Richard Book is Innocent (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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tweedandtinsel2010-12-04 05:03 pm
oxfordtweed) wrote in tweedandtinsel2010-12-04 05:03 pm
Lamp Light (4/10)
Title: Lamp Light
Fandom: Hot Fuzz
Character/s: Like in the film
Word Count (chapter/total): 5,400 / 47,100
Rating: NC-17
Summary/Warnings: Andy takes his first trip to London.
Andy sat in the back seat, his knees pressed awkwardly against the back of Danny's seat. Something about the way Nicholas stared blankly out the side window unnerved him. The man was usually so focused on everything, and now, here he was just staring into nothingness. He wasn't even counting cows, like any normal person would. Just... staring.
"Wednesday, right?" Danny asked, breaking the silence. Andy jumped slightly.
"Wot?" he asked from the back seat. "Oh, yeah. Five, I think."
"Five-thirty," Nicholas corrected automatically. "Try to be to King's Cross by one."
"Wot's that?" Andy asked. "I thought you don't go to church."
Nicholas shook his head against the cool window. "The train station that will take us out of London," he said. "It says that much on your ticket."
Andy frowned and pulled his printed itinerary from his jacket pocket. "Oh," he said dumbly. "I thought that was.... an advert, or something."
"No," Nicholas said. "It's the train station."
Andy considered kicking the back of Nicholas' seat, and then realized that if he did, he'd probably not live to even get on the train. "Never been to London, you twat," he said instead.
"I never been to London, either," Danny said. "Don't think I want to, either."
"It's over rated," Nicholas said. He pulled out the small headphones Danny had given him and placed them over his ears, eager to stop the conversation in its tracks.
There were no assigned seats on the train, for which Andy was eternally grateful. The idea of spending the entire ride to London with Nicholas was not one he was looking for, nor was spending the next two days in a cramped hotel room a very appealing thought. He found an unoccupied seat, shoving his bag into the overhead compartment. As he settled himself, he spotted Nicholas a few rows up from him, doing the same, smoothly taking his seat. Frowning to himself, Andy pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and extracted one, pressing it between his lips.
"Sir, you can't smoke that in here," an attendant said.
Andy looked up, startled. "It ain't lit," he pointed out.
"That's very well," the attendant said. "But if it becomes lit, you will be removed from the train."
Andy sneered at her as he slid the cigarette behind his ear, watching as she walked up a few rows to Nicholas. "You're back again, sweetie?" she asked.
Nicholas looked up, pulling his headphones from his ears. "Unfortunately," he said. "Do you think I could get a magazine? I think I forgot my book."
She smiled warmly at him. "Sure thing, love," she said. "Any preference?"
Nicholas nodded. "Not really." He smiled weakly at her as she hurried off to fetch him something to read.
An hour in, and Andy had seen more trees than he thought were possible to ever exist. Trees of all sorts that just kept zipping past his window, much too quickly to even try to count how many there really were. Occasionally, there would be a clearing with some cows or horses, but they'd soon be replaced by more trees.
"Have you done anything like this before?"
Andy jumped and spun round in his seat, startled to see Nicholas suddenly seated next to him.
"Wot?" Andy asked. "Take a train ride?"
"No, I mean what we're doing in London," Nicholas clarified.
Andy shook his head slowly. "What's there to it?" he asked. "We're just answering questions, ain't we?"
Nicholas turned slightly in his seat. "It's a bit more than that," he explained. "They're going to try to confuse you."
"Why would they want to do that?" Andy asked honestly.
"Because," Nicholas said with a light sigh. "They want you to slip up. It makes sure you're telling the truth. The best I can suggest is to try not to mix up details. Simple things like dates can actually be a really big deal."
Andy blinked. "I thought they was on our side," he said.
"Not all," Nicholas said. "The defence wants you to mess up. Every time you get confused, or mess up a detail, it makes prosecution look weak."
Andy nodded lightly. "Right," he said. "So, what? I just tell them what I know, and then don't say anything after?"
"No," Nicholas said quickly. "No, if you do that, you'll look like you're hiding something. Answer everything they ask you, but think about your answers. You're not being timed or graded, so let yourself think about what you're saying."
"Right," Andy repeated. He looked Nicholas in the face, for the first time realizing just how tired the man looked. "How many times you done stuff like this?" he asked.
"Every time I've made an arrest," Nicholas answered simply.
If Andy thought the train station at Bufford Abbey was crowded, it was nothing to the sheer magnitude of King's Cross. The high ceilings and wide platforms seemed to stretch on forever, giving the detective a feeling of vertigo.
"Do you know where the hotel is?" Nicholas asked, suddenly beside him.
Andy looked over and shook his head. "This is London?" he asked.
Nicholas laughed. "This is just the train station," he said. "Come on."
He led Andy to the tube station, showing him how the turnstile worked, and how to go about purchasing a ticket. Once again, the car was completely packed, forcing the two of them against a wall.
"Fuck, Nick," Andy hissed. "Is London always this crowded?"
Nicholas shook his head. "No," he said. "Sometimes they tell you to wait for the next one."
"You're taking the piss," Andy said simply, finding himself disgusted when Nicholas didn't respond. As people got off at each stop, the officers slowly made their way toward the nearest door, barely making it off the car at Regent's Park. Once above ground, Andy took the chance to look around the absolute hugeness of London.
"Come on," Nicholas said, pulling on the detective's jacket lightly. "Hotel's only a few blocks. We can walk it from here."
Andy nodded slowly. "Right," he said, following after Nicholas, assuming and praying that he knew where the hell he was going. Nicholas' idea of "walking distance" seemed to be held to different standards than Sandford's definition, as a half hour later, they finally reached the white-painted building. Nicholas took Andy up to the front desk, stepping into one of the several queues. Before long, they were called, and Andy hesitantly stepped up to the counter.
"Room's in your name," Nicholas told him.
Andy nodded. "Right. Uhm... Cartwright," he said, amazed at the faux marble counter top.
"ID?" the clerk asked flatly. Startled at the question, Andy dug out his badge, hoping that would suffice.
"All right...Detective," the clerk said, looking over Andy's badge. He punched a few things into his computer and nodded. "There you are. "Room two-twelve." He handed Andy a plastic key card and smiled curtly.
