tango65

Its Christmas and the lads are getting together - but will they get what they want most?

Bodie opened his door and nearly fell backwards in shock. Seemingly walking towards him was a Christmas tree, which was undulating awkwardly as it made its way down the hall.

“Ray?” he called out uncertainly. Worryingly, there was no answer, but before he had the chance to step out or call again, the tree seemed to explode forwards. Bodie ducked instinctively as parts of the tree rocketed towards him and then looked up in horror to see his partner fighting over a gun, with a man he had never seen before.

Bodie did not hesitate and raced forward, dodging the litter of the Christmas tree to try to reach the fracas and back his partner. Before he could get there, the gun went off, once, twice, three times and then everything stopped for a breath, before both men collapsed.

“Ray!” Bodie shouted as he reached the men, removing his jacket as he noticed blood pooling between them. He fell to his knees next to his partner, looking for the wound, when Doyle’s eyes opened and he look past Bodie, eyes wide. He suddenly sat up, grab the gun which lay between the two fallen men and to Bodie’s shock again, shot past him. Bodie turned at the sound of the bullet hitting the other man, just in time to see him fall once more, a bullet between his eyes and a second gun falling from his limp hand.

The scene held for a moment of silence, which was only broken as Doyle groaned and lay down, clutching the slowly oozing wound on his shoulder.

“How bad?” Bodie asked urgently. “Flesh wound” Doyle whispered between gritted teeth, “but it hurts like hell.” Bodie gently helped him up and into his flat as he reassured the other residents who had finally come out, that all was safe and that he would contact the police.

Waiting only long enough to settle Doyle at the kitchen table with a towel staunching his wound, Bodie called to report in. He knew the response would be quick and within ten minutes, Doyle was being treated, the morgue van had arrived to pick up the deceased and Bodie was giving a quick report to the Office on Duty. He was not looking forward to reporting to Cowley, who was on the way.

Bodie turned to hear Doyle arguing with the medic that he was “NOT” going to hospital. Not getting any support from Bodie when he looked for it, the medic sighed. He bandaged the wound and watched (with Bodie glaring in the background), until Doyle had taken the painkillers he had been given. Doyle was to visit the CI5 doctor the next day for further assessment.

Soon enough, Cowley arrived in the kitchen at full roar. “What the hell happened?”. Bodie shrugged in Doyle’s direction and the man in question sighed, before telling the tale.

“I had arranged to bring a Christmas tree over. My local grocer had kept one for me and this had been the first chance for me to do this.” He glared at Cowley, his look speaking the words “and whose fault was that.” When Cowley did nothing more than glare back, he continued. “I had buzzed Bodie at the front door and was making my way in with the tree, when a man appeared and offered to help. I was in the process of declining, when he shoved the gun against my neck and pushed me in to the building.”

“Who was he?” Cowley demanded.

“I had never seen him before.” Doyle and Cowley looked to Bodie who also shook his head. Neither had he.

A call from the door drew Cowley’s attention as the Duty Officer supplied an update. Returning after a few minutes conversation, Cowley brought them up to to speed. “Wrong place, wrong time” he said blandly. “Who, him or me?” asked Doyle disinterestedly, the pain killers starting to take effect. “Him” Cowley responded with a sharp look. “He was the ex partner of a former resident of this building. They had moved out in fear and for good reason it seems.” Cowley continued, “He was identified by a neighbour who had helped the ex partner to move out.”

“An unfortunate experience all round” Cowley finished off before turning and heading towards the door, his mind already on the next crisis. “Full reports on my desk by 8am tomorrow” he called over his shoulder as he left, to the groans of the men remaining in the kitchen. The cleanup crew had already finished and all that was left was them and the forlorn remains of the Christmas tree, which had been dragged into the flat and was now lying in the living room.

With a sigh, Doyle stood carefully and called to his partner as he went to the living room “Come on, we best finish this.” Bodie followed in confusion, “Finish what?”. Doyle responded, “I didn’t go through all this, to not have a Christmas tree setup.” They set up the tree with the worst of the damage facing the wall. Once the decorations and lights where in place, you had to look closely to see any sign of the misadventure the tree had experienced.

