DC Gabrielle Mancini

RP Log with lovesguinness | Wankus Interruptus

2010-06-07T20:21:57Z

[Follows THIS, THIS, THIS, and THIS]

Gee really wasn't sure if she was comfortable leaving Stuart alone, or not. She still wasn't sure that he'd get much out of Ethan, or if he'd even be able to cope with the information he did glean. She understood that people had exes - they just did. If she had a secret porn stash she'd probably be wary of Euan discovering it, but then she might have told him in the first place. And it wasn't like she had slept with a best friend's brother-in-law. It wasn't like she had a best friend right now apart from Stuart. It was only when she got her new partner that she realised how isolated she'd made herself.

And it was when she met Euan that she realised just how boring being isolated was. She pushed her fingers through her hair and tried to tidy her unruly curls. Even with her hair growing they seemed to get out of control. She let herself into Euan's building and found his flat without trouble. Since he'd come out of hospital she'd got a key to his flat and had been looking after him when she wasn't at work.

His place was starting to become like a second home and even when they were still at each other's throats, she didn't actually want to change anything. They were bound to get scratchy with each other when they were both tired. The Irishman wasn't a hundred percent yet, but he was close. Gee dropped her bag and keys onto the chair before she wound her way through the place and to the bedroom. She didn't bother knocking as she nudged the door open, expecting to see Euan in bed just like he always was. She just didn't expect him to be in bed with his cock out, holding a photograph. She moved closer before he realised she was even there and tried to see what was in the photo.

"That's me!" she blurted out, blowing her cover.

Euan wasn't shy, never had been. He certainly had no issues with having his cock out, or being caught in that position. In fact, having his cock out was one of his favourite past times and it had been a long time since he had indulged. At least, it felt like a long time. The last time was Amsterdamn, right before he got back and fell ill. It was the day after they got back that he started to feel that sickness in his stomach that ended up landing him in hospital and the shit hitting the fan. He was still yet to talk to Vee about what went down. He knew he owed her an explanation about the scar on his gut. It was a different song book now they weren't partners anymore. There was nothing here in London she needed him to protect her from, and that was a whole other story. It was still something he was struggling to accept. Probably why he had been avoiding her a lot, even before he got sick and ended up in surgery.

When Gee suddenly appeared in his bedroom, his hand didn't even leave his nether regions and he maintained his expert grip. He glanced between her and the photo, then with a casual shrug, smirked deviously at her. "Nice tits," he offered.

Gee arched an eyebrow but had to smile as she looked between her photo and his cock. "Couldn't wait for the real thing to get back? Shame. I would have stripped off if you'd have asked nicely." She sat down on the bed next to him and captured his mouth in a heated kiss as her hand covered his. It was more than hot finding him getting off to an image of him. Not to mention it showed he was starting to feel better. Suddenly sex was something he could think about. "Mm, I missed you."

Euan kissed her back, but when it broke, he had no choice but to release his cock and wrap his hand around her arm. "Wait, wait, wait..." he murmured, still smirking at her, but he pressed his lips together in a small, wry smile, watching her face. "I'm not up to fucking yet. Not even sure I can come without giving myself a hernia, but better than nothing, aye? Why do you keep your nudie pics in the drawer with your tampons?" he asked, the question burning his curiosity since he found them at her place one day. He had filched the photo, wondering how long it would take her to notice. That was when he was there over Christmas, and she obviously hadn't realised at all.

Gee nodded as she stole another quick kiss. "I wasn't about to rape you, Fitzpatrick. I just thought you might need a helping hand. I know you're not up to fucking just yet, but come on. I'm a woman and I'm allowed to get turned on. Besides, you wank to my picture and you're bound to get a rise out of me." She rest her head on his shoulder as she slipped her arm over his waist and made herself comfortable. "Figured no one would bother looking in my drawer with the tampons. Then I just forgot they were there myself. I can't believe you just pinched it."

"You never told me not to," Euan reasoned casually. He put his other arm up behind him and rest his head on it. Now it was getting a little warmer, he had the luxury of going back to sleeping naked. Just the morning before, too, the home nurse had dropped by and finally removed his heavy dressings. They were covered just lightly now so his stitches wouldn't catch, but it was making him feel a little more normal and less like an invalid. His side still hurt, on account of the fact that when they got authorisation from his sister to open him up, they had a good dig around in there looking for anything else that might be causing his sickness. It wasn't standard routine surgery and the incision was a bit bigger than usual. This was what happened when people let coppers stick their nose in prematurely. The fuckers were looking for any sign of corosion due to poisoning when the worst thing to breach Euan's gut that week had been the dodgy pub pie. "Get a rise outta me too, it seems. You didn't even notice when I pinched a whole box of your tampons to use as missiles for the pigeons on your windowsill."

Gee snorted. "I would have assumed it was a given. You don't see me pinching nude photos of you. Just your t-shirts and boxers," she added with a sly grin. She brushed her fingers lightly over his middle and turned her head to kiss his neck. She was glad he'd had the bandages removed, and that he was starting to get some colour back. And he was definitely a lot warmer than he'd been recently. "That's a good thing. I think I'd be devastated if I wasn't the thing that got you saluting again. I don't exactly keep note of how many I have in there just so long as I have them in there. It's a draw I open once a month."

"Lads don't leave nude photos of themselves lying around with their tampons," Euan returned in amusement and started to rub softly at the uncomfortable part of his stomach. He had more than gotten used to having her around, he seemed to have dropped the complex about her seeing him on the weak side. She knew he was in pain and it was easier for him to not put up a facade about it. He was just relieved to finally be feeling a bit better. It really was amazing when one followed doctor's orders and actually rested. "It was either you or Lara Croft, love. Hard toss up. You were more easily accessible," he joked, still smirking as he turned his head and met her gaze, their faces close together.

"Damn, there I was thinking I'd steal a box of your tampons to use for missiles." She watched him rub at his stomach and resisted the urge to ask him how he was. She knew it meant he was in pain, and all he could really do was just try and soothe it. She was just glad he'd finally let her take care of him without there being an argument about it. Not unless he had his bitch on. "Do you want some water? Need anything? Oh, really? Well, I'd like to think real boobs win out over her clearly fake ones." She smiled softly at him, her blue eyes shining. "Hi."

"Lara's boobs are so not fake!" Euan cried insistently with a gasp of horror at her deduction. "I would love to bury my face in them and happily suffocate. In fact, I think you should dress up like her and let me live out my wildest fantasies, make me feel better. Better than water, even. You do look kind of like her if you tilt your head and squint. Phwoar... I like a chick who can handle big guns." He gave a small laugh, but held her gaze. "G'day," he returned jokingly.

Gee looked at him incredulously. "Of course they fucking are! They gave her chicken fillets to push up her boobs and make her bigger. No one is like that without it being implants. I can't believe you thought they were real." She started to laugh softly before he mentioned the costume, and she ran her tongue over her lips. "Alright, I'll indulge you with the fantasy. I think I could pull it off. Then pull you off." Her lips twitched like she was going to laugh again, but she stayed quiet for a moment. "I love you." Gee didn't even notice the words had fallen out of her mouth straight away but when she did her eyes went wide and she tried to get up off the bed quickly, but instead just fell off it and crashed to the ground. "Fucking arseface fucker!"

Euan had been about to reply about the boob issue, ready to point out that even if they had hung them from the London Eye in a leather sling with chicken fillets, they's still be real under the push-up tactics, but the words died on his lips. He didn't really know what to say, and it took a couple of moments for him to actually replay what she said in his mind to make sure he had heard right. It was awkward, to say the least, and he was never a fan of awkward. Made him want a smoke, even if the doctor had told him not to for a few weeks post-operatively. At one point there, he even had nicotine patches on both arms, boths legs, his chest, and his arse just to try and afford a good hit. He just leaned over slightly to look at her on the floor, bracing his side so he didn't hurt himself. "Anyone would think you just farted on me," he finally offered, raising an eyebrow.

Gee winced as she looked up at him from behind her hand that was covering her face in shame. What the fuck had she been thinking? She'd gone mental. She'd officially fucking lost it. It had to be watching Stuart stress over Tom and Liam and just the insanity of the last few months. Only somewhere deep down she actually felt it was true. She'd grown closer to Euan as the weeks had gone by, and there had been no question about the fact she'd fallen head over heels. That didn't mean she had to proclaim her love for him before going arse over tit. She shifted slightly to rub at her arse. "I think I broke my arse."

"They don't even have a pill for that. At least, so I'm told." Euan was still watching her over the edge of the bed. He couldn't offer her a hand, as much as he wanted to and would normally in a situation like this. Not that there was anything entirely conventional about it at all. He didn't know whether he should pointedly avoid her declaration or bring it up. If he brought it up, things would just get more awkward, right? "You were hanging out with Braveheart today, weren't you?" he finally settled on, figuring Stuart's latest developments might have something to do with it. After all, they'd both been stuck sitting vigil at hospital bedsides recently, right?

Gee nodded slowly before she dragged herself up so that she was sitting, and hissed out a breath. She was definitely going to have a bruise. Her face was close to Euan's again and she searched his eyes for a moment as she chewed on her lip. Avoidance was best. Denial she could deal with. She was all for forgetting the stupid declaration even if she was going to have a reminder for at least a week. "He found Tom's homemade porn... Including a disc featuring Ethan's brother-in-law."

"And not as a commentator, I bet," Euan deduced and whistled lowly. "That's gotta pack a punch. It probably went down as well as a shit sandwich. I'm assuming he didn't know the BIL was a starring act at some point? You didn't stick around to wait for the shit to hit the fan?" He rested back against the pile of pillows he had adopted along the way in his recuperation. Bringing up Stuart had been his way of acknowledging what she had sad, showing her that he wasn't actually ignoring what she said. He just wasn't sure he was ready to visit it in any detail yet. She could just be swept up in the moment after everything that had been going on lately.

"You have no idea. I've never seen him react to anything like that. I'm still not sure if he's okay. I really don't think he is. He said he was going to talk to Ethan, but I can see a few beers getting involved as well. He had no idea about the BIL. He just drove me home so he could talk to Ethan." Gee got to her feet and started to strip off so she was naked before she slipped back into bed with Euan and curled up against him. He was the only pillow she wanted lately.

Euan smirked and then shook his head in disbelief. "Never trust a fucking lawyer," he commented. "In saying that, I bet you enjoyed a few glimpses on the homemade porn, huh? Don't worry, I'm not gonna be pissed. You watching porn would be hot," he decided and then held the naked photo up again, giving it a small teasing shake between his fingers.

Gee hid her head against his chest briefly before she looked up at him, her cheeks already heating up. "Yeah, I did. I had to work so hard not to show it though. Didn't want Stuart to think I wasn't seeing the serious side of things. But... I don't know. I mean, I get people might not enjoy seeing their currents with the exes, but everyone has a past. We've all fucked other people. It's part of us." Gee wet her lips as she smirked and glanced at the photo. "I do actually have some, you know."

Euan quirked an eyebrow at her in amusement. "Pot, kettle, black, love," he said pointedly, remembering a time not too long ago she was getting her knickers in a twist about his past. "The lawyer apparently wants to marry the copper. Any homemade ex porn should've been either removed or revealed on some level. Leaving it to be found is just asking for trouble. Everyone has a past, not everyone films it all for posterity. I bet your copper is furious right now, to the point he probably doesn't even know how to process it. There's one thing knowing about a past, seeing it in the flesh is another story. How would you feel if you found movies of me and Vee fucking like dirty monkeys?" he reasoned and then glanced down at her. "Have what?"

Gee sighed. "Then maybe me and Stuart are just wired to overreact to it. You haven't had a problem hearing about exes, have you? Or hearing about me and Stuart fucking. What would you have done if you'd found a DVD of it? They haven't exactly had a lot of time to discuss the possibility of homemade porn. Still, Tom should know about full disclosure. He really should have revealed it a lot sooner. Especially the part about BIL." Gee blinked and made a face. "Uncomfortable? Porn. I have some. I watch it."

"I'm not a standard order, love. A lot of the people I've been with, I don't care if they've had exes, just so long as they have the skills to suck my cock," Euan replied honestly, never one to sugarcoat anything. "I also don't get involved in many relationships, so it's a moot point anyway. They've been on a cruise for three weeks together. They were in Surrey together in the peace and quiet of a countryside for countless weeks before that. There's been time to visit the ex factor. Especially an ex factor that involves family." He sniggered. "Oh, you own porn? Wow. You're a right little minx, aren't you? Okay, take that uncomfortable and put a ring on your finger with a wedding on the horizon. Take Vee and make it your closest female friend, instead, that you had no idea I had even fucked. How would you feel then?"

"Well, neither's Tom. So how is it a moot point, again? We don't even know that he was in one with the BIL. There was just a lot of... affection in the moment." Gee licked her lips and her gaze wondered down his body. "Mm, please don't mention sucking your cock. It's been a while. I'm in withdrawal. Okay, okay... there's been opportunities. I guess I just didn't want Stuart to be hurt like this. It's awful. He doesn't deserve it." She smacked his thigh gently before nipping at his earlobe and purred low. "I bloody well am. I'd feel like hitting something... or someone."

"We're not talking about Tom finding anything, we're talking about Stuart. He doesn't have to be in anything with the BIL, his cock just has to be, and was, repeatedly, it seems. With affection? The plot thickens. So, it wasn't just a random fuck, it was probably one of many, and again, should've been information that came to light when Tom wanted Braveheart to get cosy with his family. But it didn't, and now the shit has hit the fan. Which has to be hard to swallow after everything Stuart has done for Tom lately. Some honesty might've been appreciated. But again, secrets are secrets, and they're really fucked up when they get revealed by means beyond the horse's mouth. It's why our job is so interesting. Why bodies show up shot naked in marital beds, and the like." Euan shrugged a little. "Sucks to be them, Stuart can either take it in his stride and just forget about it, or he might actually want to confront Tom about it. I'd personally go with the latter. More satsifying."

"No one mentioned repeatedly," Gee reminded him, but her tone said she didn't really believe that. "Apparently not. I don't know. I guess it's hard to have affection in a one night stand. There were other DVDs before that and they weren't the same. He was pissed at seeing them, but the one with the BIL just tipped him over the edge. I have no idea if there's even going to be any recovering from this shit. He's gone to talk to Ethan rather than Tom so I don't know if there will be a confrontation. Once a detective, always a detective. He wants to know who else knew about the liaison." Gee looked at him. "Well, we're no strangers to the latter, are we?"

Euan shrugged. "Can't blame him. If other people knew, it's a whole lot more bullshit than just a secret one-off liason. Affection doesn't come from a single random fuck. It comes from familiarity and feelings. You know it wouldn't matter if it wasn't Sophie's brother. It wouldn't be this painful. Stuart's not irrational, or he wouldn't be a copper. He knows all about Tom's colourful past, and extensive patners. But this one. There is a reason this one has been a low blow. I don't know if talking to Ethan is going to be a good thing. He'll either be honest and the shit will hit the fan, or he won't be and it'll hit the fan even more. It's going to be up to Stuart if he can live with something like this, knowing Tom's had a thing with Ethan's brother-in-law. I don't envy him, sounds like a fucking mess and exactly another reason why relationships aren't everyone's cup of tea."

"Every relationship is different. They wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea if things like this kept happening. No wonder people would bail. The rough patches always suck, but it's how you get through them that counts." She bit down on her lip as she fell quiet and stared at the window opposite as the sky began to darken. Her declaration was still rolling around in her head even while discussing Stuart and Tom, and Gee sighed softly. The trouble with those three little words that even if you said them without thinking, it was the timing that made you doubt whether they were true or not. "I don't envy either of them. I really don't."

It had turned into a miserable day outside. Euan saw earlier out the window that the typical unpredictable London weather was going to go from sunny to pissing down at some point. The darkness meant the rain was setting it and he was glad he didn't actually have to be out in it. There was a reason he had been given three weeks off work, because he wasn't actually ready to be on the go much yet. The tiredness was the hardest thing, it wasn't something that usually bothered him too much. He could keep going on very little sleep, it was always a trait that was a good one for a copper. But since his surgery, he felt like he wanted to sleep all the time, and some days, even just did that. It wasn't like he was accounting to anyone when Gee was at work. He wasn't even sure if some days when he was hibernating in the depths of his bed, if she just came over and hung out with him anyway. This whole thing he was still starting to get used to, but he had given up fighting it off. He was here in London, so was she. Sure, things had been shit, and they were still shit, and would maybe always be shit because of what they did and their past, but it worked. He didn't feel like he was constantly waiting for it to fuck up. It was how he dealt with life in general, he just lived for each day because he had well learnt that you didn't know what it was all just going to end.

He turned his head to rest his forehead against hers, his eyes falling closed for a few moments before he opened them again. He had no suggestions of how he could help Stuart and the situation there. If it had been him, he would've walked out on the lawyer and probably not looked back. He rubbed his hand up over her body under the covers and then started to kiss her slowly. Maybe London might suit him more than he realised, because unpredictable was more than Euan's way of life.

RP Log with scotcopper | Everyone Has a Past

2010-06-02T01:26:00Z

If Stuart was a woman, people would probably be wondering if he was knocked up by now. The only way he seemed to be able to explain his behaviour since returning from the cruise was 'nesting'. In fact, Jules had spent the morning sniggering at him when he went so far as to Google these special muffins for people who needed to eat certain things after abdominal surgery... and then proceeded to bake them, even if they looked nothing like they did in the picture he printed out by the time he was done. And so what?! He was a copper, not Jamie Oliver. He still made them, though, and they tasted pretty damn good, if he did say so himself. That was just one thing, though. Since they got that, he hadn't exactly been overprotective of Tom, he just had an intense urge to take care of him. They were now officially living together for the first time, too, in their own that used to just be Tom's but was now theirs. It felt good. More than good. Despite the difficulties, Stuart was happy for the first time in a long time. He just wanted to make sure Tom was okay, and do what he could to make things easier. It didn't even bother him that they now had both Jules and Gus staying with them. The house was huge, and there was plenty of room. They were in separate rooms, and hardly a bother. It made sense to have them both here, and Stuart was getting too used to having his brothers on tap. It could get messy when they went back to Scotland, but that was a problem for another day.

It was now his day off, and after the Martha Stewart moment in the kitchen, he went on to tackle the living room, which had somehow gotten messy when they got home with them both returning to work pretty much as soon as they came back from the cruise. It was Gee's day off, too, and she had come over to commiserate about Euan's infuriatingly frustrating behaviour, even if he was subdued still recovering from the operation. Stuart could sympathise with how it could be taking care of someone sick, though. Sometimes they did just accidentally piss you off, even if they didn't intend it. It sucked getting over an illness or injury. With a snort, Stuart ejected a DVD from the player and stuffed it in the empty Titanic cover that had been beside the stereo. Jules and Kenzie must've watched it when they were there. He had found a small handful of seemingly blank DVDs lying around that he needed to match with their covers. He knew for a fact he certainly hadn't been watching Titanic. At least, not the innocent version. "Just... I dinnae know, suffocate him with a pillow?" he suggested unhelpfully and put the next DVD in the player, pausing only to reach down and give his balls a quick scratch. Gee was well and truly his partner now, there was no more awkwardness and if she was going to protect him with her life - and vice versa - things like a random ball scratching or fart during a case conference was old school.

Now that Gee had gotten over her bitchiness where Euan was concerned - well, regarding everything else except for today - she was more than glad to have Stuart back. She didn't bat an eye at the ball scratching considering she'd been dealing with worse with Euan. She was suddenly surrounded by blokes and really didn't care what the fuck they did so long as they weren't making her life hell. "Then I'd have to fill out paperwork, or go to jail. No thanks. I think I'll just continue to annoy him by watching chick flicks when he can't run away, or even wrestle the remote off me." She started to watch Stuart with interest from her position on the sofa and tilted her head as she picked up a nearby blank DVD. "No offence to your suit, but surely he could have afforded some kind of label maker?"

Stuart shrugged. "He's probably just anal about putting them back in the cases when he's done. We just got lax with house guests with a run of gay porn on their hands," he said with a smirk and hit the play button. Some gay porn cropped up on the screen that looked much like an orgy with a Moulin Rouge theme. He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the large home theatre TV on the wall. "Man, that guy shouldnae wear red leather, let alone a Full Monty-esque red leather thong. You think he could've at least invested in a back, sack and crack. That dude could knit booties with pubes," he said with a snort. "So, you got over the urge to kill him, then?"

Gee crinkled her nose at the larger than life sight greeting her. "Are you trying to make sure I stay celibate for the rest of my life? Does this stuff really do it for you and Tom? Because really... Fuck me, what's that bloke doing with the feather boa?" She dragged her gaze off the screen to look at Stuart. "Yes, I did. Now I'm just waiting to see if he gets over the urge to hate me. I did walk out, and I did treat him like a prick... ish. So he had every right to be angry."

Stuart smirked at her over the top of his Red Bull can when he took a mouthful. He set it back down and shrugged. "You are lucky he's stuck you out, you know. You wanted him to give a little, and when he does, you piss on his parade. And no the feck way is this my shit. I'm nay into feathers or silk, unless the silk is on a certain favourite of mine. Then we'll talk. Looks like Jules and Kenzie got into Tom's porn stash, though. I know he's got a lot, but to be honest, I couldnae fecking tell you what he's got or where it is. We didnae have a lot of time here before he got into the accident." He ejected that DVD and set it aside, having no intention of finding it's home. The next disc got slotted in and he hit play again. This time, it looked like it was something from Tom's homemade collection. A redhead on his knees between Tom's legs in what looked to be some sort of conference room. Stuart just blinked, pulling his lips to the side as he tried hard - and failed - not to get jealous. An irked heat crept into his cheeks and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"I know I'm lucky, and I'm incredibly grateful he's seen it fit to slum it with me for so long, I really am." She tilted her head to look around Stuart as she looked at the screen and cleared her throat after a moment. She had a hard enough time listening to Euan talk about his past let alone watching him and other women. "Just change it love... Or conveniently lose it. No one would blame you. And really, redheads like that? Not sexy."

Stuart ejected the disc this time with enough force that his half empty can nearly bounced off the edge of the DVD player. He caught it before he caused any random electrocutions and put it on the floor so he could move on to stuff the disc into one of the cases, making sure he scratched the surface over the plastic edges and basically made the DVD useless. With a satisfied nod, he picked up the next blank disc. "Did you get him to clarify what he was talking about? I mean, it sounded like it was pretty full on. Nay getting any cold feet because of it?" he asked and hit play yet again. This time Tom was the one doing the servicing, of a pumped brunette, both of them in just towels. Stuart's whole face went red this time and he literally growled, eyes locked on the screen as he pursed his lips tightly. Jules and Kenzie must've had a field day. "What's fucking next?! A blonde dressed like Marilyn Monroe?!"

Gee got up off the couch and came up behind Stuart before moving around him to open the DVD player before she 'accidentally' dropped the disc and stomped on it hard enough to break it. She winked at Stuart as she rubbed her hand against his shoulder. "This is just his past, love. I know it's easier said than to done to just forget about it, but it's really not healthy to get jealous about it now." She smirked and held out her hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you, Kettle. I'm Pot. And no, I'm not getting cold feet. It was about his former life. The moment where he decided he wanted to survive. He's not proud of it. It's why he won't talk about it."

There was some extremely aggravating about seeing your fiancé balls-deep in someone else. Stuart had always thought it wouldn't bother him to see this sort of thing, but it was stabbing away at all his sensitive spots and he really wanted to just pick up all the DVDs and shove them under the nearest passing double-decker. But there could actually be something important in the movies, like memories Tom actually wanted to keep. Hopefully none of this porn was part of it. "Understandable," he finally agreed with a small nod. "I always wondered if there was something shady in his past that led him to be a copper. He's too rough around the edges, and I dinnae mean that in a judgmental type way. There's just something aboot his copper style... like it's coming from something deeper rather than taught detective skills. He has a knack with crims, too. Gets into their heads." The next disc could well become one Stuart wished he never laid his hands on, and as it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to see more of Tom's cock in any part of any other blokes ever. But he persisted, and this time, there really was a starring blond act. Only, it wasn't Marilyn Monroe. Stuart froze, feeling like someone tipped ice water down his back and there was no heated cheeks, either. Just paling as he realised he recognised Tom's conquest and all he could do was stare, fixated on the image.

Gee's face reflected instant concern as she saw Stuart's expression change. It wasn't anger, it was something else - and it actually scared her. She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Stuart? Stuart, are you with me?" She'd missed the party at Phillipe's so she had had no chance to meet Stuart's newly extended circle. She didn't recognise the blond on top of Tom. She tilted her head just a little bit as her eyes flicked to the screen, but quickly tore them away before he assumed she would approve of watching his partner in other blokes. "Stuart? Love, what's wrong?"

There really was something different. Something in the way Tom was in this movie than he was with the others. There was more there, and when the couple on the screen change positions, and Tom was almost embracing the other man, Stuart felt literally like he was punched in the gut and he threw his hand out to grab hold of the edge of the mantel to keep himself upight. It wasn't anger, it was pure and chilling shock to be witnessing the sight on the screen. "That's... it's..." he stammered hoarsely and gave his head a slight shake as small, sharp laugh of disbelief fell from his lips. "That's Ethan's brother-in-law."

Gee blinked, and looked back at the screen. There was no mistaking the difference now between this encounter and the others, and even Gee was more than a little shocked to see it. Tom had been more capable of affection than he'd let anyone believe. It might not have been love, but there was definitely something. "Ethan's... Oh, shit. No, really? Oh my god..." She trailed off before she let go of Stuart to drop down onto her knees and stop the disc. "You didn't know?" she asked him quietly.

"No," Stuart mumbled quietly, still watching the screen, even if it was blank now. He swallowed heavily, feeling an odd sick sensation in his gut. He was pretty sure this was up there was a past relationship that should have been revealed on some level. Ethan was Tom's best friend and apparently there had been something with his brother-in-law. With Sophie's baby brother. Stuart had told Tom he had slept with Gee, out of courtesy more than anything. This was just something else. That wasn't just outright fucking on the screen like the first two had been. He rubbed his hand over his mouth and shook his head. He didn't even know what he was supposed to think. He had a strange urge like he wanted cry, but he fought it off like any typical male. He tried to push it all away and let his hand drop back to his side. "Everyone has past fucks, right?" he asked, not meaning it to sound like a desperate plea for reassurance.

Gee stood up again to wrap her arms around Stuart in a hug as she struggled to think of how she was going to placate him over this. The past was past - it wasn't as if Tom was fucking the brother-in-law now, but still... When you find something out for the first time, and then actually witness it - it's enough to shake anyone's confidence. "Of course they do, love. It's all part of our history. It's what makes us who we are, and I'm sure there was a reason he didn't tell you..."

"He's twenty-two!" Stuart suddenly shrieked, throwing up a hand in frustration. "Just!" he had to add for emphasis as he was overcome with an urge to pace, or to get in the car and find the nearest Morgan sibling and interrogate the shit out of them so he didn't actually do what his mind was first reacting to, and find Liam to give him a mouthful. Perhaps right before giving his fiance a mouthful and smacking him in the head with the blank DVD.

Gee covered her mouth as she backed away to give Stuart some space, her eyes watching him intently. "What's done is done, love. It still looked to be very consensual. I think you're best talking to Tom about it, since I really have no idea what to say. Other than to ask if you've ever had a younger lover."

"I'm twenty six. Want me to fuck a preschooler?" Stuart snapped and then put his hand over his mouth, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry. I shouldnae be directing this at you. It just slipped out. I saw how very consensual it looked. It was practically... practically..." He couldn't bring himself to say 'making love'. Some part of him was possessive and protective of the fact Tom had told him he was the first to do that with him. At the very least, the encounter... probably not a singular either... with Liam was some deep affection and now all Stuart could wonder was how many times, how long it had gone on for, and why Tom hadn't revealed it to him. "I feel like throwing up or hitting something."

"Please direct both of those away from me," Gee replied firmly even if she moved in closer again and touched his hand. "Do you want a drink? I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. I don't know the blond. I only know Tom, and I know just how deeply he loves you. You're engaged, Stu. He really should have fucking said something, but he didn't. I'm not even engaged to Euan and we're still giving each other shit over revealing important information. Look at what I did when he did tell me something."

Stuart glanced around, feeling his anger start to set in under his skin. "Aye, I want a drink. I want a big drink." He went over to the fully stocked bar Tom had in the corner of the room for entertainment purposes and pulled out the closest bottle of scotch his hand laid on. He cracked it open and took a long drink directly from the bottle. The joys of being a Scotsman, the amber liquor went down like water when it needed to. He rested the bottle down on the bar, licking his lips as he tried to force his mind to think clearly on the situation. "Why him? Of all the people. Liam is Sophie's wee brother. Why didnae someone tell me aboot it?"

Gee held her hands out. "Maybe no one knew. They can't tell you what they don't know. It's possible it was a secret thing. Even Sophie and Ethan might not know. I really can't answer that, Stuart. I wish I could. It seems like the only people that did know were Jules and Kenzie and they wouldn't even know who Liam was, would they?"

It was only then that Stuart realised she was right. Kenzie and Jules would know, they were why the DVDs were out. At least, he hoped they were. If they weren't, that meant it was Tom himself and if Stuart let himself linger on that thought, he really would vomit and probably end up doing or saying something he regretted. He re-capped the bottle and pushed it aside, feeling his pockets reflexively for his keys, which weren't there considering he was just in daggy track pants and an old t-shirt. "I'm going to talk to Ethan," he decided with a strange calmness to his tone. "Do you want a ride back home?"

Gee blinked at the change, not sure if it was a good thing or not. She could deal with an angry Scot if she had to, but truth was a calm Scot actually scared her. It meant something was very much brewing under the surface. "Can you drop me off at Euan's instead? I just want to make sure he hasn't done himself in out of boredom. As much as he was adamant being stuck with cable TV was better, I still don't know that he has the attention span for it."

Stuart gave a slight nod, already heading for the door. "Better make sure he's not off making homemade porn with your cousin or something," he bit out with a glance over his shoulder. The truth was, he didn't really know how he was feeling so he was forcing himself to not feel anything before he had more facts. At the end of the day, the detective in him always seemed to win out.

RP Log with lovesguinness | Attempted Escape

2010-05-22T22:12:58Z

Euan hadn't been joking when he told Vee that she could fight it out with Ronnie about the lift. To be honest, he just didn't have the energy to care how he got home, he just wanted to be there and well out of the hospital. He felt like a patient, and that aggravated him more than anything else. Well, maybe not as much as being placated. That still pissed him off, to the point even just remembering the conversation with Gee had him pausing in trying to get his t-shirt on before he even had it hooked over his hands. He stopped, breathless, dropping the shirt back into his lap as his face scrunched up in pain. He unfolded just a little and looked at the large dressing over the surgical wound. It hurt like a bitch, and that was being kind. They had him up walking, but not too far. He had also lost count of the amount of nurses who were frowning on his choice to leave. A string of lectures about post-op infections, and tearing sutures, and being isolated in an apartment. Euan didn't give a flying fuck about it all. He just wanted to lie in his own bed, even if it still felt like a hotel room to him.

He was sweating slightly now with the effort, not even waiting like he was told for a nurse to help him. He was really starting to wonder who the fuck he pissed off in a past lifetime to have his luck go so far down the shitter lately like it had done. If it wasn't one thing, it was another, and he was frankly just plain drained from the whole thing. Now he didn't even have work to distract himself with. Not only strict doctor's orders, but strict cop HQ orders, Euan wasn't allowed back to work until the wound was fully healed and he was back to full operational capacity. By that time, they would have a permanent posting for him, too, which could be fucking anywhere.

Gee had a stuffed bear tucked under her arm and a bag of sweets in her hand as she stepped off the lift and walked down the hall of the hospital floor towards Euan's room. She was so intent on running through her words of apologies that when she entered the private room, it took her a moment to realise that Euan was trying to get dressed. She stared at him, shock and then concern flitting across her features before she set down the bear and paper bag next to him and reached up to touch the backs of her fingers to his forehead and then brushed them against his cheek. "Going somewhere?"

"Aye. I am." Euan replied automatically and then took the time to hesitate and frown slightly up at her. It wasn't like they had argued or had an outright explosive argument of any sort. It wasn't anything like that. He had just slipped right back into the usual routine of his by doing everything alone. He was doubtful how they could even work this relationship thing when they never seemed to be on the same page. It always seemed like they were looking in different directions, another thing he was just plain tired of. "Why aren't you at work?" he asked, trying again to drag the t-shirt over his arms.

Gee seriously considered cuffing him to the bed to stop him from leaving the hospital. In fact, her fingers even hooked into the cuffs clipped to her hip, but she relented when she watched him struggle with the t-shirt and gently started to help him. She took it slowly and made sure she didn't hurt, smoothing her hands over his shoulders once the t-shirt was over his head and she'd tugged it down. "Because this is where I should be," she answered him quietly, her blue eyes meeting his gaze with a meaningful look.

"Really?" Euan asked flatly, holding her gaze. He had basically just sat there when she stepped in to help him with his shirt, even if he almost told her to stop. "Because last I looked, there were practically skidmarks on the lino from how fast you pissed off outta here. Pardon me if I ain't sure I actually buy that." He reached over to try and get his socks from where they were sitting on top of his jacket at the end of the bed, and immediately regretted the action, hand rapidly going to his torso just above the wound with a string of hissed expletives. "And do me a favour, and don't give me anymore bullshit about talking and secrets. I'm done with it. Damned if I fucking do, damned even fucking more if I fucking don't."

