A/N: Read the intro, don't sue me. Please R&R. Okay, this is a long chapter, but I didn't really want to break it up. Hope you can struggle all the way through it.

Meadow: Thank you, thank you. Hallusinating: Glad you're enjoying this. Gotta love the baseball. Lane, Demolished, RoadRunner: Roommates cause complications. RoadRunner: Tess is a very complex person. And hyper. Gotta do something while watching the games.


Don flew out of the interrogation room, a huge grin on his face. He'd nailed the scumbag. Pinned the creep to the wall and there was no way for the guy to wiggle out of it. Just file the paperwork and off goes another one. The sight of the clock on the wall punched a hole in his euphoria. 7:40. He stopped dead, swore and quickly snapped open his cell phone. He punched in Tess' number.

"Pick up, pick up. Come on, Tess, pick up," he mumbled. It clicked through to her voice mail. "Tess. I got hung up. Please call me." Don practically ran to his desk. Sat down and started to type his report. Rushed to fill in the forms. He dialed Tess. Voice mail again. Filed the forms. Dialed Tess. Voice mail. "Tess. I'm really sorry. I got tied up with this case. Please call me." Don sat there for a minute. He got up, grabbed his suit coat and flew out of the station. "Not that easy to get rid of me, Tess."

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Tess dropped her knitting in her lap. She rubbed her temples, picked up her wineglass and took a deep drink. This night had just sucked. Don had stood her up. Bette and Peter had slunk out just before the game started. The Tigers were royally screwing up. And the sock heel wasn't working. She was going to have to rip it out. All in all, pretty much one awful evening. Her phone rang again. She picked it up and recognized the number. God, didn't the man get a clue? Tess was ready to yell at someone. Pour out her frustrations. She picked up her phone and flipped it open.

"Hello?" her voice held a sharp edge.

"Ya finally picked it up."

Tess stood up and started to pace. "Don't even start," she growled warningly.

There was a pause and a heavy sigh on the other end. Tess glanced up at a small thunk on her door. "Tess, I'm sorry. I got tied up in a case. Ya know. Whatever you cooked smells really good."

Tess frowned. She flipped her phone shut, walked over to the apartment door and opened it. Don was standing there with the phone still to his ear, looking at the floor. He was still dressed for work with his radio, badge and gun clipped to his belt. He'd loosened his tie. His one arm rested on the doorframe. When she opened the door, Tess leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms over her chest. Don raised his eyes and looked at her. He snapped his phone shut. Tess was struck again by how much showed in his clear blue eyes.

"You're standing at my front door. That's bold." Tess turned around and walked back inside. She left the door open. Don just stood there. "You can come in."

"Ya sure?"

"If I wasn't, I would have slammed the door in your face. Come in." Don came just inside and shut the door behind him. Tess stood in the middle of the living area with her arms crossed. Don looked around. He saw the set table and dropped his head again. He looked back up at Tess.

"Someone else was comin'?"

"My roommate, Bette and her boyfriend Peter were here. They wanted to check you out. When you didn't show, they went on with life," shrugged Tess not moving from her spot. "I'm afraid you didn't make a very good impression."

Don grimaced and shook his head. "I got caught up in the case I was on today. The guy was close to breaking. I lost track of the time."

"Did he break?"

Don looked at her confused. "Who?"

Tess rolled her eyes. "The guy. The one you were interrogating. Did he break?"

Don smiled. "Yeah. He did."

"So, he's off the streets."

"Yeah. He is."

Tess nodded. "And that's a good thing."

"Yeah. It is."

Tess sighed. "Then you did what you were supposed to do. I'm still mad." Her arms stayed crossed, but the rest of her posture relaxed. "I don't invite a lot of guys over. In fact, I can't think of the last time I invited someone over."

"I feel like crap over that, Tess."

Tess sighed. She could tell it bothered him. He looked like a little boy who'd been told some one ran over his puppy. Don's stomach growled. Tess shot him a half smile and shook her head. "Take your coat off. Let me get you a plate." She headed for the kitchen. Don watched her, but didn't move.

"Yer letting me stay?"

Tess stopped. She set the plate back on the table and looked over at him. "I should kick your ass all the way to the East River, but yes, I'm letting you stay." She looked at the big pot on the stove. "I cooked a big pot of food and I'll be sick of it before the week is out. Someone's got to eat it." Don still didn't move. Tess looked down and then back up through her lashes at Don. "Unless you've said your piece and want to leave now."

Don paused. There was something far too domestic with how things were feeling. He had a flashback of his mother doing the same thing Tess was. Getting a plate of cold dinner and warming it up for his dad. More nights than he could count. The fact that it wasn't panicking him more panicked him.

"This won't be the first time I stand you up."

