Hello :) Sorry it took me so long to update this story, but I stuck in the middle and whatever I tried to move forward, I couldn't. But finally I have a new, quite long chapter for you :) I hope you'd like it and thanks for all kind comments and that you like the storyline ;)

The harder we're trying to hide something, the easier we're exposing themselves

It seemed like most of their department was with them and were watching Danny's every move with anticipation and curious. But he wasn't quite surprised with that, in the end not every day you found a body with two different deadly wounds made by two different weapons. To be honest it's the first time in his carrier he has met with something like that.

'So, what killed her first?' Charlie asked stupidly, couldn't wait any longer.

'Maybe I'd surprised you, but she has been killed only once.' Danny remarked drily and put his covered in blood instrument on the metallic table. It looked like he just ended his work and finally turned around toward them. 'There was no more else wanting to come here? Strange.' He added sarcastically, shooting the crowd angry look.

'Well, you have to admit it's something new.' Charlie said for their defense, but man seemed to not buy it.

'Did you already set up what killed her?' Craig decided to chime in and glanced briefly at John Paul standing in the other end of room watching his nails. Even though they've already made up, there was still something not alright between them two and John Paul has decided they need a break from each other. Of course Craig agreed for that, figuring out he just needs time to think and sort everything out on his own, but now…He wondered if John Paul didn't change his mind and want to end everything between them two. And this thought scared him and doesn't let him to focus at anything. He even didn't care anymore about new body, let alone about their all cases. He just wanted him back and nothing else didn't matter him.

'Heart attack.' Danny replied firmly after short pause and covered the body. 'I'm going to send the blood to the laboratory to know what exactly kill her. I saw small mark on her arm…Probably after needle.'

'You have to fucking kidding me.' Craig muttered with a frown.

'This time I'm not.' Danny said with a slanting smile. 'Probably she got a heart attack in the same time as the killer was trying to strangle her. She died yesterday, about 8 a.m.'

'If she was already dead, why killer would like to shot to her?' John Paul asked, couldn't understand murderer motives.

'Crime of passion?' Charlie suggested with a shrug. 'It could be the work of her ex or current boyfriend.'

'Was she raped, then?' Bridget asked quietly.

'No, she wasn't.' Danny denied.

'That's fucked up.' Fred stated and shook his head. 'I've never seen something like that before. He killed her three times.'

'If you say so.' Danny said reluctantly and pointed at the door. 'I don't have nothing more to say, so you can go. I have another work to do.'

'Maybe I shouldn't say that, but I think Darren noticed something on the crime scene.' Bridget said unsurely. 'I don't know what and it looks like he wasn't sure also about that, but I'm sure he saw something there and it recalled him about something.'

'Okay, so where's Darren?' Craig asked as he took a look at the crowd and didn't notice the man with them.

'He has a day off.'

'Oh, just bloody great! We have another dead body and two unsolved cases and he's taking a day off.' John Paul was automatically ready to snap at him, when in the last minute he realized it wasn't Craig who said that, but Charlie. He wanted to mentally to kick himself.

'He's getting married soon, so he needs time to prepare everything and spend a bit time with his fiancé.' Craig said irate in Darren's defense and for moment John Paul wondered where they've taken his boyfriend and who is this standing here with them.

'I have my own bird also, but no one cares if I want to spend time with her.' He sulked annoyed, but one harsh look from Craig successfully shut his mouth up.

'Can you finish it upstairs?' Danny asked sharply, getting more irate with their presence.

'Just one quick thing.' John Paul said. 'Do you know with what weapon killer cut off the victim's fingers?'

'It was one, clean cut, so I don't think it was a knife. Maybe chopper, scissors or something like that. I need more time to say something more.'

'Okay, thanks for help.' John Paul smiled slightly and eventually everyone slowly walked out of the mortuary to let the man work.

'We need to talk with Alexandra Drake and asked what exactly she saw or heard. She's the only witness we have, if we don't count a dog.' Bridget sighed quietly as she moved toward elevator.

'Wait with that for tomorrow.' Craig suddenly said, surprising everyone. 'If you're right and Darren noticed something on the crime scene he should take a part in interrogation.' He explained. 'And do we know who is the victim?'

'We're still checking and Charlie gave her photography to the press. Maybe someone will recognize her in the news.' John Paul replied. 'No one reported her missing and she doesn't match to any of criteria of missing people we have.'

