A/N~ This will be a short story, and an unusually short chapter for me. The next few will be longer, but this is really just to set the scene. It's been bouncing around in my head for a while, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

It had been five minutes since Captain had called Travis into his office, alone, and Wes' initial mild interest was morphing into agitated suspense. The two had been standing in the break room arguing over which side of the counter the new microwave should be placed, when Captain's face appearing in the window. When both detectives made a move for the door, he signaled them to stop, and pointed directly to Travis, cocking his finger again in a come hither motion. Making a crack about some kind of sexual harassment issue, Wes watched his partner go, trying to figure out what the deadly serious look in the Captain's eyes was. He didn't let it bother his too much though, for if there was a serious problem, they both would have been called in.

Walking back to his desk, he glanced over to Captain's office, watching the two in deep conversation. He stopped dead in his place when he saw Travis run a hand over his face and cover his mouth and chin with his hand, his tell of deep stress. A moment later, the two partners made eye contact across the department. It was broken not two seconds later when Travis stood and drew the curtains.

Now in his seat, puzzling over what the hell was going on, Wes began to notice the emptiness of the floor. Only two detectives and a handful of officers were mulling around, but they made no conversation between themselves, and while he was aware most people avoided conversation with him (why, he had yet to figure out, though Travis had quite a strong opinion), anyone running papers or files back and forth went out of their way to walk around him, as if on eggshells.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?" he said with a little too much forced pleasantry. His question was met with complete silence, and all the officers quickly dropped their eyes to their desks. Asking a second time, he whipped around upon hearing Travis clear his throat. When had he left the office?

"We have case," he said cryptically, gravely.

"Thank you! You're finally giving me some useful information."

"Let's go, man." There was something about Travis' voice, posture, face, that was making him very uneasy. When Wes remained sitting, Travis held out his hand.

"Give me the keys, Wes. I'm driving this time." His voice left no room for argument, though it wasn't harsh or demanding. Wes stood and handed over the keys, following the uncharacteristically somber man out the double doors.

It wasn't until the car was running and they were pulling out the parking lot that the two spoke again. Wes, unnerved by Travis in the drivers seat, both literally and literally as far as this new case was beginning, leveled with him.

"Travis, I need to know what is going on. Where ever we are going, we have to be on the same page."

Travis, on the other hand, had been praying for Wes to get a call from Captain so he would explain it all. This was going to be a tough conversation, and though he knew as Wes' partner, and dare he say, "friend," it needed to be from him. Fidgeting around a bit to work up the nerve to answer, he began, "It's a hostage crisis."

Okay, thought Wes. Baby steps. "Where?"

"Three armed gunmen confirmed so far, with eighteen hostages. They've made no demands as of yet, and haven't any clear motive. Tech team said that they are on the working on remote access to the security cameras as we speak. They have access to the cameras on the floor they are on, and I don't doubt they know that and would be able to see us coming up the stairs or elevator," he answered immediately.

Wes nodded. "Alright, that's a start. Are we taking point on arrival?"

"I am," Travis said softly after a moment. "Captain said you shouldn't be there, but I thought you would want to be. Need to be. That was the condition, though. He wants to fall back, stay out of it, and under no circumstances go in." Travis was biting his lip hard, hoping Wes would understand without him having to say the words.

And he did. Everyone knew he was the most levelheaded detective on the force, and the thought of him being removed from a case in fear of him acting irrationally was laughable. But Captain knew what would make him lose his head, and so did Travis. He knew, but he couldn't let it be true.

"I didn't miss the fact that you did not answer where we are going," he replied, his voice too calm for Travis' liking.

He swallowed.

"Alex's law firm."

A/N~ I am so relieved to finally be putting this down in writing! I love Wes and Alex's relationship and have been rooting for them to get back together from episode 1. I've had this idea for a while and I sincerely hope you guys are as excited about it as I am! Please leave me a review!