Author's note: I am completely overwhelmed by the incredible response I have received and would like to thank everybody who has read, reviewed, followed and favorited Buddy Boy so far. Please forgive me for spending my time writing instead of replying to you all. This chapter is almost triple the length of the last and I sincerely hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am not a dog expert by any measure, just a dog lover and activist for responsible pet ownership. Any and all mistakes are my own.

Chapter Two: See you again?

Hope rose in Jay's chest to the point of nervous anticipation every afternoon of the week following their meeting. He would make the short journey from his house to the off-leash area of the local park with Ink at his side, as close to the same time of the afternoon as their work permitted.

Then, inevitably, as he surveyed the green expanse his heart would sink when he didn't see her; the stranger with golden brown hair and eyes that he couldn't forget. In all honesty he couldn't forget a single detail, he wouldn't let himself. If he wasn't going to see her again he was going to preserve the memory meticulously. Right down to the dark wash jeans and maroon V-neck sweatshirt that had hung crookedly on her perfectly proportioned frame, the well-worn leather boots and her incredible voice.

Jay didn't know what it was specifically but there was something special about her, beyond her striking appearance. Maybe it was the way she still occupied his thoughts in every waking moment, and more than a few sleeping ones too. The way he felt so compelled to track her down, to see her again, to stare into those eyes and listen to all the untold stories he knew they held. He was starting to think he was going mad, he'd never felt such a strong connection to a perfect stranger.

It wasn't until he had tripped on a foot chase, letting go of the leash and allowing Ink to face a violent offender alone all because he thought he had spotted her, that he recognized it was becoming a problem. All afternoon, until that moment when he saw the park empty, he had told himself that if she wasn't there that time he would let it go. Let her go. As Ink settled at his feet, giving him a pitying look, he knew it was going to be difficult; they had already stayed far longer than they ever had before.

"You wanna go to the bar pretty girl?" Jay asked, slipping off the bench seat to sit on the concrete slab next to Ink. Her eyes brightened at the attention and after nuzzling at his neck she turned and bounded towards the gate, tail wagging as she looked back to see he was following.

They made their way to the little local establishment that turned a blind eye to Ink's presence, or if the right person was tending the bar made quite the fuss. Half an hour later Jay sat nursing a beer while Ink chowed down on the pasta, ground beef and raw egg delight Maddy had prepared for her.

"Rough day?" Maddy enquired as she reached the end of the bar where Jay sat. He was never the most talkative patron but he usually managed to make small talk while she worked nearby.

"Something like that" he shrugged, glancing up at her before looking down to see Ink licking the bowl. "I'd come here more often but I think she'd probably start liking you more than me" he commented as Ink gave the bowl one last inspection and looked up at them.

"I think you'd be underestimating her loyalty if you really thought that" Maddy replied, giving Ink a pat as she bent to retrieve the bowl. Her shirt rode up to expose her lower back as she did so, Jay's eyes lingering longer than they should have.

"Maybe" he answered quickly as Maddy straightened, her eyebrow kinking as she read his features. Jay couldn't maintain eye contact for more than a few awkward seconds, looking down as if to check on Ink. When he looked up again Maddy had move away to serve another customer. He took a gulp of beer then sighed, wondering what was wrong with him.

Maddy had always been a sweet girl, friendly and bubbly, always willing to listen, but Jay knew he was confused and projecting his feelings onto her. That wasn't fair and so he finished his beer and left, much to Ink's disappointment. They walked the long way home, past the park, just to be sure.

The cold night air cleared Jay's mind and allowed him to find some clarity. By the time he unlocked the door and hung his coat he had convinced himself that he didn't want to meet her again. That didn't stop him seeing her eyes every time he closed his, green and gold globes he wasn't sure he could ever forget. He was going to give it a shot though, grabbing a beer from the fridge and settling in to watch a mind-numbing television program.

By the time he peeled himself off the leather Ink was sprawled across his bed, snoring contentedly. She knew she wasn't allowed on the furniture but that didn't stop her sneaking up when he had his back turned, getting comfortable and dozing off. Sometimes he wondered if she would even be roused by an intruder, she sure seemed to become placid to the verge of laziness when they were at home. She was heavy and on his preferred side of the bed too so he didn't climb straight in. Perhaps a cold shower held the answers he sought.

