A Lift Thing (1/1)
Title: A Lift Thing
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Characters: Peter Carlisle, Rose Tyler, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: Characters from Doctor Who and Blackpool are the property of BBC, and are used with the greatest of love and respect. No personal profit is intended from the writing or sharing of this story.
Summary: Elias and Rose get to know each other.
Notes: This was written for
catyuy, who won a ficlet by bidding enthusiastically in the April Support Stacie auction. Her prompt was Hmmm, Rose and Elias are late to their double dinner date and end up stuck in an elevator together.
Thank you to
earlgreytea68 and
chicklet73 for their beta. Any and all errors in this tale are mine, and mine alone.
A Lift Thing
“C’mon,” Rose muttered, pressing the button for the lift repeatedly. She was supposed to be meeting Peter, the two of them joining Elias and Ruby McCoy for dinner. Peter had been vague about the occasion, simply saying, “It’ll be a lovely night, Rose.” It had been the murmured “Please,” followed by a mischievous kiss, which had led to her finally agreeing.
Not that she particularly minded. Peter had been working in London for a few months, and his opinion of his partner had only grown. It was adorable, and not a bit charming, the way Peter would light up whenever he spoke of work, and Rose suspected she owed as much of Peter’s newfound work-related joy to the partner as to the organisation.
The bell finally dinged, indicating the arrival of the car; and the doors parted to reveal Elias McCoy himself lounging in a corner of the elevator.
“Rose,” he said, a delighted smile appearing as he saw who was joining him on the lift.
“Elias,” she grinned in return, placing a kiss on his cheek as the doors closed. “Parked downstairs, then?”
“Indeed,” he said, ruefully. “Ruby’s doing, that-she insisted we’d have more fun tonight if we didn’t have to worry about taking the Northern Line home.”
Rose laughed. “Is there ever a time when that line has no service interruptions?”
“No. It’s part of its charm.” Elias’s tone was wry, the sound of a grizzled veteran of riding the subte.
“Where is your fine wife?”
“She managed to sneak out before I did.” Elias dropped his voice, adding in an exaggerated conspiratorial tone, “It’s possible she and Peter are conspiring against us.”
“Why-”
There was a grinding noise, then a jerk-and then the elevator came to a halt.
“That’s not supposed to happen,” Rose murmured, her question forgotten as she glanced up at the now-still display showing they were somewhere near the fifth storey.
“I should hope not,” came Elias’s reply. He reached forward, opening the small door below the button panel and pulling out the handset. The object looked as though it might be original to the building in which they were having dinner, and Elias pursed his lips briefly as he gingerly held it to his ear. “Hello?”
He paused, his mouth turning to a frown when there was no response. “Hello?” he tried again, his voice louder and sharper. There was again no reply, and he shoved the phone back into the cabinet with disgust.
It was so very like Peter that Rose couldn’t help but let out a small laugh; and when Elias turned a displeased look on her, she quickly schooled her features into seriousness. “Phone’s not working, then?” she inquired mildly.
“Piece of junk. You’d think they’d have bothered to renovate the blasted thing when they did the building.” He glared once more at the mute phone, then turned his attention to the ceiling above them.
“How old‘s the building, then?” she asked, debating whether to suggest they use their mobiles, or to let him try to find a more creative way out of the lift.
“Carlisle says it was built in the 1910’s-last building of its kind or some such,” Elias replied distractedly, his attention zeroing in on a corner of the lift ceiling. “I wonder if that’s a lift panel.”
“Probably,” she replied, mirth now filling her voice. “Or we could always try the modern way.”
“What’s that?” His gaze shifted to her, his eyebrows drawn together.
“Mobile.” She grinned, pulling it out of her pocket. A quick glance showed she had a good signal, and she dialled Peter’s number.
“Ye’re tardy, Miss Tyler. Forfeit to me, I think.” Peter’s voice was warm as he answered his phone, and she felt a slight flush creep across her skin. Peter didn’t often collect forfeits-and, for that matter, neither did she-but when he did they were certainly memorable.
