Thought I really should get round to finishing off this part. Gill insisted she get a role too, seeing as I hijacked 'her' episode!

Late, very late, that night, Rachel sat on the edge of the bed in her hotel room. She held her phone between her hands and stared at it. She was tired. She was knackered in fact. She had been on the go for something over sixteen hours by this point and she had spent about six of them looking through dozens of case files, comparing scores of photographs. Every time she blinked, an after-image of a murdered woman burned the inside of her eyelids. She had lost track of the specifics by now, they were just an outline – limbs twisted, hair splayed, skin split or marked, ligatures, clothing, eyes, jewellery, distinguishing features... they all blurred together. She was happy. Well, she was pleased. They had made a connection. This was a good thing. She had recognised something. The boss had agreed with her. That was good. They were going to put it to the SIO in the morning. Suggest it, Gill had said. Rachel huffed a short breath of dry amusement. Advise... suggest... yeah, right. She wondered how Gill would react if someone refused to take her advice. On the whole, she wasn't sure she wanted to be around to see it. They'd probably see the fallout back Manchester.

Manchester. Janet. Text. Rachel's brain moved slugglishly. She blinked and focused her eyes on her mobile again. The screen had gone dark ages ago. She had been reading Janet's text. That's what she'd been doing. Right. She hit a random button.

Wish I was too. Whats up? Call me xox

Jan. Rachel wished she could call her. She wished she could tell her about the case. She wished she could tell her about Dom. She wished she could hear Janet telling her something, some good sound advice in that calm, understanding voice. She wished she could hear her say anything. Rachel sighed deeply and let her hands drop to her sides. What she really wished to hear was barely even credible, barely even imaginable. She wished that she had the guts to pick up the phone and say I love you I miss you and see what happened. But it was two o'clock, gone two o'clock in the morning. Janet would be asleep. Sensible Jan. And Rachel knew her judgement definitely wasn't right at this time of night, even if she was stone cold sober. So she wasn't going to wake her friend up to drivel at her. Besides, Rachel thought as she put the phone down carefully on the bedside cabinet, she really wasn't sure she had the energy to talk at all and she couldn't exactly ring Jan up and just breathe down the phone at her. She collapsed backward onto the mattress, still dressed. Oh that felt good. Her eyes closed. Images flickered. She swallowed. Let them go. Dimly, she reminded herself to kick off her shoes. Her alarm was set. She could switch off. If she could phone Janet and just breathe at her, and Janet would just breathe down the phone at her... that would be nice. Soothing. Well, it sounded weird, put like that. But if she could just hear Janet breathing, next to her like. The images slowed. In. Out.

Rachel tried to remember how it felt against her skin. In.

The faces dimmed. Out.

Remember her smell – safe.

In.

Darkness stilled.

Out.

...

When Janet pulled up outside her house for the second time that night, it was late, later than she had been out in a long time. She felt slightly sick. Just tired, she told herself, and ignored the voice in the back of her head which told her that she had done wrong and knew it. After all, she was a free woman, she and Ade had split up. So she had slept with Andy again. So what? It wasn't hurting anybody. She had been wrong the first time, yes, but her fling wasn't the reason her marriage had broken down. Yes, she had lied to her mother tonight but if, at forty-six, she couldn't lie to her mother once in a while without feeling guilty about it, then she was a pretty sad case. But Janet did feel guilty. She wasn't sure she had done the right thing this evening. She wasn't even quite sure how it had all happened. She had answered her phone, gone round to Andy's for a drink, talked about work, kissed him goodbye and ended up in his bed. It had all seemed so logical at the time. But it wasn't what she had had planned. Janet shook her head. Well it had happened, it was her decision somehow, and she would have to live with it. She checked her phone before she opened the car door. Nothing. No texts, no missed calls. She bit her lip. She had been sure there would be something from Rachel. Guilt curled a little tighter round her gut and Janet ignored it pointedly. If Rach couldn't be bothered... But then, what if there was something wrong? Don't be a fool.

The phone beeped as she was about to put her key in the front door. Janet jumped. She was surprised to see that the message was from Gill.

