A/N: Apologies for the very long wait. I did not intend to take over a year off from writing. But the show's 40th anniversary has given me the motivation and reminded me just how much I love this show and its characters.

I'm nearing the end of this story, with just two or three more chapters to go. I also have some more stories in the pipeline, so keep an eye out for that.

Enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Just having some fun with these characters.

A quick tour of Gemma's flat wasn't something Michael was particularly in the mood for. But she looked so excited at showing the place off – and he didn't want to disrupt the civility between them – that he didn't refuse her.

The place was stylish, not quite to his taste, but she was evidently proud of it.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's very nice." He smiled. "You look like you've settled in well."

She smiled with a small shrug before asking him if he wanted anything to drink. Gemma went to make some coffee, while he made his way to the couch.

As he sat down, he pondered over the reason for his visit. Jackie's words from days ago came back to him. No, he wasn't too enthusiastic about going down memory lane for this book either. But he had no choice but to grin and bear it.

Gemma walked in with their beverages, and he smiled politely. They settled into a conversation on what cases to cover. The inclusion of cases involving Jim didn't surprise him. Some would undoubtedly interest the public. But he wasn't exactly thrilled about it. He had a feeling he'd be visiting his grave a little more frequently in the future. But he had to admit that Gemma had good ideas, so it was easy to agree with her.

For the most part.

"Speaking of Jim Taggart," Gemma set her coffee on the table, "there is another case he handled that I'm interested in."

"Go on," he said with a hint of wariness.

"It was the case where the rich guy murdered his father. I believe there were some satanic things going on as well."

Michael tried to hide his dismay. But Gemma's smirk told him he'd failed.

"So, you do remember that case." It was a statement, not a question.

He nodded. "You could say that."

"I heard something about a honeytrap undercover operation. I assume you know all about that."

He put his coffee on the table. "So much for all the good publicity that Val's been on about."

"That's her words, not mine." She smiled politely. "It's my job to report the facts truthfully. Even if it doesn't paint Maryhill CID in a strictly positive way."

"I understand that. But not that case, eh? I'll talk about any other case except that one."

Intrigue crossed her face. "Why?"

He shrugged in feigned nonchalance. "I just don't think it's something that should be dragged up again."

"But it's an interesting case. I think I have a good chance of getting an interview with Greg Martin. And if what I heard is true…"

"What?"

"That the undercover officer got engaged to him during the operation. I don't know who she was though." She stared at him critically. "But I think I can make a guess now."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" A cold edge crept into his voice.

"Well, you've told me yourself that you're good friends with DS Reid…"

Silence befell them. Michael knew there was no point in denying it had been Jackie. No doubt Gemma would be able to confirm it if she wanted to.

"Is this your way of getting back at her for not wanting to speak with you?" He finally asked.

A mixture of hurt and anger showed on her face. "I thought you'd have known me better than that, Mike. Do you really think I'd be that petty?"

"I don't know," he replied, "would you?" She opened her mouth to cut in, but he stopped her. "Until a few days ago, I hadn't seen you in years. And our last parting wasn't exactly positive."

"So much for clearing the air between us," she muttered.

"Well, you started it."

"Look…I know it's not exactly the positive endorsement Val is hoping for. But this could be a good draw for readers. Reading about a detective falling for a suspect might humanise the police force."

"Yes, I'm sure your readers will feel sorry for her," he scoffed.

"It's a miracle her identity wasn't revealed at the time, actually."

He crossed his arms. "If you insist on writing about this case, then I can't cooperate." She stared at him in surprise. "At all," he clarified.

"I don't think Val will be happy about that."

"I don't give a shit about how Val feels about this!"

She watched him in silence and the anger slowly drained out of him. "Look," he began, "the whole thing was my fault. Can I speak to you off the record?"

She nodded.

He took a breath. "We inherited the case from someone who had just retired. There had been no evidence to charge Martin with, and we were stumped on how to do that ourselves. Until an ex claimed that he'd admitted his guilt after sleeping together. It gave me the idea to do a honeytrap operation, and Jackie seemed like the best person for the job."

He studied his hands for a moment before continuing. "Jim gave her plenty of opportunities to pull out. But every single time, I'd come up with an excuse as to why she had to stay. I'm not even sure why I pushed her so hard."