“Would it change things if I said your partner and I were currently stuck in a lift together?”
There was a brief pause, then Peter answered slowly, “No. I think not.” Another pause, then a far more brisk, “Which lift, then? And where?”
Elias watched as she leaned forward, relaying the lift number to Peter as well as the floor which was currently displayed. “Could be wrong, of course,” she added as an afterthought.
“Let’s hope not. Ruby’s a lovely woman, but I’d really prefer that you join me for supper.” She heard an affronted exclamation in the background, and Peter added, “And, of course, the ever-charming and urbane Mr. McCoy.”
“I don’t know that he’s particularly urbane right now,” Rose said slyly, looking at the man in question. “Just learned a few new curse words courtesy of his trying to get us out of here.”
Elias looked offended, the twinkle in his eyes giving away his true amusement.
“But of course he could charm the knickers off a nun,” Rose added, laughing as she saw Elias debate between offense and flattery.
“Just so long as he doesn’t charm the knickers off of you,” Peter replied mildly.
“I doubt that’s a worry. Not when I owe you a forfeit.”
“Lovely,” Peter’s voice came down the line, low and slightly breathy. “And as Mrs. McCoy has gone to convey your plight to someone somewhat in charge here, I can tell you just what I have in mind.”
Rose felt her cheeks colour as Peter whispered naughty words to her down the line, felt her breathing shallow and her pulse accelerate. It was suddenly quite warm in the enclosed space, and she noticed Elias’s eyes shift to a studious examination of the panelling and ceiling of the lift.
“Ah,” she finally croaked when Peter was finished.
“Just ‘ah’?”
“Ah…yeah.”
She could practically see Peter’s grin as he said, “Well, then.”
“Is Ruby back?”
If anything, she suspected Peter’s smile widened at her question. “She’s walking back now. And now she’s gesturing for the mobile-just a tick-”
There was the noise of the mobile being transferred, then Ruby’s voice came down the line. It took a moment for Rose to focus on the other woman’s words, her heart still thudding from Peter’s teasing.
“-off for the night-what were they thinking, the idiots. They promised to call one in directly, and once he gets here they swear it’ll not take but a few minutes to get you out.”
“Um, how long did they think it would take? For him to get here?” Reality crashed back around Rose as she understood that there was no one currently in the building who could help them out.
“Friday night, lovely evening? I’d reckon an hour, at least.”
“Oh.”
“You’re not claustrophobic, are you?”
“Ruby. I think you know me better than that.”
Rose still wasn’t sure if Elias knew her profession-but Ruby certainly did, having worked with her twice now on cases.
“Indeed I do.”
“Is Elias?”
Ruby laughed. “No, most assuredly not.” There was a sigh on the other end of the line. “I suppose I’ll have to rely on Peter’s pithy commentary for my evening entertainment.”
“Is that better or worse than my having to rely on Elias for my evening’s entertainment?”
“Hey!” Elias’s protest was loud enough for Ruby to hear, causing the woman to laugh.
“Would you mind putting him on the line?”
“Just a sec.” Rose held her mobile out to Elias. “Your wife.”
Elias’s eyebrows arched as he took the phone. “Eh?”
Rose now found herself in the role of interloper as Elias spoke with his wife, and she desperately wished there was more space in the lift so he could tease Ruby with some privacy. She snuck a glance at him at one point; he was looking right at her, and off her embarrassed grin he gave her a sly smirk.
Ah. Payback, then, for her conversation with Peter.
He rang off the line, handing her phone back without a word.
“Touché, Inspector,” she said, laughing.
Elias put on an innocent expression, the effect ruined by the laughter in his eyes.
“So. We’ve a bit of a wait then, have we?” he asked, glancing around the small space.
“Seems so. Don’t suppose you have a pack of cards?”
Elias made a show of patting his suit pockets. “I fear your paramour nicked them.”
“He does have a habit of doing that,” Rose replied, going with Elias’s banter.