'She was killed yesterday morning and was in her working clothes, so the killer has to picked her up the night before or caught her when she was on her way to home.' Charlie calculated, but John Paul shook his head.

'She's not from Clearwater.' He said. 'So she couldn't be on her way back to home.'

'Maybe she was living very close to Clearwater.' Fred suggested.

'It's too much maybe.' Craig snapped, irate. 'We need to start doing something. If she was a hooker, someone has to know her. Maybe she had a pimp? What about other girls? They know each other.'

'They won't talk with coppers.' Charlie said with a slanting smile.

'Bridget would talk with them.' Craig ordered. 'You have something short and tight in your wardrobe, haven't you?' He asked with a smirk.

'Yea, because that's what I wanted to do tonight.' She snorted.

'In that case I'm happy we understand each other so good.' He grinned and patted her shoulder. 'Now, everyone get back to your work. Fred, check if the victim was living near Clearwater, and John Paul and Charlie try to set up victim's identity. Maybe someone would recognize her. Talk with coppers from other stations and checked if she doesn't has files in one of them. Maybe she's not from our district. Moore can help you both, if he doesn't find nothing more to do. And Tiger Eye is using her contacts to find new information about Russian Mafia. If they have Aja Behari we need to work quickly. '

'And what are you going to do?' Charlie asked unhappy.

'I'm going to talk with press. I don't want to find the next day they'd found her identity quicker than us. And besides they have many contacts, so they might be very helpful in our both cases. Everyone understands what they're supposed to do now?' He looked around his people's faces.

'Sure.' John Paul nodded and as the first moved forward, upsetting his boyfriend. He hoped they could talk a bit, but it looked like the man has different plans and today took his words about work too serious. Well, Craig couldn't blame him, he's just going to his job, what Craig ordered him to do. But still he couldn't get rid of the feeling there was something else behind that and John Paul just didn't want to share his time with him anymore. He felt like someone just tear his heart apart.

'I thought we both have a day off today.' Willy said unhappily as they parked car in front of the old house with red tile and small flower garden surrounded by white fence. He reluctantly get out and squeezed his eyes at the rays of sun hit him straight into eyes, blinding him for a moment. 'Would you believe it can be so hot in that time of year?' He shook his head and left the jacket in the car as he decided his flannel, blue shirt was enough to keep him warm.

'I've just got a feeling we should talk with Mrs. Alexandra Dray. Sorry for dragging you out of the house, but Craig doesn't has any clue we're here so I didn't want anyone else, cause they'd twitter everything back to him.' The older man explained and walked toward the front door. 'Is there anyone still in home?'

'Everyone are back at the station.' He smoothed his hair. 'Are we going to ask for something specific? Or just chat with her and we'll see what we find?'

'I'm not sure, yet. I just need to see once again the whole place and set up why she decided to walk down the river. I'm sure something has to happened, to force her to get down.'

'Probably you're right. I heard she has problems with her loins, so I guess she's not walking down the hill frequently.' The other man smiled slightly at him and vigorously knocked on the door. 'You think she'd be ready to talk with us? I mean, just yesterday she found a dead young woman…'

'We'll see, when she answers the door.' He replied shortly and improved his jacket as he heard the steps approaching the door. 'Try to be gentle.'

'I'll try to not say anything.' He mumbled and smiled slightly as the door opened slightly.

'Yes?' The woman asked with shaking voice, watching them both suspiciously, ready to close the door in a minute.

'Hello, ma'am. I'm detective Osborne and this is my colleague sergeant York.' He introduced them quickly and showed the woman his badge. 'Can we ask you a few questions?'

'I don't know how I can help you, but I'll try.' She sighed and opened the door widely. 'Come in, officers.'

'Thank, you very much, ma'am.' He smiled warmly at her and nodded at William to follow him inside the small cottage.

He was on the phone with editor Timothy Doyle from the local press, when someone knocked softly on his door and without waiting for his reply, opened it. He spin on his chair and pulled his legs down from the desk, before he made himself look busy with some papers.

'…Look, Tim, I'd phone back to you for few minutes, okay?' Craig said to the handset as his eyes stopped at his boyfriend standing in the middle of room with some pack in right hand. 'Yea, thanks.' He hang up and looked with curious at him. 'Everything's fine?' He asked softly.