Just finished, hope this doesn't wake you. Youve done a good job with rachel but don't tell her i said so! She seems a bit off tho, can you give her a ring in morning ? She wont talk to me. See you soon cock. Gx

Janet closed the door gently behind her and stood in the hall. She should have phoned Rachel. She should have tried again earlier. For a second, she was hit by the memory of Rachel calling her in tears, about a year ago now, when she was standing right here by the radiator. It was the strangeness of hearing Rachel cry that had struck her so forcibly at the time. And she had known then – all she had wanted to do was go to her, to make it better, to be there for her. And now, her first reaction was to call Rach. If Gill was only texting her now then Rachel was probably only finishing too, she was probably still up, would pick up the phone and Janet could talk to her, find out what was wrong. Janet's thumb hovered over the call button. Rachel could be sleeping. It was so late. Gill had probably worked later than her DC, after all. And whatever the situation, Rachel must have had a long hard day. She would need to sleep. She was probably in no state to talk about stuff. Was Janet mainly calling her now to assuage her own guilt? Was she really in a fit state to be any use to Rach? Janet sighed and put the phone in her pocket. Better to leave it till the morning. Better to have a shower and try to wash away all the guilt and sadness and disappointment with herself, along with the smell and feel of Andy. Janet rested her fingers on the radiator. The memory-sound of Rachel's choked off sob and her own rush of feeling washed over her again. She had heard Rachel cry before that, and seen it since, but that one time in particular stuck with her for the way she had reacted: the longing to comfort and protect and hug and hush and soothe and stroke that had surged up in her without warning. She had turned almost into the wall to try to hide it, although she couldn't remember anyone else being in the hall at the time. She'd probably been trying to hide it from herself. She had known then and she knew now but she was still scared. She, Janet Scott, was a wimp.

However, Janet told herself, suddenly waking up to the fact that she was standing at the bottom of her stairs, staring into space, she couldn't stay here all night. She was tired, shattered actually. That was why she was thinking like this – letting herself think like this. In the morning, she would be able to sort her feelings into their proper boxes, deal with Rachel, face up to Andy, accept her own failings, move on. Everything would be so much easier to deal with... in the morning.

...

Rachel woke with a feeling of purpose. She shot out of bed on her alarm and straight into the business of getting ready for the day. It was while she was brushing her teeth that the thought actually hit – the one she knew had been lurking in the back of her head. She phoned Gill, too eager even to wait till their arranged meeting time in the lobby.

'Rachel, what?'

'Why did he drag them?' Rachel bowled straight in. 'Ok we know he dragged them by their arms, we made that connection last night, but why?' Rachel paused, expectant, waiting to see if her boss would get it, or if she would shoot her down.

'Because,' she could almost hear Gill's brain working, that little click when she reached the same conclusion that Rachel had. 'They were already dead. He killed them somewhere else. Which is not Leach. And, and we can confirm that – I'll get on to the pathologist - and we need to check that against our shortlist when we get in. Well done kid. Is that all?'

'Err... yeah.' Rachel was nearly floored by the ready praise.

'See you downstairs in five then.' Gill hung up. Rachel flopped down on the bed with a silly grin on her face. It still gave her a kick to get a pat on the back from the boss. She shook her head sheepishly at herself then grinned again – there was nobody here to see her. Janet, she thought and reached for her phone only to realise that it was ringing. Rachel's grin spread even wider when she realised who was calling.

'British Psychics Society, how can I help you?'

'Good morning?' Janet sounded somewhat bewildered.

'I was just about to text you,' Rachel explained. 'How's life without me?'

'Um fine. How are you?' Janet had her careful voice on but that might just be because she was at work or something, Rachel thought.

'Good. Sorry I didn't call last night. I was knackered. We were really late finishing.'

'Yeah Gill texted me at some obscene hour' Janet said without thinking.

'Godzilla? Late night texts? I thought I'd kept her busy enough,' Rachel joked, 'obviously need to try harder.' She was curious though. She hadn't thought of Gill texting Janet too, kept forgetting what close friends they were. Rachel stomped hard on the little bite of jealousy that always accompanied that thought.

Janet picked up on her jokey tone in her response. 'She was asking me for tips on how to shut you up.'

'Oh yeah?'

'I told her she might as well give up now. It's a lost cause.'