"Really," Gee answered as she picked up his socks and hooked her foot around the leg of the chair to pull it up behind her and sit down in front of him so she could get his socks on for him. She pressed her lips together as she breathed slowly out of her nose and tried to curb any aggressive retorts, or justifications for her behaviour. She knew she'd done wrong, Stuart knew she'd done wrong, Euan clearly knew she'd fucked up. There was no point trying to defend her actions. "I'm sorry. I really am. This is where I belong though. I'm not leaving you again."

"Going to make it hard if I'm not talking and you're not listening unless I want you to," Euan bit out. He was feeling about two steps from just walking out half naked. No shoes, no socks, no jeans. Anyone copping an eyeful could deal with it. It seemed like so much bloody effort just to strip off again when he got home. Whatever the painkillers they had switched him to knowing he was going home were doing eff bloody all. He wasn't going to give into the passive aggressive blackmail one nurse tried telling him he could still have post-op morphine if he stayed.

Gee arched an eyebrow slightly, her hands resting lightly on his legs after getting his socks on. She was waiting to see if he'd realise that he wasn't actually in any shape to go home, but Euan was stubborn, and the truth was she could see why he didn't want to be here. If he did really just want to go home, then she'd help him and she'd stay with him. She wasn't letting him suffer alone. "Then I'll just listen to the silence. I'm here to make up for my fuck-ups, Euan. I know I did wrong, but I want to make amends. You're going to be stuck with me. Chances are you won't even be able to take a piss without me right there."

"I would take a piss in front of the fucking Queen if I needed to. I'm hardly the bashful type," Euan said with a small snort. In fact, back in their partner days, it wasn't uncommon for Vee to follow him into the men's room while they were in the middle of a case discussion. Sometimes their best thinking got done in there. He stopped, shaking his head slightly with his nose scrunched up in annoyance. "What the fuck was that, anyway? You think I actually wanted to talk about that bullshit? You wanted to know, I told you. I told you I would answer anything you asked, then all of a sudden when I'm trying to explain, you don't want to fucking know? Do you know how fucking annoying it is to be placated?"

Gee started to rub her hand against the back of Euan's leg soothingly, giving him a gentle massage. "Yeah, I do. I do know. But I was just... I thought I was doing the right thing, only I couldn't realise I was being such a fuckwit until later. I just wish I could take that whole moment back. I was stupid, and I just... I'm here. Okay? I'm here. I want to listen, I want to just be here for you. And if I've lost out, then... I'll just keep trying to make it up to you, and just hope you can give me a second chance eventually."

Euan was silent as he just watched her while a few moments past, obvious unspoken thoughts going through his mind when she finished her comment. "Just for the record, turning around from being a dirty crim thieving addict who would hurt his only family for a hit to this," he waved his hand up and down his body, "is not anything to be proud of. All it is is survival. If not this, I'd be fucking pushing daisies by now. I lost count of how many times I nearly fried myself on bad crack. I stole my own fucking grandmother's pension money, left her near destitute when she tried to help me. It's nothing that comes with pride."

Gee sucked on her bottom lip as she listened. She stayed quiet for a long moment after he'd finished, not sure if she was stupid enough to want to cry or not. She was a cop. She'd seen people like Euan was describing day in and day out. Her heart didn't break for them. It broke for Euan because she knew him. She had a personal attachment. She looked over him again, the tattoos, the scars she knew were there... it all took on a new light in the wake of his revelation. "It still takes strength to want to survive something like that, and to successfully survive."

Euan shook his head. "It takes nearly being murdered, by your childhood best friend, who also happens to be your dealer and in a more fucked up state than yourself. I'm not a hero for wanting to live. It was nothing but fear that turned me around. Looking into his eyes as he twisted the knife in me, I saw myself."

This time Gee's bottom lip started to tremble and she took a deep breath as she glanced away, not wanting to look at Euan when she knew there would be tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Euan was once against waving his hand dismissively, but there was no aggravation this time. He just wasn't sure what else to say. It wasn't like she could say anything in return and he didn't want to end up sitting there doing all the talking while she apologised to him for about the eighth time she she appeared a few minutes ago. "Shit happens," he mumbled, really wanting a smoke all of a sudden.

Gee leaned forward and kissed his knee. She was more than aware of how many 'sorrys' she was racking up and made a mental note not to apologise anymore. There also really wasn't anything she could say to change Euan's past. She was just grateful that he had chosen to survive. "So do exploding body parts. Are you really sure you're ready to leave? No offence, love, but you still look like shit."

"I hate waking up in hospitals. I haven't slept naturally since I got here unless they've got me knocked out, and as fucking awesome as morphine is, dosing an ex-addict with any substance is counterproductive. It just pisses us off and makes us want to kill ourselve more with legal substances like booze and smokes." In fact, he went back to trying to get his stuff together, knowing he only needed to sign those damn forms, if they ever got their fingers out and brought them to him. "I feel like the bomb compared to what I did a few days ago."

Gee cleared her throat as she watched him. "You can't just go home though. You're still not able to dress yourself. And if you're really in that much pain still it's going to suck to be left alone with it. How are you going to change your dressings? And as immodest as you may be, how are you planning on getting to the toilet and back?" Gee tucked her tongue in the corner of her mouth for a moment. "You leave, I'm coming with. I'll be your live-in nurse."

"You've got work, I'll manage," Euan told her, moving to stand up now, even if it was a process and he was still technically leaning on the bed. "I can't stay here. I need to sleep. My brain feels like it's about to fucking melt out of my arsehole. They said I could go home when I..." He waved his hand with a snort. "Some fucking medical bollocking talk for taking a dump. See? Shit does happen. And now I'm going home because this place reeks like a methadone clinic."

"All's quiet on the Western Front. Stu's capable of using a phone if anything happens." Gee stood up as well, hovering in case he lost his balance. "Alright, so go home. But you're not going home alone. That's all I'm saying. I'll work it around the job."

Euan couldn't say anything at first. He just wanted to give into the pain and exhaustion without keeping up a façade for a few moments. It was a rare moment, indeed. He leaned forward with a small, strained groan, first resting his elbows on the bed, followed by his head on his arm. He breathed out slowly and wet his lips, just trying to wait it out. But he cleared his throat, with a small nod against his forearm. "Aye... aye, alright. Cheers. I appreciate it," he mumbled, relenting without protest.

Gee rubbed her hand over his back and leaned forward to kiss the back of his neck. Two big revelations in such a short space wouldn't be easy on him, even when the second wasn't even verbal. "You won't once you realise what me never leaving you alone means, love. How about we try and get your pants on first, huh? You might have to learn to embrace trackpants for a while. Let the jeans go."

Euan was wondering if he could just do what all those brats on the Harry Potter movies did and get from one place to the next by magic. "Times like this, I wish I was born a fucking Scot."

Gee smirked. "We could always just pinch a bed sheet. I'm sure they have more. You could bring the toga back into fashion."

Euan gave a small laugh, but immediately regretted it with a pained snort. "How about just getting me a joint?" he joked.

Gee picked up his jeans and squatted down on the floor so she could try and start getting him into them. "I'll see what I can do, but I'm a little wary about getting you one here. I also don't have enough money to get to Amsterdam just to score you some pot."

Euan shook his head. "I can't put those on," he finally admitted. "I can't even stand the elastic of my jocks around my stomach. I've got some at home, another reason I need to be there and not here. Better porn channels, too."

"Thought sex was going to make you implode?" Gee asked as she stood up and tossed the jeans back on the bed. "Off with the jocks, lover. And we're trying the bed sheet thing. You can laugh all you want, but it's going to be the most comfortable thing unless you want to wear a gown home."

"I'm not wearing a fucking sheet home," Euan said in annoyance, and really wanted to just smack someone with an IV pole in frustration at the predicament. He just wanted to sleep, it wasn't too much to ask, was it? "Who said anything about sex, anyway? Porn is not sex."

"I'm just trying to help," Gee murmured. "Too bad you're not a member of the trenchcoat brigade. Maybe Ronnie can help us out with that? It's just entertainment. Right. I guess it's more interesting than half the shit on TV at the moment anyway."

Euan was hit with a wave of nausea and dizziness from trying to stand too long and shifted to ease himself down into the visitor's chair, dropping his head back to wait for it to pass. "You know, you really are a pain in the arse when you want to be." Pot, kettle, black, most likely, but if she wanted to stick around, she had to take him for the good, bad and the ugly.

Gee sat on the edge of his bed as she waited to see just what the Irishman did want to do about the trouser situation. "I warned you." She couldn't help but smile though, figuring that if they could both survive each other being pains in the arse then they were definitely onto something.

Euan pointed over his shoulder with his thumb in the direction of the room door. "There's a wee old lady two doors up. Beryl. She thinks I'm a darling. Go tell her I need her robe, or just steal it. I don't fucking care right now, I just wanna go home. I feel like a piece of shit. A very large piece of shit. Just don't go pissing me off, I don't have the energy to tell you to fuck off."

"I wouldn't leave even if you did tell me to fuck off. Not this time." Gee got up off the bed and touched his shoulder as she passed. "I'll get the robe, and we'll get you home. What is it with you and the old dears, anyway? The one back in New York loved you just as much."

Euan smirked weakly. "You and Vee are the only females who think I'm a wanker," he felt the need to smugly point out. "All the others adore me. I'm adorable."

Gee winked at him. "Only because we love you. We can't have you getting a big head, even if it's adorable."

Euan rolled his eyes slightly, but he was watching her with a woozy amusement. "Fucking bollocks. You both always gagged for me to get my big head on the go. Practically begged me for it a lot of the time." For emphasis, he pointedly readjusted himself in his boxers and cleared his throat smugly.

Gee wet her lips as she looked at him and his boxers. "Well, she's out of the picture as far as that's concerned and I'm more concerned about your big head getting some rest." She picked up his hand as she brought it to her lips and proceeded to tongue fuck his finger as she smirked at him. "That way I can wait for you to be ready for the sexual healing to begin. I hear it really does work wonders."

Euan pulled his hand away. "Fuck, no... please. A break? Please," he all-but begged her. For maybe the third time in his life, he didn't feel like sex at all, in any way, shape or form. "What, do the assholes have penicillan in their jizz or something? No such fucking thing as sexual healing," he snorted. "Or doctors would be out of fucking business."

Gee laughed softly as she kissed his forehead. "You really are in bad shape, aren't you? And don't be so fucking literal. You really can be a buzzkill when you want. It's about comfort, and just being close to someone when you really need it."

"Hey, ain't an exploding internal organ buzzkill enough? I'm just rolling with the motions." Euan paused though, frowning slightly. "I owe your guard dog a thanks. And I'm not talking about the haggis-eater."

Gee's eyebrows went up before she gave him a soft smile. "I'll be sure to pass the thanks on, but I think you might need to give it to him yourself. I'm sure it would make Vee happy."

"I ain't doing it to make her happy," Euan returned immediately, still frowning maybe with a little more intensity now. "She doesn't need me to make her happy anymore. Like you said, that ain't the song book anymore."

Gee frowned. "We still need friends to make us happy, even when we're in love with someone. It doesn't change. Ever."

"Placating the boyfriend ain't my idea of making anyone happy," Euan said. "I don't care what he thinks or feels about me, or what she thinks I think or feel about him. But if gratitude is deserved, I'm the first one to put my hand up and offer it. He helped me out, I ain't gonna forget that."

"That's all I was talking about. It might be nice to actually thank him in person with a pint, or something. I never mentioned placating. Guilty conscience much?" Gee looked at him before she leaned forward again and kissed his temple. "I'll go get the robe, and we'll get you home, sweetheart."

Euan scrunched his nose up. "I know how you two think, even if you all get complexes about being compared to each other. Your problem that you're so alike, not mine." But he came to watch her closely again for a few moments, falling quiet until he added, "Thank you." As soon as the words left his mouth, though, he knew they meant more than just her getting the robe for him. Much more.

RP Log with scotcopper | Back to the Grind

2010-05-17T09:04:43Z

[Simultaneous to THIS and THIS]

Stuart was seriously struggling to shake the sensation that his desk belonged to someone else and he was intruding. With Euan apparently checking out extremely quickly, his stuff was still all over the place, and even though he had scooped a lot of it up and covertly stacked it at the back of Gee's desk without her realising, he was still finding it hard to get his feet at work again. He swivelled back and forth his his chair a little, still feeling a little woozy at times. Ironic, when he first got on a boat, he spent the first few days puking his guts up while he found his sea legs. Now he was back on dry land, there was another odd sensation of being too still. He wished his inner ear would make up it's fucking mind. A mind which kept wandering back to Tom, and sex, and everything between. They had no cases yet, and he was a bit at a loss, leading him to start playing with an elastic band, twirling it over and over between his fingers while he rocked back and forth on his chair.

Until he accidentally let go of it and it flicked over the desk and hit Gee in the head. Stuart stilled, his face immediately sporting a guilty look as he braced himself for an explosion. She had been in a foul mood all morning, this could be the proverbial straw and she was the proverbial camel.

Gee's eyes had shut when she'd felt the rubber band hit her head. Truth was she'd already been contemplating getting up and tipping over Stuart in his chair, but that wasn't fair. She wasn't angry with him. She was actually happy to have him back. Only right now everything he did - anyone - did was grating on her nerves. One of uniforms had copped a mouthful from her earlier chewing too loudly in the cafeteria. She figured it was safe to just keep her mouth shut and fume quietly. It was no one's fault but maybe her own that she had falled for an Irishman that was harder to have a conversation with than a brick wall. No matter what her responses were she always seemed to say the wrong fucking thing, and not be worthy of his trust or affection.

She picked up the rubber band from where it fallen on her desk and glared across at Stuart as she just dropped it into the waste basket next to her and tried to get back to her paperwork. Only she caught site of Euan's belongings on her desk and her nostrils flared before she stood up and scooped it all up to throw it all into the waste basket as well. If he wasn't even going to be in the same fucking station, then he didn't need his fucking belongings did he? "He doesn't need anything because he's Euan fucking Fitzpatrick," she hissed out loud, finishing her thought verbally without realising.

Stuart had just quietly watched her for a few moments before he gave a slight shrug. "Welcome back, Stuart. So nice to have you here. We really missed you. How's things? How's that lawyer of yours that's got wrapped around a traffic light pole by a murderer? He doing well?" he reeled off to himself lightly, nudging the trash can towards him with his foot and leaning over to dig out what looked to be Euan's leather diary and an expensive looking pen with something engraved on it. He set them on the side of his desk and had a look to see if she was trying to bin anything else that could be of importance to the Irish detective.

Gee blinked, Stuart's voice cutting through the haze of anger and she just stared at him before her features crumpled and she got up to move around to his side of the desk as she hugged him tightly. "I don't know about the royal 'we', but I've really missed you. I'm sorry I'm such a bitch right now." And even as she pulled back she saw more of Euan's things and started dumping them, too. But she left the diary and pen where it was on Stuart's desk. He had been right to save them. "Is Tom okay?"

Stuart reached over and gently caught her wrist, stopping her with the dumping run. "For every one of his things you chuck in that bin, I want you to toss out something of your own," he challenged, looking up at her and watching her closely. "Tom'll be fine once he gets back into the swing of things. He's back where he belongs."

Gee frowned at him, and wrestled her wrist out of his grip and did start to dump her own things as well. "Desks look too fucking cluttered anyway. Time to start fresh. You're back, we don't need all this shit around reminding us of a bad time, do we? No, we don't. See? It's fine. I'm really just saving him the hassle of throwing out his shit anyway. He doesn't want to come back, so he won't need any of it." After everything except the paperwork, mugs and Euan's diary and pen found its way into the bin she finally stopped, and gave Stuart a sweet smile. "Good. I'm glad. Really glad. You did the right thing taking care of him. See? He did need you."

Stuart scrunched his nose up and leaned back in his chair. Considering her mood, any talk of Tom just had him feeling like he was being patronised. She was clearly distracted by other things. "Remind me to never fucking land in hospital while you're my partner. I might come back and find my dick in the trash can," he snorted, resting his hands behind his head. "He cannae come back, I'm here. He goes where he's posted, end of story. All CIDs are gagging for good sergeants, which I hear he is. I'm starting to think you've deluded yourself into believing he deliberately burst his appendix to get the feck away from you."

Gee let out a rush of air before she turned around to sit up on Stuart's desk. She gripped the edge as she leaned forward, watching her feet swing. "I know he didn't fucking burst it on purpose. I'm not that delusional. He was genuinely sick, and he got his appendix removed. He just lied to Vee about having it removed before. We were talking when he woke up and he was telling me about where the scar really came from, and all I did was just say that he didn't have to tell me anything if he didn't want to. He's just fucking woken up from surgery! I didn't think he'd quite have the energy for a D&M. I didn't mean for it to come out sounding like he had to not tell me anything ever, or that I was fucking placating him which I know is what he was bloody thinking. He just told me he was tired, so I just left him to it." She looked at Stuart, and offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for fucking up your first day back."

Stuart shrugged. "Nay a whole lot that could fuck up how I'm feeling right now," he admitted with a small smirk. "So, he voluntarily opened up to you - finally - just like you wanted him to, and you tell him he doesnae have to tell you anything he didnae want to? You dinnae actually mind to stop and realise the fact that him voluntarily telling you was an indication he did want to tell you? Maybe anaesthetic makes him vulnerable! Maybe he was feeling shit and that's when he taps into his feelings the best? Fuck, Gee. Were you placating him?"

Gee raised an eyebrow. "How are you feeling right now?" She started to get the guilty look of a puppy being told off, and could barely maintain eye contact with Stuart. If only he'd been around to tell her she was being an idiot before. "Well, no. Of course not! I just wanted him to take it easy. I wasn't trying to tell him I didn't want to know, or I didn't appreciate him opening up. I just figured he really did need to take it easy. He'd nearly fucking exploded! That's not something you rush out of."

"Pretty damn fecking awesome," Stuart confirmed and then held his hands up. "Depends what it was he was telling you. If it was his favourite colour and what brand of toilet paper he prefers, fair enough, can wait. But if it was something vital, maybe he didnae want to be taking it easy. Maybe he actually needed to say it then and there because saying it any other time was outta the question. Was it something you needed to know at that point?"

Gee opened her mouth to reply but then she looked at his hands, and her gaze fixed on his left hand in particular before she grabbed it and looked at the ring. "Is that... You fucking bastard! You don't even call to tell me? And then you let me act like a fucking witch all morning, and sit on something this fucking huge? Jesus, Stuart. I can't believe it... When did it happen? What did he say?" She was looking at him again as her eyes flicked over his face and she seemed like she was just trying to read his mind to get the answers. "Yes, it was."

Stuart snorted with a laugh. "I wasnae hiding anything. You've been in a fecking foul mood, I dinnae want to be in one too. So sue me. It only happened the night before last, final night of the cruise. He asked me to marry him, only thing was, I was already planning on proposing to him. I was going to do it that night too. It was a mutual yes," he said with a sweet, happy smile. But he sighed, looking up at her beyond his fingers that she was studying. "I havenae even had a chance to tell my family yet, and you cocked up. Subconsciously, mind. He was trying to tell you something you did placate him. If that pissed him off, tells me he isnae the sort to tell anyone much at all. Maybe there was more he wanted to say, but you telling him he didnae have to? You might nay get that window open again."

"Jesus, you guys even propose in synchronisation. It's sickening, you know that? No one should be that sexy and happy, and wonderful." She stuck her tongue out playfully, Stuart's news helping to dig her out of her mood. She kept a hold of her hand, resting it in her lap as she played with his fingers. "Congratulations, love. Really. This is great! So is there a date yet? You need to tell your family, Stuart. And I know I fucked up... But he fucked up too! He could have just poked me in the eye and kept talking. I don't know what to do."

"I will tell them, as soon as I can get them all in one room together. They're spread from arsehole to breakfast right now. So much fecking happened while I was gone, and suddenly Jules and Kenzie are here in London too. My head hurts trying to keep up with it." Stuart watched her play with his fingers. He couldn't deny that he was loving how the ring looked and felt there, like it just belonged. "Aye, alright. Okay. How huge was the thing he was telling you? To him, what would it be on a scale of one to ten?"

Gee raised her eyebrows. "Really? Is everything okay?" It really did look like it belonged. Gee smiled softly as she spun the ring around his finger. It fit snugly, but still had enough movement so he wouldn't wind up with a serious dent in his finger, or have circulation cut off. "Ten being gargantuan? I'm going with... eight."

Stuart pulled his lips to the side. "From what I can deduce from Gus, aye. It is now. A couple of days ago? Maybe nay. But Brades is currently staying at a hotel with Kenzie, and all signs point to him wanting to maybe step into the dad shoes with her bairn. Gus seems to think he's well stepping into the lover shoes with her, apparently something that kicked off in our kitchen," he said, nose scrunching up. "Iain's happy with things seeming to be going smoothly, Cal has apparently nay been trying for a third bairn so it doesnae upset Bradie, Gus is in limbo but wants to be with Jules more than he wants to breathe fresh air, Brades is all over the place like a dogs breakfast and may have had a ninja fuck before he knew Kenzie was in London, and me... I have to try and slot them all into place somewhere to tell them I'm engaged," he explained wryly. "Eight's big. You need to talk to him. Tell him you want to know what he needs to tell you. You also need to stop making it look like he has every reason to regret moving to London," he added with a pointed look in the trash bin where all of Euan's stuff was.

Gee's mind was struggling to keep up as she listened, but she eventually thought she had it all in hand. "So get them all at yours and Tom's. They're all in London, yeah? Unless Cal's gone back home, in which case just get him on speaker phone. They're all definitely going through a lot but just... tell them. It might actually help them out right now to have that kind of happy news laid out. They love you, you're their brother. They'll come together if you just ask them to." Gee bit her lip as she glanced down at the bin as well before she gave him a sheepish smile. "It makes it easier to take to him."

"I will, I will!" Stuart laughed. "It's nay a conspiracy, I'm nay hiding anything. With my family, it just takes a lot of strategic, tactical planning. Mind the family I'll be marrying into, too. Ethan's practically Tom's brother, who is attached to the Morgan clan. Eight fecking kids. Just need to get them all in the same room. Turfing his stuff makes it easier? Get well soon, Fitzpatrick, why dinnae I just toss all your irritating junk in the bin for well wishes? Are you trying to bed him, Gee, or piss him off outta your life for good?"

Gee's mouth fell open slightly. "Eight? Plus your five? Fuck. Maybe you should just hire a hall?" She leaned over into her inbox and fished out a blue envelope. "Or just hijack this Phillipe's party? Am I supposed to know him?" She set the invitation in front of Stuart before she hopped off his desk to pick up the bin and started to fish out hers and Euan's things out again. She started to place them on her desk, rearranging as she went so Euan's things got mixed in with hers. She also blankly refused to acknowledge any tears that suddenly welled up. "We just can't seem to go smoothly for very long."

Stuart took the envelope and made a 'I dunno' noise with a shrug. "Not even sure I know what a Phillipe is." He pulled the invitation out and read over it. "Uh... aye, Ethan's business associate, I think. If I remember rightly. Havenae ever personally met him. French bloke, twin. Did you see this was addressed to you and Fitzpatrick, by the way?" He shook the paper out a little, his detective mind kicking in. "This is expensive paper, and it's print is metallic. I am never going to get used to this rich thing. Aye, I know that feeling. I keep waiting for everything to fuck up again. Cannae help it. But still, you cannae just leave it like this. I dinnae know what it was he was trying to tell you, but are you even willing to admit it was some sort of step forward?"

Gee frowned as she snapped the piece of paper back up. "Does everyone think we're a couple except for us? I feel like I'm out of the loop of my own bloody love life. He's a twin?" She looked at the invite again before she sniffed it cautiously. "It even smells rich. You're going to be a permanent part of the rich set if you marry Tom. How does that feel?" She tucked the invitation into her back pocket as she looked at Stuart. "You can't really believe things are going to fuck up even now? He said yes. He's going to marry you. You're going to marry him. That's huge. Yeah... of course I am. Only we took a step back in the same breath."

"I thought you agreed to date him?" Stuart asked in confusion, still wondering what the fuck had all gone down while he was away. It felt like he had been gone a lifetime. "I dinnae know, I think so. I'm just relaying what I heard, I havenae met them. I guess we just all interweave enough now to land us invitations to rich bloke parties. It's supposed to feel different? I dinnae. I'm still me. I'm still going to eat Cornflakes outta the packet on the days I'm running late for work and I'm still gonna scratch my butt if it's itchy. Rich people are just like us, they just have more to lose when fuck up. Cannae I? Because I do. You cannae go through shit like that and nay have it stick in your mind. It's always there, niggling at the back of your mind. I'm nay saying it isnae huge, I'm just saying... we're still healing. Tom probably isnae ever going to be as confident as he was before his accident. You know, maybe that's something for you to think on, too. You havenae told me what it was Fitzpatrick told you, but you gave it an eight. Chances are, it changed his life too. Maybe it's something he just doesnae want to talk aboot anymore, but knew he had to. Guy's probably confused. You were all with the wanting him to open up to you and nay be mysterious, even just a wee bit, but when he does you tell him he doesnae have to tell you? Feck, I'd be confused too. The male brain, isnae so deep sometimes, you know. He's gotta be feeling weak, off his game."

"I did, doesn't mean we're entitled to group invitations. And we've still only had the one date which ended in a trip to Amsterdam. Which was... the best weekend ever. Everything seemed to work. I let go of the stick up my arse, and we relaxed, and we hung out and there was lots of hot sex." She reached up to touch her hair, feeling some of the strands falling out of the ponytail. Her hair had been growing longer, and she hadn't had a chance to get it cut yet. "I guess I can't really complain. A party might be nice. I'll have to get some new clothes, or something though. Not sure I have anything suitable. I guess you're right about rich people being just like us, but still... You're going to be pretty comfortable. You won't ever really have to worry about anything again." Gee reached out to give his shoulder a squeeze and smiled reassuringly. "He's safe now, though. I know it was some pretty heavy shit, but what are the chances of it happening again? The driver's locked up, Tom's all healed up... I know it'll take time to feel safe again, but he's got you. You really don't think he'll get back up to full strength confidence wise?" Gee took her seat again once the bin was empty, and looked across at Stuart. "So as a male, how would you want... me to make it up to you?"

Stuart scrunched his nose up with a soft snort. "He's marrying me, nay buying me. I've got plenty to worry about that isnae anything to do with money. Money's never been much of a consideration to me, my family was always comfortable. I willnae change, I feel awkward in those rich environments. Took me days to find my feet on the cruise, and even then, we didnae spend much time socialising with the other people. I say it's worse for him. He's going to have to come to cop functions as my date... a lawyer in a room full of cops," he laughed. "I would just want you to chill, frankly. If I'm trying to tell you something important, dinnae be telling me you dinnae need to know if it's actually something important. As for everything else, I dinnae know, love. It took me long enough to start knowing how to read Tom, I'd be screwed trying to read Fitzpatrick. He's Irish, for starters. And no, I dinnae think Tom will ever be quite the same. I'm nay saying he'll nay get his strength back, he's got it back, I'm just saying he'll see the world through different glasses now... which I'm betting is what happened to Fitzpatrick at some point. He isnae like he is just because he was born that way. Nay one is like that naturally."

Gee shook her head with amusement. "It is for me. I've never been around that kind of money. I'll be scared to say, or do the wrong thing. What if I forget my deodarant? Too much pressure... But this party, it's not going to be too bad, is it? We'll deal, yeah? I don't even know if Euan will be able to come. Or if he'll want to be my date. Shit, I've really fucked up. Of course I wanted to listen! But then I just had to be a dumb fucking cow and try and tell him to shut up. I can't read him, it's impossible. Half the time I'm flying blind and just wind up with my head up my arse." She smirked at the image of Tom being Stuart's date to the cop functions. "At least you'll know Tom can give as good as he gets. I think he'll rather enjoy the chance to have a go at all us coppers. It is what happened to Euan, but I just... I can't tell you. Not even Vee knows. I feel strange knowing things she doesn't know, and I also feel... special."

Stuart's eyebrows shot up. "It's something she didnae know? And that still didnae ring warning bells?!" He put his hand over his eyes with a small, wry groan. "You know those puppy pre-schools? You need to go to one for girlfriends. What if he just wanted to tell you because he needed someone to support him right now? Because if she doesnae know, sounds huge to me. She's his BFF. At the end of the day, he still took a dive here at work, people still thought he was poisoned. Everyone knows about it. Maybe he just... needs you, Gee?"

She started to chew on her bottom lip as she looked at him, her big blue eyes filled with unshed tears. "I really am a bad puppy, aren't I? I just bloody left him. I walked out. I'm such a fucking idiot. I could kick myself." She let out a frustrated growl as she kicked the side of her desk instead.

"Jesus, Gee," Stuart murmured, pushing up out of his chair to perch on the desk beside her. Luckily the department was pretty quiet at that point. He tucked his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "Look, go see him. Talk to him. I'll tell the boss you ate a dodgy bacon butty for breakfast. If we get any cases landing on our desk, I'll call you, fill you in."

Gee blinked rapidly so she didn't start crying, and cause a scene. Let the officers that were here just think she was frustrated over a case. She rest her forehead against his cheek briefly as she sniffed. "Thank you, Stuart. I really am glad you're back, you know. Congratulations again on the engagement. Don't forget to kill some time by sending Tom some naughty emails."

Stuart patted his jacket pocket where his phone was. "I'm a step ahead of you. He already has naughty pictures waiting in his inbox. I just need to keep telling myself nay to ring him and check on him every fifteen minutes. It's nay easy leaving the love of your life in the hands of someone else..." he added, looking at her pointedly and letting the words hang in the air for a few moments. He stood up and gave her a nudge. "Go. Dinnae feck it up this time."

The words hung in the ear before giving Gee a bitch slap into action and she picked up her jacket off the back of her chair, and slipped it on before kissing Stuart on the cheek. "You're gonna make one hell of a husband, Detective Evans. Just know that. Love you, partner."

Stuart smirked and gave her a small salute. "Cheers, love. Call me."

RP Log with lovesguinness | Reluctant Revelations

2010-05-16T02:47:27Z

[Follows THIS, THIS, THIS and THIS]

Euan didn't know whether he felt more crap before, or after waking up in hospital again. Last time there had been no surgery, just a whole lot of awesome drugs. Ironically, considering he had probably had every illegal substance in his body at some point in his life in the past, and it turns out to be surgical anaesthetic that leaves him feeling like chopped dogs balls. After the initial aggravation of waking up in another hospital bed in agony, he had settled down into a slightly subdued fuming and asked the nurse for more sedatives because he felt like shit. He knew he must be in a semi-serious condition when she not only agreed, but offered him another dose of morphine. He took both, and was out like a light.

It was now the following morning and he woke a little less abruptly now, oddly enough finding himself in a private room now. Talk about the fucking Twilight Zone. Maybe he had died and this was Hell's waiting room. God himself knew that Euan would never have a ticket through the Pearly Gates. He tried to stretch, but pain shot through his torso and with a strained groan, thought twice about much more movement. After a few groggy blinks, he realised it might he a private room, but he wasn't alone. Gee was sitting by the window, staring out at the bleak rainy day, a boring looking magazine lying in her lap. "I had a dream about this once. Only, you had more cleavage, and nurse's uniform with suspenders," he joked weakly.

Gee smiled as she shut the magazine and got up out of her chair. Since Euan had surfaced and been shifted to the private room she'd been sitting vigil by his bedside, only leaving if Vee was there to take over, and only just so that she could go home and change. She had no partner right then, and they hadn't been in the middle of any cases, so she'd managed to wing some leave. She sat on the side of his bed, careful not to get in the way of any wires, or his sore side. "Oh really, well, here, I can at least fulfil some of that." Gee readjusted her top and cleavage to give him a better view. She dropped her hand to slide her fingers between his and her smile grew. "I think we've met like this before. I seem to remember tongue fucking an Irishman just like you."

Euan tilted his head a little with a smirk. "Hm, it'll do," he teased, pushing the covers down a little as he tried to get a bit more of a comfortable position in the bed. "As much as I hate to say it, love, please don't mention fucking in any form to me right now. I don't think I can even feel my cock. Do I still have it? I'm scared to fucking check." He only had vague recollections of a nurse telling him why he was in there, but it was hazy. He wasn't actually sure he wanted to buy that the amount of pain he had been in could be factored to a fucking appendix.

Gee leaned forward to kiss his brow as she pushed his hair back from his forehead. It was growing longer, but Gee had to admit it suited him; added to his roguish charm. She pulled back a little to tuck back his covers and tilted her head as she lifted up his gown to do a visual check. "Oh, it's definitely there, gorgeous. I promise I won't talk about fucking. We'll talk about whatever you wanna talk about, love." She put his gown back down as she pulled the covers back up just a little bit and took his hand again. "You alright?"

"I'm always alright," Euan returned reflexively, glancing down at their hands. "Thinking about what chances I have of checking myself out of here and telling them to stick their morphine pump up their fucking arses, to be honest." He paused and looked at her warily, almost like he was waiting for her to say something... expecting her to say something. Vee would have by now. Actually, anyone probably would have. As soon as his sister arrived, he figured she would have a hell of a lot to say. The thing was, he knew that just before he was given more painkillers, a nurse had taken some strange round of tests, and Euan had been a detective long enough to know they were tox screening him. The question was, did they think he was an addict, or were they looking for something else?

Gee arched an eyebrow. "No, you're not. You were sick and you didn't say anything. You were feeling shit throughout the whole fucking interview and you didn't breathe a word. People thought you were poisoned because you liked to your best friend about a scar. You didn't already have your appendix out, and you're staying put. I'm not watching you risk a post-op infection, or ripping the surgical wound open. I need you to be okay."