“What do you think they’re up to? The two of them?” Elias asked a few moments later. They’d both settled on the floor, sat in opposite corners so they could stretch their legs out.
“No idea. Peter seemed quite keen to come here, though.”
“As did Ruby.”
“It’s not your anniversary?”
“No. Is it yours?”
“No…” Rose frowned, thinking. Peter had a habit of remembering the oddest things-but she didn’t think that he’d want to share the celebration of anything related to their time together in Kendal. “You just finished a case, yeah?”
“Aye; wrapped it last week.”
“Could that be it?”
“Does Peter make a habit of celebrating the conclusion of triple homicides by going out for a dinner in one of London’s more venerable establishments?” Elias’s tone was dryly humourous.
“Fair point.”
“How are things going at work?” Elias asked, after a few minutes of friendly silence.
“Oh, you know. Same old, same old.” She smiled, focusing on keeping her body relaxed. It wasn’t that she minded Elias knowing what she did; she just felt a bit odd, not being in the habit of telling people what it was her job entailed. “I’m hoping to convince Peter to go on a short holiday in a few weeks. Maybe next month.”
Elias’s mouth curved into a small smile. “I wish you well with that.” He tilted his head back, his eyes closing.
“Did Ruby tell you-” Rose swallowed, her mouth saying the words before she’d properly processed what she was saying. The damage was done, though, Elias having raised his head, his now-open eyes focusing on her intently.
He didn’t say anything, simply raised his eyebrows in silent question.
“Um…that she and I worked together. For work.”
“No. Should she have done?”
“Well…no. I guess not really.”
Elias frowned, puzzling over her statement. “How did you come to cross paths?”
“I, ah…well. I-did Peter tell you how we met?”
Elias blinked, clearly caught off-guard by her sudden conversational dodge. His voice gentle-Rose had a flash, suddenly, of him interviewing a witness-he said, “Aye. Just as you told me-told Ruby and I-over supper, last autumn. You…” Elias’s eyebrows rose. “You rather cleverly dodged the question altogether; I’m a bit embarrassed I never caught that.”
Rose laughed, almost giddy now. “I’ve practice at that. I work for Torchwood.”
There it was, simple as that.
Elias let out a slow whistle. “You met Peter on a case.”
“I did.”
“You’re not a flunky in some office.”
“Most days, I am.”
“Mmm,” Elias replied, noncommittally. “I suppose that explains how Ruby knows more about what you’re doing, some days, than Peter does.”
“Only a few times.”
Elias gave her a slow grin, letting her know he’d been guessing. She rolled her eyes, heaving a heavy sigh.
“I take it you weren’t kidding about not getting on with Peter?”
“No, not remotely.”
“I can’t imagine why.” Elias’s tone was wry. “He does so love sharing out his investigations.”
Rose laughed, then sobered. “If you’d had to work with some of the people he did, I suppose it might be understandable.”
“Just how bad was Kendal? Really?”
“I…I was only there for a month. And we were really working outside the department-working through Peter, really. And Penny.”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
“But…” Rose sighed, leaning her head against the wall of the lift. “It was pretty awful, Elias. The DCI was…I don’t know how Peter worked for him. And his colleagues-just, the air in that place; you could feel it as soon as you walked in.” She stared resolutely at the ceiling, her heart aching once more as she considered what it must have been like for Peter to suffer through the situation for so many years.
Elias was silent, and Rose continued. “Did he tell you about the pool they had going? About how long it had been since he’d had a shag? His partner told me ‘bout that one. And about how his schedule would be changed at a moment’s notice, so he’d have to work days upon days on end with no proper break, while the other detectives were off doin’ heaven knows what? Or about the time one of his partners shredded his case notes because he didn’t want Peter gettin’ credit for doin’ something right?” She’d raised her head, was staring at Elias as she told him some of the things she’d learned of in her time with Peter. “Or how another of his partners would go off without him, or leave him behind at a scene, with no car for him to get back to the station?”
