"Can we make this quick? My client has to go back to work." Miss Power said as soon as Sofia was in the room, making it clear, she saw nothing else than a little inconvenience in their meeting. Something, they could work out within a couple of minutes.

"Miss Power, are you aware of the fact that we found the partner of your client dead in the shower of their home this morning? How about he pretends to be in grief?" Don asked.

"We all grieve in different ways. My client suffers, but he can't stop working, he owns a bank, a lot of people depend on him."

"What a hero."

"Did you call us to assault him?"

"No, we have a few more questions. Okay, we cut through the chase." Sofia leant back. "The medical examiner found a lot of injuries, older bruises, broken and bruised rips, shoulder, broken arm. Can you tell us anything about it?"

"She was a clumsy woman, I always told her to be careful, but she was so full of life." Mister Kinney said, sad voice, head down.

"How did the injuries happen?"

"She slipped, some were from sport, she liked challenges, always pushed herself to the limits."

"Really? So she was into extreme sport?"

"She liked everything extreme."

"How did you meet?"

"A party, two years ago."

"Must be around the same time when she got into extreme sports, her first injuries are from this time."

"Probably because she didn't have the chances to do these things back home in Colorado. This kind of activity costs some money, her parents don't have the money."

"Did you ever meet her parents?"

"No."

"You're together for two years and never met her parents? That's strange."

"Depends on how you see your private life and what's your understanding of relationship is."

"What was your understanding?"

"We had sex, not a plan to get married. It was about fun for both sides and not a life-long commitment."

"Interesting you bring that up." Sofia leant back. "When did she tell you she was pregnant?" A baby was a life-changing and a life-long commitment.

"She didn't." His voice was simple, like she asked him how the weather had been yesterday.

"Not?" And it didn't seem bother him a lot. Not the pregnancy, not the fact that his child was dead too.

"No."

"You don't seem to be very upset. It was your child."

"Maybe."

"What do you mean with maybe? Was there somebody else in her life?"

"She was a young woman, she was good looking, I worked all day. I'm not naïve and believe I was the only one in her life. Probably she fucked the whole male staff I have."

"And if she did so, it don't bother you?"

"Can't kick out my entire stuff because of her."

"You could have broken up."

"She was good in bed and looked nice on meetings."

The blonde shook her head. "Are you telling me, you're the kind of guy, who doesn't care when his partner sleeps with somebody else? I don't buy that."

"And I'm not selling anything."

Sofia got a swab out. "I'd like to take your DNA."

"What for?"

"Eliminating you as a suspect."

Miss Power took it in her hands. "How many different DNA examples did you find at the crime scene?"

"I can't talk to you about an ongoing investigation."

"Means, you have one, the one of the victim. This interview is over, my client has to go back to work. The next time you have to talk to my client, call me first so his valuable time won't get wasted anymore." She stood up. "Mister Kinney?"

"Thanks, Miss Power. Goodbye."

Don and Sofia shared a look and stayed in the room.

"Fuck."

"That was what I said when I saw her in the hallway."

"He has the high dollars."

"And she gets assholes like him out of trouble. Bitch."

"I bet she sits at home the whole night, waits for a call to get more money while she reads case files and figures new ways out to screw the law over."

"Not last night."

"How do you know?"

"She spent the last night with Sara."

"You're fucking kidding me!"

"No. She told me so. They danced together…apparently."

"They danced?"

"Yeah…I need to talk about it with her…"

"This bitch fucks over our case and with your private life…I didn't mean it this way."

"I seriously don't hope it happened like this." She dropped her head on the table. "I saw her in a club a few times, she looks hot, she knows what she wants, she gets it, screws you over and enjoys what she gets out of it."

"Not this time. This time we screw her over. In and out of work." He pulled her up. "Come on, we get the evidence and kick their rich asses."

"Yeah…you know what bothers me too?"

"What is it?"

"Kinney isn't a lefty and Andrea was killed by a lefty."