Euan rested his head back against the mound of hospital pillows, sighing slightly. But his eyes soon moved back to her, and he had a faint smirk on his lips. Talk about an avalanche of shit hitting fans when he was unconscious. He didn't need to be a genius to know that Gee's short explanation probably led to a fuck lot more complications than it sounded. For one, Vee. That was going to be an interesting conversation when he had it. Second, it had to have been Devlin who had the poisoning suspicions. Euan did barf on him, afterall, and any good detective would probably jump to that conclusion, especially if Vee had been all with the past appendix thing. "Sounded good at the time," he offered with a small shrug. "Would have had to have been one fuck of an appendix, though. Bloody backdoor surgeons using serated scalpels."

Gee's gaze dropped to Euan's torso as she thought about the scar that she knew intimately. It was hard not to. Just like she knew every inch of tattoos. She dipped her head to kiss the corner of his mouth. "You were stabbed," she offered quietly. She'd just never questioned the scar because it was just a part of him. She'd been curious, but not enough to push her luck if he decided not to talk about it.

Euan nodded and then shrugged again. "Aye, I was. A long time ago. A lifetime ago, even." He cleared his throat, feeling tired to have this part of his past revisited. If only his appendix hadn't gone and exploded, things probably would have just gone on like they always had and he could go on keeping it all where it belonged... in the past.

Gee pulled back to reach for the plastic cup with the straw sitting in it, and held it in front of Euan so he could take a sip of water if he wanted. "A lot can change from who we were to who we are now."

Euan took a small sip of the water and then wet his lips. "It's a reminder of what I don't want to be anymore, plain and simple. I wake up every day, see that, and thank fucking god I'm not where I was then." He was quiet for a few moments, a small frown on his face. "I know what you're thinking, you want to know why Vee doesn't know. When you think she knows me in and out. She doesn't. No one does. Not even my bloody relatives."

Gee set the water back down and brushed her fingers over Euan's forehead. "Stop being so bloody psychic. You've had surgery, and you still read my like a book. It's not fair. Why should I be so open to you, and you keep yourself shut off. Until I ask questions, and you decide to deem them worthy of answering. I'm really not going to quiz you about it. Or about anything. I'm just glad you didn't explode. You had me fucking worried. I was ready to piss my trousers when Matt came and told me. Well, after I got angry about you not telling me you felt like crap. But we had a job to do."

"Aye, we did," Euan agreed pointedly. He couldn't help it if his reason for existing in a lot of the recent years was his work, and that the reason why he had become the detective he was because he had so much first-hand experience with criminals... had been one. "I thought I ate something dodgy. It went from tolerable to really fucking not quicker than I could keep up. I didn't know what was going on, but we sill had a job to do. I..." he hesitated for a moment and then met her gaze evenly, "I'm used to operating alone. I deal with my own shit."

"Even after years of having partners?" Gee frowned a little as she looked at his face, her eyes searching his as she sucked on her bottom lip. "But a work partner's different. You don't have to be personally close to them. Not really. You just need to know that you can work together. This is operating on a different level. This is... dating?" Gee couldn't help it when the conclusion sounded more like a question. "You don't even deal with your shit with Vee?"

As long as she was asking questions, he would answer them. It's a promise he had made to her, and he had no intentions of renegging on that. It was just a long time since he really spoke about himself to anyone, not like this. It was usually revolving around work or sex. Or if he was with family, it was about family. He was groggy and tired in the wake of the surgery, and was finding he didn't have the usual stamina for talking people in circles that he normally would. The thing was, unless they asked him straight question, he never gave straight answers, probably to infuriating annoyance. But he had come so used to deflecting that it was second-nature now. "Never really had any shit to deal with then. It's not often anything happens to me, it's usually me there when shit is happening to other people. There wasn't ever a need for things in the past to come up. She never asked, we just got on with it."

Gee smiled a little as she looked at him. "Which you're really good at. You're good at being the comforter. That doesn't mean you can't be the comfortee when you need it. It's okay to need someone. I get that your past didn't come up, I really do. I'm not so sure Vee's going to see it that way to start with. She's been here. Helping watch over you. Occasionally though I was sure I was going to walk in on her slapping you." Gee tried to keep her tone light in an attempt to be teasing, but the truth was she really had thought Vee would slap an unconscious Euan on a couple of occasions.

Euan rested his head back again. He exhaled slowly, a few different things crawling through his mind now. "She knows I have a past with narcotics. Was involved with them on some level, but I never elaborated. She never asked. I'm not even saying I would have told her if she did, it was just like one of those subjects that remains unsaid and it's easier to remain unsaid. The thing is, I wouldn't have told her. As my partner, it would have put her in a difficult situation. I did things that, if she had knowledge of them as my partner, in certain situations she would have had no choice under American law but to reveal. I'm also not saying those situations would have ever arisen, but we're talking here something like if a perp tried to frame me, planted drugs on me. You've gotta understand that in a precinct like New York, things can get pretty cut-throat. London has nothing on it. American drug laws are zero tolerance. If Vee knew about my past and my standing as a copper was ever compromised, she would have no choice but revealing knowledge of my past if she had it. It would have put us both at risk." His eyes searched over Gee's face as he paused for a few moments. "I also didn't want her to know just how deep I got in. It's a fucking miracle I ain't banged up right now. This was my wake up call," he told her, pointing to the side of his torso. "I could've told her it was from a stabbing, but you know Vee. It just would've lead to an avalanche of questions."

"I think someone drinking their tea differently leads to an avalanche of questions," Gee replied with a wry smile. As detectives she was sure they were programmed to want to know every little detail of something, or someone, but Vee really did seem to be the queen of questioning. She was going to make a great PI for Tom's firm. Gee shifted to rest her hand on the other side of Euan's waist as she leaned over him, her readjusted cleavage still very much on display. "You don't have to tell me the details, you know. Not more than you already have. Technically I'm still your partner for a wee while, but I won't breathe a word. I promise. I'm sorry it took a knife to the side to wake you up, but in all honesty you should be proud of what you've achieved. Most people don't get a chance, or have the will to turn their life around. I'm pretty in awe of you sometimes, you know that?"

Euan sighed heavily and rolled his eyes with a dismissive wave of his hand. This was why he never talked to anyone about himself or his feelings. He hated being placated. They bitched and moaned about wanting information and about him being secretive and not saying anything, but when he did, they were placating him by not wanting details and not pushing him for more information. He hated the whole, oh you'll tell me if you want me to know bullshit. He started to open up to her, scratching the surface of what it was all about, and she about-turns with not wanting to more details? Fuck that. He didn't need anyone telling him he should be fucking proud of himself, either. He was starting to get aggravated by the while thing. By landing in hospital, and by needing surgery, and by his past being dragged up so abruptly before he had a chance to process it. "You're not my partner. I'm out. I probably won't even be in the same station as you when I go back." He cleared his throat, and found himself looking anywhere but her. "I'm tired."

Gee frowned at the change in Euan. She hadn't meant to placate him, she just hadn't wanted to rush him into spilling his guts about his past when he was still hurting from the surgery. Hospital wasn't easy on him, and she really didn't want to make it any worse for him. Of course him dismissing her like he was only served to piss her off. She sat up and tucked her boobs back into her shirt so she was no longer busting out of it, and slipped off the bed. "Right, well. I hope you feel better." She picked up her jacket hanging over the back of the chair by the window and gave him a nod as she headed for the door. "Sweet dreams, Detective Sergeant."

"Night," Euan returned as he went to look out the window. London views sucked, and he was beginning to think this whole relationship thing did, too. He didn't get it, so maybe he just wasn't built for it afterall?

RP Log with mattdevlin | Don't Shoot the Messenger

2010-05-03T08:49:14Z

[Follows THIS]

Matt had been about two steps from getting into the ambulance with Euan to go to the hospital with him, but then he remembered Gee, who was apparently still in the interrogation room with the suspect. After some debate back and forth, it was Ronnie that agreed to accompany Euan in the ambulance. Euan had been drifting in and out of consciousness, and Ronnie had it in hand with his typical Ronnie Brooks reassuring calmness. As he watched Euan be loaded onto a gurney, shoved on oxygen and then wheeled away down the corridor, Matt felt guilty for not going. Almost like he was letting Vee down, and he just knew in his gut Vee would probably chew him out for it once she found out. "Fuck," Matt murmured to himself, scratching his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what the hell was going on with Euan and Gee, but he had to let her know he had just arranged for her partner to be packaged off into the back of an ambulance... and then he would have to go home and tell Vee. Thank god his shift was nearly over and considering they had just reached a crossroads in their investigation, Natalie let him knock off a bit earlier.

He waited outside the interview rooms, pacing up and down waiting for Gee to exit, which she did, after their suspect was led off in handcuffs in the other direction by two uniforms. Matt raised his eyebrows, curiously. "You got a charge, then? Well done," he offered and then cleared his throat.

Gee was more than a little surprised to find Matt waiting outside the room, but she gave a nod before looking around for Euan. "I didn't realise it was time to play musical Irishmen. Is he okay? Or did you push him down a flight of stares for not being your kind of Irishman? He can actually be a pretty good cop, you know. And a good good cop. He's not such a bad date, either." Gee stopped talking as she looked at Matt's face again. "What's wrong?"

Matt had just raised his eyebrows as she started to ramble about Euan. She had the same disease as Vee. God fucking help him if it was catching... seemed only to be isolated to females, though, and he suspected that Mary in Forensics had it too, and possibly Tracy in the cafeteria. Still, Matt might look innocent, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a shit when he was a tiny bit irked. "So good that he upped and left you high and dry in an interrogation with a murderer?" he challenged.

"He needed a recess," Gee answered as she held his gaze and straightened her posture as she set her shoulders back. "He's never left me alone with one before, so it had to have been serious. And I got a result, didn't I? I'm still here. I'm not the bloke's type. There was a uniform in the corner. I wasn't high and dry, I know how to keep an interrogation going. I don't fall apart without him."

Matt watched her evenly for a moment, unable to help wondering how she would feel is she realised getting a charge on the suspect wasn't the only thing she would be doing alone in the next few days. "I just shoved him into the back of an ambulance, unconscious," he finally told her.

Gee's face changed in an instant as she sucked in a breath, feeling like she'd just been hit hard in the chest. "What?"

"You want me to repeat it?" Matt could play the stoic game if that's what she wanted. He wasn't exactly sure what he did to deserve the continuous defensiveness about Fitzpatrick of late. He hadn't said anything against the guy beyond querying the stuff out of his own mouth. He had it in stereo with Vee and Gee.

Gee shook her head as she felt her bottom lip begin to quiver and bit down on it. "Why? What happened? He was... he was fine. Wasn't he? Matt, what happened? Where's he going? Which hospital? Will he be okay?"

Matt draped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a small squeeze. "I'm sure he's going to be fine. Ronnie's gone with him. He's just ill. I found him in the hall, I think he was coming back from the bathroom, but he really didn't look good. He threw up all over the place and passed out. I mean, I'm no doctor, but it looked like it might be appendicitis, which I can bloody vouch for by the looks of him. It could be just food poisoning or a virus or something. I'm not sure that I buy he was fine, but probably did a good job not letting you know he wasn't because something like that doesn't just come on in five minutes."

Gee leaned against him as she let herself feel overwhelmed for a moment before she started to pull herself back together. "But why wouldn't he just tell me? If he's not feeling a hundred percent, I need to bloody know. Especially as his bloody partner. I need to know if he can't perform his job for some reason. Jesus, fucking appendicitis... Poor bloke. Stupid lying bastard, but poor Euan."

Matt's memories of his own illness were still fresh in his mind and he shrugged. "I don't know him well enough to make any of those calls. I do know, however, that sometimes you just don't want to admit you're sick or you think if you feel crap, it'll just pass eventually. You had work on, you had an interrogation pending. He obviously thought he would be fine with it. I know how he was over Christmas when he was here, and he was starting to get ill then. He just went down, went to bed and didn't want to be bothered. If he was deliberately not telling you, then well, that's an issue you'll need to sort out with him, but I doubt it. I don't know why I do, but I just do."

Gee looked at Matt before she reached up to rub her hand over her face. She was actually angry with Euan for not just telling her. He could have let her protect him, and watch out for him, but no. He just put on another mask, and suffered through an interrogation until he just couldn't. "Bloody men," she murmured. "Does Vee know? Have you told her? You need to tell her. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Do I just wait? Do I go? I'm his partner, but that doesn't mean anything."

"A date and a weekend in Amsterdam is nothing?" Matt asked skeptically with a small snort of amusement. "Just about everyone here knows you two are getting it on away from work. At work, apparently the UST is so thick it can be cut with a knife. I assume he's gone to the closest public hospital. Just go there. Ronnie's there. What are they going to do, kick you out of a public waiting room? I'll tell her. I just need to fill out an incident report seeing as he decided to take a dive on work premises in work time. For all we know, it could be poisoning. Need to cover our bases, you know how it goes."

Gee blinked before she made a face. "Fuck, does he know? Does the whole place really know? You can't be serious. And what UST! It got resolved. You can't have UST when it's been resolved even if I don't know how it got resolved. Just that he won't date me while we're still partners. Only I can't not still want him while we are. Only know I'm down a partner again. I lost Stu, and I lost Euan. I know I'm not the cause, but still. Who's going to want to work with me? I'm a curse. I need to go. I have to... I need to be with him. Or at least in the waiting room."

"Probably. He doesn't seem to give a shit what anyone thinks he is doing though. He only confirms what he needs for the job and nothing more. It's UST at work when he's keeping the professional distance. Getting it on behind the scenes can make work UST even more obvious. You know, this could be food poisoning and he might be back tomorrow. What are you writing him off for, and Stuart is going to be back in a couple of weeks. When did you turn into such a drama queen?" Matt asked, smirking at her. "Also, you don't choose who your partner is, the powers that be do. It's irrelevant if someone wants to work with you or not. I can drop you off on the way back to my place. I need to let Vee know, I get a feeling he didn't tell her anything, either. They had lunch together."

"He probably let her see him unwell though," Gee said before she could stop the words slipping out. She looked at Matt apologetically and huffed out a sigh. "I'm sorry, I'll stop with the drama queen act. I have no idea where it's coming from, especially since the stick up my arse was dislodged. I can't help the UST. I'd stop it if I could, but he's all... him. And it's hard. There's just always this instant electricity between us. Or maybe just from me. Is Vee feeling alright? She'd tell you if she was sick, right? A lift would be great. Thanks, sarge."

Matt nodded. "Yeah, I guess she would. She didn't eat the same as him at lunch, though. Actually, she came back with him and mentioned he was being weird, but shrugged it off. Maybe he was feeling bad before. You didn't notice anything? I only had a chance to notice he was looking rough before he just... exploded. Do you know if he's had his appendix out? I'll ask Vee, she might know. You know, if he needs surgery, he likely won't get back to work until after Evans gets back, so... technically not still your partner," he told her lightly as he fished his car keys from the inside pocket of his jacket.

Gee shrugged. "Sometimes the contamination can come from the same kitchen, not just the same food. Depends on what the contamination is. I just want him to be okay. He's really not having the greatest of luck here in London, is he?" Gee gave a shake of her head as she thought back on the interrogation. "No, but my attention was more on the suspect than Euan. I thought he was purposely staying away from me to buddy up with the bloke, but maybe he thought I'd be watching him?" Gee arched an eyebrow before she smirked. "Are you really trying to tell me it would be okay to date him? Are you sure you want to leave now? If you have to do that incident report I can find something else to do."

"I'm taking it with me." Matt pulled out an envelope with the necessary forms in it followed by his keys. "I'm not telling you to do anything, you're going to do it anyway. I'm just pointing out the obvious. I was off work for a month after I landed in hospital. I needed a lot of help in the first week or so. He hardly touched his lunch, she joked about it being a waste going out eating with him. I doubt he would have been thinking about much else than getting the information. In an interrogation, he wouldn't be thinking what his girlfriend thought about his tactics," he reasoned.

"I'm not his girlfriend," Gee replied softly before she just nodded, and checked her pocket for her money and keys. Unlike a lot of female cops she'd gotten used to not carrying a bag around with her. As a uniform she'd never been allowed to have one on patrol, so why would she have one as a detective? She'd learned to make use of pockets. "Well, he's never not touched his lunch before. He must really be in a bad way."

Matt smirked. "Only a matter of time," he said, maybe pushing her buttons a little but the truth was, he had a niggling feeling in his gut about it. Euan might about turn and prove them all wrong. Here's hoping.

RP Log with lovesguinness | Testing the Waters

2010-04-27T09:55:43Z

In a somewhat uncharacteristic turn of events that probably took Gee by surprised, Euan actually wanted to fuck in a bed. Even went so far as requested it when they got back to his apartment in London after the flight home from Amsterdam. Despite the full-on and impromptu trip there, once they hit the airport, Euan was a lot more subdued. True to his word, he had been nothing but the attentive date the whole time they had been there. He paid for everything, he held doors open for her, he picked expensive wines, he gave her his coat if she needed it, and the list went on. Under all the dating glitz, though, he was still Euan Fitzpatrick. His language was still in the gutter, he could still be crude in regard to sex, he would still blantly perve and ogle her if he felt like it, he still smoked like a chimney and drunk enough Guinness to sink a ship. That wasn't ever going to change, but over the days spent together, without a doubt Gee got a glimpse of the other side of him that so far had been like the Loch Ness Monster, apparently. Or like Dolly Parton's natural boobs - non existent. Or at least, it was believed to be non-existent. Euan had still maintained over and over again that he had qualities neither Gee or Vee had seen.

But now they were home, the intense dirty weekend of sex, booze, and really, really good weed was over and they were back to reality, with Euan wanting to fuck in his bed. He rolled off her and onto his back with a heavy sigh of satisfaction. He took care of the condom and was already feeling around in his bedside drawer for a packet of cigarettes. The flight hadn't been that long, but he still felt tired. In fact, he had felt tired since he woke up that morning and they had some rather interesting table sex on the hotel room balcony in prime view of other rooms, but Euan just couldn't bring himself to care. He was wondering if he was getting old or maybe just had too much weed over the days. But seriously, there wasn't such a thing as too much weed or sex and he wasn't ready to concede he was anything but in his prime of life right now. He lit up and melted in amongst the messy mound of sheets, the corner draped over his thigh the only thing covering any part of his naked body.

Gee had no idea what to make of the weekend other than a part of her hadn't wanted it to end. She would be lying if she didn't admit to liking the fact she hadn't had to share him with anyone. It had still been there date, and while Euan had ogled her whenever he wanted to, he hadn't ogled any other women while in Amsterdam. At least not so that she would notice. He hadn't even fucked a stewardess like she might have been waiting for him to do. He'd instead helped her in joining the Mile High Club on their way over. Now back in reality, back in England, and back in his bed... Gee still didn't want it to end.

She let out a soft sigh as she shifted to rest her head on his chest, her fingers brushing along his side as she drank in the sight of his exposed lower half. He really was something else, and knew exactly how to use the equipment he had at hand. She was used to his smoking now, and she was used to his drinking, and gutter mouth, and none of it bothered her. There was something to be said for withstanding a concentrated burst of something. She'd also finally dislodged whatever stick had been stuck up her arse, and Gee liked to think she was no longer the neurotic mess he'd believed her to be. "I had a really nice time. No, not nice... amazing. Best first date ever," she murmured quietly. "Thank you."

Euan blew a stream of smoke in the other direction before looking back to her with a smirk. "And you think I have a bad dating history. Why haven't any of your previous lovers catered to that, huh?" he joked and then trailed his tongue over his lips to wet them in an attempt to stifle a yawn that was trying to threaten. "It was fun. You should chill out more often. It suits you way more than that stick up your arse. The stoic copper routine gets boring, you know. People stop guessing what's under it sooner or later."

Gee brushed her fingers lower as she continued to explore his body, and felt her cheeks pinken slightly as she bit her lip. "I already apologised for the stick, and for thinking you had a bad dating history. You really, really don't. You're a great date. You put most men to shame." She kissed his chest and settled in against him again as she glanced up at Euan's face. "So am I worthy of a second date now, Detective Sergeant?"

"Right now? Bugger that. I'm too fucking knackered," Euan replied with a smirk as he draped his free arm around her back. He was quiet as he took another drag on his cigarette and blew a slow trail of smoke up to the ceiling. "Aye, you mentioned the stick. But I want to know why it was even there in the first place. You're quite the wee minx when you've got some dope in you, so I'm not believing for a minute you've always been so much of a pain in the dating arse. I'm also not buying that wanting to be a good copper is to blame, either."

Gee stayed quiet for a long moment, her fingers pausing in their exploration of his body. "Maybe it's just harder for me to do this than I first thought. To let someone in close again. I know I didn't get as hurt as some people can in a relationship, but I just... I don't know. It was a misguided sense of self preservation. You start believing your own bullshit after a while. Wanting to be with someone is one thing, actually being with them is another."

Euan pressed his lips together and raised an eyebrow. "Why were you so intent on pursuing me, then? Especially what you thought about me. How was that not warning bells for hurting you? If you were adamant about everything you believed I was, those self-preservation warning bells should have been screaming at you. Even now, how do you know where the hell you stand with me?"

"I don't," Gee admitted in a huff of breath as she shifted to roll onto her stomach next to him and prop herself up on her elbows. Her curly hair had fallen into her face but she couldn't be bothered shifting it. "I don't know why I was so intent on pursuing you. It was other people ringing the bells for me, not bells ringing on the inside that had me doubting myself. There's just... you're under my skin. There's no getting you out, and I'm not sure I want to. Even if I have no idea what the fuck we could be if anything. You've shaken something loose in me."

Euan smirked at her. "Sounds fucking painful. Remind me not to stand next to you if random body parts start falling out of your orifices," he joked, putting the cigarette back to his lips and inhaling lethargically on it. "You could start by telling me what the fuck it is you want out of it rather than dancing around the Christmas tree and avoiding the subject because you think it will piss me off or put me off. Don't think I haven't picked up on what you're thinking. I have. You've been holding back because you think if you tell me you want to date me, I'll tell you to go fuck yourself."

Gee finally pushed her curls back out of her face so she could meet his gaze without distraction, her heart thumping in her chest as she suddenly felt like a nervous schoolgirl. It was stupid when they were both adults and she'd just been thoroughly shagged to be nervous about something as trivial as dating. "Mind reader, are you? No wonder you're so good at getting confessions. Yeah, I want to date you. I won't dance around it lately. I've enjoyed having you to myself this weekend, and I can't deny I'd enjoy it on a more regular basis."

Euan watched her tiredly, the cigarette resting between his fingers. "And I take it you would want it exclusive," he guessed.

Gee shrugged. "If it's on offer. If not... I could probably roll with it. Would you really not care if I saw other men?"

Euan shook his head. "I've been in open relationships before. I've been in exclusive relationships. It's all about setting the groundwork." He stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray and rolled partially onto his side, letting his head sink in against the pillow. "I just don't think us dating while we're partners is a good idea. In fact, I've not seen a single fucking relationship between partners survive."

Gee gave a nod and settled back down next to him as she shared his pillow. "Agreed. Not sure I could stomach it happening while we're partners either. Especially if it went tits up. But I guess you'd just be able to roll with it, and come out still smelling of cigarettes and sex. So what do we do up until we're not partners anymore? Do we just stop with everything?"

Euan rolled further onto his side with a shrug and curled up a little. "Sleep. I vote we fucking sleep," he offered and gave her a tired smirk. "And who said anything about after being partners, anyway?" he added, but he was still watching her in amusement and gave his fingers a small wave to indicate he was just joking.

Gee reached out to push her fingers through his hair as she kissed him softly. "Plane trips really take it out of you, don't they? Poor baby... We'll figure it out as we go then. I'll try the rolling with it method and see how far I roll."

Euan snorted. "Aye, I'm a delicate petal," he returned, tugging the sheets up over him. He was one of those weird sort who couldn't sleep unless there was at least a small part of the sheets covering part of him. Ironic for a total man whore who had no issues walking around naked if the urge took him. Oddly enough, though, plane trips never bothered him before. Maybe Amsterdam's food just didn't give him the same energy as London's grease pits. He yawned widely. "Don't strain anything with all that rolling, now."

musebysentence | 74.5 Comfort

2010-04-20T04:56:51Z

She shifted in her sleep, pulling Euan's arms tighter around her as she let out a contented sigh.

70.6 Possession

2010-04-04T09:48:05Z

There was no way she was going to try and lay claim to him, but that didn't mean she was going to pass up an opportunity to bring him back to her place after the work party to cover him in chocolate and lick him clean.

For musebyrp

2010-03-27T09:46:29Z

Know what? All Irishmen can kiss my arse. It's a miracle he hasn't had a torch shoved up his arse yet.

musebysentence | 61.4 Ugly

2010-03-07T04:31:24Z

It wasn't her fault that her hand slipped and pushed him against a wall when he wouldn't stop staring at the WPC's tits.

[NSFW] RP Log with lovesguinness | It's a Partner Thing

2010-03-04T09:12:56Z

It was more than a culture shock. It was all well and good making plans and pulling them off, but to actually exist in said plans, Euan was struggling. Not that he was admitting that to anyone. Well, maybe Vee, in his own veiled sort of way. But he hadn't spoken to Vee since the blow up with Gee, and that was probably what was making him feel off. He was starkly aware of how alone he was in this city. He had no family here, just some old friends from his past that he wouldn't do much more than share a pint with anyway. The only good friend he did have here, he was giving the silent treatment. He wasn't really sure why he was giving her the silent treatment, except for the fact he was still pissed that she hadn't told him sooner about Gee, even if there hadn't been much time to say. She could have sent him a friggen telegram if that is what it took.

The job was another story. He had been a shiney new Detective Sergeant for one week on London soil now. Of course, he wasn't just going to be dumped on the job and told to hope for the best. He spent time on some pending cases with his superior officer, and the rest of the time was spent brushing up on parts of London police policy. All in all, it was one fucking boring week. He accompanied his boss into some interrogations, met with the personnel from the CPS and then may as well have spent the rest of the time twiddling his cock for all the satisfication he got out of it. But now he was about to meet the partner he would be working with for at least a couple of months. Apparently another copper had gone off on personal leave, so someone was left high and dry without a partner. Euan would warm that seat in the meantime, and then he would be placed with his new partner after that, who was going to be transferring from a PD in Manchester around Easter time. He didn't care, just so long as the partner had boobs. He had never had a male partner, and he really didn't want to start that now.

He dressed a lot more professionally for work, a far cry from his worn jeans and well-loved t-shirts with bandanas and leather. Now he was in neatly pressed black pants, a grey business shirt with the first few buttons undone, a taylored dark grey jacket over the top. His hair was neatly brushed back and he had a tie somewhere in case a good impression was needed to be made on witnesses. He followed his brand new boss through the unit, taking note that the cubicles actually seemed a lot more presentable than those he left back at the NYPD. Hopefully they didn't expect him to have a neat desk. He couldn't function unless he was surrounded by shit. Well, well, well, DI Corinne Masters had a damn fine arse. Couldn't be complaining about the bosses in this place, either. No way was Euan going to miss the beer gut and combover of his boss back home, not with booty like this to follow. The cubicles were suddenly the last thing on Euan's mind, until...

"DS Fitzpatrick, I'd like you to meet DC Mancini, your new partner. You'll like each other, or I'll make both of your jobs extremely difficult," DI Masters offered with a hint of a smirk before she stepped aside and revealed Gee standing by one of the cubicles with an armload of files. With a brief nod at them both, DI Hot Arse was gone, the sound of her heels disappearing in the distance.

Gabrielle had known her new partner would be turning up today, and she hadn't known a thing about them. That was the thing about DI Masters. She only revealed what she wanted you to know when she wanted you to know it. She just wished she'd fucking revealed this precious little bombshell because Gee was close to dropping all her files on the ground in shock as she just gaped at Euan. She stood there looking like a stunned mullet for a few moments longer before she frowned, and cursed Stuart in her thoughts. Damn her partner for needing to be with Tom right now.

"Mother fucker," she said eventually before proceeding to add a few choice words in Italian as well. She looked down at the files before setting them down on her desk and holding out her hand to Euan. "I promise that from now on I'll be the most professional copper you ever met if you just stick to... being whatever kind of copper you are. This is work. I'm not interested in making this hard. Not if we're stuck with each other for a couple of months, Detective Sergeant."

Euan took her hand and shook it firmly, the chances of the smirk leaving his face basically one in a million. "Do I detect a hint of bitterness, Detective Constable?" he asked, feinging a polite sweetness for the neighbouring colleagues. He didn't release her hand though, holding her gaze and almost challenging her to say something she might regret. Not that he wanted her too, this was just one of those interesting situations that seemed to crop up now and again. Neither really knew how to deal with it, but neither would admit to being shaken, either. This could be extremely awkward. He had never anticipated that it would be Braveheart's shoes that he was supposed to fill, but the Scottish Saltire screensaver on the computer across from the desk Gee was standing at was telling. Suddenly, Euan had no fucking idea what made him think moving to London and working here was a good idea. It had just been one shit explosion after another.

Gee mustered a smile, and flashed it at him as she kept a hold of his hand. She tried to tighten her grip a little more to show she really wasn't that bothered by the whole situation. She also tried to ignore the fact that holding his hand made her tingle from head to toe, and she was incredibly grateful for the fact she was currently wearing her jacket. It hid the fact that certain parts of her body very much had a mind of their own when it came to Euan, and memories of what his mouth could do to them. "Bitterness? I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. I was merely clearing my throat."

Euan quirked an eyebow and abruptly released her hand, basically managing to take the upper hand of control... even if briefly. They were going to need to sort this out if they had any hopes of carrying out investigations together. At least with Vee, when they were pissed with each other, they still knew each other well enough to bury it for a case. Gee was an uknown quantity, and a new detective. Euan wasn't sure how to deal with that. Though he did have some idea. "Do you think you could show me where the bathrooms are, DC Mancini? This English coffee is a shock to the Irish constitution," he said lightly.

Gee blinked, not quite sure what to make of the sudden change of topic. She looked at Euan as she tilted her head before murmuring her consent. Why did all her partnerships seem to end up somewhere near the toilet? Of course she realised now that with Stuart it hadn't been anything conspiratorial, or weird. Just him taking his medication and suffering side effects. She gestured for Euan to follow her down past the rest of the cubicles to wear there was a hallway marked by a water cooler. "You haven't been on this floor before?" she asked, trying to keep her own tone light. She hadn't seen Euan at work, and she'd be lying if she didn't admit to keeping some kind of eye out for him.

"Only metaphorically," Euan offerred, and left her to figure that one out herself as he followed her, eyes trailing down her body, despite the jacket she was wearing. He already knew that she had a much finer arse than their boss, but he was never one to take the enjoyment of a female body for granted.

Gee cracked a smirk as she stifled any laughter that might have escaped at his answer. "You really do have a way with words don't you, sex--sarge." She huffed out a breath of frustration not even sure what to call him any more. She'd been prepared to talk to him on a professional level, but her tongue just kept wanting to slip into old habits. If they could even be called old habits. Her tongue also wanted to be doing other things, but she fought the mental imagery suddenly flooding her brain. Her hips dips and swayed as they walked the length of the corridor, and Gee turned suddenly to point at a door with a symbol of a man on it as she took a step back to lean against the wall opposite the door. "Here you go. Now you can make it a literal 'been'."

"Lucky me," Euan returned as he completely ignored the door with the symbol of a man on it and pushed his hand against the one behind her, shoving it open, but catching her before she fell threw it. They stumbled, and just like he had planned, they came to a halt against a wall, Euan managing to get her pressed up against it between the hand dryer and the dispenser containing condoms and tampons. He glanced at the machine with a smirk. "Convenient," he commented and then caught her lips in a bruising kiss.

What she wanted to do when her hands went to his chest was push him away. Gee was still pissed off at him, and herself for all the bad timing and for him telling her she was just bloody emotional to pass his casual sex test. Now they'd just been introduced as partners and he was trying to sticking his tongue down her throat. Her hands gripped his jacket lapels and pulled him closer, her leg already hooking around the back of his to push their hips right up against each other as she kissed him back with just as much intensity. When she had to pull away briefly to catch her breath she looked at him. "What the fuck are you playing at?"

"I woulda thought you knew all about the birds and the bees, love," Euan returned, one hand already disappearing between them so he could find her belt buckle and work on getting it undone. There was no fucking denying it - and for the record, he would point out that he hadn't once denied it - Gee was friggen hot. He had never said he never wanted to sleep with her, in fact, he had never said he didn't want to be in her presence. He had genuinely invited her to come see him in New York, returning the favour of her putting him up. He just had assumed he would have gotten warning about it, and maybe a bit of notice. Not because he needed any sort of time to ready himself for an onslaught of Emotional Mancini 101, but because he would have actually liked some time to anticipate it and enjoy the fact she was coming. He wasn't a complete wanker, he just seemed to end up coming out like that constantly. He dipped his head and started teasing her collarbone and throat with his lips and tongue, and then nudged the collar of her shirt away so he could bite down on the soft flesh there, marking her.

"Mm, no, not that..." For a moment Gee wasn't sure what she was saying no to. The fact that he was teasing her about knowing the birds and the bees, or the fact that he was now marking her. She really had been okay with the casual sex thing, with who Euan was, but not when he went so hot and cold. Or what she assumed was hot and cold. How could he have been so damn adamant that she was too emotional, and ignore the fact she'd been in his lap kissing the life out of him, and now he was ready to take her up against the wall of the ladies' bathroom. If anything, he was the bloody emotional one, but not in the usual manner. Just in a way that had everyone's heads spinning. She moved a hand, curling her fingers around his neck as she pushed him back to stop him from marking her, her eyes already dark, and her bee stung lips even more swollen in the wake of the kiss. "You really do have a partner fetish, don't you?"