"Lift's over there," Nicholas said, lightly pushing Andy in the right direction. "First time in London," he told the clerk, by way of an explanation.
The clerk nodded knowingly and called the next person as Nicholas walked up to wait with Andy for the lift.
"He didn't give me a key," Andy said, more than a little confused.
"Yes, he did," Nicholas informed him. "It's that card."
"I don't believe you," the detective said simply. "You're still mad at me for throwing that rubbish bin at you, and now you're paying me back by planning on getting me lost in a foreign city."
Nicholas laughed as they stepped onto the lift. "Foreign?" he asked. "It's not like we're in Nepal. We're in the capitol city." He pressed a button for the second floor, letting the doors slide shut. Andy stayed quiet until they reached the room, immediately shoving this so called key into Nicholas' hand.
"You do it," he said.
Nicholas shook his head and took the key card from Andy, showing him how to slide it into the door to open it. "Just like the ones at..." He realized what he was saying, and decided to just go into the room instead.
"Just like where?" Andy demanded.
"Like at the met," Nicholas responded. He handed the card over to Andy and looked around the room briefly. "You gonna be all right, here?" he asked.
"You ain't staying?" Andy asked nervously.
Nicholas shook his head. "I don't feel like sharing a bed with you, even if you want me to stay," he said. "But, no. I don't like hotels. I've somewhere else that I stay when I come here." He picked up his bag from the floor. "You don't want to stay with your inspector, anyway. You've got my mobile number if you need anything."
Andy nodded weakly. "Sure," he said, watching as Nicholas left, shutting the door behind him. And then he was alone. In a strange room. In a strange city. He immediately made sure the door was locked, drew the shades, and took off his trousers.
He left the courtroom feeling sick to his stomach. Seeing the Chief like that, in shackles and being guarded like some murdering psychopath -;
But that's what he was, wasn't it? He'd killed people. A lot of people. And those he hadn't killed, he'd ordered their deaths.
Andy found Nicholas waiting for him in the hall, having gone in several hours before. His fancy-pants tie was gone, and his shirt unbuttoned at the top, but he still looked miles more professional than the detective.
"How'd it go?" Nicholas asked.
Andy only shook his head.
"We've some things we have to take care of at the met," Nicholas said, leading Andy outside. "Shouldn't take too long. Then you can go back to the hotel."
"Yeah," Andy said dully.
They walked down the street, ignoring the light drizzle, in silence. It was actually a short walk, this time, and like everything else in London, the police station was simply huge.
"Afternoon, Inspector," an officer near the door said.
Nicholas forced a smile and nodded. He led Andy through the maze work of hallways and desks and water coolers, eventually stopping at a door marked "Sergeant Martin." He knocked twice on the frame before pushing it open, greeted by Travis with his hand held at about chest height, as he listened to someone on the telephone.
"Right," he said slowly. "I see. Listen, I've a meeting that I've got to get to. I'll ring you back in a bit." He hung up the telephone, smiling up at Nicholas and Andy. "Ah, you must be Detective Cartwright," he said, standing to shake Andy's hand.
Andy took it nervously, not entirely sure he trusted this whole "London" thing yet. "Andy," he said.
"Call me Travis," the sergeant said, sitting back down and motioning for Nicholas and Andrew to do the same. He pulled a thin folder from a drawer in his desk, setting it down in front of Andy. "I'm going to start by saying that you're not in trouble," he said lightly. "You haven't done anything wrong, and this is simply an offer we're extending to everybody at your station."
Andy nodded nervously. "Okay..."
"We're offering you a position elsewhere," Travis told him simply. "We've a few spots open for detectives, and given what you lot have been through, should you chose to transfer, we're offering first pick."
Andy looked over at Nicholas. "Seriously?" he asked.
Nicholas only nodded.
"So, we're here to talk about moving away from Sandford?" Andy asked nervously.
"No," Travis said. "You're here to talk about moving away from Sandford. Nick's already turned us down several times."
"You mean...I don't have to take the offer?" Andy was skeptical, certain someone was about to jump out from behind the door, shout "boo!" at him, and make him sign Travis' paperwork.
"No," Travis repeated. "It's an offer. Not a requirement. You can chose to remain in Sandford if you like."
Andy nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I grew up there. My whole family's there."
Travis nodded as he flipped the folder open, pulling out a simple form. "Very well," he said. "Go ahead and sign this for me, please."
Andy cautiously read over the form, making sure that if he signed it, he wouldn't get sent to some place like Singapore, and filled out the boxes at the bottom, signing his name with a flourish. Travis took the form, looking it over quickly before sliding it back into the folder. "Great," he said. "You're all set. See? That was painless, wasn't it?" He flashed Andy one of his award-quality smiles. "See, not all met cops are right bastards."
"Not all of us are two-faced, either," Nicholas quipped as he got to his feet. "Hey, I'm thinking of going out tonight. Join us?"
Travis smiled, genuinely this time, and nodded. "I'd love to," he said. "I'll ring you when I'm off. Staying at your mum's?"
Nicholas nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Why don't you meet us there. She'd love to see you again."
"Oh, thank you." Travis smiled as he took the tea cup, doing his best not to burn his crotch with spillt tea. "Katherine, you do make the best tea."
"Stop it," Katherine said, slapping him on the knee with a small towel. "It comes out of a box I get at Tesco."
"You're kidding me?" Travis said. "You must do something special to it."
"Mum, ignore him," Nicholas said, putting his own cup down on the table by his feet. "He's just trying to get into your will."
"He's already in it," Nicholas' dad said from his recliner in the corner of the room.
"Patrick," Katherine scolded as she sat down next to Nicholas.
"You're getting all our unpaid bills," Patrick said, not a hint of sarcasm anywhere in his voice.
"Good," Nicholas said. "I've moved up in the world." He picked up his tea and took a drink.
"No, you just get to pay for the funeral. We've decided we want to be cremated and strapped to a rocket."
Both Travis and Nicholas laughed, nearly spitting hot tea through their noses. "Jesus, Dad!" Nicholas said.
"Nicholas!" Katherine scolded, slapping him on the leg.
"Sorry, Mum."
Katherine leaned over Nicholas, trying to get a good view of Andrew, who had taken a seat close to the door. "Andrew, are you all right?" she asked. "You're awfully quiet."
