County Morgue

Staten Island PD

May 12, 2005

9 pm

Logan studied the victim carefully. After all of his years on the force, he knew how to disconnect himself from the crime and look at it with a clear, analytical eye. Tonight, he was having trouble being clear or analytical and it was pissing him off.

They found the victim laying face down behind a Chinese restaurant, her purse lying next to her. Before he even saw her face, he discovered that her name was Claudia Burke. According to her drivers' license, she was 43. Tall, and curvy, she was found wearing a blue rain coat over a black and white pinstriped pantsuit. They couldn't immediately see it, but the front of her suit was stained deep red, from where she bled out from a stab wound to her chest.

What caught his attention was her hair. It was a deep, dark red. It was, he realized, very nearly the color of Kate's hair. Despite the irrationality of his thoughts, Logan needed to see this woman's face. Once the ambulance crew turned her over, he studied her face. Despite the familiarity he felt looking at her in her previous position, his rational mind kicked back in, her nose was too angular, too sharp, her chin as well. Mentally chastising himself, he released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"You okay?" Silvera asked, watching as the color returned to his face.

"Yeah, why?" he asked trying to play it off.

"You looked like you saw a ghost," she shrugged. "Vic does kinda look familiar, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, sorta," he simply said, then, shaking off the thought, "Let's see if anybody around here saw anything…"

"COD was the stab wound," Staten Island Coroner Jack Ryan explained, pointing to the deep, raw cut beneath the victim's left breast. "Knife had a serrated edge and at least a 10 inch blade."

"So, they used a bread knife?" Silvera winced, looking at the victim's face. She did resemble someone, and Silvera just couldn't place who.

"That's my guess," Ryan nodded. She watched as Logan studied the victim's face.

"Any defensive wounds?" he asked, not looking up.

"No. She was probably handing over whatever it is the perp wanted at the time of the stabbing. Perp was talented, managed to go right between the ribs and into the heart. She bled out quickly." Ryan held up the victim's hands, "No marks on her palms. Her manicure still looks fresh."

"Logan," Silvera said, pulling him from his thoughts. "You okay?"

"Yeah, she just looks like someone I know," he dismissed. "I think it's the hair."

"They must have the same hairdresser," Ryan said, matter-of-factly, "Pubic hair is dark brown."

Logan nodded, growing angrier with himself. Get a grip, he mentally scolded, she's not even a real redhead

"Tox screen won't be back til morning," Ryan continued, lifting the sheet and pulling it up and over the victim's face, leaving only her hair exposed. "You guys need anything else from me?"

"I think we're good," Silvera replied, placing her hand on Logan's arm. "You good, Mike?"

"I'm good," he said.

"Alright then," Ryan replied, "You two have a good night. I'm heading out." With that, he left the room.

"Mike," Silvera began.

"I'm okay," he dismissed with a wave of his hand, as they walked out of the morgue.

"You sure?"

He looked at her for a moment. He'd done well at keeping his head in the game and even better at keeping his private life private. He knew he was being stupid tonight and figured he owed her an explanation. "She kinda looks like Kate…"

Silvera nodded. "I was thinking that, myself. They've got the same hair color…" she stopped and looked at him. "I didn't wanna say anything, though."

"It's okay," he shrugged.

"This is really eating at you, huh?"

"I'm that transparent?" he laughed.

"Yeah, you are," she fondly replied, then looked at her watch. "Shift's over. Go on…go see her."

"I think I will…"

Apartment of Executive ADA Kate O'Hara

May 12, 2005

11:15 PM

Logan rode the elevator up to the 15th floor of Kate's apartment building. It was late and on some level, he thought he should just go home. But he needed to see her tonight.

Stepping out of the elevator, he walked down the hall to apartment E and knocked. A moment or two later, Kate pulled open the door. She was clad in a t-shirt and a pair of boxers, her hair tousled. Despite what she said on the phone, he could tell he woke her up.

"Hi there," she smiled, letting him in. When he called to say he was on his way over, she could hear that there was something wrong. Now, she could see it as well.

"I woke you up," he said, walking into the foyer. "I should go."

"You're here now, stay." She shut the door and placed the dead bolt on it, then turned to find him hanging his suit coat in the closet. "Want a beer or something?"

He shook his head and pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

"Mikey, what's wrong?"

"I'm acting stupid," he replied, stepping back from her.

"Okay, wanna explain that one?" Kate laughed, taking his hand and leading him into the apartment.

"Got a call around 8 tonight, stabbing vic in an alley behind a Chinese restaurant."

"Okay," she prompted, as they sat on the sofa.

"Vic was white female, age 43. Investment attorney." He looked at her. "She was a redhead…kinda built like you…"

"The vic reminded you of me?"

"Yeah, kinda stupid, huh?"

"I wouldn't say that," she said, with a fond smile. "Show's you're thinking about me."

"Yeah, well," he shrugged, "Those aren't the thoughts I wanted to have." He looked down at the floor, studying the corner of the Oriental rug. "Her hair was the same freaking color as yours…same length. Shit, Katie, for a minute there…"

"What Chinese restaurant?" she asked.