“I’m sorry, Rose.” Elias’s voice was quiet, full of empathy.
Rose took a deep breath, calming herself. “’s not anything you should be apologizing for, and not to me.”
Elias took a breath to speak, then paused a beat. “Did…you know that Williams tried to keep Peter from transferring?”
She raised her eyebrows, anger flashing through her. “Are you certain?”
She was given a humourless smile. “No question. He ‘lost’ Peter’s paperwork three times, and had a terrible knack for misplacing or flat out not receiving messages from the Chief.”
The anger formed into a tight ball in her stomach, the fury she felt for the man almost visceral. “He what?” Her voice was low, and very controlled, and she saw Elias blink.
“Oh yes.” Elias crossed his arms, settling back against the wall. “It was for naught, clearly-but the eedjit chose the wrong officer to muck with.” There was a satisfied note to his voice that led Rose to believe that the chief of detectives had done far more than steal Kendal’s best DI.
“Ah.”
“Just a note of warning-never cross the Chief.” Elias tilted his head. “Not that you would, of course. But…you get the idea.”
“I think I do.”
The lift fell back into silence. Rose was now desperately curious to know what had become of the leering, bombastic ass of a man she’d had the misfortune to work with in Kendal.
Rose’s mobile trilled, the merry notes of “Peter and the Wolf” tinkling through the space. Elias, hearing the tune, couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, my love,” she purred into the phone, intent on embarrassing Elias into silence.
“Hello to you, too,” came Peter’s surprised reply. “All well, then?”
“Elias and I have been talking about you.” Her voice returned to normal, earning a shake of the head from the man across from her.
“Oh…dear. I’ve really no idea how to feel about that.”
“I told him about Torchwood.”
“Ah.”
“He took it very poorly and has been curled up in a ball in the corner ever since. Peter, you’ve got to do something about him. It’s really a bit annoying, and I’ve no idea how you manage.”
“I see his wit has rubbed off on you during your time together.”
“That, or my blood sugar is dropping and I need a bit of supper.”
“Or that. I have good news for you, there-the maître ‘d has just informed us that the mechanically inclined individual necessary to effect your rescue has arrived.”
Rose blinked. “Have you and Ruby been drinking?”
There was a guilty pause. “Perhaps.” He rolled the ‘r’ an extra beat, a sure sign that he was utterly relaxed.
“Oh, that’s…that’s not fair. I’ve been stuck in a blasted elevator with your partner, and you’re having drinks with his wife?”
Elias looked only marginally upset at the prospect.
“I’m sorry,” Peter’s warm voice replied.
“No, you’re not.” She grinned, adding, “Which means my forfeit is null and void.”
Elias stood, stretching briefly before moving to the lift doors. As she continued to talk to Peter, he leaned forward, trying to peer through the gap. He then leaned his ear against the doors, his hand splayed across the polished metal.
“I hear our rescuers,” he finally interrupted, causing Rose to pause mid-sentence.
“You hear that?” she asked Peter, shifting so she could stand.
“Aye.” A loud banging could be heard on the other side of the doors, causing Rose to jump. “That sounds…reassuring.”
“You have no idea.” The percussion of the tools on the other side could be felt reverberating through the lift, and Rose gave Elias a wary look. He, in turn, shrugged.
“Ring me when they’re done, eh?”
“’k. Love you.”
“Tease.” Peter rang off after the smile-filled word, and Rose slipped her mobile into her purse.
It took ten more minutes of banging and barely-audible swearing from the other side of the lift-and from below them-but the elevator finally lurched into motion again. Rose smoothed her hair, then brushed her hands across her trousers as the numbers on the display slowly ticked by.
“Rose?” Elias’s voice was unsure as they neared the top floor, causing her to glance over at him. “Peter…Peter doesn’t know. About the Chief and Williams. At least, I don’t think he does. And-”
“You’d prefer it stay that way.”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “If there’s one thing I’m good at, Mr. McCoy, it’s keeping secrets.”
The doors dinged, and finally parted to reveal their destination.