"Maybe he took his left hand to get our attention away from us. It's not difficult to cut a throat with the left hand when you're a right handed person. Especially when the victim doesn't try to defend herself."

"We need more to get him, otherwise his smart ass lawyer laughs her ass off when we go to trial." The blonde grumbled. Wasn't it bad enough this arrogant guy had a shark lawyer, no she also had to dance with Sara last night. Worst case scenario was she had to fight Mel Powers in trial and private life.

It was nine in the evening when Sofia came back home and found Sara and Stephen in front of the TV, watching a movie, eating popcorn.

"Hey." Sara smiled.

"Hi mom, you're late."

"Well, somebody has to work while others prefer to stay up all night and have fun."

"Not tonight, I'm off to bed, only waited for you to come home." He hugged Sofia and gave her a kiss. "I've got a test first thing in the morning, wish me luck."

"Good luck, Honey, I know you can do it."

"Thanks. Night Susan." He kissed Sofia's shirt.

"There's dinner for you in the fridge." Sara said to Sofia.

"I had dinner, thanks. All I want is to go to bed. It was a long day and tomorrow won't be any different." The blonde walked into the bedroom.

Sara sighed. Thunder in paradise, she knew it before her fiancé walked into the room. Like Steve did, that was the reason why he vanished this fast. He smelled trouble, a thing you learn when you live in a children's home. Time for a conversation before things turned worse. Turning off the TV she checked on the dogs, who lay on the floor, snored and smiled when she saw the kitten made themselves comfortable on the dogs. Looked like the six of them were a big loving family. Maybe she could get her little family back to a happy state of mind too.

"Did you close the case?"

"No." Sofia sat on the bed, was about to put off her prosthesis.

"Look…"

"I don't need an explanation. Or a confession."

"Good, there's no need for me to confess, I didn't do anything that requires it."

"Glad to hear that."

"Okay, you know what? Play princess, make me the bad one because of whatever reason you came up with. You made up your mind anyway, so have a good night." Sara took her sleep shirt.

"Where are you going?"

"Out. Of the room, I need some air. Sleep tight." Sara turned and left the room.

"Yeah, enjoy yourself." Sofia dropped on the bed and closed her eyes. Great. Just great. Not only that she had pictures in her head, that were hopefully not true, made it very hard to concentrate on the case, now her private life was fucked up too. And knowing her fiancé, she wouldn't come back any time. Or at all.

But why go after her? She made her decision, was an adult and when she wanted to get out, she could go and…whom was she kidding? Definitely not herself. After a look on the watch, it wasn't late, but she was tired after all these hours, needed a shower and…talk with Sara. She knew it herself, she would never sleep when she and Sara didn't talk and got thing out of their world.

Putting her prosthesis on again, getting into her sweat pants and a thick jumper, she got out of the bed room. Their living room was empty, no surprise here. The door to the empty bedroom was open, the room was dark and without looking inside she knew, Sara wasn't in there.

Making her way downstairs, she said hello to Tony, who sat in the big living room and watched a reality show.

"She's in the garden."

"What makes you think I look for Sara?"

"I know the two of you and the way she stormed into the garden, you and her should talk. Plus a sleep shirt in her hands isn't what you wear outside."

"And there people say computer geeks have no idea about real life."

"That's why I watch reality TV. Go, say you're sorry."

"Why should I be sorry and not her?"

"You follow her, you feel guilty and there must be a reason for it."

"Watch your TV show." She petted his shoulder and stepped into the garden. It was dark, but she could see Sara's silhouette in the garden swing, legs up, arms around her knees, head on them. Her fiancé. She looked broken, sad, disappointed. Picking up the woolen blanket from under the cover, she stepped behind the garden swing, knowing Sara knew she was there.

"It's too cold to sit here in a shirt." Sofia said.

"Then go inside before you catch a cold."

"I rather catch a cold than…" Be inside without you.

"Than what?"

"Feel bad."

