There's always many questions and any thoroughly good answer

Firstly, it was inconceivable for him when Charlie burst in laugh and has told him he turned in the wrong corridor, but few seconds later his brain seemed to start work again and he understood what he was saying to him. He was in the wrong wing of building, in a wrong room. His giggle was chasing him the whole way toward his new office and if not a box with his documents in hands, they'll shaking with nerves now.

He stopped in front of the door and glanced briefly at silver plate with his name and superintendent just under it, written enough large to be seen by everyone. He felt awkwardly when unfamiliar woman from other department welcomed him and smiled warmly before she passed by him and went toward elevators.

He quickly opened the door of his office and closed it with a slam before he threw the box on his new desk and ran hands through his hair as he start pacing around. He really didn't know why he accepted this promotion. He knew nothing about other departments, didn't know any big fishes in police world, but…Still superintendent has chosen him. He didn't understand why, but he did it.

He heard the soft knock and before he could answer the door opened slightly. He wanted to yell at this cheeky twat who decided to slip to his superior office without ask, when his eyes caught familiar, shiny ones. He relaxed a bit and even manage to smile slightly as John Paul closed the door behind himself and slowly approached him, immediately wrapping arms around his skinny body.

'How are you feeling, sir?' He asked amused, playful gleams in his eyes.

'Guess.' Craig replied moodily, trying to relax his tense muscles, but without too much results.

'Charlie told me you came to our wing, to your old office.' He started slowly, staring at him with concern. 'I know it's hard for you. You're alone here and don't know many people from…'

'I even don't know from what start. How I'm going to work with coppers from different departments? I don't know what they're expecting.' He came into his word. 'I'm feeling like bloody Alice in Wonderland. One day long here and I start looking for white rabbit with pocket watch.' He snapped.

'Well, you already look like Cheshire Cat.' He joked, but his smile faded as he felt Craig once again tensed in his arms. 'I'm sorry. I just know, everything's gonna be okay. You're scared cause it's something new for you, but I'm sure you'd be great superintendent. You just need time to get use to your new job and listen what people saying to you.'

'We're still talking about me?' He cocked his eyebrow.

'Well, yea, you have point here.' He smiled slightly. 'But we'll work on you to open up a bit to other people.' He kissed him slightly on the neck.

'Like if you can.' He snorted.

'You doubt in my abilities?' He nudged him playfully. 'How unkind of you.' He slipped hand under his shirt and kissed again his neck.

'What are you doing?' Craig exclaimed and pushed him back, surprised. 'You forgot what we set up? We don't want anyone know about us, yet.'

'No one is going to come without knocking.' John Paul tried to touch him, but Craig again start pacing around the office. 'If you're so worried we can lock the door.'

'Oh, yea that's fucking good idea, John Paul.' He snapped. 'Then they'd start talking! You think it's normal to see your superintendent closing himself in office with subordinate?'

'If you don't keep your voice down, they'd start talking for sure.' John Paul said with a wry smile. 'I'll come later, when you cool off.' He added and turned toward the door.

'Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.' He sighed heavily. 'It's crazy day.'

'I'll come later and we grab a lunch together, okay?' He glanced at him above the shoulder with a slight smile.

'Yea.' He nodded.

'Good. See you around then.' Craig threw himself on the chair and hid face in hands, trying to calm down. He growled with frustration when another knocking came to his ears.

'You forgot something?' He yelled and was going to stand when the door opened widely.

'No, Craig. I wanted to see how much you changed the office, but I see you keep everything like I left.' His jaw almost hit the floor when Martin Cole slipped inside the office with friendly smile and start looking around. 'It's quite big room, isn't it? Your old office was two times smaller.'

'Yeah. The truth is I just moved here today, Sir.' Craig replied kindly and stood up from his seat, quickly buttoning up two upper buttons of his shirt.

'Today?' He repeated surprised. 'I moved out week ago, what took you so long time?' Craig motioned on the chair.

'Nostalgia.' He replied with a smirk as his superior sat down on offered chair in front of his desk. 'So you're Chief Inspector, now? Congratulation, Sir.'

'Thank you, Craig.' He smiled slightly. 'So how are you copying with everything?'

'Well…'He rubbed the back of his neck. 'The truth is I don't know from what to start. My department has already new case and I'd like to focus on it.'