~ fin ~
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Characters: Peter Carlisle, Rose Tyler, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: Characters from Doctor Who and Blackpool are the property of BBC, and are used with the greatest of love and respect. No personal profit is intended from the writing or sharing of this story.
Summary: Elias and Rose get to know each other.
Notes: This was written for
catyuy, who won a ficlet by bidding enthusiastically in the April Support Stacie auction. Her prompt was Hmmm, Rose and Elias are late to their double dinner date and end up stuck in an elevator together.
Thank you to
earlgreytea68 and
chicklet73 for their beta. Any and all errors in this tale are mine, and mine alone.
A Lift Thing
“C’mon,” Rose muttered, pressing the button for the lift repeatedly. She was supposed to be meeting Peter, the two of them joining Elias and Ruby McCoy for dinner. Peter had been vague about the occasion, simply saying, “It’ll be a lovely night, Rose.” It had been the murmured “Please,” followed by a mischievous kiss, which had led to her finally agreeing.
Not that she particularly minded. Peter had been working in London for a few months, and his opinion of his partner had only grown. It was adorable, and not a bit charming, the way Peter would light up whenever he spoke of work, and Rose suspected she owed as much of Peter’s newfound work-related joy to the partner as to the organisation.
The bell finally dinged, indicating the arrival of the car; and the doors parted to reveal Elias McCoy himself lounging in a corner of the elevator.
“Rose,” he said, a delighted smile appearing as he saw who was joining him on the lift.
“Elias,” she grinned in return, placing a kiss on his cheek as the doors closed. “Parked downstairs, then?”
“Indeed,” he said, ruefully. “Ruby’s doing, that-she insisted we’d have more fun tonight if we didn’t have to worry about taking the Northern Line home.”
Rose laughed. “Is there ever a time when that line has no service interruptions?”
“No. It’s part of its charm.” Elias’s tone was wry, the sound of a grizzled veteran of riding the subte.
“Where is your fine wife?”
“She managed to sneak out before I did.” Elias dropped his voice, adding in an exaggerated conspiratorial tone, “It’s possible she and Peter are conspiring against us.”
“Why-”
There was a grinding noise, then a jerk-and then the elevator came to a halt.
“That’s not supposed to happen,” Rose murmured, her question forgotten as she glanced up at the now-still display showing they were somewhere near the fifth storey.
“I should hope not,” came Elias’s reply. He reached forward, opening the small door below the button panel and pulling out the handset. The object looked as though it might be original to the building in which they were having dinner, and Elias pursed his lips briefly as he gingerly held it to his ear. “Hello?”
He paused, his mouth turning to a frown when there was no response. “Hello?” he tried again, his voice louder and sharper. There was again no reply, and he shoved the phone back into the cabinet with disgust.
It was so very like Peter that Rose couldn’t help but let out a small laugh; and when Elias turned a displeased look on her, she quickly schooled her features into seriousness. “Phone’s not working, then?” she inquired mildly.
“Piece of junk. You’d think they’d have bothered to renovate the blasted thing when they did the building.” He glared once more at the mute phone, then turned his attention to the ceiling above them.
“How old‘s the building, then?” she asked, debating whether to suggest they use their mobiles, or to let him try to find a more creative way out of the lift.
“Carlisle says it was built in the 1910’s-last building of its kind or some such,” Elias replied distractedly, his attention zeroing in on a corner of the lift ceiling. “I wonder if that’s a lift panel.”
“Probably,” she replied, mirth now filling her voice. “Or we could always try the modern way.”
“What’s that?” His gaze shifted to her, his eyebrows drawn together.
“Mobile.” She grinned, pulling it out of her pocket. A quick glance showed she had a good signal, and she dialled Peter’s number.
“Ye’re tardy, Miss Tyler. Forfeit to me, I think.” Peter’s voice was warm as he answered his phone, and she felt a slight flush creep across her skin. Peter didn’t often collect forfeits-and, for that matter, neither did she-but when he did they were certainly memorable.
