Thank you so much to Becky, Laura, Lynsey, Gemz, Laura, Jodie, Ginagold fan, Ally80 and of course my superstar Emzii who's kept me going through this whole fic, giving me a kick up the backside when I couldn't be assed to write, spell checking everything like three times over and giving me some much needed advice, not to mention lovely words and the occasional virtual hug when we were both feeling low. This is for everyone who reviewed consistently, I'm sad it's over but review one last time and make me smile :D xxxxpippa

The bunks were in chaos as children ran from bed to bed collecting borrowed items and returning them to their rightful owners. More than a few times there were collisions as kids with piles of clothes, books and toys rushed about without looking where they were going. "Who's lost a pink sock with little white flowers on it…and a card that says 'I think you're pretty lots of love Tyler'." Sally called out and Emma began to whistle as one of the girls rushed forwards to collect the card, an embarrassed grin spreading on her face.

Just then Emma saw Flo wandering about with one little pink sock on, grabbing the other one from Beth's hand, she caught Flo unawares and pulled the remaining sock on as the little girl giggled and wriggled around in her grip. "Uh I'm gonna miss this every morning!" Emma sighed as picked Flo up and carried her across to where Beth and Sally were standing talking.

"Won't I see you again?" Flo asked batting her eyelashes hopefully at Emma. The three girls exchanged a look…would they ever see these children again?

"Of course you will sweetie, I might come and visit you in the home if they'll let me." Emma murmured softly and Flo smiled so widely, Emma thought her face might break. "Why don't you go and finish packing your things, I'll be over in a minute to check you've got everything." She suggested as she let the little girl down and watched her race back off across the cabin.

"What if you don't see her again Emma, it's not fair to raise their hopes like that." Sally whispered and she saw Emma wince.

"I will see her again." Emma replied determinedly. "I promised I would, I couldn't let her down like that. My best friend was in care and I know how rough it is, I'll do everything I can to make sure she gets a decent set of foster parents. She deserves so much more out of life than what she'll get staying there." She added as she though of Corrine and how hard she'd had to work to make something of herself.

When the children (and adults) were finished packing up the dorms, they all headed down for an early lunch as the bus was coming to pick the children up shortly after two and there were still plenty of things to do. Sascha, Frankie, Jack and Phil began playing rounders with the kids in the middle of the site, marking out a huge area for it and getting nearly everyone involved.

After half an hour of non-stop running and catching, Emma, Beth, Sally, Kerry, Diane, Gina and Sam all sauntered off for a walk around the grounds. "Better than you imagined ladies?" Gina asked as they wandered along under the shade of the trees.

"Oh much better." Sally, Beth and Emma said simultaneously before breaking up into fits of laughter.

"Yeah and we all know why." Gina replied, shaking her head at the young girls who were still hanging onto each other, giggling away. "Still, the kids have been good fun as well and the activities weren't half bad. I'm sure Sam can back me up on this but this has got to be one of the best teambuilding trips that Sun Hill has had in years." She continued, thinking back a few years to the disastrous trip which had left four officers recovering in hospital with food poisoning and the rest of them cold, wet and lost in the middle of nowhere in the Scottish hills!

"Absolutely!" Sam said, laughing so hard that some tears actually escaped her eyes as she recalled another trip where Phil had fallen out of a tree after attempting to show off to some of the ladies and had been convinced that he'd broken his arm, when in fact he'd only bruised it! "The ones at my last nick weren't much better either…all in all, this one has been pretty amazing."

"Does that include the time not spent with Phil?" Diane joked, dodging out of Sam's way as she could tell that she was about to get a slap for her last remark. Sam however just rolled her eyes and laughed along with everyone else.

As they continued to wander by the tree line, the conversation turned to the other, younger girls and how they were enjoying their 'summer romances'. Beth blushed throughout and earned herself the nickname Bee, as in short for beamer.

Following the curve of the fence, they passed the children's cabins and ran laughing down the hill until Emma stopped short, making everybody bump into the back of her in surprise. "Keeley! Toby?" She asked incredulously as she spotted the pair, standing close together by one of the trees, locked firmly at the lips. Breaking apart, Keeley tucked her hair nervously behind her ear and kept her eyes trained on the ground in front of her. "Hmmm…what can you say…young love." She giggled making Keeley blush and hide her face in Toby's side.

