The Professionals Circuit Archive - Not a Resigning Matter Not a Resigning Matter by Claire Dobbin The phone rang -- a harmless enough occurrence in the life of the average person, but one that regularly spelled imminent danger for a CI5 agent. Raymond Doyle looked at the telephone and breathed a pithy curse. Two minutes later and he’d have been off duty and not obliged to carry his R.T. He’d have escaped this dire summons. It had to be Cowley. It couldn’t be Cassie; she knew he was on his way to pick her up. And it wasn’t Bodie, he was off somewhere with Stephanie, sulking because Cowley had already ruined his weekend plans. So it had to be Cowley. He stood indecisively allowing his sense of fair play to battle with his sense of duty. "Fuck!" He picked up the phone. It wasn’t Cowley, it was Bodie. A very sheepish Bodie. "Ah, Ray...listen, mate...sorry to bother you...hope it isn’t a crucial moment --" "You’ve got thirty seconds. I’m on my way out the door. Cassie and I have a dinner reservation in," he glanced at his watch, "thirty minutes." "Oh..." There was a long pause. "Well?" asked Ray, his patience ebbing. "I was going to ask a favour." There was another long pause. "Stop pissing around, Bodie. What do you want?" "Never mind, sunshine, you go ahead..." a wave of depressed, self-sacrifice washed down the phone line "...enjoy your dinner. I'll work something out." Ray noticed that Bodie had failed to lend conviction to the statement by saying goodbye and hanging up. "I must need my head looked at! Why am I not saying, Fine, see you on Monday?" Ray wondered aloud. "Because you're a brick?" Bodie asked, hopefully. "As far as you're concerned, mate, I'm a prat. What is it?" "I'm in Luton...sort of standed." "What do you mean stranded? Where's Stephanie?" "In darkest Shropshire I should imagine." "You two have a row?" "Eh...no, look I'll explain later. Can you come fetch me?" "What's wrong with your car?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Haven't you ever heard of a taxi?" "Is this your idea of twenty questions? All I asked was a simple favour." "Okay, okay, I'll collect you, but I'll have to stop by Cassie's to pick her up first." "Good, she can drive my car back." "We aim to please," Ray said sarcastically, "where exactly are you?" "Fairley Hill Hospital...Casualty Department." "Hospital?" Alarm leapt into Ray's voice. "Are you alright?" "Fine...it's not even broken." "What?" The line went dead. Ray flapped around like a beached fish, worry and anger vying for control. He slammed out of the flat and by the time he had picked up Cassie and was halfway to Luton he'd worked out the most likely explanation for Bodie's predicament -- and he didn't like it. Bodie was so stubborn and he had an underhanded streak that Ray didn't like sometimes. If the theory was right, his partner had well and truly landed himself in it this time and Ray intended to make sure he didn't get caught up in the repercussions. Cassie was sullenly staring out of the car window. He'd had a tough time coaxing her to accompany him once she'd heard about the detour. He figured this was the final straw as far as she was concerned. One change of plans too many on top of all the interrupted dates and last minute cancellations. He was sorry. He liked Cassie and she had coped with his crazy lifestyle with patience. He'd used it all up though, that much was plain in her body language. Pulling into the ambulance bay he spied his partner sitting just inside the swing doors, clutching a weekend bag and sporting a heavy bandage on his right ankle. Ray got out of the car and leaned back against it, favouring Bodie with a jaundiced look. Bodie simply shrugged and struggled to hind his balance as he got to his feet. Reluctantly Ray crossed over to him, took his bag and helped him over to the car. "Hello Cassie," Bodie said cheerfully enough for one who had just mangled a limb. She ignored the greeting. Once he was settled Ray followed the sign posts to the public car park. This was where Bodie informed him some unspecified 'friend' had left his car. "Cassie can drive me in my car, Ray," Bodie said, making an abortive attempt to change cars. "Not bloody likely, mate, you owe me an explanation. Remember?" Ray helped him move into the front passenger seat. "You can tell me the whole story on the way back. That way Cassie and I won't be delayed anymore than is absolutely necessary." This was for Cassie's benefit, but it did little to sweeten her expression. "Hand over the keys," Ray