"Yeah, just... tired, I guess," he said. He watched Nicholas, happily telling jokes and...laughing? Andy took a small drink from his tea before setting it back down on the end table. For some reason, he'd never imagined Nicholas being the product of a loving family; seemed more like the "grew up with his aunt who was never really around" type of person to Andy. Not that Andy ever knew anybody who grew up with an aunt that was never really around, but if he had to put a personality to the description, he'd pick Nicholas Angel.
But this person... this person was not Nicholas Angel. Not at least the Nicholas Angel that sulked around Sandford constantly.
"Katherine, I hate to take your darling baby boy away, but we have to get moving," Travis said, finishing off his tea. He stood up and walked the cup into the kitchen.
"Oh?" Katherine asked, turning to face Nicholas. "Where you boys heading?"
"Andy's never been to London," Nicholas explained. "Figured we'd take him out and see the sights."
"Don't lie to your mother, Nick," Travis called from the kitchen. "We're taking him to get drunk."
"Nicholas," Katherine said, mocking disappointment. Nicholas only shrugged as he got to his feet.
"But we do gotta head out, mum," he said, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
"You boys be safe, now," she said.
"We'll be sure to," Travis said, making his way to the front door to meet Nicholas.
Startled at the quick change in events, Andy quickly finished off his tea and got to his feet. "Thanks for the tea, Mrs. Angel," he said nervously.
"Call me Katherine, love," she said.
Andy nodded nervously, not sure what to do with his feet as Nicholas and Travis readied themselves to leave, sliding into their jackets. "Let's go, Andrew," Nicholas said finally, pulling open the door. He waited for Travis and Andy to step outside before turning to his mum. "I'll be back in a few hours," he said. "I've still got my key, so feel free to lock up."
He joined Andy and Travis out on the side walk, his hands in his pockets. "So, what's the plan then?" he asked lightly.
"I dialled a cab on my way over," Travis answered. "Should be here in a minute or two."
"Good man," Nicholas said. He moved to sit down on the steps, checking his watch. Seconds later, Travis sat next to him and pulled his mobile from his pocket.
"Yep," he said slowly. "Any minute now."
The pub was filled with the usual crowd; mostly groups of friends with a few couples dispersed. Nicholas immediately made his way to the bar, leaving Travis and Andy to find them seats. Nicholas found a small opening in the gathering at the bar, leaning over the sticky surface.
"Evening, officer," the bartender said. "What'll it be tonight?"
"Two ciders, and a Guiness, please," Nicholas said.
"Nicholas, you are not buying me a drink."
Nicholas looked up suddenly, startled to find Janine and Dave seated next to him.
"It's not for you," he said flatly. "But, since we're not at work, maybe you'd like to talk to me?"
"Jesus, Nick," Dave said, leaning over the bar to get a good look at him. "You never could just give up, could you?"
"This isn't your place," Nicholas spat. "You've nothing to do with this."
"And you've nothing to do with me!" Janine spat back. "We're done, Nicholas! I can't well avoid you at the station, but if I see you anywhere else, I'm filing harassment charges against you!"
"Why?" Nicholas demanded as John sat the three pints Nicholas had ordered on the bar, and backed away quickly.
Suddenly, there was a pair of hands on Nicholas' shoulders, lightly pulling him backwards. "Nick, come on," Travis said softly. "Andy's over in the corner." He pushed one of the ciders into Nicholas' hand, and spun him round so he could see where Andy was waiting. "Janine," Travis said softly once Nicholas was out of earshot. "Really, now. The man just wants to talk. He's still really messed up about the whole thing."
"Travis, how is this any of your concern?" Janine spat.
"Because the man's my friend," Travis said simply. "And I hate to see him like this. If you're not going to do it for him, do it for me."
"I don't owe you anything," Janine said stiffly.
Travis inhaled deeply before turning round to join Nicholas and Andy. He handed the Guiness across the table to the detective, sliding in next to Nicholas. "We don't have to stick around very long, if you don't want," he said quietly.
Nicholas took a sip of his cider and put it down on the table. "No, I'm...fine," he said. "I just wasn't expecting to see her here, is all."
Andy blinked, turning round in his seat to get a look at the pair Nicholas had been arguing with. "Old fling?" he asked curiously.
Nicholas shook his head. "No," he said. "It was... more than that."
Andy waited for Nicholas to elaborate, and was disappointed when he didn't continue. "Girlfriend?" he ventured.
"Andrew, I don't really want to talk about it, okay?" Nicholas said. "Please."
Upset that nothing had really been answered, Andy took a long pull from his Guiness, setting it down heavily on the table. Not liking silences, especially when Nicholas was involved, he picked up a menu and opened it on the table. At least they served the same things in London that they did in Sandford. It didn't take very long for a waitress to come round, her notepad ready.
"I was wondering if I'd be seeing you back here!" she said excitedly. "I heard rumours that you were back in London!"
"He's an inspector, now," Travis bragged for him, wrapping his arm around Nicholas' shoulders. "Our little man's all grown up."
"Get off me," he said, shoving Travis away.
The waitress smiled. "Let me guess," she said, ready to write. "The chicken?"
Nicholas smiled and nodded. "Sounds lovely."
She quickly scribbled on her notepad before turning to Andy. "And you?" she asked.
"Fish and chips," he said, folding the menu and sliding it into the rack.
The waitress smiled and wrote that down. "What about you, Sarge?" she asked.
"Oh..." Travis looked over the menu. "I'll have the fish pie." He smiled up at the waitress and put the menu away, watching as the waitress hurried off to the kitchen. "Nicholas, smile," Travis instructed. "Don't make me spit in your drink."
Nicholas frowned at Travis. "You're a real prick. You know that?" he said, holding back a laugh.
"What'sa matter, Nicky?" Travis asked, reaching under the table. "Someone need a nap?" He dug his fingers into Nicholas' knee, effectively interrupting anything the inspector might have wanted to say. Nicholas cried out loudly, banging his knee on the underside of the table.
"Don't do that!" he managed, not so much laughing as choking. "You're making me want to sit next to Andrew, instead."
Travis frowned. "You'd leave me? Just like that?" he asked.
"We were never exclusive," Nicholas reminded him.
"Wot the fuck you two benders talking about?" Andy sneered. Travis and Nicholas looked at one another for a few seconds before breaking out in laughter again. "Anyone care to clue me in?" Andy asked.