Euan was unphased and snapped her belt open with expert ease. Next came the zipper on her trousers and before she would have had time to keep her brain up with the actions, his hand was slipped teasingly down the front of her pants, underwear included and his fingers hit his destination between her legs as he watched her face closely. "What's your explanation for when you were riding me in Supercop's livingroom then, aye?" he threw back, not missing a beat around the ever-present smirk on his lips.

Gee's head fell back against the wall as she let out an indulgent moan, not even trying to keep quiet as her back arched off the tiles and her whole body seemed to shudder with relief at finally being touched. Truth was she hadn't gotten laid in New York like she'd told Stuart she would. She was pissed off with herself for it, like she was trying to be faithful to an Irish cock who wouldn't even appreciate it. She owed him nothing. He fucked everything in a skirt, so she could just as easily shag whoever she wanted. Only she didn't seem to find anyone worth shagging that wasn't Stuart, and he was definitely occupied elsewhere. Her gaze stayed fixed on Euan's face as her lips parted in a gasp, and her grip tightened on his neck before she released her hold to drop her hands to his fly and return the favour of unbuckling his trousers. "You weren't my partner. I'm not trying to complete a set because my cock's too big to keep in my trousers. I'm just trying to get that large cock inside me. I wanted to feel something other than overwhelming sadness. I didn't want a band-aid, just a distraction."

"I still say, fucking isn't gonna fix it, love," Euan offered with a small grunt as he dipped his fingers deeper inside her, more than feeling how wet and ready she was for him. It was blunt, sure, but it was also the truth. That was all he had been trying to indicate. Years ago, Euan had desinsitized himself to emotional sex. That didn't mean to say he wasn't still capable, but the act itself because just barely more than a hobby, something to keep him occupied that was more fun than knitting or playing cards. He didn't put any stock into it, even if there had been a couple of girls in his past who had broken through that barrier and meant something. There was no deliberate aversion to relationships, there had just been no one who had set that spark alight in him to bother pursuing it beyond fucking. Vee maybe could have pulled it off, but by then, they knew each other far too well. They relied on each other as mates, which could have been lost in a fiery oblivion if they started dating... the exact reason he didn't invite a relationship with her. He didn't want to lose her. Gee, however, was an unknown quantity Euan hadn't analysed yet. He just hadn't wanted to hurt her or add more to her bucketloads of emotional stress. He was well aware how easy emotions came when they were already peaked elsewhere. And back then, they lived in other countries. He was trying to protect her, and wearing the arsehole badge had all been part of the process. "Potayto, potahto, darlin'..." he added as an afterthought. Band-aid, distraction. It was all the same thing.

"Then I'll ask you again what do you think you're doing? And piss off with the birds and the bees bollocks. Why are you even bothering with me if--Jesus!" Gee couldn't help it. It was just something about Euan that drove her to the edge almost instantly. She was definitely wet, and she really was fucking ready for him. She'd been that way for days. Weeks. She quickly tugged down his trousers and wrapped her slender fingers around his cock. She didn't seem to be the only one aroused and ready. Reassuring given that he'd initiated all this. God, he felt good in her hand. Her thumb flicked against the tip of his cock before she circled it around the head and her tongue mimicked the action as it skimmed over her lips. Fucking might not fix anything, but it would definitely feel good. There was a small part of her that still wanted to punish him for what had happened, even if they seemed to have both gotten their wires crossed. The rest of her was too damn turned on to care. He was here, he had his fingers between her thighs, and she just wanted him. "You'd know all about potatoes, sexy."

"Because for a lass this wet and this fucking horny, you talk too fucking much," Euan growled, pushing her just that little bit harder up against the wall and thrusting sharply into her hand to gain a rough burst of friction. His fingers left the wet, warm deliciousness, much to his slight annoyance, so he could deal with dragging her trousers down. "You need to wear more fucking skirts," he decided, going back to sucking possessively on her throat. She might have pushed him away the first time, but he was persistent. He rocked his hips back out of the vicinity of her hand and then shifted his weight on his feet just enough so his hard cock was pressed between her legs. He exhaled roughly, feeling how ready she was and then lifted his head, smirking at her again before he started to kiss her, this time with more determination, claiming her lips with his own.

Gee was still struggling with the idea of him claiming her. It didn't feel right, and then there he was marking her on the throat, and now kissing her like he already owned her. She fought back, her tongue battling with his for dominance as her hips rocked forward so she could stroke herself against his cock, effectively claiming at least one part of him as her own. Her hands pushed up the back of his shirt and jacket, and she scraped his nails against his skin in an effort to leave a mark of her own. "Can't help it if you weren't leaving me with anything else to do with my mouth," she countered as their mouths parted just enough for them to catch their breath before she leaned forward to capture his bottom lip between her teeth and bit down until she tasted the hint of blood. She had to admit he had a point about skirts, but that would just be making it easy for him, and she had a feeling that making Euan work just a little hard for what he wanted wasn't such a bad thing.

Euan was more than aware they could get caught. Not only could they get caught, but they could get caught by their boss. The clock was ticking, it had to be quick. Not that he was foreign to that sort of thing. He had a unique skill at being able to control his cock on command, something every guy should learn how to hone at an early age. "Do I look like I'm sitting around baking scones, love?" he panted and reached behind him, whipping a condom from his back pocket and tearing the wrapper open with his teeth. He spat the foil covering off to the side and had the condom rolled down his cock with a well-practiced ease. He didn't let her have control for long before he was kissing her, hard and deep as he pushed up against her and buried himself inside her in one deep thrust.

Gee's fingernails dug into his back as her other hand braced itself against his arm, and she let out a loud moan that got lost in Euan's mouth as they kissed. She was desperate to get her leg up and hook it around his hip, but her trousers were making it difficult while they were still pushed halfway down her thighs. She really was going to have to look into skirts. A brief thought about him turning her around and fucking her hard from behind flashed through her mind and she choked out another sound of tormented pleasure as he continued to drive hard, and deep into her, her backside repeatedly hitting the tiled wall behind her. She was going to be lucky if she could even sit down after this, no matter how quick it was. Gee tore out of the kiss, and nudged his collar away from his neck as she pulled him even tighter against her so she could get her mouth to his collarbone and started suck hard before biting down on his skin, throwing any sense of caution to the wind as she claimed in return. She wasn't going to be the only one escaping this encounter with a mark.

Maybe there was a slight hint of Euan wanting to stake some sort of claim on her as his parter. But so what? She had flown all the way to New York to get a fuck off him, so technically he was only giving her what she wanted. She could try and fight him all she wanted with the 'I'm not emotional, I just need a fuck' bullshit, but he wasn't an idiot. He was a detective, for fuck's sake. It was his job to know people, to read people. He was excellent at his job, too. It's why he had managed to climb the ranks so quickly. He hadn't denied she was emotional, all he had tried to insist was that whatever she was trying to get out of him to band-aid over those emotions wasn't going to cut it. She might get an orgasm or five, but the problems and emotions were still going to be there. Her partner's lay was still going to have been in a car wreck and almost framed for murder. But she was obviously not too emotional to be back on the job, and it was either this and get it out of their systems to do the job well - together - or sexual frustration and UST would kick in, making it impossible to work together and they would just end up wanting to kill each other instead. But there would be plenty of time to explain that to her later. He had known she would get all high and mighty and Miss Independence if he had just outright suggested they pop to the lav for a quickie.

He was pounding into her hard, and fast, one hand braced on the wall to at least keep them upright. He let her mark him just long enough, before he turned his head and pulled out of easy distance of her lips. He was already close. The very definition of a quickie was just that, and there was a large amount of risk they would get caught. But he might be a self-professed bastard, but he was anything but an inconsiderate lover. In fact, he was known to be as brilliant as he was because he was a very considerate one. She was going to come first if it fucking killed him. He kept up the determined rhythm, the sound of slick flesh sliding together mixing with their heavy breathing filling the echoey bathroom. He forced a hand in between them and his fingertips found her clit, which he started to rub quickly, offering her an onslaught of sensations. The icing on the cake was when he used his shoulder to push her breast up and dipped his head, burying his face in her cleavage and swiping his tongue in the delicious dip there.

This time Gee managed not to cry out, only because she wasn't completely okay with the idea of being caught. She'd rather manage to keep her job and her new partner, even if all she wanted to do was praise his skills loudly, and with many dirty words. She bit down on her bottom lip to try and stop the moans, or at least stifle them. Her eyes were hooded as she looked down at Euan nestled in amongst her cleavage and she managed to get her hand down from his back, and to the firm flesh of his arse. Her nails scraped over the curve before she squeezed it hard in non-verbal encouragement. The fast rubbing against her clit was doing the trick since she was already so aroused to start with. Her body began to tremble as her hips bucked forward and both hands went to his arse as she dug her fingers in and clenched tight around him to keep his cock buried deep inside her as she came forcefully. Her mouth opened in a silent scream before her forehead dropped against his head and she panted heavily as her inner muscles continued spasm from aftershocks.

Euan nudged her head back and claimed her lips in another rough, hungry kiss. His hand moved from between her legs so she didn't get shirty about the continued attentions when her senses were heightened, but it allowed him to brace himself against the wall, and with a few sharp, deep thrusts deep inside her, he grunted into the kiss, feeling the orgasm slice through him and as he climaxed, thier bodies were forced together as closely as they probably could imagine. It wasn't the mostly comfortable of positions to be taken hard against a wall, but Euan knew Gee could handle it. That was one thing about her that sparked his interest... she could keep up with him, on most levels. Like Vee, only Gee still had that fresh determination that came with new detectives to prove herself and stake her claim on her part of the world. That was a hungry fire Euan loved in a woman, he couldn't deny it. But again, he hadn't once denied an attraction to Gee. How could he not be turned on by her? He needed someone who could match him where it counted, but he also was super aware right now that she needed someone to wrap her up in cotton wool when things got too tough. Because fuck it, things did get fucking tough when you were a detective and dealing with homicide. Euan knew that, he had just learnt how to deal with his emotions on his own many years ago when people tried to hurt him. He just really did not think he was what Gee needed - and wanted - when push came to shove. He would hurt her. Because his coping mechanisms laid in the very essence of what would hurt her. He was roughly panting for breath in the exertion that came with a delicious quickie in a bathroom and he allowed himself to bask briefly in the aftermath while he tried to catch his breath. He still had Gee pinned against the wall, but with a sharp smack of her bare arse as he smirked at her, he pulled out of her and lowered her back down to the tiled floor. "Can't complain about the cheery Londoner welcome now, can I?" he commented as he got rid of the condom and discarded it into the trash.

Gabrielle's knees threaten to buckle under her, and she stayed standing against the wall with her trousers still between her knees as she took a moment to compose herself. When she felt like she could actually move without falling over, she tugged up her underwear, and trousers and tried to make herself presentable again. She huffed out a breath to try and get some loose strands of hair out of her face, and when her fly and belt were all done back up, and her shirt tucked in place, she reached up to catch Euan's hand. She curled back a couple of his fingers so she could focus on the index finger, and middle finger; the two that had rubbed against her. She drew them into her mouth, swirling her tongue around them as she tasted herself on his fingers and tongue fucked him. Gee didn't care about what she needed at that point, just what she wanted. And she wanted him. She even thought she needed him on some level because Euan could give her things no other man could, or was even capable of. She knew she was full of passion, and hunger, and an intensity that not a lot of blokes could handle. Euan could, because he was rough around the edges, and just went with his gut. He didn't mind wearing the marks, and bruises that sex with her brought. Just like she didn't mind wearing his, even if she'd been confused at first. Even if being marked did mean something to her, not just biting for the sake of it. He got it. He got her, even if it frustrated the shit out of her. She looked at him as she gave a shake of her head, and turned around to double check her hair in the mirror, and tidy it up just a little before washing her hands. "No, you really can't. Welcome back, sarge."

musebysentence | 58.3 Romance

2010-02-23T10:31:45Z

You can stick it up your arse.

RP Log with lovesguinness | Not So Little Revelations

2010-02-23T10:26:38Z

When it took Euan almost five days to sleep off the jet lag from returning to London, it left him wondering if coming to this fucking place was even worth it. Every time he tried to wake himself up, the tiredness just battled it and won out. He spent most of the week passed out in his hotel room, living on room service or chips from the place down the block. He only left the room to get food or smokes, and ended up crashing out again when he returned. If he hadn't been half dead after his hospital stay on the last superb London trip, he would wonder if he was ill or coming down with something. It probably didn't help that he was constantly working his way through restocked six packs of Guinness, but if he didn't have his beloved lager, he would be on the next plane back to New York. He still couldn't be 100% sure why he decided to toss in the towel and move to London. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and his whole decision was made on the basis that he would give himself a year in Britian and if it didn't work out, he would go back to New York. In fact, he hadn't outright resigned from the NYPD. Ever one to leave his options well open, Euan put in for a year of both long service leave and leave without pay. It meant if shit went arse-up in London, he could go back to his job in New York. Or some job in New York. Either way, he wouldn't admit to himself that London was permanent. At least not yet.

But once he started to feel less like the walking dead, he became more aware of his surroundings and realised he really needed to get the fuck out of the hotel and find an apartment. He sent Vee a text message and told her that he was dragging her along to some viewings whether she liked it or not and to meet him at the first place at ten that morning. It turned out to be a bunch of group-type showings, so they didn't get a chance to talk much. Euan was too busy sweet-talking (and snogging) the real estate agent and she promised to give him a good deal if he chose one of her properties. Only thing was, he didn't like any of them. London seemed to have piss-all to offer, and he was brooding in the cab ride back to Supercop's place where they were going for a much-needed coffee. They were heading up the stairs of the apartment block when Vee grabbed his arm from behind. "Oh fuck! I meant to tell you something!" she told him, as if something important had just dawned on her.

Euan stopped on the stairs and turned around, looking down at her. He saw she was lip-level with his groin and smirked widely. "Sure you don't want to use that mouth for better purposes, love?" he drawled in his thick Irish accent, reaching down and pointedly adjusting himself in his worn black jeans.

"Get over yourself, U," Vee replied as she moved past him to bring themselves level. "I've already fucked things over with Matt and his friend once. I'm not looking to do it again by blowing you in the stairwell. That cock boat sailed a while ago. You really need to let me go, baby. I know I'm fantastic, but just stop pining." She reached out to pat his shoulder in mock sympathy before she frowned, turning serious again. "Gee went to New York."

"Mm, pining. My cock's still buzzing in grief after the real estate agent's handjob," Euan threw back, sniggering. He was almost about to start moving on up the stairs when he stopped, looking at her with a frown as if he hadn't even heard her right. He looked over her face, leaning against the stair rail and then gave a small snort of a laugh. "What the fuck are you on about? Why the fucking hell would you tell me she did that? You said she was tying up shit from the squashed lawyer's case."

"She was. When I spoke to you like a couple weeks ago, or something. And I thought she still was when you rocked up on my doorstep. But the morning after Matt told me she'd finished everything up, and hopped a plane to New York. She'd wanted it to be a surprise..." Vee pushed her fingers through her hair as she pulled out her keys and started to play with them. "Seeing you was the thing that got her through everything..."

Euan continued to stare at her for a long few moments, before he growled softly, turning away and scratching at the back of his head where the bandana over his hair was tyed securely in place. "Oh, fuck it all to fucking hell," he cursed. He shot her a glare. "And you didn't think to maybe let me know that before now? That she rocked up over there to just... fuck. Why did she rock up over there? What did she think I could do to make it better?" he asked, his tone turning from a growl to an almost helpless plea.

Vee stood there and didn't bat an eyelid at the growling, or Euan's cursing. It wasn't like she hadn't faced him angry before. She also knew she wasn't at fault this time. "Ever tried to get in touch with a man suffering from the world's most fucked up jetlag?" she countered. "I tried to call, but maybe you just neglected to actually notice that whenever you surfaced for Guinness and cigarettes?" She reached out to tug on Euan's collar to get him moving up the stairs again so they could just at least have this conversation inside the apartment. "She rocked up over there because she probably figured her Irish cock would be the fastest thing to get the case off her mind. I doubt she was looking for you to romance anything better. She knows what you're about, right?"

Euan exhaled sharply. "My fucking phone isn't receiving calls here. Gotta fucking get a new friggen sim card or whatever the fuck. And you say England is wonderful." He growled again, even if he was following her. Talk about cigarettes, he really needed a goddamn smoke. "What am I, a dirty great human-sized fucking vibrator? I don't know! You're the one who wanted to set me up with her! I told her head over there is she ever wanted, but I figured it would be a distant thing, not when she was right in the middle of a case. It was the least I could do after she put me up. What do you mean, what I'm about anyway? I'm not about anything. I'm about whatever the fuck my cock feels like when it wakes up in the morning."

"And you're denying being a human-sized fucking vibrator?" Vee asked him incredulously. "What the fuck was that shit with the real estate agent? Is she just some human-sized fucking pocket pussy? Jesus, Euan. It's not like you ever open yourself up to being more than a cock on legs. Not lately. I'm not setting you up with her, I'm done setting you up with her," Vee said as she got the door to the apartment open and stopped short in the doorway as she found Gee and Matt sitting in the main room staring at her. "Oh, shit..." she murmured as she shot Gee an apologetic look, before shooting Matt an embarrassed one. "Ah, hey..."

Euan shrugged. "I was horny and you weren't fucking coming to the party," he said simply. "I like to fuck, I don't like to be used as a fucking cock tool to placate a chick's emotions. I'm not a fucking block of Cadbury Dairymilk on fucking legs! Do you know how much of a fucking turn off sex is with a chick who is hormonal or emotional?" He came up behind Vee before he realised she had stopped short and nearly crashed into the back of her. When she spoke and he realised he wasn't addressing her, he nudged her aside to get a better look and stopped, his eyes landing on Gee.

Matt actually hadn't missed the last part of Euan's declaration. Although he did actually agree on some level, he didn't think there was a more blunt way the Irish man tart could have put it in the presence of two females. He put a hand up and scratched the back of his neck, pressing his lips together as he raised his eyebrows at Vee. "Hello," he offered.

Gee was looking at Euan, not sure if she just wanted to add his loud declaration to the list of things she wanted to smack him for. Or if she just wanted to take it as a sign that she really had been dipping into the crazy sauce, and any reason she'd had for wanting to see him again was long gone, and it was time for her to come to her senses. She glanced at Matt, and then cleared her throat without saying a word.

Vee walked slowly over to Matt like she had her tail tucked between her legs and leaned down to give him a soft kiss on the lips. "Can we please do the whole 'my girlfriend's a crazy woman' talk a little later," she murmured softly against his ear as she took his hand and pulled him into a standing position. "We just need to... go make out loudly," she said for Gee and Euan to hear her. "You know, make it feel like old times for U, here. It's nice to see you again, Gee. Congratulations on closing the case, and... everything." She smiled at them both before starting to lead Matt out of the room in a not so subtle way to give the other two some 'space'.

It was like Euan had an instant headache, and he really was wondering that the fuck had made him think coming to London permanently would be a good idea. He was due to start work the next day and he figured it had always been too friggen much to ask that things just be easy for once. He pointed over his shoulder to something in the general direction behind him. "I only found out sixty fucking seconds ago!" he protested straight away, not exactly sure what else he was supposed to say beyond running after Vee and giving her a mouthful.

Gee's eyebrows went up at the defensive outburst before she just let out a sigh, and tried not to feel like she was getting set up to fail yet again. Vee had good intentions, but the timing always seemed to fucking suck. She glanced after the retreating couple, and finally just shrugged a shoulder. She was tired. She'd only landed in London that morning, and had only managed a couple hours sleep when she'd got home. Her mind had been buzzing too much, her conversation with Stuart, and a phone call with Matt fresh in her mind. Stuart was in Surrey now with Tom, so Gee had come to commiserate with Matt. He'd understand. He would still think she was crazy, but he'd get it. She still couldn't believe Euan had come to London when she'd gone to New York. It really was a fucked up joke, she just couldn't laugh about it yet. "Nice to see you, too."

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? How was I supposed to know you would just rock up over there? I don't know what you want me to say or do." Euan shrugged and held up his hands. He managed to resist the urge to light up or start pacing. He knew he was angry at being put on the spot. He had no reason to think in any way that Gee wasn't still in London, working, and doing exactly what she had indicated she would be doing when he left. In fact, they had joked about it. He wondered how his life suddenly became accountable to everyone but himself.

"I know, it's okay. I haven't even said anything, so please just sit down, okay?" Gee indicated the sofa as she looked at him. "This is already awkward as all shit. I don't need you making me nervous on top of it. I didn't call, and it's not like you need to justify anything to me. I did it on a whim, and it was stupid, and I've paid for it. It's fine. I shouldn't have tried to go without calling you first, I just... I needed out of London after we closed to case. I needed something to remind me life didn't completely suck." She pressed her lips together in a mouth shrug. "Nothing like being stranded in New York City to help with that. Which is nothing against you. It really is okay. I mean, it wasn't what I'd wanted, but you weren't expecting me, so..."

Euan sat down across from her, folding his hands in front of him and resting his elbows on his knees as he contemplated her for a few moments. "Did we even meet, or did you fuck my body double?" he finally asked in slight exasperation. "I'm not exactly the most reliable or dependable person, aye. I don't want to be, either. If I knew you were coming, I would have told you what was going on and what was in the works. I do whatever the hell I wake up and feel like doing in the morning. I'm sorry you got fucked over, love. I am, alright? But this is me. This is how I operate and that's just how it is. If you're gonna stick around and inflict yourself with me on any level, that's the first thing you gotta realise because you'll save yourself a whole lot of homicidal thoughts."

Gee pulled her mouth to the side as she gave a nod, but she didn't look at him. Her eyes found Matt's mantle with a few photographs on it, but she wasn't really seeing them. When she brought herself back from where her mind had gone, she got up out of her chair and pushed him back as she leaned down to capture his lips in a heated kiss. She couldn't help herself. She'd been working herself up with thoughts of fucking him for days, and now they'd actually found themselves back in the same room. She needed a moment of weakness; a moment of waking up and doing whatever she felt like doing just like he seemed to every day.

Euan wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that at first. This right here was why he was glad he wasn't a bloody chick. One minute she looked like she wanted to smack him in the face, and the next her tongue was down his throat. He liked sex when it was just about dicks and fucking clits. This gave him a migraine and he wasn't sure he could keep up. He kissed her back at first before he placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled out of it it to look up at her with a small frown. "Do I get fries with that mood swing?" he asked her, finally giving her a smirk of amusement.

Gee's blue eyes sparkled and she finally smiled as she started to laugh. "Would you like to upsize them for a pound?" She took a seat on the coffee table so she could face him as she rubbed her hand over her face, and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I just... I was definitely pissed off when I got to New York and you weren't there. I was thinking all kinds of crazy shit, and I hate myself for being that woman. I didn't want to be that woman, because I didn't sleep with your body double, I slept with you and I knew what I was getting." She tucked some of her unruly curls behind her ear, and looked at him. "I just don't know if you know what you're getting."

"That's okay. You're a chick. Chicks are irrational," Euan joked, shooting her another trademark smirk as he relaxed back on the sofa and leg his legs sprawl out in front of him. "All that time trying to convince me you weren't Vee and you went and pulled a pretty damn fucking fine impression of her. I really am impressed. Look, don't feel bad, love. I get it, alright? I know how it is to have a case hit home and drive you mental. I know what it's like to just need an escape. I just wasn't gonna be your Valhalla. I had shit in the works since I was here at Christmas. A promotion was in the works since Vee buggered off and as soon as I got wind of it, I knew it was time to get my fucking arse into gear. I like to call the shots in my own life. I do whatever the fuck I want, and I figured it wasn't gonna kill me to give this place the benefit of the doubt for awhile."

Gee rolled her eyes as she laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I'm starting to see that. And hey! It's not the fucking same. I wasn't doing an impression of her. I just really needed to get the fuck out, and I needed to get fucked, and you weren't there. That's hardly my fault. I wasn't jumping countries for a chance at love. I know that's not ever happening. I just have to learn to find my Valhalla elsewhere. I'm glad you're here, though. It is nice to see you. I still can't believe you had this whole thing planned, and no one had a clue."

Euan pointed at her. "Vee only ever came here initially for an international booty call with Supercop," he reminded her. He shrugged. "I didn't have anything planned, love. I just left my options open. Unless you all suddenly became fucking mind-readers, why would you know? You plant a seed in someone's head and it grows, whether they intend it to or not. I tell you that I fed you a cuppa with bad milk in it, guarantee you'll start feeling sick, even if the milk was perfectly fine. I didn't want anyone wasting their time thinking about anything I was doing until I knew I was doing it. As simple as that. I didn't know I was doing it until a week before I got here. The lease is still in tact on my apartment over there until March and all my shit is at my brother's. There wasn't a conspiracy. I just don't let weeds grow on my arse once I decide something."

"I don't know how anyone is supposed to keep up with you, even Vee. And I'm not her!" Gee said again before sticking her tongue out at him. "Yours was just the only booty I thought I could semi-rely on, and knew it would perform well. In a non-human vibrator way. But hey, you're not chocolate on legs, and you get turned off by a woman being emotional and hormonal. So maybe it is a good thing I didn't find you. Nothing to quite make you emotional like having your partner's boyfriend nearly killed, and framed for murder. So you still have your lease on the apartment, and your stuff is at your brother's. You're just going to live at a hotel for weeks?"

Euan gave a small laugh and shook his head. "No, love, I'm not. I'm here permanently, start work in the morn, and you just never know what's gonna happen around the corner." He raised his eyebrows at her, watching her for a moment. Then he pointed at her. "That's the exact reason you shouldn't have come over to me to New York on a whim. No amount of international booty, no matter how fucking awesome, was going to take away the fact your partner's boyfriend was nearly killed and framed for murder. You weren't in the right frame of mind to deal with the fact I might not have been there... might not have wanted international booty... might have had my face buried in the pussy of a redhead when you rocked up. It was only going to leave you feeling shit, love. You should have debriefed for a few weeks first, and then booked a ticket to New York. I was a phone call away. You only had to pick up the phone and we could've talked it out before you made any rash decisions. Being a detective, you need to learn to patch up your own emotional conflict before you can pick yourself back up and move onto the next case. Fucking is a band-aid, it isn't going to take away the fact your partner's boyfriend was nearly killed and framed for murder. It would have just left you in New York, post-coital, wanting more fucking and not wanting to face coming back home to deal with what you left behind. And if it was said partner that helped convince you to go, then he's in the same frame of mind. He'd just be wanting you to do what you could to stop the shit cutting deeper than it already has. If he's any sort of honourable bloke, he won't be wanting his shit hurting you more."

"I can fuck and patch up my own shit. I am a woman, I'm capable of multitasking. I'm capable of not seeing you as a block of chocolate, but whatever. You think I'm going to wind up blubbering with you, or trying to rely on you. I already did the blubbering once, I'm not going to do it again. I don't want anything from you." Gee raked her fingers through her hair, and tried to not feel sullen, or not let the disappointment show. She really hadn't been trying to use Euan as anything other than some fun, and she was resenting being forced into the same pigeon hole as Vee and her behaviour with Matt. Nothing quite like being shot down before you even get started. "Stuart was the one that pushed me, but he was just trying to help. It's fine. Although if you want something other than a hotel room his place will be going up for rent. He's moved in with Tom."

Euan held his hands up and then stood up. "Aye, alright. I'll leave you to it, then, with your being a woman and not blubbering, even if you are sulking. And cheers for the thought, but I'll find somewhere close to work. Wouldn't want any awkward strings anywhere." He was already digging around in his pocket for his smokes. He hadn't even had a chance to get his jacket off, but he was remembering now that he was actually out of cigarettes and needed to get some more. He spotted a notepad by the telephone and scrawled and messy and crass message on it to Vee and then straighted up again, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked down at Gee. "I'll catch you around then. And just for the record, you relied on me to be there," he said with a slight tild of his head.

"It was a mistake," Gee mumbled as she looked down at her hands while she fidgeted with her fingers. "And I missed you. Now I know it was just stupid, and I'm sorry if I ever expected anything. I'll just do the detective thing and deal with all my own shit on my own. Heaven forbid I want some comfort, or to feel anything else other than horror at what people are capable of. Enjoy your string free life, Detective Fitzpatrick."

Euan smirked. "That's Detective Sergeant to you, Constable," he returned and then let out a rough breath, contemplating her for a few moments. His hands were still tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket and he tapped his legs through the pockets. "You're going to get hurt if you start anything with me. You need a bloke like Supercop, who's got what it takes to give you all that comfort and positive vibes. I'm a selfish bastard, I think about myself all the time. My comfort is being able to do whatever the fuck I want. You don't need that, love."

Gee finally looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing. "My apologies, Detective Sergeant." She got to her feet to arch her eyebrow at him, and held his gaze. "I don't need you telling me what I do, and don't need. I don't want a guy like Matt. As much as I like him, he's never actually done anything for me. You didn't actually do so badly at the comfort when I got the call about Stuart and Tom, or was that just your fucking medication? But fine, whatever. Just do exactly what everyone else does and make decisions on my behalf. You are my superior, after all."

Euan didn't say anything at first. He just held her gaze, his expression unreadable. "Aye, it was the medication," was all he eventually said, snorting softly as he shook his head. He backed up, heading towards the door. This is the exact reason why he didn't want Vee sticking her fucking nose into things with Gee. It had come a complete circle and he was still here being blamed for it all. They could've had fun but emotions got involved too quickly. This is the reason why he hadn't let himself stick in one place too long. "Good luck finding what you do need then, Detective," he added, already stalking towards the door to leave. He didn't even bother looking back before he left, slamming the door in his wake.

just_muse_me | 27.8.2 Far and Away

2010-02-15T00:01:35Z

Gabrielle had given herself little time to adjust from paperwork to being ready for her trip to New York. She’d worked on the theory that if she had time to actually stop and think about it, she’d change her mind and stay holed up in London.

It was only when she was actually on the plane that it all hit her. She was jetting to America for a bloody booty call! And on top of that, it was for an Irish cock who’d probably already fucked about twenty women or more since he’d got back home. Stuart and Matt would be dying to tell her they told her so if she did admit to some feelings deep down for Euan. She was so, so foolish. And yet still wanted to see him. She could deal with the no strings, she could deal with not having anything more. She really could.

She was still convincing herself of that fact when the plane landed, realising a little too late that she couldn’t even remember what on board entertainment she’d been watching. Her mind had stayed elsewhere the entire time, and now she needed to pull herself together. She had Euan’s address tucked into her pocket to keep it safe, and to keep it at hand. She’d only packed an overnight bag, still not sure how long she’d be here, and also not wanting to freak him out with luggage.

She wasn’t even planning on staying at his place. She wasn’t going to be that presumptuous. Surprise international sex was one thing – but then to be lumped with a house guest when you didn’t expect one was the pits.

So far she didn’t have much to say about New York. It was loud, it was American, and she missed the feel of London. Sure it was a major city, but everything over this side of the ocean just seemed harsher. She was desperate for a cup of tea, but didn’t trust the Americans to get it right, so she just opted for coffee on her way to finding a cab to take her to Euan’s. At least the caffeine would hopefully help with the jetlag. Gee felt like she’d been knocked over the head, and all she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. Only she was too desperate to find her Irishman now she was here.

The apartment building was easier to find than she’d thought, but if she’d had to find it again it was doubtful she’d remember how to get there without a cab. She had tried to buzz up but there had been no answer. Eventually a couple coming back from a Valentine’s Day picnic by the looks of things had been kind enough to let her in, and she hit herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand when she realised just how shitty her timing was.

She hadn’t meant to get here for Valentine’s Day. She’d even forgotten that the holiday was coming up in the wake of the case, and Tom getting hurt. Her mind had been on finding the murderer and making sure her partner was alright. Now Euan was probably going to think she was here for some ridiculously romantic gesture, and she really wasn’t.

As she stood just outside his door she had second thoughts, and even cold feet as she started to turn to leave, and nearly knocked over an elderly woman.

“Bugger, I’m sorry. Are you alright? I’m really sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s fine, dearie. Don’t worry about it.” The woman gave her a smile before her eyes narrowed and she looked at Gee shrewdly. “You’re not one of my tenants. I’d remember a girl like you.”

“I, erm, no...” Gee mumbled as her brain tried to function enough to have a conversation. “Just visiting a friend. Euan Fitzpatrick?”

The other woman’s eyebrows went up before she smiled fondly. “Ah, yes, the Irishman. You know, he’s very charming, but he’s a devil. You should stay away from that boy. He’ll have your head spun around before you even know what’s going on. If I was thirty years younger he’d be in trouble, too. I miss him.”

Gee blinked. “Miss him? But isn’t that his apartment?”

“Not anymore. He moved out a week ago.”

Gabrielle’s stomach sank as she turned her head to stare at what apparently used to be Euan’s door. She didn’t even rate highly enough for him to tell her he’d moved. What was the point of coming to see his city if he wasn’t even bloody here? “Oh, erm, thank you...” Gee took off before she gave away too much, even if the landlady seemed harmless enough.

He really had spun Gee’s head around, and now she was directionless, and thrown off balance. She hadn’t expected him not to be here, and now she had to figure out what she was supposed to do next.