'Thanks mate.' Rachel tried to sound indignant but her smile shone through her tone of voice. She could hear Janet chuckling at the other end of the phone. The familiar sound sent a warm feeling straight into her chest.

'Where are you at?' Rachel glanced at her watch, aware that she only had another minute or two. She started trying to gather up her belongings whilst listening to Jan. She reluctantly called a halt to the conversation when she had to leave the room. Janet's final, cheesy 'byee' left her with a smile that was still lingering when she reached the lobby. Gill cocked an eyebrow at her.

'Don't get too perky. You're going to have to re-check all those crime scene photos when we get in, before our meeting with Superintendent Wallis. So that gives you, what, half an hour? Head down Rachel.'

Rachel nodded seriously. She got that it was crucial they made the right impression, checked their facts and put their case across. She knew what rested on it. She opened her mouth to protest that Gill should trust her, then checked herself.

'I was chatting to Janet,' she said. Might as well be honest. Gill gave her a sharp look then a short nod, but her face relaxed slightly. That excuse for Rachel's good humour made sense. At least she wasn't getting cocky.

'How's tricks with her then?' Gill asked as they headed out to the car. Relieved, Rachel relayed the important parts of her phone conversation then subsided in the passenger seat. She used the first part of the journey to send a few texts – Dom, Janet – whilst Gill was busy negotiating the unfamiliar road system, then she switched into work mode with a vengeance. Head down. She would show them.

...

Janet heard her phone beep twice while she was driving into work. She glanced at her handbag when she stopped at a traffic light but played it safe and resisted the urge to check it. So she was just reading Rachel's message as she got out of her car in the station car park.

Thanks for phoning. This is fun but i couldn't do it all the time. Will be nice to be home. Take care x

Aww Rach. Janet smiled to herself. Rachel and Gill would be back tomorrow then everything would get back to normal again. She looked up to see where she was going and her eyes met Andy's. He too was just getting out of his car. They were obviously the first ones in again this morning. He caught her smile and smiled back. Janet felt a flutter of nerves which she hastily quashed. Almost everything could get back to normal. Some changes she was just going to have to get used to.

Janet spent the morning checking out various things that her suspect had asserted during the hours of interviews yesterday. Most of his claims proved to be absolute bollocks and easy enough to confirm. Provable lies. That was something more to throw at him when she went back in later. They were waiting on forensics too, so she had some time to catch up on paperwork. It was whilst she was busy with that that her phone buzzed for the second time that morning. Rachel again? Or was it one of the girls? Unusual for them to text her at work though, it wasn't as if she could bring their games kit in if they had forgotten it. Not that sort of mum, thank goodness. Janet's eyebrows raised when she saw that it was from Gill. Twice in two days, and in the middle of a big investigation, not like her ladyship.

Dunno what you said but its done the trick. You put a smile on madams face. Dont want these southeners thinking were all miserable sods up north. Cheers! Gx

Janet lifted her head and stared across her desk without really seeing the room around her. It's nice to be nice, she thought, with a touch of irony. But she found she was smiling. It was nice to know she could have an affect on someone, and good to know that Rachel was all right. She hadn't said anything on the phone, but maybe whatever had been bothering her yesterday had resolved itself somehow. Maybe she really was just homesick. Janet's smile turned to a hint of a smirk. Tough girl Rachel, homesick. She would have to remember to pull her leg next time they had a drink together. Movement caused Janet's eyes to focus again and she realised that Andy was approaching. He leaned over Rachel's desk, meeting her smile.

'Are you ok?' He had his special voice on. Janet did a quick check to make sure there was no one else in the room, but Andy had at least chosen his moment well.

'Yeah,' she nodded, trying to aim her smile at him properly. She was still not entirely comfortable with what she had done last night but that wasn't Andy's fault. She couldn't take it out on him if she had guilt issues. 'Yeah, just...' she leaned forward, 'not here, ok?'

.

