A/N: Awwwwww thanks so much for all the reviews, guys! I didn't know Stevie/Smithy were so popular - I thought it was just me! So I'm glad to find some like-minded people :) Not entirely sure if people will like this chapter - it's kind of a stop-gap chapter, full of waffle but as always, read, review and enjoy :)
"And you don't think it's at all risky, Sir, what with us having been undercover together before?"
"Are you doubting my judgement, Smithy?" Jack's eyes glistened - only slightly - as he sat behind his desk in the most casual manner. "Stevie, any objections?"
"None, sir." Jack looked from Stevie back to Smithy, raising an eyebrow.
"Just you then, Smithy. Look, it's a different area of town, different people," Jack shrugged, and stood up, "There's nothing to logically connect you as the undercover cop. But if you don't want to do it, it's fine. Neil and myself, well, we'd thought we'd offer it you first - your experience in the field is nothing short than beneficial. Just get back to us by the end of the day, it all starts tomorrow."
Smithy nodded and opened the door, letting Stevie out as he made to follow, hanging by the door until Stevie was no longer to be seen.
"Listen Smithy," Jack sighed, sitting down at his desk again, inviting Smithy to take a seat too. "We all know undercover work is hard; it's long hours, emotionally draining you know, you can't contact any of your friends, your family, anyone, so we will understand if you don't want to do it. We won't hold it against you.
Smithy shook his head; it wasn't that in the slightest. Exhaling with a conviction, Smithy didn't quite know how to put this. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do, you know, me and Stevie?"
"No problems, are there Smithy?"
"No, no, nothing like that, sir. It's just-" Smithy's attempts at being both delicate and diplomatic were failing miserably. "I don't know if I can be fully objective working with DS Moss."
There, he said it. Jack's twinkle shone that shade brighter and he rested both his arms on the table. "Only you can answer that, Smithy. But tell me this, how would you feel having someone else undercover with Stevie?"
With that, Jack got to his feet and left Smithy alone with his thoughts in the office. By the time tomorrow would come, Smithy would have had to have made a decision and someone would be going undercover. Who it was, lay solely with Smithy..
-
"Stevie, you're now Angel Fox, a personal trainer and gym instructor at the local gym. I've got friends at the gym who're fully up to date on your situation, but they're not aware any other details. This," Neil explained, holding up the key, "Is the key to your new home. We'll be taking you around later, get you settled in and finish installing the cameras."
"Cameras?" Stevie was dubious; being undercover was one thing, but being watched - by her colleagues of all people - did not make her feel wholly comfortable.
"Only in the living area and the porch," Neil explained, almost apologetically. It was, after all, an invasion of privacy.
"So anything you don't want us to see, don't do in the living room." Mickey, always the joker, added a bit of humour to it all. "And that goes for you too, Smithy."
"I'm stuck wi' you then, am I Smithy?" Stevie teased, as Smithy walked through the doors, accompanied by Jack.
"And please," Mickey continued, "No canoodling on the sofa, you two. Not unless you really have to - we're the poor sods having to watch."
"Oh Mickey, your humour never fails to make me want to die!" Stevie laughed, landing a playful punch on Mickey's arm. Smithy rolled his eyes, somewhat subdued as the de-brief continued and his new existence began to become real. Two hours later and it was all sorted; their new lives were moulded and ready to come alive.
"Right then, Stevie, Smithy - good luck to you both. We have no idea how long this going to last for, but do what you to do best and get us our result. We'll keep in regular contact with you both and will hopefully be able to facilitate all your needs. Here are the keys to your new lives," Neil handed them to Smithy, closing Smithy's hands around them, "Go live them."
-
"Not exactly homely," Stevie commented as she watched Neil and the team drive back to Sun Hill. Smithy - now James Smith, as Smithy was too hard a nickname to shake - laughed and sat on the floor in the lounge.
"Understatement of the year, my dear Moss. But," Smithy patted the floor next to him, "That is not our most pressing issue."
"Oh, really? So what is?" Stevie, half amused, half intrigued sat beside Smithy, finally happy he was able to look her in the eyes after their now forgotten kiss a few weeks back.
"D'you remember the last time we were undercover?"
"How could I forget?" Stevie grinned, her sarcasm and mischievous humour surfacing.
"And how you wanted to based upon something of a real girlfriend?"
