Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Well, I have to say Sarge, this isn’t quite how I anticipated spending my Friday evening,” Detective Constable Kit Green said with a smirk as he propped one elbow atop the sticky bar.

Next to him, Detective Sergeant Lisa Swain harrumphed, rolling her eyes at her junior colleague. “Trust me, DC Green,” she bit back. “This isn’t exactly how I wanted to kickstart my weekend either.”

“Hey,” the younger man said, nudging the detective teasingly. “I’m not complaining, gives us a chance to get to know one another a bit better.”

Lisa pursed her lips, turning her attention to the suited barman who sidled up in front of them.

“What can I get you, madam?” he asked, not bothering to conceal the fact he was blatantly checking the blonde out.

Lisa flinched as she felt Kit slide a possessive arm around her waist. “Alright mate,” the constable said with a sneer. “My *wife* and I will both have a rum and coke, please.”

Lisa squirmed out of the younger man’s grasp, shooting him a look, before turning back to the barman with a tight smile. “Actually, just a lime and soda for me, please.”

The barman looked between the two glowering colleagues with a bemused grin. “Coming right up,” he said, moving off to make their drinks.

“Well, safe to say you don’t have a future in acting, Sarge,” Kit said through gritted teeth once the other man was out of earshot.

Lisa shot him another filthy look. “I don’t appreciate being manhandled,” she said. “And I certainly don’t think it’s appropriate for us to be drinking. We’re meant to be working, remember?”

Kit rolled his eyes. “Right, yes. And nothing screams ‘undercover cop’ more than ordering a soft drink at a strip club on a Friday night.”

Lisa ignored him, though she did have to concede he was probably right. They were spending the evening at ‘Underworld’, a seedy strip club on the outskirts of Manchester.

The venue had been on the radar of the authorities for some time now, with the owner - Peter Barlow - believed to be at the centre of one of the city’s most formidable drugs rings.

Lisa suspected that there was far more to it than that, that they had only scratched the surface of Barlow’s sordid dealings. And so the Chief had deployed her and Kit here to spend the night, to masquerade as man and wife and scope out the place so that they could begin building a case.

‘Underworld’ was dimly lit, full of shady characters skulking in dark corners. Most of the girls working here looked young, not much older than Lisa’s 16-year-old daughter Betsy. The detective’s heart broke at the thought.

“Anyway,” Kit said, jolting Lisa out of her reverie. “I thought this would be your idea of heaven; a load of half-naked women everywhere.”

Lisa took in the other man’s lascivious smirk and it took an enormous amount of self-restraint to keep from reaching over and wiping it from his face. The blonde had been secure in her sexuality for a long time but it didn’t mean she was immune to being wound up by casual homophobia.

It was rife in the police force, with many of her male colleagues seemingly unable to comprehend that a beautiful, intelligent woman like herself had precisely zero interest in men.

“Unlike you, DC Green,” Lisa said, smiling sweetly at her colleague. “I’ve never had to pay a woman to give me attention.”

Kit snarled at that, and Lisa mentally congratulated herself for having one-upped him, before he said: “Maybe you should try it sometime. Hardly like you’ve been inundated with offers over the past few years.”

Lisa felt the blood drain from her face. Kit knew exactly why her love life was non-existent these days.

Her wife Becky, who was also a copper, had been killed in the line of duty three years ago. She’d been mowed down by an assailant after a high-profile drugs bust and had died at the scene.

It was why places like this, people like Peter Barlow, got under Lisa’s skin so much, why she was so desperate to bring these big, inner-city drug dealers to justice.

She was about to say as much to Kit but the younger man was already walking away, smug at having so clearly rattled his superior.

“I’m off to mingle,” he said cheerfully. “Have fun, Sarge.”

Lisa fixed him with a death stare and took a long slug of her drink, wishing now that she had ordered something a bit stronger. She was staring despondently into the bottom of her glass, feeling utterly pathetic, when a husky voice from behind her brought her back to the present.

“Penny for ‘em?”

Lisa turned around, feeling her breath catch in her throat at the sight of quite possibly the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. She was older than most of the girls in here - maybe late forties, slightly older than Lisa - with glossy dark hair framing her exquisitely pretty face.

She could have been a supermodel; all high, slanted cheekbones and full, pillowy lips, and Lisa marvelled that someone so ethereally gorgeous could wind up in a place like this.

Lisa couldn’t help but rake her eyes over the other woman’s body, her svelte figure clad in an impossibly tight black bandeau dress that skimmed the tops of her toned thighs. The brunette had paired the indecently short garment with black stockings and suspenders, and a pair of ridiculously high black stilettos.

Lisa dragged her gaze back up to the taller woman’s chest, couldn’t help but notice how her perfect breasts seemed to strain against the thin fabric, couldn’t help but wonder what precious riches were hiding underneath…

“My eyes are up here.”

The brunette’s sultry drawl cut through Lisa’s thoughts and she felt her cheeks flame at having been caught staring. “No,” the blonde stammered quickly. “I wasn’t…I’m not-“

The other woman shrugged, smiled. “You were,” she said. “And I don’t mind. I’ve been checking you out since you walked in here.”

Lisa felt her mouth go dry. She wasn’t used to anyone flirting with her so brazenly, particularly not a woman as beautiful as this.

She tried to keep her voice level. “Is that right?” she asked.

“Uh huh,” the brunette nodded. “It’s not very often we get women coming in here, let alone a woman as breathtaking as you.”

Lisa felt the blush in her cheeks deepen further at the compliment and was still trying to formulate a response when the other woman extended her hand.

“Carla,” she introduced herself with a soft smile.

Lisa looked at her dumbly for a moment before recovering her manners. “Oh right, yes,” she said, accepting the handshake. “Lisa. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh trust me, Lisa,” Carla said, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Lisa shuddered at that, goosebumps prickling her skin as Carla’s long fingers closed around her own. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, though Lisa couldn’t help but feel disappointed when the other woman retracted her hand.

“That your husband?” Carla asked, nodding in the direction of Kit, who was now flirting shamelessly with two girls who must have been at least ten years younger than him.

Lisa laughed bitterly at the sight, nodded. “Yeah.”

“Looks like he’s enjoying himself,” Carla said. “Though I can’t imagine why he’s bothering with them pair when he’s got you in his bed.”

Lisa turned her attention back to the other woman, swallowing when she realised she was now standing just a few inches away. The blonde took a step backwards but discovered she was trapped when she felt her behind brush against the bar.

Carla leant forward, planting her arms on either side of Lisa’s body, and the detective thought the brunette was going to kiss her, her dark eyes remaining trained on the shorter woman’s as she moved closer.

Just at the last minute, Carla turned her head, so that her mouth instead came to graze against Lisa’s ear. “How about you forget about him for a while?” she rasped, breath hot on the blonde’s neck. “Maybe we could take this conversation somewhere a little more private?”

Lisa shivered, heat immediately building in her core. Nobody had made her feel like this in a very long time.

She took a deep breath, desperately trying to compose herself. “I’m flattered,” she croaked. “But I, er, don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m, um, not here for a lap dance.”

Carla arched an eyebrow. “Oh?” she grinned. “Then why are you here, blondie?”

Lisa cursed herself for her slip of the tongue. The last thing she needed to do was blow her cover.

“It was my husband’s idea,” she said quickly. “He suggested that we come. I just went along with it.”

Carla narrowed her eyes. “And do you always do what you’re told, Lisa?”

The blonde couldn’t help but squeeze her thighs together at the suggestion in the other woman’s tone. “I, er, no….I-“

“I’m just messing with you, blondie,” Carla laughed, reaching up to brush a stray tendril of hair behind Lisa’s ear. “I’ll cut you a deal. You come with me, I’ll give you a lap dance, and if at any point you want me to stop, or if you don’t enjoy it, I won’t make you pay. How’s that?”

“Oh, it’s not about the money,” Lisa protested meekly.

“So it’s just that you don’t find me attractive?” Carla replied, a challenge in her eyes.

Lisa swallowed again, her head swimming. “No!” she yelped. “You’re gorgeous. It’s just…”

Lisa trailed off, completely out of excuses. Carla smirked, knowing she had the other woman exactly where she wanted her.

“Ten minutes, Lisa,” the brunette said softly, extending her hand again. “That’s all I’m asking.”

The blonde chanced a look over at Kit, who was now watching this exchange unfold with an infuriating grin on his face. Even though this was all a big charade, Lisa could tell the younger man was jealous that the hottest woman in the place was hitting on his female colleague.

And perhaps that was why Lisa did it, why she boldly laced her fingers through Carla’s and gave her a slow nod. “Okay,” she said quietly. “Ten minutes.”

Carla smiled, squeezing her hand ever so slightly. “Good girl.”

The brunette paused for a minute, noting the way Lisa’s eyes darkened at her words. She looked past the blonde, calling to the barman.

“Jamie,” she said. “Two tequilas, please.”

“Oh no,” Lisa said quickly. “I’m okay thanks.”

Carla said nothing, instead fixing her with a sharp look as she held out a shot glass. “Drink,” she said, voice firm.

Lisa hesitated for a second, then, realising she was never going to win this particular battle of wills, sighed and downed the tequila. She scrunched up her face as she felt the pungent liquid burn her throat and Carla laughed lightly, holding out a wedge of lemon between her thumb and forefinger. “Here,” she said.

Lisa reached to take it from her, furrowing her brow when Carla reared back with a seductive smile. “Ah, ah,” the brunette said. “No touching.”

Lisa was just about to protest but something stopped her, the blonde instead dipping her head to suck at the lemon, the tips of Carla’s hot fingers brushing against her lips as she did so.

The older woman nodded, satisfied, as Lisa pulled back, then downed her own shot before taking the blonde’s hand. “Come on,” she said, tugging her away from the bar. “This way.”

Lisa ducked her head bashfully as Carla led her past Kit and through the busy club. The blonde had always enjoyed sex and was fully on board with women owning their sexuality, but she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed as she walked through the sea of scantily-clad girls putting on a show for their - largely middle-aged - male clients.

Sensing her discomfort, Carla pulled her closer, placing a protective hand on the small of her back. “You’re very cute when you get nervous,” the brunette whispered.

“I’m not nervous!” Lisa said, a little too vehemently.

Carla stopped, pinning her with a wicked grin. “Is that so?” she asked, hooking a finger through one of the belt loops on Lisa’s jeans. “So you’re not nervous now?”

Lisa swallowed, blood rushing in her ears. She tried her best to hold her nerve, lifting her chin defiantly as she said: “No.”

Carla raised an eyebrow, reached up to graze a hand across Lisa’s cheek. “How about now?”

Lisa bit her lip, sure the other woman could smell her arousal. “Not even a little bit,” she squeezed out.

Carla laughed. “How about,” the brunette turned Lisa’s head to the side, then leant down to lick a hot stripe along the column of the shorter woman’s throat, “now?”

Lisa heard a wanton moan, realised with embarrassment that it had slipped from her own lips. “Carla,” she warned, voice trembling.

The brunette smiled as she pulled back. “Come on,” she said, nodding in the direction of a side room.

Lisa followed on shaky legs, heart hammering in her chest as Carla closed the door behind them. It was quiet inside, the faint burbling of the club outside making it feel as if they were submerged underwater.

“Take a seat,” Carla said, gesturing to where a cushioned chair sat in the middle of the backlit room.

Lisa tentatively complied, watching as Carla walked over to the sound system in the corner, hips swaying as a low bass began reverberating through the speakers.

The blonde felt dizzy as the other woman whirled around, licking her lips as she made her way across the room.

“Carla,” Lisa breathed. “You really don’t have to do this.”

“Oh,” Carla said sweetly, stopping a few feet away from the detective. “But I really, really want to.”

Lisa was about to say something else but the words died in her throat as Carla began pulling down her dress, shimmying her hips as the fabric slid down her body. The blonde gasped at the sight of her, this total goddess stood there in a strapless black bra and barely-there thong.

Her body was divine, all soft curves and toned, taut muscles. Lisa swallowed thickly as Carla turned around, body undulating as she pushed her glorious arse back into the blonde’s face.

It was all Lisa could do to stop herself from reaching out and taking the other woman’s creamy flesh in her hands.

“You know,” Carla said as she carried on dancing, “your husband is pretty fit.”

Lisa felt something suspiciously like jealousy flare in the pit of her stomach at that, and she silently berated herself for her emotional reaction.

“Hmm,” she hummed non-committally. “I suppose he is.”

Carla turned around then, a devilish smirk on her lips as she straddled Lisa’s lap. She wound her arms around the shorter woman’s neck, leaning forwards so that her breasts were pressed against Lisa’s chest.

“He’s fit,” the brunette continued lowly. “But you are so out of his league. You are fucking unbelievable, Lisa.”

This time, when the detective moaned, she was too turned on to care about the other woman hearing her. Encouraged by Lisa’s obvious desire, Carla began rocking her hips against the other woman’s lap.

“You can touch, you know,” the brunette said, her voice barely more than a growl.

Lisa looked up into Carla’s eyes, was surprised to see that her pupils were dilated. The detective had been certain that the other woman wouldn’t be affected by all of this, that this was just a part of her job, but her desperate expression told her otherwise.

“I thought touching wasn’t allowed?” Lisa questioned, voice gravelly.

Carla licked her lips again. “It’s not. But for you, I’ll make an exception.”

Lisa whimpered as her hands came to settle on the brunette’s narrow waist. “You are so fucking beautiful,” she said, the words tumbling out of the detective’s mouth before she’d even had chance to register them.

Lisa blushed, dipping her head. Carla noticed, dared to reach out and hook her finger under the blonde’s chin, forcing her gaze upwards.

“Hey,” she said with a softness that was completely at odds with the lewdness of their current situation. “You don’t have to be embarrassed with me, okay?”

Lisa looked up, nodding slowly. For some reason, she felt more safe with this woman she had known for all of five minutes than she did anyone else in her life.

Sensing Lisa relax a bit, Carla covered the detective’s hand with her own, guiding it upwards to the front-fastening clasp of her bra.

The blonde didn’t say anything but tilted her head, wordlessly asking permission. Carla nodded, dropping her hands as Lisa unhooked her bra, her perfect breasts springing free.

Lisa was pretty sure her mouth was hanging open as the lacy fabric dropped onto the floor. She didn’t move her hand, not wanting to make the other woman uncomfortable, but Carla shifted on her lap so that, all of her sudden, her full breast was in the blonde’s palm.

Both women groaned as Lisa squeezed lightly, her thumb sweeping to brush over a hardened nipple. Carla let her head fall back slightly, gripped by pleasure.

“You’re incredible,” the brunette breathed.

Lisa laughed shyly. “I bet you say that to all your clients.”

Carla looked at her then, suddenly serious.

“Only you,” she said, before reaching down to cover her hand again, this time dragging it down the flat plane of her stomach and over her lacy underwear, pressing down on her most sensitive spot.

Lisa gasped as she felt the other woman’s obvious arousal seeping through the lace. The blonde felt wetter than she could ever remember and was maddened to learn that she had had a similar effect on the woman in front of her.

“Kiss me.”

Carla’s breathy request stopped Lisa in her tracks. The detective had a very limited knowledge of the common practices within a strip club, but even she knew kissing was strictly forbidden.

“Carla,” she said, eyes burning into the brunette’s.

Carla rocked her hips, as if chasing some kind of release. “Please, Lisa,” she whispered. “Tell me you don’t want this.”

Lisa opened her mouth but both women knew she was powerless to stop this now. She couldn’t deny how she felt.

Carla smiled, leant closer so that her lips were just ghosting the blonde’s. “Lisa,” she panted against her mouth.

Lisa was just about to press forwards, deepen this into a proper kiss, when the door swung open on the far side of the room.

The detective felt like she’d had cold water poured all over her as Carla reared back, turning to look at the burly, dark-haired man stood in the doorway.

“Peter,” she began, sounding flustered.

“Sorry to interrupt, ladies,” the man snarled, not sounding sorry in the slightest. “I need to steal my wife away if that’s okay.”

His tone made it clear it was a command, not a question. Lisa looked at Carla, confused for a moment, and then awful realisation quickly began to dawn.

“Peter?” Lisa queried in a small voice, as the man turned and left the room, obviously expecting his wife to follow. “Peter Barlow?”

Carla furrowed her brow, clearly baffled that Lisa knew the man’s full name. “Yes,” the brunette said. “How do you know that?”

Lisa cursed herself again, trying to think on her feet. “His name was above the door,” she said quickly, remembering the shiny plaque she’d noticed upon entry to the club.

Carla’s expression was inscrutable for a second before her lovely face softened into a smile. “You’re very observant, Lisa,” she rasped.

The brunette hesitated for second, as if she were about to say something else, but something stopped her. She stood up off Lisa’s lap, for the first time looking slightly awkward.

“I’d better go,” she said quietly. “My husband doesn’t like to be kept waiting for long.”

Something about Carla’s tone made Lisa uncomfortable. She wondered what kind of life the other woman had with this man she was fairly sure was incredibly dangerous.

“Of course,” Lisa said nodding slowly. “I’ll see you.”

“I hope so,” Carla said, so softly that Lisa almost missed it. “I really hope so.”

With that, the brunette turned and left the room, leaving Lisa sat alone, wondering what an earth had just happened.

Chapter Text

Lisa sighed as she rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. She had been willing sleep to come for hours now but, as had been the case every night since Friday evening, it simply wasn’t happening.

Every time she closed her eyes she saw Carla; lean body rippling against her own, eyes full of panic as Peter had called her away. Tired of tossing and turning, the detective slipped out of bed, heading down to the kitchen, where she made herself a strong coffee and fired up her laptop.

She chewed on her lip as she scanned through Peter Barlow’s case file. She had looked at the content at least a dozen times over the past few days, the words on the screen now having lost all of their meaning.

If there was only something she could pin on Peter, some way she could get Carla out of his clutches and to safety…

“Can’t sleep?”

Lisa nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of her daughter, stood barefoot in the doorway, watching her mum with a bemused grin.

“Christ, Betsy!” Lisa yelped, clamping a hand to her chest. “You nearly gave me a bloody heart attack.”

“You’re the one skulking around the place like a…like a creeping Jesus!” Betsy pouted petulantly.

Lisa furrowed her brow, unable to keep the smile from her lips. “You know, that’s not actually how you use that phrase, right?”

Betsy huffed again and Lisa felt her heart swell. Stood there, in her ‘Snoopy’ pyjamas, she looked like a little girl again. The blonde only wished Becky was still here to watch her grow up.

“Whatever,” the teenager snapped. “I don’t need an English lesson at five in the morning, thanks. What are you doing anyway?”

Lisa subconsciously angled the screen away from her daughter. She knew that she worried about her mum’s job and didn’t want to add further fuel to that fire.

“Nothing,” Lisa said quickly. “Just looking through some old case notes on a robbery. Pretty boring really.”

Betsy’s doubtful expression indicated she didn’t believe a word coming out of Lisa’s mouth, but the older blonde shook her head, trying to move the conversation on.

“Why don’t you go back to bed, love?” she asked. “You could still get another couple of hours of sleep in before you’ve got to be up for college.”

“And what about you?” Betsy demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. “You look knackered, mum.

Lisa tried to laugh it off. “Charming!” she quipped.

“I’m serious,” Betsy snapped. “I’m worried about you, mum.”

Lisa felt her throat constrict at that and she reached out a hand towards her daughter.

“Hey,” she said softly, pulling her in. “You have no reason to be worried about me, sweetheart. I’m fine, really. Now why don’t you go and get some more shuteye? I’ll be up in a minute.”

Betsy eyed her skeptically but shuffled off dutifully towards the door. “Will you be working late tonight?” she asked over her shoulder.

Lisa gave her a sad smile and Betsy rolled her eyes before heading back up the stairs. They both already knew the answer to that question.

—

That same evening, Lisa once again found herself propping up the bar at ‘Underworld’.

She had come alone this time, which was entirely against protocol, and she wasn’t entirely sure what she was hoping to achieve. Her and Kit’s recce of the place on Friday had been pretty fruitless in terms of yielding concrete information.

The one detail of note - that Peter was married, and that his wife was a dancer at the club - Lisa had kept to herself. She wasn’t sure why, but the thought of telling anyone about the brunette, about the evening they had spent together, made her feel uneasy.

She would keep it as her little secret for now.

The blonde had arrived at the club almost an hour ago and was yet to catch sight of Carla.

She drummed her fingers on the bar as she took a swig of her gin and tonic, vowing to herself that she would leave if the other woman didn’t make an appearance in the next 10 minutes. She’d already had to fend off the advances of a few seedy men and imagined things would only get worse if she stuck around for much longer.

Then, as if Lisa had summoned her, Carla appeared in her peripheral vision, leaning against the bar with a languid smile.

“Couldn’t keep away, huh?” she teased.

If only she knew, Lisa thought.

The blonde laughed, tried to keep from blushing. “I was at a loose end so…”

“So you thought you’d come for another show?” Carla asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you blondie but I’m not dancing tonight.”

Lisa scanned the other woman’s body, noticing she was dressed more demurely than she had been on Friday night, this time wearing skintight leather trousers and a fitted black blouse.

“Actually,” Lisa said shyly. “I was hoping that we could talk.”

Carla puffed out a laugh, sidling closer. “You came all this way for a cosy chat, blondie?” she asked disbelievingly.

“I enjoyed your company the other night,” Lisa shrugged, trying to keep her voice impassive.

Carla looked at her as if she were solving an equation and Lisa could almost see the cogs turning in her head. Before she could respond, though, the detective clocked the other woman’s lip.

It was split, swollen, as if someone had hit her squarely around the jaw. Lisa had been so caught up in Carla’s sudden arrival that she hadn’t even noticed.

“Carla,” Lisa breathed in horror. “Your face. What happened?”

The brunette looked down sheepishly, her bulletproof facade temporarily shattered. “It’s nothing,” she said, trying to keep her tone airy. “You should see the other guy.”

Lisa’s face contorted in concern and Carla sighed. “Seriously, Lisa, I’m fine,” she said. “It’s these bloody heels. I tripped over the other day and bashed my head. It’s my own fault.”

Now it was Lisa’s turn to look skeptical. “He hit you, didn’t he?” she whispered. “Peter?”

Carla flinched and Lisa knew her assumption was right, even as the brunette jumped to rebuff it.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” she snapped. “How dare you come here and start spouting shit like that. You know nothing about me, or my husband.”

“Everything alright here, ladies?”

Lisa felt her blood run cold as the man in question appeared beside them, sliding a territorial arm around his wife’s waist. The blonde could have sworn she saw the other woman shudder at his touch.

Still, Carla turned to him, smiling tightly. “Everything‘s fine, babe,” she cooed. “I was just telling Lisa here that I’m not dancing tonight.”

Peter squinted at the detective, face slowly breaking into a wolfish grin. “Back for more are you?” he asked. “You were here the other night, right?”

Lisa felt her heart thumping in her chest. This had been a terrible idea.

“I, er, yes,” she stammered, laughing awkwardly. “What can I say? Your wife is a pretty hard woman to resist.”

Peter ran his tongue over his teeth, squeezing Carla tighter. “Well, I won’t argue with that,” he laughed. “But she’s right. She’s not dancing tonight. In fact, Carla, I need you in my office. There’s an urgent matter I’d like to discuss.”

Carla nodded, throat bobbing as she swallowed. “Of course.”

“I’m sure we could find you another girl if you’d like a dance this evening,” Peter leered, turning his attention back to Lisa. “We have some of the best in the business in this place.”

Lisa very much doubted that. “No,” the blonde said quickly. “Thank you. But I was just leaving.”

