After a sleepless night tossing and turning in his creaky bed, Reid got up and stared out the window to see the dark hue of the dawn began to lift. He decided to take a quick shower and get a jump start on his very busy day.

He locked his door and rushed down the narrow stairs as he buttoned his pea coat. He planned on heading to Clancy's early to get a jump start before his meeting with Colm; but he had one stop he wanted to make first.

Reid entered the coffee shop where Alex stopped every morning. He ordered a double espresso and sat in the corner where he waited. As if the two were on the same schedule, Alex walked through the door moments after he settled himself. She thanked the barista as usual and went to take a seat when she noticed her husband sitting in the corner.

"Nixer, what a surprise to see you here," she spurted loudly enough for others to hear her and sat down across from him.

"Good morning to you, too, Moira," Reid returned with matching timbre. With a quick glance around the room he leaned in a bit closer to her. "I want to talk about yesterday."

Alex adjusted herself in her seat and tilted her head to her side without making eye contact. "We don't need to, really."

"I need you to know that it was just a sheer coincidence, I had no idea I was going to run into Colleen—"

"Really, you don't need to explain yourself. I don't mean to sound rude, but Colleen has no significance to me. She has a husband now, married a couple of years ago, and you have a wife. You don't need to feel like you have to justify anything to me," she spoke quickly trying to move along the conversation.

Reid stared at her as his eyebrows scrunched across his face. "Wait, how did you know when she got married… and how were you so confident when I told you that her son wasn't mine?"

"I was working on this case for a few weeks before I even flew to Ireland, I did my research on a lot of things. Colleen happened to be one of them. When I saw that she had a son that age I did the math and knew that you were already out of the country for five months before he was conceived, so it wasn't possible," she took a long drink from her cup.

Reid seemed satisfied with her answer then looked to his watch. "I'm sorry, but I should be going. Colm wanted to meet with me this morning, he said he had a new assignment for me." He stood up from the table.

"Dougal said the same to me," Alex added before she took a drink from her cup.

"Then I guess we can meet up later today at the office," he said as he stood up then went to the coat rack to pick up his then turned back toward her. "Have a good day, be safe," he whispered.

She gave a meager smirk with a single nod. She decided to take her coffee to go and headed out in the opposite direction.

Reid entered the bar to see Colm in his usual spot with a half emptied beer in front of him and jotting down in a pocket notebook. He looked up to see Reid standing at the edge of the table. "Good, Nixer, you're here. Come sit, we have a lot to go over."

"What's the job?" Reid was anxious to get to work and close the case.

"I have a delivery coming in soon, and there is a lot of heat on because of that blasted investigation into The Dullahan. My sources say that Interpol is everywhere, including some American Feds. So, I will need all hands on deck to get the job done; do you understand?" Colm's steely eyes stared at him and seemed to narrow when he mentioned the Feds which made Reid a bit uneasy, but kept his cool.

"Understood. Just let me know what you need me to do," Reid was reassuring.

Meanwhile, several blocks away, Alex entered an older building and started down the long, narrow hallway. The ceiling light flickered in the lamps that actually worked. She turned at the end of the corner, stopped at the only door and knocked three times.

Moments later two knocks were made from the inside of the door, and Alex knocked again twice. That was the signal for those working with Dougal and came to the flat he set up as his headquarters.

"Moira, right on time," Dougal announced as he sat in the middle of the folding table as if he were Jesus with his disciples on either side of him. "Colm has a big delivery coming in and we will need to be ready. We can't afford for anyone to get pinched right now so we will need to go over this plan until we know it." He pulled out a map and unrolled it and pointed out where the delivery was coming in and where they were expected to be.

They spent a few hours going over the plan and any contingencies they could expect and a few they wouldn't be. Dougal was quite confident in his team and knew they would be on point the night of the delivery.

As they broke from their meeting, Dougal pulled Alex aside. "I need to ask you something," he spoke quietly.

"Shoot," she replied.

"You have spent some quality time with Nixer, correct?" He questioned.

"Yes, we've spent a few nights together," she came off nonchalant.

"He has been working for Colm since he's been back in town. I wanted to know if he said anything to you about him." Dougal toward over her as he asked in tone that demanded an answer.

"No, he hasn't. We haven't mixed work with pleasure; that is a rule for me, even if we are in the same crew. I don't talk about things I was told. Keeps me alive," she stated.

"That's a good rule to follow," he seemed satisfied.

"Is there something specific you are looking for? Should I be staying away from Nixer?" She asked showing her loyalty.

"No, it's Colm I'm concerned about."

"Colm?" She was taken aback.

Dougal moved in closer and she could feel his breath on her ear. "I fear he may be the Dullahan."

"You mean the maniac who has been cutting off people's heads in the middle of the night?" Alex feigned ignorance.

"Yes, that's just the kind of thing that crazy bastard would do," he scoffed.

"Then why do you work with him?" She caught herself. "I'm sorry, that was out of line."

Dougal thought to himself for a moment. "No, you're right. I go where the money is. But that doesn't mean that I don't watch my back. I have a family you know," he smirked.

"You?" She had to keep herself from laughing in his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't take you for the 'family man' type."

"We've been together for twelve wonderful years," he's eyes actually twinkled when he said those words out loud.

"And does your wife know what you do for a living?" She was genuinely interested in knowing the truth.

"Yes, we don't keep secrets from each other. Aislin and I have a relationship built on trust and communication. If you don't have that, it will fall apart. I guarantee it."

Alex couldn't help but smile when she saw a different side of Dougal. "I will definitely keep that in mind for when I get to that point in my life," she said appeasingly.

"If I may offer some advice… One, never fall asleep in the getaway car. Two, don't keep anything from your spouse. You think you're doing the right thing, or trying to protect them. You're only protecting yourself. That's what leads to failed marriages."

Alex stared at him a bit off guard then shook her head. "Dougal, I'm sorry, I forgot that I had to meet with someone." She burst onto her feet and took a few steps backwards toward the door. "I'll catch up with you at Clancy's, tonight."

After a quick goodbye, she was out the door and rushed down the near black hallway as she pulled her phone out and calling her husband.