Declan fumbled with the phone, catching it in his slippery grip, ceasing its fall to the ground. He mumbled as he turned the face of the cell phone towards him, dialling a familiar number.

It was answered on the third ring. Declan smiled at the almost monotonous voice that responded drowsily.

"'Lo?"

"Hey, it's me. I've got another case for you."

Miranda smiled in response, aware that Declan had been a bit listless of late, itching for yet another 'miracle' to make its presence known so that he could solve it.

"What is it?" she asked, excitement piquing as she thought over the previous adventures the two had experienced along with their friend Peggy.

Declan smiled wryly.

"Well. I've been working on something. now I thought I'd done it right, but it doesn't seem to have come up with the right result," he frowned.

Miranda smiled.

"So, what is it?" she asked, growing impatient.

"The pancakes I'm making seem to be rising an awful lot. in fact," he paused to lean over the stove where his concoction was cooking, "I didn't think they were supposed to rise at all?" he asked, confused.

Miranda chuckled, staring at the phone in misbelief. This was Declan's idea of a case? She took a breath and spoke into the phone, smiling at the image her mind conjured up of the professor standing in the kitchen, staring doubtfully at the food he was trying to cook.

"Ok, Declan. What did you put in it?"

He peered at the frantically bubbling pancake again and frowned, trying to remember.

"Ow!"

"What?"

"It's spitting at me!" he stated, alarmed.

Miranda grinned and directed her friend.

"Stand back from it then! And tell me what you put into the mixture."

Declan scanned the assortment of ingredients that littered his old cupboard.

"Umm. an egg, flour and some milk. and possibly some sugar."

Miranda grinned.

"What type of flour did you put in, Declan?"

He shrugged.

"The white flour."

"Self raising or plain?" she questioned him, suddenly sure she knew what the problem was.

"Does it make a difference? Self raising, I think."

Miranda groaned and held the phone away from her as she laughed at her friend's mistake.

"You'll have to start again. Scrap the mixture you've got and use plain flour this time. Now once you've added the ingredients."

***

Declan yawned and ran his fingers through his hair before removing his glasses and wiping his eyes tiredly. Surely it was time for lunch? He yawned again and stretched, removing the kinks from his tired body that had been protesting about having to rest in one position for so long.

Miranda came to stand at the door of the young professor's office and paused in the doorway, watching him stretch. She knocked lightly and entered when Declan looked up. He grinned.

"Oh hey, Miranda. What's up?"

She shrugged and removed a pile of books that were occupying the chair opposite Declan before sitting down.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to make sure you had survived from last nights episode," she stated, a small smile giving life to her full lips.

She studied him for a few moments, her eyes twinkling.

"I see you did, but only just by the looks of it."

She gestured to his hair and the specks of flour that were still occupying the messily brushed back mane of hair that rested above his tanned face. Declan blushed as Miranda addressed him.

"Did you even have a shower this morning?" she asked, incredulously.

Declan shrugged and a mumbled reply emitted from his pursed lips.

"I didn't really have time. I kinda woke up late," a large grin erupted, flashing his even set teeth.

Miranda covered her emerging grin with her hand and shook her head. She still found herself surprised at the strong friendship the two had formed due to the fact that they only really had one thing in common - the need to find explanations for situations that arose as miracles. She addressed the older man.

"So apart from the difficult case of making pancakes correctly, is there anything else - of interest - that has arisen for us to check out?" she asked hopefully.

Declan shrugged.

"Nup," he rose from his seat and gestured to the door, "but you never know - we may find something while we're out to lunch."

Miranda stood and followed Declan out of the room, shaking her head.

"Highly doubtful."

Declan turned to face her and grinned.

"You never know."