"All right, bye" June replied. She got out of the car and went up to CSU. When she arrived she found CSU in chaos, PC Kurt Thomas, who replaced Jim had been suspended for drinking on duty.
"Well what are we supposed to do sir?" June asked Jack
"I am seeing to it June"
The day went on and there was still no sign of a replacement for PC Thomas. "Brandon, could you hold the fort while I take five please?" June said
"Ok, but only for five minutes Sarge, I do have my own work to do"
"Thanks"
June went to the canteen to grab something to eat as she thought that this might be her only chance of a break all day. "Anyone sitting here?" Gina asked
"No" June replied,
"How's your day going?"
"Well it was great until I came to work"
"Why what's happened?"
"Haven't you heard, PC Thomas has been suspended for drinking on duty, so CSU is a man down today and there doesn't seem to be anyone to replace him" June said
"Hasn't Jack sorted out a replacement"?
"Well he said he was sorting it, but��"
"Oh I am sure he will sort it, I tell you what I will mention it to him when I see him"
"Would you, that would be great" June smiled 'Who would have thought it, me and you helping each other out'
'I know' Gina laughed "Anyway enough about work, how is it going with Peter"
"Brilliant, he's lovely. Gina, I think I have finally fallen in love again" June beamed
Gina looked shocked "You love him?"
"Yes, yes I think I do"
"Are you sure June? Maybe you are just trying to make yourself think you love him so that you can stop thinking of Jim.��
"No, he's in the past and Peter is my future" June said
"As long as you are sure"
"I am"
"Good, well I had better go and see Jack. I will see you later, maybe you and Peter could come to dinner with me and Adam sometime"
"Yes, that would be nice, thanks, bye"
Gina walked off towards the lifts and went up to Jack's office. "Jack!"
"Ah Gina, come in. What can I do for you?" Jack asked,
"Well, I have just heard about PC Thomas, who have you got to replace him?"
"I am not sure yet, I am awaiting a call to confirm the replacement"
"So, who is it?" Gina asked curiously
"Ah that would be telling Gina, but lets just say you know them"
"Oh come on Jack, why all the secrecy""All will be revealed, but I don't want the relief knowing until they turn up for duty"
"Oh it's not Matt is it?"
"No, no its not" Jack laughed
The phone starts ringing
"Excuse me a minute" Jack said
"I had better be getting back, see you later"
"Ok"
Gina leaves and walks down the corridor. Jack answers the phone. "DC Jack Meadows speaking - ah, it's nice of you to return my call. I was wondering, how long are you back for�� really; well I don't suppose you would like a job at Sunhill would you? I understand that, but how does a six month contract sound? That's brilliant I will have a contract drawn up immediately. How does tomorrow sound? Yes, well you know me - great, thanks and welcome aboard. I will see you tomorrow - do you think you can find CSU? Of course - ok then, bye.��
Jack puts the phone down and leaves his office "June, PC Thomas' replacement will be here tomorrow morning" he said
"Thank you sir"
"Anyone we know sir" Brandon asked
"You will have to wait and see Brandon"
For the rest of the shift everyone was speculating on who the new member of CSU would be. The shift came to an end and June went home.
The next day, the new member of CSU arrived for work, they parked their car and sat for about ten minutes watching the relief arrive for work, they smiled as they saw people they knew. They watched Tony, Reg and June being dropped off by Peter. They got out of their car and walked up to Jack's office.
"Morning sir"
"Morning, it's nice to see you. You are looking well"
"You don't look to bad yourself"
"Thanks" Jack said "Come on then, lets introduce you to the relief.
Jack and the new member of CSU walked to the briefing room, "Can I have everyone's attention please, I would like you all to meet the replacement for PC Kurt Thomas in CSU"
Everyone turned around and was gob smacked by what they saw
"Hello, everyone"
"Jim!" Tony shouted "Its nice to see you mate"
"And you"
Jim's eyes searched for June and when they found them, they stared at each other for a few seconds and then she turned away. She felt confused, one half of her was angry that he had returned, but the other half was delighted to see him.
"Well, well I never thought we would see you back in Sunhill Jim" Des said
"To be honest neither did I"
"Well what made you leave lovely New Zealand to return to Sunhill" Tony asked"He missed us," Nick shouted
"Well some of you" Jim smiled "No the real reason is that the Sunhill is my home and I missed it"
"Oh you old softy" Tony said
"Nothings changed there then," Polly laughed
"Right, that's enough questions for now, you can continue catching up with PC Carver in your own time" Jack said firmly
"See you later Jim" Tony said, "We'll go for a drink or something"
"Ok, that would be nice"
"Right then Jim I will leave you to it" Jack said 'Oh and by the way you have your own office now too, things have moved on a little'
"Thanks"
Jack walked off and left Jim to settle back in. Jim turned around to look for June as he was eager to speak to her, but she had gone. "Welcome back Jim. Thanks June" Jim whispered to himself
Polly overheard him, "Jim don't worry about it, she's probably in shock. A lot of things have changed since you left including June."