"It might offend your innocent country sensibility," Travis said, mockingly.
Andy sneered at the two of them before practically inhaling half his lager. No wonder Kevin Turner was always in such a foul mood.
"You sure you're done for the night?" Andy asked, hoping to get more than one cider into Nicholas. "I'd hardly call whatever poncey drink you just had 'getting pissed'."
Nicholas shook his head. "I really don't drink," he said.
"He's a lightweight," Travis failed at whispering. "One more cider, and he'll be hitting on lamp posts outside."
"I was not hitting on it!" Nicholas insisted. "The light was out, and I ran into it!"
"Nick, lying is not an attractive quality," Travis said seriously. "Really, now."
Nicholas finished off the last bit of his potatoes. "I'll just have to tell Andy about that transsexual, uhm...gentleman, you were hitting on that night."
"What's there to tell?" Travis asked. "He was post-op. How could I tell?"
"The hips," Nicholas said simply. "You can always tell by the hips."
Andy felt the need to be sick. "People actually do that?" he asked. "I thought that was just something the movies made up."
Nicholas and Travis both shook their heads. "This is London, kid," Travis said simply. "Takes all kinds in this city."
"I think that's him, right there," Nicholas said, pointing to the bar.
Travis spun round quickly to have a look. "Where?" he asked.
"Peter!" Nicholas called, immediately followed by an elbow to the ribs.
"Don't do that!" Travis giggled.
A thin twenty-something turned round at the bar, and upon seeing Nicholas and Travis, quickly bounded over to the table. "Oh, wow!" he said loudly. "I didn't think I'd see you two round here again." He noticed Andy sulking to himself, and waved lightly. "Hi," Peter said softly.
Andy forced a smile.
"We were just talking about you," Nicholas said, smiling up at Peter. "I was telling Andrew about the time Travis turned you down."
"Oh, that," Peter said. "I know, right? You're such a prick, Travis."
Travis laughed nervously. "I'm sorry," he said, finishing off his fourth cider for the night. "I hear 'my penis was surgically attached,' and I suddenly get performance anxiety."
Peter and Nicholas howled with laughter.
Andy frowned as his face turned red.
"Oh, what's the matter, sweetie?" Peter said, reaching out to touch Andy's shoulder, and surprised when Andy backed away slightly.
"You'll have to excuse my friend," Nicholas said. "This is is first time in London."
Peter nodded. "I get it," he said. "One of those country boys. Although, I hear they do weird things out on those farms, too!"
As the trio laughed wildly, Andy sat his Guiness down on the table and got to his feet. "Gonna use the loo," he grumbled, walking past Peter, doing his best not to touch him.
"God, what's his problem?" Peter asked quietly.
Nicholas shook his head. "Never mind, him," he said.
Travis waited out in the main lobby while Nicholas walked Andy up to his room.
"Is he really... you know?" Andy asked, trying his key card on his own this time. It took four tries, but it finally let him in.
Nicholas nodded. "He doesn't try to hide it," Nicholas said simply. "It's just who he is."
Andy frowned. "You just let him be like that around you?" he asked.
"It's not a disease, Andrew," Nicholas said simply. "I've known him since I was a kid. He's one of my best friends."
Andy said nothing, just looking out the window.
"I'll be back round tomorrow morning so we can go home," Nicholas said. "Be ready."
Andy nodded. "Right," he said.
Nicholas let himself out, going down to the lobby to meet Travis. "What's up with him?" Travis asked, walking out to the street with Nicholas.
The inspector shook his head. "Apparently he didn't know about your preferences," Nicholas said simply.
"Really?" Travis asked. "Thought it was obvious."
"Trust me," Nicholas said, trying to hail a cab. "It is."
Nicholas was tired from the train ride, and the prospect of unpacking, making his own dinner, and fussing about with having to go up steps to get from the kitchen to the bedroom, and probably back again several times was not one he looked forward here.
"Mind if I stay here, tonight?" Nicholas asked, leaning heavily against Danny's side.
"Of course not," Danny said. "I like having you here." He shifted slightly, wrapping his arm around Nicholas' shoulders, and holding him tightly. He wanted to ask a million questions; wanted to know how Andy liked London; wanted to know if Nicholas spent much time with his not-ex; wanted to know how the trial was going, but asked nothing, knowing that any one of his questions would just open up a flood gate of hurt and anger. He spent so much time trying to not think about his father, and not think about all the horrible things that happened, that even the slightest mentions would tear on his nerves.
"You sure you want to stay up and watch this?" he asked instead, looking at the clock on the wall.
Nicholas shrugged. "Whatever you want," he said.
"Well, you look tired," Danny told him. "And I want you not to get another headache."
Nicholas nodded lightly. "Fair enough," he said. He waited a few moments before sitting up straight, not realizing until just then how tired he really was. He spotted the clock on the wall, and decided that yes, an early bed time did sound rather nice. Especially after his few days in London. He didn't even wait for Danny to shut everything off; just wandered back to the bedroom and took his shirt off, tossing it in the corner. Danny finally came back to join him as he was stripping out of his trousers, tossing them into the same corner as his shirt. As Danny shut the bedroom door, Nicholas tried to get into bed, stumbling in the dark.
"Why's it dark in here?" he asked, startled.
"Cause the lights are out," Danny said flatly. "Duh."
Nicholas felt around for the edge of the bed. "What about your lamp?" he asked. Finally, he found the edge of the bed, and shortly after managed to locate the edges of the blankets so that he could actually get into bed.
"Burnt out a few days ago," Danny informed him, slowly undressing in the dark.
"You haven't replaced it yet?" Nicholas asked. "I'm sure lights for it aren't expensive."
Danny sighed as he crawled under the covers. "S'just a lamp, Nicholas," he said tiredly. "S'not like we're all gonna die if I don't get it changed within forty-two hours."
"Isn't it forty-eight hours?" Nicholas asked.
"No," Danny said simply. He carefully felt around until his hand fell upon Nicholas' chest, and gently pushed him down. "Shut up," he said. "Don't think too hard about it, or you'll hurt your head," he said.
"What if I need to get up in the middle of the night?" Nicholas asked.