Janet spared a moment, later in the afternoon, to wonder what exactly Gill thought about her and Rachel. She hadn't said anything about her to Gill in ages. The rare occasions they got out for a drink by themselves these days they tended to talk about the latest case or the kids. Janet had fought shy of asking too much about the fella Gill was seeing, Chris, because she was trying to avoid having to mention Ade. She had been avoiding talking about both Andy and Rachel as well with Gill, not trusting her face or body language not to give her away. That was the trouble about being a copper, with coppers as your best mates. You never knew what they were going to pick up on. So Janet wondered, driving over to pick up the suspect's girlfriend, had Gill picked up on something between her and Rach? It was not impossible. They worked together so closely so much of the time. Janet wasn't aware of being careful around Rachel, trying to hide things, so maybe they had let something slip. And Gill was different from any of the others – if anyone could read a nuance where everyone else would miss it, she was the one. Janet wasn't sure how she felt about that thought. Or what she was going to do about it.

She was even more suspicious when, just as the team were calling it a night, she got another text from Gill.

Think you can work your magic act again? Give her a ring? I owe you. Gx

'That your boyfriend?' Kevin teased as he pulled on his coat. Janet wondered what her face must have been like to provoke a comment, but perhaps it was just Kevin.

'No' she deadpanned at him, widening her eyes. 'The boss, checking up on you.' His forehead creased. She couldn't resist prodding him a little further.

'She wants to make sure you haven't burned the place down yet.' Kevin rolled his eyes and departed. Janet turned her attention back to the message. Something wrong with Rachel again. She frowned. This wasn't normal. And Gill taking so much personal interest in her. Janet sensed, rather than heard, Andy sidling over behind her and she swiftly blanked her phone.

'Do you want to go for a drink? Just a quick one.' He looked so hopeful but she was preoccupied with the puzzle sparked off by Gill's text. Still, she made her voice soft and her face regretful as she lied, off the cuff.

'Mmm not tonight sorry. I've got to pick up Taisie and her friend from dancing and I promised the girls pizza. I think they want us to watch a film together. Sorry.' She made it sound as genuine as possible. She was sorry, surely. 'Maybe tomorrow?' She raised her eyebrows and was inwardly relieved when Andy smiled.

'Sure.' He looked almost as if he was about to kiss her and she drew back a little.

'I've got to go.'

...

Rachel lay curled up on her hotel bed, watching her phone light up, listening to it buzz dully against the mattress. Janet calling again. That must be the fifth or sixth time it had lit up. Rachel hadn't the heart to answer. What could she say? She was shit at lying to Jan. And she didn't want to talk about it. Nick Savage. It made her feel ill. It made her feel hot and panicky and deeply deeply angry in a way that she hadn't even begun to process yet. She couldn't put it into words. The minute she picked up the phone though, Janet would know something was wrong and she wouldn't just let it go. That was the thing about Jan, she wanted to know when you had a problem, she wanted to help, and she wouldn't rest until she got to the bottom of something. That was the thing she loved about her. It was part of what made her such a good copper. And such a good friend. But tonight, Rachel couldn't cope with that questioning. She couldn't deal with talking about it. She wanted to forget it. Forget everything about him. That would be nice. Because now, even the good memories were tainted. Every time she remembered something that had been fun, or romantic, or caring, she wondered if he had been manipulating her at the time. Had he been comparing her to one of his others, had he been trying to control her, had he already been planning to have her killed? Rachel shuddered. Her phone buzzed again, lighting up the room a weird bluish half-light. That must be the seventh time.

It was nice that Janet cared – Rachel tried to make herself feel better although it was hard to work up enthusiasm for the thought. Manchester felt a very very long way away tonight. She picked up the phone and toyed with it. Maybe she should send Janet a text. Something to stop her ringing all night.

...

The room was dark. Janet lay awake, staring at the windows and the vague patterns made by the streetlights and shadows. Rachel hadn't answered. What was that supposed to mean? Gill had told her to phone Rachel so, presumably, something was wrong, but Rachel hadn't answered. Did that mean things were worse? Did that mean things were ok now? And what could have happened since this morning when Rach had sounded on top of the world? Janet turned over with a huff and stared at her phone, willing it to ring. She had bought the girls pizza on her way home from work, feeling guilty for lying to Andy and hoping to assuage it by making the lie that bit smaller. Neither of them had wanted to watch a film though, thank goodness. Their tastes diversified too much these days to agree on a movie night without riots and bloodshed. Gone were the days when Janet could shove on the latest Disney and have peace for an hour or so. Janet couldn't have settled to a film tonight either. She had spent the whole evening trying to get Rachel on the phone and had decided to alleviate her frustration by tackling the ironing pile. It had worked for about an hour, until she got bored. Who would be a housewife?

