A/N: I didn't forget, just had a busy day and a scene to add to this chapter before posting. Love seeing new names in the reviews, in addition to the familiar ones. As usual, enjoy and let me know what you think.

"I finally arrested that piece of shit," Charlie announced as she collapsed on the sofa.

"We should celebrate. Let's go out tonight, who's in?" Johnny asked.

"Count me in," Paige said, squeezing onto the sofa next to Charlie.

"I'll be there, JT," Briggs said and gave Johnny a mock salute before exiting the room.

"I suppose I can spend a few hours with everyone," Jakes said.

"I can't," Mike said. "My case is keeping me busy."

Paige glanced over at Mike, she titled her head and looked at him curiously. This was the second time that Mike begged off in going out because of work. Not that he wasn't a workaholic, but she couldn't help but wonder if he was avoiding her. Maybe she was wrong and things weren't normal between them.

"Everyone's coming, you have to come," Johnny said.

Paige kept her mouth shut as Mike continued making excuses about not going out. If Mike said he had too much work, he had too much work. It didn't have to mean anything. It didn't have to mean that he couldn't be around her.

"Next time, okay?" Mike patted Charlie on the shoulder as he made his way out of the living room. Johnny trailed after him, trying to convince him to change his mind.

Paige watched Mike leave and resisted the urge to go after him. She grabbed her things and wandered into the kitchen. She made a quick stop by the fridge before heading upstairs.

Charlie nodded in Paige's direction as she went upstairs. "What do you think's going on with those two? They're acting weird."

"I don't care if Paige has been sneaking out of Mike's room late at night. Whatever it is, leave me out of it," Jakes announced.

"What do you mean sneaking out?" Charlie asked. She was unable to keep the grin off her face.

Jakes groaned, "I'm not getting involved."

Mike looked up when he heard a light knocking on his door frame. "Hey, what's going on?" Mike asked.

"You sure you don't want to come out with us?" Paige asked as she entered his room.

Mike took a deep breath so he could gather his thoughts before responding. He knew what Paige was asking. It wasn't that she was asking him to come out, she wanted to know if she was the reason why he wasn't going out. "I'm not avoiding you."

"I didn't say you were avoiding me."

He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to decide how he wanted to answer. The last time they talked about them, they made it clear they wanted to be friends. They both talked about how important that was. For both of them. Paige was trying, she really was. So was he. But him staying in tonight didn't have anything to do with avoiding her. If he couldn't handle being around her, he hiding from her wasn't his style. "I really do have a lot of work to do tonight." Mike gestured to the stack of files on his desk, "Tracing this money trail is going to be the death of me."

Apparently Paige was satisfied with his answer because she stopped pushing him. "Still can't find anything?"

"Nothing."

"I thought you saw something on a surveillance tape?"

"It didn't pan out."

Paige frowned, "Okay, I'll let you get back to work. But if you change your mind, you know where we'll be."

Mike nodded as Paige left the room. They went to lunch together. They helped each other out on cases. But they didn't flirt. They didn't sneak off to be alone together. But that didn't mean they couldn't go out with their roommates. As much as he would love to relax and have a few drinks with everyone, he couldn't tonight.

"I thought you weren't coming out tonight," Charlie said.

"I couldn't stare at bank statements any longer," Mike commented as he sat next to her. He unsuccessfully tried to get the waiter's attention, but The Drop was packed that night. He looked around the bar to see if the rest of the house made it out, but froze as soon as he saw Paige at the bar.

Apparently he wasn't the only one that noticed Paige. In addition to having the bartender's full attention, a pair of guys were talking to her and judging by her body language, she wasn't interested. But the days where Paige needed him to step in on her behalf, were not only over, they had actually never existed. Paige had always been more than capable of handling over eager guys. When they were dating, he quickly learned that she didn't like it when he stared down other guys. She reminded him that she was going home with him and whatever guy was leering at her could look all he wanted. Mike watched her curiously as she held up her left hand and pointed to her ring finger. An all too familiar sparkle caught his eye.

