Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay, and don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story.

– – –

Carol called Aaron and Eric to let them know she had a hot date on Saturday. They cheered for her, and she suspected they were wondering how on earth a man like that could fall for the stupid shit she'd asked him. She didn't care though. She had a date. A real, actual date with a decent guy. A decent, fairly—extremely—completely—attractive man. She was excited and nervous and damn near close to squealing—and she didn't really do that kind of thing.

She sat on the sofa, drying her feet after mopping up the water from the bathroom, and she thought over what to wear on their date. She didn't have many date outfits, mostly work clothes. She had a few dresses, but they were for formal events. For pity's sake she had to dip into Rosita's wardrobe to go clubbing. She said she had some dresses, but not really. She'd outgrown them in the last couple of months, if she was being honest. She'd let herself go after Shane broke up with her, her eating habits were horrendous—if she ate at all—and she'd been able to find a balance again, which was good. Sadly her clothes didn't agree with her.

She would have to find something in her closet that would do, and if not, she could ask Rosita to take her shopping. Rosita wasn't the biggest shopping fan in the world, but she was the only one of them with any real taste. Carol's fashion taste never formed, as her father didn't let her buy nice things, and she mostly wore blouses and blazers to work. Tara dressed like a tomboy, and that worked for her, but not for Carol. She and Tara had two different complexions, and a lot of Tara's clothes made Carol look ridiculous. She didn't want to look ridiculous on the first first date she'd had in three years.

She stood up when Tara entered, sighing loudly and dragging herself over to the couch to plop down. "You okay?" She studied her roommate.

"So much fucking paperwork." She dropped her head against the back of the couch and held up her hand. "I think it's stuck in this position. I can still brush my teeth, so at least there's an upside."

Carol chuckled. "It'll be fine."

"You think I'm holding it like this on purpose, but I'm not." She lowered her claw hand and met Carol's eyes. "Did Merle come? Can I shower?"

"No and no."

"What? He didn't? Seriously?"

"He didn't come, but his brother did." Carol smiled instantly at the mention of Daryl, and Tara immediately narrowed her eyes at Carol's behavior. "He'll be by tomorrow to finish the job, so you can't shower."

"What happened with his brother and you? I told you not to sleep with him."

"I haven't!" Yet. "It's just... He was the guy I met at the coffee shop." She sat on the edge of the table in front of Tara. "We have a date on Saturday."

"That's awesome, Carol. I'm happy for you."

"I'm scared, to be honest, but I'm really excited. I need to call Rosita and set up plans to go shopping, because the section of clothes I wear outside of work...has been reduced to sleep wear." She moved a curl from her eye and heaved a sigh. "I'd invite you, but I need actual advise, and Rosita's the only one of the four of us that has a good eye."

"Four of us? There's only three girls in our department."

"Maggie." She dropped her hands to her lap. "I love her, and she's right under Rosita with fashion. But she'll want to know everything about Daryl and what's happening on our date, and I don't need the new Mom to be my mom."

"Just be sure he wears a condom this time. I don't want half of our food money spent on Plan B, okay?"

"Ha ha." She smacked her arm and plopped down beside her on the couch. "I want to wait before we have sex..."

"Why?"

She met her eyes as if to say you of all people should know why, and she blushed. "I...just want to wait a bit. We will eventually have sex, but I want to get to know him as a person. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you?"

"No, you should get to know him." She looped her arm through her roommate's. "I respect your decision, and I'm happy for you. You deserve this."

She set her hand over Tara's and snuggled against her. "I wish you had a date."

"Yeah, me too, but I'm way too awesome for any one person to handle."

"That is true."

"Do I detect sarcasm, Peletier?"

"Oh, always."

– – –

Carol walked into the bullpen to find Aaron, Eric, Glenn and Tyreese hovering around her desk, and she adjusted the mail in her hand, cocking her head to the side. She knew there wasn't anything on her desk. It wasn't like Tara's minefield of crap, so unless a file was placed there for them to go over, she didn't know why they were there. At her desk. They weren't even talking, and Eric wasn't a cop, so what the hell were they doing?

