Disclaimer : I do not own anything related to Dempsey and Makepeace. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred. All copyright belongs to the original writers and LWT. (Slight cross over with Law and Order UK)

#story set following the episode The Burning. Part 2

Stay?

Dempsey sighed heavily as he watched the car pull away as it finally sank in. He was free. There was no need to hide anymore. Coltrane couldn't hurt him anymore. Mara Giardino was going to be interviewed and charged in the next few hours and if he knew anything about Spikings and George Castle at the CPS there was no way she was going to be getting bail.

"Dempsey."

He turned, as if realising Harry was still stood there next to her, watching the same car pull away from the austere building.

"Yo."

"Did you really have to drive through the conservatory?"

"Yes." He avoided her gaze, knowing she was probably smirking. He knew his partner well enough to know when she was teasing him or genuinely annoyed. In the last three years they had been through so much, it didn't seem real. He sighed, walking away as she watched him.

"Dempsey."

Sighing heavily he looked at her as she walked towards him.

"What?"

"Its over." She looked up at him. "You did it. You got justice for what happened to Jimmy. You did that."

"Justice?" He shook his head before uncharacteristically handing her the keys to the car.

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Harry dropped him off at the flat he was renting before heading away from central London. There was paperwork to do but in that moment she decided it could wait. Mara wasn't going anywhere and since the woman had tried to kill her she knew there was no way Spikings would allow her to be the interviewing officer. She had almost been killed. It was an occupational hazard as far as life in SI10 was concerned but the way Dempsey had reacted had shaken her. Parking the car near to the bar she had planned on visiting to drown her sorrows she swore before turning the engine back on. She had to make him talk to her. There was no other way. She had to know why he had reacted the way he had.

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Dempsey walked into his bedroom, glad that he no longer had to pretend to be Lupo. He knew undercover was a part of his work but it didn't mean he had to like it. He wanted to be a cop all his life but he had to admit if he could turn back time, knowing what he knew now he wondered if he would become a cop at all. His friend was dead. Jimmy was dead. Harry nearly died. He closed his eyes as he covered his face with his hands. She was alive. Harry was fine. He had to make himself believe it. The moment he had left Butch all he had thought was that he had done it again - lost another partner. Lost Harry. They had been almost ripped apart in the past but this was different. This had been Coltrane and he knew, he knew in his soul if Harry was dead there was nothing on Earth that would stop him from ripping the world apart to make those responsible pay.

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Harry parked the car for the second time still unsure of what she was actually doing. She sighed as she looked up at the block of flats where her partner lived. Part of her wanted to run in, make sure he was ok, that he wasn't drunk and semi comatose or that his head injury hadn't got worse. The other half scolded her, stating that Dempsey probably had a pretty blonde in there with him, tending to his every need. She bit her lip at the stab of pain that image had brought her. She knew once that was exactly what she would have found but now things were different. They were different. Sighing she got out of the car knowing that she had to talk to him. There was nothing else that could be done. She had to know.

Approaching the steps she stopped to smile at the elderly man who held the door open for her. He muttered something about her being silly for being out so late alone before heading off with his dog. Harry rolled her eyes before getting to Dempsey's front door. She stopped, her hand about to knock the door when she thought better of it. Pulling the key out of her purse she knew there was no way she was going to allow him to pretend he wasn't in. She slipped through the door before quietly calling out his name. A stifled sob caught her attention. She paused for a moment before realising the noise was coming from Dempsey's bedroom. Stealing herself as to what she may find she pushed the bedroom door open.

"Dempsey?"

He was asleep on the bed, still fully dressed with tears running down his face. She crossed to him, careful not to trip over his discarded shoes. He mumbled something in his sleep as he seemed to curl in on himself.

"It's ok." Harry paused. "Its just me."

"Harry." He whispered as she watched his face. He was still asleep as she sat next to him on the bed.

"Hush." She soothed as if talking to a child.

"Stay." He mumbled. "Harry, please."

"I'm here." She brushed his dark hair away from his face. "Its ok."

Dempsey startled under her touch, eye opening as he pulled himself up to look at her.

"I."

"Its ok." She spoke calmly as he gently held her wrist.

"You were dead. Mara."

"Is in custody and I am alive." She paused. He nodded, holding her palm to his face. "Is that what you thought? When I threatened to shoot you? You thought I was dead?"

Dempsey nodded. "I. It was Jimmy all over again."

"No." She stated firmly. "No I am fine. You did not kill Jimmy and you didn't hurt me. None of this is on you. It is not your fault. You can go back to New York, pick up your life. Its over."

"You care about me."

"Still going on about that?" She smirked. "Not letting it go, are you Dempsey?"

"You said it, Princess."

She raised her eyebrows. "You can go back to New York, be a cop there."

"Yeah." He kissed her palm. "I can. I don't want to." He held her gaze as she felt her own eyes fill with tears.

"What do you want to do?" She swallowed hard.

"Stay." He paused as he felt his heart beat almost out of his chest. "Here. With you."

Harry smiled slightly as she let the words sink in.

"In the MET?"

"Wherever you are." He whispered as she felt his lips on the palm of her hand. She bit her lip before nodding once. "If you want me to?"

"Stay." Harry stated firmly. "Just stay."

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A/N its been a long time since I wrote any D&M stories. Hope this is ok.