Written by: Gemma

Date first published online: 24TH October 2004

Archive: Just ask me

Disclaimer: Nick Klein, Honey Harman and Smithy and other characters mentioned are owned by The Bill and not the author.

Summary: As Smithy and Honey attend a call, Honey spots Nick... Well she thinks she does... PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!

Phil Hunter.

He should have never got involved.

He should have never interfered.

If he knew his destiny, he would have kept himself well away.

Ever since Cass died, a part of him had crumbled away. He tried viciously hard to grab onto all of his sanity with both hands, but he quickly felt his life slipping downhill, and the harder he tried to control it, the quicker it seemed to disperse.

Nick stood in front of a bathroom mirror; his eyes and complexion were dull. It had been yet another difficult night. He felt alone... withdrawn and the nightmares still haunted him each time he dared to close his eyes.

Witness Protection wasn't as bad as he expected in some aspects, yet it was worse in others.

Nick had been housed in an old, grotty and run down council flat, which was barely large enough for one person and the neighbours would make perfect viewing for 'Neighbours from Hell'. Police cars would often zoom into the vicinity with sirens blaring and Nick had to quickly retreat; he didn't want to risk being spotted.

He looked different now, sporting a small beard and his hair was a lot longer. On occasions he would wear glasses, telling his new work colleagues that he prefers his contacts.

Nick opened his front door and glanced in all possible directions. He felt full of paranoia each time he opened his front door, fearing Weaver or one of his associates was out to get him.

"Morning Jason!" Nick's neighbour Selena walked past him, as he nodded with acknowledgement.

That was his name now: Jason Farrell. 32 years old, born in southeast London. Has done various office jobs and now works in a call centre for a car insurance company.

"Cheer up, it might never happen!" Selena offered Nick a smile, before continuing, "Put yourself in my position. I've got work all day, then I've got to baby-sit my nephew - not good."

A slight smile appeared on Nick's face. Selena was a nice girl, always cheery and it didn't matter what life threw at her. But deep down, Selena didn't have the slightest clue of what Nick was going through. He had to leave his friends, family and his job, which he missed more than he ever imagined.

"I would not want to be in your shoes," Nick replied, emphasising on 'not', "Me and kids - we don't get on."

Selena chuckled slightly, before she glanced down. "Listen... I'd better get going, I'm meeting my boyfriend before work - See ya!"

Selena quickly dashed off in one direction, as Nick turned and walked in the other, as he slipped on a pair of dark shades.

As Nick turned a corner, en route to work, he quickly stopped in his tracks, noticing an area car up ahead, with two uniformed officers walking down the street.

Next to being caught up with Weaver again, Nick's biggest fear was seeing someone he knew when he was Nick Klein. Although it wasn't so much the seeing, it was the saying good-bye afterwards.

"Oi Jason!" a Liverpudlian accent called from behind him, as Nick turned. "Alright mate?"

"Yeah... so-so," Nick replied glumly.

"Heavy night?" the guy, Rick asked, as Nick shook his head.

"Just bored to tears with the job," Nick revealed.

Sitting in a call centre day in, day out, it was driving him crazy. He liked being amongst the action, being out on the streets. Not in some sweaty, badly air conditioned office.

"You've only been 'ere a couple of months!"

"Yeah..." was his only murmured reply, as he carried on down the street, carefully eyeing the uniformed officers on the other side of the street.

"Here, isn't that...?" Honey Harman paused mid-sentence, as Smithy looked at her questioningly.

"Isn't that who?"

"No-one..." Honey continued, as she watched the disappearing figure in the distance. "Just thought I saw someone I used to know, that's all."

Smithy eyed Honey suspiciously, before making his way into a shop. "Mr. Barnes?"

"'e's out the back," said a tall, slim girl, with bleached blonde hair and very visible roots. "Like me to go an' get 'im?"

"Please," Smithy forced a fake smile, as he glanced sideways at Honey, who was lurking in the door. "Oi! Keep your mind on the job will ya?!"

"Sorry Sarge," she mumbled a reply, as she wandered into the shop, doing a final glance out of the door as she did so.

Mr. Barnes appeared on the shop floor, and immediately sent his assistant out the back.

"Mr. Barnes? Sergeant Smith, Sun Hill," Smithy introduced himself quickly. "You reported some vandalism earlier?"

"Yes!" Mr. Barnes replied loudly, as he ushered both Smithy and Honey towards the back of the shop. "Amy, stay on the shop floor, alright?"

"Right," the shop assistant, Amy, replied, as Mr. Barnes disappeared out the back, with Smithy and Honey in tow.

"So, what did ya do before ya worked with us?" Rick asked, as he and Nick entered the call centre building.

"Odd jobs here and there," Nick replied, not giving much away. "DJing, other call centres and some community work."

Nick entered the building, leaving Rick to talk to another member of staff. He quickly bunged his jacket into a locker, then clocked in, before making his way to a desk.

"I try to make a business and kids... They just ruin everything!" Mr. Barnes gestured towards the back of his shop, graffiti covered the walls and windows.

"Do you have any CCTV evidence?" Smithy asked, as Mr. Barnes shook his head.

"I have two cameras installed in the shop and that's it. I can't afford to install them everywhere and I shouldn't have to. Kids of today, no respect for anyone."

As Honey scribbled down notes in her pad, Smithy continued questioning.

"Right, Mr. Barnes. We'll look into this and if you receive any problems again, don't hesitate to call us."

As Smithy and Honey left the shop and wandered back to the car, Honey still glanced around slightly, which angered Smithy.

"What is with you?!"

Honey was slightly taken aback, as she glanced in Smithy's direction, "Nothing Sarge, I just thought I saw someone earlier."

"A misper? A wanted person?"

"No," Honey replied truthfully, as she got in the passengers side. "I thought I saw Nick Klein."

As Smithy got in the car and started up the engine, he stared at Honey and sighed. "No you didn't see Nick Klein. He's in Witness Protection and is miles away from here. They wouldn't have housed him so near to Sun Hill, they're not that stupid."

"Right..." Honey replied slowly, not understanding exactly what Smithy meant. Did he know something that she didn't or was he right and did she not see Nick at all? She knew one thing for certain. She couldn't exactly broadcast it because if she did see Nick, she would be risking his life.