'Yea, I only brought a lunch for you. Bridget said you didn't leave the office for even five minutes since we left the mortuary.' He replied quietly and handed him a pack. 'Italian food.'

'Oh, thanks.' Craig mumbled surprised and removed his lunch. 'I have so many work to do I can't even go to toilet. You see, I need to read this all documents.' He showed him the papers, although he didn't has any clue what was it, let alone care about them.

'Yea, bills for the coffee and other stuffs can be very time consuming.' He smirked as Craig looked down and blushed slightly. 'I won't disturb you. I just wanted to give you something to eat and that's all.' Craig's heart sank as he noticed there wasn't another pack for John Paul. He wasn't going to eat a lunch with him.

'You're not disturbing me.' He tried to keep him in the office, but he could say by one look at his face, he didn't want to stay it any longer. 'Did you set up the victim's identity?' He changed the subject, knowing it was the only way to make him stay here.

'Not, yet. Charlie just goes for a meeting with his colleague from twenty three commissariat with hope he'd has something useful for us and Fred is on his way back. The victim wasn't living anywhere near Clearwater and no one saw her before. We're just in a dead point.'

'Like always.' He muttered. 'It means Bridget needs to get out on the street tonight.' He sighed. 'Maybe Tim would be able to help us.'

'You want me to do something?'

'Yea, sit with me.' He nodded at the chair across his desk with a slight, nervous smile.

'Craig, I have a lot of work to do.'

'I'm your boss and I'm telling you to drop everything off and talk with me.' He said in demanding voice, didn't even think about letting him go.

'So as my boss you should understand I have a work to do.' He said irate. 'We'll talk in home.'

'So you're coming back with me?' His eyes lightened up as stared with hope at his lover.

'Why wouldn't I?' He cocked his eyebrow. 'We're living together.'

'It means we're okay?'

'Yea, I guess so.' He shrugged and turned toward the door. 'I really need to get back. Like I said we'll talk later.'

'Fine, but I can't wait.' John Paul looked surprised above his shoulder at him. Craig never was that type of person who likes to talk a lot, but now, it was him who almost begged him to talk with him…Like he just cared about them, and it made his heart to jump with a joy. He quietly left the office, letting his boyfriend enjoy his meal, while he marched back toward his own office with a small, shy smile crawling on his lips.

Darren carefully stepped outside the house and looked warily around the small garden, already completely dig up by technicians. He just hoped they hadn't moved anything at new places and the whole garden looked the same as the day when the body has been found. He strolled over the flowerbeds with vegetables and looked around the place, until William and Alexandra Dray have joined him.

'So you came here, looked around the garden and decided to take a neighbor's dog for a walk down the hill. Is that right?' Darren asked as he looked toward the closed kennel where he noticed a small back dog watching the neighborhood from his laying position on the ground.

'Yes.' Mrs. Dray nodded her head eagerly and reluctantly followed him.

'How often do you take a dog for a walk? Every day?'

'Maybe twice a week.' She shrugged. 'It depends on the weather and how I feel that day.'

'So you felt good enough that day to take a dog for a walk?' Darren still was drilling down the subject.

'Well, I wasn't feel too well, but...'

'Yes, Mrs. Dray?' He encouraged.

'I heard that strange noise…A sound. I thought maybe I just imagined it myself, but I noticed Fluke was jumping around his kennel and barking loudly, like he just noticed something.' She shuffled nervously on her feet.

'Down the hill?' Darren more stated than asked and his eyes moved down, toward the hidden river.

'Yes. That's why I took him for a walk.' She admitted, didn't dare to look down.

'What kind of sound was that?' William asked as he wrote something down to his notepad. 'Did you recognize it?'

'It was a high, short sound. Like something exploded.' She wrinkled her eyebrows. 'It's hard for me to describe it, but I'm sure I'd recognize it if I heard it once again.'

'It was only one short sound?'

'I'm not sure, but I think I heard only one.' She sighed.

'Could it be the sound of the shot?' Darren suddenly asked and fully turned toward the woman. 'Like someone was shooting from the gun?' He explained further, seeing her confuse face.

'Yea, I think it could be that…Maybe that's why I went outside.' She nodded her head slightly. 'I've just got a feeling, something bad happened. This sound…disturbed me.'