Her phone buzzed and Janet nearly hit the ceiling. She pounced on it. Text, not phonecall. Rachel. Finally!

Sorry. Absolutely wrecked. Tell you about it when I see you. Back tomorrow, just one loose end to tie up. Night night x

Janet frowned at the phone. 'Oh no you don't madam. You're not getting off that easy.' Did Rachel really think she could blow her off like that when Janet had been ringing off the hook all evening? Janet's fingers flew furiously. She dumped the phone on the bedside cabinet and and flopped back on her pillow again. There. Rachel had better text back. Janet could wait. It wasn't like she was going to be getting to sleep any time soon.

Back tomorrow – good. It was funny noticing how much she missed having her around. Like when she got stabbed and couldn't move properly for months. She hadn't realised how much she needed those muscles until they didn't work any more. It was unsettling to discover that you relied upon something every day that you weren't even aware of. Ok, it wasn't quite the same with a person. Janet knew she relied on Rach to be there, to share things with, to listen. She just hadn't realised how much until this week.

Night night x. She could do with a kiss goodnight, Janet thought then mentally scolded herself. She should have had enough of that last night with Andy. And she could have had more if she had wanted. Andy was certainly willing enough. It wasn't the same though. Janet couldn't even begin to unpick the reasons why it wasn't what she wanted tonight. She looked over at her phone again, waiting.

Just tired. She shook her head at Rachel, even though she was several hundred miles away and couldn't see. If Rach didn't know by now that Janet could tell when she was lying... Honestly!

...

Is everything ok? Gill said something, thought there might be something wrong? X

Rachel read Janet's text with a smile and a sigh and a frown. She wasn't that surprised to get an immediate response. Janet was never one to let her alone with her problems. She smiled because it was so Janet, and sweet of her too. Felt a bit like home – home being the office, of course. She sighed because she knew Janet knew she was lying but she couldn't bear to go into it tonight. Thinking about it would just... No. Stop it. Rachel took a hold of herself and shoved the thoughts of Nick Savage firmly to the back of her mind. Again. Under lock and key. Where he ought to be. When she saw Janet, she would tell her. When she could hang on to her to help ward off the thoughts and the awful sick feeling. When Janet's calm reasonableness could help her to control the anger that had already started to bubble up. When Janet could hold her and make her feel safe again.

Rachel re-read the text and frowned again. What was Gill doing talking to Janet about her? At least that explained why Jan had been trying to get hold of her, but what was Gill playing at? Rachel tried to think about it rationally, swatting away the familiar jealousy. Oddly enough, it had never occurred to her that Janet and Gill might talk about her. What had Gill said? Had she told Jan about Nick? No – that was personal information; Gill wouldn't break a confidence, too professional. What then? The question was bugging Rachel now. She hated people talking about her behind her back, even saying nice things. It gave her an itchy uncomfortable sensation. She had to know. She would lie awake all night, making up possibilities otherwise.

When she had sent her message, Rachel considered the idea that Janet had probably guessed it would drive her mad, that little comment about Gill. A way of making sure she replied. Rachel pursed her lips as she switched off the light. It was great having someone who knew you better than you knew yourself – except when it was a curse.

...

When the next message came through, Janet allowed herself a triumphant little smile.

What's Godzilla been saying? I'm fine, just tired. Missing home, how weird is that? X

'Knew you couldn't resist,' she muttered to herself, or to faraway, unlistening Rachel. Rachel didn't care what absolutely everybody thought about her. She was more sensitive than she let on, perhaps, but she had a fairly thick skin. But Gill, that was another matter. The Boss's opinion was sacrosanct, no matter how Rachel kicked and whined in private. Janet chuckled up at the phone and re-read the few short lines.

The fine part was the same lie, of course, but the missing home would be true. Janet wondered how she would cope in that situation, thrown into a different environment, different colleagues and having to be at the top of your game. Gill thrived on it, she knew. She got a buzz off it like nothing else. Rachel, she knew, wanted to be like Gill, but was she? There was a lot more softness in Rachel than she would ever willingly admit and she couldn't hide it as well as she thought she could. Not to Janet's mind, anyway. She needed solid ground to stand on. Rachel came off as cocky and pushy at a first glance. But Janet knew that she was riddled with questions in a way that Gill wasn't. Gill, Janet knew from the long years of their friendship, knew herself, her abilities and limits, and she had confidence in them. Rachel... Well, Janet worried about her.

