"…That's the best way to start the day is a dog on a jet ski."

"That it is, Jen. Sadly, on a tragic note, the body of Ariel Ziva has just been recovered. Authorities say she was discovered by a lone hiker off the coast of the Weir River. There are many similarities to her murder as to the string of homicides afflicting the com –"

"I think that's enough of that this morning, eh, Shep?"

Turning off the television, Sera looked down at her trusted Sheltie – Shepherd, before rolling her eyes. He hadn't even budged. Eyes still closed waiting for her to be ready and out the door.

"Fine, lazy, let me get my coffee, and we'll be ready."

Twisting the lid on her travel mug she bent down to grab her bags.

"Let's go to work, Shep."

On the word 'go' the dog came to life, ears perking, and on his feet.

"Yeah, that's a good boy, I got your leash. Ready?"

He spun in a circle as if to say – "Of course, woman, I've been waiting for you."

Her nose crinkled in silent laughter, clipping his leash on and letting him lead her towards the apartment's parking garage. She noted a lot of the spaces were already emptied, as she loaded up her bags in the hatchback before letting Shep in through the driver's door so he could get into his doggy car seat. Circling the little box to get comfortable, he let himself face out the front, as she slid into the seat. Pulling out of the building she looked up at the dark sky, she knew it was already raining but it looked worse now that she was out in it.

"Looks like it's going to be a groggy day for us, boy."

One of his ears flicked back but he kept facing forward. Going down her regular route she was about to go past the light when she noticed a pile-up near the intersection. Seemed some were in too much of a hurry and didn't take caution of the slippery road. As far as she could tell, no one was hurt, which was a relief. Not so calming was the fact she would be late if she waited for the mess to be cleaned up. Making a U-turn she made her way down another road, and she was getting jittery that it wouldn't lead her to where she needed.

"This is what happens when we do things the exact damn way every freakin' day."

She had hated routine at first, but now she had let it take her in like a blanket. Routine meant safety, and this unfamiliarity was unnerving. Only when she recognized one of the street signs did she start to breathe again.

When did I become like this?

She couldn't remember the exact moment, it seemed as soon as the newness of Boston had worn off a pattern had followed. She vowed to learn more of the roads on a sunnier day. Making her way down to get to the main road, Shep started barking.

"What is it?"

Looking where he was, it took her a few moments to see through the curtain of drizzle to see a lone man walking down the sidewalk. Her first instinct was to stop for him, the man not even having an umbrella to help him through the slosh, but then thought better of it, the news report from earlier flashing in her mind. As she passed by, she couldn't help the weight her heart had then, her mother's voice lurching in her ears.

"How dare you Seraphine Louisa! Deuteronomy 22:4, child! Don't stand idly by - you're supposed to help one in need!"

She almost thumped her head on the horn, why the hell did her voice have to come up now? She knew for a fact her mother wouldn't have picked up the man either, truth be told her mother wouldn't have been driving in the first place, preferring to be the passenger than the driver. But, as with most cases, her mother was right, and she'd feel like shit all day if she didn't at least go and ask. Circling back around she felt a jolt inside her chest.

"I swear if I get murdered for this…"

He probably wasn't even there anymore; maybe he just needed to see a neighbor and went out without thinking of an umbrella. But he was there, up further ahead now, but still there. Head tucked down and hands in his coat pockets.

Shepherd barked again and taking a shaky breath and muttering a small prayer she rolled down the window.

"Um, excuse me! I couldn't help notice you're getting drenched out here, would you like a ride?"

The man had been lost in thought when she had pulled up, only mild curiosity when she rolled down her window. Yet now his focus was fully on her and she couldn't help but feel her face heat up. He was much younger than she anticipated his dark blonde hair now close to deep brown by the rain, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners approaching the car as if they were old friends and liquid ice wasn't soaking him.

"Aye, perhaps the Lord heard me prayers after all, sending one of his angels out to in my hour of need. Thank ye, lass."

Her flush deepened, another unexpected detail, she had been bleary-eyed before but the lilt in his voice tickled her ears, knocking her awake. But it wasn't unwelcome, if anything, somehow, she couldn't pinpoint why, but it was almost a familiar sound. She shoved that aside as she collected herself.

"It's not a problem. But I'm afraid you'll have to sit in the back."

He nodded, swiftly getting into the seat, closing the door before it flooded the car.

He grinned at her while rubbing his hands together, obviously from the rain chilling his skin. "Y'sure there wasn't, love? Noticed ye made a nice circle 'round."

