Your lads are a joy, a snarly, bickering, gruff and dammnit, tender, joy. So much to revel in here - terrific sense of time and place ( Bodie's quip about the Knowledge, WH Smiths, the kebap and the lettuce ( tee-hee), the road names, the houses, etc The high brick wall between road and rail was covered in the tags of local youth. A gritty wind blew about.) Just a detail, maybe, but a perfectly formed one.

And may I say a classic opening 4 sentences? Will memorise them, they are so giggle-inducing and instantly atmospheric.

I loved the pace of this, it fairly crackled along, and tough and tender thing that I am, I loved them watching each other sleep at various points. You created a great sense of them being pulled towards each other, and being frustratingly clueless as to why! Doyle's reaction to his shoulder going out was pure canon-Doyle - screaming for an ambulance and swearing at Bodie. My favourite scene in fact, and this gesture and line is the best:"Give over,” he had said, shying away from them all like a nervous horse, “If anyone else even tries to touch me I’m bloody shooting them.” Oh me oh my..I just LOVE your lads, m'dear.

I could pick out a ton more, and wax lyrical about a dozen gorgeous, gorgeous bits, but will content myself to say that I'm *so* glad you morphed the one challenge into the other.

See? When life hands you lemons, turn to an Elvis lyric..*g*