The day had started just like any other.  Dennis stood at his desk, answering the phone, running errands, sipping his juice box and being, well…  Finchy.  Nina was in her office, sipping a martini. Elliot was taking pictures, and Maya was in her office, brainstorming ideas for her next article.

"Hey, Finch!  You ordered pizza, right?"  Nina asked, coming out of her office, martini in hand.

"Yes, but if you want me to play 'pizza-boy' in one of your fantasies, forget it.  Someone as sensitive as I can tolerate a spanking, but a hot pizza in the lap, well…  That's just painful!"  Finch said, shuddering.

Maybe Dennis isn't as boring as I'd thought.  Better remember that.  Nina thought, smiling sexily at Finch.  Finch cocked his eyebrow and looked at her.

"Forget I said that.  What do you want?"

"Well, could you stop and get something on your way?"

"That depends, where and what are we talking about?"

"It's at this little art shop about 5 blocks from here.  It's called 'Son Rêve Secret'.  We're talking about a very rare painting.  It's about a certain sexual practice that was very taboo in the…"

"Fine.  How much?"

"$4950."

"Give me $5,000 and we'll call it even."  Finch said, knowing he'd cornered Nina.

"But…  50 dollars for something I could go get myself?"  She protested.

"Well, then I suggest you do so."  He replied, smiling at her, and ducking to a drawer to retrieve a legal pad.  He sprang back up, still smiling.  "Oh, what do you think of the headline:  Nina Van Horn Spotted Carrying Some Real Freaky Shi---- OWWW!"  Finch yelled after Nina smacked him across the face.

"Alright, listen to me you little shitbird!"  Nina said, reaching over her desk and grabbing Finch's soft deep blue sweater.  She jerked him forward so that his blue eyes were looking directly into her brown ones- so that his nose was mashed up against hers.  "You're going to get this painting for me, and you are going to set it in my office, and you are not going to say one word to anyone.  Do you understand?"  She hissed at him. Finch squirmed in her grasp.

"Nina, please!"

"Do you understand?"  She hissed one again, handing him 5,000 in cash.

"Yes!  Can I at least keep the 50 bucks?"

"Fine.  Just make sure to have it here by 5.  Good Day, Finch."  She told him, turning on her heel and heading to the break area.

Finch grunted and smoothed his sweater.  He rubbed the sleeve of the garment against his cheek, relishing the feel of the softness against his skin.  He closed his eyes and flashed back to when he was a toddler, and his mother would hold him still against her.  He remembered pressing his cheek into her shoulder, nuzzling her to feel the softness of her shirt against his cheek.  He shook his head to get out of the daze.

It had been 28 years.  28 years since his mother passed away.  28 years and not a day went by that something didn't remind him of his mother.  He'd been strolling along and he noticed the sweater in Macy's window.  He didn't have a lot of money, by any means, he had a regular job, but he had to buy it.  The second he'd felt the sweater he pulled out a near-maxed credit card and took the sweater home with him.

"Dennis!  Get your ass in gear!"  Nina spat from the break area.

He jumped to action and headed to the elevator.  He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his belly.