“Would it change things if I said your partner and I were currently stuck in a lift together?”
There was a brief pause, then Peter answered slowly, “No. I think not.” Another pause, then a far more brisk, “Which lift, then? And where?”
Elias watched as she leaned forward, relaying the lift number to Peter as well as the floor which was currently displayed. “Could be wrong, of course,” she added as an afterthought.
“Let’s hope not. Ruby’s a lovely woman, but I’d really prefer that you join me for supper.” She heard an affronted exclamation in the background, and Peter added, “And, of course, the ever-charming and urbane Mr. McCoy.”
“I don’t know that he’s particularly urbane right now,” Rose said slyly, looking at the man in question. “Just learned a few new curse words courtesy of his trying to get us out of here.”
Elias looked offended, the twinkle in his eyes giving away his true amusement.
“But of course he could charm the knickers off a nun,” Rose added, laughing as she saw Elias debate between offense and flattery.
“Just so long as he doesn’t charm the knickers off of you,” Peter replied mildly.
“I doubt that’s a worry. Not when I owe you a forfeit.”
“Lovely,” Peter’s voice came down the line, low and slightly breathy. “And as Mrs. McCoy has gone to convey your plight to someone somewhat in charge here, I can tell you just what I have in mind.”
Rose felt her cheeks colour as Peter whispered naughty words to her down the line, felt her breathing shallow and her pulse accelerate. It was suddenly quite warm in the enclosed space, and she noticed Elias’s eyes shift to a studious examination of the panelling and ceiling of the lift.
“Ah,” she finally croaked when Peter was finished.
“Just ‘ah’?”
“Ah…yeah.”
She could practically see Peter’s grin as he said, “Well, then.”
“Is Ruby back?”
If anything, she suspected Peter’s smile widened at her question. “She’s walking back now. And now she’s gesturing for the mobile-just a tick-”
There was the noise of the mobile being transferred, then Ruby’s voice came down the line. It took a moment for Rose to focus on the other woman’s words, her heart still thudding from Peter’s teasing.
“-off for the night-what were they thinking, the idiots. They promised to call one in directly, and once he gets here they swear it’ll not take but a few minutes to get you out.”
“Um, how long did they think it would take? For him to get here?” Reality crashed back around Rose as she understood that there was no one currently in the building who could help them out.
“Friday night, lovely evening? I’d reckon an hour, at least.”
“Oh.”
“You’re not claustrophobic, are you?”
“Ruby. I think you know me better than that.”
Rose still wasn’t sure if Elias knew her profession-but Ruby certainly did, having worked with her twice now on cases.
“Indeed I do.”
“Is Elias?”
Ruby laughed. “No, most assuredly not.” There was a sigh on the other end of the line. “I suppose I’ll have to rely on Peter’s pithy commentary for my evening entertainment.”
“Is that better or worse than my having to rely on Elias for my evening’s entertainment?”
“Hey!” Elias’s protest was loud enough for Ruby to hear, causing the woman to laugh.
“Would you mind putting him on the line?”
“Just a sec.” Rose held her mobile out to Elias. “Your wife.”
Elias’s eyebrows arched as he took the phone. “Eh?”
Rose now found herself in the role of interloper as Elias spoke with his wife, and she desperately wished there was more space in the lift so he could tease Ruby with some privacy. She snuck a glance at him at one point; he was looking right at her, and off her embarrassed grin he gave her a sly smirk.
Ah. Payback, then, for her conversation with Peter.
He rang off the line, handing her phone back without a word.
“Touché, Inspector,” she said, laughing.
Elias put on an innocent expression, the effect ruined by the laughter in his eyes.
“So. We’ve a bit of a wait then, have we?” he asked, glancing around the small space.
“Seems so. Don’t suppose you have a pack of cards?”
Elias made a show of patting his suit pockets. “I fear your paramour nicked them.”
“He does have a habit of doing that,” Rose replied, going with Elias’s banter.