"Kam Fung, this little dive place out on Staten Island…"

"Never heard of it," she said, "Besides, the only little dive Chinese places I go to are in Chinatown."

"I knew that…but…"

"This really rattled you, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did," he looked at her. "Even after I saw her face, I still couldn't shake it off. Silvera picked up on it; she even said the vic looked like you."

"Silvera thought so too? How'd she come up with me?"

"When we were standing in the morgue, Ryan picked up on the way I was reacting and I said the vic reminded me of someone I knew and that it had to be the hair. Guess that's where Silvera came up with the similarity."

"Was she a true redhead?"

He shook his head, "Nah, pubic hair was dark brown."

"Well then, there was your proof that it wasn't me," she slyly said. "You know I'm a true redhead.

He didn't respond. He just stood there, watching her.

"Hey," she said, taking his hands, "its okay. I'm still alive…"

"Its more than that," he began, carefully thinking out what he wanted to say. "The whole thing got me thinking."

"About?"

"You, us…" he stopped, debating whether to go on.

"Mike, talk to me."

"Let's move in together," he quickly said, then looked at her, expectantly.

Kate raised a brow and fought back a smile. "You want to move in together?"

"I do," he nodded.

"And seeing this dead woman who looked like me made you realize that you want to live with me?"

"No, seeing her made me come here in the middle of the night and wake you up to tell you that I want to live with you." He gave her a smile. "I realized that I wanted to move in with you the night after Lennie's funeral."

"Why haven't you brought up the subject of moving in before tonight?"

"I wasn't sure how you felt. I'm still not," he admitted. "I can't read you like I used to. It's not like last time around."

"Of course it's not," she simply said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It can't be. We've got too much history for it to be the same."

"You're avoiding the whole point here. I just asked you to move in with me."

"I know, Mikey," she smiled at him. "I heard what you said." She watched as his features clouded. "I'm not making fun of you…I'm stating a point. Last time around, I was the one to come up with the suggestion of moving in…and I scared the hell out of you, too, if I remember right."

"You were, like I said, I was a moron."

"Nah, you were a typical emotionally stunted male," she dismissed, then, seriously. "Mikey, I love you. I don't think I ever stopped loving you. You make up a whole lot of my history. But there's a lot to moving in together. A lot of things to consider, legally, logistically..."

"Can you stop being a lawyer for a minute?" he laughed. "Maybe you just need to focus on what I said instead of making it a contract negotiation. Katie, I love you, and I think we oughtta move in together."

Kate smiled, "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"Serious as a heart attack, I meant what I said."

"Say it again," she softly said.

"I love you, and I want to live with you," he replied, sounding more sure of himself.

"I love you, too," she smiled. "And, yeah, I think we should move in together, too."

"Yeah?" he laughed, pulling her into his arms.

"Yeah," she agreed, as the carriage clock on the wall unit struck two. "Damn, it's 2?"

"I should go…let you sleep."

"You should stay," she said, "Sleep with me."

Apartment of Executive ADA Kate O'Hara

May 13, 2007

7:30 AM

Yawning, Logan walked though the apartment, to the kitchen. Kate stood, dressed in a dark suit, reading the newspaper and eating a piece of toast. Hearing him, she looked up. "You have time for a cup of coffee?" she asked.

"Coffee," he agreed, "That would work real well right now." He took the mug she held out to him, then downed half of it.

Kate laughed. "I've got to be in court by 10," she began, rinsing out her mug and leaving it in the sink. "So, I've got to head in and get some stuff done."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"I like having you here in the morning," she smiled, "I like having you here all night, too."

"I could get used to this…"

"Yeah," she winked, "And we didn't even have sex last night…"

"I'm going to regret saying this, but…it's not all about sex, Katie," he broke into a grin. "Damn, that almost sounded believable."

"And on that note," she said, giving him a quick kiss, "I need to get into the office. And you need to call your landlord about getting out of your lease."

"You sure you want me to move in here?"

"No offense, Mikey, but I'm not moving in to your place and you're here all the time anyways…"

"Guess I'll start bringing stuff over tonight?"

"Aren't you working?"

He shook his head. "I'm working until 7, unless we get a call late."

'Then, I guess you can start bringing stuff over tonight." She picked up her brief case from its spot on the floor. "I'll stop and get a key made for you on the way home."

"I probably should have a key," he agreed, suddenly struck with the realization that he was actually moving in.

"Probably should," she returned, her calm demeanor betraying the nervousness she felt about having him move in. "Lock up when you go, okay?"

"Hey," he said, taking her hand, "Come 'ere." He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, "You're absolutely sure about this?"

Kate slipped her arms around him and gave him a smile, "95 of me is up for this. The other 5...well, I've learned to ignore that other 5." She kissed him. "Now, I need to get to work. Tonight, we'll have dinner here and discuss the practical details of this arrangement…like splitting the rent and the bills and stuff."

"And there's the lawyer I love," he quipped, as she wriggled out of his arms.

"See you tonight, Mikey," she laughed, walking into the foyer. "Don't forget to change your address at work."