"So how long have you been in Homicide, detective?" She asks breaking the silence. I had been reviewing case files on the walk down to the lab.

"15 years," I state, never moving my eyes from the file.

"Wow, you must be pretty damn good at what you do then," she remarks.

"She's only good at what she does, because she's such a hard ass on everyone," a voice replies. Looking up I notice we've made it to the lab. "Everyone, but you Mark," I reply with a wink.

"I feel honored, so who do we have here?" He asks, nodding towards Karma.

"This is Detective Ashcroft; she will be helping me with this case for a while." I state.

"It's nice to meet you detective," he replies extending his hand out, she accepts, "It's a pleasure meeting you as well, Mark, and call me Karma." He nods.

"So what did you find out?" I ask

"Ah, yes. If you would follow me please," he says half sprinting to the examine table. "The bullet you found is a .308 Winchester, the casing is most definitely made of silver. Which I find a bit odd, since most casings are made with either aluminum or brass these days. They are a lot lighter and you can pack more in them. The blood however, was tested against an anti-human serum, which then came back negative,"

"Meaning?" I asked

"Meaning. The blood didn't coagulate ruling out human blood. Which also rules out our victim, and possibly the perp?" Both Mark and I look at Karma surprised.

"Precisely, it didn't make sense to me, so I ran another test against a sample of Henry's blood,"

"I'm sorry, who's Henry?" I ask

"Henry's the labs pet rabbit. I needed an animals blood type variance to conclude my hypothesis. Which did prove the blood sample, does in fact belong to the animal kingdom. The question is, which type of animal." He finishes with a satisfied smile.

"And did we figure that out?" I question, a bit annoyed.

"Not yet, I am in the process of that now. This will take some time, but I will get back to you as soon as I can." He states

"Thank you, Mark. We need to get going now." I say, as Karma and I make our way for the door.

Half way down the hall, "I didn't peg you as a Science geek." I joke.

"I didn't peg you as a hard ass," she retorts with a smirk. Wow, intelligent and witty. My kind of woman. I smile.

We make it back into the office. "So," she starts, "It's after one, did you want to go get some lunch? Maybe show me around the town a bit?"

I check my watch; it is in fact after one. 1:20 to be exact. Looking back at her I nod, "Sure, I know the best Deli shop in town. Well, it's the only one but still the best!"

Just then out of the corner of my eye I see Sasha walking towards us, "Am I early? She asks, looking Karma up and down, "Hi, I'm Sasha, Amy's girlfriend." She says extending her hand. I roll my eyes.

Karma smiles, taking her hand. "Karma," she states, 'I'm Amy's new partner," with a bit of emphasis on the last word, "just transferred from the NYC Homicide Division." Sasha contorts a fake smile.

"Hi, Sasha." I say still looking at Karma, as the realization hits me, "Oh, Sasha! Lunch… I am so sorry, I just told Karma I'd show her around the town. You are welcome to join us, if you'd like?" I finish.

"Let me guess, you are taking her to your favorite Deli shop aren't you?" She asks

"I mentioned it, yes." I reply, just then Karma intervenes, "I didn't mean to intrude, if you both had previous plans we can just do it another time, Amy."

"No, it's not a problem. Really. All three of us can go, unless the deli shop isn't up to your standards Sasha." I reply.

"Honey, anywhere you are, raises it to my standards." She smirks playfully, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, "but, I think I'll go ahead and pass. Let you two have some one on one time." She finishes before walking off.

"She seems great." Karma says with a bit of sarcasm.

"She can be a bit," I trail off.

"Territorial?" Karma suggests

I laugh, "Very, don't let her get to you though. She's harmless." I add

Stepping into my space now, "It's okay, I love a challenge." She says in a playful tone. "Shall we?" she asks gesturing towards the exit. I simply nod. Why do I get the feeling I am in for some trouble?

Sliding into the booth across from her, I can't help but take her in. The way she twists and forms her lips, while reading the menu. The way her hair falls just past her collar bone. Not to mention how she rests her index finger between her teeth. She is most definitely something else.

"You're staring." She defines.

Clearing my throat, she glances up. "Just trying to figure out, how you knew, how I liked my coffee?" I question. She lets out a soft laugh. "Would you believe a lucky guess?" I give her a 'try better' look.

Setting her menu down, she takes a deep breath. "Well, when I found out I was being transferred here, my fiancé took it upon himself to look you up in the system, and any social media site available. He just wanted to get an idea of who I would be partnering with." She implies. I gesture for her to go on. "I might have looked you up on Facebook too, and saw a post about the coffee. Thought I would make a good first impression by bringing you one, but when I saw you flirting with that girl. I thought maybe then wasn't a good time for introductions."

"I see. So uh, how did you and your fiancé meet?" I ask, trying to avoid reliving that awkward moment.

She catches that, "We met through work, He's the Lieutenant over the NYC Vice Division, and we worked a case together. It's actually quite funny how we met, because his Detective working the case initially was dead set on leading it. I, of course, quickly shut him down, as the victim was stabbed 36 times, and they just happened across a jackpot of cocaine. The cocaine wasn't touched. Ruling it a Homicide. I spent endless hours arguing back and forth with He and Liam. Liam just kind of gave up, told his detective to focus on closing his side of the report, and moving to the next case. Before leaving that night, Liam asked me out for some drinks, and that's how the story goes." She finishes with a smile.

