Disclaimer: Just my story.

A/N: I changed some of the conversation, but it mostly stayed the same. ?

The sky was dark and clear. The moon slowly drifted through the clouds as it reflected off the sidewalk of the marvelous, marble building that was hosting the Philadelphia Charity for Kids. Large fashion lights pointed towards the sky as they rotated automatically, giving off the red carpet feel. People were dressed in million dollar dresses and suits and openly found themselves throwing around lucrative amounts of money. Cars continued to pull up and valets came out one by one parking cars for the rich and famous. It was here. This was the place Megan would get her missing piece to the dead celebrity's puzzle.

Megan continued to look in her compact mirror as her car pulled up to the front of the mansion. She closed it, signaling she was finished then threw her gaze over to Peter. He looked nervous to his wits, but his tuxedo made him sparkle. Megan had all but asked Peter to be her date so she wouldn't look like a single divorcee who had nothing going for herself. As Megan continued to think about why she was there, she couldn't help but to blame her mother. If it weren't for her, Megan wouldn't be putting on a façade and smiling at people she could care less about. If it weren't for her mother, she wouldn't have had to have Peter escort her to this Gala and make him something he wasn't either. Megan heard the door open; snapping her from her thoughts, signaling it was show time.

Sliding over to the opening, Megan extended her hand to Peter who was already standing outside of the limo. She felt him grab her hand as she placed her feet on the hard asphalt and stood. Taking in her surroundings, she took a deep breath and let a bogus smile creep across her face. Time to get this over with.

Megan thanked the valet as she watched Peter tip him a twenty. She smiled at her partner. Partner. That word had a mind of its own and it always seem to stick in hers at the wrong times. Focus Megan. She had to do her job and solve a case, that's the only reason she was really there. Looping her arm inside Peter's, they strolled in the front door, being greeted by a few of her mother's friends.

This life, a life she didn't miss. The high societies that look their noses down at the dead without a second thought and demolished you if you chose to be different. No Megan could definitely leave this life behind her and work with the middle class society alone. God she hated this type of life and she couldn't believe her mother was still a part of it. She could remember a lot of times her mother always saying how she wanted to give this life up and stop acting so fake all the time. Now as she took in the site before her, she realized that her mother couldn't give up the high class life just like she couldn't give up her precious job. In the end, they both wound up hurting the ones they loved.

"Megan, I'm so glad you made it," Megan heard her mother as she approached her.

Walking towards her mother, she placed a plastered smile across her face and kissed both cheeks as she said hello.

"Who is this handsome gentleman," Asked Mrs. Hunt.

Megan looked at Peter and smiled. She knew Peter was her partner but tonight he was more than that, he was hers. She turned her attention back to her mother before she answered, "This is Peter Dunlop, and he's my partner."

Mrs. Hunt smirked at her daughter. She was being totally modest; this couldn't possibly be her partner. This man was good looking and very mannerable…she had to have gotten him from an escort service.

"Sure he is…"

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Hunt and I really do work with your daughter." Peter said trying to sound convincing.

Joan, Megan's mother, turned her attention back to her guest, "Megan this Brandon, Brandon this is my daughter Megan."

"Nice to meet you." Megan told him nicely.

"Same here, I've heard so much about you."

"I bet that was excruciatingly painful," Megan said throwing her mother a look.

Peter could feel the tension began to rise and stepped closer to Megan as he put his hand at the center of her back. He began rubbing small circles trying to get Megan to calm down. His miraculous hand did the trick as he felt Megan's breathing begin to regulate.

Megan froze. She felt someone touching her, but it wasn't just anyone…it was Peter. He was touching her in front of all these people and in front of her mother and he needed to stop. Feeling her skin begin to tingle, she slowly moved away from his hands as she directed her attention to Brandon.

"Do you know Colin Lloyd?"

"Colin…sure."

"Would you mind terribly introducing me?"

"Not at all." Brandon responded taking Megan's arm into his.

They all four walked over to Mr. Lloyd as Megan worked her charm. She talked with him a bit before asking to take a photo with him. That was her ticket, as soon as Peter hit the shoot button, Megan grabbed at the back of Mr. Lloyd's hair making his eyes expand.

"What the hell was that for?" asked Mr. Lloyd furiously.

Megan began rattling off unanswered questions and telling Mr. Lloyd that if he had anything to do with Daphne, the victim's murder, that she would personally nail him to the wall. As she glared at him once more, she was about to speak once more, when she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist pulling her toward the dance floor. It could none other than that of Peter Dunlap.

Peter had been with Megan while she interrogated suspects and potential killers and he had realized that she could sometimes go overboard. As he stood and watched her in action at the gala, he was glad that she had jammed the man up. On the other hand, it wasn't appropriate especially in front of her mother. As he watched her, he saw she wasn't about to back down, so he took matters into his own hands as he pulled her away swiftly and onto the crowded dance floor.

