She was sitting at her desk, deep in thought, as she typed out the report for her latest solved case.

'Santiago, can I talk you?' Jake asked.

"What is it Peralta?" came her curt reply.

"I... I've been thinking... for quite some time I've wanted to say' mumbled Jake.

'Peralta, Santiago, my office immediately' announced Captain Holt, dismissing the palpable tension growing between the two of them. Slowly they walked behind him, Jake knew if he didn't tell her soon he wouldn't be able to take it.

'Sit' was all the Captain had to say.

"Yes, sir?" Amy questioned, but her words didn't have the same eagerness the Captain was used to hearing.

"I wanted to call both of you in today to tell you how the next assignment you two will be going undercover for might prove to be fatal, and I wouldn't want you to feel obligated to take part in anything that might result in such dire consequences."

"I accept it on behalf for both of us, Sir" Jake said without even blinking his eyes.

"Jake, this is not a one-man task, you need a partner" came the Captain's reply.

"Okay, I .."

"Stop. I won't let you take part in this Amy" His use of her first name made her look at him questioningly.

"Why not?" she wagered.

"Because... I can't... I wouldn't be able to... I just, I think I can handle it on my own, that's all."

Jake wanted to tell her, he wanted to tell her that he couldn't even imagine not talking to her everyday, not staring at her beautiful brown eyes as she worked next to him, not seeing her laugh as he told her a joke, but he couldn't confess to it in his boss's office. He had planned confessing for so long that this was just not the right place, or the right time, to do it.

"Well, although you may not see my value as a detective, I promise you Peralta, I knew what I was getting in to when I signed up for the job. Captain, I accept it" Amy fumed, refusing to look away from Jake's eyes. It was so typical of him, she thought, always wanting to be better than her, though they both knew she was just as smart, just as talented and just as capable of being a good cop.

"Good. You'll find your folders on your desks as regards to this case. You're dismissed." the Captain gave them a nod, signalling the end of this meeting. Amy shot up from her chair, and not even bothering to look at either one of them, she fled through the door.

"Jake"

"Yes, Captain?"

"You do realise that she's an important member of our squad? That taking her with you is only going to prove further beneficial to the case?" the Captain quizzed him.

"Sir, even now, I'll admit it without a fraction of a doubt, she's the best detective in our god damn squad, I just..." Jake refused to look at the Captain. There was a hint of a smile from the Captain

"Jake, I know that as long as you go with her, nothing will happen to her. To either of you for that matter. You'll look out for each other. You'll come back safe and sound. Trust me."

Jake quietly smiled "I hope so Captain. I hope so."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Care to tell me what that was all about?" Amy demanded as he came out of the Captain's office.

"Amy, I just didn't want to see you get hurt, that's all, you're the best detective in our entire precinct, well except for me anyways" Jake chuckled. He could see that though the compliment seemed to have softened her up a little bit, he still wasn't off the hook.

"I can look out for myself Jake" she blushed, which caused him to melt inside, especially after she'd used his first name like that. "So, ready to start reading up?" Amy had already laid out the contents of her folder, was putting her hair up in a messy bun, and was taking out her contacts to swap them for glasses, which she claimed were much more comfortable. Even he had to admit, she looked downright adorable.

"Uh sure" he spluttered out, before she saw him looking at her with the wanting in his eyes. "Let me order some take out, it's going to be a long night". He bumped into Charles on his way to get them both some coffee. He knew exactly what she liked and had unintentionally memorised her favourite order.

"I heard the news Jake. I hope you come back, you can't ever leave us!" weeped Charles as he engulfed Jake in a bear hug.

"I won't Boyle, I won't let anything happen to either of us" Jake mumbled, not taking his gaze away from Amy as she hurriedly went about learning her case contents.

"Us?" quizzed Charles.

"Um, yeah, Amy's coming with me" whispered Jake. Charles stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Jake, you can't take her with you. If anything happened to her, I know you would never be able to forgive yourself". Amy looked across the room, gesturing as to what was taking him so long.

"She doesn't know, does she?" Charles asked him, after all Charles had been the one who had concluded that his competitiveness and teasing was the result of affection for a certain Amy Santiago.

"I just, I haven't found the perfect moment to tell her. I'm contemplating between doing so in a private place, which would spare me the embarrassment of people watching as she turns me down or a public one, so there are witnesses in case she tries to kill me" chuckled Jake.

"You have to tell her soon Jake, in fact, I'm leaving now and everyone else has already gone. It's just the both of you in the precinct right now" Boyle mutters as he hurriedly shuffles to gather all his things, before frantically racing off to leave.