This Is How A Heart Breaks
Chapter 4: Internal Affairs

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Please review this one as well! Hope you like it! luv, Vikki x.

Phil Hunter had broken some sort of record; he had actually arrived at work before Sam. This had never happened before, not even when Abi was missing and Sam had been all over the place. He knew that Sam's lateness was his fault though seeing as their one night stand had caused them to oversleep and the awkwardness that followed. Phil didn't want it to be like this, he either wanted a proper relationship with her or to go back to the flirtacious friendship that they had before. You couldn't change the past though, no matter how hard you tried to. Now they had to try and get on with their lives and forget that the previous night had ever happened. Somehow Phil suspected that it would be easier said than done.

"Morning Phil." Zain said, putting his coffee down to talk to his colleague.

"Morning." Phil muttered back, not really in the mood for talking to Zain, especially as the caffeine in the coffee he was drinking seemed to have had a stronger effect than usual.

"You look a bit worse for wear after last night." Zain commented, standing up and heading for Phil's desk, his voice a little louder than usual.

"I'm fine." Phil replied, throwing a handful of files onto the top of another pile sitting on his desk with great force. Who said violence wasn't the cure for anything?

"That's good to hear serge." Zain said, his voice still annoyingly perky. "Have you seen DS Nixon this morning? I'm supposed to be working a case with her."

For a moment Phil looked like a rabbit caught in highlights but he regained his composure quickly and shook his head.

"No, sorry Zain. The traffic was pretty bad this morning."

Zain nodded, smirking to himself. "Yeah, the traffic. That must be it."

"Hey." Natasha said, approaching Phil's desk.

He looked up at her and smiled. "Hi."

"How are you this morning?" She asked.

Phil put his pen down, a conversation with Natasha was much more interesting than paperwork. He knew he had to lie in order to answer this question. He was still confused over what had happened with Sam but Natasha seemed to have a way of taking his mind off her.

"Not bad thanks. How about you?" He replied instead.

"I'm never drinking alcohol again, but apart from that I'm great." She said, flopping down onto the swivel chair beside him and crossing her legs seductively.

"That's a shame." Phil said, turning on the old Hunter charm that he hadn't used on anyone but Sam for a while now. "I was going to ask you if you fancied going out for a drink tonight."

"I might just have to change my mind then." Natasha smirked. "Where are you taking me?"

"Canley Arms?" Phil began but saw the look on her face. "How about that new wine bar off the High Street, I've been meaning to go there for a while." He bluffed.

"Yeah okay, pick me up at 8?" Natasha asked.

"See you then." Phil smiled, maybe moving on from Sam and falling in love with someone else wouldn't be as hard as he thought.

"Hi Sam, you okay?" Zain asked, seeing Sam walk into the room a while later. Phil and Terry were out following a lead somewhere and Natasha was helping Suzie with an interview downstairs to Sam's obvious relief.

"Ask me after another two cups of coffee!" Sam groaned, taking off her coat and scarf.

"Do you want to finish mine?" Zain asked, offering her his mug. "I'm not sure how hot it is.

Sam took the mug from him gratefully. "Hot enough for me." She said, feeling awkward as the words came out. "What are we working on today then?" When all else fails focus on the job was going to be Sam's new motto she decided.

Zain slid two photographs across the table towards Sam. "These two men are suspected or smuggling drugs into the country and the DCI wants us down there on an obbo."

"Okay." Sam said, finishing her coffee and putting her coat on. She was silently grateful that it wasn't Phil she was doing the obbo with, things were awkward enough between them already.