"You're pregnant?"

"Yes." He stared at her, frozen in the same way he had been the night they had been in bed together and she'd told him that she didn't want him to use protection any longer. A feeling of uncertainty swept through her as, faced with the moment, she realised that she really didn't know how he was going to react. "Frank?"

"You're sure?"

"I took two tests, one yesterday and one today. Both were positive and I've had, what I can only assume is morning sickness. Though it came on around lunchtime which sort of contradicts…"

"You knew yesterday?" he seized on her words. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I knew you were anxious about this job, and I wanted to wait until it was over…" she shook her head. "I never imagined telling you under these circumstances but, there you are. I've got a doctor's appointment in a couple of days."

"So, how far along do you think you are?"

"Six weeks or so, I reckon." He pulled back from her, his eyes travelling down her figure, and she couldn't help but smile despite everything. "You can't see anything yet, though I imagine I'll be huge before I know it." The silence hung heavy and all she could hear was the sound of the clock in the main office ticking the time away, only adding to her worry that it might not be what he wanted after all. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Maybe…"

"No…" he came to life again. "No, we had a conversation a long time ago about this, remember?"

"I'm hardly likely to forget you berating me for not telling you about a pregnancy scare from four years previously that didn't involve you, am I?"

"It's not a joke," he stepped forwards again. "You have to promise me something."

"What?"

"The minute you go into work tomorrow, you'll tell Reid."

"Well..."

"I mean it, Chris. No pussyfooting about or waiting until you think it's the right time. The moment you step through those doors your first words should be 'Morning Ma'am' followed by 'I'm pregnant'. Promise me you'll do that."

She nodded quickly, sensing the anxiety coming off him in waves and realising that it was the one thing she could do for him in the midst of all that had happened. "I promise."

"Good…" he relaxed. "I'm sorry, I am happy, it's just…"

"I know, a lot's happened today…too much…maybe we should go home and…start again tomorrow." He nodded and she waited whilst he moved some papers pointlessly around his desk before they made their way to the door, pausing briefly once more at the box that sat on Viv's desk. "I'm guessing…her mum…"

"Yeah. I guess so."

"I should call her…or go and see her…" her words trailed off into the darkness, knowing as she did, that she had no earthly clue what she would say to Viv's family, or even if they would want to hear it. After a few seconds, she felt the pressure of Frank's hand on the small of her back, guiding her away from the scene, back along the corridor and down the stairs.

As they reached the main door, it opened suddenly and Derek appeared, his expression one of mild surprise at seeing her. "DS Lewis."

"Sir."

"Frank…terrible business."

"Yes sir," he replied.

"I'm not long back from seeing the family. Mr Brownlow thought it would be better coming from me than him. They were devastated, of course."

"Of course."

"We'll need to talk about what happened today. The circumstances that led up to Viv being where she was, what could have been done differently…you know the score."

"Yes sir, I know the score."

Derek nodded. "But I think we've all had enough for today. Tomorrow then."

"Yes sir."

She watched as Derek climbed the stairs away from them and then turned back to face him, seeing the wheels turning in his head. "You're not to blame for this."

"No," he agreed, his tone unconvincing. "Where did you park?"

"Out front. I'm a visitor now after all." She paused. "You are coming straight home, aren't you?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "You head off and I'll see you back there. I'll be right behind you."

"Ok," she agreed, kissing him briefly before stepping out into the cold evening air. Walking across to her car, her breath fogging in front of her, she wondered how possible his sentiment was. Would he be waylaid by others on his way out, or deliberately avoided? Neither option was particularly welcoming. She couldn't help but wonder that, if she hadn't been there, would Derek have wanted to start the post-mortem immediately? Perhaps it was a good thing that she had been there. Words said now could never be taken back.

Once home, she hung up her coat and made her way into the kitchen, devoid of ideas as to what to consider making and feeling a distinct lack of hunger in any event. A rummage in the cupboards revealed some tins of soup and there was a fresh loaf in the breadbin. It wasn't much, but it was something. In reality, she could have just gone straight to bed, the events of the day slowly starting to catch up with her, her eyes drooping and her limbs heavy. Or was it that initial flush of exhaustion that she had heard swept through every newly pregnant woman?

