The bride and groom kept their eyes on each other the entire wedding ceremony. During the exchange of vows and rings, they never took their eyes off one another. Father MacAnally finally had to clear his throat to get their attention. "You may kiss the bride," he told former priest Peter Clifford. Not that Peter needed reminding. He kissed his bride, Assumpta Fitzgerald, soundly on the mouth.

"It's my pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Peter and Assumpta Clifford," Fr Mac annouced to the congregation, to great applause.

"Where are you going on your honeymoon?" matron of honor Niamh Egan asked. Everyone was gathered at a reception for the newlyweds at Fitgerald's Pub.

"Baltimore, Maryland," Assumpta told her. "Charm City. I have a cousin over there, Mike Kellerman, and he's been having a rough time of it. Oh! I have to call him. With all the excitement, I forgot to tell him I was getting married." She ran to the phone.

Detective Mike Kellerman was in the Homicide squadroom when the call came in.

"Kellerman," Naomi called. "International call on line 1, from Ireland." Mike knew it was Assumpta, so he took it. What he wasn't expecting was a major bombshell from her.

"What?! You did what?!" he bellowed, then lowered his voice when he saw his former partner, Meldrick Lewis, looking at him strangely. "You're telling me that you had your first marriage annulled and that you married a priest???"

"Former priest, Michael Scott Kellerman," Assumpta told him sternly. "My marriage to Leo was annulled four weeks ago so Peter and I are legally wed. Look, Mikey, I have to get back to the reception now, but I wanted to let you know that Peter and I are hitting Charm City for our honeymoon."

"Stop by Homicide, okay? Meet the gang."

"We'll see, Mikey. We'll see."

Two days later, as their plane touched down at BWI, Assumpta grabbed her husband's hand. She decided she'd feel better once the plane stopped. The moment the Fasten Your Seatbelt light stopped flashing, she and Peter grabbed their carryon bags and walked into the terminal proper. As soon as they got their luggage, they hailed a taxi and went to the honeymoon suite waiting for them at The Belvedere Hotel. As soon as he unlocked the door, Peter picked up his bride and carried her over the threshold. Once her feet hit the floor, Assumpta found her lips being devoured by his. As they clumsily made their way to the bed, she thought, *visiting Homicide can wait until tomorrow*.

Detective Terri Stivers sat at her desk in the Homicide squadroom, going over what little evidence she and her partner, Detective Paul Falsone had on the Richmond murder, when she caught sight of Assumpta Fitzgerald walking into the squadroom with a man she'd never seen before.

"Assumpta Fitzgerald," Falsone drawled. "As I live and as I breathe. How's BallyK treatin' ya?"

"Oh fine," she said. "And it's Assumpta Clifford now." She showed off her wedding band and introduced them to Peter. Peter couldn't help but notice Stivers' cold attitude toward Assumpta. "If you're looking for Kellerman," Falsone told the newlyweds. "He's in the coffee room."

Assumpta nodded her thanks and she and Peter went straight to the break room. There, sitting almost slumped over a table, was her second cousin, Mike Kellerman.

"Tired?" she teased. Mike looked up and saw her. He got up, stretched, and hurried over to her, giving her a gentle hug. She quickly introduced him to Peter. "So, what's going on?" she asked in concern. "You must be working a major redball. You look like you haven't slept a wink for a couple days now."

"How'd you guess?" Mikey tossed back sarcastically.

"Dare I ask?"

"Judge Gerald Gibbons, stabbed once, right in the heart," he told her.

"That is, if the black souled bastard had one," Assumpta muttered angrily.

"Who was he?" Peter couldn't help but ask. He couldn't help but be taken aback by his wife and her cousin's attitude toward the dead man.

"Gibbons was dirt," Kellerman muttered. Assumpta quickly filled Peter in on the dirty workings of Judge Gibbons and Georgia Rae Mahoney. Just then, Detectives Frank Pembleton and Tim Bayliss walked in with Nathaniel Lee Mahoney, aka Junior Bunk, handcuffed. Assumpta's stomach tightened in dread as she remembered the night he held her hostage in her pub.
 