Bodie smiled at the tree lighting up the room and turned to share his pleasure with his partner. However, when he turned, first he saw tonsils, followed by a wavering body. “C’mon sunshine, time for all good elves to be resting.”

Doyle still wavering, opened his eyes and gave a watered down version of his trademark glare, too tired to do any more. He didn’t resist however, when Bodie pulled him to his side and led him to his bedroom. Nor did he resist as Bodie carefully undressed him and laid him in his bed. As he Bodie rose to go, Doyle grabbed his arm “Don’t go!” he demanded urgently. “Just going to lock up”, Bodie replied with a small smile. Reluctantly, Doyle let go, but Bodie could see that his partner would not rest, until he was back.

Sure enough, droopy eyes were watching as steadfast as a tin soldier and did not close until Bodie had joined him in bed. Doyle snuggled close in his arms and with a loud, satisfying sigh and one more wiggle, closed his eyes and went to sleep. Bodie smiled as he drew him closer, his partner safe and in his arms – best present ever!

Discovered in a Snow Globe – A snowglobe

They were undercover again, although not the way that he wanted to be, Bodie thought, as he kept a poker face and moved under the direction of the photographer. He wanted to be under the covers, not undercover, but at least his partner was the same in both instances. That thought lightened his mood, but only for the moment it took for him to be recalled to their situation.

He followed the photographer’s directions, helping to herd the subjects to the right position, getting smiles from the children with his antics and from the females of all ages with his charm. Light positioning, film changeovers and general dogsbody, kept him busy as photographer’s assistant – not something he would ever consider taking on as a career.

Ray on the other hand, was in his element. His artistic streak was given full and free rein as the photographer and Bodie was sure his enjoyment was enhanced by Bodie’s lack of. He hid the grimace that thought engendered, not wanting to give any indication to said partner that he was anything other than professional and on top of the situation they found themselves in.

Another one of Cowley’s many favours had led them to be here.

The up and coming, in mode, photographer Graeme St John, had been engaged by a local charity, to take custom family Christmas photos for the rich and famous, in their own homes. St John was donating half his fee to the charity’s coffers and was booked out weeks in advance. And for some reason, someone had it for Graeme St John. The rest of CI5 was tracing the who and the why, after the threats and near misses had been brought to the attention of Cowley by St John’s father – an old colleague of the chief of CI5 from his MI5 days.

Cowley, never one to look a gift favour in the mouth, sent in his top team undercover. It didn’t hurt that Doyle and St John had a passing resemblance, so here they were.

The photo shoot wound up and the family finally let them go – thrilled and excited with anticipation about seeing what St John had done with their family and the Christmas theme.

Well, they let “St John” go. Bodie had been mostly ignored throughout the session and was only barely acknowledged as he returned after packing up and storing the last of the equipment in their vehicle outside. Although this was part of the job, it was also a chance for him to reconnoitre and as he returned to collect his “boss”, for all his casualness, Doyle noted that he was at high alert.

“Everything OK?” Doyle whispered as headed towards the door of the voluminous library, with Bodie’s hand in the small of his back, surreptitiously guiding his direction, whilst also providing a much needed connection between them.

“Don’t know”, Bodie said with worry highlighting each syllable. “Something’s off” and even as he said it, the sound of a shot echoed through the large room, almost lost in the sound of shattering glass, and Ray was falling away from his side.

Bodie dropped to the ground, trying to get his bearings, as his RT broke into a thousand voices and the screams of the family blended into a cacophony of sound that confused and disoriented him. But his beacon, his centre brought everything back into focus. “Ray!”, he managed to croak out as he scrambled about, checking for threats, whilst looking to see what had happened to his partner.

Ray had fallen behind a Chesterfield and all Bodie could see was his legs and they weren’t moving. “Ray” he screamed above the surrounding noise as he scrambled along the floor to get to him. He slid around the Chesterfield, keeping low, just in time to hear his partner grunt and roll over onto his back. “My head” he groaned, putting his hand to a long, bloody wound that ran from his left temple to just above his ear. He tried to sit up, but Bodie held him down, his relief at finding his partner “not dead” as he had feared, making his grip painful. The additional wince on his partner’s face, loosened his hold, but Bodie wasn’t letting go – not now, maybe not ever…….

