AUTHOR:     Kandie
FANDOM;     The Bill
TITLE;      "When the going gets tough ..."
RATING;     PG
DISCLAIMER; If I owned these characters I'd be at the staff-writers
            meetings.  I don't and I'm not.  Go see Thames Television
            for the rights.
SPOILERS;   Major for "Different Strokes", fairly major for "Free to
            Speak" &  minor for "Not in the Script".  Not necessarily in
            that order.  BTW, any familiar dialogue comes from those
            episodes.  I get lazy sometimes.
CATEGORY;   Missing scenes, alternative endings - you name it.
NOTE;       *---* Indicates character's thoughts.
FEEDBACK;   I love it, I crave it, kandie@tinyonline.co.uk and I always
            reply ...

ANY PREVIOUS;  After a rocky start (See Chasm, either version) Steve & Nick
have tried to settle down.  Now they face a new test ...

________________________________________________________________________

Steve was packing his tote-bag when he heard the front door closing
quietly.  * He's back. *  Steve deliberately zipped up the bag.  He
straightened and headed out of the bedroom.  At the door he paused for a
moment, taking a deep breath.  He wrenched open the door and stepped
through.

Nick Slater was tip-toeing up the stairs.  He almost dropped his own bag
in surprise when he saw Steve on the landing.

"I thought you might still be asleep."

"Monroe had to change the shifts again," said Steve in a clipped voice.
"We were below the minimum strength."

"Right."  Nick refused to drop his eyes.  They'd had this argument
before, too many damn' times.  He was sick to the back teeth trying to
explain to Steve that he was not the sole reason the Relief was under-
manned.

Loxton blinked first.  "Are you going in ?"

"Of course."

"Not going to make the most of your absence ?"  Loxton regretted the
words as soon as they were out his mouth.

Slater finally lowered his eyes, shaking his head in disgust.  "Sure,
Steve.  I'll just call the Sarge and say they had to extend the course
by a day.  Then I'll head on up to the West End, see if I can get a few
new CD's, maybe take in a show ..."  He brushed passed Loxton still
shaking his head.

Loxton winced as the bedroom door slammed behind Slater.  * Way to go,
Steve.  He's only been back three minutes.  You couldn't have just said
"Welcome Home ?" *

Steve took a step towards the closed door.  He shut his eyes.  He took
another step and crossed his fingers.  "Can I give you a lift to the
station ?"

Everything was quiet for a moment then Slater's voice wafted through the
door.  "I still need to get changed.  You go on ahead."

Loxton's lips curled.  "Fine." he barked.  He whirled and clattered down
the stairs.

***

Nick sank back onto the bed and held his head in his hands.  * Welcome
home, Nicky. *

He glanced at the clock, he'd have to hurry if he was going to get to
the station on time.

He started to get changed.  For some reason he kept noticing things -
things that he'd never really thought about before.

His shoes in a pile at the bottom of the wardrobe tangled up with
Steve's.  His uniform shirts hanging at one side of the same wardrobe.

Slater looked around the room with new eyes.

Steve's pride and joy - a model E-type resting on the window-sill.  And
opposite it, a model of the "Flying Scotsman".  Steve had his cars, Nick
had his train ...

Nick grinned to himself - he didn't even like trains !

The grin faded.  Loxton had not wanted that model in his room.  But he'd
relented when Nick had explained what it meant to him.

Nick stopped as he went to put his tooth brush and razor back in their
usual place, right beside Steve's.  He stumbled back to the bed and sat
down heavily.

He wanted to make a go of this relationship, he really did.  But he also
wanted to go to SO10.  He knew he would be good at undercover work.
Even Steve had admitted that when they were talking about it.  But now
it was one step closer.

This was not being posted to CID for the afternoon.  It was not going
out in plain clothes.  This was serious.  This was being away for weeks,
possibly months at a time.  Could he really ask Steve to wait ?
Afterall if being away for three days put Steve in such a foul mood with
him what would it be like when he was away for three months ?

Slater grimaced remembering his first interview with the legendary
Sergeant Merrick.  He'd almost choked when Merrick had asked if he had a
steady girlfriend.  Slater's coy "Not exactly" had only led to a warning
that he would not be able to talk about his work with casual partners -
as if there was anything "casual" about Steve !

