(Sequel to Bear With Me)

For Margaret, who asked for more.
A big thank you to Brenda, for the beta.

Cowley arrived at the training centre with a locksmith, and it took thirty minutes to remove and replace the lock with the broken key.

When he entered the gym, the strange atmosphere was immediately obvious. Giggly, Cowley thought. His rough, tough CI5 agents, giggly?

He started to look around with more interest. On his right was Bodie, who was leaning against the wall, freshly showered and shaved, but obviously still wearing yesterday's clothes. He was talking to Jax and Anson but he looked... Cowley wasn't certain how to describe the way Bodie looked, when he thought about it. Almost...sheepish.

On his left, lounging against the opposite wall was Doyle. He was scowling, and something was definitely wrong, but he wasn't sure what.

Then Lucas went over to Doyle, and Cowley noticed the way Doyle held his arms across his chest. That was it: that was the false note.

Normally, Doyle wore his shirts unbuttoned halfway down his chest and his jackets swinging open, but now he was buttoned up almost to his hairline and even his leather jacket was zipped to the top. What was going on?

Macklin joined Cowley and started briefing him on yesterday's training results, but somehow Cowley was distracted by the conversation going on between Bodie, Jax and Anson.

".......it was Murph and Stuart in the dressing room," he heard Jax say. "You were still in the shower and Doyle had just come out."

"Yeah, so?" Bodie sounded a bit impatient.

"Well, you know Murphy, always in for a laugh. So here comes Doyle, towel round his hips, drying his hair with another one and Murphy catches him from behind and starts ruffling Doyle's chest, saying that he had to find out what a teddy bear feels like."

Cowley raised his eyebrows and gave an absent-minded answer to Macklin.

Anson chuckled and took over from Jax "Doyle just about explodes and gives Murphy a jab with his elbow, then Stuart walks in and says to Doyle, `Hey mate, you're coming home with me tonight. I know what I'm missing now!' Murph then jumps in telling Stuart to wait his turn cause he has to try Doyle out first."

Jax and Anson dissolved into laughter and Bodie seemed to have trouble keeping a straight face.

Cowley had stopped listening to Macklin altogether and now fixed his attention on Doyle. Still scowling as he talked to Lucas, his agent looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"What happened here last night?" Cowley asked Macklin rather abruptly.

Macklin looked confused, "Happened?" he asked. Cowley indicated Doyle with his head.

To his surprise, Macklin started snickering. When he recovered enough to speak, he shook his head. "Sorry George, uh, Doyle was a substitute teddy bear for Bodie last night."

"I don't think I want to know." Cowley said, shaking his head before stepping forward and raising his voice "Gentlemen, as none of you were able to attend the briefing this morning, I will give you your assignments right now."

The agents gathered around Cowley and left as soon as they were handed their assignment. He turned to his top team. "Doyle, Bodie, I need you to pick up Bobby Henson. Scotland Yard has him and they've found some very interesting papers on him."

Bodie turned to go but Doyle hesitated, looking a bit bewildered. "On your bike lad, what are you waiting for?" Cowley demanded impatiently.

"Forgot me holdall, sir, sorry, just have to pick it up from the dressing room." Turning round he strode away.

"So have I. Sorry sir." Bodie went after him.

---

In the dressing room Doyle looked around to see where he had thrown the bag in his haste to leave earlier on. Bodie followed him inside and closed the door.

"Doyle...Ray?" Bodie said tentatively. - "What do you want, Bodie?" Doyle growled.

"Ray, I'm sorry, it was all meant to be a joke. Hell no, that's not true." Bodie sighed. "Doyle, will you stop staring at your navel."

Doyle's mouth twitched. He looked up, still wary of what Bodie might get up to next.

"I am sorry about this morning, Ray. But not about last night."

"What do you mean, Bodie? Come on - let's get things straight." Doyle had no intention of letting Bodie get away with anything again."

"Well that's going to be difficult, see. Because I'm not. Straight, I mean." Bodie waited in case Doyle wanted to say something.

Doyle stared at him, too stunned to speak but feeling his eyes widen.

"I'm not straight," Bodie repeated. I'm gay and last night was a trick to get you close." The last words came out in a hurry.

"Yeah well, I could have done without all that teddy..." Doyle started but stopped again as Bodie's words suddenly sunk in.

Bodie stepped hesitantly forward as if he tried to gauge Doyle's mood.

He pulled Doyle close, kissed him - not passionately but carefully, as if he was letting Doyle get used to the feeling. Then he pulled back again.

"This close I mean." he said, apparently waiting for the famous Doyle temper to erupt.

"Well then why the bloody hell didn't you say so?" Doyle sighed, exasperated. - Grabbing hold of Bodie, Doyle found his mouth and started an eager attack of his own.

Just for a moment, Bodie seemed astonished, but then started to join the action.

Suddenly Doyle drew back. - "Do you know what that damned stupid experiment of yours put me through?" he said.

"Jax and Anson filled me in on some of it." Bodie answered guiltily

"Murphy couldn't keep his bloody hands to himself. I swear he was trying to count me chest hairs!" Doyle got annoyed again just thinking about it.

"I can't blame him, but next time he touches you, I'll sort him out!" Bodie said while clearly trying to hide a smile.

Outside the dressing room they could hear Cowley shouting their names.

"I suppose we'd better get moving," Doyle sighed, picking up his holdall.

"Yeah, let's get the job done fast, then we can get home." Bodie agreed, picking up his own bag.

"Your place or mine?" Doyle asked. Bodie cocked his head and seemed to think it over.

"Your place 'd be better."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"Because I feel like shagging you through the mattress." Bodie said calmly.

"Who says you're going to do the shagging and even then, why not your place?" Doyle was getting more suspicious by the minute.

Bodie started manoeuvring to the door, grinning.

"Can't do it at my place Ray -... Rupert might get jealous!"

"Bodie...!" Doyle roared and started giving chase.

---

Cowley was still talking to Macklin as first one than the other half of his best team went by. Bodie was laughing all the way and Doyle was shouting obscenities at him. Nothing new there, then.

Macklin went back to his reports, but Cowley stood there thinking about what he had just witnessed.

Bodie and Doyle, he reflected, were his best team. Almost telepathic when on the job, very close even when they were off duty. Playing tricks on each other as well as the other agents.

So what was all that about Doyle being Bodie's teddy bear, and in front of Macklin as well? It must be Bodie's warped sense of humour, although Doyle didn't seem to appreciate it much on this occasion.

It was still strange, or was there something else going on?

They were not homosexuals or anything. No that would be ridiculous. So ridiculous, in fact, that the very thought of a tough, temperamental ex-copper playing teddy bear to an equally tough, temperamental ex-mercenary, made something bubble up inside him.

Cowley turned on his heels, calling goodbye to Macklin and strode briskly toward the gym's exit. It wouldn't do to embarrass himself in front of Macklin. He'd better hurry.

While walking out of the door however, George Cowley couldn't help himself and ...giggled.

-- THE END --

May 2005