Tess put the plate in the microwave and punched the buttons. She looked over at him. "Are you trying to get me to run you off?" Her finger hovered by the stop button. "Let me know. I won't heat this up if you're leaving."

"Jus' being honest, Tess."

Tess shook her head. "I haven't asked you to spend the rest of your life with me. Just dinner and a baseball game."

Don glanced at the TV. "How's the game goin'?"

Tess grimaced and shook her head. "Just one more thing going wrong tonight."

"Tigers losin'?" Don tried to keep from grinning.

"Just keep up that smirking and I will run you off."

"You'd kick me to the street and let me starve?"

"Yes. In a heartbeat if you keep rubbing it in." The microwave beeped. Tess looked expectantly at Don. "Well, are you going to behave or are you going to be wearing your dinner?"

Don's lips twitched. "I don't think it'll go with my tie."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Sit down. Now."

Don broke into a grin. "Bossy. I like that."

"Yeah, right," mumbled Tess. Tess set the plate of goulash on the table. Don slipped off his suit coat and hung it on the back of the chair. He sat down. Tess stood there and held out her hand.

He looked up at her. "What?"

"Doesn't the radio poking you in the side bother you?" Don shook his head a little, but unsnapped the case and handed it to her. Tess set it on the counter. "Shouldn't you have left that at the station?"

"Yeah. But I was in a bit of a hurry. I had this girl I was supposed to meet. She gets cranky."

Tess fought a smile. "Watch it, Don. You aren't that cute." She held out her hand again. "Badge." Don passed it over. It joined the radio. Don picked at his plate a little, looking at the food. Tess got him a beer and held out her hand again.

"Now what?"

"Gun."

Don shook his head. "I ain't giving ya my gun."

"I'm not going to use it on you. Unless I hit you upside the head with it."

"Still ain't handing it over."

"Fine. Your tie then." She reached in front of him. "Before you dip it into your dinner."

Don grabbed Tess' hand. He ran his thumb lightly over the inside of her wrist. "Ya know Tess, if ya want ta undress me, could ya wait until I've eaten a little?"

Tess snatched her hand away. She struggled to bring down her pulse rate. "Fine," she said shakily. "Go ahead and get your nice tie dirty. Paprika doesn't come out very easily." Don laughed undid his tie and handed it to her. Tess set it on the counter with the rest of his things. "There's bread in the basket." She went back by the TV and turned up the sound. She picked up her wineglass took a sip and watched the game. Don glanced over at her. She had an intense look of concentration on her face. He grinned shook his head and looked back at his plate. He pushed the food around a little more. His stomach growled a little more. He took a bite.

"Wow. This is really good."

Tess didn't look away from the TV. "You expected it not to be?"

"It's jus' very orange."

"It's the paprika."

Don swiveled around. "How's it goin"?" Tess didn't hear him. He shook his head again and went back to eating.

"No! NO! No!" Don snapped around. Tess sunk down to the couch.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Don growled. He stood up, unclipped up his gun took it off and stowed it on top of the fridge. Don picked up his plate and beer. He took the other end of the couch. Tess' gaze flickered over. "Did I say you could eat in here?"

Don flashed her a heated look. "Either ya give me a play by play or I eat here."

"Don't spill."

The score flashed across the screen. "Ouch."

"Tell me about it," moaned Tess. She took a deep sip of her wine. "They're giving it away." Don grinned at her. Tess was totally oblivious.

Don finished his dinner and set his plate in the sink. He grabbed another beer. He looked at the bottle of wine on the counter. Bull's Blood. Okay, then. He picked it up and walked over to Tess.

"Need a fill up?" Tess held up her glass, eyes on the game and Don filled it about half way. He settled back in on the couch.

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When the last Tiger batter fell, Tess dropped her head and shook it. "That was just awful."

"Sorry, Tess."

"Not your fault. You weren't playing. Of course, they weren't either." She shook her head and pushed up off the couch. She reached her hand out for Don's empty bottle. He handed it to her. Tess took her glass and his bottle into the kitchen. Don followed her to grab his stuff. Tess turned around to find herself face to face with Don. She jumped a little. She hadn't expected him to be right there. Don put out a hand to steady her.

"Sorry. Had ta grab my gun." He reached up to the top of the fridge. Tess didn't move. She focused on the pulse at the base of his neck. Don took a deep breath. God, she smelled good. Gingerbread. Tess smelled like gingerbread. Why did she smell so damn good? He took a deeper breath. The gun stayed where it was. He dropped his hand to her shoulder and played with a lock of hair laying there. Why didn't she move? He could feel her breath on the bare skin at the top of his shirt. Warm and steady. Her hand slowly came up and she ran her fingers along his lightly stubbled jaw. Don groaned. Tess tilted her head up and Don brought his lips down on hers. Her lips tasted like the wine she had been drinking. He wrapped his fingers through her ponytail. Don ran his tongue along her lips and Tess parted them. He pressed her closer.

