The dangers of Smoking

Part II

The dangers of smoking are widely known, by smokers and non smokers alike. Detective Sergeant James Hathaway knows them, accepts them and lives with them. Except one. No one thought to warn about that one did they?

Epilogue Part II – The future

This is a few years later...

James rubbed his eyes and yawned as the screen in front of him became a blur yet again. A glance at the clock in the corner told him he'd been at this for four hours – and that was after a full days work.

He felt the tension go out of him as delicate hands touched his shoulders, massaging softly.

"How's it going?" Evie asked quietly.

"I honestly have no idea any more" he replied in a flat tone "Quite why I thought that a dissertation on the impact of beliefs on behaviour and the psychology of faith in teenagers was a good idea, I am at a loss to explain"

Evie chuckled and moved her hands into his hair, stroking softly.

"Because it's something you know about" she reasoned "And because if you want to take that last step, then you need the degree in psychology to do it"

"I know" he grumbled back "But to be honest, I'm starting to think that I was happy as I was"

"No you weren't" Evie refuted "You wanted to change it all, and soon, you'll be able to. You've got this course and that course in counselling, but you know as well as I do that you want the top job, the one that will really help those kids, and for that, you need the degree"

"It's harder than Cambridge" he muttered, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against her, not for the first time realising how lucky he was to have someone that seemed to know what he needed and when, and never begrudged giving it.

Evie stayed for a while longer as James thought on her words. He'd initially been drawn into the local church's outreach programme by chance, even teaching music to the kids that attended the youth club now and again as he pondered what he was going to do with his life. Past enjoying living with the woman he loved and starting to repair a house they both loved, he had no idea what he'd wanted to do.

As the house took shape, so did his professional ideas, and he applied for a position at the church sponsored children's home after completing a course on counselling. Having met many of the children that were supported in the church's two homes, James had also found himself 'volunteered' by the priest for outings and events. He'd been drawn in, bit by bit until he was urged by just about everyone to apply for a position that came up. He had then been further urged (or bullied as he thought on days where the degree and promotion seemed a bad idea) to seek a degree in social work or psychology, so he could become more involved in something that had totally stolen his heart. The outreach programme and it's governing panel recognised when they had something good and they wanted to hang onto James, his exemplary police record and academic history did his application no harm at all. The university he attended took one look at his education history and practically grovelled to get him on the course.

And that had led him here, sitting in the living room of the house he and Evie had practically built with their bare hands, that never seemed finished, studying for yet another degree. He often reflected that soon the letters after his name would be longer than his actual name.

"And then there'll be your masters..." Evie teased lightly after the companionable silence.

James snorted in disbelief "There will be no masters" he announced.

"Right" she laughed, kissing the top of his head "Anyway, I came to tell you I've had a call out"

James huffed and took hold of her hands, craning his neck to look at her "Where?"

"Mr Gilmore's bandages have come off again" she smiled, anticipating his reaction.

"He pulls them off I swear" James moaned.

Evie laughed "He's a lonely old man who likes company" she said "Where's your compassion?"

"Humph" James replied "He should get a cat then"

Evie slid her hands from his gently "It's part of being a district nurse, he's a lovely man, he misses his wife"

"Doesn't mean he has to steal you. And I have compassion, I'll buy him a cat" James returned.

"Oh shut up, misery" Evie laughed "I won't be long"

…...

Robert Lewis leaned on the gate to the paddock and took in the scene, a small boy was playing 'fetch' with a three legged collie dog as an assortment of other animals grazed peacefully around them.

"Careful Jack!" James called out as the ball glanced the unsuspecting and ancient pony near the gate, causing him to snort in disgust before returning to eating again.

Robbie laughed "Looks like he's used to it"

"He is" James agreed "Has to be here"

Robbie smiled, taking a drink from his bottle of lager "So is Jack permanent?"

