Everything was going so well, or as well as things went when Cal Lightman was involved. Then Wallowski showed up on his doorstep. He had to help her but that didn't mean he had to advertise the fact. He was deliberately vague when Gillian had asked him where the case came from and when Wallowski showed up at the office, (so much for keeping a low profile!) he tried to keep the cop and his partner apart. The look Ria gave her boss when he handed her his credit card said it all, but Cal's reasons for not wanting them to be in the same room weren't because he knew Gillian wouldn't approve. He felt guilty. Guilty about lying to Gillian for Wallowski. He'd hated doing that. He hated everything he'd done to hurt Gillian. He didn't want to her to have to come face to face with his past mistakes. He needed to protect her. Especially since things between them were so good now. They were finally getting to where they wanted to be and he didn't want anyone or anything mucking it up. Not when he could manage that perfectly well on his own.

Despite his best intentions Gillian saw right through him, then she always did. She was pissed at him for protecting her and she let a little of her jealousy leak out. Normally she wasn't a jealous woman. She was a what you see is what you get kind of girl and if you didn't like it then it was your loss. But Cal had always been her blind spot. She knew Wallowski was no threat to her but Cal had seen her brief falter and it thrilled him. He couldn't believe his luck.

"You know she's good…I mean she's very good…at what she does." He told her hoping to see her eyes turn green again.

"I wouldn't know." She replied keeping her mask firmly in place.

Still, later Gillian went to the lab to size up her competition and to stare her down. She left Wallowski and Cal in no doubt that Cal was hers.

"You think this is funny do ya?" he asked as Wallowski left the room.

"Do you see me laughing?" she asked never breaking their gaze.

"Your arse off." He replied his eyes shifting to her backside.

Gillian had staked her claim to Cal and it was one of the sexiest things he had ever witnessed.

Now if only he could do the same. Something was holding him back. What the hell was he waiting for? OK one step at a time. First they should tell people they were dating. And as luck would have it Emily afforded him that opportunity to tell that night.

"So does Gillian approve of 'Shazza'?

Cal sat back down at his typewriter and mulled over their conversation. Emily, like Gillian, clearly didn't approve of Wallowski. The fact that Gillian's opinion mattered to Emily made him smile. He pushed the typewriter away from him.

"Sod the book!" he yelled.

Emily stood to reprimand him but he just grinned at her.

"We're having the night off." He told her "But first I have a phone call to make."

Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang and Cal welcomed Gillian into their home.

"Is everything ok?" she asked as he took her coat.

"Fine luv, fine. I just thought it was about time we told the truth."

Gillian looked at him puzzled as he ushered her into the living room.

"Hi Gillian." Emily greeted her looking pleased but slightly confused to see her.

"Hey Em." Gillian replied with the same expression.

They both turned and looked at Cal.

"She thinks I'm with Wallowski." He said pointing his finger at his daughter and delighting in the fact that both Emily and Gillian's noses wrinkled at the mention of the cops name.

Realisation dawned on Gillian's face as she realised what Cal wanted to do. She nodded to him. Emily however was still none the wiser.

"Your Dad isn't seeing Wallowski." Gillian told her.

Emily held up her hands. "Hey it's none of my business. I just think he could do better, that's all." She said looking pointedly at Gillian.

"You're right it is none of your business…"

"Cal!" Gillian admonished. She gave him a look that said 'tell her'.

Emily looked between the adults and then stared at her father waiting for an explanation.

He looked between the two most important women in his life and couldn't find the words to tell one what the other meant to him.

"Oh bloody hell!" he yelled. He grabbed Gillian and pulled her to him in a kiss that literally took her breath away. He held her close as they both looked to Emily for a reaction. Cal couldn't have been happier with what he saw. Emily was beaming and slightly misty eyed. She jumped up from the couch and hugged them both. She kissed her Dad and said.

"Finally!"

Cal grinned "Oi! Cheeky."

"Welcome to the mad house." Emily said to Gillian before turning to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Cal asked her.

"I'm giving you some time alone." She replied disappearing upstairs calling behind her "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Hey!" he yelled after her.

Cal and Gillian flopped onto the sofa side by side.

"That went pretty well then." Gillian said.

"Yeah." He agreed. He reached across and gently touched his lips to hers. He held her gaze wondering how he could put into words everything he wanted to say to her. He brushed her cheek with his thumb as he said.

"Now you're going to think this a line, and it is but…I mean it. You're good…at what you do…in fact you're the best."