Many thanks again to Jen! May we always have Moonlighting!

A needle scratches across a record. Bert is lip-synching and dancing to music and when it stops he realizes Agnes and the "readers" are looking at him.

Bert (blushing with embarrassment): Agnes, why did you do that?

Agnes: What are you doing, Herbert?

Bert: I'm just enjoying the music sweet cakes!

Agnes: Well, while you are doing your latest version of the moonwalk we have the rest of the story to tell.

Bert: Oh, do you mean we are finally to the good part about how I cracked the Lewis case and how I—

Agnes (rolling her eyes and shaking her head): Herbert Quentin Viola! You haven't been paying attention at all have you? No one wants to hear about you and your case cracking skills Bert! They just want to know what happened with Mr. Addison and Ms. Hayes, so you might as well accept the fact that until we tell them their story-- your story and our story-- none of that matters until they know their story!

Bert (pouting): But I did crack that case all by myself. I have never eaten so much Taco Bell in my life…(a grin slowly appears on his face) Paid back O'Neil while we were on stakeout in the car though…served him right…

Agnes (squinting as if she can't believe he just said what he said…): Ugh, Herbert…

FADE…


She's A Man Eater

Richie's.

The flashing neon sign hung behind the bar in big bold letters. It was the first change David had made to his old favorite hangout. The place was hopping that night, no doubt about it. David worked the crowd, mostly ladies, and gave Jake the bartender a hand behind the counter.

He couldn't believe the place was his. Blue Moon money allowed him to purchase his favorite bar. His friend, Detective Pete Barber, was a little leery at first, thinking he was just throwing his money away in order to have a never-ending supply of booze. But, within three weeks he proved him wrong and hired three new employees just to keep up with the ever-growing crowds. Four months later Richie's was the hottest place to be on any given night.

Being a bar owner made for different working hours that David adjusted to quickly. This allowed him more time to do other things, one of which was to start working out again. Pete drug him out of his apartment one morning and insisted that David go to the gym with him for a good old-fashioned sweat fest. This led to regular workouts, and as his new business grew, so did his physique. And the ladies noticed.

So did Maddie.

Pete still felt like there were times that David seemed to be either running away from something or running to something. Every time he tried to bring it up David would smirk and scoff and practically bust a gut lifting weights. He figured out pretty quick that David was not one who liked to talk about "stuff" and that whatever it was it provided great motivation for his friend at the gym. He seemed to be happy…most of the time, anyway.

Maddie looked on as David continued to take drink orders, smiling and laughing as the ladies at the bar made their requests.

"David, I can't believe you own this old place!" said the woman sitting on the end of the counter.

She was probably in her early-thirties, if Maddie had to guess, with long, curly blonde hair pulled back with a clip. She seemed to really enjoy David's attention, like the rest of them.

David smiled again. "I'll get Jake to make sure he takes care of the ladies tonight! In the meantime, any special requests?"

The women looked at each other and laughed as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" played its way through the jukebox speakers. David laughed again andleaned on the bar top. He wagged his index finger and said something that Maddie couldn't hear. Knowing she couldn't stand and stare all night she began to weigh her options.

Option A…go over to the bar and stop all of that foolish flirting and say, "Hi David, I see things are still different but the same around here". Or she could run and slip out the door without David seeing her and call him tomorrow. She watched the tall curly blonde get up with her friend, say something again to David that made him laugh and then head towards the ladies room. Maddie decided option C. She followed them.

"Oh Rita!! That David is such a darling! When is he going to take you out again?" the short brunette named Genevieve said. She looked at herself in the mirror and fluffed her hair. Maddie was doing the same; reapplying lipstick, brushing her hair and watching this "Rita" all the while.

"Gen, that was two years ago. It was a memorable night for sure, but if he hasn't asked me out again, I don't think he ever will. Although… if he did… you can bet I would!" she said with a slight laugh that seemed adolescent to Maddie.

"He is cute, isn't he? And those green eyes of his when he smiles…. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm!! Makes me want to grab him again and-----"

Maddie's perfume bottle slipped from her hand and she lunged to try and catch it before it landed on the tile floor of the bathroom. It clattered on the sink, the sound echoing against the walls. She felt embarrassed and klutzy as the other two women stopped and watched. Maddie looked up and saw Rita's face in the mirror.

"Excuse me", Maddie said, her face blushing red and hot.

Rita picked up the bottle and handed it to Maddie, meeting her eyes with a smile.

"Hey, aren't you Maddie Hayes, the mom of those baby shampoo babies?" Genevieve said with excitement.

"Yes, I guess you could say that," Maddie said, wanting to escape the bathroom without further embarrassment. Her eyes went back to Rita.

"Well… thanks for grabbing this before it became a real disaster!" holding up the perfume bottle.