The kissed ended with both of them breathing hard. Don rested his forehead on Tess'. Tess ran her hand up and down Don's shirtfront. He took her hand and wove his fingers through hers, brought it down and held it captive next to them. They stood there just breathing. The front door opened. The pair broke apart, but Don kept possession of Tess' hand. He wasn't ready to fully break contact yet.

"Tess," sang Bette. "We heard the Tigers were losing. We brought you a midnight…" She caught sight of Tess and Don in the kitchen. She planted her fist on her hip and took a confrontational stance. "Well, well, well. This must be the cop." Peter came through the door and almost crashed into Bette. Bette held up the box in her hand and he took it. She started to advance on Don. "Do you know how hard Tess here worked on that dinner? Do you know how hurt she was when you stood her up? Is this how you treat people? No phone call? No nothing?" She shook her head back and forth as she spoke, braids flying. Bette strode right up to Don and stood toe to toe to him. He had about a foot on her, but the radiating anger rolling off of her caused him to take half a step back. Tess touched Bette's arm with her free hand. Tess took a deep breath and licked her lips. Don squeezed her hand slightly. She closed her eyes and tried to get her thoughts in order. Her lips twitched a little into a small smile. She opened her eyes again.

"Um, Bette, stand down. In case you didn't notice, he is standing in the middle of our kitchen." Tess looked from Don to Bette and back again. Bette still looked like she was ready to attack the detective. He looked like he believed she might. Tess sighed. "Bette Clifford, Don Flack. Don, this is my roommate Bette." Tess glanced at Peter. "Standing safely back there is her boyfriend, Peter Ulrich." Peter raised his hand and gave a small wave. He came up behind Bette and placed a hand on her shoulder. Bette visibly relaxed.

"Sorry about that," he said. He bent and kissed the side of Bette's head. "And you call me overly dramatic." Peter held his hand out to Don. Don released Tess' hand and shook the other man's. "Good to see you made it, Don."

Tess glanced at the pile of Don's stuff on the counter. "He came straight from work." Peter nodded. He slowly set the box on the table.

"I see." A slightly strained silence stretched on. "Well, we'll just catch you two later." Peter took Bette's hand and pulled her away. Bette seemed reluctant to go. Peter tugged her toward the door. Peter gave a small wave. "Nice to meet you Don." He pushed Bette forward and shut the apartment door. Tess looked at Don and burst out laughing. He shook his head.

"I don't see what's so funny." Don glanced at the door like he expected Bette to come sailing through again. "Yer roommate there is a little…"

"Oh, no. Bette is not a little anything." Tess patted Don's chest. "I'm sorry. That wasn't how I wanted you to meet them."

"Ya don't usually let yer roommate attack yer dates? That'd be a good thing." He took her hand and pulled her a little closer. He bent his head so his lips hovered over hers. "It's late," he whispered.

"It is," Tess agreed.

"I need ta go home." He barely touched her lips and pulled back.

"You do." Tess gave him an answering whispered kiss.

"Dinner was…was… Yer a good cook."

Tess smiled. "Glad you liked it."

"Next time I won't be so late."

Tess' hand strayed over his shoulder and into the hair on the back of his head. She played with the waves that had grown just long enough to form. "Who says there's a next time?" Don groaned, spun her around and backed her against the fridge. He kissed her fiercely. Tess melted against him. Don pinned her to the fridge with his body. He fought for control and finally released her lips. Don tilted Tess' face up and locked his eyes with hers. In them she could see a promise of what would happen when he lost control. Her breath caught. Don grinned and ran a finger over her lips.

"There'll be a next time, Tess. That pit bull of a roommate ya have can't run me off that easily."

"Okay." Don chuckled and gave her a quick kiss. He stepped back putting a little distance and air between them. He looked down at Tess. She was leaning back against the fridge, her eyes closed. She ran her tongue over her lips. Don took a deep breath and took another step back. Tess opened her eyes.

"I need ta get my gun." Tess didn't move. Don looked down at the floor and planted his hands on his hips. "Tess. I can't have ya standing there."

Tess frowned slightly. Her eyes had closed again. "Hmm?"

Don sighed heavily. "Tess. Sweetheart. If I have ta reach over ya ta get my piece, I'm not goin' home tonight." Tess stood still. Don groaned. "Tess. Tess, I'm tryin' to be a gentleman."

Tess opened her eyes. They were warm and dark and the gold flecks in them sparkled. She looked straight into Don's dark, clear blue ones. "Then stop."

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Don stroked Tess' hair as she lay curled against him sleeping peacefully. He took a deep breath. Gingerbread. She still smelled like gingerbread.

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