The last time they were gathered around her desk, Shane had just asked her out on a date, and they were playing the part of her father. All of four of them. She realized then two of them knew she had a date, and it was completely feasible that the other two were informed of said date and were here to play the father role once more. Ty did it effortlessly, as he was practically all their fathers, and Eric was surprisingly good at scolding information out of them—which made him more of the mother than father, but she wouldn't bother pointing that out. As for Glenn and Aaron, they were just adorable trying. It would be especially adorable as Glenn was now a father, and Carol was already amused.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Carol walked around her desk to face them. "Or are you admiring my pen collection?"

"I was just dropping off Aaron's dinner," Eric replied. "You all have him eating such junk, and I'd like him to live past forty."

"Okay, that excuses one of you." She ran her eyes over her squadmates' faces and her boss's.

"I needed tape." Glenn picked the dispenser up off her desk. "The tip of the picture frame I have of Mag and Lauren is broken, so until I get a new one...I just wanted to cover it. Aaron steals my tape." He dashed back to his desk to work on the frame.

"Okay." She set her belongings down on her desk and faced Aaron. "And you?"

"It's your first date in three years," he stated. "And I just want to meet the guy, get a feel of who he is. I came to ask if you could have him come here to pick you up."

"He's not picking me up."

"He's not?" Eric frowned. "Seriously?"

"No. I told him I'd meet him at his place. It's easier that way, and I knew you'd try to do this, so I insisted on driving myself. Besides if I don't like how it's going, I can ditch in my own car and spend any money I would have used on a cab on booze." She sat down, lying her butt off. They hadn't talked about that just yet, but they didn't need to know that. "Now, I'm going to get to work, and I'd rather not have all of your shadows on my desk."

"Just...let us know if you need any help," Tyreese said in a low tone.

She smiled softly. "Guys, I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I can handle myself."

"Yeah, on the field," Aaron reminded her. "With your gun, but in a relationship? On dates? You're awful at this, Carol. No offense."

"Well, some taken." She shot up. "I don't need you to play the father or the older brother! I didn't have either growing up, and I sure as hell don't need it now!" She groaned and stormed off toward the bathroom.

"Well, good job." Rosita slow clapped from the entrance, strolling over to her desk. "I didn't think you could manage to kill her good mood, but you just proved me so wrong."

Tyreese sighed. "She hates when we're honest with her, but she needs to hear this. She's crap at relationships. Shane had to pry information out of her for the first year. If this guy doesn't push, he'll get nowhere, and she'll get hurt again."

"I can't see her go through a breakup again," Aaron added. "There's nothing any of us can do, just watch her be miserable, and it sucks. I want to know this guy's gonna take care of her, at least for a bit."

"I get that." Rosita removed her coat. "I do, and it's really sweet, but let Carol handle this. She's a grown woman, and she has to figure this out. Figure herself out. She's not the only one still...fumbling."

"That's true." Aaron leaned back and nudged his husband gently on the arm. "I'll walk you to the car."

Eric smiled and grasped his hand. "I'll see you all later. Have...well, don't get shot."

"Not today," the group responded.

Aaron and Eric departed, Carol returned from the bathroom, muttering to herself, and Rosita agreed to take her shopping to lighten the rain cloud the boys had hung over her. She smiled gratefully and set the date for tomorrow evening, and Rosita hoped she could cheer her up further then. She couldn't make herself happy right now, so why not try and make Carol happy? It might do her confused head and heart some good. She sorely hoped so.

"Where's Chambler?" Glenn returned the tape to Carol's desk and noticed her partner's chair was still empty. "She doesn't have the best attendance, but doesn't she come in after you?"

"She was actually gone when I woke up this morning." She smiled with a secret in her eyes, and Rosita and Glenn both saw.

"What do you know?" Glenn eyed her.

Carol shrugged a shoulder and logged into her computer. "It's not for me to say."

"Peletier, that's not fair." Glenn sank into Tara's seat and narrowed his eyes at her. "You have to tell us. We're family, and there are no secrets among family."