“That’s a shame,” Peter said, eyeing her curiously. “Do be sure to pop in again sometime.”

With that, the man turned and headed towards his office, though not before Lisa had caught a glance at his bruised knuckles. Carla knew the detective had noticed, looking down at her with pleading eyes.

“Come for a drink with me,” Lisa said softly once Peter was out of earshot. “I could use a friend, and I think you probably could too.”

Carla shifted uncomfortably, looking over her shoulder. “That’s not a good idea, Lisa.”

Lisa bravely reached out and took the other woman’s hand, feeling her stomach flip at the contact. “Tell me you don’t want this,” the blonde said, repeating the words Carla had uttered to her on that first night, with just a hint of a smile on her lips.

Carla quickly picked up on Lisa’s teasing, the older woman unable to help herself from grinning, even as she rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said quietly. “There’s a bar up the street that stays open late: ‘Antonio’s’. I clock off at midnight. Though god knows why you want to be friends with a woman like me.”

Carla moved to walk away but Lisa reached for her hand again. “Because I actually think you’re pretty special, Carla,” Lisa said, meaning every word.

The brunette’s cheeks flushed at that and Lisa felt a spark of pride for inducing such a reaction from this seemingly impenetrable woman. “See you at 12,” Carla whispered, pulling her hand away.

“Yeah,” Lisa said with a grin. “Yeah, you will.”

—

Lisa’s fingers toyed absentmindedly with the stem of her wine glass as she checked her watch for what felt like the hundredth time in the last 20 minutes.

Carla was running late, and Lisa was just starting to worry that she had been stood up when the brunette walked through the door of the dark wine bar, bundled up in a fur coat, her hair slightly windswept.

Lisa thought she had never seen somebody so beautiful.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said shyly as she slid into the booth opposite Lisa. “Had a bit of bother at the club just as I was about to finish up.”

“Oh,” Lisa said, feeling her stomach twist at the thought of Carla being caught up in any kind of trouble. “Nothing too serious, I hope?”

Carla shook her head. “Nothing I couldn’t handle. This for us?”

Lisa nodded as Carla gestured at the bottle of wine in front of her. “Yes,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind, I ordered red.”

“Red’s my favourite,” Carla said with a grin, dark eyes locking with Lisa’s. They stayed like that for a beat, in their own little bubble, when a voice from beside them broke the spell.

“Ah, Carla Barlow!” a wisened old man wearing an apron said. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

Carla laughed warmly, reaching up to give the man a kiss on his papery cheek. “I could say the same for you, mister,” she beamed. “It’s lovely to see you.”

“Your fella not with you tonight?” the man asked, his expression betraying the fact that he clearly had very little time for Peter.

Carla clearly picked up on it too, shuffling uncomfortably in her seat. “Not tonight,” she said. “Just out with…a friend.”

Carla looked over at Lisa uncertainly and the blonde gave a slight nod, as if to confirm that the other woman had permission to call her that.

The old man looked between the two women with a grin. “Well,” he said. “It’s good to see you smiling, Carla. You two enjoy your evening now.”

With a clap of his hands, the man shuffled away. “The owner,” Carla explained as he made his way back behind the bar.

Lisa nodded, she’d thought as much. “Antonio?” she asked.

Carla smirked. “No, actually,” she said. “His name is Roy.”

“He’s not Italian?” Lisa asked.

“Nope,” Carla replied. “He’s from Rochdale, not Ravello.”

Lisa caught the brunette’s eye as she took a sip of her wine, both women promptly dissolving into giggles at the absurdity of the situation.

“You come here often then?” Lisa asked once she’d composed herself.

Carla smirked, leaning forwards ever so slightly. “Do you use that line on all the women you pick up from strip clubs?”

Lisa chuckled. “Only the ones I really like,” she said.

Carla lifted her glass. “Well, blondie, consider me flattered.”

—

The next hour passed in a blur of easy conversation, both women’s tongues loosening as they sank the first bottle of wine and ordered a second.

“Your husband not fancy it tonight then?” Carla asked, smiling gratefully as Roy brought over another Merlot.

Lisa was momentarily confused before remembering that, as far as Carla was concerned, she was married…to Kit. The blonde shuddered at the thought.

“Erm, no,” she said. “He’s working. Away.”

Lisa cringed, realising how unconvincing she sounded. But thankfully Carla didn’t question it.

“Do you have kids?” the brunette asked, looking genuinely interested.

Lisa paused for a second, knowing she should lie but for some reason not wanting to hide Betsy from the other woman.

“I have one,” she said before she could change her mind. “A daughter, from a previous relationship. She’s 16.”

“What’s she like?” Carla asked, regarding the other woman over the rim of her wine glass.

Lisa laughed. “Oh, you know, gobby, moody - a typical teenager!”

“And I imagine pretty beautiful,” Carla said shyly, “if she’s anything like you.”

Lisa dipped her head, took a sip of her drink.
“What about you?” the detective asked, keen to deflect. “Do you and Peter have children?”

At the mention of her husband’s name, Carla’s face darkened. She shook her head.

“No,” she said. “I thought it might happen for a while but…it wasn’t meant to be.”

Lisa sensed that Carla wasn’t telling her the full story but didn’t want to push her too far. She was racking her brains for a way to change the subject when the brunette did it for her.

“What is it you do for work then, Lisa?” Carla asked.

Lisa blinked, eventually landing on the most mundane job she could think of. “I’m an accountant,” she said. “Numbers and stuff.”

The blonde chided herself internally. She sounded ridiculous.

Carla grinned. “Wow. Numbers and stuff, eh? Aren’t you clever?”

Lisa laughed. “What about you? Have you always wanted to be…?”

“A stripper?” Carla finished the other woman’s sentence, her tone teasing. “It’s okay, Lisa. You can say it.”

Heat crept up the blonde’s neck and into her cheeks, prompting Carla to take pity on her.

“No,” the brunette said. “In answer to your question, I used to want to be an artist.”

Lisa looked up, eyebrows raised in surprise.

Carla laughed. “I know, I know,” she said bashfully. “That sounds totally ridiculous.”

“It doesn’t,” Lisa said quickly. “You’re not. So what happened? Why didn’t you end up pursuing it?”

Carla sighed. “It’s hardly a stable income, is it?” she asked. “I grew up not far from here on a council estate. My childhood was quite bleak.

“My dad cleared off before I was even born and my mum was, well, a bit of a mess.”

It struck Lisa that there was no sadness in Carla’s voice, no cry for sympathy. As far as the brunette was concerned, she was simply stating the facts.

“Drawing was the one thing I had to help me escape,” she continued. “I was forever doodling on the back of napkins, even painted a picture on my bedroom wall once. That didn’t go down well.”

Lisa laughed as Carla continued: “Not to blow my own trumpet, but I was actually pretty good, on track to go to art college and everything.

“But then my mum got this boyfriend and he started knocking her around. Things started to get pretty bad pretty quick, and we needed money, so that we could get away. That’s when I met Peter.”

Lisa swallowed as Carla fell quiet for a moment. “Go on,” she said softly, encouraging the other woman to continue.

“He’d just opened up his first club, offered me a job there. I was just a dancer at first, but then he started giving me more responsibility. It was only meant to be temporary but it was good money so…”

Lisa sighed as the brunette trailed off. “So you stayed.”

Carla nodded, staring into the bottom of her glass.

“Well,” Lisa said, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re certainly very good at it, the dancing I mean.”

Carla laughed as Lisa blushed. “Thanks. Although I don’t really dance anymore.”

Lisa tilted her head, confused. “But-“

“Friday was an exception,” Carla explained with a loaded look. “Peter wasn’t too happy about it.”

The brunette’s words hung weightily in the air.

“Your lip,” Lisa gasped. “That was why he did it…”

Carla blinked. She said nothing but didn’t deny it.

“Carla, I’m so, so sorry,” Lisa said, eyes filling with tears. “This is all my fault.”

The brunette quickly reached out to cover Lisa’s hand with her own. “No,” she said firmly. “It was my choice. I…I wanted it. You have nothing to apologise for.”

“Why,” Lisa stuttered, “why don’t you leave him?”

Carla shook her head. “It’s not that simple. Peter has been very good to me over the years. If it wasn’t for him, god knows would have happened to me and my mum.”

“Carla,” Lisa said softly, squeezing her hand. “You can’t protect him just because he gave you a job all those years ago. That’s not love.”

Carla laughed bitterly, pulling her hand away. “Oh really?” she snapped. “Well, forgive me if I don’t take relationship advice from a woman who spends her Monday nights hanging around a strip club just so she can get a bit of excitement in her life.”

Lisa winced. Carla was of course referring to her fake marriage with Kit, but there was something in her words that stung. However much she might try to convince herself that this was just about work, she couldn’t help but wonder whether the brunette had a point, whether this burgeoning attraction was all part of some big mid-life crisis.

“I’m sorry,” Carla said after a moment. “That was uncalled for. You were only trying to be kind.”

Lisa blinked. “No, I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s none of my business.”

“Friends?” Carla asked, extending her hand.

Lisa hesitated for a second, trying to ignore the gnawing disappointment in her chest, before shaking Carla’s hand. “Friends.”

Neither woman moved to let go, and Lisa let her gaze roam over Carla’s beautiful face.

“You really should get this looked at,” Lisa said, daring to reach up to gently brush the brunette’s split lip. “It might get infected.”

Carla’s breathing hitched as Lisa’s finger swiped across her cheek. “I’ll be fine,” she croaked. “Really.”

Lisa sighed, pulling away.

“I should get going,” Carla said, already reaching for her coat. “But thank you, for tonight. It’s been…”

“Nice,” Lisa finished, and the other woman nodded.

Biting her lip, the blonde reached into her handbag and pulled out a pen, quickly scribbling her number on the back of a napkin.

“Here,” she said, sliding it across the table. “If you ever need a friend.”

Carla paused for a beat before slipping the napkin into her pocket. “Thanks,” she said. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

Both women shrugged on their coats in silence, Carla bidding goodbye to Roy as they headed out into the cold night.

“Get home safe, okay?” Lisa said, as Carla moved to walk away.

For a second, the brunette just looked at her, expression inscrutable, before she pulled the blonde into a tight hug. Lisa initially tensed at the contact, having grown unused to anyone holding her like this since she lost Becky.

But as she breathed in the soft, fruity smell of Carla’s shampoo, the spicy tang of her perfume, Lisa felt herself relax into the embrace, leaning her head against the taller woman’s shoulder, revelling in the steady rise and fall of her chest.

She wasn’t sure which of them needed this more.

After what could have been five minutes or five hours, Carla pulled away. “Goodnight, Lisa,” she said softly.

“Night, Carla,” Lisa whispered as she watched the other woman walk away, her shadow quickly disappearing into the night.

Chapter Text

“Earth to Detective Sergeant Swain.”

Lisa blinked, reality swimming back into focus as Kit’s voice cut through her thoughts.

“Got somewhere better to be, Sarge?” her colleague taunted, looking over at her with a shit-eating grin.

Lisa glowered, trying to put thoughts of Carla from her mind. “Of course not, DC Green. What could possibly be more important than this?”

“Well, quite,” Chief Constable Collins said, clearing his throat beside them. “I need both of you to be at the top of your game if we’re going to put Barlow behind bars.”

“Of course, Sir,” Lisa said quietly, irked at the intimation that she would be anything other than entirely focused on the task at hand.

In truth, she had been slightly preoccupied of late. More than a week had passed since her night at ‘Antonio’s’ with Carla and she hadn’t been able to get the other woman out of her head.

When she’d arrived home that Monday night, the smell of Carla’s perfume still on her skin, she had dreamt of the brunette; of her smile and hands and lips. When she’d woken the next morning with an uncomfortable ache between her legs, she’d forced herself into a cold shower, pressing two fingers inside herself as she came roughly against the cool tiles of her bathroom.

She had checked her phone what must have been a hundred times every day, willing Carla to call. But she hadn’t, and Lisa was becoming increasingly convinced that the call would never come.

The detective had thought about seeking the brunette out again at the club but feared her presence would once again make Carla the subject of Peter’s wrath. And so she had resigned herself to waiting, hoping, for the day she could bring Barlow’s empire crashing down and finally break Carla free of him.

“As you’re both aware,” Collins continued, “we’ve been trying to nail Barlow for some time. And, at long last, it appears we might finally have some intel that could help us put him and his cronies away for good.”

Lisa’s ears pricked up at that. “Really?” she asked brightly. “That’s fantastic news. How did you…”

“DC Green here was able to call in a favour with an ex-colleague at his old branch,” the Chief Constable explained. “He works pretty intensively on dismantling organised crime groups and a contact of his has passed on some information.”

Lisa looked across the boardroom to where Kit was beaming smugly. She knew he’d be delighting in the fact he had been the one to help make the breakthrough.

The blonde turned her attention back to her boss, not wanting to give Kit the satisfaction of showing her frustration. “Well, that’s great, Sir,” she said, trying to keep her voice level. “What intel do we have?”

Chief Constable Collins walked over to the evidence board in the corner, pointing to a picture of what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

“We’ve suspected for a while that Barlow has been involved in distributing large amounts of cocaine smuggled into the country from South America,” he explained.

“Apparently, the latest drop is set to be collected from here, on an industrial estate in Oldham, on Friday night.”

“This Friday?” Lisa asked. “But that’s in-“

“Three days time,” Collins finished. “So we’ll have to move quickly to ensure we have all the necessary provisions in place. We need to make sure this operation is watertight, or else the whole thing could come crashing down.”

“Right,” Lisa said. “Of course, Sir. We won’t let you down.”

The Chief Constable looked between Lisa and Kit with a serious expression. “Make sure you don’t,” he said, heading for the door. “There’s a hell of a lot riding on this.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lisa muttered under her breath once her superior had left the room. There was more riding on this than any of her colleagues could possibly know.

—

Later that evening, Lisa sighed as she poured the last dregs of her wine into a glass, turning off the kitchen light as she shuffled off up to bed.

It had been a busy afternoon. After the Chief’s revelation, she and Kit had spent much of the day planning for Friday night’s operation, a familiar blend of anxiety and gleeful anticipation already starting to build in her stomach.

Once again, she’d arrived home from work late, and so when she had asked Betsy to spend the evening with her, craving a girls’ night with her only daughter, she’d been promptly given the brush off.

“Why should I?” Betsy had demanded before she’d stormed off to her room. “You only want to spend time with me when it’s convenient for you.”

Lisa had felt terrible, knew deep down that she needed to start putting her daughter first. But rather than doing anything to confront the matter, she’d instead opted to drown her sorrows, and was now nearly a full bottle of Merlot deep.

She knew she’d end up paying for this in the morning.

The blonde was just about to treat herself to a sappy rom-com in bed when her phone buzzed on the beside table. She rolled her eyes as she registered it was an unknown number.

She’d already had to fend off two scam callers today and suddenly felt a frisson of rage bubble up inside her.

“I’ve already told you,” she snapped, answering the call. “I’m not owed any fucking PPI.”

“Oh, well that is a shame,” Carla drawled on the other end of the phone. “And there was me thinking I was about to make you rich.”

“Carla,” Lisa breathed, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

“Expecting someone else?” the brunette asked teasingly.

“I, er, no,” Lisa stammered. “Not at all. It’s, er, good to hear your voice.”

She could almost hear Carla’s smirk. “Likewise, blondie.” A few beats and then: “Is this bad time?”

“No!” Lisa said quickly. “No. I’m just…in bed.”

The blonde felt her cheeks flame at the admission.

“I love it when you talk dirty,” Carla growled before breaking into an airy laugh when she sensed Lisa’s awkwardness. “I’m just teasing you, blondie. I’m in bed too.”

“Oh.” It was all Lisa could think to say.

“Is your husband there?” Carla asked, though Lisa felt the other woman already knew the answer to that question.

“Er, no,” she said, shifting uncomfortably. “He’s away.”

Carla tutted. “He wants to be careful,” she said. “Leaving you all alone so often. He carries on like that and someone else might come along and sweep you off your feet.”

Lisa sighed. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen,” she said.

“No?” Carla asked, sounding genuinely surprised. “Why not? You’re beautiful, Lisa.”

The detective laughed shyly.

“You are,” Carla pressed. “Any man would be lucky to have you…or woman.”

Lisa swallowed, desperate to change the subject. “Peter not home?” she asked.

Carla was quiet for a second. “No,” she said eventually. “He’s working late.”

Lisa’s stomach twisted at that. She could only imagine what dreadful things Carla’s husband was up to right now.

“So,” Lisa said after a few beats of awkward silence. “Have you been up to much this evening?”

Carla laughed. “You think that’s why I called you?” she asked. “To have a nice, friendly chat about my evening?”

“I, er-“

“Relax, blondie,” Carla chuckled, Lisa shivering slightly at the gravelly timbre of the other woman’s voice in her ear.

“I’m not very good at that,” Lisa admitted quietly. Since Becky died, her default setting had been ‘highly-strung’.

“You don’t say?” Carla teased. “Well, maybe I could help you relax.”

“Carla, I-“

“I’ve been thinking about you,” the brunette whispered earnestly, before the other woman could shut her down. “Haven’t been able to stop actually.”

Lisa bit her lip, paused for a second. “Me too,” she admitted.

“I keep thinking about that first night at the club,” Carla continued. “The way you looked at me when I took my dress off…it was the hottest fucking thing I think I’ve ever seen.”

Lisa knew this was a terrible idea, that nothing good could come from it. And yet she could already feel the heat building at the apex of her thighs, had already let her hand drift to rest just below her navel.

“You looked incredible,” the blonde croaked. There was no point denying that.

“Mmm,” Carla hummed. “I’m actually wearing something similar now.”

Lisa’s breathing hitched at the image and she tried to blink it away. “You said you don’t dance anymore,” she said quietly. “Why did you do it for me?”

“You looked like you could do with a bit of cheering up,” Carla quipped. Then, after a pause, she added, more softly: “I guess I just felt drawn to you…god, that probably sounds ridiculous.”

“It doesn’t,” Lisa said sincerely. “I..I felt…I feel the same.”

Carla sighed. “I wish I was there, with you.”

Lisa’s hand toyed with the waistband of her underwear. She knew this was the point of no return.

“Oh yeah?” she asked, voice trembling. “And what would you do, if you were here?”

She heard Carla swallow. “Well, first of all, I’d tease you. I’d touch you everywhere apart from where you wanted it most, right until you were begging for it.”

“What then?” Lisa questioned, heart pounding as her hand slid into her cotton briefs.

“Then, I’d probably pay some attention to your tits,” Carla said. “They look pretty incredible, from what I’ve seen.”

Lisa puffed out a laugh. “I can’t believe you’ve been staring at my tits.”

“Hey,” Carla protested. “Don’t pretend you haven’t done exactly the same thing. I saw your reaction when I took my bra off. I could practically smell how wet you were.”

Lisa groaned at that, the lewdness of Carla’s words causing pressure to coil in her stomach.

“Are you wet now?” the brunette continued. “I wish that I could see for myself.”

“Carla,” Lisa panted, fingers beginning to draw languid circles against her most sensitive spot.

“Touch yourself, Lisa,” Carla demanded. “Touch yourself while you’re thinking of me.”

Lisa whimpered, feeling her orgasm building with embarrassing speed.

“Good girl, Lisa” Carla soothed as the other woman’s whining grew louder. “You are so, so good for me.”

Lisa knew she should feel ashamed. Everything about this was wrong, but as Carla continued whispering filthy words in her ear, the blonde was sure nothing had ever felt so right.

“Carla,” she panted, a slick of sweat building on her skin as her movements grew more frantic. “I’m going to…”

“Come for me, darling,” Carla pleaded, her own breathing heavy. “Let go.”

That was all it took to send Lisa tumbling over the edge, her body gripped by the most intense orgasm she’d had in years.

“Oh my god,” Lisa squeezed out once her body had stopped trembling.

“I know I’m good, but just Carla will do,” the brunette quipped cheekily.

Lisa laughed. “You are so bloody cocky.”

“I’ve just made the sexiest woman on the planet come without even having to touch her,” Carla said. “I have every right to be cocky.”

Lisa blushed at Carla’s compliment. “I think that title is better suited to you than me,” she giggled, before adding: “Do you want me to..”

“No,” Carla said, a smile in her voice. “Just hearing you was enough for me tonight.” A pause, and then. “Would you mind staying on the phone though? Just until I fall asleep?”

The vulnerability in Carla’s voice broke Lisa’s heart. She knew how much it must have cost the brunette to ask her that.

“Of course,” Lisa said softly, muscles already aching pleasantly. “I’d love to.”

“Thank you, Lisa,” Carla whispered. “I…I’m so glad I met you.”

Lisa smiled. “Goodnight Carla,” she said, propping her phone against the pillow.

“Goodnight, Lisa,” Carla breathed. “Sweet dreams.”

—

Lisa woke the next morning feeling lighter than she had done in years. Carla had drifted off quickly; the steady rhythm of her breathing soothing the blonde to sleep.

The other woman must have hung up the phone at some point in the night and Lisa fought the urge to text her, not wanting to come on too strong.

The blonde hummed to herself as she made her morning coffee, earning herself a strange look from Betsy, who was eating a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” the teenager asked, raising an eyebrow at her mother.

Lisa shrugged, trying to stay casual. “Nothing. Just slept well, that’s all.”

Betsy didn’t look convinced but she didn’t press Lisa further. “You look happy,” the teenager said softly.

Lisa chuckled. “That’s not a crime, is it?”

“No,” Betsy said quickly. “It’s nice…to see you smiling, I mean.”

Lisa’s heart swelled. “Hey,” the detective said. “How about I see if I can get an early dart tonight? We could have a movie night?”

Betsy was quiet for a minute, before breaking into a toothy grin. “I’d like that,” she said. “As long as you don’t make us watch ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ for the billionth time.”

“Oi!” Lisa protested. “I’ll have you know I’ve only actually watched it a million times. But I suppose I’ll let you choose the film.”

“Thanks mum,” Betsy beamed, finishing up her breakfast. “Love you.”

Lisa felt her eyes fill with tears as her daughter shrugged on her coat and left for college. Her relationship with Betsy had become strained since Becky’s death and it was rare for her to let her walls down.

The blonde was jolted out of her reverie by the ringing of her phone in her pocket, and she quickly blinked the tears away when she saw it was Chief Constable Collins calling.

“Morning, Sir,” she said brightly. “Everything okay?”

“How quickly can you get down here, DS Swain?” the older man asked, not bothering with the formalities. “We have some new information on the Barlow case.”

Lisa took a deep breath. “I’m on my way, Sir.”

—

Lisa was flushed by the time she reached the station, having put her foot down in a bid to get there as quickly as possible.

When she stepped into the boardroom, the Chief Constable and DC Green were already there, waiting expectantly.

“Ah, DS Swain,” Kit crowed. “Nice of you to join us.”

Lisa bit her tongue, not wanting to lose her temper in front of the boss.

“What is it, Sir?” she asked, ignoring Kit’s quip. “What else do we know?”

“Well,” Collins said. “As you know, Peter Barlow is the main target for our operation on Friday. He’s the main man here but our informant has also been in touch to let us know about another very dangerous character in his circle, someone else that I would like you to bring to task.”

“Oh,” Lisa said. “Right, of course. The fewer scumbags there are on the street, the better. What’s his name?”

Collins shifted uncomfortably, glancing over at Kit, who was smirking as he leant back in his chair.

“Actually, detective,” the Chief Constable said. “It’s a woman. And I understand that you have already met her.”

All of a sudden, Lisa felt sick to her stomach. This couldn’t be happening.