Thankfully, she heard the front door open and close just as the soup was coming to the boil and moments later, he appeared in the room behind her. "You must have read my mind. It was either this or I was going to nip to the chip shop."

"This is better for you."

"Oh yeah? On a health kick already, are we? There was me thinking you women used pregnancy as an excuse to stuff your faces with junk food." She laughed, feeling his arms go around her. "Listen, I'm sorry about earlier."

"Sorry about what?" she flicked off the gas and turned to look at him.

"You should have got a better reaction when you told me."

She shook her head, "No…"

"Yes," he insisted. "The whole drive home, all I've been able to think about is becoming a dad and what that actually means. Not to mention, whether I'll be any good at it."

"Of course you will! Why would you even think…?"

"Because I've never wanted it before. I've actively worked to stop it from happening with anyone I've been with. Christ, when Fiona turned up and said I'd fathered her kid…" he shook his head at the memory. "But this is different. I love you, you're my wife and this is the most natural thing to happen in a relationship like ours. I just…I don't know…raising kids is hard, I can see that, not just from watching Pat and Gerry, but from all the people I've come across in my life, good and bad. Neither of our fathers made a particularly good go of it and I don't want to make the same mistakes."

"You won't," she reassured him. "I don't think anyone knows how to really raise a child until they're faced with their own. I haven't got the first clue about how to be a good mother, or what that really means. Was my mum a good mother? I don't even know if I can answer that. I think all we can do is muddle through it together and do the best we can."

"I've got a past and I've done things…"

"What things? You've never broken the law…"

"I'm not sure I'm much of a role model for anyone, let alone a child."

"Frank, listen to me…" she put her arms around him. "You're just feeling like this because of what's happened today. If I had given you this news on any other day you would probably have puffed your chest out and been proud of the fact that you'd impregnated me." He laughed. "You and I can do this, together. This baby's going to be lucky to have us as parents."

"I hope so."

"I know so. Come on, let's eat something and then go to bed. It's been a long day for both of us and, quite frankly, I'm not sure everything's hit me properly yet."

"No," he replied quietly. "I'll just go freshen up. Back in moment."

She watched as he made his way out of the room, recognising that none of it had likely hit him yet either and that they would need to be there for each other when it inevitably did.

27 March 1993

"Morning Frank," Jack greeted him as he made his way along the corridor towards the CID office. "How are you?"

"All right I suppose." The memory of their conversation the previous evening came back to him, and he knew that the least said at the moment, the better.

"Come in." He followed the other man into his office. "Mr Brownlow's asked for a preliminary report on the events that led up to what happened yesterday before we have a full meeting about it in a few days' time. Obviously, our information is limited but…"

"Yeah, I know the drill," he replied, aware that it had been coming. The entire drive to the station he had been running over in his mind what he was going to commit to paper about his decision making when, that is, he hadn't been thinking about the life-changing news Christina had imparted the night before.

"How did Chris take the news?" Jack asked, almost as though he was telepathic.

"She's devastated, of course. She and Viv were very close. Unfortunately, she learned about it through office gossip in the ladies' toilets and, for a while…well…she thought it had been me that had copped it." He paused. "She's pregnant." Jack's eyebrows shot up. "She only found out a couple of days ago and, well, only told me last night."

"Congratulations," Jack extended his hand. "That's wonderful news."

"Yeah…yeah it is."

"How do you feel about it?"

"Well…" he paused, wondering if he could put into words what he truly felt. He was going to be a father, a role he'd never really given proper thought to before and couldn't help but wonder if he was cut out for. "A bit uncertain, if I'm being honest. I mean, don't get me wrong, I was a willing participant but…"

"It's a big step, fatherhood. A lot of responsibility and a lot of worry. But also, a lot of wonderful moments that you'll both cherish forever. Give her my best. She'll need to take care of herself."

