December 1st, 2002

Kim sat at the table looking over the latest note Joey's teacher had sent home. Joey was having a lot of difficulty dealing with the new math they were learning. Math was always Kim's weak point too. She wouldn't let Joey slip though. Carlos sat next to her, glancing at the letter.

"Joey having trouble at school?" He asked. Kim nodded as she folded up the letter.

"Yeah. Division and Fractions." She smiled, "You good at math?"

"Very good. I can divide fractions with my eyes closed." Carlos said. Kim chuckled.

"It's probably easier that way." She said. Carlos shrugged.

"Math isn't as bad as everyone thinks it is. You can make it fun." He said. Kim shook her head. "Yes you can. When I do math, I just make everything into money. It's stupid but just by putting a dollar sign in front of everything helps me. Everyone knows how to divide and subtract money because it's important." Kim raised an eyebrow.

"Just by putting a dollar sign in front of it? That really works?" She asked him.

"Try it. Give him money and have him divide it and he can keep the change or something." Carlos said. Kim smiled at Carlos; "It won't hurt to try will it?"

"I guess not." She said. Carlos nodded as he stood up.

"Well, I'm out of here. I'll see you tomorrow." He waved goodbye as he headed down the stairs. Kim bit her lip, stuffing the letter into her pocket. Carlos could be nice sometimes. He just had to put his mind to it. Kim got up and ran down the stairs.

"Carlos, wait." Kim ran out of the station, almost slipping on the ice. He stopped and turned around.

"What?" He looked at her.

"Do you want to go get a drink or something?" She asked him. A smile came across Carlos' face.

"I don't drink." He said. Kim chuckled.

"Me either." She said. "There's Pepsi at Hagerty's though."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Carlos asked her. Kim laughed.

"Don't get an ego now. I'm not asking you out." Kim smiled. "I'm asking you to have a drink for me." Carlos looked Kim up and down with a smug smile, "Never mind."

"No no." Carlos chuckled, "Let's go then." Kim smiled softly She shuffled down the sidewalk with Carlos, in silence. She could feel jimmy's eyes burning into her back from the station. It's not like she was going off to sleep with Carlos. It was just a drink...A drink of Pepsi. She wasn't a slut. She could hear her and Bobby's conversation about her slut status running through her head. Kim smiled to herself. "Something funny?"

"No." Kim smiled as Carlos opened the door for her, "Thank you." She walked in and took her jacket off, "It's dead in here."

"Good." Carlos led Kim over to the bar. He waved the bartender over and ordered Himself and Kim some Pepsi. He looked at her as they waited, "Why did you want to have a drink with me?" Kim smiled as she looked at him.

"Because of that suggestion you gave me. You didn't need to do that." She said.

"Sure I did. Math is fun. I like making people realize that." He said. Kim chuckled.

"I never pegged you as the math type." She said.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Carlos smiled. Kim shook her head and took her soda.

"There's a lot you don't know about me either." She flashed him a smile. Carlos chuckled as he put a cherry into his Pepsi. Kim couldn't help but to laugh.

"Hey. I like cherries." He said. Kim shrugged.

"So do like five year olds with pigtails." She smiled. Carlos narrowed his eyes. Kim patted his arm, "And very strong paramedics."

"That's better." He smiled. "You want to dance?" Kim shook her head.

"I don't dance.' She said.

"Me either." Carlos chuckled. Kim turned and looked at him.

"So what do you do, Carlos?" She asked him.

"You mean besides work? Nothing much." Carlos chuckled.

"What? No social life?" Kim asked. Carlos shook his head.

"Not the kind of social life I would like." He said. Kim nodded. She always thought Carlos had a social life. She thought he had dozens of women every week, possibly every day. "I've been Christmas shopping lately. Trying to get it all done."

"Christmas shopping? For whom?" She asked.

"Kylie and you guys." Carlos said. "I'm allowed to give Kylie a Christmas present."

"That's great." Kim smiled watching the new emotion wash over Carlos' eyes, "What did you get her?"

"Chicken Dance Elmo. It's supposed to be this big thing this Christmas and I was able to get my hands on it. I hope she will like it." Carlos said running his thumb over the rim of his glass.

"OH she will. That thing is impossible to find this year." Kim smiled. Carlos grinned as he nodded.

"I know. I paid a pretty penny for it, but Kylie is worth it. It's almost her birthday too so I think this will cover both occasions." He said. Kim chuckled.

"Yeah. It probably will." She said watching Carlos. His face changed when he was talking about Kylie. "She turning two?"

"Yeah…" He said sipping the soda. Carlos shifted in his chair. He was getting slightly uncomfortable with this conversation. He rarely talked about Kylie, even though he loved her deeply. Kim reached over and touched his hand. He looked at her.

"You made the right decision when you gave her away." Kim said. Carlos narrowed his eyes.

"Then how comes it hurts so much?" He asked.

"Some of the best things we do, hurts us the most." Kim said. Carlos shook his head.

"That's a bunch of Bull. Because I gave her away, I missed her first steps, her first words, everything." Carlos growled, "That's something I'll never get back." He took a last sip of his soda and got up off the barstool. "Thanks for the fun time." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and headed for the door. Kim bit her lip. He had a heart after all.

"Carlos…Please don't go." Kim turned and looked at the door. Carlos stopped but didn't look at her.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I don't want you do go." She said softly. Carlos finally turned and looked at Kim. "I was having a nice time with you." Carlos laughed.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I'm sure." Kim chuckled as she stood up. She walked slowly over to him, "Please stay." Carlos sighed slightly.

"I have work in the morning, Kim. I think you do as well." Carlos looked at her.

"It's early yet." Kim said taking his hand, "Let's play a game of darts." Carlos looked down at her again. Her eyes danced with happiness. He couldn't help but to smile at her.

"You can play?" He asked. Kim chuckled.

"Not really, but maybe you can teach me." She smirked. Carlos led her over to the dart board and nodded.
"Yeah, Maybe a thing or two." Carlos grinned as he let go of her hand. She was a hot little number when she was out of her uniform. Maybe he could play up this maybe friendship and get her in bed. Carlos chuckled to himself as she grabbed the darts. Maybe he couldn't do that. He had already reveled too much of how he felt about Kylie. If he told her much more, he would be wide open and vulnerable to her. He couldn't let that happen now could he?