"No" James replied "Short term foster care, he goes back to his mum when she's recovered from her accident"

"Never saw you doing this" Robbie commented, sweeping his glance around the house and outbuildings, the paddock and child and finally resting on James himself "Working with kids and collecting animals"

James laughed quietly "Neither did I"

"Suits you though" Robbie commented "And what you do for these kids...it's amazing James"

James shrugged and looked self conscious and pleased all at the same time.

"How many foster kids have you had? All together?" Robbie pressed.

James thought for a moment "Eight" he said finally "But we don't count Louise any more, she's a permanent fixture"

Robbie frowned "You've adopted her then?"

"No" James smiled "She was the first one that came home with me, kept running away from every foster family they put her with, she's the reason we became foster carers in the first place. She was only 8, but she kept turning up here when we were doing the house up, and then she'd come here whenever she got placed and ran away. Even the social workers gave up in the end and let her stay, pushed our application for fostering through faster than usual"

"And it went from there" Lewis smiled "Though I must say, I thought you'd have to be married to foster, especially from a church organisation"

James looked thoughtful for the moment before he answered.

"Legally speaking we don't have to be. The church aren't exactly happy about it but they are more interested in the kids, which is the main thing. From a community point of view, most people ignore it, Evie gets called 'Nurse Evie' rather than by her surname. No one really cares, they just think they should. And it's not like we haven't planned on it..."

Robbie looked at him "So...?" he prompted.

James sighed and gave a tired smile "I ask her" he admitted "Every Sunday morning"

Robbie gave an astounded laugh "Every Sunday morning?!" he echoed "Can ye not take a hint man?!"

James looked nettled for a moment before he shrugged, grinning "She always says yes" he defended "But qualifies it with the same sentence, 'When we have the time and the money' and she has a point. I have a full time job and study, Evie works part time still, we have at least 1 kid in the house all the time and usually two or three, the house literally eats money...and well, I don't want a rush job down the registry office, I want to do it properly. Evie deserves a proper wedding, but..."

"But what?"

James looked hard at him before his expression cleared "It's not what I envisaged, living with someone, a home, children and no wedding, no commitment to God as it were, but we're happy and that's all that matters"

Lewis chuckled, shaking his head "Finally you get it" he rolled his eyes.

James leaned on the gate again "So how's the travelling retire'es?" he asked, turning the attention back to his companion.

"Great" Robbie replied "I've seen more of this country and the world in the last couple of years than I have for the rest of me life! Africa was brilliant, and Australia, obviously seeing me son and the grand kids over there was the highlight too"

"I'll bet" James nodded "Glad you could find time in your busy diary to visit us"

"Ah, ya know" Lewis returned "We come back here for the summer, and bugger off again when it gets cold"

"That is something" James replied "I shall look forward to, should I live long enough to retire"

Lewis was about to answer when a call from the door cut between them.

"James!"

Both men looked over to see a moody and heavily made up teenager slouching against the door.

"Evie said dinners ready!" she shouted before slamming the door again as she retreated back into the house.

"Thank you Louise" James rolled his eyes "Sorry about her attitude...Exams coming up, she's nervous and apparently shouting at everyone makes it all better"

"She's a teenager" Robbie replied "Enough said"

…...

Laura watched Evie sip at her drink and then absent mindedly fiddle with the packet of cigarettes James had left on the table before slamming them down with a scowl.

"Given up?" she offered from her seat next to Evie in the garden. They watched as James and Robbie played football with Jack as Louise, the ever sullen teenager, propped herself against a tree and shut the world out with ear phones.

"Yes" Evie replied "It's hard"

"I'm no advocate of smoking" Laura answered "But it brought you two together"

"I know" Evie smiled "If one of us had ever succeeded in the never ending attempts to quit, we might not be here now"

"Oh you would be" Laura laughed "Maybe not as quick though, Robbie and I would have had to send you both on endless coffee runs instead"

Evie laughed, relaxing more "Swapping one addiction for another"

Laura shrugged "We're all addicted to something, no matter how hard we try not to be"

Evie nodded and watched as Robbie tried to show not only Jack, but James how to play 'keepy uppy', a game where the ball was kept in the air by the players feet only. Jack it appeared, was the better of the three.