Her red face remained. Love? Really? "Sorry, it's just hard to know what exactly to do anymore, with how the world is. If you want there should be a towel in the very back so you can dry off a little bit. It's clean, I promise."

"Agree with that, gotta ta take precautions nowadays. But I do appreciate it, lass."

She shrugged a shoulder. "Like I said it's no problem, you should probably be thanking Shepherd more; he's the one that spotted you. I guess it'd help to know where you're going or I'll end up taking you to work with me."

He grinned again, the towel in his hand as he ran it through his hair. "Suppos' so. Though I wouldn't mind spendin' the day withcha, lass. I work down there at th' meat plant on Newmarket Square. Should be givin' ye my thanks then, ey, boy? Me own damn brother took off without me this mornin'."

"I'm sorry, is that why you didn't have an umbrella? He take yours?"

"Oh, no, just don't have one. Rain won't kill us, can't believe the little bastard took off though. Pardon me language on that."

She chuckled. "It's fine, so you both work together?"

"Aye, got him the job there meself, and this is how he repays me. I say one thin' bout his ugly mustache an' he up an' takes off."

She laughed. "Oh, so you were just being mean too him, I understand now."

"Wasn't mean, lass, it t'was honest. He isn't doin' himself any favors with that mess on his face."

"Maybe so, but I probably would have left you too."

"Awww, both of ye do wrong then. His loss, get to tell him I was chauffeured ta work by a gorgeous girl when I see him."

She couldn't think of anything to say to that, her palms starting to sweat on the steering wheel.

"Sorry there lass, didn't mean ta make ye uncomfortable."

"It's okay, just don't know how to follow that up."

"How about a name fer starters?"

She smiled again. "Uhh, you first."

"Aye, fair 'nough. Connor MacManus at yer service, love, or yours ta mine as it were on this occasion."

"Seraphine – Sera Shafir."

He grinned, his eyes lighting back up. "Seraphine? I see t'Lord did send me a true angel indeed."

"Thank you, wasn't the meaning my mom was going for, but I like yours more so –"

"And what t'was yer ma going for, lass?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –"

"No, I'm curious, if ye want ta tell."

"The gem, my mom named all of us after jewels."

"Ahh, I see, so you have brothers and sisters then?"

"One of each, I'm one of three in fact."

His eyes twinkled. "As in a matchin' set? Well, then lass we have more in common than I first thought."

"What do you mean?"

"Me and me brother are twins, ye see. Fraternal which is sad fer him since I got all the looks, but that's how t'Lord wanted it. 'Fraid our journey's comin' to an end, love if ye don't care to plop me off over there."

Getting as close to the building as she could, she parked to the door.

"It has been wonderful, Seraphine, I bless ye for pullin' over ta let me in. I'll warn ye not ta be doin' that all the time. Be keepin' yerself safe."

She twisted the steering wheel in her grip. She didn't know why but something inside her gut was telling her to not let this go, and before her head could tell her otherwise she blurted. "If it's still raining I could pick you up…I mean if you would like me to."

She flushed again as he settled back in the seat, hand still on the handle. "I couldn't ask that of ye, love."

She shrugged, glad he couldn't hear her heart hammering away. "It's not an issue for me, I mean you and your brother would have to sit in the back again, since Shep's used to the front, but –"

"Yer already been gracious enough ta help me. Ye might not say so, but I wouldn't want ta keep ye from anything."

She chuckled. "Mr. MacManus I'm afraid you've had the pleasure of meeting the most boring person in the world. You're not keeping me from anything. I work and go home, that's usually enough for me."

"Ye have ta forgive me, but that's hard ta believe. A girl like ye boring…"

A girl like me?

She didn't know how he had meant it but her chin tucked to her chest anyway.

"I didn't mean any harshness, love, just yer too enticing ta be trite or boring."

She smiled shyly up at him but didn't say anything.

"If yer really wantin' ta see me again that badly, I'd never deny ye."

She choked on a laugh. "Thank you for that, Mr. MacManus, what time should I be here?"

He stepped out of the car with a smile, hand held out. "Five o'clock, love, and call me Connor."

Taking his hand, she shivered when he pulled it up to his lips. The chivalrous act was not something she was used to seeing much of.

Stuttering and reluctant she pulled it back. "I'll see you at five then, Connor."

He gave one last dazzling smile before going into the building. Sera let out a long breath, nerves unwinding as she looked at Shep.

"What the hell did I just do?"

He grunted, having no idea either when her eyes caught the clock on the dash.

"Oh, dammit!"

Even taking a different route she ended up later than ever for work.