He took another breath. "I just know that it resulted in her heart getting broken. And right now, the last thing she needs is for this to be dragged up again."

"I see," she said with a slight nod.

"I think it's one of my biggest regrets since joining the force," he quietly admitted.

"How sweet." Her face gave nothing away, he couldn't tell if she was sincere or not. "If I didn't know you, I would think this was your way of trying to take the heat off you."

He opened his mouth to argue, but her smile stopped him. "But I do know you. And I can see you're just trying to protect your colleague. If it means that much to you, I won't include that case."

He smiled in relief. "Thank you."

"She's lucky, you know," she said after a moment.

"How?"

"To have you as a friend."

He smiled slightly. "I don't know about that. Would a good friend have done something like that?"

"You were just doing your job." She picked up her cup of coffee. "I'm sure she understood."

He let her comment pass before deciding to change the topic. "Anyway…I'm sure there's other cases that have your interest."

Her face grew animated. "There is, actually."

Everything after that went smooth sailing, as they agreed on more cases. He just hoped that would be the biggest disagreement they would have.

The plans for the interviews were well scheduled, meaning Jackie had time to prepare herself for her first interview. The first case Gemma had covered had been the first time she'd ever worked with Michael and Taggart, where the two teenage girls had murdered elderly people. But as Jackie had only been a WPC with little involvement, she managed to get out of being interviewed for that.

Today, however, she would be asked about snakes, spiders, and the discovery of skulls.

Fantastic.

Fortunately, she had years of professionalism to fall back on. She wondered if she'd need it.

"Looking forward to your first interview?" Robbie's voice broke her thoughts.

"Not really," she shrugged.

"You should have some fun with it. At least it gets you out of doing some paperwork."

She smiled. "And because these cases are being covered in chronological order, it means it'll be a while before you get to have your fun."

"I'll find my fun through other ways," he smirked. "But if I have to hear Mike remind people not to overdo their part one more time…"

"He's just ensuring accuracy."

"I'll bear that in mind," he said with a hint of sarcasm. He sighed. "I'm going to make myself a cup of tea."

Her face broke out into a smile once he was out of view. She turned and noticed Stuart. Although his attention was on his computer, the look on his face told her that he'd heard everything.

"I suppose you wish your first interview was sooner, too," she said.

Feigned indifference crossed his face when he turned. "Not really. I'm just interested in what everyone thinks about all of this."

"At least you won't be disrupted today."

"Always a plus." The disappointment was heavy in his voice.

She hid a smile. "Absolutely." But she sobered as soon as she spotted Gemma approaching her desk.

"I'm ready for you now, DS Reid."

Her reply was a simple nod before she left with Gemma. Along the way, she silently told herself this wouldn't be too bad, and it would all be over soon enough.

The room wasn't the best place for conducting interviews. It had previously been a lost and found storage place. A couple of leftover boxes with nothing of real value was the only reminder of what it had once been.

"Do you mind if I call you Jackie? With all the interviews we'll be doing, I thought it'd be nicer if things were a bit less formal," Gemma asked once they'd sat down.

"Of course not," she replied politely. She suppressed a smirk at Gemma's obvious tactic to get people to open up more. It was one she had used on suspects numerous times.

"Great," she smiled before the interview began.

The interview was simple enough. Although many years ago, it wasn't hard to remember that case. Despite her professionalism, it was hard to hide her fondness for Taggart. Thankfully, the process didn't take long. Just as she was about to leave, Gemma stopped her.

"Actually Jackie, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion. "If this is about the case with the teenage girls…"

She shook her head. "It's not that. It's about Michael."

"Oh?" Despite her response, she had a suspicion of what Gemma was about to say.

"I know the two of you are good friends."

"That's right."

"He also told me that you helped him after…"

"After you went back to your fiancée in London?"

At least she had the grace to look guilty. "I'm not proud of that. I didn't mean to hurt him."

"This doesn't have anything to do with me. Maybe we should just stick to the matter at hand?"

"He speaks highly of you."

She smiled politely. "Well, I should hope so. We've worked together for years."

Gemma nodded slightly. "Has he been supporting you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Through your divorce," she clarified.

"I really don't think that's any of your business." At Gemma's silence, she continued, "I'm just here to do my job. That's all. I'm not there to discuss anything else."

Gemma stared at her for a moment, as if finally understanding that the woman before her would never like her.

