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				Never That Simple
								By Loz


	Yep, I'm back after a big break (assessments, assessments, assessments.... okay, and an ongoing writers block!) I'm still working on a sequel for The Immediate Reaction. Thanks to those who've e-mailed me :) It inspired me to attempt the sequel, which should be ready soon (work experience starts next week - I'll have a lot more time to dedicate to writing.) My only other excuse would be the fact I've really got caught up in the actual TV show and spent ages playing 'choose your own adventure' with the storylines along with my friends! Anyway, enough boring chat, here's the story.


	"Good morning, Detective!"
	He visibly started, his head snapping up to find out who had disturbed his early morning peace.
	"Mags!" He grinned. "You're early," he commented, and patted his lap. She sat down.
	"Mmm. I figured we hadn't spent some quality time in a while, soooo...." She trailed off, wrapping her arms around his neck. There was no need to finish the sentence.
	He kissed her slowly, gently, savouring every second. "You do realise," he began, somewhat cautiously when they finally pulled apart, "where we are?"
	She nodded, and proceeded to reply between kisses. "I guess... we can't really... do much... doesn't really matter... just good... to be with you."
	They smiled at each other, but their cosiness was short lived. The crash of the front door dragged them reluctantly back to reality.
	"Uh-oh," Maggie voiced their thoughts, "Now what?"
	"Window and door trick, I suppose."
	"Right... can I take the door?"
	He shrugged. "If you want."

				*	*	*	*	*	

	"Doyle! What are you doing in there? Is PJ in? I need to speak with him."
	"Uh, no Boss. He, uh, went out."
	"Went out?"
	She nodded. "Yeah. He should be back soon."
	Tom was not impressed. "Sometimes I wonder what this station's coming to. Was never like this in my day. Off duty officers didn't show up, on duty officers never disappeared." He shook his head and walked into his office.
	Maggie remained silent.
	At that moment PJ entered, winked at Maggie and headed for his office. He heard her clear her throat and turned around. She was pointing, as inconspicuously as possible to something on his back.

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Bit obvious, don't you think, walking around with leaves from the bush under your window all over your back?" she asked cheekily.
	"I didn't know!" he responded defensively.
	"Ah, never mind. Just be careful." She blew him a kiss and her smiled after her as she sauntered back into the main office.

				*	*	*	*	*	

	"Seventh treatment already. You're doing just fine, Dash," Zoe said, flipping through the data.
	"Yeah, well I just wish it was all finished."
	"Don't worry, you're already halfway. Dash, I'd like you to meet Dr Aaron Thomson. He's the specialist I was telling you about. He'll be in charge of your chemo- Dash?"
	Dash stood there gawping at the new doctor, her mouth slightly open, her eyes as big as saucers. "Sorry?" she murmured absently, "I didn't quite catch that."
	Zoe smiled. "Aaron, this is Dash McKinley."
	The doctor smiled and Dash almost melted. They shook hands, Dash unable to keep a silly smile from appearing on her face. "Zoe," she said suddenly, "can I speak to you for a minute?" Dash pulled her aside.
	"Zo-eee! Why didn't you tell me he was gorgeous? I was expecting some middle aged man, slightly overweight, glasses, you know, a doctor."
	"What good would it have done if I had told you? You'd only have different preconceived ideas and be disappointed when you saw him in the flesh." 
	"Uh-uh," Dash replied, throwing him a sidelong glance, "no way I'd be disappointed."
	Zoe shrugged. "You're not here to drool over doctors, that's Nicks job. You're here for chemo, so get to it."

				*	*	*	*	*

	There he was. She looked up drowsily. "Adam," she croaked.
	He smiled down at her. "How are you feeling?"
	"Okay, I guess."
	He held out the cake, as was tradition and after a few feeble and unsuccessful attempts, she blew out the candle. "I still have it in me," she whispered hoarsely.
	He smiled at her, trying to hide the pain he was feeling. The drug had such a strong effect on her and it hurt him to see her go though this. But it was important to stay cheerful, for Dash's sake.
	"Did you see my new doctor?" she enquired, breaking the silence. "The specialist?"
	"Yeah, I met him on the way in. Aaron Thomas... no, Thomson."
	She nodded. "He's really nice."
	"Oh, that's great," he replied lamely, wondering why he suddenly felt threatened.
	"Adam, you okay?"
	"Yeah." He nodded vigorously for effect, trying to ignore the terrible sinking feeling that was threatening to engulf him.	

