Thieves United

PARIS, FRANCE: 2:52 PM
It had been two days since Inspectors Harold Westwood and Mishelle Taylor arrive in Paris. Modesta had dragged Sly and Carmelita into the Blue Diamond case, and for two days – two long and boring days – they had been stuck at the Louvre, on guard and on patrol while security was being taken down.

Sly was about to flip his lid – this was driving him crazy! He couldn't stand standing around and marching back and forth in the same pattern for hours on end. He wanted to be out on the town, chasing criminals, doing the field work. He was now starting to pity the guard who Merah had taken down last heist; poor guy, one of five in the entire museum guarding this priceless and dangerous jewel. How boring could it get? Sure, it was nice to look at. But after seeing it for fifteen hours every day started to be a little much.

"Great," Sly said bitterly, checking his watch. "Two hours down. Thirteen more to go."

He gave an exasperated groan, and sat down on the marble floor, leaning against the wall. Carmelita, who was still patrolling, looked at him, and shook her head in annoyance.

"Can you stop complaining for once?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips. Sly offered her a small smile.

"Sorry," He said honestly. "But this… isn't my thing. It's a good thing Modesta is cute; if she were any other woman in the office, I probably would have turned them down flat if they asked me to do this."

"You just can't help but act all big-brotherly to her, can you?" Carmelita asked, a smile forming on her lips. Sly shrugged.

"It's the cute, innocent-ness that gets me, that's what it is," He said, getting to his feet.

"Oh," The vixen chuckled, grabbing the raccoon by the collar and pulling him close to her. "So if I were cute and innocent, you'd be more attracted to me?"

"I never said I was attracted to Modesta," Sly corrected, not minding the closeness at all. "I care about her because she is cute and innocent. Now, you, on the other hand…"

Sly slipped his arms around her waist, and pressed his nose against hers. "I'm attracted to you because you're strong, hard-working, and gorgeous. So while I care about Modesta, my feelings are still for you."

Carmelita tilted her head to the side slightly, a flirty smile on her face. She put her arms around his neck, and said softly, "Good answer," before she leaned in to kiss him.

Their lips just barely touched when an angry, "Hey!" made them pull away from each other slightly. When they looked to see who yelled, Mishelle was standing here, a hand-gun gripped in her black paw, and a scowl on her face.

"Do you think you could stay focused on your job instead of on each other?" She snapped. Sly raised a brow.

"C'mon, Mishelle, we've been at this for two days," He said. "Can't we have a little bit of 'us' time?"

"No, you can't." Mishelle said flatly, turning away. "And it's Inspector Taylor to you, Cooper."

The raccoon rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, and reluctantly let go of Carmelita, who was glaring in the black feline's direction as she walked away.

"What a snot," Carmelita muttered. "What can a nice guy like Harry Westwood possibly see in a rude, easily-angered person like Mishelle Taylor?"

"That's the million dollar question, Carmelita," Sly said. "My question is how Mishelle knows Robin, though."

"She knows Robin?" Carmelita asked, looking back at Sly. He nodded.

"They gave each other a dirty look after the meeting in Chief's office two days ago," He explained. "There was obvious loathing between the two."

"Hmm…" Carmelita said, thinking. "That's… weird. Maybe we should ask him?"

"I've been meaning to, but he's leaving the office early every day this week," Sly replied. "And 'Inspector Taylor' won't let me get off so I can ask him before he leaves."

"Why is he leaving so early?" Carmelita asked. "It's not like Robin to leave before the day's out."

Sly had a guess as to why Robin was leaving early, but he couldn't very well tell Carmelita. He was probably leaving early because of Merah.

Merah rolled over in bed, pulling the covers tighter around her. She snuggled into the embrace of Robin, lying with her back against his chest. She felt him nuzzle her ear, and she laughed softly.

"'Morning," She said quietly.

"Good morning," He whispered, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," Merah said, rolling over onto her other side so she was facing him. "Did you?"

"Like a baby," He answered with a smile. Then it faltered a little bit, and he asked slowly, "I didn't… hurt you last night… did I?"

"What?" Merah asked, propping herself up on her elbow. Then she realized what he was talking about, and grinned. "Oh. No. Why?"

"I was worried I did," Robin said, giving her a kiss. Merah kissed him back, and then snuggled down into the mattress, drawing the covers tightly around her. Then she saw the clock on Robin's bedside table, and frowned.

"Should you be at work…?" She asked softly. The fox shrugged.

"I don't think Chief will notice if I'm late," He said. "I was only supposed to be helping out with that case Mishelle and Harry are on; I got myself involved so I could keep an eye on her."

"Well, if the Chief won't notice, Mishelle definitely will."