ordered. Cassie took them and spoke to Ray, "Don't drive so fast, if I'm to follow you." "Right, love." Bodie rolled down his window. "Go easy on the clutch, luv, she's as sensitive as --" "Get stuffed, Bodie." "- your own sweet self." Ray smirked at his as he slid into the driver's seat. "Something I said?" Bodie questioned with well practised innocent expression. "More likely the fact that you exist. Me too, I think. I promised a CI5-free weekend. Not even my natural charm will smooth this over." There was regret in the words and in the tone but it was noticeably low key. "So...let's hear it," Ray said, glancing in the mirror to make sure Cassie was still in sight. "Hear what?" "I crossed London in the rush hour to hear this story...come on, spill it." Bodie shifted uneasily in the seat. "Would you believe I slipped getting out of the bath?" "Oh yeah, then got dressed and drove twenty miles to a hospital on the other side of the city." He snorted in derision at Bodie's hurt look. "It's not funny, Ray." Ray's ear to ear grin indicated he thought otherwise and Bodie's expression became more anguished. "I'm serious here, mate...I may never tap dance again, you know." "That's a mercy," Ray said solemnly. The comment made Bodie crack up and they both exploded in laughter. "You're going to need to do some tap dancing when Cowley finds out about this," Ray said, sobering up. "I was there when he expressly ordered you not to go parachuting this weekend." "What's it got to do with him anyway? How I spend my off-duty is none of his business. If I hadn't mentioned Malcolm's name he'd never have known about it." "That'll teach you to keep your big mouth shut. Anyway, it's done now...no point crying over spilled milk." Bodie folded his arms and pouted sulkily. "Was Malcolm the friend who left your car in the car park?" "Yeah, he had to get back to the base. You know how long they keep you waiting in casualty." He sank into a depressed slouch in the seat. "Bet he put the evil eye on me." "Who Malcolm?" Ray asked. "No... Cowley, of course!" "Oh sure, the fact that you chose to take part in a dangerous sport like freefall parachuting had nothing to do with it, I suppose." "It didn't happen in a jump. I didn't get that far --" Bodie rushed unthinkingly into speech. Ray homed in on the slip like a heat seeking missile. "How did it happen then?" "Does it make any difference?" "How?" There was a long and on Bodie's part embarrassing silence but Ray, the insistent little sod, was not to be put off. "I tripped getting into the plane," he said, sheepishly, "twisted my ankle as I fell." Ray made a huge effort not to laugh and almost succeeded. "Well, at least you can honestly say you didn't go parachuting." "You think he'll believe that?" "Not a snowball in Hell's chance, considering your track record." "Thanks a bunch, mate." They lapsed into silence as the journey finished outside Bodie's flat. Ray got out to help his partner from the car. They had reached the front door when Cassie pulled into the space behind Ray's car. "Won't be long darlin'," Ray told her. "I'll just see him inside." "Don't bother, Ray...it's really not worth it." She crossed to the main road and hailed a passing cab. "Sorry about that Ray. I could call her later, apologize --" "Forget it...par for the course," was Ray's response. "Tell you what, I'll treat you to dinner...if you don't mind going to the takeaway." "How can I turn down such a gracious invitation?" Bodie placed his arm around his partner's shoulders and began hopping up the two flights of stairs to his flat. Leaving a weary Bodie on the couch, Ray went to fetch home the fish and chips. An hour later they had finished their meal, Ray had washed and put away the dishes and they had settled down to spend the rest of the evening together in front of the box. "Does it hurt much?" Ray asked with genuine concern. "Nah, well I suppose the painkillers are helping, but it's not that bad. The doc said three to four weeks and it will be as good as new." "You're okay, I can't remember the last time you took sick leave." Ray reminded him. "I mean, if you keep your nerve and look the Cow straight in the eye, he'll have to believe you when you tell him you tripped over your own feet, won't he?" Bodie favoured him with a jaundiced look. "I was wondering how long it'd be before you started enjoying my predicament." "What do you mean? I'm trying to be positive. It's the truth, isn't? That's what happened?" "Yeah, but you know I'll never get away with it. He'll