A/N: So, this is what happened - doc wanted to increase my meds, stupid meds practically put me to sleep for 20 hours straight off and on for several days and as a result I was unable to get this up as fast as I wanted to. What. A. Drag. Enjoy!

Chapter 7- Status Quo, AKA The Battle of Wits

"Even in death, you're still trying to get me coupled up. Really, Aunt Helen? Really? He wants to arrest your husband!"

Trisha rolled her eyes in frustration and stood in front of the bathroom mirror. She looked a far cry from her usual self – she was wearing a beautiful black velvet dress that went to her knees with matching tights and the black shoes from earlier that day, and her dark brown hair that she usually wore up was down, going just past her shoulders.

FLASHBACK

"When you're in college and you travel for anything other than your swim meets, always pack a little black dress," said Helen.

"Why? I won't need it. I'm no one's catch," said Trisha.

"You never know," said Helen.

END FLASHBACK

She hadn't been on a date, not ever, so she wasn't sure if she was overdoing it but the dress was the only thing she had packed that was really suitable for an evening date. All her other clothes had been for either the interview, or were jeans and T-shirts.

Trisha was not going to wear a T-shirt on a date with Noah Newman. Not the first date, anyway. She needed to make him squirm, at least a little bit – and since when had a T-shirt ever made a warm-blooded American male squirm?

Never, that's when, thought Trisha.

The only thing she wasn't sure of was the formality of where he would be taking her. That, and while it wasn't as cold in Baltimore as it currently was throughout the entire state of Illinois, it was still cold nonetheless so she grabbed a white cardigan from her suitcase and put it on.

She took another look at herself in the mirror then began doing her makeup.


Screwed. There was really no other way to put it – he was screwed.

Noah Newman had had almost half an hour to think about the mess he was in. He doubted Cosmo would've objected – hell, if the older deputy had been present they probably would've exchanged high fives and Cosmo would've told Noah to forget about Sam might think, and go for it.

He could also recall Biggs, who was happily married, once telling him to never back out of something he said he'd do either with, or for, a woman he might have feelings for.

"You'll wish you were on a manhunt, trust me kid," Biggs had said.

If Sam finds out, I'm dead. If I tell her I want to cancel, I'm dead. Damnit, I'm dead, thought Noah.

He heard a timid knock on the door to his hotel room, and checked the clock in the kitchen.

His half hour was up.

Noah sighed and opened the door – he almost didn't recognize her.

"Wow," said Noah. "You... you look great."

"Thanks," said Trisha. "Um… where do you want to go?"

"Not sure, I've never been to Baltimore before."

"Me neither, maybe someone at the desk in the lobby might know a good place," said Trisha. "Although, I did read somewhere that Baltimore, and all of Maryland in general, is famous for its seafood. You like seafood?"

"I'll eat anything once."

"So long as it's not fugu, that shit will kill you," said Trisha.

"What?!"

"Puffer fish, my aunt once told me she heard of people dying after ingesting it despite it supposedly being prepared properly," said Trisha.

"Yuck!"

"Don't worry, I highly doubt anyplace around here serves it. It's more common in Japan," said Trisha.

They set off for the hotel lobby, and when they arrived it seemed to be busy despite the fact that it was nighttime. A girl was manning the desk when Trisha and Noah walked up.

"Know anyplace good around here that serves seafood?" asked Noah.

The girl laughed.

"Sorry," said the girl. "I mean, this is Baltimore – there's good seafood restaurants everywhere, it'd be easier if I knew whether you wanted to stay here in the Inner Harbor or venture elsewhere."

"Around here's fine," said Noah.

"There are a couple places, but I'd recommend Phillip's Seafood. Then Vacaro's in Little Italy for dessert, it's not too far for walking distance and the area's safe," said the girl.


Phillip's Seafood was packed when they walked inside. It appeared to be a mix of tourists and locals alike.

"Good, it's warm in here," Trisha whispered as she stood closer to Noah.

"How many in your party?" asked the hostess.

"Two," said Noah.