Collins reached for a photograph that had been set on the desk beside him, holding it up for Lisa to examine.

“Carla Barlow,” the older man explained as Lisa’s eyes roamed over a grainy picture of Carla leaving ‘Underworld’ arm-in-arm with Peter. “Barlow’s wife. The details of her involvement aren’t clear yet. But I think there’s every chance we might be able to put her away for a very long time.”

Lisa swallowed, suddenly wishing the ground would swallow her up. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

Chapter Text

Lisa took a deep breath as she pushed open the door to ‘Underworld’. Her heart was racing and she had absolutely no idea what she was planning to do or say once she was inside.

When the Chief had shown her the picture of Carla this morning, she had wanted nothing more than to feign ignorance, pretend she’d never seen the other woman before.

But of course Kit had got there first, gleefully telling Collins that Carla had dragged Lisa off for a private lap dance when they had first gone to scope out the club.

Lisa had tried to downplay the matter but the Chief already had the bit between his teeth, insisting that the detective return to ‘Underworld’ ahead of Friday night’s operation, see if she could use her existing ‘relationship’ with Carla to get any further intel.

The blonde had desperately tried to get out of it, feeling uncomfortable about essentially spying on the other woman. But it was no use and so here she was, that same evening, back in the place that had turned her world upside down.

It was surprisingly busy inside for a Wednesday night and Lisa made an instant beeline for the bar in search of some Dutch courage.

She took a long swig of her drink, trying to ignore the way half of the men in the room seemed to be leering at her.

Lisa would be lying if she said she hadn’t made an effort this evening.

She knew she shouldn’t care what she looked like, that she was here to work. But the thought of looking anything other than her best when there was a strong chance she would see Carla was inconceivable.

And so she’d dressed in her favourite midnight blue silk blouse and tight black jeans, blow-drying her hair so that it fell in beachy waves around her shoulders.

Lisa scanned the room as she felt the alcohol hit her system. She couldn’t see Carla at first, felt almost relieved that she wouldn’t have to do this.

But then she spotted her, perched on the edge of a table, talking to a middle-aged man in a suit who was sweating profusely.

Lisa could see Carla was flirting, leaning forwards provocatively to whisper in the man’s ear. The detective knew it was just part and parcel of the brunette’s job, that she was likely just trying to get more money out of a client.

But still Lisa felt a hot twist of jealousy in her stomach, couldn’t help but want to go over there and pull Carla away from the bloke who was currently eyeing her like she was a meal about to be devoured.

She downed her drink and ordered another.

“How much, darlin’?”

Lisa hesitated for a second, turning around when she realised the question was directed at her.

Behind her, a man who must have been approaching 70 was raking his eyes wolfishly up and down her body.

“Excuse me?” she asked, incredulous.

“How much?” the man repeated, licking his thin lips. “For a dance?”

Lisa felt heat flood her cheeks. This man actually thought she was a stripper. She would have laughed if she wasn’t so horrified.

“You couldn’t afford me, mate,” she quipped, shooting him a dirty look as she slid off the bar stool and quickly walked away.

Once she was a safe distance away, Lisa slipped into a booth, eyes once again honing in on Carla. The brunette still hadn’t noticed her and Lisa winced as the client she was talking to hungrily ogled her breasts.

She couldn’t stand this, resolved to leave the second she had finished her drink. But then the man put his hand on Carla’s thigh and Lisa felt her blood run cold.

She could tell Carla was uncomfortable, noting the way the brunette smiled tightly as she politely brushed the man’s hand off. A few seconds passed and Lisa thought the client had taken the hint, before he once again slid his meaty paw across Carla’s thigh, this time letting his fingers brush under the hem of her dress.

Lisa spotted the way Carla’s whole body seemed to go rigid as the man wet his lips and murmured something that was likely deeply inappropriate. Before the detective even realised what she was doing, she was storming over to the table, face like thunder.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” the blonde snapped, eyes boring into the older man’s.

“Lisa,” Carla gasped, eyes widening in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Lisa didn’t have time to reply, unable to drag her gaze away from the man who was now unashamedly checking her out.

“Why don’t you join us, sweetheart?” he purred, patting the vacant seat beside him. Up close, she could see the way his mottled flesh strained against his shirt buttons. “The more the merrier.”

Lisa could feel the bile rising in her throat. “I’ve got better things to do with my time than spend it with a pervert like you,” she said sharply.

The man laughed, looking at Carla with wide eyes. “She’s feisty this one, isn’t she?” he crowed. “She your bodyguard or something?”

“No,” Lisa cut in quickly. “I just can’t stand to sit and watch while you put your dirty hands all over her.”

“Lisa,” Carla warned.

But it was too late. The man’s expression had already shifted, his lip curling in disgust at the blonde.

“You little bitch,” he hissed, rising from his seat. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

The man turned his attention back to Carla. “I’ll be telling Peter all about this,” he said venomously. “Just you wait.”

“Mr Stevens, please,” Carla pleaded. “She didn’t mean it. Please, just stay.”

The man shook his head. “You’ll regret this, Mrs Barlow,” he spat. “I’ll make sure of that.”

Carla raked a hand through her hair as the man stormed off, barging Lisa’s shoulder as he did so. The blonde took in the other woman’s anxious expression, feeling guilt wash over her as she reached for her arm.

“Carla, I-“

“How dare you?” the brunette snapped, shrugging her off. “What gives you the right to come in here and start scaring away our most important clients?”

Lisa swallowed, blood rushing in her ears. “I didn’t mean to,” she said. “It’s just…the way he was looking at you, Carla. The way he was touching you. I couldn’t stand it.”

“I didn’t need your help,” Carla snarled. “I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”

“It didn’t look like you were handling it,” Lisa said quietly.

Carla barked out a bitter laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “What are you even doing here, Lisa?”

The detective blinked. “I, um, I came to see you.”

Carla rolled her eyes. “Well, now you’ve seen me, so you can leave.”

The brunette moved to walk away and Lisa felt panic flare in her chest, instinctively reaching out to circle Carla’s slender wrist with her fingers.

“Carla, wait,” she pleaded. “Please. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Carla whirled around, her expression cold. “Well, you did,” she bit out. “You have. So, congratulations.”

“I was just trying to be a good friend,” Lisa said, knowing even as the words left her mouth how utterly pathetic she sounded.

Carla harrumphed, taking a step closer. “You’re not my friend, Lisa,” she said lowly. “You’re not anything. You’re just some sad, middle-aged mum who I enjoyed messing with for a while.

“But now I’m done with you, okay? You stay away from this place and you stay away from me.”

With that, Carla yanked herself free from Lisa’s grasp and walked away. The detective remained frozen to the spot as she watched the other woman’s retreating form, tears pricking at her eyes.

She had never felt more humiliated in her life. Lisa was aware that Carla didn’t really know her, that she thought she was someone else entirely, but still she felt the other woman could see her better than anyone else in her life.

It was for that reason that her harsh words hurt like a punch to the gut. Despite the absurdity of their situation, the fact that whatever this thing they had could never go anywhere, Lisa had dared to believe she actually meant something to Carla, that their connection was actually real.

For the first time in a long time, she’d felt alive, like she was living rather than just existing. And now it turned out it had all just been one big lie.

“You alright, love?”

An older man was suddenly at her shoulder, eyeing her with concern.

God, she really must look pathetic if a strip club’s clientele were taking pity on her.

“I’m fine,” she sniffed, smiling tightly. “Totally fine.”

But as Lisa headed for the exit, a stray tear rolling down her cheek, she felt anything but.

—

It was approaching midnight when Lisa finally climbed into bed.

In all the chaos, she had completely forgotten about her movie night with Betsy, and she’d arrived home to find her daughter asleep on the couch, a bowl of popcorn tucked under her arm and ‘Notting Hill’ paused on the TV. The film had been Becky’s favourite.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Lisa had said when Betsy had awoken. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Save it, mum,” the teenager had sighed, sounding more disappointed than angry. “Don’t go making promises you can’t keep.”

Lisa had been too tired to protest. She knew she’d let Betsy down and she couldn’t remember a time when she’d ever felt so inadequate. How had her life come to this?

The blonde was just about to turn out her bedside lamp when her phone buzzed beside her. Carla.

Lisa hesitated for a second before picking up.

“Hello?” she asked.

There was silence for a beat and Lisa wondered whether Carla had called her by accident. But then she heard it, the unmistakable sound of crying on the other end of the line.

“Carla?” Lisa said softly. “What’s happened? Are you okay?”

“It’s…it’s Peter,” the other woman sniffed eventually. “He’s…he’s…”

“Hey,” Lisa soothed. “Hey. It’s okay. Where are you? Do you want me to come and get you?”

Carla paused for a second. “Can I…can I come to you?”

Lisa swallowed. She knew this was a bad idea. She’d been told this woman was dangerous. This was wildly unprofessional.

And yet…

“I’ll text you my address,” Lisa said before she could change her mind. “See you soon.”

Lisa hung up, heart racing as she quickly fired over her address. The blonde slipped out of bed, throwing an old jumper over her pyjama top and checking in on Betsy, who was sound asleep in bed.

She padded quietly down the stairs, frantically pacing in the living room as she waited for Carla to arrive. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the front door, and Lisa quickly checked her appearance in the mirror above the mantelpiece before undoing the latch and opening it.

At the sight of Carla on her doorstep, Lisa gasped. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

The brunette was still dressed in the same clothes as earlier but her face was badly beaten. Her lip was split again, while blood trickled down from a wound on her head, a deep purple mark already blooming on her cheek.

“Carla,” Lisa breathed, eyes filling with tears.

“I thought he was going to kill me, Lisa,” the brunette said, voice trembling. “Please can I come in? I have nowhere else to go.”

Lisa didn’t hesitate, pushing the door open and inviting Carla in, holding out her arms as the brunette fell against her, promptly dissolving into tears.

“It’s okay,” Lisa whispered into her hair. “I’ve got you. Everything is going to be okay.”

Chapter Text

“Thanks,” Carla said with a bashful smile as Lisa set a mug of milky tea down on the coffee table in front of her.

“No problem,” Lisa said, suddenly nervous at the sight of this beautiful, broken woman sat in her living room. It was strange seeing her here, like an exotic animal caged in a zoo.

Carla took a sip of her drink and sighed. “I didn’t think you were going to answer,” she admitted shyly. “When I called, I mean.”

Lisa furrowed her brow, confused. “Why not?”

Carla looked at her if she was stupid. “Because I was awful to you,” she laughed sadly. “Those things I said to you…”

The brunette trailed off, shaking her head.

Lisa wrung her hands together. “It’s okay,” she shrugged. “I was out of order, barging in there and kicking off like that. You were right, it wasn’t my place.”

“Maybe not,” Carla said. “But it was me who was out of line. You were only trying to protect me and I was such a bitch to you.”

“Hey,” Lisa said gently, daring to sit on the sofa beside the brunette, whose eyes were glistening with unshed tears. “It’s fine, Carla. Really. Let’s draw a line under it.”

Carla smiled as Lisa took her hand, the blonde’s thumb immediately drawing reassuring circles on the inside of her wrist. They sat in comfortable silence for a few seconds before Carla spoke.

“I didn’t mean it, you know,” she said meekly.

“Carla,” Lisa tried to interject.

“No,” the older woman said, with feeling. “What I said, it wasn’t okay. I was upset and I was trying to hurt you. I need you to know that that those things I said…they couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Lisa squeezed Carla’s hand, heart swelling in her chest.

“I meant it when I told you I was drawn to you,” Carla continued. “You’re one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met, Lisa. You have to believe me when I say that.”

Lisa felt heat flood her cheeks. “Don’t start going all mushy on me now,” she laughed, trying to brush it off.

Carla squeezed her hand tighter, expression serious. “Truly, Lisa,” she whispered. “I feel like…like we were always meant to meet. Like it was fate or something.”

The brunette chuckled, embarrassed by her admission. “Sorry,” she said, sheepishly tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear. “You’re right. I’ve gone way too mushy in my old age.”

Lisa smiled, suddenly feeling overcome with emotion. “Hey,” she said earnestly. “I must be getting old too because I feel exactly the same.”

Carla nodded, her eyes locking with Lisa’s. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, both women almost daring the other to break the spell.

Eventually, it was Carla who spoke first.

“Anyway,” she said, clearing her throat. “I have to admit that seeing you go all ‘Kill Bill’ on that bloke was really fucking sexy. I was half-tempted to drag you into the office and have you right there and then.”

“Carla!” Lisa yelped, cheeks a deep scarlet now.

The brunette laughed, nudging Lisa’s knee with her own. “I’m just teasing you, blondie.”

Lisa shot her a look. Both women knew they’d gone well beyond the point of teasing.

The detective was trying to think of something flirty to say in return when her eyes fixed on Carla’s bruised face, the reason why the other woman was actually here coming back into sharp focus.

Lisa stood up abruptly. “I’ll go and get a few bits, help you clean up,” she said.

Carla nodded, her expression betraying the fact that she too had momentarily forgotten about tonight’s ordeal. “Thanks,” she said gratefully. “God, I probably look a fright.”

Lisa shook her head. “You look beautiful,” she whispered, meaning every word. “You always do.”

With that, Lisa went into the kitchen, digging the first aid kit out of the cupboard, as well as a flannel, which she ran under the hot tap.

“This might hurt a little bit,” the blonde warned as she knelt down in front of Carla. “Just tell me to stop if it gets too much, okay?”

Carla’s whole face softened as she took in Lisa’s tender expression. “What did I do to deserve you, eh?” she asked.

Lisa smiled but didn’t say anything, tentatively reaching up to place the flannel against Carla’s head wound.

The brunette hissed but didn’t pull back.

“I’m sorry,” Lisa said. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,” Carla said quickly, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. “I can handle a bit of pain, blondie.”

Lisa shivered at that, chided herself internally for letting her mind wander to the gutter at a moment like this.

“You’re very good at playing nurse,” Carla said after a while as Lisa dabbed at her lip with an anti-septic wipe.

“Years of practice,” the blonde laughed. “The amount of cuts and bruises I had to tend to when Betsy was younger…”

Carla’s eyes widened at that. “Shit,” she said. “I totally forgot. Is she-“

“Asleep,” Lisa reassured her. “She’ll be dead to the world until the morning.”

Carla nodded. “What about your husband?”

Lisa swallowed, hoping Carla didn’t register the flash of panic that crossed her face. “Working,” she said quickly. “You don’t need to worry about him.”

Carla tutted but didn’t press further and Lisa worked in silence to finish cleaning up the brunette’s face.

“There,” she said when she was done. “Right as rain.”

Carla grinned as the other woman settled back beside her on the sofa. “Thanks.”

There was a pregnant pause and Lisa realised she could only avoid the elephant in the room for so long.

“You said he hit you,” the blonde said softly. “Does…does that happen a lot?”

Carla looked down at her hands. “Not very often,” she said. “More lately.”

Lisa let the words sink in, clasping her hand to her mouth as realisation dawned.

“Wait,” she said, voice shaking. “Was this because of me? Because of what I said at the club?”

“No,” Carla said quickly, reaching out to still the other woman’s jigging knee with her hand. “Lisa, no. This had nothing to do with you, honestly.”

Lisa shook her head. “Then what…why?”

Carla hesitated for a second, chewed on her bottom lip.

“He got a tip off,” she said quietly. “I really shouldn’t be telling you this but…he’s involved in some seriously dodgy shit, Lisa.

“One of his associates told him the police are onto him, that they were planning to ambush him on Friday. Peter went mad, convinced one of the blokes at the club had tipped them off.

“I tried to calm him down and…well, I guess I got in the way.”

Lisa listened, horrified, to Carla’s tale. The detective might not have been directly responsible for what had happened to the other woman but Peter would never have attacked her were it not for the police operation that she herself was leading.

“Hey,” Carla said gently, reaching out to brush a finger across her cheek. “Lisa, I’m okay. Don’t cry.”

The blonde hadn’t even realised she was crying and, as Carla wiped her tears away, she felt totally ridiculous.

“God, I’m so sorry,” she croaked, scrubbing at her face with the sleeve of her jumper. “Here’s me blubbing when it’s you who’s had to deal with all of this.”

Carla smiled sadly, pulling her hand away. “It’s only because you care,” she said, voice barely more than a whisper.

“Yeah,” Lisa agreed. “Yeah, I do.”

Carla cleared her throat, tried to compose herself. “Anyway,” she said brightly. “It’s all okay now. Peter thinks he’s got away with it so he’s happy.”

“Well, that’s something,” Lisa said, feeling queasy. She wondered whether word of their botched operation had already reached Chief Constable Collins.

She didn’t have time to worry about that, though, Carla’s voice quickly dragging her back into the present.

“Is that your ex?” the brunette asked gently.

Lisa was confused for a moment until she followed Carla’s gaze to a photo on the mantlepiece. It was of her, Becky and Betsy - the last one taken of the three of them before her wife’s death - on a beach in Lanzarote.

It was Lisa’s favourite picture. She adored how carefree they all looked, all bright eyes and sunburnt smiles. If only they’d known what was coming.

Lisa realised again that she was crying. For a second she thought about denying it, about pretending Becky was her friend or sister. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

“Yes,” she said shakily. “Yes, that’s Becky.”

Carla stood up, wandered over to the photo. “She’s very beautiful,” she said, eyes roaming over the pretty brunette nestled against Lisa’s side.

“Yeah,” Lisa breathed, devastated. “Yeah, she was.”

Carla turned around, face contorting in concern as she registered the other woman’s use of the past tense.

“Oh,” she said softly. “Oh god, Lisa. I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

The blonde shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“What happened?” Carla said after a beat. Then: “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”

Lisa swallowed. “She was hit by car.”

It was the truth, even if the detective hadn’t revealed the whole story.

“Fuck, Lisa,” Carla said, raking a hand through her hair. “That’s terrible. She was your daughter’s mum?”

Lisa nodded. “Yes. I gave birth to Betsy but she was always more like Becky. She was her little mini me.”

Lisa laughed at the memory.

“It’s been hard for her,” she continued. “And I haven’t helped matters, throwing myself into work, shutting her out. Becky would be ashamed of me.”

“Hey,” Carla said, quickly moving back to the sofa, taking Lisa’s hand in her own. “None of that. If you’re even half as good a mum as you are a friend, then Betsy’s a very lucky girl.”

Lisa fixed the brunette with a wobbly smile. “I’m not sure about that. But thank you.”

There was quiet for a few minutes, until Carla broke into a bemused grin.

“What?” Lisa asked, eyeing her curiously.

“Nothing,” the older woman shrugged. “Just…I had my suspicions that you were into women. I’m happy to be proven right.”

Lisa laughed, swatting playfully at her arm. “I can’t believe you’ve still managed to come out of this conversation feeling smug.”

Carla smirked. “What can I say?” she said. “I knew you were checking me out from the minute you saw me at the club.”

“Oh yeah?” Lisa chuckled, quirking an eyebrow. “And you’re telling me you didn’t do exactly the same…Little Miss “let’s take this conversation somewhere more private.”

Carla held her hands up. “Hey, it worked didn’t it.”

Lisa bit her lip. “Yeah,” she said shyly. “Yeah, it did.”

The shift in tone made Lisa feel suddenly playful and she had a pressing desire to tease Carla in the way the brunette was so adept at doing to her.

“What about you?” the detective said. “You ever been with a woman?”

Carla narrowed her eyes. “I suppose that depends on what you mean by ‘been with’.”

“I mean,” Lisa wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “You know.”

Carla swiped at the blonde with a throw cushion, though Lisa was sure the other woman’s cheeks had taken on a slight pink twinge.

“What are you? 12?” Carla laughed. “If you must know, I’ve never *slept* with a woman. Snogged quite a few girls when I was a teenager but that was mainly just to titillate the lads I fancied.”

The brunette’s expression suddenly seemed to take on a more pensive tone. “And then there was this girl at the club,” she continued. “Jodie. She started as a dancer when we’re both in our twenties.

“She was beautiful, funny, kind. Nothing ever happened between us but…”

“You wanted it to,” Lisa finished as Carla trailed off.

The brunette smiled sadly. “Peter picked up on it, decided he had to get rid of her.”

“He killed her?!” Lisa shrieked, aghast.

Carla chuckled at her dramatic reaction. “No. He just sent her packing. I never heard from her again.”

“I’m sorry,” Lisa said. “She could have been the one to take your lesbian virginity.”

“Mmm,” Carla hummed, a smirk on her lips. “Maybe. Or maybe I knew that someone else would come along…someone who was worth the wait.”

Lisa felt her mouth go dry, couldn’t help but notice the way Carla’s eyes darkened as they bore into hers. She needed to snap out of this.

“I think we should go to bed,” the blonde said, standing up suddenly, face turning beetroot as she realised how her words could be construed.

“I mean to sleep!” she corrected herself quickly. “Separately. To sleep separately. You can take my bed and I’ll take the sofa.”

Carla eyed her with amusement. “Oh no, blondie, not happening. Let me take the sofa.”

“Better not,” Lisa said, shifting awkwardly. “Just in case Betsy comes down and…”

“Sees me looking like the Bride of Frankenstein,” Carla nodded. “Fair point. Although surely she’ll wonder why you’re sleeping on the couch?”

Lisa paused. She hadn’t thought about that.

“Right, yes,” she said. “Well…maybe we could just share a bed? Only if you’re comfortable with it, of course. And there won’t be any funny business.”

“Funny business?” Carla questioned teasingly. “I didn’t realise you were born in the Victorian era. I’ll be sure to dig out my smelling salts just in case I inadvertently catch a glimpse of your ankle.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Carla shrugged, getting to her feet. “Let’s go to bed, Lisa,” she said lowly, taking a step closer. “And if you’re a good girl, I might even let you be little spoon.”

Lisa laughed, shaking her head as she led Carla up the stairs. This woman was going to be the death of her.

—

Ten minutes later and Carla emerged from Lisa’s en suite wearing an oversized t-shirt with a big picture of ‘Snoopy’ emblazoned on the front. Her hair was swept up in a messy bun and Lisa felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight.

“I have to say, blondie,” Carla smirked. “I’m impressed by your sophisticated taste in fashion.”

“Call me Gok Wan,” Lisa laughed as Carla peeled back the covers and slipped into the bed beside her. “And I’ll have you know, ‘Snoopy’ was all the rage back in the day.”

“I must have missed that,” Carla quipped, rolling onto her side to face the blonde.

Lisa reached over to switch off the light, before moving to mirror the brunette’s position.

“Thank you,” Carla said after a beat. “For everything.”

“Don’t mention it,” Lisa said softly, eyes adjusting to the darkness. “I’m glad you called me.”

Carla sighed. “Seriously, Lisa. I don’t know what I’d have done without you tonight. I can’t thank you enough.”

Lisa huffed. “Carla, I swear to god if you say ‘thank you’ one more time I’ll…”

The blonde trailed off as she sensed Carla shift closer.

“You’ll what?” the brunette asked, voice suddenly gravelly.

There was silence for a moment, the air thick with tension as Lisa felt Carla’s hot breath on her face. She couldn’t properly make out the other woman’s expression in the dark.

And perhaps that was why she did it; why she felt brave enough to lean forwards just enough to finally bridge the gap.

Just like that, they were kissing.

It was soft and sweet and tender, Lisa taking Carla’s pillowy lips between her own. The brunette moaned, hands fisting in the detective’s hair as the pair quickly fused into a heady tangle of limbs.

Lisa felt like she was floating, wetness already starting to build between her thighs. It was only when she nipped at Carla’s lip, inducing a pained whine, that the blonde remembered about the other woman’s injuries.