know before I even open my mouth." "That's your guilty conscience." "I haven't done anything to be guilty about..." he halted at his partner's wry look. "Not this time anyway. Why can't I do what I want in my off-duty time? He finished, his voice rising in irritation. "You're right. Just keep that in mind when you go in to see him," Ray agreed. "Then...lie through your teeth." "Thanks! Such a bloody fuss over nothing... I mean it's not as if it's broken or anything..." His voice trailed away and an expression passed over his face that Ray didn't like the look of. "Whatever the scheme is Bodie, count me out." "Just listen --" "No! You'll just have to go in and take your medicine." "But --" "But nothing, Bodie. Forget it...and turn up the tele." As Ray accompanied his scheming sod of a partner into headquarters on Monday morning he tried to identify the moment at which his resolve cracked in the face of Bodie's crazy logic. Sometime around Sunday lunch he thought. Bodie had missed his calling in life -- he should have been a double glazing salesman. He'd certainly sold him a bill of goods. Somehow Ray had been convinced that the best thing to do was to cover up Bodie's injury. Bodie's persuasive pitch had sounded reasonable at eleven o'clock the previous night after two bottles of plonk, now he wasn't so sure. Fair enough, things were unusually quiet and they were assigned to a low key operation involving observing suspects and making routine enquiries. They were seldom at H.Q. and Ray could do whatever leg work was required. Bodie's injury was certainly not going to affect him aim. Anyway, he was able to get about well enough; he'd proved that at the weekend. It had all sounded very straight forward in the fuzzy alcoholic haze -- the cold light of day was not so accommodating. At least no one seemed to have noticed Bodie hanging back and walking at a more sedate pace than usual. Ray had to admit his partner was covering the injury well. He wondered if it was painful. "Coffee?" Bodie asked nodding towards the V.I.P. lounge. "Yeah, pour me a cup. Then we can be on our way as soon as I've logged us in." Ray turned left into operations and walked straight into Cowley. "You're late, 4.5," was the greeting. "Sorry, Sir, got stuck in traffic on London Bridge." "Hmm..." Cowley seemed unimpressed with the excuse. "I'm on my way to the airport. I've been asked to address the anti-terrorism conference in Brussels." He handed Ray a file. "I'm leaving you and Bodie to run your assignment. Stay with it and don't upgrade it in any way until I return. Report to Operations as usual. Is that clear?" "Yes, Sir," Ray answered, unable to believe their luck. "How long will you be gone Sir?" "A week...allowing for travelling time and all the social niceties." "Enjoy your visit, Sir," Ray offered. Cowley's glower was expressive of his feelings on the matter. "Ready Murphy?" Agent 6.2 picked up his boss's bag and placidly followed him out of the building. There was a spring on Ray Doyle's step as he logged in and headed for the V.I.P. lounge. Once inside he was greeted with the sight of Bodie grinning from ear to ear. "You've heard." He took his mug of coffee from his smug partner. Trying to keep anything quiet in C.I.5, apart from operational info, was a King Canute exercise. Already the atmosphere had lightened and Cowley had only been gone two minutes. "Someone up there likes me," Bodie remarked. "Nah, more like the Devil looking after his own," Ray countered. That earned him a gentle clip on the ear -- which he didn't mind at all. They soon settled into a routine. Ray did all the driving and interviewing while Bodie maintained a vigilant watch on his partner from the car. He also wrote up all the reports thoroughly and without demur. They avoided going to H.Q. and their usual haunts, spending all their off duty time together in Bodie's flat. Bodie's check-up at the outpatient clinic confirmed that the tissue was healing well and the doctor was able to put a lighter strapping on. Certainly things could not have been quieter on the job and they both, for once, welcomed the tedious, repetitive nature of their case. Everything was well under control -- which is why the unexpected turn of events hit them both so hard. One minute Ray was harmlessly chatting to an informant on a doorstep, the next he was gone, dragged inside, presumably disarmed and restrained. Bodie quelled the panic that rushed through him like a freight train. He cursed as he fumbled for his RT in the glove