'At what time you heard the shot?'

'I think it was about nine o'clock.'

'Did you notice or saw something strange, when you go outside? Did something catch your attention?' Darren moved closer toward her. 'Just look around the garden, ma'am…Did you see someone down there?'

'I didn't go straight outside the house, young man.' She sighed. 'Firstly I just checked if everything's fine using the window in the kitchen.' She pointed behind her back. 'But I didn't notice anything unusual.'

'Are you sure? It could be something irrelevant.' Darren tried once again. 'Like the trail of shoe on the ground, or the gate maybe wasn't closed.'

'No, everything was fine.' She shook her head. 'And I didn't hear or notice anyone passing by my garden or coming across it.'

'Well, maybe something was moved?' William asked, trying to help the man. 'I mean, something maybe was lying in different place than it usual was.'

'No, everything…' The she remembered. 'A shovel!' She shouted with a slight smile.

'What shovel? What's wrong with it?' He frowned.

'The shovel was standing in the wrong place, but I wouldn't be surprised if my husband just moved it. It was nothing important.'

'Where is the shovel?' Darren asked and made his way toward the tree the woman has pointed him. He grabbed the tool and took a long look at it, rotating in hands.

'I'm sure my husband was digging the flowers that day, that's why he moved it.'

'Did your husband tell you he was using the shovel that morning?' His eyes slipped down toward the dirty spade.

'No, I was still sleeping, when he went to work. But I'm sure he has to do it. It's all soiled. Just look at the spade.' Darren removed his penknife and gently scratched the first layer of dirt. 'My husband should be back in a hour, so you can ask him if he was working in the garden or not.'

'I'm afraid we can't wait so long, but can we borrow your shovel for a few days? I swear we'd give it back to you in one piece.' He promised and took a long breath as he noticed a red stain mixed with dark soil on the spade.

'I don't think my husband would be happy about that, but if you have to.' She shrugged and reluctantly let them wrap it carefully with a plastic. 'But I don't know for what you need this shovel. No one has been murdered in my garden. You should work down the hill.'

'We're doing it, Mrs. Dray, but in the meantime we need to change other sources and check if the killer didn't leave any traces.' Darren explained calmly. 'And it looks like your shovel has been used for different purpose.'

'Oh my God, you think he killed this poor girl with our shovel?' She put a hand close to her heart.

'No, ma'am, but I think he needed it for something else.' He replied reluctantly. 'Willy, would you help me with that?' He handed him a shovel.

'You think he wanted to bury the body?' William asked him quietly with excited voice.

'The spade is sharp and should cut in one line.' Darren replied and smirked as he noticed a look of disgust in younger man's face. 'Like I said the killer needed the shovel for different purpose.'

'To take with himself something what belonged to the victim.' William finished quietly and followed the man. 'That's sick.'

'Just like the whole case, Willy. Just like whole case.' He murmured and walked inside the house as for the last time he looked around the garden.

Craig just finished his passionate conversation with DCC Newton from prevention department after making a few promises to the young man, and was on his way back to his office as he spotted Darren and William walking toward the common room, carrying on in hands some dirty shovel covered with plastic. Naturally, he quickly changed his mind, and with curious followed the men, wondering from where they've got the shovel and what they were doing here on their free day.

'Shouldn't you two be in home, now?' Bridget asked puzzled when Darren threw the shovel on the free desk belonging to Fred. 'And why do you bring a dirty shovel with yourself? Are you going to dig up, here?'

'I'm afraid it's the tool we were searching for.' Darren replied shortly, didn't give anything back. 'I found it in Alexandra Dray's house.'

'That's why you wrapped it with plastic like it was some Christmas present?' Craig asked sarcastically, couldn't stop himself. 'She hasn't be killed with shovel.'

'But she has cut off fingers.' Darren retorted and patted his discovery. 'And I guess it is what's the killer used to take them.'

'I'm gonna poke.' Charlie muttered somewhere behind them as he screwed his face in disgust and put his book back on the desk.

'How did you know it was a shovel?' Craig asked surprised.

'I didn't, I just kind of guessed the killer didn't bring with himself anything to cut off the fingers. But thanks to Willy Alexandra Dray recalled herself about the shovel and when we checked it, I'm was almost sure it has been used it for that.'

'I didn't do anything.' William shrugged and blushed slightly. 'It was your idea.'

