"But I can't read you/I wish I knew what's going through your mind/can't touch you/your heart defending/I get left behind" I Can't Read You – Daniel Bedingfield.

"Hey Bos," Faith says, "I need you a second."

I turn to her and grin, hoisting my gym bag further up my shoulder. She sprints after me into the locker rooms, her face flustered. "What's up?"

She runs a hand through her strawberry blonde hair, pushing it back from her face. She doesn't look as tired today. Her eyes are wide and bright, there's a gentle blush across her cheeks, and her hair is washed and styled. She returns my smile and stops in the doorway.

"Do you remember the Jenkins case last year? The one you and I worked on. We were looking out for the killer?" she says, rushing through her sentence.

"Yeah course. He raped, tortured and killed about fifteen different girls in the space of five month's. It's not a case you forget," I say, with a sigh. She nods and holds out a thick folder. I take it from her and flick through the pages. Images of the girls flash as I turn each sheet and, despite myself, I scrunch up my face disturbed by the photos. "So…what's wrong?"

She sighs heavily and raises her eyebrows. "Guess who's back again?"

I frown, confused. "Jenkins was put to jail for life Faith. No chance of parole. Can't be him," I remind her. She rolls her eyes and snaps the folder back off me.

"Well I know that, I'm not stupid," she replies, "But there have been three new cases in the past month, each girl done the same way."

She begins to look through the file, heading for the last few pages. "Look," she says stepping close to me, "Each girl. Beaten, then raped right? They were tortured the exact same way as Jenkins did it. Cut wrists, face, knees, two stab wounds in each lung, then the cut throat."

I shrug, still staring at the words on the page. "So? It may just be a coincidence."

She shakes her head, frustrated by my refusal to accept her suggestion. "We both learned in this job there's no such thing. Look," she sighs, pointing at the page, "Each body was then found mutilated, but all had one thing missing…"

"The head," I finish for her, taking the folder into my hands, "So…what ? A copycat?"

She looks up at me, her face dangerously close to mine. She doesn't seem perturbed by our close proximity and so I try to ignore the pounding of my heart in my chest. "That's what I'm thinkin'. The case did get a lot of publicity back then. Maybe it's another glory hunter, wanting some attention. I dunno…"

I flick to the photo and feel my stomach churn at the grotesque image presented. "What did you want me for?" I ask, closing it up. She shrugs, digging her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

"I thought you could help. You made it your personal mission last year to catch Jenkins's. You know this case better than Jelly and I put together. I was just wonderin' if you'd mind if I…." She drags off stepping back from my body. I immediately miss her warmth, and scold myself inwardly for the feeling.

"If you…"

"If I request that you help me and Jelly on this case. I understand if you don't want to it's just I could really use your help…"

"Sure. You sort it out with Lieu and I'll help out," I say before she can finish. Her jaw hangs open, a little shocked by my readiness to help. She shakes her head gently, a smile forming on her attractive face.

"Oh…ok then. Thank you," she replies softly. I nod forcing a quick smile. She turns to leave, clutching the file against her chest.

"Hey Faith," I call out. She cranes her neck around, her body still pointing towards the exit.

"Yeah?" she breathes, blinking several times.

"Are we ok?" I ask cautiously, "You know…after yesterday…and last night…"

She looks annoyed that I've asked. "Yeah. Course we are. You know your personal life is none of my business. You and Cruz aren't any of my business."

"Right… but we're ok?" I ask again. She's clearly avoiding my question.

"I said yes," she snaps back, her eyes narrowing, "I'd really like if we could just forget about yesterday Bosco. Start a fresh."

"Sure, already forgotten," I reply, letting my gym bag fall to the ground.

"Right then, I'll see you later," she says, moving out of the door.

"Later," I murmur, staring after her.

I take a deep breath, bracing myself against the steel lockers. Why has everything changed so much? Faith and I used to be so comfortable around each other, and it's all different now. I have to watch what I say to her, I have to think before I speak (something I've never been any good at) and suddenly I'm aware of myself if I get too close to her. It's probably just because of what she said yesterday. It's just unnerved me a bit.

