Title: A Simple Conversation?

Author: Roxanne Kowalchuk

Feedback: roxette@ilos.net

Category: Romance

Rating: PG

Summary: A conversation between friends

Spoilers: Bits and pieces from each of this seasons episodes. And Allie from Season 2.

**********



"Cam?"

"Hi Allie, hope I'm not bothering you."

"No, not at all. I needed a break," Allie told Westlake from her side of the monitor. "By the way Cam, where are you?"

Taking a sip of her tea, Westlake answered. "In the complex."

"You sure?"

Putting her mug down, Westlake reassured her. "Trust me Allie, I'm in the complex."

"Move to the left," Allie said. "Wait, make that my left."

Moving to her left then to Allie's left, Westlake spoke. "Sorry about that."

"Where's the car?"

Peering over her shoulder, Westlake answered. "Behind me."

"It's blue."

"Ya. So?" Westlake said but then it dawned on her." Oh sorry, Allie."

"What happen, Cam?"

"We had to blow up the other Viper."

"Why, what happen?" Allie asked with concern.

"Some one tried to steal the car, so I had no choice but to blow it up."

"Yikes. So now it's blue."

Looking back at her friend, Westlake explained. "It's a Viper GTS Coupe. Julian built it. It has some nifty new features."

"Wow. So Cole likes it?"

"Cole doesn't drive it."

"What?"

Getting more comfy, Westlake tucked a leg underneath her. "After I blew up the old Viper, we all got re-assigned."

"Oh. But you're back now."

"Oh ya."

"So who's driving it now, Frankie?" Allie asked.

"No. He's still fixing the car and programming the computers."

"So, he took my job," Allie said with a laugh.

"Yup. And he's good at it," Westlake said with a smile.

"Okay, so who's the driver?"

"Driver?"

"Of the car."

"Oh, just Joe."

"Oh," Allie said. "Cam."

"Ya."

"Who's Joe?"

"Sorry Allie," Westlake apologized as she took another sip of her luke warm tea. "Joe Astor."

"The original driver?"

"Yup."

"How'd that happen?"

"Julian had asked him to deliver the car, then persuaded him to stay," Westlake explained.

"Cam, I once remember Frankie telling me that Joe never liked partners."

"That's true."

"So has he changed his mind about partners?"

"I guess so. We work fine together."

"Uh-huh."

Looking at her friend, Westlake questioned her. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Allie."

"How about this," Allie begun. "You tell me what you think of him in fifty words."

"Allie!"

"Come one Cam. Too chicken to do it."

"No."

"Then."

"Oh all right," Westlake said as she gave in. "Let's see."

"That's only two words."

"Ha, ha!" Westlake said. "When I first met Joe, I ended up flipping him because I had no clue who he was."

"Sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by flipping him?" Allie asked.

"Well I was here when he drove the car in. I had no clue who he was so I pulled my gun on him. He tried to grab it and I defended myself by flipping him over my shoulder. It would of got worse, if Frankie hadn't told me who he was."

"Interesting way to meet," Allie piped in.

"I'll tell you one thing, he has quick fingers."

"Huh?"

"As he tried to take my gun, he took my clip out without me knowing it."

"Interesting."

"Tell me about it."

"Okay, continue on."

"You're having fun with this aren't you," Westlake told her friend.

"What do you think?" Allie answered. "Continue on."

"Well over time, we started to grow on each other."

"Do you argue at all."

"No."

"So what do you do?" Allie asked.

"What do you mean, what do we do?" Westlake questioned.

"Well if you don't disagree with each other," Allie replied.

Realizing her friend was up to something, Westlake asked. "Okay, what are you really asking Allie?"

"What do you mean, Cam?"

Tilting her head to one side, Westlake eyed her friend, then answered. "Allie, you're fishing for something."

"Oh, all right."

"Spill it."

"Well I have taken in everything you've said and not once have you said anything negative about Joe. So what do you really think of Joe Astor," Allie said.

"The truth?"

"The honest truth, Cam."

Leaning back, Westlake thought about her answer. Leaning forward, she answered. "He's very good looking."

"And?" Allie pried.

"I would, some day, want to be more then partners."

"I thought so."

"You thought so?"

"Ya."

"Explain yourself, Allie."

"How do I say this."

"Allie, you're my friend."

"You sound like you're in love."

Getting up from her chair, Westlake questioned her friend. "What? No way!"

"Woo, take it easy Cam."

"Allie, that isn't true."

"Then explain your answer."

"Which answer?"

"The one where you said that some day, you'd want to be more then partners."

Sitting back down, Westlake spoke. "Can we drop it?"

Seeing that her friend was a little upset, Allie agreed. "Sure. So what else is new. New car, new partner. Anything else?"

"No, not really," Westlake said. "But you know, you're lucky."

"I am. How?"

"You don't have to work with Catlett."

"Catlett?"

"Sherman Catlett. He's the FBI liaison."

"And what's he like?"

"Let's just say he's one of a kind," Westlake said as Allie laughed. "I'm sorry, Allie."

"That's okay, I must of hit a sensitive subject with you." Allie told Westlake.

"Guess you could say that," Westlake said as she looked at her watch. "Allie, I would love to stay and chat but I have to go."

"I do too, Cam. I have to get back to work."

"Same here."

"Call me anytime, Cam."

"I will. Miss you, Allie."

