Chapter 7
This chapter is going to skip across three episodes: Generation of Vipers, Fearful Symmetry & The Indelible Stain. We left our couple with Laura telling Robbie exactly what she wanted and what he needed to do to make her stop doing other things. Something tells me the lovely Dr. Hobson wouldn't sit back idly and let nature take the course. I think these scenes (or at least my take on them prove that out.)
Robbie was driving back to the station thinking about the dating site and the brick wall he had encountered there. He didn't understand why people would choose that route to meet people. Letting a computer pick who you were supposedly compatible with, it seemed unnatural. He preferred to meet someone more naturally.
The moment the thought entered his head Laura came to mind. True to her word, she had been delightful over the past few months. She was charming and flirted and even joined him and James for drinks. But every time he even hinted at the possibility that they continue on when James called it a night she made polite excuses and left.
She was so good at it he doubted anyone had even noticed there was a wall between them. For the outside world, they were as collegial as ever. On the inside, however, he missed her. He missed them. Until it was gone, he didn't realize how much better his life was with Laura in it. Not hovering on the edges, there just out of his reach but really in his life.
As he neared the station he shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. It wouldn't do to walk into the building with thoughts of Laura clouding his mind. James would notice his distraction and his suspicious mind would send him off on a tangent.
Robbie was getting out of his car still trying to clear his mind when Laura approached him, "Ah Robbie, I need to talk to you."
He put on his jacket hoping she wouldn't see how happy he was to see her. She'd taken him by surprise so he blurted the first thing that came to his mind, "I've just been to an internet dating site."
She paused for a moment not sure how to respond. If he was trying to find a date did it mean he was no longer interested in her? Had she pushed too hard, too far, too fast? Surely he wasn't trying to find a date. Trying to sound casual she asked, "Meet someone nice?"
He panicked for a second. Surely she didn't he think he was looking for a date, "I said to, not on. And it was for work not the other."
Laura hid her relief behind light-hearted teasing, "Glad to hear it. Not that there's anything wrong with the other. Over 20% of all married couples now meet on the internet. So I am reliably informed by the magazines at my hairdresser's."
"Going online exposing yourself to millions of strangers, I don't know."
She shrugged, "Well don't knock it until you've tried it."
He looked at her. Was she telling him that she was dating? Had he missed his chance? He couldn't tell by the look on her face if she was serious, "You haven't?"
She scoffed, "Oh, a single woman, my age, any age. What are we supposed to do? Hang around in bars like…"
"Like lumberjacks?" He smiled at her as he reached for the door.
She looked at him surprised. His ability to complete her thoughts often took her by surprise. She'd never had that type of connection with anyone, "Exactly. Online you can reveal yourself relatively painlessly."
The door opened and DI Peterson stepped out of the building, "Oh Lewis, I um I saw you on telly." He patted him on the back. "Good stuff." He walked between them then turned back.
"Oh um," His voice lowered as he looked at Laura. "I'm sorry, we haven't met. I'm kind of the new boy round here." He put his hand out to her and smiled. "Alan Peterson."
Laura watched the new man chat with Robbie. The first thing she noticed was that Robbie did not like him. The second thing was that he was quite dishy. As she took his offered hand she made a mental note to thank Jean Innocent for upgrading the talent, "Laura Hobson. Got any dead or mutilated bodies, I'm your girl."
He raised his eyebrows. "I'll bear that in mind. " He turned and walked away.
Robbie watched the interchange. He didn't like action man flirting with Laura and had she flirted back? He held the door for her. As they walked through, "You said you needed to talk to me?"
Noticing Robbie's flustered state she decided that what she needed to tell him about the case could wait. Perhaps a slight nudge might be in order. She turned her head so that she was looking into the car park. Her timing was perfect because Alan Peterson happened to drive past the door. He stopped briefly and waved at her. She gave him a brilliant smile and returned the wave before casually turning to Robbie, "Did I? I can't for the life of me remember why. Oh well, it can't have been too important." Leaving him flummoxed, she turned and walked toward her wing of the building.
Robbie watched her retreating form stunned. She had been flirting with Action Man. And apparently she was interested enough to forget all about him. A seething anger began to build within him. He knew he might lose her to someone else. He'd just never thought it would be to someone so close.
Laura sat her desk thinking about her earlier fight with Robbie. They had disagreed on case findings before but this felt different. This felt almost personal. She wondered if this case was too close for him. There were certain cases that he seemed to take to heart more than others. Without a second thought she grabbed her phone and texted him, "Care for a drink."
She went back to work trying to distract herself while she waited for his reply. She didn't need to wait long, "Trout? Half an hour? James can't join us."
She laughed as she replied, "In that case, I'll buy the drinks."
She gathered up her things and was walking out the door when her mobile buzzed, "Now I've heard everything, Laura Hobson buying drinks. The world must be coming to an end."
Laura arrived first. They were very busy so she decided to get a table while they were still available. She was just sitting down when a file dropped on the table next to her. She jumped looking up ready to tear a strip off the person trying to steal her table and bumped into Robbie.
This was the closest she had been to him in months. He smiled down at her, "Did I scare you Dr. Hobson?"