Slater shook his head slightly.  He had naively thought that Steve would
be pleased for him.
One, he was young.  Two,  he was keen.  Three, his partner was already
in the police.  He'd understand the pressures of undercover assignment.
But in all his excitement Slater had forgotten to consider how Steve
would really feel.  It had been too good to be true ...

Slater checked the clock again.  Now he was definitely going to be late.

***

Loxton drove automatically his mind focused on other things, another
person.

Slater had only been away for three days and Steve had missed him.

The little things that Nick did, the things that Steve had never noticed
before - the outside light being left on for him for instance.  That
first night Nick had been away, Steve had fumbled with his keys,
dropping them twice before he'd managed to find the right one.  He'd
given himself a stern warning to remember to leave the porch light on
for the next night, but he'd forgotten ...  Nick never forgot.

Coming home to a warm house.  Steve had been putting off having central-
heating installed since he bought the place.  With the size of his over-
draft central-heating was a distant dream.  But Nick always turned on
the heaters if they were on different shifts.  They were only on for an
hour at most, and Steve switched them off as soon as he came in, but it
did mean that he could get changed without worrying about hypothermia
...

Post sorted into important and junk.  A fresh loaf in the bread-box.
Fresh milk in the fridge  All the things that Slater did to make his
life more comfortable.  And what had he done ?  Complained about the
cost of electricity.

Steve sighed to himself as Sunhill Station came into view.  He'd hardly
noticed the route he'd taken, he'd been so caught up in his own
thoughts.  * Not a good way to drive. *  He parked the car and took a
deep breath before getting out and locking the vehicle.

"Mornin', Steve !"

"George."  Loxton acknowledged Garfield's greeting and walked into the
Station with him.

"Did you see the match last night ?"

"Only the highlights."  Steve ruefully reflected that if an ability to
keep one's thoughts from showing on one's face was the only thing an
undercover officer needed, BOTH he and Slater would be prime candidates.

***

"Well done, Nick."  Conway's hearty tones.

"Yes, very well done." Brownlow's plummy ones.

"Thank you, sir."  * Stand up straight, don't fidget. *  This was awful.
Nick had never had to face the two most senior officers of Sunhill
before.  He supposed that he should be grateful - they only wanted to
congratulate him afterall - but all he wanted was out.  The shift
briefing would already have started ...

"You should be proud of yourself."

"Yes, sir."  * Oh God, just let me out of here. *

"Still, I hope you're anxious to get back on the beat."

"Of course, sir."  * Anywhere but this office. *

"Good.  Then we won't keep you."

"Sir."  Slater turned and left the room calmly, softly closing the door
behind him.  Then he sprinted for the stairs.  * Late, late, late, late,
LATE. *

***

Steve's heart sank to somewhere in the heel of his boots when Cryer
announced that Slater would be his operator in Sierra 1 for the shift.

It was all very well storming off in a bad mood when your partner pissed
you off, but what happened when you then had to work with him for a
further eight hours ?

A child could have cut the atmosphere in the car with a lollipop.

"You gonna tell me or what ?"

"Not much to tell, it's all pretty obvious stuff."

"No, I mean, how d'you get on ?  Did you pass ?"

"Yeah."  Well, thank god Nick had told him, finally.

"Heard you trained with the SAS ?"

"Be good if we did."

"C'mon.  I was in the army.  It can't be that top secret."

"No, it's not.  It's exactly what you'd expect."

"Routine stuff, pretty tedious then." said Steve sarcastically.

"Not at all.  You know what it's like."  Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"Suit yourself." growled Steve.  He turned the corner with a squeal of
the tyres.

Slater sighed to himself.  He didn't like keeping secrets from Steve.
But there was no way he could talk about what he'd been doing on the
course.  Everyone had had to sign so many documents guaranteeing
confidentiality.  Nick was half afraid that Merrick, or one of his
minions, was stowed away in the boot of the car, just waiting for him to
mouth off ...

* That way madness lies ...*

***

Loxton had high hopes at refs that things might actually be okay.  He'd
teased Nick about the course, Nick had responded.  Maybe it wasn't so
bad afterall.  Just because he'd passed the course didn't mean he'd
become an undercover officer.  Somehow Steve couldn't seem to bring
himself to imagine Nick socialising with the low- lifes they
encountered.

