4.1. "There's definitely a dangerous feeling when you're in love…it's giving your heart to someone else and knowing that they have control over your feelings. I know for me, who always tries to be so tough, that's the dangerous thing."
Beyonce Knowles

Co-written with nychandcuffs
[Follows THIS]

Matt quickly swallowed down the last couple of mouthfuls of his tepid coffee as he closed over the file of telephone numbers he was trawling through. It was another needle in a haystack job, and it could wait for a little while. He dug the car keys out of his drawer and stood up, shoving them in his pocket. He didn't think Vee would mind getting taken to the airport in one of the unmarked cop cars. It wasn't like she wouldn't be used to it. "I'm heading out for a couple of hours, Ron. I'll be back," he promised, mid-journey to the coat rack. It might not be raining outside, but it was a typical freezing London evening as they veered closer to winter.

Ronnie looked up from his own pile of files, frowning at Matt over the top of his glasses and then took them off. "Out where?" he asked. "You found something, Matty? What have you found?"

Matt shook his head. "Nothing. I'm still looking, and I'll keep looking when I get back. I've just got a... thing. I won't be long, alright? Call me if anything comes up."

Ronnie's eyebrow quirked at the statement. "Sure it's not something of yours coming up, sunshine?" he teased, smirking to himself as he picked up his own coffee mug. "You hired some company?"

Matt had the decency to look scandalised. "What? No! Bloody hell," he complained. He was aware that if he kept trying to pull these weird acts, Ronnie was going to get continuously suspicious, and if Ronnie got continuously suspicious, others would too. Sure, Matt had some odd detective techniques when he needed to. He was hardly innocent in getting what he needed during investigations, but this wasn't an investigation and since Vee had arrived in town, Matt knew he must be acting strangely. "I've got a date." It wasn't really a lie.

This time, Ronnie's eyebrows shot up with interest. "And you're coming back here in a couple of hours? Have I taught you nothing? Not very much positive optimism there, Matty. When did you stop expecting dates to end with sex?" He stood up and stretched the tired muscles in his back. "Or expecting them to end in really bad sex, if you look at it from another angle. You aren't having downstairs issues, are you?"

Matt rolled his eyes and roughly yanked his scarf around his neck. "It's a quick date, that's all. I never expect any date to end in sex. Then if they do, it's a pleasant surprise, isn't it?" He held his phone up, reminding his partner that he had it and then left before Ronnie could quiz him further. Maybe it was time to reveal to Ronnie what was going on with Vee. Maybe, by the time she stepped on that plane tonight, he would need to.

* * * * *


( Now stuck in traffic in-bound to Heathrow Airport, Matt softly drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of the sleek car before reaching to adjust the heating. It felt like it had dropped a few degrees just between Vee's hotel and here. It almost felt like it was going to snow, but the forecast said it wasn't quite going to reach that just yet... )

Ronnie is an NPC. Not binding on any Ronnie muses.


Word Count | 3,743

4.18. "'How about it?' How about this? Try and fuck your way out of this one Mark!"
The Boat That Rocked (Pirate Radio)

[Follows THIS and THIS]

By the time morning came and Matt woke up naked in a tangle of sheets with Vee wrapped around him, he figured he had already played with fire even indulging in the one night stand with the New York detective, so calling in 'sick' was hardly going to be the work of the devil, was it? When he called, he spoke to his boss, DI Natalie Chandler. She took the news with her usual understanding and sympathy, even if the shock of the call couldn't be hidden from her tone. According to Matt, he had dodgy fish and chips the night before, spent all night with his head in the toilet, and really, really couldn't make it to work. He thought if he went with the puking story, people would avoid rocking up on his doorstep. None of his colleagues were exactly the hair holding back sort.

( For obvious reasons, once he ended the call, he didn't get hit with a wave of guilt... )

Vee [nychandcuffs] referenced with permission. Ronnie is my own NPC, and this is not binding on any Ronnie muses in existence.


Word Count | 1,336