compartment and changed to different frequency before calling in to demand back up. As soon as he began to move the realization of how badly handicapped he was hit him hard. He drew his gun and exited through the driver's door, using the cover afforded him to assess the situation. The front door of the house had remained closed and there was no sign of movement within. Whoever had Ray knew he was there but they had made no attempt to neutralize him. The file had said the house was occupied by a small-time hoodlum who operated as a fence. Ray knew the man from his time in the Met. There was no way he'd take on Doyle, so something else was going on here and because it threatened his partner, Bodie was frantic. He chafed a the idea of waiting for back-up to arrive and skirted along the line of parked cars until he was out of the line of sight of anyone in the house. An opening in the terrace gave him access to the rear of the buildings and he moved towards the house counting off the back door numbers as he went. The door into the backyard was half open. He leaned back into the wall and listened hard. He could hear nothing. He took out his R.T. "Bodie here, I'm at the rear of 37, Langford Street. What's the status of back-up?" A cackle of static .... Then, "E.T.A. two minutes...wait it out Bodie!" Murphy ordered. What choice did he have? Go in there in this condition? After an agony of waiting, his R.T. came to life and Jackson spoke. "We're in position, Bodie. Four of us here. Milne's on his way to you." "Right, straight forward entry on my signal. Ready?" "Give us a minute, there are bystanders to be cleared!" "For Christ's sake hurry up." Silence greeted him as Milne took up position beside him. "You'll have to go in first," Bodie said, "I've hurt my leg." "Yeah, we noticed." Guilt and annoyance rippled through Bodie. The R.T. crackled again. "Ready here...on the count of five." Bodie pocketed his R.T. as Milne kicked open the back door of the house and was in through the kitchen before Bodie was into the yard. That set the pattern. The squad went through the house by the book. They found Ray in a back bedroom, held at gunpoint by two kids who gave up as soon as they were challenged. By the time Bodie stumbled in, the dust had settled and the two would-be kidnappers were handcuffed and on their way out. "You okay?" Ray asked his breathless partner. Bodie nodded, white-faced and tense. "You?" "I'm okay. Come on, Jackson's going to clean up here." He took the gun from Bodie's hand and re-holstered it, then he guided his partner downstairs to the grubby hallway where Murphy was waiting. "How'd they get the jump on you?" Murphy asked, his expression and tone the usual study in passivity. Ray, angry at himself as much as Bodie, bristled. "Wasn't expectin' it. You know Bateson doesn't do business here...likes to keep his 'residence' clean of the riff raff he fences for." He glanced over at Bodie who was staring at the carpet. "Those two dipsticks turned up on spec with a couple of car stereos. They took one look at my I.D. and panicked. Another five minutes, I'd have talked them into handing the gun back." Murphy nodded non-judgementally. "We better get back," Ray said, "make a report...you know." They drove back to H.Q. in silence and started the paperwork. Needing a break from the tedium, Ray offered to make them a mug of tea. When he returned Bodie was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd Bodie go?" he asked the office clerk. "Went to see the doc, I think." Ray quickly finished up his own report and followed his partner down to sickbay where he found Bodie propped up on the examination couch with Dr. Agnew re-strapping his ankle. "That's a nasty tear, 3.7," the doctor commented. "It's going to need another week to heal, then I'll pencil you in for a couple of weeks physio. Try to keep off it as much as you can and make sure you put an ice pack on two or three times a day." "Thanks, doc," Bodie said, easing himself into a standing position. "Will you take me home, Ray?" "Let's go." The journey to Bodie's flat was completed in silence. Bodie flopped down onto the couch and hoisted his injured up onto the coffee table. "You want something to eat?" Ray questioned, hovering over his partner. "No...thanks." "Want a drink?" "No." Ray fidgeted around for a couple of minutes, then picked up his car keys. "Look, mate, I'll head on. I'll call you tomorrow. Okay?" Bodie looked up at him, jolted out of his contemplation. "Don't go, Ray...not yet," he