June enters The Canley Arms to find Jim slumped on the floor. She approaches him:
"What are you doing?" June asked, trying to look like as if she didn't care.
"Resting." Jim slurred.
"Get up, you're a disgrace."
"That's me - always a disgrace." He laughed. "Get me another." He waved his glass at her.
"Does Marie know you're here?"
"Marie who?"
"Marie Carver" June spat. "Your WIFE."
"Oh her."
"I asked, does she know you're here?"
"Probably not."
"Does she care?"
"Probably not." He laughed.
"Oh, Jim..." She knelt down by him. "You're an idiot."
"I am." He drained the contents of his glass. "Jim Carver - idiot of the year."
"I did warn you about her."
"You didn't stop me making the biggest mistake of my life though did you?"
"Sometimes you have to make mistakes to realise what you've done. I can't run your life for you, Jim."
"I can't run my life either can I? I need a drink." He stood up and wobbled.
"You need a coffee."
"No, a scotch."
"Coffee."
"Scotch."
"Coffee. Black. With way too much sugar."
"Pint of lager - whiskey chaser."
"Coffee, a gallon of� and a cold shower."
"I don't like cold water."
June laughed, sobbing at the same time. "Since when?"
"Since now." He sunk down onto a seat.
"Jim, let me take you home."
"I wanna stay here."
"Jim... I'm not going to stay here and watch you do this to yourself."
"Then go..." He hung his head sadly.
"No."
"You don't want to see me like this - you can't bear it - you've told me before."
"I cant bear seeing you so unhappy. You being drunk has nothing to do with it."
"I'm not drunk."
"Jim, you were on the floor." June snapped. "Come on, I'm taking you home."
"I'm just a bit tipsy."
"PC Carver!" She snapped. "Are you going to obey a direct order?"
"I don't know if I can..."
"Ohhhhhh." June stood pulling at his arm.
"Gently woman." He got to his feet gingerly.
"That's gently Sarge to you." She muttered. "You're coming back to mine, and I'm going to get you sobered up"
"You're taking me home?" He grinned, then paused suddenly as the tune on the jukebox changed. "I love this song." He started to sing along... badly.
"Oh, Jiiiiiim." June rolled her eyes. "That Marie is a bad influence on you."
"Why?" He carried on singing.
"This!!! You drinking, the rowdy behaviour, Jim you're turning into that vile woman!"
Jim laughed. "You don't mince your words do you?"
"No. I hate your wife, Jim. So does everyone at the nick. There's a book on when you two are going to get divorced."
"Really? So when's your money on? And what are the best odds? I'm a bit skint right now."
"Best odds are the moment you two have been married one year, as soon as you legally can. Nobody thinks you're mad enough to stay married to that woman for a second longer than you have to."
"I'm not mad." He slurred, wobbling and leaning heavily on June.
"Just what I said. But you'll go mad if you don't get yourself out of this mess."
"I got myself into this." He stepped towards the door and stumbled.
"Jim..." She grabbed his arm. "Just for once take hold of your life and sort things out!"
"How?" He looked at her through wide eyes.
"By... by admitting what it is you really want. If it's Marie, fine. If it's no one, fine. If it's me..."
"I love you June."
"And I love you. Why do you think I'm here?"
"Glutton for punishment?"
"You've hurt me, I wont deny that, you've broken my heart more than once but despite it all I can't let you go."
He chuckled. "You're silly aren't you? Thought you were taking me home."
"I am... Jim, I can take you back to Marie and let her sort you out, or I can take you back to mine and I can sober you up and then I can help you sort this mess out." She shrugged. "It's up to you."
"I don't want to go back to Marie."
June's eyes fell shut and she bit back a smile. "Are you just saying that because you're drunk?"
"No. I'm deadly serious."
"You were deadly serious when you proposed to me."
"No then I was drunk."
"Jim, you're drunk now... you could change your mind tomorrow. You've done it before."
