A/N: Let's see if we can put a little more enthusiasm into it this time people. (btw, each chapter gets better, so stick with me)

Disclaimer: Same as before, I'm no closer to owning anything than I was yesterday.

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After closing the file on her desk, Angell headed for the door. It was Friday night and there was bound to be a whole slew of New York's finest hanging out at their favorite bar down the street.

She hung her jacket at the door and sat at the bar next to a night shift officer who had the night off. They made light conversation over drinks for half an hour. Eventually, the officer excused himself and got up, leaving Angell to fidget with the edges of her cocktail napkin. She stared off into space as she finished her drink. As she was thinking about getting up to leave, a familiar voice snuck up behind her.

"Never figured you'd hang out here alone." Flack sat at the stool next to her and waved for the bartender to bring him a beer.

"Well, the guy I was talking to had to leave."

"Shame for him. So, how'd your day round out?"

"Well, I made it out, so I guess it's a good day."

"And you've got the coolest guy in the precinct to keep you company." He flashed her a grin.

Without missing a beat, Angell pointed over her shoulder. "No, I told you that guy had to leave."

Flack frowned at her joke and she laughed as he tried to look offended. "That hurts Jenn, right in my heart." He placed a hand on his chest over his heart, but a moment later a smile broke across his face.

"All in a day's work." She smiled and looked down at the napkin she was still folding. "What about you? Case closed or are you in for a long day tomorrow?"

Flack straightened in his seat. "Our suspect killed himself. We were chasin' him and he stopped long enough to tell us he wasn't gonna rot in jail. Then pulled the trigger."

"Sorry Flack. They shouldn't be allowed to get away with that."

"Yeah." He looked back up from his beer. "But I'm not gonna worry about it. It's in the past. Ya know what I am gonna do?"

"What's that?"

He took the drink from her hand and set it on the bar. "I'm gonna ask you to dance with me, Detective."

Angell looked to the drink he just slipped out of her hands, then up to his face. He was serious.

Flack stood and offered his hand to her. "Come on. You know you want to," he teased. "Best way to unwind after a long day."

Angell was still confused. This didn't seem like the same Flack she worked with every day. But then again, the work day was over. She took his hand. "Okay. But no cracks at my dance skills. Growing up in a house full of guys meant the dance lessons were forfeited for football games. And I liked it."

Flack laughed as he led her to a secluded area near the back of the bar for dancing. A few meters away, the jukebox flipped over to an easy listening jazzy song. Not too slow, not too fast, which they were both thankful for.

Flack put a hand on Angell's waist and took her other in his palm.

The ease that Flack took in holding onto her made Angell's spine tingle a little. She put her other hand over his shoulder.

"So, you never took dance. What about gymnastics or voice lessons or something like that?"

"Football, ice hockey, and a little basketball."

"And your family is full of cops. Wow, you never stood a chance. You were destined to be rough and tumble, one way or the other." He moved his hand around to her back.

Angell sighed inwardly at the intimate touch but didn't change her expression. "But in the end, I'm not sure I would have changed it. I mean, it would have been nice to know how to put on mascara before I started college, but what did I really miss out on by being a tomboy?" She meant it more as a rhetorical question, not really expecting that Flack would answer.

Flack smiled wickedly. "Never snuck the girly underwear past your parents to get boys in your room, huh?"

She swatted his shoulder. "Flack." She looked away a little trying not to show her embarrassment. "If I had ever done that, my father would have never let me move out. And my brothers would have killed every guy in my class." They both laughed. "Really though, I never cared much. My brothers made sure I dated good guys, and I was tough enough to kick anyone's ass who wasn't so good."

"I don't doubt that. Although I would pay good money to know where that power comes from. I mean, I know you grew up with guys, but I've seen you take down men nearly three times your size. And not even break a sweat."

Angell smiled. "Well that…" She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "That is my secret."

Flack enjoyed the sweet scent of Angell's perfume as her hair brushed against his cheek. Determined not to let her see the effect she had on him, he focused on his comeback. He leaned in close to her, mimicking her action and replied. "Have you forgotten that I'm a detective also? I think I could figure you out if I gave it a shot."
Intrigued by the sureness of his statement, and by his warm breath on her cheek, Angell stepped into Flack just a bit, still holding onto him and dancing. "Go ahead, Detective. Give it your best shot. Tell me a little more about me."
"Okay. Let's see. You work out in the NYPD gym at least three times a week, which I suppose could account for some of the muscle, but I still don't understand how you're not spending every day there. I've never met a woman with your strength. You drink your coffee black, every morning, at least one cup to get you going. You come in here on game nights in a jersey and jeans to unwind, and you keep up with the action of the game better than any other girl in here, probably because of the amount of testosterone in your house growing up." He locked eyes with her. "How am I doing?"