Jackie broke the silence. "Now if that's all for today, can I be excused?"

"Of course," she nodded.

She left the room in silent satisfaction. It served Gemma right. While she'd do her best to be civil, she wouldn't give in to any efforts of friendliness.

Maybe Michael would be able to do that. But she doubted she ever could. The man in question meant too much to her to forgive her that easily.

Even if it wasn't her place to forgive.

The following interviews were more civil going forward, but they were never too friendly. The whole process had taken longer than had been expected. But finally, it was over.

But that wasn't at the forefront of Jackie's mind.

She concentrated on her coffee cup while Michael went on about something in his office. It took her a couple of seconds more than it should have for her to realise he'd finished talking. Her attention away from the cup, she regarded the expectant look on his face.

"Sorry, I was miles away."

Concern etched his features. "Everything okay?"

"Of course," she nodded. "Bad night last night. That's all," she smiled. "What were you saying?"

The concern on his face changed to mild annoyance. "I was just talking about this celebratory dinner Patterson's organised."

"Oh that," she drank the rest of her cup and threw it in the bin. "Wouldn't this dinner have been better when the book's published? I know our involvement's basically over, but Gemma hasn't even finished the book."

He shrugged. "I think Patterson wants to commemorate the end of this collaboration." His tone hinted that he didn't quite believe that, but she didn't ask further. His face softened. "I'm sorry you weren't invited. Val's insistent that only the top brass and some senior officers are involved."

She smiled slightly. "That's okay. You might want to tell that to Stuart though. I think he's the one who's secretly disappointed." He chuckled. "So, what about you? Are you looking forward to it?"

"Am I looking forward to a dinner that my ex is going to attend?"

"Well…I'm sure some people probably would."

Michael didn't look convinced.

She got up from the chair. "I should get back to work."

When she reached the door, Michael's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked once she turned to face him.

"I'm fine, Michael." She smiled. "Enjoy the dinner."

Most of the day had been uneventful for Jackie. That didn't bother her in the slightest. But what was starting to get on her nerves was Robbie's gloating at his invite to the dinner.

But it was Stuart's resolve that broke first.

"We get it, Robbie. You're looking forward to tonight. You don't have to keep going on about it."

Jackie watched as Robbie smirked at Stuart. "I didn't realise you were so disappointed, Stuart."

"I'm not," he insisted. "I just want to finish this paperwork before Jardine gets on my case." He glanced at his computer screen. "I think I'll just make some tea," he said quietly before leaving his desk.

Robbie chuckled.

"He does have a point though." He turned to face her. "You have been overdoing your glee today."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do I detect some disappointment from you?" He smirked. "Perhaps some jealousy?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed.

"Well, whenever an event like this comes along, Mike always ensures that you get to go. But for once, you're not invited. I wouldn't blame you if you felt a bit put out."

"Yes, I'm so cut up that I'll miss Patterson gushing about this book and how sorry she is that it's coming to an end."

"Fair enough." He typed something on his computer and just as she was about to return to her work he added, "I suppose you'll not be wanting to see Mike and Gemma together?"

"Excuse me?"

"After everything they've been through," he clarified.

She stared at him. The truth was that most people didn't know the full story. Although they knew about Michael's proposals, they had no idea that Gemma had already been engaged the second time. Which was probably just as well.

"I'm not particularly bothered, just as long as Michael's happy."

"Do you think they'll try again?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everybody's talking about it," his voice was low. "Some people think it could be third time lucky for them."

"I can't see them getting back together myself." She shook her head absentmindedly.

He stared at her incredulously. "The man's already proposed to her twice. And with his shooting last year, her divorce and the fact she's staying in Glasgow indefinitely…I could see it happening."

Robbie's comments forced her to reflect on the past several weeks. Yes, Michael and Gemma had gotten along. But there were no signs of the lovestruck Michael from before. Maybe his professionalism hid that. But still…Michael would have said something.

Wouldn't he?

"I think," she flashed Robbie a smile, "we should mind our own business." From the corner of her eye, she could see Stuart return to his desk. "But if you want some more excitement for tonight…"

"I'm listening."

"How about a wager?" She looked at Stuart and they shared a smile. Her eyes returned to Robbie. "£20 says you can't come into the office tomorrow without a hangover."

