Life with Jenny was easier than he expected.

He had liked the routine they had fallen into; Jenny and him essentially living together full time even though he still had his own home. There were still memories there he wasn't quite ready to let go of and a boat in the basement he was determined to finish.

It worked for them. She didn't question his desire to hold onto parts of the past, and he never felt the need to explain himself. Jenny had dark things that plagued her past just like he did. She was maybe one of the few people who understood him in that way.

Its perhaps why they've worked better than any of his other marriages.

When people ask what he and Jenny is to him, he's never sure how to answer. His boss? His former work partner? Current life partner? 'Girlfriend' felt too casual, and 'significant other' felt too vague.

Still, he doesn't give the title of their relationship much thought until he had been chatting with Fornell. They had been tying up loose ends of a joint case when his friend asked how his wife was doing, so casually that he almost brushes past the moniker without a second thought.

Almost.

He had a startling realization after that.

"We're married."

He had walked straight into her - their - living room without so much as a hello before making the declaration.

Jenny looked up from her book in surprise, "If that's your idea of a proposal then it's certainly a let down."

He shoots her a glare, "It's not a proposal."

She snorts, "Next you're gonna tell me we got married without me knowing."

"Fornell asked about you today," He explains, "About how my wife was doing. Other people ask me how you are. They make small talk about it. They act like we're a married couple."

Jenny smirks, "But we're not."

"No."

"Do...you want to get married?" She asks carefully.

"No."

She smiles, "I didn't think so. Neither do I. Non-married domestication seems to be working out fine for us."

He nods, more as an assurance to himself than to her, "Thought so."

She had said once - back when he was still her boss and she was still his probie - that the idea of marriage didn't appeal much to her.

Despite himself, he ponders for a moment what married life with Jenny would be like. Maybe not too different from the one they had now.

After all, they were going on four years together this time around. He would be satisfied with a lifetime more.

He's not meant for marriage though; not after his first one. What they have now is enough, for both he and for her.

Dropping the topic seemed like the only reasonable course of action.

"Ordering Chinese," he says, turning towards the kitchen, "You hungry?"

She nods, not bothering to look up from the page she's on, "My usual is fine."

He snorts, unable to help himself, "And you say we're not married."