"Why do you feel bad? Apparently I'm the one who ruined everything. Made all the mistakes."

"How mad would you be if I sit next to you?"

"It's your garden."

"My garden? I thought, it's our garden." Sofia fought with her tears. Her garden. It sounded horrible. This wasn't her garden, or her house, her things. It was all theirs. Their garden, their house, things. Their life, the life they shared.

"You should get inside before you and Susan catch a cold."

"Why don't you keep us warm? All three of us?" Sofia Unfolded the blanket, put it over Sara's shoulder and sat next to the brunette.

"Why don't you keep us warm?"

"Okay." The blonde pulled the brunette in her arms, kissed her, placed her hand on her belly. "Susan says hello, she missed you almost as much as I did."

"I missed both of you."

"Good we're together now." Sofia kissed Sara's forehead. "I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. A jealous idiot girlfriend."

"You did." Sara smiled and kissed her lover gently. "We did nothing else than dancing, no matter what she might have told you. I promise."

"I know…the thing is…Mel has a reputation."

"So you know her too."

"I saw her a few times, heard a few stories, met her in court too. In work and private life she's known as a woman, who gets what she wants, no matter what. The way she looked at you in the hallways…she wants you."

"She flirted with me, I told her about my fiancé."

"The bitchy, moody, jealous one?"

"No, not my secret lover, she isn't important enough to get mentioned. I mean my beautiful, gorgeous, adorable fiancé, who is pregnant with our child. Which I mentioned to the lawyer too."

"Now she knows who your fiancé is."

"Will she use it against you? In court."

"Our relationship?"

"She could make up a story like you tell me all the details about the case or whatever."

"There's nothing to use against us. Or me. There's only one thing we have to look after, which can be a problem."

"Which is?"

"She still wants you, will try to get you."

"Means, the next time we go out, you have to stay in my arms the whole time, we kiss and go home together. No chance for her to get in between us."

"Sounds like a great idea." Sofia kissed her again. "Now tell me more about our son's party on Sunday? Any new ideas?"

"No. He is happy with the plans he made around lunch."

"What about Tanya?"

"She left around lunch and as far as I know, Don is at her place tonight."

"Our baby is in love with an older woman."

"He has a crush on her, not a plan to marry her. Let him have his fantasies. His dentist or a hot actress, both women he can't have, but give him a few happy hours. As his secret crush and a video games partner."

"Very handy, he can be around her a lot, nobody suspicious anything when he asks her to spend the evening with her."

"True. Nevertheless, he won't get her. Do you think we should talk to him about Tanya?"

"No, not until he comes to us."

"Which will never happen." Sara smiled. "Remember, teenager boy."

"And at one point he brings home a real girlfriend." Sofia sighed. "Next year, when he turns sixteen, we have to take him to the club. For a real party."

"You want to get him a faked ID for his next birthday?"

"No, I leave that to my mother."

"The Captain organizes faked IDs? Really?"

"For that one night and then she'll take it away."

"I love her."

"And I love you."

"Lucky for you, I love you, only you and the lawyer might be used to get what she wants, but I keep what I want and love. She needs to get herself another goal or she will lose. Twice. Because she'll lose the case too when her client is guilty. There's no way she can screw with my fiancé, in no way."

"Like there's no way she can screw with my fiancé, also in no way." Sofia grinned. "Wanna get back into the house?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"The plan you have for there."

"Shower and sex in bed."

"Five more minutes for the stars and I'm all yours."

"Deal." Sofia got her arms closer around Sara, put her head on the brunette's shoulder and watched with her the stars. Maybe Los Angeles wasn't the best place to gaze the stars in the sky, maybe it was more famous for star watching on the ground, but tonight the stars seemed to shine only for them. And since they talked, they shone much brighter than before. Maybe a little fight, or disagreement every now and then, a little bit of jealousy, was necessary to keep the relationship alive and vivid. When you knew your partner was jealous, you knew he or she loved you and didn't want to lose you.