Two chapters today. Thought they went better separately than together. Enjoy

Saturday night arrived and it was time for their second date. When Steve and Kate had been partners, she had heard a lot about the football team and all their antics from him as they whiled away many an hour in a car on a surveillance op. It was nice for Kate to finally be able to put faces to the names she had heard about. It was the same for Steve's mates who had also heard Kate's name mentioned many a time as well.

What Kate hadn't expected for the evening when she had accepted Steve's offer, was to have to share him. The captain's five year old daughter, Molly appeared to like Steve a lot. Kate thought it to do with the fact that Steve appeared to be very good at tickles judging from her great squeals of delight whenever he did so.

In all the years that they were partners, Kate hadn't really witnessed Steve interacting with many children and she was pleasantly surprised to see he was very good at it. Molly obviously agreed as Steve was requested for bed time story duty when she was finally ordered to bed by her parents.

"You don't mind, do you?" Steve asked Kate as Molly tugged on one of his arms.

"Of course not," Kate replied. "You can't disappoint her now,".

Being dateless whilst Steve was with Molly, Kate went to the kitchen to help the captain's wife, Lisa with catering duties. She had just put some more nibbles out when a baby's cry came through over the baby monitor in the room.

"Oh great timing Leo," Lisa said, a little stressed. She had lots of food in the oven just about ready to be served.

"I can go," Kate suggested.

"Are you sure?".

"Absolutely," Kate replied. "It's been a while but I think I can remember how to check on a baby,".

"Thanks Kate. That would be great," Lisa said accepting Kate's kind offer.

"Where am I headed?".

"Up the stairs and third door on the left,".

Kate headed upstairs. One bedroom door was open and looking through the crack in the door she saw Steve lying on Molly's bed, with the little girl nestled into his chest fully enthralled as Steve read to her. Kate found her mind drifting to a scenario somewhere in the future where it was their daughter that Steve was reading to as she joined them on their daughter's bed.

Another cry from another room disturbed her from her thoughts and she headed to the baby's room. She found a red faced child sat in his cot, not very impressed at having been kept waiting for his cries to be answered.

"Hello," she cooed as she went into the room. The child stopped crying immediately. She went over to the cot and picked him up. "Now what is the problem?" She asked as she felt his full nappy. "Thought so," she said to herself. It had been quite a few years since she had last changed a nappy, but Kate was amazed how it all came back. Very quickly, Leo was in a clean diaper and back in his onesie and being placed back in his cot.

Leo had other ideas however and as soon as Kate had closed his bedroom door, he started crying again, stopping Kate in her tracks. She went back to see what was wrong and as soon as he saw he had company his face changed from crying into a mischievous grin. "Do you want to join the party? Is that what all this crying is for?" She asked the baby as she picked him up again.

"Bring him down if he's playing up, Kate," came Lisa's voice over the monitor from downstairs.

"Looks like you've been granted entry mate," said Kate as she headed downstairs with the infant on her hip. Mollys story time was obviously over as her door was now closed as Kate went past.

Steve was downstairs and chatting to his mates when he saw Kate appear with Leo on her hip. He knew that Kate was a mother but had never really seen her in mum mode before. Whilst still talking to his friends he kept one eye on Kate as she fussed over the baby and kept him entertained. She looked like she was enjoying herself which was nice to see. Since her separation and divorce form Mark, Steve had known that Kate felt a total failure as a mother.

Eventually Leo fell asleep against Kate's shoulder and Kate took the opportunity to place him back upstairs. Steve saw her go and followed. He had hardly spent much time with her at all with all the distractions from the children and wanted to rectify that.

He didn't want to wake Leo whilst Kate put him down, so waited outside his room until she reappeared. The moment she did he wound his arms around her which surprised her judging by the tiny gasp she let out. Steve turned her around and pushed her against the wall but kept her in his arms. "Haven't seen much of you tonight," Steve said.

"No you haven't. Who's fault is that?".

"Sorry it's turning out to be a bit of a rubbish date," Steve apologised.

"It's not," Kate replied before taking his face in her hands and kissing him. The kiss continued for a little while and only stopped when Lisa interrupted them as she headed to fetch something from her bedroom.

"Excuse me," she said with a little smile as she brushed past them, a little smile on her face. It was nice to see Steve finally find someone who he really liked.