“Oh god,” Lisa said, pulling back, breathless. “I completely forgot about your lip. Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Carla panted, brushing Lisa’s hair behind her ear. “Not at all.”

The brunette paused for a second, carefully contemplating her next move, before whispering: “Do you mind if we just sleep?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to…you know,” she added quickly. “It’s just been a long day and-“

“Carla,” Lisa said gently. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I don’t think either of us is in a position to do anything other than sleep right now.”

“Yeah,” Carla sighed. “You’re right.”

Without another word, Carla turned over, shuffling backwards so that her back was pressed against Lisa’s front. The blonde hesitated for a moment, having not shared a bed with anyone since Becky.

But, in a flash, she felt her walls come down, winding her arm around Carla’s waist and pulling her in close.

“Goodnight, Carla,” she whispered into her hair.

“Night, Lisa,” the brunette replied, squeezing her hand.

There was silence for a few minutes, and Lisa thought Carla was asleep, when the brunette’s voice punctuated the quiet.

“Lisa?” she asked.

“Yeah?” the blonde said expectantly.

“I still can’t believe you said ‘funny business’.”

“Shut up,” Lisa huffed, tightening her grip on Carla’s waist, both women dissolving into giggles before they fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Lisa woke the next morning having slept through the night for the first time since she didn’t know when. She smiled as she blearily reached for Carla’s sleeping form, only to realise the bed was depressingly empty.

The detective felt panic flare inside her as her fingers brushed the cold bedsheets, fearing that she’d scared Carla off by kissing her, then holding her while she slept.

But then she saw it; a tiny, folded note left on the pillow beside her. It was scrawled on the back of an old ‘Starbucks’ receipt in unfamiliar, loopy handwriting.

“Sorry I had to dash out,” it read. “Didn’t want to make things awkward for you with Betsy. Thanks for being you. Speak soon. C x”

Lisa’s stomach fluttered as she read and re-read Carla’s words. It felt special, having this physical evidence of the other woman’s existence, like Lisa would now always have a tiny, private part of her to hold onto.

Lisa pressed the note to her chest, right against her heart, laughing aloud when she realised how sappy she must look.

“Worse than a bloody teenager,” she chuckled to herself as she peeled back the covers, spotting the pyjama top Carla had worn to bed poking out from under the pillow.

Lisa shook her head, unable to suppress a grin. She might be worse than a bloody teenager but, right now, she simply couldn’t bring herself to care.

—

Lisa’s good mood lasted until she set foot in the station and noted Chief Constable Collins and DC Green deep in conversation in the foyer.

Memories of last night’s conversation with Carla came flooding back; the realisation that their covert operation was no longer so covert promptly wiping the smile from her face.

“Ah, DS Swain,” the Chief said, clocking her arrival. “A word?”

The blonde of course already knew what was coming but duly followed Collins into his office, DC Green alongside her.

“So,” the older man said once the door was closed behind them. “It appears our operation has been rumbled.”

“Oh,” Lisa said, hoping the surprise on her face looked convincing. “That’s dreadful, Sir. Do we know how?”

“Someone tipped Barlow off apparently,” Collins huffed. “These bloody gangsters. Too loyal for their own good.”

“So what now, Sir?” Kit asked eagerly. “Is there no way we can still get this done tomorrow? Bust him at the club, perhaps?”

“I’m afraid not,” the Chief sighed. “We’re just going to have to hold our nerve for now, continue gathering intel until we can pounce.”

Kit growled, slamming the table in frustration. “The jammy bastard.”

Collins cleared his throat. “Well, quite,” he said. “But fear not, DC Green, we’ll get him soon enough. And his lady too.”

Lisa clenched her jaw. Carla didn’t belong to anyone, least of all Peter.

The blonde stayed quiet as the two men chattered beside her. When the Chief eventually dismissed Kit, Lisa also stood up to leave.

“Can you just hang back a second please, DS Swain?” Collins asked. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Kit raised his eyebrows at her before slipping out of the room. Lisa felt like a schoolgirl who’d been hauled into the headmaster’s office.

“Everything okay, Sir?” she asked, smiling tightly.

“You tell me, detective,” the older man said cryptically, perching on the edge of his desk and shooting her a loaded look.

Lisa felt suddenly sick. Surely her boss couldn’t know about her and Carla?

With the blonde unable to find the words, Collins eventually spoke again.

“Look, detective,” he sighed. “I’ll cut to the chase. You’re one of the best we have on the force, always have been.”

Lisa blinked. “Thank you, Sir.”

“But I can’t help but notice you’ve seemed a little…distracted lately,” Collins said.

“I’m not distracted, Sir,” she protested quickly. “I mean, everyone has things going on, don’t they? But I would never let my private life affect my work.”

The Chief shot her a sympathetic look. “Listen, Swain,” he said kindly. “This isn’t a telling off. You’ve had so much to deal with since…well, you know. It’s a wonder you’re still standing.”

Lisa opened her mouth to say something but the older man raised his hand. “With the best will in the world,” he continued, “you’re bound to get caught up in all of that from time to time, especially when you’re working on a case that hits so close to home.”

The blonde looked down at her hands in her lap.

“I think this case has been getting to you,” Collins said. “And it’s not just me. DC Green has noticed too.”

“Oh,” Lisa huffed. “I bet he has.”

“Swain,” Collins sighed. “We need you at your very best if we’re going to put Barlow behind bars.”

“I am!” Lisa yelped. Then, more quietly: “I will be. From now on, you have my 100% focus, Sir. I promise.”

Collins regarded her for a minute. “I’d like you to take some time off.”

Lisa jumped up from her chair. “No! Sir-“

“Calm down, detective,” the Chief said patiently. “I’m only talking a few days. It’ll give you a bit of time to rest and sort your head out.”

“But I don’t need-“

“It’s an order, DS Swain,” the older man said firmly. “Besides, we’re not going to be able to move on Barlow yet anyway. Go home and take some time out.

“Then, when you come back, you show me why I think you are the leading candidate to take over as Chief Constable when I eventually hang up my hat.”

Lisa hadn’t been expecting that. “Oh,” she breathed, swallowing thickly. “Sir, thank you. That means a lot. I don’t know what to say.”

Collins smiled. “Say you’re going to be out of my office and on your way home within the next 30 seconds and I’ll be a very happy man.”

Lisa hesitated for a second, still reluctant to give in to her superior’s request, but eventually she surrendered. “Fine,” she said, getting to her feet. “See you next week, Sir.”

“Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, detective,” he chuckled. “Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.”

Lisa sighed as she headed back out into the foyer, deliberately not meeting Kit’s gloating gaze. As she headed for the door, she smiled as the seed of an idea began to bloom in her head.

If she was going to be forced to take time off, then she was absolutely determined to make the most of it.

—

Later that afternoon, Lisa took a deep breath and finally pressed ‘call’.

She’d spent the best part of half-an-hour stood in her living room, agonising over whether or not her crazy idea was, in fact, too crazy to persist with.

The blonde chewed her lip, almost hanging up the phone, when Carla answered on the fourth ring.

“Hey, you,” the brunette said softly.

Lisa blushed at the tenderness in the other woman’s voice. “Hi,” she replied.

“Missing me already?”

The blonde laughed at Carla’s quip, though she couldn’t bring herself to deny it. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Yeah, I am.”

Lisa could almost hear Carla’s smile on the other end of the line.

“Me too,” the brunette said warmly. “You got my note then?”

“Mmm,” Lisa hummed. “It’s the best note that a random stranger has ever left on my pillow.”

Carla chuckled. “Wow,” she drawled. “So I’m just one of your many lovers, huh?”

The thought of Carla being her lover made Lisa’s knees go weak.

“You,” the blonde said earnestly, “are a one-off, Carla Barlow.”

“Ditto,” the brunette replied. “So did you just ring to hear my voice or…?”

This was it. Now or never.

“Erm, no,” Lisa said tentatively. “I was actually going to ask if you were free this weekend?”

There was a long pause and Lisa cursed herself for being so forward. This was why she didn’t put herself out there.

“It’s okay if you’re not,” the blonde said quickly. “Seriously, it was a stupid idea.”

“Lisa,” Carla soothed. “You haven’t even told me what the idea is yet.”

“Oh,” the detective said. “Right. Well, it’s just I’ve got a few days off work and I was wondering if…”

“If?” Carla prompted as the other woman trailed off.

Lisa sighed. “If you wanted to come away with me for the weekend. Nowhere fancy, just a little getaway.”

Another pause, and then: “Blondie, are you asking me if I’d like to go away on a dirty weekend with you?”

“No!” Lisa yelped. “I mean, yes. But it doesn’t have to be dirty. It can be whatever you want it to be.”

“And what if I want it to be dirty?” Carla asked, voice low.

Lisa’s brain almost short-circuited. Carla must have sensed her panic because she laughed airily.

“I’d love to come away with you for the weekend, Lisa,” she said gently. “Truly. There’s nothing I’d love more.”

Lisa let out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding in.

“Really?” she asked brightly. “That’s fantastic. And you’ll be able to get away okay? From…from Peter?”

Carla was quiet for a second. “I haven’t had a weekend off in years,” she said. “He owes me one. I’ll tell him I’m going to visit my friend Michelle over in Ireland. He won’t question that.”

Lisa beamed. “Great.”

“What about you?” Carla asked. “Your husband? Betsy?”

Lisa swallowed. “Kit’s still away,” she lied. “And I’m not in Betsy’s good books at the moment. She’s going to stay with her grandparents for the weekend.”

“Right,” Carla said, excitement creeping into her voice. “Well, then it sounds like we’re all set. Where should we go?”

“Ah,” Lisa replied sagely. “I know just the place. It’s a surprise. I’ll drive us…if that’s okay with you, that is?”

Carla laughed softly. “It’s more than okay.”

“Where should I pick you up from?” Lisa asked.

“I’ll come to you,” Carla said quickly. “Don’t want to risk Peter getting wind of it.”

Lisa nodded. “Right, yeah. Well, be at mine for 8am sharp on Saturday morning. We’ll aim to get on the road early.”

“So there won’t be time for any funny business before we go?” Carla teased.

Lisa shook her head, unable to keep the smile from her face. “I’m hanging up now,” she said. “See you Saturday, Carla.”

“See you Saturday, Lisa,” the brunette replied. “I’m counting down the hours.”

Chapter Text

“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” Carla whined from the passenger seat.

Lisa grinned, keeping her eyes trained on the road. “Nope,” the blonde said smugly. “It’s a surprise, remember?”

Carla huffed beside her, folding her arms across her chest like a petulant teenager. Lisa giggled as she glanced over, marvelling - not for the first time - that this wasn’t all a dream.

She’d hardly been able to concentrate since Carla had agreed to her plan two days ago, her body incessantly fizzing with excitement. When the brunette had arrived on her doorstep that morning, armed with an overnight bag and plenty of snacks for the road, she’d been half-tempted to drag her inside and spend the whole weekend in bed, cocooned with Carla in their own little world.

But she wanted this to be special. She only hoped the other woman would like her surprise.

The sight of Carla shuffling around in her peripheral vision caught Lisa’s attention.

“What are you doing?” the blonde asked curiously.

“Well,” Carla began, matter-of-fact. “If you’re insisting on taking me hostage, then I at least want control of the music.”

Lisa checked her rearview mirror, taking her foot off the gas, just for a second, and turned to Carla with a smirk. “Hey,” she said. “You’re here of your own free will. I can pull over and let you out here if you’d rather?”

Carla pouted. ”You’re not getting rid of me that easy, blondie.”

Lisa laughed as she put her foot back on the accelerator, the next few minutes passing in comfortable silence as Carla fiddled with the aux.

“There,” she said, settling back in her seat once she’d finally loaded up her playlist of choice. “Much better.”

Lisa listened for a second, breaking into a surprised chuckle when she registered what Carla had gone for.

“What?” Carla demanded, feigning offence. “Are you taking the piss out of my taste in music?”

“No!” Lisa said quickly, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “It’s just…Ed Sheeran? It’s a little bit basic, isn’t it?”

Carla harrumphed. “Go on then, Bob Geldof,” she retorted. “What kind of music are you into?”

Lisa considered the question for a moment, long fingers drumming on the steering wheel. “I like a lot of music, really,” she said. “Fred Again, Disclosure…”

Carla made a disbelieving noise and Lisa looked over to find the brunette eyeing her with suspicion.

“Why do you look so shocked?” she said.

“Dunno,” Carla shrugged. “Just…expected you to say something more old school, like ‘The Beatles’ or something.”

“I mean, I like ‘The Beatles’ as much as the next person but…hey, are you suggesting that I’m old?”

Carla laughed. “No,” she said softly. “You just…surprised me, that’s all.”

Lisa swallowed, noting the other woman’s suddenly intense gaze. “Well,” she said, voice low. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Carla Barlow.”

The brunette nodded. “I’m looking forward to finding out,” she said earnestly.

Lisa glanced over quickly, heart racing in her chest. She was still wondering how she was going get through the weekend without combusting from desire when Carla broke the spell.

“Baby, I’m dancing in the dark,” she warbled dramatically along with the music. “With you between my arms…”

Lisa just laughed as Carla continued singing, loudly and out of tune. It was slightly reassuring to know the brunette wasn’t *entirely* perfect.

“Carla,” she said seriously after a moment.

“Yeah?” the brunette replied expectantly.

Lisa grinned. “You’re a horrible singer.”

Carla fell quiet for a second and Lisa panicked that she’d offended her, before the brunette turned up the volume and began singing even louder.

Lisa felt joyful laughter bubble up inside her, looking over at the brunette to see she was eyeing her pointedly.

Lisa shook her head at Carla’s silent request, sighing when she realised the other woman wasn’t going to relent.

“Barefoot on the grass,” Lisa began tentatively, joining in with Carla’s singalong and earning herself an appreciative grin from the brunette.

Well, the detective thought, feeling happier than she could ever remember, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

—

Two hours later, Lisa tried to suppress her nerves as she pulled into a car park on the seafront.

Carla turned to her with a questioning gaze. “Whitby?” she asked.

Lisa felt her throat tighten. “Oh god,” she said. “You were expecting somewhere more exciting, weren’t you?”

Carla laughed, quickly reaching for Lisa’s hand. “Not at all,” she said. “I’ve never been here before. I was just wondering why you decided on here for our dirty weekend?”

Lisa giggled as Carla wiggled her eyebrows.

“I used to come here a lot as a kid,” she said quietly. “Some of my happiest memories are from here, days on the beach with my mum and dad and sister, not a care in the world.”

The blonde chanced a look across at Carla. “That probably sounds pathetic, right?” she asked nervously.

Carla shook her head, eyes warm. “No, it isn’t,” she said. “If this place means something to you, then I’m honoured you want to share it with me.”

Lisa dipped her head, overwhelmingly relieved. “We can’t check into the hotel until later,” she said. “There’s something I’d like to show you if that’s okay?”

Carla gave her a seductive smirk. “Blondie!” she exclaimed, pretending to be scandalised. “Are you propositioning me in a car park?”

“No!” Lisa squeaked. “I didn’t mean…like that. No, there’s somewhere I’d like to take you.”

Carla laughed softly, squeezing Lisa’s hand. “Come on then,” she said. “What are we waiting for?”

—

Carla stood in silence as Lisa brought them to a stop outside ‘Silver Larks Gallery’, looking over nervously at the brunette.

“It’s an art gallery,” she said, mentally cursing herself for stating the obvious. “You said you used to want to be an artist, right?”

Carla nodded, still uncharacteristically quiet.

Lisa cleared her throat before continuing. “Well,” she said. “I’ve never been much of an art buff but I always used to come in here with my mum when I was a kid.

“I remember being blown away by all the colours in the paintings, all these beautiful, otherworldly landscapes of the sea and the sky. Even with my untrained eye, I could tell they were incredible. I thought…I thought maybe you might like to see them?”

Carla just blinked and Lisa felt sweat begin to bead on her brow. She felt ridiculous. There were dozens of art galleries in Manchester, many of them bigger and shinier than this one.

And yet she’d dragged Carla all the way here, all because she’d liked a few paintings when she was a kid. This had been a terrible idea.

“We don’t have to go in if you don’t want to,” the blonde garbled quickly. “It was a stupid idea anyway. It’s probably completely different to when-“

Lisa was interrupted by Carla pulling her in for a kiss that almost knocked the wind out of her. It was desperate and bruising, filled with a million emotions that neither woman quite yet knew how to articulate.

When Carla eventually pulled back, Lisa noticed her eyes were filled with tears.

The blonde smiled. “W-what was that for?” she stammered, still half-dazed.

Carla sniffed, suddenly looking shy. “Just to say thank you,” she shrugged. “You know…for being you.”

Hearing those words made Lisa feel like she had been lit up from the inside.

“Let’s go in,” the blonde said with a grin, sliding her hand into Carla’s. “It’s bloody freezing out here!”

—

An hour later, the two women were walking, arm-in-arm, along the seafront, unable to contain their laughter.

Carla had loved the gallery, had spent ages poring over the seascapes, the simple beauty of it all almost moving her to tears.

But things had taken a bit of a turn when they’d stumbled into a room filled with pieces that were supposedly ‘abstract’. As they had taken in the walls of canvases filled with weird shapes and colourful splodges, they’d taken turns making increasingly outlandish comments about the work.

“Now this is an absolute triumph,” Carla had declared, putting on her poshest voice as they walked past one piece which consisted simply of a blue splatter on a white background. “You can really feel what the artist is trying to convey.”

“I prefer this one,” Lisa had cooed, gesturing to a painting of a man with a pear for a head. “Really. I think it’s absolutely pear-fect.”

That had been it, the two women had dissolved into laughter and had been forced to make a hasty exit when the snooty man behind the front desk had started shooting them withering looks.

“Did you see his face?” Lisa panted once they were outside. “I actually thought he was going to explode.”

“Don’t,” Carla howled, clutching at her side. “I’ve actually got a stitch.”

“I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much,” Lisa admitted honestly.

Carla swallowed. “Me neither,” she said, with a soft smile. “I did really love the gallery, though. Well, most of it anyway.”

Lisa chuckled. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad.”

They walked for little while in companionable silence, Lisa drawing to a stop next to a van selling fish and chips.

“Are you hungry?” the blonde asked.

Carla hadn’t even considered it but, as the smell of grease and vinegar hit her nostrils, she felt suddenly starving. She was about to say as much when her tummy rumbled.

Lisa giggled. “I’ll take that as a yes then,” she said, pulling a ten pound note from her pocket and turning to the man behind the counter.

A few minutes later, she handed Carla a steaming, styrofoam tray of chips.

“I got us one each,” she explained, popping one of her own chips into her mouth. “I had a feeling you’d end up stealing mine.”

Carla dramatically clasped a hand to her chest. “I wouldn’t dare!” she yelped.

They carried on walking until they came across a little wooden bench, huddling up close together in a bid to fend off the bracing wind.

Carla’s eyes wandered to a young family on the beach below, a little blonde girl with her hair in pigtails, making sandcastles with her mum and dad.

“You said you used to come here with your parents,” the brunette said, turning to Lisa. “Are you still very close to them?”

Lisa blinked and Carla realised she’d been watching the family too. “Erm, no,” she said, voice slightly hoarse. “Not really. Not at all actually.”

Carla was about to prompt her but decided she’d wait to see if Lisa wanted to volunteer any more details. She already felt she owed the blonde so much and didn’t want to pry into what was obviously a sensitive topic for her.

“They were quite religious,” Lisa eventually continued. “Still are, I imagine. When I told them I liked women when I was 16, they threatened to kick me out.”

“Oh god,” Carla gasped. “Lisa, that’s terrible. So did they? Kick you out, I mean?”

Lisa shook her head. “No,” she said bitterly. “It would have ruined their perfect image. But they made my life hell for the next two years, even threatened to send me to conversion therapy.”

“Fuck,” Carla sighed. “That’s bleak.”

Lisa nodded. “I was so relieved when I went off to uni, hardly spoke to them for the whole three years. But then I graduated, top of my class.

“All of a sudden they were proud of me again, like they could finally brag about me to all their friends.”

Lisa swallowed. “Around the same time, I met Becky. I figured that if my parents saw us together, saw how happy she made me, that they’d be okay with it.

“I was so fucking desperate to be their golden child again that I convinced myself that we could all just be one happy family. Pathetic, really.”

“It’s not pathetic, Lisa,” Carla said gently, placing a calming hand on the blonde’s knee. “Not even a little bit. I take it they didn’t react very well?”

Lisa laughed sadly. “No,” she said. “No, they didn’t. They gave me an ultimatum, said it was either them or Becky. It was at that moment I realised that they’d never change.

“No matter what I did, how successful I was, I’d never be enough for them unless I denied a huge part of myself. I haven’t spoken to them since.”

“Oh, Lisa,” Carla sighed, squeezing her leg. “Do they have a relationship with Betsy? You said she’s at her grandparents’ this weekend, right?”

“Becky’s parents,” Lisa explained. “They’ve always been brilliant to us and Betsy adores them. But no, my mum and dad have never even met her.”

Carla shook her head. “That’s so sad.”

Lisa shrugged. “It is what it is,” she said. “I’ve tried reaching out to them a few times over the years but they’re not interested. I figure Betsy’s better off with one set of grandparents that love her than having to deal with a pair of homophobic bigots.”

“Absolutely,” Carla nodded. “What about your sister? Do you still speak to her?”

Lisa looked down, wringing her hands together. “No,” she said quietly. “We were super close when we were younger - there’s only a year between us.

“But mum and dad told her it was either them or me so…”

Carla shook her head, eyes suddenly blazing with anger as Lisa trailed off. “Unbelievable,” the brunette huffed. “How could she possibly choose them over you?”

Lisa reached out to take Carla’s hand. “Hey,” she said. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago and I’ve made my peace with it now.”

“But you shouldn’t have had to!” Carla protested. “That’s not fair.”

Lisa smiled sadly. “That’s life.”

There was silence for a minute then, both women watching as the family on the beach began to pack up their things.

“Carla?” Lisa said.

The brunette turned to her expectantly.

“You said it wasn’t meant to be, you having kids. Did…did something happen?”

Carla looked back out to sea and, for a moment, Lisa thought she wasn’t going to answer, was just about tell her she didn’t need to, when she cleared her throat.

“For the longest time, I didn’t want kids,” she began. “My own mum had hardly been ‘Mother of the Year’ and I just felt they would hold me back, stop me from living my life how I wanted.

“But then I fell pregnant, totally unexpectedly. Peter didn’t want me to keep it, kept trying to encourage me to have a termination.”

A tear spilled from the brunette’s eye as she spoke but she didn’t seemed to notice, carried on.

“But then the strangest thing happened,” she said with a smile. “All of a sudden, I wanted a baby more than anything in the world. I was so excited, pictured having my own little family, giving my baby all of the things I’d missed out on when I was a kid.”

Carla gave a shuddery breath and Lisa braced herself for what was to come.

“Then,” Carla continued, “one day, Peter and I had an argument, a really bad one. It was the first time he’d ever hit me, sent me flying across the floor and I…”

She trailed off, tears flowing freely now.

“You lost the baby?” Lisa whispered, heartbroken.

Carla nodded, gave a sad laugh. “15 years ago last month and I still can’t talk about it without crying. What a wuss I am, eh?”

“You’re not,” Lisa said quickly, reaching up to brush Carla’s tears away. “Not at all. In fact, I think you’re the bravest person I’ve ever met.”

