Chapter 2

Sorry for the delay in this. I took on a new project at work and it is eating up a lot of my time. Plus this chapter didn't want to behave. A little bit of fluff before a lot of angst.

Laura and Robbie returned to Oxford the next morning. There was a note from James on the counter waiting for them.

Robbie & Laura,

Monty was well behaved if somewhat greedy for treats. Don't let him fool you, he had plenty of treats and attention. As to the other attention seeker, she hasn't been seen in days. I took the liberty of abusing police power and confirmed that she checked out of her hotel on Thursday. I would say that she has lost the scent of a story and headed back to London.

Your faithful house and cat sitter,

James

Laura had to laugh at the note. Leave it to James to go so far as to confirm the reporter had checked out of her hotel. She had to admit, if only to herself, that she felt better knowing that James had gone the extra step. It was one of those details that was quintessentially James. It was what made him both a good detective and a good friend.

As Robbie was bringing in the last of their things she smiled at him and held up the note, "I think we owe James a special treat."

Robbie took a quick look at the note and laughed, "That's barely worth a pint. It did him some good to do something for someone else. Besides, being here with Monty is probably more company than he's had in months."

Laura rolled her eyes at him, "Robbie, we will do something nice for him. Perhaps we could invite him for dinner."

Robbie dropped the bags to the floor and pulled her to him, "And exactly who will be cooking this thank you dinner?"

Laura wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, "Well he is your friend."

"That might be true but it was your favor."

Pushing up she kissed him lightly, "There might be a special thank you in it for you"

Robbie groaned knowing he'd lost the battle, "I think I'm going to need a down payment on that special thank you Dr. Hobson."

Laura smiled as she pulled him down for a deeper kiss. Right before their lips met Laura's mobile rang, "Rain check?"

Robbie laughed as he kissed her on the forehead, "I'm going to collect on that Laura Hobson."

As she answered she smiled at him, "I look forward to it."

He picked up the bags and headed up the stairs. He cast one last glance at her over his shoulder at her. He'd been worried about her throughout the week. Even last night he could see the tension as she thought about her ex-husband. Getting back to work and a regular schedule would do her good. It would give her something to occupy her mind. He could see the muscles in her shoulder relax as she wrote down the details of her call. Smiling he made his way up the stairs.

Laura finished the call then looked around for Robbie. The missing bags told her where he was. She grabbed her keys then called up the stairs, "Robbie, they're short-staffed at the office. I have to go in. Since I'm going in I plan on catching up on some paperwork. I'll pick up some takeaway on my way home."

He appeared at the top of the stairs, "Alright love. Don't work too late, I plan on collecting on your rain check tonight."

She laughed, "Sounds like a plan. Text me later what you want to eat. I love you."

Robbie blew her a kiss, "I love you too. Be careful."

Laura drove quickly to the scene. She could feel the tension she hadn't realized she was carrying in her shoulders release the closer she got to the scene. Robbie had been right to take her away but she needed something to keep herself busy. Routine would be the best thing to put all of this behind her.

She worked the scene quickly and efficiently. She was friendly with other Inspectors but never as much as she had been with Robbie. The only cases she might linger over these days were those James ran. It didn't mean she wasn't as thorough and diligent as ever it just meant she had a reason to get home now.

Getting into her car she briefly contemplated just going home. She could spend a quiet afternoon and evening alone with Robbie. However her sense of duty kicked in and she headed to the office. She could spend the afternoon catching up and make it easier later in the week.

Once in the office Laura was waylaid by colleagues requiring assistance with cases that had come in her absence. She worked through them efficiently and courteously. A few cases made good teaching moments so she called several of the other doctors and attendants in to observe. By the end of the day she was both exhausted and exhilarated. It was good to be back at work.

Carrying an armful of files she planned on taking home to review, she rounded the corner toward her office. She smiled as Anne-Marie walked up the hallway, "Dr. Hobson, there's a man waiting in your office."

"Do you know who it is Anne-Marie?"

Anne-Marie shook her head, "I don't know. He looks familiar. I think he might be involved with one of your cases."

Laura nodded hiding her annoyance. She wasn't annoyed by the idea of someone from one of her cases stopping by, she was annoyed that someone had let him into her office, "Thanks Anne-Marie, I'll take care of it."

"Just so you know Dr. Hobson, I didn't let him into your office. I just saw him in there and thought someone should warn you. If you want I could grab your things and you could sneak out."