Both women scoffed, Glenn shrugged an "eh" at their scoffs, and Carol was debating on whether or not to tell them. Glenn was eager to know where the raven-haired detective had snuck off to, leaning over Tara's messy desk to try and compel Carol to spill all her secrets. Rosita was trying not to act interested, but her fingers lacked their normal speed on her computer, and Carol could see a hesitation in her eyes when she dared to look over to see if Glenn was getting anything out of her. They were both watering at the mouth, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Aaron halted at the scene before him and furrowed his brows. "Glenn, you do know you're not supposed to stare at people, right?"

"She knows where Chambler is, and she won't tell us." Glenn didn't look at his partner. "It's apparently juicy."

"I never said that," Carol corrected.

"You don't have to." Glenn gestured behind him at Aaron. "After years of working with that one, I'm able to tell how interesting secrets are."

"That one?" Aaron crossed his arms. "What am I, a toy?"

"Maybe just a tool," Rosita murmured, but loud enough for him to hear and glare her way.

"Okay, guys, cut it out." Carol shifted in her chair. "It's really not that interesting. Tara just has a date."

"That is interesting. When was the last time she went out on a date?" Aaron walked to Carol's desk. "Tell us who."

No one noticed how Rosita's lips parted to answer, how she bit back and dropped her head to try and causally seem bored with this topic, as she normally would have. She rubbed the back of her neck and bit her bottom lip as Carol fed Aaron and Glenn what little information she knew, and it was perfectly clear who Tara was going to see. Rosita now had a when and a where to go with the who she already knew. Her chest felt...tight, and it was bewildering. She and Tara weren't an item. They weren't romantically together. What they had was a mutual agreement. It wasn't love. It wasn't affectionate. It simply was what it was, and that was it. There was no adding to it. They never stated they were exclusive, so Tara wasn't in the wrong. It just felt like she was.

"Wait, Denise? She has a date with Denise?" Aaron was smiling, and Rosita knew what he was going to say next. "That's fantastic. I always liked Denise. They were really good together."

"Yeah, I haven't seen her happier with anyone else since." Glenn thought about it. "Or before, actually."

"Don't mention it. She didn't know I was within hearing range when she made those plans." Carol crossed her legs. "If she and Denise are back together, just let her tell us in her own time. Relationships are hard enough."

"My lips are sealed." Aaron sat at his desk. "I'm just glad she's dating again. She deserves someone like Denise. Someone who makes her happy, you know? Like this geek and Maggie."

"Hey!" Glenn complained.

"What? Aren't you and Maggie happy?"

"We are, but do you really think it's necessary to call me a geek?"

"Well, I could have gone with dork, nerd—"

"I have a few of my own for you," Glenn interrupted his partner.

Carol laughed as they continued to bicker like an old married couple, and she noticed then how quiet Rosita was being. Normally she'd try and play the middle child as Tara wasn't here to play the part, or she'd try and egg them on—it was one of the two—but today she sat silently at her desk. Her eyes were forcibly studying something on her computer screen, and there was a darkness in those onyx orbs. Carol didn't know what it was, but something they'd said or done had triggered this response in their teammate. She frowned, but instead of calling Rosita out for her muteness, Carol decided to calm the guys down and remind them that while it'd been quiet for a few days didn't mean they didn't have work to do.

Rosita visibly relaxed when the conversation ceased, and Carol weakly smiled at her small accomplishment. She would have to ask her what was wrong later, because right now they still had a mountain of work to do. It definitely wasn't the fun type of work either. This was late night at the office with take out food and grouchy coworkers work.

––

Around ten Tara sauntered into the bullpen, looking nicer than anyone had seen her since the girls went out to the club, with her hair brushed out and down, a light gloss on her lips, and she wore a suit. A full suit with a tie, which she loosened, but still. This wasn't an everyday Tara Chambler before them. It was a got-a-hot-date Tara Chambler, and hot damn was she aiming to blow this date out of the water.

