A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing my other stories. I can't reply to guest reviews...but I've gotten more than few comments from people wanting new stories...and I am writing. I'm about to start a longer fic, but I'm not sure when the first chapter of that will go up. Until then, I'll have random oneshots, either standalone or in the Subtleties of Undercover Dating uverse.

"Mind if I join you?"

Jakes looked up from the bottle of whiskey in his hand and motioned for Paige to sit down. As much as he had been looking forward to a few moments of solitude before dinner, he wouldn't turn her away. His desperation to spend time with his son clouded his judgment and Paige was the one to pay the price. Paige insisted there was nothing to forgive, but that did nothing to assuage his guilt. He failed her. Paige had no business swallowing those balloons and impersonating a tinker bell, but that didn't change the fact that he wasn't there to back her up like he should've been. She came out relatively unscathed when compared to her girls, but she shouldn't have been in there in the first place. That was on him. For that reason alone, he'd never turn her away.

He just hoped she wasn't looking to burden him with a secret or two. Because it seemed that everyone expected him to keep their secrets. It was getting to the point where he wasn't sure what he was supposed to know. What he wasn't supposed to know. This house, that his roommates took such pride in being a safe haven and a place where no one kept secrets, was built on more lies than truths. The secrets and lies were stacking up like dominoes, threatening to fall and bring them all down if they did.

He and Briggs went way back. Briggs had always been there when he needed him and he was more than happy to return the favor. But at some point, the favors Briggs wanted in return far outweighed what he had ever asked of the man. He could've gotten three years as an accessory. Probably would've had his badge stripped. That would've ruined any chance he had at mending fences with Cassandra and being a part of Daniel's life. Not that it mattered now. It would be at least six months before he could file for visitation. Now that tape was surfacing again, but he couldn't let it drag him down with Briggs.

Jakes sighed and poured Paige a drink, "You look like you could use this as much as I do."

Paige swirled the liquid in her glass before taking a drink. "That obvious, huh?"

Her girls had been out for about a week. Paige was finally sleeping at home instead of surviving on naps and caffeine. But she hadn't given up on finding Lina. He wasn't sure if she was set on finding her or proving that she couldn't be found. He feared it was the latter, because if so then she would have some place new to direct her anger.

Mike.

The kid wasn't a rookie anymore. He had gotten in way over his head with this bus case. Things snowballed fast and the kid was desperate to link Sid and Solano. It had been a long time since Mike saw the world in just black and white, but he had been operating in shades of grey for weeks. The Mike Warren that waited three hours under a baggage sign never would've planned to rob a bank, planting counterfeit money to get his way into the bank. But that was last summer. This was a whole different Mike. One thing that hadn't changed was that he was still hung up on Paige. But whatever Mike had going on with Paige was destroyed the day he got her out of Sulla's. He had a feeling that whatever chance the pair had at reconciling was dependent upon Paige finding Lina.

Alive.

"It's been a rough few weeks for everyone," Jakes said, watching Paige carefully as he refilled her glass.

"Some more than others," Paige harshly said.

"You know you can talk to me." He might regret that later, not sure he could take another secret, but she was hurting. She was stressed. Her eyes were filled with sadness. Pain. Determination. She was going to do whatever it took to find Lina or prove that she was nowhere to be found. And if Mike had been keeping information about Lina from her, she would never forgive him. And there was a good chance that Mike wouldn't have just Briggs gunning for him, but Paige too.

Paige shook her head, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. "I just - I keep hitting dead ends."

"You'll find her."

"Jakes, hey can I talk to you for a second?" Johnny asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Is this about Carlos Solano?"

"No, it's about..." Johnny's voice trailed off for a few seconds and quickly glanced at Paige before bringing his gaze back to him. "About what we were talking about earlier."

Lucia.

Miss Cartel Mexico Princess. She wanted nothing to do with her family's business, but that did nothing to change the fact that she was a Solano. He warned Johnny repeatedly to stay away from her. Not to sleep with her. To cut his ties with her. But Johnny went and fell in love with her and Mike was going to strangle him if Johnny couldn't take the stand because his credibility was shot as a witness. Whatever link Mike was looking for, he hoped it wasn't dependent on Johnny's credibility as a witness.

"Unless someone's holding a gun to someone's head, it's not a good time."

"No, but - "

"Later, Johnny."

Paige held up the bottle of whiskey and Johnny shook his head. "No, I gotta go call someone about - something. Make sure that no one is holding a gun to their head, because apparently that's what it takes to get a little help around here." Johnny turned, sprinting out of the kitchen and upstairs.

"What's his problem?" Paige asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

He wished he didn't know. It was one of the many things he wished he didn't know. He wished he didn't know any of Briggs' secrets. Wished he knew Briggs wasn't gunning for Mike. He wasn't sure if he owed it to Mike to warn him or if he should just let things play out. Maybe he could talk some sense into Briggs. Mike was keeping his secrets to himself, which he greatly appreciated, but he doubted Mike had the tape. Playing games wasn't Mike's style. He would want Briggs in jail. His whole purpose last summer was to investigate Briggs and that tape proved everything Mike suspected about his former training officer. If this bus case blew up in his face, that tape would save his career. Mike gained nothing by blackmailing Briggs.

Nothing.

Charlie was pregnant and Briggs had a kid on the way. Briggs should be focusing on that instead of trying to cover his ass. Because if Briggs killed another federal agent, he was never going to see that kid. Because this time it wouldn't be an accident.

"Do you think the sauce will be ready soon?" Paige asked. "I feel like I haven't eaten in days. Charlie went upstairs, do you think we could sneak a sample?"

"Woman, do you value your life? We touch that sauce and Charlie's gonna cut off our hands." Jakes laughed, relieved to be talking about something that wasn't a secret.

"But, you're on guard duty, right? You won't tell, will you?"

Jakes shook his head. He may never be able to make it up to Paige for not being there, but looking the other way while she sampled the sauce was a bad idea. That was one secret he wasn't willing to keep. Charlie guarded that sauce with a knife for a reason. "You have to wait three days like the rest of us."

Charlie entered the kitchen, suspiciously eyeing the pair as she walked over to the stove. Giving the sauce a quick stir, she put a pot of water to boil. "Paul will be home soon. Dinner in twenty. Mikey! Get over here and start making drinks!" Charlie yelled into the living room.

"I have to change," Paige said, motioning to her white shirt. "Because wearing this is a bad idea on sauce night." Leaning across the table, she kissed his forehead. "Thanks." She hopped up from the table and peered over Charlie's shoulder as she walked by, begging for a taste. Paige laughed as Charlie pushed her away, making a stabbing motion with her spoon.

Jakes shook his head, laughing softly as he watched their playful interaction, giving him some hope that they could all get through this dinner unscathed. Maybe for one night, everyone could put their differences aside and they could eat dinner like a normal family. The family everyone claimed they were and he resisted for so long.

THE END