"No, it's best to take care of it now. It's probably something simple. Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it."

Anne-Marie nodded, "Anytime Dr. Hobson, I'm headed home but if you want I can stay until he leaves."

"Don't worry. I plan on wrapping this up quickly and heading home myself. I'll see you tomorrow." Laura waved before turning towards her office.

Laura had her head down organizing the files in her arms when she entered her office, "Hello Laura."

She froze in the doorway. Her eyes closed for a moment as she took a deep breath, "I knew it."

Malcolm Tucker sat on the edge of her desk, "What did you know Laura?"

"I knew you would show up here. You're like some fictional villain in a bad horror movie. Think about you too much and here you are."

"And have you been thinking about me Laura?"

She rolled her eyes then pushed past him, dropping the files on her desk, "Only because that tabloid journalist showed up on my doorstep. Prior to that I can't tell you the last time I thought of you Malcolm." She sat lightly in her chair feigning a nonchalance that she didn't feel.

He turned to look at her over his shoulder, "You look good kitten."

"Don't call me that Malcolm. I didn't like it twenty years ago and I don't like it now."

He stood and turned towards her, leaning into her desk, "That's not the way I recall it. As I recall it, you liked when I called you kitten. Or maybe it was why I gave you that particular nickname you liked?"

Laura looked up at him, fighting the blush as she remembered exactly why he'd given her the nickname. She blinked once, "Why are you here Malcolm?"

He straightened and wandered her office looking at the mementos placed carefully around the space, "I'm in town for a few weeks lecturing at Lady Margaret Hall."

A bitter laugh escaped before she could stop it, "Oxford teaches a class on how to be a sociopathic shit heel now?"

Malcolm smiled triumphantly, "Nice alliteration Laura, I see you haven't forgotten the value of alliterative swearing."

"Believe it or not Malcolm I don't generally swear. It must be something about you brings it out."

He turned to her, stalking back to her desk. Leaning into her his malicious smile sent a thrill through her, "I always did bring out the best in you kitten."

Laura stood not wanting to be trapped behind her desk, "Only in your world is swearing a good thing. For the rest of us it's considered rude and unprofessional. What do you want Malcolm?"

"Can't a fellow just want to look up an old friend?"

"We were never friends Malcolm."

A predatory grin crossed his face, "That's right kitten, we were ever so much more than friends."

She took a deep breath to steady herself, "Were being the operative word. Now either tell me why you are here or get out."

"That's not a very nice way to treat your long, lost ex-husband." He walked closer to her stepping between her and her desk to look at a photo that had caught his eye.

Laura bolted away from him needing to escape his proximity, "The fact that you are my ex-husband would imply that I don't want to treat you at all."

Malcolm picked up the frame looking at the photo. It was Laura and Robbie with their grandchildren, "You have kids Laura?"

She panicked, Malcolm in her office was bad enough; Malcolm touching her family was something entirely different. She turned to him and snatched the frame from his hand, "Yes, I do."

For one moment there was a look of something that could almost be called tenderness on his face. Then he covered it with something closer to scorn, "We both know that's not true kitten."

Hurt flashed across her face then scathing anger, "Yes, WE do, Malcolm."

Malcolm took a small step backwards, he wasn't prepared for Laura's anger. He'd wanted to unsettle her today not anger her. Although he had to admit she was never sexier than when she was fully angry with him, gods she was beautiful. He shook that thought from his head and changed tactics. Pointing at the frame she was clutching to her chest, he softened his voice, "He's quite a bit older than you. You always did like older men."

Confused by the change in Malcolm she shook her head, "What?"

"I'm older than you, clearly there's a pattern."

"19 days Malcolm, you are 19 days older than me."

He waved his hand as if that was an eternity, "It's the entire lifespan of a wasp."

She rolled her eyes but managed to catch the laugh that almost bubbled out. She'd forgotten how unexpectedly funny he could be, "Then you should be long dead."

His laughter was the last thing she expected. It was probably why she didn't realize how suddenly close he was to her until she heard his melodic voice, practically whispering in her ear, "You always did give as good as you got. It's one of the many things I love about you."

Laura stood her ground, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his being this close disturbed her, "You never loved me Malcolm."

A single deep breath and her smell enveloped him. All of those heady memories came flooding back. He'd forgotten how much she distracted him. Before he could stop himself he tenderly stroked her cheek, "That's not true Laura and you know it."