asked. "Okay." Ray flopped down onto the couch beside him, totally at a loss about how to deal with Bodie's guilty depression. He'd seen Bodie in many different moods, but this was new. Ten, long, silent minutes went by before Bodie spoke. "Ray, how do I say it? How do I say I'm sorry?" "Think you just did," Ray told him. Bodie looked unconvinced. "Look mate, I was never in any danger. They were scared shitless kids --" "That was just good luck," Bodie interrupted. "I'm as much to blame," Ray told him. "First, I totally misread the situation, then I made a balls of it. It should never have happened." "Exactly, and it's my fault it did. If there'd been two of us on that doorstep they'd never have tried it on." "Yeah," Ray agreed, "don't make the mistake of thinking I'm not pissed off about the whole situation. You were out of line, Bodie...but I was worse for going along with it." He dropped his head back to rest on the couch. "We're long enough in this outfit to know there's taking a risk and there's acting the bloody fool. I think we've both grown a little older and wiser today." "Why did you go along with it, Ray?" Bodie questioned in a quiet voice. "What are you going to tell Cowley?" Ray used the most simple counter-interrogation technique: a question answered with a question. "The truth," Bodie answered, fixing Ray with a look that brooked no evasion. "Why did you go along with it?" "It just seemed the easiest way. You know what would have happened. Cowley'd have flipped. You'd have been in the doghouse for God knows how long and I'd have been stuck with some bloody trainee..." he was running out of steam "...because it was you...because you asked me to." "Is that a good enough reason to put your life on the line?" "In general...yes, though there are times I wonder...especially when you ask stupid questions like that," Ray snapped. Bodie's expression became shuttered and he looked away. The hurt in his body language made Ray relent. "You're my partner, Bodie. I owe you my life a dozen times over. I want to do right by you...protect you from it all...even Cowley." The humour fell flat and Bodie looked into his eyes. "So how do you think I feel, Ray? I didn't do right by you today." Doyle huffed in irritation. "Cut the bleeding heart, mate. You've wallowed long enough." "It's different for you, Ray, you don't -- " Bodie somehow halted the damning rush of words. "Don't what? Go on, finish it...don't what?" Bodie was struck dumb. He knew Ray didn't understand the potential disaster he was courting. Ray couldn't ever know the truth. To save them both he went off on a tangent. "You don't know what it's like to have to wait for back-up to see if you've killed your partner or not." Watching Ray's face soften, he knew the ploy had worked. "I've a pretty good idea, Bodie...look, let's just leave it. Okay?" Bodie was only too happy to go along with that. "I'll put the kettle on now," he offered. Ray halted him. "I'll do it, mate. You're going to need all your strength to face Cowley." He ignored his partner's groan as he walked into the kitchen. Three days of enforced idleness, with Ray at H.Q. on twenty-four hour operational standby had reduced Bodie to a state of hopeless depression. He stared morosely at the flickering images on the box. Cowley was going to flay him alive, then he'd give him every lousy assignment he could think of for the next month -- assuming, that is he still had a job. 'Professional misconduct, negligence, stupidity!' Bodie could already hear Cowley's tirade and what hurt most was that it was true. So his career was in the toilet...and his life was going nowhere. Well, that's what happened when you were in love with your straight, skirt chasing partner. A gorgeous, sexy man who made you ache with longing every time he moved, or spoke or looked into your soul with those green, all knowing eyes. Living with the need was tough enough, now he had to add guilt to the mix. He sighed and reached across to the phone and dialled the number for H.Q. Ray Doyle sat sprawled out in a chair in the V.I.P. lounge taking the rare opportunity to daydream. For the past three days he'd been run ragged, working cover on virtually every current eyeball op while Bodie cooled his heels at home. He mused for a while on the nature of the punishment Cowley's warped imagination would come up with for both of them. Bodie may have been the instigator, but he knew that Cowley would see it the way he did himself - that they were equally guilty and in need of correction. The