'Don't be so shy.' He shivered slightly as Darren suddenly approached him and ruffled his hair 'You did a good job.'

'Well, thanks for your help.' Craig sighed, didn't know what to say more. 'You can feel free to give the shovel to Danny and ask him for quick expertise, since the time is chasing us.'

'I can do it.' William offered and quickly reached for the tool.

'Just don't try to kill anyone with that.' Charlie said with a big grin, ignoring Bridget's heavy look.

'Sorry?' He asked confused and turned around, so the shovel slightly hit the wall.

'Just be careful.' Craig sighed and looked worriedly at his young subordinate. 'And keep the shovel close to your body.'

'Sure, Sir.' He nodded and was ready to head to the elevators, when something cracked and spade almost fall down straight into William's foot if he didn't take it in the last minute, sensing dangerous. 'Oh, no!' He growled as he looked at the stick in his hand.

'At least it didn't cut off your toes.' Charlie chuckled. 'Few millimeters further and without Danny's expertise we'd know if the killer used it to remove the fingers or not.'

'Oh, just shut up, Charlie.' Bridget suddenly scowled at him and approached William with worrying look. 'Are you okay, lad?'

'Yes, I'm fine, but the shovel…'

'Well, I think we need to buy another one for Mr. Dray.' Darren shrugged with a smirk. 'Let me take care about spade, okay?' He bended down.

'Walking disaster.' Charlie muttered as both men made their way to the elevators with Craig at the head as with a roll of his eyes, decided to make sure they'd get into mortuary in one piece. He fizzled as the apple hit his head. 'I didn't do nothing wrong!' He protested as he caught Bridget's stare.

'Sure you didn't.' She snarled and opened some folder to not have to look at him.

'I guess today isn't, we love Charlie day.' Fred smirked as he walked inside the common room after he has eyed up the whole situation.

'Get lost.' Charlie snorted and gritted his teeth as this time his head met with the book his colleague was carrying on. 'Would just fuck off from me, today?' He growled irate.

'Get a grip, Charlie. We have places to go and check.' He grinned back at him and tossed a yellow card. 'Take a look and get ready.'

'Forget about it.' Bridget chimed in. 'I need him for tonight.'

'What?' Fred raised an eyebrow at her. 'Are you two…' He grinned.

'No!' She scowled and blushed slightly. 'I just need him in terrain, that's all. I have a job to do and I need someone to watch my back.' She explained and rolled her eyes. 'You always have to think about one thing.'

'It's only because the way you said it.'

'There's nothing wrong in the way I said it.' She disagreed.

'Fine, calm down.' He shook his head. 'Why everyone are so nervous today, eh? Even Craig and John Paul are in the fighting mood.' He rolled his eyes and approached the window.

'I guess they've just had a family row and that's all.' Charlie shrugged and crossed arms behind his head. 'I'm sure they'd make up today and spend a nice night together.' He grinned and winked at Bridget.

'Well, they're already in half way.' Fred announced with a chuckle as he noticed John Paul leaving the building and heading toward their superior's car.

'I thought Craig was going to mortuary.' Bridget said puzzled and joined him to might look outside.

'And he is. You know they're usually waiting a few minutes to not arouse any suspicion around.' He replied amused. 'You think they really don't have any idea we know about them?'

'Craig isn't a master of perception and John Paul isn't around so often to sniff anything.' Charlie stated and swiveled on his chair. 'They're too busy with each other to notice anything…Anyway, how long you know about them?'

'I guess I just knew it from the day he arrived at the station.' Bridget smirked. 'I've just got this feeling there would be together one day, although they've might hated each other on the beginning.'

'I noticed it few weeks ago, after my small chat with John Paul. He seemed to be a bit annoyed and upset when I started talking about Craig's relationship with Spike. And to my surprise my suspicion seemed to confirm our young Willy, although he firstly thought there's something going between Tomb Raider and John Paul. Kid has a good eye, I guess.' He grinned.

'Or maybe he's hitting at the same base, and that's how he knows that.' Fred chuckled as he noticed how Charlie's face dropped down. 'Well, I just noticed few days ago they're pretty close together and it seemed like they're living together, by the way they're talking with each other and leaving the building with Craig's car.'

'You think someone else knows about them?' Bridget asked as she kept watching her colleague walking nervously around his lover's car.