1 YEAR AGO

She suddenly felt her world spinning and she slid to the floor in a faint. The next thing she knew was Niamh was mopping her face with a cool rag and Peter came back to the pub with Ambrose.

"He got away," Ambrose told the two women. "But I have let my superiors know and the Gardai in Cilldargen and Dublin have been notified as well.

"However, Assumpta, you can't stay here alone tonight. I think Father Clifford should stay here with you." She nodded, absently.
 

PRESENT DAY

"That's him," she hissed, gesturing to Junior. "He's the one who held me hostage a year ago."

Her explanation was cut off when Lt. Al Giardello came out of his office. His gaze settled on the newlyweds.

"Mrs. Clifford," he said slowly. "I would like to have a quick word with you in private."

She nodded and quickly told Peter to meet her at The Waterfront, the cop-owned bar across the street. Gee ushered her into his office and quickly got down to business.

"How have you been holding up since...the incidents?" he asked.

"You mean since Luther Mahoney kidnapped me and took me to his penthouse here in Baltimore, and his nephew, Junior Bunk held me captive in my own pub?" Assumpta shot back bitterly. "I'm fine as you can see. I just got married, you met my husband."

"And he knows about what happened?"

"He's the only one who does."

"Assumpta, Luther's death was justifiable homicide," Gee told her gently. "We just didn't count on Georgia Rae coming here and stirring things up."

"That's on me," she muttered.

"No, that's on the Mahoneys, no one else." Gee got up and motioned for Assumpta to follow him. "Why don't you go to The Waterfront?"

"I'll do that." With that, she left Gee's office and nodded quick greetings to Pembleton and Bayliss. She eyed the young hood sitting at Pembleton's desk, handcuffed. He glared back.

"You want something?" she demanded.

"What the hell I need from you?"

"Then keep your eyes to yourself before you lose them," she snapped. She was about to leave when she heard Mike call out, "I don't know, Junior, I have to question your judgement. To grease Gibbons after he got you out was not only ungrateful, but it was also short-sided..."

"Mrs. Clifford," Naomi said, coming up to her. "You have an international call on line one, from Ballykissangel."

Assumpta blushed slightly. "Sorry, this was the only number I could think of to give to Brendan and Padraig. They're looking after my pub."

"That's okay," the secretary said kindly. "Just make it quick."

Assumpta picked up the phone at her cousin's desk and pressed the button for line one. "Hello," she said softly.

"Assumpta," Brendan Kearney said cheerfully. "Don't worry everything's fine here. How's the honeymoon?"

"Fine, we've met up with my cousin, unfortunately, he's got a major case right now, so I don't know if Peter and I will get any quality time with him, but I'll enjoy whatever time he can spare."

"Do you think you might be bringing your cousin back with you?"

"I don't know, we'll have to see what he says-" her words were cut off as Junior Bunk grabbed a gun and opened fire. He shot two uniforms, then fired in her direction. She felt white-hot pain lick her arm. She screamed as Meldrick Lewis shoved her, none too gently to the floor, grabbed the phone receiver out of her hand and yelled into it, "She's been hit! She'll have to call you back!"

*You eejit!* she thought furiously. *Thanks for sending Brendan into a panic!*

She watched as Lewis crawled over to the lights and shut them off. Only the emergency lights glowed. Kellerman and Lewis got their shots in. Detective Stu Gharty, who she'd met that day, was about to, but Junior shot him once in the chest. Laura Ballard, his partner, was shooting blindly until the hood stopped her with a shot to the ankle. She started to scream. Assumpta crawled over to her and squeezed her hand in a gesture of comfort. Junior shot another uniform, then he held his fire, gazing triumphantly at the carnage he'd created.

"Yeah!!!" he yelled. "Hey I'm walkin' up outta here! Ya hear me?! I'm walkin'!!"