"Then you'll get out of bed, stub your toe on the edge of the bed like you do even when the light is on, curse and wake me up, and go take a leak." He pulled Nicholas close to him, wrapping his arm around the other man's chest. "Shut up and go to sleep."
Fandom: Hot Fuzz
Character/s: Like in the film
Word Count (chapter/total): 5,400 / 47,100
Rating: NC-17
Summary/Warnings: Andy takes his first trip to London.
Andy sat in the back seat, his knees pressed awkwardly against the back of Danny's seat. Something about the way Nicholas stared blankly out the side window unnerved him. The man was usually so focused on everything, and now, here he was just staring into nothingness. He wasn't even counting cows, like any normal person would. Just... staring.
"Wednesday, right?" Danny asked, breaking the silence. Andy jumped slightly.
"Wot?" he asked from the back seat. "Oh, yeah. Five, I think."
"Five-thirty," Nicholas corrected automatically. "Try to be to King's Cross by one."
"Wot's that?" Andy asked. "I thought you don't go to church."
Nicholas shook his head against the cool window. "The train station that will take us out of London," he said. "It says that much on your ticket."
Andy frowned and pulled his printed itinerary from his jacket pocket. "Oh," he said dumbly. "I thought that was.... an advert, or something."
"No," Nicholas said. "It's the train station."
Andy considered kicking the back of Nicholas' seat, and then realized that if he did, he'd probably not live to even get on the train. "Never been to London, you twat," he said instead.
"I never been to London, either," Danny said. "Don't think I want to, either."
"It's over rated," Nicholas said. He pulled out the small headphones Danny had given him and placed them over his ears, eager to stop the conversation in its tracks.
There were no assigned seats on the train, for which Andy was eternally grateful. The idea of spending the entire ride to London with Nicholas was not one he was looking for, nor was spending the next two days in a cramped hotel room a very appealing thought. He found an unoccupied seat, shoving his bag into the overhead compartment. As he settled himself, he spotted Nicholas a few rows up from him, doing the same, smoothly taking his seat. Frowning to himself, Andy pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and extracted one, pressing it between his lips.
"Sir, you can't smoke that in here," an attendant said.
Andy looked up, startled. "It ain't lit," he pointed out.
"That's very well," the attendant said. "But if it becomes lit, you will be removed from the train."
Andy sneered at her as he slid the cigarette behind his ear, watching as she walked up a few rows to Nicholas. "You're back again, sweetie?" she asked.
Nicholas looked up, pulling his headphones from his ears. "Unfortunately," he said. "Do you think I could get a magazine? I think I forgot my book."
She smiled warmly at him. "Sure thing, love," she said. "Any preference?"
Nicholas nodded. "Not really." He smiled weakly at her as she hurried off to fetch him something to read.
An hour in, and Andy had seen more trees than he thought were possible to ever exist. Trees of all sorts that just kept zipping past his window, much too quickly to even try to count how many there really were. Occasionally, there would be a clearing with some cows or horses, but they'd soon be replaced by more trees.
"Have you done anything like this before?"
Andy jumped and spun round in his seat, startled to see Nicholas suddenly seated next to him.
"Wot?" Andy asked. "Take a train ride?"
"No, I mean what we're doing in London," Nicholas clarified.
Andy shook his head slowly. "What's there to it?" he asked. "We're just answering questions, ain't we?"
Nicholas turned slightly in his seat. "It's a bit more than that," he explained. "They're going to try to confuse you."
"Why would they want to do that?" Andy asked honestly.
"Because," Nicholas said with a light sigh. "They want you to slip up. It makes sure you're telling the truth. The best I can suggest is to try not to mix up details. Simple things like dates can actually be a really big deal."
Andy blinked. "I thought they was on our side," he said.
"Not all," Nicholas said. "The defence wants you to mess up. Every time you get confused, or mess up a detail, it makes prosecution look weak."
Andy nodded lightly. "Right," he said. "So, what? I just tell them what I know, and then don't say anything after?"
"No," Nicholas said quickly. "No, if you do that, you'll look like you're hiding something. Answer everything they ask you, but think about your answers. You're not being timed or graded, so let yourself think about what you're saying."
"Right," Andy repeated. He looked Nicholas in the face, for the first time realizing just how tired the man looked. "How many times you done stuff like this?" he asked.
"Every time I've made an arrest," Nicholas answered simply.
If Andy thought the train station at Bufford Abbey was crowded, it was nothing to the sheer magnitude of King's Cross. The high ceilings and wide platforms seemed to stretch on forever, giving the detective a feeling of vertigo.
"Do you know where the hotel is?" Nicholas asked, suddenly beside him.
Andy looked over and shook his head. "This is London?" he asked.
Nicholas laughed. "This is just the train station," he said. "Come on."
He led Andy to the tube station, showing him how the turnstile worked, and how to go about purchasing a ticket. Once again, the car was completely packed, forcing the two of them against a wall.
"Fuck, Nick," Andy hissed. "Is London always this crowded?"
Nicholas shook his head. "No," he said. "Sometimes they tell you to wait for the next one."
"You're taking the piss," Andy said simply, finding himself disgusted when Nicholas didn't respond. As people got off at each stop, the officers slowly made their way toward the nearest door, barely making it off the car at Regent's Park. Once above ground, Andy took the chance to look around the absolute hugeness of London.
"Come on," Nicholas said, pulling on the detective's jacket lightly. "Hotel's only a few blocks. We can walk it from here."
Andy nodded slowly. "Right," he said, following after Nicholas, assuming and praying that he knew where the hell he was going. Nicholas' idea of "walking distance" seemed to be held to different standards than Sandford's definition, as a half hour later, they finally reached the white-painted building. Nicholas took Andy up to the front desk, stepping into one of the several queues. Before long, they were called, and Andy hesitantly stepped up to the counter.
"Room's in your name," Nicholas told him.
Andy nodded. "Right. Uhm... Cartwright," he said, amazed at the faux marble counter top.
"ID?" the clerk asked flatly. Startled at the question, Andy dug out his badge, hoping that would suffice.
"All right...Detective," the clerk said, looking over Andy's badge. He punched a few things into his computer and nodded. "There you are. "Room two-twelve." He handed Andy a plastic key card and smiled curtly.
"Lift's over there," Nicholas said, lightly pushing Andy in the right direction. "First time in London," he told the clerk, by way of an explanation.