Two days later…

The last few days had been difficult for Erin, for the entire Intelligence unit, but more so for her. Returning to her apartment when the case was finally closed she just wanted to flop onto her couch and let voices from the television drown out her thoughts; perhaps with a beer or two if she could be bothered getting up. That was until she slid her key into the door and heard nails clicking on the hardwood floor inside.

She pushed open the door and promptly forgot everything that had been troubling her as Buddy began a greeting dance, tail thudding against the wall for a few beats. Erin sunk to a crouch and opened her arms, patting him vigorously as he celebrated her arrival. "How was your day Bud? Hm? Good?" she questioned as she scratched behind his ears. "You want to go out? Should we get outta here for a bit?" Erin continued as Buddy tried to sneak past her to the open door. "Alright then."

Buddy sat obediently the moment she reached for his leash, waiting until it was secured before darting towards the door. Erin allowed him to drag her down the stairs and out of the building in his excitement. By the time they reached the sidewalk Erin was jogging alongside her companion. She felt so free; the staccato beat of her feet pounding the pavement came to match the rhythm of her heart as she covered one block then two.

Erin slowed fractionally, unsure how Buddy was coping with the sudden burst of energy, but he continued regardless, jarring at her shoulder with each bounding stride. She picked up her pace again but paid more attention to both her breathing and surroundings. There was no specific intention to get anywhere but avoiding busy roads while staying where it was well lit led her on a winding journey through the city streets. Culminating in a familiar park where she decided to give Buddy some downtime in the off-leash area.

Erin unclasped the leash and gestured to show Buddy he could do as he pleased, he chose to remain at her side as she walked the perimeter to cool down. Other than the wire of the fence coming loose in one corner there was nothing of concern to the pair. Buddy grew more confident and ventured further and further away, sniffing intently, while Erin settled on the park bench and allowed herself to begin processing the things she had seen and done at work that day.

It was hard to believe that the teenaged girl in their latest case had lived almost her entire life in a space little bigger than the slab of concrete on which the bench seat sat. Fifteen year old Mallory Vincent had been killed by her 'father' when she finally saw through his brainwashing and tried to escape. Mallory had been reported missing by her neglectful mother twelve years prior, the case cold before the investigation began since the then three year old hadn't been seen in more than forty-eight hours when the report was made. Mallory had been abducted and raised as Carolyn Reinholdt by the disturbed Jeremy Reinholdt.

Reinholdt was in custody, Erin herself had slapped on the cuffs, but she still felt sick; sick about the life taken far too soon and sick at the similarities between herself and the victim. There had been ample opportunity for someone like Reinholdt to have claimed her as a child but instead it had been Hank Voight who transformed her life. At fifteen she was in a safe and loving environment not slowly bleeding to death over an eight hour period. It was a harsh reality but Erin was far away, lost in memories she would rather forget.

"Hi" Jay greeted as he approached, not wanting to startle her by getting too close before announcing his presence. After two days telling himself he wasn't thinking about her Jay was stunned to see her just sitting there. He had recognized her from the parking lot, or at least he recognized her dog and assumed it was her.

Erin moved so quickly that Jay froze, watching uncertainly as she launched to her feet and scanned the enclosed space. "Buddy!" She called, panic constricting her throat and reducing the volume of her summons when she couldn't see him straight away.

"He was just over there" Jay informed, pointing off to the far corner. He wasn't sure what kind of fate it was that doomed him to always barge in and cause her trouble. He had been so looking forward to sitting next to her, sharing space at first then exchanging small talk, getting to know each other and then… Who knew where it would lead.

"No," she groaned, struggling to believe her luck. The far corner was where the wire was coming loose, loose enough for Buddy to get through if he had fled in fear. All the progress they had made would surely be lost if he was roaming the city, she could just see it all going wrong if he lashed out whilst being captured by animal control. "BUDDY?" she shouted again, not giving any thought to the man or his dog as she rushed in the direction Buddy had last been seen.

Jay followed, inherent curiosity and a need to help overriding everything else. "We'll find him" he assured, confident the animal couldn't have gotten far. There weren't all that many places for a dog Buddy's size to hide in the off-leash area either.

"There's a hole in the fence" Erin snapped as she rushed forth, hoping to get rid of him. Jay wasn't going anywhere though.

The movement had caught Ink's attention and so after finishing smelling the bins and tree she loped over to see what was happening. While Erin called desperately for her dog, eyes straining against the lack of light in the rest of the park, Jay gave Ink a command. Seconds later her excited bark told him she had succeeded.

