DI. Alex Drake slammed her desk drawer shut. She was furious. The files, the jacket, and the one link she had to Sam Tyler, it had all been destroyed. At every turn she was thwarted by that… that… Neanderthal… Gene Hunt.

She'd finally managed to get him to talk about Sam Tyler. Gene said his friend had been acting odd and for Sam Tyler that was very odd indeed. Gene had sat there and told her to her face he had helped a colleague fake his own death. No body was every found, still, it didn't quite fit together. Alex knew Sam had been happy here. Jackie Queen, the journalist, confirmed how loved and respected the man had been, and that he was blissfully married to his girlfriend Annie, apparently the love of his life. So why would the Guv need to help him disappear. There had to be an explanation and Alex knew just the person, probably the only person, who would be able to help her.

The drive to Manchester had been wet. More rain than Alex thought she had ever seen. There would be hell to pay when Gene found out where she'd gone. He'd stiffened noticeably when she'd mentioned Annie. There was a strange glint in his eye that Alex couldn't quite identify.

"The poor cow lost her husband, she's suffered enough, leave her the hell alone Bolly… that's not a request."

And yet here she was driving through the pouring rain to find Annie Tyler, she just hoped it would be worth it.

The house was obviously under renovation. Alex pulled over to the side of the road. This didn't look promising. She got out of the car and crossed the street drawing the attention of the builders. One of them visibly inhaled through his teeth, he looked to be in charge.

"Can I help you love?" He said hopefully. His smile of interest fading as she showed her warrant card.

"DI Drake. I'm looking for a woman who used to live here, one Annie Tyler?"

The builder inhaled again although this time it was a different mood. "Tyler… Tyler? No, tenants come and go."

Alex sighed. "Any chance you know where Annie Tyler moved to? A forwarding address maybe?"

"Na, done a flit is what I heard…" He made the same funny hissing sound. "You said you're the police yeah?"

Alex nodded.

"Might have something for you though." He disappeared into the house.

Alex stood awkwardly on the driveway all the while feeling the other builders' eyes on her. She turned suddenly catching them staring. Her brilliant smile was enough to make them avert their eyes and return to work.

The foreman returned with a pile of dusty books. "Found these under the floorboards in the front room…" He held them out to her before adding, "Dry rot."

"I'm sorry?" Alex said confused as she took the pile.

"In the front room, dry rot in the floorboards otherwise we never would of found 'em."

Opening the cover of the first one there was an inscription written in a neat female hand.

'This is the diary of Annie Tyler."

Alex could barely contain her excitement as she drove back towards London. Ok so she hadn't managed to speak to Annie, but that also meant she hadn't technically disobeyed Gene, she had the next best thing. Just a quick glance had shown these diaries went right up to 1980… when Sam disappeared. There had to be a clue, this would give her an insight into their lives, and possibly the way home.

Stopping for a coffee on route Alex couldn't resist. She picked up a book at random. It opened onto an obviously well thumbed page, clearly Annie liked to read her own work.

February 12th 1975

I am so excited I feel like I am going to burst and I can't wipe the smile off my face. Today Sam asked me to marry him.

Alex smiled. There was a part of her that felt bad for the intrusion into this womans' private thoughts, but on the other hand…

Of course, he couldn't take me to a restaurant and get down on one knee like an ordinary bloke could he? If there is a crazy way to do something Sam is going to do it.

We were at the railway bridge. The Guv, Sam, Ray and Chris had a gang of armed robbers pinned down under the arches. They were pretty set in and I was trying to call for back up. The radio just would not work. Whatever I tried I was just picking up static. I crouched behind the Cortina trying to get the thing going when Sam skidded round the bonnet and landed beside me.

"Any luck on that radio Annie?" He asked, peering back at the Guv who was taking random shots at the brickwork. I can still see him. Sam in action. Hair slightly messed up, gun in hand… very sexy.

I couldn't believe I was thinking those things… in the middle of a gun fight. 'I'm doing my best,' I snapped at him more annoyed with myself. I had no idea what I was actually doing. I thumped the stupid radio and it suddenly crackled into life.

He grinned at me then, as though a sudden thought occurred to him.

"You, Annie Cartwright are amazing! Marry me."

I honestly nearly fell over. "What?" I said, but I could hardly hear myself.

"Marry me." He was serious; I could see it in his eyes. I didn't know what to say.

"Ethel!" The Guv screamed. "You and that plonk better not be playing footsie over there, we need that bloody back up… now!"

Sam rolled his eyes then. "Think about it." He said with a grin and he was gone.

Later as Chris and Ray were loading the last of the robbers into the Black Maria, I caught Sams' arm. He looked at me questioningly.

"Yes." I whispered.

The most enormous smile took over his face as he hugged me.

"Put her down Tyler, you don't know where she's been." The Guv snapped lighting a fag.

But Sam didn't stop grinning, neither could I.

"You look like a pair of bloody idiots." The Guv growled. "I expect a bird to go around grinning like a loon, but you Tyler, you look like a right soppy jessy. What's got into you?"

Sam gave me a quick glance then continued to grin at the DCI. "I'm getting married."

I'll never forget the pride in his voice, that's the only way to describe it.

The Guv put his arm around Sam then, squeezing his shoulder. "Right then, down the pub… you can buy me lots of whisky while I talk you out of it."