Chapter 5

The Mind has Mountains the episode where Laura moved on (albeit briefly). Then there is a lovely sweet, unfulfilled scene right at the end.

James stood at the counter waiting for his order. He looked in the mirror in front of him and saw Laura Hobson at a table with a man who was definitely not Robbie Lewis. He turned and she saw him. Something flashed across her face that he wasn't quite sure he recognized. He paid the person at the counter and left.

As he walked the scene he'd witnessed played in his mind. He wondered if Robbie knew. That might explain the recent turbulent mood of a certain Detective Inspector. It would also explain her somewhat chilly attitude at crime scenes of late. As he walked into his flat his last thought of them was a question: chicken or egg? Was Dr. Hobson's date because of something Robbie had done or was Robbie's bad mood because of Dr. Hobson's date?

Robbie drove up and parked his car. The crime scene tape was already strewn around the area. He saw Laura and waved. She looked rather grumpily at him and walked away. He chatted with James and went in to get on with investigating the murder.

James filled him in on the details and Robbie said. "Alright, you talk to Dr. Ganza and I'll talk to Dr. Hobson." James gave him an off look. "What?"

James paused for a moment then shook his head. Should he tell Robbie about seeing Laura. This was the best mood Robbie had been in months. With a quick shake of his head he decided to stay out of it, "No, nothing." And he walked away.

Robbie watched after him for a moment wondering what that was about. Perhaps James had sensed the tension between him and Laura and wanted to run interference. More likely, it had nothing to do with the case but some smart remark that James had stifled, the lad had finally learned to keep those to himself. He turned and walked out to see Laura.

Robbie stepped into the cordoned off area and watched her. He missed their closeness but didn't know how to get it back. Within a week of their ill-fated dinner he'd known he had made a mistake, a huge one. He had tried over the past few months to let her know but she kept him at an arm's distance. Maybe today would be different. She couldn't hate him forever.

He took a deep breath and called to her, "Laura." She looked up at him with a blank face and then turned back to the dead girl. Didn't look like today was going to be the day she finally forgave him. He kneeled down next to her. "Theology student, seems rather…"

"Quaint? Yes, studying God in this city of atheists."

He looked up. "And that was her room?"

"Yep. But there are no signs of a struggle there, no defense wounds to the body, nothing under the fingernails, just the blunt force trauma to the left parietal."

He pointed to the balcony. "Still the fall alone would have been enough to."

"Oh don't ask me if it's suicide or murder because I don't know."

He looked at her sad about her brusque manner but knowing it was his own fault, "Right. Time of Death?"

"About four hours ago. Give or take an hour."

There was something colder than usual about her voice. Now he was concerned. He looked at her questioningly. "You OK Laura?"

"Me, here with a lovely young body cut off in its prime, happy as Larry."

He weighed her words and they seemed to make sense. Perhaps this new level of coldness was about the case and not about them. He nodded and focused on the case once again, "What do you know about this Dr. Ganza?"

She shook her head. "Nothing much, supposed to be brilliant." She stood and moved to step away from the body. Robbie offered his hand to steady her and she ignored it.

Robbie looked down on the crime scene watching the SOCOs finish with the body. If anyone asked he would say that he was trying to get a different perspective. Really, he was just worried about Laura. He was worried that he had irrevocably damaged their relationship in a foolish moment of panic.

He longed to tell her he'd made a mistake and see if she might forgive him. He needed to find that single moment when he could admit his stupidity and beg her if need be. He heard James behind him and decided to see if he might have noticed anything about Laura, "Laura Hobson was very odd. She didn't know the dead girl, did she?"

James looked out the doors to Robbie. He refused to get into the middle of this. He responded with information about the case. He would throw the obnoxious Dr. Ganza, who Robbie clearly had taken an instant dislike to, under the bus in order to change the subject. They talked through the case and Robbie assigned him something to do. He walked away breathing a sigh of relief that he had avoided a conversation about Dr. Hobson.

Robbie leaned into the balcony again and looked down at Laura. She chose that moment to look up and caught him staring at her. The look she gave him was aggressive bordering on challenging. He watched her walk away thinking maybe this had more to do with them than he thought.

Robbie hated this part. There was no easy way to show a dead body to a parent. No parent should have to bury a child. He'd known that Laura would be there. She wouldn't have left this to a member of her staff. She made this part easier for him. She made his life easier in so many ways, he knew that now.

She walked with him as he walked the father of the young girl out of the building. Once the man was out of hearing he asked her the obvious question, "Why on earth didn't Ganza tell us that he was Amy's therapist?"

"I'm sure he had a good reason."

Anger flared in Robbie, why was she defending the man, "Yeah, I can think of one. He shouldn't enter his own patient in an experimental drug trial."

"Or maybe she entered herself? Or maybe he thought it would help her?"