"Hey" Jay called, trying to get the woman's attention as she reached the fence, and he could have sworn was about to jump it. "Hey, he's over here" he informed, already veering towards the graffitied concrete tunnel Ink was indicating. It was merely a section of drainage pipe, intended for use as an obstacle but providing an ideal hiding place for the spooked animal.

Erin spun around at the man's claim, hoping desperately that his dog wasn't just playing with them. She needed Buddy to be okay, she was already blaming herself for allowing something to happen. Breaking into a sprint she reached the tunnel and sure enough, crouched approximately in the middle of it was her boy, cowering defensively. The large black dog was still barking, the sound amplified by the confines of the tunnel, and jumping around excitedly.

"Shush" Erin commanded firmly, putting herself between the dog and the tunnel.

Ink looked to her owner before complying, quieting but remaining poised for action. Jay was doing approximately the same thing, mind racing as he tried to figure out the best way to help. Erin knew what she had to do; it was the only viable option.

"Hey" Jay said, taking two rapid steps and grabbing the woman's arm before she could enter the tunnel. Erin pulled away automatically, spinning to face him with fight blazing in her eyes. Jay braced himself for the impact of her palm or her fist but neither came. "Ink can get him out" he offered calmly.

"He doesn't like other dogs" Erin dismissed, having thought that fairly obvious given their current situation.

"Let her try" Jay urged, letting out a short, shrill whistle to get Ink's attention. "Go on, calm him down" he instructed before the woman had a chance to disagree.

"No" Erin protested, shifting slightly to completely block the entrance of the tunnel.

"She won't hurt him, I promise" Jay vowed. He held eye contact with the woman for a long moment, trying to convince her to allow him to at least try to fix the problem his presence had created. Erin wanted whatever was best for Buddy, sending in another dog seemed counterintuitive but the man looked so certain.

Erin's eyes fell away from him, travelling to his dog since it was the one he was proposing sending in. She, Ink the man had called her, was a beautiful animal and even as Erin tried to put herself in Buddy's position she had to appreciate that. Ink's dark brown eyes were bright and intelligent but also somehow gentle and kind. A whimper from Buddy was all it took for Erin to decide, or rather Ink's reaction to the sound, eyes softening to something like sympathy as she let out a soft whine in reply. Erin stepped aside.

The two humans stood side by side a moment later, watching intently and waiting with bated breath as Ink entered the tunnel. Erin half expected Buddy to fly out the other end but he didn't, giving a warning growl instead. "Nice and slow Ink" Jay said encouragingly. Ink dropped to her stomach and despite her greater stature made herself as small as possible. Buddy responded with a questioning whine, trying to understand why she was relinquishing her dominance so easily. It took another few minutes but they seemed to come to an understanding with looks and some nervous pawing.

Ink stood slowly and began to back out of the tunnel. Erin took the opportunity to glance at the man, unsure what had been achieved. When she looked back she was shocked to see Buddy walking at his full height out of the tunnel. "Good boy Bud" Erin beamed as she went to him, offering her hand only briefly before beginning to pat him. Buddy hesitated but then, as the man and his dog retreated began to celebrate the victory, assumed a relaxed posture and even wagged his tail gently.

"Good boy Buddy, good boy" she continued to praise, her voice fading as Jay got further and further away. Out the gates with as little recognition from the woman as their entrance had had. He didn't know how he felt about everything that had just happened, still coming down from the rush of adrenaline triggered by her panicked shout.

Erin allowed her emotions to flow freely as relief washed over her, stroking and patting her furry friend while smiling and chattering happily to him. She too relaxed and that was when she realized the man had left. His shadowy figure barely visible in the distance, growing fainter before the bright lights of the parking lot illuminated him as he set about loading his pet into a vehicle mostly obscured by the toilet block.

"Let's get home" Erin murmured, crouching down and clasping the leash to Buddy's collar. With one last look over her shoulder they walked away from the tunnel together, making it through the gates before she felt another presence. Instantly fully alert she soon spotted the man, standing under one of the lights that lined the walkway through the park. There was no sign of his dog but Erin and Buddy both scanned their surroundings for her, knowing her inky black form could easily blend into the shadows.

"She's in the car" Jay called to the pair, staying under the beam of light as he took a step towards them, onto the path.

"Thank you… and sorry" Erin told him as she reached the path, Buddy hanging back a little way, a safe distance from the strange man.