Loxton chuckled with the others when Nick made a generalised joke about
the course.  It would be okay.  They both had practise at hiding things
from their colleagues.  When they were alone Nick would open up to him.
They could do this.  Then a brief frown crossed Loxton's face.  They had
been alone together already - and Nick had not confided in him.  But
then Loxton had hardly been in an understanding mood.  He tried not to
look too closely as Slater left the table.

***

Slater ploughed along the corridor engrossed in his own thoughts.

"Nick !"  Cryer's abrupt shout pulled him up sharply.

"Can you come in please ?"  Slater nodded and stepped into the office.
"Close the door."  Cryer noted the expression of uneasiness that flitted
across Slater's face.  "Saw you in the canteen just now with your
mates."

Slater's face lightened perceptibly.  "Yeah, they were givin' me a bit
of stick but nothing I can't handle.

"Have you thought what it'll be like a few years down the line without
any mates ?"

Nick stared at him dumbfounded.  "Sarge ?"

***

Slater had been unusually quiet as they made their way back to the car
after Refs.  Steve had been tempted to call him on it, but before he had
a chance Ackland had called over the radio.  Marlene Franklin had a
visitor again.  They'd dealt with her earlier.  Looked like they needed
to go back.  Loxton grunted - Domestics !  Who'd have 'em ?

***

They'd met the infamous boyfriend - one Damian Brown.  Two days out of
prison and already the cause of police attention.  Some people never
learned ...  But it was a domestic.  And they had no right to interfere.
A point Loxton had to re-iterate twice when Nick seemed to find
something of interest in Marlene's new living arrangements.

Loxton just wanted out of there.  There was nothing more they could do.
They couldn't arrest Brown for not committing a crime.  They would just
have to wait and see.  Sure, if Brown beat Marlene to a pulp they'd be
able to arrest him no bother but unless he did - no dice.  Steve
sometimes wondered about the wisdom of the British Justice system ...

"You never give anyone a chance do you !"

Loxton sighed.  Slater sounded really, REALLY annoyed.

"What ?"

"Tony said whoever was breaking into those cars was taking the parking
tickets with them."

"So ?"  Loxton kept walking down the steps to the flats.

"Well," Slater stopped on the stairs.  "There's a bowl of parking
tickets in there."  He gestured with his thumb up to the floor they'd
just left.

"From the Wharf Street carpark ?"

"I don't know.  I couldn't see.  You didn't give me enough time."

"Okay, Super- sleuth.  So I got it wrong - again !"  Steve continued
down the stairs.  Slater raised his eyes sky-wards.

***

The call from Quinnan and Jarvis came through just as Steve and Nick
were returning to the car.  Description of the suspect, direction he was
heading.  Straight from the Wharf Street car park onto Gunner Street,
heading towards the river.  Quinnan almost sounded relieved thought
Loxton.  * But then I'd be pretty relieved if I had a definite suspect
after he'd broken into a car right under my nose too. *  Loxton looked
up into Slater's "I told you so" expression.  He threw up his hands in
defeat.

"All right !  The tickets could give us a lead.  Let's go back."

****

Loxton couldn't believe it.  In the space of a few seconds his partner
was suspended over a three  storey drop.  Steve reached for his radio
sending out the silent SOS pulses, all the time talking in a soothing
tone of voice, agreeing, promising, assuring the madman that it would be
okay - and trying to ask for help without Brown realising it.

When back-up finally arrived he'd pulled on Brown, tossing the
distraught man to the ground.  It was left to McCann to catch Nick,
reassure him.  Loxton was too busy screaming for Brown to shut up ...

***

Slater silently offered a cup of tea to Loxton.  Steve blew over its
surface and took a sip.  "How's your back ?"

Slater's face creased, "Still kinda stiff."  He pushed back his
shoulders and rubbed the small of his back.

"Go for a bath," Steve ordered.  "It'll help, believe me."

Nick nodded and with a ghost of a smile he headed up the stairs to the
bathroom.

Steve watched him go.  Slowly he took a sip of his tea.

* I can't do it. *  The thought flashed across his mind.

Steve wanted to tell Nick to go for it.  He wanted to say that SO10 was
a good career move.  He wanted to be able to say that he'd be waiting
for him whenever he finished an operation - but he just couldn't.