'Well, Darren has to know. They're stepbrothers, right?' Fred stated with a shrug. 'And I think that's all.'

'I'm more interested in how long they're going to continue this silly game and thinking we still didn't notice anything.' Charlie smirked. 'It's getting ridiculous and you really don't have to be Einstein to notice there's something more than friendship between them.'

'They'd play along, until one of us say we know about them.' The warm, familiar voice made them jump and glanced scared above their shoulders at their unexpected visitor.

'You could warn us, Darren.' Bridget sighed heavily, while the man grinned at them and joined in the circle. 'I almost got a heart attack.'

'Ah, it was a punishment, my dear. You don't know it's not nice to gossip behind your boss back?' He grinned cheekily.

'We're not gossiping only set up some facts.' Charlie disagreed. 'I just can't believe they don't know we know about them! They're so obvious, even me, the last one who knows what's going on around, notice it!'

'They're in love and that's the reason.' Fred smiled slightly. 'Aw, there's a Craig, heading to his boyfriend.' He looked down at the parking lot.

'Well, we don't know if they're in relationship.' Bridget said carefully.

'They are.' Darren smirked. 'And I know it from the good source.'

'Really? Well, that's strange, I just thought they both fooling around, just like Craig was doing with Spike.' Charlie said surprised. 'It looks like it hit him pretty good, then. Well, good for him, I guess.' He looked up and smiled sadly as he noticed sorrow and hurt in Darren's eyes and he understood he just picked up very delicate subject. 'I know it's not my business, but I wonder if any of you know what's going on with Spike?' He asked quietly and licked his dry lips. 'We didn't hear from him since he…well, you know, and Craig isn't saying a word about him. Maybe me and Spike weren't friends, but I always liked him and we know each other from years, so I'd like to know what's happened to him.'

'Craig doesn't want to say a word, and Spike doesn't pick up his phone, so I don't have any idea.' Bridget replied quietly and looked down at her hands. 'I really miss him. It was good to have him around, even when the last year was very hard for all of us.'

'He's in the clinic.' Darren said almost in whisper, deciding to share with them what's he knows. They just had a right to know what's happened to their colleague. 'Can't contact with anyone.'

'You mean they really sent him to the nut house?' Charlie cocked his eyebrow. 'What? Well, I noticed a flyer on John Paul's desk one day about some clinic, but I thought he's going there for a therapy, not that he has been locked up.'

'You could tell me!' Darren growled. 'You don't have any idea how long I needed to fight with Craig to get any information.'

'Well, sorry, but I didn't think you wouldn't know what's going on with him.' He apologized. 'I know you're close friends, so I was sure…'

'It isn't so simple.' Darren spat without thinking and scratched his head as he got a puzzled look from Fred. 'Anyway, he's fine. Craig said he's out of the drugs, so that's a good thing. I'm sure soon he'd leave the clinic.'

'I'm glad, then.' Bridget smiled slightly. 'Now, excuse me, but I need to change and start my shift.' She rolled her eyes and marched back toward her desk to pick up the plastic carrier-bag.

'What shift?' Darren asked puzzled.

'Work at the corner of the street.' Charlie grinned. 'I'd watch her back along with Moore.'

'Nice.' Bridget showed him a tongue and threw a bag over her shoulder before she marched toward toilets. 'I guess she's very happy about the fact she's going to work on the street.'

'You bet she is.' Charlie chuckled. 'I think about grabbing something to eat, before we go. I'm already hungry and there's a long night ahead for me.' He sighed and fished for his wallet.

'Yea, I'd be going back to home, also. I have a day off today.' Darren ran a hand through his thick hair as he noticed Fred was still watching him with unreadable face expression, making him feel uncomfortable.

'Then see you later, guys. Maybe we could think tomorrow about hanging some banner here.' Charlie suggested. 'Something like, we know about you, you small cuddling teddy bears.'

'Just get a grip, Charlie.' Fred rolled his eyes at the chuckling man. 'You'd just make them feel uncomfortable. If we ever decide to tell them we know about their relationship, we need to do it deliberately and with a tact.' He said firmly.

'You mean, ask Craig straight when he's going to marry John Paul?' Charlie and Darren exchanged grins.