"Okay," said the hostess. "It's gonna be around 15 minutes for a table, if you'd like you can have a seat at the bar while you wait."

Noah was about to say he'd rather sit on some nearby chairs, when two small children claimed the chairs for themselves.

As a result, he and Trisha found themselves sitting at the bar as she perused the menu. He was surprised they had been able to get seats there as other people waiting for tables had also grabbed seats at the bar.

"Either of you want anything?" asked the bartender.

"No, I'm alright," said Trisha. "Thank you though."

"Same here," said Noah.

She was about to pick up the menu again so she would know what she wanted for dinner, when she realized Noah had taken one of her hands in his own. She felt herself blushing furiously as she smiled.

Screwed. I am so screwed. Oh well, thought Trisha.


A waitress came over and led them to a booth in the middle of the restaurant. The smell of crab wafting through the restaurant made Trisha's mouth water; it was one of her favorite things to eat.

However, both of them decided they wanted a few minutes to look over the menu as a waiter brought them glasses of soda.

"Too much yummy stuff to choose from," said Trisha.

"You might be the first woman I've taken out on a date that seems to like seafood a lot," said Noah.

"Comes with spending part of my life on the west coast, I guess," said Trisha. "My dad had a boat, and after he got home from work, if the weather was good, he'd take me and my mom, if she was able to go, and the three of us would go fishing. Sometimes it was just me and him, especially if my mom had a case."

"Case?"

"She was an Assistant District Attorney," said Trisha.

"What did your dad do?"

Trisha smirked a little bit, and Noah vaguely wondered what she was going to say next.

"He was a lawyer too, but he was a defense attorney," said Trisha.

"You're kidding!"

"No, I'm not."

"Did they meet in court or something?" asked Noah.

"Yeah. They didn't get along at first, but obviously that changed 'cuz here I am," said Trisha.

Noah smiled and shook his head.

"What?" said Trisha.

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"Why would I kid about how my parents met each other?" asked Trisha. "I know it sounds more funny than anything but it's true. One of my dad's friends told me about it at a Christmas party several years ago after he drank too much."

"And which friend was this?" asked Noah.

"That'd be telling," said Trisha.

"Maybe I want to know."

"What for?"

"You know why," said Noah.

"Yeah, I do know why – cripes, if it isn't sex a man wants from me it's information on my past so he can arrest my uncle," said Trisha. "For you, I'd much rather take my clothes off."

She watched as Noah turned a horrible shade of red. By now, she was certain the marshal was a virgin. She was okay with that, she was too – but she highly doubted he would call her bluff either.

He didn't.

"No, no way. Sam would kill us both. He'd kill me if he knew we were on a date right now."

"Don't worry Noah, your secret is safe with me," said Trisha.

"No strings attached?"

"No strings attached," said Trisha.

A waiter came by, and they ordered the crab dip appetizer. They had also decided on their entrée by that point as well – the restaurant's clam bake for two. The waiter took their order and the two of them continued talking until the crab dip arrived.

"That looks delicious," said Trisha.

Noah nodded, and they began eating it with the breadsticks that accompanied the crab dip.

"I can't really figure you out," said Noah.

"There isn't really anything to figure out, Noah."

"You could've caused a lot of trouble, but you haven't," said Noah.

"I could say the same thing about you – the trying to figure things out, I mean," said Trisha.

"Why?" asked Noah.

"For starters, you know a lot about me yet I know almost nothing about you," said Trisha. "Also, you don't look at all like a U.S. Marshal. Your boss definitely does but you? No, you don't."

"It's the hair, isn't it?" said Noah.

"I like the hair, I think it suits you," said Trisha.

Noah reached across the table and took her hand in his, then smiled.

Trisha Kimble was a mystery he was going to enjoy figuring out.

In the beginning, I was attempting some writing involving sarcastic conversations with dead people. I tend to let my belief in the supernatural influence my writing... a lot. Heck, I once asked my boyfriend if his long-dead grandfather would've liked me, because I know he had that big of an impact on my boyfriend's life, even though I never got to meet the man. Chapter 8 will hopefully come much sooner now that the medication issue has been sorted out.