"He's so different" Laura murmured "Relaxed, happy"

"To be honest, apart from right after the whole Gordy thing, I've never known him different. Not with me anyway, he's just...James" Evie replied.

"That's probably why it works" Laura agreed before facing Evie more, a niggling suspicion she'd had since their arrival the day before needing clarification "What you two have here, with the kids, it's wonderful" she started.

Evie smiled again "When I say that James brings his work home, I don't think people think I mean literally" she laughed "But I love it, some of these kids are so sad, they seem to heal here"

"With you two" Laura added "But aren't there any plans on the horizon for any of your own? I know you have Louise, and credit to you taking on a teenager...that's hard, but then so must be having to give them back all the time"

"Louise was 8 when she came" Evie explained "And really it's more like having a younger sister around the place than a child, she's great. And yeah, seeing the kids go again is hard sometimes, but we only really do emergencies. Overnights usually, a week at the most. Jack leaves tomorrow, when his mum gets out of hospital. I don't think I could do longer, it'd break my heart"

Laura nodded, but she wasn't going to be diverted again.

"So one you wouldn't have to give back is the ideal solution then?" Laura pressed.

Evie reddened, from her neck right to her hairline and looked mortified for a moment before she smiled at Laura.

"How did you know?" she asked quietly.

"I'm a doctor" Laura laughed "And really, Evie, it's obvious. Even Robbie will guess eventually, you and James have always had moments where you just gaze into each others eyes, but since yesterday..." she stopped her teasing tone, easing off as a pang of regret washed over her, she had the love, the security but she'd never have what Evie did now "It's been obvious" she finished, slightly more sober "And you're drinking orange juice, not smoking and James practically goes back to Oxford to have a cigarette"

Evie laughed quietly "Says when his degree is done, he'll quit too. I'm only a few weeks, hoping that smoke is one of the things I go off when the morning sickness hits, it'll make it easier"

Laura smiled "Planned?"

"No" Evie shook her head, embarrassed again "We went to Venice, a weekend break, no kids in and Lou went to stay with her grand parents..." Evie paused and swallowed "This is the result of too much red wine and not knowing the Italian for condoms"

Laura couldn't help herself, she burst out laughing "Sorry" she said through her mirth.

Evie's laughter joined hers "It's OK" she reassured her "It's kind of funny, and we're both pleased so..."

"Well congratulations" Laura said, heartfelt and happy "Though I'm surprised he didn't march you up the aisle the minute the stick turned blue"

Evie shrugged "Makes no difference to me, or him" she said, watching as James turned and looked at her, sensing maybe that he was the topic of conversation "I'm surprised that he's so calm about it. Even the church are quiet, maybe not ecstatic but they don't say a lot. We'll do it one day, when there's enough money and time"

"He's secure" Laura observed "And so are you, you're happy and that's the important thing"

"Plus I don't want to be the size of a house at the altar" Evie laughed.

The topic was dropped as the three males approached, Robbie singing a football terrace song to Jack, initiating him to the love of Newcastle United, or so he said.

"All right?" he asked them both as he flopped into the chair beside Laura, James dropped in front of Evie's chair, resting his head back against her knees and relaxing as she started to play with his hair.

Laura looked at them, and then at him and smiled.

"Never better" she answered truthfully.

…...

And finally...couldn't resist writing this :)

James handed the small bundle wrapped in a blue blanket to Robbie carefully.

"Robert Lewis" he said "Meet William Robert Hathaway"

Robbie pushed the edge of the blanket back and peered at the small screwed up face that glared back at him for daring to disturb his snooze.