Carla laughed but Lisa’s expression remained serious. “I mean it, Carla,” the blonde said firmly. “You deserve everything, don’t you ever forget that.”

Carla looked at Lisa for a moment, hand reaching up to caress her soft cheek.

“You’re everything, Lisa,” the brunette said, voice barely more than a whisper. “You make me so happy.”

Lisa couldn’t find the words so instead she leant forwards, cold nose brushing against Carla’s as she brought their lips together.

What initially started out as a chaste kiss quickly developed into something more, Carla pushing her tongue into Lisa’s mouth, inducing an almost feral moan as the blonde scraped her blunt nails across the other woman’s scalp.

Carla trailed her hands down to Lisa’s narrow waist, slipping them inside her jacket and squeezing the soft flesh there, revelling in the way the younger woman’s hips bucked involuntarily.

Suddenly, as if realising where they were, Lisa pulled back, cheeks flushed.

“We should be able to check in to the hotel now,” the blonde said. “Not that I’m suggesting…I, er, actually booked us separate rooms.”

Carla laughed at that. “You’re not serious?”

Lisa shrugged, eyes wide. “I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”

“You’re such a dork,” Carla laughed good-naturedly, getting to her feet and extending her hand, the two women walking in silence towards the car park.

As they approached Lisa’s car, Carla shivered performatively.

The blonde shot her a strange look. “What?”

“Nothing,” Carla said innocently. “Just…it’s pretty chilly today, isn’t it? Reckon we might need to share a bed. You know, just for body heat?”

Lisa looked back at her, eyes twinkling. “You’re wicked, Carla Barlow,” she giggled.

The brunette shrugged airily. “You love it, blondie,” she said as she slid into the car.

Lisa bit her lip, shaking her head. She couldn’t argue with that one.

Chapter Text

Carla giggled as Lisa fumbled with the key card to their room.

“I’m not making you nervous, am I?” the brunette teased, breath hot on the back of the shorter woman’s neck.

“No!” Lisa yelped indignantly, though the growing wetness between her legs told her otherwise. “It’s just…fiddly that’s all.”

“Right,” Carla said disbelievingly as Lisa finally managed to get the door open. “Fiddly.”

Lisa shot her a withering look as they made their way inside, their overnight bags already stationed in the corner from when they’d checked in earlier in the afternoon.

It had been a magical evening. After ditching their bags, the two women had made a beeline for the hotel restaurant and had spent the night talking about everything and nothing over some delicious food and a bottle of red.

Lisa felt more comfortable with Carla than she had done with anyone since Becky. But, as the alcohol had begun to hit their system, the mood had shifted slightly, becoming deliciously tense, charged.

Lisa couldn’t help the shiver of arousal that jolted through her as Carla expertly twirled her fettuccine around her fork, making a show of sucking the pasta into her mouth and then licking the flecks of creamy sauce from her lips.

It wasn’t lost on the blonde how Carla’s eyes would every so often rake over her body, how the brunette would occasionally lean forwards so that Lisa was treated to an uninterrupted view of her impressive cleavage.

By the time the waitress came to take their dessert order, Carla wasn’t even attempting to hide her intentions, slipping off her shoe and trailing her foot maddeningly up and down Lisa’s calf.

Needless to say, Lisa had politely declined the offer of dessert, instead ordering another bottle of wine for her and Carla to take back to the room and hastily paying the bill.

Now they were inside, though, Lisa felt suddenly unsure, heart hammering in her chest as Carla settled into a plush arm chair, eyeing her brazenly from across the room.

“Thirsty?” Lisa asked, too brightly, holding up the wine bottle.

It had been the wrong thing to say.

“Parched,” Carla replied, lowly, in a way that made Lisa’s mouth go dry.

The blonde busied herself pouring them each a glass of Merlot, turning around when she heard Carla tittering behind her.

“What?” she demanded, fully aware of the heat that was rapidly climbing up her neck.

“Nothing,” Carla shook her head. “You’re just…cute. That’s all.”

Lisa huffed as she made her way over with the drinks. “I don’t want to be cute,” she pouted. “I want to be sexy.”

“You are sexy!” Carla protested, earning herself an eye roll.

“You’re just saying that because you feel sorry for me,” Lisa sighed. “It’s okay, really. I’m not sure I’ve got a sexy bone in my body.”

“Lisa,” Carla said evenly, standing and accepting the proffered glass of wine. “You want to know what I did after that first night I met you at the club?”

Lisa swallowed thickly, nodded.

Carla took a step closer, eyes darkening. “I touched myself,” she said. “Even after everything with Peter, I couldn’t help myself.

“I went home and fucked myself in the shower. Do you know why?”

Lisa shook her head, although she was pretty sure she knew the reason. Carla smirked.

“Because of you, Lisa,” she said, swiping her thumb over the blonde’s cheek. “Because of how much I wanted you. I couldn’t get you out of my head.

“I still can’t. So don’t ever tell me you’re not sexy, okay? Because you are, more than you know.”

Before Lisa could respond, Carla was kissing her. It was soft and tender, Lisa blinking dumbly as the brunette pulled back.

“Well,” Carla smiled. “Now that we’ve got that cleared up, how about we play a game? Help you relax a bit?”

Lisa eyed her warily. “What kind of game?”

“Mmm,” Carla hummed, deliberating. “How about ‘Never Have I Ever’?”

“‘Never Have I Ever’?” Lisa laughed, raising an eyebrow. “How old are you again?”

Carla stuck out her tongue, prompting Lisa to giggle.

“Come on, blondie,” Carla urged. “It’ll be fun.”

Lisa sighed, flopping down onto the edge of the bed as Carla settled back into the chair opposite.

“Fine,” she conceded. “But you can go first.”

“Okay,” Carla agreed, satisfied. “We’ll start off easy. Never have I ever slept with a woman.”

Lisa could feel herself blushing as she sipped her drink, even though she had already been fully aware of that particular detail.

“Good girl,” Carla said, almost causing Lisa’s brain to short-circuit. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Okay,” she said. “My turn. Never have I ever had sex in a public place.”

Carla quirked an eyebrow, taking a long slug of her wine. “Really?” she asked. “Never?”

Lisa shook her head. “Nope,” she said. “I’m an angel, me.”

Carla tilted her head, interested. “I’m not so sure about that,” she said suggestively. “Okay, let’s ramp this up a level. Never have I ever had a threesome.”

Carla had said it jokingly and so, when Lisa sheepishly raised her glass to her lips, she let out a screech. “What?!” she yelped. “Oh my god, I did not see that coming.”

“I told you,” Lisa said airily, pleased to have shocked the other woman. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Carla.”

“Clearly,” the brunette grinned.

“Although,” Lisa began. “I’m not sure it really counts.”

Carla squinted. “How come?”

“It was back when I was in uni and there was this girl in my class who I really fancied,” the blonde explained. “I’d been getting a bit of a vibe from her but I didn’t know if it was all in my head.”

“Sounds familiar,” Carla said pointedly, causing Lisa to dip her head shyly.

“Anyway,” the blonde continued. “We ended up on a night out together and she kissed me. I invited her back to my place and…she asked if her boyfriend could come too.”

“She did what?!” Carla shrieked. “You told her to do one, right?”

Lisa bit her lip.

“Lisa!” Carla chided.

The blonde held up her hands in surrender. “What can I say? She was really fit.”

Carla laughed. “Fair enough. So, did you enjoy it?”

“I didn’t, actually,” Lisa grimaced. “The boyfriend was a bit of a creep and I spent the whole time trying to avoid touching him. In the end, they were so caught up in each other I ended up going to wait in the kitchen while they finished off…in my bed.”

“Oh my god,” Carla howled, hand clamped over her mouth as her body shook with laughter. “That is priceless.”

“Yeah well, it wasn’t one of my finest moments,” Lisa admitted bashfully, eager to change the subject. “My go. Never have I ever given someone a lap dance.”

“Good one,” Carla chuckled, rolling her eyes as she drank.

“You know,” Lisa said shyly. “I genuinely think that’s the most turned on I’ve ever been in my life, that night at the club.

“I’d love to have the confidence to be able to do that, to dance like that, make you feel like I did.”

Carla’s eyes twinkled mischievously, a slow smile spreading across her face.

“What?” Lisa asked, clocking the brunette’s expression.

“Stand up,” Carla said, voice firm.

Lisa’s eyes widened as realisation quickly began to dawn.

“Oh no,” the blonde said shakily. “No way, Carla.”

Carla smirked. “Humour me for a second,” she said. “What would your stripper song be?”

“Carla,” Lisa sighed.

The brunette pinned her with a sharp look. “We’re not moving on until you tell me.”

Lisa raked her hand through her hair. “Okay,” she huffed. “Fine. I’d probably go for something slow and sexy.”

“Like?” Carla prompted.

“Like…I don’t know,” Lisa sighed. “Maybe ‘Haunted’ by Beyoncé.”

Carla smiled, reaching for her phone. “Interesting,” she said.

“What are you doing?” Lisa asked.

Carla said nothing, tapping away at her screen until the first bars of ‘Haunted’ began blaring through the tinny speakers.

“No way,” Lisa said, instantly recognising the song. “Not happening, Carla.”

“Dance for me,” Carla said lowly, leaning back expectantly in her chair. “Stand up and dance for me.”

Lisa laughed, shook her head.

“I’m not joking,” Carla growled, her sudden shift in tone causing desire to ripple through the blonde’s body. “And it’s an order, not a question. Dance for me, Lisa.”

Lisa hesitated for a second, her eyes never once leaving Carla’s. She was about to protest again when something stopped her.

She realised that the thought of doing this, of dancing for Carla - terrifying as it was - really turned her on. The thought of teasing the other woman, learning what drove her wild, made her feel almost feral.

Lisa drained her glass of wine and got slowly to her feet, limbs pleasantly heavy from the alcohol.

She stretched out a crick in her neck and took a step forwards, eyes honing in on Carla, who was watching her like a hawk.

Tentatively, Lisa began to sway her hips in time to the music, tipping her head back ever so slightly as she undid the top button of her blouse.

As she reached for the second button, though, she froze, nerves suddenly creeping back in.

“Keep going,” Carla breathed, spellbound.

Lisa looked back down at her, breath catching in her throat as she took in the brunette’s hungry expression, the way her pupils were blown, her chest labouring.

It made Lisa feel powerful. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was in control.

“Like what you see, huh?” she smirked as she quickly undid the rest of her shirt buttons.

Carla just nodded dumbly, mouth slightly agape.

Lisa gave a sultry laugh, shrugging the silky fabric off of her shoulders and letting it pool at her feet. She watched the way Carla’s eyes roamed her torso, over the flimsy black lace of her unpadded bra, the rippling muscles of her abdomen and the tiny silver piercing nestled in her belly button.

“Fuck, Lisa,” Carla swallowed. “You’re unreal.”

Lisa bit her lip and took another step, fingers toying with the zipper of her jeans.

“You want me to take these off?” she asked sweetly.

Carla nodded again. “Off,” she whispered gruffly.

Lisa clucked her tongue. “Now, now, Carla,” she teased. “Use your manners.”

Carla growled, clearly unused to being made to wait like this.

“Please, Lisa,” she begged. “Take off your pants and get the fuck over here.”

Lisa raised an eyebrow but complied with Carla’s request, rolling her hips as she wriggled out of her jeans.

“Jesus, Lisa,” Carla groaned as she clocked the fact the blonde was wearing a G-string.

It was a deviation from Lisa’s usual Marks & Spencer cotton briefs but she’d worn it on the off chance she found herself in this kind of position. Now, she was very grateful that she had planned ahead.

The detective walked slowly towards Carla, spreading her legs and placing a knee either side of the brunette’s toned thighs so that she was straddling her lap.

“C-can I…can I touch you?” Carla stammered, looking up at her.

It melted Lisa’s heart, the vulnerability in the other woman’s eyes.

Rather than answering, she reached for Carla’s hands, placing them gently on her narrow waist. Both women moaned at the feeling of skin on skin.

Lisa rocked her hips in a bid to ease the tension rapidly building between her legs, delicious heat emanating from Carla’s body below her.

The blonde shivered as Carla trailed a finger along the ridges of her spine until she came to settle on the clasp of her bra. The brunette tilted her head, almost imperceptibly, Lisa nodding yes to her wordless request.

Carla deftly unhooked her bra and Lisa grinned.

“You sure you haven’t done this before?” the younger woman asked as the lacy fabric joined her shirt and pants on the floor.

Carla smirked, a flash of her trademark confidence returning. “What can I say?” she said smugly. “I must be a natural.”

Lisa didn’t have time to reply to that, a strangled sob tumbling from her lips as Carla dipped her head and sucked a hardened nipple into her mouth.

Lisa subconsciously pressed her chest forwards, hungry for more. Carla laughed throatily, rearing back slightly.

“Fuck, blondie,” the brunette taunted. “You’re desperate for this, aren’t you?”

Lisa knew she should feel embarrassed, but the throbbing between her legs was almost painful now. Weeks of anticipation - years of latent sexual frustration - had led her to this, and she felt would do just about anything Carla asked of her as long as she got some release.

Lisa rolled her hips again unsubtly, sure the first traces of her arousal had already spilled onto her thighs.

“Ah, ah,” Carla chided, stilling her movements. “You’re going to have be patient, darling.”

Lisa groaned, the sound deepening into a guttural roar as Carla palmed at her breast, eyes wide as she pinched her swollen nipple between her thumb and forefinger.

“Your tits are even better than I imagined,” she breathed, awestruck.

Lisa giggled at that, at the fact this fierce seductress was currently gawping at her chest like a teenaged boy.

“I’d have thought the novelty of looking at boobs would wear off considering your line of work,” the blonde teased.

Carla looked up at the other woman with a challenge in her eyes.

“Getting cocky are we, blondie?” she jeered. “I think you’re forgetting that I’m the one in control here. I’m the one who decides if and when you get off. Understand?”

Lisa nodded, pressed her lips together. She was so used to craving control, in all facets of her life, that surrendering to Carla like this made her light-headed with want.

“Good girl,” Carla growled again, walking her fingers down Lisa’s ribcage and to her navel, flicking at her belly button piercing with a smirk before snapping at the elastic waistband of her G-string.

“Carla,” Lisa panted, body undulating again. “I need-“

“What do you need, darling?” the brunette asked. “Ask me nicely.”

Lisa groaned. “Your fingers,” she managed. “Inside.”

Carla toyed with her waistband again but didn’t move any lower, instead pinning Lisa with a pointed stare.

Lisa whined, past caring how needy she sounded. “Please, Carla,” she breathed. “Please touch me.”

Carla hummed, satisfied with Lisa’s act of submission, and wasted no time in pulling the other woman’s G-string to the side so that she could dip a finger into her wet heat.

Lisa clenched, desperately trying to find purchase but, too quickly, the contact was gone.

She was about to object when Carla raised the same finger to Lisa’s lips.

“Taste yourself,” she growled, eyes darker than Lisa had ever seen them.

The blonde laughed uneasily. No one had ever had ever asked that of her before.

“Carla,” she began.

But the brunette was in no mood for debate, fisting her hand in the silken threads of Lisa’s hair and pulling ever so slightly, so that her head was fixed in place.

“Did I stutter?” she demanded firmly. “I want you to taste what I’ve done to you.”

Lisa felt dazed. She hadn’t even known it was possible to feel like this, like her every nerve ending was on fire.

Her eyes blazed as they locked with Carla’s and, tentatively, she opened her mouth, letting the other woman push her finger past her plump lips.

Lisa took great pleasure in sucking at Carla’s hot skin, teeth mouthing at her finger ever so slightly.

Carla whimpered, actually whimpered, as she did so, and it made Lisa’s heart swell, knowing the brunette was just as affected by all of this as she was.

“I need you, Carla,” the blonde pleaded, releasing the other woman’s finger with a wet pop. “Please, you can feel how much I need you. Please, fuck me.”

Carla smiled lasciviously, trailing her hand downwards once more.

“Well,” she cooed. “Since you asked so nicely.”

Without further preamble, Carla pushed two fingers past Lisa’s desperate entrance, the sensation nearly taking the blonde’s breath away.

Carla watched, mesmerised, as Lisa began riding her, wetness coating her fingers as they pumped roughly in and out.

“You’re incredible, Lisa,” she breathed, unable to drag her eyes away. “Just so beautiful.”

The tenderness in Carla’s voice struck Lisa, even in her half-delirious state. She cupped the brunette’s face in her hands, forcing her gaze upwards.

“I was worried,” the detective admitted quietly. “That you might not like this, I mean.”

Carla smiled, smitten. “Lisa,” she said. “I like this more than I could have ever imagined.”

Her honesty only made Lisa want her more, and so she rocked her hips faster, revelling in the way Carla occasionally curled her fingers inside her, so that they brushed against her most sensitive spot.

When Carla swiped at her throbbing clit with her thumb, Lisa knew she wasn’t going to last much longer.

Carla sensed it too, her own desire building as she watched the way Lisa’s breasts bounced, heard the lewd squelching of the younger woman’s arousal.

“You feel so good, darling,” she soothed. “I want you to let go.”

“Carla,” Lisa croaked. “I’m going to-“

“Come for me, Lisa,” she demanded. “Come while I’m inside you.”

Her filthy words pushed Lisa over the edge, the blonde orgasming with an intensity that made her feel dizzy, her whole body suddenly alive.

As she slowly came back down to earth, Carla still pumping gently in and out, she slumped forwards, her sweat-slicked forehead resting against the brunette’s.

“That was amazing,” the detective husked. “*You* are amazing.”

Carla slowly withdrew from inside her, drawing her hand upwards until it was pressed flat against Lisa’s racing heart.

“Likewise, blondie,” she smiled tenderly.

They stayed like that for a while, breathing each other in, until Carla eventually broke the silence.

“You know,” she said with a grin. “I’ve given a lot of lap dances in my time. I think you’re a natural.”

Lisa chuckled, but her smile quickly faded as she registered Carla’s words. She of course knew that the other woman had probably danced for hundreds of men over the years, maybe even thousands.

It was her job. And yet, the thought of Carla with someone else, of somebody other than her having her like this, ignited some kind of primal instinct deep inside of her.

Lisa gingerly got to her feet, breathing heavily as she looked down at Carla. She wanted to wrestle back some control.

“Stand up,” she said, voice barely more than a whisper. “Stand up and take off your clothes.”

Carla smirked, surprised, but didn’t argue.

Lisa didn’t touch her, just watched as she took her time undressing, not breaking eye contact as she first removed her jeans and jumper, then her lacy underwear.

Lisa thought she might come again, just from the sight of her. But she had to keep her composure, had to make sure Carla knew who was boss here.

The blonde closed the gap between them, both women gasping as their naked bodies brushed together for the first time. Lisa reached up to hook her fingers beneath Carla’s chin, saw the way the brunette’s eyes widened as she did so.

“Nobody else gets you like this, Carla,” she said lowly. “Nobody. You’re mine now, okay?”

Carla laughed slightly, nervously. “Okay,” she whispered. “Whatever you say.”

Lisa stood on her tiptoes and kissed her passionately. She panted into Carla’s mouth, sucking on her tongue and humming as she tasted her own arousal there.

She let her hands wander downwards, over Carla’s delicious curves, until she reached her backside.

Carla moaned against her lips as she squeezed roughly at her soft flesh.

“You have a fantastic arse,” Lisa smiled.

Sensing the brunette was about to say something cocky, the detective hooked her arms beneath the other woman’s thighs and lifted her, so that suddenly her legs were wrapping around her waist.

“Fuck, Lisa,” Carla panted, grappling at her shoulders. “How on earth can you do that? You’re about five foot nothing.”

Lisa chuckled, mentally congratulating herself for all of those extra body combat classes she’d been taking recently as she threw Carla down onto the bed.

“I’m 5ft 2’ actually,” she quipped, straddling Carla’s hips and leaning down to capture her lips in another bruising kiss before she could continue the argument.

When Lisa eventually pulled back, she traced her fingers reverently over Carla’s sharp cheekbones.

“Your bone structure is a joke, you know,” she whispered as she began peppering sweet kisses along the brunette’s jaw. “Like an actual fucking joke.”

Carla could only moan as Lisa turned her attention to her ear, tongue darting out to ghost at the shell before sucking the lobe wetly into her mouth.

Then began the blonde’s assault on her neck, teeth nipping along the long column of her throat, her mouth moving down and down until she came to her breasts, swiping her tongue over her dusky peak.

“God,” Carla groaned, writhing beneath her.

Lisa looked up at her with hooded eyes. “You can call me Lisa,” she quipped cheekily, repeating back the words Carla had said to her that night on the phone.

Carla rolled her eyes but was too far gone to issue a further retort.

Lisa continued mouthing at her creamy flesh, biting down on the sensitive skin on the underside of her breast, hard enough to leave a mark.

Carla hissed as the blonde lathed her tongue over the already-darkening patch of skin.

“Just in case you forget who you belong to,” Lisa said sweetly.

Carla simply let her fingers drag against Lisa’s scalp, forcing her head downwards, directing her to where she wanted her.

“What was it you said earlier?” Lisa taunted. “Something about patience?”

“Lisa,” Carla warned and, as much as the blonde was enjoying having the other woman completely at her mercy, she conceded it was probably time to put her out of her misery.

Lisa planted a trail of kisses across the flat plane of Carla’s stomach, hot breath ghosting over her most sensitive area for just a second before she moved her mouth to her thighs, kissing and biting and sucking until the brunette was arching off the bed, frantic.

“Look at me,” Lisa demanded.

Carla was initially too caught up in her own desire to register the command.

“Carla,” Lisa repeated firmly. “Look at me.”

This time, Carla complied, a string of expletives tumbling from her lips as she took in Lisa’s hungry expression.

When the blonde dipped her head and licked flatly through her wet folds, Carla actually thought she might pass out, hands fisting desperately in the cotton bedsheets.

“Lisa,” she moaned, hips bucking upwards into the blonde’s face.

Lisa smiled against her, hands reaching up to pin her hips in place as she continued exploring every inch of her. She hooked Carla’s legs over her shoulders, revelling in the way she felt entirely immersed in the other woman’s arousal.

She enjoyed the little sounds the brunette made, the way she whined when Lisa sucked her clit into her mouth, moaned when she lapped hungrily at her wetness, cried out when she buried her tongue deep inside her.

As Carla’s breathing grew heavier, Lisa filled her with her fingers, driving them in and out in a desperate, addictive rhythm.

All at once, Lisa felt Carla’s walls tighten around her as she came, almost violently, the blonde’s name on her lips.

“That’s it, baby,” she breathed as Carla shuddered against her. “You were so good. So, so beautiful.”

Once Carla had stilled, Lisa climbed slowly back up her body, chin glistening with the other woman’s arousal as she nestled into her side, breathing in a scent that was sweet and tangy and unmistakably Carla.

“Wow,” Carla croaked shakily. “That was…”

“Good?” Lisa asked, looking up at her with a smile.

“Life-changing,” Carla grinned, prompting Lisa to chuckle.

“Seriously, Lisa,” the brunette said, earnest now. “I didn’t…I didn’t know it could feel like that.”

Lisa thought she might just melt, craning her neck so that she could plant a sweet kiss on the tip of Carla’s nose.

“Only when it means something, sweetheart,” she whispered softly. “Only when it means something.”

Chapter Text

Lisa awoke to a pleasant aching in her muscles, her arm slung heavily across Carla’s waist, her head resting contentedly on the brunette’s chest.

A shaft of watery sunlight spilled in through the curtains, casting an ethereal glow over Carla’s sleeping form. Lisa reached up to sweep some hair from the other woman’s brow, feeling her heart surge as she paused for a minute, watching her breathe.

