Disclaimer: I own the leftovers from the massive party I'm throwing tomorrow. That's about it. Oh, and everyone who isn't Cassidy in this story.

By the time Brian and Sam arrived back at the station house, things had gotten slightly out of hand in regards to Sam's superior driving skills.

"Really, if you weren't my partner, I would have arrested you for doing that." Brian commented once he was at a safe distance from the caffeine-charged woman.

"For doing what? I didn't do anything illegal per say." Sam looked indignant.

"Except for nearly run over those four people and the biker." Brian exclaimed in disbelief.

"Oh come on, they should have known better than to walk into the road when the 'do not walk' sign was about to come on."

"And how exactly were they supposed to know it was about to change? Not everyone is a psychic as you, you know!" Brian cried, exasperated.

Before Sam had the opportunity to scoff at such an outrageous claim, Kyle walked into the room. He took one look at the expression on Brian's face and knew exactly what had happened.

"You let her drive?" he exclaimed in disbelief, "Didn't anyone tell you to never let Sam drive? Especially when she's had coffee, which is essentially all the time?"

Brian shook his head, looking a bit put out. Sam, however, grinned widely.

"Guess you should've filled 'im in, huh, Ky?" she said, looking very happy with herself.

"I didn't think I'd have to..." Kyle mumbled.

"Didn't think you'd have to?" Scott entered in on the conversation. "Did you suffer from a severe concussion and forget that this is Sam we're talking about here?"

"I know, I know."

Before anyone else had the chance to make yet another smart-ass remark, s teenage boy entered the station house, looking slightly confused.

"I'll handle this!" Sam called, eager to get away from the group of people sending her dirty looks.

"Oh no you won't!" Tim exclaimed, having overheard the entire exchange from his office. "Cassidy, go with her."

Brian nodded once before tailing his partner to the boy. When he arrived, he heard Sam asking him what he needed.

"So, what can we do to help you?" she asked with a bit more enthusiasm than she should have.

"The school told me that something happened to Bradley. Do you know anything?"

Sam's cheerful expression dropped off her face and was replaced with one of confusion.

"Bradley Thompson," Brian whispered in her ear, "The junkie from earlier."

"Ooh!" Sam looked enlightened. "Yes, well, something did indeed happen. Do you happen to know if Bradley was into any drugs, um...?"

"Jamie."

"Jamie." Sam repeated.

"Yeah. Why?"

Brian ignored the question and answered with one of his own.

"Do you know what kind?"

"Coke, ecstasy, weed. Basically whatever he could get his hands on."

"Mm," Sam took over again, "Was he dealing or just using?"

"Only using, as far as I know. Why?"

"Because he was found dead this morning and we want to know why, that's why."

This seemed to throw Jamie for a loop.

"Dead? But... but he was fine yesterday until..." at that, he trailed off.

"Until what?" Brian prompted.

"Him and Tara had a fight last night. She kicked him out."

"Wait, as in they were living together?" Sam looked confounded, so much so that she didn't even bother to correct the boy's grammar.

"Yeah." Jamie gave her a look that very obviously said that he thought she was a full-blown idiot. "She found his stash and wasn't into it, man. She wanted him out. He said he'd be fine; I took his word for it. And now..."

Sam and Brian exchanged looks.

"All right, Jamie, we're going to need an address for this Tara. Do you have one?"

Jamie nodded.

"Okay."

Sam prodded him to a desk and placed a pad of paper and a pen in front of him. When Jamie was finished writing, she picked up the paper and observed what was written on it.

"Apartment building on 49th and 12th, number 4C. Let's go, Cassidy."

"All right, but this time I'm driving."

49th and 12th

Apartment 4C

"All right, so we get in, paw around inside a bit, get out, you got that?" Sam asked, still annoyed that she had been stripped of her driving privileges.

Brian nodded.

"In and out. Got it."

"Good." Sam knocked on the door. "Police, open up!"

The sounds of muffled talking and shuffling were heard from inside the apartment. A moment later, the lock was undone and the door was opened by a high school age girl.

"Yeah?"

"Detectives Carson and Cassidy, NYPD. Are you Tara?"

The girl nodded.

"Is this about Brad?"

Sam and Brian exchanged looks.

"Should it be?" Brian asked.

"Look, whatever he told you, it's a lie. I didn't do nothing to 'im."

"Mm." Sam was obviously unconvinced. "Look, can we come in?"

"I'd rather you not."

"Too bad." Brian pushed past the girl, Sam following close behind.

"Nice place you've got here." Sam commented, surveying the mess that composed the apartment. "Oh, and who do we have here?"

Brian followed her into another room and saw a man sitting on a laundry-laden couch. It took less than five seconds for the man to realize that they were cops and jumped up.

"Not so fast, tough guy." Brian exclaimed, tackling him to the ground when he attempted to take off. The next thing Brian knew, he was by himself on the ground, and both Tara and the man were gone.

"Shit!" Sam cursed, entering the room that she had apparently left. "They got away."

"What happened?" Brian asked, sitting up and touching his nose, which was streaming blood.

"Ooh, that looks nasty." Sam commented, grabbing a shirt from the pile and balling it up. "Ass hole slugged you and took off. By the time I figured out what had happened, that Tara chick was long gone. Captain's gonna have my hide for this one..."

She knelt down beside Brian and pressed the shirt to his still-bleeding nose.

"That's gonna leave a mark. Don't be surprised tomorrow when you wake up with two black eyes."

Brian groaned.

"I guess my entry to 'New York's Most Eligible Bachelor' should be withdrawn, then."

Sam grinned.

"I dunno," she said jokingly. "I think there's still a chance for you yet."

"There better be..." Brian muttered under his breath, hardly aware that he had said anything at all.

They sat there in silence for a moment longer, neither one really wanting to get up and move around just then. Eventually, Sam broke the silence.

"We should probably get back to the station. The others'll be wondering where we ran off too."

"Yeah." Brian nodded in agreement. As they stood to leave, he asked, "Should we poke around a little while we're here?"

Sam shook her head.

"Can't unless it's in plain sight. However, assault of a police officer should be enough to get a warrant to search the place. Too bad Novak hates my guts...Kieran was the one she liked..." She trailed off, looking annoyed. "Anyway, we should get you checked out. I don't want to have to go around with a broken partner, anyway."

Brian smiled.

"Well, in that case, let's go, shall we?"

Sam nodded in agreement and the two left the apartment, making a point of letting the door slam shut behind them.

All right, so I lied in my last note. You all have Kerri to thank for the update, since she was the one who gave me the idea. The next three-ish chapters should be up soon, since I know what's happening in the next one, and the others are already written (don't ask). And remember, reviews make the world go round!

Arg, this would have been up yesterday, but the site wasn't letting me on. Blame it, not me.