Sure their job was dangerous.  He'd had enough close shaves in his
career to know that.  So had his colleagues.  Some of them had not
survived.  But he'd never been in love with any of the people they'd
lost.  He'd come that close to losing Slater in a tumbled heap of broken
bones  * Sixty feet down ! *

Steve shuddered remembering the relief he'd felt when back-up had
arrived.  He could not remember the platitudes he'd spoken to Brown, but
he did remember the sheer fury he felt when he had the guy down on the
ground.  If there had not been another officer there to help subdue the
man ...

Loxton shook his head.

Slater's life had been threatened.  And he'd been right in the middle of
it.  If this was how he felt when he could do something to help Nick,
how the hell would he feel when he couldn't ?

Steve sank heavily into the kitchen chair.  His fingertips traced a
random pattern around his tea mug.  He allowed his mind to drift ...
The first time he'd seen Nick in uniform.  The first time he'd seen him
in civvies.  The grin that had sneaked out when Slater recounted a
particularly ribald joke.  That first hesitant kiss.  Their first night
together.  * Anybody monitoring the Richter Scale ? *

Steve's gaze fell on the table top.  Dimly he was aware of the bath
running above him.  "I need to let go, even 'though I don't want to." he
whispered.  At last Steve could articulate his feelings and despite
himself he felt marginally better for doing so. He tried to even out his
train of thought.

* I think about him all the time.  It's different on the Relief.  Even
if we're not together, I can still hear his voice.  I can still call him
up.  And I can still see him at the end of the shift.  But undercover
... *  Steve bowed his head, imagining interminable days and nights
simply waiting for a call.  Waiting ...  Worrying ...

And it was not fair to Nick.  Nick knew him more intimately than anyone
else.  While in uniform Steve Loxton was the proverbial ice berg, but
when they were together ... more often than not it was sweet desert
nights.  Nick would know, did know that Steve was not happy.  And being
Nick, he'd worry about it.  It might distract him ...

Steve sighed.

The only thing that would keep him sane at this point would be Slater
giving up on SO10.

Loxton cared too deeply for Slater.  He could not bear the thought of
him going into danger with no back-up.  But those same feelings stopped
him from asking Slater to give it all up for him.  What if he did and
Nick stayed ?  It wouldn't be long before resentment seeped into their
relationship.  Nick would be always wondering what could have been and
he would be wondering if he was enough to keep Slater close.  That was
no way to live.

Loxton shook his head.  There was no other way.  They would have to go
on their separate paths.

* I'll speak to him tonight. *

***

Slater exhaled slowly as he sank into the bath.  He could almost feel
the tension slipping from his body.  He settled back and closed his
eyes.

If ever there was a day that ran a roller-coaster of emotions, this was
it.

The stilted atmosphere when he'd arrived home, the mostly good-natured
jokes of the rest of the Relief, Cryer's impassioned speeches ...

Funnily enough, it was the Sergeant's attempts to steer him away from
SO10 that had decided him.

Slater knew that he would make a good undercover officer.  He had the
patter, the manner and the ability.  He was sick and tired of reacting
to crimes, picking up the pieces.  As an undercover officer he would be
there to observe, to report back, to get the bastards off the streets.
The defence lawyers might squeal "Entrapment" with every breath, but it
was not as if their clients were doing anything they wouldn't normally
do ...

Slater was more than okay with his motivations for going undercover.
But Cryer had tried to put him off - "Where's your friends, where's your
wife and kids ?  You want to think about where you'll be in ten years
time !"

Well, Slater did not know about ten years hence.  But he did know that a
wife was not part of the equation.  How could you tell THAT to a fifty
year old Sergeant ?

Nick ducked his head and shoulders beneath the water.  He surfaced,
feeling the water running in rivulets down his face.

* Family I can do without. * he told himself.  He reached for the soap,
wincing at the twinge in his back, * But Steve ? *

Slater sank against the enamel.

Steve Loxton had saved his life this afternoon.  If it wasn't for Steve
he could well be just another fatality, another statistic, adding to the
percentage of police officers killed on the job.

But that hadn't happened.  He could remember the dizzy feeling that had
come over him when he looked over the parapet.  He knew he had no head
for heights but he did need a distraction from Loxton crouching over his
attacker.  Slater was very glad that there had been another officer to
aid the apprehension of Damian Brown.  He'd seen the look of fury on
Loxton's face ...

