I have really got into the idea of this story and have some really big ideas. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for the reviews and please leave me one for this chapter. Thanks again Jodie x
Chapter Two
Running through the front door she made her way straight into the living room, "Andrew... Andrew.." she called "I saw him.." he rose to his feet "Saw who?" he asked and she gulped the lump back in her throat "Smithy.. I saw him... he was there.." he shook his head "Dont be so ridiculas... its your imagination running away with you Stevie". She watched him move back to the sofa and she nodded "I know Andrew.. I know I saw him" he shook his head to dissmiss her and she moved next to him and smiled "I know it sounds crazy... but it was him.. he was there". Andrew rose to his feet "Stevie... get some sleep.. I will see you tomorrow". She grabbed his hand and sighed "Im telling the truth... I am not crazy". He sighed as he pulled from her "You are delusional... and I cant do this anymore... its like you live in a fairytale" he pushed her back as she reached for his hand "You need to sort your shit out Stevie... people dont come back from the dead... this isnt a bloody soap.. now I love you and want to stand by you... but I cant defend you when you do things like this... say things like this.. you are a nutcase.." tears slipped down her face and she shook her head "No... I know what I saw..". He sighed "You are something else.. I think you should seriously step up your therapy Stevie.. and that kid.. you aint fit to look after him... sort it out.. or you know what I will" he threatened. She had no idea what that meant but she didnt like it, maybe she was mad, maybe she had imagined it. Even so, she couldnt rest until she knew for sure. Pulling her phone out she knew who it was she needed to ask so she didnt think about the time or how mad she would sound, she knew she needed him here.
Callum knocked on the door about twenty minutes later "This best be important.." she hurried him into the living room and smiled "He's alive". He frowned "Who is alive Stevie?" he asked sinking down on the sofa "Smithy I saw him.." she noticed concern cover his face "Dont be so ridiculas.. he died in the fire Stevie.." she shook her head "How do you know... none of us saw him". Callum sighed "Meadows went to identify his body.. you know that Stevie...". She frowned "Then he got it wrong... six years I have been waiting for this..". He smiled "I know you really want to believe this Stevie but..." she cut in "Its true Callum... He touched my face.. told me he loved me.. he kissed me". Callum shook his head "No Stevie... its impossible... this isnt healthy... think of Dale". Andrews words suddenley coming back to haunt her she frowned "I love Dale.. and he couldnt be better looked after... unless he had his Dad". Callum smiled "I know you miss Smithy... I miss him too... but.. Smithy.. he is dead..". She nodded slightly before rising to her feet "Can you watch Dale for me?" she asked and he frowned "Why.. where do you want to go?" he asked and she smiled "I erm... I upset Andrew earlier.. I need to go and sort things out..". Callum nodded slightly "I think thats a good idea Stevie... you need to concentrate on your future and Andrew is a real nice bloke..". She nodded before glancing at the clock "I will be back by the time Dale wakes up".
Knocking on the front door she sighed, if truth be told if it wasnt for the threat he had made over Dale she wouldnt be here trying to make up, she would quite happily let him walk from her life, especially as she now believed Smithy was indeed still alive. She pushed the key into his lock and allowed herself inside, creeping though to the bedroom, she moved to his side and sunk down next to him as he slept, she rubed his bare back and he stirred, he sat up to look at her, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked and she smiled "I erm... I had to appoloygise.. for the way I acted.. I think I was sleep deprived.." he frowned "Look Stevie... I love you and Dale but if we are ever going to work... I want you to put me first... know more sneaking off to the grave yard in the middle of the night... no more stupid theorys.. Oliver and Smithy are your past... now I know everything that happened was awful but you have to move on.. you and Dale deserve a proper family and I deserve a proper relationship". Stevie nodded "I know you do.." she glanced down and smiled slightly "And I will commit... what ever you want?". He leant into her lips "I just want to move forward... living together.. marrige..". She nodded slightly "Ok.. we can talk... tomorrow though.. I have left Dale with Callum... I need to get back". The man nodded slightly before leaning into her lips "I love you Stevie.." she nodded slightly "I know..". He frowned "I've been really patient Stevie.. I need to hear you say it.." she glanced down "I feel the same.." he frowned "Do you.. do you love me the same way you loved him?". She rose to her feet "You cant ask me that Andrew" she wiped her eyes "Its not fair.." he layed back onto the bed and turned away from her "I will ring you tomorrow Stevie". She sighed before heading to the door and making her way back outside.
Sitting at her desk early the following morning she couldnt help but look into the details of the fire, she had decided to drop Dale off at his childminders at half seven, earlier than usual, she wanted to be the first into the office this morning. She knew the truth had to be out there somewhere and she was going to find it and really wanted to get as much done before prying eyes arrived. She had printed off any information she could find, from the met, the newspapers, officers reports. The truth had to be here somewhere. Hearing the door bang she smiled to Grace and Mickey as they headed inside waving to her in her office, switching her computer screen off she headed to what had been printed out. "Morning Ma'am" Mickey smiled from her office door way "Hi Mickey" she replied. "I have a murder to attend.. I wondered if you wanted to come?" he asked and she shook her head "No... I am going to be busy all morning... take DS Dasari". He nodded slightly "Ok... is everything ok?" he asked and she grinned "Yeah... everything is fine.." she watched him walk away and she called "Mickey.." he turned back "Thanks" he nodded before disapearing. Mickey had become a rock to her and she spent so much time relying on him, he had helped her so much through her pregnancy, Smithys death and the years leading from it. She made her way to the canteen and sunk down begining to read through the articals.
