"You're not doing this to me! To us!!" JJ slammed closed fists down onto the desk. For a moment he was satisfied by the impact, knowing he was making more than a show and a bigger one than Chief Smith ever did.

"Adams, listen." Smith was being strangely apologetic this time, he'd never before allowed himself to be put on the defensive.

"You yourself note how good a team we are! Why!?" JJ was getting into hysterics. Chief Smith only looked at him with sympathy, hidden by a burning frustration.

"This came from the uppers, Adams. I had nothing to do with it." JJ suddenly stopped; his hand midair ready for another beat down on the desk.

"What?"

"Hell, Adams, you know damn well I'd never approve that if it came by me, what you do in your own time is your own damn business. Besides, it's not like I have the time or the care to ponder over it anymore than I see in this office."

JJ took in his words; they were unfamiliar from the chief but a little comforting. He took a breath "So what do we do?"

"There's not much you can do Adams."

"So I'm just supposed to sit here while they terminate our partnership?" Smith's single upward glance gave him the answer. JJ sighed "there has to be something; surely we aren't the only ones to ever face this problem."

"No, but you may be the first ones not to simply roll over and take it."

The blue blonde had to bite back a rather curt retort to that. He knew all the same that Chief Smith was right.

"An officer from the main office is coming in a few days."

"They're sending a scout!?" JJ's voice broke as a new level of anger washed over him.

"Not a scout, Adams, a--"

"Oh, call it what you like. They're coming here to get the information they want. They're going to make it look like something it isn't! They're going to take little pieces out of proportion and fabric some new story; whatever it takes to get the results they want. I know these people, their notorious."

Chief Smith was silent for a moment

"Well," he started "that very well may be true. But they still have say over this." He stood up, looking JJ in the eye. For a moment JJ could see past his mask, irritation and worry were present in his gaze. "Adams…Detective Adams. Do me a favor and don't give them anything to work with. Let them leave empty-handed. I have too much going up to bat on the serial to lose you and Parker now."

JJ's thoughts went to the serial murder case he, Drake, Dee, and Ryo were working on. It was huge; a brain tester to say the least. JJ felt like he was manually picking a huge iron lock when he tried to unravel the details. The four of them had just begun to get things seriously moving. If they moved quickly their man could be in custody within the month. If he and Drake were suddenly taken out by this separation… the whole case…Headquarters would be pulling the rug out from under them.

"Can't we plea the case; that they can't approach us in the middle of something so delicate!? This isn't the time!" JJ heard the power returning to his voice.

"And when is the right time, Adams?"

'umm, never?' JJ thought to himself, his face must have given something away. The chief smiled gruffly "See, they're not going to take that. Since there is no good time for them to come they'll just come at any old time."

"And we have no idea when exactly that will be?"

"You know them, they could be here next week; they could be here already."

"Do you know who--" Chief Smith cut JJ off "No, you probably won't know who it is. They have given me no indication who it might be."

"Are they going to be staying here or just visiting?"

"I believe this is a long-term visit. They'll probably find something useful to do while they're here."

"And they'll use whatever task that is to start up their next case. Tsk, this isn't a scout… it's a mole." JJ muttered darkly. Chief Smith swiveled in his chair, pressing his hands together. When he spoke there was a level of humor in his voice.

"I'm not going to argue you that one, Adams." JJ smirked to himself; at least they were in agreement about something. He was about to think of something to say so he could go but the Chief suddenly looked very tense.

"Urm, they did, however, send me some instructions."

"I don't like how that sounds."

"Until this is resolved you and Parker are on separate shifts."

"What!? You can't do that!"

Smith suddenly looked very stern. "I am your chief, yes I can. But I wasn't the one who issued this. My boss' boss' boss did."

JJ shuddered at the thought. He had to pretend and play along with the goodie-two-shoe act. Alright. He had to play nice to everyone he knew for now on the off chance they happened to be the mole. Doable. But going along with the ruse without Drake? No. Absolutely not. Not only was it stupid but his work standard would drop, his partner, his other voice of reason would be gone. His other set of eyes. Over time he had become only half the equation. With Drake gone he wouldn't live up to the par they set as a team."

"They're setting us up. They're splitting us up so our work will fall apart and they'll use it against us! Drake and I need to work together! That's the only way this case will get done!"

