10:00PM

Abigail Baker stretched her limbs with satisfaction, allowing herself to smile and nestle closer to the very warm and very male body lying beside her. She felt his hands against her back, fingers tracing random patterns on her skin. She shivered involuntarily, a hum of pleasure on her lips.

"Everything OK Abby?" The voice murmured softly against her ear before trailing kisses along her jawline, moving inevitably toward her lips.

"Mmm" Was the only response she was able to bring forth.

"What was that? Did you say something?" He teased while continuing his exploration of her lips, her throat, that very sensitive spot beneath her ear that caused her to arch against him.

"I can't find any words when I'm with you. It's always been that way." Her head fell against the pillow, blonde curls framing her face, lips parted with breathless anticipation.

With one smooth movement he straddled her, leaning on his elbows to look into her eyes. "Baby, you are so beautiful, so sexy...and there is absolutely no reason for us to talk right now."

"Travis..." She breathed against his lips and then further words were stilled as they became mesmerized with each other.

XXXX

7:30AM (morning of the same day)

Her day began the same as every other day. Arriving at the office her routine hardly ever varied. She reviewed the Commissioner's itinerary which she printed out the day before and waited for him to arrive. As always, he walked in fifteen minutes later, striding with purpose toward his office, brow furrowed in concentration.

"Good Morning Baker."

"Good Morning Sir" Their greeting was always the same – friendly but formal. Rarely did either ask a personal question of the other, not even as to their well being or how the night had treated them. Formal, respectful...as befits the office of Commissioner of the NYPD. Their ritual that had begun the day Frank Reagan took office and appointed her, Abigail Baker, as his assistant.

She followed him into his office, relaying the details of his day. He threw his coat over a chair. She hung it up. Garrett barreled into the office with the latest crisis on his mind, words tumbling from his mouth as he sought to bring Frank up to date.

"I'll be at my desk, sir." She allowed herself a tiny smile as another day had begun.

"Thank you Baker." Frank murmured as he sat behind his desk.

She was almost to the door when his voice stopped her. "One more thing Baker."

"Yes, sir."

"Detective Reagan will be here with his new partner at 8AM. Please show them in right away."

"Of course, sir."

She closed the door behind and continued on to her desk. A stack of correspondence was waiting for her perusal as were the emails that filled her inbox. She began to prioritize – which she could answer on her own, which would be forwarded to the commissioner for further review.

The familiar sound of elevator doors opening caused her to pause and look up. Detective Danny Reagan, the commissioner's son, stepped out and was soon at her desk.

"Morning Sergeant."

"Detective." She replied, a look of confusion clouding her face for an instant. "I was expecting you to arrive with a new partner."

"Yeah, he'll be here in a minute. Something about new credentials. How's the Commissioner this morning?"

"Chatty as ever."

"Yeah, that'll be the day." Danny grinned as he did every time they traded these tongue in cheek comments.

To answer she only arched an eyebrow, looking up as once again the elevator doors opened. A tall male figure emerged, head down, muttering a curse to himself as his efforts to attach a badge to his belt met with failure. Then, with a final snap, he succeeded and raised his eyes to the pair in front of him.

"Finally." Danny growled impatiently. " You know the Commissioner doesn't take kindly to tardiness. Sergeant, this is Detective..."

Before he could finish his introduction Baker completed it for him. "Travis Reilly." She breathed, unable to hide her surprise and a touch of something else.

"Wait...you two know each other?" Danny was perplexed and not shy about his question.

The new detective's gaze had locked on Baker and remained there, unable to look away. His deep blue eyes studied her without restraint, a soft smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

"We're old friends. Nice to see you again Abby. As always, you look beautiful."

To her dismay, she felt the heat of a blush on her face. Struggling to speak without stammering she spoke slowly and softly. "Nice to see you too, Travis. It's been a long time."

"Three years, five months and...twenty days."

"Twenty one days." She corrected.

Danny was standing back with a look of astonishment on his face as looked from one to the other. He began to realize that this friendship was more than a mere acquaintance.

Baker mentally shook herself as she realized that the Commissioner was waiting. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was one minute to eight. Pulling herself together, she called forth her most professional demeanor.

"Detectives, please go right in. The Commissioner is expecting you."

She struggled to keep from looking at Travis, knowing his eyes were still locked on her. When the door to the Commissioner's office closed, she let out a long breath, sinking into her chair.

"Travis Reilly." She murmured his name to herself. He was the love of her life and she knew that he felt the same way about her. Career, circumstances, fate intervened on that day so many years ago. An offer she couldn't refuse, a promotion that took him across the country...she didn't think she would ever see him again, yet here he was.

A few minutes later the detectives walked out accompanied by Garrett. He had them engaged in conversation so apart from a glance at each other, there wasn't a chance to interact. At the same time Frank Reagan called her into his office and the day became a whirlwind, the occurrence being the norm rather than the exception.

