've just got to forget about it and focus on living here. You've got a lot to learn about 2006, but you can't go round telling everyone you're from the seventies. I believe you, but most wouldn't. Hunt would get you sectioned if you told him."

Annie nodded. "Thanks, Sam."

"It's alright," he reassured her, rubbing her arm soothingly. "I think you need some sleep. I've got a spare room you can have." He led Annie upstairs and into the small room. There was a double bed which filled most of the room, with a table on one side and a small wardrobe on the other.

"Thanks," Annie said again.

"Right, you get yourself settled. If you wake before me, help yourself to anything from the kitchen. I'll see you in the morning." Sam shut the door to give Annie some privacy before going into his own bedroom. He sat down on the bed, head in his hands. Was he going mad? Why did he believe this girl who said she was born 60 years ago? He hadn't completely ruled out the possibility of time travel, but why here? Why now? Why him?

Sam stripped off and climbed into bed, too tired to think about it any more. He was glad he hadn't gone out with the boys; it had been a long day as it was and he just needed to sleep. Drinking would have allowed him to talk out his problems, but he didn't trust them to keep their mouths shut. He was going through a difficult time in his relationship with Maya, which seemed to be common knowledge to the whole station. How many of them would let slip he was with Annie tonight, although in a completely innocent way?

He tossed and turned as he tried to make sense of everything in his head. Annie. Maya. Manchester was tormenting him. Sam slammed his head into his pillow.

It was light when he woke up. He rolled over and grabbed his mobile phone to check the time. 11:42. How late had he slept? He was never that tired. There were three text messages on his phone as well.

Dave O'Connell; 1:33am. Oi oi Sammy boy, yur not thd only on who pulld tonte. ;)

Dave, drunk as usual. Sam deleted it, just so that Maya didn't see it if she got hold of his phone. He hadn't pulled, but the lads seemed to see it that way. It was going to take some explaining, but he had to keep them quiet.

Maya Roy; 9:21am. Sam, we need to talk. Are you free today? I can meet you when I finish work.

Sam sighed and tapped out a reply.

Something's come up, sorry. Maybe tomorrow?

He went back to his inbox and found the third. It was the one that concerned him the most.

Kate Green; 11:18am. Hunt wants your blood. Someone said you're sleeping with the new DC. He's going to try and use it to get you out.

Sam got out of bed and was about to head downstairs in just his t-shirt and boxers before remembering about Annie. He pulled on a pair of scruffy joggers in the interest of decency, then went into the kitchen.

Annie was sat at the table, watching the 24 hour news channel on the television.

"I thought I'd better understand what's going on in 2006," she explained. "I never knew so many channels exist. There's so much choice."

"You managed to work it ok?" Sam was impressed.

Annie nodded. "I just hit a few buttons and guessed. When I found the news it seemed like a good thing to watch. It should be finished in a bit, though, it's been on for nearly an hour."

Sam laughed. "This is BBC News 24. It has news all day every day."

Annie's eyes widened. "Wow.

"Yeah. Anyway, there's a problem. Hunt somehow found out that you stayed here last night. He's going to try and use it to rip the department from me. I've got to go in. It's up to you what you do, but you can't come with me."

"O-ok. I'll stay here, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, that's fine." Sam took a slice of bread and put it in the toaster. "Now you're up to date with the news, do you think you understand 2006?"

"Sort of," Annie replied. "It's still so different from where I come from, though."

"Yeah. But when I get back, I'm going to teach you how to use the computers. You're going to need to." The toaster popped up and Sam took his food out, biting into the slice without putting any spreads on it. "Did you sleep alright?"

Annie nodded. "Did you?"

"Yeah," Sam lied. "Have you remembered anything more about how you got here?"

"I've tried, but I just don't know. It's like I suddenly went from one place to another, one time to another, but that's just not possible. I keep thinking I'm dreaming, but why would I dream this?"

"I can think of worse dreams to have." Sam ripped another bite out of his toast. "Anyway, I better get off to the station. Don't answer the door or the phone."

"Yes, Dad."

Sam laughed. "I'm serious, though. Just stay in the house, do what you like but just stay indoors. At the moment, I don't want you going out without me. It's not safe."

