Well, since ya'll liked it so much, (whoa! thank you!), i figured i'd post a follow up, considering i have a final to study for and i dunwanna. - Erika

"Alex!" His coat was unbuttoned, and his breath steamed the air. It had gotten colder after the sun set. She was walking quickly, and he actually had to jog a little to catch up.

"What." She turned fast, and he nearly bumped into her. He steadied himself, gripping her shoulders gently.

"Are we okay?" His eyes searched her own, but he was unable to read her, (which drove him nuts). She had been short with him all day, even after his apology. In Deakins' office, she had sat impatiently, itching to be done with the briefing and call it a day.

"Do you even get it? I'm not trying to be some nagging ... bitch, you could have died. All to test a theory? It's not worth it." She stared up angry and... yes, he saw it now, she was hurt. He had hurt her. It took him a moment to digest that.

"Alex.."

"Spare me." She shrugged out of his grasp and turned back towards the parking lot. "I'll see you tomorrow, Goren." Goren. He exhaled in a sigh.

"Would you please wait? Damn it!" He shouted after her and she turned.

She marched up to him and poked his chest. Maybe he should have just let her go home..

"You have NO call to be pissed at me. You're so in your own head. I understand he doesn't experience fear. He even TOLD you that. You had a whole conversation about it. So what was that up there? Male bravado? Wow, I'm fucking impressed, I'm sure he was too."

He pulled back, inhaling to defend himself, but she gripped his coat and pulled him towards her, with surprising strength.

"God damn it, this isn't the fucking Goren show. I'm your partner. If you're going to do something like that, at LEAST give me a heads up. I'm assuming you didn't because you knew that anyone in their right mind would contradict you and tell you not to do it. But I'm guessing you didn't even think about it, and just decided to try it for the hell of it." He started to speak, but she cut him off. "Don't even think of trying to tell me you really did slip, because you didn't."

"But.."

"No, I was there, I saw you. It was deliberate. You've got too much control over yourself -- much as you may pretend otherwise -- to do anything that stupid accidentally." She shook her head and turned away sharply. "Goodnight."