The clerk nodded knowingly and called the next person as Nicholas walked up to wait with Andy for the lift.
"He didn't give me a key," Andy said, more than a little confused.
"Yes, he did," Nicholas informed him. "It's that card."
"I don't believe you," the detective said simply. "You're still mad at me for throwing that rubbish bin at you, and now you're paying me back by planning on getting me lost in a foreign city."
Nicholas laughed as they stepped onto the lift. "Foreign?" he asked. "It's not like we're in Nepal. We're in the capitol city." He pressed a button for the second floor, letting the doors slide shut. Andy stayed quiet until they reached the room, immediately shoving this so called key into Nicholas' hand.
"You do it," he said.
Nicholas shook his head and took the key card from Andy, showing him how to slide it into the door to open it. "Just like the ones at..." He realized what he was saying, and decided to just go into the room instead.
"Just like where?" Andy demanded.
"Like at the met," Nicholas responded. He handed the card over to Andy and looked around the room briefly. "You gonna be all right, here?" he asked.
"You ain't staying?" Andy asked nervously.
Nicholas shook his head. "I don't feel like sharing a bed with you, even if you want me to stay," he said. "But, no. I don't like hotels. I've somewhere else that I stay when I come here." He picked up his bag from the floor. "You don't want to stay with your inspector, anyway. You've got my mobile number if you need anything."
Andy nodded weakly. "Sure," he said, watching as Nicholas left, shutting the door behind him. And then he was alone. In a strange room. In a strange city. He immediately made sure the door was locked, drew the shades, and took off his trousers.
He left the courtroom feeling sick to his stomach. Seeing the Chief like that, in shackles and being guarded like some murdering psychopath -;
But that's what he was, wasn't it? He'd killed people. A lot of people. And those he hadn't killed, he'd ordered their deaths.
Andy found Nicholas waiting for him in the hall, having gone in several hours before. His fancy-pants tie was gone, and his shirt unbuttoned at the top, but he still looked miles more professional than the detective.
"How'd it go?" Nicholas asked.
Andy only shook his head.
"We've some things we have to take care of at the met," Nicholas said, leading Andy outside. "Shouldn't take too long. Then you can go back to the hotel."
"Yeah," Andy said dully.
They walked down the street, ignoring the light drizzle, in silence. It was actually a short walk, this time, and like everything else in London, the police station was simply huge.
"Afternoon, Inspector," an officer near the door said.
Nicholas forced a smile and nodded. He led Andy through the maze work of hallways and desks and water coolers, eventually stopping at a door marked "Sergeant Martin." He knocked twice on the frame before pushing it open, greeted by Travis with his hand held at about chest height, as he listened to someone on the telephone.
"Right," he said slowly. "I see. Listen, I've a meeting that I've got to get to. I'll ring you back in a bit." He hung up the telephone, smiling up at Nicholas and Andy. "Ah, you must be Detective Cartwright," he said, standing to shake Andy's hand.
Andy took it nervously, not entirely sure he trusted this whole "London" thing yet. "Andy," he said.
"Call me Travis," the sergeant said, sitting back down and motioning for Nicholas and Andrew to do the same. He pulled a thin folder from a drawer in his desk, setting it down in front of Andy. "I'm going to start by saying that you're not in trouble," he said lightly. "You haven't done anything wrong, and this is simply an offer we're extending to everybody at your station."
Andy nodded nervously. "Okay..."
"We're offering you a position elsewhere," Travis told him simply. "We've a few spots open for detectives, and given what you lot have been through, should you chose to transfer, we're offering first pick."
Andy looked over at Nicholas. "Seriously?" he asked.
Nicholas only nodded.
"So, we're here to talk about moving away from Sandford?" Andy asked nervously.
"No," Travis said. "You're here to talk about moving away from Sandford. Nick's already turned us down several times."
"You mean...I don't have to take the offer?" Andy was skeptical, certain someone was about to jump out from behind the door, shout "boo!" at him, and make him sign Travis' paperwork.
"No," Travis repeated. "It's an offer. Not a requirement. You can chose to remain in Sandford if you like."
Andy nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I grew up there. My whole family's there."
Travis nodded as he flipped the folder open, pulling out a simple form. "Very well," he said. "Go ahead and sign this for me, please."
Andy cautiously read over the form, making sure that if he signed it, he wouldn't get sent to some place like Singapore, and filled out the boxes at the bottom, signing his name with a flourish. Travis took the form, looking it over quickly before sliding it back into the folder. "Great," he said. "You're all set. See? That was painless, wasn't it?" He flashed Andy one of his award-quality smiles. "See, not all met cops are right bastards."
"Not all of us are two-faced, either," Nicholas quipped as he got to his feet. "Hey, I'm thinking of going out tonight. Join us?"
Travis smiled, genuinely this time, and nodded. "I'd love to," he said. "I'll ring you when I'm off. Staying at your mum's?"
Nicholas nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Why don't you meet us there. She'd love to see you again."
"Oh, thank you." Travis smiled as he took the tea cup, doing his best not to burn his crotch with spillt tea. "Katherine, you do make the best tea."
"Stop it," Katherine said, slapping him on the knee with a small towel. "It comes out of a box I get at Tesco."
"You're kidding me?" Travis said. "You must do something special to it."
"Mum, ignore him," Nicholas said, putting his own cup down on the table by his feet. "He's just trying to get into your will."
"He's already in it," Nicholas' dad said from his recliner in the corner of the room.
"Patrick," Katherine scolded as she sat down next to Nicholas.
"You're getting all our unpaid bills," Patrick said, not a hint of sarcasm anywhere in his voice.
"Good," Nicholas said. "I've moved up in the world." He picked up his tea and took a drink.
"No, you just get to pay for the funeral. We've decided we want to be cremated and strapped to a rocket."
Both Travis and Nicholas laughed, nearly spitting hot tea through their noses. "Jesus, Dad!" Nicholas said.
"Nicholas!" Katherine scolded, slapping him on the leg.
"Sorry, Mum."
Katherine leaned over Nicholas, trying to get a good view of Andrew, who had taken a seat close to the door. "Andrew, are you all right?" she asked. "You're awfully quiet."