Slater sat up sharply, tepid water sloshing around him.

He couldn't do it.  He just couldn't.  He could not put Steve through
that again.  If he was going to SO10  he should go alone.

* Are you going for undercover ? *

Slater's body tensed as he finally considered every eventuality.  He
took a shaky breath.

Yes, he was going to go for it.  It was not that his career was more
important than Steve - far from it.  But this was the reason he had
joined the police - the opportunity to really do some good.  And he
could not have everything.  As he'd said to Cryer earlier - "If I'm not
prepared to risk it, I shouldn't be in this job at all.  I might as well
go back to being a salesman."

Okay, so he hadn't fully realised what he would be giving up then.  But
the principle still held.  He had to do this.  He had to show them all
that he was capable.  Especially Steve.

Nick crawled from the bath.  He dragged a towel from the radiator and
wrapped it around himself, cradling his sides.  He gazed at his
reflection in the mirror.

* Is there a good way to say it's all over ? *

His reflection's face only tightened at the thought.  Nick lowered his
eyes, staring at the floor.  * Guess not. *

Slater could hear Steve moving through the house.

* Tell him.  I'll tell him tonight. *

***

Nick quietly entered the sitting room and took precious moments to gaze
over at Steve, committing every hair, every bone, every pore of skin to
his memory.  He might not get another chance.

As if aware of scrutiny Steve suddenly looked up and caught Nick's eyes.
He smiled tightly.  "Better ?"

Slater nodded.  "A bit."

Loxton patted the sofa cushion beside him, "We need to talk."

Nick settled himself beside Steve, "Whatever you say, oh communicative
one."

"Quit it."

Nick was already ashamed of his words.  Silently he sat beside Steve.
The urge to simply blurt everything out was almost tangible, but he bit
his tongue and took his cue from Steve.

Once Slater was beside him Loxton relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of
closeness.  His mind was cursing him for being a sentimental fool, but
Steve was past caring.  He wanted to remember this moment, preserve it
forever.  Two people, on the surface so different, at their core so
similar.  Steve grunted to himself.  That was part of the problem.

Nick was beginning to get restless at the continued silence.  "Penny for
them ?"

"My thoughts are more expensive than that."

"Okay, a pound.  That's my final offer."

Steve smiled affectionately, "They'd make mincemeat of you in any self
respecting market."

"You're probably right."  Nick turned to face Steve.  He opened his
mouth to speak, but Steve cut him off.

"You're supposed to LOWER the price, not raise it."  He threw his arm
around Slater's shoulders and drew him closer.  "Just remember that when
you're bargaining for drugs.  SO10 still has to work to a budget you
know."

Nick looked up to Steve's face in surprise.  "You mean you're okay with
me going undercover ?"

Steve registered the tone of hope in Nick's voice and had to quell it
quickly.  He shook his head sadly squeezing Slater's shoulder.  "No I'm
not."  He sighed and tried to find the right words.

"You're going to be a good, a great undercover officer.  One of the
best.  If I was just one of the guys on the Relief one half of me would
be jealous as hell of the way you're career is going, the other half
would be wishing you well."

"And you don't ?" Slater's voice was quiet.

"Oh, Nick." Steve's voice was barely above a whisper.  He ran his thumb
back and forth over Slater's shoulder.  "I wish you well.  More than
well." he unknowingly echoed Cryer's words.  He took a deep breath.
"And I wish I could be there for you."

"But you can't do it."   Their gazes locked.

Steve drew Nick's head onto his chest and rested his chin on the short
dark hair.  "No, I can't.  I'm sorry, but I can't.  When Brown grabbed
you ..."

"Don't."  Nick tightened his grip around Steve's waist.  "You're not the
only one that had an eye-opener this afternoon."  He sighed into Steve's
chest.  "I saw you, you know.  I saw what you were going through.  I saw
what you could of done to him.  And I realised what I would be putting
you through if I was away undercover."

Steve was nodding.  "Forgive me ?"

"Steve I love you !" the admission passed Slater's lips before he knew
it.  He looked up uncertainly, "I could forgive you anything.  But I
can't cause you pain, or worry.  I'd never forgive myself.  D'you
understand ?"