Jim walked down the corridor and Polly followed him and started to fill him in on what had been happening.
Meanwhile June had gone down to the inspector's office to speak to Gina. "Ma'am, sorry to interrupt but can I have a word please" June asked
"Yes of course June, is something wrong?"
"You could say that"
"Come in and sit down"
June and Gina went into Gina's office and sat down. "Well?"
"It's Jim, he's back" June said
"What!" Gina looked shocked
"He's the replacement "
"Have you spoken to him?"
"No, I came straight down here. I don't know what to say to him"
"Oh June. How do you feel about his return?" Gina asked
"I wish I had been warned"
"It must be nice to see him again" Gina smiled
"No��Yes...or I don't know" June cried
"Don't upset yourself June"
"I thought that part of my life was behind me Gina"
"Do you still have feelings for him?" Gina asked
"I didn't think I did, but seeing him again"
"What?"
"Well, my heart skipped a beat, as soon as I saw him, just like it did two years ago"
"Oh June, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know" June said with tears running down her cheeks.
Gina gets up and hands her a tissue to wipe her eyes. "Thanks, oh look at me Gina, he's only been back five minutes and look at the affect he's had on me"
"It's only because you still love him" Gina replied"No, no I don't, I must stop this, it was the shock of seeing him again that's all" June said unconvincingly
"I don't think so June"
"Jim's in the past, I am happy with Peter and he's the future" June said "Look, sorry to have bothered you, I must get back, they'll be wondering where I am"
June got up and left. She arrived back in CSU and continues to work on the pile of paperwork. "Sarge, Jim would like to see you in the office" Brandon shouted
"Ok Thanks" June replied as she walked towards the office door. She stopped outside the door, took a deep breath and then knocked on the door.
"Come in" Jim said
June opened the door slowly "You wanted to see me"
"Yes, come in and take a seat" Jim smiled "It's nice to see you June, your looking well"
"Yes I am thanks"
"June, I wanted to explain why I left the way I did"
"There's no need Jim, I have moved on now"
"Yes, I heard, Peter isn't it" Jim said
"Yes" June replied
"I hope you will be happy with him June"
June was a bit surprised by his response; her heart was pounding really fast. "Is that it Jim because I have a lot of work to do"
"Yes, that's it" Jim replied
June left his office with tears in her eyes, the way he wished her good luck with Peter must mean that he doesn't love her anymore, maybe he has found someone else too, June thought to herself.
The rest of the shift was quite quiet. At the end of the shift, Jim and a few members' of the relief went for a drink. June decided not to go, she went home on her own instead, she wasn't good company at the moment. She sat in her front room for hours in the dark thinking about Jim, trying to work out how she felt about him and whether he still had feelings for her. She looked through a small cardboard box, which contained photo's of her and her father, she smiled as she looked at the family photo's and then she came across one photo she had forgotten she had put in there. It was one of her and Jim at work, it was taken for and article in the paper on the CSU Unit; she had cut it out of the paper and kept it. She picked it up slowly and tears run down her face. "Oh Jim, why did you have to come back, everything was going fine until you came back" she said to herself. The phone rang several times while she sat there alone but she ignored it. Every phone call was Peter, he left message after message but she didn't feel like talking to him. She just sat on the sofa holding the picture of her and Jim and cried herself to sleep.
A week went past and by now Jim was finding working with June extremely hard. Every time he bumped into her there were awkward glances and they hadn't had a tidy conversation since his first day at work in his office. He walked to Jack's office "Sir, can I have a word please" Jim asked
"Yes of course Jim. What is it?"
"I don't think this is working sir, me working here I mean"
"You mean your personal feelings for Sgt Ackland are making it difficult for you to concentrate" Jack said
"Yes but that's not the only reason sir, I feel out of place here"
"So what do you want me to do about it?" Jack asked
"I would like to be transferred" Jim replied
"That is a big step Jim, are you sure?"
"Yes, I am"
"Well, I would like you to think about it over night and if you still feel there is no other option I will do my best to get you transferred. I am not happy about it though, you are an excellent copper Jim"
"Thank you sir" Jim smiled "I had better get back"
"Yes" Jack said
Jim left the office and walked to reception. "Excuse Me," a man said
"Yes" Jim replied
"Could you tell me where I would find Sgt Ackland please"?
"Peter isn't it" Jim said
"Yes, do I know you" Peter asked
"No, oh sorry, I am PC Carver. I have heard a lot about you"
"Have you?"