Heaving a sigh, Janet turned over onto her side. Her thoughts were going round in circles. She composed her reply slowly. Things obviously were not ok with Rach. If she would not talk about it, though, Janet couldn't force her. Not without a bottle of wine and being in the same postcode. Still, she wanted to offer some comfort, some sign that she understood. Something maybe to make Rachel smile. Janet was good at that, she was proud to say – making Rach smile when she felt shit. It was a bit of a speciality of hers. It always made Janet feel better too, sharing in those moments. Thinking back over the last few times she had managed it, Janet's eyes started to close. There was that day last week, when Rach had had to stay in rewriting all those forms on the Wilson case because someone had spilled coffee on them. Janet had brought her a dual-pack of giant sized Cadbury's bars. That had been a nice surprised smile. And then the Friday before, or was it Thursday... Janet's breathing slowed. Her eyelids flickered as her thoughts melted into dreams. Still clutching her phone, she slept.

...

Rachel wasn't sleeping. Just lying, staring, waiting. Thinking about Janet, and Gill. It was a little over two years she had known Janet now and she had never had a friend like her. She hadn't even known that closeness like this existed before. Two years, and the idea of not knowing Janet seemed completely alien. Like trying to imagine a world with no daylight or coffee. Janet and Gill though, they had been friends for like twenty years. Not the same kind of friends. Rachel gave a slight shudder at the thought. Snogging Godzilla – eurgh. Quickest way she could imagine to commit suicide probably. But that wasn't what she wanted to think about. What she was thinking was – twenty years. Rachel had still been a kid when they first met. The only people she still knew from then were her brother and sister. What would it be like to be close to someone for that long? She couldn't imagine. It was weird, because she couldn't imagine not knowing Janet now but she couldn't imagine knowing her for twenty years either. What was it like? What did Janet and Gill talk about? Rachel shifted uneasily in the bed. Why had they been talking about her? Suddenly, she wondered what Gill thought about her and her friendship with Janet. Was she jealous too? Rachel made a little scoffing sound. Gill jealous of her – not bloody likely. It must be a bit odd though, to see this friend you've had for years getting pally with somebody new. Rachel shunted over onto her side; a strange tightness started in her shoulders. Godzilla did watch them all, after all, at work. She must have personal thoughts as well as work-related ones. She must know a lot about them all and form opinions and that. She was a copper, she saw things, she deduced. Rachel wriggled round again onto her other side. She just couldn't get comfy and now her legs felt twitchy. What did Gill's observations lead her to think about Rachel? And about Rachel and Janet's relationship. Friendship. Whatever you called it. Rachel sat up, picked up her phone, scrolled down to Janet's number. She stared at it. She scrolled up to find Gill's. Then she flopped heavily back on the bed. What was she going to do – phone her up and ask if she thought something funny was going on between two of her DCs? Mmm, yeah, subtle. Rachel flicked back down to Janet's number. She didn't want to talk to her. She didn't want to talk about stuff. She didn't want to have to answer questions, to explain, to remember. So she couldn't phone Janet. It was only logical. What was illogical was that she wanted to call her now in spite of all that. She wanted, badly wanted, just to hear her voice. The phone buzzed and beeped in her hands.

Nothing specific, just said to call you. It would help if you could find the answer button tho. Be good to have you back place isnt the same. Sleep tight. Xxx

A small smile crept onto Rachel's face from the corners. At least, reading Jan's words she could hear her voice in her head. She could picture her expression too, even imagine the three quick kisses. The puckering of her lips, the moment of pressure, the tender sound. Hugging one arm around herself, Rachel texted back. She placed the phone back on the bedside cabinet then changed her mind and picked it up again. Tucking it in close, she curled up and determined to sleep.

...

Janet stirred when her phone lit and hummed in her hand but she was too tired to really wake for anything less than an emergency. She slept on, leaving the last words of the night unread.

Ok. See you soon. Night xx