possibilities made him grimace, but more worrisome for him was Bodie's avoidance of him. They'd had one short, uneasy phone conversation, other than that he'd gotten only the busy signal or no reply at all. Not so surprising since Bodie was officially on sick leave and didn't have to wait by the phone. He was probably out on the prowl. Being cooped up in his flat would drive Bodie 'stir crazy'. Ray understood, he was feeling a bit like that himself. Being cut off from his partner was like losing some important extra sense or like waking up to find that the person closest to you in the whole world had suddenly vanished. Murphy's voice broke into his contemplation. "Ray, thought you're partner was injured?" "He is," Ray assured him. "Just spoke to him, waiting to see Cowley in his lair. Dressed like a soldier on parade." "What the hell...Cowley's back?" "I fetched him in from the airport an hour ago." "Oh my God..." Ray clutched at his hair. A terrible apprehension seized him. Something had been bugging his partner even before this mess had blown up in their faces but because getting Bodie to talk about anything personal was like pulling teeth, he'd let it slide. Suddenly he knew Bodie was about to do something really stupid. He took off for Cowley's office and sure enough there was Bodie, standing grim-faced and resolute. He glanced up as Ray rounded the corner and skidded to a halt. "What are you doing, Bodie?" "What?" "Why are you seeing Cowley," Ray demanded exasperated. "That's my business." "I'm your partner, that makes it my business." "No, I forfeited that." "Don't be so fuckin stu-" Ray's words caught in his throat at the sight of the white envelope in Bodie's hand. "What's that?" he demanded. Bodie held up the envelope. "It's for Cowley. I need a change --" "Oh no you don't...not without talking to me first...you owe me that much." A look of confusion spread across Bodie's face and it intensified when Ray stated, "You're not giving him that!" "What?" Bodie asked perplexed. "You heard me." "Okay, okay, don't get your knickers in a twist. You can come over tonight...we can talk about it then." "Give me that envelope!" "Piss off, Ray," Bodie insisted, slipping the envelope into his breast pocket. "You give him that," Ray warned, "and he just might call your bluff." A light switched on in Bodie's head and his confusion fled. He looked at Ray's agitated expression and had to hold back the smile that bubbled up in him. Instead he turned his mouth down and said, "So what? Better for you if he did. You might get a partner who'll look after you." "You're bloody pathethic, don't you think you've milked this enough?" "I didn't ask for your opinion. So if you don't like what you see, then fuck off!" They were now shouting at each other and Ruth suddenly appeared out of Cowley's office. "The Major is on the phone to the Commissioner in Brussels. I'm sure neither of them want to listen to you too having a slanging match," she scolded. She stepped back and closed the door with an abrupt snap. Bodie's faux anger subsided immediately, but Ray was too frantic. He needed to thrash this out with Bodie and he didn't want to do it in front of an audience. "Come on," he said, taking Bodie by the arm. "Get lost, Ray!" Bodie pulled free, but Ray was not so easily put off. "I mean it...let's get out of here." He managed to pull his partner part way down the corridor, mostly because Bodie was still favouring his injured leg. "Cowley's waiting to see me..." "You can't make things worse than they already are, so come on..." He steered his resisting partner to the back of the building where the computer section was housed. Once there, he shoved him into a small storage room and closed and locked the door behind them. "Okay, let's hear it. What are you playing at?" Ray demanded. "I'm not playing at anything. This is deadly serious." "You can say that again. No fucking way am I going to let you mess up your life, Bodie. I mean it. Or mine either...cause in case you haven't noticed, we're kind of in this together." "Too right, that's why I'm getting out," Bodie stated. "I must be slow today," Ray said sarcastically, "but I'd like to know how you turning tail and running is going to help me out." Bodie looked incredulous. "Don't you remember? I nearly got you killed." "Believe me, I remember...but we're not really talking about that are we?" "What do you mean?" Bodie asked, his voice almost a whisper and his heart hammering in anticipation of where this might be headed. "I know