‘Stay put’ he ordered fiercely, his relief overwhelming. His partner recognising the emotions and their cause, did as he was told and lay quietly, whilst Bodie got an update on the RT. “They got him,” he said with relief, which Doyle had heard for himself, but with Bodie on the edge, he wasn’t going to comment on.

Bodie recognised this restraint quickly and looked at his partner more carefully. He whipped out his pristine handkerchief (weren’t they always) and used it to replace his partner’s hands on the wound. The material against it caused Doyle to hiss in pain. “Don’t worry sunshine” Bodie reassured whilst maintaining the pressure, “we will get you sorted in no time.”

Doyle pushed again to sit up and together they manoeuvred him so that his back was to the Chesterfield, whilst Bodie maintained the pressure on the wound. They waited quietly, just existing in the moment, eyes speaking so much more than words, until a medic appeared. Bodie scooted aside, grabbing his RT for another update, although his eyes never left his partner.

Bodie joined his partner in the ambulance, again keeping a watchful eye as his partner relaxed under the pain killers he was administered. He looked to the paramedic, who recognised the fear in his eyes and reassured him “It’s more headache than anything, but there is some debris in the wound that will need to be cleaned.” Bodie nodded in relief.

Doyle was efficiently treated in A & E and due to the resulting concussion, was admitted for the night, where he was found by Cowley sometime later, with Bodie glued to his side. “I know you heard the preliminary reports,” Cowley began, “but we have a better picture now”.

“The perpetrator was St John’s former lover, who was irrationally upset that they had split up just before his rise to fame. He thought that it was his work that had gained success for St John and that he should have shared in that success. When St John would not have a bar of him, he decided to take extreme measures.” Cowley looked up briefly from the report to see his two best agents share a meaningful look. With a small quiet smile to himself, he continued.

“The bullet was fired through the library window, clipping a shelf and a snow globe before sliding down the side of your face” Cowley indicated to Doyle, with report still in hand. He paused and looked at Doyle more closely, “I believe the debris they cleaned out of your wound was comprised water, porcelain and slivers of lead glass, which also comprised one of the many antique snow globes held in the library.” Doyle nodded, the hospital staff had also been intrigued to find out the source of the unusual combination of materials that had inadvertently been embedded in his wound.

“Fortunately” Cowley continued more gravely, “the family is happy to hear that you were not seriously harmed and will not be pursuing recompense for the shattered snowglobe.” Doyle sat upright, an outpouring of indignation cut off by his partner’s quick elbow to his side. Doyle winced at the discomfort caused by this movement, on top of his already throbbing head, but subsided without comment, at Bodie’s double look of plea for forgiveness and request for restraint.

“Bodie”, said Cowley as he looked to him, “I will need your report.” Bodie’s face fell. Cowley continued, “When Doyle completes his on his return to work.” Immediately, Bodie broke into a broad grin, as Doyle shook his head in disbelief in the fast change of mood.

Cowley again smiled to himself as he turned back to Doyle. “I understand they are keeping you overnight and that you are ordered home for rest for other three days.” “Yes sir” said Bodie, forestalling Doyle’s need to speak or nod his head. In looking at both men as he rose to leave, Cowley said “In that case gentlemen, that is plenty of time for you to get everything straight in your own minds. I expect those reports on my desk by 9am in four days time.” And with that, he turned and left.

Bodie shuffled closer to Doyle’s bedside and took his hand again. “You and a snow globe has gotten us three days off!”. Doyle smiled, “My mum collected snow globes” he reminisced. “Never thought one would save my life.” Bodie grew serious again. “I knew something was off, I should have……” Doyle silenced Bodie with a quick kiss. “You were there doing as you always do,” he smiled gently, “saving my life and my sanity in more ways that I can credit.” Bodie looked at him with embarrassment and so much more. “Merry Christmas sunshine” he was finally able to get out. “Merry Christmas to you too, you big lug.” Doyle replied, affection lacing every word. And with encouragement, Doyle lay down and closed his eyes and with Bodie holding his hand, he went to sleep, knowing that Bodie was there to watch for him, as he always did.

