Chris Keel shuffled and tried to make himself more comfortable on the hard plastic seat.  The transit van was supposed to be fitted out for long-term surveillance jobs but he doubted anyone could survive longer than a few hours in these conditions.  They could have at least got some comfortable seats. He felt the frustration gnawing at him again and silently cursed Malone for putting him on this job.  He hadn't joined CI5 to sit in some smelly van with two of his equally smelly fellow operatives and listen to weirdoes all day.

He'd bet his bottom dollar that his American compatriots in the FBI didn't work in these kind of conditions.  J Edgar Hoover would be turning in his grave at the thought.  Or how about Mulder and Scully?  Ever see them sitting in a rusty old heap in some seedy back street?  Not likely.  They'd have some top of the range vehicle complete with hot dog stand around on the next block.

He stretched his legs to get more comfortable and 'accidentally' kicked the side of the van in the process.  The resulting clanging noise gave him a feeling of satisfaction and he wondered if a few more well-placed kicks might finish the van off once and for all.  And then maybe he could go home. Chris knew his mind was wandering but this job had wound him up badly, leaving him feeling frustrated with a sour taste in his mouth that wouldn't go away.

CI5 had received a tip off that a group of drugs dealers they'd been following were using a radical faction group as a front for their activities.  So Malone had authorised a tap on the group's headquarters to find out exactly what it was being used for.

Keel had been annoyed that he'd been assigned to the case but with his leg still healing from the knife wound and Sam attending the MI6 enquiry he knew he didn't have a lot of choice.  And at least it got him out from under Malone's feet at the office, always a good move in his opinion.  But after a few hours on this job he had very quickly realised that he didn't know who he hated the most.  The narcotics dealers or the dissidents.

Dangerous radicals was Malone's description, fascists seemed more appropriate.  Sitting in the van with the headphones on he'd listened to the group's anti lesbian, anti gay, anti transvestite, anti everything, death and destruction, bible thumping evil rhetoric and it'd made him feel physically sick.

He would be the first to admit that people were entitled to their own opinions.  But he knew that he and Sam were not guilty of the things that these people accused them of.  And if the two of them were happy together and not doing anyone harm what was their problem?  He looked down and realised he was clenching his fists.  He took a few breaths to calm himself surreptitiously checking to see if anyone had noticed his reaction.  He was just grateful that his partner wasn't here.

He could just about deal with the insults himself.  And he knew the Englishman would be able to handle it too. Keel grinned to himself.  One confrontation with that icy exterior and even the most fanatical protestors would know they were onto a loser.  No, it was how he himself would react if his partner were here that he was more worried about.  If he was honest he knew that he was fiercely protective of his lover.  And if it came to a face to face confrontation, with his temper in its current state he very much doubted that he'd behave rationally if someone insulted Sam. He sighed again and ran his fingers through his hair trying to concentrate on the job.  He forced himself to listen to the vile tirade on the radio, mentally phasing out the worse of the insults.

Yep, he was glad Curtis wasn't here.

His partner had been at the Filby enquiry, going through all the events that had led to the MI6 man's arrest three weeks ago. And between him being away on that job and Chris being stuck on this one they hadn't seen each other at all.  He hadn't had much chance to talk to Sam about the enquiry either and he knew that his concern about how his partner was dealing with it wasn't improving his mood.   Backup had appointed herself unofficial go-between and passed on information whenever she could for which Chris was eternally gratefully.  She said Sam was fine but he knew what the Englishman was like at times like this.  The mask would go on Sam would retreat behind it. Even though deep down he knew Sam could look after himself he still had an overwhelming urge to protect him.

And he missed him.  Missed him like mad if he was honest.  And it wasn't just the sex.  He missed having someone to go home to, he missed the dry, humorous running commentaries, he missed having someone to talk to, he missed having someone to curl up to at night.  He missed everything.  He was about to sigh again when he remembered he wasn't alone and settled instead for shuffling in his seat again.

