Roni was laying on her side when she felt his warm hand on her hip, he was still there even though his night shift started in about twenty minutes. Rogers leaned over to reach her ear, he grabbed it with his teeth and sucked until he heard a soft moan coming from her mouth.

"If you wanted to wake me, that was the best way to do it." she said, turning to face him.

"Good, you're awake." he said, sucking on a spot on her neck.

"Shouldn't you go to work?" she asked, closing her eyes.

"Yes, but you're too beautiful to leave you here."

"You have to try or you supervisor will kick your nice ass at work."

"You think I have a nice ass hm?" he lifted his eyebrow.

"I have to say, that there are some parts of you I find… nice."

"Will you tell me?"

"Yes." she lifted herself to kiss his lips. "when you get back from work." she said, standing up from the bed.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes. I thought I'd open the bar for two extra hours. I won't be so lonely without you." she winked at him.

Rogers took a step towards her and grabbed her into his tight embrace, he had to admit that spending days… and nights with Roni was the best thing of his life. Sex was so amazing that he didn't want to leave her, but his night shifts brought him back into the world a bit.

"Be careful okay?" he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"You're the one who is hunting bad guys, detective." she smiled. "besides there will be only some drunk guys and I have my baseball bat with me."

"I would give everything to see you in action, but I really have to go." he kissed her lips once again.

"I'll be waiting." she smiled.

Roni was about to close the bar, she hadn't earned much, but at least she hadn't waited for Rogers like some longing wife. The time they spent together was amazing for her, she didn't believe she could be happy again, but every time she was with him, the smile couldn't come off from her face. Roni was cleaning the last glasses, when she heard the loud noise of the door ring.

"Sorry, we're closed for today." she shouted.

She saw a tall man, his face was covered with a wool scarf and he carried something in his big hands, her hand searched for the baseball bat under the counter, but before she could reach it, a massive pain pierced her right arm. She could swear she saw a light and later she felt another source of pain in her ribs, the guy had kicked her so hard she couldn't breathe. He threw some glasses at her and after a moment a glass rain hurt her cheek and head. Roni was determinate to protect her business, but after a few minutes of overwhelming pain, she passed out, the last thing she saw was a guy running away with all the money she earned that day.

Rogers was already late, but saying goodbye to Roni wasn't that easy at it seemed. He ran to his desk just before his mates came in for coffee. He looked at his desk, full of papers and other stuff he couldn't even recognize. Rogers decided to make something useful at work, where nothing bad had happened since two weeks before. He was bored and that boredom made him crazy. After a hour and half of cleaning his desk from papers, files and stuff he didn't know where to put, he made a small break for coffee. He was just about to leave when he heard Jack calling his name.

"Rogers!" he yelled, "you're going with me."

"Sure. What happened?"

"Someone was so stupid and stole money from Roni's bar."

"Is the guy alive? I heard she has a baseball bat under the counter."

"We'll go and see." Jack smiled.

Roni's eyes opened slowly, she felt a burning pain in her ribs, her vision was blurry and for a second she didn't know where she was. She felt some glass pieces on her head, when she lifted her hand to check it, she felt a hot liquid on her fingers. Roni sat down with a massive pain in her whole body, she tried to reach the phone, but it was too painful. She breathed in and out for a moment and after that she tried again, when the phone fell on the floor she picked the right number. She threw the phone away and rested her back on the cupboard, she closed her eyes, trying to stay awake for when police would arrive, but after a few breaths, she felt her head spinning, she could barely open her eyes. Roni sat there when she saw some blue-red lights and heard some loud voices.

Roni was sitting on the bar chair, one of the paramedics was removing a glass from her cheek when she saw him, he looked just like she remembered. She lifted her sight to look into his eyes, she saw something in his gaze, but she couldn't tell what it was.

"Roni." he approached her with his co-worker, "are you okay?" he lifted his hand, but after a moment changed his mind.

"Yes, it's just some bruises."

"No, it's not." the paramedic said, looking at her, "you have some broken ribs and a concussion and I would love to see you in the hospital if there is no one who will look after you tonight."

"I'll be fine."

