A little over two weeks later, Sam was sat in her office feeling like she was working in the ticket office at Waterloo Station. Neil had taken two weeks off work, leaving her in sole charge of CID, so people were in and out of her office all day. On top of this, she had spent last week conducting interviews for a new DS to replace Phil. That really had broken her heart.

The new recruit wasn't as good as she had made herself out to be. DS Louise Cooper had knocked on Sam's door at least seven times today, and it was only 1 p.m. Admittedly one time had been to offer Sam a cup of coffee, (an offer she declined) but the other six times were for ridiculous reasons. She had forgotten the key code to the doors of CID, she couldn't change the toner in the photocopier, she had lost the directions Sam had given her to St. Hughes. As if Sam wasn't busy enough, she had to decline Louise's offer of coffee, and sneak to the coffee machine whilst Louise was out. She had made the mistake of accepting it yesterday and was presented with a cup of what looked, and tasted, like dishwater. Not that Sam had ever tasted dishwater. She shuddered at the thought of it.

Sam's computer made her jump as it bleeped. 'Email from: Jo Masters to CID' was the message on the screen. When I was going through the pictures of Phil's party I found some older photos from Kezia's Birthday and the Christmas Party (what a night). Thought I'd circulate them. Jo

There were three albums of pictures for everyone to download. 'Phil's Party' was the first folder Sam looked at. Might as well get the heartbreak over with' she told herself. She would have ignored it, but she knew eventually curiosity would get the better of her. The pictures were exactly what she had expected: Phil opening presents, Phil modelling the watch they had bought him, at least one picture of Phil and every member of the relief, the same with CID, Phil leaving the hotel at the end of the night with everyone waving him off… isn't that how all leaving parties go?

She had been to so many, she knew the drill. Phil's would have been different though.

'Kezia's birthday' came next. It was last October. There were lots of pictures of Sam and Stuart with fake grins plastered on their faces. She had never really been happy with Stuart, she was settling for second best. And she knew it.

All of the others in that file were quite similar. Kezia and Smithy kissing, Kezia and Smithy drunk, Mickey and Phil drunk, Gina surrounded by empty glasses with a cigarette in one hand, whilst making an obscene gesture at the camera with the other hand.

Sam hadn't been expecting to feel so much emotion looking at these photos, so she got a shock when it came to the Christmas ones. There was one picture she remembered clearly. Their waiter was stood at the head of the table, looking down at everyone smiling. Sam's hand was on the table, and Phil took hold of it as she leaned onto his shoulder. Don't cry, don't cry she kept telling herself. She wiped a tear from her cheek and moved on to more pictures.

People dancing, people hugging, Sam and Phil kissing when they thought no one was looking, Jack and Gina with Adam Okaro and Neil, Phil and Sam slow dancing, 34 shots lined up on the bar, Sam hugging Jo, Jo hugging Phil, Phil hugging Sam…That was the first night together since Romania she remembered. They stayed at Phil's that night and then went Christmas shopping, before spending another night together at Sam's. They were together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Phil's house. Sam went back home for Boxing Day as Abi and Jared were coming to stay, as was Sam's sister Caroline. Then Alfie has stayed with his dad for New Year. Sam had spent the odd few days with them, but she didn't see that much of Phil until he came back to work in the middle of January. That was when…

Sam's desk phone rang, bringing her back down to earth with a crash.

'Front Office' scrolled across the display, but she was unable to speak as tears were choking her.

Whoever was calling eventually took the hint that she wasn't answering and they finished the call, but literally seconds later there was a knock at the door.

Can't I even cry in peace? Can DS flaming Cooper not do anything for herself?