The next morning the couple were a little late to the office. After road-testing his bed once before sleep and again when they woke they were tired but happy. Barbara amused Tommy as she duckwalked to the shower.
"Everything's a little tender," she said in response to his raised eyebrows before they both started to laugh.
Tommy heard the shower running and was unable to resist. It was a large, open shower and he joined her under the stream of the water and started to soap her back. "I love you," he said almost casually, "and I meant what I said last night. I do want you to move in and I want us to get married."
Barbara turned to face him and smiled. "I know Sir, you told me several times if you remember."
"Don't you think Sir sounds a little strange given the circumstances?"
She nodded but was unable to maintain contact with those dreamy eyes so looked at his chest. "I love you too...Tommy."
Tommy's heart skipped a beat. The sound of his name was fresh and different to the way anyone else called him Tommy. It was inviting and yet sounded as if she had always called him that. Perhaps in her mind she has! "Unless you really must at work, please never call me Sir again," he breathed desperately into her ear before he traced kisses down her neck and across her shoulder.
He looked up and smiled. His smile was reward in itself and she knew finally calling him by name had affected him deeply. He was looking at her so lovingly that he reminded her of a puppy. She reached up and ran her fingers through the damp hair behind his ear, smiling at her secret reasoning.
"Tommy," she replied teasingly testing out the word, "I will keep practicing. Tommy. Tommy."
Tommy laughed gently but sensed that a small part of her did not believe that outside of the throes of passion he did truly love her and this would last. He could understand given his history. He would not argue or try to persuade her, he would simply keep demonstrating his love until she believed. He started with a loving kiss.
Barbara was the one to escalate things. In the penny dreadfuls she occasionally read there had once been a sex scene in the shower. It had been raw and sexual but tame compared to her sensual encounter with Tommy. As the steamy water flowed over them she luxuriated in his touch. Intuitively he understood her body and her needs almost too well and when she had looked into his eyes at exactly the right moment the last of her reserve fell. "Oh Tommy, you have no idea how much I love you!"
"Oh...I...think...I do," he panted in rhythm with his movements, "because I...feel...the same." He stopped briefly and locked eyes with her. "I love you more than anyone or anything else and I want to spend every day of my life with you...oh...ooooh!"
It was nearly ninety minutes later than their official start time before they entered the office together. After their shower they had grabbed a quick coffee and headed to Barbara's so she could change. Tommy wondered if insisting she move in might rush her. Perhaps initially they could alternate where they slept. He would also be happy to give up his house to find neutral accommodation which might be easier for both of them. They had time to think about that.
Winston knew instantly that they had become lovers. He smiled widely. It was about bloody time! He tried to look normal as she slung her bag under her desk. "Morning," he said casually.
"Hiya Winston," she replied as she turned towards him, "what are you grinning about?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
Barbara did not answer and disappeared after the DI. He appeared at Winston's desk a minute later. "DC Nkata can you come to my office please?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it," Winston said as he walked in.
Tommy waved his hand dismissively and indicated the chair he should sit in. "Was it that obvious?" he asked.
Winston shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. "Yeah, well you were both late and arrived together and at first you were walking so close I thought you were arm in arm...and you were looking at each other the way you normally only do when you don't think the other can see you. Sorry overactive imagination."
Barbara grinned. "You're a good detective Winston."
"I promise I won't say anything," Nkata said desperately.
Tommy could not resist a little more teasing. "I have decided to re-assign you Winston, to the newly formed Cultural Crime Squad. Your DCI will be expecting you on Monday."
Winston's mouth fell open and then he smiled. "Good one Sir. Okay lesson learnt and I promise I won't say a word but I'm really stoked for you."
"Actually Winston I wasn't joking. Congratulations! As of Monday you will be Sergeant Nkata of the CCS and I know your new DCI is looking forward to having you in board." Tommy shook his hand.
"Me...sergeant? Really?" A huge grin split his face. "Whose the DCI?" he asked suspiciously.
Now it was Tommy's turn to grin. "Me actually. I am being promoted too."
Winston stared from one to the other. "They're splitting you up aren't they? They can't do that!"
"It's okay Winston. We don't like it either but I'm being made up to DI and will be back here soon so it's probably best you're going with the DCI Lynley."
"That's why you two finally..."
