I hope this chapter is okay and I am sorry if Sandra and Gerry appear to be out of character a little in this chapter in various places I do hope you will overlook it!

Once again Sandra let go of Gerry's hand and took a step back.

"Excuse me" the way that he had come out with it, just blurting it out like that and that hopeful expression that was painted across his face made Sandra uneasy, uneasy as detective or not she had no idea if he was being serious. She laughed a little as a reaction to the shock "Gerry please tell me you are not being serious".

"Well what do you think?"

"About the question or if you're being serious?" she asked still unsure of Gerry's motives.

"Both"

"Well I am hoping this is for that stupid competition thing, which you actually told me you had sorted and as for the question-"she tried to let him down gently "I think you know the answer to that"

Gerry felt gutted he had spent days organising this, making sure it would be the perfect evening it wasn't just about the competition or even winning it anymore, it was about Sandra. She had really deserved to be treated to a night out, she works so hard all of the time and never gets a thank you, or conformation someone cares about her, tonight Gerry had realised this and with his stupid competition and his pathetic choice of words he had ruined that.

"Sandra, I'm sorry I didn't mean to come out with it like that" he said watching her step closer to him.

"It's for that competition isn't it" she asked him once more.

"Well, yeah but Sandra I shouldn't have done all this you made your views on it very clear, I'm sorry"

"Oh Gerry don't make me laugh, look I can see this competition means a lot to you and you obviously are worried about money-"

"Not 'alf Guv"

"I give you credit for that, it's just I have had a wonderful evening tonight Gerry, yes I didn't think I would but I have really enjoyed myself but let's not go and spoil it because you know as well as I do that there is no way that you and I would make a convincing couple"

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself Guv, you deserve a little treat once in a while I know I don't say it but you are the best Guv'nor that I have ever had"

"Thank you Gerry and I know I am" she joke, glad they weren't about to part on bad terms.

"And about this competition, I think your right, we wouldn't have been too convincing" he was lying he knew they would have been able to pull it off "I'm not going to submit my entry"

Sandra felt guilty now, "Gerry I'm sorry, but I thought you said this was the only way to get the money, you could win it by yourself your re good enough"

"Thank Guv, nah you've seen the other blokes who enter I have no chance next to them and anyway there is always other ways to make money isn't there Guv I mean maybe I could ask the boss for a pay rise" to say Gerry Standing was feeling a little down he sounded rather upbeat about it all.

"Umm I that would mean having to do the same for the other two dinosaurs and I'm not sure my budget with stretch to that" she said screwing up her face as she did so Gerry's face was not clearly visible, she felt bad enough about it all.

"Nah, you're alright Guv I understand, I was joking anyway"

She smiled happy the evening was still intact "Care to take me home then" she asked.

"It would be my pleasure" he said flagging down a taxi as they were next in the queue.

The black cab dropped Sandra off first and Gerry being the gentleman he was desperate to show Sandra he was without it being an act walked her inside.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening Gerry, who knows we may have to do this again sometime"

"It was my pleasure Sandra, yes we will and next time we shall go and see Le Miserables seen as that is your favourite"

"Actually I think I have a new favourite now" she admitted "good night Gerry" she said kissing him on the cheek.

"Good night Sandra" he said as he too kissed her in the same place as she had kissed him.

She watched the taxi leave the drive before going inside.

Once inside she got changed into her pyjamas and poured herself yet another glass of wine even though she was aware she had already had too much that night.

Watching the rubbish late night tv she couldn't help but feel guilty about how she had rejected Gerry's offer and thinking about it she actually thought they could have pulled it off seen as when they had gone undercover as man and wife no one ever questioned them about it. She thought about what Jack had said too about him needing the money and he had gone to a lot of time, effort and not to mention money he hardly had to get this far with the competition and she had shot him down just like that. She hadn't been fair to him and she knew that now.

"Trust Gerry Standing to make me feel guilty about this" she thought out loud and decided there was only one thing for it. She swapped her wine glass for her mobile and began composing a text:

"Is that offer of 'marriage' still on? Maybe I was a bit hasty refusing it only I think we might be able to pull it off? x"

Sent now the ball was in Gerry's court.

All of two minutes passed before her Blackberry flashed to tell her she had a new message she had forgot to turn her phone off silent when they came out of the theatre, Gerry's proposal must have distracted her.

One new message from Gerry Standing her phone told her:

"Guv, are you asking me to marry you? ;) x"

The typically cheeky text of Gerry's made her laugh so she replied:

"Would you say yes? (Of course it is strictly for this baking thing) x"

For an old man Gerry was pretty fast at texting she thought as she opened the next message:

"You know I would! Are you sure of this marriage is a big thing! x"

She roared with laughter and could not resist texting back:

"Oh is it now, you seem to make it look trivial x"

"Ha ha, being married to you would not be trivial at all, more like bloody hard work! Talk about it in the morning then? Night night xx" Gerry sent her in response.

"Night, Night Gerald sleep tight xx"

She sent back smiling perhaps it was going to be fun pretending to be the current Mrs Standing.

Hope it was alright! Please review this chapter as I wasn't sure about it when writing it, thank you so much!

Love Gee x