"Yeah, just... tired, I guess," he said. He watched Nicholas, happily telling jokes and...laughing? Andy took a small drink from his tea before setting it back down on the end table. For some reason, he'd never imagined Nicholas being the product of a loving family; seemed more like the "grew up with his aunt who was never really around" type of person to Andy. Not that Andy ever knew anybody who grew up with an aunt that was never really around, but if he had to put a personality to the description, he'd pick Nicholas Angel.
But this person... this person was not Nicholas Angel. Not at least the Nicholas Angel that sulked around Sandford constantly.
"Katherine, I hate to take your darling baby boy away, but we have to get moving," Travis said, finishing off his tea. He stood up and walked the cup into the kitchen.
"Oh?" Katherine asked, turning to face Nicholas. "Where you boys heading?"
"Andy's never been to London," Nicholas explained. "Figured we'd take him out and see the sights."
"Don't lie to your mother, Nick," Travis called from the kitchen. "We're taking him to get drunk."
"Nicholas," Katherine said, mocking disappointment. Nicholas only shrugged as he got to his feet.
"But we do gotta head out, mum," he said, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
"You boys be safe, now," she said.
"We'll be sure to," Travis said, making his way to the front door to meet Nicholas.
Startled at the quick change in events, Andy quickly finished off his tea and got to his feet. "Thanks for the tea, Mrs. Angel," he said nervously.
"Call me Katherine, love," she said.
Andy nodded nervously, not sure what to do with his feet as Nicholas and Travis readied themselves to leave, sliding into their jackets. "Let's go, Andrew," Nicholas said finally, pulling open the door. He waited for Travis and Andy to step outside before turning to his mum. "I'll be back in a few hours," he said. "I've still got my key, so feel free to lock up."
He joined Andy and Travis out on the side walk, his hands in his pockets. "So, what's the plan then?" he asked lightly.
"I dialled a cab on my way over," Travis answered. "Should be here in a minute or two."
"Good man," Nicholas said. He moved to sit down on the steps, checking his watch. Seconds later, Travis sat next to him and pulled his mobile from his pocket.
"Yep," he said slowly. "Any minute now."
The pub was filled with the usual crowd; mostly groups of friends with a few couples dispersed. Nicholas immediately made his way to the bar, leaving Travis and Andy to find them seats. Nicholas found a small opening in the gathering at the bar, leaning over the sticky surface.
"Evening, officer," the bartender said. "What'll it be tonight?"
"Two ciders, and a Guiness, please," Nicholas said.
"Nicholas, you are not buying me a drink."
Nicholas looked up suddenly, startled to find Janine and Dave seated next to him.
"It's not for you," he said flatly. "But, since we're not at work, maybe you'd like to talk to me?"
"Jesus, Nick," Dave said, leaning over the bar to get a good look at him. "You never could just give up, could you?"
"This isn't your place," Nicholas spat. "You've nothing to do with this."
"And you've nothing to do with me!" Janine spat back. "We're done, Nicholas! I can't well avoid you at the station, but if I see you anywhere else, I'm filing harassment charges against you!"
"Why?" Nicholas demanded as John sat the three pints Nicholas had ordered on the bar, and backed away quickly.
Suddenly, there was a pair of hands on Nicholas' shoulders, lightly pulling him backwards. "Nick, come on," Travis said softly. "Andy's over in the corner." He pushed one of the ciders into Nicholas' hand, and spun him round so he could see where Andy was waiting. "Janine," Travis said softly once Nicholas was out of earshot. "Really, now. The man just wants to talk. He's still really messed up about the whole thing."
"Travis, how is this any of your concern?" Janine spat.
"Because the man's my friend," Travis said simply. "And I hate to see him like this. If you're not going to do it for him, do it for me."
"I don't owe you anything," Janine said stiffly.
Travis inhaled deeply before turning round to join Nicholas and Andy. He handed the Guiness across the table to the detective, sliding in next to Nicholas. "We don't have to stick around very long, if you don't want," he said quietly.
Nicholas took a sip of his cider and put it down on the table. "No, I'm...fine," he said. "I just wasn't expecting to see her here, is all."
Andy blinked, turning round in his seat to get a look at the pair Nicholas had been arguing with. "Old fling?" he asked curiously.
Nicholas shook his head. "No," he said. "It was... more than that."
Andy waited for Nicholas to elaborate, and was disappointed when he didn't continue. "Girlfriend?" he ventured.
"Andrew, I don't really want to talk about it, okay?" Nicholas said. "Please."
Upset that nothing had really been answered, Andy took a long pull from his Guiness, setting it down heavily on the table. Not liking silences, especially when Nicholas was involved, he picked up a menu and opened it on the table. At least they served the same things in London that they did in Sandford. It didn't take very long for a waitress to come round, her notepad ready.
"I was wondering if I'd be seeing you back here!" she said excitedly. "I heard rumours that you were back in London!"
"He's an inspector, now," Travis bragged for him, wrapping his arm around Nicholas' shoulders. "Our little man's all grown up."
"Get off me," he said, shoving Travis away.
The waitress smiled. "Let me guess," she said, ready to write. "The chicken?"
Nicholas smiled and nodded. "Sounds lovely."
She quickly scribbled on her notepad before turning to Andy. "And you?" she asked.
"Fish and chips," he said, folding the menu and sliding it into the rack.
The waitress smiled and wrote that down. "What about you, Sarge?" she asked.
"Oh..." Travis looked over the menu. "I'll have the fish pie." He smiled up at the waitress and put the menu away, watching as the waitress hurried off to the kitchen. "Nicholas, smile," Travis instructed. "Don't make me spit in your drink."
Nicholas frowned at Travis. "You're a real prick. You know that?" he said, holding back a laugh.
"What'sa matter, Nicky?" Travis asked, reaching under the table. "Someone need a nap?" He dug his fingers into Nicholas' knee, effectively interrupting anything the inspector might have wanted to say. Nicholas cried out loudly, banging his knee on the underside of the table.
"Don't do that!" he managed, not so much laughing as choking. "You're making me want to sit next to Andrew, instead."
Travis frowned. "You'd leave me? Just like that?" he asked.
"We were never exclusive," Nicholas reminded him.
"Wot the fuck you two benders talking about?" Andy sneered. Travis and Nicholas looked at one another for a few seconds before breaking out in laughter again. "Anyone care to clue me in?" Andy asked.
"It might offend your innocent country sensibility," Travis said, mockingly.