"Don't I know it. I've already told her that the first thing she has to do when she steps into the MS15 office this morning is tell Kim Reid what's going on, so that they can chain her to her desk for the next seven months or so."

Jack smiled, "Something tells me, when it comes to Chris, it won't be that easy."

"Yeah, but she knows the score. She wants this baby more than anything, so I know she'll do everything she can to protect it, and herself."

"Well, if you need anything, even if it's just a bit of fatherly encouragement, let me know."

"Thanks Jack, I will."

"What about Viv's outstanding cases?"

"I'm going to split them amongst the team. She had some outstanding witness statements, enquiries with the DVU and other bits and pieces. We're one down, but we'll manage."

"Well, remember that there's resources available if anyone needs any assistance."

"Resources?"

"Counselling services."

"Oh right."

"Don't knock it, Frank. It's important at times like these for officers to feel that they can talk to someone if they're feeling overwhelmed. Losing a colleague, a friend…well, that can have a serious effect on people, and I'm not just meaning those at the bottom of the ladder."

"I'm fine, Guv."

"Yeah, you've said that before too. I'm not going to force you into anything Frank, but there's been a few occasions over the years, even before I came here, where I think you may have benefitted from taking on some support."

"I am the support," he replied. "Like I said, I'm fine." Before Jack could say any more, he turned and left the office, making his way to his own, the quiet tension of the CID office enveloping him as soon as he stepped inside. Jack was wrong; he didn't need any support for himself. His job was to give it, in many different forms. Hanging up his coat, he turned and looked back into the office at the troops before him and could sense the devastation, even from a distance. He knew he had two options: softly, softly or business as usual.

He chose the latter. It would be what they would be expecting after all.

"Right, you lot. Plenty of work to be getting on with today. Tosh, Viv had a number of witness statements outstanding that I know of. Details should be in her notebook which I left on her desk. I want you to have a look through it, see what still needs to be done and get it sorted. Alan, Viv had some outstanding enquiries with the DVU, so I want you to take those over, get them wrapped up and file any reports. There are a few other things, but those are the most important ones right now. I'll share out anything else that I come across. The rest of you can carry on with what you were doing before yesterday's job. If anyone has any questions, let me know. Oh…" he paused. "The DCI wanted me to let everyone know that there is support available for those who require it as a result of what happened yesterday. If you feel you need the details, give me a shout and I'll pass them onto you."

"Is there going to be an enquiry?" Tosh asked, as he turned back towards his office.

"Yes, of course. There's an internal enquiry every time an officer dies on the job, Tosh, you know that."

"Will we be asked for statements?"

"I don't know yet. I've to prepare a preliminary report for the Chief Super and I'm sure he'll let me know what else he might need."

"What about the funeral?" Ted asked.

"I don't have any information on that yet I'm afraid. I'm assuming we'll be told once the arrangements have been made."

"She's entitled to a full police funeral."

"I'm aware of that, but you know, and I know that some families don't want it. We'll just have to wait and see what her parents decide." Before he could be asked any more questions, he retreated to safety of his office, only for Ted to instantly breach that safety by following him in. "Ted, please…" "She should still be alive, Frank."

"I know that. I think we all do."

"Viv didn't deserve what happened to her."

"Does anyone?"

"No, I know…" Ted paced the room in front of him. "What are you going to say in your report?"

"The truth."

"Which is?"

He paused, trying to work out what the other man was ultimately getting at. "That she was late."

It was Ted's turn to pause. "That's it?"

"Well, I'll likely dress it up a little bit more, but that's at the root of it. She was late, she missed the briefing, ergo, she wasn't out on the job with the rest of us. What she chose to do after that…"

"Is on her?"

"I wouldn't put it exactly like that." He waited for the attack he suspected was coming. The blame. The same things that would be thrown at him by those higher up and with a hell of a lot more aplomb than Ted could ever muster. To his surprise, however, the other man simply shook his head.

"Wrong place, wrong time."

