The familiar sound of the DIR tape starting to record filled the air as Steve once again found himself on the wrong side of the interview table. This time there were no familiar faces opposite him. No Kate taking notes to help him out. He was completely on his own.

James did the necessary introductions before the questioning began. He didn't mess about and got straight to business, keen to have the interview done by the time DCI Wheeler returned.

"Did you rape and try to murder DI Fleming?" James asked first.

"No," Steve replied simply.

"Ok," said James Booth, "I'll frame the question slightly differently. Have you had sexual intercourse with DI Fleming?".

Steve paused. "Yes," he eventually admitted.

"Recently?".

"Saturday night,".

"The night before she was attacked?". Steve nodded. "For the tape the suspect nodded," James clarified.

"It was consensual," Steve said defensively.

"We'll just have to take your word for that," James responded. "At least until the victim wakes up,".

"Kate will confirm it," Steve answered without hesitation.

"What about the genital bruising she sustained? Doesn't seem very consensual to me,".

"That wasn't me!" Steve countered, "I swear! I made sure she was comfortable at all times,".

"Can you tell me why you are only admitting to sleeping with Kate Fleming now?" James asked. "I visited you with DCI Wheeler a few days ago to ask some questions about Kate and you failed to mention it,".

"You never asked," Steve replied. "And I wanted to protect Kate's privacy. My gaffer was present. He has quite a strict view on sex outside of marriage if you hadn't picked up on that when you arrested me,".

"So tell me now," James continued. "What happened on Saturday night?".

"One of my colleagues at AC-12 was having a birthday party and I managed to convince Kate to go with me. Despite not really wanting to go, she actually had a really good time...".

Flashback

"I need some water before I go to bed," Kate said as she followed Steve into his flat. She headed to the kitchen and poured herself some water from the fridge. "Think I drank more than I should have. I'm going to regret this in the morning," she announced before taking a swig.

"You and me both," Steve agreed as he poured himself his own glass.

There was silence as the two friends drank from their drinks before Kate spoke again. "Thank you," she said.

"What for?".

"Making me go out," Kate replied. "I actually had a really good time. It was nice to do something normal amongst all the drama that's currently going on in my life,".

"You're welcome," Steve replied. "Thanks for agreeing to come with me so I didn't have to go solo,".

"You're welcome," Kate echoed before taking a large gulp and draining her almost full glass of water in one go. "Right," she declared. "Think it's time for bed,".

"Yep," agreed Steve as he drained his glass as well.

"Can I ask a favour?" Kate asked.

"Sure,".

"Can you undo my zip?" she asked as she turned her back to Steve. She was wearing a top that had a zip running almost the entire length of the garment. She had just about managed to do it up herself with a lot of moves that resembled a body contortionist but she wasn't up for a repeat performance now she was slightly inebriated.

"Err ...ok," Steve said before he carefully undid the fastening, revealing lots of skin and the back of her black bra as he did so. "There you go," he declared once the task was complete.

"Thanks," Kate said as she returned to face him. They stared at each other for a while, both a little shy at the intimacy of what had just occurred.

"I'm glad you had a good time, Kate. You deserve it," he said to fill the silence before he leant forward intent on kissing Kate on the cheek before heading to bed.

Somehow he missed her cheek, instead landing the kiss on her lips. Not wanting to waste the opportunity he was soon gently kissing Kate and even better Kate started kissing him back. He felt her hands twisting in his hair as she deepened the kiss.

Emboldened by Kate's actions, Steve raised one hand and sought one of her breasts out, cupping it over the material of her top and bra. He could feel her nipple begin to harden at his touch and he encouraged it on with a swirl from his thumb.

He felt Kate pull away from his lips at that and he was suddenly embarrassed at what had happened. "Sorry," he apologised, hoping she knew he was apologising for both the kiss and the grope. What the hell had gotten in to him? he wondered. "That's the last thing you needed to happen with all this stalker shit," he said, feeling really bad.

"It's ok," Kate replied. "I was liking it ... but then this annoying voice popped in to my head pointing out that my best friend was copping a feel of my boob and brought me back to reality,".

"Sorry," Steve apologised again, feeling awfully embarrassed.

"Don't worry. We were sort of due a drunken snog," she continued. "Can't believe it's taken us over ten years before it happened,".

Steve smiled. "Still friends?" he asked.

"Of course," Kate said without hesitation. She leant forward and gave Steve a kiss on his cheek. "Night, mate," she wished him. "See you in the morning," she finished before heading off to her room.

Still kicking himself for his actions, Steve locked up before heading to his own bedroom. Undressing so he was left in just his boxer briefs he quickly used the bathroom before getting in to bed. He finally came to rest on his side, hugging the spare pillow. Despite the late hour and feeling tired, sleep would not come. Every time he closed his eyes he was thinking about the kiss and Kate's soft curves beneath his touch. It had felt so right.

"Steve?" he heard as a knock sounded at his bedroom door. It was Kate. "You still awake?".

Throwing the pillow he was hugging to one side, Steve turned on his bedside lamp before he pulled back the duvet and got out of bed. He wondered what the problem was. "Opening his door he found Kate dressed in a small pair of shorts and a spaghetti strap top that clung to her body. "What's up?" He asked as he caught Kate giving him the once over with her eyes as well, taking in his underpant clad body.

Her eyes finally reached his and in silent agreement they were soon wrapped around each others bodies as they resumed their earlier kiss. This time it was desperate and full of passion and when Steve reached for a breast Kate didn't mind in the slightest.

Without breaking lip contact, Steve manoeuvred Kate further inside his bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot as he did so and walked them towards his bed until the back of Kate's legs met the bed frame.

