Sorry! It's been a while, but my muse went missing. Found her!

Review? UPDATE: forgot the song lyrics, so did it anyway, 'cos I love this song (All American Girl by Carrie Underwood) :)

Anna

Disclaimer: Yeah. Right.

And now, he's wrapped around her finger
She's the center of his whole world
And his heart belongs to that sweet, little, beautiful, wonderful, perfect
All American girl

"Hey, you busy Saturday?" Jess glanced sideways at Flack, who shrugged.

"I was gonna shoot some hoops with Messer, but if you've got an idea..."

"I think I might..." she told him with a grin.

Don looked mildly amused. "Why do I get the feeling your plans will cause trouble?"

"Eh... they used to. But... now, not so much."

"So, Saturday."

Angell smiled. "Meet me at one pm at my apartment. Oh - and wear something you don't mind getting messed up, ai'ight?"

He chuckled, nodding. He had the feeling that it was an unwise decision, but didn't care. She clearly had something fun in mind, and so long as any injuries didn't keep him off the job, he was happy.

Don did a minor double take as he spotted Angell heading out of her apartment block. A pair of faded denim jeans hugged her hips, and the navy blue long-sleeved, scoop neck t-shirt didn't make him look away.

She was impressed also. His brown t-shirt flapped open at the neck where he'd left the button undone, and his jeans had had a lot of wear, by the looks of them.

"Hey," he greeted her, giving her a hug.

She squeezed him tightly. "Hey yourself. You ready?"

"Yeah, but I have no idea what for..."

She got in the passenger side, flashing him a grin. "Drive, Detective."

He clamboured back into his sedan, setting off.

Five minutes later, she gave the final instruction. "Take the next left, and there's a carpark." Jess told him absent-mindedly, reading the police magazine he'd left in the glove compartment. Flack obeyed, and soon they were out of the car, looking at a large building with sports areas behind.

"Jess..."

"I teach at the YMCA," she told him shyly.

He grinned. "You? With kids?"

"Yeah. They're sweet, and it keeps some of the older ones out of our work."

"Yeah, I guess."

Angell lead the way inside, and was soon bombarded by children. One girl - she couldn't have been older than four - wrapped a pair of slim arms round Jess' knees, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

Flack grabbed her round the waist, before she lost her balance. "Looks like you're popular here, Detective..."

She smirked. "I am everywhere, Donnie. Hey!"

The kids waved. "Hi, Jessie!"

"Jessie?" Flack mouthed.

She glared at him. "Only the kids, Flack. Mention it ever again and I will show you what my brothers taught me..."

"Scouts honour."

"You were not a boy scout," Angell replied disbelievingly.

Don grinned lazily. "Nah. I got kicked out for flirting with the girl scouts."

"Alright, listen up!" She called, ignoring his previous statement. "This is my friend Don, and he's gonna be helping out today. Say hi!"

"Hi, Don!"

"So, what's first?" She asked.

"Softball!" Came the answer. The kids loved Jess teaching them softball - she always let them play, and made sure the bigger kids didn't take over.

"Alrighty then..."

"Jess?" A girl of about fourteen glanced at her. "Then can you do cards? I wanna make my mom a card. She has her first round of chemo tomorrow."

Jess' face softened. "Sure, Lyssa."

Lyssa grinned, bounding off towards the games room.

Flack followed Angell outside towards the softball pitch, marked roughly with paint. "Okay, usual teams!"

The group split into two teams, evenly spread through age and ability.

"Don leads red, I lead yellow. Yellow fields fist, batter up!" The kids followed her instructions, grinning in excitement.

A small girl tucked a small hand into Flack's. He looked down in surprise, and she smiled shyly up at him. "Maya," she pointed at herself.

"Don," he did the same. He led her towards the pitch, and stood her in line. Every kid got his or her chance, no matter how old they were.

Jess threw the ball carefully towards the first little boy. He swung wildly with the dense foam bat, missing completely, but ran anyways. Don cheered loudly with his team as he ran home.

"Go Daemon!" Came the shrieks.

"Home run!" Called Jess. "C'mon, yellows! Get 'em out!"

As soon as it was the yellow's turn to bat, Flack smirked, tossing the ball to Lydia, a thirteen year old with a crack shot. She threw to the first batter, who swung quickly, sprinting round the pitch, making it halfway. As the game continued, Don relaxed considerably, as two girls approached him, serious expressions on their faces.

"Okay, tactics. Don - Jess is there best player they have. Cheat, and take her down. She won't mind..."

