On the run

Chapter 4

Rose made her way back to her office after Steve gave one last plea for her to forgive him.

"So, you'll think about it then?" Steve had asked her again, after Rose gave in and got something to eat and stayed longer than she'd intended.

"Yeah, I said I would but expect him to be suspicious, you having another sudden change of heart."

"Well I said I was sorry Rose and I really wanted to ask you out again, it was just Mickey putting me off. Maybe when you've forgiven me for deserting you and Pete?"

"Maybe, I'll have to think about it but you still have to get past Jake."

"I know, he's tougher than Pete. How's that little brother of yours?"

Rose thought it was a strange question, since neither she nor Pete talked about family at work.

"He's fine why?"

"Just wondered, that's all. I take it you don't discuss work once you get home?"

"No, not normally. Any reason you brought it up?"

Steve knew she was starting to get suspicious, Yvonne's plan to get her to confide in him was never going to work. In the email he'd had earlier, she had outlined she wanted him to get into the family home, see what her adopted mother was really like, since he'd raised a few questions, such as Jackie Tyler fussing like Rose's real mother, whom as far as Yvonne knew had perished in the Cyberman takeover.

Pete's idea of swapping roles seemed to have worked so far, Rose's real mother became the original Jackie Tyler and vice-versa, a complicated story but they had all agreed it was for Rose's protection more than anything. It had saddened Jackie that Pete's wife had been about to leave him when she'd been captured but she hadn't deserved the fate she'd received, being turned into one of them and Pete coming face to face with her and having to leave her.

Steve was looking at her. He knew she had many secrets and she would never let her guard down, well not with him anyway.

"I was trying to prove to you I was still interested in you, had all this not come along."

"You mean you never saw any of it coming?" Rose smiled.

"Did anyone?"

"Pete did, months ago but I can't talk about it, you have to prove we can trust you again. I have to go now."

Steve stood up, a few people watching as it was well known to those who were undecided and those who had already taken sides that the two of them were opponents.

"What you lot looking at?" Rose asked as she became aware she was the centre of attention.

They all suddenly became interested in what they were eating and not in what she was doing. It was one of the things she hated about still being there but her sudden absence would cause another stir and Yvonne would begin asking questions.

"Take no notice of them Rose, see you around maybe?"

"Maybe, I'm making no promises."

As he watched her leaving, he risked sending a message to Yvonne – 'I think I may be getting somewhere with Rose'. That would keep Yvonne off his back for a while at least but he knew it wasn't going to be easy. It was up to Yvonne to deal with Mickey but Jake was going to be somewhat more difficult.

So as Rose tidied her desk, she got a message from Jake asking if it was safe to visit.

"So, what did he want? To ask you to feel sorry for him?" Jake asked as he helped himself to coffee.