"Sounds romantic." I tease.

Just then the waitress walks up. "Sorry to keep you waiting Detective, are we having the usual?" she questions.

"Should I let you order for me?" I ask Karma teasingly.

I receive an ecstatic smile from that, as she shakes her head no.

"Then yes mam, and whatever the lady would like." I gesture my hand to Karma. She makes the most breath taking smile I've ever seen.

"I think I'll have the Goodbye Johnny, hold the Italian dressing." She hands off the menu, "oh and a water with lemon please." The waitress nods before heading off.

"So, since I've told you a little about myself. Tell me something I wouldn't possibly find out about you on Social Media." She smirks.

I think for a moment, "Well, I've never been to New York." I tease.

"Okay, how about something a little more in depth?" she retorts. The way she's staring at me, is almost primal. Why can't I figure you out?

I look out the window, "Well…" I lead off, "I was engaged once."

"Oh? With… Sasha?" she asks coyest.

I smile at her hint of jealously. "No, her name was Reagan. She was shot and killed in the line of duty raiding a drug house 4 years ago." I inhale deeply

"I am so…. I have words. I'm sorry. I am terrible at consoling people." She states with frown. It's cute.

"Don't be sorry, I'm not very good at receiving sympathy anyway." I say with a wink.

Our conversation was interrupted by my phone buzzing. "Detective Raudenfeld." I answer.

Looking at to my watch; I reply, "This early? Guy's becoming bold. Yes. Yes, sir. We will be right there." Waving to Katie, I tell her we need our food to go now. "That was the captain, there was another body found just a couple miles from here."

I throw a two twenties down, as we head for the door. Food in hand.

"I'll drive so you can eat." I insist, opening the driver's door.

Pulling up to the scene, I notice the lack of uniforms. Spotting Patrolman Phillips, "Hello again Connor, where are the other responders?" I ask. "They received a call that someone ran into the woods. I was told to stay here. To wait for you actually. Sgt. Harvey wants a full analysis of the scene before she gets back." He states.

I nod before putting the car in park. Looking to Karma, "Are you ready? I know I haven't had a chance to catch you up yet," she raises her hand, "I'll be fine, let's go."

The scene was an absolute bloody mess; these attacks are being more barbaric. The Vic is male, with his pinky to middle finger missing on the right hand. Several gashes across his chest.

Snapping on gloves, Karma and I roll the victim half way, finding a wallet in his back pocket.

"Victims name is Michael Willett, age 27. Lives just down the road." I say, glancing back around the scene, I spot something shiny on the ground next to the vic. "Another casing?" I say, nodding its direction. Karma picks it up with a pair of tweezers, "Looks clean." She states.

"It hasn't been shot?" I ask.

Shaking her head, she drops it into the plastic baggie. "Think it came from our Victim?" she questions.

"No telling. Let's check him again." I suggest, as the Connor walks up.

"Detective, It's Sgt. Harvey." Offering the phone.

"Sgt.?" I affirm, walking a few feet from the scene.

"We have… Young male… Too early to tell, but I think internal bleeding… I'm a detective Sasha, not a medical examiner… Yes," I assert, annoyed. "There was another silver .308 round… Yes, we will… You couldn't have led with that?" I ask letting out a frustrated sigh. "Yeah, yeah. See you there." I say before handing the phone back to the Connor.

"What did your girlfriend say?" Karma teased.

"First, she is the furthest thing from my girlfriend, friend with benefits at most. Second, they apprehended someone in the woods. She wants us to meet her back at the station." I state.

Karma carefully walks towards me, inches from my face. My sensations heighten, heart beat now rapid. "Are these benefits of someone gently making the bed, or impairing said bed useless?" she speaks just above a whisper, I shudder at her last words. She noticed, forming a seductive smile. I want so badly to kiss her; how does she have this much power over me?

"We should get back, wouldn't want Sasha to start thinking things." She suggests, I just nod. Once again, absolutely speechless.

"Need me to drive?" she asks, I shake my head yes, clearly not being able to form words, let alone function at the moment.

The drive back was fairly quiet. I found myself staring at her more than a few times. Who is this woman? It's been one day, and every bit of game I've ever had is thrown out the window. Just being around her intimidates me.

"Were here. Are you okay, Amy?" she asks pulling me from my thoughts.

Call it spur of the moment, call it reflexes, call it whatever you want, I don't care, I'm springing forward seizing her lips with mine. She tastes like peaches. I think, before quickly pull away, realizing what I just did.

"Wow, I. Am. So. Sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Is it possible to all of a sudden have involuntary reflexes?" I sadly joke.

She's looking at me with such disturbance in her eyes. Fuck, what have I done.

"Karma, I don't know what got into me, I am so sorry. I know you have a fiancé, and that line of going too far, was crossed. Please, say something." I plead.

"We should go inside." Is all she says as she exits the vehicle. I lay my head back against the headrest. What the actual fuck, Amy? She's your partner, possibly ex-partner now thanks to you, and she's has a fiancé, she's getting married! I sigh, closing my eyes. Just then a light knock comes to my window. It's her. Probably back to rip me a new one. I hesitate before rolling my window down. "Are you going to sit out here all night?" she asks.

I shake my head before exiting the car.

She gestures for me to lead the way, and I oblige. Fuck is all I can think.

***To be continued***

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