Something in red...

"Oh god..." Provenza whined, walking into the murder room, "Valentines decorations. Who the hell gave permission for this?" Turning, he looked around the room, yelling for someone to answer him.

Tao snorted, and turned back to his computer, while Sanchez chuckled. "You didn't have a problem with Halloween, Sir."

"That's different. Halloween everybody get to have candy and the decorations are fun. This disaster has only three colours, and the pink is enough to make me gag. And... and..." he was getting worked up, entertaining the others as much for his gesticulation as his attitude. "And Valentines Day has the second highest number of suicides after Christmas and New Years. It's socially unacceptable for us to feed into the feelings of despair in the world around us."

Sanchez broke into a full guffaw.

"You didn't seem to have this problem at Christmas, when you kept eyeing that present under the tree," Tao smirked.

"That was different," Provenza tried to be smug, which looked even more ridiculous when it was obvious his argument had no validity.

Sanchez couldn't resist, "Yeah, different 'cause you're alone."

Provenza turned to glare at him, "I'm alone by choice!"

"Yours or theirs?" Tao couldn't resist, sending Sanchez into fits of laughter once more.

"Hi everyone!" Sykes' enthusiastic greeting interrupted the merriment. Then she looked around at the decorations and her smile increased, "This is perfect."

Groaning, Provenza lowed his head into his hands.

Sykes looked perplexed, "What's the matter with him?"

"Can't get a date," Sanchez provided.

"Sir, I'm sure my grandmother could hook you up. There are plenty of old ladies at her condo."

Tao and Sanchez burst into fits of laughter again, made worse by Provenza glaring at the three of them, while Amy smiled innocently. An unspoken agreement had emerged between Buzz, Sykes and Hobbs, that at least once a day, one of them had to comment on his age, height or demeanor. The rest stood back and enjoyed the entertainment.

"What we miss?" Andy asked, as he and Sharon came around the corner to see everyone laughing and Provenza glaring.

"Never you mind," Provenza hissed without looking up.

Not taking the hint, Sykes replied, "Oh, he's just upset because I'm going out for dinner tonight with Cooper, Lt. Tao and his wife probably have plans, Buzz has a secret he's not telling me, Sanchez has a date for Valentine's, and the Lieutenant here is all alone tonight."

The others kept snickering as Provenza closed his eyes, and shook his head.

"What are your plans?" Sykes turned to Sharon and Andy, her bright smiled still in place.

"Oh... I'm taking care of my grandsons while their parents go out tonight," Andy said, rocking back and forth on his heals.

"Are they the ones who gave you that tie?" Sykes continued, pointing the very child-friendly print of small white cupids on red.

Andy just smiled and smoothed his tie, then turned to look at the Captain.

"What about you, Captain? Something special tonight?"

Sharon reached over to squeeze Amy's arm, effectively ending the interrogation. "I'm just going to help a friend, that's all," she smiled.

Provenza looked up the two, then groaned a little. He hadn't noticed when they came in, that she was wearing her red dress with a small heart shaped locket. Just helping a friend... yeah, right.