"Completely." assured Steve.  He guided Nick's head back to his chest
and tightened his arms around him revelling in the sensation as Nick
answered his grip with his own.

For long moments they stayed like that, entwined around each other.
Eventually, and seemingly by mutual agreement, they parted.  Their eyes
met.  Loxton smiled sadly.

"Most of me wants to beg you not to go ..."

"But you never beg."

Loxton's smile turned rueful.  "You know me so well." he said dryly.
Then his tone softened, "I'll miss you."

Slater nodded.  "I'll miss you too."

The kiss was sweet and long.  Neither man could quite believe that their
short but intense relationship was finished for good.


***

Loxton tried to put his conflicting emotions on a more even keel as he
explained the plan to George Garfield.  " ... so the waiters are duty
bound to put Nick under arrest ..."

"And they've been told not to mention us to the officers."  Quinnan was
very pleased with the plan.

"The perfect end to the perfect evening." muttered Skase.

"Got your money ready, George ?"  Quinnan winked.

George was understandably miffed that so much thought had gone into the
operation.  "I didn't know you had all this planned.  All bet's are off,
unnerstan' ?"

"What bets ?" asked Skase.

Quinnan giggled.  "George bet twenty quid that Slater would get his leg-
over with Debbie Keane."

Skase snorted.  "You've lost that, George." he said as he loosened his
tie.  "I mean if I couldn't ..." he trailed off as he realised what he
had almost said, but it was too late.

"You mean you tried it on ?"

"Well,"  Rod was acutely uncomfortable.  "I tested the water, didn't I
?"

"And she turned you down ?"  Quinnan was grinning from ear to ear.

Rod sighed in a world-weary fashion.  "Her loss, Dave."  He winced as
uproarious laughter from his colleagues echoed throughout the pub.

***

"I think you work better around people."  "It can get lonely" - Cryer's
words must have been bothering him more than he'd thought.  It was one
of the reasons Slater had asked Keane out to dinner.  He needed to know
that there was some one he could talk to, some one who wouldn't give him
grief for not staying in touch.  He couldn't ask it of Steve - a clean
break should mean exactly that.  It was going to be more painful in the
short term, but both he and Steve had agreed that it was for the best.

It was a strange dinner.  The place was nice enough although the service
was pretty atrocious for a supposedly four star restaurant.  The waiters
were always looking over at their table, but they were still slow to
bring the drinks, the food and clear the table.  And their dishes seemed
very paltry compared to the other diners.

But to be honest, Nick hardly noticed.  He was more concerned about
leaving Sunhill with one friendship still intact.

When Rod Skase called him on his mobile asking if he would come down to
the Station to identify a suspect, Nick could have easily sworn a blue
streak.  But he didn't.  He agreed to meet Rod outside the restaurant.

***

Slater still could not work out what Skase had been up to.  It was
obvious that he'd tried to play some sort of prank but what ?

The maitre'd had almost choked when Slater had paid the bill.  At his
strangled "Please call again !" Nick had only raised an eyebrow - * Not
bloody likely ! *

He and Debbie made their way out to the taxi.  Slater had the door open,
but Debbie slammed it shut, caught his hand and dragged him round to the
other side.

"I think this door is better, Nick."

"You what ?"

"Don't look now, but there's an obo in the pub.  I can see Rod Skase and
his mates."

Nick glanced out the corner of his eye, just in time to see a very
familiar blonde fringe duck under the line of the net curtains in the
pub window opposite.  He wasn't sure who he was more annoyed with -
Skase for trying to sabotage his dinner, or Steve for spying on him.

"D'you think they're watching us ?"

Debbie grinned.  "I do.  And I think we should give them something to
watch, don't you ?"  With that she reached forward, grasped Nick's head
and kissed him passionately.

Slater's patented goldfish impression was probably not the best move in
this position, but he couldn't help his mouth opening when Debbie broke
away.

"What are you doing ?" he spluttered in shock.

"So put your arms around me !"  Debbie re-attached her mouth to his and
Nick was helpless to do anything but obey.

Four heads cautiously emerged above the curtains in the pub.

Debbie stepped back still grinning.  She reached for the car door
handle.  Nick stopped her.  "Debbie, Debbie," he said desperately, "We
are still just friends aren't we ?"

Debbie laughed as she pulled him into the taxi, "Of course, but that's
not what they'll be saying in the morning !"