They thought it was over. The Charity Christmas party had gone smoothly.  The hundreds of children who had attended had unwrapped their gifts and had now gone, leaving mountains of wrapping paper, congealing food and hours of clean up in their wake.

Unfortunately, for the Ci5 contingent in attendance, a different type of clean up was now needed from them, just when they thought they had successfully avoided such a requirement.

Bodie grimaced again, as he stood stock still, a gun repeatedly shoved against his temple, a cornered man holding it there, desperately demanding money and transport.  Not only had this man's assassination attempt on the visiting Minister come too late (he was long gone), but all of his co-conspirators had been captured, caught unawares by the Ci5 contingent awating their arrival.

The man, whom Bodie knew as Decker, was negotiating with Cowley, who was safely behind the wall in another room. All the rest of Ci5 had also been evacuated out, but Bodie knew they were at all escape routes, looking for that one moment, that could bring this mess to an end.

The wrapping paper rattled in the room, causing Decker to startle and jab that gun again in Bodie's temple.  "Easy mate", he said quietly to the frantic man, "its only the wrapping paper settling."  "Shut your mouth" Decker snarled, "you're only here to ensure I get out of here safe and well."  Bodie shut it, knowing that the chances of that happening in Decker's favour were not good. From where he was standing, it was not looking optimistic for him coming out unscathed either.

Bodie's mind turned to Doyle.  Doyle had seen Decker behind Bodie, but too late to yell a warning and Bodie was in the way, so a shot was not possible. Their eyes had met once he was taken and Bodie saw in Doyle's eyes, all the reassurance he needed - his partner was safe and working on making him so as well.  Then he was turned as Decker looked to clear the room and he lost track of his partner. The wrapping paper rattled again and as Decker turned them both to face the sound, Bodie reacted to his partner's yelled "Down" and dropped to the floor.  In the same second, both Doyle's and Decker's guns fired.

"Doyle!" Bodie yelled as he scrambled away from the injured Decker, who was lying in a fetal position behind him, disarmed and with a bullet in his shoulder.  "Stop yelling, I'm here" said his partner in an impatient tone, as he finished extricating himself from the discarded wrapping paper. Bodie had never seen him look so good, as Doyle stalked up to Decker, rolled him over and handcuffed him, before handing him over to the squad for treament and to enjoy the hospitality of Cowley and the Ci5 interrogation rooms. Once relieved of his burden, Doyle turned back to Bodie, and his tone turned to concern as he examined the side of Bodie's head where the gun has been repeatedly jabbed.  "Are you OK?", he asked gently.  Bodie winced, "Bit of a headache, but otherwise fine."

Cowley heard the response as he approached them and immediately directed them to return to HQ for Bodie to get checked out and to turn in their reports. Once done, they were free for the next two days.  An offhand "Well done", was thrown over his shoulder, as Cowley returned to the rest of the clean up.

"Things I do for you", said Bodie, "two days off!".  "Things I do for you", responded Doyle,  "it was not easy crawling through all that Christmas paper quietly." Bodie looked a question at him.  "Well how else was I supposed to get close enough to get a good shot at him," Doyle answered.  "Had to make sure you didn't end up with a bullet up your crankcase, or anywhere else for that matter."  He smiled, "I have plans for that fine piece of machinery."

The wind tore through him as he raced through the deserted streets – snow whirling in flurries like mini tornadoes, battering his face, making it difficult to see, let alone catch their quarry. Markham was a nasty drug dealer who preyed on the young and immature, and who had somehow managed to evade the noose as CI5 has surrounded his base of operations. Only luck and his partner’s eagle eyesight had picked him up as he escaped on foot. Bodie lost track of his partner in the blinding snow and only the sound of pounding feet kept him on the right track.