Stuart chimed in, "Put me down for that too."

Robbie grinned. "That's an easy way for me to take your money. You're both going to be very disappointed tomorrow morning."

"We'll see," she smirked.

The rooftop was usually Michael's spot, but as he'd already left to get ready for the dinner, Jackie knew she'd get some privacy.

She watched the city in all its glory. In the dark, she could finally acknowledge the feelings that had been building up inside her all day. The cold air barely mattered as she placed her hands on the balustrade, contemplating the state of everything.

The sound of someone approaching made her turn around. A small smile lit her face when she saw Stuart. "I thought you'd have left by now."

He shrugged. "I thought I'd check in on you first."

She blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"You've seemed a bit out of sorts today," he explained. "And unlike Robbie, I don't think it's because of this dinner. Or even the gossip about Mike and Gemma."

She smiled ruefully. "You might be right about that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I suppose I should tell someone." She took a deep breath. "My divorce came through."

He momentarily looked speechless before he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"A mixture of things, I guess. I thought once it was official, I'd be happy. I didn't expect all these other feelings to pop up."

"It's understandable, Jackie." He smiled warmly at her. "If you want, we could go somewhere. You don't have to be alone tonight."

"I think I'd like that," she smiled.

Perhaps solitude was the last thing she needed tonight. It might even help her to sort out her feelings. Which could only do her the world of good.

The event was in full swing. The lack of sour faces signalled that everything was going well. As for Michael, he was just glad there had been no hiccups.

He smiled as Gemma walked over to him. "Looks like congratulations are in order. Your book seems to be a success already."

She grinned. "I don't know about that. The book's far from finished." She gave him a coy look. "I have a favour to ask you."

He sighed. "What?"

"I've been thinking about that book I never finished." She smirked. "If memory serves, a lot of people were a bit too enthusiastic about taking the credit."

"Quite possibly," he smiled, knowing he had been one of them.

"I was wondering if you could look over my notes, to see how accurate everything is."

He pretended to think about it for a moment. "Alright. For the sake of the truth."

"Thanks." Her eyes drifted to Val. "She looks happy."

"She does that," he commented. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's eyeing up a promotion."

"It wouldn't surprise me," she agreed. She turned to face him. "And what about you? Have you ever thought about making superintendent?"

He chuckled in surprise. "I haven't really thought about it," he admitted. "I think it'll be a long time before that's on the cards."

"That's a shame."

He shrugged, "I'm content enough with being a DCI." He smiled, "It's stressful, but I can hardly fault it. How about you? I suppose you're hopeful for something to come out of this."

Her smile was a touch enigmatic. "I'd be lying if I said otherwise, but we'll see." She drank some of her wine. "I have been thinking about the future. And I'm not just talking about my career."

His eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

"It's been a while since I've had a personal life." She smiled wistfully. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have that again."

"And is that something you want?"

"I suppose so. I've been thinking about my marriage to Derek. I don't miss him, but I miss…

"You miss sharing your life with someone."

"Exactly."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Gemma. But are you sure I'm the person you want to share this with?"

A sheepish look crossed her face. "Sorry. It's just with the things you've been through recently, I wondered if you felt the same. And I suppose…what?"

He should have been focused on Gemma, but instead, he was staring at a smirking Robbie, who hadn't even bothered to be discreet.

"I'm sorry Gemma, can you excuse me for a moment?"

"Of course."

He flashed her a thankful smile before walking towards Robbie.

"I heard about your little wager with Jackie and Stuart." He smiled coldly. "I have no qualms about reporting your drinking habits tonight back to them."

Robbie frowned before putting his glass down. "They didn't say I couldn't drink, just as long as I don't come in with a hangover tomorrow."

Michael simply shrugged.

"So…" Robbie's eyes glanced in Gemma's direction. "The two of you seem to be getting on very well."

"Do we?"

"Anything interesting going on there?"

"And what business is that of yours?" he retorted.

"Just thought you might want some friendly advice."

Michael stared at him incredulously. "You? When was the last serious relationship you had?"

Robbie's eyes flashed with anger. "You're one to talk, Mike." He smiled tightly. "At least I know how to have fun. And you can't seriously tell me that you haven't thought about getting back together with the lovely Miss Normanton."

"And I suppose that's the talk of the station?"