“Quit starting, blondie.”

Carla’s groggy request caused Lisa to jump, the blonde propping herself up on one elbow.

“I thought you were sleeping,” Lisa said, a smile dancing on her lips.

Carla opened one eye, squinting up at her. “I was,” she said. “Until I sensed this stalker in my bed glaring at me.”

Lisa pouted. “A stalker, eh? Well, if that’s how you feel, maybe I’ll just leave you to it.”

As the detective made to get out of the bed, however, Carla quickly sprang into action, reaching out and pinning Lisa between her thighs, tickling her into submission.

“Don’t you dare,” Carla yelped, prodding and pinching as Lisa writhed beneath her.

“Carla!” the blonde giggled breathlessly, desperately trying to break free.

The laughter died in her throat, though, when Carla leant down to kiss her, swallowing Lisa’s moan as their tongues danced together.

“Well,” Lisa said when Carla eventually broke away. “That’s a nice way to say ‘good morning’.”

“Hmm,” Carla hummed against her lips. “I missed you.”

“While we were sleeping?” Lisa grinned. “Carla Barlow, you big softie!”

Carla’s cheeks flushed and she buried her face in the crook of Lisa’s neck, wasted no time in sinking her teeth into the soft skin there.

Lisa groaned, all of her senses suddenly on high-alert. She marvelled at how the other woman had this power over her, how she could work her up in just a matter of seconds.

“Not laughing now, are you?” Carla taunted, nuzzling against her.

Lisa could already feel her nipples standing to attention, fresh wetness gathering at the apex of her thighs. She was just about to steer Carla’s mouth downwards when the seed of an idea bloomed in her head.

“You know,” the blonde said with a wicked grin. “I was thinking I might have a shower. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to reach my back though…”

Carla licked her lips, immediately picking up on the suggestion in the other woman’s tone. “I suppose I could help you with that,” she said.

“That’s very selfless of you,” the blonde giggled. “Play your cards right and I might just do yours too.”

—

Carla moaned, leaning her head back as Lisa massaged shampoo into her scalp.

“That feels like heaven,” she purred, letting the hot water cascade over her body.

“You look like heaven,” Lisa whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her shoulder, then rinsing the shampoo away, rivulets of water skimming off soft skin.

The blonde squeezed some shower gel into her palm, rubbing her hands together before winding her hands around Carla from behind, building up a lather as she squeezed at her perfect breasts.

Carla moaned again, pressing her body back against Lisa’s as she allowed herself to get lost in the sensation.

“Bend over,” Lisa whispered in her ear, the blonde’s clit pulsing as the other woman readily complied, pushing her backside against the detective’s crotch.

Lisa trailed her hand through Carla’s wetness, pushing two then three fingers inside. Carla howled, shunting forwards slightly, placing both hands flat against the cool tiles, bracing herself.

“You’re taking me so well, darling,” Lisa soothed as she pumped in and out, reaching around the brunette with her other hand to stroke at her bundle of nerves.

It wasn’t long before Carla was coming undone, slamming her palm against the wall again and again as she whined and cursed.

Lisa held on tightly to the brunette’s waist, noticing how her legs almost gave way as she came.

“I’ve got you,” Lisa whispered, like a vow, as Carla grew heavy in her arms. “I’ve always got you.”

After a few minutes, Carla slowly straightened her spine, turning around and pulling Lisa in for a long, languid kiss.

“I want to taste you,” the brunette breathed, touching her forehead against Lisa’s.

“You…you don’t have to,” the blonde stammered.

Carla didn’t acknowledge that statement.

“Sit down,” she said instead, steering Lisa towards the corner of the deep, roll-top bathtub.

Lisa shivered as her backside came into contact with the cold enamel, the blonde shivering for an entirely different reason when Carla sank to her knees in front of her, eyes deliciously dark.

The brunette wasted no time in dipping her head, pressing her tongue against Lisa’s wetness, humming at the taste as the other woman’s head dropped back against the wall.

It had been three long years since Lisa had felt somebody’s mouth on her and, as Carla probed and swirled, she felt that familiar pressure start to coil low in her abdomen.

“You taste incredible,” Carla panted, reaching up to paw at one of Lisa’s soapy breasts.

Lisa whined as the pressure continued to build, hips bucking wildly as she clawed at Carla’s shoulder blades, light-headed as the steam whirled around her.

“Are you going to come for me, baby?” Carla asked huskily. “Are you going to come in my mouth?”

Lisa nodded desperately, gasping as she finally tumbled over the edge, tears of elation stinging her eyes. Carla was in no hurry to get up, letting the blonde’s juices trickle down onto her chin.

She dragged her blunt fingernails across Lisa’s twitching thighs, the younger woman slowly coming to her senses.

“You are a revelation, Carla Barlow,” she grinned dreamily.

Carla smiled back, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. “I could do that forever,” she rasped, meaning every word.

Lisa laughed. “I’m not sure we’d quite get away with that,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “But we don’t have to check out for another hour so…”

Carla returned the detective’s suggestive smirk. “I like your thinking, blondie,” she said, both women giggling as the brunette dipped her head once more.

—

Later that afternoon, Carla smiled as Lisa set two drinks down on the table in front of her; lime and soda for the blonde and a fruity cider for the brunette.

They were nestled in a corner of ‘The Rose and Crown’, a quaint little pub on the seafront, with a log fire crackling in the grate and a droopy-eared spaniel snoring on the rug beside the hearth. The two women had spent the afternoon exploring Whitby, browsing in shops filled with knick-knacks and trinkets, barely ever breaking apart.

Lisa reached out and laced her fingers through Carla’s, squeezing tightly. “I could get used to this,” she said softly, both women falling into contemplative silence at the prospect of returning to reality in just a few short hours.

“I get why you like it here,” Carla said, taking a sip of her drink. “These past couple of days, I’ve felt like I can actually breathe, like the air is lighter here.”

Lisa nodded, pleased. “That’s exactly why l love it.”

“Maybe,” Carla began shyly, fidgeting with a sodden beer mat with her free hand. “Maybe we could come here again sometime?”

Lisa smiled. “I’d like that. I’d really like that.”

Carla grinned. “I bet it’ll be nice for you to get back home to Betsy, though,” she said softly.

Lisa dipped her head. “Yeah,” she sighed. “If she doesn’t hate my guts, that is.”

Carla clucked her tongue. “I’m sure she doesn’t,” she said. “I know things can’t have been easy for you both lately but anyone would be lucky to have you as a mum, Lisa. Betsy’s stuck gold with you.”

“Thank you,” Lisa whispered, throat tight with emotion.

Carla swallowed. “I’d like to meet her one day,” she said shyly. “Only when the time’s right, of course.”

Lisa smiled at that, heart soaring at the thought of introducing the most important person in her life to this woman who she was rapidly starting to feel she could not live without.

“She’d like you,” Lisa said, meaning it. “I can just picture the pair of you actually, ganging up on me, telling me how uncool I am.”

Carla chuckled, brushed a finger over Lisa’s bony knuckles. “I happen to think you’re really cool.”

There was quiet for a moment, Lisa not wanting to break the spell but knowing she couldn’t avoid the elephant in the room for much longer.

“How about you?” she asked eventually, tentatively. “How do you feel about going back to Peter?”

Carla worried at her bottom lip with her teeth and, when she spoke, it was so quiet that Lisa actually wondered whether she’d imagined it.

“I’m going to leave him,” she said, the words hanging weightily in the air.

Lisa didn’t know what to say, the blonde in equal parts thrilled and terrified at the prospect of the other woman fleeing that monster.

“Not right away,” Carla clarified quickly. “I need to get a few things in order first. But, well, you told me yesterday that I’m the bravest person you know.

“For the longest time, I’ve felt the complete opposite of that. But you’ve made me want to be brave, Lisa. For you. For us.”

Lisa felt a tear slip down her cheek. “For us,” she echoed with a smile, as if trying out the words for size. “I like the sound of that.”

Carla nodded. “I think…I think there’s always been a part of me that’s been scared to leave because I thought there was nothing else out there for me,” she admitted.

“I didn’t think I deserved anything beyond what Peter could offer me, you know? But then you appeared and it was like you genuinely felt I was worth more than that.”

Lisa pressed Carla’s hand to her lips. “You are,” she soothed. “You deserve the world, Carla.”

The brunette smiled. “It might take a little while for me to start believing that. But I think, as long as I have you, I might just get there.”

Lisa felt overwhelmed, a million different emotions whirling inside her brain.

“Well, I’m not going anywhere,” she promised with a wobbly grin. “And I’ll help you however I can, okay?”

Carla nodded. “Thank you, blondie,” she beamed. “You’re the best.”

Lisa stood up on shaky legs, feeling unmoored as she went over to pay the bill. She wanted to believe Carla’s words, believe that deep down she was a good person.

But as the blonde stood at the bar, hands trembling, she couldn’t escape the terrible feeling of guilt that was blooming in her stomach, threatening to swallow her whole.

—

It was dark by the time they arrived back in Manchester. They’d driven most of the way home in companionable silence, Carla looking out of the window, occasionally reaching out to cover Lisa’s hand with her own on the gear stick.

Lisa dropped her off in a car-park, about 10 minutes away from her and Peter’s flat.

“I feel like a child of divorce,” the brunette joked as Lisa cut the engine.

“I wish I didn’t have to leave you,” Lisa sighed.

Carla squeezed her hand. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Me too.”

“Oh!” Lisa said suddenly, reaching for her bag in the back seat. “I nearly forgot. I got you a little something.”

Carla furrowed her brow, grinned. “Really?” she laughed. “That’s funny, because I got you something too. You go first.”

Lisa dipped her head, presenting Carla with a brown paper bag. “It’s nothing exciting,” she said shyly. “Just something I thought you might like.”

Carla shot her an intrigued look before reaching inside, pulling out an expensive-looking A4 drawing pad, alongside a palette of beautiful watercolour paints.

Carla just stared at the gifts for a moment, Lisa feeling that familiar panic start to set in.

“You don’t have to use them,” the detective said quickly. “Really. It’s just a daft little thing.”

It took Lisa a second to realise Carla was crying, a lone tear tracking an elegant trail down her cheek. “They’re…they’re stunning,” Carla breathed. “I think it’s the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever bought for me. When did you even get these?”

Lisa looked down at her lap. “I snuck off to the gallery gift shop earlier, when you were busy haggling with that man over the price of his ice cream.”

“It was extortionate!” Carla protested, making Lisa laugh. “Daylight bloody robbery.”

The brunette shook her head. “Thank you,” she continued tenderly. “I love them. Although this makes my present look totally crap!”

“I bet it’s not,” Lisa cut in. “Seriously, Carla. Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll love it.”

Carla sighed, rummaging in her pocket. “Hold out your hand,” she demanded.

Lisa hesitated for a second before doing so, gasping as Carla placed the most exquisite pebble she’d ever seen in her palm. It was smooth and slender, white with flecks of a dozen different colours running through it.

“It’s from the beach,” Carla said softly. “I thought…I thought you could keep it as a little reminder of this weekend, so that you’d always have a piece of your happy place with you.”

“It’s nothing compared to what you got me,” she babbled quickly as Lisa stayed quiet. “I actually can’t even believe I’ve given it to you it’s that naff. I-“

Lisa silenced her with a kiss, only pulling back when she needed air.

“I love it,” she croaked. “Truly.”

“Well, I love you.”

The words were out of Carla’s mouth before she could stop them, her cheeks flaming red as Lisa blinked back at her.

“Oh my god,” she groaned. “I can’t believe I just said that. I’m sorry, please ignore me.”

“Carla,” Lisa breathed, heart pounding.

“It’s okay, blondie,” Carla said, swiping at her cheek. “You don’t have to say it back.”

Lisa ducked her head again. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” she said. “It’s just…after what happened to Becky…”

“It’s okay,” Carla soothed. “Really, Lisa. It’s fine.”

Lisa reached for her hand again. “I am falling for you, Carla,” she admitted honestly. “If you can just give me a little time…”

Carla smiled softly, placed a chaste kiss to the other woman’s lips. “Hey,” she whispered. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

“I best get going,” Carla continued after a beat. “I’ll speak to you later, yeah?”

Lisa nodded, smiled. “Yeah,” she said as she watched Carla go. “I’ll see you.”

—

Lisa was waiting for the kettle to boil when her phone pinged on the counter.

The blonde grinned, expecting a message from Carla. She’d only been home for an hour or so and was already missing the other woman.

She shuffled over in her slippers, face falling as her eyes skimmed over the text.

It was from Chief Constable Collins.

“Hope you’ve enjoyed your time off,” it read. “New info has come to light. Will fill you in properly in the morning but we’re moving in on Barlow at the club tomorrow night. Need you to be at your very best.”

Lisa gripped the edge of the counter as her head started to spin, as if the ground was suddenly shifting, falling, from under her feet.

Chapter Text

Lisa hadn’t slept a wink. All night she had tossed and turned, desperately trying to think of a way to make this right.

She felt like she was watching a disaster unfold in slow motion, that she had arrived at the scene of the crime seconds before disaster.

There was a part of her that just wanted to run away, to bundle Betsy and Carla into her car and just keep on driving, to the ends of the earth if needs be. However far it took so that they could all be safe, all be happy.

But that wasn’t real life. This was her reality and it was time to face the music.

Lisa flinched as her phone buzzed beside her, the blonde turning off the kitchen tap and drying her hands on a tea towel before picking it up.

“Dreamt of you last night,” read Carla’s text. “Didn’t want to wake up. C x”

Lisa smiled, despite everything, finger stroking at the screen as if it were Carla herself.

“Who is she, then?”

Lisa jumped at the sound of Betsy’s voice, turned around to see her daughter leant against the kitchen worktop, eyeing her with suspicion.

“Hiya love,” Lisa said, trying to keep her voice level. “Do you want some breakfast?”

“Don’t avoid my question,” Betsy warned. “Who is she?”

“I-I don’t know what you mean,” Lisa stammered, turning back to the sink.

Betsy huffed out a sad laugh, shook her head. “I’m not stupid, mum. I know you’re seeing someone.

“I heard you together last week in the living room and I assume that’s who you went on your weekend away with.”

“Betsy, love,” Lisa said, starting to panic now. “You’ve got the wrong end of the stick. She’s just a friend.”

“Oh yeah,” the teenager drawled, raising an eyebrow. “‘Cos I smile like a lovesick puppy every time my friends text me, too.”

“Betsy-“ Lisa began.

“Look, mum,” Betsy interjected. “I understand that you’re trying to protect me, that you’re worried about me being upset by the thought of you dating again.

“But I’m not made of glass, you know. As much as it hurts, thinking of you with someone who isn’t mum, I want you to be happy. You deserve that. You deserve to smile again.”

Lisa sniffed, cursed herself for already having applied her mascara this morning as tears slipped, unbidden, down her cheeks.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” the detective croaked. “When did you get so wise?”

Betsy smirked at that. “Suppose one of us has to be.”

Lisa chuckled, wiping at her face with the back of her hand. “She’d be so proud of you, you know,” she whispered. “Your mum.”

Betsy swallowed, eyes sparkling. “She’d be proud of both of us,” she replied softly.

Lisa pulled her daughter in, feeling for the first time since Collins’ text the previous evening that everything might actually be okay.

“I love you so much,” the detective said into Betsy’s hair. “And you always come first, okay?

“I know I’ve not always shown you that lately but I promise that things are going to change. You’re the most important person in my life, Bets. No matter who I’m dating.”

Betsy nodded, wiping away some of her own tears, then fixed her mum with a cheeky grin.

“So,” she said suggestively. “Is she fit then? This mystery woman of yours?”

“Betsy!” Lisa laughed, swatting at the teenager’s arm. “I’m not dignifying that question with a response.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Betsy smirked.

Then, her expression growing more serious, the young blonde continued: “Whoever she is, she must be pretty special, to melt the heart of an ice queen like you.”

Lisa sighed wistfully. “She really is, Bets,” she said. “She really, really is.”

—

Lisa shivered as she sat in the back of the police surveillance van.

It was approaching 10pm and they were parked around the corner from ‘Underworld’, Chief Constable Collins giving his team one final briefing before they lay siege to the club.

“Okay, folks,” Collins said, clapping his hands together. “To recap, armed police are going to head in there first and clear the decks. We’ll follow in on their say so.

“Obviously, Peter Barlow is our main target here so we want to get eyes on him as soon as possible. But we’re also looking to bring in as many of his associates as possible, including his Mrs.”

Lisa, as she often did when she was nervous, fiddled with her wedding band, which now occupied her right hand rather than her left. She privately willed for Becky to send her strength, to watch over her, and Carla.

The day had dragged on and on and yet tonight had still come too quickly for Lisa.

Collins had informed her and the rest of the team this morning that new information had come to light about Peter Barlow’s involvement in another high-profile drug-smuggling operation, with the Chief confident they had enough evidence to put him away for a very long time.

They had stuff on Carla too, more pictures of the brunette alongside her husband at various sketchy locations. Her knowledge of her husband’s dodgy dealings - the drug-related ones, at least - couldn’t be denied.

Lisa had had to make her excuses after that, had legged it to the bathroom where she had been sick, violently, into the toilet bowl. She so badly wanted to believe there was an explanation for Carla’s involvement but, even if there was, the blonde feared it wouldn’t be enough to save her, to save them.

“Swain? Everything okay?”

Collins’ voice cut through her thoughts. She fixed him with a watery smile.

“Fine, Sir,” she replied, though she knew she sounded entirely unconvincing.

The Chief nodded his head towards the doors of the van, gesturing for Lisa to follow him outside. Once out on the pavement, the blonde pulled her coat tightly around herself, trying to shut out the biting cold wind.

“What’s going on with you, Swain?” Collins demanded firmly. “You’ve been off it all day.”

“I’m fine, Sir,” the blonde replied meekly, not meeting her superior’s eye.

“Cut the bullshit, detective,” Collins snapped. “If you’re not 100% ready for this then I need to know now. We can’t afford to be carrying any dead weight here.”

Lisa worried at her lip, considered for a second about backing out, about telling the Chief she wasn’t ready for this. She could turn around and go home, pretend that none of this was happening.

But it was happening. It was real and, somehow, Lisa knew that she would feel worse if she didn’t see this through, if she left someone else to seal Carla’s fate.

“Honestly, Sir,” the blonde said, clearing her throat. “I’m all in on this. You don’t need to worry about me.”

The Chief narrowed his eyes at that, looked like he might be about to say something else, when Kit stuck his head out from inside the van.

“Boss,” he said urgently. “They’re ready for us. We’ve got to move now.”

Collins looked back at Lisa, who nodded dutifully, before turning his attention back to the rest of his team waiting in the van.

“Come on then, troops,” he boomed. “It’s showtime.”

—

The next few minutes were a blur for Lisa. Inside the club, it was a frenzy of noise and colour, a haze of frantic screams and angry shouting.

Lisa winced as she saw one of the dancers, who couldn’t have been more than 18, charge past her, wide-eyed with fear.

The blonde scanned the club for Carla, felt a flash of relief when she couldn’t see her. Maybe she wasn’t working tonight, she thought, maybe Lisa wouldn’t have to face her after all.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” came a gruff voice, and Lisa noticed Kit and another plain-clothes offer steering a furious-looking Peter towards the exit, hands fastened behind his back. “I’m warning you.”

“I hope you’re not threatening us, Mr Barlow,” Kit crowed. “You don’t want that added to your charge sheet.”

“You’re not gonna be able to charge me,” Peter spat venomously. “You haven’t got anything on me.”

“We’ll let the CPS be the judge of that, shall we,” DC Green replied, eyes landing on Lisa, who was watching the whole scene unfold with wide-eyed horror.

“Swain,” Kit said, snapping her back to reality. “You get the woman. Now.”

Lisa just looked at her junior officer dumbly, momentarily confused by his request. But then she saw her, Carla, trailing just behind her husband, looking absolutely terrified.

The brunette’s expression shifted for a second as her eyes landed on Lisa, relief flooding her dainty features.

“Lisa,” she breathed, taking a step towards the blonde. “I don’t know what the hell is going on here. This is crazy. Thank god you’re here.”

For a moment, time seemed to stand still, and Lisa considered sweeping Carla into her arms, considered kissing her senseless and telling her everything was going to be okay.

“Swain! DS Swain, the woman!” Kit bellowed again as Peter struggled in his grasp, his words jolting Lisa into action.

“Carla Barlow,” the blonde began shakily as Carla looked between her and Kit in confusion.

“Lisa?” she asked, panicked. “What’s going on? Who the hell is ‘Swain’?”

Lisa tried to shut out Carla’s pained expression as she carried on.

“Carla Barlow, I’m arresting you on suspicion of supply and production of Class A drugs,” the detective said, reaching for her handcuffs.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand me?”

Lisa expected Carla to scream, to shout, to cry as realisation started to dawn; as the cold, hard truth about the blonde’s duplicity became clear.

But as the detective fastened the cold handcuffs around the brunette’s wrists, all she could do was look at her in horrified disbelief.

As Lisa led Carla towards the exit, she feared she would never forget that look for as long as she lived.

Chapter Text

Lisa sank her nails into her palm as she eyed Peter Barlow across the interview table, leaving tiny, crescent-shaped marks imprinted on her skin.

Under the fluorescent strip lights, Peter looked haggard, as if - in spite of all of his protests - the severity of his predicament was starting to resonate.

Kit had taken the lead on the interview, taking great pleasure in showing Peter photo after incriminating photo; the older man replying to every question with a terse “no comment”.

Lisa had so far managed to keep her cool, but as her eyes settled on a picture of Carla on the desk in front of her, something inside of her snapped.

“So, Mr Barlow,” she began, propping her elbows on the table. “Tell us a little more about your wife’s involvement in all of this. What did you have over her to get her to go along with all of your…misdemeanours?”

Peter paused for a moment, his lips curling up in a ghastly smirk. “Why don’t you answer that question, detective?” he sneered.

“It seems you already have an…intimate knowledge of my wife.”

Lisa felt her cheeks flame at that but she continued, undeterred.

“Come on, Peter,” she said, voice low. “Do you really expect us to believe you didn’t drag her into this?”

Peter barked out a sinister laugh. “How do you know it isn’t her who’s been pulling all of the strings here?” he retorted smugly. “Maybe she’s the one who led *me* astray.”

For a moment, the possibility that there could be some truth in his words made Lisa’s throat tighten. Beside Peter, his solicitor shifted uncomfortably.

Peter smirked again then, leaning forwards so that his face was now just inches away from Lisa’s.

“Actually,” he spat. “Who are we kidding? As if that useless bitch would have the capacity to be the brains behind any operation.”

The vitriol in his words made Lisa feel physically sick and, before the blonde knew what she was doing, she was rising from her seat, lunging toward the leering Peter.

She would have hit him too, were it not for Kit swiftly reaching out to restrain her.

“Did you see what the mad bitch just tried to do to me?” Peter wailed to his solicitor, before turning his attention back to Lisa. “You and my wife deserve each other. You’re both as crazy as each other.”

Lisa just stared at him, eyes wide and chest heaving. She wondered if there was something in Peter’s accusation, wondered whether she’d actually gone insane.

“I think you should take a walk, DS Swain,” Kit said quietly after a beat.

“No, I’m-“

“Take a walk, Swain,” Kit repeated, silencing her protests. “For your own sake.”

Lisa sighed, suddenly overwhelmingly tired as she headed for the door without a backwards glance.

—

The clock on the office wall ticked ominously.