"I swear if I never see paper work again, I'll die a happy woman." Tara dragged a hand through her hair and shook her head.

"I'll do your paperwork for an entire year if you tell me who you're going out with tonight."

The quip came from Rosita, everyone could hear the undertone of daggers in the playful sentence, and every single detective was taken aback by it. It came out light and joking, but that undertone sounded like she wanted to tear Tara's throat out. Unless Tara began to date inside Rosita's family, there was no reason for that tone. It was uncalled and flat out rude, but as they knew when Rosita dug her claws in, there was no getting them out. As sad as it was, it was best to let Tara pry them out herself, least they all be bleeding from various wounds.

Tara shrugged a shoulder. "It doesn't really matter."

"The hell it doesn't," Glenn jumped in before Rosita snapped her ink pen in half. "You're all decked out to the nines. You have a date, and it does matter."

Tara glanced at him. "It's just...coffee, okay? It's not a date."

"Then what's with the clothes?" Carol cocked her head to the side. "You're not the type to dress up."

"I haven't done laundry in a week, so I'm out of clothes, and if I borrow any more of yours, you'll have none. I'm doing them tonight since I have no plans," she emphasized. "I'm a lazy person, and I paid for it. I actually had to do my hair, because you can't just wear this with a ponytail."

"That's true." Aaron grew less suspicious as he knew Tara was as lazy as a sloth. "So, no date?"

"No date. I'm just meeting Denise for coffee. It's not...a date. It's just...coffee." She waited for their reaction and at the lack of one sent a glare to her partner. "You told them? You overheard?"

"Just a little bit," Carol defended herself.

She sighed. "Don't make a big deal out of this, okay? All of you." She couldn't look at Rosita, because if she did, their secret would come spewing out. She didn't want that can of worms open for all the office, not today, and probably not for a long time, if it lasted that long. She wasn't sure of much, so she'd rather just wait...until she spoke to a professional about it. "It's just coffee. We're not even friends."

"My hopes are always low." Carol smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. Next time...I'll cough or something."

"It's all right. It's just Denise." She collected her coffee mug and headed to the break room. Adding a packet of sugar, Tara added to the roommate who had surely followed her, "But next time it won't be, so please let me just have a little privacy."

"Okay." Carol nodded. "I don't care who you sleep with or screw around with, you know that. I just want you to be happy."

Tara returned her smile, only lacking the apology. "And who says I'm not?"

"Nobody, not even me. I just...am saying it to say it."

"I know." She smirked. "And thank you. The same goes for me."

"I know." She gently slugged her in the arm. "I'll buy you a drink tonight, and you can tell me all about your coffee with Denise."

"Actually, I have plans with her," Tara lied. "Dinner plans, but it's, like, super late 'cause she has a meeting."

"Oh."

"But I can meet you tomorrow for coffee." She tried to earn a smile from her partner. "I can help you prep for your date. I'm good at that."

"Putting condoms in my purse doesn't help anything." She crossed her arms. "And all you did was make Shane think we were going to have sex on the second date."

"But you did."

"I wasn't planning on it!"

"Don't put your weak will on me." She smirked. "Though now that you mention it, I have to ask. Is that why you want to wait with this one?"

"Yes. I'm waiting until at least the fifth date. I just...don't want it to be like my past relationships, and I need to know who I'm dating, who I'm trusting and who I might love one day. I know it won't hit me within five dates, but I hope to have a clue of what I feel."

She nodded. "I get it. It makes total sense."

"Rosita and I are going shopping tomorrow, but I'll get more of an idea of what I feel for him when I meet Daryl at noon in the apartment today."

"You're leaving?"

"Well, I'd like to shower at home again. Maybe cook."

"It's just that I'm meeting Denise for lunch, and I already cleared it with Boss."

"Oh." This was more disappointed than the first one, and she visibly sagged. "Okay then. Could you drop by to let Daryl fix up the bathroom? Uh, it shouldn't take too long."

"Yeah, yeah." Tara felt guilt settle in the pit of her stomach. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you guys were planning on meeting again before Saturday. I thought you had it all squared away."