At his touch Laura looked up at him. The tenderness reflected on his face made all of the years melt away. In that instant she remembered every single reason she had fallen helplessly and hopelessly in love with Malcolm Tucker. She couldn't offer a single second of resistance as his head lowered to hers.

"Laura, why are you in the office today?" Laura and Malcolm stepped away from each other at the sound of Jean Innocent's voice. Laura turned to smile at Jean as Malcolm turned away. "Am I interrupting something?"

Laura shook her head wanting the moment to end, "No, Jean, your timing is absolutely perfect."

Jean's face was a mask. She didn't know what she had interrupted but it certainly wasn't nothing. She raised an eyebrow at Laura, "Who's your friend?"

Laura stared at Jean begging her silently to understand and not ask questions, "He's not a friend."

Malcolm laughed and answered, "Not her friend, I'm her ex-husband." He turned to introduce himself, "Malc… What the fuck are you doing here?"

Laura almost cried with relief. She could always count on Malcolm to take a tense situation and make it ten times worse. Hopefully his reaction to Jean would make her forget about what she'd seen when she walked into Laura's office. One glance at Jean and she knew if nothing else, this would be fun to watch.

There was a look of rapturous joy on Jean Innocent's face as she took a single step towards Malcolm. As he took an answering step away from her she was positively giddy, "Hello Mr. Tucker, my name is Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent." She held out her hand waiting gleefully for him to take it.

Laura looked back and forth between them not knowing what was going on. If she didn't know better she would think Malcolm was almost scared, "Do you two know each other?"

Jean smiled, keeping her eyes on Malcolm, daring him to say something, "We've never met but we do have someone very close in common, don't we, Mr. Tucker."

Laura shook her head, "Who, how?"

Jean smiled back at Malcolm, "Would you like to tell her Mr. Tucker or shall I?"

Malcolm was staring at Jean. It was like seeing a ghost. He shook his head refusing to give this creature any control over him, "I'll give you the pleasure although if you are as much of a fuck up as your doppelganger I'll probably have to step in."

Jean shot him one scathing look that caused him to take yet another step back before she smiled at Laura, "My twin sister had the unfortunate experience of working with Mr. Tucker several years ago."

Laura looked at Jean skeptically, "Do you know everyone your sister worked with?"

Jean shook her head, "Only the ones she helped send to prison."

Malcolm exploded at the remark, regaining some sense of himself, "As if! Your useless twat of a sister couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions on the heel. She was a meaningless witness who confused the panel. I wish they had let her talk more she might have managed to confuse them enough to let me walk scot-free."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself Mr. Tucker. But your reaction to seeing me would suggest that you feel otherwise. And unlike my sister, your bluster doesn't scare me in the slightest. As a matter of fact, I find it quite amusing."

Her complete dismissal roused him from his earlier confusion. He took a step toward her pulling himself to his full height, "Don't be so sure of that Chief Super. I'm a scary man and you would do well to remember that."

Jean closed the distance between them and fixed him with a steely glare, "There is absolutely nothing scary about you. You have no power here or anywhere else Mr. Tucker. So why don't you climb back under whatever rock you crawled out from? No one here, or anywhere else, for that matter, wants anything to do with you."

Malcolm hid behind a smile hoping to hide the frisson of desire that ran through him, "You know if your sister had been half as feisty as you are I might have given her a tumble. As it was I just turned her down and left her in a pathetic drunken heap."

"Shame that, I hear she's quite the tiger in the sack." Jean looked him up and down, "Although seeing you I can't imagine what she would have found attractive in a scrawny little git like you."

Laura's laughter drew their attention. They both turned to her, she was biting her lip trying to prevent more laughter. Malcolm, always able to read a room, knew that he had lost his tactical advantage. He stepped around Jean towards Laura. With a tender look he touched her arm, the heat between them flared again, "I'll see you around Laura."

Jean cleared her throat, "I don't think that's a good idea Mr. Tucker."

Keeping his eyes fixed on Laura Malcolm growled at Jean, "I don't care what you think Ms. Innocent." He leaned forward. Laura closed her eyes waiting on the kiss that never came. She felt his thumb on her lips then a light brushing of his lips on her forehead. In that instant she was lost to memories, they played through her mind and overwhelmed her

When she opened her eyes he was gone. She looked forlornly at the door gasping for air. For the second time Jean's voice brought her back to reality, "What the hell just happened?"

Don't kill me. First loves are a bitch to get over and I would wager that we never really do.