"Awww don't embarrass the poor kid Emma." Sally moaned at her, dragging them all back towards where all the activities were taking place, leaving the teenagers in peace. "Look." She said as she pointed over to where Holly, Rowen and Flo were sitting in a little group, whispering to each other. Together Beth, Sally and Emma crept up on the giggling girls before picking them up and hearing them squeal in surprise as they span them round and round.

Eventually the three of them grew so dizzy they all toppled over, lying on the grass on their backs with one of the little ones sitting on their tummies. Beth and Holly were pretending to wrestle each other while Sally and Emma tickled Rowen and Flo until they giggled so much that their sides hurt and they had to plead with them to stop.

Gina sighed contentedly as she watched Lewis, Dan and Will walk over to join the three girls and their mini-me's. Holly, Rowen and Flo were once again sitting in a little huddle, chatting amongst themselves and now threading daisies together to make long chains of them. Lewis sat down next to Sally who wriggled over and rested her head in his lap, looking up lovingly at him as he stroked her hair. Beth and Dan were sitting back to back, talking to the other four members of their little group as they held hands discreetly.

"Emma." Will whispered as he sat down behind her, pulling her in towards him so she was sitting in between his legs and his chin was resting on her shoulder.

"Mmmhmmm." She murmured as she leant heavily against him, his arms slowly winding round her waist.

"I love you." He continued softly.

Turning to see Jack also watching the younger members of the relief she smiled and pointed across to where Diane and Katy were sitting with their backs up against a tree, chatting quietly. "It's a shame for her isn't it…they've all got somebody and she's just got this little girl." Gina muttered out of the corner of her mouth as she saw Diane looking wistfully over to where Sam and Phil were wandering along hand in hand.

"She seems happy enough though…but yes I get what you're saying. She must feel pretty left out now and then but she's tough, she's used to it." Jack said, still applying his no nonsense approach to everything even though they were almost on holiday.

After another hour or so of soaking up the gorgeous sunshine, Emma nudged Keeley as she was walking over towards the circle of older children. "So…how's things going with Toby?" She asked teasingly and Keeley blushed, nudging Emma back and pulling a face.

"I could ask you how's things with Will?" Keeley replied making it Emma's turn to blush and get embarrassed. "Toby's great, he's really nice and he makes me laugh lots. I don't see the problem."

"Good because I don't see a problem with it either. I was just teasing." Emma smiled as Keeley turned, hands on hips, glaring at her.

"You're such a meanie you know that don't you?" She giggled, launching forwards and beginning to tickle Emma but they just ended up hugging each other around the middle, laughing so hard they had to hang onto each other for support. "I'm gonna miss you…" Keeley whispered, leaning on Emma.

"Yeah I'm gonna miss you too kid. I'm sure I'll see you though, down the road with all your mates causing havoc!" She replied, smiling down at Keeley who she'd become rather fond of over the past two weeks.

Sam smiled as she felt Phil's hands slip around her waist from behind. They were standing at the top of the slope, looking out over the camp for what probably would be the last time ever. "I love this place…it's so…peaceful." She murmured and Phil grinned, picking her up and spinning her round.

"Not for much longer honey!" He replied as she screamed as he spun her faster and faster, making his turns smaller. Eventually they collapsed next to each other on the ground. "These two weeks have been great though…haven't they?" He asked, turning in to face her.

"Yeah…really great. I…I don't want this to end. I want to stay here forever." She said sadly, thinking of how when they got back to Sun Hill, she'd have to have a more professional relationship with Phil at work, even though all their colleagues knew they were dating.

"It doesn't matter where we are babe, I'll always love you." Phil said softly, leaning in to press his lips lightly against hers.

Later in the day as the children were being loaded back onto the bus which was to take them all home there were many a tearful goodbye as the officers had all got quite attached to at least one of the young campers. Phil smiled down at Sarah-Louise who was hugging on tightly to his leg, refusing to let go. "I might see you again some time sweetheart, come on be a good girl and let go…or I'll have to tickle you." He said making her giggle and let go immediately.

