Author's Note: Well, we're certainly going from one hiatus to the next, aren't we? Here's a small one-shot (that could possibly be continued) based on gypsy's prompt of Reese and an undercover Carter at a strip club. It's not really based on a song but I did listen to Alice Russell's "Breakdown" while writing it.

Sky View Executive Club

607 W 45th Street, New York

John scanned the club's interior, intently searching for their latest number. Filled to capacity almost every day of the week, Sky View was widely recognized as the city's premiere gentlemen's club. Nearly every one of its comfortable chairs was occupied, the customers lightly bathed in blue and violet lights. He discreetly tapped his earpiece. "Are you sure he's here, Finch?"

"I'm quite certain, Mr. Reese. In fact, your signals are practically right on top of each other."

One of Sky View's signature employees passed by; he stopped her with a gentle tap on the shoulder. She looked him over with a brilliant smile. "Hey honey, what can I do for you tonight? Lap dances are…"

John chuckled nervously, forcing his gaze to remain on her face and not wander toward the generous cleavage spilling out of her tightly fitted tube top. "No thanks. I'm actually looking for a customer of yours. Leon Tao."

"Oh Leon!" She pointed towards a closed-off area. "He went into one of our private rooms about ten minutes ago. I think he's in the one on the far left."

"Right. Thank you."

The woman grasped his arm as he moved to walk away. Her lips turned upward in an uncertain grin. "You're going in there?"

"Is that a problem?"

She paused for a moment and thought about it. Finally, she shrugged. "I guess not. He's getting the new girl tonight so she's probably not there yet but…"

"So I won't be interrupting anything." John smiled reassuringly and walked toward the private room. After a sharp rap on the door and hearing Leon's protest that the room was occupied, he entered.

If he was the bane of Fusco's existence, Leon Tao was certainly the bane of his. He took in Leon's decidedly blasé position reclining on the large velour sofa against the wall with a frown. "He's here, Finch."

Harold's voice could only be described as exasperated. "I'm glad we found him before Cohen's men did. Please get him to safety, Mr. Reese. I can see from his credit card statement that Mr. Tao is a frequent visitor of the club. Doubtless, Cohen knows of his propensity toward the establishment as well."

Leon had been beaming at the sight of John but slowly the smile slipped from his face. "Wait. You're here because I'm in danger? What am I in danger of this time?"

John sank down beside him. "You're in danger of being shot, Leon. Shot by me. Because I'm getting really tired of saving you."

"I haven't even done anything yet." Leon's eyes widened at John's raised eyebrows. "Really! I just came here to relax after a long day of accounting. Did your partner tell you that I got a new job? I'm an accountant again. A legitimate one. No more laundering for me. No sir, I'm walking the straight and narrow path from now on."

After searching his face and finding nothing but honesty, John sighed. "Did we make a mistake here, Finch?"

"Oh, the danger is undeniable. Perhaps…perhaps there has been a lethal misunderstanding on the part of Mr. Cohen."

They heard female voices directly outside of the private room, and Leon straightened. His excitement was obvious on his face. "I've been waiting for this all week."

"There's no time for this, Leon." John stood again, motioning for him to do the same. "Misunderstanding or not, the head of your firm is gunning for you. We've gotta move now."

"But I've already paid!"

"Now, Leon." He turned to open the door just as it swung open and took a staggering step backward at the sight of the woman standing there.

"Not one word." Joss quickly closed the door behind herself and held up a single finger toward John. "Don't you dare say one word."

His jaw felt like it had dropped to the floor, and he couldn't even force himself to fix his face. His gaze greedily took in every bit of her exposed bronzed skin, from the curves of her breasts as they strained against the red and black brassiere to her stomach's flat planes and the toned lines of her legs. She stepped forward with a four-inch stiletto-clad foot, raising an eyebrow at Leon. "Oh. Hello."

"Detective," Leon managed to choke out, his face mirroring John's in absolute shock and appreciation. "Why do you wear clothes?"

Joss raised a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Let me guess, John, we're both here for the same reason."

Leon rubbed his hands together. "So you're both protecting me tonight. Excellent."

"Not excellent." John fixed him with a warning glare and then turned back to her. "The NYPD has tabs on Cohen?"

"We suspect him of orchestrating a homicide and I was sent here to intercept whoever he dispatched to get rid of his pesky money launderer. I'm gonna assume that's you, Leon."

