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DI Lynley and DS Havers had been sitting on the veranda of his classy club's restaurant. Barbara thought she never would be able to afford a simple glass of water at this location. But since her boss had said it was his treat and she had been too tired to object today, and in fact had come to like their shared lunchbreaks even here at this posh location, she had followed him inside, through the main room and onto this lovely veranda in the back of the old house. Prolonging their break they had enjoyed the sun and a cool drink after they had had a late lunch over which they had discussed the slow progress of their latest case.

Eventually a loud clank had been heard and shortly after it one of the guests had stormed past them and inside.

Barbara had shaken her head as if she could get rid of the disturbance that way. The moment before had been silent but pleasurable with Tommy sitting on the bench next to her, closer than approproiate in fact, his arm on the backrest behind her and the wall in their back reflecting the autumn sun's warmth.

When the boss of the poor waitress had dressed the woman down unrepeatably nasty and in public Barbara had started to clench her teeth. Tommy had seen her jaw's muscles working hard until she had not been able to stand it any longer, had gotten up from the bench and had come to stand by the side of the waitress. She even had paid the champagne.

Now she returned to their table with a still angry expression.

Her boss smiled lovingly at her. He had watched the entire scene and the furious calmness with which Barbara had talked with the master waiter. With a deep sigh she now heavily sat down on the bench next to him.

"I'll have pasta with butter for the rest of the month." she groaned. "This bubbly costs more than I had thought."

Tommy laughed. "You don't have to pay. It was his fault and I know that man. Even if I have to beat it out of him I'm going to get the money back for you from Lord O'Clanis."

"Oh." Visibly thinking Barbara looked at him. She remembered that name from something that happened a long time ago. The complete scene actually felt somehow familiar.

"I'm going to ask him later, tonight at the Club meeting. He will pay it, I'm sure of that." Something crossed his mind. Had he not fought with someone in his youth for something similar? He vaguely remembered crashing someone's nose and receiving a small crack in the jaw in return.

"Thank you, Sir."

Being hit by the complete memory Tommy seriously looked into her eyes. "It's a pleasure for me, Barbara. You know, I don't like such ignorance. And I can't stand injustice." His voice had turned hoarse. He wondered if Barbara also remembered the beneficial party from years ago. At first it did not look that way.

"Oh, yes. Neither can..." she began. Then her words slowed down and she looked at him with irritation. It finally dawned on her. "...I, ... Sir... Sir?!"

He nodded. "You've been blonde." Tommy was niot asking. He was giving a confirmation of the unspoken question in her eyes if something like this could have happened in reality.

"In my youth I've had every colour you could think of." Barbara nervously laughed. What a ridiculous coincidence.

"I prefer your red hair." Tommy admitted. "And I like that it's not as short as it had been back then. They've even become curlier lately. That's... beautiful." He broadly smiled.

"Bollocks." Barbara slightly blushed. "I remember your dark hair, Sir. But your shoulders were a bit... broader, weren't they?"

"I was an active member of our college's rowing team. I haven't done that for years."

"How long ago is it?"

Tommy briefly thought about it. "More than 20 years? 22 I think."

It was commented with a disbelieving laugh. "I was 16!"

"And sweet." Tommy smiled. Barbara only gave a disapproving noise. "I could never forget that night. It had created the strong wish to become a policeman."

"Guess what? I've already signed in at the Police school. So I've needed every penny and have done every job I could grab. Even as a waitress for that snobbish lot of yours."

Tommy grinned about her remark. He knew she only teased him. For a couple of moments they stayed silent. "Barbara?"

"Hm?" Eventually Barbara realised he had come closer to her. Now he even put his arm around her shoulders and his voice sounded thrillingly dark.

"I'm glad we've met again."

Her voice was equally low when she answered. "Well, Sir, so am I."

The expression he saw in her face was so open and without any of her usual defensiveness, he could not withstand the wish he had had for quite some time now. So he slowly bent down to her. With pleasure Tommy recognised that she did not back away. Keeping expectantly still Barbara gave him the chance to give her a soft but brief kiss.

Although it had happened slow and almost hesitant, it had come rather surprising for both. They shared a disbelieving look with wide open eyes but did not retreated from their closeness. Neither of them said a word but the look they gave each other made it unnecessary anyway. Tommy squeezed her shoulders before he bent down again to press another slightly longer kiss onto her half open mouth. Relishing every second Barbara answered his kiss with a soft nudge of her lips. For a short moment she even placed her hand onto his belly.

Involuntarily she sighed when their lips finally parted.

Grinning Tommy murmured "Well, then..." and turned his face forward, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with happiness, looking in the direction of the elderly couple. His arm around her shoulders tightened its grip and pulled her into his side.

"What was that for?" Barbara breathed confused and pleased at the same time. Anyway she snuggled closer into his chest, looking in the same direction he looked.

"Thank you for your inspiration."

"My pleasure... Tommy."

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