The rest of the evening Steve was very attentive to Kate, attending to her every need and keeping her close. Hands clasped or an arm around her, along as he was in contact with her he was happy.

The end of the evening arrived and being as they had both had something to drink, the pair walked back to Steve's. "You ever thought about having children?" Kate asked inquisitively. "You should do," she went on without waiting for his answer. "You're very good with them,".

"Thanks, mate," Steve replied. "I've known Molly a while so she's used to me. If I met the right person I think I'd want them, but I don't really feel that I can have much say in the matter being as I don't have to do the whole pregnancy and birth thing,".

"True," Kate agreed.

"What about you?" Steve turned the question back to Kate. "Ever think about having any more kids? I saw you with the baby and you looked like you were enjoying it,".

"Sometimes I think I would like another," Kate admitted. "A chance to put right all the wrongs I did first time with Josh, but then I think what happens if I repeat all those mistakes again. Probably best I don't,".

"You're too hard on yourself," Steve noted. "No parent is perfect,".

"Mark didn't see it that way," Kate explained. "Josh was quite a difficult baby and always crying. According to him it was always my fault. I didn't feed him enough. Held him too tightly. Dressed him too warmly. Totally destroyed my confidence. I don't know what I'd do if it happened again,".

"Maybe it's because you were with the wrong person," Steve noted as they turned in to his street. He would willingly have a child with Kate if she wanted to, he realised. "You coming up for a drink?" Steve asked as they had reached his flat. They both knew that wasn't the only reason Steve was inviting her up.

"I have Josh tomorrow," Kate pointed out.

"I'll drive you back to yours in the morning," Steve offered. "Just tell me what time,".

"Ok," Kate said, finally accepting his invitation.

Drinks were forgotten as soon as they entered Steve's flat and they were picking up where they had left off after their first date before being interrupted by Chloe. Steve led Kate into his bedroom and they were soon on the bed making out. Things went a little further and Kate's top was removed. "Is that the bra you bought the other day?" Steve asked when he saw the black lacy undergarment.

"Uh huh," Kate replied before paying attention to Steve's neck.

"Definitely made you buy the right one," Steve mentioned before turning his attention back to Kate.

They hadn't got much further when the ringing of Steve's phone interrupted them yet again. "You've got to be kidding me," Steve muttered when he saw it was Chloe calling again.

"Chloe?" Kate asked, disappointed this time.

"Yes. She must have some sort of radar that tells her when I'm possibly about to have sex,".

"Novel type of contraception but it's very effective," Kate teased.

"I'm going to have to make a note of when she's on a late shift and arrange my social life around that," Steve mused. "Really sorry mate, I'm going to have to take this again,".

Steve got off the bed and retrieved his phone. "Hello?" He said into it as he exited his bedroom and headed for the living room. He didn't want to make Kate have to listen to work talk.

Chloe had found something quite interesting in their case again and their conversation went on a lot longer than he had thought although he was grateful that this time he wasn't going to have to go to the office.

Finally they came up with a plan of what to do with the information on Monday at work and they both hung up. Steve went back to his bedroom but wasn't surprised to find Kate now fast asleep.

From the looks of it she had helped herself to one of his T-shirt's to sleep in. Following suit he stripped down to his boxers before putting on another T-shirt and getting in to bed beside Kate. There would be no sex again tonight.

Kate woke before Steve in the morning. She was in his arms and it was a very pleasant way of waking up. Looking at the time she realised there was only a bit of time before she had to leave and meet Josh. She snuggled into Steve's side a bit more. It was enough to rouse him.

"Time to get up?" He asked through a yawn. He hoped not as he'd liked waking up with Kate.

"Five minutes," Kate informed him.

"What you doing with Josh today?".

"Well it'll be our Christmas Day seeing as he's spending it with Mark this year," Kate explained a little sadly.

"You going to be by yourself then or are you working for Christmas?".

"By myself. Working Boxing Day,".

"Me too," Steve confirmed. "Why don't you spend Christmas Day with me? I'm popping down to see my parents for the day. They wouldn't mind one more mouth to feed. They'll already be about ten people there anyway,".

"Are you sure?".

"Yeah. You can see the passive aggression that develops between my mum and my aunt as the day goes on. My cousin getting more and more pissed. It'll be fun!".

"Ok. Thank you," Kate said easily swayed. Spending the day with strangers was far more preferable than spending the day alone. "Think we'd better get up. Don't wanna be late for Josh,".