Kate transferred her weight so she was kneeling on the mattress. Steve had an extra deep mattress so she actually gained a bit of height and was almost at eye level with Steve when the need for air broke them apart.

"You sure about this?" Steve asked breathily. Both knew they were going to have sex but he wanted to be absolutely sure it was what Kate wanted.

She didn't answer, instead reaching down to the hem of her top before lifting her arms above her head, taking the material with them and dropping the item on the floor.

Steve stood back and admired the view. Her breasts were on the small side but nice and pert. At the tips were her rosy nipples, also on the small side but symmetrical in position.

He stepped back in to her embrace and they were soon kissing again. Chests smashed up against each other as arms wrapped around each other tightly, tongues clashing as they continued onwards.

Once their shorts and pants had been removed, Kate moved to come to a sitting position on the edge of the mattress. Her legs parted to accommodate Steve stood between them, before she gently lowered herself on to her back.

Still not wanting to break the kiss, Steve went with her until he was bent at 90 degrees at his hips. He felt his back pull in protest in this position and grimaced.

"You ok?" Kate asked. She had felt his grimace and knew something was wrong.

"My back," he replied as he had no choice but to stand upright again.

"Shit! Sorry," Kate apologised before she scooted back up the bed, reaching for Steve, inviting him closer again. Not seeing where she was going she came in to contact with the pillow Steve had tossed aside earlier which knocked her off balance and she came to rest on her back with the pillow under her pelvis.

"Leave it," Steve suggested when he saw Kate reach for it as he crawled towards her. He was pleased to see she did as instructed.

Finally reaching her, he gently spread her legs apart, exposing her core to him perfectly as he did so thanks to the pillow.

Dipping his head, Steve inhaled her scent before flicking his tongue over her clitoris and lapping at her entrance .

"Steve!" he heard her squeal as she clamped her thighs around his head, preventing him from pleasuring her any more.

"What?" he asked as he raised his head. "You don't like?". He had never had any complaints with previous partners when he had performed oral sex before. In fact he had been told by more than one partner that he was very good at it. He was therefore surprised at Kate's reaction.

"It tickles," she explained through a fit of giggles as he nuzzled her again.

"No-one's said that to me before," he said as he tried again to seduce her with his tongue. Her shrieks of laughter again filling the air.

"Have you done this with a beard before?" She countered once she was able to talk as she propped herself up on her forearms so she could look at him between her thighs.

Steve raised his head as he thought about Kate's question. "Don't think I have actually," he finally answered before teasing her by nuzzling her again, causing Kate to shriek with laughter again before she collapsed back on to her back.

Steve was nothing but persistent, and eventually found that by penetrating Kate with his fingers whilst using his tongue on her clit, he got the desired effect he was after. Kate was writhing around on the bed, feeling her breasts or clutching at the sheet below her as she moaned and groaned in ecstasy.

"Better?" he asked as he took a little break.

"Oh god, yes!" Kate declared, panting heavily. Mark had never really been a fan of oral sex so she hadn't had much since she had got married, much to her disappointment.

"Good," responded Steve, pleased he hadn't lost his touch and quit after the initial set back. Coming to kneel between Kate's thighs, Steve teased Kate's entrance with his painfully hard erection, coating it in her arousal before he gently eased his mushroom shaped head inside her.

Pushing slowly, he gradually eased the whole of his length inside her, coming to rest over Kate's body as he did so. With the pillow still under her hips and her pelvis tilted, he found he was quite deep inside her.

"You ok?" He asked when he felt her clench her inner muscles around him tightly.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just been awhile, that's all,".

"Try and relax," he whispered. He didn't want to start moving his hips and cause her pain.

Slowly, he felt Kate release her hold on him as she became accustomed to his intrusion and Steve began to gently move his hips, thrusting in and out a small distance.

"Oh god. Feels so good," Kate moaned as she felt her hips begin to mirror Steve's movements. "You definitely know what to do with yours," she commended him, recalling their previous talk in her kitchen.

Spurred on by her positive review and the sounds of pleasure that periodically escaped her lips, Steve gradually increased the distance he thrust until his whole length was sliding in and out of Kate.

"This ok?" Steve asked as he continued moving in and out of her.

"Yeah," she groaned as Steve hit a particularly sweet spot. "Don't stop. Think I'm gonna...oh god!" She moaned as she felt her first climax from penetrative sex wash over her. for the first time in several years.

"Oh god, Kate!" Steve moaned as he felt himself empty in to her.

Kate was the first to recover and reached for Steve, seeking out his lips for a gentle loving kiss now their passion had subsided a little. She could taste herself on his tongue. "That was nice," she murmured as the kiss finished.

"I'm glad you liked it," Steve said as he moved off Kate and tucked her in to his side as he lay on his back. "Think we were due a drunken shag as well," he teased.

"I'm not drunk anymore," Kate said before she smiled. "Thank you,".

"I think I should be the one thanking you actually," Steve said. "I wasn't sure I would be able to have sex like that if I'm being honest but it's good to know I can,".

"What are you talking about?" Kate asked as she propped herself up so she could see his face.

"Since my assault, I've had problems getting an erection," he admitted.

"You didn't seem to have any just now," Kate retorted as she started doodling little patterns on his chest with her forefinger.

"It's the first time I've had sex since the assault," he confirmed. "Tried once with Sam, but nothing happened,".

"Oh my god," Kate replied her doodling paused as she remembered something. "Is that when you two were acting weird around each other?".

"Yes," Steve answered.

"Is that why you've been single for such a long time?". Steve nodded.

"Too scared to try and have sex again in case the same thing happened," he explained.

"Well it looks like you're cured," Kate said as she rolled on top of Steve and proceeded to kiss him. Hopefully he was up for a second round.