My first Whitechapel fic so hope you enjoy.

Set after the last episode of series 4

Emerson Kent collapsed on the sofa in the three bedroom flat he shared with his flat mates. The TV was playing in the background, meaning at least one other person was in the flat. Kent sighed, trying to think what had gone so wrong. They'd been taken into police custody all of them arrested and alive. Now they were all dead. Kent was starting to think that they were cursed. There was no way that one unit could never manage to arrest their suspects alive.

"What's up, Em?" Tom Andrews asked, jumping onto the sofa next to Kent. The two had been friends since college and had naturally bought a flat together when they both decided to come to Whitechapel. Tom worked at one of Whitechapel's local papers.

"Nothing." Emerson shook Tom's concerned tone off, blanking out the job they'd just done. No point letting the job affect home life. "What's for tea?" Tom frowned before motioning to the kitchen.

"Not my turn to cook." Kent sighed, it never seemed to be.

"Isn't it Lewis', where is he anyway?" Lewis was someone Tom had met at work, they'd become friends after he'd written an article on one of Lewis' art jobs.

"Out somewhere, probably hookin' up with some girl." Emerson couldn't help but grin at that. It was so typical of his other flat-mate. "Anyway, I'm not staying in again tonight. Fancy goin' out on the town."

"I'm good thanks." He had work tomorrow and he really didn't want a hangover.

"You're getting boring Em, need to loosen up a bit." Kent knew exactly what Tom meant by that but he just didn't want to.

"You go out; I'll order take-out or something." Shrugging Tom grabbed his coat and walked out of the flat. Sighing, Emerson Kent let the silence wash over him. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered sharing a flat. It wasn't like he didn't like his friends it was more they were so different to him. Tom was always going out partying; Lewis brought a new girl over nearly every week. Whereas Kent just wanted things to be quiet. It wasn't like he wouldn't go out it's just he didn't like going that much.

LINE BREAK

He must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing he remembered was the flat door opening. "Lewis! Tom!" Kent called out, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Come on guys. This isn't funny." Kent shouted again. Something wasn't quite right. Everything was too quiet. There was no way his flat-mates could make this little noise.

"Guys?" Kent knew his voice was a little shaky but he couldn't help it. Kent just didn't do confrontation all that well, sure he put a front on at work but he had to, it was part of his job.

It was the creak of the floor board that alerted Kent to the figure standing behind him. He didn't get a chance to say anything before he was knocked in the head by a heavy object. Falling sideways, Kent let out a small groan as a pair of heavy boots kicked him in the stomach. Wrapping his hand around his stomach he felt another boot hit him on the back. This time a cry of pain escaped him but it was quickly cut off by another kick that knocked the air out of him. Kent heard a voice say something but all he could hear was the pounding of blood in his ears as kick after kick rained down on him. It went on like this for a while, Kent wasn't sure how long all he really noticed was the constant pain and the feelin that he couldn't breathe.

Finally the beating seemed to stop but Kent didn't dare move, in case it set them off again. A hand grabbed a fist full of his hair, pulling him to wobbling feet with a grunt. Kent groaned in pain as he felt his feet about to give way but he was held in place.

"I want my money, Tom." The voice growled in Kent's face. Shit, Kent thought, the guy thought he was Tom. "If I don't get it, you'll get worse." With that the hand in his hair let go, letting Kent fall back to the floor. The man must have said something because the next thing Kent knew the kicking was back.

This time he was sure he heard a crack. Coughing, Kent tried to move but each time a steel toed kick hit him once more. When they stopped a second time, Kent rolled onto his side coughing and gasping for breath. He felt like was going to be sick as he struggled to get air into his abused body. "One week." The voice growled before one last kick to the back of the head sent Kent over the edge and into darkness.

LINE BREAK

DI Chandler sat at his desk sorting pile of pins. He was stressed. How could this have happened? They'd had them. They were in police custody on their way to prison. Chandler couldn't help but think if he'd opened that letter sooner they wouldn't have all died. Bad luck just didn't cut it.

"Drink this." DS Miles said, pouring a glass of whiskey. "Had to go to the shop to get this so ya better be grateful." Chandler didn't reply, instead taking the glass from his sergeant's outstretched hand.

"Shouldn't you be at home." Mile shrugged in answer.

"Someone's gotta make sure ya get home. This jobs turning into a full time thing with you." Miles grinned but Joe just didn't feel like laughing.

"I don't understand it."

"None of us do, but there's no point moping about. What's done is done." Miles replied, taking the bottle and pouring himself another glass.

They sat in silence for a while until the whiskey bottle was nearly half gone. Chandler's phone ringing brought them back to reality. "DI Chandler."

Miles sat in silence while Chandler talked on the phone. "There's been an attempted murder." Chandler said, standing at the same time Miles did. Grabbing their coats, they headed out to the car.

LINE BREAK

"Where've you been?" Lewis asked as Tom stumbled up to the front door of the flat. Tome just shrugged, stumbling to get his keys out.

"No woman tonight?"

"Thought I'd give Em a break, think he's sick of all the women." Lewis grinned taking out his own keys.

"He's to stuck up. Doesn't know how to have fun anymore." Tom grumbled, walking into the flat and starting to climb the stairs.

"Just cos he doesn't like your type of fun. I mean if you'd done to me what you did to him I wouldn't wanna go out either." Lewis stated matter-of-factly to Tom. The other man stopped dead on his tracks. They never talked about what happened it was just an unspoken rule.

"It was a bit of harmless fun."

"To you maybe, Tom." Lewis replied, pushing his way past and up the stairs.

They reached the top of the stairs at the same time. "Shit." Tome whispered. The door was wide open. It didn't look like it was broken but how would they know.

"Emerson?" Lewis called into the pitch black flat. When there was no reply he edged forwards.

"What are you doing?" Tome grabbed Lewis' arm.

"Em didn't go out."

"He's the police, he'll be fine." Lewis shook his friends arm off, walking further into the flat.

Tom followed nervously behind. "Bloody hell." Tom swore as he saw what was lying on the floor. Emerson was lying there, a pool of blood building around his head. Pale and limp, almost lifeless.

"Tom, call and ambulance. " Lewis said, falling down next to the dead-like form of Emerson Kent.