'If you need any advices you can always ask me, Craig. I know you're not going to stay in your office for all day, so if you want I can help you deal with other departments. Maybe can share with you some contacts. You need to know people, Craig.' He suggested.

'It'd be really kind of you, Sir.' He smiled and barely could stop himself from sigh with relief. 'I need a little help, and…I was wondering if you have good contacts with other commissariats. Maybe know some translator…'

'Who exactly you need Craig?' He frowned his eyebrows, surprised by his request. 'What kind of problem you have?'

'We need someone who speaks Russian.' He replied carefully.

'Again some problems with local Mafia?' He frowned when the man sighed heavily and looked tiredly at him. So Charlie was right. 'What they did this time?'

'Maybe killed three people.' This time it was Chief Inspector who frowned and staring at him with opened mouth.

'Can I have a word with you?' Charlie put the kettle down and with curious glanced at John Paul, leaning against the cupboard.

'Sure. What's wrong?' He asked as he poured two spoons of sugar to his black coffee.

'I want to talk with you about Craig.' He replied, looking nervously around the room.

'And what about him? He again called you a dumb or making a fuss of something?' He smirked and took a sip of his coffee.' Mm, delicious.'

'No, I just want to ask you to be a little more sympathetic to him.' He said quietly, before he bit down on his down lip. 'You know he has hard time now, and he really doesn't need to be a theme number one of jokes. At least wait until he gets use to his new position.' Charlie staring at him with curious, making John Paul felt very uneasy. He even began regretting he start this conversation.

'Maybe you're right.' He shrugged. 'Maybe most of the time he's a pain on the ass and you want to push him from the stairs, but still…I quite like him. Okay, I'll give him a rest.'

'Thanks.' John Paul smiled slightly and grabbed his own mug. 'I'm sure he'd appreciate it. For now he's quite calm, not bite so much.'

'Really?' He smirked and wrinkled his eyebrows as he kept watching his colleague making a coffee for himself. 'By the way, I didn't know you're such a good friends.'

'Sorry?' His hand shook a little and coffee instead of fall to the mug, covered the white blade. 'Shit.'

'I know you like each other and work pretty good together, but still didn't know you're so good friends.' He continued with a slight smile. 'I thought that after Spike, no one would take his place.'

'It's not like we're very good friends.' John Paul argued as he wiped the blade with his sleeve. 'We like each other and like work together, but that's all. He's irate me not less than you.'

'If you are just mates, you'll never asked me about such a favor.' He grinned. 'You're friends, just like me and Fred, but you didn't notice it, yet.' He pointed his spoon at him. 'I'm not saying you're in the same relationship with Craig as Spike. They were a different story.'

'What you mean by that?' He frowned, not quite like what he was saying.

'Well, if you believe the rumors and I do, there was something more between them, than friendship. You know, they were quite close to each other.' He winked knowingly.

'Maybe instead of listening to rumors, you'd start basing on facts?' He suddenly snapped at him, not quite sure what upset him more. The way he was talking about Spike and Craig being together, or the fact that Spike was very important for Craig and somehow he felt jealous about their relations. It seemed that everyone knew about their relationship and they weren't hiding it, while now Craig is making a fuss when he only stands too close to him. He was behaving like he was almost ashamed of him.

'I'm just saying what I heard. Beside Craig never confirm or deny if he was in relationship with Spike, or not.'

'Why we're exactly talking about that, eh?' John Paul asked annoyed and turned around to face him. 'I wanted you to not making a laugh of Craig for some time, and now you're talking about him and Spike. It was a past.'

'Yea, bloody bastard overdosed, right.' He shrugged and for moment he seemed to look upset. 'It was me who told Darren about him. They were partners and good friends, yeah? He has to be shocked when he found his hospital bed empty…That's why Craig gave him few days off? To cool off?'

'Darren needs to sort few things out. Hannah's pregnant if you don't know.' He mumbled and poured the water to his mug, without looking at him.

'I heard that. I'd never thought he's gonna be a dad so soon. He was human wrack when Spike has been shot. I'd never thought he could involve so emotionally with him. You know, Darren isn't that type who is good friends with everyone. He's a good mate, but that's all. But with Spike...They really liked each other very much. Darren treated him almost like his own brother...Shame it end like that.'