He began to laugh just as Gee appeared in his office doorway and opened fire on him. Kellerman, Lewis, Bayliss and Pembleton followed suit and the hood was dead in minutes. Kellerman kicked the closet door he was standing behind open and strolled in. Assumpta looked at Junior's dead body then at Mike and Gee.

"I guess the lot of you told him, didn't you?" she said with a rueful chuckle, then she winced in pain.

Brendan stared at the phone receiver, long after the call had been disconnected. He remembered hearing gunshots in the background while trying to talk to Assumpta. He'd heard her scream then a man's voice came on the line, telling him that she'd been hit and that she'd have to call him back. It made him think of the night 4 weeks ago when they'd nearly lost her.
 

4 WEEKS PREVIOUSLY

PRESENT DAY

Brendan sighed. "it's Assumpta. I fear she's been shot."

Peter Clifford sat in The Waterfront, having a drink with Detective John Munch and his friend Billie Lou McCoy.

"So," Billie Lou was saying. "How do you like Charm City, so far, Peter?"

"It's great, so far. I only wish Assumpta's cousin wasn't so busy, so we could have a proper visit," Peter told her.

Just then, the noise of approaching sirens startled the trio. Fire trucks, ambos, ME vans and the like pulled up to the police building. "Mercy," Billie Lou muttered. Munch grabbed his coat and, after yelling "Keep him here," referring to Peter, ran into the fray. Peter sat by the window, as if in a trance. The only thought running through his mind was, *Please let Assumpta be okay*. Meanwhile, the Homicide squadroom was chaotic. EMTs loaded Detectives Stu Gharty and Laura Ballard onto stretchers and wheeled them out. Another paramedic worked on Assumpta Clifford's graze wound to her right arm.

"It doesn't look serious," he told her. "But you should go to the hospital to have it looked at anyway."

Assumpta nodded. "My husband," she mumbled weakly. "Someone needs to find my husband."

"Where did he go?" Frank Pembleton queried.

"He went to The Waterfront with Detective Munch."

Upon hearing this, Mike said, "I'll find him. I'm sure he's still there." With that, he left the squadroom.

Peter saw Mike Kellerman running over to the bar. He came in and quickly sought out the Englishman.

"Assumpta's been shot," Mike told him. "But it's just a graze wound. EMTs want her to go to Shock Trauma with the others. She wants you to go with her. Meldrick and I plan on driving her to ST ourselves if it will make you feel any better." At this pronouncement, Peter nodded. Mike urged him to his feet and the two men left the cop-owned bar.

The next few moments passed in a haze of dull pain for Assumpta. Meldrick helped her out to a waiting Cavalier. Mike and Peter hurried over at Lewis' signal. She saw Gharty and Ballard being loaded into two waiting ambos. Finally, after the ambos were gone, the foursome piled into the Cavalier and drove to Shock Trauma. No one spoke for half the ride. Finally she voiced the thought that had been nagging at her since the shooting had started. "I did this, didn't I?"

Lewis cut her off. "Now, let's jus' not start with that, 'Sumpta. There's no fingers at no one but Junior, and Georgia Rae."

Brian Quigley Residence, Ballykissangel, Ireland.

Brendan, Siobhan, Padraig, Niamh and Ambrose were at her father, Brian Quigley's home as he was the only one in the village who happened to have the BBC network.

"Details of the shooting are sketchy," Dawn Daniels, reporter for WBAL was telling them. "At least three officers are known dead and two other officers, along with a civilian are wounded after a suspect opened fire in the Homicide squadroom."

"Maybe it wasn't Assumpta," Niamh said with a very faint trace of hope. "I won't believe it until Peter, or Assumpta calls us."

Maryland Shock Trauma, Baltimore, Maryland.

The doctor wrapped a clean bandage around Assumpta's injured arm and declared it would heal with no permanent damage.

"Do you have any allergies?" he asked. She shook her head no. "Okay, I'll prescribe these for pain and you can let me know if you have a problem." He scribbled her prescription down and sent her on her way.