"Your welcome," Rita answered, beginning to make the connection of Maddie Hayes, Blue Moon Shampoo…Blue Moon Detective Agency…and David Addison. She had a pretty good idea that at one time there had been something between the two Blue Moon detectives. David had let a little snide comment slip about Maddie the night they were at her apartment. Rita didn't know the entire story between them, but she picked up enough of David's coolness about his partner suddenly leaving for Chicago one night to know they did more than solve bazaar cases and crimes.

Genevieve continued with the previous conversation and Maddie went about her business of primping…and eavesdropping.

"So, Rita…you did enjoy his company that night, didn't you?" she said excitedly. "I knew it! I could tell by the way you were talking about him the next morning---"

"Gen we better get going! Everyone is going to wonder where we went!" cutting her off and grabbing her friend by the arm, leading her to the door.

"Yeah, you need to get back out there and work your magic on little ol' Dave! God he's gorgeous. If you don't want him I'll take him!"

Rita continued to steer her out of the ladies room. Tempted to take another look at Maddie, she turned and saw her sitting on the vanity stool in front of the mirror. "She's had a little too much tonight. Sorry!" Rita said as she started to leave.

"So, you know David Addison, the new bar owner, do you?" Maddie said as she looked at Rita through the mirror again.

Rita came back in the restroom and walked over to Maddie. "Well, I did sort of know him, yes. About two years ago we sort of went out on a double date with this little short guy…"

"Bert Viola?" Maddie said with raised eyebrows. So Herbert Viola was in on this three-year-old rendezvous, she thought. Did the whole office know that David had played her for a fool?

"Uh, yes, I think that was his name. It was a long time ago and I haven't been out with him since…David, I mean."

Maddie turned on her stool and looked Rita in the eye. "How long ago did you say this was?"

"Oh, I can't really be for sure, but it was about two, two and a half years ago. Listen, Ms. Hayes-"

"Maddie. You should call me Maddie. David calls me Maddie and you know David, so why shouldn't you call me Maddie!" Maddie said as her emotions quelled to her voice.

"Ok… Maddie… it was nothing really. One night, almost three years ago. I had no idea that you and he…I mean that David and you…"

Maddie didn't say a word. She couldn't. Her mind reeled and her heart throbbed.

Rita made her way back to the door. "Well, I should get going."

Maddie was left alone in front of the mirror, running numbers and doing the math on this "nothing" that Rita had revealed to her. Two and half years ago she had ran away to Chicago and found out she was pregnant. What was David doing? She never asked because she didn't really call or write him while she was away. And it wasn't like they had bared their souls to one another…ever. And there wasn't just Rita. After she lost the baby there was her cousin Annie as well. She knew she wasn't innocent in all of their problems and she knew she had done her fair share of making wrong choices and pushing David away. Maddie didn't know what to expect when she returned from Europe the night before, whether they would see each other and try to mend their relationship. Maybe it was too much to ask of him. Maybe he had moved on.

Richie's was the furthest thing from Blue Moon.

Tears welled in her eyes as she grabbed a Kleenex from the counter. She had to get going too. It was option B she should have chosen earlier. Maddie stood, grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

Oh here she comes
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater
Oh here she come
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater

I wouldn't if I were you
I know what she can do
She's deadly man, she could really rip your world apart…

A fan of Daryl Hall and John Oates fed another quarter into the jukebox. The music seemed louder as she quickly looked around the room. Rita was standing on the opposite end of the bar talking to David. As Maddie made her way to the door she saw Rita point her way and David turned to look. She had to get out and fast. David tracked her to the door and started to go after her, but Rita grabbed his arm and started to tell him something else that Maddie couldn't hear over the blaring music.

Oh here she comes
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater

David watched her walk out as he pulled his arm away from Rita again and followed her out the door. Maddie started walking quickly down the street, her pumps clicking on the sidewalk as she hailed a cab.

"Maddie!" David yelled. She turned and saw him coming as she opened the cab door.

David picked up his step down the street and yelled again, "Maddie, just wait a minute will ya'?" running to catch up with her.

David watched as her cab pulled away from the curb. He hailed his own taxi and as it pulled up for him to get in he opened the door and looked at the driver.

"Where to buddy?" the driver said.

And then he stopped. This was not how he had imagined her return. Over the six months that he had opened Richie's he had come to terms with many things and the biggest was that he was through chasing Maddie. Until she knew what she wanted he knew that no amount of chasing and charm was going to bring her back. It was up to her now.

David thought he had it figured out. If he proved to her that he could manage his life in a less complicated way then she would do the chasing for a change. He had taken Blue Moon money and made money. He wasn't drinking as heavily as before, he actually put some furniture in his apartment and he was taking out all of his anxieties on the racquetball court with Petie at the gym. He hadn't really looked at other women…okay, he looked, but he was never really interested. Petie knew a little about Maddie; the little that David would share with him anyway. He had been teasing David about his celibacy and tried to get him to take out one of the young ladies that would park themselves at his bar.

