After some contemplation, a few hours later, Prosser entered the room where Tom & Mared were seated at their desks working.
"Tom, my office. Now." Prosser ordered.
Tom looked at Mared. Mared's eyes and expression changed inquisitively in wonder but as if to wish Tom luck.
Tom followed Prosser down the hall to his private office.
"Shut the door." Prosser commanded.
Tom did so and waited in silence.
"Concerning...you and DI Rhys...What is the current nature of your relationship with her? Do you care for each other?"
"Excuse me, Sir?"
"You seem to have become extremely close as of late."
"We do care for each other. We work together...Professionally, we are concerned for each other's well-being and safety. She is part of my work family, yes. I want her to always be safe and well...especially considering the dangers of this job..."
"I'm not asking about the professional aspects..."
"Sir?" Tom's brow furrowed as he paused.
"Did you sleep with her?" Prosser spoke in a harsher, forceful tone.
"What?" Tom was taken aback by the private, personal nature of the question and reacted in surprise not in a sense that such a concept was out of the question.
"Is it such a foreign question, Tom? Do you know DI Rhys intimately? Have you and she become physically intimate?"
"What business is it...". Tom began defensively, even though such intimacy had not occurred between them.
He stopped himself and presented a calmer, less emotional reaction, biting his bottom lip slightly as he shook his head, "No," he mumbled.
"Good." Was Prosser's response.
"She saved my life, Sir. Our bond has grown stronger for that. I am very grateful to her."
Tom kept the furrowed look on his face as there was another pause in the discussion.
"I want to warn you, since I will take you at your word, that if you had ever the notion, to my knowledge of experiences, Tom, it's best to keep work relationships strictly professional. If you were to mix pleasure there, there could be consequences if such things were not to work out. We can't let personal and intimate relationships affect the efficiency, progress, and productiveness of this department. You two make a great team professionally. Perhaps, it's best to keep it that way."
Tom bowed his head. Looking at the floor, he was annoyed by this admonishment. He thought to himself, I haven't done anything.
"Is that all, Sir? I thought this was to have to do with the case..."
"You can go. Get back to work." Prosser answered.
Tom exited, walked back down the hall, and returned to his desk across on the other side of the room from Mared's. Their desks faced each other's at opposite ends of the workspace. She was still seated at her desk organizing some paperwork. Tom stared at her. She stared back not knowing what that was about but as if silently asking.
Tom gazed at her for a long period of time but remained silent and then looked down at his work.
