Across town, Kate was just wrapping up a phone call to her mom, and getting ready to watch a re-run of ER. While waiting for the show to start, her mind drifted off to the day almost behind her. Nick had been hurt before, she knew that. And he guarded his heart like it was Fort Knox, this she knew too. But why it was so hard for him to admit the small things about their friendship was beyond her. She rolled herself up in a blanket and fell asleep on the couch.
While Kate drifted off 12 miles away, Nick was halfway through his first drink when he remembered the envelope in his jacket. He pulled it out and took a peek inside, impressed with the contents. Photographs. He flipped through each one, examining every detail of them. He turned towards a group of people who were behind him, laughing loudly. The bars was not where he wanted to be tonight, too loud, too many people, so he carefully placed the pictures back in his pocket and made his way through the crowd. He headed home where he could get a much needed good nights sleep. Something he hadn't had in a long time.
The next day O'Malley and Benson were on their feet the moment the Captain barked their names.
"Detectives, I have an assignment for you." Captain Page crushed the end of a cigarette out, than tossed a file six inches thick on his desk in front of them. "These are documents that need to be examined by a retired SU2 agent. You two need to run them to St. Louise, and have them there by tomorrow night."
"Field trip." O'Malley said, sounding enthused.
"Lodging will be provided, reservations under both your names have already been made. Don't screw this one up, detectives. It's a simple drop off and come back assignment. You'll leave tonight. That will be all."
Nick grabbed the paperwork and smiled at Kate, who was first out the door.
Ten minutes into the trip Kate smiled to herself. She had O'Malley trapped inside a car, hours of road ahead of them. Prime opportunity to bring up their previous conversation.
"So I should expect Captain Page to be assigning me a new partner sometime soon?"
Nick looked over at Kate like she had just sprouted tentacles. "What's that?"
"You said you took me on until I had my bearings. I think I've got 'em. So you'll be looking to work on your own now?" Kate teased him. She knew her partner would never go back to working solo again, but torturing him until he gave her a satisfactory answer was always done in good fun.
Nick squirmed in his seat. "We barely even left the side of the road and your bringing this up?"
"It's better than not talking." Kate pointed out.
"Fine, let's talk." O'Malley was happy and eager to change the subject.
"Why don't you just answer the question." Kate said confidently.
"What was the question again?" Nick was stahling.
"Why are we still working together?"
"First of all, where do you come up with this stuff? Second of all, why are you bringing this up after two years?"
"Why do you always answer a question with a question?"
"Because, in this case, my questions are more logical than yours are. And you staying on as my partner has nothing to do with your food issues, let me tell you."
Kate's turn to look at him like he was insane. "Food issues. Food issues? Just what food issues would those be. I don't have any food issues."
"You take my food." Nick said, proud of himself on the successful change of conversation topics.
"And what food would that be? Besides the whipped cream today." Kate became comically defensive.
"The whipped cream from today, the whipped cream from the day before, pretzels..."
"One tiny bite and your belly aching? And I never ate one of your stupid pretzles."
"...hot dogs, there's always a bite or two missing out of them, you snatch them right out of my hand. And yes you have taken pretzels. Huge big peices of them."
"I do not!"
"The candy bar the other night, how about that?" Nick challenged her.
"What candy bar the other night?"
"You stole it." Nick was ready with the evidence.
"I did not! You ate it!"
Nick smirked as he leaned across Kate, reaching for the glove box. He withdrew a snickers wrapper, handing it to her. "I set it down right here," Nick tapped the dashboard, "and when I got back in the car after I got gas, it was gone. Eaten. Devoured." Nick grabbed the wrapper again from her, waving it in her face for extra drama, "and, I might add, I found it on your seat."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"Well, it means you ate it."
"Alright! I ate it! Happy now?" Kate crossed her arms, flustered at being busted for the candy theivery.
Nick beamed beside her. Nick, one. Kate, zero.
"And I never ate your pretzel!" Kate huffed.