**What if the events of episode 124 turned out very differently�? **
*Bridge in Sun Hill.
PC Des Taviner watched as the robber fired the gun. He ducked, but the man had anticipated that, and had fired low. The bullet collided with his head.
*CAD
Sgt Sheelagh Murphy gasped, her hand flew to her mouth in horror.
�432 from 66! Are you hurt Des?�
Silence.
�Repeat. Are you hurt?�
*Bridge
The man pointed the gun at PC Cameron Tait, who had been about to kneel to Des. He picked up the radio, stared at it, and answered Sheelagh in a rough tone.
�Cops lose again. I�ll be back.�
After firing at Cameron�s arm, he ran to his mate on the motorbike. Cameron pulled himself towards the scouser, and felt for his pulse. It was growing fainter by the second. One eye opened�
�Sheelagh� he whispered, �love Sheel��
The pulse stopped.
*CAD
Sheelagh was frantic, nobody was answering her, or Smithy, and a gun had gone off. Her officers could be hurt� Des could be hurt. The radio crackled.
�He�s dead. Ambulance needed. Sorry.� It was Cameron.
She ran out of the room, not knowing where she was going, faces blurred into vision, as she passed them, and found herself in the ladies. Cubicle. She entered it and shut the door. It couldn�t be true. Couldn�t. Des was� was� everything. It was at that moment Sheelagh Murphy realised that she had indeed loved Des, still did, and that she had lost him. Tears fell.
*St Hughes, later.
A puffy eyed Sergeant walked in to the emergency ward.
�Can I help you?� A pleasant Dr asked her.
�What? Oh, yes�� her Irish lilt faltered. �I�m looking for Cameron Tait� PC Tait.�
�He�s in that cubicle there.� The Dr pointed.
Sheelagh pushed aside the curtains, still in a daze. The white face on the pillows looked up, a sad look on his face.
�Sarge.�
�Cameron�
�I�m sorry�
�What for? You�you couldn�t help him�� She faltered once more. The aussie heard this, saw her blotchy cheeks, and knew.
�No, for you.�
Sheelagh looked at him agape.
�What do you mean� you can�t know? He wouldn�t tell you��
Cameron gave a soft smile.
�It was his last words� I wasn�t sure if he meant you at first.�
�What? What do you mean?� She stared at him.
�When I took his pulse, after the men had gone� he came to for a second, and murmured �Sheelagh�Love Sheel�� � He paused, and saw how white his Sgt had gone, and slowly said again �I�m sorry�.
Her mind was a whirl. He had said that? Hard man Des� Womaniser Des� Des who she had kissed for the first time the day before.
�I�I have to go Cameron, I�ll�be back. Thank you�� She turned and ran.
*A random park.
Passers by stared at the pretty blonde sitting on the bench. She was looking into a distant spot, trying to make sense of the message Cameron had given her. She had to see him, had to see him before they buried him. Des, not being Irish, would not have a wake, as would be traditional in her family. What would she tell Patrick�how could she explain her broken heart? The mortuary. Where was the mortuary? She had to see him.
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