Disclaimer: I don't own CI or any of these characters but Karla Wilkes, but congratulations to Dick Wolf for keeping them alive for us for more seasons.

CH 1

When the phone rang he pulled it out from under the papers burying it on his desk. "Ross." He said grumpily.

"Is that any way to answer the phone in your own precinct?" a female voice was laughing on the other end.

"It is if I'm buried in paperwork. I wish you were here to straighten it out for me."

"So do I, but I'm sort of buried myself. Any chance you can get out from under for some dinner in about an hour?"

"Only if I don't have to talk shop." He grouched.

"I intend to leave this stuff here. It's you I want to talk to. Want to meet somewhere? A restaurant or the park?"

"How about my place? I'll make us a nice salad, I have some fresh asparagus and I'll grab a couple of steaks."

"Can't do that." The female voice laughed again.

"Then you make a suggestion….."

"Not the problem, big guy. You forgot something."

"I did?"

"Yes, detective. You forgot to include desert. A girl must have her chocolate. I'll bring the desert. Then we'll have a meal."

"You love to torture me, don't you?" he demanded.

Peels of laughter made him smile. "I most certainly do. You're so easy. I'll see you in an hour. Oh, and do you have any wine?"

"You don't drink, remember?"

"I haven't forgotten. We are celebrating. For that I'll take a sip or two. So do you?"

"Some dry white."

"Awful. I'll grab something with some zest. See you soon."

Dan stared at the now dead receiver and sighed. She was off and running. He could just tell she would be tired when she got there. Any time he'd been near her and she was like this she invariably very tired when she showed up. He found himself thinking of all the things he had to eat at his apartment that would give her instant energy. Since when did he become a nutritionist? He smiled self-consciously. Since he'd started dating the human dynamo named Karla.

Dan Ross put the groceries onto the counter and chose to ignore the blinking light on the answering machine. Karla would be there soon and he wanted to be ready. He set about preparing the meal and wasn't at all surprised when the doorbell sounded early. Karla was always early. He grabbed the kitchen towel and wiped his hands as he went to the door. Even knowing she was on the other side, he cautiously peered through the peephole before he opened the door.

Karla whirled around and gave him a beaming smile when she stepped inside. As soon as he closed the door she stepped into his arms and gave him a warm, passionate kiss. "Hey, you." She greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, yourself. How're you doing?"

"I'm good, you handsome devil. Something smells good."

"I got the salad going. And I have those cheese crackers you like."

"You, Captain Ross, are a keeper. I'm starved."

"Come keep me company while I work on dinner. So do you have to go back to the office?"

"Not tonight. Tomorrow I have everyone coming in early and they're staying late until we get it all done. You?"

"I don't have anyone to do that for me."

"Are you hinting?"

"If it were allowed, I'd jump at that offer, I don't have a clerk yet. Whoever comes to my precinct will have plenty to do."

"I feel bad for them. You can't rattle a few cages and get your clerk sooner?"

"According to HR there isn't anyone who can do the job. They're looking, but no one's got the training for this."

"It's a simple filing job. I think they're smoking you, Dan."

"I don't suppose you have someone who could take the job, do you?"

"I have asked. They want to move up not just over. The word is out that anyone who goes over there will be kept in that same rank, no chance of advancement. They aren't going over there so someone can be promoted over them and they just stay in the same job for years. I haven't been able to find out who started the rumor or why, but it is all over the office."

"Maybe it's too well known. What could they gain by floating that rumor?"

"Very little competition for the job? Maybe they figure if they apply often enough they'll get the job even if they aren't qualified by sheer force of numbers."

"You're a suspicious sort." Dan teased her.

"I learned from someone close to me." She wrinkled her nose at him and snatched a piece of cucumber from the salad.

"Go ahead and have some. That one's yours." Dan grinned at her.

He turned to stir something on the stove. Karla switched the bowls around. "I saw that." He told her.

"You did not!" she told him quickly.

He grinned. She was so competitive. "Dinner's almost ready. Did you get the wine? Hey, what are we celebrating anyway?"

"I have just received word that my offer on that piece of property has been accepted."

"The one that's over an hour out of here?"

"But only half an hour from my precinct." Karla reminded him. "Why?"

"I just thought you wanted to be closer, to the city I mean."

"To you, yes. But I'm a not a city dweller, by nature. I need elbow room."

"Elbow room. I haven't heard that expression in…."

"Ah, ah, ah. Don't even finish that. That is a serious breach of etiquette. I'd have to punish you severely for that."

"Punish me? That sounds promising." Dan teased.

Karla blushed. "Just put dinner on the table, you. I'll figure out just how you meant that when I'm not starving to death."

Grinning because he'd gotten the upper hand, he dished up the food and helped Karla carry it to the table. She was sitting at the table pouring glasses of wine when he sat down. "So, I mentioned a celebration, didn't I?"

"You mentioned it. Are you going to tell me what's up?"

"I have reached my goal. I have enough money to start looking for a house of my own."

"That is worth celebrating. Where are you going to look?"

"I'm not sure. I want something with some land so it probably won't be around here. Not immediately around here. There's nothing here that fits what I'm looking for. So will you help me?"

"Find a house? You want my help?"

"Why are you so surprised? Unless you don't want to. I'd understand. I thought maybe you could give me a second opinion and we could spend some time together."

"I didn't say I didn't want to. I just…. A house is a big investment and it's rather personal."

"It's an investment. For that I value and extra opinion and you seem to have good judgement. Especially in steaks."

"You sure know how to flatter a guy." He told her drily.

Karla grinned. "So would you like to look with me? I'll do the most of the paperwork first and we can look at what I have left."

"It sounds like a plan. When do we start?" he found himself agreeing just so he could spend time with her.

TBC