The door slammed behind them and the taxi drove off.

***

"Definitely tongues involved."  Loxton fought to keep his voice matter
of fact as he jumped down from the sofa.

"Yeah, no question."  Quinnan sounded disappointed.

"Reckon that's a score you owe me, Dave."  Garfield grinned.

"Hold on, hold on.  That was just snogging."

"Yeah, but we all know what's going to happen, don't we ?"

"I want evidence before I pay up." declared Quinnan.

Loxton nodded.  "Yeah" he added quietly.  He couldn't agree more.
Surely Nick wouldn't do that to him.

"Alright, we'll listen outside their door.  Get that down your necks and
I'll call a cab."  Garfield drained his own drink.

"Woah !  Woah !  Let's knock this on the head.  Nothing is going to
happen between Slater and Debbie Keane, I guarantee it."

Skase sounded so sure of himself that Loxton briefly wondered if he had
some how found out about his and Nick's brief relationship.

"And how do you know ?" questioned Garfield a superior look on his face.

"Because the woman is a tease, George."  Loxton breathed a quiet sigh of
relief.  "Now, let's sit down, relax and have a drink.  Nothing is going
to happen." Skase assured.

Quinnan and Garfield erupted into laughter.  Loxton tried but could only
manage a chuckle for appearances.

***

Nick walked Debbie back to her room in the sectionhouse, both of them
giggling like idiots.

"When they tell Reg it'll be all round the Division !"

"All round the Met !  There goes my reputation !"

"What reputation ?!"

"Oi !"  Debbie playfully slapped Nick's arm and fumbled around for her
keys.  Unsteadily she opened the door to her room then turned to face
Nick.

"It's been fun hasn't it ?"  Nick asked, painfully aware of what he'd
neglected to tell Debbie during their farewell dinner.

"What, tonight ?"

"Nah, I mean being at Sunhill together."

"Yeah ..."

"I'm really going to miss you, Debs." Nick blurted.  And it wasn't a
lie.  He would miss her - and Tony, and Polly, even Reg.  But he'd miss
Steve more.

Debbie laid a gentle finger across Slater's lips.  "Sssh.  I hate
goodbyes."

"I know the feeling."  Slater grasped Debbie's hands in his and squeezed
tightly.  "See you around then ?"

Keane smiled, "Yeah, see ya' Nick."  She tightened her own grasp then
let their hands fall stepping back into her room and closing the door
with a decisive click.  Nick turned away.  Now, only one more score to
settle.

***

Two figures lumbered along the corridor in a lurching crouch.

"Christ's sake, it's not the bloody SAS !" hissed Skase.

Garfield and Quinnan glanced at each other and peeled with laughter.

"Will you two shut up !  We're nearly at her door !"  Skase pushed aside
his more inebriated colleagues and settled outside Keane's room.  He
pressed his ear to the door, a slight look of worry on his face.  Then
his expression cleared.  "Nothing."  He turned back to face the other
two, smugness oozing from every pore.

"You're kidding !"  Garfield stumbled forward to join Skase at the door.
He listened intently to ... no sounds whatsoever.

Dave stood above George.  He too listened closely.  A slow smile spread
across his face and he stepped away.

"That's a score YOU owe ME, George."

The three men softly made their way back down the corridor.

"I was so sure !"  Garfield sounded plaintive.

"Like I said, George.  The woman's a tease."  As it had in the pub
earlier this comment illicited another round of guffaws.

"Keep it down !"  Skase entreated and hustled the two of them forward.

***

Keane silently opened the door and watched her colleagues disappear
around the corner.  She grinned to herself.  * Little boys with their
little games. *  She closed the door and finished undressing.  She slid
between the cold sheets shivering as the chill robbed her body of it's
heat.  It was at times like these that she almost wished that she'd
invited somebody in ...

Debbie pulled the duvet closer almost cocooning herself.  She'd known
something was up as soon as Skase had pulled up in his own car.  And she
was right.  Skase was obviously jealous that she'd agreed to go out to
dinner with Nick yet had turned him down.  She smiled almost in pity.
Rod Skase would never understand that men and women could be just
friends ...

***

"Maybe they went to his room !"

"Give it a rest, George.  There is no way Nick Slater is getting his
leg-over with Debbie Keane.  Face it, you lost the bet."