"Yes, every time I see her, she mentions you"
"Has she seemed alright to you this week," Peter asked
"Well, I haven't noticed any difference in her" Jim replied
"It's just that, I haven't seen her all week. I think she is avoiding me, I keep leaving messages for her, but she doesn't return them"
"Oh" Jim said looking surprised
"That's why I have come here today, I have to see her"
"Yes of course, she's in her office in CSU. It's the first door on the left"
"Thanks"
Peter walked off towards CSU and left Jim feeling confused. The way she had been talking all week, you would think that they were inseparable. Why would she lie about her relationship with Peter, he thought to himself.
Peter walked into her office in CSU "June"
""Peter, what are you doing here? You can't come in here it is staff only" June said
"PC Carver, let me in."
"Did he?" June said looking shocked
"Yes, he seems a lovely man"
June could feel her heart pounding faster, she felt really uncomfortable listening to Peter talk about Jim, and so she quickly changed the subject
"What are you doing here?" she asked
"I had to see you June, why haven't you returned any of my calls"
"I am sorry about that Peter, I needed time to think"
"What about?" he asked
"Us" she replied
"I have thought about us a lot lately too" Peter said, "June I have something to tell you""Yes"
"You know that woman you saw me with the other day"
"The one in the restaurant" She said
"Yes. Well, oh June I don't know how to say this" he said burying his head in his hands. "I... slept with her, I am so sorry. It was a one-night stand, a mistake. We went for a few drinks and it just happened."
"You slept with that tart. Why? Was it because I had been ignoring you all week and you weren't getting what you wanted from me?" June shouted
"No, no it wasn't like that"
"Or was it because she was younger, more attractive"
"No, I love you June" Peter said
"Oh yeah, you love me so much that you go and sleep with the first tart you could find. How could you"?
"Please June" Peter pleaded, "Let's talk about this. Nothing has to change between us I still love you. You are the one I want'
"Get out" June shouted
"June please, listen to me"
"I don't want to here your pathetic excuses, Get out!"
Peter got up and walked slowly to the door, he turned around and said, " I am sorry I hurt you June"
June said nothing, she just sat there sobbing and then Peter left. She heard footsteps out side the door, so she quickly dried her eyes and left the room. She walked over to the photocopier in CSU and overheard Brandon and Cathy talking. "He's leaving again" Cathy said
"Look's like it" Brandon replied
"He's only been back five minutes"
"I know"
June quickly walked off before they could see her. She went into the toilets and sat on the floor. She sat there thinking of what a mess her life was. First Peter tells her he has slept with someone else and then she hears that Jim is leaving again. She sobbed as she thought of all the times Jim had been there for her when she felt down like she did today, some how he always used to make her feel better, but not this time, she thought to herself, this time she was all alone.
For the rest of the shift June was extremely quiet. She just got on with her work and tried to avoid Jim as much as possible, as she feared that if Jim started asking questions about Peter, she would end up telling him every thing and that wouldn't be fair on him. At the end of the shift she went to the locker room to collect her belongings. As she was putting her coat on, she knocked her bag onto the floor. The contents of her bag went everywhere; she slowly picked everything up and placed them back into her bag. She picked up an envelope which was addressed to her, it was the letter Jim had left her two years ago before he left Sunhill. Tears started to run down her face, she quickly placed the envelope into her bag and left the room in a hurry. She quickly walked past reception, trying to avoid every one, and then as she walked down the corridor she heard this familiar voice calling her "June" Jim shouted, "Wait."
"I can't."
"June, what's wrong?" Jim asked."Nothing, its nothing, I am fine." June replied.
"June this is me you are talking to."
"Oh Jim just leave it please." She cried
"I can't do that June." Jim replied, "You're upset, and I want to know why. Come up to CSU please, no one is there."
June reluctantly agreed and followed him to CSU; They went into her office, she wiped her eyes and sat down. Jim closed the door and sat on the edge of the desk in front of her. "June what's wrong?" he asked
"Nothing, I told you." she insisted.
"Why the tears then? Is it something I have done"?
"No, no of course not." June replied with tears flowing down her cheeks "oh Jim, why is life never simple."
"What do you mean?" Jim asked.
"It's Peter, he has been sleeping with some young beautiful girl." June sobbed.
"What! He did what? Oh June I am so sorry. Right I am not going to let him hurt you like this" Jim said as he walked towards the door.
"Jim where are you going?"
"To find Peter."
He does still have feelings for me, she thought to herself; otherwise he wouldn't be acting like he is.
"No Jim please don't." June cried.
"Ok, but��"
"Please, you will only end up getting into trouble." June said
June got up and slowly walked over to where Jim was standing, he could see her tears glistening in the light. He put his hand onto her cheek and wiped away the tears. "Jim I had better go." June whispered.
