'Shit!' Thought Steve. He'd upset her. He hadn't wanted her working on this job with him because it had caused all the arguments in the first place. Somehow it was still doing that. The oven alarm sounded, informing everyone that Kate's cakes were ready. He would apologise when she came out, he decided.

But Kate didn't materialise out of the bedroom. Not wanting her efforts to go to waste, Steve took the cakes out of the oven, before turning it off and leaving the cakes to cool. Heading to the bedroom he knocked on the door. "Kate?" He said. He didn't get a response. "I've taken your cakes out so they don't burn," he informed her. Still no response. He'd really upset her he knew. "Can I come in?" he asked.

"Your bedroom," was her monotone reply.

Steve opened the door. He saw Kate was lying curled up on the bed, her back to him.

"I'm sorry," Steve said as he took a seat in the bed.

"Why didn't you want me to help?" Kate asked. "Worried I might solve whatever it is before you?".

"Is that what you think?" Steve asked. "I couldn't give a shit about that,".

"Really?" Kate asked as she rolled over to face him. "I think you're worried I'm going to make DI before you," she challenged.

"That's not true," Steve argued. "I honestly couldn't care about rank," he continued.

"You don't seem particularly happy about me being the same rank as you. Can't boss me about,".

"I was actually more upset that you studied for and sat your inspector exams without telling me at all," Steve retorted.

"I really didn't think I'd pass," Kate said. "I've spent so long messing about being a DC that I thought I would just give it a go. Living by myself I had a lot of time to kill in the evenings and so I studied,".

"Good. You deserve to have passed," Steve said. "I could have helped you, that's all," he explained.

"Sorry," Kate said. She sat up and gave Steve a hug. They had been really stupid.

"I didn't want you helping earlier because this is the case we were working on when you had your accident. We were arguing lots during it. I didn't want that again, although it has backfired somewhat," he said. They both smiled. "Come and help," he offered. "I would value your input,".

"Ok," Kate agreed as she accepted his suggestion. She took his hand and Steve pulled her to her feet.

Up close, he could see flour all over Kate's face. He took a finger and wiped off a bit that was on the end of her nose. "You've got flour everywhere," he informed her tenderly as he showed her the flour on his fingers.

"Do the cakes look alright?" Kate asked, breaking the moment. Was it just her or had something just passed between them?

"Yeah, not bad actually," he admitted as he led the way out of the room, glad they were on safer ground. He hadn't been all that far away from kissing his friend. "When do I ever boss you about, by the way?" he asked, suddenly recalling one of Kate's accusations. "You always do what you want to do anyway,".

An hour later, both the friends were pouring over the case notes trying to find anything that would help them.

"I might have found something," Steve said at the same time as Kate spoke.

"What do you think about this?" she asked.

Looking at what each other had found, they discovered they had both noticed the same thing. A third location that may be a possible hiding place for their suspect.

Steve was thrilled at the break through, and even better, they had discovered it together. He was quickly on the phone to the gaffer updating him on a new site to search. Ted listened to what Steve had to say and was soon signing the paperwork for search warrants to be issued for the following day.

By the time Steve had finished his phone call, Kate was back in the kitchen preparing to decorate her cakes. "Need any help?".

"That would be great, thanks," Kate replied. "You can do the sprinkles on the top after I've iced them," she instructed.

When they had finished, there were twenty four very nice looking cupcakes, and better still they tasted as good as they looked.

"Maybe take some in to work?" Kate suggested as she licked her fingers. There was no way they were going to be able to eat all the cakes between the two of them.

"Kate?" Steve shouted excitedly the next day when he returned home. It had been the best day ever with their suspect finally captured at the location that Steve and Kate had discovered the previous evening.

"In the bath," shouted Kate from the bathroom.

"We got him!" Steve announced as he entered the bathroom.

"Steve!" shouted Kate as she rushed to protect her modesty. She hadn't expected him to come in the room when she had told him where she was. She really should have locked the door, but she'd been home alone when she had got in the water.

"It's ok," Steve said as he took a seat on the toilet. "I can't see anything," he explained. It was true. Kate was sat in a mountain of bubbles that obscured him from seeing anything.

"Out!" she ordered. "Give me five minutes to get out the bath and you can tell me everything," she suggested.

"Fine," said Steve as he got up. He was going to have to wait to regale her with his tale of victory. "It's not like I haven't seen everything anyway," he teased as he started to leave the room.

"Which I thought we had decided never to talk about again!" Kate pointed out.

Steve left the room and Kate hurriedly got out. She put her dressing gown on and cinched it at her waist as she went to find where Steve had gone. She found him in the living room watching some TV. He turned it off as soon as she appeared, keen to recount his story.

"So go on then," Kate said as she took a seat beside him. "Tell me all about it,".

Steve told an elaborate tale of stealthily advancing on his target. A heroic chase as their suspect made a run for it only for to be chased down by Steve's athleticism.

It sounded far more interesting than what had probably actually happened, Kate thought but she would let Steve have his moment of glory. "That's great, Steve," Kate acknowledged as he came to the end. "Bet the gaffer's chuffed,".

"He knows you helped, Kate," Steve informed her. "I would never take all the glory myself,".

"I know," Kate admitted. "Still wish I had been there though instead of stuck on sick leave,".

"The cakes were a hit by the way," Steve added to try and cheer Kate up. "All gone,".

"Really?" Kate said, happy her work had not been in vain.

"Everyone thinks you are becoming quite the domestic goddess on your medical leave," he told her. "There were even a few jokes about you acting like a good house wife," he admitted. "I didn't say anything,".

"Better not have," Kate retorted.

"Celebratory curry?" Steve asked. They usually had one at the end of a case. Today should not be an exception.

"Why not?" Kate said.

Steve quickly picked up his phone and dialled their favourite take away. The restaurant knew him well and were soon making their usual order. "I'm glad you helped, Kate," Steve repeated before he hugged her tightly after hanging up, glad the case was solved and that they definitely had their friendship back on track. "Couldn't have done it without you," he continued. He eventually released her and couldn't help but gaze deeply in to her eyes as they pulled apart only slightly. Caught up in the moment and their recent increased familiarity with each other, Steve leaned forward and took Kate's lips in a gentle kiss.

Initially surprised, Kate was soon kissing him back before they both registered what they were doing.

"Sorry," apologised Steve as they broke apart. "Got a bit confused there. Thought you were Mrs Arnott for a minute,".

"It's ok," Kate replied. It had been a nice kiss.

They were interrupted by their meal arriving. Both pushed away their thoughts about how nice the moment had been and returned to being friends. However much Steve tried though, he couldn't get the kiss out of his head. As they were getting ready for bed he couldn't take it any longer. As Kate brushed past him to go to the bathroom he took her hand and pulled her back to him. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.