"Okay, okay." grumbling Garfield passed a twenty pound note over to
Quinnan.  Quinnan kissed it theatrically.  "Well, lads, the kebabs are
on me !"

***

Slater impatiently pressed the doorbell of Steve's house.  He was going
to give him hell ...

The door creaked open.  A bleary eye gazed out over the chain.  "Nick !"
Steve sounded delighted.  The door closed enough for Steve to release
the chain before he opened it wide.  "What are you doing here ?"

"Oh, just passing by.  Last night in Sunhill and all that."

Steve closed the door and followed Nick into the sitting room.

Slater turned to face Steve and crossed his arms deliberately.  "So, did
you have a pleasant evening ?" he asked coldly.

* Shit !  He saw me ! *  "Just a few drinks with the lads."

"Anywhere nice ?  Anywhere I'd know ?  Anywhere near Purchase Gardens
for example ?"

Steve dropped his eyes.  "Could have been." he mumbled.

"What the hell were you playing at !"

"It was all George's fault !"

Slater said nothing.  Only two fingers tapping against his arm revealed
his growing impatience.

"See, George bet Dave that you and Debbie would end up in bed together."
Steve's voice grew quieter as he realised that no matter how he told
this story he would still be in trouble.  "And Dave and I decided to
make sure that he lost."

"By ... ?" Slater's face was getting darker by the second.  His fingers
had stopped tapping, but now his foot had started.

"By telling the restaurant manager that you were a con-artist who
wouldn't pay for the meal.  The waiters were supposed to make a
citizen's arrest when you went out to meet Rod." Steve whispered.

"WHAT !" roared Nick.  He started to pace.  "Well that certainly
explains a few things."  The funny looks they'd been getting from the
restaurant staff, the minuscule dishes they'd been served.  "You bastard
!"

"Sorry, Nick."

Slater had not heard him.  "No wonder things were so weird."  He stopped
his pacing and whirled to face Steve, "And I can't believe I still left
them a tip !"

Steve finally looked up from the floor and caught sight of Nick's
furious expression.  He couldn't seem to help himself, his lips started
to twitch.

"It's not funny !" Nick shouted.

Loxton shook his head rapidly willing an attack of the giggles back -
this was definitely not the time.

"Did you really think I'd try to bed Debbie two days after telling you
that I loved you ?"  It was obvious that Slater was still angry but his
voice was quieter now.  Loxton sobered abruptly.

"No, I didn't."  He reached out his hand in a gesture of peace.  "And I
am sorry, truly sorry.  I don't know what came over me."  A little white
lie under these circumstances was entirely justified.

Slater sighed.  "Well, I'm glad you explained it all."  he moved away
from Steve towards the door.  "And thanks for making my last night in
Sunhill such a memorable one." he added sarcastically.

Loxton caught his shoulder.  "You don't have to go."

Slater could not bring himself to turn round.  "Yes I do.  It's supposed
to be a clean break remember ?"

Steve squeezed his shoulder.  "I remember.  But it is your last night.
Why not spend it in your own bed ?"

"My gear's at the sectionhouse and besides it's your bed."  Slater still
hadn't turned round.

Steve stepped forward and massaged the stony shoulders.  "You'd have
loads of time to collect it and it's not my bed, it's ours."  He felt
Slater's tense posture relax a fraction and taking a chance he gently
pulled Nick around to face him.

"Stay ?"

Nick gazed up into the grey eyes.  His bad temper melted away under the
power of Steve's expression.

Automatically he took a step forward then stopped.  "You haven't made
any more bets about where I'm sleeping tonight have you ?"

Steve tenderly stroked back Nick's fringe.  "Nope."

"That's a relief."  Nick allowed himself to sink into Steve's embrace.

***

Steve lay on his side, head propped up against his fist and watched Nick
sleeping.

He never wanted this to end.

But it was going to - Steve glanced at the alarm clock - in two hours
time.

Gently Steve fingered Nick's dark hair.  He bent over his ear.  "I do
love you, you know."

Slater stirred quietly, rubbing into Steve's hand at his hair.

Steve smiled, settled himself along Slater's body and rested his arm
over Nick's back drawing him closer.  "Be lucky." he whispered and
softly kissed Nick's forehead.

Loxton's eyes drifted shut.


THE END