"Smithy, don't - I know where this is headed," Stevie shook her head with a smile.
"Be fair! This time it's the other way round - we've both got new persona's and I need to be convincing right? So tell me something of your supposedly sordid past." Smithy awaited a response, smirking.
"There's nothing you need to know, nosey!" Stevie - ever the tough nut to crack - appeared to be sticking to her guns but this didn't stop Smithy from trying.
"Come on, even Stevie Moss must have been softened by someone. This act of yours doesn't wash with me. Come on Moss, spill. Just how sordid is sordid?"
"Like I said last time; very sordid, your poor little ears wouldn't cope."
"Try me." Smithy was determined not to give up and decisively kept pressing on and on. He stretched his legs out in front of him and rested backwards, his forearms pressed into the floor to keep him upright.
"Fine, fine." Stevie held her hands up in surrender, "What do you want to know?"
"Everything," Smithy replied, his eyes glinting. He chuckled softly as Stevie's displeasure radiated.
"Well tough, because believe it or not, I like to keep some things close to my chest, Smithy. You'd know all about that."
"Fine, just tell me about one guy, any guy. Just so I have something to base myself on."
"Don't pretend this is work-related, Smithy. This is you turning the tables."
"Well, I'm not one to lie, remember that." Smithy winked and Stevie laughed softly. "So, tell Smithy all."
"There's honestly not much to tell," Stevie began, "A few on-off relationships, none lasting more than about 7 months, I guess."
"And you expect me to believe that no one's ever had a lasting impression on you?" Of course people had had a lasting impression on Stevie, none more so that Smithy himself. But she wasn't about to let him know that.
"This job's not exactly flexible, is it? Relationships are tough to keep a hold on so it comes to nothing more than meaningless sex at the end of the day.
"Put it bluntly, why don't you? But it's not as if I need any pointers in that direction."
"I can't say I know, Smithy. But if you'd like me to get out the room so you head can grow that little bit bigger, I'll go and run a bath." Stevie poked her tongue out as Smithy launched a nearby pillow at her head.
"Well I could give you a demo now, prove I'm right." Stevie shook her head in disbelief, laughing at Smithy's crude suggestions.
"I think I'll pass. No offence, Smith."
"None taken. But you're still not getting out of it that easy - I've got the summary, now for the details."
"You're not going to give up are you?" Stevie asked, receiving an adamant shake from Smithy in response. "Right this guy Mark, we went out for three months when I was in training. He took me to New York, Paris, Italy, just for the weekend. He had this amazing bachelor pad, overlooking the River Thames, all blue and silver inside. He was tall, athletic and worked in accountancy."
"So what happened?"
"He was married." Stevie said bluntly, struggling to subside her laughter. "To four other women."
"You minx, Moss! You're lying!" Smithy threw another cushion Stevie's way as she burst into raucous laughter. "Was any of that actually true?!"
"A bit," Stevie grinned, guarding her face as Smithy threatened to throw another cushion her way. "He was called Mark and we did go out for three months. And he did have a very nice flat in London, overlooking the Thames. He wasn't an accountant though; more like a notorious drug-dealer."
"And you went out with him during your training? Yeah, smart move, Stevie." Smithy's sarcasm made Stevie smirk as she rolled her eyes.
"I still passed though. It was something different, something dangerous. He wasn't your average guy; he was spontaneous and exciting. He kept me on my toes. But I knew it couldn't last - the minute he knew I was training to become a copper it was all going to self-destruct. And to say it ended badly is putting it mildly; let's just say I left that relationship with three broken ribs and seven stitches in my head."
"And you want me to base myself around him?" Smithy was incredulous - how had he not known all this about Stevie before now? Sure, she'd kept her past secret, but this wasn't that drunken mistake everyone wants to keep hidden for fear of being ridiculed.
"This was never about work, Smithy. You wanted to know about my past, and there you have it - a little snippet of the life of Stevie Moss. Not exactly exciting but I'm making up for it now."
"Yeah, I can really see that Stevie. A night in with me, in front of a blank television with beans on toast for dinner."
"Rock and roll, baby!" Stevie laughed, shaking her head in her best attempt at rock and roll. Smithy joined in until they began to suffer from neck cramps and retired to the bedroom, where they would now be sharing a bed for the foreseeable future. Climbing in beside one another, the two of them planned to get a good night's sleep until the real work started tomorrow.