Bodie blinked to clear his eyes and then there was no time and he had run into his partner, recognised by his plaid jacket, nearly flipping over the top of him as they collided.

“Ooof. Doyle, what the hell?” Bodie proclaimed, taking a moment to catch his breath and exclaiming his confusion and aggression in that one quick question. With adrenaline coursing through his veins after the long chase and the cold suffusing his bones, he had no patience and moved to take up the chase again, when he realised that things were not well with his partner.

Doyle was still bent over, snow soaking him and the water dropping like small waterfalls from his hair, whilst also gasping for breath. As Bodie moved forward to check on his partner, he also noticed their quarry, lying at his partner’s feet. Impressed despite himself, Bodie was about to make a rude comment about being unfit, when Doyle bent even further, and slowly crumpled across their quarry, without a sound.

He landed face up and Bodie was horrified to see an evil looking knife protruding from his partner’s shoulder, his blood mixing with the snow and rolling down his partner’s arm to pool on the mushy ground. Quickly grabbing his RT and calling for assistance, he slowly and gently moved his partner away from it’s unexpected resting place, taking great care not to touch or move the knife.

A quick glimpse at Markham noted him laying still on the ground, with his head at an unnatural angle and his eyes seeming to look beyond this world, to who knew what. Bodie didn’t care to imagine and he wasn’t about to have his partner viewing the same sight either.

He quickly grabbed the jacket and jumper from the dead man, carefully wrapped the knife wound and placed the jacket around his partner and the wound, in a small attempt to keep him warm. Lifting Doyle’s head off the cold, hard, ground, he laid it to rest again on his lap and grabbed Doyle’s hand on the uninjured side – hoping that some of his limited body warmth would also help. Leaning his head over his partner, to try and keep some of the worst of the weather away from the pale, still face, Bodie began muttering quietly to his unconscious friend.

“Wow, Ray, you really did it this time,” he started. “You took him out, but you were supposed to do that before he got you.” Bodie took a breath as his voice faltered and threatened to stop altogether. The sound of sirens and the call of his name drew his attention for a moment, but he quickly returned to his partner’s face when he felt his partner’s return to consciousness.

“Ray, Ray, hold still”, he urged his partner, as wild eyes sought something to help him centre. His partner’s voice did the trick, until the pain washed over him like a tsunami, taking him down again into the cool, welcome dark.

Bodie’s panic increased dramatically as he frantically sought his partner’s pulse. Finding it regular, if not strong, he looked up to find the paramedics approaching quickly. “He’s alive” he gasped out, before he gave way to them, his hand being drawn from his partner’s still one with great reluctance.

The paramedics moved quickly to get their patient stabilised for transport and Bodie joined them in the ambulance, only then realising that he had spoken and been spoken to by his boss and others and not being able to remember a word that was said. As the ambulance moved, Bodie barely heard the sirens wailing, hunched over his too still partner, willing him to open his eyes, willing him to stay with him…….

It was taking too long, Bodie thought as he continued to pace the length of the corridor. He had been banished at the doors to surgery and he was left to pace and worry. His frustration and anger and worry built with every step, until he was ready to take out the building if he didn’t get some news soon. So immersed in his own thoughts, he didn’t hear anything until he turned and nearly ran into the surgeon. He stopped, his eyes wide and filled with fear.

“He’s going to be OK,” the surgeon spoke to the concern coming out of Bodie’s every pore. “He lost a lot of blood, but it didn’t hit anything vital, so he’ll be fine.” Bodie nearly collapsed, so complete was his relief. “What will his recovery time be?” asked a familiar voice behind him. Bodie turned, shocked that he hadn’t heard his boss approaching either.

The surgeon also turned. “He’ll be out of recovery in a couple of hours and then here for a few days for monitoring. Then home with a sling for two weeks – as long as there is someone to look after him?” He addressed the question to both men. “Yes, of course” from Cowley was echoed with vehemence by Bodie, whose look told his boss that it was Bodie’s job – come hell or high water.