"They're reasoning will be that you can do your half of the work on your own and you do it without interruptions from Parker. When you two switch shifts he comes in and does his. Then you return to work you'll take what he has done and move forward with it."

"But that takes longer. We don't have that kind of time on this case."

"You're right. We don't."

JJ put a hand to his head. They were taking his partner away, and with him the serial case. "They can't do this to me." He didn't realize he had said anything until he felt Chief Smith's heavy hand on his shoulder. He had come around from his seat and was standing in front of JJ. His eyes showed sympathy now.



"You seem pretty shaken, why don't you go home early today?"

"Al…alright."

"And you and Parker stagger your shifts now."

"Yes." JJ looked glumly to the floor, turned and left, he quickly got his things from his office and gave Dee and Ryo a quick excuse before leaving. JJ made sure he was safely in his car before he let the tears start.

"Drake!!" JJ slammed the door to their shared apartment. He dropped his things in a heap and ran to the living room where he knew Drake would be watching TV.

"JJ?" Drake asked just as JJ came in the room. The blue-blonde stooped in the doorway. Drake gave him a quick look-over. "You don't look sick, are you alright?" Drake noticed JJ's eyes were lined in red and his face looked- well like he had been crying. "What happened?"

Suddenly JJ lunged forward, leaping into Drake's lap. "They're gonna do it Drake! They're gonna--" JJ started to sob into his lover's shirt.

"Gonna what?" Drake was at a loss. His fingers played with JJ's hair, as if to grant a rise from him.

"They're going to separate us."

"What?"

"The precinct. They wrote up a formal complaint. They're going to split us up!" JJ had his head up now, frustrated tears streaming down his cheeks. "S…Chief Smith said," he ducked his head down to wipe them away "that officers are coming from Center to check things out. And then they are going to terminate our partnership."

"Terminate?" Drake sounded amazed

"Someone is coming to stay at the precinct to check us out, I don't know for how long but Chief said it was long term."

"They're sending someone to investigate us!?" Drake was alert and the adrenaline was pumping but he wasn't quite sure if he was angry or frightened yet.

"They're sending someone to snoop. Not investigate. Investigation is for real problems." JJ's tone was apathetic.

"You say there was a formal write-up… who…"

"The people from Center."

"What? Center doesn't have the authority to--"

"They invented the authority. It's the headquarters; they can say what they want."

Drake went silent, keeping his questions in for now and rubbing JJ's back, his hands running in soothing wide circles. JJ started to calm down. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to make them go away!"

"No, I mean, what do you want to do now? We can think about this later, you're a wreck."



JJ was silent, as if he were deliberating. "I want to get out of here."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Somewhere far, outskirts of town, I don't know. Do we have time?"

"Sure."

They were on the road before either one said anything else.

"They… they put us on separate shifts." JJ looked out the window, sullen, as he said it.

"What!?" Drake shouted. JJ flinched, expecting him to hit the brake and relived when he didn't.

"Smith told me to go home early, but when you go in tomorrow it's just you."

Drake's mouth fell open. "I…can't believe…"

"I know we were trying to even things out from when you were undercover…"

"What else did he say?" Drake eyed JJ with a serious look

"We have to be on our best behavior, some person-we don't know who- is coming to watch how we act. We won't know who it is so…"

"The PD is sending a mole in on the PD??" Drake was flabbergasted.

"I guess so." JJ's voice was bitter

"What about the case!?" Drake started pleading the way his partner had earlier that day.

"Chief said it doesn't make a bit of difference to them, they come when they like. Doesn't matter what we have on the table at the time."

"This is ridiculous. Do we know who wrote this up!?"

"No… no idea." JJ suddenly glared out the window, his jaw tight.

Drake regretted the question once he saw JJ's reaction. "It'll be alright." He took JJ's hand in his "Let's not think about it right now. We're almost there."

Drake parked on a grassy hill on the edge of Manhattan. There was a large elm tree towering over their heads that added a cool shadow as the sun threw orange flares up into the sky. The hill was high enough to see a good portion of the cityscape and just a tiny bit of Brooklyn Bridge. Drake had discovered the place as a high schooler and JJ had loved it at first sight when they first came here as a couple. He loved the look of the sunset over the buildings and how the twilight gave in immediately into the city night lights, which he still loved like any tourist would.