'Do we really need to have this conversation?' He sighed, tired of hearing about it again and again. 'It's over now. Nothing's gonna change.'

'So you finally told him, or not? I saw the flyer on your desk.' He said carefully, staring at him intently.

'Sure we said. You can't hide anything here, can you? Beside it wasn't our intention to do it.' He replied and picked up his mug.

'Good…It's gonna be empty here without Spike and his problems.' He smiled sadly. 'I liked hearing his bickering with Craig and it was nice to work with him. He was a good mate. Messed up, but he'd never try to hurt you on purpose or refuse to help.'

'Yea, it was.' He agreed quietly and took a sip of his coffee.

'But live is going on and we need also.' He said with cheerful smile. 'Anyway, if I didn't know you, I'd thought you and Craig are together.' John Paul almost choke on his coffee, his cheeks reddened. 'I'm glad you're taking care about this bastard. He needs a friend in his life. He can't count only on Spike, right?' He patted him shoulder and with a mug in hand, whistling lively song, he marched toward his desk.

'Sure he needs.' John Paul mumbled and still blushing popped to his office, before someone could notice that something with him isn't alright.

Bridget wrapped her coat around herself and with a slight smile marched down the street, from time to time turning around to check if her subordinate was following her. Moore was almost running after her, couldn't believe how such petite woman on high heels can move so fast. He was already panting and have all red face, when Bridget stopped in front of hardware store and patiently waiting for him.

'Alright, lad?' She asked him kindly with cheeky smile.

'Yes, Sarge. Just need to take two long breaths.' She chuckled slightly.

'Someone needs to work on condition.' He was even more red, eyes cast down on the pavement. 'But you're quite good as for cadet.' She added with a small smile and patted his arm, encouraging him. 'Come on. We need to talk with one person and we can go back to homes, doesn't sound it good for you?'

'Cause it does, Sarge.' He grinned and let the woman came to the store as the first. He improved his cap on the head and stood just behind Bridget who already spotted the owner crowding around the shelves and putting tools on the right places.

'Hello.' Bridget said with a warm smile, her hand disappeared in the pocket of her coat.

'Hello, ma'am. How can I help you?' Tall, skinny man with shag of black hair with two-day stubble and square-rimmed glasses on his nose asked with a warm smile, turning toward his customer.

'Mr. Tobey? I'm detective sergeant Bridget Thomson.' She waved her badge. 'Can I ask you a few questions, Sir?' Moore immediately removed his small notes and start writing in it.

'I'm guessing it's about Behari family?' He asked, his smile faded.

'You know them good?'

'They're living three houses away from my store, so it'd be hard to not know them.' He replied. 'I know everyone from this street.'

'What kind of family they've been? People liked them?' She moved along the shelves, watching assortments.

'Everyone seemed to like them. There was any trouble with them and you always can count on them if you needed money or place to stay.' He replied with a sigh. 'His son was always playing football down the street with local kids...What tragedy.'

'How long they've been living here?'

'Five years I think.' He scratched his chin. 'But I'm not sure. It's a lot of time.'

'Indeed.' She smiled back. 'You're living here, Sir?'

'Above the store, just like most of people here. It's functional.'

'Alone?' She continued and looked closer at hammer in her hand.

'Yes…You want to go with me for coffee, that you ask detective?' He asked with a cheeky grin, making Bridget blush. Moore snickered behind her back.

'No, course not.' She quickly explained and put the tool back. 'It's just part of my job to know better potential witnesses.'

'Shame. I thought I'd have more luck this time.' This time cadet giggled behind her back and she was sure her ears were red.

'Yea, sure.' She mumbled. 'I guess you didn't see nothing disturbing during last days? Or see someone around Behari's house that day when they've been shot?'

'No, sorry. I can't help you in that.' He folded his arms.

'They had enemies?'

'Don't think so. Like I said everyone liked them. They were a decent people.'

'Okay…So it'd be everything. If something happened or we need to ask few extra questions, we contact with you, Sir. Have a good day.' She smiled slightly and quickly turned around already wanting to be outside the shop.

'I hope it's gonna happen very soon.' He grinned once again. 'Good day to you too, detective.' He called after her.

'That was a nice chat, wasn't it?' Moore asked cheekily as they've been already outside. Bridget gave him a warning look and barely stop herself for not spank him on the head for his arrogancy.