"Yeah," he agreed after a moment. "I'll say." Ted closed the door behind him, and he let out a long breath at having survived so far. Wrong place, wrong time was one way of putting it. Perhaps it was the only way of putting it. What more could he, could anyone have done to circumvent the terrible inevitability of the previous day?

You could have kept her on the job.

It was the simplest answer, the simplest solution and no doubt the one that would be scrutinised the most. Would anyone else in senior management have done what he had and, if they would have, would they admit to it now?

He thought once more about Christina, about their child and about how, one day, that child would hear stories about their parents and how they had conducted themselves in the police force. After all the lies and deceit his own father had indulged in over the years prior to his death, he knew that the one thing he owed his own child was honesty.

So he sat down at his desk and put pen to paper.

XXXX

She still didn't think it had hit her, even with a proper night's sleep. She'd thought that she might find it hard to drop off after everything that had happened, but she could remember nothing after sliding into bed and switching off the light. She couldn't even remember if she had said goodnight to Frank before closing her eyes. The alarm had rudely broken into her peacefulness seemingly before it had any business to and getting showered and dressed had felt as laborious as she imagined it might have done the previous night. Saying goodbye to her husband that morning had felt somewhat bittersweet. He had touched her stomach gently and reminded her of her promise, but as she had watched him walk down the path to his car, she knew that he was heading into the lion's den as it were, and she ached to be with him, for all the good she knew she could ultimately do.

Instead, she found herself walking towards her own desk just before nine o'clock and could see from a quick look into the corner office that Kim was already there. The other woman gestured to her, albeit whilst on the phone, so she made her way over to the door and waited until the call had ended.

"Come in Christina," Kim said, when she knocked softly. "Take a seat."

"Ma'am."

"I obviously heard about what happened yesterday. I'm so very sorry to hear about Viv. She was a lovely woman and a good officer, taken before her time." She found she could do nothing but nod. "I imagine that feelings will be running very high at Sun Hill today." Kim paused. "How's Frank dealing with it all?"

"He's…bearing up," she replied as truthfully as she could. "I know that he'll cope with whatever gets thrown at him but…"

"Thrown at him? Surely there's no suggestion he was at fault in any way?"

She paused, taking in the concerned expression of her senior officer and yet mindful that there was so much history there. Kim might take pleasure in the knowledge that Frank might be blamed for what had happened and she would be no wife at all if she allowed rumours to circulate. "No Ma'am, but he was the senior officer in charge of the operation so, naturally, he feels somewhat responsible."

Kim nodded, "Yes, I can understand that, though I had heard that Viv was on a separate job when she was shot."

News certainly travelled fast. "Well, the details are all still a bit sketchy at the moment."

"Yes…and how are you holding up?"

"Well, I…I'm not sure it's properly sunk in yet, Ma'am. Viv was a very good friend and…I suppose I haven't quite accepted the fact that she's gone and that I'll never speak to her again or…" she broke off, feeling a sudden tightness in her chest at the stark reality of the words coming out of her own mouth. "I mean, I…"

"I don't want to upset you," Kim said. "I'm sure it will hit you, and soon. I just want you to know that if you need any assistance, please let me know. And if you need to take some time off, then that won't be a problem."

"Thank you, Ma'am, but I think the best thing is to keep busy right now. Perhaps, when I know about the funeral…"

"Of course. There will be no difficulty with that. At times like these, we need to remember that it can be all very well to just get up and soldier on, but you need to be kind to yourself too. This is just a job at the end of the day. Everyone is replaceable, as I'm sure many of us have found out over the years."

"I know that, thank you. And, on that note Ma'am…" A sharp rap at the door broke into what she had been about to say.

"Yes, come in," Kim called, and Alison stuck her head in.

"Sorry to bother you Ma'am, but ACC Renshaw is here. He's on his way to the conference room."

"Thank you, Alison. If you could tell him I'll be right there, I'd appreciate it," Kim replied, getting to her feet. "Like I said, Christina, take whatever time you need and let me know if I can do anything for you, professionally or personally."