Doyle moved restlessly. Something was wrong. He was in pain, which if he thought about it wasn’t too unusual, but he couldn’t move his arms and nothing felt familiar. After opening his eyes slowly and blinking to clear them, all was made clear. At least where we was, and the how was coming back to him now too.

Looking down at his arms, one was tightly bandaged and in a sling close to his chest, which at least reassured him a bit about the thumping pain he could feel in that shoulder. The other attached him to various machines and fluids, but most importantly, attached him to his partner. It was dark in the room and his partner was asleep with his head on Doyle’s lap, with his hand firmly wrapped around his partner’s.

Doyle watched him for a while, with a small smile – noticing the handsome features at rest, but also noticing the new worry lines and paler that usual skin. “Must have been bad” he thought. A tentative squeeze of the hand in his, brought Bodie up fast, blinking his own eyes as he woke from his sleep. “Hey” Bodie said sleepily, “you’re back.”

“Can’t keep a good man down” Doyle replied with a small smile. Bodie smiled in return. “I plan on making a down man good” he replied which caused Doyle to snort and then wince in pain. “Hey” said Bodie as he stood up to assist his partner past the pain, “don’t make my job any harder that it has to be.”

Doyle took a deep breath and settled again, much more comfortable now he knew he was OK and his partner was with him. He smiled. “Your job is hard?” he questioned, “what about my job – having to feed you, care for you, cover for you…..” “Cover for me” Bodie retorted with a broadening grin, “more like the other way around.”

Cowley moved away from the door to Doyle’s room as the argument continued on behind him. He wasn’t worried. His men might bend, but they never broke, not while they had each other.

Title:Rayless Sun

Author: tango65

Wordcount: 1396

Bodie/Doyle

The sun was a round ball behind the veil of clouds that covered the city. It didn’t give much light and definitely no heat. It was rayless, like he was the moment. Bodie snorted as he raced down the stairs to the Capri. He was definitely missing the heat in this bleak midwinter, both types – ray and Ray.

Doyle had been undercover, which was torture enough when they were separated for any length of time, but he had just missed his last two check-ins, which was beyond what the Geneva Convention allowed for worried partners – way beyond the bounds of allowable torture. Fortunately for Cowley though, he decided to send Bodie to investigate the whereabouts of his errant partner – announcing this just in time to stop Bodie exploding in his office.

Leaving rubber behind, the Capri slewed out of the car park and headed for the pub that Doyle was using as his regular as a dock worker. Fortunately, it was one that Bodie was already known in, having laid the groundwork for himself in the past few weeks. That rayless sun haunted him as he drove, leaving him driving through gloom and drizzle. His imagination ran with the image, taking him on a journey to a rayless future. He pushed the car harder, willing it to get him there sooner, faster, before……….

He clamped hard on that thought at the same time he clamped on the brakes. It would do no-one any good if he screamed up to the pub and then raced in like a madman. Cool, keep it cool. Exactly as he told his partner to be. Except that boat sailed a long time ago. He wasn’t cool when it came to his partner and hadn’t been for a long time. The sun may be rayless, but he wasn’t going to be – he needed that sun, that ray, that sunshine….

It was a different man who walked into the pub. A casual onlooker would look up and then go back to their beer, but someone who knew what to look for would see past the ease and find a man on a mission. Bodie was good at casual, but he was far from it. Every sense was open to finding out something about his partner. If it was just a glitch in the reporting schedule, he knew Doyle would kill him if he blew the op by coming in heavy-handed.

He soon found out it was more than a glitch. The pub gossip, a weasely little man with nothing better to do with his time than drink too much and talk even more, fairly jumped him when he walked in the door.

“Have you ‘eard?” he gushed over Bodie, who faltered as a gust of alcohol-drowned breath blasted him. A deep breath over his shoulder gave Bodie a chance to recapture his balance and some slightly fresher air, in preparation to elbowing past the man and to a free table he sighted at the back of the bar. Before he could move though, the drunk continued.

“Dat guy you talked to – the one wif da hair” he slurred all over Bodie, “he’s a cop!” This last part was said with a stagger as the drunk leaned in to speak confidentially, only to find that Bodie had stepped back. Bodie was secretly stunned, but kept his cool and asked indifferently “So I guess he got what he deserved then”, dreading the answer he was sure would follow.

