This is my first Silk story, Caroline Warwick is my all time favourite character and I simply adore Frances Barber. It's fem slash so you have been warned as I know it's not everyone's taste.

…

Silk

Lady Macbeth

Caroline/Martha

…

Martha walked into her Chambers passing by Billy to update him on her latest case.

"Ah Miss, are you heading home now?" Billy asked.

"I might stop for a beer first, care to join me?"

"Not tonight Miss, after this crazy day I think I'll have an early one."

"It's not been that bad Billy."

"I don't think CW would agree with you there, night Miss."

"Night."

Martha eyed him curiously as he walked away down the long hallway; she gave a small sigh before turning and headed in to her chambers. Clive was at his desk going over his brief for the morning when he saw her enter the room.

"I thought you'd gone already." He stated.

"Well you'd be wrong then, wouldn't you?"

"How was court?"

"Yeah not bad, they adjourned for today, back at 9am tomorrow."

"So are you heading home?"

"What is the big fascination about where I'm going when I leave here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Billy already asked me the same thing."

"Well, I suppose we just thought that maybe you'd want to drop by and check on her."

"What? Check on whom?"

"Lady Macbeth."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"We just figured you know…you're both women and after what happened to her today that maybe…."

"Hang on; I think I've missed something here. What happened today?"

"Billy didn't tell you."

"Clive…if he'd told me then I wouldn't be asking you, would I?"

"Fair point."

"So go on then, what did I miss."

"Gavin Parker, the brother of Abbey Parker…the girl who was supposedly murdered by the boyfriend. Well Caroline's the one defending the boyfriend."

"Go on."

"The brother came in here earlier brandishing a knife at Caroline, demanding to know why she would defend a cold blooded killer."

"Jesus, is she alright?"

"He really went for her, we think he was on some kind of drugs…he was screaming at her and calling her all the names under the sun, he managed to get her twice on the arm before the police made it here."

"The police, she had to wait for the police to do something. Where the hell were you and Billy, anyone in fact."

"Martha, the guy had a knife and he was prepared to use it…and did."

"You mean to tell me that you all just stood there watching why some crazy bastard attacked one of our colleagues, our friends and you all did nothing."

"Come on Martha…friend."

"Okay maybe friends a bit much but that's only because we haven't really taken the time to get to know her properly."

"Well that's not our fault, she could always join us in the pub but she chooses not too."

"You know what, none of that is relevant, the fact is you all stood by and did nothing why a colleague was attacked, and frankly you should all be ashamed of yourselves."

"So you're going then are you?"

"Well someone ought too, you lot clearly can't be arsed."

Martha picked up her jacket and stormed out of the office, allowing the door to bang loudly behind her.

…

She pulled up outside the large townhouse, staying in her car for a few minutes as she watched Caroline pacing in front of her window, unaware that she was being observed. She looked different from Martha's point of view, not the scary, no nonsense woman she usually came across. She looked fragile; vulnerable…it unnerved her a little. As Caroline moved away from the window, Martha stepped out of the car and made her way up the steps. She knocked on the front door a few times and waited patiently. She heard the faint footsteps and braced herself when the door opened; Caroline had a look of shock on her face when she found Martha Costello standing in front of her.

"Martha…"

"Hello Caroline."

"What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

Caroline could only nod her head as she stepped aside to allow Martha inside; she waited for Caroline to close the door before she followed her through to her lounge. The room was immaculate, hard wood flooring, white furniture, very expensive Martha noted. The soft music playing in the background. Caroline came up behind her, causing Martha to jump.

"Drink?"

"Yeah, you got a beer."

"A beer, how very common of you. Give me a minute."

Martha took a seat, suddenly feeling like an idiot for coming over. She knew Caroline probably wouldn't appreciate being treated like glass but she had to at least try, looking up she gave a small smile in Caroline's direction as the older woman handed her a bottle of beer and took a seat beside her. Martha glanced briefly at the bandage on her right arm and the redness that surrounded it.

"So come on ducky out with it, why are you here?"