On her way back to the waiting room, she ran into Mike and showed him her prescription notice. He took it from her and said, "I'll get this filled for you. Pharmacy's open all night."

She nodded. "Okay, let me get my purse."

Mikey grinned. "Firstly, you left your purse in the squadroom and secondly, it's on me, cuz."

She chuckled and went to the waiting room and sat down with Peter. He put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "So, what's the prognosis?" he asked.

"No permanent damage," she told him, smiling. "He prescribed a painkiller for me. Mikey's getting it filled. Any word on Stu and Laura?"

"They're still in surgery," Peter told her. "I told Lieutenant Giardello that we could stay if he and his shift had to go back to Homicide."

She sat up just as Mike came back with her medicine. "That reminds me, I was on the phone with Brendan when the shooting started at the squadroom. He must be frantic. Would you call him for me?"

"Consider it done, darling," he said soothingly.

"Try calling Brian Quigley's place. They might be there."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by Gee's declarations. "No one, in the Mahoney organization, sleeps tonight. We take everyone. "We take every house. We kick in every door. Georgia Rae wanted a war, well guess what? She's got one. Now, let's go." He motioned for his detectives to follow him, but Peter held Mike back for a second.

"You be careful out there, tonight," he told Kellerman sternly. "Assumpta's been through enough tonight. The last thing she needs is for you getting yourself killed."

Kellerman shrugged him off. "I'll be okay. Don't worry." With that, he walked out.

Author's Note: I chose to include part of Gee's speech from the HLOTS episode, "Fallen Heroes Pt. 1" because it added power to the last hospital scene right before the detectives went back to the stationhouse. It was my favorite scene in the whole episode, so I thought it appropriate to include it in this crossover fic.

Brian Quigley Residence, Ballykissangel, Ireland

The phone rang and Niamh was the first to snatch it up. "Hello?" she said.

"Niamh, it's Peter. Is Brendan around?"

"Him and half the town. Everyone's been worried since the phone call," Niamh told him. "Is Assumpta all right?"

"Yeah, more or less, but we could use some prayers from Father Mac, if he can spare them."

"Okay, I'll tell him. Was it that bad?"

"I'm afraid so. Nathaniel Lee Mahoney, aka Junior Bunk snatched a gun out of a detective's desk drawer and opened fire in the squadroom. Three uniforms, two detectives and Assumpta were shot."

"Obviously, Assumpta's fine."

"Yeah, bullet grazed her arm, no permanent damage," Peter said with a sigh. "The others weren't so lucky though. The three uniforms are dead. Detective Stuart Gharty was shot in the chest. It's touch and go, I believe. Detective Laura Ballard was shot in the ankle."

"Pales by comparison, my friend."

"She might lose her foot. They're both still in surgery. The unit's in shambles and Assumpta and I are staying at the hospital to wait for word on them and tell Lieutenant Giardello."

"Where's Assumpta?"

Peter glanced over at his sleeping wife. The painkillers had gotten to her. "She's asleep in the waiting room. Just let Brendan know she's okay. I better go now."

"Call us later, okay? We'll be here. We're watching the whole thing unfold on BBC News."

"I don't doubt that. Goodbye Niamh." With that, the line went dead. Niamh hung up the phone and called Father Mac.

Maryland Shock Trauma, Baltimore, Maryland

Peter hung up the phone with a tired and heavy heart. What had started out as a nice honeymoon in the States turned into a big mess and he didn't know how to clean it up. He went back to sit with Assumpta on the sofa. She slept on, not caring. He quickly made himself comfortable, then drew his wife's sleeping form into his arms and held her close. Within minutes, he was asleep as well.

Homicide Squadroom, Baltimore PD Stationhouse

In spite of the fact that they were working in a crime scene, the detectives brought in various members of the Mahoney crew, what was left of it anyway. Pembleton and Bayliss marched Georgia Rae's chauffeur to the Box. Gee watched all this from his open office door. Colonel George Barnfather was with him.

