The Parker household is still quiet in the early morning, 15 minutes before either occupant has to be up although one of them has been awake for over an hour watching his partner sleep, slowly trying to categorize every inch his face.
Officer Michaelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti wakes up to find Sergeant Greg Parker watching him with a small smile on his face.
Spike: How long have you been awake?
Greg: Not long. I didn't want to wake you up, you looked so peaceful.
S: Well we better get going if we wanna be on time for the workout.
G: I don't have to do anything. Ed isn't my boss.
S: Come on, don't pull that line or I'll stay right here and tell Ed in 2 hours that the boss told me I could sleep in today.
G: Will that be before or after he asks, no tells you to run at least a million suicides?
S: Like it would make a difference.
G: Right, now up we go.
S: Not before I get my good morning kiss. It's against my constitutional rights to get out of bed without my morning kiss.
G: Is that so?
S: Absolutely. So either you can call Ed and tell him I'm not coming in or you have to kiss me.
G: But what about...
S: Only two options Mr Negotiator.
G: I guess for the sake of the team, I'll have to choose the latter.
S: For the sake of the team he says.
Spike smiled before allowing himself to be pulled into a kiss. This kiss unlike all their other morning kisses seemed different. It seemed like there was more longing, more force behind this one.
S: Greg.
G: It's nothing, don't worry.
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After their joint shower and breakfast, Spike finally had enough of Greg's longing stares.
S: Okay, what is going on? We can't go into work and risk our lives with our minds pre-occupied.
G: That's why this conversation needs to wait until after shift.
S: No, we're talking now. I won't be able to focus and that's something that you don't want your bomb tech to ever be. Please talk to me.
G: I want you to know that I have been exceptionally happy these last few months and to do this literally tears me apart. Spike we need to breakup.
S: Whoa, what?
G: Spike, the team is under a literal microscope. One wrong move and we're done. Toth is watching us like a hawk. If he so much as suspects that something is going on between us, he is going to use it to end the team. I have a responsibility to all 5 members of my team. I need to think of all your best interest.
S: So this is in my best interest is what you're saying?
G: In the long run, yes maybe.
S: I can't believe, after everything. It's just... nothing. I'll come get my things directly after shift today so by the time you get home from your reports I'll be long gone. I know where to leave the key.
G: Spike...
S: I know how long it usually takes for you to finish up, I'll be gone by then don't worry.
After that he turns and leaves the house, leaving Greg standing and staring ruefully after him.
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A few days later and the two men still keep working together as if nothing is off in their personal lives and no one notices anything different except for Team One's seasoned sniper.
Ed Lane corners his boss at the end of the teams debriefing, forcing him to stay behind after the rest of the team get up and leave.
G: What's going on Eddie?
Ed: I should be asking you that Greg. What has been going on between you and Spike lately?
G: Nothing. We've been working together without any issues, like always.
Ed: And if I didn't know you as well as I do and as long as I have, I'd believe that. Which actually, I'm a bit insulted that you'd think I wouldn't see through it.
G: I was actually hoping that you'd just let it go and not make a big deal of it.
Ed: But...
G: But I know you and I know that that is not possible.
Ed: Exactly, now talk to me.
G: Spike and I broke up. (He sighed sadly)
Ed: Why, what happened?
G: Eddie calm down.
Ed: What happened Greg?
G: We're on probation. I'm on probation and after the whole Sam and Jules thing; me sleeping with a subordinate would be terrible. It is something that could mean the end of this team as we know it.
Ed: But you're not sleeping with him Greg, we went ring shopping two weeks ago. That doesn't seem like you just getting your rocks off.
G: I need to think about the team, Ed.
Ed: Think about yourself for once, think about Spike.
He said as he stood up. Ed left the briefing room leaving Greg behind, sitting and starring at the wall in front of him.
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A few weeks later Greg found out that Sam and Jules were still together. He went over to Jules' house to tell her about the award that she was getting and he found Sam there. He went off on them about lying to him and breaking the rules, he might have even gone a little over board but he had his own relationship on his mind.
He was saved from going to a place he wouldn't be able to come back from when the team was re-upped early for a hot call.
After the call Greg realised that he couldn't stop them from being in a relationship because he could see that they still followed the teams' priority of life rules. He also saw the love they had for each other and he couldn't find it in himself to break them up forcefully.
Spike finds out about them about a week later. He was the first one in their training room that morning and just as he was finishing his stretches they walked in hand and hand.
S: You guys are still together. (He said instead of greeting them)
Sam Braddock: Good morning to you too Spike.
S: After everything with the boss and Toth?
Jules Callahan: ...The boss knows. He found out last week.
SB: He gave us his permission to go on, as long as we don't go against our rules of life and our relationship doesn't leak into our work.
S: Oh. Well good for you guys I guess. (He sighed, starting his workout)
J: Spike, what's wrong?
S: Nothing, don't worry about it. I'm really happy for you guys though. You deserve to be happy.
J: Thank you Spike.
SB: Yeah, thanks.
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The team went through their workout and then their shift without a hitch seeing as they only had one prisoner transfer in the morning and then the rest of their day was spent serving warrants.
Most of the team left immediately after they finished but Spike decided to take a shower first and when he came out, he saw that Greg was still sitting in the briefing room, so he decided to bite the bullet and go talk to him.
