Harry wasn't too disappointed to be paired with Joyce for a while as the last operation had badly rattled her and especially her reaction to Dempsey's simulation of love making. And although she had no time for the Lupino personae she was reluctantly attracted to James. She felt like Titania, in Midsummer Night's Dream, when she'd had a thing about Bottom but then strongly suspected that her partner could be her Oberon which was even more unsettling. Her memory kept playing back the moment her body had cleaved to his and she blushed slightly as she was absolutely sure that action had caused Dempsey to … and that she'd involuntarily contributed to his lack of control. He hadn't said that of course so at least she'd been spared that humiliation.

A pair of booted feet appeared on her desk and she turned from her computer and looked at Dempsey with a look of polite enquiry. 'Can I help you Lieutenant?'

'Yeah, you can go in there and tell Spikings you don't want to be rostered with Hargreaves, he seems to think you need a break from me. Danny Thompson opened his big mouth and the boss thinks you need time out as my American policing methods are taking you out of your comfort zone.'

Harry thought about that and then nodded. 'Maybe he's right. I mean a change is as good as a rest and maybe it will do us both good to work with someone else for a while. At least you won't have to simulate sex with Watson unless you go undercover as a gay couple.'

'Right back at you,' Dempsey smirked. 'The locker room talk is already pairing you and Joyce up nicely, got Fry hot under the collar anyway.'

'Charming, I only wish I could say I'm surprised,' Makepeace was at her disdainful best. 'If you'll excuse me Dempsey I need to get on with my next case. It's fraud so not your cup of tea at all.'

'So you're not going to talk to Spikings,' Dempsey's jaw squared he wasn't pleased that Harry was going along with the boss's actions.

'No I'm not because I think the Chief Inspector is right, I need a break.' Her blue eyes met the stormy expression in his dark gaze. 'I found the last operation difficult,' she held his gaze deliberately as she knew he'd try and dominate the exchange.

'Okay, you do that and I'll make sure that I give you the space you so obviously need,' he removed his feet and instead of using the desk he always used moved over to take Morrison's old desk. He'd show her space she could have it, acres of it, and she needn't think he'd be her buddy either cos that weren't happening.

Harry bit her lip as she realised he was going to give her the cold shoulder and she gave a deep sigh. She knew she would miss him as he'd been her constant companion for three years at work and socially. James could be difficult if his feelings were hurt and she suspected that the weather was about to read stormy.

-oOo—

Two weeks into her partnership with Joyce the team all went over to the Ambercote Arms as it was Fry's birthday and he'd invited everyone to the pub. Harry looked around and spotted Dempsey chatting up one of the Met's psychiatrists Suzanne Leyton.

Hargreaves followed her gaze, 'I see the American charm offensive is being deployed, poor deluded female looks quite taken with the Lieutenant, I personally don't see the attraction.'

'Well he can be quite charming although I almost find that difficult to remember as he's sulking currently and not talking to me at all, except for the occasional grunt if he can't avoid making some kind of salutation.' One way or another Harry always ended up defending James when Joyce criticised him.

'Yes, I gather you've upset him. I'm glad I didn't get partnered with the Lieutenant this time as the fallout from your last altercation wasn't too appealing.' Joyce could still feel the twinge in her leg from the break although to be honest she knew that she'd acted unwisely on the Daish caper.

'Dempsey takes partnership seriously,' Harry observed. 'He thinks I've been disloyal,' she gazed over at him feeling rather upset by the situation. 'Suzanne's just given him her phone number, that was quick work,' she took a mouthful of her drink and felt uncomfortable because the emotion she was feeling was rather unpleasant and it occurred to her that she was jealous.

'Oh watch out Fry's approaching and he's looking determined about something,' Harry hadn't managed to move quickly enough and she was horribly aware that the young officer had a crush on her.

'Don't you dare leave me,' Makepeace hissed at Joyce who was looking rather amused.

'Hi Harry, so pleased you could come, I've come to claim my birthday kiss from the most beautiful ladies in the bar. Joyce was quick thinking and gave him a little peck on the cheek but Harry didn't move quickly enough and got a pair of determined lips on hers. She gave a sigh of relief as Fry was plucked off her by Dempsey who took the young man back to the bar.

'Ah your knight in shining armour,' Joyce remarked with a knowing smile as Harry used a napkin to wipe her lips and then reapplied her lipstick.

'Yes well at least he didn't abandon me in my hour of need,' Makepeace remarked dryly. 'He's still not speaking to me though which is annoying.'

'Why don't you go over and speak to him, say thank you for handling the situation. It couldn't hurt,' Joyce suggested.