“I believe you nearly ended up in the cells yourself this evening.”

Chief Constable Collins’ voice startled Lisa as she sat, staring into space, at her desk.

“Sir, I-“

“Save it, Swain,” the Chief interrupted. “I think you’ve said quite enough already, don’t you?”

Lisa dipped her head, wondering whether her superior was here to issue her with her marching orders. That fate was bound to befall her eventually, when the details of her relationship with Carla came to light.

As if reading her mind, the Chief sighed, perching on the corner of the opposite desk.

“I’m not here to discipline you, Swain,” he said gently. “Though god knows I might not be able to stop that from happening sooner rather than later.”

Lisa looked up at him, blinked. Right now, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“I wanted to tell you that we’ve just had the findings back from Peter Barlow’s laptop,” Collins continued. “It seems there are some…disturbing things on there.”

Lisa swallowed. “What kind of disturbing things?” she asked, voice hoarse.

The Chief looked down awkwardly. “Well, amongst some other pretty incriminating stuff, there are videos…of Mrs Barlow.”

Lisa felt her breath catch in her throat. She couldn’t bear the thought of yet more evidence stacking up against Carla.

“So she has had a big hand in all of this then?” Lisa asked, resignedly.

Collins cleared his throat. “We still don’t know the extent of her involvement but, well, these videos seem to show Mrs Barlow in some rather, erm, compromising positions with some clients at the club.”

Lisa blinked again as the Chief continued.

“The videos date back years but it seems as if Mr Barlow is responsible for them, that he has been using them to keep his wife from speaking out against him.”

Lisa’s head swam as the significance of the Chief’s words sank in.

“You mean,” she croaked, “he was blackmailing her?”

Her boss nodded sadly. “It certainly seems that way. There’s some old messages that seem to indicate he was pimping her out, forcing her into..certain activities against her will. When she tried to push back against it, it was already too late.

“It seems she didn’t know about the videos until she tried to challenge him and well…”

“She was scared of the videos getting out,” Lisa continued, eyes filling with tears. “Scared about them getting back to the police.”

The Chief nodded sombrely. “It looks that way, yes.”

The older man pushed off the desk, was about to leave the room, when he hesitated, turned back around.

“She’s in interview room four,” he said quietly. “Mrs Barlow, I mean. DC Roberts will be going in to speak with her shortly but…”

He trailed off, shooting Lisa a knowing look before leaving her all alone, the clock still ticking on the wall.

—

Lisa steeled herself before pushing open the door to the interview room.

The sight of Carla sat there, head bowed, made her chest ache. Gone was the brilliant, beautiful woman who had so easily captured her heart.

In her place was a small, scared shell of a person, who gazed up at Lisa with a look of sheer disgust.

“I told them I didn’t want you,” Carla said coldly. “To interview me, I mean. They said they’d get me someone else.”

Lisa nodded, took a tentative step forward. “I’m not here to interview you,” she croaked.

Carla laughed. “What are you here for then, blondie? Wanted to come and take a look at your handiwork, did you?”

“Carla, I’m so, so sorry,” Lisa breathed, sitting down woodenly on the other side of the desk. “I never wanted any of this.”

Carla sneered. “How long have you been practicing that one in the mirror?”

“Look,” Lisa began. “I know that you probably hate my guts and you’ll never forgive me and I understand that, I do. But I need you to know that I didn’t plan for this to happen.”

“So you didn’t know?” Carla queried, raising an eyebrow. “That first night at the club, you and your ‘husband’ just happened to stumble in on the off-chance?”

Lisa ducked her head. “No,” she said quietly. “I knew. DC Green and I were there to scope out the club. He’s not my husband.”

Carla laughed again, her point proven.

“Tell me,” the brunette said, crossing her arms across her chest. “Was any of the stuff you told me true? Betsy? Your dead wife?”

“Of course!” Lisa replied quickly. “I wouldn’t lie about any of that.”

“Just about all the other stuff, huh?” Carla jeered.

“I’m sorry,” Lisa said again. “Look, the Chief told me…about the videos. Was that why you did it? Why you helped Peter? Did he blackmail you?”

Carla looked suddenly pale and Lisa knew she’d hit the nail on her head. The detective thought the brunette was about to bite back with a bitter retort but instead she slumped down in her chair, looking suddenly weary.

“Why are you even here, Lisa?” she asked tiredly. “What is there left to say?”

“I want you to know that I…I didn’t expect it,” Lisa admitted after a beat. “I was just trying to do my job. I didn’t expect to fall for you.”

Carla shook her head, ran her tongue over her teeth. “Oh well, I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you,” she snapped.

When Lisa didn’t respond, Carla leant forwards, her features contorting into an angry sneer. “You know, my whole life I’ve been made to feel cheap,” she said.

“By Peter, by men at the club, by my own bloody family. But you, Lisa, you’ve made me made me feel cheaper than anyone. You’ve made me feel like shit on your shoe.”

Lisa was crying now, really crying. She felt beyond awful.

“If it makes you feel any better,” the blonde sniffed. “I’m probably going to end up paying for all of this with my job.”

Carla rolled her eyes. “Well, excuse me if I don’t get out my tiny violin.”

Lisa slowly got to her feet, turned to go as Carla looked at the floor. She’d been foolish to think there was anything she could say to make this better.

“Just tell me,” Carla said, stopping the detective in her tracks. “Was any of it real to you?”

Lisa’s face softened, hope - just for a second - flaring in her chest.

“Carla,” she implored. “What I felt for you…what I *feel* for you, it’s very real.”

Carla was quiet for a beat, looking up at the other woman with glistening eyes. “Just not real enough, eh?” she whispered sadly.

The detective opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out.

“Just go, Lisa,” the brunette sighed. “Please, just go.”

Chapter Text

Two days had passed since that awful night at ‘Underworld’ and Lisa felt like a walking zombie.

She still hadn’t faced disciplinary action, still didn’t know if Carla had revealed the extent of their relationship to the police. But Chief Constable Collins had instructed her to keep her distance for now, told her it was better that she kept out of this.

She’d heard from a colleague that both Peter and Carla had been charged and released on bail. It made Lisa uneasy to think of Peter being free to roam the streets, though when she had called Collins to tell him as much, he had reassured her that it wouldn’t be long before they could bring further charges against Carla’s husband, before they could lock him up once and for all.

Betsy was once again staying with her grandparents. The teenager had tried to protest, noting how upset her mum seemed, but Lisa had insisted that she was fine, that she just had a lot on her plate and, as soon as this case was over, they could start afresh, just the two of them.

The blonde was pouring herself a tumbler of whiskey - the bottle she saved for special occasions - when there was a knock at her front door. For a moment, she thought it was Betsy, come to check up on her.

But then Lisa remembered that Betsy had her house keys, that she’d just let herself straight in. Filled with sudden trepidation, the detective moved towards the door, sliding the chain across before opening it, just a fraction.

Stood there, in the freezing cold night, was Carla, shivering even in spite of her fur coat. Lisa’s first awful thought was that she was here to kill her, here to enact her revenge, end the detective’s life in the way the detective had ended hers.

But then Lisa saw the look in her eye, that familiar look, almost animalistic, and the blonde knew exactly why she was here.

Without a word, Lisa unfastened the chain, opened the door fully and allowed Carla to step inside.

Once the door was shut behind them, Carla raked her eyes over Lisa’s body, breathing heavily.

“I still can’t fucking believe you,” the brunette growled.

Lisa was just opening her mouth to say something, anything, when Carla launched at her, kissing her with a ferocity that nearly knocked her off her feet.

“Carla,” Lisa whined against her mouth. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry.”

Carla shrugged off her coat and sucked on the blonde’s tongue, panting into her mouth. “I didn’t come here to talk,” she said lowly.

Carla walked Lisa backwards, until her legs bumped against the kitchen table.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” Lisa whimpered. “Even after everything. You’re all I think about.”

Carla’s lips were moving along her jaw now, her teeth nipping and sucking at soft skin.

“I still wanted you,” the brunette rasped, breath laced with wine, tongue sweeping over the shell of Lisa’s ear. “I fucking hate myself for it. But even in that interview room, I still wanted you.”

Lisa whined, fingers tangling in Carla’s hair. “Me too,” she croaked. “Me too.”

Then, with a strength that stunned Lisa, Carla hoisted her away from the table, pinning her against the kitchen wall, hands already undoing the zipper on the blonde’s jeans.

“Do you want me now?” Carla asked, voice dripping with want. “Let’s see, huh? Let’s see how wet you are for me.”

Lisa couldn’t say anything. She felt delirious, head falling back against the wall as Carla tugged her jeans down, underwear too, and pressed a finger into her wet heat.

Both women groaned at the sensation, Carla smirking as she lifted her glistening finger to inspect it. “So desperate,” she whispered as Lisa rocked against her. “So wet for me.”

Lisa nodded frantically. “Always,” she panted. “Always like this for you.”

“Good girl,” Carla said as she dropped to her knees, wasting no time in licking a hot stripe through Lisa’s folds.

The blonde heard a scream, realised belatedly that it was her own. She felt her legs shake, felt Carla reach up to hold her hips steady.

“What do you think they’d all do, eh?” Carla taunted. “What do you think all your mates down at the station would do if they could see you now, begging for me to fuck you?”

Lisa groaned. She knew this shouldn’t be turning her on, knew Carla’s words should have jolted her back to reality, but she was in too deep, too far gone.

“Carla,” she whimpered, as the older woman licked and sucked, lapping at her arousal as if her life depended on it. “Not gonna last much longer.”

That seemed to ignite something in Carla, and Lisa whined as the brunette got to her feet. She was about to object when the taller woman turned her around, so that her face was pressed roughly against the wall.

“Spread your legs,” Carla growled, pinning the blonde in place. “Spread your legs so I can fuck you.”

It was embarrassing, the speed with which Lisa complied; embarrassing, too, how she could already feel the arousal dripping down her thighs.

She wasn’t prepared for the feeling of Carla filling her, of the brunette, without warning, pressing three fingers inside of her, driving in and out, again and again.

“Carla!” she cried, palm slapping against the wall, jeans sliding down to her ankles now. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

“Never,” Carla whispered, pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck, reaching around to swipe at Lisa’s throbbing clit.

“Come on, Lisa,” she panted, relentless now. “Show me what a good girl you are. Come for me.”

Lisa didn’t need to be told twice, felt her whole body seize up as Carla twisted her fingers up inside her, her free hand pressing the blonde into the wall.

Only when Lisa stopped shaking did Carla move away, the younger woman emitting a groan of protest as she withdrew her fingers.

Lisa turned around, dazed, sweat slicking her hair to her brow. With a hazy smile, she reached up to cup Carla’s flushed face in her hands, heart swelling at the sight of her, of the other woman here, in her living room, come back to get her.

“I love you,” Lisa whispered shakily, articulating the sentiment she had felt for a long time, but hadn’t been able to say until now. “I love you so much, Carla.”

Lisa leant forward, pressed her lips against Carla’s but, right away, she knew something wasn’t right. She felt the brunette’s body go rigid under her touch, sensed the way she didn’t lean into the kiss.

“Carla?” the detective asked, pulling back. “Is everything okay? Did you hear what I said?”

Carla blinked, stepped backwards, out of Lisa’s arms.

“I hate you, Lisa,” she said, voice barely more than a whisper. “For what you did to me, I hate you.”

Lisa felt like she had been punched in the gut. “B-but,” she stammered, confused. “But we just, you just…”

Carla laughed bitterly. “Not nice is it?” she asked. “Being used. Being made to feel like nothing.”

Lisa reached for the brunette, the lapels of her blazer slipping hopelessly through her fingers as she moved back further still.

“Carla, please,” she pleaded, tears flowing now. “Let’s talk about this. I love you.”

Carla shook her head, her own eyes glistening as she retrieved her coat from where she had left it on the floor. “I hate you, Lisa,” she repeated. “I never want to see you again.”

Lisa watched, frozen to the spot, as the brunette, without another word, walked out of her front door, out of her life, forever.

—

It was later, much later, when the second knock at Lisa’s door came.

The blonde didn’t hear it at first. She had spent the last few hours - the first hours of her life ‘After Carla’ - sat on her sofa in a daze, Carla’s awful words ringing in her ears.

Lisa felt like the rug had been pulled out from underneath her, couldn’t believe that she had thought Carla had been there to declare her love, to make love to her, to grant her forgiveness.

That forgiveness, Lisa knew now, would never come. She wondered how she would function, how she would manage to put one foot in front of the other, now she had lost the woman who had turned her life upside down.

Another knock at the door.

This time, when Lisa heard it, she felt optimism, stupid optimism, flare inside of her. Maybe Carla had changed her mind, maybe she’d come back to tell her it had all been one elaborate prank, that of course she loved Lisa, of course she wanted to be with her.

Lisa carelessly brushed her tears away as she near-sprinted to the front door, flinging it open excitedly.

But it wasn’t Carla. Instead, stood on Lisa’s doorstep, smirking villainously, was Peter Barlow.

Lisa’s body froze, her chest constricting. She tried to slam the door shut but it was too late, Peter wedging his foot in the way.

“Hello, detective,” he said icily. “Fancy seeing you here.”

After that, the next thing that Lisa saw was Peter’s fist, swinging towards her. Then nothing but darkness. Sweet, terrible darkness.

Chapter Text

The first thing Lisa noticed was the throbbing in her head; a deep, searing pain that rattled through her skull.

Then, there was the beeping; the incessant whirring of what felt like 100 different machines.

Lisa’s eyes fluttered open but she couldn’t quite pinpoint where she was. Everything was blurry, unfamiliar. A sterile room, fluorescent strip lights.

A hospital, perhaps? But why would she be in hospital?

She had to get back to work, get back to Betsy, get back to…

“Carla,” Lisa croaked as her eyes honed in on that face, that beautiful face, that she’d come to love so much.

The brunette was leaning over her, dark eyes glassy, red, as if she’d been crying. But she couldn’t be here, Lisa told herself.

Carla hated her.

Carla hates me, she thought, the realisation twisting like a knife as her eyes fluttered shut again.

—

More beeping, more unfamiliar lights, more pain - though not quite as bad as before.

Lisa blinked as the room around her started to swim into focus. She felt something warm in her hand, looked down to see someone was holding it.

Lisa dragged her gaze upwards, saw the hand belonged to Betsy, her Betsy.

The blonde opened her mouth but she couldn’t speak, her throat hurt too much.

Betsy looked down at her with wide eyes. “Mum?” she breathed.

Then, more frantically: “Mum! She’s waking up. Please somebody, my mum’s waking up!”

—

It was dark when Lisa awoke again, the pain in her head more of a dull ache now.

The beeping was quieter, less intrusive. And this time when she opened her eyes, she saw Betsy smiling - a watery smile, but a smile nonetheless - at her bedside.

“Bets,” Lisa croaked, disoriented. “Bets. Where am I? What’s happening?”

“Shh,” Betsy soothed. “It’s okay, mum. You’re okay. You’re in hospital but you’re going to be okay.”

Lisa blinked, hazy memories starting to come back to her. Her eyes widened.

“P-Peter,” she stammered, panicked. “Where is he? I need to-“

“They’ve got him, mum,” Betsy said, reaching up to wipe a tear from her mum’s face. “The police have got him. He tried to kill you, mum. I don’t know what I’d have done if he-“

“Oh, Betsy,” Lisa whispered, squeezing at her daughter’s hand.

The detective felt the guilt wash over her, couldn’t believe how close Betsy’s worst nightmare had come to coming true, how close she’d come to losing both of her parents.

“I’m so, so sorry, darling,” she said, voice thick with emotion. “It all happened so quickly. It will never happen again, I promise.”

Betsy shook her head. “It’s okay, mum. I know you were only trying to do your job. But I can’t lose you too. We…We’ll talk about it later.”

Lisa put Betsy’s hand to her lips, pressed a gentle kiss to her soft skin. They sat like that for a while, crying and comforting, drinking each other in.

“How are you feeling?” Betsy asked eventually. “How’s your head?”

“Feel like I’ve got the mother of all hangovers,” Lisa chuckled, earning herself an eye roll. “But I’ll be okay.”

Betsy nodded.

“I think,” Lisa began tentatively, a blurry image swimming back into focus. “Actually, never mind.”

Betsy looked at her, concerned. “Go on, mum. Whatever it is, you can say it.”

Lisa swallowed. “I…I think I was imagining things…that I was hallucinating…when I first woke up.”

Betsy furrowed her brow, looking worried. “Why mum?” she asked. “What did you see?”

Lisa gave a sad smile, shook her head as much as the pain in her temple would allow.

“It’s just…I thought I saw someone in here earlier, or maybe it was yesterday, I don’t know,” the detective said quietly. “But it couldn’t have been. She wouldn’t have been…”

“Was it…was it Carla?”

The sound of the brunette’s name tumbling from Betsy’s lips made Lisa’s chest tighten.

“What?” she breathed. “How…How do you..”

Betsy dipped her head slightly, smiled. “She’s been here all through, mum,” the teenager whispered. “This whole time, she’s hardly left your side.”

Lisa wondered if she was dreaming, felt tears pricking at her eyes again.

“She’s the one who found you,” Betsy continued, her own eyes glistening.

“She’s the one who stopped Peter, who called the police and the ambulance. Mum, she saved you. Carla saved your life.”

Chapter Text

“Carla saved your life.”

Betsy’s words swam around and around in Lisa’s head, the detective still struggling to make sense of them.

“I…I don’t understand,” she croaked, looking up at Betsy in confusion.

“She said she had a feeling…that something was wrong,” the teenager explained. “She called the police and went straight to check on you.

“The police told her to wait until they got there but the door was open when she arrived, so she went in.

“She wouldn’t tell me what happened when she was inside but she said the police turned up quickly, took Peter into custody and…well, here we are.”

Lisa swallowed. “Oh.”

It was all she could think to say.

Betsy eyed her for a minute, lips curving up into a cheeky smile.

“I know they say that you should be open-minded when it comes to dating,” she teased, “but going from mum - a copper - to the wife of a literal criminal is a bit extreme, even for you.”

Lisa felt her cheeks flame. “Oh no,” she said quickly. “Betsy, there’s nothing going on between me and Carla. Honestly, we’re-“

“Spare me the bullshit, mum,” Betsy cut in, ignoring the stern look her colourful choice of vocabulary earned her.

“She’s the one who’s had you acting all smitten these past few weeks, isn’t she?”

“She..she told you that?” Lisa asked, dazed.

Betsy shrugged. “She didn’t have to. Look, mum, I know this situation is…well, it’s a bloody mess. But I…I actually like Carla.”

Lisa took in Betsy’s shy smile, heart fluttering, ever so slightly.

“You do?” she asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“I’m not sure I’d have got through these past few days without her,” Betsy admitted, looking down at her lap.

“She’s been checking in on me, making sure I’m eating, sleeping. She might actually have nagged at me more than you do.”

“Oi!” Lisa protested, chuckling lightly as she swatted at Betsy’s arm.

Just for a second, the detective let her mind wander back to her conversation on the seafront with Carla, about how much she’d wanted her baby, how she’d been so cruelly denied the chance to be a mother. Lisa’s heart broke a tiny bit.

“I still don’t get it though,” the blonde said after a beat. “Why would Carla help me? She…she hates me.”

Betsy let out a breathy laugh at that, shaking her head at her mother’s look of bewilderment.

“Look, mum,” she began. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two but it’s obvious Carla cares about you a lot.

“She certainly doesn’t hate you. I mean, put it this way, would you risk your life for someone you hated?”

Lisa was still mulling over that question when the door swung open, a familiar voice cutting through the silence.

“That poxy vending machine didn’t have any hot chocolate so I’ve got you a very milky tea instead,” Carla started, sauntering in with two steaming paper cups in her hands. “Honestly, the bloody NHS, I…”

The brunette’s words died in her throat as her eyes fixed on Lisa, sat up in bed, staring at her as if she were some kind of apparition.

Lisa’s eyes roamed the other woman’s body. Carla looked pale, tired, dressed in an oversized hoodie and slouchy grey tracksuit bottoms.

The detective wished she had the strength to sweep the brunette up in her arms, to pull her down into the narrow hospital bed and just hold her, until the world stopped turning.

“Hi,” Lisa breathed at exactly the same time as Carla let out a timid “hey”.

Betsy looked between the two women with bemusement. “Okayyyy,” she drawled. “I think I’ll go and see if I can get something to eat in the canteen.”

“No,” Carla said quickly. “I’m sorry. You stay. I don’t want to intrude.”

Betsy clucked her tongue. “Worse than a pair of bloody teenagers,” she muttered under her breath.

Even in spite of the seriousness of their current situation, Lisa couldn’t help but smile.

Betsy plucked one of the paper cups from
Carla’s hand as the brunette remained rooted to the spot. “Take it this is mine then, yeah?”

Carla nodded dumbly.

“Okay,” the blonde said, pulling open the door. “Have fun, boomers.”

Carla and Lisa stayed for a few beats in a cocoon of awkward silence, before a stifled giggle spilled out of the brunette’s throat.

“I’d say I don’t know where she gets her big gob from but…” the older woman trailed off with a loaded look at Lisa.

The detective held up her hands. “Guilty,” she joked, though the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“She’s great, though,” Carla said, daring to take a step closer. “You’ve done a brilliant job with her, Lisa.”

Lisa felt her cheeks flush as she looked down at her hands folded in her lap. “She said you’ve been looking after her,” she said softly.

Carla harrumphed. “I mean, I’d hardly call forcing a few sandwiches down her throat ‘looking after her’ but-“

“Thank you,” Lisa said sincerely. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Carla dipped her head, suddenly shy. “Anyone else would have done the same.”

“No,” Lisa replied quickly. “No, they wouldn’t.”

A pause and then: “Please would you sit down. You’re making me nervous.”

Carla glanced quickly at the door, as if checking she still had an escape route. “I shouldn’t,” she said, shifting uncomfortably. “I can’t say long.”

“Hot date?” Lisa asked with a grin.

Carla blinked. “No,” she said quietly. “Actually, I’ve, erm, got to go back to the police station.”

Lisa felt suddenly sick, the thought of what Carla had risked to save her hitting her like a tonne of bricks.

“Betsy told me,” the detective squeezed out, “what you did, I mean.”

Carla’s eyes widened fractionally but she didn’t say anything.

“I don’t know how I can possibly thank you,” Lisa continued, “how I can repay you. You really are the bravest person I know.”

Carla scoffed at that but tentatively lowered herself into the seat at Lisa’s bedside. “It was nothing,” she shrugged.

“You saved my life, Carla!” Lisa protested vehemently. “That’s not nothing. That’s everything.”

Carla worried at her bottom lip. “It…it was my fault,” she whispered.

Lisa scrunched her forehead in confusion. “What?” she asked.

Carla blinked again. “After I left you,” she began, wincing at the memory of what had transpired the last time she had spoken to Lisa, “after I left you, I realised that I’d left my phone at the club.

“I went back to get it but when I got there, it was unlocked on Peter’s desk. As soon as I saw it, I knew.”

“Knew what?” Lisa asked, still baffled.

“Your address,” Carla whispered, eyes filling with tears. “He found it in my phone. That’s when I knew something bad was going to happen.

“I called the police right away and came straight over but when I got there…it was already too late.”

“Hey,” Lisa said, reaching for Carla’s hand as the brunette broke down. “You weren’t too late. Carla, you stopped him. You saved me.”

Carla shook her head. “He’d already hit you,” she sobbed. “You were already lying on the floor. I thought you were dead, Lisa. And it would have been all my fault.”

