A/N: Set during the season one. Told from Joe's POV.

When Joe arrived at the screen of Kathy Lane's murder he finds himself not only put in charge of a rebellious team but a young man he's met before.

Not Beta'ed, you've been warned; there will most probably be spelling/grammar mistakes. Hope you like if you continue.

CHAPTER ONE

When Joseph Chandler arrived at the simple domestic murder scene in London's Whitechapel, he'd been on a high after almost a week of lows. With the promise of a quick promotion as soon as he closed his first murder case, he was on cloud nine, though he wasn't to stay there. Just like a thousand other times in Joe's life, a high was quickly followed by a sharp fall, tonight wasn't any exception.

First their was his sergeant. The man clearly hated his gut before he'd even said two words, obviously the kind of man that thought all DI's should stay behind their desks and leave the real policing to the real coppers, a position he would confirm a little while later by asking the Inspector if there was a desk he was meant to be at.

The second trip on his fall came from the body of the victim, Kathy Lane. The girl hadn't just been killed, his had her throat slit open, something Joe had prepared himself for. He'd expected maybe a stabbing or a shooting. Stood over the body, listening to the pathologist he'd felt his inside turn to water and his hands begin to shake. It took all his will power not to leave or vomit there and then. Once the doctor had given them her findings Joe had rushed out of the forensics tent, gulping in fresh air as DS Miles come to talk to him. Joe gave his orders which apparently were unnecessary as the members of the murder team where already in the process of carrying them out, like a well-oiled machine. But this was Joe's case; this was what was going to get him the top job his father had always dreamed for him, so Joe continued to act as a DI was meant to act.

"Witnesses?"

"Mary Bousfield, community support officer, this way."

Joe followed after his DS, still trying to calm himself, his gaze fixed on the ambulance across the street. A few feet away the young DC that was taking the woman's statement turned to acknowledge DS Miles's approach and Joe felt himself take another trip, as he saw the young man's face, a face he never expected to see again.

29th August.

It had been a bad day, one of those day where his mind and body refused to cooperate with him or each other. He knew it was the beginning of an episode and he knew that if he didn't find a distraction for his brain he'd end up reorganizing his wardrobe fifty times or switching a light switch on and off for an hour.

So that was why he was in this bar, the type of place with a very exclusive clientele. The kind of place no police officer wanted to be seen in, a place that would have his father turning in his grave at that very moment.

Joe made his way to the bar, taking a seat and ordering a double vodka. Throwing it back in a single quick motion, he ordered another. The bar man giving him an odd questioning look but fetching the drink never the less.

He was on his third double and his mind was thankfully close to closing down completely when the small dark hair man arrived at his side. Joe glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, taking in the younger man's features. He was cute in a gentle boyish way, that never really appealed to Joe. His dark curls fell over his forehead haphazardly. Joe could tell by his demeanor that he was shy and quite, he kept his eyes fixed on the bar until the man behind it asked what he wanted, then after he'd given his order they'd quickly returned to the black surface.

He did tear his gaze away for a few seconds to meet Joe's gaze but he didn't hold it, swiftly turning away. Joe continued to watch the young man with interest. After being served the dark hair youth returned to his table, drinks in hand, Joe watching after him. He join two other men, who were clearly together which meant he was alone. Why this sparked Joe's curiosity he couldn't say, putting it down to the amount he'd drunk.

It was another hour before Joe left the bar his brain, suitably silent, his body in full working order and a young men at his side.

Joe woke up the next morning in a strange house, in a strange bed with a strange man curled up next to him. He didn't wait around long after that he was dressed and gone without so much as a word to the young man he'd spent the night with. He returned to his flat and showered, scrubbing away what he'd done.

~WHITECHAPEL~

1st September

Now he was stood not three foot away from the man he'd woken up beside. Their eyes met briefly but the younger man turned back as DS Miles began talking to the witness. Joe forced himself to focus on Mary Bousfield as she gave her description of the murderer she's seen, but even as he listened and asked questions he couldn't stop his mind from wondering to the man at his side. He didn't even know his name and that made something in Joe's gut tighten.

Waking up next to strange men wasn't all that new to Joe, but it happened so rarely that he didn't worry about it. It only happened when the stress got too much for him.

He could feel the young DC, assuming that was his rank, looking at him every now and then, Joe refused to return the gesture, instead keeping his eyes focused on the witness but his gaze did shift to the young man at his side briefly. He took in all the feature again, he didn't know if it was because he wanted to be sure he wasn't imagining him, or if it was to remind himself of them. He looked just the same as he had in the bar. Shy and quiet, his dark curls falling over his forehead. His gaze shifted to the man's hands for a few seconds before returning to his profile.

He was pulled out of his observation by Miles as the DS reassured the witness before dismissing her with a friendly word. Joe followed after him when he walking away from the ambulance, Miles telling him about the victim and the man they suspected of killing her. Joe listened intently, his whole attention on his DS and not on the man across the street.

Thanks for reading