"He alright?" Jay asked, tipping his head to indicate that he was asking about Buddy.

"Yeah" she answered with a nod, looking her pet over until she felt the man's eyes on her again. "He's a rescue, he was abused."

"I should have worked that out, I'm sorry" he apologized, it sounded genuine enough. He didn't know how to explain that in his excitement to see and speak to her he'd completely forgotten the way her dog had reacted to their first encounter.

"It wasn't your fault, or your dog's either, he just doesn't get along with other dogs" Erin explained, blaming herself for zoning out and letting her guard down. "Usually anyway" she added, still mystified by the ease with which his dog, Ink, had calmed Buddy.

"It takes time" he commiserated comfortingly.

"Yeah" Erin agreed, looking away from him and along the path in a silent indication of her readiness to end the conversation and leave.

"I didn't see your car" Jay commented, pointing towards the parking lot, he knew for a fact that his car was the only one there.

"Uh, we walked" she replied, it wasn't a complete lie, they had walked some of the way. Even though she was surprisingly comfortable, alone with him in a partially lit park late at night, she didn't see any harm in making him think she lived closer than she did.

"It's late. You want me to walk you home?" Jay asked considerately.

"No, we're good thanks" Erin declined politely, fiercely independent at the best of times.

"It's dangerous, being out alone at night" he cautioned, not sure where his concern for her safety came from.

"I'm not alone" she reminded, nodding her head towards her dog. Buddy had given up sniffing at the grass and was instead simply standing there watching the strange man.

"I don't know that he's going to be much help" Jay said, a little too honestly. "I'm a police officer, not a creep, promise" He ploughed ahead before she could be offended by his comment. Sure her dog looked tough enough, and maybe that would be enough of a deterrent, but the animal had made it pretty clear he was a complete coward. She looked skeptical for a moment but then looked past him to his car, sure enough it was a fully fitted out Police SUV with K9 emblazoned on the door.

"So am I" Erin informed flatly, pulling her coat aside to reveal her badge, she hadn't had a chance to remove it since she hadn't even gotten all the way through the front door. "And I can take care of myself" she concluded before starting on her way.

Jay couldn't believe it for a second but then when he had a chance to think about it, it made perfect sense, the way she carried herself should have been a dead giveaway. Still in awe of the coincidence he rushed to catch up with her. "Jay Halstead, K9 unit, that's my partner Ink. Twenty-fifth" he introduced before she stopped and turned back to look at him.

"Okay" Erin acknowledged, shifting her posture to make it clear she wasn't interested in hanging around.

"What's your name?" he asked, feeling much like the new kid who didn't know anybody on the first day of school.

"Lindsay, Detective. Twenty-first" Erin provided efficiently, giving him a look that seemed to ask permission to leave. They were both silent for a moment, each waiting for the other to act first.

"Are you sure?" Jay asked, no longer wanting to walk her home for her own safety, instead he wanted to learn everything there was to know about Detective Lindsay from the twenty-first district. He couldn't remember what units ran out of the twenty-first but he would definitely be asking around, she wasn't like any detective he had ever met before.

"Yes. Thank you" she declined again.

"Goodnight" Jay bid her with a small smile.

"Goodnight" Erin returned, allowing her eyes to linger on his for a few beats before she spun on her heels and was off.

"I'm sure I'll see you again sometime" Jay called after her, making a conscious effort to keep his feet planted instead of going after her.

"Hope not" Erin muttered to her charge as they began the journey back the way they had come. She wouldn't be going back to the dog park anytime soon, as much for Buddy's sake as her own. Two bad experiences there were warning enough.

Jay had heard her though, her raspy tones carried by the soft breeze right to his ears; and it only made him all the more confused.

Buddy Boy ~ StraightOuttaChicago

Author's note: I strive for accuracy and authenticity in my work but (unfortunately) I am not an authority on police dog conduct or general police procedure. I will do research where possible but this is a work of fiction and therefore will never be one hundred percent accurate.

What did you think? Was their second meeting any better than their first? How might they meet again? I am still in the process of planning where this story will go so if you have any suggestions please let me know. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Advice: Please don't ever leave a pet locked in a motor vehicle, cars can heat up (or cool down) dangerously fast and lead to dehydration and/or death in a matter of minutes. As far as I am aware the police vehicles designed for transporting dogs have additional ventilation measures (including really awesome climate controlled crates). Basically Ink would have been perfectly content in the car while Jay and Erin talked.