Lisa shifted forward, squeezing at Carla’s hand. “Darling, no,” she soothed, the term of endearment spilling from her lips before she’d even registered it.

“It wasn’t your fault. None of this was your fault.”

Carla sniffed as Lisa brushed her thumb along the underside of her wrist.

“What did you do?” Lisa asked eventually. “To get him to stop.”

Carla sighed. “Nothing much,” she said. “I think I stunned him. He was all flustered, tried to come at me but the police were there quickly. I hardly did anything.”

As she spoke, Carla turned her head ever so slightly and Lisa caught a glimpse of the awful red mark blooming over her throat.

“He tried to choke you?” Lisa gasped.

Carla dipped her head but didn’t say anything.

“Oh god, Carla,” Lisa cried. “You could have got yourself killed.”

Carla fixed the detective with a wry smile. “Pot, kettle, black.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Touché.”

“I really should get going,” Carla said after a beat. “Your lot want to talk to me about Peter.

“My solicitor thinks they might be able to get me off with some community service, providing I co-operate. You know, because of the…because of the blackmail.”

Lisa nodded: “Of course. Well, I hope it all works out for you, Carla. You more than anyone deserve to be happy.”

Carla got to her feet with a sad smile. “Try not to boss the nurses around too much, eh?” she teased. “And don’t let Betsy make you a coffee. She’s terrible at it. I learned that the hard way.”

Lisa returned her grin, a stream of words bubbling up inside of her before she could stop them.

“Can I just ask,” the blonde blurted, “why did you help me? Why did you save me from Peter when…when you hate me?”

Carla looked at the floor, scuffed her trainer against the linoleum.

“I could never hate you, Lisa,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“But you said-,” the detective started, confused.

“I know what I said,” Carla cut in quickly, firmly. “Please don’t remind me.”

The brunette looked at the door once more and Lisa thought she was going to bolt without another word. But then she took a step closer, face softening as she looked Lisa in the eye.

“I wanted to hate you,” Carla croaked. “I wanted to hate you so badly. But I couldn’t. I can’t.”

The brunette raked a hand through her hair, eyes sparkling.

“I love you, Lisa,” she continued. “So much that it scares me. From the moment I saw you, I don’t think I had any choice but to love you.”

Lisa only realised she was crying when she saw a tear land on the bedsheet in front of her.

“I love you too,” the blonde managed to squeeze out. “More than I ever thought possible.”

Carla chanced a step closer, reached out to brush a tear from Lisa’s cheek. The detective turned her face, placed a soft kiss against the other woman’s palm.

Lisa looked up at her again, hope in her eyes now. “Is that enough?” she whispered. “Is that enough to save us?”

Carla smiled, a tear slipping down her own cheek now. “I don’t know, blondie,” she sighed. “I really don’t know.”

Chapter Text

Lisa winced as she strained to scrub at a particularly stubborn mark at the back of the oven. A week had passed since she’d been discharged from hospital and, while her physical condition had improved dramatically, she was starting to go stir crazy.

“For god’s sake, mum!” Betsy cried as she stomped into the kitchen. “What part of ‘take it easy’ do you not understand?’”

“I am!” Lisa protested, twisting around to face her unimpressed daughter. “I’m just doing a light bit of Spring cleaning, that’s all.”

Betsy folded her arms. “Well, that in itself is a worry,” she huffed. “Considering you’d usually rather gouge your own eyeballs out than pick up a feather duster.”

“Oi,” Lisa chided, prompting Betsy to stick out her tongue.

“Have you heard from her?” the teenager asked after a beat.

Lisa tried to feign ignorance. “Who?”

Betsy simply raised her eyebrows and Lisa sighed.

“Sometimes I forget which one of us interrogates people for a living,” Lisa chuckled.

“And in answer to your question, no, I haven’t heard from Carla.”

“Wellll,” Betsy drawled. “I happen to know of this fantastic innovation called a mobile phone. I could show you how to use one and, if you’re feeling crazy, you could even give her a call.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “You’re almost as bad as she is,” the detective said, clucking her tongue. “The amount of lip you give me.”

“That’s why you love us,” Betsy said airily.

Lisa knew it was a test, could sense her daughter almost daring her to deny what she felt for Carla.

Instead, Lisa could only sigh. “Yeah, well. Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

Betsy looked down at the floor for a moment, felt her heart pinch at the sight of her mum’s wistful expression.

“Sometimes it is enough though, mum,” she said softly. “Sometimes it is.”

—

The following afternoon, Lisa was sat on the sofa, trying and failing to read the latest Marian Keyes book, when there was a knock at her front door.

Betsy was at college and, as Lisa rose to her feet, she half-expected (half-hoped) to see
Carla stood on her doorstep.

Instead, she was greeted by the sight of Chief Constable Collins, looking totally out of place standing in her driveway.

“Oh, boss,” Lisa said, shocked and slightly panicked. “It’s good to see you. Is everything okay?”

Collins smiled awkwardly. “Fine and dandy, thanks Swain,” he replied. “Just wanted to check on how you were doing after…well, after everything.”

Lisa froze for a second before remembering her manners. “That’s very sweet of you, Sir,” she said, opening the door wider and stepping to one side. “Please, come in. Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee?”

“No thanks, Swain,” Collins said, perching on the edge of the sofa. “It’s only a flying visit.”

Lisa nodded, settled down on the opposite couch.

“So,” her boss said, clearing his throat. “How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m right as rain,” Lisa said, too brightly. “It was just a little bump to the head. A lot of fuss over nothing, really.”

Collins shot her a disbelieving look. “You’re too bloody stoic for your own good you know, Swain.”

Lisa dipped her head bashfully.

“I think you’ll be pleased to know Peter Barlow is looking at a very long time behind bars,” the Chief continued. “As well as the drugs, the GBH and the…the blackmail, we have evidence that he was involved in the murder of Charlie Briggs.”

Lisa’s eyes widened. Briggs was another of the city’s big-time dealers who had been shot down in cold blood last year. If they could nail Peter for that, he’d likely be looking at life in prison.

“That’s good news,” Lisa said eventually. “Well, not good but…you know what I mean.”

“Quite,” Collins agreed.

“What about… what about Carla?”

Lisa’s question hung in the air for several seconds before Collins cleared his throat

“Well, of course it still has to go to trial but, at present, it seems as if Mrs Barlow is looking at community service,” he replied.

“She’s been a great help to us - very co-operative. It’s a shame, really. Seems like she just got tangled up with the wrong gang.”

“Hmm,” Lisa said quietly. “Yeah. She’s actually pretty great, once you get to know her.”

“That’s why you fell in love with her, right?”

Lisa blinked at Collins’ question, wondering for a moment if she was hearing things. She shifted uncomfortably, swallowing down the lump in her throat.

“She…she told you that?” the detective stammered. “Look boss, I know it’s highly unprofessional but-“

“Carla didn’t tell us anything about her…relationship with you, Swain,” Collins cut her off.

Lisa’s head swam. Why wouldn’t Carla have dobbed her in? And if she hadn’t, who had?

“DC Green came to me to let me know about his….suspicions,” the Chief continued, as if reading her mind. “But, well, it’s your word against his and quite frankly, Swain, I’d take your word over his any day of the week.”

Lisa swallowed, tears pricking at her eyes. She’d spent weeks fearing that her feelings for Carla would derail her career.

The brunette could so easily have dropped her in it. Lisa certainly wouldn’t have blamed her.

But she hadn’t. That had to mean something, right?

“Look Swain,” Collins said, snapping Lisa out of her reverie. “I’m not just here on a social visit.”

Lisa blinked. “Oh?”

The Chief sighed. “I’m thinking of retiring,” he said. “Not imminently, but by the end of the year.

“I’m lucky. I’ve had a great run but I’m getting too old for this lark and, quite frankly, I’d like to spend a bit more time putting my feet up.”

“Oh,” Lisa said again. “Well Sir, I’m shocked. We’ll really miss you, of course, but I’m glad you’re doing what feels right for you.

“And obviously, it goes without saying I’ll do everything I can to ensure it’s a smooth transition for your replacement.”

“Yes well, about that,” Collins said. “I have to submit the names of candidates I feel are up for the job. I’d like to put you forward, if that’s okay with you?”

Lisa was stunned. For years and years, this was all she’d ever wanted: more responsibility, more seniority, the chance to really stamp her authority on the force.

It was her dream come true. Except, now, it wasn’t.

“No,” Lisa said, the word tumbling from her lips with a speed that surprised even her.

“Thank you for thinking of me, Sir. I’m honoured - really I am. But, well, everything that’s happened lately has made me realise that, as much as I love my job, I need to start getting my priorities straight.

“Betsy will be off to university before too long and I want to enjoy the time I have left with her. And not just that. I want to start making a proper life for myself outside of work.

“I want to start living, rather than just existing. Is that…is that okay?”

Lisa looked up at her superior’s inscrutable expression, panic in her eyes. Collins fixed her with a loaded look.

“Well,” he began, “from a professional standpoint, I can’t say I’m not extremely disappointed. You’re the best we have on the force, Swain. I’m not sure anyone else quite compares.”

Lisa swallowed, chest tight. “And from a personal standpoint?” she asked quietly.

The Chief was quiet for a minute, before his face softened into a kind smile. “I’m delighted, Swain,” he admitted.

“After everything you’ve been through, you deserve to be happy. It’s nice to see you putting yourself and your family first.

“Though, if you tell anyone I said that, I might just have to kill you.”

Lisa chuckled, overwhelmed with relief. “Noted, Sir.”

The Chief nodded, rising to his feet and starting in the direction of the front door before something stopped him in his tracks.

“Have you heard from Mrs Barlow at all, Swain?” he asked casually, turning back to face the blonde. “I’m sure she’d like to hear from you.”

Lisa couldn’t suppress a wry smile. “You’re as bad as Betsy, you,” she laughed. “No, I haven’t. Not since I got home.”

Collins arched an eyebrow. “Well, feel free to tell me to butt out,” he began, “but if somebody had saved my life and then also gone out of their way to try and save my job, I’d probably think they were worth fighting for. But that’s just me.”

Lisa’s jaw almost hit the floor, colour flooding her cheeks. The Chief let out a soft laugh as he noted her stricken expression.

“Something to think about, perhaps,” he said knowingly as he opened the door. “I’ll see you later, Swain. You take care now.”

After Collins had left, Lisa stood for a moment, almost in a daze, before the seed of an idea started to bloom in her mind. Reaching for her phone, the detective quickly typed an address into Google, smiling as she landed on the details she needed.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa hit ‘Call’, heart thundering in her chest as she waited for someone to pick up.

“Hi,” she said brightly when she finally heard the semi-familiar voice on the other end of the line. “You don’t really know me but I really need your help. It’s about Carla.”

Chapter Text

Lisa checked her watch again as she shuffled nervously in her seat at ‘Antonio’s’.

After Roy had agreed to help her on the phone, the detective had wasted no time putting her plan into action, making herself look presentable before rushing down to the cosy wine bar to ensure everything was perfect.

By the time Lisa had arrived, Roy had already got to work making the place look special, ensuring the booth she had shared with Carla the last time they had been here - on a night that now felt like it had taken place a million years ago - was decked out with candles and flowers.

“You didn’t have to do all this,” the blonde had breathed, stunned. “Honestly Roy, this is incredible.”

The old man had fixed her with a wistful smile. “Carla’s a very special person, detective,” he’d said earnestly.

“For a long time, I feared she would never find someone who cared about her in the way she deserves to be cared for. Now, I see I needn’t have worried.”

Lisa had almost been moved to tears, with only the prospect of ruining her painstakingly-applied make up stopping her from totally losing it. And so now, all there was left to do was wait.

Roy had called Carla, had invited her down to the bar under the pretences of helping him with a few odd jobs. But, as the clock ticked jarringly on the wall, Lisa started to worry that this had been a terrible idea.

What if Carla didn’t want to see her? What if the brunette told her that, despite her obvious feelings, she wanted nothing more to do with the detective going forward?

“Alright, Royston? I’m afraid I haven’t got a tool kit but I am quite handy up a step ladder if that’s of any help?”

Lisa froze as Carla’s voice cut through the quiet of the wine bar. The blonde looked up, breath catching in her throat as her eyes locked with the brunette’s.

She looked baffled, then suspicious, then incredulous. All the while, she looked beautiful.

“I’ll make myself scarce,” Roy said sheepishly, looking between the two women. “Leave you ladies to it.”

“Hi,” Lisa said quietly after a beat, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Carla pursed her lips, taking a step closer. “So you’ve now resorted to roping my friends into your undercover operations?” she drawled.

Lisa felt her chest tighten. She’d gotten this massively wrong.

“Carla, I-“

The other woman cut her off with a throaty chuckle. “I’m messing with you, blondie,” she said, surveying the romantic scene in front of her. “You got a hot date?”

Lisa smiled, panic subsiding. “That depends on if you want to join me.”

Carla stroked her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “Well, I suppose it would be a shame to let a bottle of Roy’s finest go to waste,” she said with a grin as she slid into the booth opposite Lisa.

“So, how’ve you been?” the detective asked after a few moments of charged silence.

Carla shot her a look. “Really?” she asked. “You go to all this trouble and that’s the best pick-up line you can come up with?”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Who said I’m trying to pick you up?”

Carla laughed as she took a sip of her wine.

“You didn’t call,” Lisa said quietly, not quite meeting Carla’s eye. “After that day in the hospital, you didn’t call.”

“I didn’t want to bother you,” Carla admitted with a shrug. “Plus, Betsy has been keeping me up to speed with your condition. I had to threaten to block her number if she carried on sending me hourly updates.”

Lisa groaned. “Oh god, I’m sorry. I had no idea. She can be a lot sometimes.”

Carla smiled. “S’okay. She’s a good kid. Plus, I…I wanted to know you were alright.”

More awkward silence. Lisa tried to steel herself as Carla fiddled with her napkin.

“Look Carla,” she began. “I’m so sorry-“

“You already said that,” the brunette cut her off. “That night at the station.”

“I meant it,” Lisa said with feeling. “What I did to you, lying to you like that, it wasn’t okay.”

Carla shrugged again. “You were just doing your job, Lisa. I get it.”

“We both know I went far beyond the call of duty,” the blonde said sheepishly. “I should have been honest with you. Or at least kept things professional while the investigation was going on.”

Carla’s face hardened slightly. “So you regret it?” she asked, wounded. “What happened between us, you regret it?”

Lisa’s heart plummeted. “No,” she replied, reaching for Carla’s hand, relieved when the brunette let her take it. “Darling, no. I could never regret that. I just wish…I just wish the circumstances had been different, that’s all.”

Carla sighed, took another swig of her drink. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Yeah. Me too.”

“What you said, about me making you feel cheap-“ Lisa began.

“I was upset,” Carla interjected, shaking her head. “I didn’t know what I was saying.”

Lisa squeezed at her hand. “You were right, though,” she said. “The way I treated you, the way I made you feel, it was wrong. I need you to know that I never saw you like that. You’ve never been cheap to me.”

Carla smiled slightly, eyes glistening. “You calling me high maintenance, blondie?”

Lisa laughed, swatting at her arm. “Can I ask you a question?” she asked tentatively.

“Sounds like you just did,” Carla teased.

“Why didn’t you tell the police?” the blonde said after a beat. “About us?”

Carla ran her tongue over her teeth. “I figured you’d been through enough without losing your job and all,” she shrugged.

“That’s the only reason?” Lisa pushed. “You just wanted to save my career?”

Carla looked down shyly, bit her lip. “I suppose the whole ‘being in love with you’ thing had something to do with it too.”

Lisa felt hope flare in her chest. “You still love me, then?” she asked.

Carla huffed out a laugh. “Like I said, not sure I have much choice in the matter.”

“Who said romance was dead, eh?” Lisa chuckled.

A pause, and then: “The Chief Constable visited me today. He’s retiring, asked me if I wanted to be considered for his job.”

“Oh,” Carla blinked. “Oh, Lisa, that’s wicked. Well done you.”

Lisa worried at her bottom lip with her teeth. “I told him no,” she said quietly.

“You what?” Carla asked, stunned. “Why on earth did you do that?”

Lisa sighed. This was it: now or never.

“Because when I came to see you in the station that night, I realised something,” she admitted. “I realised that I would have done anything, given anything, to make sure you were okay.”

The blonde took a deep breath before continuing.

“My job used to be my world but I don’t want it to be anymore. I want it to be Betsy, first and foremost, and you…if you want to be a part of it.”

Carla was quiet for a second.

“I’m going to be a convicted criminal, Lisa,” she croaked timidly. “Are you really sure you want me in your life? In your daughter’s life?”

Lisa swallowed, laced Carla’s fingers through her own. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

The detective could see the cogs turning in Carla’s head and wondered if she’d come on too strong.

“Of course, we don’t have to rush into anything,” the blonde continued quickly. “We can just take things slowly, keep things casual. It’s not like you have to start calling me your girlfriend or anything.”

“No,” Carla said, the word hitting Lisa like a punch to the gut.

The blonde had always known that rejection was a possibility. But still, she hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.

“Oh,” Lisa said dumbly after a moment, eyes already filling with tears. “Okay. That’s fine. Really, Carla. That’s-“

“No,” the brunette repeated, firmer this time. “I don’t want to take this slow. I don’t want to keep things casual.

“If we’re doing this, then we’re not half-arsing it. If you want me to be your girlfriend, then you’d better grow some balls and bloody well ask me.”

Lisa blinked, stunned laughter bubbling up in her throat.

“You’re serious?” she breathed.

Carla smirked. “Deadly.”

“Carla Barlow,” Lisa began, voice thick with emotion, “will you be my girlfriend?”

Carla leant back, crossing her arms over her chest exaggeratedly. “Hmm,” she hummed. “I’ll think about it.”

“Oi!” Lisa laughed, kicking her gently under the table. “You can’t leave me hanging like that.”

Carla smiled. “Get over here, blondie,” she said, nodding to the space in the booth beside her.

Lisa nearly sprained an ankle in her haste to race to Carla’s side.

“Of course I’ll be your girlfriend,” the brunette said, reaching out to tuck a tendril of hair behind Lisa’s ear. “I can’t think of anything I’d like more.”

Lisa swallowed, leant her forehead against the older woman’s. “I love you, Carla Barlow. So much I feel like I could burst.”

Carla smiled, rearing back slightly. “I love you too, blondie,” she sighed happily. “Although, you should know, I’m reverting back to my maiden name. I think I’ve spent quite enough time as a Barlow, don’t you?”

Lisa grinned, pressed a chaste kiss to the brunette’s lips. “Yes,” she said. “So go on then, what’s your maiden name?”

The other woman smiled, heart swelling as she gazed into Lisa’s eyes, seeing a glimpse of her own future reflected back at her.

“It’s Connor,” she said proudly, squeezing Lisa’s hand. “From now on, I’m Carla Connor.”

Chapter Text

Lisa turned her face to the sky and closed her eyes, sighing contentedly as the warm breeze skimmed off her skin.

She let herself drink in the familiar soundtrack of the seaside; the swooping gulls and crashing waves like food for her soul.

“This seat taken?”

Lisa opened her eyes at the familiar voice, squinting up into the sunshine and smiling as her gaze settled on Carla, smirking down at her.

“I suppose not,” Lisa teased, budging up so the other woman could sit on the bench beside her.

“Where’s Betsy?” the blonde asked after a beat, noting that her daughter hadn’t followed behind Carla.

The trio had travelled to Whitby for the weekend and Betsy had wasted little time in dragging Carla off to buy ice cream.

“She asked if she could go down to the arcade,” Carla said, taking a lick of her raspberry ripple cone. “She said - and I quote - ‘you and my mum are cute and all but, quite frankly, I will vomit if I have to spend the whole afternoon watching you be all disgustingly mushy with each other’.”

Lisa shook her head. “I don’t know where she gets her lip from,” she chuckled. “I swear she’s gotten worse since you moved in.”

Carla held up her hands. “Don’t look at me!” she protested. “Anyway, at least now we can be all ‘disgustingly mushy’ in peace for a few hours.”

Lisa smiled. “I like the sound of that,” she hummed, leaning forwards as if she were about to kiss Carla, before dipping her head at the last minute to take a lick of her ice cream.

“Oi!” Carla yelped indignantly. “You said you didn’t want one!”

Lisa shrugged. “I lied.”

Carla rolled her eyes, then narrowed them. “You’ve got some on your face, you know,” she said.

“Where?” Lisa frowned as Carla leaned in.

“Righhhht here,” the brunette said, cheekily swiping the cone against the tip of Lisa’s nose, leaving a big dollop of ice cream in its wake.

“Carla!” Lisa squealed, giggling. “You’re evil.”

“You still love me though,” the brunette sing-songed smugly.

Lisa’s face softened. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Yeah, I do.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while, both reflecting on how much had changed since the last time they were here.

The past six months had been a whirlwind.

Peter had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his drug-related misdemeanours and was awaiting a further trial for the murder of Charlie Briggs. It was unlikely he’d be a free man for a very long time.

Carla, as expected, had been handed a community service order but had taken it in her stride. She’d moved in with Lisa and Betsy as soon as she and the detective had made their relationship official.

It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement but all three women enjoyed being part of a family unit more than they’d ever thought possible and, last month, Lisa and Betsy had baked Carla a cake asking her to make her move permanent.

The brunette had had to look away so they couldn’t see her crying.

With ‘Underworld’ now closed down, Carla had taken a job at ‘Antonio’s’, helping Roy man the bar as well as keeping on top of all of his admin. She’d also enrolled in a fine art course at the local college and was relishing the chance to rediscover her lost passion.

Back in the present, Lisa caught the older woman looking at her out of the corner of her eye. “What?” she asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Carla shrugged. “I was just thinking I’d like to paint you sometime, if that’s okay with you?”

Lisa grinned. “Like one of your French girls?”

Carla swatted at her. “Alright, Leo,” she quipped. “That wasn’t actually what I had in mind but I reckon I could be convinced…”

Lisa laughed, taking her hand. “I’d love you to paint me,” she said earnestly. “In whatever way you’d like to do it.”

Carla squeezed at the blonde’s fingers. “Sometimes I still can’t believe it, you know,” she sighed happily. “I still have to pinch myself that this is all real.”

Lisa reached up to tuck the brunette’s hair behind her ear. “Me too,” she whispered, pressing a sweet kiss to Carla’s lips. “But it is real. *We’re* real.”

Carla touched her forehead against Lisa’s. “Maybe Betsy had a point about our PDA,” she chuckled after a minute.

Lisa laughed. “Yeah,” she said. “But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Carla kissed her. “Me neither, darling,” she croaked.

The two women looked out to sea for a few minutes, Lisa’s fingers tracing absent-minded patterns on Carla’s thigh.

“Hey,” the blonde said eventually, a twinkle in her eye. “I was just thinking, you actually still owe me a proper lap dance.”

Carla furrowed her brow. “Huh?” she replied, confused. “If my memory serves me correctly, it was my talents in that department that started all of this.”

“Cocky much?” Lisa chuckled. “I’m only saying, if memory serves *me* correctly, we were quite rudely interrupted before you could give me the full Carla Connor experience.”

The brunette was quiet for a second before her lips curved into a sultry grin. “I suppose you’re right,” she conceded. “What are we going to do about that then, eh?”

“Well,” Lisa said, shuffling closer, her breath tickling Carla’s ear. “Seeing as Betsy has ditched us for the afternoon, we could always go back to the hotel and you could show me what I missed out on.”

Carla quickly pulled back and got to her feet, extending her hand with a grin. “Come on then, blondie,” she said. “What are you waiting for?”