I do not own SOSF or any of the characters depicted here. Writing is for enjoyment and skill development only. Thank you to all for continued readership and support. This is in response to a writer's challenge: 1) you must write a story with the phrase, 'all I want to do' and 2) well, if I say, that gives part chapter 2 away.

Surveillance

Chapter 1

Inspector Dan Robbins sighed as he looked over the steering wheel and down hilly De Haro Street. Surveillance was never a fun aspect of his job. In fact, most times it was tedious, and this was no exception.

"Not the way I planned to spend my dinner break, Mike," he commented quietly.

"I know, I know. I owe you one, Daniel." Lt. Stone said impatiently as he raised his binoculars.

"And when is it that you use binoculars?" the younger detective inquired. "Those aren't standard issue."

"What are you saying? These are the ones you got me for Christmas. Don't you remember?"

"Of course, I remember! I got them for you with the intent of taking you hiking and bird watching in Muir Woods. I never expected you to use them for surveillance. Especially, this kind of surveillance. This is your own street, Mike." Dan said as he pointed to the De Haro sign.

"I said 'I owe you', Dan." Mike conceded.

"Dinner and a ballgame. After all, I was supposed to go to the ballgame with you and Steve tonight. Now we've pulled double duty and this is our one hour off between shifts. And speaking of hour off, why aren't we eating dinner? I'm starved. Honestly, Mike, I don't understand why we are here."

As Dan remained confused by Mike's actions, all came into focus as a familiar dark green Porsche 911 Targa came into view and pulled in front of Mike's house a block and a half away.

"Mike…" Dan began cautiously as he recognized the car. "What is this?"

"Steve was going to meet you and me at my house at 5pm, remember?"

"Yes, Mike," Dan replied rather tersely. "I do recall that your house was the meeting place tonight."

Mike flashed a grin over at his partner. "Before we left the station, I called Jeannie to tell her that you and I couldn't make it to the ballgame. We had some surveillance to do, huh?" He winked at his partner and continued. "She will relay that information to Steve."

"Relay? Mike, I'm still confused. What is this about?"

Mike ignored Dan's question. "Look at Buddy boy there. Doesn't look very collegiate in Giants gear, does he? You know it took me years to get him to wear something besides "A's" colors to a baseball ballgame. That green and yellow – ghastly is what it is. That black sweatshirt he's wearing? I bought it for him."

Dan nodded his head as he confirmed that Steve was indeed wearing a black Giants sweatshirt with a pair of jeans. "Won't he be disappointed to know that the game is off?" Dan asked innocently.

"The game isn't off. He can take whomever he wishes. Jeannie will tell him that the tickets are waiting for him in an envelope at the front desk at the station. She'll convey my apologies but tell him that he'd better hurry if he wants to make the first inning."

"But do you think he'll want to go alone? I wouldn't."

"And neither will he. Let's just watch what happens." Mike sat back and once again raised the binoculars.

Dan was quiet for several moments until he realized just what his partner was doing. "Wait a minute. You're setting them up?"

"Every time Steve comes over, it's always to do something with me. Either we go bowling or go to a ballgame or do something that guys do. But all the while he's at the house, those two are making lovey dovey eyes at each other. It drives me crazy. They don't think I notice, but I do. When I try to catch them in their lovesick stare, they look away or change the subject. They haven't gone out alone, so I thought the old man here could help a bit."

"So let me get this straight. You felt like Steve needed your help to get a date? And you are okay with Mr. Romeo dating your daughter? Mike, he's had a line of women long enough to cross the Golden Gate." Dan was doubtful that Mike had thought the entire idea through.

"I am okay with it. I know Steve had a reputation as a ladies man, but he's stopped the carousing. Since the shooting, he's changed." Mike turned serious for a moment as he remembered the time when Steve nearly died. "He sees life differently. She knows it too."

Dan gave a slight reflective smile knowing that all ended as well as it could after the horrible events around the Tannenger trial. "And you think the both like each other…" Dan asked.

"Sure, they do…"

"And they aren't capable of figuring this out for themselves…" Dan further probed.

"They've known each other a long time. They're too comfortable with each other and don't know how to break the ice. They just need a little nudge," Mike declared.

About a minute later, Steve exited the Stone residence escorting Mike's daughter, Jeannie, down the many front steps. She was dressed in an orange top and black pants, perfect for a Giants game. Steve raced around to the other side of his Porsche to open the door for her and then gently assisted her into the passenger seat.

"See?" Mike asked.

"See what?" Dan responded.

"Their first date," Mike announced as he smiled broadly.

"Great. And what do I get out of it? All I want to do is see a ballgame." Uncharacteristic of Dan, there was a slight whine in his voice. It was clear that Mike had tested his patience.

"How about this?" Mike asked as he pulled another envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to his partner.

Dan opened the envelope and found a pair of opening night tickets for the 49'ers football game. His eyes popped as he saw how close they were to the field. "Mike, thank you. I didn't expect…. Hey, you had this planned all along."

"And you'll get a good dinner, too, my boy."

"What about Jeannie and Steve?"

"What about them? They are going to a baseball game. After all, there are dozens of home games during the year. In football, you only get a few chances. That's where you and I will go, Daniel. Leave the baseball to the lovebirds."