'Move.' She snapped embarrassed and quickly marched back toward her car, didn't even bother if Moore is following her or not.

'What is it?' Craig raised his eyebrow when Cole came back to his office and threw a folder on his desk.

'Your new subordinate, I guess.' He smiled slightly. 'You asked about translator, but I have someone better.'

'You mean you know officer who knows Russian?' He made sure.

'She's a Russian sergeant, if I understood good.' He continued. 'She came to England year ago, when 26 commissariat needed her help. She has really good references, Craig. She'd be really helpful for you.'

'She? Okay, I'm taking she knows English?' Craig glanced skeptically at the first page. 'Why she left Russia?'

'Everything should be in her acts. I'm sure you'll have time to read them and contact with her.' He replied with a soft smile. Craig screwed his face as he read the first two lines.

'Svetlana Asimov?' He read with difficulty, not even sure if he pronounced it well. 'Really?'

'She's good. Hard and competent. I think it'd be shame if you don't ask her for help before she comes back to Russia.' He said firmly and Craig understood that even when he's superintendent now, it was the ex one which was still pulling the strings and giving orders around. Of course he could say he doesn't want this Russian woman in his department, but Chief Inspector would find other way to bring her at the station under a different guise. He was sure about that.

'I'll contact with superintendent from 26 commissariat.' Craig mumbled unhappily. 'Maybe we can use her skills when we got the all Mafia on the station.'

'I think it's a good decision.' He smiled warmly. Craig didn't comment only glanced at his mobile phone as it shook in his pocket. He discreetly removed it and glanced at screen as he noticed he got a message from unknown number.

'We'll see.' Craig replied carefully and opened message. Tomorrow 10 am in Summer Sunshine. What would you say for that, Mr. Dean? Are you up for it? Ruth Ferrer. He frowned surprised how quickly she found a time to meet with him. It sounded quiet...suspicious.

'I see you're a little busy.'

'I have important appointment, Sir. I'm sorry, but it can't wait.' He said with apologetically smile.

'I understand, Craig. Work is always on the first place.' He nodded his head. 'I'll visit you other day.'

'Of course, Sir. My door is always open for you. Have a good day.'

'You too, Craig.' He patted his shoulder. 'Let me know when Svetlana arrives on the station.'

'Sure.' He mumbled and threw the folder back on the desk. He wasn't sure if it's good to ask some foreign officer for help, but for now he was too hungry to even think about it. He'd tdo it later. He grabbed his jacket and glanced at the corridor to check if someone could see him. There was no one else so quickly locked his office and marched toward homicide department. He smiled slightly as his eyes moved over familiar walls and faces, everyone were welcoming him with friendly smile, and he understood how much is going to miss this little world. He even start wondering if he can move in to some other office, closer to common room, but he doubt he'd get a consent to do it, and if there's any free at the time.

Without knocking he pushed the door of his old room and sneaked inside with a sly smile. Like he thought John Paul was sitting behind HIS desk and completed some documents. He glanced at him with one eye, while his hand rhythmically moving a pen over the card.

'I see you already owned my desk.' Craig smirked.

'Whoever comes, knows who is working there.' He smiled slightly. 'No one saw me from my old desk. It's next to the door.'

'I know. You like doors, that's why I planned to put the desk in that place.' He grinned.

'Cheeky twat.'

'Are you busy?' He leaned against his desk and looked at him with sad eyes.

'A little…You want something?' He cocked his eyebrow.

'I thought you might want grab the lunch you promised me.'

'I'm taking you're in better mood then.' He smiled slightly and put the pen on the desk, watching him with curious.

'With you, always.' He grinned.

'Don't try your tricks on me.' He waggled a finger at him. 'I just take my jacket and we can go. You know some nice, quiet place?'

'Yea, I have few propositions.' He nodded, while his eyes focused at forgotten pen. 'I really can buy a pen kit for you.' He almost forget about Craig and his tidiness.

'Better leave it, if you don't wanna eat by your own.' John Paul warned him with a sly smile. 'You got it?'

'I don't have any choice, do I?' He smirked and placed a kiss on his lips before open the door and motioned for him to walk out as a first.

'You can be really charming if you want.' John Paul stated amused as he passed by him and winced slightly when Craig slap him on the ass with this cheeky grin on his face. 'Okay, I withdraw it.'