Disclaimer: Not gonna say it. Sue me if ya want. You'll only get this computer and my extensive video collection. Wait, scratch that. Dont sue me. I like my video collection. Dont own 'em, I'm just borrowing 'em, I promise I'll return 'em, eventually.

:NOTE: Again, if anyone seems a little out of character, I'm sorry but I'm writing this while on a sugar high and also, I'm sick so sugar and a cold do not mix so forgive any out of characterness. Thanks. :):):):)

Shortly before noon, the phone rang.

"Yeah?" Jake said, answering the phone.

He listened for a moment then said, "Yeah, she's here."

He handed me the phone saying, "It's Gabriel."

I took the phone from him.

"Hey, Gabe. What's up?" I asked.

"I'm gonna have to back out of lunch today. I've got a buyer looking for a lunch date of sorts and I don't want to miss out on this kind of a deal." Gabriel said, sounding like he didn't want to meet with this buyer but was going to do it anyway.

"Yeah, that's cool, Gabe. How 'bout dinner tonight then?"

I could hear him leaving through pages on the other end of the line. "Yeah, sure. Dinner would be great."

"Okay, hold on." I said, putting my hand over the moutpiece of the phone.

"You guys up for dinner tonight instead of lunch?" I asked.

"Sure." Jake said.

"Yeah." Danny said.

"Alright, Gabe. See ya at about 7?"

"Sounds good. See ya then." He said.

"Alright. Bye, Gabe."

"Bye, Chief."

I hung up the phone.

"So what's up with our boy? He backing out of the full story?" Danny asked.

"Uh, no. Client wants a lunch meeting." I replied.

Danny just nodded.

I glanced at my watch. Close enough to lunch time.

I stood up. "I'm gonna go get something to eat. You guys want anything?"

"Anything other then soggy sandwiches and bad coffee would be nice." Jake said.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Danny said.

I smiled. "Okay, Burger King sound good to you?"

They just nodded.

I grabbed my jacket and bike helmet off the coat rack and headed out the door saying, "Be back in a few, guys."

It took me less then twenty minutes to get to Burger King, order the food, and get back to the station.

As I walked into the building, I looked into Dante's office, seeing both Jake and Danny deep in coversation with the captain.

Dante glanced up as I walked by. I averted my eyes and kept walking towards the office.

I put the food on the desk just as Danny and Jake came in the office.

"Cap. wants to talk to you." Jake said.

"What did he want with you two?" I asked.

"Basically, I think we kind of got in trouble for this morning's events." Danny said, grabbing a bag of food and a coke out of the tray.

I sighed and headed towards Dante's office.

As I walked in Dante said, "Close the door."

I did. "What do you need, captain?"

"We got a new case in this morning. Seems as though we've got a serial killer on the lose." Dante said.

I stood in front of his desk. "Anything unusual about this particular killer?"

"Yeah, Petini, actually there is." I fought not to glare at him for the deliberate misprounouciation of my name. If he wasn't the captain I would've knocked him a good one a long time ago.

"And that is?" I asked, trying not to let my impatience shine through.

"This guy has traveled across the country, leaving a trail of bodies behind him yet no body has been able to catch him. Do you read the newspaper, Petini?"

"Uh, not often." I said, a little confused by the sudden change of subject.

Dante passed a file over his desk to me.

"As much as I dislike you, Petini, you are one of the best detectives in the precinct so I'm giving this to you. Include your partners if you need the help or don't, it's your choice. I want this case solved. Don't disappoint me."

I took the file from him, flipping through the contents quickly before saying, "Try not to. Anyting else?"

"Yeah. Don't pull another stunt like the one this morning again."

I tried to keep from laughing at the memory. "Yes, sir. We were just blowing off a little steam."

"That's what the punching bag is for."

"Yes, sir." I said, turning towards the door.

"Oh, one more thing."

I turned back around but didn't move away from the door. "Yes, cap.?"

"Keep an eye on McCarty. You're his training officer yet you let him run blind half the time."

"That's the way I learned from my training officer." I stated.

"McCarty's not you."

I nodded. "Alright, captain."

I opened the door and walked out. I started walking back to the office, looking at the file while I walked.

When I got back to the office, Danny and Jake had both looked at me expectantly.

I tossed the file on the desk.

"We got a new case." I stated.

My mind returned back to the conversation I just had with Dante. He was unusually nice, or about as nice as he could get. He actually said I was good cop. That was definitly wierd.

"Sara." Danny said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I jerked my head toward him. "Uh, what?"

"Have you heard a word I just said?" he asked.

"No, sorry." I said.

"What were you thinking about so hard, Pez?" Jake asked.

"Dante, of all people." I said.

"Well, get your mind off him and onto this case. Nationwide serial killer just right into your lap. Don't let him slip through your fingers." Danny said.

"Never." I said.

"That's my girl." He said, smiling a little.

"Let's go see the lastest crime scene." Jake said.

"Yeah." Dannt agreed.

As soon as we left the crime scene we all headed back to my apartment. It was nearly seven.

The scene had been pretty bad, the body murdered execution style, one shot to the head.

Looked more mob execution then serial murder except for the fact that the vic had three of his fingers cut off.

I shivered at the memory.

I made it back to my place before Jake and Danny due to the fact that on my Buell I could weave in and out of the traffic.

I left the door open for them and they came in a few minutes later.

I was already on the phone ordering a couple pizzas.

Gabriel arrived a five after seven. His normally rumpled cloths looking even worse.

"Jeez, Gabe. What happened to you?" I asked, trying to hide a smile and failing.

He just grinned at me. "I fell alseep on the couch. Just woke up about twenty minutes ago."

Jake laughed softly.

The pizza arrived a few minutes after Gabe. I paid the delivery man, grabbed a few beers from the fridge and put everything on the coffee table.

We all sat on the floor, me and Danny on one side;Jake and Gabriel on the other.

By the time we'd finished the pizza and the full story of the days events, we'd all gone through three beers.

All of us being drunk proved to be very intersting. After giggling about a few really lame jokes we all decided it would be fun to play spin the bottle.

Gabe reached over, grabbing one of the empty beer bottles from the table and handed it to me.

"You go first." He told me, his speech slightly slurred.

Had I been sobe I wouldn't have even thought of playing spin the bottle with a bunch of guys, much less going first.

By the end of the game, I had kissed all three of them and watched as they very drunkly tried to avoid kissing each other.

Since none of them could stand up without falling down I suggested they stay here for the night.

"Just, lay down somewhere." I said, heading to the bathroom to get a shower.

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Sara?" Gabe asked, although since he was very drunk my name came out "Sawa" and the rest of his words were barely understandable.

Danny and Jake both snikered. I think Gabe was the only one of us who was well and truly drunk. I was sober enough to have at least some brain function, Danny wasn't all that drunk at all and Jake, well Jake's from Cali. Three beers didn't affect him very much either.

I seriously doubt Gabe was much of a drinker.

"Whatever." I said.

I took a quick shower and when I emerged from the bathroom I found Danny asleep on the couch, Jake sleeping on the carpet in front of the t.v. and Gabe sleeping in my bed. Great.

I crawled into bed on the other side from Gabe, trying not to wake him. Once I'd gotten comfortable, Gabriel rolled over, slinging his arm around my waist.

I stiffened as his arm tightened around my waist.

He buried his face in my back, between my shoulder blades.

I relaxed little by little. I soon joined the guys in dreamland, feeling safe in someone arms, even if it was Gabriel.

TBC...