"Megan, you have really gotta stop doing that," Peter told her as they swayed to the soft music.

"Doing what? I am doing my job, which is the only reason we are here," Megan answered annoyingly.

"Stop. Just be cordial, at least until we leave."

"Peter I grew up with this, I'm tired of being-"

Megan was cut off in an instant as she felt soft lips overtake hers. She couldn't believe it. Her mind stilled her heart pounded, and he body tingled with sensation. Peter, her partner, was kissing her in the middle of a crowded dance floor where her mother was present. So many thoughts ran through her head as she trying processing what was going on. Suddenly, she felt emptiness on her lips and a cold rush of air brush across her face as she realized that Peter had pulled away. She stared into his eyes as she tried regaining some composure. What had this man just done to her? She couldn't let go of this new found feeling but it scared her half to death knowing that it had come from her partner.

Megan stopped in her tracks, "It's time to go."

He followed her to the front door and to the limo. Peter had no clue as to what possessed him to kiss her but at least it had shut her up for the time being. God it felt good to have someone in his embrace he thought. A smile began to spread across his face as he realized he had enjoyed it more than he had intended. This was his partner, he worked with her and now he had probably made things even harder because of this misguided emotion.

The ride back to the lab was dead silent. They could hear the cracking of asphalt and rock as the limo took them back to the morgue. As they arrived at the lab, the driver opened the middle window, "This is the place right folks?"

Megan nodded and opened her door as she practically jumped out of the limo. She thanked him for his services and gave him a fifty as she swiftly walked away from the limo. Footsteps grew loud behind her as she realized Peter was following her. She didn't need to be around him right now, she didn't need to be around him at all.

Silence overcame them once more as they rode the elevator up to the lab. The light flickered and the elevator dinged as it passed by all the other floors. The last ding rang out and the elevator came to a halt as the door flung open.

They both got off and headed into the lab where the dead body occupied one of Megan's tables. She pulled out the rotatable laptop that was tucked away into the wall. Pulling up her precious pictures and uploading the one from tonight, she began comparing her findings.

Peter stood quietly next to her. He gave her space to work and backed off some more, not sure of how she would react to him now. He didn't understand her sometimes. Did she not like that he kissed her? Why was she so quiet all of a sudden? And where in the hell did she get this skin-tight dress? Shifting his thoughts, he quickly spoke trying to focus on things other than Dr. Megan Hunt.

"Megan, did you really have to make a scene back there?" Asked Peter curiously.

Megan threw a look at him, "I actually did. I had to get him to open his eyes."

"What for? What are those specs?"

"Lish nodules; benign growths on the iris. The same ones as Timmy Akers…the intern who works at Daphne's magazine company."

Peter rubbed his chin and shook his head. She had done it again, she amazed him every case and her intense approach of finding the true became even sexier. That's what she did to him; she turned him on with her assertiveness and her edginess. Knowing the way she worked, he could pin point when she was being tough and when she was being modest and tonight, she was being both. Peter couldn't stop staring at her. She was amazing and she looked amazing. His eyes took in the curvature of her neck and how it met her jaw line and up toward her lips. Those soft, sweet lips he had kissed not only an hour ago.

Megan could feel Peter's gaze upon her as she tried to concentrate on the father and son analysis. She could feel herself breaking as Peter continued to survey her body. She would've felt violated but any other man that dared stare at her, but she felt sexy and desired when Peter did it. Was he giving her a sign? Was he telling her that he was interested? Megan had come to rely on Peter for more than just work and her feelings were starting to cross the line between partner and significant other. Her body began tingling again as she felt herself reacting to Peter's gaze. God he wasn't even touching her and he was about to drive her mad she thought.

"Peter could you stop."

"Stop what Megan?"

"Stop staring at me, its…weird."

"What else is weird to you Megan?"

Megan felt her breath catch in her throat. This man was playing with her. It wasn't there usual play, he was trying to get to her and she wasn't prepared for it. Megan subconsciously ran her hand through her curly red hair and stared at the screen.

Silence filled the room. It was the beginning of the end. The moment that would surpass all emotions and urges. Wanting to give in to the temptation that played on their heart strings.

Peter walked toward Megan as she continued staring at the screen for what seemed like forever. His warm breath tickling the tip of her ear as he spoke, "I'm ready when you are."

Smiling to himself, Peter walked out of the lab. He had just put his cards on the table and given in to his temptation. He had told the woman he knew he shouldn't get involved with that it was all up to her on how this situation went. He had given her something to think about and now the ball was in her court.

Just a one shot for now, but if you like, I can continue it. Review and let me know!