"Not quite, but I can call. I have his number, and it's fine." She shrugged her shoulders and stepped back. "I have to get back to my work, but just let him know I'll call, okay?"

"Carol—"

"Don't feel guilty. It's really okay. I'll see him again on Saturday, and I have Rosita to help me out, so it's really fine." She smiled reassuringly and headed back to her desk, turning back midway to say, "Good luck with Denise and your dinner. Bring me back a dessert."

"You don't even know where we're going."

"So?"

She chuckled and followed her. "All right."

Tara left at noon, Rosita grew increasingly quiet and absorbed in her work, Carol stared at her cell phone as if willing a message to appear, and Aaron and Glenn were attuned to every emotion the women were letting off. Carol's made little sense, as did Rosita's so they were flooded with these emotions and had no reason to put behind them. It wasn't fun, not even two hours later when Tara had yet to return, and Aaron soon decided to go pick up some food for them.

"But Eric brought you lunch." Rosita lifted her eyes from her work for the first time since Tara came in.

"Well, Glenn and I will grab you guys lunch."

"Yeah, it's no big deal." Glenn shrugged into his jacket. "We'll be back soon."

"I'm not even hungry," Rosita pointed out.

"Yeah, me neither." Carol uncrossed her legs. "And I don't think I'm going to be anytime soon."

"Well, I'm starving." Glenn cleared his throat. "I'll get you some coffees then."

They watched the guys bolt out of the office, Rosita sighed and leaned back in her chair, and Carol picked up her phone to send Daryl a message. The air relaxed with the men gone, and they could somewhat breath through their respective issues.

Carol wanted to call and let him know she'd speak to him later, but she couldn't just call him in the middle of work, despite how dead it was. She would just have to wait until she was home. It wasn't like it'd be a long wait. She got off soon, as it was just a paperwork day, and she didn't have to worry about a murder or any victims. A short text would suffice, but she hadn't dated in so long, and she was worried he might think she'd changed her mind. It wasn't impossible for him to figure out they couldn't have all their detectives roaming the streets, even on a slow day, so only one out on personal stuff at a time, but her nerves weren't allowing that message to sink in. She hated anxiety. She wished she could be still, like Aaron or Glenn, but that wasn't possible.

Rosita inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, bringing a fisted hand to her forehead and knocking twice tenderly. She hated where her mind was going, how her senses were being overloaded by the idea that Tara was cheating on her, how her heart fluttered and missed beats. Her stomach was a tangle of knots, and she felt sick. She wouldn't be craving food for a good while, and she hated that she felt this way. She loathed it with every fiber of her being.

Tara and she weren't exclusive. They hadn't made rules so they could only see each other, only have sex with each other, and they weren't dating so rules like that didn't apply. Cheating technically didn't apply either, as there were no established boundaries. There was no verbal agreement that they would only do certain things together, and honestly Rosita had no right to feel this way, to act as she was acting. She wasn't a child whose favorite toy had been taken by a cousin. She wasn't a teenager whose supposed best friend had taken her crush, because she silent and hadn't made her feeling known. She was an adult, and Tara was just her friend. She had no claim on her, as Tara had no claim on Rosita, and she thought she was fine with it. She should be fine with Tara seeking out...someone else. It made their situation a lot less complicated. They could pretend it didn't happen. They could be friends again, and the lines wouldn't be blurred.

And yet part of her didn't want that. She'd been struggling—fighting—wrestling with that part to keep it down, to keep the reasons from spilling out, but there was little point. She knew what it was. She knew from the moment she remembered that first night with Tara. This feeling was the reason she became cold and was harsh to Tara for nearly a month. She hated this part of her, the part that she couldn't banish, though she desperately wanted to. She was human, and she knew this was part of it, but goddamn it. This emotion, this need, this attachment, was what ruined her and her heart with Abraham, and she couldn't go through that again. She couldn't endure that a second time, and it'd be worse, because Tara meant so much more to her than Abraham.

