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Changing Places

Shapps walked along the deserted residential street deep in thought. He knew Richard would be at the hospital for as long as it took to find out what had happened to their boss. He had always known there was something between the two officers but now it was blatently obvious to anyone who cared to look.

"Shapps?" He looked as Butchers turned to him.

"What?"

"You shouldn't have mouthed off at Hogg like that."

"She had it coming." Shapps shrugged his shoulders. What their senior officer thought of his was the last thing on his mind.

"Yeah well. She already hates us."

"So?"

"With the Guv in hospital there is a very real chance she'll use Janine not being around to close us down. You know she's been looking for an excuse."

"Yeah." Shapps sighed heavily. "And it would sort out that budget problem she's always winging about."

"Exactly, so lets find the scumbag that killed this lad and not give her any excuse to get rid of us." Shapps watched as Butcher's walked towards the witnesses house wondering exactly when his friend had become so perceptive.

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"A PE." Michael frowned. "I've heard of them. They aren't good."

"No." Richard ran a hand through his messy brown hair. "No, they aren't good. Look, I better call Lucy, ask her to stay with Tom and the girls."

"She'll stay." Michael nodded.

"Yeah, Ellie and Tom will want to come to the hospital. I've no idea what we tell them. They're just kids."

"Ellie is sixteen and Tom will be 11 in a couple of months. They aren't babies."

"Charlotte is only three." Richard sighed. "Someone should tell your dad."

"Pete? He stopped being our dad a long time ago. He stopped caring when he upped sticks and went to Spain with the Bimbo."

"You shouldn't call your step-mother that."

"Well, that's what she is." Michael shrugged. "Nah, he isn't waltzing back into our lives now. Charlotte doesn't remember him and Tom barely mentions him anymore. You've been more of a dad to us all these last couple of years." Richard looked at the floor, barely able to control his emotions. He had never expected the kids to take to him being with their mother. He knew he was lucky to be accepted as part of the family.

"Michael."

"I'll go and call Lucy, see if she can bring them here." Michael got to his feet clutching his Iphone in one hand her left the room.

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"Mummy!" Charlotte yelled as Lucy walked through the living room listening to Michael on the other end of the phone.

"She's in hospital." Tom sighed as he threw his school jumper over the back of the sofa. "She's not well."

"I want her." Charlotte looked towards Lucy who was listening intently to Michael.

"I know." Ellie sighed. "I want her to come home too."

"And me." Tom rubbed his eyes. "But she has to be well. Richard?"

"Is with her and Michael." Ellie sighed. "We'll see her soon. Oh come on you two. No tears. Mum would tell you not to cry."

"I want my Mummy." Charlotte sighed heavily, knowing that she would have to wait for her.

"I know, I know." Ellie glanced at Lucy who bit her bottom lip as she listened to Michael on the other end of the phone.

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"Thank you." Kat stated before ending the call.

"Hiya." Butchers smiled as he walked in to the Squad Room. "Atilla the Skirt around?"

"No." Kat smirked. "That was forensics, we have some fibers matching and we have an accurate cause of death."

"Which is?" Shapps shrugged his jacket off.

"Bullet wound causing him to bleed to death."

"Got to be honest, these scientists have a way of proving the bloody obvious." Shapps stated as Hogg walked in.

"Ma'am." Kat stared at the blonde woman.

"Any news?"

"On DCI Lewis or the case?" Shapps asked.

"On both." She huffed. "Of course."

"Of course." He smirked and sat down at his desk.

"In view of the case, we are still persuing leads." Butchers answered diplomatically. "The Guv."

"No news as yet." Kat looked away as she spoke. "DI Mayne said he would call when they knew what was going on."

"Keep me informed." Hogg snapped before walking out of the office. Shapps shook his head as Butchers raised an eyebrow.

"Say nothing." Kat stated. "We'll solve this case. She ain't shutting us down."

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A/N More soon, sorry for delay in updating. How is Richard going to run Murder Squad and look after four kids with out Janine? Will Janine wake up? Please review.