Gabrielle Mancini
Original Character
Words: 825

lovesguinness and others referred to with permission

RP Log with lovesguinness | Time for Goodbye

2010-01-26T21:48:16Z

Euan couldn't believe it had been three weeks since he had been in hospital. For part of him, it felt like he had been trapped here for a year, but for the other part it just went really quickly. The shit had hit the fan in general towards the end. He hadn't seen much of Gee in the last few days since she and Supercop had been put on her partner's suit's attempted murder case. Which is exactly what Euan was convinced it was. He had kept quiet mostly, but in his opinion, whoever topped the paralegal was the one who tried to top the suit. He figured once the dust settled, the evidence would speak for itself. But it wasn't his case, and it was time for him to go home to New York to his own job and his own home. He felt a little discontent over the whole thing, but he wasn't 100% sure why. All he knew was that he had a plane ticket home and a boss breathing down his neck to get back. The doctor here had given him the all-clear to fly, even if he was still on medication to get the tail end of the infection.

He shoved the last of his things into his backpack and picked up a large envelope that was sitting on the bed. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he sauntered out into the living room where Gee was waiting. She had been adamant she wanted to be here when he left, but he hadn't been sure she would manage it. The case was a mess and things were being thrown at them left and right. Seemed that Supercop and Co had cut her some slack, though. Euan was glad. He hated goodbyes, but she had been good to him and it would bite not to be able to give her a cheerio of some sort. He was dressed in old, black and well-loved jeans with his leather jacket and a bandana wrapped around his head. He wasn't a fan of flying, so he was going to be as comfortable as he fucking could manage. "Gotta present for you," he revealed, coming to stand in front of where she was sitting.

"I bet you say that to all the ladies right before you drop your trousers," Gee replied, only partially teasing. She smiled up at him and tried not to feel like she was seeing the end of something good. They'd agreed to the fling, but there hadn't been much to get flung around once the case hit the fan. She had still been grateful when Euan had been here for her to come home to, he'd even relented a couple times and curled up with her in bed. He was definitely a presence she was going to miss, but there wasn't anything to be done. He needed to go back to New York, and she'd made a deal with herself, and everyone else that it wouldn't affect her.

Euan just smirked and first held out a single red rose he had in his hand with the envelope. "A thank you, for putting up with me," he told her and then gave the envelope a small shake and handed it to her. Inside was a small cassette from a handheld recording device, a DVD of some CCTV footage, and a written witness testimony by him made to a copper made down at Gee's own station. After some digging, Euan had managed to track down the woman who had shown up spouting accusations of Thomas Hunt being the murderer and whatever the fuck else she was on about. It hadn't taken much, he really did have a lot of mates with British connections and all he had needed was to get Gee to accidentally reveal the woman's name to him so he had something initial to work with. After that, it had been a breeze. He had staked out the woman's local pub and then hit on her, fucking her up against a wall in a back alley near the pub before offering to buy her a drink. He insisted they take a table out the front of the pub - in direct line of a CCTV camera. She was none the wiser, and went on to smugly admit she was assisting in setting up a 'bastard laywer' who had 'fucked her friend over'. She admitted that she knew who killed him, wouldn't say who. She didn't particularly have to, though. By that point, Euan got evidence that she was fabricating and that any testimony she could give would be pointless. He had the tape recording of the whole conversation, and his police friend got the CCTV footage and took Euan's statement as to being in her presence. She couldn't deny it. As for Euan's 'reason' why he was anywhere near her, nothing but a lad out on the town for a pint and wanting to maybe pull for the night. She was willing, and offering, but then, it never took much for Euan to get women willing and offering. "Go ahead, take a look."

Gee had been smiling at the sight of the rose, the flower held up to her nose as she breathed in its scent. Then she frowned at the tape, DVD, and testimony inside the envelope. "You didn't need to get me anything, I was... There was no putting up with you." She had set down the rose so she could focus on the other things in her lap, quickly skimming over the testimony. "You? You went after her?" Gee got up to turn on her TV and DVD player so she could watch the footage. Soon enough once the picture kicked in, there was Euan sitting with the stupid cow from the interview. "Euan, this is... I don't even know how to thank you. I was starting to wonder if we'd ever have a way of proving her wrong that didn't involve me holding a stiletto to her temple. I knew she was a lying piece of trash. This at least helps to tear down some of what's been put against Hunt. The driver is still another sticky situation."

"She's the driver's ex. Do a wee bit of digging and you'll find that out for yourself," Euan promised with a small wink. Anything else he had found would have been thrown out in court because he wasn't involved in the case here. In fact, any further involvement than what Gee already had in her hands could undo their whole case. He gave a shrug. "I was bored, figured some sightseeing was in order. Interesting place, London, when you go digging deep enough."

"Yes, well, it's all under the surface here. Nothing is what it seems, and all that." Gee had paused the recording and looked between Euan and the woman. It shouldn't have bothered her that he seemed to have sex with the bitch to get the information. He was just being him. She had no claim, nothing that would warrant the surge of jealously. It took Gee a moment to push the thoughts away so that she could smile at him when she turned back around. "I'll definitely start digging a lot deeper. Thank you for this, really. If this is what happens when you're bored, I would definitely be amazed at what you could do when actually on a case." She stepped over to him and gave Euan a brief hug. "I'm going to miss you, sexy."

Euan hugged her back and then adjusted his bag over his shoulder. "When you're a detective, you're never really off a case," he told her. He watched her closely for a few moments, not really trying to deliberately read her but he knew something was going on there. "You should come over to New York sometime, see how we do it over there. The crims aren't as polite there as they seem here, though. Less accommodating. You'll be alright. So will your other half and his suit. It's all a test. Guaranteed, we all have cases that cut us deep inside to make us see why we really chose to be a detective. I'm just sorry it had to be hitting so close to home."

"Good point. I still feel like I'm on duty even when I'm off. Always looking, listening, keeping an eye on people." Gee looked down, trying not to feel self-conscious when she felt his gaze on her, but it was hard. Cops might enjoy reading people, but it was still hard to be the one getting read. She glanced up as her eyebrows rose and laughed a little. "New York? Me? Are you bloody joking? I can handle one dirty city, not sure I'd cope over in yours. I'm a London girl through and through. Besides, you don't need me cramping your style and being the dumb tourist." She gave a nod, and pushed her fingers through her hair. "I know, just seems hard to believe anything will be alright right now. I just want it all over with. We got lucky with Matt and Ronnie landing the case."

Euan gave a nod with a laugh. "Aye, I heard they're quite the team." He held his hand up and wriggled his fingers. "I've got my fingers in a lot of pies. But don't be writing my city off so quickly. Invitation's there if you ever want it. Can't exactly say I have the Hilton of accommodations to offer you, but I can at least offer a bed... even if it's my bed. My spare room is full of shit and probably a cockroach or two. The place isn't as scary as you think. I find London a lot more concealed. New York is just out there for the taking. In all seriousness, though, I do appreciate you putting me up. None of it exactly turned out how I expected it, so it was good to have a buffer."

"Alright, alright. I promise not to write off your city." She reached out to take his hand, and pulled his fingers to her mouth as her eyes sparkled, intent on tongue fucking him one last time. "I won't write off your fingers, or pies, either. You astound me, Euan Fitzpatrick, and I'll gladly be your buffer any time. Or your Avon lady. I'm sorry we never got to follow up on that encounter, but maybe it's for the best."

Euan watched her in amusement. "Should I be worried my fingers are the biggest part of me you have a fetish about?" he asked, not that he was complaining. "Shit happens, aye. I'm not sure the trip could've have gotten more fucked if we tried, but look at this way, if I ever come back, it can't get any worse, can it? Just can't promise you when I'll be back. I haven't quite decided if I've had my fill of London or not," he told her cryptically.

Gee's eyebrow crept up and she left his fingers long enough to move in closer to him and capture his lips in a kiss. "You probably should be worried, but given you've been unable to come the last few weeks, your fingers were the only part of you I could wrap my tongue around safely. I know I shouldn't tell you I hope you do come back, so I won't. And you did extend an invitation to me which I'm grateful for, so I'll just say that I hope this isn't the only time we see each other. And I hope I'll find out what you mean most of the time."

Euan just laughed. He kissed her back, putting a bit more heat into it and then pulled back, keeping their faces close. "Not many people ever know what I'm thinking," he warned, but as the words came out of his mouth, he realised he was probably more challenging her to take the chance than anything else. It was a shame she lived here and he lived there, they probably could have had a lot of fun in the same city. "Don't worry, you'll only miss me until another hot bloke falls in your lap. Then I'll be history, won't even get a look in with the tongue fucking if we cross each other's path again."

Gee shook her head as she pushed her fingers up into his hair and moved him as she hooked her leg behind his so that he dropped into the chair. She wrestled his bag from his shoulder and straddled him as she kissed him again, this time hungrier than the first. "I don't tongue fuck many people, either. So there's always a first time for everything," she murmured as she accepted the unspoken challenge. "And not many hot blokes fall in my lap, either. Not ones that aren't in love with other men, or from other cities. I think from here on out I'll live the life of a nun. Bar the drinking, the swearing, and the vibrator I'll be getting tomorrow."

Euan sniggered. "Vibrator, huh? It really is a tragedy, then. Never understood why you chicks resorted to machinery with batteries when guys were out there for the taking at every turn. It's why I stopped trying to figure out women when I was about fifteen years old and just started fucking them." He gripped her arse and then had to still her. "Vee's gonna be here in about five minutes, so we might just need to settle on a goodbye kiss."

"I don't have to say goodbye to a vibrator, or worry about it making me pregnant," Gee revealed with a slight smirk. "It doesn't have to buy me dinner, either. The only thing I'll miss is maybe a warm body at night. It beats the heating in this place." She gave a nod, and slipped back off his lap to pull him onto his feet. Then she did kiss him again, taking his face between her hands as she pressed her body up against his and said goodbye with every inch of her. "Take care, Fitzpatrick. I hope your city realises just how lucky it is."

Euan kissed her back and then had to peel himself back up off the chair to grab his bag. "I never gave a flying fuck what the city thinks, love. Only what I think," he told her with a smirk and blew her a small kiss. "Take care of that partner of yours. One day, it might be him jumping in front of a bullet for you."

"I really hope not..." Gee murmured as she gave Euan a final smile. She raised her hand in a little wave, and when she heard the sound of a car pulling up, the smile faltered and for a moment Gee let the sadness envelop her. It was a mixture of grief for what had happened to Tom and Stuart, and loss at having Euan finally leave. She scraped herself back together, realising that after Euan left she was back on the clock and would be back at the station. "Then I hope you realise how lucky you are. Goodbye, Euan."

Euan made his way to her door and paused there as he opened it, turning back to her. "Cheer, love," he told her, waving and then smirked, still nothing much revealing as he did. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. So open range. Use it," he advised and then had to leave so he didn't miss his flight. He would think about how he actually felt later.

RP Log with mattdevlin | When the shit hits the fan

2010-01-25T08:59:58Z

[Follows THIS and THIS]

It wasn't really a huge surprise when the case got passed over to Major Investigations and landed in Matt and Ronnie's lap. Of course, Matt actually knew nothing about it until he got the call in the very early hours of that morning, and it did make him wonder if Gee even knew. Tom was of high status in the city, and news of his accident had already leaked through the London's a-list, even if the details behind it hadn't. It was only a matter of time before his link to the paralegal murder came to light, though. Matt and Ronnie could invesitage the case, but they weren't miracle workers. They couldn't stop info getting out, even if they would try their hardest to conceal what they found so it didn't impede the investigation. Now they had a murder and a suspicious accident surrounding it. Matt was loathe to settle that the accident had nothing to do with anything and was just a coincidence. Talking to Thomas' driver was the first step, and Matt was already suspicious about why he would even have gotten behind the wheel of his employer's car drunk, and their questioning of him did nothing but make the shit hit the fan of an already extremely messy case.

Before they even managed to get access to the guy's room, though, tox screens showed he had herione in his system, as if already having a blood alcohol content of 0.2 wasn't enough. Miraculously, he suffered nothing more than a minor bump to the head, but was being kept in hospital for observation and now under police guard. Whether the guy was involved in the case or not, he was going down on driving under the influence occasioning in grievous bodily harm. That was going to be a given, but Matt and Ronnie wanted answers as to why the guy was so drunk and off his face on the trip home from Thomas being questioned about his link to the murder victim. And the guy was more than ready to spill his guts.

According to the driver, Thomas M. Hunt was a murderer. Not only that, but apparently the guy drove Thomas to a part not far from where the body was found in the early hours of the morning in question but then bribed the guy - in cash - not to say anything to police if he was asked. Thomas coaxed the guy to drink after being at the police station and they shared the drugs, and the guy apparently did as was requested because he 'feared for his life' knowing 'Hunt was a murderer'. It was a good thing Ronnie mostly led the questioning, because it wasn't hard for Matt to slip right into bad cop mode. He wanted to smack the guy. Everything coming out of his mouth was in complete contrast to what Gee had said about Thomas. Matt knew for the sake of the case he had to remain impartial, but something wasn't sitting right in his guy. There had been no evidence whatsoever linking Hunt to the crime scene, only two people pointing their finger in accusation of him. He wondered if the driver knew the other woman who had come to the station spouting hearsay about Thomas, but it was going to take some more digging. He also said Tom had sex with the victim in the back of the car that night while he told the driver to stand outside; the same car that had been wrapped around a van at high speed. But the guy's trump card was an alleged motive for Thomas to have killed the guy. According to the driver, who knew the victim in the wake of him working for Thomas, Thomas had sexually assaulted the victim in the workplace and then paid him off to keep quiet and part of the deal was he leave the job. The victim had plans to go to the media about it so Thomas wouldn't do it to anymore people. By the time the interview was over, Matt was reeling, and had to take a few minutes of pacing back and forth in the corridor to just try and get his head around it all. Admittedly, there seemed to be a case to be built against Hunt, but without evidence, it was all hearsay and accusations. Matt didn't know what to think, and they needed to get their hands on that car.

While Ronnie went to get a court order to access the wreckage for an evidence search, Matt arrived at The London Bridge Hospital at around seven am. He already had access to Thomas' medical records and staff had to cooperate with his questioning on any change in his condition during the night. There was none. It was still touch and go. Police were standing on guard of the Critical Care room also with suspicions arising that Thomas could be a victim of framing just as much as he could be the murderer. There wasn't enough evidence of the latter to rule out the former. He was a hot shot lawyer, any number of witnesses on opposing sides to cases he had won could want his blood. Seeing someone go down falsely for murder and stripping them of everything could be more satisfying than just getting blood, though, especially if the guilty party were vindictive enough.

Matt found Gee sitting outside Thomas' room on a row of plastic seats along the wall. She had a prime view into the room, and she was sitting watching her partner like a protective guard dog, who was in the room sitting vigil at the bedside. As a new detective, although she had been technically taken off running the case, she was going to be working alongside Matt and Ronnie to gain experience in a major investigation case. Right now, Matt was just relieved both she and Evans had been spared questioning the driver. That sort of information would be just slightly easier to swallow secondhand when they were so linked to one of the witnesses. He came up beside her, looking into the room for at few moments at Evans sitting slumped beside the bed. Standing a little distance away from the door were man and woman Matt had been told by nursing staff were Thomas' best friend and his wife. Matt was going to have to talk to them, too, at some point. He held out a second-rate cup of vending machine coffee to Gee, all he could offer at that time of morning, and took a sip from his own cup. "We've got a problem," he told her quietly.

Gee looked up, surprised when she saw it had been Matt coming down the hall. She'd noticed someone out of the corner of her eye, but hadn't looked away from Stuart and Tom long enough. She'd missed everything that had been going on, no calls placed to her cell, and Gee hadn't left the hospital since she'd arrived. Any thoughts of investigating had gone out the window for the moment when she realised Stuart could have used some silent support, even if it was a few hours. Tom's best friend, and wife were here, but it wasn't the same. Even if they seemed nice enough, and seemed to want to help her partner.

Gee accepted the coffee gratefully, no matter how second-rate it would be. She glanced at the couple across from her, then back up at Matt before she stood, and ushered him a little way back up the corridor. She needed to stretch her legs, and she also didn't need them to hear anything. "'We'? Wait, the case did go to you? What's the problem?"

Matt cleared his throat as he nodded. "We got it. Emphasis on the 'we'. Corinne wants you to tag along with us for experience in major investigations. I don't think she had the heart to turf you off it just because Evans isn't going to be able to continue with it. I don't even know how much you know. Evans went to her and told her about Hunt after the questioning, apparently, but before the accident, so everyone can have a clear conscience, at least on our side of the fence. She was going to let him continue the case, but that was before Hunt nearly got wrapped around a traffic light pole. One more metre, and he'd be dead." He shook his head slowly, still not believing the turn of events that had happened in the last twenty four hours.

"Ronnie and I have just spent the last three hours questioning the driver back at the Royal. It's not good. He's pointing the finger firmly at Hunt. Says he drove him to a park near the crime scene that night, and that Hunt made him wait outside the car while he had sex with the victim. He also said that Hunt made him booze up and take heroine in the car after the questioning at the station, and he did it because he feared for his life knowing Hunt was a murderer. Which just seems odd to me. Hunt's smart, very smart. Legally, he's a genius, and his tox screen and blood alcohol were completely clean. If he did this, he wouldn't be doping up a potential witness, especially not on heroine. I don't think the bloke realised Hunt was even dating Evans, so that puts the khyber up something because someone is lying. It's either Hunt and Evans, or the driver and the victim's friend. It also makes Evans' as a witness more shaky than anticipated. He says he was with Hunt, but was asleep for a long period of time. There's also a possible motive. The driver says the victim was going to go to the media about Hunt sexually assaulting him when he worked for him. Says Hunt got wind of that, so he did him in to save his reputation. The problem? It's impossible to interrogate someone in a coma. Other than what you got from him in your questioning, which was very little, we have no statement from Hunt. This whole thing could hang until we talk to him, or we get firm evidence that he's innocent. Ronnie's getting a court order and search warrant for the car wreck as we speak, and he's going to try and push his luck for a search warrant on Hunt's home. So, make sure that coffee does it's job, because you'll be coming with us. Hopefully we don't find the victim's DNA in that back seat. How serious are things with Evans and Hunt?" he asked her, nodding his head in the direction of Thomas' room.

Gee's eyebrows went up. "She does? That's... yeah, I'll definitely give it everything. Lots of coffee, trust me. Thank you. I'm not sure Stuart would cope if he knew we were both off the case. I had no idea he'd told the boss about him and Tom. Last I knew he was in two minds about it, and we were trying to work out how to keep it safe."

She quickly fell quiet though as Matt continued, feeling suddenly alert when he started talking about the driver. Something about this whole thing just set her insides off, and Gee just knew there was something wrong with the whole picture, but she couldn't figure out what. Besides the driver being a lying wanker. "Twat," she said out loud, and her lip curled back in a sneer. "He's a lying little two-faced fucker. If he was pissed, and doped up to the eyeballs that was his decision, not Tom's. Tom and Stuart talked, and Evans believes right down to his core that Tom didn't do it. And I believe him. I asked him straight out. If Stuart was wavering, he'd tell me. Hunt's clean, the driver isn't. There's just something about that guy... And the story he's trying to spin. Tom's always been open about his sexual relationship with the victim. Especially to Evans. He wouldn't be bothered killing him, he would have gone after him in a courtroom for defamation, or something. He's not that stupid. It's all too convenient, Sarge. I don't like it." She took a sip of the coffee, and tried not to wince at the taste. "They've fallen in love, and were planning on moving in together. And planning a cruise. Which is apparently huge for Hunt considering he's always been incredibly set about casual sex, and no attachments."

Matt was silent for a few moments, sipping his coffee as he thought. He continued to watch the scene in the hospital room as some sort of fuel to get his mind on a few different directions at one, his line of sight only breaking briefly to glance at Thomas' friend with his wife. "That might not go in our favour. It could be suspected Hunt offed the ex so he didn't cause problems in the current relationship. I'm not saying anyone is guilty, I'm just saying there are about ten different dimensions to this case. Right now, you're soley looking in from Evans' window. Stop it. Yeah? Don't let your heart rule the case. Let it fuel you to get the job done, but if you don't keep an open mind, you're going to miss vital pieces of information. Bottom line here is not you, not Evans, none of us have known Hunt as long as his driver has. We can't, as much as we hate to admit it, rule out that there is a chance he might have done it. Even if it's all lies and fabrication, he had motive and means. Until he talks or until we find evidence, he's a suspect, Gee. That's just the way the cards have fallen."

Gee's nose scrunched up, but she couldn't fault Matt. He was right. Of course he was right. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to push back most of what she was feeling about her partner, and Tom. "So we start with the car, right? I just... It's not just the Stuart connection. Hearing what that guy was saying... It's rubbing me wrong. Don't you ever just get feelings? Tom can have sex with anyone he wants... He doesn't need to force it. He can even pay someone off not to talk, why kill them?"

Matt held his hand up and shook his head. "No one said he forced it. The driver said it was a willing sexual act in the car. The alleged sexual harrassment in the work place doesn't automatically mean rape. It could mean anything from inappropriate looks to brushing up against someone at the photocopier. No one has accused Hunt of rape. Why? Because he worried the guy might approach Evans, maybe? Because money can't completely shut someone up? Because this city has eyes and ears everywhere we turn? The list goes on. In this sort of case, it's always messy. There are always conflicting stories and takes on things. I emphasise again that none of us know Hunt very well. He might get a thrill out of dominating people, he might like rough sex, he might like roleplay. Wasn't it you who told me he wanted Evans to go to an orgy with him? This isn't cut and dry. Sure, I get feelings, hunches. Something isn't playing out right with the driver. It's obvious. But all he we know he is guilty of in fact right now is driving under the influence. We start at the car, but it's going to come up all but clean. Whether Hunt or the driver was involved here, they aren't going to leave evidence. It's all too neatly constructed. We need to talk to people further afield. People who know Hunt," he added with a glance at the friends again, "and people who knew the victim."

"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood. I still don't... No. Tom's too smart for any of this. How do you get to be a lawyer at his level, and not suffer through something like this before? He was all that into control, and power games he'd have slipped up somewhere else. Not just with a paralegal that he was fucking. Yeah, that was me, but that still doesn't mean anything. Just means he likes a lot of sex. Everyone likes sex, but that doesn't make them killers." Gee held her hand up. "But alright, open mind, it could mean he's a killer. We don't actually know what kind of shit goes on at that sort of an orgy. Could be like some really rough stuff. If Hunt's darkside, then I'm thinking he would be saving that side of him for when it really needs to come out and play." Gee followed his look, and nodded. "Agreed. We might have to think about chasing up someone that does know what goes on in the orgies. Doubt Hunt would restrain himself in that environment, so if there's a hint of evil they would have seen it."

"All I'm saying is there could be more to this than meets the eye. I hope for Evans' sake it's not, because it means Hunt has been lying to him too. I'm hoping it's all just a fabricated attempt to frame Hunt, and we find evidence to support that soon. From what you've told me, the guy seems to be a straight shooter, and hopefully has been completely open with Evans. If that's the case, this is a huge mess and we need to explore the bad to discount it and find the good." Matt paused and let out a small sigh. "And hope in the meantime that Hunt actually lives through the night."

Gee nodded, and cradled her coffee against her chest. She looked in on her partner and Tom, and her mind wandered to Euan. She actually wanted to call to check up on him, but she quickly quashed the thought. He didn't need her being clingy. It was just because of the case, and watching Stuart distraught over his lover. Euan wasn't her lover, he wasn't anything but a house guest at the moment. Just one that she couldn't seem to control herself around, even when he had pneumonia. "We need to go see the car," she murmured. "The sooner we start, hopefully the sooner we'll have some answers."

Matt gave a slight nod. "But for now, we wait. Ronnie's going to call me when he gets the court order." He pointed with his cup to the couple nearby. "I think we should talk to the BFF. Have you met them? I know they've probably been here all night and they're upset, but the sooner we start getting some character witnesses in favour of Hunt, the better."

"Sure, if you think it's a good start. And only enough to explain to them who I was when I first arrived. I thought they were going to accuse me of coming to arrest them, or something. But Stuart was relieved to see me even if he went right back to Tom's side, so they relaxed after that." Gee held out her coffee cup for Matt to take so she could try and make her hair neater by pulling it back into a poinytail, and clipping it. She'd put the band, and clips into her pocket when she'd left home but had yet to use them. She also brought out a notepad, and pen before taking her coffee back off Matt and finishing the rest of it off. "Maybe they'll be glad to get it over with. They've probably been expecting it."

Matt took another sip of the coffee, but realised he couldn't stomach the rest of it. It tasted like it had been scraped off the bottom of an ashtray, and he discarded it into a nearby bin with a scrunch of his nose in disgust. "Think we should go at them separately or together? Apparently the bloke arranged Hunt's lawyer, but they don't seem to know anything else about the case, so I doubt they're concealing anything. How did they respond to Evans? It could be telling if they were weird with him."

Gee shrugged her shoulder. "Maybe together. I don't think they're concealing anything, and the husband seems reluctant to let his wife out of his sight. It's nothing suspicious, just think that Hunt's accident has shaken him to his core. He seems quite protective of her right now. As for Stuart, they've seemed to have really welcomed him. He mentioned that they've actually been really good. Said something about a hug."

Matt analysed the guy from a distance for a few moments, eyes narrowing just a little. "Ethan Williamson... wait. His father is Sir Clifford Williamson, a Lord Justice with the Court of Appeal. He's one of England's youngest millionaires. Jesus... bloody hell," he cursed softly, shaking his head. "This just got a whole lot more interesting. Sophie Williamson nee... I can't remember. She's a court liaison for kids. We need to tread carefully, the media are going to want to crawl all over this."

"Bingo," Gee said quietly as she pointed at Matt. "So far there hasn't been any media, but then this is a pretty private hospital. I'm waiting for body guards to appear out of thin air, and kick someone out. And it's Johns. I remember dealing with her a couple times as a uniform. I guess they do have the money to try and hide anything they want, though."

Matt nodded a little. "True, but on the same token, I'm not sure the guy would risk his father's standing and title for the sake of paying off someone for a mate's stupid mistake, no matter how good friends they are. Blood is thicker than water. I'd be more worried if he was absent, but he's not. This isn't just playing with fire, it's throwing fuel on it and fanning it. Too much is at risk here, and Hunt would need to be more than a smooth-talking hot shot lawyer for them to conceal anything like the murder of a lowly paralegal on his part. But someone else could be trying to hurt him to get to the bigger guns he's connected with... so to speak. The more that comes to light, the more it looks like a framing. It's why someone would do that to him that I want to know."

"So we tackle them together?" Gee asked as she tapped her pen against her notepad. "I think this has got to be the first time I'm hoping a lawyer isn't as slimy as I've always thought them to be. I'm guessing in this scenario we can both just be the good cop if it's simple questioning?"

Matt shrugged. "Unless they give us reason not to be. I don't think they're going to be. This is going to be the easy part, but if it ends up in court, we could need them both to testify as to his character, so it needs to be done now before opinions and views get skewed the more info comes to light." He paused and glanced down at her. "Are you alright? I know things have been tough, and you've got Euan to deal with too."

Gee gave him a thumbs up as she smiled. "I'm fine, Sarge. I've already had my mental breakdown, and Euan actually helped out with that, so I'm good to go. Promise. I won't go mental, or break apart in a ball of tears."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. The bloody bastard," he said with a small smirk, but didn't elaborate. "Alright, ready to roll, then?"

Gee frowned, not sure she had completely understood Matt's comment, but shrugged it off. "Ready to roll," she confirmed with a small salute.

RP Log with lovesguinness | Bad News

2010-01-23T06:49:16Z

Euan had discovered that sharing his bed with someone made it easy for him to subconsciously slip down into a horizontal position next to them in his sleep. The only thing was, it led him into bouts of coughing in his sleep, which inevitably had him waking himself up when he struggled to catch his breath. He wasn't completely out of the woods yet. The only difference was, this time, Gee was right there with him and as soon as the coughing reached a peak where he started to struggle for breath, she forced him to sit up, rubbing his back to help clear his chest. Having someone right there when things sucked a little like this was kinda nice, he wasn't a complete cave man to not admit that. Just maybe not out loud, because out loud made things real.

He had kept up his end of the bargain and lay in bed with her like she wanted. Well, she laid, he sort of sat, but he stayed with her when she needed it. He wish he knew how he could help her, but he was at a loss because he was mostly independent of the whole thing. He didn't know the copper or the copper's legal lay, he just had second-hand info. But at the end of the day, the copper was Gee's partner and friend, so he had to at least try. She did give him a place to stay once he got out of hospital, and she didn't have to do that. Only, he had obviously fallen asleep at some point. He didn't remember choking when he was lying there. "Sorry," he coughed out hoarsely, covering his mouth with some tissues she had given him from the box beside the bed. His eyes were watering too now, so he gave them a wipe too. "Didn't mean to wake you. I just need some water."

"S'alright," Gee mumbled as she pushed her unruly hair out of her eyes, and rubbed his back. She leaned in to kiss his temple without thinking, and placed her palm against his forehead just to check his temperature. For a little while she'd actually managed to fall into a deep sleep, and it was taking her a moment to come to. She cleared her own throat as she sniffed, and had to actually think about which direction her kitchen was in. "Just be a moment," she mumbled as she reached out to touch his shoulder, and then turned to pull her robe on. She shuffled down the hall, feeling a lot calmer than she had when she'd first got home. Gee realised Euan was being pout in a position he didn't want to be in, but she had appreciated. The human contact was needed, even if it came with his coughing bouts.

She found a glass and filled it with water, taking a sip from it herself before topping it up to take back to Euan. She just passed her kitchen table when she realised there was a blinking light on her mobile. The thing had been on silent after she'd gone to bed with Euan, Gee selfish enough to want the night to herself without interruption. Now she frowned, and paused long enough to pick it up, and check it before calling her voicemail.

A chill ran down her spine when she had heard the silence followed by Stuart's stammering, and by the time she reached her bedroom she was standing in the doorway pale as a ghost, and it was a miracle she hadn't dropped the glass of water. She snapped her phone shut and held it tightly to her chest as she continued to just stand there in shock. "Stuart... He... Tom..." she gave a shake of her head as she tried to clear it, but no words came out.

Euan was rubbing his chest and swallowed to wet his throat that was stinging from the coughing. It didn't take a genius to see that something was wrong, and he frowned. "What is it, love? And don't be going and trying to do all that avoidance tactics, because you'll piss me off and there won't be any fucking to get it out of you, alright?" He pushed the covers back to sit on the side of the bed, but he didn't get up, he was already breathless. He patted the bed. "Come here, what's happened? The suit? Did he turn up guilty or something? Confess?" He couldn't be blamed for jumping to that conclusion. Sometimes even people who seemed 100% squeaky clean innocent had the wool over peoples eyes and ended up being the guilty party.

Gee shook her head, and dropped down onto the bed beside him. She was still staring, her eyes not quite focused as she handed him his glass of water. Her fingers went to her mouth and tugged on her bottom lip as she tried to do something to snap herself out of it. Eventually she blinked, and seemed to realise she was at home with Euan, and that he'd been asking her something. "No, no... He left me a message. I, erm, my phone was on silent. Missed it... Tom's in hospital. I couldn't quite understand Stuart, I think it had something to with a car accident." She held her phone out to him like it would help explain. "I can't believe it. It happened after the interrogation."

Euan looked at her in disbelief. "Car accident? What he-" He paused, looking at her uncertainly. "He was okay to leave the station, aye? He wasn't about to have a heart attack or anything, was he? Wouldn't be the first time that's happened. We've had witnesses walk out of questioning and off the top of the nearest high building." He took the water, but put it down on the table so he could take her hand. "When did he call? What do you want to? Go over there?"

Gee nodded. "I think he was in shock, but he was okay. He was actually pretty good about it. Or as good as being accused of murder can get. Not that we were really accusing him, just... you know." She wet her lips, and looked down at their hands as she curled her fingers around Euan's. "He's got a driver. The guy came to pick him up. I don't really understand what happened. I don't know what to do, either. I don't know if Stuart will be at the hospital. I don't know... Maybe I should call him... Do you think I should call him? How are we even supposed to prove anything when he's been hurt? Stuart has to be a mess."

Euan gave a slight nod. "You should try to talk to him at some point. He's not gonna be taking this to well, like." He had to take a drink of the water so he didn't end up in another coughing fit. He watched her over the rim of the glass, still frowning as he swallowed. "You mentioned a lass pointing fingers. Whose got custody of the car? Could be tampered with, if someone is trying to do a job on him. If they go far enough to frame him for murder, someone did the lad in. Who's to say they wouldn't stop at your other half's suit? Someone might have seen if he got himself a hot shot lawyer, panicked. Of this could all be part of a grand plan to off him anyway. And if they know he's seeing your copper, his neck could be on the line too. You don't prove a case, love, evidence does. You get out there, and you find evidence."

"I know, I just..." Gee looked at her phone, and then the clock, but she didn't really see the time. She just assumed it was either too late, or too early. "I don't know if he..." Gee huffed out a breath and frowned as she gave herself an inner pep talk to try and get herself together. She was better than this, but this case, knowing that it was Stuart's suit, it was all getting to her. "I'm failing the test, aren't I?" she asked Euan quietly. "I want to be able to blame just waking up, but I can't. The car right now? I assume we do. It would be part of an accident investigation. They'd be checking for tampering if they even realise that he was a suspect. The woman, she was supposed to be Keith's friend. A pretty piss poor fag hag, even if I'm only just starting off as one. I'm sure she was jealous, but I think she's too ignorant to be able to pull off framing Tom. Just good at mouthing off, and pointing the finger. She's probably helping the real murderer without even realising. Or maybe they're more panicked because they realised he did get fingered? Maybe they thought it wouldn't lead back to Tom?" she asked Euan as she focused on him. "Assumed no one would consider the hot shot lawyer..."