She was wearing her ring.

With that one gesture, Paige dismissed the guys hitting on her and turned her attention back to the bartender.

"The waiter's taking too long. I'm going to go order at the bar. Anyone need anything?" Mike asked.

Jakes lifted up his beer bottle and Mike made a beeline to the bar, wanting to catch Paige before she left.

Mike pushed his way to the front of the bar, until he was standing next Paige. "Hey."

"Mike, hey! I thought you were staying home tonight." Paige set down her beer and casually put her hands in her pockets.

"Changed my mind." He caught the bartender's attention and ordered Jakes a beer, along with one for himself. Leaning closer to Paige, he lowered his voice. "You don't have to hide it, I saw the ring."

Paige nervously laughed as she pulled her hands out of her pocket and ran her hand through her hair. It had been a stupid idea to wear it tonight. Her male roommates would never notice. Charlie would recognize this ring in a heartbeat, but as long as she slipped it off when they were together, she figured it would be safe to chance it since Mike wasn't here. Of course he recognized it from across the room. "Busted."

"Are you going to tell me why you're wearing it?"

"Sometimes I don't feel like getting hit on. As annoying as it is, guys won't back off when I tell them I'm not interested, but they somehow step off if I'm wearing this." Paige held up her hand and shrugged.

There were a million ways Mike could read between the lines, but he decided to take what she told him at face value, oddly finding it comforting that not only was she not looking to hook up with anyone, she was wearing a ring he put on her finger. Apparently, this wasn't the first time and that solved the mystery of why the ring box kept moving around his sock drawer.

Mike paid for his drinks and motioned to the pool table, "Wanna play? Johnny and Briggs owe us a rematch from last time."

Paige considered his offer and found herself nodding before she had a chance to overthink things. They had settled into being friends again. They hadn't slept together since the night she confronted him about Susie. She wasn't sure she was in a place where having casual sex with Mike was a good idea. Her head was still a little mixed up after everything that went on during the Assif case, but everyday they got a little closer without hitting the sheets was progress. Playing pool and not using it as an excuse to tease him until he got so worked up that he wanted to drag her to the bathroom or an alley or anywhere private, would be good for them. She could do this. "You're on."

Mike smiled and motioned to the pool table, "Let them know we want a rematch and I'll go give Jakes his beer."

Paige nodded and dutifully made her way over to the pool table to issue their challenge to Johnny and Briggs. It wasn't long before Mike was by her side, and the four of them started their game.

The hours passed quickly as one game quickly turned into two, because Johnny demanded a rematch when she and Mike won. It was nice to just be themselves and hang out with their friends and not have to deal with any of their emotional baggage. There were no hidden agendas or double meanings. It was just them laughing and hanging out. She missed this.

The only thing that was a little out of the ordinary was that she kept the ring on. Although, Mike didn't say anything about it, she was pretty sure he appreciated how it kept all the random guys that would normally hit on her at bay. Even if they weren't dating, she knew it bothered him. It was worse when they were together, because he had to balance wanting her to himself but walk the line of not pissing her off by treating her like a piece of property. But they didn't have to deal with any of that tonight.

Things were normal between them again.

"P, are you ready?" Johnny called.

Paige downed her drink and looked up at Mike, "Are you coming?"

"Nah, I told Charlie I'd finish up her game of darts with Jakes. We'll catch up with you at home. Make sure to get - "

"Thin crust, pepperoni. I know."

"Paige, five seconds or we're leaving without you! 1-2..."

"Bye!" Paige snatched his leather jacket from the chair and scurried off after the rest of the group to go pick up pizzas.

Mike shook his head, not surprised at all that Paige stole his jacket. If there was one thing that hadn't changed about their relationship over the years, it was that she swiped that jacket anytime she had a chance.

He was really glad he decided to come out tonight. He was pretty sure that he would always feel something more for Paige, but he was grateful that they were able to work through things and find a way to be friends again. No matter what was going on with them, he needed her in his life.