Apologies for the delay in posting - busy weekend at work

"Just want to invite everyone to my birthday party," Fatima announced to the response unit after their daily briefing session before their next shift started. "At my place. Not this Friday but next. I'll provide food but bring a bottle,".

Steve looked at Kate. If they were going to do anything to catch their blackmailer then this party might provide the perfect opportunity. Kate's look said she thought the same thing.

"Meet you at the car," Kate said to Steve as she departed the briefing room.

"OK," said Steve.

The room was soon empty save for Mo and Steve. "Things getting better with Kate?" Mo asked.

"Yes," replied Steve. "We've cleared the air,".

"As long as that's all it is," Mo warned.

"Pardon?".

"I saw you and her at a cafe the other day looking very... close," Mo revealed.

Steve started to panic. Had he or Kate done anything to give away their real relationship?

"I saw you hugging," Mo went on.

"Oh," said Steve. "Isn't that allowed?".

"It's just...," Mo said before looking around to make sure they were alone. "There was a couple here before," he whispered, "who got friendlier than they should, if you know what I mean?". Steve nodded. "Things didn't work out so well for them,".

"How didn't they work out?" Steve asked, pretending not to know.

"I'm not gonna say in case they find out it came from me," Mo said, clearly scared.

"Who's 'they'?" Steve pressed.

"That's all I'm going to say," Mo said as he headed for the door. "Some friendly words of advice because I like you and Kate," he said, leaving before Steve could ask anything else.

Steve left the briefing room and headed to the car park where he found Kate waiting for him, leant against their patrol car for the shift.

"You ok?" She asked, sensing something had just happened.

"Yeah," Steve replied as he tossed Kate the car keys which she easily caught. "Your turn to drive I think,". Kate looked suspiciously at her friend. Something was definitely up. Steve hardly ever let her drive.

"You know what I said the other day about you and me pretending to have sex?" Steve asked. It was the most he had said since the start of the shift. He had been sat shot gun in complete silence as Kate had driven around the city.

They were currently parked at a beauty spot as they had a quick break, the city sprawled out in front of them as they took in the views.

"Yes," said Kate. She was hardly going to forget that stupid suggestion.

"I think maybe we should re-examine that idea," he said. Kate looked at him. "I was warned at the end of briefing that we shouldn't get too friendly because it hadn't worked out well for a previous couple,".

"Who warned you?" Kate asked.

"Mo,".

"Mo?!" Asked Kate, surprised. He had seemed totally harmless to her. She had been wrong.

"I don't think he's the blackmailer,".

"But he's involved somehow," Kate pointed out.

"It was just a warning. He's scared, Kate. He doesn't want a repeat of what happened,".

"Scared of the blackmailer?". Steve confirmed Kate's guess was right.

There was silence as both Steve and Kate thought through the latest developments. Kate was drawn to Steve's suggestion. They had to do something to drive this investigation forward and maybe it had to be as drastic as pretending to have sex.

"Would there be nudity?" Kate asked out of the blue.

Steve knew what she was referring to. "We might be a bit more undressed than we've previously been in each other's company," Steve admitted. "Actors do it all the time don't they?".

"But we're not actors," Kate pointed out. "Do you think we could make it convincing?".

"I think we can," Steve answered confidently. "I wouldn't be suggesting this if you weren't sat opposite me,". Kate blushed. She didn't know how to take Steve's last words.

There was another thing worrying her as well if they did indeed go ahead with this crazy plan. "If we do this," she said, "and I mean if," she stressed. She still hadn't made her mind up. "We do this properly,".

"How do you mean?".

"We get our gaffers' permission. Explain what we are gonna do," Kate explained. "If there is going to be footage of us becoming public then we need to cover our backs,".

"Agreed," said Steve. He could never repeat the situation he had found him in with Lindsey. "Maybe we need a meeting. I'll introduce you to my gaffer Jim and it's probably time to see the old man again,".

"This is fancy, innit?" Kate said to Ted as they entered AC-3 for the first time ever. On first glance it was certainly newer and more hi- tech than AC-12.

"It's ok," Ted replied. He was a simple man with simple tastes.

Steve saw them approaching and went to greet them. "Hi, sir," he said awkwardly to his former SIO.

"Hello Steven," Ted replied very formally.

Kate wanted to bang their heads together. She knew they both wanted to apologise for their past mistakes, but now, with the perfect opportunity, they were refusing to do so. The arrival of Jim, Steve's boss broke the tension. "Pleasure to meet you, sir," he said to Ted as he shook his hand. Ted Hastings was well known in anti-corruption circles throughout the force. "Why don't you all come in to my office and we'll hear what these two have to say,".

"I presume this is your idea?" Ted asked Steve once he had presented to the two senior officers what he proposed he and Kate were going to try and do to lure the secret blackmailer into revealing themself or themselves. It certainly sounded very high risk and not the type of thing he would expect from Kate.

"Yes," answered Steve, ready for an attack from the Northern Irishman.

"I think it's about the only thing we can do to try and progress this investigation," Kate defended Steve. "We wanted to let you know what we were planning in case footage is made public,".

"Better than just being presented with a tape?" Ted said referring to the one Lindsey had blindsided him with all those months ago.

"Yes, sir," Steve replied, biting his tongue.

"You think you can pull this off?" Jim asked.

Steve looked at Kate. "I think so, sir,".

"Well you've got my approval," Jim said.

Everyone turned to see what Ted said.

"Go on then," he eventually agreed. He supposed he owed Steve some slack.