Euan shrugged a little. "Or on the other hand, the hot shot status could make him a prime one to be pointing the finger at. Bound to attract publicity, take the spotlight off the real perp. Who knows? But you can't discount anything. The suit is in it balls-deep and now he's in hospital. Maybe he just had a wee bump to the head? You said you couldn't understand the bloke on the phone. You'll think yourself in circles if you don't have any facts to stop the cycle and give you a direction. I can't be saying you're failing the test, but number one rule of partners is to have their back when you need them. If this isn't just a wee bump on the head, then where do you think the guy is? Sitting at home with fish and chips watching The Bill? You said yourself your phone is on silent. How do you know the case hasn't taken a huge turn? New evidence shown up? New info? The suit in hospital could be evidence alone. The car wreck, if it's in the cop's possession, you can guarantee the hot shot lawyer's lawyer is probably working as we speak to stop investigation on it because you haven't charged the guy."

Gee pressed her lips together as she nodded. Then she reached out to cup Euan's face with her hand and kissed him briefly. "You really are good at this, aren't you? Not just a sexy face. I need to get dressed. And I'll change my phone so I can hear it. Then I'll try Stuart's phone. I'm going to assume he's at whatever hospital Tom is at, but I don't know that he'll be wanting to go anywhere. He's really torn up by this whole thing, probably accepting blame for Tom's condition and thinking he caused the accident somehow." Gee ruffled her hair, and looked down at her phone as she quickly changed the settings. "I need to find out which hospital. It's probably going to be somewhere private. I can't see them dumping the suit in a public shithole."

"He won't be stupid enough not to have top insurance. That's his game. London could be crawling in private hospitals. Someone had to have told your partner where, so if you can't get a hold of him, do a bit of digging yourself. The only thing is, if he's in an ICU, you aren't going to be allowed near him. It's a mess. Things aren't weighing up and you need more info. Your partner might not be even capable of working the case now, so what happens? Will you keep going with it? Without that chick pointing fingers, you wouldn't even be looking in the direction of the suit right now. He'd just be an ex employee. She's the key," Euan reasoned.

Gee got up and started to pace. "I can't get to her now, it's too late." This time when she did check the clock, she could actually absorb what the display said. "What about the driver? He can't have escaped unscathed, sure. And they'd be questioning him. I might be able to catch up with that. See what actually happened with Tom's accident if Stuart can't tell me. I don't know what happens if Stuart's not up to it. Do I get left on the case? I've never been in this position before."

Euan rubbed his fingers over his lips, his mind already ticking over even if it wasn't his case. In fact, he didn't realise how quiet he was as he was already slotting a few things in place. He glanced up at her finally, nudging himself out of his train of thought, but only just. Everything was still there brewing. "Nothing's ever too late, love," was all he said on that portion of her statement. He pointed to her. "He might be dead. Sounds like you've got a lot of information you're needing to be up to speed on. This is why you gotta learn to never turn your phone to silent, no matter how shite you're feeling. You're on a case, you're on it twenty-four-seven, no matter fucking what. If your superiors think you're dispensable, you'll be dispensed in favour for a detective that is in favour, aye. That's how it works, that's why I had a new partner before Vee's seat was even cold and she doesn't see she's not coming back to her position. The first step to being a good detective is being one. Not doubting here that your partner won't be up to it. He'll want to be, he'll try to be, but it's impossible. His mind can't be one hundred percent on the case and one hundred percent on his suit. Don't wait to be told you're off the case, tell them you're still on it. How high profile is this suit? Isn't your Supercop Major Investigations? With the suit unconscious, it might get passed on."

Gee looked for a moment like a puppy being scolded, but she took Euan's point. He was right, even if the only call had been from Stuart, and her home phone would be on file. She looked at him, studying his face in silence for a long moment as the guilty look disappeared, and was replaced briefly by concern. "Yeah, he is. And he's not mine. He's Vee's. I'd rather have my deviant cop. Maybe I should call Matt... I don't know. Fuck. Okay, I need to get dressed. I can't do anything until I'm dressed. Are you going to be okay if I leave you alone for a little while? I realise you've been alone while I've been working, but night's different."

Euan looked at her skeptically. "You like the whole label thing, don't you? And possession thing. Figure of speech, love. You don't need to take it so literally." He took another sip of the water and waved his hand. "I'm fine. I'm a big boy. I can take care of my own shit. Just be prepared if the case gets handed over, maybe you can consult with them if it does. You are just the new kid on the block. Getting experience off the old school, you'll be surprised how much value you get in it."

She shrugged her shoulders as she slipped out of her robe, standing naked before him as she looked around for some clothes she could put on. Preferably ones that weren't too crumpled, relatively clean, and relatively professional. "I don't hate it, but sometimes the labels just slip out. Doesn't mean they have to stick. Don't take it so permanently." She ruffled her hair, and bent over to pick up a bra lying on the floor. She tried to be neat, but inevitably things got out of control when she was busy. "If the case gets passed up to Major Investigations, I might be lucky and it'll go to Matt and Ronnie and I can get a hook into it still. I wouldn't mind learning from them."

"Then your first stop should be Supercop. Bounce some of your thoughts off him. At least then you can keep your finger in the pie, get experience, and be a buffer for your kilt with a badge. He'll probably find it easier back off and focus on his suit if he knows you're still working on things for him," Euan pointed out and sprawled back on the bed, scratching himself lethargically.

Gee hummed absently as she finished pulling on some trousers, and pulled a tight black jumper on over an un-ironed shirt to help hide the creases. She moved back over to the bed, and straddled Euan lightly before kissing him deeply, once again taking into account his lung capacity. "Thank you," she murmured as she pulled back and licked her lips. "Make sure you keep warm for me."

Euan just smirked at her. "I'll see you when I see you, because this isn't going to be easy, so brace yourself."

Gee started to laugh as she kissed his forehead, and slipped back off the bed to put her shoes on. "I'd rather you braced me, but I guess I'll just have to wait a few days."

musesandlyrics | 5.23. Dead or Alive lyrics

2010-01-19T09:27:39Z

5.23. Yeah I, I got to know your name
Well and I, could trace your private number baby
All I know is that to me
You look like you're lots of fun
Open up your lovin' arms
I want some
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dead or Alive

Co-written with lovesguinness
[Follows THIS, THIS, THIS and THIS | Simultaneous to THIS and THIS]

Euan was maybe feeling about 50% better by now. He knew he still had a little to go, but the meds he was on were definitely doing their job, and he had to painfully and grudgingly admit that bed rest and eating right were working to a quicker recovery. He had laughed, cursed, and rolled his eyes when the doctor told him that, but he was getting back on his feet. He still had a bad cough and still had to sleep sitting up a little, but the fever was gone and he didn't feel so much like a sick person that he had in the preceding weeks. There still was the added issue that he remained in London, but he was neither here nor there about that subject at the moment and didn't let himself linger on it too long. In about a week, he would fly back to New York. What happened after that remained to be seen. He never let situations get the better of him for too long, and this was definitely not a time he was about to let it start. Seems the doc was also right about the panic attacks, they had been made a lot worse from the pneumonia, which she suspected Euan actually contracted from being in the flight airconditioning. The smoking had just made it a whole lot worse.

He was now stretched out on Gee's sofa, a Mars Bar in one hand and a can of Guinness in the other as he watched Coronation Street on TV. Sally had breast cancer and he was dying to know if she would find out about Kevin's affair with Molly. He had gotten quite invested in the British soap opera since being in London, forced to not do much else than lie around watching TV. He dipped the Mars Bar into the Guinness and then sucked the froth of the chocolate bar. He lifted his butt a little and farted loudly, then smirked as he fanned out the blanket over his lap. Who said he couldn't make himself at home in London?

Gee had opted to come home rather than stay at work with Stuart. He'd said he'd wanted to finish up some paperwork after the interrogation, but Gee just couldn't find it in her to gather the strength to do it. She'd watched Tom leave, and watched Stuart look like his heart was breaking, and the fatigue caught up with her rapidly. She was emotionally drained, and all she wanted to do was curl up in bed, and maybe cry a little.

Then she remembered Euan, and suddenly her comfort needs shifted. For the moment she wasn't alone, so she didn't have to cope like some sad old spinster with no friends. She could curl up with a man, draw strength from his embrace, and maybe even let him get her off because feeling anything other than the heaviness she was feeling now was better. It would also prove that she was glad that it wasn't her and Euan in Stuart and Tom's positions even if they weren't in a relationship.

She let herself in and dumped her keys and bag on the table by the front door before she hung up her coat, and let her hair loose. She stifled a yawn as she entered the main area of her flat and found Euan more than comfortable at home on her sofa. She gave him a tired smile and moved over to the sofa where she straddled him, and stole his Guinness without a word. She took a long sip, and licked her lips after before also taking a bite of his Mars Bar. Her blue eyes fixed on his lips, and Gee set the can down so she could take his face in her hands and kiss him deeply. She would only kiss him for as long as she was sure his lungs could take it, and eased away gently before trailing her lips down across his jaw, and pushing her fingers up into his hair. "Hello," she finally murmured.

Euan knew they had talked about this online a couple of days ago, but he seriously did not expect to come home and find himself suddenly accosted. Not when he had witnessed her coming home from work lethargic since he got here, knowing it took her until after dinner to perk up... like most normal people. This was new, and odd. And right in the middle of Corrie! He shifted a little underneath her, his now free hands going to her back so she didn't topple off from where she was sitting over him. He did appreciate that she appreciated his need for air. His breathing was still slightly laboured in general, though more of a wheeze than anything else. "Alright there, love?" he asked her in his typical broad Irish accent. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, almost like he was waiting for further explanation why she suddenly decided Corrie's theme song was lap dance material. The trumpets just really didn't manage to pull it off.

"Mmhmm," Gee hummed as she sucked on his throat, and started to work on leaving a mark. At least this way it would be there for the rest of the duration of his stay. Gee could give him something to remember her by however temporarily. "You can keep watching your show, I won't interrupt. I'll just help myself," she told him with a smirk, knowing all too well how Euan had started to become attached to Coronation Street regardless of his vehement denials. The channel never seemed to be switched over, and she had never been in much of a position to argue because it was less draining for her to just sit there and watch it with him. She nudged his head so he could look at the screen, and her tongue flicked against his earlobe before she drew it into her mouth and sucked on it briefly.

"You been watching porn at work or something? Not that there is anything wrong with that. We once investigated a top New York porn star, and got to watch her work all day. It was fucking fantastic. I could have humped a cell bar I was so fucking horny." Euan couldn't shake the feeling something was off. Not that he had any issues being accosted by a chick like this. Some blokes would pay for attentions like this, or stick a tenner into a g-string, rather, and they wouldn't even get kissing on the mouth. He let her at it for a few moments and then turned his head back so he could see her face. "Or have you been on the piss?"

Gee moaned, letting herself slip into an aroused state rather than dwell on the day's events. He really did smell good, and taste good, and feel good. It was all she could do not to just rub herself against him. And then she did, just a little, and more rubbing her breasts against his chest than rubbing her lower body against his. The idea of making him choke because of coming still worried her. Then she looked back at him, and frowned. Why did he have to be talking now? "Shh," she told him as she held a finger to his lips before she moved it to kiss him again, tongue skating across his. "You're the one that tastes like Guinness, not me. I'm not drunk, and I haven't been watching porn. I'm really glad you got to investigate a porn star once, but now is quiet time. You watch your show, and I'll just lick you clean." She tugged down the collar of his t-shirt, and sucked on his collarbone before letting her teeth graze against the skin. Her fingers scraped against the tattoos poking out from under her sleeves, and she had every intention of kissing those as well. If she couldn't touch his dick, she was definitely touching everything else.

Just because she wasn't touching his dick, didn't mean it wasn't reacting. It always reacted when a chick was this close in vicinity to it. "I'm Irish. Guinness isn't booze, it's a staple, like spinach for Popeye," he offered, still trying to analyse why she had just become his own personal sex toy when she hadn't done this at all since he got here. Not even the day they spoke about orgasms and getting off. She wasn't just coming onto him, she was almost annihilating him. "What happened at work?" he finally asked. She wasn't taking his hints, so he would try another tactic: straight to the point.

"My mistake, I'll remember that in future." He was still talking, and Gee let out a soft growl before she stripped off her shirt so she was just in her bra. She picked up his hand and pressed it against her breast and held it there. She could feel him hard under her and moved her hand to his crotch to rest it there as she waited to see if he was spasm, and die. "Work happened at work." Her momentum faltered a little though as a flicker of pain appeared on her face. She just sucked in a breath, and ran her tongue over her lips before taking his hand off her breast, and drawing his finger into her mouth and tongue fucking him just as she had at the hospital. "I think you really, really need to get your fingers deep inside me. I should have done this a couple days ago, but I was too knackered. I wanted to do this weeks ago, but you were too knackered."

If he was frustrated, it didn't show. Instead he kissed her back roughly and with a bit of careful maneuvering, switched their positions so she was pinned under him, still managing to keep them lip-locked in the process. If she wasn't going to listen to his questions, it was time to work out if she really was in the mood or if she was just projecting. He had the buttons on her pants undone expertly with his fingers and pulled them down to her hips just far enough to give him access. His tongue had completely dominated hers in the kiss by now and he pressed his cock hard against her hip when his hand disappeared into her pants, his fingers sliding against her clit and deeper, lower, already finding a rhythm in his attentions.

Gee bit her lip as her back arched and she hooked a leg around Euan's. She would go to Hell for seducing a sick man, but at least she'd have fun getting there. Her eyes avoided his gaze for a while, but when they found it, her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel a lump grow as she tried to fight back tears that threatened to spill. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She gripped tightly at his shoulder, and t-shirt, her bottom lip starting to quiver. "Euan..."

Euan stopped immediately, huffing out a heavy breath and looking at her slightly like he would look at a puppy who had peed on the carpet, but it was gone as soon as it was there. He had tried to wrangle out of her what was wrong. He had always been a cluey judge of character, he just knew something was off, even if they didn't know each other that well yet. He subtlety took his hand from her pants, letting it rest on her hip as he remained knelt close over her, watching her in concern. Sure, he was a self-professed arsehole, and came across hard and not very cuddly or approachable in general, but a lot of that didn't mean he wasn't still human and didn't care. He did care, a lot, when he needed to. Vee could vouch for that, she had been on the receiving end when he came through for her. He could be quite the dependable and caring gentleman, just in a rough, tattooed, hard package. "What is its, love?" he asked her quietly.

Gabrielle sucked in a breath and tried not to curl into a ball. Instead, she clung to Euan, and kept him close as she looked up at him. The tears really did start to flow freely now, and she shook her head as she tried to find the words and couldn't get them out. Only a squeak escaped, and she grunted in frustration. It took her a long moment to find her voice, and even when she did it was hoarse. "Why did you have to keep asking? I just wanted to feel something else. I needed to feel something else. I needed there to be an us, just for a little while." She sniffed, and could feel her body start to tremble with the sobs she wasn't letting out. "There was a murder. A paralegal. He... he was the suit's. Stuart's suit's paralegal. The one he'd fucked and dumped well before he met Stuart. Only we didn't know that at first. Then some stupid bitch, she... she got pulled in for questioning because she was meant to be this guy's friend, and all she could do was point the finger at Tom. We had to question him! We had to go over to his fucking office and tell him that not only was this paralegal dead, that we had to take him in for questioning because it looked like he did it."

Euan was frowning by the time she finished talking and he had to shift, his legs not having the strength to hold him up in the position he had been over her. He sat down on the side of the sofa, having to pause in a small bout of wet coughing before he cleared his throat and rubbed her arm softly. "None of it sounds easy, love. I've experienced cases like this before, and they can get messy quickly. It's never cut and dry having a lawyer on the line. Never. They can be like cockroaches, keep together in close bunches until the spotlight hits one of their own and they scurry off to avoid the consequences. Are you upset because you think he did it, or upset because you know he didn't?" he asked her. Either scenario would come with it's own set of issues and difficulties, if Gee's partner was even allowed to continue the case with the conflict of interest.

Gee tugged her trousers up, and tried not to feel awkward in the situation. She'd effectively killed any of the spark, turning it into the deep and meaningful conversation she didn't want. Gee got herself into a sitting position and slipped her legs around Euan and as she rubbed his back after the cough. "Because I know he didn't. He was with Stuart the night of the murder, sound asleep. Only Stuart was out like a light, and can't be a credible witness. Not to mention if he admits to the relationship, we're off the case. Tom isn't a cockroach... He actually seems like a good bloke. He even told Stuart he loved him, and they're supposed to be moving in together. Stuart can't... He's not dealing well with this at all. And who can blame him? It just hurts my heart watching them."

Euan reached for his can of Guinness to take a quick sip to wet his throat. Water was for pussies. He set it back down so she could have his full attention again and he was frowning a little as his detective brain automatically slotted into gear as he went over the situation from the small amount of details she had given him. He knew she wouldn't give specific details, just the ins and outs, and that was enough for him to go on to try and understand. "Did the Scot have a chance to talk to the bloke? Even just briefly. It'll be tense if they didn't, probably too late for them now. As much as it probably sucks, the little bed sharing details should be brought to the attention of your Chief or it will come back to bite you all on the arse. Might not during your investigations, but I can guarantee if a lawyer goes on trial, even how often he shits every day will be dragged up and aired in public."

She gave a shake of her head, and wiped the tears away from her cheeks and eyes. "Afterwards? No. We talked to him before. Stuart was... He was adamant he knew Tom didn't do it. It was tense when we went to bring him to the station, but I wouldn't have thought Stuart would let this come between them. Even if he thinks the suit will dump him because of it. He's at work still. Tom left after calling his driver. I don't know if Stuart will believe me if I tell him it's a good idea to tell the boss. He's so worried about being thrown off the case, and having it given to a couple of twats that wouldn't solve it if their arseholes were on fire."

"Better thrown off the case then lose your job. Both of you will lose them, love. He keeps a secret, you keep it right along with him because you do know about it. You'll have people attest to that. Don't play with fire, it's not worth it. And trust me, even if you get thrown off the case, there's nothing saying you can't carry on an investigation all on your own..." Euan added with a smirk. It wouldn't be the first time he had taken matters into his own hands, so he had no issues encouraging someone else to do it. It was just all about being cautious and knowing what you were dealing with. "You never know, you might be allowed to stick on it. Sometimes superiors turn a blind eye. Just depends on the superior. Conflicts of interest like this might fuel a good detective to succeed, but just keep an eye on your Scot. Grief can cause people to make stupid decisions... like taking things into their own hands, in the wrong way." He paused for a moment, watching her closely. "Are you worried you won't cope on the case, with the emotions involved?"

Gee nodded in agreement. "I know, I didn't want him to lie, but... I didn't want us thrown off in case it would mean some arsehole follows the wrong leads. An investigation of our--Oh..." Gee's eyes narrowed slightly as she got left with that little encouragement, and she was already making back up plans in case they were thrown off the case. She couldn't deny that as frustrating as Euan could be, he really did know his stuff. She rubbed her hand against his arm and stared at a spot on the coffee table before she blinked, and her focus was brought back to him. "No. It's just been a long, rough day, and it's been hard watch him. I... I wanted comfort. I wanted to let it out as well, but not like this. I wanted a different emotional release. I'm going to need a good one to get me through this. Not sure I can take crying every day if I have to watch him struggle."

"Welcome to the world of having a partner you care about," Euan had to tell her quietly, watching her face. "I'm glad you two finally got your shit sorted out, otherwise this would have really sucked. You would have found your stance a lot different, you would have been slightly wondering if he was covering anything for the suit. But that all aside, a good fuck wouldn't have done it for you, even if I could have obliged. It wouldn't. The only emotional release you'll get is your other half off the hook, and that's just not gonna happen til the suit is cleared. This is your test. All partners hit this at some point in their time together."

Her head tilted, and she wet her lips as she took a breath before huffing out. Gee could feel her nose start to block up after the brief bout of tears, and she hated the feeling. "What was your test with Vee? I would have been fine with this test not coming up. Even if I'm glad we did get our shit sorted."

Euan wasn't exactly sure if he should be offering up secrets of his past at this juncture, but she did ask and she could be facing worse herself in the days to come. He cleared his throat again, hesitating for just a moment longer. "There was a tough case, a child killer. It was a horrible case, and things got messy. Technicalities got involved. Yank law is different to here. Technicalities can make or break a case if you can plea bargain your way out of something. Vee bad a choice, tried to take things into her own hands to get justice for the kids, pulled her gun on the bloke. It would have ruined her if she did it, if not landed her a murder sentence of her own. I stopped her. Long story short, anyway."

Gee rubbed her hand against his back again. "I'm sorry. I haven't quite faced a case that would drive me that far, but I can imagine it wouldn't have been easy. I guess we really do get our own tests. I just don't know what will happen if we can't clear Tom, legitimately, or otherwise." She rest her head against his shoulder, and looked at the TV to find the credits rolling. "You missed your show," she whispered.

"I'm sure I'll survive, love," Euan told her with a hint of a smile. "What do you want to do? Within reason. Just tell me, and we can do it," he offered.

Gee looked at him, lifting her head off his shoulder. There seemed to be a hint of doubt, or maybe even guilt, as one thought in particular rose to the surface. "Can we... Will you come to bed with me? Not sex. Just lie naked with me. Sleep with me tonight. And maybe some touching. You know, if you can."

Euan looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure you want me to? You should get some sleep and I have to sleep practically sitting up," he reminded her. "You need to look after yourself or you'll get ill again."

"Then I'll start off in your lap. And I'm sure," she told him with a small smile. "I'll just have to rest my head in your lap instead of on your chest. Not sure I'm really complaining about that. I'll be okay."

Euan knew he had offered, but he also knew it had been a long time he had let a female breach this sort of intimacy with him. Sex was another story. Fucking he did with as much regularity as changing his underwear, if not more. Guinness and sex were basically his whole staple diet. He lost count years ago of how many chicks he had slept with. But he had a skilled knack for keeping them at just a right distance and not letting them get too close emotionally. This was letting Gee lean on him emotionally and it wasn't that it was out of his comfort zone, it was just something that probably only happened once in a blue moon. But he had offered and if he was nothing else, he was a man of his word. He gave a nod. "Aye, you've got a deal."

Words: 3949

musesandlyrics | 5.4. Will Rogers quote

2010-01-19T09:07:10Z

5.4 "Pain is such an uncomfortable feeling that even a tiny amount of it is enough to ruin every enjoyment."
Will Rogers

Co-written with scotcopper & seeuincourt
Follows THIS

Gee wanted to drive, and Stuart didn't even try to protest this time. Usually they had to end up tossing a coin or playing Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who got to take the driver's seat when they had to head out. Stuart just followed in silence and sat looking out the window at the city passing by as they headed into Central London. It felt like his stomach clenched into a tighter and tighter ball with every block they passed and now they were actually stepping out of the elevator on the floor of Tom's trendy and expensive law firm, he was wondering if he could manage to speak without throwing up or pissing his pants. There was still a burning determination in his gut to solve this case and at this point, it seemed to be the only thing fueling the adrenaline rush to get through this.

They stepped up to the reception desk and politely requested to speak to Tom ASAP. There did seem to be a flicker of recognition in her eyes as to who Stuart was, or who he might be, at least, and she smiled, promising to go get him straight away. When she left, Stuart looked up at the ceiling, exhaling sharply to brace himself. He had only been here once before when he dropped that note off for Tom a few weeks ago. He never, ever could have anticipated he would need to be here in a professional capacity and his badge felt like it was suddenly stabbing him in the chest through the breast pocket of his long coat.

Gee reached out to rush her fingers against Stuart's wrist, and gave him a reassuring smile. She'd tried to act as least cop-like as she could, not wanting to draw any attention to them. She was here as Stuart's friend, and Stuart was Tom's boyfriend. That's all it was. She honestly hoped there hadn't been any leaks about what that woman had said, or that she hadn't gone to the papers herself. She wouldn't put it past the silly cow. She was so vocal, and taking Tom down several pegs appeared to be a life goal. Made her wonder if in all her fag hag glory she hadn't fallen for Tom herself. Or the dead paralegal, and was just jealous.

The receptionist gave them a nod, but Gee had to tug on Stuart to get him to move when he seemed to just continue to stand there in his own world. She let out a heavy sigh, and tried not to consider the fact that she was finally meeting his suit under the worst of circumstances. This was going to be beyond heart breaking.

It wasn't far from Stuart's mind either that this was the first time Tom and Gee would meet. This sucked, it wasn't supposed to be like this. It was almost impossible to keep calm and remain even on the outside when everything was upside down inside. It was probably a fortunate thing they hadn't been the team to question that woman, or Stuart would no doubt have gotten himself - and Tom - into a lot of trouble. By the time they got to the door of Tom's office, the lawyer had met them at the door so they didn't need to knock. Hell, would they have even been supposed to knock? It was the little details that Stuart was struggling the most with. He tried to keep his voice even when he spoke and managed a faint hint of a smile before it was gone again. "Hey, have you got a few minutes?" he got out and his voice was strained to the point that even his accent seemed to be slightly lost.

Tom had been smiling at them both, but it was gone the moment he heard Stuart's voice, and realised the copper hadn't made any move to greet him affectionately. The hairs on the back of Tom's neck prickled, and all he did was nod as he stepped aside to usher them in. Maybe Stuart wasn't as into public displays of affection with his partner present. At least he assumed it was his partner. "Well, this is a surprise. You should have called, I could have had some lunch organised. I haven't eaten all day, and I'm bloody starving. If only there was time for another trip to The Ivy," he said with a slight smirk as he looked Stuart. Then he held his hand out to Gee, and the smirk became a smile. "The partner, I assume? I'm Thomas Hunt. Call me Tom."

Gee smiled back awkwardly, but shook his hand. He had no idea. He really didn't, and she felt sorry for him. He was about to blindsided, and she felt this gnawing guilt start up in her stomach. She tried to imagine what it would be like in Stuart's shoes, or even Tom's, and just couldn't. "Yes, the partner. Gabrielle Mancini, but you can call me, um... Detective Mancini." She frowned before looking at him apologetically. There wasn't really anything casual about what they were doing. She shot Stuart a look, and then pulled her hand out of Tom's grip.

"Detective? No need to be so formal is there?" Tom asked, a little taken aback before his gaze flicked between them both, and there was a trickle of something cold down his back that made him shiver. "I feel as if I'm missing some vital part of information. Stu--Detective Evans, care to enlighten me?"

Stuart was glad he still had his gloves on so they were concealing his hands that were trembling just from a mix of fear and anxiety over what all this could be about to mean. Tom had been such an amazing surprise that he literally stumbled across, and he had fallen hard. They didn't even have the chance to move any of his stuff to Tom's place yet, and now this. This was harder than he had even anticipated now he was here and Tom was facing him just a couple of feet away. If he was a coward, he would step back by this point and let Gee do the dirty work. But he was no coward, and he knew he had to do this. He owed it to Tom to do it. "This isnae a social visit," he finally admitted, finding his voice even if it still had that choked scratchy edge to it like he had another sore throat. His throat wasn't sore, but everything else felt like it was. "W-We're investigating the murder of Keith Lefevre. He was found dead in a park in Kensington yesterday..." There was another hitch in his voice and professional persona slipped. "I-I'm so sorry," he added in a hoarse whisper.

Gee was watching both of them until Stuart started to talk, and then her gaze fixed on Tom, watching his reaction.

Tom didn't disappoint. He felt his jaw go slack, and the floor drop out from under him. The unshakeable lawyer, was shaken, and he stood there dumbfounded as he stared at both of them. Surely there was another Keith Lefevre? It had to be a common name. Or at least Keith was. Memories of times they'd shared in this very office came unbidden and Tom could start to feel his stomach churn. "Are you sure?" he asked in a whisper. "But... murder? Who would want to murder him?" He looked at Stuart, blue eyes searching the face of his lover before he let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Me? You think I would..." He moved backwards, and leaned heavily against his desk. "I see."

Something inside Stuart just snapped and he didn't give a flying fuck about the job or what he was supposed to be doing. How the fuck was he supposed to react anyway? This was the man he just realised he loved, and wanted to be with for a very long time? Was he supposed to just pretend he wasn't hurting? Fuck that. Fuck that for a stupid bloody joke. He breached the gap between them and his arms closed Tom in a tight embrace. His fingers threaded through the back of Tom's hair and at first he didn't really know what to say. "You have to listen to me, okay?" he said in a hushed voice, but tried to keep his words even so Tom could absorb them. "Your name has come up. Some woman is accusing you of doing it. He's known to be your ex employee and ex sexual parter. I'm going to do everything I fucking can to make sure your name is cleared and I'm not going to let anyone fucking hurt you. But you need to look like you're cooperating with us. You need to come in so we can ask you some questions. You need to let it run through the process because if someone is trying to hurt you, they could take you down quicker than I have the capacity to stop it."

Tom glanced at Gee over Stuart's shoulder, but she had apparently turned around to give them some privacy. And Tom was grateful, because he could feel tears prick the backs of his eyes, and he held tightly onto Stuart as he took a deep breath. This was fucked up, but he couldn't even get his head together to try and comprehend the fact that Keith was dead, let alone that he was about to be questioned about it. "What woman?" he asked quietly. "What the fuck would she even know?" His anger was starting to build up, and he clenched his jaw tightly. If some bitch was accusing him of this, he was going to show her what Thomas Hunt was actually capable of, and it had nothing to do with murder. "I didn't do it," he also added after a beat, just in case Stuart really had had any doubts, but everything he was saying told Tom otherwise. He still couldn't shake the horrible feeling in his gut, though.

Gee moved over to the window to look out at the view, but she could see the two men in the reflection bouncing off the glass, and she sighed. It was awful, like some sick fucking joke designed to mess up a chance for either of them to be happy. She briefly thought about Euan back at her place, and the promise of making her come, but how was she supposed to be in the mood after this? They were going to asking Tom about murder, and anything could happen after this. She just hoped they could actually clear his name. She cleared her throat as she turned back around. "We should get this over as quick as possible. Neither of you need it drawn out. If you just stick to the truth, hopefully it'll clear itself up. I'm sorry I had to meet you this way, Mr Hunt."

They couldn't give Tom any details, and that cut deep in Stuart's gut. He knew if he was feeling as sick as he was right now, Tom would be feeling it even worse. He spotted an unopened bottle of water on Tom's desk, and reached to grab it, snapping the lid off and pressing it into Tom's hands. "Just sip it slowly, okay. We can have a minute, it's alright." He stayed close, standing in front of Tom and giving him a gentle nudge so he would take his weight off by sitting on the side of his desk. He stayed standing between Tom's legs, his hand on his shoulder and his thumb brushing back and forth in some pointless attempt to comfort him. They were behind closed doors, it didn't matter. Stuart had already noted the interior of Tom's office didn't have CCTV cameras, even if the reception office did. Client confidentiality and all that. "I know you didnae do it. I was with you that night. But I was also exhausted. I wouldnae stick as an alibi."

Gee moved closer to the two of them even if she was still trying to give them some semblance of privacy. God only knew how the interrogation was going to go. Tom and her shared a glance, but the lawyer's attention was instantly back on Stuart as he took a sip of the water as directed. Maybe Stuart couldn't see it, but Gee had little doubt Tom wasn't going to give him the flick because of this. He really did love her partner.

"What are you saying?" Tom asked him, gazing intently back at Stuart as his mind started to wake up again, and his brain kicked into gear. "I can't lie. It's... If I say I was alone, you know as well as I do that kind of alibi is worth shit. It's even harder to believe than being in bed with someone who was dead asleep. Not that I'm going to dump you into any of this."

Stuart shook his head. "I'm nay asking you to lie. I'm asking you to be honest. It's going to have to be asked where you were. Being in the presence of someone is better than being with no one at all. I dinnae know how it's going to go down, but just be honest. None of it is going to be easy." He didn't profess to know how to handle any of this, he was doing the best he could and he realised he was probably not handling it as well as he should. He was terrified and he was feeling horrible about dumping Tom in all of this. "I-It's... you might want to call your lawyer... if you have one."

Tom arched an eyebrow slightly, and heard Gee give a slight huff of quiet laughter. Apparently he wasn't the only one amused by being told to call a lawyer. "I don't trust anyone more than me to represent my interests. However, I might call Ethan to see if he knows of someone. Or at least to arrange to get drunk afterwards."

Gee placed her hand on Stuart's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as Tom turned to pick up the phone. "You still sure you're up for this?" she whispered once she was sure Tom was caught up in a conversation on the phone.

Stuart couldn't be in on the joke. He actually didn't find it funny that he had to tell a lawyer he needed one, let alone tell the person he loved he needed one. It was as much as saying 'Hey, mate, we're gonna arrest you, so brace yourself'. They didn't have enough for an arrest yet, but once forensic checks came back, who knew what these bastards trying to take Tom down might have? He didn't want Tom blindsided, he wanted him to be as prepared as he possibly could be. He rubbed a hand over his mouth and threw Gee a brief look over his shoulder. "I have to be."

Gee gave his shoulder another squeeze, and then dropped her hand away. Truth be told, most times if she didn't try and find some amusement in the situations they faced, she was just doomed to cry herself to sleep every night. There was very little that should have given them hope in humankind. It's why it was so easy to cling to the good things in life. "Then I'm right here with you."