“What do you think they’re up to? The two of them?” Elias asked a few moments later. They’d both settled on the floor, sat in opposite corners so they could stretch their legs out.
“No idea. Peter seemed quite keen to come here, though.”
“As did Ruby.”
“It’s not your anniversary?”
“No. Is it yours?”
“No…” Rose frowned, thinking. Peter had a habit of remembering the oddest things-but she didn’t think that he’d want to share the celebration of anything related to their time together in Kendal. “You just finished a case, yeah?”
“Aye; wrapped it last week.”
“Could that be it?”
“Does Peter make a habit of celebrating the conclusion of triple homicides by going out for a dinner in one of London’s more venerable establishments?” Elias’s tone was dryly humourous.
“Fair point.”
“How are things going at work?” Elias asked, after a few minutes of friendly silence.
“Oh, you know. Same old, same old.” She smiled, focusing on keeping her body relaxed. It wasn’t that she minded Elias knowing what she did; she just felt a bit odd, not being in the habit of telling people what it was her job entailed. “I’m hoping to convince Peter to go on a short holiday in a few weeks. Maybe next month.”
Elias’s mouth curved into a small smile. “I wish you well with that.” He tilted his head back, his eyes closing.
“Did Ruby tell you-” Rose swallowed, her mouth saying the words before she’d properly processed what she was saying. The damage was done, though, Elias having raised his head, his now-open eyes focusing on her intently.
He didn’t say anything, simply raised his eyebrows in silent question.
“Um…that she and I worked together. For work.”
“No. Should she have done?”
“Well…no. I guess not really.”
Elias frowned, puzzling over her statement. “How did you come to cross paths?”
“I, ah…well. I-did Peter tell you how we met?”
Elias blinked, clearly caught off-guard by her sudden conversational dodge. His voice gentle-Rose had a flash, suddenly, of him interviewing a witness-he said, “Aye. Just as you told me-told Ruby and I-over supper, last autumn. You…” Elias’s eyebrows rose. “You rather cleverly dodged the question altogether; I’m a bit embarrassed I never caught that.”
Rose laughed, almost giddy now. “I’ve practice at that. I work for Torchwood.”
There it was, simple as that.
Elias let out a slow whistle. “You met Peter on a case.”
“I did.”
“You’re not a flunky in some office.”
“Most days, I am.”
“Mmm,” Elias replied, noncommittally. “I suppose that explains how Ruby knows more about what you’re doing, some days, than Peter does.”
“Only a few times.”
Elias gave her a slow grin, letting her know he’d been guessing. She rolled her eyes, heaving a heavy sigh.
“I take it you weren’t kidding about not getting on with Peter?”
“No, not remotely.”
“I can’t imagine why.” Elias’s tone was wry. “He does so love sharing out his investigations.”
Rose laughed, then sobered. “If you’d had to work with some of the people he did, I suppose it might be understandable.”
“Just how bad was Kendal? Really?”
“I…I was only there for a month. And we were really working outside the department-working through Peter, really. And Penny.”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
“But…” Rose sighed, leaning her head against the wall of the lift. “It was pretty awful, Elias. The DCI was…I don’t know how Peter worked for him. And his colleagues-just, the air in that place; you could feel it as soon as you walked in.” She stared resolutely at the ceiling, her heart aching once more as she considered what it must have been like for Peter to suffer through the situation for so many years.
Elias was silent, and Rose continued. “Did he tell you about the pool they had going? About how long it had been since he’d had a shag? His partner told me ‘bout that one. And about how his schedule would be changed at a moment’s notice, so he’d have to work days upon days on end with no proper break, while the other detectives were off doin’ heaven knows what? Or about the time one of his partners shredded his case notes because he didn’t want Peter gettin’ credit for doin’ something right?” She’d raised her head, was staring at Elias as she told him some of the things she’d learned of in her time with Peter. “Or how another of his partners would go off without him, or leave him behind at a scene, with no car for him to get back to the station?”
“I’m sorry, Rose.” Elias’s voice was quiet, full of empathy.
