Back in the office, Mike took a second to enjoy his first hot beverage on this cold November day. Letting the sip of coffee rest in his mouth for a second, before swallowing and feeling it warm his throat and belly, he leaned against the side of his desk and glanced over the quiet bullpen.
A handful of detectives manned the otherwise deserted office. As the coffee machine eagerly brewed away, filling the area with the aroma of fresh black goodness, Mike noticed his partner bent forward in his chair, his elbows on his knees as he tried to massage his left shoulder with his right hand.
Sighing, he took another sip of coffee before walking over to Steve's desk.
"You've been babying this thing for over a week now. Don't you think it's time to have it looked at?"
Steve barely grunted in acknowledgement and cocked his head to the side in an effort to reach a spot below his left shoulder blade.
"I am alright.", the young Inspector mumbled through forced breaths, when Mike brushed his arm aside.
"Here, let me see."
Running his open palm across the thin fabric of Steve's light blue dress shirt, Mike immediately found the spot where a metal pipe had been used to knock his partner off his feet during an intense chase through a warehouse. Heat was radiating from below his shoulder blade halfway across his back, where the muscles had hardened from inflammation and pain.
Steve winced when he tried to gently massage the injury.
"You do know you're not Marcus Welby, M.D, right?"
The crabby tone wasn't lost on Mike when he pulled his hand back and sat down in the guest chair next to his partner's desk.
"I may not be a doctor, but that feels like it would hurt quite a bit. When are you going to learn to duck?"
Steve slowly straightened out again, a pained grimace on his face as he took a couple deep breaths before shaking his head.
"Always my fault, I know, I know."
Immediately picking up on the snarky undertone, Mike leaned forward and reached for his partner's wrist.
"Now wait a minute. Take it easy there...What's the matter, Buddy Boy? You've been in a sour mood for a couple of weeks now. It seems to be getting worse. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, I am fine.", the young Inspector said too fast, before glancing down at Mike's hand on his wrist, "It must just be the weather. Or something. I don't know."
"You've been burning the midnight oil a lot lately. How about you take a couple of days off once this case is over with? It'll do your soul some good."
Mike met the set of tense green eyes glaring back at him with stoic kindness, unwilling to let his partner's mood ruin his. Instead, he managed the broadest smile, before patting Steve's cheek.
"I think I know what your problem is, Buddy Boy. It's that upcoming birthday. The Big 3-0 is looming overhead."
"Aw, come on now, Mike…", turning his face away, Steve furrowed his brows before intently shaking his head.
"I bet it is. You are all worked up because you are getting older. The first gray hairs are starting to come in. You're not as fast as you once were. Maybe even the occasional wrinkle…"
Unable to maintain his angry stare, Steve finally chuckled and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Thirty or not, I am still faster than you are any day!", he replied cockily and leaned back to stretch his sore back.
"Faster than me? You wish!"
The ringing of his office phone disrupted their good-natured argument, and Steve shared a foreboding glance with his partner, before hesitantly reaching for the receiver.
"Inspector Keller? Yes…oh very good. Yes, we will be right over. Thank you, Doctor Burkall. Yes, I will be sure to bring him."
As a wily smile spread on his face, Steve hung up the phone and pointed at the exit.
"The good doctor has finished the autopsy on our first body and wishes to see us.", he said in a mocking English accent and got up from his chair, "She specifically requested your presence, handsome Lieutenant."