The end of her day was fast approaching for which she was extremely grateful. Abigail Baker loved her job, she thoroughly enjoyed the seeming chaos of the department, she was fond of her boss and loyal to a fault. But today it was all she could do to concentrate and manage the events of the day. Just as she was clearing off her desk, the chime of an internal call interrupted her.

"Baker." She sounded a bit impatient, fervently hoping this was not a crisis that would forestall her departure.

"Abby." At the sound of her name, she clutched the handset in a death grip, her breath catching, as a slight gasp escaped her lips.

"Abby, I have to see you."

"Travis..." her voice was a mere whisper... "yes, I have to see you too." She quickly gave him her address, then continued... "I live in a secure building so I'll leave word at the desk to let you up."

As she gently lowered the handset to it's cradle, Frank Reagan came out of his office, shrugging into his topcoat at the same time.

"Baker, are you leaving?"

"Yes, sir...in a minute. Good night sir,"

"Good night Baker. Have a good evening." He pursed his lips as was his habit but a slight grin quirked up the corners of his mouth at the same time. Before she could reply to his unexpected comment, he was in the elevator, the doors quickly closing him away from her curious perusal.

She wasted no time in gathering her coat, bag and gloves, making her exit closely behind her boss. Once outside she decided to hail a cab. Normally she would walk or take the subway, her apartment not too terribly far from One PP. Tonight, though, she wanted to get there before Travis, perhaps hoping to bring her pounding heart under control. That much hadn't changed – he always could make her pulse race with just a word, a look, a touch.

In a matter of minutes she had arrived. She paused at the security desk to leave instructions before continuing on to her apartment on the tenth floor. As she walked through her door, she stopped for a moment to survey the room for anything out of place but as always the space was impeccable. After hanging her coat, she turned on some lamps, their soft glow welcoming but nothing detracted from the view from her windows – the bright lights of the city below. She always delighted in that view but for the first time wondered what someone else would think.

XXXX

7:00PM

A tentative knock spun her away from the window. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. For a few brief seconds, they stood frozen in time, both sets of eyes gleaming with emotion. Then Abby grabbed the front of his coat and pulled him through the entrance, slamming the door shut at the same time. Travis closed the distance between them, his smile softening the intensity of his gaze. His arms encircled her, one hand at the small of her back, the other against her neck, fingers moving gently into her hair.

For the space of a heartbeat they were unmoving and then their lips crashed together with a hunger that would not be denied. Sensations they thought had been lost forever consumed them. Abby heard him breathe her name as his lips sought her neck, moving to that very sensitive spot beneath her ear. She gasped with pleasure at his touch, arching against him, her hands at his shoulders, ridding him of his coat before moving to the buttons of his shirt. Her fingers fumbled in her haste to feel all of him, sighing in satisfaction as finally...her hands met his bare chest.

At the same time Travis had been occupied with a similar task, quickly stripping Abby of jacket and blouse. Her skirt was soon pooled at her feet and was quickly kicked away. Abby began to move across the room, her goal to reach the bedroom as quickly as possible. But Travis stilled her movement, his voice soft and caring as he began to speak. "Abby...I'm not leaving you again. This time, I'm here to stay, no matter what."

She smiled up at him, her hair now tousled charmingly, her eyes reflecting both desire and now a hint of relief. "So this isn't a one night stand?"

"No, it's not." Unable to resist her parted lips, he traced their fullness with his tongue before claiming them possessively. This time their kiss was slower, more thoughtful as if something had settled within them. They moved as one into the bedroom where they lost the rest of their clothes in a matter of seconds. Just before Travis lowered her to the bed, his lips claimed hers with such tenderness and gentle want that Abby felt her heart stutter. As he moved over her, the only thought in her mind was how much she had missed him. Then she stopped thinking altogether.

XXXX

11:30PM

Abby lay on her side watching him sleep. Her fingers traced his jawline, her touch a mere whisper against the soft stubble of his beard. Her mind was finally able to wrap itself around the fact that Travis was here to stay. She felt him stir, his head turning to press his lips against her fingertips.

"Sorry"...she murmured gently... "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't sleeping...just resting." His arms pressed her closer against his body, his desire clearly apparent. "I missed you so much...thought of you everyday...wanted you everyday. I can sleep later...right now what I need is you."

"I missed you too...never thought I'd see you again." She felt herself succumb to his touch as his fingers began to once again map her body, moving in slow, delicious circles.

"Travis..." she sighed.

Tonight she was no longer the proper Sergeant Abigail Baker. She was Abby, a woman swept away by the love of her life, meeting his passion with her own. Tomorrow she would be Baker once again but the nights would belong to Abby.