She paused, wanting in that moment to blurt out her news as she had promised Frank she would do, but Kim was already thinking ten steps ahead about whatever meeting she had planned and before she could even think of what to say, the other woman had already swept out of the room. Making her way back to her own desk, she was greeted by David, who had kindly made her a cup of tea.

"How are you?" he asked, putting it down on her desk.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose."

"Frank?"

"The same."

David nodded. "And did you tell him…?"

"Yes," she nodded, "I did, and he was happy. Shocked, I reckon, and a bit all at sea about the realities of the situation, but happy all the same."

"Finding out is always a shock. You start thinking about how much it's going to change your life, wondering if you'll be any good at it, the money it's going to cost you…but when they put that baby in your arms for the first time…I promise you, it all makes sense."

"I hope so."

"Trust me." He smiled at her. "Did you tell Reid?"

"No, I was about to, but she got called away to a meeting with the ACC. I'll tell her when I get back."

"Good. It's for your own safety at the end of the day, and your baby's."

"You sound like Frank."

"So I should. Tell him I'll be your work husband for the next few months, making sure you're taking care of yourself and doing what you're told whilst you're not with him."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate that," she smiled, before turning back to the papers on her desk, the folder bearing Harry's name the most prominent amongst them. The events of the previous 24 hours had overtaken all thoughts of her day-to-day caseload, but now it all came back to her in a rush, with one terrible caveat: could Harry have had anything to do with what had gone wrong? She thought over it, played with it in her mind as she sipped her tea. All of the previous jobs had been ones set up as a result of information received by the Robbery Squad. This one was different. Frank had got the information from a snout, a snout she had no doubt he would be having words with in due course. But who was the snout? Could he have had any connection with the Squad? Frank was unlikely to tell her who it was, and she had no way into the Squad itself, other than through Harry.

"You think he might know something about what happened yesterday?" David asked, when she ran it past him later that day.

"I think it's a pretty big coincidence."

"But like you said, all the other jobs that went south came about through information from Robbery Squad informants."

"Well, that's what we've assumed, but we don't know that for definite. Nobody's got any way into the Squad, so nobody really knows."

"And you think Harry might tell you?"

"I think if there is a connection, and something he's done has led to a female officer getting killed…well, he might be feeling a bit guilty about that." She paused. "And the fact that I've just lost a friend…that might lead me to want to go to a bar and drown my sorrows a bit."

David's eyes narrowed. "The Black Grape? Don't you think he'll find it a bit suspicious you turning up there twice in quick succession, when you've never been there before?"

"I think it's a risk we need to take, don't you?"

"I think it's a risk someone needs to take, but not necessarily you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, firstly, you're hardly going to be convincingly drowning your sorrows if you're on Ginger Ale and secondly, you shouldn't be doing any undercover work in your condition."

"It's hardly undercover work. I'm being myself whilst sitting on a barstool. Besides, he doesn't need to know what's in my glass." She paused on his look. "He's not going to do anything to me. I know Harry. He's not the violent type."

"Well, at least run it past Reid before you do anything."

"I will," she glanced at Kim's empty office. "If she gets back before I feel I need to go."

"What are you going to tell Frank?"

"I'm sure he's up to his eyes in it today anyway. I'm not expecting him home early and, besides, an hour tops should be enough time for me to have a conversation with Harry without him getting suspicious."

"I should come with you."

"Now that would look suspicious." She paused. "I promise, I'll be fine. At the first sign of any danger, I'll get myself out of there, not that I think there will be."

"Well at least take a radio, so you can call for backup."

"Will it shut you up if I say yes?"

"Possibly," he smiled, "but no guarantees."

"Ok fine, I'll take a radio. Now, piss off and give me some peace to think about how I'm going to approach this." Turning back to her desk, she grabbed a clean sheet of paper and started to jot down some thoughts. If she was right, and if she could eventually pull this off, perhaps she could do Frank some good, even from a distance.