Andy sneered at the two of them before practically inhaling half his lager. No wonder Kevin Turner was always in such a foul mood.
"You sure you're done for the night?" Andy asked, hoping to get more than one cider into Nicholas. "I'd hardly call whatever poncey drink you just had 'getting pissed'."
Nicholas shook his head. "I really don't drink," he said.
"He's a lightweight," Travis failed at whispering. "One more cider, and he'll be hitting on lamp posts outside."
"I was not hitting on it!" Nicholas insisted. "The light was out, and I ran into it!"
"Nick, lying is not an attractive quality," Travis said seriously. "Really, now."
Nicholas finished off the last bit of his potatoes. "I'll just have to tell Andy about that transsexual, uhm...gentleman, you were hitting on that night."
"What's there to tell?" Travis asked. "He was post-op. How could I tell?"
"The hips," Nicholas said simply. "You can always tell by the hips."
Andy felt the need to be sick. "People actually do that?" he asked. "I thought that was just something the movies made up."
Nicholas and Travis both shook their heads. "This is London, kid," Travis said simply. "Takes all kinds in this city."
"I think that's him, right there," Nicholas said, pointing to the bar.
Travis spun round quickly to have a look. "Where?" he asked.
"Peter!" Nicholas called, immediately followed by an elbow to the ribs.
"Don't do that!" Travis giggled.
A thin twenty-something turned round at the bar, and upon seeing Nicholas and Travis, quickly bounded over to the table. "Oh, wow!" he said loudly. "I didn't think I'd see you two round here again." He noticed Andy sulking to himself, and waved lightly. "Hi," Peter said softly.
Andy forced a smile.
"We were just talking about you," Nicholas said, smiling up at Peter. "I was telling Andrew about the time Travis turned you down."
"Oh, that," Peter said. "I know, right? You're such a prick, Travis."
Travis laughed nervously. "I'm sorry," he said, finishing off his fourth cider for the night. "I hear 'my penis was surgically attached,' and I suddenly get performance anxiety."
Peter and Nicholas howled with laughter.
Andy frowned as his face turned red.
"Oh, what's the matter, sweetie?" Peter said, reaching out to touch Andy's shoulder, and surprised when Andy backed away slightly.
"You'll have to excuse my friend," Nicholas said. "This is is first time in London."
Peter nodded. "I get it," he said. "One of those country boys. Although, I hear they do weird things out on those farms, too!"
As the trio laughed wildly, Andy sat his Guiness down on the table and got to his feet. "Gonna use the loo," he grumbled, walking past Peter, doing his best not to touch him.
"God, what's his problem?" Peter asked quietly.
Nicholas shook his head. "Never mind, him," he said.
Travis waited out in the main lobby while Nicholas walked Andy up to his room.
"Is he really... you know?" Andy asked, trying his key card on his own this time. It took four tries, but it finally let him in.
Nicholas nodded. "He doesn't try to hide it," Nicholas said simply. "It's just who he is."
Andy frowned. "You just let him be like that around you?" he asked.
"It's not a disease, Andrew," Nicholas said simply. "I've known him since I was a kid. He's one of my best friends."
Andy said nothing, just looking out the window.
"I'll be back round tomorrow morning so we can go home," Nicholas said. "Be ready."
Andy nodded. "Right," he said.
Nicholas let himself out, going down to the lobby to meet Travis. "What's up with him?" Travis asked, walking out to the street with Nicholas.
The inspector shook his head. "Apparently he didn't know about your preferences," Nicholas said simply.
"Really?" Travis asked. "Thought it was obvious."
"Trust me," Nicholas said, trying to hail a cab. "It is."
Nicholas was tired from the train ride, and the prospect of unpacking, making his own dinner, and fussing about with having to go up steps to get from the kitchen to the bedroom, and probably back again several times was not one he looked forward here.
"Mind if I stay here, tonight?" Nicholas asked, leaning heavily against Danny's side.
"Of course not," Danny said. "I like having you here." He shifted slightly, wrapping his arm around Nicholas' shoulders, and holding him tightly. He wanted to ask a million questions; wanted to know how Andy liked London; wanted to know if Nicholas spent much time with his not-ex; wanted to know how the trial was going, but asked nothing, knowing that any one of his questions would just open up a flood gate of hurt and anger. He spent so much time trying to not think about his father, and not think about all the horrible things that happened, that even the slightest mentions would tear on his nerves.
"You sure you want to stay up and watch this?" he asked instead, looking at the clock on the wall.
Nicholas shrugged. "Whatever you want," he said.
"Well, you look tired," Danny told him. "And I want you not to get another headache."
Nicholas nodded lightly. "Fair enough," he said. He waited a few moments before sitting up straight, not realizing until just then how tired he really was. He spotted the clock on the wall, and decided that yes, an early bed time did sound rather nice. Especially after his few days in London. He didn't even wait for Danny to shut everything off; just wandered back to the bedroom and took his shirt off, tossing it in the corner. Danny finally came back to join him as he was stripping out of his trousers, tossing them into the same corner as his shirt. As Danny shut the bedroom door, Nicholas tried to get into bed, stumbling in the dark.
"Why's it dark in here?" he asked, startled.
"Cause the lights are out," Danny said flatly. "Duh."
Nicholas felt around for the edge of the bed. "What about your lamp?" he asked. Finally, he found the edge of the bed, and shortly after managed to locate the edges of the blankets so that he could actually get into bed.
"Burnt out a few days ago," Danny informed him, slowly undressing in the dark.
"You haven't replaced it yet?" Nicholas asked. "I'm sure lights for it aren't expensive."
Danny sighed as he crawled under the covers. "S'just a lamp, Nicholas," he said tiredly. "S'not like we're all gonna die if I don't get it changed within forty-two hours."
"Isn't it forty-eight hours?" Nicholas asked.
"No," Danny said simply. He carefully felt around until his hand fell upon Nicholas' chest, and gently pushed him down. "Shut up," he said. "Don't think too hard about it, or you'll hurt your head," he said.
"What if I need to get up in the middle of the night?" Nicholas asked.
"Then you'll get out of bed, stub your toe on the edge of the bed like you do even when the light is on, curse and wake me up, and go take a leak." He pulled Nicholas close to him, wrapping his arm around the other man's chest. "Shut up and go to sleep."