Disclaimer: I do not own Crossing Jordan. Nor have I ever owned it or the charactersassociated with it….it sucks, I know. The only character that is solely mine, is Liz.

Last time…

Garret whistled. The sound shook the entire room. Bug and Liz looked over at him. "Bug, Liz is going to stay with you while she finds a place," Garret said decisively.

"But…?" Bug began to protest.

"Not buts." Garret turned to Liz, "You move in tonight."

"What do you mean Liz is going to live with me?" Bug asked following Dr. Macy into the main lobby.

"It's not a difficult concept, Bug," Garret said. "Liz is going to move in with you and stay there until she finds an apartment of her own."

"Why can't she stay with you, or Lily, or Sidney. She and Sidney get along very well. Why can't she stay with him?" Bug was willing to suggest anything that would mean that Liz wouldn't have to live with him.

"First of all, I am the Chief M.E. and it is very unprofessional of me to allow a female coworker to live with me. Secondly, Lily lives in an efficiency apartment. There is barely enough room for her and Sidney's brother is living with him. You're the only one who has the room, therefore you are the best option."

"What about Emmy?" Bug suggested.

"What about you?"

"With all do respect, Dr. Macy, you can't do that. You can't make me take her in."

"What am I a puppy?" Liz asked incredulously. "Are you afraid that I'm going to pee on your carpet and chew up your sofa?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Bug said. "If you'd be quiet and pay attention, you would see that I am trying to get us out of this."

"Am I really that difficult to live with?" Liz asked, her hands on her hips.

Bug opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. "I cook, I clean, I pick up after myself," Liz said as she ticked each one off her fingers. "Why am I so bad to live with?"

"I never said you were bad to live with," Bug corrected. He lowered his voice, "Will you shut up?" Can't you see that I'm winning the argument?"

Garret would have loved nothing more than to see Liz put Bug in his place. That, unfortunately, might involve a bloodbath, which was something that Garret would like to avoid.

"No, you're not," Garret said shaking his head.

"Not what?" Bug asked.

"Winning the argument," Garret clarified. "You're right. I can't make you take her in. I can, however, make sure that you don't see the field for a month."

"You wouldn't?"

"Try me," Garret said folding his arms across his chest.

"That's blackmail."

."Sue me." Garret said not backing down.

"You can't do that," Bug said. "Aren't we short on medical examiners? Taking me out of the field would put us way behind."

"Actually, no. Sidney has been looking for a chance to get more field experience and this is the perfect opportunity"

Sidney grinned and waived to Bug.

Bug scowled, "You can't do that."

"Why not? He's a good medical examiner. He'd be a great one if he could get some more field experience," Garret said.

"Thank you," Sidney said proudly.

"So really, your refusal of my direct order is for the benefit of your colleague."

"I don't want to," Bug whined.

"We all have to do things that we don't want to do. For example, I don't want to have this conversation with you, but I am because it's my job. Now, either she lives with you or you're out of the field."

Bug took a deep breath and looked at Liz. "How many suitcases do you have?"

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