Rose took a deep breath, calming herself. “’s not anything you should be apologizing for, and not to me.”
Elias took a breath to speak, then paused a beat. “Did…you know that Williams tried to keep Peter from transferring?”
She raised her eyebrows, anger flashing through her. “Are you certain?”
She was given a humourless smile. “No question. He ‘lost’ Peter’s paperwork three times, and had a terrible knack for misplacing or flat out not receiving messages from the Chief.”
The anger formed into a tight ball in her stomach, the fury she felt for the man almost visceral. “He what?” Her voice was low, and very controlled, and she saw Elias blink.
“Oh yes.” Elias crossed his arms, settling back against the wall. “It was for naught, clearly-but the eedjit chose the wrong officer to muck with.” There was a satisfied note to his voice that led Rose to believe that the chief of detectives had done far more than steal Kendal’s best DI.
“Ah.”
“Just a note of warning-never cross the Chief.” Elias tilted his head. “Not that you would, of course. But…you get the idea.”
“I think I do.”
The lift fell back into silence. Rose was now desperately curious to know what had become of the leering, bombastic ass of a man she’d had the misfortune to work with in Kendal.
Rose’s mobile trilled, the merry notes of “Peter and the Wolf” tinkling through the space. Elias, hearing the tune, couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, my love,” she purred into the phone, intent on embarrassing Elias into silence.
“Hello to you, too,” came Peter’s surprised reply. “All well, then?”
“Elias and I have been talking about you.” Her voice returned to normal, earning a shake of the head from the man across from her.
“Oh…dear. I’ve really no idea how to feel about that.”
“I told him about Torchwood.”
“Ah.”
“He took it very poorly and has been curled up in a ball in the corner ever since. Peter, you’ve got to do something about him. It’s really a bit annoying, and I’ve no idea how you manage.”
“I see his wit has rubbed off on you during your time together.”
“That, or my blood sugar is dropping and I need a bit of supper.”
“Or that. I have good news for you, there-the maître ‘d has just informed us that the mechanically inclined individual necessary to effect your rescue has arrived.”
Rose blinked. “Have you and Ruby been drinking?”
There was a guilty pause. “Perhaps.” He rolled the ‘r’ an extra beat, a sure sign that he was utterly relaxed.
“Oh, that’s…that’s not fair. I’ve been stuck in a blasted elevator with your partner, and you’re having drinks with his wife?”
Elias looked only marginally upset at the prospect.
“I’m sorry,” Peter’s warm voice replied.
“No, you’re not.” She grinned, adding, “Which means my forfeit is null and void.”
Elias stood, stretching briefly before moving to the lift doors. As she continued to talk to Peter, he leaned forward, trying to peer through the gap. He then leaned his ear against the doors, his hand splayed across the polished metal.
“I hear our rescuers,” he finally interrupted, causing Rose to pause mid-sentence.
“You hear that?” she asked Peter, shifting so she could stand.
“Aye.” A loud banging could be heard on the other side of the doors, causing Rose to jump. “That sounds…reassuring.”
“You have no idea.” The percussion of the tools on the other side could be felt reverberating through the lift, and Rose gave Elias a wary look. He, in turn, shrugged.
“Ring me when they’re done, eh?”
“’k. Love you.”
“Tease.” Peter rang off after the smile-filled word, and Rose slipped her mobile into her purse.
It took ten more minutes of banging and barely-audible swearing from the other side of the lift-and from below them-but the elevator finally lurched into motion again. Rose smoothed her hair, then brushed her hands across her trousers as the numbers on the display slowly ticked by.
“Rose?” Elias’s voice was unsure as they neared the top floor, causing her to glance over at him. “Peter…Peter doesn’t know. About the Chief and Williams. At least, I don’t think he does. And-”
“You’d prefer it stay that way.”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “If there’s one thing I’m good at, Mr. McCoy, it’s keeping secrets.”
The doors dinged, and finally parted to reveal their destination.
~ fin ~