Sam hugged Toby tightly and whispered discreetly in his ear. "If you ever have any problems that you want to talk about, just give me a call and I'll be right there. Take care." Toby nodded and shuffled off, before turning back and giving her one last hug goodbye.

The officers all collapsed down onto the benches, thoroughly exhausted. "I never knew working with kids was so much hard work…or so rewarding." Smithy said, smiling as Kerry wrapped her arms tightly around him and rested her head on his shoulder. The others all murmured in agreement before their attention was drawn back to Gina and Jack who were standing in front of them.

"We'd just like to say that you lot have done exceptionally well this week, you treated those kids like your own (for those of you who have children) and for those of you who don't, I think you learned a lot about how to cope with them." Gina said grinning at her sleepy team.

"Yes congratulations all of you. Now, unless I'm sorely mistaken, we've got the long drive back to Canley this afternoon so I suggest we pack up and be on our way." Jack continued on from where Gina had left off. After a quick round of hugs from Sascha and Frankie, the officers picked up their bags, loaded the boots of the cars and clambered into them, waving goodbye out the window and taking in the beautiful scenery just one last time before the arguments began, the pop music was turned up full blast and Smithy and Diane resumed their thumb wrestling competition that had begun over two weeks previously.

Arriving outside the station late that evening, the officers all climbed from the cars, stretching their legs and grumbling about the traffic. So much had changed in the short time they'd been away, instead of waving goodbye to colleagues and going home to an empty house, many of them were cuddled up in pairs, discussing who's car to take to who's house!

Gina and Jack disappeared off in the direction of the Seven Bells for a well earned drink, joined by Heaton and Neil who wanted all the juicy gossip on what could only be described as their next challenge due to leave the following morning.

Sam and Phil stayed sitting in his car, her hand resting on top of his on the gear stick, refusing to move. "So…so I take it you're coming home with me then?" He asked tentatively and his face broke into a huge grin as he saw her nod, a smile playing on her own lips.

Sally leant up and kissed Lewis gently as did Beth to Dan before the two of them walked off arm in arm, waving bye to the boys who were still standing smiling dreamily, creating much amusement for the other officers. The biggest surprise however was Diane who tugged her bag glumly over to the Station entrance but was stopped half way as she heard someone call her name. Turning round most of the relief watched as her face lit up and she ran towards the man, throwing herself at him so he twirled her round and round. "Oh James, I've missed you so much." She said, just loud enough for a few of the officers to hear.

"I've missed you too babe." He replied, bending down to kiss her, provoking some surprised gasps from the relief who were still standing watching the unusual spectacle. Walking off hand in hand, she turned at the last moment and smiled to her colleagues who were still standing with their mouths wide open.

"So she has a boyfriend after all." Emma said as she elbowed Dan in the ribs. "Come on you, there's a bottle of wine in my fridge that's just crying out to be drunk tonight." She added, winding her hand through Will's and pulling him off in the direction of her car.

Spread across Canley, far and wide, the officers all snuggled down under their duvets, glad to be home again, the thoughts and memories of their time in The Lakes creating pleasant dreams and lulling them all into a deep sleep.

"I have news about a teambuilding trip."

"I don't like the way this is going."

"What do you think camp's gonna be like?"

"I um…I forgot to pack my pyjamas!"

"Oh my god Diane cover yourself up!"

"So we're all playing hide and seek? How old are we? Four?"

"Well would you look at that, little Miss has a heart after all!"

"I'm not sulking…I'm just…just…well sulking."

"It was a great big hairy…"

"A great big hairy cat!"

"Why don't you make a move?"

"No comment."

"Ugh children."

"Kiss please."

"Well then my darling wife, lets get back to Gina and Smithy."

"Nothin' babe. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

"Well…we kissed…okay snogged."

"Okay troops, time for bed."

"Well that was…revealing."

"Get in there Phil!"

"Won't I see you again?"

"I love you."

Can we climb this mountain, I don't know

Higher now than ever before

I know we can make it if we take it slow

Lets take it easy

Easy now watch it go

We're burning down the highway skyline

On the back of a hurricane

That started turning

When You Were Young

When You Were Young