"Let's leave it there Winston," Tommy said. He did not want to discuss their relationship in any detail. "I'll tell the rest of the team at eleven, so please say nothing until then."
"Yes Sir!" Winston struggled to contain his excitement. "I might step out for coffee."
Barbara and Tommy waited a few seconds after Winston closed the door then laughed. "Seems Winston knew how we felt before we did," Tommy said.
"I knew how I felt. I just didn't know you felt the same," she replied then with a wicked grin added, "I used to sometimes fantasize about this office."
Tommy raised his eyebrows then quickly crossed the room and snipped the lock on his door. It was only ten fifteen and nobody would miss them or think it was unusual that they were in his office together. "I want to make all your dreams come true Barbara."
"Not here!" she said horrified at his suggestion but as he kissed her and then traced his lips down her throat her objections lessened, "we can't...we shouldn't...oh Tommy...we have to be quick."
After the announcement the team insisted on drinks after work. Tommy and Barbara packed their desks. It was a bittersweet experience as they packed the boxes into his car. "This would have been unbearable if we hadn't had last night," he said.
"Yeah, I know. I still can't believe we won't be partners any more."
"Not work partners perhaps but we'll be life partners and we'll have that well beyond the time we spend in the Met."
"Will we? Really? I know we want it but what happens when your mother finds out?"
"Yes, well you see yourself tomorrow. I rang her earlier to tell her and she insists we go out to dinner tomorrow..."
"Oh Tommy! It'll end before it has really started," she interjected.
"Er no actually. She is delighted. You'll see."
She eyed him cautiously. "If this is going to work we need to discuss big things like that."
Tommy felt suitably chastised. "You're right, I'm sorry my love. I was excited and it slipped out. Forgive me?"
"I can think of a suitable punishment," she said wickedly.
"That does not encourage me to be good you know."
Barbara tried to ignore his grin. "Drinks await...Sir!"
Tommy laughed and followed her back inside to say goodbye and have a final look around at their old desks. Somehow though all the years in his office would be forgotten but he would always remember half an hour there this morning! He had never imagined taking such a professional risk but he had never imagined having someone who loved him like Barbara did.
Hours later they stumbled out of the cab and up to his front door. They were not overly drunk but had certainly been conned into more pints than they had intended. They fell into bed too tired for anything more than a passionate kiss and a loving cuddle. "I'm still going to miss being with you everyday," Barbara said solemnly.
"Hmm, me too. We're a good team." It dawned on him that a major reason he enjoyed his job was the way they worked, and often fought, together. Suddenly the job seemed less important. He wanted to them to retire and raise their children together when the time came but he wondered if Barbara would understand. She would want to work as long as she could. He was thinking how he could explain it adequately when he heard her snuffling. Barbara was asleep.
They woke late and had to retrieve his car from the Yard. Tommy had tried to insist Barbara move in with him that very weekend but she needed to hear what his mother had to say first. He regretted mentioning his mother but it was too late. He had deliberately chosen an upmarket pub for dinner. It would be only mildly discomforting for both Barbara and his mother. They would both have to get used to some changes in their lives.
Barbara was clearly nervous as they waited for his mother to arrive. Tommy tried to reassure her but she was convinced his mother would be critical and try to save Tommy or at best be coldly polite and contemptuous. When Dorothy arrived Tommy watched anxiously as she crossed the floor towards them. Halfway across the room her face lit up and she smiled generously at them. Dorothy ignored her son and embraced Barbara first, welcoming her to the family and saying how pleased she was that her son had finally realised what would make him happy.
Shocked by the greeting Barbara glanced across at Tommy. He was smiling in that special way of his even as his mother tried to squeeze the life from him. "I told you so" he mouthed and Barbara began to relax. It seemed she had underestimated his mother. Even so throughout dinner she was careful to concentrate on what cutlery she was using and to eat more slowly than usual. Each time she looked up Tommy and his mother were beaming at her. She returned their smiles shyly.
"I've asked Barbara to marry me Mother and she has agreed," Tommy said casually as they ate their chocolate desserts.
Barbara stopped chewing and felt her face blush. His mother was looking at her and she had no escape. She wanted to blurt out that she had not meant any offense, that it was just in a moment of passion. She had meant it though and if Tommy still wanted it she would marry him, even if it meant taking on his mother. She looked straight back at Dorothy but saw no challenge.