"I didn't do anything! Someone's set me up!" Leon jumped up from the sofa, stepping toward them with arms outstretched. "Come on guys, you have to believe me about this. I've only been working for Mr. Cohen one month now and things have been going really well. Why would I mess that up?"

Joss placed her hands on her shapely hips and shrugged. "Same reason you mess everything else up?"

"Oh well that's just unfair."

"Mr. Reese, I'm actually inclined to believe Mr. Tao's protests. This money trail is pristine and nearly untraceable."

"In other words, not his style." Both Joss and Leon turned to John. He looked Joss up and down, keeping his expression purely professional this time. "You were planning to intervene but I'm not seeing where you would keep your weapon, Detective."

She walked over to the couch and bent at the waist, giving them another amazing view. When she straightened again, her signature Beretta was clutched in her hand. "Something told me that if anyone were going to try anything, it would be in here. Private room policy says that employees can only come in under two circumstances, the initial customer has left the room and someone seems to be in distress."

Leon folded his arms across his chest. "So why would they even bother doing it here? I'd yell out and they'd be caught."

"You can't yell out if you're dead, Leon." A sudden thought occurred to John and he angled his body toward Joss, lowering his voice. "They sent you by yourself to intervene in an assassination?"

She sighed. "An assassination is a homicide, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm a homicide detective. This is my job."

"But you don't have to do your job alone."

"I have back-up."

"Not with you."

"You know what, thank goodness my superiors at the precinct don't coddle me as much as you do. I'm perfectly capable of…"

"No one doubts that you're capable, Detective," he interrupted.

"Oh yeah, no one's doubting anything with you in that outfit," Leon interjected. They both glared at him.

"Mr. Reese, Cohen just transferred fifty thousand dollars into the accounts of a David Romero and his brother Luis."

John nodded, pulling open his jacket to grab his own weapon. "We're about to have company. Two assassins."

Leon glanced wildly around the room and then shook his head. "What am I supposed to do? Should you guys give me a weapon?"

Joss pursed her full lips together. "Get behind the damn couch, Leon."

"Okay!"

She smirked as the unlucky man hurried to obey, turning her gaze up to John's face. "I'll try to leave one for you, handsome."

One thing was for sure. John would never again underestimate the damage a stiletto heel could do to a man's face. He bent to pull the Ruger out of an unconscious Luis Romero's grip, tapping his earpiece at the same time. "Situation is under control, Finch. Where should we take Leon?"

"We?" Joss raised an eyebrow. "Who said you're coming with me?" When John silently raised a hand to point at himself, she gave her head a firm shake. "No. We are not partners in crime. I am calling my superiors, letting them know the situation is under control, taking Leon here to a safe house, leaving him at that safe house, going home to my quiet apartment, and resting."

"He's still in danger, Carter. Who's to say Cohen won't just send someone else to get rid of him?"

Still standing behind the sofa, Leon nodded and looked between the two of them with pleading eyes. "Yeah! Who's to say that?"

Her eyes narrowed at the way he was still perusing her scantily clad body. "We'll have an officer spend the night with you if that'd make you feel safer." She turned to John. "And I'm sure he and his friend will be watching over you."

"He's coming with me," John responded, voice calm as ever despite the fact that she was now aiming a glare at him that could kill.

"I can direct you to one of my apartments on Fifth Avenue, Mr. Reese."

"Fifth Avenue apartment," he told Joss. "See, it's taken care of."

"What am I supposed to tell my superiors? Shots fired, victim disappeared?"

"Tell them whatever you like, Carter, but he's under our protection." John walked toward the door, concealing his weapons before opening it and motioning for Leon to follow. He looked back at Joss as Leon passed by him into Sky View's main room. "You could always come with us."

Leon nodded. "You'd be more than welcome as long as you don't change that outfit, Detective."

John shoved Leon toward the club's entrance. "I'll meet you outside."

"But there are men trying to kill me!"

"Outside!"

Leon groaned and made his way out of Sky View. Joss slipped her tired feet out of her heels, not able to bear wearing them for another moment. "He's gonna be disappointed as hell when I come to the car in normal clothes."

John stood by the door, drinking in the sight of her. "Well, he won't be the only one." When she looked up at him with wide eyes, he winked. "We'll be waiting for you in the Porsche Turbo."

He walked away before she could utter a single shocked word.

Review and give me prompt/song suggestions!