"Not this time." He looked seriously at her. "I made a big mistake. I just want to unmake it."
"Then I'll help you. And despite all of Marie's threats and warnings... everything will be alright."
"I'll protect you from her."
"She's been sending me letters and e-mails, once she make a hoax call so I would go out to meet her, she told me I should leave Sun-Hill, and if I didn't..." She shuddered.
"She did WHAT? I'll kill her." Jim said loudly, a sudden moment of sobriety.
"I couldn't tell you... I was scared about what she'd do to you. I didn't care about myself."
"I care about you. More than I've ever cared for her."
"I know you do. Where did all go wrong, eh, Jim?"
Jim paused, deep in thought. "That bloody clairvoyant. It's all her fault."
June stared at him for a moment. Then she laughed. "I should never have listened to her."
"You shouldn't always do what you're told Sergeant Ackland. You need to rebel every now and then."
"Like... starting an affair with a married man?" She ducked her head, then looked up to him, deadly serious.
"Depends which married man?"
"Jack Meadows." She rolled her eyes.
"He's separated isn't he? Go for it." Jim laughed, slipping an arm around her shoulders.
"Oh, Jim...." June couldn't help but smile. "You know there's only one man I want."
"Jack?"
"No... Luke." She pulled at his arm. "This is useless."
"Luke's gay June."
"Jim...."
"What?" He moved closer to her, his eyes meeting hers.
"Jim� shut up."
"Fine."
"We'll talk when you're sober."
"I'm sober now. Well, soberer. Just tell me who you want." He pleaded wide-eyed.
"Soberer?"
"Soberererer!"
"Come on..." June yanked Jim through the doors into the warm evening air.
"You're not going to tell me?" He stopped suddenly in the evening light, planting his feet heavily onto the ground. "I'm not budging til you do."
"Jim... you're showing yourself up. I don't need to tell you, do I?"
"I want to hear you say it." He said softly.
"Jim... I love you and I want you and I need you and you're not even going to remember this in the morning so why am I bothering..."
"Thank you June, I can call you June again and not Sergeant Ackland?" He enveloped her in a huge bear hug, picking her up off the floor.
"Jim, put me down." June said, trying to keep a straight face.
"No."
"Jim, that's an order."
"Well I'm disobeying it." He planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek.
"I'll have you up on a disciplinary"
"I don't care." He kissed her again on the lips.
"Jim...." She said, wanting to keep on kissing him but pulling away. "Not now, alright?"
"What's up? Do I smell like a brewery?" He placed her gently down on the floor.
"Yes, you do. Jim, let's wait until you're more level headed. I can't really trust what you're saying now. You understand that don't you."
"I suppose..." He pouted. "But I promise I'm telling you the truth. Can I have that coffee now? I still don't want the cold shower though..."
"Course you can. And you can have a hot shower instead, you smell of cigarette smoke." She took his hand. "And tomorrow, or whenever Marie realises you're missing, we sort all of this out."
"Can I stay at yours tonight then?"
"In the spare room."
He hung his head. "OK� if you say so."
"One step at a time, sweetheart, alright?" She placed a hand on his face. "You're still married."
"Only in words June."
"I know, but Marie has to know. Otherwise, its adultery and... I can't do that again."
"I understand. I'll talk to her."
"We'll talk to her. We're a team, she has to see that. And nothing she can do can hurt us."
"You're always right... did you know that?" He squeezed her hand.
"Course. Why do you think I'm the Sergeant and you're the PC?"
"You should be commissioner." He chuckled.
"Now I know you're drunk. Try and keep your mouth shut unless you have something useful... or sweet to say."
"You're beautiful when you're telling me off."
"Jim..."
"Well you are."
"Jim..."
"You're even more beautiful when you're angry."
"Jim...." She moved in close to him. "For God's sake shut up." She placed her hands on his cheeks. "Just shut up." With that, she leant in and kissed him.
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