WOW!! First major fic, so be gentle with me! Hope you enjoy it!

RETRIBUTION

OCTOBER 1993

He slid the gun into the discreet holster, time for a quick patrol. It was a beautiful day, the sun shone and the sky was blue, but the grief in the church was stifling. He stepped outside into the sunshine, hearing the faint voice of Vaughan delivering his moving eulogy. He scanned the car park, the graveyard, wandering forward. He stopped suddenly, a small figure in black was hurrying from the church. Frowning, he went after it. It was a girl, he saw, dressed expensively in mourning.

'Stop!' he snapped in a low voice.

Startled, the girl stumbled and fell forwards. Cursing he hurried up to her,

'What the devil are you doing?'

She examined her grazed palms, blinking back tears. He sighed, crouching down,

'Are you hurt?'

She was only young, sixteen perhaps.

'I'm fine,' she said in a shaky voice.

He rolled his eyes,

'Only a scratch. No need to cry.'

She glared at him out of sparkling eyes,

'I'm not crying because of this, you idiot.'

He blinked in astonishment,

'Then why are you?'

She got to her feet, ignoring him, as she brushed off the dirt. He stood up,

'Who are you?'

'Charles Vaughan's daughter.'

He tried not to look surprised, he'd worked with the man for three years and didn't know he had a family. She went slightly pink,

'He's not the type to show off his family proudly.'

'No,' he agreed, 'where were you going?'

'What's it to you?'

'It's not safe. I'll have to accompany you.'

'It's safe.'

'No it's not. Either you get back inside or I go with you.'

'It's just here,' she said in a small voice, continuing a short way down the path.

He looked at the gravestone,

JULIA VAUGHAN

BELOVED WIFE AND MOTHER. 1953-1988.

He turned to her,

'I'm sorry.'

She was staring down silently,

'It's been five years.'

'That doesn't make it easier,' he replied calmly.

She knelt with a sigh,

'I don't get to come very often. He's busy.'

'I see.'

'I just wanted to make sure...' she glowered at the weeds, 'it's a bit of a mess.'

'Perhaps he doesn't want to be reminded.'

'That's no excuse,' she started pulling at the ugly plants.

He knelt beside her,

'Do you have any flowers on you?'

She shook her head,

'No.'

He frowned as she pulled at nettles, not wincing or complaining. Her mind was set on tidying her mother's grave and she noticed nothing else. It was a concentration that he admired. She only spoke again when they were finished,

'Thank you.'

'It was no trouble.'

She turned back to the church, hearing voices,

'It's finished.'

He nodded,

'You knew Austen?'

She glanced down,

'A friend of my father's.'

'Yes?'

'He was nice,' she said quietly, 'almost family. Who are you?'

He smiled at the question, delivered so suspiciously,

'On loan from Witness Protection.'

She didn't insist on his name, not doubt being the daughter of one of the Unit's main agents had taught her the anonymity was often safest.

Her father appeared in the doorway, tall, handsome and distinguished. She stood up,

'Thank you for your help.'

He shrugged,

'Least I could do.'

'Goodbye,' she said quietly, turning away.

He knelt by her mother's grave and watched as she walked away.

JUNE 2003

She closed her office door, locking it absently. She picked up the box of exam papers that were to be marked over the weekend and headed for the door. A colleague, Michael, was sitting on the steps with a cigarette,

'Still here?' he said sympathetically.

She rolled her eyes,

'Yeah. And these are to do over the next two days.'

He grinned,

'I might just stay the night and get them all done. Care to join me?'

She shook her head,

'I have to get back. My cat will be hungry.'

'Oh well,' he grinned, 'we can't let the cat starve now can we?'

She shook her head,

'Next year maybe'

He nodded, crushing the cigarette beneath his heel,

'Take care.'

'Bye,' with a smile, she hurried down the steps and towards the car park.

She hated the college car park. Dark, unlit and with plenty of shadowy corners. She shivered and clutched the box tighter,

'Oh for heaven's sake,' she muttered to herself crossly, 'grow up, Evelyn. It's only...'

A tin can slammed against a wall suddenly then rattled in the wind. Footsteps behind her, increased in pace with her own,

'Michael?' she turned around.

Silence, no one. Rushing to the car, she flung herself inside, locking the doors immediately. Her skin was slick with sweat and her breath short,

'God girl,' she covered her face with her hands, 'you're losing it.'