Disclaimer: don't own anything. Yet (well, a girl can dream, right?). By the way, this story is out of continuity; its perfect place is somewhere between the end of the 6th season and the beginning of the 7th one (Logan needs a new partner while his one is in Europe, but here, Alex never gets kidnapped…) The first two chapters are something like 1700 and 1900 words long, but the other ones will be less long. So, good reading, and enjoy and review it!

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------------------------------MEETINGS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is there any way to convince you to change your mind?" a brown haired woman asked to Mac Taylor, chief of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, while they entered in the Major case unit. "So, it seems it's done, eh?"

"It's only for 3 months, Toni."

"3 months. At least."

"For a maximum of 6. It's not too long."

"I didn't leave my place as director at interim of the crime scene investigation unit in L.A. to come to NY to work here, you know. I come to NY to work in one of the best lab in the country, your lab, and work with you, who were my friend. But what did you do? A captain needs a new detective and you tell him, ehy, I've the right person for you, the one you need now, and you do it without ask me my opinion."

"I really don't understand your point."

"My point is, I'm a crime scene analyst. I analyze crime scenes; I don't usually… get involved with… human beings who still breathe. I'm more a trace and fingerprints and fluids type, you know."

"Although you are a crime scene investigator, you are a detective, too, and have I really to remind you that you are a profiler, too, and that, in the last 5 years, you were part of the unit who solved the major serial crimes in LA? And not to forget that you, coming from a rich family, know how to deal with reach people, and that this unit most of its time has to deal with people from your… uhm… class. You are the perfect person for this place, believe me. You are exactly what Captain Ross needs now."

"Yes, but nobody here is thinking about what I need now?"

"I can't believe we are debating about this. What's the problem with you?"

"The problem is… - she went in front of her "boss" and, gesturing and with a desperate look, she lowered her voice – the fact is that I'm not good when I've to… deal with people. I'm not able to… how can I say this… can't relate to other human beings. You know from what sort of dysfunctional family I came from. Damn, you were in the army with my older brother! "

"So this is the reason you are still single. You are not able to relate to men because of your dad was a Don Juan who didn't care about his children."

"He IS a Don Juan who DOESN'T care about his 7 children and his 3 ex wives. Use the present, not the past. The fact that he is 64 doesn't mean he suddenly decided to change his habits."

"7? Weren't you in 6?"

"Remember Christine, his last wife? 38 years old, my former best friend, married him 5 years ago, a 3 years old child called Lillian?"

"I thought she left your dad two months ago, at least."

"More or less, yes, but guess what? She is 3 months pregnant."

"Toni, I'm not going to change my mind about this work just because you have a dysfunctional family. Don't try to impress me, ok? And now, focus and stay cool, it's time to speak with Captain Ross."

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Meanwhile, the detectives from the Major Case squad were reading files from the older cases, cases not yet closed.

"Have you seen your new partner yet?" Alex Eames asked with nonchalance at the men sat at the desk in front of her one. Mike Logan was going to meet his new partner, after his former one took a brief "vacation" to teach American police procedures in Europe. He wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea to meet his new colleague… god only knew what sort of person could be. He only hoped it wasn't rookie…

"Nah, not yet. I don't know for sure if he is here yet. I heard he had to speak with Ross and his former boss, first."

"You know for sure it's a man?!" Goren left the file he was reading to join his partner and Logan in the discussion.

"Well, I have to admit that I don't know for sure if it's going to be a man or a woman…" he answered crossing his arms.

"You know, it doesn't need a profiler to know you'd probably prefer a female exemplar. You've got printed it on your face."

"Partners can't have stories." he simply answered at her provocation with a grin on his face.

"True, but it's only a temporary replacement. It will last from 3 to 5 months. If it's a lady, I bet you'll find a way to enter in her graces."

"Don't bet, Goren, because you'll loose."

"Why? You changed your preferences?"

"It's not that, Eames. The fact is, I don't like cop. Really. I mean…I don't mean what you think I mean. I just mean that… that I don't date them. That's all. Too much problems."