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Oi, would you two know anything about the sad and sorry state of the Gardenia bush out front?"
	Maggie and PJ exchanged a glance.
	"What do you mean?"
	"It's all crushed, like something heavy dropped on it."
	Maggie tried to stifle a giggle.
	"Okay, Margaret, out with it."
	"Sorry, Nick. I have absolutely no idea. Just the though of-" She began to laugh uncontrollably.
	"Uh, okay. Maybe the Boss can help me."
	"Yeah, check with the Boss," PJ agreed.
	The phone began ringing and Maggie grabbed it, forcing herself to calm down.
	"Mt Thomas Police Station," she began, her voice still unsteady. "Senior Constable Doyle speaking."
	PJ began to sneak away to his office, but Maggie hung up too quickly.
	"Hold it," she ordered. "We're going to the hospital. Zoe's reported some drugs stolen."

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Henry Jessop."
	"Right. Okay, Dr Thomson, and who is Henry Jessop?"
	"He was recovering from a drug overdose. He was to be sent to a detox clinic tomorrow. But this morning he was gone and so was a lot of medicine."
	"So you believe he stole them?"
	"Yes, I do."
	"What time did you first notice him missing?"
	"Just after nine-thirty this morning." He paused. "I remember now. I had gone to he storeroom to collect medication for a patient and noticed there was a lot less than the last time I'd come in-"
	"And what time was that?"
	"Seven o'clock this morning. I checked the record. No patients had been administered drugs between those two times. Anyway, I went to Dr Hamilton and on my way, I noticed Mr Jessop's bed was empty."
	"Go on," PJ said impatiently. "Finish he story."
	Maggie rested a hand on his arm and he immediately relaxed. The young doctor noticed this and made a mental note to ask Dash about the relationship. It didn't look strictly professional to him.
	"Well, I spoke to Dr Hamilton about it and asked her where Mr Jessop was. Her answer confirmed my suspicions. It soon came to light that both the patient and the drugs were gone."
	"Thankyou, Doctor. Is there any other relevant information we should know? Oh, yes - we'll need a physical description."
	
				*	*	*	*	*

	"You've got to be a bit more patient with informants," she said in a soothing voice. "Dr Thomson didn't do anything wrong."
	"I'm not so sure about that, Mags."
	"Really? What makes you say that?"
	"Gut feeling."
	"Oh, the ol' 'detective antennae' at it again?" she teased.
	"Do you dare to question the highest level of a copper's instincts, Doyle?" He grinned.
	"Sure do!"
	"Come here."
	She walked around to his side of the desk. He pulled her down so that they were level. Running his fingers down her cheek he whispered "I love you, Mags."
	She smiled, then stiffened suddenly. "PJ," she muttered, "there's someone at the door."
	"How do you know?'
	"Woman's instincts. Ten times more powerful than detective antennae. Here," she rose to her feet, keeping her voice low, "I'll prove it."
	Maggie tiptoed to the door. Opening it, she jumped quickly out of the way as Nick stumbled in. She shot PJ an 'I told you so' look and left. PJ merely shook his head in awe. That woman was amazing.
	"Nick, what on earth are you doing?"
	"I, um, well, uh, I leaned against the door because I, uh, I didn't... have a chair. Anyway, better be going." With that he too left, closing the door behind him.
	"Well?" Dash asked him, busying herself with a cup of tea.
	"No joy," he replied with a grimace. "I think I was caught."

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Where are you off to?"
	"I've got a date."
	"Really," Maggie drawled. "Who with?"
	"I'll only tell you if you'll tell me who it is you're seeing."
	"No way. How many times do I have to say this before it gets through to you? My personal life is just that. Personal... Anyway, you'll tell me who it is even if I don't ask."
	"Okay. Fine. I'm going out to dinner with Aaron."
	"Aaron Thomson? The doctor? Your doctor?"
	"Yeah. Is there a problem with that?" Dash asked defensively.
	"Nope. Just making sure we're talking about the same person."
	"Yeah. He'll be picking me up any minute now." A car horn sounded out the front. "There he is now. See ya, Mags."
	"Bye. Have a nice night." She waited for the sound of the engine to die away before lunging for the phone. 
	"PJ? Dash has gone out..."

