Monday morning; Gill thought it was going to be another ordinary day, buzzing off somewhere to 'advise' on another murder. Her alarm sounded, and as she opened one eye to see what the time was, it read '5.00 AM'. She hit the snooze button and lay back down groaning. Moments later her husband, Dave, came into the room carrying a tray.

"Gill…Gill…come on darling, I've brought you up some breakfast" Dave said, rubbing her shoulder gently, but firmly enough to get her attention. Gill sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, smudging the previous day's mascara that she had neglected to remove before going to bed.

"What have you done?" she asked him cautiously, before taking the tray from his hands. It was very out of character for him to do anything romantic, or thoughtful. It was usually because he had done something and was trying to soften her up.

"I haven't done anything my love, I just wanted to treat you; you work so hard, and you deserve it" he replied smiling, and pushing the tray forward. Gill knew better, but took the tray anyway; it was far too early to argue, and she didn't want to wake her son, Sammy.

"Dave" Gill called as he was about to leave the room. He turned and glanced back at her.

"Yeah" he answered, diverting his eyes from her gaze.

"I love you" she told him, smiling warmly at him.

"Come on, eat your breakfast, it'll go cold" Dave answered, ignoring his wife's declaration of love.

Gill had known for nearly ten years that he had been at it with someone else, and she knew things between them were over; but she still loved him. She was in love with the man she married all those years ago, not the man he clearly was; but she was afraid of losing him, so confronting him wasn't an option.

The Detective Chief Inspector slipped her heels on; groaning, as they weren't as comfortable as her slippers, and went over to her son's bedroom. She quietly pushed the door open and peered round at him. Through the darkness, she could see his outline in his bed, and could hear him snoring, blissfully unaware of his father's indiscretions, and his mother's heartache. She stood there a while thoughtfully. Sammy had always been closer to his dad; and she knew full well if she and Dave did ever split up, it would not only be her husband that she lost, it would be her son too. She crept over to him, as not to wake him. She leant forward and gently kissed his forehead. She whispered in his ear,

"I love you, kid". With that she left his room, pulling the door to behind her. She bit back the tears and went downstairs.

"You off then love?" Dave asked, coming into the hallway as Gill came down the stairs.

"Yeah, got to go, already running late" she said, grabbing her coat off of the hook, and closing the door behind her. She wanted to kiss her husband goodbye, she wanted him to hold her and never to let go. But she knew she couldn't let herself touch him, she knew she would break down when he left her; and she knew it wouldn't be long until he did. She couldn't let herself be vulnerable, not in front of him, then he would have won, she couldn't have that. She needed to be strong for Sammy; if he was going to stay with her or not.