'The fire is confirmed as arson, three people lost their lives, including two police officers, while a further three were seriously injured' one newspaper article read and she flicked onto another 'It seems the incident was caused by a personal vendetta against one of the stations officers' she frowned, it may as well just blame her. Her witness statement was still as heartbreaking as the day she wrote it, the last details of Smithys life, the last time she spoke to him, she touched his face, she kissed him, neither her or Smithys family was allowed to see him after his death, they were all told it would be to traumatic. She began to glance over another article 'Dr Oliver Roberts was described by friends and family as a proffesional, loving, missunderstood man" she laughed Jesus that was an understatement. "How are you today Stevie?" the voice startled her and she slammed the folder shut and smiled at the man as he sunk down oppisite her. "I am fine Callum... what do you want?". He frowned "What are you doing?" he asked and she shook her head "Just looking over some case notes.." she tapped the folder and he smiled "What case?" he asked and she sighed "I dont think thats really any of your buisiness... whats with the third degree?" she asked and he frowned before snatching the folder from the table, she sighed as she stared at him "Its not what you think..." he cut in "No...because you told me you were letting this go" she sighed "If there was a chance... just the slightest chance they got it wrong... I need to know.." Callum rose to his feet and sighed "I am going to the super... this is sick Stevie" he stormed from the room and she chased after him "If they could of got it wrong about Emma... would you try and find out.." he sighed turning back to her, he shook his head "I saw her.." Stevie smiled "They would never let me do that... I never got to see him... and nor did anybody.. so how do we know". Callum frowned "Why would Meadows say he was dead if he wasnt?" he asked and Stevie shrugged "I dont know... but please give me a chance to find out" he nodded "Twenty four hours Stevie... if you havent found anything then you put it to bed and bury it". She nodded "Fine.. can you pick Dale up for me.. I need to finish going through this then there is something I have to do?" he nodded before she took the folder and they headed in seperate directions. Jack frowned as his two officers disapeared, neither of which noticed him, he pulled his phone out and frowned "We need to meet... its urgent.. usual place.. midnight" he hung up before heading towards his office.
Stevie had retreated to her office, informed all the officers not to disturb her, she needed some time to figure this all out before she went to stake out the grave yard, convinced he would come back once again. She had speant a good few hours going through all the information and something just didnt add up. In the police reports there were photos of the damage, of Kirsty and Oliver but none of Smithy. Olivers body was in a bad state so she couldnt believe for one minute Smithys would be worse, she layed her head into her arms on her desk and sighed to herself. Was any of this at all possible, Smithy had been her world for so long and she had spent six years grieving for him and now she was unsure on how she was meant to feel, how did she get over this, her phone rang and she glanced at Andrews name before she sent it to answerphone and laying her head back onto the desk, however much she tried to love him, she just couldnt, not in the right way anyway, he was important to her and she loved him but only as a friend, he would never be the love of her life, she would never ever be in love with him. Closing her eyes she felt last night taking its toll on her as she drifted off. She awoke a little while later, sweat on her forehead and tears running down her cheeks, these nightmares was becoming to much for her now. Glancing at the clock she realised she had been asleep far longer that she had first anticipated, it was fast approaching ten and the evening was long gone, the main office empty and dark as she sat alone in her own office. She glanced at her phone, there was a text from Callum saying he had picked Dale up and would take him to macdonnalds and numerous missed calls from Andrew. Glancing back down to the papers she sighed, there had to be something, she needed there to be something to prove she wasnt crazy. She frowned as she read over the words, suddenley seeing it she snatched the report from the desk and read the words over and over, how had she missed this before? Why had she never looked into this before? Rising to her feet she ran grabbed her stuff and ran from the room.
Pulling up outside the house she frowned, the small gate was closed and the bushes were overgrown and she could barely see the front door, she pushed hard against the stiff gate and it creaked, she crept inside and down the path, on a normal occasion she wouldnt dream of knocking on someones door at this time of night but it was an emergancy and besides, there was a dim light in the living room. She rang the bell and waited a few seconds before banging the letter box. A few moments past before the door opened ever so slightly on the catch. "Hello.." she spoke. The voice startled her "What do you want?" the voice was husky and she frowned "Neil.. Neil Manson" she spoke. "No" the voice interupted her "He doesnt live her anymore.." she frowned as the door slammed shut and she glanced back down the bath before dropping down and looking through the letterbox "Please... Neil I know thats you... I need your help... I need to know why you lied.." she paused and sighed "I know he is alive".