Tom hung up the phone after a couple of moments, ignoring Ethan's repeated questions while trying to calmly state his need for a good lawyer. "He's making a call, the lawyer will meet us at the station. I don't really feel like waiting it out here." Tom reached out to touch Stuart, but hesitated. "Shall I follow in my car?"

Stuart felt like someone punched him in the chest and took his breath away with Tom's question. It was innocent enough, but it was going to show him just how serious this all was. Stuart gave the slightest shake of his head, his forehead creasing in concern. "No, we need you to come with us," he said quietly.

Tom frowned, but gave a nod. For someone who wasn't actually being arrested, he wasn't exactly feeling like an innocent man right then. He set down the water, and walked around the back of his desk to pick up his jacket and phone. The phone was dropped into the pocket of the inside of jacket, and he adjusted his collar. He then buzzed the receptionist to make sure she cancelled the rest of his appointments, and sent his apologies to his clients. Something had come up. Tom waved a hand at a door to the side of his bookcase. "An alternative route, if you don't mind. As much as I plan on being cooperative, I don't particularly fancy walking out past Helen. She can be a bit of a gossip even if it might seem innocent."

Gee shrugged. "Fine with me. Even if I'm disappointed you don't have a secret door that leads to the bat cave." She gave Tom another small smile, and got one in return before his features were set into an unreadable mask. He really was good, she'd give him that. Her gaze slid back to Stuart, trying to work out if her partner was genuinely ready for this.

Words: 2895

musesandlyrics | 5.17 True Blood Quote

2010-01-19T08:59:57Z

5.17. "I always thought as different as we are, some how we could still be together. And now I don't know."
True Blood

Co-written with scotcopper
[Follows THIS]

As soon as Stuart's detective mind cottoned on to what they were dealing with from their latest victim, he immediately started to feel sick. The anxiety clawed in his gut and it became difficult for him to concentrate. He had no choice but to push on, though. It didn't help when one of the guy's friends was brought in for an interview and she was quick to spout how infatuated this LeFevre was with Tom and how much his life was ruined when Tom turned down his romantic advances which forced him to quit his job. The whole of her interview was how much of a bastard Tom was, and that she wouldn't be surprised if he was sexually inappropriate to her friend in the work place, but probably paid him off to keep quite. Her swan song was that if anyone had cause to kill her beloved friend, it was Thomas Hunt because Levre 'had shit' on him that could 'ruin him'.

Stuart hadn't had a chance to reveal to Gee what he had found about the victim being Tom's ex-employee, whom Tom had a fling with on his own admission. Before he could tell her how much the shit could be about to hit the fan, the friend had rocked up to the station with 'information'. Two uniforms ran the questioning and now Stuart and Gee were watching the video recording of the interview. As soon as Tom's name came up, Stuart could feel Gee's eyes on him, but his eyes remained stonily on the screen as they watched. The woman's last statement got too much, though, and Stuart stormed out of the viewing room, the door slamming behind him. He kept going until he got up onto the roof, hoping that the fresh air would at least quell his turmoil a little. It didn't. It couldn't, because he knew no matter what happened with the case now, their next move was to called Tom in for interrogation, as a possible suspect.

He grabbed hold of the metal rail, gripping it until his knuckles were white and trying to swallow back the threatening nausea, and maybe even tears. Mixed in there was probably a want to smash his fist through a wall. He couldn't be sure. All he knew was this was every copper's nightmare, having to haul in someone they loved over something as horrific as murder. Why the fuck did it have to be Tom?

Gee hadn't rushed out after Stuart straight away. She'd let her partner bolt, and then calmly rewound the tape to give him a few moments. She took a wild guess as to where he'd gone, figuring after their initial misunderstanding when they were first partnered up that he wouldn't go into the mens' room. Gee didn't know the suit personally, but she trusted Stuart's judgement, and was finding it hard to believe that Tom was capable of killing an ex... paralegal. Lover didn't quite seem appropriate. If anyone was bitter about the whole debacle, it was the friend. She was actually surprised it wasn't Tom's body they found. All that bitterness couldn't be doing the woman any good. You get involved in a player, and of course you're going to come out burned when he's not ready for commitment.

Gee pressed her lips together as she made her way up the stairs. And yet, in her own personal life, she was all too ready to about to try and do anything to get involved with a player for a couple of weeks. Time was ticking down, and she hadn't made progress. She couldn't even ask him straight out for a fling without getting an arsehole answer. But he had warned her, she did have to concede that. She just really, really wanted to fuck his brains out again.

She pushed open the door to the roof, grateful this wasn't one of those buildings where they could get locked out up here if they weren't careful. She came up behind her partner, and rubbed her hand against his back as she indulged in a moment of comfort before crossing her arms over her chest, and arching an eyebrow. "So... you had no idea that was coming? Nothing in your investigation of his professional life gave you a hint?"

"Of course it did!" Stuart snapped before he could hold himself back and then he pushed off the rail to hold his hands up in apology. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was just hoping it wasnae relevant. I saw it in his employment history, and I put two and two together. I didnae have time to say anything before that bitch came in here spouting of fucking hearsay! He didnae do it! He didnae! I was with him that night, and he isnae capable of it! But you know what pisses me the fucking hell off? I cannae be a sound alibi, because I was so fucking tired and was practically passed out the whole night. He could have gotten up, and I wouldna have known. The fucking body was found five minutes away from his house!"

He started pacing with a hand pressed over his forehead, feeling like all the emotion had lodged up into his throat. "If they know I'm seeing him, I'll be off the case. That cannae happen. I have to work this one. I need to prove he didnae do it. If this bloke has one pal coming in with information like this, there could be others. And I know what you're thinking, and I'm nay too off my rocker with emotion to nay think straight. I just need a few minutes to try and get my head around all of this. I didnae exactly expect him to land on our list of murder suspects the day after he told me he loved me!" He lost his steam and his shoulders slumped. "He was... he told me he had a thing with one of his paralegals in the past. Said the guy wanted more than just sex, Tom didnae, so he stopped it and the guy left the job. That's why I was so hesitant in the start. I thought he'd wake up one day with me like he did the paralegal and decide relationships really werenae his thing." He squeezed his fingers into his eyes. "He isnae even gonna know the bloke is dead. We've gotta go tell him that, then in the same breath, bring him in for questioning."

Gee took the outburst in stride, and let him get it out of his system. She understood she wasn't the intended target, but she was here, while the bitch from the video wasn't. She pressed her lips together as she waited for him to go quiet enough for her to speak. "You do realise he's still going to have to tell him where he was, aren't you? He can't lie. He shouldn't lie. They'll need to know who he was with unless you genuinely want him to lie. But then you have the issue of how you're supposed to do that, when we'll be the ones questioning him. Stuart, I realise this sucks, and if you believe he honestly isn't capable, then so do I, but right now we have to follow the information, and unfortunately we have a victim's friend pointing at your boyfriend. We also might have a tiny issue about you never telling anyone you're seeing him," she added as she visibly winced, and held up her hand to hold her finger and thumb close together.

Then she blinked. "He told you he loved you?"

"Why should I have told anyone? Is there a little check in system on fucking right next to the clock-on system? Do I have to walk around with a pink hat that signals to everyone I'm bedding a gay guy? Do cops need permission to fuck a lawyer?" The words were falling out of his mouth like verbal diarrhoea. He was upset and he was frustrated. He had no idea how he was supposed to be handling this and there was a big part of him that wanted to go right into his superior officer and plead conflict of interest so he could go home with Tom and bury his head in the sand. The only thing was, if he did that, he probably would have to keep his distance from Tom. He wouldn't be allowed to talk to him or discuss anything to do with the case. There had to be a way to get this over and done with as soon as possible. Tom didn't deserve to have it hanging over his head, and something like this could fuck his career up if it dragged on.

He stopped, needing to take a few deep breaths so he didn't throw up. "We told each other. I'm going to be moving in with him."

Gee held her hands up and backed away a couple paces. "No, there isn't. But you told me, and I might have mentioned something to Devlin. If he gets wind of this, I don't know what he'll do..." She wasn't trying to make her partner mad, but he was already volatile. She just figured it was best if he knew now. "It's not about sleeping with gay men, or lawyers, or anything like that. I'm just trying to make sure we cover every base, because if we're keeping quiet about this so you stay on the case, I'm not having it crumble down around us, and then bite us on the fucking arses."

She smiled a little, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Congratulations. I'm glad you took the leap. I'm sorry about the timing."

Stuart could hardly even look her in the eye. He averted his gaze and started to pace again. "Dinnae be counting your chickens. I've seen less than this ruin relationships. It was fucking hard enough for him to get this far as it was. He's not going to want to continue this. Why the fuck would he continue this with all this shit? He's not going to risk his career for a regular lay. Once again, I get shat on from great heights when I think I've found someone worth laying my heart on the line for." He shook his head, rubbing his hand over his face again. Hearing Devlin knew just put the wind up him even more. How was this all going to work? Was he really supposed to just step aside and be a spectator while he watch some fucking incompetent bastards screw up the case. "If I'm off this, so are you. They'll hand the case over to another team, nay just let you continue with it. Fucking hell, I think he broke it off with the paralegal because he started to have feelings for him. He said as much. How is this... how did the shit all hit the fan like this?!" He held his hands up helplessly. "Things were going to good, I should have fucking known it!"

Gee frowned as she stepped forward and placed her hands on Stuart's shoulders to make him stay still. "Hey! Don't make me slap you, Evans. Stop throwing your chickens away before any of this actually happens. You're really willing to just assume he's going to chuck you away when he has already made it this far? He's told you he loves you. He wants you to live with him... Tell me right now if he's really the type to give this all away? If he's innocent, and he knows it, then he's not going to let this phase him. The question is whether you can still live with him after this. He's being accused of murder. If you can honestly stand here and tell me there isn't the slightest niggle of doubt in your mind that's wondering if he did this, then I will help you find a way to stay on this case, and we will not give up. Okay? Fuck some other team, this is our case. He's your suit. We'll clear him."

Stuart's head felt like it was information overload, and it didn't help that he was dreading going over to Tom's workplace. He hoped to all hell Tom had at least told his receptionist or PA that he was fucking Stuart because then if Stuart showed up, it wouldn't raise suspicions and they could meet with him in his office discreetly. A feeling something akin to the want to cry snuck up on him but he swallowed it back, clearing his throat. "He's the type to give all this away," he had to say flatly. "Our stiff in the morgue is not-so-living proof of that. Innocence doesnae come into it. He's a lawyer, Gee. If anyone is aware of how easily a case can be fucked up, it's him. Innocent people get taken down all the time on technicalities. He could lose everything with this. I'm just a drop in the fucking ocean of shit that could be about to come down on his head."

Gee didn't know what to say. It hurt her seeing Stuart beat himself up so easily, and she slipped her arms around him in a hug. "You're not a drop of shit, Evans. You're a great guy, and you're better than anyone in that damn ocean. He has to see it. He wanted you, not the paralegal. And I know he's our stiff, but come on... He wants to take the leap with you, no one else. Just because he gave this other guy the flick doesn't mean he'll flick you."

Stuart hugged her back, remaining silent for the moment as he tried to gather all his thoughts into something that he could rationally deal with. "The friend is so fucking convenient. She's rocked up too soon. What if someone is trying to frame him? And what if it's someone who has a grudge against him? What if we cannae find enough to prove he didnae do it?" he asked, his voice catching. They were all mostly rhetorical questions, but seemed to be what was swimming in the forefront of his mind. Tom was one of London's top lawyers. People could have grudges. People could just want to knock him down a peg or two.

Gee rubbed his back, and stayed quiet as she tried to formulate an answer, even if she realised they were rhetorical questions. The friend did seem awfully convenient, though. Especially with her undisguised hatred of Tom. She hated that all this had led back to Stuart's lover, but what could they do? They couldn't ignore the lead. They had to follow it even when they didn't like it. "Then we'll bust him out of prison, and run away to Tahiti," she offered finally, trying to lighten the mood just a little.

Stuart really wished he could manage to find humour in it but he just closed his eyes briefly, wishing the nausea would stop sloshing around in his gut. He cleared his throat again, but his voice was rough and hoarse when he spoke again. "We'll get our shit together and go see him. Cannae wait til something leaks and someone else tells him."

Gee gave a nod, and pulled back. She briefly cupped his cheek with her hand, and looked at him. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

Stuart had to give his head a slight shake. "Not til this is over," he said in a small voice.

"Then we better get this fucking over with," she murmured, but made no move away from him in case he needed a couple more moments of so-called fresh London air before they had to go face Thomas M Hunt as their suspect.

Words: 2631

RP Log with lovesguinness | Midnight Visitors

2010-01-08T07:21:21Z

[backdated to NYE]

It was true that Gee had gone to ground, avoiding anyones calls but Stuart's. Even Matt's calls were left for voicemail to pick up, and Gee didn't know why. Maybe because she was ashamed. She was on the verge of falling for Euan, and she was just embarrassed that she had let it happen so easily. Talking to Matt was just going to drive it home. She didn't even pick up when Vee called, but did listen to the message telling her that Euan was in hospital. She'd just sat on the information until New Year's Eve was nearly over and she realised she would rather spend it in Euan's hospital room than home alone.

Another sign she was in trouble.

She tried to call Matt back finally, but only got his voicemail. Revenge, or he was tied up celebrating with his blonde. She didn't mind. Maybe it was better to wait until she knew what would happen next. The nurse on duty didn't seem to mind letting Gee in to see him, apparently disgruntled that she'd had to give up a party to cover someone else's shift, so at least someone should get what they want that night.

Gee hovered in the doorway briefly before she crossed the room, and leaned down to press a kiss to Euan's lips. He looked like he was dead to the world, and still she'd rather be here than anywhere else.

Euan had hardly slept since being admitted to hospital. The noises and the smells felt like they had all his senses on overdrive. He had sort of fallen into the habit of napping, the deep sleep was eluding him unless he asked for medication. He just didn't. He didn't see the point. He had supposed to only be in overnight, but it veered into two when they weren't able to get his temperature down to a safe level. But they had assured him sans any complications, he could go back to Matt's apartment the following day if he swore to take it easy. By that point, Euan had been so exhausted from trying to fight everyone that he just submitted. He just wanted to get out of here and get better, so he would do anything it took. He was tired, but being tired and managing to sleep were two different things. He opened his eyes a little, noticing how heavy and puffy they felt, and he only realised he had company and hadn't just woken when he surveyed the scene a little and found Gee there. He frowned a little in confusion, looking groggily at the door. "What time is it?" he asked hoarsely, lifting his head up off the pillow to see her better.

Gee rest her hand on his shoulder and gently tried to get him to lay back down. "Shh, it's nearly midnight. About ten to twelve. I didn't meant to wake you, love. I'm sorry. Just go back to sleep." She shifted so she was practically on the edge of the seat so he could see her easily. "Just wanted to... check on you."

"At midnight?" Euan asked skeptically, looking at her like she was a nutcase. "What are you, a vampire? How am I supposed to go back to sleep when I wasn't really asleep in the first place?" He tucked the mask down under his chin again and drew a small breath to let it out slowly. "Is this even a good idea?" he added, unable to help wondering if this was Vee's doing again.

"No, just... It's New Year's Eve. I didn't really have anything better planned. I was just at home, and then I thought about you being in the hospital all alone. At least I assumed you were alone." She glanced around like she might have expected Vee to pop out from around a corner, or something. Her eyebrows drew together in concern as her gaze landed back on him. "You're not sleeping? I don't know if it's a good idea, or not. I just got in my car and came."

Euan cleared his throat and watched her glance around the room. "She went home. Supercop went out on the piss, so she wanted to be there when he got home. Trouble in paradise, otherwise he wouldn't be out on New Year without her," he guessed, even if Vee hadn't elaborated on anything when she was here. Euan had been dosed up on more meds, so he wasn't really absorbing much of what she had been saying anyway, and she cottoned on pretty quickly, so they had just watched TV together for awhile. "Hospitals are the worst fucking place to get rest. The sooner the arseholes realise that, the better." He looked at her with a small frown. "I'm stuck here for three weeks. They won't let me on a plane. Something to do with bacteria and some other fucking shit I don't care about."

"Oh..." Gee bit her lip, thinking about Matt not answering her call. Must have been because he'd been busy at the pub. She also had no idea how she felt about Vee in general. The woman appeared to have good intentions towards Matt, and obviously cared about Euan. She just seemed to manage to fuck at least one of them over while helping. Gee could hardly blame her confused feelings for Euan on the woman. "Three weeks? Are you allowed out soon, or do you have to stay here the whole time? I'm sorry you're stuck in London. I know it's not easy for you. And I know that's a bit of an understatement."

"I'm getting out tomorrow, if I don't die in the middle of the night. Gotta take it easy and hand over a kidney as collateral or something. I wasn't listening. I really just wanted to stick the IV pole up someones arse to make me feel better," Euan admitted with a small snort, tugging at the covers from where he'd managed to get it looped awkwardly over his foot. "Dunno. They're telling me the anxiety was the pneumonia or some shit. Doctors talk out their arse, so what can you really know? Adrenaline and heart rate and breathing. I don't know what my lungs have to do with the location."

Gee leaned forward to help him unhook the covers, and smoothed them out a little. "Are you planning on dying? Maybe it's just as well I did show up. It's a New Year starting. You can't die just before you have a chance to get back to the safety of Matt's with your friend." Gee frowned. "Maybe it's because of not getting enough breath in thanks to the illness? I don't know, either. There's a reason I'm a cop, and not a doctor."

Euan groaned in annoyance. "I'm fucking dreading going back there. If they're bitching at each other, I'll be like a friggen bad smell third wheel stuck there because I can't get home. I'm undies on the outside of jeans - bad idea, fucking uncomfortable, and too much hassle to put back in the right place. He bought into a few days with me, not a fucking month. If I can hear them necking on the crapper, I can only imagine what it'll be like if they start bloody bonking. God fucking help me, and I'm not a religious dude."

Gabrielle cleared her throat softly, trying not to smile in amusement at the image of Euan listening to them kissing while he was on the toilet. "Well, erm, I have a spare room. You could always... It's no trouble. You wouldn't be undies on the outside of jeans. Once I'm over this cold I won't be around much when I'm back at work. You'd have the place to yourself."

Euan looked at her in disbelief, not really sure what to say at first. He cleared his throat softly again. It was still dry and sore, and as annoying as hell. He pushed his hair back, not saying anything straight away, but only because he didn't know what to say. Not being shacked up in Vee's love nest was appealing. Very appealing. But he hardly knew Gee, and he was ill. Not just a wee bit ill, either. First few days home, he was going to need a hand with things because he got out of breath easily. In saying that, he was pretty sure once he got out of here, to wherever he went, he was going to pass out cold because he was so fucking tired. "I can't accept. That's not... fair... on you."

Gee wet her lips before she reached for a plastic cup to pour Euan some water, and stuck a straw in it before she offered it to him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... It's just I have the space, and you seem to want to get out of Matt's. I'm not trying anything. I don't want... It's okay, you know. I mean, you're sick. You're in a city you hate. You just need a comfortable bed." Truth be told, Gabrielle had no idea why she was really offering. It wasn't going to make things any easier. In fact, she was almost sure it would make them even more complicated. "Think about it."

Euan sighed softly. He took a drink and then let his head rest against the pillow again. He wanted to blame Vee for this. If he and Gee had just kept it at a fuck, everyone would be fine right now. Well, he probably wouldn't technically be fine considering he nearly coughed up both lungs, but that wasn't the fine he was talking about anyway. It wasn't that he didn't like Gee's company. He did. She was a chick, he liked female company. He liked sex. But he had no clue what this was all supposed to be when, even if it was three weeks down the track, he was leaving. Even in New York, he didn't do relationships. He definitely wasn't going to do anything long distance where there wasn't allowed to be fucking at all. He didn't know why Vee had to take him and everyone around her down in her mental scheme to move to England. "And what's going to happen if I do?" he asked her.

"You can have a room, and food, and a bed?" Gee asked. She held her hand up. "I'm not saying I thought it through. It did just pop out. I was just thinking that it was one possible solution. Plus I'm not about to charge you board, or rent, or anything. You'd have a free place to stay. I'm really not about to force myself on you, Euan. This isn't some grand scheme to get into your pants. Not that I'd mind it happening again, but do you get what I'm saying? Once I am back at work you won't have to worry about seeing me much, just like I said."

"So, it's Supercop and Vee territory or we go the other extreme and avoid each other so Vee's shitty cupid arrow doesn't get either of us up the arse?" Euan asked, raising an eyebrow at her. He scrunched his nose up briefly and put the mask back over his face so Hitler Nurse with the hairnet didn't come and tear him a new one. "Awkward."

"Well, no. I just... I thought it would make it easier on you if you knew you didn't have to see me much." Gee shrugged her shoulder slightly. "I don't want you to feel boxed in."

Euan held the mask in place as he watched her for a few moments, but he ended up averting his gaze towards the window that was shut behind the blind. He knew there was a frustrating element to all of this. It would be disgustingly easy for him to move back here and walk into a detective job, probably even in the same building that she worked. Who knew? It wouldn't be an issue. He had duel citizenship. He could come and go as he pleased. But it was London, and it was painful. He loved his job in America and had worked fucking hard to get there. But other than Vee, it was mostly all just work and a few acquaintances. His brother was there... with his wife, two kids and a puppy named Bob. Euan was always welcome, but it wasn't like he was part of the unit. "I don't know what to do..." he said quietly from behind the mask, probably barely even audible. He didn't even know what he was referring to. With Vee's decision to up and leave New York without a word, he hadn't felt this fucking alone in a long time. Even if they weren't technically together, they worked together and spent a good portion of their spare time together, then she just chose to leave without warning and a little piece of him hated her for it.

Gee tucked her hand around Euan's, not really sure what she could say to comfort him. She could only imagine how hard it was for him to watch his partner and friend leave New York to come here. She couldn't even really understand it herself. She was glad Matt had found someone that seemed to care for him that much, but even Matt appeared to have some hesitancy over the whole thing. Maybe it really was because of the fact he didn't want to be responsible for dragging her away from her life in the States, and her friend. None of this was settled yet, and Gee started to wonder if it ever would be. Eventually she sucked in a small breath, her eyes on his face. "It would help if you could sleep, but I know that's not going to happen here."

Euan shook his head. "Only time I sleep heavily is when I'm drunk, drugged, or ill. It's hard to let your guard down in a unfamiliar place." He rubbed at his eyes with his fingers and sighed. "I don't know, Gee. I just really don't know. I feel like we should lay some ground rules here. I'm not saying you're like Vee or anything, but I know what happened when she got here and had to take care of Supercop when he was ill. Also not saying I'm expecting you to take care of me, because I'm not. I've taken care of myself for so long, you get used to it. I just... I know what shit can happen when there seems to be no strings. It's usually when people find themselves tied up in much tougher shit to cut through the string. I'm not a complete cave man. I've had relationships."

Gee took her hand away from Euan's to fold hers in her lap and gave a nod. "Fine, what ground rules do you want in place? I don't want you not sleeping because you think I'm in danger of falling hopelessly in love with you, and you might wake up to find a wedding ring and a marriage certificate stapled to your forehead. It's nice to know you've had relationships, but I'm not trying to force one on you."

Euan looked at her, though his feelings were mostly masked as always. "Give me a break. Please," he requested quietly. "I'm trying my best here. You can't blame me for those comments after everything with Vee."

"No, I can't, but as you said... I'm not her." Gee rubbed at her forehead, and tried not to let any kind of anger colour her tone. She couldn't help feeling suddenly like she wasn't good enough. "I'm not her," she repeated. "Just like you're not Supercop. I realise you're trying your best, but so am I. Don't blame me for something I didn't do. I just took advantage of her offer." Gee held up her hand. "I like you, I can't deny that. That doesn't mean I'll wind up loving you. I'm not an idiot. I know you'll be going home. I know you can't return any feelings if some develop. I know you don't want any feelings developing. I also just know you need a place to crash 'after everything with Vee'."

"I didn't say you were. I'm basically just trying to let you know I'm a fucking arsehole in advance. I'm not worth it. I'm a chain smoker and a heavy drinker. I swear and I fart and I scratch myself. I get into pub fights. I piss on lamp posts and leave the toilet seat up. I like sex, and I'll do it any way I feel like. Seriously, like. You'll be glad to see the back of me when I go," Euan warned her as he started to cough a little again, his chest hurting in the process. He hated feeling like a bag of shit.

Gee raised an eyebrow before she leaned forward to rub his chest a little bit. "Who are you really trying to convince here, Detective Fitzpatrick, me or you?"

Euan just snorted softly and smirked at her. "I've been me my whole life. What's to convince? I'm a copper because I was a crim, basically. And before you bite my dick off again, I've been with chicks who think they can come in and change me or rescue me. I like being who I am. The only person accountable for my actions is me. No one else gets swept up in it."

"I like who you are, too. I have no plans in changing you." Gee moved from her seat, her lips close to his ear. "Sex wouldn't have been as hot as it was if you were a nice boy. I'm not interested in nice. And for the record, I don't bite, but I do use my teeth. I never used to get any complaints."

Euan scrunched his lips up, even if they were behind the oxygen mask. "I'm not supposed to be exerting myself. Do you offer this hospitality to all your guests?"

Gee placed a kiss on his forehead and pulled back with a smirk. "Only the naughty ones."

Euan held up a finger. "I didn't say I was naughty, I said I was an arsehole. The difference is about a few hundred f words, choice of booze, and favoured positions."

Gee held up her own finger. "Then I stand corrected, and will amend my statement accordingly." She slipped her fingers around his wrist, and dipped her head to bring his finger into her mouth as she curled her tongue around it and sucked on it. "Happy New Year, by the way."

As he watched her suck on his finger, half of Euan's brain was ringing warning bells that this was a bad idea, and it had nothing to do with the fact his lungs were full of his own mucus and shouldn't exert himself. This wasn't a good idea! It couldn't be a good idea. Whatever happened in the meantime, he was going back to America in three weeks. If he didn't die between now and then. The other half of his brain, evidently the most persuasive, was happy to just let her at any body part she wanted to cater to. Fingers were a good start, if they ended up somewhere else. He also clearly wasn't ill enough for it to reach his cock, and he wasn't ashamed of the boner under the hospital gown at all. "Aye, ath bhliain faoi mhaise," he returned, his eyes on her mouth.

Gee smiled, not missing his boner in the slightest. She turned his hand over and kissed his palm, tongue touching it briefly before she once again pulled another one of his fingers into her mouth and simulated exactly what she wanted to be doing to a different part of him. The fingers of her hand skated down his arm, feeling the muscles and tendons beneath. Even laid up in hospital, it was clear Euan still took care of himself. She let out a noise that sounded like a purr, her eyes darkening. It wasn't fair that the Gaelic made her hot. It was sending tingles all through her body, and she cursed herself for apparently being wired to react to every little thing he did. "You need rest," she murmured, but she was already moving on to another finger.

"So they tell me," Euan returned, his eyes narrowing just a little as he continued to absorb the image of her mouth wrapped around his fingers. "So, why are you here?" he continued.

"I already told you... I was just hoping I'd sit here all quiet while you slept." Gee shrugged a shoulder. "You wouldn't have spent New Year's alone, and you would have been none the wiser. Do you want me to go?"

Euan scrunched his nose up a little. "As much as it pains me to admit, if I come, I'll choke on my own bodily fluids right now. Plus, your theory would deduce that I was actually sleeping, when I've only managed that under sedation that the paramedics hit me with so I wouldn't have a panic attack. I want... need you to stop tongue-fucking my finger or I will risk my own life when I take matters into my own hand," he warned with a smirk.

"How was I going to know you wouldn't be sleeping?" Gee pulled back slowly, eyes sparkling as she just threaded her fingers through his and held his hand. "Well, I'm not looking to make you choke like that. I didn't want to kill you the first time around, and I still don't want to kill you. I did enjoy the tongue-fucking, though."

"It's New Year, I might have been feeling festive. I'm not, but I'm just emphasising a point," Euan had to add, trying to clear his throat again. He had a feeling his diet was going to be as boring as a fucking unconscious granny's by the time he got out of here. "Aye, I'd rather not repeat that feeling like I was dying. It was pretty fucking tragic, like. And you're doing nothing to convince me that you're just offering me free board for a few weeks," he pointed out.

Gee held her free hand up in surrender. "Moment of weakness. I'm sorry. From this moment on I will definitely behave myself."

"Sounds boring," Euan decided, meeting her eyes. "Looks like we'll just have to see how things play out, won't we? I might make a miraculous recovery."

Gee's eyebrow crept up as she started to grin. "I might just have to drop to my knees in worship."

RP Log with lovesguinness | Admissions

2009-12-28T03:24:13Z

[Follows THIS and THIS]

Euan had been feeling really shit. In fact, it was probably a fact the cold had shifted into a flu, and he knew it was because it was a smoker. He heard the lecture from his Mom over and over in his head, even if she wasn't here to give it to him in person. It never stopped him smoking, though. Smoking and sex were basically what made him the detective he was. The nicotine and a good pint helped him think, and the sex was how he turned off from the job. This was just the downside.

He remembered being on the sofa with Vee, but not specifically everything they had spoken about. It was only when he woke up back in the bed in the copper's guest bedroom that he realised he must have been well dosed with the cold meds. He didn't remember getting into bed and he was sure he felt just as shit when he woke up as when he fell asleep. There was probably close to £100 worth of remedies from the pharmacy that Vee had brought, but he didn't feel any better. Everything hurt and his head felt like it was full of play dough. He sat on the side of the bed, blowing his nose, but the fucker just felt as blocked as it did when he started by the time he was done. He needed a piss, and maybe a cup of tea. None of that English Breakfast shite. Irish Breakfast or nothing else. Luckily, Vee's lay did one thing right. He seemed to favour Twinings Irish Breakfast too. Cup of tea had to help, fuck the medicine bollocks.

He exited the bedroom scratching his balls. He was wrapped up in a groggy yawn and just felt his way blindly into the bathroom for a slash. All the fluids Vee had been plying him with and he was pissing like a racehorse. In fact, by the time he was done, his feet were sore, and that was just so fucking wrong. He washed his hands, brushed his teeth and then splashed some water on his face to try and cool down. He had no idea what time it was, and didn't even give a fuck either. He made it into the kitchen and then just stood there blearily, trying to remember why the hell he was in the kitchen. He pointed to the kettle. "Tea," he mumbled to himself, almost like a half-hearted pep talk, right before breaking into another sneezing fit.

Gee had been waiting in the kitchen of Matt's apartment, right where Vee had left her. Matt had been sent out first to go and claim the table at the restaurant Vee had booked, while she hung behind on the pretext of not wanting to hold the date up while she looked for her purse. She'd looked stunning in the blue dress she'd been wearing, and anything Gee had been thinking about motives, or using Matt had gone out the window. Vee had called Gee over for Euan, but she really didn't need an excuse to go out on a date with Matt. He was apparently healed enough to start having sex again, and the blonde American was going to do everything in her power to make sure tonight was the night.

It would just help if Euan was distracted. She'd given Gee a warning which still rang through the brunette's cold addled brain, and made Gee slightly hesitant. Vee was as protective of Euan as Matt was of her, if not more so. If Gee fucked things up for Euan, Vee wouldn't be holding back. She'd be out for blood.

Gee had been holding a tissue against her nose, too scared to blow it in case she'd woken up Euan, but then he'd woken up all on his own, and she'd just waited in the kitchen to see if he'd go back to bed or not. When he stumbled into the kitchen oblivious to her presence, Gee had felt her heart start to beat quickly, and she'd almost had a sneezing fit to match his, but it subsided long enough for her to pick up the brewed mug of Irish Breakfast tea and hold it out to him. "Surprise..."

Euan nearly jumped out of his skin and hit the roof at the voice. It was double a shock when his eyes finally landed on who it was and he literally made a hoarse squeak sound in shock, his heart suddenly beating about ten times faster than it already had been. It was probably fortunate he had just taken a piss or he would have wet his boxers, and as it was, crapping himself might not actually be entirely off the cards yet. He was gripping his chest and broke into a cough, trying to catch his breath. "Fuck! Fuuuck..." was all he could get out as he just indulged in a moment of gaping. Was he hallucinating? He rubbed roughly at his eyes and then looked again. She was still there, so he gave her a small poke in the arm just to make sure she wasn't a figment of his imagination.

Gee gave him a smile at the poke, and reached out to touch his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to scare you quite that much. I was aiming for a surprise, but not to kill you. Still not ready to get rid of you just yet." She kept her hand on his shoulder, rubbing his thumb against his skin as she moved a little closer. "You look like shit," she added with a laugh. Not that she looked much better. She knew her nose was starting to get red with how often she'd been wiping it, her lips chapped and dry, not to mention her hair a mess of loose curls. Her eyes were also red from all the sneezing, and coughing. "I made you tea..."

"If anyone asks, I was really smooth. I didn't nearly shit myself, aye?" Euan croaked, putting his hand back on his chest to make sure his heart was at least still beating. He looked beyond her to the living room finding it empty. "Did you take them out? Where did you hide the bodies? I hear the Thames is a good place to start. And you didn't take your Echinacea." He accepted the tea gratefully and sipped it, closing his eyes as the hot liquid soothed his aching throat. It was sweet, too. Just the way he liked it.

"I did, just didn't work quick enough. Apparently your germs are just as determined as your cock," she couldn't help but say with a smirk. She held her hand up as she turned her head to sneeze forcefully, cursing after it. Adding 'ah shit' after a sneeze was a habit she'd picked up from her Dad. "No, I didn't. Vee took Matt on a date, so we're all alone. No bodies in the Thames. But that is a good idea for next time. And your secrets are always safe with me, sexy."