"Three cops dead," Gee sighed with resignation. "Two wounded and a civilian wounded, on my shift. You want my head it's yours."

"I won't lie, Al. Before this is over, I may have to take you up on that, but right now, I need all my soldiers doing battle,"

Barnfather sighed with displeasure. "You're bringing in everyone, right?"

"From the lowest dealer, right up to Georgia Rae," Gee told him forcefully. "No one stays on the corner tonight."

Meanwhile, Stivers was bitching. "This'll go national, maybe even international and everyone'll know we got our ass kicked."

Falsone glared at her. "That's the least of our troubles. Cops bled out here tonight, along with a civilian, Kellerman's cousin."

"Since when are you so concerned about Kellerman?" Stivers shot back.

Falsone held his tongue, knowing he had to keep what he was up to a secret. If his hunch was right on the money, then he could help Kellerman, Lewis and Gee, not to mention Peter and Assumpta, make some sense out of this.

Maryland Shock Trauma, Baltimore, Maryland

After a few hours sleep, Peter and Assumpta felt better, but didn't  get any word about Ballard and Gharty until about 3 am. The nurse told them that both Laura and Stu were out of surgery and resting comfortably in recovery rooms. Assumpta went to the pay phone to call Gee.

Al Giardello Residence, Little Italy, Baltimore

Gee was awakened by the ringing of the phone. He groggily reached for it on the nightstand. "Hello," Gee said, slowly waking up.

"Gee, it Assumpta Clifford."

"Assumpta, how's your arm?"

"Better. I just thought I'd let you know that Ballard and Gharty are out of surgery. All we know is that they are resting comfortably."

"Okay. If you and your husband could stick around a little longer, I'd appreciate it."

Assumpta looked over at Peter, the question in her eyes. He nodded and she said, "Sure, Gee. We'll stay."

"Okay, I'll stop by later."

Baltimore Stationhouse, Homicide Unit, Fell's Point, Baltimore. A few hours later.

Narcotics detective Joe Anderson strolled into Homicide and quickly sought out Falsone. He was relieved when he didn't see Stivers.

"Anderson," Falsone said in greeting.

"Hey Falsone," Joe said nervously.

"What have you got?"

"Circumstantial evidence that points to Stivers bein' dirty for Mahoney."

Falsone's heart sank. He'd hoped against that this wasn't the case. That Kellerman and Lewis were right about her being clean. He remembered going to them the night before to talk about the possibility of her being dirty for Luther Mahoney, setting the events (including Assumpta's kidnapping) leading up to his death in motion. They had vehemently insisted that she was clean. As Falsone sent Judy to look for his two colleagues, he held on to the evidence with a heavy heart. He was not looking forward to this.

Two hours later, as the four detectives listened to the evidence on tape, Kellerman found himself getting angry. His anger grew when he heard Assumpta's name on the tape.

"Look, Mahoney, if push comes to shove, you can take a hostage."

"Who'd you have in mind?"

"Assumpta Fitzgerald, Kellerman's second cousin, usually jogs in the park around noonish. He'll back down and let you go if you have her as a bargaining chip."

Mike and Meldrick recognized the woman's voice on the tape. It was Stivers. Joe turned off the tape. "She figured once Mahoney was safe out of Baltimore, he'd dump her," he told Mike. "Didn't care if she was dead or alive."

Mike finally found his voice. "That bitch set up Assumpta," he muttered furiously. "Nearly got her killed, not once, but twice."

"Damn," Lewis muttered. "What do we do about this Mikey?"

"For starters, we go to Gee with this," Falsone cut in. Mike nodded his agreement. "Assumpta and Peter too. They have a right to know. What do we do about Stivers, Falsone?"

"We'll keep it quiet for now. Let's go talk to Gee."

Later that day, an anonymous tip let the detectives know that Georgia Rae was hiding out with a friend of hers, Doris Hughes. The unit made plans to take the place.

