It's already late when they get there. But no matter how late it is, it's been a long day and they both want a drink. Two hours and four drinks later Colby smiled sideways at his partner.

"I honestly thought that old lady was going to run you over with her walker for kicking her cat." Colby lifted a longneck and took a swallow.

David shook his head. "I didn't kick her cat. The damn thing ran in front of my foot."

Colby chocked on a laugh as it mixed with the beer still sliding down his throat. "Didn't work on her…isn't going to work on me."

"Fine. Whatever." David snapped with no real heat.

Colby took another swallow, his smile still fixed on his face. He glanced at his watch then sighed. "I'd better get going."

David nodded he instantly felt the loss of his partner. He knew it was childish but there's so many times where all David can think is that he wants Colby to stay. Doesn't matter where they are, at work, in the car, doing paper work…he just wants Colby to be there.

Colby stood and dug his wallet out. David continued to stare at the ranks of drinks before them. He seemed frozen to the stool.

A twenty landed on the scarred table and David forced himself to turn in his seat to smile, "See you tomorrow?"

Colby grinned back, like always, "Don't you always?"

David smiled, Colby patted him on the shoulder then headed out. David lost his smile when Colby stepped through the double door…taking him from his vision. David turned back to the bar.

The bartender walked over, reaching out to grab Colby's drink, David's hand shot over the drink, holding it in its place. "No," David muttered.

The bartender frowned but nodded and stepped off to help another customer. David slid the glass toward him. He stared at it for a few seconds, wondering, thinking, dreaming…wishing.

He glanced around the room to see who might be watching then lifted the bottle to his lips. He barely tilted it, savoring the taste on the rim rather then searching for the specks

of beer left in the bottle.

He closed his eyes, tasting a faint trace of beer on his tongue…and an even fainter taste of Colby. His finger's tighten around the bottle, and right then, in that second, in that sensation…with his mind still on fire he knew want he wanted.

He stood, carefully setting the bottle down…knowing what he could never have.