Hi folks. Sorry I haven't been responding to your reviews. They are all very mcuh appreciated and I'm really glad you're all enjoying reading this. Thanks all. :0)

Tom had spent the time in his remaining classes that morning by failing spectacularly at trying to get through to Kelly Morris. He was now positive his cover was blown, she did her best to avoid him, and when he did happen to find her within walking distance she disappeared. The time he didn't spend following Kelly was spent avoiding Father Mackenzie's attempts to explain himself and put the record straight. All in all this didn't rank very highly on his list of greatest days. So after finding out his first class right after lunch was gym, he decided that would be the perfect time to snoop around the school records. He did still have the pass he had been issued earlier that morning and suddenly suffered a relapse and had to return to the school nurse.

So while the hallways were quiet and deserted Hanson quietly made his way to the school office. On his first and only visit to the office when he and Fuller had gone school uniform shopping, Tom's watchful police trained eyes had registered the large filing cabinets containing the student records. It was on this cabinet that Hanson's attention was now focused. He was so intent on getting through the door without being seen that he didn't notice when footsteps approached from behind.

"Hey what are you doing?" said a familiar voice. Tom turned round and his irritation bubbled just below the surface as he was face to face with Helen Cresswell, who was herself legitimately sitting out gym class.

"Er..nothing I'm lost is all."

"Where are trying to get to?"

"I was looking for..." Tom began. Then as he looked at the young girl trying to find a plausible answer he realised that this girl could actually be a huge help. "Actually, I was trying to get into the school office."

"Why?"

"I need to get my file out. You see, there's certain things in it I don't really want hanging over my head. New start and everything." Tom said flashing his warmest smile. "And I could use a little help."

"You want me to be lookout?" Helen asked brightly.

"Why? Who's in there?" Tom asked puzzled.

"Nobody right now, and there shouldn't be until 2. But sometimes Sister Adams only goes out for a few minutes if she's got alot of work to do."

"Ok. Well could you keep an eye out and let me know if anyone comes in."

"Sure. How can I let you know?"

"What?" Tom asked beginning to get impatient.

"Well, shouldn't we have a signal or something?"

"How about you keep them away until I'm done, ok?"

"Ok" Helen said before Tom crept through the door and closed it gently behind him.

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Hanson headed straight for the filing cabinet and the draw containing all the students with names beginning with R - T and thumbed through them quickly locating Nikki Stokely's records. He quickly leafed through them before putting them through the copier and stuffing the copies in his bag. This way he could read them later in more detail without them being missed. As he was putting the papers back in the manila folder in which they were kept, something on the front sheet grabbed his attention. Doug had told him that Nikki had been on the swim team. The front sheet of the record showed that Nikki Stokely had ended her successful swimming career about 3 months ago. No reasons were stated as to why. Flicking through the pages he also noticed that Nikki had been sitting out gym class and arriving late nearly every morning for the past two months and had spent an unusual amount of time in the principles office for someone who was supposed to a be a normal happy teenager. Smiling to himself he began comparing school administrators to the CIA. Then on a gut feeling he rushed back over to the files and located that of Kelly Morris, still holding Nikki's file under his arm. As he ran Kelly's file through the copier he realised he still had hold of Nikki's file. He looked down at it suddenly as irrational suspicions began to run through his mind. He remembered how certain Doug had been that this girl was his spitting image. Despite the fact he was absolutely sure that he couldn't possibly have a sister he knew nothing about he opened the folder and began to methodically read through it. He didn't know what he was looking for, some mention of adoption maybe.

"They would never….No that's ridiculous" he thought to himself "I'd remember. The girl was 18, which would make me 4 or 5 years old when she was born". His eyes scanned the date of birth listed under her personal stats. "Hmm, only just 18. What a waste." he thought before silently apologising to his parents for letting Doug plant ideas in his head and placing both files back in their respective draws.

He had just grabbed the copies of Kelly's file and was just placing them in his bag when he heard Helen talking outside the door. He crept over to the door and just managed to peek through the window in the door without being seen and when he saw who Helen was talking to he prayed for some huge whole to open up and swallow him.

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"Miss Cresswell, what are you doing loitering in the hallways?" Father Mackenzie asked. Shouldn't you be in class?"

"It's gym class Sir, and I have a doctor's note." Helen replied sweetly

"So why are hanging around the office and using the time more productively?"

"I'm waiting for Sister Adams. I need a new blouse. This ones getting kinda ratty." she said pulling at her immaculate white blouse.

"Why don't I go in and get one for you?" At hearing this Tom nearly had a heart attack right there behind the door, and only just managed not to let out the string of profanity that was threatening to burst out.

"NO!" Helen burst out. Then regaining control of her voice, "I'm not sure what size I need and I think it better to leave that to Sister Adams."

"Ok. But I don't want to hear that you were late for your next class, ok Helen"

"Yes Father."

"Will we be seeing you at our meeting tomorrow night?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Helen said smiling brightly.

"Make sure you're on time for next period." he said over his shoulder.

As Tom listened to the priests footsteps getting further away he let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He stood up and straightened out his clothing before opening the door and popping his head out to make sure the coast was clear.

"It's ok, he's gone." Helen said smiling and trying not to laugh at the panicked look on 'Tamara's' face. "You owe me Tammy." Tom winced when she used that name and he made a mental note to floor Doug as soon as he next saw him.

"The guy gives me the creeps." Helen continued looking down the hall. Tom looked at her, intently studying her face.

"Hey, if he gives you the creeps, why do you go to these meetings?" Tom asked.

"If I tell you, you've gotta promise me you won't laugh."

"Okay, I promise."

"There's this guy that goes every week, he's really into it and it's the only time I get to see him."

"I see." Tom said smiling doing his best not to laugh. "So what goes on at these things?"

"Bible readings, food, we all talk together, you know, just hang out."

"So, do you believe in all that stuff or is it just to see this guy?"

"I did once. But there's only so much bad stuff you can hear about before you start to think maybe something's wrong."

"Yeah," Tom said thoughtfully. "So is Kelly into all the God stuff."

"She was, big time. Well, until Nikki died, then she stopped coming. I guess she got to the point where blind faith wasn't enough anymore."

Tom looked at Helen and started to quickly reassess his opinion of this girl. She was actually rather bright, despite her penchant for gossip and her constant verbal diahorrea.

"I know what you mean" Tom said with a distant look in his eyes." Did Nikki believe in God and all that?"

"I think so. She had a lot of problems."

"What kind of problems?" Tom asked softly

"Oh the usual. Parents and stuff. But she had Father Mackenzie to talk to. He saw her through a lot."

"They we're pretty close huh?"

"Not really. He'd just listen to her worries once a week."

"What? Was it like an AA meeting or something?" Tom said smiling doing his best to make this seem like casual curiosity.

"Nah. Stuff like that is private. Unless she wanted us to know we didn't hear anything."

"I see." Tom replied distantly.

"Why are you so curious about Nikki?"

"I dunno. Someone said I look like her. I was just interested."

"You do actually. She was a little taller though." Tom was genuinely shocked by this and only just managed to cover his reaction.

"So, this doctors note? They get you outta gym class every time?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting." Tom said thoughtfully as they headed back down the hall.