"I'd be disappointed if you hadn't son," his mother replied, "I know it will be an unconventional marriage but you two will be perfect together."
Barbara looked up from her pudding. "If by unconventional you mean Tommy is marrying beneath him then yeah he is but we're good together Lady Asherton. We believe in each other and trust each other in a way most couples would envy. I won't pretend to understand the aristocracy and I won't ever consider myself part of it but while ever he wants me to I will do whatever it takes to support Tommy, even if I have to make small talk with boring old men. People from your class might know their fish knife from their steak knife but your son needs someone who understands him; understands why doing what we do is important to him and not just a sideline interest between horse sales and parties."
"Oh my dear that's exactly my point, and call me Dorothy! I don't for a second think he is marrying below himself. I meant unconventional because both of you are strong people and you'll do things your way. Together you will be quite formidable actually. You're right Barbara, my son needs someone who understands him and who will support him, someone who accepts his idiosyncrasies and foibles but knows when to tell him he's being insufferable. He needs someone who will always fight for him..."
"Mother enough please," Tommy said wondering why the conversation had turned so serious and concerned that it was upsetting Barbara. He reached over and took her hand.
"Even when he's wrong," his mother added pointedly.
Barbara looked up at Tommy's pained expression and smiled. "Oh I've had a lot of practice with that over the years!"
Tommy frowned and then thought of all the occasions she had done exactly that. She had seen or known of the very worst of him and had faithfully put up with his temper and indecision. "I'm worth it," he said cheekily as he caught her eye and silently thanked her.
They drove his mother to her hotel and bade farewell with a promise to go down to Cornwall in a few weeks. Tommy was buoyant and radiated happiness. Barbara found it infectious and for the first time began to believe in fairy tales. She expected him to drive to her flat to collect some clothes but instead they ended up in Southwark by the river. Tommy pulled into a space on a side road near the Tate Modern. "Where are we going?" she asked, "you're not going to try to turn me into an art lover are you?"
"I just thought it would be nice to walk by the river for a while."
As they walked Tommy draped his arm over her shoulder but Barbara became self-conscious. "What if someone from work sees us?"
"Then they'll probably think that they knew all along we were partners in a deeper sense."
"But we weren't!"
"Do you really think anyone would believe us?"
Barbara thought about it momentarily. "Probably not," she conceded.
"Even Mother thought we had been lovers for months and were only just being truthful about it now."
"Oh."
"You were brilliant with her tonight. I think she wanted to see you defend me."
At the Millennium Bridge Tommy suggested they cross. Barbara was thinking about his mother. It was a strange game to try to provoke people but Barbara partly understood. Helen had never stood up for Tommy against the family and she suspected that his mother knew Tommy needed to know Barbara would always defend him. He stopped and tried to look casually up river. She knew him too well and could sense he was up to something but she also understood that underneath his debonair charm was a man who wanted to please. He was impetuous at times but also insecure.
He paused in the middle. "Remember when we arrested Conrad McCaffery?"
It was the last thing she had expected him to say. "Yeah, up here on the bridge."
"You supported me when no one else would. You took risks for me that could have ended your career."
"So did Stuart," she replied, "we knew you were innocent."
"Of murder yes but I had still been a insufferable, arrogant, self-pitying fool."
"True."
Tommy paused then grinned. "At one point the light caught your eyes and they shone like gems and it reminded me of an emerald pendant my grandmother used to wear. When I was little she would hold it up to the sun and cover me with green light and tell me I was safe. I feel that way when you look at me too. I always have."
Barbara was touched by his statement. He never ceased to surprise her. "I'm glad. I want you to be safe."
"And I want you to be safe when I'm not there. The thought of losing you terrifies me but I know you won't give up policing and I'd never ask you to but I want you to have this pendant so that you can hold up to the light and be reminded you that I'm there in spirit to keep you safe." Tommy pulled the pendant from his pocket and fastened it around her neck. "Yes I know that sounded a lot schmaltzier out loud than it did in my head."
Barbara looked down at it. "It's beautiful Tommy, the pendant and the sentiment. No one has ever been romantic with me before so it's a little embarrassing...but I kinda like it."
Tommy was through with words so he kissed her and let their lips convey their love. "Want to go home?"
