Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used in this FanFic, I just like to borrow them for a bit! This is a two or three part fic, not quite sure yet, don't suppose I will be until I'm finished! Anyway, hope you enjoy it, and feel free to leave a review. It's set somewhere a little different so I hope it goes okay!

The blonde listened carefully to the shaky voice on the other end of the phone, explaining the situation she'd got herself in. Sam hit out at a nearby wall, not feeling the full effects of it for a few seconds before a shooting pain washed right over her knuckles, temporarily restricting any movement in her hand. When the recorded message ended, Sam returned her mobile to her pocket before clambering onto a tube train, having only exited one a couple of minutes ago, her small suitcase still in her hand.

Sam was relieved to find a seat, feeling the full effects of not sleeping the previous night, having been too busy packing her small bag and arguing with the check in clerk at the airport desk. Somehow her relaxing weekend break hadn't been as therapeutic as planned, spending most of the time arguing with the French Police who seemed incapable of filling out a simple form. Pushing her nightmare mini-break to the back of her mind, she took out her phone from her pocket once again, re-dialling the last called number. Still no answer, she replaced her mobile to her bag, resolving to call again when she actually had a decent enough signal to be able to hear if the phone was answered.

Sam sat lost in her own thoughts for a few minutes before she heard people exiting the tube train, realising this was her stop she once again bustled off the train, walking up the escalator to save time. When she reached the fresh air she took in a deep breath, no matter how polluted London was, the air was still fresher than the odour from the tube.

Returning to her journey, the blonde searched for the ticket office, enquiring into the next train to Manchester. Quietly cursing when she heard she had just missed the last train of the day, she considered going home and sleeping, though changed her mind quickly, thinking once again of the desperate tone of the woman on the message. Climbing into the taxi parked at the rank she instructed the driver to take her to the address she had been given in Manchester. Resting her head on the back of the seat, she soon drifted off, succumbing to the sleep her body craved. Awaking an hour or so later she found herself in the dark, just making out a figure in the driver's seat in front of her, driving steadily on what she presumed was a motorway. After checking her phone and finding no more messages, she returned to her slumbering state, guessing she was still at least three hours from her destination.

Sam was next aware of her surroundings when she was gently shaken awake by the taxi driver, informing her that she was in Manchester and just outside the house number she had given him. Thanking him for his services, she handed him his fare with a modest tip. After acknowledging her kindness, the driver returned to his car, leaving the blonde to watch as the vehicle slowly disappeared into the distance. Sam was about to ring the doorbell when she decided first to check her watch, aware that it was late. Shining her key torch onto her watch, she was surprised to see the time was in fact twenty to six, a lot later than she had expected. The blonde was about to sit on the doorstep, and wait for a reasonable hour to wake the occupants, when the front door slowly opened, causing Sam to jump backwards like a guilty school child. Turning a deep shade of fuchsia, she smiled at the woman standing in the doorway, wearing nothing but a large t-shirt. A shocked, unmasked grin on her face.

"Sam! What are you doing here? I didn't mean for you to come all this way, oh I feel guilty now. Come in, you look frozen, I'll stick the kettle on."

"Thanks Jo, that'd be great." Sam said, a smile on her face, happy to see the brunette again, only wishing it was in better circumstances. She allowed herself to be led into the sitting room and gratefully accepted the offer of the sofa to sit on. Leaving Sam on the settee, Jo headed towards the kitchen, grabbing two mugs as she walked past the cupboard before filling up the kettle and flicking the switch to boil it. She made two cups of tea, one black for herself and one very milky, knowing exactly how Sam liked her tea, having spent the past few months getting to know the blonde, only wishing there could be more to their relationship than friendship. Sighing at the knowledge that it would never happen, Jo returned her thoughts to the tea in her hands, carrying them into the lounge where she found the blonde curled up in the large sofa that swallowed her small frame, silently sleeping. A smile crept onto Jo's face. After just standing admiring the petite blonde for a few moments she placed the cups on the coffee table and went upstairs to retrieve the spare blanket from the airing cupboard.

She returned downstairs to find the blonde in the same position she had been when she left her. Unfolding the blanket, the brunette placed it over Sam's petite body, ensuring that it fully covered her. Once satisfied that she would not get too cold, Jo picked up the two cups again, returning to the kitchen where she poured the milky cup down the sink. She then returned briefly to the lounge, smiling once again at the sleeping blonde, she switched the light off and carried her tea up to bed with her. Switching her bedside lamp on, she turned the main light off and snuggled into her duvet with her tea and the book that had previously been on he bedside table, not feeling tired enough to return to her sleep.

Settling down, she took a long sip of the seamy liquid before placing it on the bedside table and opening her book to the bookmark.

The brunette had read almost all the remainder of the book when she heard a noise from downstairs. Looking at the clock she saw it was almost twelve o'clock placing her book on the table, she slid out of bed and descended the stairs. She picked up the paper still on the mat, skimming the front page before heading towards the door. She was about to enter the kitchen when she spotted the blonde, the door being ever so slightly ajar. Peeping through, she saw the blonde seated at the table, head resting in her palms, fingers lazily entwined with her hair. Sensing anxiety in the woman, Jo felt guilty for inflicting her troubles on the blonde. She entered the kitchen, not offering any conversation to the woman, allowing her to gather her thoughts first. The brunette headed towards the sink, retrieving the kettle on her way and filling it, taking two mugs from a cupboard and placing them on the counter.

Sam dragged herself out of her thoughts, taking a moment to assess her surroundings, recognising she was in unfamiliar territory, but not becoming aware of where she was for a few seconds. After concentrating her blurred vision on Jo, she rose from her seat. Standing behind the brunette she whispered in her ear, "coffee please, don't talk too loudly, I've got a blinding headache."

