The VIP lounge was unusually crowded for a Friday afternoon, and the air was thick with ribald comments and lurid remarks. Not least of which was aimed at CI5's top agents.

Bodie and Doyle were slumped together on the sofa, the efforts of an exhausting, nerve-wracking week catching up on them. As always, they sat tightly together, Doyle's curly head resting on Bodie's broad shoulder, his arm on Bodie's thigh. They looked for all the world as if they were partners in more than name only. Only four people knew the real truth, and they weren't saying anything.

The others, however, didn't have any compunction about taunting them. Lucas was the first. "Aye, aye, look here lads – the poor wee lovebirds are knackered. Been keeping you up all night, sweetie, has he?" This comment was aimed at a heavy lidded Bodie.

Bodie didn't comment at first, he just grinned lasciviously and threw one arm around his partner's shoulders before hugging him tightly. "Just you leave my golly alone. Go and play with yourself."

Someone else joined in the baiting. "Does he play with you, or do you play with him? Who tops who, or are you equal in everything?" Lucas's partner, McCabe piped up, nudging Lucas with his elbow.

At this point, Doyle opened one hazy eye and glared towards where the voice came from. "We're equals, as you know. Act first, talk later -- that was Cowley's lecture. What part of it didn't you understand? Oh, sorry, I forgot -- there weren't any pictures in that lecture, were they?" With that, Doyle closed his eyes once again, dismissing the still sniggering men.

And swiftly opened them, as he felt Bodie stiffen beside him. As the all too familiar voice hit his ears, Doyle followed suit, stiffening up then yawning behind a hand. A warm fleeting touch on his shoulder made him look up, to find Murphy standing there. Doyle grinned up at him, knowing everyone else would be paying attention to Cowley who had just entered the room.

"You okay?" came the whispered voice.

"Yeah. Better now," Doyle muttered back truthfully, before turning his attention back to his boss. The touch on his shoulder remained, and it was all Doyle could do not to lean back and purr in contentment.

"…Jax, McCabe and Lucas. Everyone else can go home," Cowley paused for a second and glanced around the room. Observing the not very well hidden delight in his agents' eyes, he added, "Provided, that is, that the post operation reports are in and complete to my satisfaction." Cowley ended his speech to a myriad of groans and silent celebrations -- depending on the point of view of each agent. As the boss departed, so the banter started up again.

Doyle felt alone as the hand on his shoulder moved away. He turned towards Bodie and exchanged a soft smile. This was spotted by the unfortunate McCabe – one of the trio having to work that night.

"Love is in the air," he warbled, out of key. "So then Bodie, Doyle, when's the happy day, eh?"

Bodie gave him a look that spoke volumes before replying. "What happy day? That happened when Cowley partnered me with him." He gestured towards Doyle with his thumb.

"You know, when you forsake all others, when you pledge unto one another, when you become…" here, McCabe paused for effect. "Husband and husband."

Before Bodie could respond to the comment, he felt his partner shove himself out of the low sofa and stand up before the pack of agents. "So, you lot think we should get 'married', do you? You think we're lovers? Having it off? Shagging each other senseless? Fucking like bunnies, eh? McCabe? Lucas? C'mon, what makes you think that, eh?" Doyle asked, hands on hips.

The room quietened, but didn't fall fully silent. As Doyle glanced around the room, his green eyes fell on another person loitering by the wall. An imperceptible query was met by an almost invisible nod. A tiny smile crept on Doyle's full lips, and he turned back to the now expectant crowd.

"So, you want me to propose to him, do you?" He pointed towards a grinning Bodie. "Okay then. Here you are."

Turning to face his dark haired partner, Doyle suddenly fell onto one knee and grabbed for Bodie's hand. With an over the top fatuous smile on his face, he spoke the words.

"Darling, I love you so much. You mean the world to me, sweetheart, and have done for many years. I cannot offer you riches or jewels. I cannot promise not to leave you one day, except to say that death will be the only thing to part us. I can only offer you my complete heart and soul, my love and my body…" Wolf whistles and catcalls greeted this and Doyle waited patiently for the crowd to quieten – all the while looking into amused midnight blue eyes – before continuing. "Lover, would you do me the inestimable honour of becoming my husband?"

Before Bodie could reply, a hand shoved under Doyle's armpit raised him up and around from where Bodie sat. "How dare you. You were -- are -- promised to me. You told me that only last night as we basked in the wonder of our lovemaking. As you held me tight and whispered endearments and promised never to leave me. How can you be so fickle? You've broken my heart, lover, but before I go, remember me by this…"

The room was stunned into absolute silence as Murphy took Doyle in his arms and plastered a searingly hot kiss onto Doyle's lips. As the kiss deepened, Murphy tipped Doyle back into a swoon, before breaking the kiss and placing him back upright.

With a queenly, indignant shake of the head and a heartbroken expression plastered all over his face, Murphy departed. Doyle knew the reason Murphy had left so suddenly -- his slight quiver meant he was very close to laughing aloud and thereby giving the game away. As the door closed, the room erupted into a wave of laughter and chuckles, not least of which was Doyle.

The laughter suddenly ended as Cowley entered the room once again. "And if you lot don't get a move on out of here, I'll find you something to do. In files."

A collective shudder and the agents found that, yes indeed, they had something to do, something that just could not wait. In the rush to depart, they missed the small exchange of looks between Bodie and Doyle.

---

Lying in the dark, sweat-soaked bed, limbs entangled as they came down from their high, the two men recalled that afternoon's mickey taking.

"And you should have seen their faces when you were proposing. They -- I'm positive -- were so serious about it all. That's when I had to intervene."

Doyle grinned at his lover. "I'm so glad you did. Although I'm sure we'll get the piss taken out of us for ages yet. And they'll still believe Bodie and I are fucking, no matter what happens."

Murphy leaned in for another kiss before replying. "Well, you know what they say about hiding in full view don't you? And the heat is off us once more, although once they find out we've been as good as married for three years, you know what they'll do, don't you?"

Doyle, shocked, couldn't speak. "You don't mean?"

Sombrely, Murphy nodded. "Yes. They'll think Bodie's shagging the boss!"

Doyle chuckled before replying, "At least they'll only think it's true. If they ever found out it is true, who knows what they'd say."

The two men snuggled back down together in an attempt to remove visions of Cowley and Bodie locked in an embrace.

---- THE END ----

November 2005