				*	*	*	*	*

	The front door opened.
	Maggie gasped. "PJ! She's home."
	"Mmm." He kissed her again, but she pulled away.
	"Uh, as nice as this is, it's supposed to be a secret. If Dash finds out..."
	"She won't know I'm here. She never comes into your room."
	"Your shirt in the hallway? Your boots in the living room?"
	He groaned. "Okay, I'll clean up, you stall her."
	She kissed him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. He shrugged.
	
				*	*	*	*	*

	"Dash!"
	"Maggie! I thought you were asleep. Did I wake you?"
	"Oh, no, no. I was awake already."
	"Oh that's good," she replied, relieved. She headed for the living room.
	"Wait!" called Maggie in alarm. Dash whipped around. "What?! Are you okay?"	
	"Um, do you want a cuppa?"
	"Yeah, that'd be nice, actually." She headed back to the kitchen, much to Maggie's relief.
	"So how was your date?"
	"Great! He's more than just a pretty face- thank God- he's smart, funny and sweet, too. I had such a good time." 
	"An all-around perfect guy, eh? Lucky, lucky you!"
	Dash grinned. "Thanks," she said as Maggie handed her a mug of tea. "Do you know what?" she continued, pausing to take a sip. "Looks like I'm not the only one who got the wrong impression about you and PJ."
	She'd got Maggie's attention. "What do you mean?"
	"Well, at dinner Aaron asked me 'what was going on' between you and PJ." Dash looked closely at her flatmate, trying to gauge her reaction. Much to her disappointment, there was no response.
	"Dash, how many times must I tell you? There's-"
	"-nothing going on between you and PJ," Dash broke in in a singsong voice. "Yeah, I know, you keep telling me."
	"And yet you keep bringing it up."
	"'Cause I reckon you're not telling the truth."
	"Well I am."
	Dash shrugged. "Whatever you say."
		
				*	*	*	*	*

	She tapped her fingers idly on the desk, waiting for the information to be processed. Finally, the data she was looking for appeared on the screen.
	"Henry Gerald Jessop," she read aloud. "Convicted and jailed in '88 for assault, and again in '91 for armed robbery. Fined for illegal possession of drugs in '95"
	"Well, all the evidence points to him, doesn't it? Managed to track him down yet."
	"Nah. Did anybody check his place?"
	There was silence.
	"I don't believe it!" Nick exclaimed. "Nobody checked his house? McKinley, Cooper, go do it now."

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Why're you in such a grump?" Dash inquired cheerfully.
	"I'm not," Adam replied sharply. "Why're you in such a good mood?"
	"Why not?" was her infuriating response. "Anyway, I think you are in a grump."
	"No," he replied testily, "I'm not."
	"Sheesh, o-kay. Hey, shouldn't you be stopping here?"
	"I am!" he snapped. They drove to the house in silence.
	
				*	*	*	*	*

	"I don't have them, and I don't know what you're talking about. I was discharged that morning, by some new doctor. I left and didn't take anything with me."
	"Mr Jessop, is it true you were admitted to the hospital unconscious after passing out from a drug overdose?"
	"Yes."
	"And what drug was it you overdosed on?" 
	"Heroin."
	"Isn't that an illegal drug, sir?" Nick asked innocently.
	"Yes it is. That doesn't mean I stole drugs from the hospital."
	"Mmm. Well, we'll see."
		
				*	*	*	*	*

	"He swears he's innocent," Nick announced, emerging from the interview room.
	"I still think Thomson's involved," PJ said
	Dash was silent.
	"You know," Adam piped up suddenly, "I agree!"
	Dash gave him a dirty look. PJ beamed. 
	"Great, Adso. Do me a favour and check 'im up, would you?"
	"PJ," Maggie broke in. "Can I have a word?" He didn't like the tone of her voice.
	"Sure." He motioned to his office.

				*	*	*	*	*
	
	Nick stood with his ear pressed to the door, trying desperately to pick up snippets of the conversation. He had a sneaking suspicion something was going on between those two.
	"Go easy... crush... sick... needs support."
	He couldn't make out what was going on and the fact that they kept their voices low was frustrating. He needed an excuse to burst in-
	"Gotcha!" Adam cried.
	Nick, suddenly inspird by the outburst, open the door to find Maggie and PJ sitting on opposite sides of the desk engrossed in some sort of printouts. 'Damn' he thought, 'missed again.'
	"Ever heard of knocking?" PJ asked sarcastically.
	"Erm, sorry mate, but I think Cooper's found Thomson on the records."

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Shoplifting," PJ remarked dejectedly. "When he was twelve. Fat lot of good that'll be.
	Maggie caught the relieved look that passed across Dash's face.
	"I guess," PJ continued, "it's just Thomson's word against Jessop's for the time being."
	