He nodded, a grin pulling on his lips. As Jess stepped up to bat, he readiede himself between second and third she raced towards him, he looped an arm round her waist, tackling her to the ground. She squealed, and everybody laughed. Struggling against her attacker, Angell laughed loudly. Flack was inning her, his arms locked around her like a cage.

"Trapped," he murmured, his lips close to hers.

Dangerously close.

She grinned in response. "Somehow, I don't exactly mind..."

He paused, before jumping up, puling her with him.

The game finished soon after. An older black man wandered outside. "Jess!"

"Hey, Grant! This is Flack, my squad partner. He's helping out."

"Well, the kids inside are asking after you. Is there something Flack can do?"

She grinned evily. "Hoops."

"Hoops," Grant repeated. "Alright. Hoops court out back, teach."

Flack plodded obediently towards the courts, shooting Jess a dirty look,. Not that he was that upset, really...

Several minutes later and Flack was helping the gaggle of kids improve their free-throws. He and Messer oftern met up at the courts to mess around with their free-throws, but Flack always kicked his friends' ass. Always.

"I can't reach!" One boy cried in frustration.

Don smiled kindly, lifting him onto his shoulders. "Now try."

The boy threw, and it bounced off the backboard into the net. "Score!"

Claps echoed in the open space, and Flack blushed with pride as the group smiled admiringly at him, clearly thinking he was wonderful.

It didn't take long for Jess to finish up in the crafts room. Lyssa had a beautiful card for her mom, Lydia had a brilliant birthday card for her baby brother, and other kids had an array of products ready to be posted off or put up on the sideboard at home, taking pride of place.

"Okay, Lyss. I won't be here next week, 'cause I have to cover Scagnetti's shift, but I'll email you, okay? Write back, else I'll worry."

Lyssa nodded, her blonde hair bouncing round her shoulders. "Sure, Jess. So, who's the hunk?"

"Who... Flack?" She seemed bewildered.

"Uh, yeah! He's gorgeous, and totally into you." The fourteen year old looked so confident, it threw Jess off guard.

"Really?"

"I know these things, okay?"

"Well, he's my squad partner. I figured he might want to try it here, and so invited him. Nothing more too it."

She snorted. "Yeah, alright..."

"Lyss, you are..."

"Awesome? Fabulous?"

"Scary." Angell finished with a chuckle. "Okay, I'm gonna go find Don. I need a lift home."

"Say hi to the hottie for me!"

Jess flicked her off, and could hear Lyssa laughing all the way outside, before being thoroughly surprised by what she saw. Flack was surrounded by kids, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Alright, go on." He waved them away, and they bounded off cheerfully, all discussing their class.

"Hey, coach."

Flack looked up to see Angell leaning against the wall, her hair tumbling round her face, sleeves pushed up. "Oh, hey."

"You like it here then?"

He nodded. "It's... wow. I should've thought of this before, I really should."

She moved towards him, grabbing the ball from him. "Bet ya twenty bucks and a dinner that I can make this shot from the halfway line."

Flack smirked. "Go ahead, Detective Knicks."

She focussed on the net, frowning. Then with a mere flick of her wrist, she put the ball straight through the hoop.

He slapped a twenty into her hand. "Looks like I'm taking you to dinner, Detective." In truth, he'd known she'd make the shot. Hell, even Monroe could have made that shot. But losing twenty bucks but getting to take Jess to dinner wasn't exactly catastrophic.

Jess grinned. "Sure do. C'mon, you can take me home."

Lyssa gave Angell a knowing look as they strolled past together, to which Jess only stuck her tongue out. "See ya, Lyss!"

"Bye Lyssa!" Flack echoed with a goofy grin.

"Bye Jess! Bye ho- Don!"

Jess rolled her eyes. Next time she got Lyssa on her own, she'd kill her.

Metaphorically, of course.

The car ride was too short for Jess' liking. Once the car stopped, she hopped out, before leaning back in. "Walk me the rest of the way?"

He nodded. "Of course."

They strolled in comfortable silence, enjoying the heat of the New York sunshine on their faces.

"Thanks, Don" She told him.

He glanced her way. "For what?"

"Doing this. Being there. Just... being there."

They stopped outside her building. "You're welcome, Jess. Thank you too."

She was about to turn away when he caught her hand, and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"See you Monday."

"Bye," she echoed, grinning widely, rubbing the spot on her cheek as she walked away.

He smiled. Monday couldn't come soon enough.

Hehe. Review? Makes me quicker!