––

"Hey." Tara greeted Denise with a wide smile and embraced her out of habit, her body moving as if she'd only seen her couple hours ago instead of years.

"Hi." She smiled shyly and moved out of her hug. "You look...wow. Did you dress up for me?"

"To be honest, I need to wash my clothes, and causal me doesn't work with this outfit, so I dressed up some."

"I see. It was too good to be true."

"I can lie and say it's all for you."

"Yeah, let's not." She smiled warmly and moved hair from her face, and Tara's eyes zeroed in on the rock on her finger.

"Holy shit!" Tara grabbed her hand, pulling Denise right into her personal space, nearly knocking foreheads, but Tara didn't seem to notice—or care—as she stared at the engagement ring. "That's worth more than two years of my paychecks."

Denise blushed and tried to hide the ring, but Tara didn't let go. "It's not that impressive."

"No, it really is." She lifted her head, her nose almost brushing against Denise's, and she grinned. "Why didn't you tell me?" She hugged her again before Denise could reply. "I'm so happy for you."

Denise relaxed into her hug this time. "I didn't know how."

"Idiot." Tara gave her one last squeeze then released her. "You can tell me all about this lucky lady over lunch. You're turning blue out here."

They entered the bistro, Tara ordered her usual while Denise changed her order up some, and they warmed up with some coffee. It was familiar yet entirely new to both of them, and Tara didn't know how she felt about Denise being engaged. Happy, of course, but also a little sad. She knew why, but it was honestly both of their faults this was such late—and shocking—news.

"So, who is she?" Tara studied the blonde across from her.

She hesitated. "Uh, her name's...Sam."

Tara nodded. "Sam...?"

"Yeah. I met her a couple years ago. She's been there for me every time I needed her, and she's great. You'd like her."

"I bet I would." She tapped her finger against her cup. "You're happy together?"

"Very." She nodded and smiled genuinely at the brunette. "I really love her."

"That's great. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

Tara dropped her eyes and lifted her hand to trace the top of her cup. "Look...about why I called you so suddenly..."

"Yes?"

"I...am sort of...in trouble."

She blinked. "What do you mean? Surely not pregnant and not with the law, so...what other kind of trouble could you be in?"

She sighed. "I slept with Rosita."

Her brows shot up, and she looked winded. "Oh!"

She nodded. "It's happened a couple times, and...it's not exactly a relationship. It's just...casual, but I don't know how in the hell I'm supposed to do this. I don't know what we are or what to expect of her. It's confusing, and I can't just end it. I don't want to hurt her, and I don't want to lose her as a friend. I know I already screwed that up when we had sex, but I need to find a way to... Hell, I don't know."

"Okay." The edge of her astonishment began to ebb away at the agonized desperation in Tara's eyes, and she cleared her throat. "Okay, let's just take it back a bit. How did this happen? Alcohol, I'm assuming."

"Yes, lots of shots." Her eyes widened at the memory of the shots. "Lots of 'em."

"And...how did it happen?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you everything. It's still in pieces, but we were trying to cheer Carol up after Shane dumped her—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Shane and Carol broke up?" Denise exclaimed, momentarily forgetting her surroundings, and she apologized to the people who sent her a glare and lowered her voice. "When? And why?"

"Hell if I know. He just ended it, left her devastated, and we had to help her pick up the pieces of her confidence and joy. She was a mess for a long time, but she's come back around. She's happy and actually has a date in a couple days, and she's...better than ever. Shane never deserved her, but now he sure as hell doesn't."

Denise chuckled. "As loyal as ever."

"Damn straight."

"So, how did you and Rosita happen the next time? Drunk...or no?"

"Buzzed, actually." She began to rehash the second time, pausing when the waiter brought their food, and she could feel her nervousness about talking about her and Rosita fading with each word that escape through her lips. She didn't have to hide whatever the hell they were. She could get someone's honest and educated opinion, and she was thrilled to have the chance to do this. She didn't mind the questions and answers she could see swirling behind Denise's light eyes, and she didn't mind the slight judgement she saw there either. She honestly judged herself too for what happened, and that was weighing on her now.