"Yeah, right, stuff her full of psychotropic drugs, that's a great help."

Laura looked at him disbelieving. She was certain that James had told him about seeing her the night before but this level of belligerence was outrageous, "Alright Robbie, calm down."

He looked back at her realizing that he probably seemed like he was angry at her. Maybe if he apologized it might thaw some of the coldness between them, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just a bit upset."

"About what?"

Robbie looked at her. How could she not understand why he was upset? They had been so close and now they were barely cordial to one another, "Isn't it obvious?"

James walked up and instantly knew that he didn't want to be here. They were fighting about something and he wanted no part of it, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

They turned to look at him. Robbie still confused from Laura's question and Laura finally figuring out what she thought was going on. Her look changed from annoyance to icy coldness, "I see." She looked at Robbie, "Well I'll leave you boys to it." She stared back at James fixing him with one last icy glare.

Robbie looked at her even more confused as she walked away. He didn't here James speaking as he tried to figure out what had happened. He walked back to the door as James got his attention and dragged him back to the investigation. He would have to solve the riddle that was Laura later.

Robbie had told Innocent and Hathaway that he was headed home. But once in the parking lot he changed his mind and his course. Steering to the morgue he got one of the attendants to take him to see the body.

As he started looking at the poor girl, he suddenly wasn't sure why he'd come here. Her body wasn't going to tell him anything. Movement out of the corner of his eye drew his attention away. Laura was stopped watching him in the hallway. She smiled tightly at him but wouldn't meet his eyes.

Before he could decide to go to her she turned and left. He turned back to the body and covered it. Perhaps he should have gone after her but he didn't think he would be welcome. He walked back to his car lost in his own thoughts. He hoped this breach between them would lessen. But at the moment all he could see was the distance, it seemed like it was only broadening.

Laura was leaving for the night. She was making one last circle of the morgue when she saw the light on in the cooler room. She looked in the window to see who was in there. Her heart stopped then beat faster as she realized Robbie was in the room. She almost waved at him then thought better of it.

She remembered his anger from earlier in the day and it annoyed her. How dare he get angry with her? She had a right to date whomever she wanted. He was the one who pushed her away. Did he expect her to just curl up at home and hope that he would change his mind?

Her mobile buzzing in her pocket broke her thoughts. She pulled it out and smiled as she saw the name on the screen, "Hello you." She listened for a moment then smiled, "I'd love to have dinner. Where?"

Robbie, Laura and James stood over Adam's body discussing the drug that killed him. She updated them on all of the pertinent facts and the boys start to leave. Laura hesitated for a moment and then decided to tackle the issue head on. Better to get it out in the open, their relationship was strained enough without this standing between them.

"Robbie, can I have a minute?" He stopped and turned back to her. In a soft voice, "I don't want there to be any misunderstanding between us."

"Me neither, is there one?"

She shook her head, "Don't make this any more difficult than it already is. I know Hathaway has said something."

"Well he hasn't actually. But he has been…"

Laura interrupted, "He's an old boyfriend."

He looked at her stunned, "Hathaway?"

She grimaced, "No, Franco. He lives abroad and he was in Oxford because there is a chance his firm might send him back here. We had dinner together and it was well..."

"Franco? Like the dictator?"

She smiled stifling a laugh, she had had the same though the first time she met Franco, "Yes, only this Franco is German. Don't ask."

Angrily, he turned to walk away, "I won't." He looked back for a brief second, "Thanks for telling me." Then he walked away.

Laura watched after him. She smiled to herself then laughed hysterically. James hadn't told him anything. So why was he acting like this? She moved back to the body to get back to work then stopped. Was he jealous? Was that what was causing this reaction?

Robbie stalked away from her. A maelstrom of emotions running through his mind. Well clearly she wasn't too affected by him pushing her away. She'd fallen into the arms of an old lover. Their dinners clearly didn't mean anything to her. They can't have if she was able to move on this quickly.

He caught up with James and gave him a few instructions before walking out of the station. He needed to clear his head. Once in his car he drove aimlessly through the city. Eventually he found his way to their bench. He sat and stared at the water.

He replayed their conversations over the past few days in his head. A headache started forming as he looked at them through her eyes. If she'd thought James had told him something it would explain her behavior. Standing he headed to his car. He needed to find James and find out what he knew.

Once back at the station, it was clear James had made some form of a breakthrough. He found him in the observation room looking at the female member of the couple. James quickly brought him up to speed on his findings. Before he went in to interview the girl he caught James off guard, "On another matter, is there something you should have or could have told me involving Laura Hobson?"

James turned to look at him. He'd been waiting for this since Laura asked him to stay behind in the morgue. He looked away from Robbie as Robbie continued, "Just to make it easier, she already thinks you have told me, so, spill."