"A word of warning, Mike. Years from now, when you've undoubtedly got all the promotions you want, you're going to realise you have nothing but the job. Will it be worth it?"

He walked away while Michael stood in contemplation, acknowledging that his life was already like that. It would be a lie if he said it had been completely worth it.

He stayed still for a couple more moments before deciding on his course of action. His eyes searched for Gemma and quickly found her.

Another moment and he was by her side. "I'm sorry, Gemma. Can I have a word in private?" he asked breathlessly.

As Jackie finished her glass of wine, she decided it had been a good thing that they'd decided to go to her flat. The thought of going to the pub, and the possibility of seeing happy couples wasn't something she'd been in the mood for.

"That's one chapter of my life officially done," she said after placing her glass on the table.

"It must feel strange," Stuart said.

She nodded. "Actually, I've been thinking about what comes next."

"It's not something you have to decide right now. You've already done a good job at moving forward."

She smiled ruefully. "I suppose it's been something that's been in the back of my mind all this time. It just feels like the perfect time to make some changes in my life."

Intrigue crossed his face. "What kind of changes?"

"Oh, I don't know…"

However, that sentence was going to end, Jackie didn't get the chance to answer as her doorbell rang.

"Bugger," she muttered. "I've no idea who it is, I'm not expecting anyone," she added after standing up. "I'll just be a moment."

Stuart smiled in reply before she left to answer the door. When it opened to reveal Michael, she blinked in surprise.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked.

"Shouldn't you be at a dinner?" she responded, not quite over her surprise at seeing him.

"I was," he shrugged, "until I left."

"Did it finish early?"

"No, but I was there for the important bits. I didn't feel the need to stay any longer."

"Right…you may as well come in then."

"Thanks," he smiled before he entered her flat.

"Oh, Stuart's here," she said once she closed the door.

"I don't want to intrude," he said somewhat sheepishly.

"Don't be daft. I wouldn't have let you in if you were."

They entered the living room and Jackie hid a smile at Stuart's surprise at seeing their boss.

"Stuart," Michael said in greeting.

His response was a nod of acknowledgement. His eyes turned to Jackie, a silent question showing on his face.

She shook her head, her silent answer that Michael didn't know about her divorce – yet.

"I should go," Stuart said.

"There's no need," Michael said politely, albeit half-heartedly.

"It's fine. I just remembered I have to check in on someone." He retrieved his coat.

This time she did smile, knowing that Stuart was lying. She doubted Michael believed the lie, but he kept silent.

"Is he okay?" Michael asked once Stuart had left.

She nodded. "So, how was the dinner?"

"It went well, no hiccups. Val seems thrilled, and I think Gemma's pleased with the reception her book got." He smirked. "Robbie's enjoying the drinks, but he's assured me that he won't get hungover."

She smiled at that. "So, why did you leave early?" she asked after a moment.

He shrugged. "There didn't seem to be any point in staying. So, I thought I'd see how you were."

She nodded, not completely satisfied with his answer. "Can I get you something?"

He asked for some tea and she went to the kitchen to make one. Glad to have a moment alone, she pondered over the inevitable topic that would be brought up.

But the sound of Michael's footsteps told her the conversation would come sooner rather than later.

"Are you okay?"

She turned to face him and sighed. "Brian and I are officially divorced."

His face fell. "Why didn't you say?"

"Well, you were preoccupied with the dinner…"

She let the sentence hang in the air for a moment before continuing, "You're not my only friend." She smiled slightly to take any sting that comment might have had. "And Stuart's a good listener."

The sound of the kettle alerted Jackie to the task at hand. And nothing was said until they both went back to the living room.

"How are you, really?" he asked once they'd both sat on the couch.

"I'm just processing a lot of different feelings. I'll be alright." She glanced at the empty wine glass, deciding she'd had enough alcohol for the night.

"If I'd known about—"

"Don't," she shook her head.

Michael may have wanted to, but she doubted that Patterson would have let him off attending the dinner for anything less than a family emergency.

"I don't think it would have gone down well."

"Probably not," he admitted before drinking some of his tea.

"Look, it's not the best feeling in the world. But at least it's over now."

"I suppose so," he said quietly.

She watched as he took another sip of his tea, looking a tad guilty. His demeanour made her realise she'd had enough of talking about Brian. They'd done so often enough over recent months.