Before the raid was over, Georgia Rae was dead, shot by one of her own people. Bayliss was shot and wounded and was on his way to Shock Trauma.

Maryland Shock Trauma

Assumpta sat in the cafeteria with Peter and Gee. She was shocked speechless from the revelations from Mike, Meldrick and Falsone. They told her that Stivers had been dirty for Luther Mahoney and had set her up to be taken hostage by the drug lord.

"In other words," Gee had intoned calmly, a sign that he was getting royally pissed off. "While Assumpta pulled the trigger in self defense, Stivers put the gun in her hand."

Suddenly, Janet, a nurse that had befriended the newlywed couple, approached the trio and whispered, "We've got another police officer coming in with a GSW injury."

With that, Gee, Peter and Assumpta ran to the ER just as Bayliss was rushed in. They watched helplessly as he writhed on the bed. He choked out, "I'm...not..shot...I'm...wearing...my...vest." He then started shivering uncontrollably. Assumpta tried to reach out to Pembleton, but he waved her away. After Bayliss had been taken to surgery, Gee and Assumpta told Frank about the events from a year ago leading up to this. Gee suggested that Frank go and help Kellerman, Lewis and Falsone confront Stivers. Assumpta opted to go with him, help him fill in the blanks and Peter opted to stay with Gee at the hospital and wait for word on Bayliss. Assumpta told him her role in the shooting of Luther Mahoney and he said, "You did what you had to do. Gee was right about one thing."

"What's that?" she queried.

"You should have never been put in that position. That part was justifiable homicide. What Stivers did, that's another story."

"Why did she do it? I want to know why."

Frank chuckled in spite of the situation. "You're just like Bayliss, you want the why."

Maryland Shock Trauma/The Belvedere Hotel

"Mr. Clifford," Gee started.

"Peter."

"Peter, look, it's been a long couple of days for everyone. Why don't I take you back to the Belvedere so you can get some real sleep?" Gee suggested. "I'll drop you off now on the way back to the stationhouse, if you'd like." Peter nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Once he was back at The Belvedere, Peter showered and changed into some comfortable sweats and a T-shirt. Laying down on the bed did it. He was out like a light.

Baltimore PD, Homicide Unit, 30 minutes later

"You were on the pad for Luther Mahoney," Mike said with steely calmness. "While you didn't tell him about the dope switch directly, you gave him enough information that tipped him off and you set up my cousin to be kidnapped."

Stivers remained silent. She didn't even deny it. Finally, Falsone couldn't take it anymore. "Why did you do it? Why did you set up an innocent woman to be kidnapped?" he demanded.

"She wasn't so innocent by the time it was all over!" Stivers shot back. "Luther's blood was on her hands and if she hadn't struggled she could've walked away from it."

"You can't put that on her!" Frank finally exploded and Mike was afraid he would stroke out right then and there.

Pembleton went on, "All of them, Molly Bowden, Wilkie Collins, Lydia Collins, Judge Gerald Gibbons, all those names are on you, Stivers! Not Assumpta Clifford, you!"

Assumpta and Gee listened in the Observation room with growing anger.

"I still have the powder burn scar on my breast thanks to her," she muttered.
 

MARCH, 1997

"Drop it!" Mike yelled. He paled when he saw Luther holding a pistol (the one he shot his lieutenant with) to his cousin's head.

"One false move detective," Luther said menacingly. "And this little Irish lass goes back to Ballykissangel in a body bag." At that moment, Assumpta acted. She elbowed Luther in the ribs. He doubled over and she went for his gun. They struggled over it, to Mike's horror. Then, the gun went off. After a few seconds, Luther fell to the floor, a bullet wound in his chest. Assumpta backed away, almost into Meldrick. Mike walked over to the dying drug dealer, his gun still at the ready.

"Hey Luther, before you die on me," he said calmly. "I just wanted to tell you, we switched your dope."

"I know," Luther whispered and died.
 

