Title: The Missing Link

Author: Sara (aka Storm)

Rating: PG-13

Keywords: Claire/John; Beech; Corruption; CIB; Hodges/Ray.

Summary: What happens when Claire goes back to Sun Hill in relation to a case? Will she find what she’s after? How will John react when he finds out the truth behind her disappearing act?

Archive: Anywhere else that wants it, just let me know first.

Spoilers: None really except vague references to the episodes with John Boulton and Claire Stanton in them.

Disclaimer: The Bill and its characters don’t belong to me. They never have and never will. I’m just playing with them for a bit. Can I please have John and Claire? They’re not in the show anymore after all.

Background: Claire's left Sun Hill and is back working for CIB. John Boulton is still alive. Don Beech is in Prison. The Event's of Beech on the Run and Beech is Back never happened. Beech was simply picked up and arrested by Hodges one night, CID were questioned, but other than that they know nothing about it. Nobody knows about John and Claire's secret relationship or that Claire's CIB. This story is set about 4 years after Claire leaves Sun Hill.

Author's Notes: A strange idea that just came from nowhere again. It looks like my fan fiction writing streak is finally coming back to me.

Any characters you don’t recognise are my own creation. Please ask before borrowing them. Before anyone asks, yes I have included Marion and several other of my original character’s from The Trouble With Beech Saga. I’ve got to get the member’s of the CIB team from somewhere.

Written for Gem6, for not letting me forget how much I love John and Claire, I hope you don’t mind me borrowing a few ideas from your story “Destined To Meet Again ”. You’ll see what I mean later on. Also used your line starter from the Fiction Writers Community Message Forum, “Ella, what have I just said?" Can you spot it? (Again not till later chapters)

A completely different story to anything I’ve written before where Claire returns to Sun Hill. All comments, questions and complaints in a review please. Pretty please?

The Missing Link

Chapter 1: The Case

I am sitting in my office reading through the details of the latest case I have been given to work on. Since leaving Sun Hill 4 years ago, after providing enough evidence to lock up Don Beech for a very long time, I have been given my own office in the new CIB offices in Fordhouse Lane, and promoted to DI.

As far as I’m aware, nobody at Sun Hill is aware that I’m working for CIB and that I’m the one who put Beech in prison, I don’t even think they know that he was arrested for corruption. It was all very sudden, a sneak attack. Hodges and the DCI, who I know he fancies, whether he’ll admit to it or not, arrested Don at his home one night after work, based on the evidence I had provided, they had more than enough to convict him. Of course, nobody knows how I got the information, and I plan on keeping it that way. Even John himself hasn’t figured out that he unwitting led me right to Beech’s dodgy dealings, thankfully without incriminating himself.

We ended up splitting up shortly after Don’s arrest. I used the excuse that I needed to move out of the area for a few years because my mother had come down with a rare genetic disease, and needed to go to a specialist hospital up north. I never would have thought I’d get away with using the same excuse twice, but it seems miracles never cease.

”Serge, Have you found anything?” asks Chris standing in the doorway of my office.

Even though I’m a DI now, most of the people I work with still call me serge. I guess we’re all that used to it that it’s second nature now.

“No, but it would be interesting to find out where he’s based,” I say tuning into the conversation properly.

Our newest case is a bloke by the name of DS Richard Winters, suspected of drug trafficking within the Met. Evidence is limited, and the only thing we’ve got to go on is a photograph of him discussing something with a known drug dealer, by the name of Brian Ward, which considering the circumstances could be totally legitimate.

“That I do know,” comments Chris, “I’ve also got some information from the PNC that someone who work’s with Winters’ is investigating a case involving Ward.”

“Care to tell me what you’ve found in plain English Chris? I’m not a mind reader you know.”

“Sorry serge, I’ve found that Winters is based at Sun Hill and another DS at the station is interrogating Ward as part of an investigation into teenage drug overdoses or something.”

“Who’s running the case on Ward?” I ask highly suspicious now. Could it be that Sun Hill has got another bent cop working for them?

“A DS Boulton,” Chris reply’s looking up from his notes before adding, “Wasn’t he mates with Beech?”

“Yeah, but he had nothing to do with Beech’s corruption, that I’m certain of,” I say, unconsciously protecting John’s reputation.

“Maybe not serge, but he’s had some scrapes in the past, surely you know that?”

“Yeah I do, but I also worked with him for over 18 months, so I’d say I know a lot more than you do about him.”

“Ok serge, no need to get so defensive, what’s the big deal?”

I let out a deep sigh, finally realizing what I’m doing, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to go off on one, I’m just tired, Ella refused to sleep last night, so I’m really exhausted.”

“Don’t worry about it; I know its difficult raising a three year old on your own. If you need any help or anything …”

“Thanks Chris,” I say, “Maybe we should pay a visit to Sun Hill tomorrow and see what we can find out. I don’t think Hodge’s told them anything about me when they were questioned, so hopefully that’ll work in our favor, and they’ll trust me enough to give us the information we need.”

“Tomorrow?”

“It’s pointless going tonight, most of them will have knocked off for the night by now, probably hanging out in the Canley Arms; and I’ve really gotta get back to Ella, it’s not fair me keep leaving her with Tracey.”

“Ok Serge, 9am tomorrow then?”

“Yeah, go home and get some rest, tomorrow’s not gonna be an easy day.”

Chris wonders out of my office to collect his things and head home. I tidy away the case files I’ve been working on and decide to drop by Hodge’s office before I head home to bring him up to speed with the latest case developments.

An hour later, I’m sitting on the sofa in my living room, Ella’s head resting on my lap, watching the Lion King, for the 10th time this week. I drift in and out of sleep, thinking about Ella and everything that’s happened since I left Sun Hill.

Flashback

“John, there’s something I need to tell you?”

End Flashback

I never did tell John what I needed to say to him. The telephone started ringing and shortly afterwards he rushed out to talk to Beech. After that everything just happened too fast. I followed John to his secret meeting with Beech in the hopes I’d get some useful evidence on him. As it turned out, Beech spilled his guts and I caught the whole conversation on tape.

John was severely injured in their fight, but thankfully he pulled through. While he was in hospital Beech was arrested, the rest of Sun Hill interviewed and I returned to CIB.

I have only spoke to John once, since I left, and that was to tell him that I had to move out of the area. I wanted to stay in touch, to continue with our relationship, but there is no way it could work with me being CIB.

“Mom, I’m hungry,” moan’s Ella sitting up and staring me in the eyes.

“Ok baby, let’s get you something to eat,” I say to her getting up and making my way to the kitchen.

Ella’s a wonderful little girl, with long wavy blonde hair, a lot darker than mine. She’s really intelligent for her age and quite a handful when she wants to be. I never thought when I found out I was pregnant with her, that I’d be naturally maternal. I’d never been good with kids until I had Ella, so we’ve both had a lot of learning to do. Thankfully I’ve had lots of support, from Tracey my neighbor, who looks after Ella whilst I’m at work, and my colleagues. Even Hodge’s has been quite supportive, offering to take her to the park, when I’m tied up in a big investigation.

I make us both a late night snack, before I usher her up to bed, knowing that I’ve got another long day ahead of me tomorrow, one that I know is going to be both physically and emotionally draining.

Authors Notes:

This is an in progress story and has not been betaed. Expect many changes and mistakes throughout.

Tell me what you think so far by leaving a review.