'Just leave it for us, okay? I think we'd deal with it better than you.' He shook his head as his friend waved to him and ran out from the room. 'Now, there's only two of us.' He crossed arms against his chest and looked inquiringly at his colleague.

'How tasty.' He chuckled and winked at him, trying to defuse the tension, but man didn't even budge. 'Look, I need to get back to home. I'm sure Hannah wants to share with me another details of our wedding.'

'Sure, go ahead.' Fred smirked slightly. 'I'd see you tomorrow, then? Have a nice night mate.'

'Yea, sure.' Darren almost bumped into Bridget as he tried to ran away from the room as quickly it was possible, suddenly feeling very bad in Fred's company. There was something in the way he was looking at him and smiling, like he just knew something. Knew one of his dirty little secret. 'Night, Bridget.'

'Where's the rush, eh?' She called after him, but he didn't respond. 'Men. I really don't know what's got into you all, today.' She rolled her eyes and threw the plastic bag on the floor.

'You look hot.' Fred grinned at her.

'I'd be look hot tomorrow, when I wake up with fever.' She snorted and looked critically at her tight, very short red dress.

'At least you don't have problems in walking on high-heels.' He chuckled. 'And you have very nice legs.'

'Where's Charlie?'

'Buying something to eat.'

'Okay…What about Darren, then? What did you tell him, he chased away?' She glanced at him suspiciously.

'Nothing, he just needs get back to home, to Hannah.' He shrugged. 'And I guess bringing Spike into conversation wasn't the wisest thing Charlie did.' He stated.

'Surely it wasn't.' She sighed. 'Sometimes I wonder who is less delicate, Charlie or Craig? He just could drop it down.'

'Yea, it has to hurt him pretty bad.' He nodded his head. 'They were both so close. Almost like John Paul is with Craig.' Bridget looked unsurely at the man above her small black purse.

'Well, I don't think it's a good example.' She replied carefully, but man only smiled at her.

'You don't have to lie to me. I can see what's going on around.'

'How do you know?' She sighed and laid a hand on her hip.

'I have eyes and can see how they were acting around each other and how Darren looks devastated since Spike disappeared. Maybe it's not so obvious us it goes with Craig and John Paul, but still it's visible.'

'Does Charlie or anyone else know?' She asked worried, knowing the last thing Darren needs now it's having Charlie above his head making a lame jokes of him or making stupid comments.

'No, only me. Relax, I'm not going to tell anyone…But I am right, then?' He smirked. 'They had an affair?'

'A brief one, I guess. You know, it's not like Darren said me straight he had a romance with Spike, but I guessed it has to be him.'

'Yea, I get it, but…wow. I'd never thought he'd like to try it with a guy. I've never noticed him being interested in other guys.' He said surprised and scratched his head.

'I guess, he only feels for Spike.' She smiled sadly. 'Anyway, whatever had a place between them, it's finish now.'

'That's what I thought, since I heard he's going to marry Hannah…But still if you look at him, you can see how much he fall for him.'

'It's complicated. I guess he wants a normal life with Hannah and he's going to be a dad soon.'

'Maybe he should give it a try with Spike and then decide if he still wants to be with Hannah? I don't want him to regret his decision one day, or cheat on Hannah, when Spike comes back and he'd still feel for him…Or maybe it's one-sided?'

'Spike didn't take it better.' She replied quietly.

'So… They're in love?'

'I don't know…Probably.' She shrugged.

'That sucks.' He stated and licked his lips. 'But I hope he'd make a good decision.'

'I hope so, too.' She smiled slightly and sat down on the desk.

'It's funny, you know? Craig is always reminding Darren and us, he's only his stepbrother, but it looks like they have more in common than he'd ever thought.' He chuckled. 'Not only they both have a thing for a coppers and it looked like both are bisexual, but also have similar taste in men.'

'Yea, they both were with Spike.' She said amused. 'I didn't think about it.'

'It looks like everything's staying in family, eh?' He laughed quietly and shook his head. 'These two would never stop surprise me.'

'Not only you.' Bridget smirked at him and picked up her mug with already cold coffee as she heard upcoming steps. Fred also reached for his mug and with a secretly smile moved back toward his desk.

'Osborne, you old, lucky bastard.' He muttered to himself and chuckled once again, before Charlie appeared in the common room and entertainment them with few, lame jokes about John Paul and Craig. Maybe some things are changing, but not everything.