Only David hadn't figured Rita Corley into the plan. This was definitely not the way he had imagined things.

The cab driver became impatient. "Hey, come on! I have a job to do here buddy, with or without ya. What's it gonna be? You gonna go after her or what?"

"Jeez Dave! What are you doin'?" he mumbled to himself as he climbed into the back seat and ran his fingers through his hair.

The annoyed cab driver turned and looked at David, waiting on the location for his next fare. David looked up and returned his glare with a look of annoyance of his own. "Alright, alright! You guys get crankier every day!" he said, trying to mask his conflicted emotions. "Just follow that cab with the blonde."

Maddie paid her fare and thanked the driver. Climbing out of the cab she grabbed her keys from her purse and headed for the front door. All she wanted to do at that moment was climb into her bathtub and sink up to her chin in bubbles. She opened the door and then noticed something odd. A light was coming from the kitchen. She didn't even remember going in there that day with sleeping off jet lag that evening and no food in the fridge besides. She stood and listened. It sounded like someone was in there moving around.

She took her shoes off, set her purse and keys on the foyer table and tip toed to the kitchen swing door and then stopped. Thinking again, she backpedaled over to the fireplace and grabbed the fire poker. If anything, she would go in swinging!

David's cab pulled into the gated driveway of Maddie's mansion. He still didn't know what he was doing there or what he would say to her, but there he was…chasing.

"Everyone around here has lady troubles, mister! By the looks of this place you need to go in beggin' for forgiveness if you ask me."

David closed the door and looked through the open window. "I didn't ask!" he said with more annoyance than before, slapping the fare into the driver's palm. The last thing he would do is mooch off of Maddie.

He turned to go to the front door and that is when he noticed it was slightly cracked.

"What is this, an open invitation? She knew I was following her. Okay, this is worse. Not only am I chasing her, but she knows that I know that she knows that I'm chasing her." he said to himself. "And what is really nuts is that I'm out here talking to myself!"

He stood a moment and took a few steps towards the cracked door. As he got closer he had a sudden sinking feeling. Maddie would never leave her door open like this at this time of night.

David slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside. Looking around he heard commotion coming from the kitchen.

"Maddie?" he called with a feeling of panic.

The man was moving around the stove and sink, whistling and singing to himself, unaware that Madolyn Hayes had come home, brandishing a weapon and in no mood for company.

"Hey mister!" Maddie said, startling the new cook.

Oh here she comes
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater

And come in swinging she did! Maddie swung with all of her might as the man ducked. She missed and hit the hanging light fixture over the stove, shattering it into a million pieces and throwing the kitchen into darkness. The man recovered quickly and before Maddie knew it he had tackled her to the floor.

David heard Maddie scream. Racing to the kitchen he burst through the swing door and fell over the two wrestling bodies in the darkness, hitting his head on the kitchen counter.

Oh here she comes
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater

"Get off of me!" Maddie screamed as she punched and kicked the intruder. She must have landed a good one, as she heard him grunt and lose his breath.

"Hang on a second!" the guy seemed to be saying as he tried to keep his grasp on her. Maddie kicked and squirmed away from him and rolled across the floor.

His eyes finally adjusting to the darkness, David saw Maddie crawling on the other side of the kitchen. Reaching for the fire poker nearby David swung and hit the man in the back of the knee as he tried to stand, making him land on top of him.

"Run Maddie!" David yelled.

Maddie got up and started to run until she realized it was David in the darkness of her kitchen with a madman on top of him. Able to see from the light coming from the patio, she jumped on top of the two men and started throwing more punches, not sure if she was hitting David or the mystery cook in her kitchen.

Oh here she comes
Watch out boy she'll chew you up
Oh here she comes
She's a man eater

"Ow, ow, ow! Maddie, it's me!" the madman said between grunts, throwing Maddie off of him that sent her sliding across the floor.

David added to the assault, landing a left fist into the guy's face that made him roll off of him.

"Hey! Wait a second!" he said with another groan as he landed on his back. Not missing a beat, David got on top of the guy and put a knee into his neck. The man gasped and gagged, trying to say something that David and Maddie couldn't understand. Seeing that he had the upper hand on the guy, David took his knee off of his throat and straddled him, holding his arms down over his head.

"Yo, bro! Uncle, Uncle, okay already!" he said.

Maddie ran and flipped the light switch on the wall, illuminating the other half of the kitchen. And that's when they saw the chef's face.

"Richie?" they said as they looked from him to each other.

Maddie plopped down in a chair nearby. "Oh Brother!!" she said as she rolled her eyes and looked back at David.

Still sitting on top of him David stared down at his prisoner. "You've got a lot of explaining to do wise guy!"