"Well hello there young man" Robbie smiled down at the baby "Pleased to meet ya"

Laura leaned closer and pulled the blanket more before looking at Evie "You do realise that he's told everyone we know that he's had a baby named after him?" she said, a twinkle in her eyes "Even the paper boy"

"You're just jealous" Robbie accused lightly.

"Why would I be? Laura really wouldn't suit him" she replied smartly "And anyway, stop hogging my Godson, hand him over"

"He's not your Godson yet" Robbie refuted "Not until he's Christened"

"Baptised" James corrected as he sat on the arm of Evie's chair, sliding an arm around her shoulders so she could lean into him "To christen is to give name, to baptise is to welcome a child into the church and to cast out the Devil...appoint God parents..."

"Oh lets hope you haven't inherited your fathers penchant for useless information" Robbie told the baby in a sing song voice.

Evie halted James' reply by squeezing his hand, and he forgot all about it as Laura took the baby and cuddled him. He couldn't actually think of people he'd want more to give his son guidance and love through his life, they'd done it for him.

"Go on then, off to the pub with you" Evie nudged James lightly.

"Are you sure?" he frowned at her "He'll want feeding and changing and you still can't move that much after the caesarian...it was less than a week ago..."

"I am perfectly capable of changing a baby James" Laura told him sternly "I am a doctor, and unless you plan on taking Evie's boobs with you, she's perfectly placed to feed him I'd say"

James coloured slightly as Robbie stood and coughed "Take it while ye can lad" he advised "Trust me"

James gave Evie one last doubtful look and stood, leaning over the baby and stroking his face.

"I won't be long..." he said from the doorway, looking back with an almost sad expression.

"James go!" Evie said, and she smiled, and James' world turned upside down for a moment before righting itself. He wondered if he'd ever see that smile she gave him and not feel awed and humbled by it, by the love that was in it, the happiness, the contentment, just because he was him and he loved her.

"Going!" he held his hands up in mock surrender, but smiled back at her before swinging his jacket on and following Robbie from the house.

XxxxXX

"Here's to life" Robbie chinked his glass against James' "New and old"

"I hope you are referring to yourself there" James quipped back as he took a sip of the whiskey.

"Come back in a month and tell me you feel young after the night feeds, dirty nappies and colic" Robbie replied slyly.

"I spent most of my life feeling old" James said, almost to himself "I finally feel like I'm living"

"Kids'll do that to you" Robbie nodded.

"Not just the kids" James added "I never realised that being with another person could be so...fulfilling"

Robbie smiled before he answered "I take offence" he teased "Are you saying I didn't make you feel fulfilled James?"

James laughed "I'd never say that Sir"

"Oh drop the Sir" Robbie grumbled "Haven't been your boss for years"

"Indulge me" James replied.

"Don't I always?" Robbie raised his eyebrows "And don't you do the same?"

James thought for a moment before lifting his glass again and holding it out.

"Here's to life, old and new. To Oxfordshire CID, to Oxford General's pathology department, to interfering colleagues and to 'the bluddy coffin nails'" James grinned "Because without any of them, we wouldn't be here now. I don't think I ever thanked you, did I?"

Robbie chinked his glass again and matched James' smile "To old friends" he said "Mr Hathaway"

"To old friends" James returned the toast "Mr Lewis"

…...

And that's it! I wanted to end on a piece with just Lewis and Hathaway. I did warn you that it was a bit fluffly :) but hey, this is fiction and if you can't have a happy ending for your favourite characters here then where can you?!

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has read, favourited, followed and reviewed this fic, my longest for a while.

I have another one in the pipeline, different fandom but it's something I started and posted on a different account a long time ago that I am going to resurrect and finish. It couldn't be finished at the time due to ill health but I have it still and really want to finish it. I am going to remove it from that account and post it on this one when I'm ready (if I can remember the password!)

Thanks again everyone for your support and kind words along the way!