Euan sipped the tea again and it took him a few moments to process the information. It took time for details to filter through the snot. "How do you know they're on a date?" he asked once things clicked into place. "How do you know, and I didn't? I feel like I should be suspicious, if it wasn't too much effort to pull it off." But then the shivers started to take over again and his hands trembled nearly causing him to spill the tea. "Fucking hell, I'm like a fucking vibrator without an off button." He went over to the sofa where his hoodie was and pulled it on.

Gee hovered, not sure if he would have appreciated her trying to wrap her arms around him. As it was, she was feeling a chill herself and just wrapped her arms around herself to try and keep warm. "Because you were passed out. There's a note for you on the fridge," she added as she nodded her head in that direction. "I'm a detective too, remember? I detect. Stick my nose in others' business."

Euan was pulling on his tack pants and fishing around for his socks again. "Bullshit. That doesn't explain why Supercop would have just gone out on a date and needed to leave his apartment in your possession. What are you, the Tooth Fairy? Belated Christmas elf? Or did you pick the lock?" He only found one sock and for a minute, actually contemplated putting both feet in the one. "What does the note say?"

"'U, took Supercop on a date - I need to fuck him bad, so figured buttering him up was a good idea. Don't be mad at me for calling Gee. Love and handcuffs, V'" Gee recited, having actually read the note while she was left alone. "Matt hasn't nothing to do with it. And I'm not the bloody Tooth Fairy, or an elf, but I do have a sexy elf costume from an old Halloween party... Didn't pick the lock, either. I was invited." She rubbed her hands against her arms, her teeth starting to chatter. "Do you want me to go?"

Euan put one hand over his face and rubbed it roughly, trying to get the thoughts of Vee fucking the cop out of his brain as quickly as it entered it. He held his other hand up, indicated he needed just a moment so he didn't explode and swear a lot. It was an onslaught trying to deal with wanting to kill Vee for two separate things at once, the first just took a lot more effort because coupled with the noises through the bathroom wall, his senses were all out of whack. "Remind me to bang my head against a wall and stick forks in my ears before they come home so I'm unconscious, concussed and deaf," he requested, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Maybe we should start with why you're here in the first place?"

Gee nodded. "Deal. I'll even knock you out if you want. I'm good with a frying pan." She bit her lip briefly, but had to release it to breathe. She couldn't get used to breathing through her mouth. It was one thing she hated about a cold. Apart from all the mucus. Gee moved closer to him, and rest her hands on the back of the sofa as she held his gaze. "I wanted to see how you were."

"I was more thinking crowbar or baseball bat." Euan watched her from the other side of the couch uncertainly. His breathing was starting to sound a lot like Darth Vadar now and he was a little concerned about the sore chest, but not enough to actually stop and think about it. "Why?"

"Cricket bat do?" Gee tilted her head, not sure how to take him looking at her. And suddenly feeling naked, but she had a feeling the conversation would go much better if she was naked. "Because I left you drowning in your sweat, and I just wanted to know you were alive."

Euan gestured to the fridge. "Where does Vee come into it?" he pressed.

Gee shrugged. "I don't know. She called me. I think she just wanted to help by getting Matt out of the house."

Euan shook his head, still teetering between angry and uncertain. It wasn't helping that Vee had pulled this stunt when she knew how sick he was feeling. What was he supposed to do, throw a teaparty? He wanted to curl up and die. "I'm going to keep firing questions at you til I'm satisfied," he warned. "I'm a copper, I can't help it. Why would she want him out of the house?"

"I would think plans to seduce him were obvious." Gee moved around the sofa slowly like she was dealing with a hostile suspect. Funny, since she really didn't feel physically up for a fight. "And I have no idea. I just know if she thinks I've done anything to fuck you over, I'm a dead woman. This isn't just about you. I think she just thought now would be a convenient time for me to see you."

Euan pushed his fingers through his hair and had to sit down when his legs got that weak feeling again. "She doesn't need an excuse to seduce him. They've been at it every night since I got here. His cock might not be slamming into her, but it's everything but." Vee was setting him up and he really was pissed off about it, but he didn't want to outwardly indicate it so Gee didn't think it was her fault. "This Vee and Gee thing, it has to stop. It's fucking screwing with my head."

She dropped down onto the sofa next to him. "You can call me Gabrielle, or anything else you want."

Euan didn't even know what else to say so he just held his hands up and slumped further into the sofa. Part of him was actually highly tempted to call the airline and book a ticket home for tomorrow. She brings him here, all the way to fucking piece of shit London, and then tries to hook him up so he's out of the fucking way so she can fuck her lay. The worst part was, there was no friggen cigarettes in this apartment and if he wanted any, he had to go out, and he didn't fucking want to go out in the piece of shit city. He wasn't sure he could be anymore pissed off with Vee right now if he tried.

Gee watched him, not even sure what she was supposed to say. It was a fucking failure, and she had no idea if any of it was salvageable. Or if it should be. Maybe it was just a one fuck thing, and she was pushing her luck too far. Gee pushed her fingers through her hair as her shoulders slumped in defeat. And of course it was right then that she had to break out into a lengthy sneezing and coughing fit. She might as well have just farted so she really couldn't leave with any dignity. "I'm sorry. I didn't... I just wanted to come. I didn't think about the how. I just seized the chance."

Euan stood up and picked up his coat. "You know what? I need to go get smokes, and I need you to come with me, because the minute I step out the door I'm going to freak out. I just need to get to that corner store at the end of the road, and it'll be cool. So, just sing bad Brittney songs or recite the Gettysburg Address backwards. I just need to get to the end of the road and back, okay?"

Gee nodded as she got to her feet. Without thinking she just reached out to take his hand. "Okay. I'll get you there and back. I'll, erm... I'll sing... Oh! I know!" Gabrielle broke out into a very nasal sounding version of 'Hit Me Baby', not even stopping when they were out the door and people were looking at her strangely. She tried out some dance moves, but they just made her cough.

The cold London winter air hit him and he started coughing, almost to the point that he couldn't catch his breath. His chest hurt with every cough, but it did distract him with the fact he was outside, even just briefly. They must have looked like a real sight. Either drunks or escapees from the local mental hospital. It felt like someone had Euan by the throat and he worried he was about to tear up or vomit. He had to pause by the wall of the apartment block by Matt's and just squeeze his eyes shut. When a car backfired in the distance, he nearly shat himself again. Explosions weren't something he could deal with. He tried to focus on her singing, until it stopped and then it was just the sounds of the city an he tried to see how far away the shop was. It suddenly felt like it was a hundred miles away. "Fuck, I can't do this."

Gee kept a hold of his hand, and used her free one to hold his face so that he had no choice but to look at her, and just at her. "It's okay, Euan. It's okay. It was just a car. And this is just a city. A city can't hurt you. Just the fucked up wankers in the city. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me."

Euan had so many protests to her statements that they all came in a rush and he couldn't actually form a rational response. He was pretty sure everyone in the subway beside his parents and on that bus thought the city wouldn't hurt them, too. Sure that the husbands promised the wives countless times that they wouldn't let anything happen to them. The images of his parents at the viewing were back, but he was determined to make it back to the apartment without vomiting. He was coughing again, turning his face away so he wouldn't be doing it in her face. "I've gotta go back. Tea. Tea is fine," he told her hoarsely, already taking a few steps backward in the direction of the apartment.

Gee kept a hold of him, stumbling to keep up with his few steps even if he was moving slowly. She wasn't exactly on top form either. "What happened? Why does being out here scare you so much. Fuck the tea, Euan. Just talk to me. Please." She glanced down the street, and could just make out the sign for the corner shop. "Or I'll just go and get your smokes, and you can wait inside."

"I have to go in. I... the smokes don't fucking matter, it's fine." Euan turned, already heading back into the apartment building. He might be ill, but he could move quick when he needed to, taking large steps to get the hell off the street as quickly as he could. He wasn't going to hide it now that she had asked, but he also didn't want to stand out there and talk about it or he really would throw up. He didn't know if she was behind him, he just got back to Matt's apartment as quickly as he could and went straight over to the kitchen sink, leaning over it in case he was going to vomit. He managed to keep it together, though. Take some shallow breaths and swallowing to wet his dry mouth. He turned the tap on and leaned down to have a drink of water.

Gee had followed and watched as he went straight to the sink. She walked up behind him to start rubbing his back, and kissed the back of his head. She hadn't meant to cause him to go outside and have a panic attack. "You're safe," she murmured. "It's okay... You're safe." She just tried to keep her voice low and comforting, and she didn't stop rubbing his back. She also didn't ask again what had happened. If he didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't push.

Euan kept his breathing even, even if it was still kind of wet sounding and hoarse. He wiped the excess water from his mouth with his hand, but stayed leaning near the sink a little longer while that horrible shakey feeling started to pass. "How long have you lived in London?" he soon asked her.

"All my life. Dad's a brick layer, so it's a struggle, but we make it work. He went to Italy with some mates when he was younger and met my Mum. Brought her back here." She pushed her fingers through his hair, keeping it out of his face.

Euan nodded. "Sounds like a story Disney would give half a nad away to animate," he noted, clearing his throat in an attempt not to break into another coughing fit. Breathing was bloody hard work. He was listening. That was the thing with Euan, he was the epitome of an arrogant bastard, but he listened when he wanted to and took things in most would think he couldn't bother his arse with. "Seventh July 2005. London Subway and a double decker on Tavistock Square. My parents were in the subway."

"I don't doubt it, but no fucking bluebirds braid my hair, and there's no Prince Charming. I think my Mum and Dad are the star couple... Although Mum would probably slap the birds down because she can do her hair better." Gee was still stroking his hair, her eyes fixed on his profile as she watched him. There was a tiny noise as she sucked in a breath at his admission. "Shit... Euan, I'm so sorry. No wonder you hate London." She remembered the bombings all too well, the fear everyone felt at thinking their loved ones had been a part of her. She'd had calls off both her parents that day.

Euan was quiet for a few moments, a troubled frown on his face. His stomach was churning like it always did when he spoke about it. Since it happened, he mostly spent his effort on trying not to need to talk about it. Vee was the only person he talked to about it beyond his siblings. She knew the whole story, everyone else got tiny snippets when it was absolutely vital, at best. "This is the first I've been back. We had to come... identify them. I didn't want to come here, to be here. But Vee was going mental about the copper and she's throwing everything away, risking her job. I had to at least try and do something. Fucking load of good that did, though. She's trying to palm me off to you so she can lay the bastard in peace. Figure it's time to call the airline and get an early flight home."

"It's okay to freak out. It's okay to feel all the grief, and the sadness, and the anger. You lost your parents. That's never something that will be okay." Gee teased her fingers up into his hair before she pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. Then she tilted her head and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Gabrielle took his face in her hands again, and brought it up just enough for her to kiss his forehead. "As much as I'm flattered you think my being here has everything to do with her evil plan, it's not. I'm here for you, and just for you. She just gave me the opportunity. I don't owe her anything. I'm not here to be a playtoy for her to give you. I have a mind of my own. I have a body of my own." She kissed his lips softly, figuring they were both just too sick for it to matter. "I wish London didn't have such bad memories for you, and I wish you were here under better circumstances because I would have liked to have gotten to know you. And I think we could have had fun."

Euan was just confused. He was still angry at what Vee had pulled, but too exhausted to maintain it with any passion. His chest was really sore, and he wondered briefly if he was having a heart attack, but just put it down to the panic attack and feeling like crap. She was feeling crap too, it wasn't lost on him. "I need to lie down before my head explodes. You can... come join me if you want. Bed's big enough. Fucking freezing outside. You shouldn't be out in it, you'll end up with pnuemonia."

Gee smiled, but managed not to voice her own thought. He cared enough not to send her out into the cold. Therefore he wasn't the evil manwhore people assumed he was. "Okay. Thank you. I'm pretty much one minute from collapsing anyway. All this standing is exhausting," she told him with a small huff that was a substitute for a laugh.

Words: 4047

RP Log with scotcopper | Partner Bonding

2009-12-28T03:18:05Z

It was Monday, and Stuart was back at work. He hadn't anticipated just how fucking hard it would be to go to work that morning after spending an amazing Christmas and weekend with Tom in Scotland. Tom hadn't done a runner. In fact, he stayed with Stuart for the rest of his time there and they flew back home together on Tom's mate's plane, which led to an awesome encore of the rest of the weekend with them joining the Mile High Club. There really was something to be said about sex on a private jet. It was hot, it was quick, and it was possessive. Stuart's throat and chest were covered in hickies, which is why he had gone for a thicker tie that morning. In fact, it was one of Tom's ties and Tom's shirt and trousers because Stuart spent the night at his place when they didn't want to waste time picking up clothes at Stuart's. The plane sex had them horny and ready for another round, this time in Tom's hot tub.

Stuart was knackered.

He rubbed a hand over his face and peeled the lid off his cup of coffee. They had an appointment with an insurance broker in an hour to interview him about their latest case. The guy wouldn't see them any earlier, and they were giving him the benefit of the doubt at first, while having background checks run on him back at the CID. He was there in body, his gloves set on the table beside him so he could hold the coffee securely, but his mind was well back with Tom. It was miraculous that Stuart wasn't walking around in a perpetual state of erect and ready. "Is it five pm yet?" he asked huskily, his throat a little rough that morning after the sheer amount of oral sex in the last three days.

Gee was practically face down at her desk, hands cupped around her cup of tea as she all but had her nose stuck in it while she breathed in the steam to try and clear her nose. She felt like shit. In fact, she was sure she looked how Stuart felt, because she could just tell he was knackered. Only in the suit's expensive get up he wasn't exactly projecting that image. Her hair was only just managing to stay tied back, her usual professional appearance going out the window in favour of comfortable clothes. Or as comfortable as she could get away with. She wore a dark sweater top instead of a shirt, the sleeves pulled up in an effort to keep away the perpetual chill she'd been experiencing since she woke up. Not even the hot shower taking it away.

And her mind was far from on the job, either. It was back in Matt's apartment with a certain Irishman who had been kind enough to share his germs with her. She groaned, lifting her head to blow her nose as the steam started to do it's job. "Fucking hope so. Think they'd notice if we just sat here all day? I can't move. It hurts too much."

"My arse hurts," was Stuart's offered answer. And it did. He wasn't complaining, though. Just stating a fact. There had maybe just been a slight hint of overdoing it, but they were in the post-casual honeymoon phase where they realised it's pretty fucking awesome to be naked and fucking as much as humanly possible without instigating a hernia or a stroke. He was sitting forward awkwardly on his chair to try and take the pressure off and one of those donut pillows was looking appealing about now. He sipped his coffee again, waiting for the caffeine to kick in and do it's job. If this didn't work, he was cracking into the Red Bull. "Cannae. Gotta interview that bastard. He's hiding something. He either tells us or we find it anyway."

"Poor baby. I'd kiss it better, but that's not in my job description anymore," Gee replied. She didn't quite have an inflatable ring, but she did pull out one of the cushions she had shoved behind her to try and stop her back from aching. She tossed it across the desk, only just managing to miss Stuart's head and his coffee. Her eyelids were feeling heavy, and she fought not to let them fall shut. She couldn't afford to have any days off sick, so she had to come into work. Only now she was deeply regretting it. "If I sneeze all over him, do you think he'll spill? I could shove my dirty tissues in his mouth..."

Stuart didn't even protest the pillow. He stiffly shifted to the side and shoved it under his butt with a small sigh of relief. It was comforting, though, to know Tom was somewhere in London in much the same state. The lucky bastard probably had a leather Amarni cushion with in-built massager or similar, though. "I dinnae care, just don't put them anywhere near me." He pointedly picked up a small bottle of antiseptic spray and squirted it in her direction. "Are you regretting the fuck yet? You never said how Devlin took the news."

Gee just raised her middle finger at him, the closest she was getting to tell him to fuck off for spraying antiseptic at her. "No, I don't. And he... shut down. He was angry it was Euan because apparently he's practically the blonde's ex. And a manwhore. And slept with every woman in New York, so why would I let him near me? But then I told him I just wanted a fuck, and he just shut down, and said it was my business." She made a face, blinking slowly as she tried to focus on her partner. "I still don't regret it."

Stuart sniggered and licked some of the coffee foam off his lips. "All that, and you still dinnae regret it. I'm jumping in Devlin's boat for a wee bit. But I also know you still want the manwhore, and that Devlin isnae going to nose into your business if you dinnae want him there. You must have given an air of that or he probably would have pushed on. Do you really want the manwhore? I didnae realise he was that before."

Gee arched her eyebrow. "Well, what's your suit, then? You said it yourself he preferred casual, and didn't enjoy comittment. Why's the Irish arse any different? And I think sleeping with every single female in New York City has to be an exaggeration. I'd like to have sex with him again. I don't think there's a crime in that... I'm just not stupid enough to believe he'll instantly change his ways for me. I'm not even asking him to." She rubbed at her face and slumped back in her chair. "It's not that I don't want Matt sticking his nose in... It's nice knowing he's protective of me. I'm just... It was fucking great sex."

"I didnae nearly get raped by a bloke in the past," Stuart pointed out in a hushed voice so only she could hear. He covered the leaning forward to make it look like he was reaching for her pen. "If you want to have sex with him again, maybe he has a string of lassies back home that do, too? You said yourself, he used to bed his partner. You know Devlin, he's all bulldog on the job but personal life is a different story. He isnae going to go out of his way to play cupid for you. He cannae even track his own love life onto an easy course. One of the dinner ladies in the caf wants to set him up with her granddaughter. Says he has nice hair and manners," he said with a smirk.

Gee tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears as she avoided his gaze for a moment. "Well, no denying there would be. A woman would be crazy not to fuck him again. I just... I know you told me I shouldn't be down on myself, but what would make him like me above them? Seriously, Stuart? He knows about... He told me I was being a prick tease, so I had to set him straight. What's wrong with just enjoying something while I have a chance?" Gee made a face. "I've seen her granddaughter. That's just nasty."

Stuart had to give a helpless shrug. "I dinnae know. Maybe nothing. Some blokes are just male sluts, and like it. You might just be another notch. Which is probably why Devlin got shitty. He wouldnae want you hurt. You know how he gets. But once he realised you seemed happy to be a notch, he backed off. Doesnae mean he's happy about, just means he's not going to try and tell you what to do when it's nay his business. The enjoying something while you have the chance means it's inevitably going to end. That's what you have to decide how you feel about before you do it again. Sex one time is all well and good, when it turns into a second or third, it gets complicated if you arenae on the same page."

Gee rubbed her fingers against her temple. "My brain's clogged with mucus, all this thinking makes it hurt. I just... Fuck. I'm not good at being a notch! Okay? I'm not. I've been one, and I can deal with it, but sometimes I'm just not good at it. And fuck, I want to be well enough to shag his bloody brains out because you should have seen his cock, Stu. And felt it. It was like a fucking revelation. I think I had an epiphany while I orgasmed, and touched Valhalla."

Stuart dropped his hand down onto the desk. "And what was I? Toe fungus?" he asked, slightly offended at her description and unable to stop getting a bit stroppy about it. He was a male afterall. If he didn't have at least a bit of an ego, he'd be lacking testosterone, and the weekend told he definitely wasn't lacking anything in that department.

Gee sighed. "You weren't toe fungus! You were amazing, too. And I'm glad we shagged, but this was different. Just like shagging Tom isn't the same as shagging me. It's better with Tom, isn't it? Like there's a real connection. A connection that's just yours. Our connection... It's like... It's partners with benefits."

Stuart raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought the manwhore was just a random fuck?" he asked, tilting his head as he analysed her. "You dinnae feel a connection with a one night stand."

Gee hid her face as she groaned. "He was sick! It's just the mucus talking. I'm not saying anything until I speak to a lawyer."

"What's his mucus got to do with how you feel about it all?" Maybe Stuart's brains had been fucked into oblivion, but he suddenly wasn't following her at all. "I dinnae get it."

"Nothing. It has nothing to do with anything! I'm just dribbling shit, so forget it. There wasn't any connection. I imagined it. It was a one night thing." She picked up her tea to have a sip, her nose scrunching up slightly as she tasted how luke warm it had become. "How was your flight?"

Stuart stared at the beige top of his coffee. "It was fine," he returned and puffed his cheeks out with a breath, exhaling slowly after a moment. "Now I know how Devlin felt. Maybe he's right. It is your business. I was just trying to help. You're awfully standoffish when you want to be."

Gee looked over at him, her face falling. "What does that mean? And I want your help... I do."

"You may as well have just said 'Shut up, piss off, I'm nay talking about it, get lost'. I'm nay gonna keep pushing if you tell me to forget it about it. So here, this is me forgetting about it." Stuart pushed the half drunk coffee away now it was starting to taste crap and pulled the case file towards him. His stomach was doing that churning thing again, too. This sucked. Why couldn't he be home in bed with Tom?

"I feel stupid," Gee finally admitted. "I feel like I'm building it up, and I like a manwhore when I shouldn't, because I know what he's about. But it... I'm sure it wasn't just sex. I can't even tell you how it was different, it just was. There weren't any inhibitions... No limits. Even when he had a cold. He sneezed on my tits, and I still wanted him."

Stuart rested his chin in his hand and pressed his lips together. "But you dinnae really know him. Do you know anything about him, anything he told you? There isnae going to be any inhibitions. He's a manwhore, sex is probably part of his staple diet. What if it was more than sex for you, but you're just another notch for him?"

"That's why I didn't want to say it," Gee almost whispered. She stared down at her tea, and sighed. "He hates London. She brought him here. He's a detective. Which we knew. Um, he's... Irish. Lots of tattoos. He doesn't like telling people he feels like crap, but he told me and then swore me to secrecy." She pointed at Stuart. "So I didn't tell you. Partner cone of silence. He told me to take vitamins so I wouldn't get sick."

Stuart listened, and wasn't going to pass any judgement. He really did just want to help her. "Why him?" he asked her, trying to get her to think about it in a full circle. She could give him the basic facts, but trying to sort the feelings was a whole different story. Stuart knew, because he had spent the last week with his head in a spin about Tom and committment issues.

Gee picked up a tissue and blew her nose forcefully before she discarded it in the bin, and picked up the hand sanitiser before Stuart sprayed her again. "Why him?" she repeated, sitting back as she settled to think about it. "I... He's good looking. He's rough. He's Irish. He's got tattoos. He's everything I'm not... Opposites attract, right? He's funny, he's smart... He just says what he wants. He's honest."

"He lives in New York..." Stuart had to add to her list softly, watching her for her reaction.

"He lives in New York," she repeated. Gee wet her lips and really wanted to sigh, but she was sure she wouldn't be able to do it without blowing a snot bubble. "This sucks."

Stuart looked over her face sympathetically. "And there I thought nearly hurling on a hot lawyer was complicated," he murmured. "Maybe you should just go and talk to him? What have you got to lose, really? At the least, you get another fuck. At the most, well... who knows. He might be one of those sorts of blokes who plays his cards close to his chest, but at the end of the day, does whatever the fuck he likes. I think you at least need to get to know him a wee bit better so you can be sure you arenae just fantasising a personality onto him because it was awesome sex."

"No, that's just foreplay," Gee joked. "And you're right. And logical. And everything I'm not being right now. I still blame the cold because I can never think when I have one. I just want to curl up and suffer in my own corner. Hide from the world. I feel like such an idiot, Stuart."

Stuart scrunched his nose up. "Why are you even here, anyway? Is one sick day really going to kill you? Hell, I'll pay you for the day off. Keep your germs confined to your apartment." He looked forlornly at his coffee, as if he could somehow will it back to hot and tasting nice. He gave it a bit of a swirl, but it just sloshed uninvitingly against the side of the cardboard cup. "Why do you feel like an idiot? You said the bloke was hot? How is that idiotic? You acted like a gay guy," he added with a smirk. "First sign of Fag Hagness, you know."

Gee waved him off. "You don't have to pay me. But you don't look like you can get through today on your own, either. Two of us at half power might still be better than one. Unless you really don't want me around." She watched him, then smirked back. "Funny you should say that since I was thinking about gay guys while I was trying to hit on him. I kept wondering how they could do it, but I couldn't. Then I did. So, what do you think? Will you have me as your Fag Hag and partner? Think Tom will mind?"

Stuart looked at her tiredly, taking a long time to blink as he let the lethargy just wash over him for a few moments. "He fucked all my adrenaline out of me. I fucked all his out of him. I lost count how many times we did it these past few days. Twice on the plane alone, and it was only just over an hour flight. Then last night in the hot tub and again this morning when we woke up, and then in the shower. I had to carefully tuck my dick into my boxers this morning because it was so sensitive. And make sure it was a little to the left so the seam doesnae rub on it. My butt hurts, I'm scared when the time comes to need a crap. But above all that, I just really want to be home to fuck him all over again. I'm mental. I'm a complete nutcase." He rubbed a hand over his face to try and wake himself up. "How did it feel to just not think and just fuck? It isnae too bad if you find a good lay. I think Tom is in desperate need of a good fag hag."

Gee couldn't help but smile a little even if Stuart's arse pain wasn't supposed to be a funny thing. "Lucky you, Evans. At least one of us is getting something right. I shouldn't be jealous of a gay man, but I am. I wish my arse was the only thing hurting, and not my whole fucking body. You two should make a porno. I bet it'd be hot." She raised her eyebrows. "And you're not a nutcase. You're in lust. Have you called him this morning? And it felt great... Really, really great. Why do you think he needs one so badly?"

Stuart's eyebrows rose just a little with interest at the suggestion of a porno. That wasn't supposed to make him horny at just the thought. But he soon looked a little sheepish. "Twice, and he's called once. We were gonna go out to dinner tonight, but I couldnae be bothered. Getting pizza at his place instead." His mobile phone buzzed then with a message, so he picked it up and discovered Tom had sent him a picture message of his cock. Stuart couldn't help it, he immediately flushed red and fumbled to get the picture off the screen, before he stopped and got a stupid grin on his face, staring off at the wall for a few moments. He blinked. "Um, what? Oh, aye. You need to fuck the Irish cock again to make sure it wasnae a fluke and he needs one because sometimes you just need a chick's opinion." He cleared his throat and shifted on the seat.

Gee had been watching her partner closely, and if it wasn't for the fact she might break into a coughing fit, she would have been laughing. "You're cute when you're embarrassed. Does your dick blush, too? I don't think he's going to find me attractive when I'm all germed up like this, and he's still dying himself. He was passed out cold when I saw Devlin." She shrugged, and tried to finish off her tea without dribbling it down her front. "Alright, well, you introduce me to the suit, and I'll consider being his hag. Meantime, you're stuck with me."

"I'm nay cute!" Stuart protested, trying to fight the urge to look at the picture on his phone again, but he knew it would just give him a raging boner with no avenue for relief until work was over for the day. "So dinnae go to fuck, go to talk to him. Take him soup, or... I dunno, chocolate? Personally, I prefer treacle toffee, but to each his own. Hey, I could be stuck with someone like the dinner lady's daughter. I think I lucked out pretty well," he told her, smirking.

Gee's nose crinkled a little. "Isn't lucked out a bad thing? It means you haven't got anymore luck, and you've hit bottom! But I'll take the compliment how you mean it. So thank you. And seriously... just ew to the dinner lady's daughter. Matt better make things with that blonde official so he doesn't get anymore horror fix-ups." She pressed her lips together briefly. "Chocolate... I can do chocolate. Or something. I'll figure it out. Talking's good, too. Talking is... talking."

Stuart pointed at her. "You're making my head hurt not making sense." He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb to the door. "I'm going to pee. Really pee, for proper. Want me to take photographic evidence? Just one pee only," he teased. "Then we've gotta go, so dinnae die on me while I'm taking a singular pee."

Gee gave him a salute, but stayed put in her chair. She'd move when he got back. Maybe. Was it possible to have Man Flu when you were a woman? "Enjoy the singular pee, partner. And as much as I'd love photographic evidence of your dick, I don't want the pee."

Stuart smirked and stood up. He picked his cell phone up and brought the message up on the screen. He placed the phone in her hands with a triumphant and slightly smug grin, before walking out of the command room realising he might actually need the bathroom for more than a pee after seeing that image again.

Words: 3740

RP Log with mattdevlin | Curse of the Detective Mind

2009-12-27T08:52:41Z

Gee tried not to be too obvious as she moved through Matt's apartment, her gaze on the doorway she knew to belonged to the guest room. The place Euan was crashing in. Only the bundle of bed covers didn't reveal a body, so she had no idea if he was even in there. There was also no sign of Matt's whatever-she-was. 'Girlfriend' always seemed to make his nose crinkle if Gee used that word. She turned back to face Matt, pulling out a tissue to wipe at her nose.

The parting gift she'd got from the Irishman was still alive and kicking with no sign of slowing down. She felt like shit, but talking to Stuart had at least reminded her that she had wanted to see Matt. It was just her stomach was determined to keep flip-flopping as she thought about seeing Euan again, even for a few moments. "Did you get my soup?" she asked, trying to smile a little as she breathed through her mouth. "Merry Christmas, sarge, by the way."

Matt was watching her warily, not exactly sure why she was casing the joint. It was amusing, but he didn't laugh, just gave a hint of a smirk before he nodded. "Aye, cheers. You didn't have to go to that trouble. Merry Christmas." He looked between her and where her eyes were roaming and then back again. "Vee's not here. She went to the shops. Euan's here, but he's out cold on cough mixture, and probably not the sort of person willing to make small talk anyway. Are you alright?"

"He's out cold? Oh. That's okay. I briefly met him before" Gee's voice rose a little, but then she sneezed, and cursed, and got out another tissue. "It's what friends do. Plus I told my Mum about you, and she decided she had to mix up a special pot. Apparently it'll clear out everything. And I mean everything. I'm sure my Nonna used to think it got rid of demons. She's the one that gave the recipe to my mother. Mum doesn't believe in demons, just cleansing the body when you're sick." Gee blinked. "Just got a cold. I'm fine. How was Christmas with your blonde?"

Matt turned to eye the fridge suspiciously. They'd had the soup for lunch and when he looked back at her, his forehead was creased. "We had it for lunch, and I only have one bathroom. Is that going to be an issue?" he had to laugh. "Does she realise appendicitis does a pretty damn good job of cleansing out the body from basically every direction possible?" He stood still on the spot, almost expecting the need to use the bathroom to hit him on command. "Maybe you should have some? It must be going around because Euan's as sick as dog."

"No, it'll be fine. Just might get the sweats a bit later. If your body's already cleansed then nothing will happen. It's funny like that. It really does clean out toxins if you have them. Leaves you alone if you don't." Gee shrugged her shoulder a little. "I'm not hungry. Is he? He did seem a little blocked up when I dropped the soup off. I think you're right, though. Definitely going around."

Matt nodded a little. "He got worse earlier, shivering like someone cuffed him to the cold section at Tesco. Maybe you caught it off-" He stopped abruptly, still while his mind kicked into gear and slotted pieces into place. His mouth dropped open slightly and he just pointed at her, shaking his head.

Gee just stood there, trying not to give anything away. She also tried to look indignant, but when she tried to scoff at his pointing, she just wound up in a coughing fit. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Matt gave a small disbelieving laugh, still shaking his head as he put a hand up and rubbed it over his face. "No... Jesus, Gee," he said, pacing a little. "He's going back to New York! Hell, Vee told me he was like this, but bloody hell. Did he answer the door with his penis hanging out?" He couldn't decide if he was just shocked or shocked and angry, or just shocked and stunned.

Gee gaped at him. "He had boxers on! And I know he's going to be going back to New York. I'm not delusional. He's made no great declarations to me. It was just fantastic sex. Seriously fucking fantastic. I'm allowed to have sex!"

Matt was lost for words and that really didn't happen often. He held his hands up for a moment and then stalked over to the guest room, peering inside to make sure Euan was still passed out under the pile of covers and then pulled it closed, making sure it didn't click when the door shut. "He's had about every single female in New York!" he hissed, gesturing back to the closed door. "He's practically her ex!"

"I'm not yours!" Gee told him in a loud whisper. "I kind of figured he was some kind of sexpert by the way he operated, but so what? It felt good. I felt good! I don't even mind having his bloody cold. I'm not about to declare undying love for him! It's sex." She bit her lip until she had to start breathing through her mouth again, blue eyes studying Matt's. "Why are you so worried?"

Matt really didn't have an answer to that and he just stood there stupidly for a few moments. He was hearing warning bells, but he wasn't sure over what. "Because he's the first bloke you've been with in ages and you're just his play thing, and that sucks," he decided with a frown. Was that even it?

Gee really did snort this time, but turned her head so she didn't get snot on Matt. "Hate to burst your bubble, but I was with someone else before Euan. So try again, sarge. Maybe I want to be a plaything for a little while? It's nice just to let loose and have my brains fucked out."

Matt looked slightly horrified for a moment, but he didn't say anything more. In fact, he took a step out of her personal space and just nodded. "Okay, your choice. I'm staying out of it."

Gee held up her hand before she wiped at her nose, and took a moment to catch her breath. "I'm sorry, Matt. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... do whatever I've done. I appreciate your concern, I really do. I just... I'm starting to come out of my shell again. And it really didn't feel like a mistake, but I understand where you're coming from."

Matt shook his head. "Do what you want, Gee. I just don't want to be anywhere near the place when Vee finds out." He pointed to the bag on the kitchen counter with the cold and flu remedies inside. "Help yourself." He wondered when his nice, easy, comfortable life exploded around him in all of this... stuff. And why, out of every bloke in London, Gee had to sleep with Euan.

Words: 1194