Tara poured it all out on the table for Denise: her feelings, her experience with Rosita and any type of relationship, her friendship with Rosita, her new relationship with her, and most important her confusion and pain toward Rosita. She had nothing more to say. She had laid herself bare for Denise, and she was waiting for her reply. Her heart was racing, her palms moist, and she couldn't swallow. Her mouth was bone dry, but still.

"Relax, Tara."

"I am relaxed. I'm the definition of relaxed."

"Tara." She rested her chin in her palm. "You're so rigid I'm betting I could put my plate on your head and it wouldn't fall over."

She sighed. "I just need to know I haven't completely screwed up my work environment and one of the better friendships I've had."

"You're sleeping with an co-worker. That's never...something easy to deal with. You've already brought it into the office, and it seems you are again now." She searched those dark spheres. "You love Rosita. As a friend and as family, and now you're in a new relationship with her. A physical one, a sexual one, and all of what you were doesn't mean any less. She's still your friend, still part of your cop family, and now she's...more. Not a girlfriend, not yet, but she's more. It's difficult to process, as you're not the type of person to do this, to let the lines get crossed, but it happened. And you need to established what you and Rosita are, because going untitled as you are is hurting you. Neither of you can know what is expected of the other, and it's going to get messy. It probably already has, and whether or not you want to be in a romantic relationship, you need to work that out. Together."

"But not having a name for what we are is the only thing keeping Rosita from spinning off."

"I hate to say this, Tara, but Rosita is already spinning off. She's good at keeping a strong front, but underneath...she's already crumbling. She broke her rules, just like you did, and you're both in the same position, only she's not willing to take the next step. Abe screwed her over, crushed a lot of her hopes and wants, and I don't know if you can rebuild them, but you can try. You're pretty relentless."

Tara couldn't help but laugh at the memories that earned that comment. "I am."

"I don't know if you want more with her or not, but if you do...it's gonna be a long road. Littered with fights and stalling and reluctance. To say it won't be easy is an understatement."

"I don't know if I want more with her," Tara confessed.

"Then figure that out before you talk to her." She couldn't offer any more help until she knew which angle to approach with, and Tara needed to know where to go next. That was something she had to figure out for herself, and then once that decision that was, perhaps Denise could provide more advice. She couldn't point her in the "right" direction, but she could try and knock some of the bad ones away.

She nodded slowly. "Thank you."

"Why? You're paying."

She laughed again. "That's fine with me."

"The coffee's on me though."

"Good, because I want a nice, huge muffin too."

"I said coffee. The liquid only."

"A muffin was once a liquid."

"You have me there."

"So, I can get one?"

"I suppose."

"Well, then, thank you."

"You are most welcome." She wrinkled her nose at the brunette and giggled, knowing the road Tara had to walk down to make her decision would be challenging. It would cause everything to change, and it already had begun to change. For better or worse, Denise honestly couldn't say, but after tonight...it would be set in stone. Better...or worse.

– – –

"Are you all right?" Carol asked Rosita as they sauntered out of the building that night, stuffing her hands into her pockets to fight off the night air. "You've been quiet all day."

"I didn't get much sleep last night." She smiled at her. "But I will tonight 'cause you got a hot date, and we can't have you wearing this...on that date."

She blushed. "It's not that bad."

"It's cop-ware. You need something that's more you, something softer, but not too revealing. Maybe something in navy, to darken your eyes." She tilted her head to the side in thought. "Or red. It really does great things to your complexion."

"Good night."

"We're shopping tomorrow, so prepare for more of this!"

"Great. I can't wait." She throw a thumbs up over her shoulder.

"Lair!"

"Yep!"

She chuckled and shook her head as Carol ducked into her car and pulled out. Once alone her smile fell and she nuzzled her chin and lips under her scarf, ducking her head. She shuffled over to her car with a prolonged exhale, and she hoped she could resolve this mess inside—and outside—of her soon. She had meant what she said before; Carol wasn't the only one fumbling.