"You have to stay awake for at least five hours from now. If you go to sleep, you probably won't wake up."

"I'll stay with her." Rogers said, looking at Jack, "right Jack? We have to take care of our favorite bartender."

"Of course. I'll tell the captain." he nodded, "Roni when you feel better I'll write down your deposition. Don't worry. We'll find that guy."

"Thank you." she said, looking at Jack.

After a small talk with Jack, Roni looked at Rogers again, she didn't know what to say, he almost told everyone that they were together. She tried to stand up when her head spun again, but this time she felt his warm touch around her waist. He grabbed her tight and checked if she was okay.

"We're going to my place." he whispered.

"No, we're not" she whispered back, "how we explain that you brought me to your house huh?"

"I don't care." he muttered, "as long as I know you're safe."

"I'll be. You could just stay here and…"

"With all those guys?" he pointed on his mates doing police work. "first we're going to the hospital." he pulled her gently.

"I don't need.."

"It wasn't a question," he said with the concern look.

"Will you at least let me take some things from upstairs?"

"Yes, but I'll help you go there."

"Fine." she said, pushing him away.

"Stubborn baby." he whispered.

"I heard that!"

"I know." he smiled.

Rogers opened the door with his free hand, in the other one he carried the shopping they made on the way back from the hospital. Roni was fine, except some bruises and painful ribs, but just in case they told them to not let her sleep for a while. When he managed to open the door, he let her in first and later closed it behind them. Roni still had a problem with moving, but she was tough and didn't want to admit that she was in so much pain.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, putting the groceries on the kitchen island.

"Not really." she answered, "but if I can't sleep… maybe we can finish what you started earlier" she said, taking a few steps toward him.

"It would be amazing, but I don't want to crush you with my weight, I don't want to hurt you." he kissed her forehead.

"You're right." she said, looking at him.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" he asked again, "I can make lasagna."

"You should start from that! I love lasagna."

"Okay, go and take a shower and I will cook dinner."

"Amazing plan detective." she brushed his lips with hers "I'll be right back."

"If you don't come back in thirty minutes… I'll come there for you." he yelled.

"You wish!" she answered, closing the bathroom door.

After the most amazing lasagna Roni had ever eaten, they laid on the bed together. She was tired, bruised and all she wished for was a bit of sleep after the dinner, but Rogers knew that she had to wait for bit longer. He had been worried about her since he saw her face covered with blood in her bar. He was afraid of losing her, even though they never called each other a "couple". After a moment he turned on the TV, put his hand on her hip, pulling her closer to his body, when he felt how she shivered. Rogers stood up, took a blanket and after a moment Roni's body was covered with fluffy fabric. She pulled herself closer to him until she felt his strong, warm body behind her back. She smiled to herself, trying to not close her eyes.

"It's our first time." she whispered.

"Our first time?" he asked confused.

"The first time we lay in the same bed and don't have sex."

"Roni."

"Yes?"

"I...love ...our first time." he said, hugging her tighter.

"I love it too." she said, turning to him. "are we… a couple now?" she asked, looking into his ocean blue eyes.

Rogers looked at her bruised face, he caressed it with his thumb and after a moment he kissed her passionately, like it was their first kiss ever. Roni looked at him, trying to read what he had in mind.

"I almost died Roni." he whispered, "I almost died seeing you there, covered in blood and bruises and… I couldn't touch you, couldn't help you because no one knows about us. It's not just sex for me. I care about you, I never wanted to spend my days with anyone, but you showed up in my life and I want to touch you, kiss you, hug you in front of all those people and if I'll find that guy who hurt you…." his jaw clenched, "I'll kill him."

Roni turned to Rogers fully, he looked at him again, she never thought he would say that, she never thought she would lay with him in one bed, feeling saved and… loved. She pulled his face to hers, after their lips connected, she brushed them gently, but after a moment he opened them a bit so his tongue could get into her mouth. Their tongues danced together until both of them needed some air. He hugged her tight, pulling her near his warm body, she rested her head on her favorite spot, between his arm and neck and put a small kiss on the place. She smiled to herself looking at his resting face and after a moment they both fell asleep.