Sam showered and dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. He put his black coat on before leaving the house and driving to the police station. It was cold and he wasn't walking for anyone; he wanted to get back as soon as he could. He didn't want to leave Annie alone for too long.

Entering through the back entrance of Greater Manchester Police's main station, he nodded greetings to a few of his colleagues as he passed them on the stairs. He swung open the door to his office, hands in the air.

"Alright, what's happening? Any progress in finding our man Chatsworth?"

"Tyler." DS Harry Parker swung around from his computer. "I didn't think you were supposed to be in today."

"Nor did I, but I've got a few bits and bobs that need sorting. Is Hunt around?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Sam strode across the CID room to the far corner where Hunt tended to work. He put a hand on the man's shoulders. "Ah, Huntykins. I want a word with you."

Hunt turned around. "You see, I'm confused, Tyler. You act like a gayboy half the time, but the other half you're screwing whatever bit of skirt enters the office."

"At least I'm not drooling, unlike you." Sam pulled over a spare chair and sat down. "The thing is, a little birdy told me there's a chief inspector's job going over in uniform. Now I know you want my job, but that's the next best thing, and if you want to go for it, I've got to write your reference. So you play nice and I'll be nice."

"That's blackmail, and you know it."

"And?"

"Maybe I'll choose to stay here instead, be a pain in your arse until you decide to jack it in and go join the circus. After all, I'm next in line for the DCI role here, and we both know it. So why don't you transfer over to uniform and I'll move up here, and we'll all be happy."

"Over my dead body. This is my department, and I'm not giving it to you."

"No, but you'll give it to any girl that flashes her tits at you, though."

"Oh, piss off, Hunt."

"No wonder Maya's doesn't want you."

Sam snapped. He grabbed Hunt by the collar and pulled him close to his face. "Don't you talk about my girlfriend like that. Our relationship is none of your business."

"Isn't it? Do you know where she is now? In the disabled toilet sucking off Brian Tucker."

Sam let go of Hunt's collar before he smashed his face in. He put his hands on his head and paced the length of the department, before stopping where a young detective was sitting.

"Kate."

"I see you got my message then." Kathryn Green, normally known as Kate, was Sam's closest ally in the department. 23 but with the face of a sixteen year old, she often went undercover as a teenager. She was the younger sister of one of Sam's childhood friends, and they had known each other for years. He trusted her more than anyone else in the police station.

"Yeah. Where's Maya? Where's Brian?"

Kate looked down at her keyboard. "I don't know."

"Kathryn." Sam slammed his hand down on the desk, making her jump. "Tell me."

Kate turned. "What did Hunt say to you?"

"That they're screwing each other. Is it true?"

Kate's silence told Sam all that he needed to know. He ran to the disabled toilet and banged on the door with his fist. "Tucker, open the fuck up right now. I know you're in there."

There was a barely audible mumbling before Sam kicked out at the door. "I'm not leaving until you open up, so don't think you can sneak her out somehow. What the fuck do you think you're doing, screwing my girlfriend?"

The door opened, and Maya's head appeared in the small gap. "Sam, listen."

Sam pushed the door wide open and grabbed Brian by the collar. He pushed him up against the wall, his back against the soap dispenser. "I have every right to smash your face in right now, but I'm not going to give you the satisfaction. You're welcome to her."

Turning to leave, he stared at Maya. "I hope you're happy with him."

There was little point going back into his department, so he left the police station and broke into a jog. He liked to run and sweat off his angst, and this time he had more problems than he knew how to deal with. He and Maya had been going through a rough patch, but never in his wildest dreams would he have guessed she was cheating on him.

The whole department seemed to know, too. How could he carry on working there with their inevitable looks of pity or humour? Maybe Hunt was right, and he should move to uniform. At least he wouldn't have to look at Maya or Brian every day.

Rain began to fall, but still Sam kept running. Eventually, soaked to the skin and exhausted, he would up at the police station again. He got into his car and slammed his head down on the steering wheel.

"Why?" he shouted to the roof. "Why me? Why does my life have to be so fucked up right now? What did I do to deserve this?"