'Because that would give Dempsey too much satisfaction especially if he's decided to snub me. He's playing hardball and I've never backed down when he challenges me and I never will.'

'Yes well I can see you're enjoying the estrangement,' Joyce remarked humorously. 'The pair of you are going to have to resolve the sexual tension sooner or later. It's obvious that you both have feelings for each other.'

'Is it,' Harry looked surprised at that. 'We're just partners and generally friends there isn't anything else.' Even to her ears that sounded like denial.

'Hmm,' Joyce wasn't convinced. 'He watches you when you're not aware of it, I can never tell what he's thinking though, other than your compulsive viewing.'

'I've never noticed,' Harry felt a warm glow of satisfaction at Joyce's words perhaps he did care about her other than generally fancying her in which he'd assured her he was no different from any other male in the Metropolitan Police. Dempsey valued their relationship as partners she knew that but she wasn't convinced that she was special to him other than that.

'Come on we're grown women let's go and join the men and you two can ignore each other and talk to everyone else,' Joyce made for Watson, Dempsey, Spikings and Chas and Harry reluctantly followed in her wake. Harry joined the group and was handed a drink by Sergeant Jarvis.

'Fry's had the best birthday ever,' Chas's warm gaze met Harry's, 'he's girding his loins to ask you for a date.'

'Oh dear,' Harry looked slightly beleaguered. Fry was undoubtedly emboldened by the alcohol he'd consumed and was watching her with open admiration from across the bar.

'Brave man,' Watson remarked. 'Dempsey's still got the scars from their last make out,' he grinned at the pair of them.

Harry's eyes met Dempsey's and a frisson of excitement tingled through her body. 'I wasn't aware that Dempsey and I had made out, must have slipped my memory.'

The Lieutenant shrugged, 'Danny Thompson shooting his mouth off cos he got played,' he took a generous mouthful of beer.

'Ah, I see. Not really a make out then, I was in role; a female police officer defending her honour and you were low life Johnny Lupino with no honour at all so to speak.'

'Yeah that'd be it,' Dempsey responded with a glower. 'I've told Watson if they want to off him they can. Nearly broke my cover to save your ass Makepeace; I ain't doing it for a guy.'

'I see, so you risked your cover because I'm female and not because I was your partner is that what you're saying?' Harry's blue eyes challenged the dark male's.

'Yeah it's different with girls, you've got to look out for them. It's easier with a guy he takes his chances same as you.' Dempsey knew very well that Harry would hate that analysis. He was right he got her vodka and tonic right in the face. He didn't react just picked up a bar towel and wiped away the moisture.

'You earned that Lieutenant,' Spikings intervened in an attempt to pour oil on troubled waters. 'I won't have sexist comments in my team. Harry's more than proved herself a capable officer and certainly doesn't need taking care of.'

'Kay well next time Fry gets her in a lip lock I won't intervene,' James responded dryly. 'I'll leave it up to Tinkerbell to deal with his unwanted attentions.'

'If I can deal with you I'm sure I can handle Fry,' Harry responded with a glacial smile. 'As Watson said you still bear the scars!' The laughter at her comment rang around her as Dempsey's dark gaze pinned her to the spot, he didn't look amused.

'Guys are natural protectors,' Dempsey drawled. 'When you get a girl as a partner you've gotta look out for them that's the way it is and it's no use calling me a sexist boss cos you're no different.' He picked up his beer and sized Harry up. 'The way she looks; if I hadn't made a play for her the other guys would have.'

'Shall we change the subject, did anyone see the flyer for the inter department five a side,' since Joyce had heard the male members of the team talking about taking part she felt it was a good subject to introduce as Dempsey and Makepeace looked like they were about to come to blows.

'We should enter a ladies' team,' Makepeace offered with a challenging gleam in her eye, 'it would have to be cross department as there aren't very many of us due to the inherent chauvinism in the force,' her gaze stabbed her ex-partner.

'Yeah you do that and they'll have to change the rules; have timeout if you break a nail, girls and guys ain't the same and there's no point pretending otherwise.' Harry calling him a chauvinist was water off a duck's back she'd been singing that tune for three years.

'I'm in,' Joyce supported her friend whilst being unashamedly curious about the 'make out' between Dempsey and Harry, her partner hadn't mentioned it so Watson's remark had come as a surprise.

'I'm out,' Dempsey responded unpleasantly, 'soccer's a kids' game and my Mom ain't here to bake cookies,' he turned his back on the assembled company and started up a conversation with the bartender whom he knew well.

'Charming,' Joyce observed in an artic tone, the atmosphere was rescued by Fry coming up and slinging his arm around Makepeace.

'Harry has anyone ever told you, you're beautiful…

-oOo-