The following morning, Nina sat at her desk poking at the tuna salad she had brought in for lunch. Her partner was nowhere to be seen and she was to "call if anything comes up", otherwise he would return in an hour. It was okay with her. It gave her an hour of silence to scan through the endless pages of phone logs that they got for their perp, and it gave her time to think.

The events of the night before were still a blurred mush in her mind. It wasn't so much that she didn't remember, but more that it had just been...a haze. A fun haze. Maybe the alcohol she had consumed was to blame. Maybe the stress of the job. Maybe both. But she had a strong feeling that it had a lot to do with the man that had sat beside her in that bar, and the way he smiled, the ear he offered her, and his cologne. Damn that cologne. It was her fault too, that much she knew. She had needed no convincing for what had happened. She'd wanted it. They drank together, chatted, for an hour. Shared funny cop stories, shared stupid criminals stories, and he told her about the good old days at the 2-7. A new voice to offer high opinion of the brilliant Detective Lennie Briscoe.

And she sensed the mutual hopes for the evening. She sensed it when he smiled at her, when he helped her slip her coat on and his fingers "accidentally" brushed her collarbone and neck, the way his hand lingered a moment too long and strong against the small of her back as he walked her out the door. And when he stood with her, to flag her a cab, there was no mistaking his intentions as he kept his hand on her back and turned his body to hers so that his chest was pressed into her shoulder. His eyes looked straight down the street as his voice fell down on her.

"So what would you say if a dirty old man asked you to accompany him home for drinks?"

Without missing a beat, she replied smartly, "I'd tell him he's outta luck cause I'm going home with a handsome older detective," she pulled open the waiting cab door, "and skipping the drinks." Then she climbed into the car, leaving the door open for him to follow.

Her thoughts of the night were interrupted by her Lieutenant, and she cast them away quickly. The night soon faded into her past as she carried on with work and life. She spent her free time around her family and friends, and things at work got better. Her partner was much easier to be around, and they were becoming good friends. It was over a month before she thought of that evening again. It was a bit hard not to. She was working at her desk, talking to her partner, when the noise in the precinct rose. It was the sounds of people greeting, men grunting, and shoulder slapping. Nina and Ed looked up and saw, who else, but Mike Logan, walk in the door. He made his rounds to say hi to those he knew, nodding to those he didn't. He stopped at Ed and Nina's desks.

"Hey Green, how goes it?" He knocked on Ed's desk. Ed gave him a handshake and nod. Nina knew that the two were acquaintances through the strange Detective Goren.

"Good, you? What's it been, a couple days?" He kidded. Logan nodded with a grin. "What brings you?"

"Van Buren asked me to drop by for a chat," he shrugged. He glanced over at Nina and his smile grew.

"Oh, Mike Logan," Ed sat up a bit. "This is Nina Cassidy."

"Pleasure," Mike said, holding out a hand. She took it and smiled as his fingers wrapped around hers. A sudden flash brought back images of that night. Of him letting her into his apartment, playing it cool for a few minutes, offering her a drink...and when the offer was declined, and he'd stepped forward to kiss her. And those hands, those fingers...

Nina prayed no one could see the heat she felt in her cheeks as she cleared her throat. "Good to meet you," she replied. His eyes were right on hers, and she knew that he saw what she was recalling. His grin was proof. The tight grip he hand on her was proof. He dropped her hand.

"What's a guy gotta do to get a cup of coffee?" He asked, looking around.

"Have a seat, man, I'll get you some," Ed said. He stood and Mike sat in his chair.

"So Cassidy, enjoying the job?" Mike leaned forward on his elbows.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Meeting good people?"

"Mostly. A few more memorable than others," she gave him a little smile. He didn't speak for a moment, then leaned forward a bit more and lowered his voice. His eyes were bright and his grin wide.

"There are ways of improving your memory," he said with a wink, then he sat back as Ed reappeared. "Thanks, I'd better take this with me." He stood up and headed for Van Buren's office. "Don't worry, I'll be back."

Nina was on the phone when Mike went back through the room, she got a wave from him on his exit. She didn't think much of it and got back to work. Twenty minutes passed and she had hung up when her desk phone rang.

"Detective Cassidy," she answered it.

"This used to be my number," a voice replied.

"Mine now," she countered back, knowing who it was.

"So...about recalling those memories..."

"Yes?" She asked.

He sighed. "Okay, have it your way. Nina, come out with me tonight."

"Hmm."

"Just a drink. We'll forget the awkward dinner with boring conversation, wondering for an hour and a half where the night will take us. A drink at my place."

"That's not going out."

"No, but why delay the inevitable?"

"Confident are you?"

"Hopeful, sweetheart, hopeful."

"Nine?"

"I'll be waiting," he said.

"Okay," she replied, then hung up. She stared at the phone a moment. Could it be a one night stand if it was a second time? She shook her head. It didn't matter. Casual drink, nothing wrong there. Especially when she pictured the man. The heated cheeks returned.

They sat in his living room, having a drink, both silently unwinding from their days. The silence wasn't awkward so much as they just didn't have much to say to one another. As Nina drained the end of her glass, Mike sat forward on the couch a bit. "Another?"

She looked at her glass, then at him. "No." He smiled, then slid over to her and took the glass.

"You're makin' this too easy," he said before kissing her. She pulled back a bit and gave him a look.

"You calling me easy?"

"Not at all," he said quickly. "No, no..." he shook his head, then stopped when he saw that she was laughing at him. His mouth poured into a slow grin. "Smart ass." Then he kissed her again and trailed a hand down her arm. As he moved to stand and pull her up with him, she followed, but stopped before they got to the bedroom.

"Just so you know, Logan...if there's a next time," she narrowed smiling eyes at him, "I expect dinner."

"If there's a next time," he nodded, "whatever you want." His lips moved down her neck and he tried pulling her to the bedroom again.

"You saying whatever you have to to get me in there?" She asked, though she let him pull her anyway.

"Damn right." She laughed as the bedroom door slammed shut behind them.

She slept for a few hours with him afterwards. She wasn't in a rush to leave, and he wasn't kicking her out. When she did awake, she glanced at the clock and heaved a sigh. Suddenly her shower and bed were calling her name. She slowly started to slip out from the covers, but he rolled over and momentarily stopped her. She turned and looked at him. He looked back. After a few moments of nothing, she asked, "What?"

"I'd ask for your number, but I know one of them," he said groggily.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, either leave me another number or I'll hafta call you at work again."

"Okay," she said. He touched her cheek briefly and kissed her. "I'll see ya around."

"See you around," he returned. Then she slipped out of the bed and dressed, and let herself out. Not before leaving her card on his counter. She wasn't sure that he would call, but she wasn't going to worry if he didn't.