Angell shrugged. "Not bad. But any keen observer could pick up on that stuff."
"Okay. When you're here, you normally drink beer or Jack and Coke. But when you hang out with the girls, you prefer a Cosmo or a martini. If it's been a particularly bad week at work, you start wearing boots and flats instead of heels, cause you're anticipating more bad days to come. For a few days out of the month you turn into a girly-girl. You wear brighter colored tops, or add a different piece of jewelry, or do your makeup different. It took me a while to figure out what was different about ya, but one day it clicked." He lowered his voice a bit. "And to be honest, I wish it hadn't cause, well, I'm a guy; I just don't need to know certain things." Angell chuckled as he continued. "But the point is, under the tough exterior, beyond the family of men and the tomboy attitude, you're a woman, Jenn. You do the girly stuff, and you like doing the girly stuff. But you don't like for other people to know how much you really like all that stuff because it's not who you've been all your life." He paused for a moment and repositioned his hand on her lower back as he let her think about what he said. "So how am I doin' now?"

She smiled at him. "I'm impressed, Flack. That took a lot more thought. Although I gotta say, I really can't believe you noticed that little monthly mood thing. I didn't even realize I was doing it until someone started complimenting me."

"Yeah, lots of things I can know about you. That's just not one. It's a guy thing."

Angell laughed and rolled her eyes. "Men." They danced silently for a moment before Angell spoke again. "Okay, so your years of detective work and way too many hours on patrol together has given you some fair assumptions about me. But don't think you've got me all figured out. I'm not as predictable as you'd like to think."

"Oh, definitely not. But you can't deny we've learned more about each other in the last couple years than most detectives learn about their partners in a whole career."

Angell smiled. "That's true. Maybe we need more friends."

"Could be." He smiled back. "So what about me? I laid down my detective skills on ya. Years of experience and I think I've proven I know ya pretty well. You think you can bring the same game?"

Angell lolled her head back a bit and grinned. "Ah, Detective, you've got a lot to learn." She drummed her fingers against his shoulder and pursed her lips a little like she was thinking. "You hardly ever dress down at work, even on casual Fridays. In the last two years, I've only seen you wear something other than a pressed suit to work maybe a dozen times. You like to be professional at work. But we all know you're more than a straight-laced detective. I know that you're very protective of the team you work with, especially the women. You know they can all take care of themselves but they've become family and they have a place in your heart. I've seen the look in your eyes when one of them has been hurt or in serious danger. You do your best to put on a brave face, but you can't focus on anything else until you've made sure for yourself that they're okay. When you start dating a girl, you act different. If it's not very serious, you go out for drinks with your friends rather than devoting a lot of time to her. If you think you may have feelings for her, you put effort into fancy dates. You like spoiling your girlfriends as long as they don't need to be spoiled. Somewhere in here," she patted on his chest, "you're a caring, sensitive guy. Don't worry; I haven't told anyone." Flack grinned. "On your days off, you'll do anything to avoid being alone in your apartment, unless there's a good game on. You drop by the station on your day off all the time, just to chat. Or if you can catch someone else who's free, you get together for a game in the park or find something else to do. But you can't keep still." She smiled up at him. "Anything sound familiar?"

"Well, well. Look who brought her A-game. My props." He smiled nervously. "I'd appreciate if you really don't say anything to Danny. Got a reputation to maintain, ya know."

"You're secret's safe with me."

As they continued to dance, Flack put Angell's hand onto his other shoulder and extended his arm to take the kink out of his elbow. He placed his hand down on her waist and moved his other hand from her back so they were in similar positions on each hip. Angell moved her hands from Flack's shoulders to rest them comfortably around his neck. As her arms rose up, the hem of her shirt lifted slightly above the top of her pants. Flack unconsciously stroked his thumbs over the skin he felt as her shirt moved. Angell's heart beat quickened and goose bumps rose to the surface where Flack's touch seared her skin.

Noticing her goose bumps, Flack blushed a little and placed his hands back down on her hips. "Sorry. It's a reflex. The body starts making choices before the mind gets a chance." He shrugged. To be honest though, he liked the way her skin felt in that short moment. And if he wasn't afraid of her decking him, he'd put his hands right back where they had been.

Angell contemplated readjusting her arms, hoping his fingertips would somehow land back in the spot they had just been. But he'd seemed genuinely embarrassed by his slip-up. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable. But she had a warmth growing in her body that she wouldn't be able to forget. She attempted to brush aside her now fired-up hormones and ease the tension they had inadvertently created. "So that's how you get your girls, huh?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Convince them you couldn't keep your hands off them and they just melt in your arms."

Flack tilted his head and smiled. "Actually, I only say that to the really beautiful girls."

Angell rolled her eyes and smacked him on the arm. "Flack." She put her arm back around his neck. "Does that crap ever work?"

"Eh, like fifty-fifty."

"Charming."

They danced and joked for a couple more minutes before they sat back down at the bar.

Flack waved for the bartender to bring them a couple beers. They drank slowly as they talked. When they finished, they decided to call it a night.

Flack stood on the sidewalk with Angell while she waited for a cab. After the taxi stopped next to the curb, Flack opened the door for her. They thanked each other for a pleasant evening and said good night. After Angell's cab pulled away, Flack got into another one and headed the opposite direction.

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A/N: Hmm, I'm always the first to be my own critic…character flaw….I've rewritten little bits and pieces of that chapter so many times it's not even funny. More Flack/Angell fun to come for those who share the love.