S: Gre... I'm mean boss.
G: Spike, couldn't resist taking a shower first could you? (He smiled)
S: Never could, you know I like washing it all away before going home.
G: I do. Did you uhm, did you need something?
S: Yes... Why did you really break up with me?
G: Spike, I told you. There's so much pressure on his from...
S: No. I don't believe you. Not one bit. You know, the one time I think: let me go for what makes me happy even if it seems impossible to reach, let me be happy this one time but it wasn't good enough for you. I understood it, until... Until I found out about Sam and Jules and that you know about them. Now I'm just confused. I'm hurt and... I don't know.
G: Spike, I loved every moment with you. Even the times you'd stay awake almost all night working on some new tech forcing me to stay awake too because sleeping without you was impossible at that point, I loved it all.
S: But it still wasn't good enough, I wasn't good enough.
G: No, you were... are perfect. You're absolutely perfect Michelangelo.
S: So you say. (He sighed, shaking his head and walking out)
Greg sunk back into his chair, with his head in his hands, taking one deep breath after the other in order to keep the tears that were threatening to fall at bay.
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A few days later Team One is called in to a hostage situation at a one of the biggest tech firms in Toronto. A former worker is holding many employees hostage. He was fired a few weeks ago because the company found out that he was selling company secrets for a profit even though he avidly claimed that he wasn't.
Spike was tasked with going through their servers and trying the figure out if there was any evidence that could help with their case. He started digging, uncovering a conspiracy to frame their subject, finding more proof of that the deeper he went.
Mr Mathers, the company's CEO was staring at him with obvious surprise written all over his face.
Ed: He's good isn't he? (He smirked)
Mr Mathers: Even with the codes and passwords I just gave you, you're not supposed to be able to go that far into our system. We have the top technicians making sure our servers are protected.
S: I'm better and faster but who's checking.
Mr Mathers: Wait, Scarlatti. As in Michaelangelo Scarlatti, we've been trying to get you at our company for the longest time, if you have some time...
S: I'm working right now. My boss wouldn't be very happy if he came in here and saw me chatting instead of doing my job.
Mr Mathers: Of course, but when you have time.
S: Give me your business card and then I can get back to work.
Spike took the business card and immediately went back to work. The group of workers that Spike discovered to have actually stolen the company's documents were apprehended for forgery and the subject came up with his hands in the air as soon as he was told the truth.
...
While they were busy packing up their gear Ed made his way over to Spike and motioned for him turn off his mic as he did the same.
S: What's up?
Ed: Good work today.
S: Thanks Ed, but I was just doing my job. (He smiled)
Ed: I got to ask, you unhappy with the job?
S: You can relax Ed, all these companies have been trying to get me on their payroll since I was in college but I chose to be a cop, to make a difference.
Ed: I just thought maybe with this thing between you and the boss that you might want out.
S: I love... I love the SRU Ed. I'm not going anywhere.
Ed: Okay, good to know.
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Ed and Greg were at a diner talking and having breakfast before going home after working the night shift the previous night.
G: Sam and Jules are still together.
Ed: They're still together?
G: Mm-hm.
Ed: How long have you known?
G: A few weeks.
Ed: Before or after?
G: After... Eddie, I think I made a mistake. (He sighed with tears in eyes)
Ed: You deserve to be happy Greg Parker and believe it or not, our Geek with combat skills makes you happy, unbelievably so.
G: I know.
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That weekend has Greg showing up at Spike's apartment after the team had a tough call where Spike was held at gun point by a subject even if it was only briefly before he was shot in the head by Ed.
S: Here to check up on me?
G: Yes. Actually no, that's not why I'm here at all. Can we talk, please?
S: ... Sure. Come on in.
...
G: I have a lot of apologizing to do but I know that all the apologies in the world will not make up for all the hurt I've put you through, but I truly am sorry. I thought ending it before we got any closer would be better for the both of us but that was an absolutely idiotic idea.
S: You bet.
G: I love you, I love you so much that it scares me that I'll mess it up like I did all those years ago with my wife. I got scared because I didn't think I'd be able to survive if one day I came home and found that you were no longer here. It would break me.
S: Well you do know that if I would up and leave that you'd just find me at work the next day. I'm never going to leave the SRU voluntarily.
G: I know. I'd leave if it ever came down to it.
S: Greg.
G: No, listen. I'm done being scared. These last few weeks have been the worst of my life and I've gone through a whole lot of bad things before but not having you there with me, I can't deal with that. I want you to know that what I want to tell you right now is not some impulsive decision I made. I made it weeks before all of this mess happened.
S: Don't tell me you're quitting, Greg.
G: No. (He shook his head, getting down on one knee)
S: Greg?
G: Michaelangelo Scarlatti, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. The love I have for you is endless and I cannot imagine living another day without you in my life. I'm tired of refusing myself happiness because of one mistake I made years ago. Spike, will you please continue making me as happy as you have been? Will you marry me?
Spike just stood starring at him with tears running down his cheeks.
G: If you don't then I might be SRU's next hot call. (He joked)
S: Of course I'll marry you, don't ever doubt that. I love you so much Greg. Yes. I will, yes.
Greg put the ring on Spike's finger before using him to pull himself up and then pulling the man in for a much needed kiss.
G: I love you.
S: I love you too.
THE END!