Spiralling

Summary: Neil/Grace. Post 'Hold Me Tight', Neil takes Grace for that drink but where will it lead?

Inspired by last week's episodes and a conversation I had with Beccy before I'd actually watched them.

Unusual pairing from me. Doubt I'll ever write it again but reviews would be appreciated! XD

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"Hard day?" DI Neil Manson asked, with the trace of a humourless smile as he entered the Canley Arms pub.

Grace's own lips pursed into a tight smile as her superior pulled out a chair and sat down officer. After they had left the station, Grace and Neil had gone their separate ways to shower and change; washing the dirt of a traumatic day away from them. Mickey had declined the offer a drink, wanting to get home to the sanctuary of his flat to deal with the events they had witnessed in his own way. Neil himself wanted to be away from home for as long as possible, after all he had witnessed in the last thirty six hours he knew it was take hours before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. He also knew that the few friends he had outside of the force would be sympathetic about what he had just experienced but they wouldn't understand, at least not the way that his colleagues would.

"Hard day," She agreed with a smile, draining the last of her wine. "I'll get this round in," She offered and went to the bar, leaving Neil staring into the middle distance. It was only now that he began to regret his decision to meet Grace for a drink. If Mickey was here too then maybe the tension wouldn't be so awkward and he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable. He kept thinking of that moment in the interview room when he had reached out for Grace. His body seemed to have acted without the permission of his mind and he wasn't sure how he felt about this intimate action between the two of them. Grace hadn't mentioned anything about it and Neil suspected that she had disregarded it, not giving it a second thought. It was there that he was very wrong.

Grace was grateful to be able to escape to the bar and found herself wishing that Mickey had taken the DI up on his offer of a drink. She hadn't expected things to be this weird between her and her boss, it made feel unsure of herself; something that very rarely happened to her. She ordered another glass of wine for herself and a pint of beer for Neil. She found her hands shaking as she handed over a ten pound note to the bartender and chided herself for behaving so much like a teenage girl.

"Get a hold of yourself, Desari," She muttered between gritted teeth as she carried the drinks back over to their table, being careful not to spill any of the alcohol.

"Thanks," Neil smiled gratefully as he took the drink from her and sipped at the beer. The beer slipped down his throat and helped to warm him from the inside. He took another mouthful as he wondered what he and Grace would actually spend the evening talking about because he wasn't quite sure he could stomach going over the case again. It made him feel sick especially as his own son, Jake, was a similar age to Mason Kemble.

Grace was feeling equally odd as she played with the stem of her wine glass. Words seemed to be fighting with each other in her head but she could bring herself to actually say anything at all. She knew from office gossip that Manson had a son of his own but by mentioning him, Neil would realise that she actually listened to the rumours that circulated around Sun Hill and she didn't want to give the wrong impression.

"Good work today, Grace," Neil finally managed to say as he watched his drinking partner desperately searching for a safe topic of conversation.

"Thank you," She paused, his name was momentarily stuck in her throat. She doubted she had ever called him by his first name before. "Neil,"

He smiled at her over his beer glass and the rare show of a positive emotion elicited an unfamiliar response from Grace. She felt ridiculous for a second; she could not really be falling for the DI could she? In her mind she replayed that moment in the interview room earlier where he had reached for her and grabbed her by the wrist. She wasn't sure what the gesture meant but she knew that it had sent her pulse racing, and, had they not been working on such a serious and pressing case, she would have pictured him taking her right there in the empty, unwelcome room. The same bubble of warm lust worked its way back into the depths of her stomach and she tried to fight the feeling away.

"I actually felt sorry for him," Grace finally admitted, looking down at her glass as she waited for Neil's reaction. He was so difficult to read that she had no idea how he would respond to this.

"Me too," He replied quietly, pausing to take a long draw of beer. "My son is about Mason's age," He stopped again, wondering how much to divulge. Part of him knew that he could trust Grace though. "I'm the first to admit that I'm not the best father but," He breathed deeply. "I love him and I hope I've never made him feel the way that Ryan Kemble made his son feel."

Grace fought with the need to reach out for his hand and let that desire win. After all it had been Neil who had initiated the contact between them earlier.

"Neil," She said softly. "You are a great person and I'm sure Jake is very lucky to have you as a father."

Neil, who had been enjoying the feeling of Grace's cool fingers against the back of his hand, rapidly pulled back and seemed to retreat back into his professional, cold demeanour.

"How did you know my son is called Jake?" He asked, his voice even but icy.

Grace realised her mistake and cursed him for being so careless. That was what two glasses of wine did when you'd only been able to grab nearly out of date sandwiches and crisps from the vending machine.

"You know what the station is like, you can't keep anything quiet there." She said. "I'm sorry," She paused, not quite sure what she was apologising for, although she knew she was missing the contact between them already.

"No, I'm sorry Grace; I had no right to snap." His eyes began to grow warm again and Grace looked up and could see herself getting lost in them. "It's just a sore subject with me."

Grace decided to risk another comment. "You must miss him terribly,"

Neil nodded, a faraway look coming over him. "He says he's happy in Spain and I'm glad, but I'd still rather he was here with me."

"Of course you do." Grace said and this time their hands met each other halfway across the table. To the casual observer they would look like a couple out on a date in the early stages of a relationship, not two colleagues separated by rank.

Neil noticed that Grace's glass was nearly empty and offered to get in another round of drinks, hating to have to break the bond between them. As Neil stood and disentangled his hand from Grace's, she held tighter and pulled him back into his seat. He could see desire shining brightly from her dark eyes.

"I've got plenty of alcohol back at my flat." She told him and Neil smiled, the two of them leaving the pub hand in hand. As they stepped out into the cool October night air, Neil smiled to himself, at least now he wouldn't have to worry about trying to get to sleep in his own bed.

So, what did you think? And any Andrea/Neil fans, please don't hurt me because, for me anyway, she's still the only woman for Neil! Xx