Work Text:
5th January 3pm
“So why won’t you take your decorations down today?” Robbie Lewis asked James Hathaway. “You’re not working, so you’ve got plenty of time to get it all packed up neatly. You’re working tomorrow, so you won’t be able to do it until the evening and ten to one you’ll have to do it in a rush.”
“Tomorrow is Twelfth Night. At that point we celebrate the arrival of the Kings and the Christmas festivities draw to a close. It would be all wrong to act before the Kings arrive.”
“Fair enough – if that’s what you want.”
***
6th January 11pm
“Lizzie, you need to take me home,” Hathaway ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Lizzie Maddox said. She led him to where her car stood in the hospital car park.
Once sitting in the car Hathaway awkwardly manoeuvred his phone with one hand.
“Can I help you at all?” Lizzie asked.
“No,” Hathaway answered. “Just drive.”
Lizzie wasn’t happy about her boss’ brusque manner, but put it down to the pain he was undoubtedly feeling. He was fortunate his arm wasn’t broken, just severely strained, but nevertheless it was going to be a few days before he could use it properly again.
She heard Hathaway tell the desk sergeant he was going home, but they’d both be back in about an hour. She wondered what was so important that he had to go home before returning to the station, but didn’t want to ask.
When they reached Hathaway’s flat he dashed in.
“Make yourself some coffee, if you like,” he called out, “and if you do, could you make me one too?”
“Of course, sir,” she replied.
She went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and then looked anxiously into the living room to see Hathaway furiously taking down decorations one-handed.
“Couldn’t this wait?” she asked.
“No!” he snapped. “I must get them all down tonight.”
“Okay, well at least let me help,” she answered.
Then she had a thought and took her phone out. “Hi, Tony,” she began, “It’s all right, I’m fine. You’d not gone to bed had you? No, good. Could you come over to Inspector Hathaway’s flat? We need a hand.”
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door and Lizzie went to answer it.
“Hello love,” she said. “Thanks for coming. This way.” She led the way into the sitting room. “You’re just in time. If I pack the ornaments away, can you take the tree down and then put the boxes in that cupboard?”
By ten minutes to midnight there was no sign of any decorations in Hathaway’s flat and he looked far more relaxed than he had been when they had left the hospital.
A few days later when Lizzie came to work she was surprised to find an expensive bottle of red wine on her desk complete with a post-it note with a drawing of a holly leaf saying "Thank you".