Jo paused for a moment, reigning in her hormones at the realisation that Sam was right behind her. After a few seconds she turned, handing the blonde a steaming cup of coffee, their bodies' now mere centimetres apart.

"Thanks."

"That's okay. How are you? Sleep well?" Jo whispered her questions, conscious of Sam's headache.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks. I slept great considering. You're sofa's really comfy. I don't even remember falling asleep."

"You dropped off while I was making us a drink."

"Oh, sorry." Sam blushed slightly, not realising how tired she had been when she arrived.

"It's fine. I would have offered you the spare room, but you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you. You really shouldn't have come all this way. I didn't mean for you to…"

"How could I abandon you Jo? When you need me the most?" Sam's voice was a hushed whisper, so quiet that if Jo hadn't been so close, she wouldn't have been able to hear. The fact that Sam's voice was incredibly husky when she whispered was doing nothing to lower Jo's blood pressure and calm her rapid heartbeat, the brunette feeling electricity race through her veins at double speed.

Jo blushed slightly before leaning forwards and giving the blonde a peck on the cheek, knowing anything more would be overstepping the mark. "Thanks." She whispered back, her voice shaky.

"Its fine." Sam replied, slightly shocked at the kiss. She returned to her seat at the table, her coffee still in her hands. Blowing slightly on the steaming liquid before taking a sip, instantly warming her mouth.

Jo sat opposite the blonde, not attempting to make any conversation, aware of Sam's headache. Offering a smile as she sat down, Jo felt her face light up when it was returned, causing the brunette to blush slightly when she realised Sam had noticed this. Hurriedly occupying herself with her drink, Jo filled her mouth with the coffee, not using the same precaution Sam had and therefore burning her mouth. Gulping it down quickly, the brunette dry swallowed a few times, attempting to remove the burning sensation from her throat.

Sam suppressed a giggle, giving Jo a concerned look before silently rising from her chair and wandering into the living room. Returning to the kitchen with her bag in her hand, Sam sat back down and placed her bag on the table, riffling through it, attempting to find her painkillers. She produced the box from the bottom of her bag, sighing as she opened it only to find she had used them all.

Jo got up, opening her top cupboard and producing a box of aspirin, she handed it to the blonde seated at the table.

Sam mouthed 'thanks' to the brunette just before she turned around again, pulling a glass from the draining rack and filling it with water, placing it on the table in front of Sam. The blonde took two tablets from the box and put them on her tongue, swallowing them with a sip of water.

Jo sat back down, smiling slightly at the blonde before opening the paper, flicking through the pages, not really taking any of it in before an article caught her eye. Opening it fully to that page, she rested the paper on the kitchen table before placing her elbows on the surface, her head resting on her hands, fingers automatically running through her loose hair. She looked at a large photo, a middle aged woman staring back at her. The headline was in large black print, reading 'Daughter Accused In Mystery Murder' swallowing, she looked further down the page to see a picture of herself, next to it was written, 'The daughter of Grace Masters has been said to be helping police with their enquiries into her mothers death. The 42 year old, named as Joanne Masters by a neighbour was a detective in the Metropolitan Police until September '06 when she left for personal reasons. Having returned to live near her parents in September she is now unemployed and was relying on her mother for financial support, her father having died of a heart attack in August '06. It is yet unsure as to whether Joanne has been charged.' A tear formed in the brunette's eye, Jo pushing the paper away from her slightly and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Sam turned the paper around to face her, reading the writing next to Jo's photo, she bit her lip, giving Jo a supportive smile before reading the rest of the article. Her heart sunk with every new line she read. The article constantly repeated the fact that Jo was unemployed and financially dependent on her mother. There was an interview with a neighbour, reporting that they 'heard screams from both Joanne and her mother the evening before her body was found. The neighbour, Mr Hunt, gave details of shouting and loud crashes, possibly items being thrown around the room, for almost fifteen minutes before everything went silent. Mr Hunt added that he heard no more noise from Grace Masters after that argument, he had seen Joanne leave the house at about eight o'clock the next morning and not return home until two in the afternoon. By that time the house was swarming with police, the body having been discovered by a close friend of Grace, entrusted with a key, who then called the police. Joanne had been understandably shocked when she was informed of her mothers' death; she was hysterical for at least ten minutes, shouting out that 'it could not be true' and various other things. She had appeared devastated, her eyes constantly streaming with tears. Had it not be for the abrupt silence after the row, Mr Hunt would have though nothing more of it, but the lack of noise from Grace Masters had concerned him. Mr Hunt, therefore, gave the police this information yesterday, three days after the body had been discovered, claiming he was concerned for the case, and after Joanne had not been considered a suspect, wished that justice is done and grace's killer was caught. Mrs Grace Masters' body was found in her own living room on the afternoon of February the 17th in her house, the back door had been forced open, Mrs Masters had multiple head wounds along with three fractured ribs, she was pronounced dead at the scene.'

Sam sighed, offering the brunette a small smile.

"It's not good, Sam." Jo whispered, still conscious of the blonde's head, "It makes me look guilty."

"It doesn't matter how the paper makes you look Jo, all that matters is the truth." Sam took hold of the brunette's hand, forcing Jo to look her in the eye, "and you didn't kill anyone. You're innocent Jo, I'm gonna prove that."

"Thanks Sam, but you can't, face it. I'm the only suspect they've got."

"Well then I'll just have to find them another suspect then, won't I?" she gripped tighter on Jo's hand, smiling at the nervous brunette, "I'm not letting you go to prison for something you didn't do. I wont let go of you Jo, not that easily."

"Thanks Sam, it means a lot. But you've got a job. Back in London. That's where you should be, not up here with me. Don't jeopardise your career for me. You should be at work."

"I'm needed here. You need me. Sun Hill can last without me for a while, you can't"