"No, not in this state." Jim replied.
"I'll be alright."
She went to open the door to leave and Jim interrupted her. "June, I still love you, you know."
June paused and slowly turned around to face him. "I have never stopped loving you. I was a coward two years ago, I couldn't face you to say goodbye, I really wanted to but I couldn't."
"So you just left me a letter." Jim sobbed.
"Yes, it was the only way I could express my feelings for you. When we split up, I couldn't cope, I felt like a piece of me had been taken away June. I couldn't go on pretending that I didn't love you, I couldn't work with you day in day out knowing I couldn't touch you, kiss you, it was all too much for me. And then when Matt died I just needed to go and I couldn't face telling you."
"You left when I really needed you Jim, Matt one of our best friends had just died, and you decided to do a runner."
"I know, I am sorry. I felt guilty." Jim said wiping away a small tear
"It wasn't your fault, he died of a heart attack."
"I know but if I hadn't asked him to assist me then��"
"No Jim it wasn't your fault."
"I know.""Every time the phone rang I wished and longed for it to be you, but it never was. I remember once when I went to the park with Tony and Polly, I thought I saw you. My heart started to beat faster and I walked over to this man and when I realised it wasn't you I was so disappointed it hurt Jim." June cried.
"Oh June I am sorry."
"At Matt's funeral, everyone was there to mourn for Matt but all I could think of was you. Where you were? What you were doing? It drove me crazy."
"I nearly phoned you once, but I lost my bottle, it was about three weeks after I left and I didn't think you would want to talk to me. I was too scared of rejection."
"If you were so scared of rejection why did you decide to come back?" June asked.
"I don't know really, I suppose it was an excuse to see you again. When Jack asked me if I would like my job back, my instant thought was yes. I have longed to see you for years and I got quite excited at the thought of seeing you again even though I was scared of what you would say and do." Jim said.
"And then when you came back, you saw me with Peter" June added
"Yes. It felt like my nightmare had come true, I had lost you forever and it was all my fault." Jim said wiping away a tear. "Every time I saw you it got harder and harder and eventually, I decided coming back was a big mistake. I went and told Jack I wanted a transfer but he persuaded me to stay." Jim continued.
"I'm glad he did." June replied.
"Are you?"
"Yes." June whispered.
"Ah listen to me going on about the past, I don't blame you for moving on. It was stupid of me to think otherwise."
"No it wasn't." June said and then she paused "Jim, I missed you."
"Did you?"
"Yes, I did. When I saw you again, I��"
"You thought, oh no what's he doing here." Jim smiled.
"No. I was surprised of how my feelings re - surfaced. I thought I had got over you but�� Jim, I still love you too." June wept. "Oh Jim I have missed you so much."
Jim walked towards her and her heart started beating faster and then suddenly they both reached out and hugged each other. They clung tightly as if they never wanted to let go.
"Oh June."
"Shush." June said. She looked up and she kissed him slowly and tenderly on the lips.
Meanwhile Gina was searching for June as she had heard June had been upset about something. She came up to CSU and knocked on her office and then entered. She looked up and saw Jim and June kissing. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Gina said.
June broke away from Jim but he stood there holding her hand, it was as if he was scared of losing her again. "It's ok." Jim replied, "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing, I was looking for June that's all, to see if she was alright, but obviously she is." Gina smiled.
"Yes I am fine." June replied squeezing Jim's hand.
"What about Peter, June?" Gina asked."It's over, he had been seeing someone else."
"Oh I am sorry."
"It doesn't matter now. In fact he's done me a favour, if it wasn't for him, Jim and I wouldn't be back together." June said and then she looked at Jim and he kissed her.
"Well I will leave you to it and its nice to see you together, again." Gina laughed.
"Thank you." Jim said.
Gina left and Jim held June in his arms. "Jim.'
"Yes"
"You will never leave me again will you?" June said looking worried.
"June, I have something to tell you."
"Oh no Jim don't tell me you are leaving, please." June cried.
"You know when I told you I spoke to Jack about a transfer."
"Yes."
"Well Jack persuaded me to stay because he offered me a six month contract."
June broke free from Jim's arms. "So you mean after six months, that's it, you are leaving Sun Hill, leaving me?" June shouted
"No, calm down." Jim said putting his arm on her shoulder.
"Get off me."
"June please, listen." Jim pleaded.
"All this talk about loving me, I should have known it wasn't true." June cried as she picked up her bag and coat.
"June where are you going."
"Home."
"June please."
"Leave me alone Jim." June sobbed as she ran down the corridor leaving Jim angry with himself for not handling that better and completing what he wanted to say. He watched as she went down the stairs and as she disappeared once again, he was left deciding whether to go after her or leave her.