"Miss you too, Cam."

Sitting in front of the monitor for a few minutes, Westlake let the conversation sink in. She finally moved when she heard the elevator.

"Hey Westlake."

Getting up, she grabbed her purse and jacket. "Hey."

"Joe is waiting for you."

Walking towards the Viper, Westlake continued. "I lost track of time. I'm on my way."

"All right."

Opening the driver's door and throwing her purse in, Westlake spoke. "Frankie, do me a favor and feed Robbie."

"No way!" Frankie protested.

"Just do it," Westlake said as she climbed in, closed the door, started the car and drove off.



*****



"Hey."

"Hi. Sorry to keep you waiting," Westlake said as she handed the keys to Joe.

"That's fine. It was always one of my goals to get to know Sherman," Joe said as he took the keys.

Not knowing which way to take his answer, she let it slide. "You can go. I've got paperwork to do."

"You sure?"

"Ya. You should go to the complex. As I was leaving, I had asked Frankie to feed Robbie."

"That probably isn't going to happen," Joe said as he realized something. "How will you get home?"

"I'll either take a car or get a ride." Westlake answered.

"You sure?"

"Yup. Go before Frankie freaks out."

"All right. See you later."

Waving bye to Joe, Westlake quickly walked away. She didn't want to talk to him or anyone else. The conversation she had with Allie was starting to bug her. Walking into her office, she closed the door, dropped her purse and jacket on the couch. As she opened a file, she sat down, picked up a pen and got to work.



*****



Closing the driver's door, Joe spoke. "Hey Frankie."

Looking up from his salad, Frankie spoke. "What is this, musical drivers?"

"Funny. Did you feed Robbie?"

"No."

Walking pass Frankie, Joe wandered over to Robbie's cage. Dropping a hand full of crispy crackers into his cage, Joe spoke. "You know Frankie, he won't bite."

"I'm not touching him." Frankie said as the monitor came to life. Getting up, Frankie walked over to it. "Allie?"

"Frankie, long time no see."

"Ya. Mind if I ask you why you're calling." Frankie said as Joe wandered over.

"I just wanted to make sure if Cam was okay." Allie answered.

"Why won't she?" Joe asked.

"You must be Joe Astor," Allie said. "I'm Allie Farrow."

"Allie Farrow?" Joe questioned.

Realizing Joe didn't know her, Frankie quickly explained it. "Allie use to run the computers here in the complex."

"Oh. Okay. So why are you calling to see if Westlake is okay?" Joe asked.

"Well we were talking earlier and I kind of pried into something," Allie explained. "It was kind of a sensitive subject for her. Is Cam there?"

"No, she's at her office," Joe answered.

"Oh, all right. Do me a favor and tell her I called," Allie told Frankie and Joe.

"Sure no problem, Allie," Frankie replied.

Before hanging up, Allie turned her attention towards Joe. "Do yourself a favor Joe, go talk to her."



*****



Tossing paper balls into her trash can wasn't considered work by the average business person or better yet, an average cop. But by an average person, tossing paper balls into the trash can was considered a great way to take one's mind off things, such as good looking partners.

Opening her office door, Joe watched her toss paper balls at the trash can. "Is this what you call doing paperwork?"

Totally missing the trash can, Westlake looked up to see Joe. "What?"

"I see you're working hard," Joe teased.

"Just taking a break," Westlake said as she turned back to the real paperwork.

Picking up the paper balls that had missed the trash can, Joe dropped them in. "Frankie never fed Robbie."

"I knew he won't," Westlake mumbled as she signed a sheet of paper, then closed the file before her.

"You had a phone call at the complex," Joe continued as he moved to the window.

Opening the next file in front of her, Westlake asked. "Who was it?"

Peeking out the window first, Joe then turned towards her and answered. "Allie Farrow."

Looking up, Westlake questioned Joe. "Allie called?"

"Ya."

"Oh!" Westlake said as she returned to her file. "I'll call her tomorrow."

"Don't you want to know why she called?" Joe asked her.

"She probably forgot to tell me something," Westlake answered.

"Actually, no."

Looking up and away from her file again, Westlake spoke. "Then what did Allie want."

"She called to see if you were okay. She said something about prying into a sensitive subject with you."

Looking down, Westlake answered. "It was nothing but girl talk."

Moving away from the window, Joe moved to the front of her desk and squatted down. Placing his chin on the desk, he spoke. "I don't believe you."

"Joe."

"Westlake, before she hung up, she told me to do myself a favor and come talk to you," Joe told her. "Now for somebody who I don't know to tell me that, I'm sorry I don't believe it was just girl talk. What happened?"

Pushing her chair back, Westlake got up. "It was nothing, Joe."

Standing up, Joe watched her. "I still don't believe you. Come on Westlake, you can talk to me."

Walking to the couch, Westlake picked her purse and jacket up. "I'm going home."

Side stepping in front of her, Joe spoke. "No."

"Move Joe."

"Not until you talk to me."

Getting fed up, Westlake dropped her stuff back onto the couch. "Fine. You want to know."

"Yes," Joe answered as he watched her.

"The sensitive subject Allie was referring to was you."

"What?"

Shaking her head, Westlake turned away from him. "You heard me."

"Me?" Joe questioned.

"Yes you," Westlake repeated.



**********

To Be Continued: Was It A Simple Conversation?