Mared's mind wouldn't rest. She drove to the space of land that was the location of DCI Mathias's caravan. She felt determined, and then suddenly she doubted she should have gone there at all. Tom had not gone in to work and had not left a message or a reason why. She needed to know he was all right. Secretly, that was her main concern, though advances had been made and more leads had been given in the case. She'd dialed his mobile over and over within the last 24 hrs. No answer. If he was there and fine, she would use the casework as an excuse to show up there. But, God forbid something terrible happened to him up in the marshes. She parked, got out of her car, and knocked at the door. There was a long pause with no answer. Mared's brow furrowed slightly and her eyes teared up with worry. Then, suddenly the door opened. Tom stood before her dressed in only cotton drawstring lounge bottoms-his eyes sparkled as they gazed at Mared questioningly. His hair was wet, for he had just emerged from the shower.

"You weren't answering your phone." She answered his gaze.

He held the door open for her to enter his home. As she walked in slightly surveying the place, he threw a clean white short-sleeved undershirt on with his back to her.

She softly placed her case notes on the tabletop in the dining area. Tom stared at her. She looked up at him catching his brooding gaze.

When she looked back at him, it was then that she could focus on his face and see that he was injured. There was a swollen bruise on his left cheekbone with a deep cut at the center of it. His hand was deeply gashed, and he held a new clean bandage wrap in his opposite hand as if he were just preparing to wrap it when Mared knocked.

"What's happened to you?" Mared asked him in a soft yet concerned tone.

"Nothing." He answered.

"I knew you shouldn't have gone up there on your own. It was wreckless." She stated.

"Sorry." Tom responded.

"You may not care about yourself enough, but we..."

"I said I was sorry, Mared."

She looked beyond Tom over to the kitchen sink to see shattered glass resting in it and an empty bottle of scotch.

She then made eye-contact with Tom again. You're not doing a proper job of caring for that." She said. Tom knew she meant his cut and his bruise on his face.

Then she gently took his hand.

"Nor this."

She took it upon herself to search out some rubbing alcohol and ointment.

He guided her with an answer to where she could find it.

"You've got ice, yes?" Mared then asked.

Tom held back a subtle grin, as he saw Mared's caring, protective instincts begin to kick in.

In silence she cleaned the wound of his hand and wrapped it. She then moved on to his face, cleaning his cut in the most tender way possible whilst he was staring into her eyes. Any and every time he looked at her, somehow his gaze always made her heart flutter, because his eyes pored into her so deeply-as if touching her soul, always making her want to blush; therefore, she almost always had to look away...but not this time. This time she would not look away. This time she matched Tom's soulful gaze. She looked back at him as if trying to investigate the secrets that he kept buried deep within. Tom also had taken the opportunity then and the advantage of the silence to contemplate the emotion in Mared's eyes.

Neither of them really understood the time when their faces drew closer towards each other. It was as if they existed in a trance. Before they knew it, their foreheads were leaning against each other and they turned their heads to brush their cheeks together very slowly, softly, and gently. Their eyes were closed. Slowly and delicately their lips connected. Then their lips separated slowly again.

Mared whispered, "We shouldn't..."

...

Upon his bed, bodies bare, cocooned and enveloped in each other's arms, they made love. Their arms wrapped around each other in such a powerful embrace as if never wanting to let go of each other. They both needed to be held. They needed to hold each other-a desperate yearning for emotional empathy. Their chests pressed so tightly together they could feel each other's heart beat. Mared desperately wanted this. She hugged Tom to her. Her arms draped over his bare back. Her hands and fingers continuously caressed his back so lovingly whilst their bodies moved as one. Tom Mathias was in awe of how completely uninhibited she was in these moments. Mared never let her guard down with him before and suddenly all at once, down it came crashing. Her body tensed and relaxed in pure pleasure. He moved inside her with such a gentle passion. His thrusts were so loving. It was as if at once she felt completely at ease with him. Suddenly, she felt so comfortable, clinging to him so naturally-like she didn't have to hide from him. She whimpered softly as his body filled hers so completely. She felt whole. With each sweet sigh from Mared, Tom's movements became more urgent. He was so aroused by her cries of pleasure. He kissed her so deeply. He held her even closer to him. His fingers stroked the soft skin of Mared's back sensuously as well.

It had been so long since Mared had been intimate with a man and sought a man's comfort, and Tom penetrated her so deeply, never before had she experienced such a perfect elysium of sensations. She could weep with joy from the otherworldly pleasure she was experiencing. Soul to soul, they found consolation and relief, a release and escape from their worries and the severe stress of their profession. This embracing position was a sign that they had opened their hearts and souls to each other. They would keep nothing from each other. Their bodies shuddered in pure ecstasy. Both Mared and Tom felt a deep emotional connection in these intimate moments in addition to their physical union. Could it be explained that they were both under such emotional torment that they sought solace in each other's arms? Or was it love? A love that sparked slowly at first and then ignited into a blaze.

When it was done and they lay under the sheets side by side together, their eyes twinkled as they looked up at the ceiling.

"What should we do now?" Mared asked with a content little smirk though she was slightly bewildered.

Tom turned to look at her and smiled.

It was as if the world vanished during their time together, and indeed they were truly content. But, the reality of the change in their connection from professional to intimate left them both with questions of how to proceed from then on. Secretly, though the words had not passed between them, it was truly love that kindled between them. They could not deny it to themselves. Mathias's actions were loving, and Tom knew how Mared must feel about him to suddenly give herself so openly-no longer holding anything of herself back from him both emotionally and physically. It was love-love and trust. They possessed qualities and traits for a strong relationship-love, trust, and mutual respect for each other. The question was more how to proceed at work-in their working environment. Should their relationship be kept a secret for at least some amount of time or should it not?