you better than you think," Ray said with slow deliberation. "You're not hurting enough to resign over what happened...it's something else. Shit, Bodie thought, this is really going to happen. I'm going to tell Ray how I feel about him...he wants me to tell him. He felt dizzy. His stomach churning in fear, his heart soaring with the possibility that Ray might understand...and might possibly feel something for him beyond the loyalty and affection of a partner who's primary role was to mind your back. He opened his mouth, but the words he needed to say wouldn't come out. Instead, he heard himself say, "Christ, Ray, I nearly --" "Got me killed," Ray finished for him. " I know, I was there. I agree, you did...and I helped. You've apologized, I've accepted your apology. We've both learned our lesson and God knows Cowley will have his pound of flesh. Now, tell me what's really going on?" Bodie closed his eyes and leaned back against the shelving unit. A long sigh escaped his lips. Say it, you fucking coward, he admonished himself. "God damn you, Bodie, answer me!" Suddenly, Ray's words broke through the dam of fear that had built itself strong and high in Bodie's psyche. "You want an answer? I'll give you an answer...I love you...I'm in love you with you. I have been since the day we met." Ray recoiled form the vehemence of Bodie's response. It was not the tone usually associated with such a declaration. Bodie took a long, steadying breath. "I've answered you, now let me go. Please, Ray. I just want out." He moved towards the door, but Ray stepped into his path. "You really think I'm going to let you walk away after you've just said the words I've wanted to hear for the past three years?" Bodie looked like he'd been struck by lightning. It took a full minute for him to process the words that Ray had spoken. A slow grin spread across his face. "You bastard! Why did I have to be the one to say it?" "You think I'd take the risk of telling you that you wanted me? I'm too attached to my teeth, mate. You had to say it for yourself." Bodie's face clouded. "It's more than wanting, Ray. This is about loving...I want it all, sunshine." Ray smiled at him, then looked away. When he turned back, he gathered Bodie possessively into his arms and took his mouth in a deep, lingering kiss that ignited and sealed the intense, passionate connection they had shared from day one. "Shit," Bodie murmured into Ray's ear, his body screaming with the need that had been aroused in him, his mind reeling from the release he felt in Ray's arms. A noisy, insistent rattling of the door handle poking into Ray's back brought them back to earth with a jolt. A final irritated thump on the door was followed by the sound of retreating footsteps. Ray pulled free of the embrace. "We need to get out of here," he whispered. He straightened Bodie's tie. "You have an appointment to keep." "What appointment?" "Remember Cowley? Our lord and master? Who's probably chomping at the bit as we speak. You'd better say you've come to apologize. You know the drill, grovel." He stilled the caressing hands of his partner and unlocked the door. "Ready?" "Gimme a minute." He adjusted himself and took a couple of calming breaths. "Okay." He nodded. Carefully, Ray opened the door and glanced up and down the corridor. "Clear," he said, quietly. "Let's go." They stepped out into the hall and Bodie had to drag his eyes away from the bulge in Ray's skin hugging jeans. "I'm going home now," Ray said. "Be quick, you've kept me waiting long enough. He stepped away, but hesitated and turned back. Reaching into Bodie's breast pocket, he extracted the envelope with Cowley's name on the front. "Just in case the Cow winds you up to the point where you do something really stupid." He moved to put it in his own pocket, but Bodie caught him by the wrist and took the letter out of his hand. With one easy movement, he tore it into four pieces and dropped it into a waste paper basket. That earned him a long, indulgent Doyle smile that promised him just about anything his heart desired. Quelling the natural response he felt, he headed back towards Cowley's office and began framing in his mind what he'd say to the Old Man to explain his sudden change of heart regarding his request for a fortnight's leave. But he wasn't really worried. He'd always been good at thinking on his feet. Hadn't he just proved it? Wiping the broad grin off his face, he knocked confidently on Cowley's office door. -- THE END -- *redrafted April 2008* Archive Home