A few hours later the lights came back on and Sly heard the door close. He was lying on the bench with his arms over his face. He turned his head and shifted his arm so he could see the officer that was standing in the doorway. The officer came over to the cell and slid a tray with some food and water on it through a space in the bars.

"Breakfast, Cooper" the guard said.

"Where is Inspector Fox?" Sly asked, getting off of his cot. "I thought that she was assigned to my case." He took the tray from the officer. "Thanks," he looked down at the oatmeal that the guard had handed him. "Just like mom used to make."

The officer chuckled. "Inspector Fox assigned me to be your guard and deliver your food."

"So, I guess she's still mad at me, huh?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fuming."Sly sighed. He sat on his cot and started to poke at the oatmeal.

"So, I've got a question. And I don't mean to offend you, but I'm a curious guy."

Sly smiled, "Go on."

The officer smiled in return, his excitement equaling that of a small child. "Well, I was just wondering, how did you end up here? I mean, you're probably the best thief in the world. You've never been brought in before, what happened?"

"Well," Sly glanced at the detective's name tag. "Chuck," he continued, "I fell in love with the officer that was trying to arrest me."

Chuck's eyes widened. "What? You've got to be pulling my leg. Old ironsides?"

"It's no joke, Chuck. I fell for the lovely Inspector, and now I'm trying to earn her love in return." Sly glanced dejectedly at his oatmeal.

"Wow, does she know?"

Sly smiled darkly, "yes. She knows. That's why she was so mad."

"Well, what did you do? Did you tell her?" Chuck pulled up a chair, excited to hear the story.

"I told her, but I don't think that she believes me. I can't really blame her though; I haven't exactly given her much reason to. I need to find some way to convince her that I'm serious. I just don't know how long it will take, or if I even can even."

Chuck nodded thoughtfully. "Now," Chuck started hesitantly, "what exactly do you see in her?" He back pedaled a bit. "She's awfully pretty, but I mean, uh, I mean she's just so rigid."

Sly chuckled again, "I don't know if pretty is enough to describe her." He thought for a moment about the beautiful Inspector Fox. "And yes, she can be rigid, but she's a real softy underneath that façade."

"Inspector Fox, a softy? I've never heard that before."

"She doesn't like to show people who she really is, but once you get past her callous exterior there is a beautiful woman."

"Wow, man, you've got it bad."

Sly chuckled, "You said it."

After he ate the oatmeal, he gave the tray back to Chuck.

"Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes. Do you think that you'll be okay on your own?"

"I think that I can manage."

Chuck left with the tray, the door closing heavily behind him. Sly got up and walked over to the door to the cell. He fished the paper clip from the hiding place in his shirt and looked at the lock. It doesn't look too complicated. He thought as he put the paper clip in the lock. He jiggled the clip until the door was unlocked and swung open. Good to know, he thought as he closed the door again. He relocked the door and went back to his cot. In another minute Chuck came back and took his seat at the desk.

"Hey, Chuck," Sly started, "do you think that you could do something for me?"

Chuck glanced at the raccoon suspiciously. "What?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me win over the Inspector."

Now Chuck looked enthusiastic. "And how, could I offer my assistance?"


Carmelita paced around her office, her tail twitching angrily every so often.
"Who does Cooper think he is?" she grumbled as she paced. Regi just watched her pace, standing against the wall with her arms crossed.

"What has he done now?" she asked, her eyes following the furious fox. All she could do was give the canary a death glare and continue pacing, for she had no answer.

"He's still in that damn holding cell." Carmelita responded through her teeth.

"Isn't that where you put him?"

"Yes, but it's already been a week. Why is he still there? Why hasn't he broken out? What is he up to?"

"You're mad that he's in jail?"

Carmelita stopped to glare at the Sargent. "He's doing it just to get to me. That damn raccoon just loves to make me look bad."

"Do you really think that it's to make you look bad?"

"What other reason could there be? For years that's all he's done. He's pulled off impossible heists and rubbed it in my face when I couldn't catch him.
Now he's just sitting in that holding cell. And after what he said- He's up to something and I'm going to find out what."

"Why can't he just be in jail because he was arrested? Why does he need some ulterior motive? Usually when someone is arrested, they stay in jail."

"Not Sly Cooper. He doesn't stay in jail. He usually would have broken out by now. I just can't figure out why he's staying."

Regi walked over to Carmelita's desk and picked up a red rose that was on top of her paper work. "I've got a theory. I think that Sly Cooper hasn't broken out of jail, because he doesn't want to. I think that he's doing it to be closer to you. I think he likes you."

Carmelita crossed her arms. "Don't be foolish. He's a crook. Crooks are always deceitful."

"He's a cute crook. And not even all that much of a crook. Doesn't he only steal from other criminals?"

Carmelita sighed. Regi had been trying to hook her up with Sly Cooper since she had joined the force about a year back. "Would you knock that off?"

"Oh come on, you know that he likes you." She extended the rose towards Carmelita. Carmelita took it and threw it on the ground. She crushed the flower under her boot and ground the petals, just for good measure.

"It doesn't matter how he feels." She growled, having heard him express that his feelings for her were above just liking. "I hate him."

"You do not. You have feelings for him too. That's why he was put in the holding cell, and not shipped off to Lyon. If you didn't care about him, he'd be in Interpol headquarters."

Carmelita ground her teeth, "I kept him here to make personally sure that he was arrested. Now get out of my office before I put you in that cell with him."
Regi frowned at the stubborn fox and walked towards the door. "Fine, but one day I will get you to admit that-" Carmelita slammed the door in Regi's face before she could finish.

"I do not like him." She muttered to herself. "I hate him." Maybe repeating it would make it true.