This is the final chapter so what happens next is up to your imagination. Thank you so much for all the reviews, the email alerts don't seem to be working though.

Three weeks later

The office was quiet for once.

Dempsey had been sent out with Chas to pick up a suspect for questioning. He'd protested at the idea of going anywhere without his partner but Harry was glad of the chance to catch-up on paperwork.

She had to admit however that it was strange being apart from him, even for an hour or so, for the last three weeks they spent every waking and sleeping hour together. Harry couldn't get enough of James Dempsey and she knew he felt the same. Since his unexpected confession in the pub three weeks ago, things had moved quickly and smoothly and they were still enjoying the glorious novelty of the new intimacy between them. Why she had ever doubted that she was it for him she didn't know, so much uncertainty and second guessing, and all along she was the one he wanted. It had been staring her in the face and she hadn't seen it.

Harry looked up from the names and numbers on her screen, her concentration wavering. The only other person in the room was Fry who was frowning and sighing over a pile of files.

'How are you getting on, Graham?'

Fry looked up, slightly disconcerted by her use of his first name.

'Uh, not bad, about halfway through.'

Harry sat back and folded her arms.

'Are you still learning French?'

Fry had let slip this information during a conversation about plans for summer holidays.

'Yeah, I'm still doing a class twice a week. I'm going this evening actually after work.' Harry had a sudden panic that emboldened by Dempsey's absence Fry was going to ask her to join him but he added, 'I'm going with a friend.'

'That's great' she said relieved, 'by the time you go on holiday, you'll be pretty fluent.'

'Hmm, well passable anyway' Fry frowned.

'Is your friend going on holiday with you?'

'Uh, oh no. She's just learning for fun, already speaks quite a few languages, but not French. She um..'

The unmistakable sound of Demspey's voice coming down the corridor shut Fry up and he made a show of studying the file in front of him.

'Hey Harry, you miss me?' He was all bravado but his eyes sparkled with warmth.

'Oh have you been somewhere? I thought it was a bit quiet here.' Harry played along. As Dempsey brushed past to hang up his jacket he gave her shoulder the briefest squeeze. 'So long as Fry hasn't been distracting you too much.'

'Stop it' she mouthed to him as he sat down with a smirk.

By half past four the atmosphere in the office became restless, it had been a quiet day, Spikings was away on a course and everyone was keen to finish as soon as possible. Harry felt stifled by a whole eight hours without kissing Dempsey and she couldn't wait to get him home. Dave and Mack asked Chas if he fancied a pint which he declined. They had stopped bothering to ask Dempsey, so predictable were his refusals.

'Fancy a pint, Fry?' Dave asked.

'Uh, no can do I'm afraid, thanks.'

Dave gave Mack a meaningful smirk before they both loudly jostled out the door.

Soon Dempsey and Makepeace were alone in the office and as she waited for her partner to clear his desk Harry wandered over to the window. Fry was leaning against his car, arms folded, looking back towards the building.

'What are you snooping at?' Dempsey came up behind her, and rested his chin on her shoulder, hands on her hips, much closer than was appropriate for colleagues. 'I'm just wondering who Fry's waiting for, he told me he has a French class after work.'

At that moment the question was answered as Michelle approached and Fry broke into a smile and ran round to open the passenger door. They watched them exchange what looked like a few friendly words but there was no physical contact as Michelle climbed into the car.

'So Fry got the girl huh?' Dempsey said, sliding his hands over her stomach.

'They could just be friends, he told me he goes to his French class with a friend.'

'Hmm, just friends?' Dempsey said, laying a gentle kiss against her neck.

'We all know how that turns out don't we Harry?' He murmured between kisses.

'Dempsey are you saying it's not possible to just be friends with a colleague of the opposite sex?' she reached up and ran her hands through his hair.

'Mark my words, Harry it's French classes one minute, French kissing the next' she felt his smile against her skin as he pressed himself harder against her back.