He and Drake sat against the hood of the car and watched as Orange gave way to pink then to blue and finally to purple. Tiny pinpoint stars made their way through the dark blanket overhead; JJ counted just a handful of them then laid his head against Drake's shoulder.

"This is really making me feel better" JJ said, surprised at the fact himself.

"I'm glad." Drake didn't look down at him immediately. When JJ looked up he held Drake's gaze for a long time. Drake started to chuckle after a few minutes. "Is there something you want?"



"Yes."

"Can you ask for it?"

"Must I?"

Drake sighed

"Oh come on!" JJ retorted, teasing. "I'm such a good boy at home." He tugged on Drake's shirt collar. Drake rolled his eyes.

"Well… I suppose." JJ smiled and leaned in to kiss him. Drake quickly took control, wrapping his arms around JJ, giving him the passion he liked. Drake usually liked to let things develop at their own speed, this time with JJ the intensity spiked quick.

"Draa-ke" JJ whined as he pushed the blonde back on the hood. Drake realized JJ had already gotten his shirt unbuttoned. Was he out of it right now or had JJ gotten faster?

"What? What do you want?" he whispered in a way that broke the mood a little

"What do I want." JJ scoffed

Drake readjusted himself on his elbows, pushing up so his face was against JJ's, his lips less than an inch from the lighter man's. He drank in his scent, and he knew JJ would do the same. He waited until the blue-blonde closed his eyes in reverence that he leaned in.

"What do you want me to do to you?" There was still a comical hint to his tone. But it was obvious from JJ's reaction he had still done it right. He shuddered but didn't open his eyes.

"I want you to make me forget."

Drake slid out from JJ, moving around to his side. "How much?"

"Everything."

"That's quite a bit."

JJ smiled wistfully "You can put it on my tab."

Drake clucked his tongue softly, "tsk tsk, Mr. Adams, you are racking up quite a bit of debt." He was behind JJ now.

The blue blonde chuckled as Drake pressed flush against his back. Their faces were inches apart. "I think it was well spent. I have a while to pay it off anyway"

Drake just smiled, latching his mouth to JJ's neck, starting a love-bite but thinking better of it. Meanwhile, JJ's hands were dragging his to the line of his fly.

"You need this bad." Drake began to unbutton it, two fingers snaking their way in.

"Worse than you know." JJ pushed Drake's hand downward even more

"I won't make you wait then."

Drake moved quickly, and JJ was patient. It wasn't long until he was getting what he wanted; pressed against the hood of the car that reflected the sky above, liquid lavender, in its own scarlet pool of color.



Drake's solid blows had him reeling inwardly; he pounded his hands onto the hood of the car in some shade of euphoria, coming out in unison with his first outburst.

"Drake! Gaa…. Holy shi--" he panted, his partner was unresponsive though his thrusts got harder, JJ climbed father onto the grill and struck at the windshield. His back arching and his limbs stretching as Drake drove it home again inside him. He had his mouth all over the nape of JJ's neck, using his teeth and lips together; half kisses, half bites. JJ whined some more as his thin fingers clawed down the glass and fisted in on themselves.

Large warms hands came down on his back, shoving him down on the hood roughly. The sound JJ heard made him think of bruises and dents later. Drake's voice was husky in his ear.

"Lie down… and … take…what's coming to you." JJ made no external expression.

That's what he had wanted, that's what he had needed all this time. To be so thoroughly dominated. For someone to take him, and just fuck him senseless. Oh hell, he didn't even want to know what way was up when this was over, just something to push all the pain and anger out of his radar for a while. JJ heard a few mewls make their way out of his own mouth as Drake did just that; and he was doing such a good job at it too.

"Oh God, Drake… hit me!" JJ had no clue where the exclamation came from but he ran with it once he had said it. Drake didn't stop his rhythm but simply murmured against his exposed skin.

"I am not going to hit you." Drake nipped at a sensitive spot, calling forth another cry from JJ.

"Will you later?" JJ panted

"No… that is something you have to earn." His voice was softer and JJ felt his nails dig in to his chest in a downward swipe. He growled in response and decided to be quiet for the rest of the show.