				*	*	*	*	*

	"You look gorgeous tonight...have I already said that?" he asked as she giggled.
	"Yeah. A lot." They laughed.
	"Well, it's true." Dash blushed.
	"Thanks... again."
	"Tell me, have they charged Jessop yet?"
	She shook her head, not daring to tell him that now he, too, was a suspect. "They can't arrest anyone without proof, and they haven't found the goods yet."
	He groaned.
	"What's wrong?" 
	"Oh, I'm just worried he'll come back for more. He's mentally unstable and could be a threat to some of the more, shall we say, 'fragile' patients."
	She nodded sympathetically. It was then that she first noticed the two men heading toward them.

				*	*	*	*	*

	"Do you think we should just tell them and get it over with? It'd make everything a lot simpler."
	"Tell them what?"
	"About us."
	Maggie sat bolt upright. "No, PJ! Please don't. We'll get split up, I'll be back on desk duties and you'll be off detecting with someone else. You know the story, you've heard it before. Just don't- please don't tell."
	"Maggie, you and I both know how much easier it would be if we got it out in the open," he coaxed. "No more sneaking around, making excuses..."
	"PJ, don't! We can't! You promised it'd be a secret," she began hysterically. He drew her to him and held her till she calmed down. "A secret," she whispered, "for the best." A tear trickled down her cheek.
	"Mags, don't cry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you. I just hoped you might have changed your mind."
	She looked up. "I'm sorry." She leaned foward and stared deep into his eyes. It was strange, to the point of becoming unnerving, but some invisible force compelled him not to break away. Their lips met, and suddenly neither of them cared whether it was a secret or not, disagreements ceased to matter - everything ceased to matter except each other.

				*	*	*	*	*

	"We're paying you big bucks. We want the goods. You promised us the goods."
	Dash shivered. 'It's definitely,' she thought, 'definitely too cold for this dress.' She watched as the two assailants closed in on her date, part of her shuddering with apprehension and terror, part angry with him for lying to her. 'They were right. PJ and Adam... no, just PJ. Adam was stirring me. I should have listened.' Too late for that now. The alleyway was cold and there was no way out other than past the two junkies.
	"I don't know what you're talking about." Aaron, embarrassed at having been found out in the worst way possible, attempted to weasel his way out of it.
	"Come off it! You know exactly what we're talking about. Hand it over."
	"I don't know what you're talking abou-" A fist rammed into his stomach, stopping him mid setence. He fell to the ground with a moan.
	"Cut the crap and hand it over!'" The voice was now very agressive, and very impatient. Dash bit her lip. The figure on the ground made no attempt to move. Dash felt herself being grabbed by the arm.
	"Look, either you hand it over, or the woman goes." She gasped. 'Why am I always the one to get stuck in this sort of situation? What is goes anyway?'
	
				*	*	*	*	*

	The phone. It was the last thing he needed after a long day. 
	"Lo?"
	"Adam," the caller whispered. "God, Adam, help me-"
	"Dash?"
	"I'm trapped and they're going to kill me-"

				*	*	*	*	*

	"So, Adso, you saved the day, eh? Good work." PJ thumped him on the back. 
	"Yeah, good job, Cooper," Nick piped up. Adam stood there, uncomfortably. It wasn't everyday he was praised by these two, and it seemed a little surreal.
	"Coming down for a drink tonight?"
	"Yep."
	"The ladies?"
 	
				*	*	*	*	*
	
	"Hey, Dash."
	"Yeah?" Dash slammed the locker shut and turned to Maggie.
	"What's with you and Adam?"
	Dash coloured. Maggie grinned. "I think we're almost even. That's all the answer I needed."

				*	*	*	*	*

	"...So Zoe's taking over my treatment again. She says she won't have any out-of-towners messing with it."
	"Don't blame her," Adam said.
	There was a murmur of agreement.
	"Uh-oh, here comes trouble," PJ muttered suddenly.
	The others turned to see what the problem was.
	"Maggie! Maggie Doyle!"
	Maggie laughed uneasily. "Ben Stewart! What are you doing here?"


Yes, folks, another stupid ending. Blame it on the guardia. I drank 8 glasses of water the night the warning came out, so take pity, I got reeeeeeaaaalllly sick. Anyway, the usual plea for feedback applies. Any comments welcome to moggle_the_first@hotmail.com