"So," she smiled. "Why are you really here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't believe you left early, just to check in on me." She sobered. "Is everything okay?"

The response wasn't immediate. He placed the mug on the coffee table and said nothing as if taking her question in.

"I heard there's been a bit of gossip about me," he finally said.

She smiled wanly, not prepared for the new topic. In retrospect, she should have been.

"You've heard then?"

"Robbie told me earlier," she replied. "I know it's annoying, but it'll stop soon. Unless you'll hoping…"

His eyebrow arched in confusion. "Hoping for what?"

She took a breath. "Personally, I think you can do better. But if she makes you happy…"

"She doesn't."

All she could do was stare at him as she waited for him to expand on that.

"I can't deny there was a time when I thought she did. The truth is that we've both changed so much, even back then. If I hadn't quickly proposed, I'd have seen that. And if I could turn back time, I wouldn't have proposed."

"Which time?"

"Both I suppose, but I was talking about the second time."

"So, no chance of trying again, then?"

"No." The look in his eyes conveyed how serious he was, and she found she had to look away.

"Do you ever feel like you've made a right mess of things?" she asked after a moment.

He chuckled. "More than I let on."

She smiled. "Me too."

"You'll be okay, you know."

"I know," she nodded. "It just hasn't sunk in yet that I'm divorced." She glanced at the wine bottle, half wishing she'd drank some more. "Things will work out for you too." He stared at her, looking slightly bemused. "This thing with Gemma and the gossip," she clarified.

His response was a slight smile, and for a moment she was lost in her thoughts until he spoke. "Gemma's not the love of my life."

She stared as she considered those words. "I think that sort of implies that you do have one."

Silence.

And that told her everything.

"Michael?" It was hard to believe that he'd met someone and hadn't told her about it. Unless it was before they knew each other.

"It's a long story," he smiled ruefully, "and not that exciting. Anyway, it's not something you need to hear about tonight."

"Nonsense," she scoffed. "You've been great at listening to all of my woes the past few months. The least I can do is listen to you."

Despite her assurance, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know more.

He shook his head absentmindedly. "There isn't anything to tell. I just made some stupid mistakes."

For a moment, Jackie wracked her brain, trying to think of who this woman could be.

"It wasn't Heather, was it?" she finally spoke.

"What?"

"You know, Heather McIntyre…the WPC."

"Yes, I know who you meant," he said, looking a little uncomfortable.

"So?"

He took a breath, "Something did happen between us. But it was over before it began. It wasn't my finest moment."

Jackie blinked. "I'm surprised you didn't say anything."

"Well, you were a little busy." His eyes didn't meet hers. "It was around the time you married Brian."

"Is that why she got transferred?" she asked a moment later.

"Things were a little awkward between us," he admitted. "But even if nothing had happened, I think she'd have left anyway. That move really did hold better prospects for her career."

She nodded, accepting his answer. "And she's not the—"

"No," he shook his head.

"I suppose it's a bad advertisement for office relationships," she commented, resisting the urge to look away from him.

"That's one way of putting it."

Silence ensued. Not entirely the comfortable kind she was accustomed to with Michael.

"Okay, so I may have had an ulterior motive for coming here."

Jackie smirked. "I thought as much."

"I eh…wanted to ask you something."

"Go on," she said, wondering what on earth was so important he had to leave the dinner early for.

The teacup he'd been holding was placed on the table. "I was wondering if maybe…you'd…"

The sound of a mobile ringtone interrupted the question. Her eyes scanned for her phone's whereabouts. But Michael's quick retrieval of his showed that it was his mobile that was ringing.

"Sorry," he almost whispered. When he stared at the screen, he stifled a groan before he answered. "DCI Jardine." The apologetic look on his face as he hung up confirmed her suspicions.

"Duty calls, then?"

He nodded. "I know this is the last thing you want to deal with tonight."

"It's part of the job," she smiled weakly. "We'd better get a move on."

They got up from the couch and she turned off the lamps. Nothing was said until they reached the hallway.

"Michael."

He turned around, regarding her expectantly.

"The thing you want to ask me…"

His smile was rueful. "Another time."

"Sure."

As they left her flat she ignored the sinking disappointment. Hoping that there would be time for that question to be asked.

Assuming the question really was important enough to leave the dinner, of course.