Enough was enough.  If something didn't happen in the next few hours then he was phoning Malone and telling him where he could stick his surveillance job.  He could almost hear Sam's voice warning him not to do anything rash. Well perhaps he wouldn't tell Malone to stick it in those exact words.  He entertained himself for a few moments by imaging the reaction he  would get from the Old Man if he did use those exact words before reality interrupted again.

He shuffled in his seat again in a futile attempt to get comfortable.  There weren't many times he hated this job but this was definitely one of them.

*******

Backup counted to ten before approaching her friend.  It was 2am, they were all tired and, as much as she wanted to, she knew losing her temper now wouldn't help anyone.

Chris had been throwing a 'tantrum' for the last hour and it was getting on everyone's nerves.  She walked over to the desk where the American was taking out his frustrations on his defenceless computer.

"Can I help?" she asked politely hoping her icy pointed tone would knock some sense into him.

Keel ignored the hint completely and charged on regardless.  "Only if you can wave your magic wand over this damn machine."

Backup could feel all her best intentions being replaced by an overwhelming urge to batter the American with his own keyboard.

"What's wrong with it?"

Chris warmed to his subject, happy at last to have an audience to share his tale of woe with.  "What's wrong with it?  I've just spent the last lousy hour typing this report and now it won't let me save it."  He pathetically waved a floppy disk at her for extra effect, like a drowning man crying for help.

Backup grinned to herself at the sight of the ex- navy SEAL reduced to a quivering wreck by a computer.  Perhaps she would take pity on him after all.

"Move over."  She pushed him out of his chair and shifted the keyboard towards her.  "Go turn the printer on.  We'll print it out first and then I'll try and save it for you."

Chris headed off to do as he was told, mumbling under his breath "What's wrong with old fashioned typewriters and Tippex anyway" but came back shortly with the paper copy of the report in his hand.  Backup pushed a few more keys before turning to him, a satisfied look on her face.

"There you go.  All done."

Chris lent down to give her a peck on the cheek before going over to put the report in Malone's in tray.  He stretched and tried to stifle a big yawn. "I'm beat."

"You'd better get home.  You've got a long drive tomorrow."

"Mmm"

"What does 'mmm' mean?'  Backup frowned, worried at the uncertainty in Chris ' voice.  "You are going aren't you?"

Keel pretended to uncharacteristically tidy up his desk, trying not to catch Backup's eye.  "Don't know."

She looked at him incredulously.  "But Sam's already up there. You've both got the rest of the week off.  I thought you'd be rushing up to see him after all that time apart."

"But what if he doesn't want me to go up there?"

Backup was confused and decided to show it.  "You've lost me now."

"If he wanted me to go with him why did he go up on his own yesterday.  Why didn't he wait until today?" He finally looked at Backup doubt written across his face.

She shrugged.  "You know him better that I do Chris.  Perhaps he wanted some time on his own.  He's a solitary person at heart."  She saw the frown on his face and tried to lighten his mood.  "Unless he's with you of course." Her efforts earned her a small grin.  " When people have had a tough time it 's a basic instinct to go and retreat for a while, recharge the batteries."

Chris didn't feel convinced but he appreciated what Backup was trying to do and attempted to get back into their old banter routine.  "You'd make a great evolutionary psychologist you know" and grinned in spite of himself at the look of confusion on her face.  "You're right.  It's just this case has been getting to me, making me a little paranoid, you know?"

She touched his arm in sympathy, knowing how hard the surveillance job had been for him.  "I know.  Sam told you where to go though?"

Chris nodded and fished an email out of his jacket pocket.  "Yes."

"And directions on how to get there?"

"Yep again."

"Which suggests."

"That he wants me to go up there.  I know, I know." He rubbed his eyes tiredly before picking up his jacket and heading for the door.  "See you next week then."

Backup sighed in relief, glad to see Keel in a slightly more cheerful mood. She watched him walk out of the door before whispering "Enjoy yourselves" and turning back to her desk.