"Why?" Robin asked, looking at Merah weirdly.

"It's ten to eleven," She stated.

"What the-?" Robin yelled, sitting up and looking at his clock. "Damn!"

She sat up as he bounded out of bed, holding the covers up to her chest. "Y'know, I think you should stop coming home from work early. At least until this is over. You're getting way too distracted."

"I can't help it if you're a distraction," Robin retorted, pulling a t-shirt on over his head. Merah laughed.

"By the way, if you do come home early, I might not be here," She said. "I'm going to go and see Bentley; I want to know what's going on with him and that heist he's supposed to be planning."

"Be sure to leave a message on the phone if you do go," Robin said, pulling on a pair of socks. "I don't want to be worrying about you constantly."

"You do anyway," Merah said fondly in a soft voice. She looked over at the clock again, and announced, "Five to eleven."

"Okay, okay, okay!" Robin said loudly. "I know, I know! Stop trying to stress me out!"

He went over to her and gave her a deep kiss that she was happy to return. After about a minute, she pulled away with a brow raised.

"Are you stalling on purpose?" She asked. Robin smiled sheepishly.

"I'm going, I'm going…" He muttered, giving her one last kiss before leaving the room.

"Remember your promise!" She called after him, reminding him for the fifteenth time.

"I will!" He called back from the kitchen. She heard the jingle of his keys as he unlocked the door to the apartment, and he called again, "I love you!"

"Love you, too!" She yelled back, and chuckled softly. Then she got out of bed to get dressed.

The vulpine detective pulled his car up to the front of the Louvre, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. He got out of his car, and straitened his trench coat before closing the car door, locking it, and making his way to the large museum in front of him.

When he entered, he noticed out of the corner of his eye Mishelle Taylor standing by the door, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, hidden in the shadows. Only her green eyes really stayed luminous, and her black fur just enhanced the green, making them almost glow. Robin didn't even look at her, and just walked past without a word. Then he heard her start to laugh, which made him stop.

"What the bloody hell do you want, Taylor?" Robin snapped, keeping his back to her. He heard her boots clunk along on the floor as she walked towards him.

"Nothing," She said innocently. "I just want to know why you're late for a job you signed yourself up for."

"I'm a Detective, Mishelle," Robin said, turning to glare at her. She was standing next to him now, with her weight on one leg, and one hand on her hip, the other arm hanging loosely at her side with her gun held tightly. "I have lots of other things to be doing."

"Yeah, like hitting the sack with your girlfriend," The black feline retorted flatly. Robin was taken aback for a moment, and then he glared at her darkly, something you didn't normally see on his kind face.

"What the fu—" He started to say, but Mishelle cut him off.

"Come on," She said. "Don't think I don't know. I'm sure many people have guessed why you're leaving the office early every day."

"So let them guess," Robin snapped, starting to turn away. "What I do in my spare time is my business and no one else's."

"Yes, but what you do in your spare time with a certain feisty, female raccoon thief should be the business of the police." Mishelle said softly. Robin stopped walking again, and he turned around to reply, but when he did, she had her gun raised, aiming right between his eyes. She could kill him instantly if he pulled that trigger…

"Where is she, Robin?" Mishelle asked darkly, her green eyes glinting. "Where is Merah?"

"What makes you think I should know?" Robin retorted. Mishelle just glared, but a smile lingered on her lips.

"Well," She said, taking a step towards him, keeping her gun raised. "I can smell her on you, for one thing; that distinct, rosy smell of hers. It always made me feel sick. Oh, and look," Mishelle pulled something off the shoulder of Robin's jacket, holding it up to show him. "A strand of her hair. Really, Robin, if that doesn't tell me you were with her, I don't know what will."

Robin didn't say a word. He just glared at Mishelle with the deepest loathing possible, which only made the feline angry. She tightened her finger on the trigger.

"If you don't tell me where she is, Robin Hood Mace," She said, her green eyes glinting with malice. "My hand will accidentally slip –" She shook her hand holding the gun slightly, making the fox flinch. "- and your brains will be lying all over this floor."

"And you'll be charged with first degree murder." Robin said flatly. Mishelle jutted her jaw, breathing out hard from her nose, and she slowly lowered the gun, never taking her eyes off Robin's face. He gave her a little smirk before he turned, and walked away.

Mishelle watched him go, and then she smiled again. "Hmm… I'll get her eventually, Robin. Merah won't walk away with that diamond alive."

A/N: A short chapter. Just to shake things up. I have to draw this out, nice and long, to make you all wait in agony as to what's going to happen. XD Muahaha!

Kinda boring chappie. Sorry. Not much going on. But I'm sure some questions came up with that conversation between Robin and Mishelle.

R&R!