Impromptu Shower.
Charlie stomped up the stairs to her apartment. She was not happy to have been sent home from school half way through the day. Flack had been ill with the flu a fortnight ago and she thought she'd managed to avoid it, or so she thought. As she turned her key in the lock she was starting to regret ever agreeing to stay at his apartment for the week he was off ill, keeping him company while he moaned about being sick and kept off by work.
Once through the door she grabbed the phone from its base in the kitchen and dialled an all too familiar number.
"I'm home." She said as soon as it connected. "I'll see you then. Bye Travis."
Travis had made her promise she'd call him as soon as she got in, he taught fifth grade while Charlie taught kindergarten and fourth grade twice a week. Dropping the phone back in its cradle she debated calling Flack to tell him she wasn't well and wouldn't be able to make it that night. But upon seeing the message light blinking on the answer machine she decided she wanted a shower to clear her head and to get changed first into something more comfortable.
As she made her way to the bathroom she pulled her t-shirt off over her head before opening the door. She was about to undo the clasp on her bra when she suddenly realised there was someone stepping out of her shower.
"What the hell!"
Danny spun around and nearly slid across the floor as he reached for a towel.
"Charlie?" He asked squinting; he couldn't remember where he put his glasses.
She promptly covered her eyes with both her hands, "Oh God! I don't even want to know." She paused, "Actually, should I know?"
"Well." Danny drawled.
She momentarily took her hands away from her eyes before turning her back on him just as quick, "Towel Danny! Towel! For God's sake grab a towel!"
"You can turn around now Charlie." Danny announced seconds later, a large towel wrapped firmly around his waist.
"I can't believe this."
"When did you get a tattoo?"
"Huh?"
"The one on your back."
It was then Charlie realised she was topless and had thrown her t-shirt on the back of the sofa when she'd made her way to the shower.
Her cheeks started to burn, "I think I need to step out for a moment. Excuse me."
Shutting the bathroom door behind her she as she raced for the phone. Punching in the numbers from memory, she managed to grab her t-shirt and pull it on before the phone connected.
"I have just seen a bit more of Danny Messer than I would generally like to see." Charlie stated before Flack could get in any formalities.
"Huh? Charlie?"
"Why didn't you tell me there was a naked Danny Messer in my bathroom?" She hissed.
"What? Naked? Charlie you're not making much sense."
"Uh huh, did I not stress naked near enough for you?"
"I thought you were in school."
"Obviously not! They sent me home ill. With your flu, which you gave to me!"
"How much?" Flack was finding it harder to hold back his laughter.
"Oh, enough to fill a quota for at least one lifetime."
"Sorry Charlie, we were at a crime scene and he got covered in something or other. I gave him my key since we were around the block from your building. Didn't think you'd be in."
"You could have warned me!"
Flack paused, "I take it you're still in the habit of ignoring your messages."
"Eurgh!" She moaned, wishing she'd checked her messages. It would have saved her the sight of seeing Danny step out of her shower.
"You think you're going to be scarred for life?"
"I'll survive, but I think you may need to come over and rid me of these flashbacks I keep having."
It went quiet and she heard him mumble something to someone, then the sound of a door closing.
"You're sick and you want sex?"
"No, as I recall that was you! Probably how I got ill in the first place."
"Well, I'm sorry to say that I don't think I'm going to be able to fit into your nurses outfit Charlie."
She laughed for the first time that day, and though it hurt her chest to do so it did make her feel better.
"You got your suit on?"
"Yep."
"Then that'll do."
"And the tie?" He smirked.
"The tie will do, I just need a cwtch."
"I like that word, cwtch." He said, repeating the word, which was welsh for hug. Though from his New York mouth it sounded very different.
"So who was there that you had to leave the room to say that?"
"Becker."
She laughed, "Oh."
"Yeah, if he heard the words sex and nurses outfit I don't think I'd hear the end of it. That guy lives for making my life a misery."
"He loves you really."
"Hmph, I'll believe it when I see it. I finish in a couple of hours; I'll grab some clean clothes and head over. That is if it's okay to have a shower? Unless you've got any other naked men in there."
"You had to bring it back to that didn't you?"
"If you behave yourself I might actually let you join me."
"Now who's the one fishing for sex? You want to have sex with your girlfriend who's full up with the flu."
"Pot, kettle? If I recall you did the same thing the other week."
"I was being a dutiful girlfriend to the only man I know who wants sex when he's sick."
…
"What's this I heard about you flashing my girlfriend?" Flack grinned as Danny approached their second crime scene of the day.
Danny shook his head as he laughed while Lyndsay looked between the two men confused.
"What?" She asked as she ducked under the crime scene tape Flack had lifted for them.
"Nothing." Danny said as he smirked at Flack.
"You trying to seduce my girlfriend Messer? I'll give you a little hint, jumping out of her shower naked won't do it."
"No, she's more likely to fall for the guy who has his lunch down his tie." Flack rolled his eyes as Danny continued. "Well, I did think she could do with someone who is a little more manly." He gave Flack a once over. "You know, better dressed too."
Flack shook his head as he continued smiling, "You insulting my fashion sense now?"
Danny flicked his choice of tie, a green and beige paisley affair and shrugged. "Do I even have to say anything? Anyway, I can't insult you for something you haven't got in the first place."
"Men." Lyndsay muttered as she set about getting to work.
Flack and Danny merely exchanged shrugs as they followed her lead.