"The great Logan, well known as ladies' men is scared of a woman with a gun?"

"Never date a cop. Too much problems if it doesn't work. It's my policy. So if you don't want to loose, don't bet. And besides, we don't know for sure if my partner will be a she or a he."

"Yet, but - Bobby simply added reading his file - I think the answer to our dilemma just walked in Ross' office."

"What?"

"You two were so taken from the conversation you didn't noticed the chief of the crime scene investigation unit came in our boss' office…"

"Mac Taylor is here? He is the boss of my new partner? Great, a CSI is really what I need…"

"And he was with a woman. You know, I've the impression I've already met her, but I can't remember when or where it was."

"We work together from 7 years, and I think it's the first time it happened."

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Daniel Ross exited from his office with Mac Taylor and the woman who went inside with them same minutes before. Ross and Taylor were smiling and making jokes about some friends they had in common, while the woman was behind them and didn't look too happy. She looked more frustrated than happy or excited.

"Mac, tanks again. I promise I'll give you your detective back as soon as possible."

"That's not necessary. Antoinette is more than happy to help you, and me too. Listen, I must come back to my lab, but everything you need… you know where to find me."

"Tell Peyton to call my fiancée, one day or an other, she wants to go out with the two of you again. She really had a good time the last time."

"Peyton told me the same but every time we try to make plans, something happens. I really must go, now. See you soon, the both of you."

"It was nice to see you again, Mac. See you soon. Detective Madison… Please, follow me I'll show you your desk. - Antoinette looked with an evil looks at Mac, who was disappearing in the elevator, thinking to herself something like "Sure I'm happy about this, as it's true I asked for this work.", and, swearing revenge against Taylor, she followed her new boss – here we are – he told showing her an empty desk – detective Goren, Eames, Logan… she is Detective Antoinette Madison. Mac Taylor was so nice to lend her to our division for the next 3 months… these are Robert Goren, Alexandra Eames and your new partner, Mike Logan. So, now let's go back to work, all of you. And welcome to our unit, detective."

"You wrote an essay about forms of cultural, psychological and physiological vampirism. Nice and interesting work. It was 3 years ago, right? I red the essay, these is the reason it seems to me I already saw you somewhere. I saw your photo on the book. It doesn't make you the right honor, let me say, Mrs. Madison"

"Oh, thank you. I don't know what to say…"

"About the fact that the photo doesn't made you honor?" he said with a gorgeous smile, a soft voice and sweet words.

"Honestly, I'm more stunned by the fact someone bought it. Just other 3 persons spoke with me about it and each of them had a copy that I gave them for Christmas."

"Wait a second; I believe you are not talking about the bats, when you tell vampirism?"

"The cultural movement of the vampirism is vaster that you can believe, Logan. It's a philosophical movement, sort of. And don't forget the few cases in which there are involved people who really believe to be vampires. 4 years ago, in Vegas, a boy murdered few girls, beat them on the neck and drank their blood, just because he believed to be a vampire."

"and me, I believe he was simply mad, Bobby." Alex added.

"Sure he was mentally ill, but physically… his canines weren't like our ones, they were like the ones owned by vampires."

"Bobby, you can't make me believe he was really a vampire."

"It's not what he is telling you. He just means the boy was so influenced by his physical appearance that he transformed it into his mental illness. Sort of."

"See, Alex? This is the reason I was so scared about have a new partner. She is a younger, nicer and feminine version of Goren. They are already best friends."

"Best friends? I don't believe, Logan. You know, I think he'll loose." While telling these to Logan, on Alex's face appear a sad look.

"What?"

"We bet you would find a way into her graces, you remember? But I think we'll loose, because the only one who has a chance to enter in them, is him. Didn't you see how he flirted with her, how he already looks at her…how he speaks with her?"

Seeing Alex getting sadder and sadder, Mike Logan tried to reassure her, understanding what's going on. Something everybody already knew about but them.

"He flirts with every feminine exemplar of the human race."

"I don't think so, Logan, I don't think so."

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