Detecting a hint of tease in his voice she thought two could play this game, "Not in the slightest, in fact, you need to be happy that I didn't dress you down in front of all of these people."
Robbie swallowed as he took a deep breath. He had heard what she said but what came to his mind was the mental image of Laura Hobson undressing him, it was not an unpleasant image, "If you still feel the need to have a go at me, go ahead, I'm a big boy I can take it."
Laura tilted her head slightly and decided this was perhaps a bit too intimate. Pulling away from him she sat then looked up at him, "No, I've decided your punishment will be buying me a drink."
The laugh that escaped Robbie sent a thrill through Laura. His voice in her ear and the feel of his breath sliding across her skin was even more thrilling, "I knew you'd find a way to get out of buying me a drink."
Before she could respond he was gone. She was thankful he had stepped away. It allowed her to gather her thoughts. Robbie had definitely been flirting with her. And while she had enjoyed it she didn't want him to think this drink was more. Her rules were still in place. If he wanted her; he would have to ask.
The file on the table drew her attention. Checking to see where he was in the drink ordering process, she pulled it to her. She rifled through the file and when she saw him coming she quickly pushed it back towards his seat.
She took the drink from him as he sat, "Thanks and thanks for meeting me."
He nodded, "My pleasure. Cheers." He looked at her trying to figure out why they were here. Her mood seemed to have changed while he was at the bar. He knew she had looked at the file perhaps it was what caused the change. He silently berated himself for bringing the file. He'd only brought it hoping she would look at it and understand why he'd been so vehement earlier.
She took a deep breath then looked at him, "Sorry Robbie I was being a real cow."
"No, my fault, wanting something to be true and not waiting for all the facts," he smiled at her.
She took a sip of her drink, "Think you've got them all now?"
He motioned his head toward the file, "No, but she's dead and we move on."
She moved her hand toward him and placed it on the file in front him, "Except not if you're taking her home with you." She let her hand linger hoping he would take it in his.
He looked down at her hand, could he dare take it? Could he take that chance? He moved his hand to take hers but she pulled it back. He took a deep breath, "She took a risk. Took a look at her life, tried to change it and she got destroyed."
She smiled at him, "Doesn't mean you shouldn't take a risk." She wanted to say more but felt she should leave that statement hanging. Perhaps it would prompt him finally to take a risk on her. His mouth opened slightly as though he was about to ask a question.
"Lewis, Laura." DI Peterson called as he strode to the table. "I didn't know you came here it's my favorite pub. You don't mind if I uh."
Laura shook her head. She feigned nonchalance when all she really wanted to do was smack Alan Peterson. The man really did have the worst sense of timing, "Not at all."
He grabbed a chair and pulled it to the table sitting between them. "Oh great, thanks." Robbie looked on shocked, not really sure what was happening.
Peterson looked at Laura. "Well Oxford on a summer's evening is there a lovelier place in the world."
She smiled brightly at him. "Not a one. Where were you before?"
"Oh Sunderland, it's not exactly…"
Robbie interjected. "Steady no slandering the northeast."
Laura laughed as Peterson interjected. "Sorry, my lips are sealed. Cheers."
Finishing her drink Laura looked at Peterson, "Do you know what makes a summer's eve in Oxford even nicer?"
He shook his head, "No, do tell."
She stood, grabbing her jacket, "A quiet walk along the Cherwell."
Alan stood, helping her on with her jacket. She smiled back at him, thinking he might have bad timing but he had beautiful manners. In all of her years knowing Robbie he'd never once helped her on with her coat.
His hands lingered on her shoulders for a moment too long. He leaned into her and asked, "Would you like company on this walk Laura?"
She turned to him and placed her hand gently on his chest, "Not tonight, but perhaps another time, all you have to do is ask."
"I'll do that Laura."
She smiled and nodded at him, "Goodnight gentleman."
Both men watched her walking away. One filled with excitement about the prospect of a quiet walk along the Cherwell with Laura Hobson. The other filled with longing and memories of quiet walks along the Cherwell with Laura Hobson. Both wanted that to happen and all they had to do was ask.
A/N: I had intended for this chapter to run across all three chapters but it got a bit long-winded so I decided to break it up. That means rather than there only being 1 more chapter there will likely be two more chapter and possibly three. Sorry for the extra reading, I know it's a chore.
On another note, the lovely Muffinzelda has written a brilliant story called White Horse. It is two chapters long but she left it begging for more to be written. She has graciously gifted the story to me to complete (even if she bossily told me how it had to end). So very soon, I will be picking up the White Horse story and continuing the love triangle of Laura, Robbie and wait for it…Malcolm Tucker. If you've never watched The Thick of It (which I highly recommend), you have a few days. Because not only does it have the fantastically sweary Malcolm Tucker (played by the always brilliant Peter Capaldi – who is absolutely fantastic as the new Doctor) it also has the comedic genius of Rebecca Front (AKA Jean Innocent). Imagine the fun I (and hopefully you) will to have with that. I highly recommend all of Muffin's stories because they are delightful fun and make me weep at how talented she is. One day I hope to be close to her level.