James looked at the young woman in the room. He was constantly amazed that Robbie could make him feel like naughty schoolboy. He took a deep breath and steeled himself, "I saw her having dinner with someone." He turned to face Robbie, "A man, a bit older than her but not much, good looking, clearly foreign. They were friendly."

Robbie nodded and looked at James, "And you decided not to tell me?"

"I didn't know how to tell you." He shook his head, "I didn't even know it was my business."

Robbie paused for a moment. The lad was right but he was still hurt, "Right."

James looked at him, "Which it isn't, actually."

Staring at the window, Robbie said again, "Right."

"Look I hope that you and Dr. Hobson work it out, whatever it is, but you've got to admit it's a bit of a mystery."

Robbie nodded, "And none of your business." James looked away at the truth of the statement, "Ahh, the whole thing is ridiculous. It's got me acting like some silly, jealous…" Robbie looked at James as it all clicked. He was out the door in a shot.

James walked briskly down the corridor to the morgue. He wanted to keep this conversation as brief as possible. He opened the door and without preamble asked, "How many ketorex did it take to kill Adam Douglas?"

Laura looked at him perturbed by his entrance, "Morning." She kept doing what she was doing but kept an eye on him, "The pills were only 100 mgs, Adam's blood work was off the chart. So a lot, at least 20 and that doesn't include the four that were leftover."

"That doesn't add up. The trial ends on day 5, the maximum number that Jack and Karen could have sold him was eight plus his four is twelve. Where did he get the rest from?"

Laura smiled and shrugged. James started to walk away then turned back to her. He had to say something because he didn't want her angry with him, "Just so you know, I didn't tell Lewis about your date." Laura looked him up and down, "I thought it was something for the two of you to work out. It's what I still think. Why don't you?"

Laura watched him walk away. He was right of course, but she didn't know what there was to work out. She wasn't altogether sure she wanted to go back to their platonic relationship and he didn't seem to want to move forward.

James watched Robbie leave the station. He knew he was headed to the Radcliffe to tell Ganza about Bethen's arrest. Looking at the sling on Robbie's arm he had an idea. He'd told her earlier that he thought they needed to work it out between themselves but maybe a little push wouldn't hurt.

"Hathaway, please tell me there isn't a call out. I'm off call in ten minutes and I have a date later."

At the mention of a date, Hathaway knew he had made the right decision, "It's not a call out per se doctor. It's Lewis, he's been injured. He was attacked by a suspect."

Laura gasped, "Is he OK?"

"I'm not completely sure. He's on his way to the Radcliffe now but I can't get there because I am stuck at the station dealing with the suspect. I thought he might need a friendly face."

Laura was already grabbing her things when James made the comment about a friendly face, "Of course James, I'll go now. Is he in A&E?"

James smiled, "If not check in Mrs. Ganza's room. He wanted to talk with Dr. Ganza."

"OK. And James, thank you for calling me."

Laura looked frantically through A&E and didn't find Robbie. As she was talking to one of the nurses she knew to get Clare Ganza's room number she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Laura, what are you doing here?"

Laura took a deep breath as she turned around. She looked him over carefully, "I heard you were hurt, I came over immediately."

He looked down at her skeptically, "Laura, I was hurt hours ago. A few stitches and I am right as rain."

Laura stifled the impulse to curse. She would get back at James Hathaway of it was the last thing she did, "I just heard. The person who told me made it sound like it just happened."

He almost smiled, suspecting that it was a certain sergeant at work, "Since you're here, care to take a walk with me?"

She nodded and they left. They walked in silence for a bit when suddenly he said. "Went to sea in a sieve."

She looked up at him. "What's that?"

"I went to visit Dr. Ganza and he was reading to his wife."

She nodded. "What's he going to do?"

He shrugged. "Go on reading. He's going to stay with her."

"I spoke to her surgeon. There's no chance of recovery. Absolutely none."

"Yeah, I know. He knows. But he's staying."

She paused then asked. "Out of guilt?"

He looked at her. "Maybe, more out of love I think."

They stopped walking and looked at one another. "Sorry Robbie."

He snuffed. "You don't have to be. It's not as if we…"

She smiled at him. "Yeah."

"Think Ganza really proves it doesn't it."

"Proves what?"

"That you don't get many chances. You don't want to waste them." They gaze at one another realizing what he is saying. "Can I buy you a coffee Laura?"

She smirked. "Coffee?"

"Something stronger?"

She smiled and nodded. "Sounds a bit more like it."

They made their way to the Trout, ordered their drinks and found a seat. They sat in companionable silence. Finally Robbie broke the silence. "I owe you an apology Laura."

She looked out at the water not daring to look at him, "For what Robbie?"

"That night at the Turl. I panicked and I pushed you away."

"Why did you do it?"

