AN Glad that this story is being enjoyed, we're hopefully going to bring it to a close soon, but not for a few more chapters.

Aiden Burn - You're right Shelby should be nicer to Flack, although after five years he really should be over her don't you think ;)

Sprite Sweetheart - Thank you for enjoying our writing, here is another update as per your request. :)

PS- The language gets a bit more explicit in this chapter...apparently Aiden swears when she's exasperated. lol

"That woman is…" Ben was at a loss of words.

"An enigma." Flack offered, "Yeah I've often thought so. You need help with all that?" He indicated the equipment then started helping to pack it up without question. This was turning into one of the worst weeks he could remember, short of the one when Shelby had left him.

"What the hell was that about?" Danny asked once him and Aiden were sitting in a cab on the way to the precinct.

"Do you actually like this girl or are you just dickin' her around for the fun of it? Cause if you are or aren't I don't care, but do you think for two seconds you could give a flying fuck about what this MAY be doing to Flack? I thought the man was your friend." Aiden spat it out in one breath, she'd been wanting to lace into him all day.

"I…" He stopped and cleared his throat, "He is my friend."

"Okay then could you tone down the, 'I-get-to-bone' your ex-girlfriend please. I don't want to work with a bitchy Flack and an 'I'm-the-man' Danny, it's a royal pain in the ass." She sounded completely exasperated.

There were a lot of words running through his mind at that moment. Did he actually like Shelby? Yeah probably, no he did, well at least as much as you can like someone you hardly know yet have an insane connection to. He inhaled slowly as the cab pulled up to a stoplight, "I'm sorry." He finally said.

She smacked him with a smile, "Don't be sorry just don't do it again. If I wanted to work DayCare I'd do it…got it?"

He nodded slowly, "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

Flack was on edge, well he had been all night, now he was really on edge. He didn't think he could take another minute of Danny swaggering around Shelby like some animal claiming his prize. He'd warned Danny away from Shelby for Danny's own good, but also because Danny had been known to break a heart or two in his time. Flack ran his hand over his face, he really needed a vacation.

Shelby was still wearing her outfit as she debriefed the chief. She tossed the packet of white powder to Flack when she saw him, "Can you get Danny or Aiden to run trace on this?"

He nodded, he'd be civil if it killed him, "Yeah."

"Trace did I hear trace? I can do that." Danny's voice grated on Flack's nerves, especially the reaction he saw Shelby try to hide.

"What about arresting the shithead?" Aiden asked.

"You and Flack can do that, you're itching for excitement aren't you?" Danny asked with a twinkle in his eye. He took thebag from Flack and reached over to shake Shelby's hand, "Good job tonight." He said sincerely, "Catch you guys later." With a wink to Aiden he was gone.

"So, um." Flack didn't know what to say.

Ben took charge, "I'll get everyone rounded up, meet you two at the car. I left one there to make sure Yates doesn't take off, we really should make a move soon." He put a hand on Shelby's shoulder, "Go home and get some rest."

She waved him away, "You are really enjoying rubbing my own rule in my face aren't you?"

"Whenever I can." He laughed and left.

"Well I'm gonna go change, this probably comes a shock to you, but this outfit is hardly comfortable." Shelby walked to the door, "Don't have too much fun arresting his ass." She waved and was gone.

"You okay?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"You, sure?"

"Definitely, why do you ask?"

"You haven't blinked since Danny left."

"Don't we have to arrest somebody?" Flack sped by her, "Come on."

She rolled her eyes, "Why me? I asked Mac if I could work with Stella more, but no…" She slammed through the door, "I gotta work with Pheromone Messer and Drama Queen Flack…damnit." Officers could hear her muttering all the way down the hall.

Shelby pulled up her comfortable, well worn, jeans and put her hair in a messy ponytail.

"You know if you go out in public like that you might draw attention to yourself." He was leaning against the door with that damn smirk of his, "Not that you don't anyway."

She sighed, "I was getting to the shirt." She said as she grabbed her blouse and started buttoning it, "I thought you were processing trace."

"I was, Chad was here for something else so I sent it back to the lab with him."

"Good, well I've been ordered home so…" She went to step by him.

"I'm meeting up with Mac in a few minutes, he's curious about what's gone down so far…"

"Mac?"

"Lead CSI."

"Oh, well, um…" She cleared her throat.

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I, should go home." She was waiting for him to ask her or our suggest something at least.

He just nodded and leaned forward to sniff her, "You should have a shower too, you smell like over priced cologne." He stepped aside and held the door open.

She smacked him, "Shut up."

"Get some rest," He licked his lips, "You did an amazing job tonight."

"Thanks," She smiled demurely glad to know she still had some control, "I'm just good." She walked by him.

"I know."

She had to pretend she didn't hear him, so she kept walking. If she turned around she was afraid she'd pull him into the locker room and show him how good she really was. Damn him for…well, being him.

Flack and Aiden rode in silence back to Club 77. As they sat outside, waiting for Yates to come out, Aiden finally decided to say something.

"I told him off."

"Sorry?" Flack asked, lost in his own reverie.

"Danny, I told him off for you," she elaborated.

"You didn't have to."

"Yes, I did. He was being an ass and needed to hear it from someone not emotionally involved."

"Thanks," he said sincerely. It was good to know someone was on his side.

After a few more minutes of silence, Aiden asked, "So what is it about her? Messer can't get enough of her, you can't get over her…Is she that good in bed?"

Flack couldn't help but laugh at that.

"No really, I mean – what does she have that I don't? I've never had guys this worked up over me," she said.

"That you know of," he told her with a grin.

"Oh what, you know of some?" she laughed.

"You honestly mean to tell me that you don't notice the guys keeling over in your wake every time you walk through a room?" he asked.

"Keeling over in my wake?" she said, incredulous. "Come on, Flack, that's dramatic even for you!"

"The only difference between you and Shelby is that she knows exactly the kind of power she has over guys."

"She's pretty damn good, isn't she?"

"Just goes to show – if you're gonna play with fire, you better expect to get burned."

"Hey, that's my line!" Aiden protested with a grin. "Anyway, she's obviously not your type."

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. You two fight without even saying anything to each other. That'd get exhausting after a while. You need someone you can come home to, who'll get you your slippers and have supper ready. She'd never do that."

Flack sighed, defeated. "Then how come I can't get her out of my head?"

Aiden narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't make me kiss you to get over this girl."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh really? Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea…"

"That was a threat, not an offer," she grinned.

"Women! I just can't win, can I?" he threw up his hands in mock exasperation.

"Sure you can. Just stop aiming so high!"

"Ouch – you're killing me here, Burn," he said, with a dramatic clutch to his heart.

"Ah, take your medicine. We've got an arrest to make."