She's getting that look in her eyes again….

Maurice focused on the television in front of him and acted as if he hadn't noticed. It didn't really matter what he did, anyway. Nothing short of bolting from the room or insulting her mom would stop what was coming next.

Cree scooted closer to him on the couch and pressed herself against him, smiling lazily at him with lowered eyelids. He grinned back at her; it was only a little forced. He did not turn his head to face her. Undeterred, Cree entwined her arms around him and kissed his neck. Maurice allowed this while counting in his head how long the two of them had been "dating". Three months, was it? It felt longer. Was this normal behavior for people who had been dating three months?

His eyes remained on the television as he pondered all this. It was only when Cree began moving north that he said, (as idly as possible), "Isn't your dad coming home soon?"

"Not for hours." He felt her breath against his jaw line.

Maurice frowned barely perceptively. "There's a water main break downtown," he reported the latest news that had just flashed across the screen.

"That's too bad." She had pulled her right arm from around him; her hand was snaking up his chest, up to his left cheek. She turned his head towards her. "Stop watching T.V.," she murmured, aiming her lips for his.

"Didn't Chad say he was going to drop by?"

Cree paused, eyes no longer at half-mast. "Did he?" she queried.

"Something like that," Maurice mumbled noncommittally.

"What time?"

"I don't know. Around now-ish, I guess."

Cree seemed to consider a moment then gave him a quick smooch on the lips before pulling away. She stood and walked towards the kitchen, saying, "I'm going to make some hot chocolate. You want any?"

"No, thanks." Maurice was settling back on the couch. That wasn't so bad. He picked up the remote and began channel surfing.

Soon he heard the front door open and close and he turned to look in its direction. Abby was heading for the stairs when she spotted Maurice and halted.

"Hi, Numbuh Five."

"Is that Chad?" Cree called from the kitchen.

"No," Abby hollered in reply.

The kitchen door opened a crack and they saw Cree peek out at them then retract back into the kitchen.

The other two watched the door for a moment in case it opened again, and when it didn't, Maurice turned to Numbuh Five.

"Still fighting the good fight?" he asked in a low voice.

"We put Toiletnator away. Again. We keep putting him in jail, but he keeps breaking out."

"Tell me about it. Could be because no one wants him around, not even behind bars."

"I don't know. Maybe if the prison cells were made of something stronger than ice…." she pondered aloud.

"Hey—don't knock the old ways," Maurice warned jokingly.

Abby frowned, studying him. "That lip gloss looks good on you."

He wiped his lips, chuckling embarrassedly. "Crud, I'm wearing lip gloss?"

"Well…I meant on your neck…but yeah, there, too."

Maurice stopped laughing as he continued to wipe away the makeup. "I don't do it because I like to, you know," he stated in a low voice.

"I know," she replied, equally quietly.

"It's just something I have to do, like doing the dishes or mowing the lawn, or…. It's even more important than that, you know? Because if I don't do my chores, the worst that'll happen is I get grounded, but if I don't do this—"

"You don't have to explain it to me."

Maurice scrutinized her, but she avoided his eyes. Why do I only doubt myself when I'm with her?

She looked towards the staircase. "I should—"

"I keep wondering," Maurice interrupted, "when I'm with her, I keep wondering how it would feel if I were with y—"

"Don't," Abby stopped him. She turned to face him. She looked upset. "Just don't."

---

Cree idly stirred milk in a small saucepan over the stove. She put the spoon to her lips—it was still only lukewarm. She sighed impatiently and turned up the heat, stirring more violently, glaring in annoyance at the tepid milk.

"You got it in for that milk or something?"

Cree jumped and turned in the direction of the open window. Chad tilted his head at her.

"There you are," Cree said as she let him in.

Chad furrowed his brow in confusion over this, looked at the floor directly at his feet, then in the immediate vicinity. "Uh, I guess so."

"Maurice said you'd be—"

"Your milk's boiling over."

Cree whipped around to see frothy milk spilling over the edges of the small pot. Cursing loudly, she ran over and turned off the stove. "Ugh, what a mess…." She surveyed what was left of the milk. "Um…do you want any hot cocoa?"

"In this weather?"

"Yeah, I don't know, I was sitting with Maurice and I suddenly wanted some. It's a little chilly in here, don't you think?" she justified, pouring the milk into a mug and adding chocolate syrup. "Look—just enough!" She proudly displayed an almost-full cup.

Chad watched as she snapped the syrup bottle shut, wiping off excess chocolate off in the process, and licked her fingers. It was only after she turned to clean the spilled milk on the stove that he shook his head clear. "So Maurice is here, then?" he inquired unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, he's in the living room with—is Abby still in there?" she suddenly wondered. She pushed through the kitchen door and shouted, "Stop trying to steal my boyfriend!"

More yelling ensued as Abby loudly denied the accusation. Several thunderous moments later, the kitchen door opened again, but this time the younger Lincoln sister entered, muttering under her breath.

She looked up and both she and Chad froze. They were enemies, after all. But Chad took half a step back, showing that he had no interest in fighting her right now. Numbuh Five regarded him warily, but also made no move to attack. She did, however, notice the hot chocolate on the table.

Abby considered for a moment, and then filched Cree's mug of cocoa.

Chad watched her leave with it, secretly wishing she had stolen her sister's boyfriend rather than her hot chocolate.

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author's notes: heh, something about self-pimping Maurice amuses me. anyways, while this fic will be a rather slow-paced one in general, i do promise more action in the next chapter. provided all goes well with it, that is.

i also want to thank everyone who has reviewed my fic, it's really appreciated!