Alex's cell phone beeped urgently. "Damnit, now what!" she exploded as she snapped the phone open. Some cosmic force was trying to keep her from finding her girlfriend and getting a little nookie.

"Alex." Captain Cragen's voice sounded a little strained. Or slurred. Or both. "A new case has come in to the morgue. I need you to go see what the cause of death is."

Alex squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. "Isn't that the sort of thing your detectives should be doing?"

"Well, Elliot's the only one here at the minute, and we're kinda busy..."

"No details! No details!" Alex yelped. "I'll be right there." She hung up before she overheard anything she desperately, desperately didn't want to overhear.

"Alex!" ME Warner exclaimed as the ADA walked into the morgue. "You're not dead!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "What's the verdict on this new victim?" she asked. She was stunned when she looked up and saw tears in Warner's eyes. "What's wrong?"

ME Warner ran around the autopsy table and pulled Alex into a tight embrace, oblivious to her bloody apron and gloves. I needed to get this suit cleaned anyway, Alex mentally sighed.

"I thought I'd never get to see you again!" Warner hiccupped. "I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you...I love you, Alex!"

Alex tried to disengage from the coroner's tight embrace. "That's quite...I really don't...I'm involved with someone." Alex finished lamely.

Warner stepped back, fire in her eyes. "Oh I see," she spat. "You're involved with someone. How convenient. And I suppose the fact that I'm black has nothing to do with it?"

"No!" Alex was stunned. "Of course not!"

"You blonde girls are all the same!" Warner wept. "Equality's all good in principle, just not when it concerns you personally. How 'bout it Counselor? Ever dated a black chick?"

"Please stop!" Alex begged, liberal guilt gnawing at her soul. She reached out and tenderly touched Warner's face. "Maybe I was too hasty..."

Warner responded to the touch by kissing Alex passionately. Alex responded for a few seconds, then pulled away. "Um, Warner, could we do this somewhere else?" she asked, gesturing to the gutted corpse on the autopsy table.

"Oh sure," Warner giggled, taking Alex's hand and pulling her towards her office. "And considering what we're about to do, I think you can call me by my first name."

"Okay, ME," Alex responded without thinking.

Warner's eyes narrowed. "It's Melinda."

"I knew that!" I totally didn't know that.

"Get out!" Warner cried. She ran into her office and slammed the door.

Alex didn't need to be told twice.