PRESENT DAY

"It's been a long couple of days for all of us," Gee said tiredly. "I suggest that we all go home, get some much needed sleep. We can all face this with clearer heads tomorrow."

"What about Stivers?" Frank queried. "Will there be charges?"

"We don't know," was Gee's reply.

"Well, I'm going to go back to Shock Trauma, check on Bayliss, then I'm coming back here. I'll write this up like it was any other confession," Frank told them. "What happens to it, is on you." With that, he left.

"Kellerman, why don't take your cousin back to The Belvedere?" Gee said after a long moment of silence.

"Before we go," Assumpta cut in. "I want to talk to Stivers. Is she still in the Box?"

"Yeah," Meldrick told her. "Waste of breath though." She shrugged and went to the Box. Mike said softly,

"I think this is more for her benifit than for Stivers'." He then went to the phone.

The Belvedere Hotel

Peter was awakened by the shrill ringing of the phone. "Hello," he said groggily, hoping it wasn't Niamh or Brendan.

"Peter, it's Mike. I'm bringing Assumpta back to the hotel in a few minutes."

Peter sat upright in bed. "Is everything okay?" He heard Mike's audible sigh on the other end. "Nope, far from it. I'll let 'Sumpta give you the gory details though."

Baltimore PD, Homicide Unit

Assumpta walked into the Box. Stivers had her back to her.

"You can't face me, can you," Assumpta said angrily. "Can't even look me in the eye." Taking a deep breath, she went on. "You put me, Mike and Meldrick in positions we never should have been in. You put my life in danger. I hope Gee throws the book at you." With that, Assumpta walked out of the Box.

Two days later, Mike walked into the Homicide Squadroom and went straight to Gee's office. Before he could ask, Mike told him straight out, "Gee, I need to take a leave of absence. I need to get out of Baltimore for a while, clear my head."

Gee nodded. He'd been about to make the same suggestion to Mike, so he was glad Kellerman had come to him first. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going back to Ballykissangel with Peter and Assumpta in a couple of weeks. Let's face it, this visit here kinda bombed, so we'll try it over on their stomping ground." Mike laughed.

Gee joined him in laughter. He had to admit, he found the humor in the situation, heinous as it was. "Okay, Kellerman, I understand. Take all the time you need. But, when you come back, be all the way back."

"I will Gee."

Fell's Point Harbor, Two weeks later

Mike prepared the Case Closed for one last sail. Two days after, he would be taking a flight to Ireland with Assumpta and Peter.

"Hey Gilligan!" Meldrick called, walking down the pier toward him with Falsone, and the Cliffords in tow.

When they were well out ot sea, Assumpta asked the question that had been on her mind since those two blood soaked nights on her honeymoon. "Dare I ask, what's to become of Stivers?"

"She struck a deal with Gee. She tabled her badge and he doesn't go to Internal," Falsone told her bluntly.

Mike nodded. "Don't think about anymore, cuz. It's over now."

"And for that, I'm glad," she murmured, snuggling close to Peter. He pressed a kiss into her hair and held her close.

*Yep, life looks pretty damn good*, Mike thought, gazing at the newlyweds. The nightmare was finally over, for all of them.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know, it got kinda mushy in the end. I will also admit that this last part is more HLOTS than Ballyk, but I really hope you liked it. Sorry it took so long to post. I've got another fic in progress called The Invasion Of The Murder Police. It's the sequel to Honeymoon At Homicide. Lewis, Ballard and Falsone pay the newlyweds a visit and catch up with Kellerman, who's spending some time in Ballykissangel.

Much thanks to Dervla Kirwan, Stephen Tompkinson, Tina Kellegher and the rest of Ballykissangel cast for giving us these characters to play with.

And thanks to Yaphet Kotto, Reed Diamond, Clark Johnson, Jon Seda, Toni Lewis and Andre Braugher for giving us Gee, Kellerman, Lewis, Falsone, Stivers and Pembleton.