Disclaimer: Dick Wolf, ruler of the universe.

Title: Hurricane Katrina

Chapter 24 – Consensus

Characters: Goren, Deakins, Eames

Rating: K+

Location: One P.P., Major Case Squad.

Goren and Katayeva had just entered Captain Deakins' office. Goren closed the door behind them, they each took a seat.

"What's the verdict?" asked the Captain.

"Accidental death," replied Goren.

"Accidental death," echoed Katayeva.

"No evidence of suicide?"

"Nothing remotely definitive," answered Goren, with Katayeva nodding agreement.

"I've already spoken with the M.E. this morning. Rogers feels the same way. So, this is it. I will tell Rogers to release the body for the funeral. I will also call Captain Martin to advise him of the results of the investigation. I am sure he will be relieved. Good job, you two. I know it took a lot of digging to come up with an answer."

Goren and Katayeva just nodded.

"If you finish up your paperwork and no new case drops in your laps, you can leave early," grinned Deakins.

"Thank you, Captain," replied the detectives in unison.

Back at their desks Goren and Katayeva unconsciously mirrored one another. Elbows on desk, chin on hand, fingers of other hand tapping on desk. They suddenly glanced across at the other and realized what they were doing.

"What does it mean when we start mirroring the same behaviors simultaneously?" chuckled Katayeva.

"Uh…we're both losing it?" asked Goren.

"OK, if we had both told Deakins we thought Martin's death was a suicide, would we still be sitting here doing the same thing?"

"If we said it was suicide, Kat, we ummm…would've had some actual proof to base it on."

"True enough. Sometimes you just have to let it go. There is no proof."

"I'll uh..let it go it you do," offered Goren.

"Hmph….I think I need to do something …symbolic."

"Such as?"

"Going to the ladies room to wash my hands, literally and figuratively, of the Martin case," declared Kat, as she stood up and headed down the hall.

A few minutes later she returned.

"Feel better?" asked her partner.

"Yes…yes, I do. You should try it. Hand washing is highly underrated, Bobby," grinned Katayeva, "It's quite therapeutic."

Goren rose from his chair and headed for the mens room. She noticed him rolling up his shirt sleeves as he walked away.

Hmmm… now isn't Goren Mr. Agreeable? He's right. We have no proof. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Because there is no proof. Get over it.

Goren returned, standing next to her chair.

"Now that we are nice and clean, we could umm.. go to lunch," he suggested.

"Works for me."

The pair walked to a nearby Afghani restaurant. Both ordered lamb dishes and shared some pumpkin curry. The food was good and the conversation was easy. It was the first time in days that the Martin case was not mentioned.

"Want to share some baklava for dessert, Bobby?"

"Sure."

The baklava arrived and lived up to Katayeva's expectations.

"Oh…this is so good," said Kat, licking the honey off of her fingers.

"Mmmm..," agreed Bobby, "Your stint here is nearly over. Do you know where you are going next?"

"Yes, I do. First, I am taking off two weeks. Doing a week's family vacation in St. Thomas. Maybe just chill out the other week."

"No…I umm…meant your next assignment."

"Ah…yes, to that also. I will be on loan/on active duty with the Army. Teaching at West Point for three months."

"Teaching what?"

"If I told you…," grinned Katayeva.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you'd have to kill me," laughed Goren, "You'll have to live at West Point?"

"I'll have officer's quarters, but I plan to commute from home, take the train. I'll only stay over if I have to."

"Will you have to dress in uniform?"

"Absolutely. I look really good in fatigues and combat boots, Goren."

"I'll just bet that you do. You know….I was, uh…afraid…before you I met you…"

"Afraid of what?"

"That you would be too attractive….ummm…beautiful but dumb…a distraction,..unprofessional."

"Women are always fighting the looking-too-good or not-good-enough issue," sighed Katayeva, "Her IQ is judged on her physical appearance. Being attractive implies a low IQ. Think dumb blonde. The only way this could be more difficult for me was if I was a blonde. When a man as intelligent as yourself thinks it, what could I expect from lesser men?"

"A woman must work twice as hard as a man…to be thought half as good. Unfortunately it is still true. And I…uh…apologize for trying to classify you based on your appearance. Deakins had shown me your photo. I told him you …you looked like a fashion model."

"Well, I have been a fashion model," grinned Katayeva, "Did it in high school and college. Easy money. Fun. And absolutely mindless."

"Why didn't you continue? You certainly could have."

"To be a print or TV model would have required me to lose about fifteen pounds. I just said no to anorexia, much to my parents' relief. It also lacks any intellectual challenge or stimulation. I outgrew it, thank god."

"Models don't eat…baklava, do they?"

"Bobby, models don't eat …period," grinned Katayeva, as she popped the last bite of baklava into her mouth, "Tell me something, before you started working with her… did you think less of Eames because she's attractive? And blonde?"

"I…I didn't have any advance warning of Eames. She appeared one day. Deakins said this is your new partner, as of now. We just started working together. There…there was a period of…ummm adjustment. I'd been through so many partners, male and female…I just thought she would bail, too. I also made an effort to see her as a person, not as a woman."

Well, that explains a lot.

"But she didn't bail. And the rest, as they say, is history," said Katayeva, "Goren, what is Eames' first name?"

"It's uh...Alex. You didn"t know that?"

"Sure I did. I wasn't sure that you did. I have never heard you refer to her as Alex. Here's a tip, Bobby, if you want to court a woman, call her by her first name."

"Really?" Bobby seemed surprised.

This is worse than I thought. He never uses her first name. She'll probably faint from shock the first time he says 'Alex'.

"Yes. And, you know, I think Alex has a doctor's appointment coming up. Have you thought of offering to accompany her?"

"Uh…"

"You don't have to tell me, Bobby. You have to tell her…Anyhow, we should get back to the office now."

Goren just nodded and they headed back to One P.P.

A little while later Katayeva overhead Goren on the phone with Eames. Apparently she agreed to have him accompany her to the doctor's.

Katayeva just continued filling out her forms, smiling to herself. My work here is almost done.