The drunk shrugged, again knocking himself off balance, before recovering and continuing. “Dunno. But I ‘ear that he’s not well and not long for this …..” he replied with a sweeping arm that managed to knock the beer out of another patron’s hands. Said patron was not happy and grabbed the drunk, beginning an all-in brawl which Bodie ignored, whilst pondering the truth of what was shared.

He knew the truth when he heard it, even when it came from a drunk, so the problem was what to do next? Whatever it was, he had to do it soon, or his world would be rayless for good – nice weather or not.

With the pub in uproar, it was easy enough for Bodie to sidle out surreptitiously and race back to his car, where he checked in with HQ. A few minutes later and with a suspected location for the gang that Doyle had infiltrated clearly in mind, the car screeched out onto the road, in a desperate race against the clock.

Reason won over as he approached the grungy warehouse. Going in all guns blazing could get his partner killed, if he wasn’t already…… Bodie quickly clamped down on that thought …. no way he was ready to consider that, no way at all. Parking the Capri a few buildings away, he stealthily made his way to the best vantage to view the target building. Making a fast assessment of the entrances and vantage points, he pinpointed the best entry point and made it there quickly, quietly and unobserved.

The empty space where glass had once been, gave both a good insight into the building and no barrier to a fast and quiet entry. Seeing only boxes piled high just inside, he quickly gained entry and using this screen, moved along silently to a point where he could clearly see the rest of the warehouse.

When he first saw a body on the ground, he had to stifle the impulse to run over and check. Further visual scans into the gloomy interior resulted in the discovery of more unmoving bodies – three, four, five and no other sign of movement.

Deciding it was worth the risk, Bodie stepped out onto the warehouse floor proper, whilst also drawing his gun and was just able to recognise that none of the bodies were his partner when a voice came out of the silence. “About…… bloody……. time…….”

On the first intake of breath, Bodie had turned to face the other end of the boxes, with his tringer finger tensed to shoot. There, sprawled on the floor with his back slumped against said boxes was his Sunshine. Simultaneously, the sun broke through the gloom and shone a light on the warehouse floor, which gave Bodie a clearer picture of the situation, even as he re-holstered his gun.

Doyle looked terrible. He had been badly beaten, looked exhausted and was holding himself carefully. Breathing was an effort for him and Bodie quickly recognised that his ribs were dodgy, but Doyle’s injuries appeared more uncomfortable than a threat to life. After quickly checking the five bodies sprawled around the warehouse and discovering they were no threat, he moved to his partner’s side, whilst checking in and calling for an ambulance. He shook his head in disbelief as he moved – battered and bloody, but his sunshine still took out five men!

A broad grin crossed his face as he crouched beside his partner, and ran a finger gently down the side of his face. “What’s all this then?, he said with a cheeky lilt, “here I am missing you and you’re off having fun with other men.”

Doyle took a careful breath, not moving too much, but managed to gasp out “What … do … you…. Expect? …. You…. weren’t….. here ….. to …… party….. with.” A cough then caught him by surprise and he rolled onto the floor in agony, Bodie’s grin disappearing in the wake of his partner’s pain. A soothing arm stroking down his back helped Doyle to move past the pain, as their backup and the ambulance arrived.

Bodie stood up to give the ambulance crew room to move, but did not get far as Doyle grabbed his arm. “Don’t go” he gasped. “Not going anywhere” Bodie replied fiercely. The ambulance crew quickly assessed Doyle’s injuries and prepared to take to him to hospital. As Cowley arrived on scene and demanded a report, Bodie quickly brought him up to speed, never letting go of his partner’s hand, as they walked to the ambulance.

Once safely ensconced in the back with his partner and on their way to hospital, he was surprised to hear the ambulance man say “Nice to see the sun out, after all that gloom.” “Yes”, Bodie replied, with his eyes never leaving his lightly dozing partner, “but even without, I have all the sunshine I’ll ever need.”