I guess I never thought she'd even think about me in that way, let alone suggest that we… I don't know why I just can't forget. It seems stupid. I mean, she's explained why she said what she did, and why she was so upset when she saw me with Cruz. Why can't I stop thinking there was somethin' else behind it?

This is Faith for Gods sake. My Faith. She's just lonely. And perhaps a little depressed. We never saw each other in that way before, why start now? It just complicates things. Sure I find her attractive – she is a beautiful woman, but that's it. There's nothing else there. No feelings. No nothing.

And her request for me to work with her again is perfectly innocent. I mean, all she wants is for us to get back to how we were. And that's fair enough. That's exactly what I want to. So why suddenly do I see her as a woman? She's always been a friend, a partner and hell, I even counted her as family once, but I've never seen her as just a woman.

It seemed inappropriate.

So why start now? I push down that little nagging voice in my head saying that she's the only person in this world who sees me for what I really am and perhaps what she said yesterday about our connection wasn't total crap after all…I push it down and away, swallowing hard.

No good can come of it.

I've never been sentimental. I see things how they are. I've never been in love and I don't intend to ever be. Sure I've loved women before, even Faith, but I've never been in love with a woman before. I wouldn't know how to act if that were to happen.

Love complicates things. It's the one emotion that I hate most of all. It makes your brain turn total mush; your common sense is thrown out the window…why would anyone want to be in love? It's beyond me. If I want to ever be a senseless robot that follows a girl about like a puppy dog I'll fall in love.

If I want, fun, laughs, and hell, great sex, I'll carry on as I am. A different girl each week. The steadiness of a constant girlfriend may be comforting to some, but personally I find it boring. I don't want security or stableness. I want excitement and enjoyment. The thrill of the chase is great but anything after that bores me.

So I'll stay I am. Happy and alone. I'm better off that way. At least then no one will get hurt. Because that's another thing. Anyone I get involved with gets hurt. It's just something that's in me. I manage to get everyone I care about in shit. Take Faith for instance. She helped me out with Cruz and got fuckin' shot! And sure maybe something as dramatic as that may never happen again but I'm not takin' that chance. I nearly lost Faith through depending on her. I got her hurt and nearly killed. So no. I won't depend on or need anyone else again.

Sully bustles through the door interrupting my train of thought. I nod to acknowledge his presence.

"Boscorelli," he says, his voice gruff and dry. He looks like shit. His hair is messed and his uniform untidy

"Late night?" I ask stuffing my bag into my locker. He grunts, checking his appearance in the mirror.

"Double shift," he replies, washing his hands. I pull out my uniform and sit it on the bench.

"Tough luck Sul," I say, shrugging out of my black leather coat.

"I need the money anyways," he replies, "What about you? Just getting off?"

"Just getting in," I say. He glances at me through the mirror. "Yeah…Faith's requesting that I work with her on a case."

"I heard," he replies, straightening up. I frown, perplexed. "Saw her at the desk chatting to Lieu."

I nod.

"You lookin' forward to workin' with her again?" he asks. I unbutton my shirt and shrug.

"No big deal. I'm not really bothered," I lie, "As long as I'm helpin' her with suspects and not with paperwork I don't care."

Sully laughs, the wrinkles on his face clearly visible under the lighting of the locker rooms. "Uniformed officers workin' with detectives…you'll be livin' at the desk Boscorelli!"

I sigh and roll my eyes. "I better not. I'm just gonna be there to help out if anything gets outta hand with any of her suspects or if she needs my opinion or somethin'."

"Or if she needs you to back her up with Jelly," he says.

"That too."

"It's good that you two are workin' together again," he comments, gazing at me, "You make a good team."

"Yeah," I reply, "We're not bad now."

"I'll see you later Bosco, I'm headin' back out there," he announces slipping into his coat.

"Bye," I say as he leaves me alone in the locker rooms wondering the real reason behind Faith's request.