Hey guys!

This is my first, second fanfic actually (for those of you who read Troubled Past I'm so sorry I had to take it down, but I read mystery I can't write mystery!) I am really really sorry so this is a really really fluffy Maltara story haha you've been warned!

Anyway, I hope you guys like it, and I understand if you don't not everybody likes fluff /: But if you DO read it, please review it'll mean the world to me! And if you have time, do go and read mozzi-girl's Time, Love and Illness it's awesome seriously :D

Okay I shall stop rambling ENJOY! I will try and update as soon as I can!

P.S. I know my paragraphs are really long, and it's really hard to read, and I'm really sorry! If it helps, read it in the 1/2 style (the setting is on the upper right-hand corner) it's easier! Sorry!
P.P.S I really really hate spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typography errors. So please PLEASE let me know if you find any! :D
P.P.S. I do not own Cause of Death or any of the characters. However, the story line is my work, so please no ripping! (:

I have edited the paragraphing because I realised it was too close and makes MY eyes crossed sorry to all my previous readers! x(

FBI SPECIAL AGENT NATARA WILLIAMS had to stop fantasizing over Mal. Seriously. All that thinking about his hair, his body, his height, his kindness, his wit, his charm and his eyes was getting her nowhere. All she had was this huge pent-up sexual frustration which she could do nothing about. Mal was her colleague and her partner. They had cracked countless cases in the three years they had been together and brought countless criminals to justice. They complemented each other in any and every way possible, all the way down to their sarcasm.

Natara knew that. And she knew that getting involved with Mal would only ruin everything for them. So there was only one thing she could do: Scold her hormones for screwing her rationalism. And she had to put the lid on it before she did something she would regret.

It was October in San Francisco, the fall season. It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly, but Natara could also see brown leaves blustering wildly around outside the window of where she was seated in the precinct. Natara was in the midst of doing a report to be sent to her superior Chief Blaire.

She and Mal had just successfully infiltrated and stopped the plans of a drug smuggling ring two days ago and she could not wait to finish this report and take a month-long rest or something like that. She had been working on the report since this morning and she had a fitful sleep last night because she was still on edge, especially from that crazy shootout last morning, so basically she was dehydrated, starving, and her eyelids were so heavy they were like hundred pound weights.

Natara stared at the words swimming in front of her and reached for her mug, only to find it drained of coffee. Damn. That had been like her seventh cup and the caffeine was definitely not helping. Giving a hefty sigh, she stood up and walked into the pantry.

Coming out of the pantry sipping her coffee and giving another sigh, she started back to her table, when she spotted Mal walking through the doors of the precinct. Hello. Every muscle and nerve in her was on instant alert the moment they recognized Mal. Instantaneous reaction. Kaboom. Natara could literally feel the fatigue draining away from her and she mentally berated herself for acting like some sex-starved nympho. Then again, she was a sex-starved nympho. Don't go there, Natara Williams, don't go there or I'll shoot you.

Another sigh, and she plopped down on her chair. Clicking on the window to open it, she was suddenly aware of the presence of someone behind her. Mal. She could tell from the way he loomed over her, and from the light scent of his cologne. Knowing that she has sighed countless times since the morning, she inwardly sighed, flinched for sighing, and then turned in her chair. And promptly regretted it.

Mal was leaning against the wall behind her, his legs crossed at the ankles, and while she could see in his eyes that he was studying her intently, a big fat smile, showing his perfect white teeth, was pasted on his face. He looked like the proverbial cat that ate the cream. Natara just stopped short of sighing again and said, "What's up, Mal?" Mal leaned forward, until he was looking at her straight in the eye and Natara's heart just clenched tighter with every inch he came closer to her.

When Mal came so close, his nose almost bumping hers, Natara placed her hands on his shoulders and shoved. He hardly budged, but he got the message. "What is it?" Natara did not bother to hide the frustration in her voice, because she was. She was tired and she probably looked like she just came out of the asylum and she did not need a double shot of hormonal rush from Mal right now. "Nothing, you have been sighing since I walked into the precinct, is something bothering you?" Yes, you are.

Natara stood up, running her hands through her hair and then inwardly cursing when she got her hands tangled. She was so tired last night that she had not bother conditioning them after her shower, and now they were as dry as grass. Wild grass. Pulling her hands out and trying her best to ignore the fact that she looked like crap, she said, "Just tired. I'm trying to finish this report as soon as possible; I really need to sleep for a good solid 36 hours." She pounded her right fist and laid her head on the table, then sat back up. "But I really need to finish this report first, or else Blaire is going to give me hell again." She frowned and shook her head. "This sucks big-time." And something prompted her to stick out her bottom lip into a pout.

SFPD DETECTIVE MAL FALLON could not believe himself. He was getting turned on just from seeing her pout. He looked at her lip, the pink flesh screaming for him to suck it. But sleeping with his partner was wrong. Hell, having any sort of relationship which has nothing to do with work with his partner was wrong. But in the three years they had been together, he had seen a side of Natara which not many got to see. When Natara was not putting on her professional façade, she was smart, sweet, witty, and funny. She was the only one who can appreciate his dry humor and gave it right back. With her, he felt comfortable, and he could not and would not fathom any other sort of relationship with her that was not friendship. Because he knew that if they became more than just friends, he could not imagine how they would get along. Yet these few days, he could not stop trying to think how it would be like to kiss Natara. To hug her. To see if the soft curves of her body would fit his. Not that he had been noticing.

With sheer willpower, he directed his thoughts back to what she was saying. "Yeah I'm sure Blaire wouldn't appreciate you handing in a late report." Natara's eyes narrowed, and she threw a crumpled-up piece of paper that hit him straight in the chest. Mal laughed, picked it up and tossed it into the wastepaper basket. "You're not helping Mal. Not helping." Natara turned back to her desk. "Fine. Is there anything I can do?" "My entire body is aching so if you would give me a massage right now I will love you for the rest of my life." Natara groaned and banged her forehead against the edge of the table. And then she held up a finger and said, "Figuratively speaking."

Mal took a step towards and cautiously placed his hands on her shoulders. Fingers digging in, he slowly worked the knots that had her all tensed up. After a good ten minutes, Mal leaned in to look at Natara, only to discover that her eyes were closed, a world-weary expression on her face. Mal's heart clutched at what he saw on Natara's face. She was so beautiful, so perfect, it pained him to see that she had to face the ugly sides of humanity and yet emerge from it strong. On some days, he had to admit that Natara was stronger than he was. She would probably kill him for suggesting that her feminism made a difference in their line of work, but no matter how much she denied it, it was true.

Natara was a woman, and Mal knew enough that she needed a man to hold her, love her, and protect her for all of eternity. And just that thought of it made his heart squeeze painfully again in his chest. Because Mal wanted the best for her, but he could not be the one for her. They were colleagues and the best partners ever, but he could not fall in love with Natara. That would be wrong as wrong can be. Being what he was, a detective, he could not guarantee if he would be there for her forever. He could be here one day, and gone the next. And he would never forgive himself if he broke Natara's heart.

Yup, that's it for now please review! :D THANK YOU FOR READING even though it's so fluffy and all I hope you liked it! I will update soon, promise!

xoxo,
KokoKookieKreme