Friday, 7th October 2022

Roy stepped into Nate and Beard's office. He stood there for a moment and then let out a tiny bark. Nate froze, Beard turned to look at him.

"I need to speak," Roy said.

Nate turned with glee, Beard reached for his phone. Roy waited patiently for Higgins to show up.

"What do you need to talk about, Roy?" Nate asked.

Roy groaned. "I want to live in the house I'm renovating."

The room was silent.

"I need more information," Nate said.

"I was renovating it to rent out or sell or…" Roy thought about Jamie sitting in the kitchen while he cooked. "But, now I think I want to live there…permanently."

"Alone?" Higgins asked.

Roy frowned. "Of course alone."

"Is there a reason you can't leave the house you live in now?" Nate asked, obviously trying to work out what was happening.

"I haven't lived anywhere on a permanent basis since I was nine."

Beard's eyes widened.

"Why?" Nate asked.

"I moved to Sunderland and moved around each year to a new host family. I haven't had a home since my grandad died."

"When you were nine?" Higgins checked.

Roy grunted his agreement.

"And since then, where have you lived…as an adult?" Nate asked.

"I move around to whichever house I'm redoing for my portfolio. If I'm not working on a property, I rent a room from a little old lady who used to be friends with my grandad."

"Roy Kent rents a room from a little old lady?" Nate asked.

Roy growled at Nate.

"Why do you want to live in the house you're renovating?" Higgins asked.

"Because I…don't want anyone else to live there."

"I thought Jamie was living there at the moment," Nate said.

Higgins eyes widened but not with surprise – like he was shocked someone had actually admitted to their living situation out loud.

"That's not the same," Roy said. "He needed a place to live."

"Would you ask him to move out?" Higgins asked.

Roy froze. "He wouldn't want to live with me."

"Bullshit," Beard said.

"He wouldn't, you remember what happened with Keeley…and we weren't living together but I'm too much and Jamie and I aren't…why would he want to live with me when he sees me at work all day. It's not about fucking Jamie."

"Move into the house," Higgins said. "You like the house; you've made it something you want so make it permanent."

"The thing is I know it's not a good idea to expect anything to be permanent or my plans to work out."

"You should talk to Dr Sharon about that," Nate said.

Beard pointed at Nate. "What he said."

"You are allowed to make yourself a home, Roy," Higgins said. "It's okay to want things for yourself that make you happy. Some things…some people want to stick around and grow with you and won't leave you behind."

"Woof woof," Roy said, turning around walking away from the group. He was followed by the sound of the rest of them barking quietly.

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