The prompt - "I've seen a lot, but I've got to admit, that freaks me out." Challenge #1 on the USA Board. Logan discovers a secret about Captain Ross. No plot - just some fun.

I don't own any of these characters, that honor belongs to others. I have no rights regarding these characters, I intend no harm, I collect no profit.

That Freaks Me Out

He really should learn how to knock.

That's all Mike Logan could think and mutter to himself as he left Ross' office. Ten minutes later, as he reached the elevator, he ran into his partner – Megan Wheeler - and he was still muttering about how he needs to learn how to knock. Wheeler looked up at her partner as she asked, "What are you muttering about?"

Logan shook his head as he followed her into the elevator, and after he pushed the button, he looked Wheeler in the eye, "Oh I'm just saying I need to remember to knock before I go into people's offices, especially when that person's office happens to belong to your rabbi."

Wheeler gave him a puzzled but amused look, "Why? Did something happen I should know about?"

"Did you know that Ross..." Mike started as the elevator door slid close.

XXXXXXXXXX

Logan added the last period that would polish off the final sentence of the report he'd been writing for hours. There were days he hated his job and this was one because when he returned from that disaster they dared to call an easy case, he'd had to spend hours writing up the report about everything that went wrong.

He rubbed his eyes, took one last look over what he'd written, and hit the print button the keyboard.

Gathering the loose sheets up, he made sure they were in order before he placed them inside a manila report cover. He shut down his computer and grabbed his stuff because once he delivered this report he was going home to get some much-needed rest.

But first he had to drop this report off in Ross' office. As he walked to the captain's office, he opened the folder again to take one last look for any typo. His head was still buried in the folder when he rounded the corner of Ross' doorway, "Here's my report on the Fellowes mistak-" His voice trailed off when his eyes fell onto Ross.

The Captain sat behind his desk, looking down at something not on his desk but rather in his lap. As Logan drew closer, he saw what it was and his mouth fell open in shock. In Ross' hands, he saw an embroidery hoop being firmly grasped in Ross' right hand while the left was pulling a needle threaded with brightly colored thread through the tightly woven cloth stretched smooth within the hoop. "Yes, Logan?"

Logan had been so busy watching Ross' hands that he didn't notice that the man was now looking up at him. Clearing his throat, he laid the folder on the desk, "Um, my report on the Fellowes case."

Ross nodded, laying the hoop aside before he picked up the folder, "Is that all or can I help you with something else?"

"Uh, I'm going home now to get some sleep so I can be ready for … for tomorrow." Logan said.

Ross nodded, "I think that's a good idea." He looked down and began reading the report it took Logan hours to write.

"Um right," Logan muttered, and turned to hurry out of there.

XXXXXXXXXX

Wheeler laughed at her partner and shrugged, "So, Captain Ross likes to do needlepoint? What's so strange about that? I'm sure it's calming to him. I hear it's supposed to be."

Mike rolled his eyes, "I've seen a lot, but I've got to admit, that freaks me out. What's so strange about it is, how exactly someone like Danny Ross finds time to learn needlepoint? I mean it doesn't exactly go along with his image or reputation has as a hard nosed, cold hearted sonofa-"

"Ah … don't finish that, Mike," Wheeler warned him sternly.

"Yeah, whatever. Still, Wheeler, the sight of Ross doing needlepoint is something I could have gone for the rest of my life without seeing. The only way this could have traumatized me more was if Goren was in there knitting or something."

Wheeler couldn't help but giggle at that mental image. "Just promise me you'll keep what you saw to yourself."

"Ah, Wheeler, you know I've got to tell Goren about what I saw. He needs to have nightmares from this too."

"No, I mean it Mike. No one."

"Don't worry, I won't," Mike replied, and muttered, "I'm not sure he'd believe me anyway."

"Just promise me?"

"All right, I promise I won't tell Goren."

"Thank you," Wheeler said, as she unlocked her car door. Getting into the car she looked up at him, "Goodnight, Mike. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow Wheeler."

Mike watched her drive off before getting into his car. Shaking the image of Ross sitting in his office needlepointing the night away, he walked to his car, got in and drove out of the parking garage.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inserting his key into the lock, he heard the lock click, pushed open the door, and walked into his apartment. Once he was inside, he headed straight for the bedroom where he collapsed onto his bed, just stopping long enough to pull off a few articles of clothing. He quickly fell asleep, having nightmarish dreams all night where he dodged gigantic needles being shot-putted at him by Ross.

Seeing one of the needle javelins coming straight for his heart, he awoke with a shudder. He vowed, promise on not, come morning he was definitely sharing this with Goren. He wasn't going to suffer through this discovery - alone.

END...