"Can't a friend just come over for a drink?"

"A friend huh…come on, I know you Martha Costello. You have that look of determination in your eyes."

Martha sat her beer down on one of the coasters in front of her and turned her attentions to Caroline.

"Look, I know we've never exactly been close."

"Close, you can say that again."

"However, I do care."

"Martha darling I…"

"Clive told me what happened at Shoe Lane earlier today, what Gavin Parker did to you."

Caroline could feel her hand shake as she held her glass of whiskey, the one thing she couldn't stand was feeling weak in front of another human being. Martha reached over and took Caroline's glass from her hand and sat it down before taking hold of her injured arm, running a soft hand over the bandage.

"Does it hurt?"

"No, I just thought I'd wear the bandage as a fashion statement…of course it bloody hurts." Caroline spoke, anger rising in her voice.

"I'm sorry; it was a stupid thing to ask."

"You know what really pisses me off, is the fact that I couldn't do a damn thing to stop him." She stated, getting up and pacing in front of Martha.

"Caroline the guy had a knife, what could you do."

"Something, they all stood there, whole bloody lot of them and did nothing. Billy goes on about Shoe Lane being a family, lying bastard."

…

Martha stood up and came to stand in front of Caroline, trying to get her to stop pacing.

"Look, you haven't exactly made it easy for people to warm to you, have you? You never join us down the pub; we barely know anything about you really outside of work."

"Did it ever occur to you that there isn't anything to know, my work is my life and I like to drink? I date men and woman and I have no desire what so ever to have children…end off."

Martha couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips as Caroline eyed her closely.

"I'm glad you find my life so amusing."

"You're a bit late to be having kids anyway aren't you." She smirked.

"Cheeky cow."

"I'm sorry…you really are an open book aren't you."

"Oh I don't know…there might be one or two things you've yet to discover."

"Oh yeah like what."

Martha froze on the spot when Caroline leaned in suddenly, covering Martha's lips with her own. Pulling back after a few moments, she eyes Caroline curiously.

"Was that payback for the too late for kids comment?" She smiled softly.

"I'm not entirely sure why I did that, I suppose I'm not really use to having people care about me."

"Sometimes you have to give people a chance to try."

"It's not always easy for me to show my feeling ducky."

"Try."

Caroline smiled and took hold of Martha's hand and proceeded to guide her in the direction of her bedroom, Martha stopped when they reached the doorway.

"I'm misread things haven't I?" Caroline asked.

"This isn't why I came here tonight."

"It could be." She leaned in and kissed Martha more forcefully than before. "Just say the word darling and I'll stop."

Martha stood for mere moments before pulling Caroline along as they walked in and closed the door.

…

The sun shone brightly through the open window the following morning as Martha lay there wide awake staring at the ceiling, biting her finger nail as she recalled the previous night. The last thing she'd intended was to end up in Caroline Warwick's bed, turning when she felt the older woman stir beside her. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at Martha who was looking down at her with concern.

"Thank you for last night ducky, I really needed the distraction."

Martha shifted as she sat up, propped up against the pillows, Caroline coming to join her.

"It wasn't my intention to come here to have sex with you last night; I came with possible friendship in mind, to get you to open up about what happened yesterday. I feel like I've taken advantage of your vulnerability."

"If anyone took advantage darling it was me, last night was new for you wasn't it?"

"Was it that obvious?"

"You did great."

They went silent for a few moments before Caroline spoke in a small whisper.

"I was so scared Martha."

"What?" She asked, looking down at her.

"When he came at me with the knife, I really thought my time was up. I don't think I've ever been so terrified in my life, I…"

"Caroline…sshhh, its okay…you're safe now."

Martha wrapped her arm around the older woman as she lay her head on Martha's shoulder, tears falling freely for the first time in years.

"I think I might be falling for you Martha Costello."

"Yeah, I might be falling for you too." She smiled.

"Thank you for being here for me Martha." She said, looking up at her.

"Anytime Lady Macbeth…anytime."

…

-Fin