"That grey uni shirt is Amy's?" She let go of her hand. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"I don't know babe, I hadn't seen it in so long and it looked good on you. I wanted you to be comfortable here with me and not freaked out by all this. I actually erm, I found it reassuring like... nah see this is the problem with sharing. I'm worried the more I say the more damaged you'll realise I am."
"I love you Thea, I'm not going anywhere despite whatever you have to say. Your 'damage' is what makes you the person I love."
The cop picked up her girlfriends hand and kissed it, holding it up against her cheek she decided to be brave.
"When I saw you in that shirt it was, well it made me feel, in some bizarre way, even though she's gone that she's ok with this. With us. Me and you."
"I'll put it back where I found it, if I'd have known-"
"But that's why I like it." Thea interjected. "Because there is no way you could have known. I get that it's weird but don't stop wearing it on my account. If your going to do anything on my account I request you do it topless to be honest."
"You really think your something else don't you?" She laughed at her girlfriends brashness.
"Oh you love it babe. I can't believe Abi fucking told you about the shirt."
"I know, you should have told me."
"You didn't need to know Carla, the t-shirt actually made you being here easier to deal with really. I love having you here and I'm hoping that after all this mess has been sorted out you'll stay with me. I don't care if you want to move and find somewhere together, I just want you with me."
"I'm not going anywhere baby." She lifted Thea's chin and kissed her gently as if to cement her words.
"Well in that case, drink you wine and stop quizzing me."
"Oh no! You don't get away with it that easy. She leaned in and whispered seductively. "Detective."
"Mmm baby. I like it when you call me that."
"I'll bear that in mind. Seriously though, I know you said we could move but why didn't you after Amy died?"
"When my parents died my aunt took me in, I sort of grew up in this house and she left it to me when she died. Amy got paid really well but she had a lot of uni debt and I was just starting out so it was just logical we made home here. After what happened and I'd cleared out all our stuff, it just became a place to sleep really so it never occurred to me to sell it. The furniture was all Amy and it hurt to look at it but these walls are all mine."
"I want somewhere that's ours." She said it quietly, not sure what reaction she'd receive. She looked at her legs crossed on the floor when she felt the taller woman's hands cup her chin and bring her gaze toward her.
"Then we'll get a new place. Don't be shy in telling me what you want Carla, I want you to be happy." The cop pressed their lips together gently and quickly in a familiar way.
"What do you want? Not sexual either Thea, I know what your like."
"I want you to fully understand what this is going to mean before we agree to anything. Even if I don't do this job anymore it's still going to be dangerous. Your family won't be able to know where you live, not just nana but Aaliyah too. It's everyone and everything Carla. I feel like I have to make you understand what your signing up for.
"It's just Nana, Aaliyah and Jemal that really get to me, I don't care about the rest of them."
"Who's Jemal?"