He turned to her wanting to see her as he said it, "Because I was scared. Because I care too much to make you wait for something that I might never be ready for."

Her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath. As she exhaled slowly she turned to him and opened her eyes, "Don't I get any say in any of that?"

He shook his head sadly, "What else is there to say? I can't promise that I'm ever going to be…"

She placed her small hand on his leg, "Be what Robbie?"

He set his beer on the table and covered her hand with his. He squeezed it lightly, "Enough, I can't ever be enough for you Laura. I will always be broken."

Laura fought the tears that were building. She shook her head, "No, you aren't broken. At least not from where I'm sitting. You might be a bit bruised and battered." She pointed to his arm and smiled then softly stroked his cheek, "But never broken."

On impulse he leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. The moan that escaped her started a fire in him. His good hand went to her waist pulling her closer to him. He cursed his injured arm when he realized he couldn't use that hand to touch her face. As he pressed forward and deepened the kiss, all thoughts of his arm went away. All he could think about was her lips, the way she tasted, the way she smelled.

Laura was startled when she felt Robbie's lips on hers. Oh good Lord this was more than she had ever hoped for, she pushed into him and moaned against him. Desire ripped through her body, it had been so long since she had felt this. His hand at her waist was possessive and she found that she liked that feeling of ownership from him. She slid her hand into his jacket basking in the warmth of his body. As he deepened the kiss she imagined what it would feel like to have that warmth surrounding her, covering.

A ringing phone interrupted them. Laura pulled away realizing that it was hers. She knew who it was but all she could think of was Robbie. She pressed her forehead to his, "Why?"

He brought his good hand up to softly stroke her cheek. He tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly, "I didn't plan that. You were there and so beautiful and suddenly I had to know what that was like."

She stared at him confused, "And how was it?"

He smiled at her swollen lips and flushed skin. The kiss had clearly affected her in the same way, "I think you know the answer to that Laura."

She attempted to pull him closer, to kiss him again, "Then why pull away?"

Robbie pulled his hand away and pushed back from her, "You might not believe this Laura but this is for the best. I can't be what you need." He nodded toward her phone, "If he can be that, you should go to him."

Understanding slid across her followed by anger, "Is that what you want? You want me to go to another man."

He looked away not wanting her to see the lie, "I want you to be happy. If that other man can give you something I can't then yes, I want you to go to another man."

"Why do you get to decide what I can and can't have?"

He looked back at her and she could see the anguish in her eyes, "Because I know I'm never going to be ready. If I thought for a moment that I would wake up tomorrow, or next week or next year and be ready to love you the way you deserve to be loved, I would ask you to wait. But I don't know if that's going to happen and I can't be unfair to you."

She shook her head and grabbed her phone, "Maybe you are broken Robbie. Or maybe you are just heartless, either way, I can't do this anymore." She stood and walked away.

Robbie couldn't watch her walk away. He'd done what he needed to do but it had nearly killed him.

Laura made it almost ten steps before the anger fully hit her. Two could play his game. She turned back to the table and walked quickly to him. Pushing him back into the bench she took his face into her hands and kissed him. She kissed him with all of the pent-up love and passion that she'd had for him all these years.

She felt him respond in kind. His good hand went to her hair, tangling in it quickly. Once she was sure he was fully engaged, she softened the kiss, turning it into something so heartbreakingly tender that it took his breath away. As she pulled away, she whispered softly to him, "Just so you know, I would have waited forever." Without a further word, she turned and left leaving him gasping for air.

Once outside, she ran back to her car. The exertion cleared her head. If he wanted her to go to another man, go she would. She drove recklessly through the city before making it to Franco's hotel. She parked the car and went straight to his room knocking hard on the door.

As he opened the door, she pushed him into the room. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down into a searing kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her easily.

Laura poured herself into the kiss. All of the frustrations of her earlier encounter with Robbie went into the kiss. She felt Franco respond. Objectively she could admit that he was an exceedingly good kisser. She knew from the past that he was good in bed. But with all of this, something was missing.

She knew he wanted her, she knew what would happen if she let him carry her to the bedroom. But she felt nothing. She pushed back from Franco frantically needing to get away. He felt her change and lowered her to the ground, "Laura are you ok?"

Shaking her head she stepped backwards, needing to put distance between them, "I can't do this."

Misunderstanding, he shook his head, "It's OK Laura we don't have to do anything. Let's just go to dinner like we planned."

She motioned between them, "I don't mean this; I mean us."

Franco sat in the chair behind him, "Laura what do you mean?"

"I can't date you Franco. I want to but I can't, it wouldn't be fair."

"I don't understand Laura."

She dropped to the ground as tears fell down her face, "I'm in love with someone else."

A/N: Don't kill me. At least Laura knows she's in love. I think there will be 3 more chapters.