Chapter 17: Girls Night, Boys Night

A few days later, Gus found herself at her weekly girls' night with Lindsay and Stella. They noticed immediately that she was more withdrawn than usual.

"So you never told us what happened with Flack..." Stella started to inquire, she was curious to know the whole story about what had happened between the two of them, and Flack had been his usual closed-off self.

"What do you mean what happened, nothing happened, why would anything have happened?" Gus stuttered out. Even though she enjoyed her blossoming friendship with both women, she still was willing to let them into that part of her life. Especially since she wasn't willing to admit the depth of her feelings for a certain blue-eyed detective.

"Alright then," Stella said, having received a similar answer from Flack.

Lindsay wasn't to let Gus off the hook so easily. "Come on, are you guys fighting or not talking or friends now or what?"

Gus shook her head,"we talked, probably too much, I think we are good. I just don't know though, I mean adjusting to being a cop is one thing, but adjusting to having a partner on top of that is too much!"

"Look at it as us being part of a team, all in together," Stella rationalized, trying to soothe things over for the detectives.

Gus sighed and took a long drink of her margarita, she understood Stella's line of reasoning and also knew that Stella wanted things as easy as possible for all of them. "That makes sense," she answered after swallowing.

Stella nodded, still curious as to the origins of the argument. Both Gus and Mac had hinted at multiple traumas in the younger woman's past, but it was unlike Flack to explode like he had. "So what caused the fight anyway?" she asked.

Gus looked at Lindsay, desperate to not bring up Aiden or Africa or Katrina or anything else about her dark past right then and there. Lindsay swooped in to save her, "oh my god that bartender is hot!" she squealed, very un- Lindsay like. Gus burst out laughing, as Stella followed Lindsay's finger.

Stella furrowed her brow looking at the older Latino man behind the bar. "Really, I didn't think he would be your type, Linds!"

"I don't have a type!" Lindsay shot back, turning beet red, though pleased she had gotten the attention off Gus.

Gus broke into a sly grin, even though she was grateful for her friend's distraction, she couldn't help but tease. "Not even a Danny type?"

And so the joking continued until they parted ways, Gus giving Lindsay a quick thanks while Stella settled up. "No problem, but one day you do have to tell me what happened. ALL of what happened."

"One day," Gus replied, hoping that day would never come.

With this, Gus became much more of a full-fledged part of the NYPD and was officially partnered with Flack, both of them as the lead consult detective liaisons with the crime lab. Gus still had additional psych duties, meaning she had even longer days at the precinct and office. She didn't mind though, because everyone had been working so much as of late that they were all spending more time in the building and on the beat than they were at home.

Things sped along in the way that life seems to when nothing major is going on, pretty much in the same way they had been before Aiden's body had been discovered. Margaritas with the girls, coffee with Sheldon, morbid joking with Sid, nerd talk with Adam, blissful silence with Mac. She tried to avoid being alone with Flack except in the car to and from scenes. It wasn't that hard though, because Danny was around a lot and counted her as one of the guys. They had a couple of awkward moments, but mostly they were able to fill the silence with talk about sports or the weather or other meaningless crap. It suited them both, for the most part.

Eventually they got into deeper conversation, hesitantly, a dance of words and feelings, diving in, pulling back. Mostly it was about childhood: about friendships, about family, eventually about romantic relationships. Flack talked about his early days on the force, becoming friends with Danny even though other people told him not to, about having to give up his mentor. Gus was able to open up too, about growing up in New Orleans, being an only child, a little about the night her parents were murdered, and how Claire offered to sneak her into her dorm room at Northwestern. She told him about boarding school and not fitting in and causing all kinds of trouble for the nuns.

Gus found she was unable to tell him about Gage, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Sure he had belittled and bullied her, had punched her in the face that last nigh in New Orleans. Yes, he was a misogynist jerk who would never have been faithful and the violence probably would have escalated. But over all, Gus had escaped more or less unscathed. She just couldn't admit any of this to Flack, because she was ashamed. Deeply ashamed of the person she had become in that relationship, a person she didn't want Flack to know could exist. So even when Flack told her about his experiences during 9/11, she avoided the subject when he asked about her experiences in New Orleans with Katrina and he didn't push the subject.

Things only got really weird on the night of Adam's birthday. Up until then, she, Danny and Flack had gone everywhere together, and they treated her like one of them in nearly every way. Except when she got male attention she didn't want, then they both took turns playing protector. Not that she needed it, but she let them do it, knowing how much they both enjoyed 'rescuing her'. Both seemed to enjoy her company, called her their 'left wing' when she told them they couldn't call her a wingman. She was able to decode girl speak and other female mysteries for them, as well as throw back an ungodly amount of liquor and followed hockey and football.

One Saturday when they were all at the office working on a case, she saw the crowd of guys pass, elbowing each other and joking, acting more or less like teenaged boys.

Later in the canteen, Flack came up to her with a coffee, looking slightly hesitant. "Um, Gus?"

"Yeah?" Gus replied, taking the coffee and wondering what was about to come out of his mouth, hoping it wasn't something about their argument or that kiss or anything else that could be construed as emotional. Gus all but crossed her fingers behind her back. Things had been going so well, and she wasn't ready for that to end.

Flack refused to make eye contact, finally coming out with, "the guys are kinda going out to night."

What was this, was he nervous? Gus couldn't figure out what was going on, but she didn't want to spook him. "Uh-huh," she replied, looking at the case files piled in front of her instead of him.

"Well it is Adam's birthday," Flack interjected.

"Yes, it is," she said, flipping through the files and not looking up, wanting him to just come out with whatever it was.

Danny had walked in on the tail end of this, "God, Flack don't tell me you are inviting her tonight! I'll give you BB is the total package, but she still is a woman, and we can't have her there."

"Thanks, Dan-o, I was trying to be subtle, but you go ahead and un-invite her," Flack glowered.

Gus finally looked up, staring them both down. "I wasn't invited anywhere, thus I can't be uninvited." She studied them, tapping her pen against the table, wondering why they both seemed nervous. "What's up guys, what are y'all doing for Adam's birthday?"

They both froze, exchanging nervous glances. "Paint ball" said Flack at the same time Danny said "Strip club."

"Messer!" Flack growled.

"What she could come to paint ball!" Danny retorted.

Gus bust out laughing, nearly falling out of her seat. "First off, I could go to either place they let girls in to strip clubs you know, but I won't bust in on your debauchery tonight, I promise. I was just worried that you were going to say brothel. Not that either of you need to buy companions." Her eyes suddenly grew wide, "please, please, please don't tell me if Mac is going or not, I do not want to know."

It was their turn to crack up, "no, he's not coming, I don't think he even acknowledged us when we invited him," Danny chuckled.

Flack leaned over to her, "So you okay with this?"

"Are y'all asking my permission?" Gus asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm not," Danny butted in.

"Why did you ask if Lindsay is?" she volleyed back to him.

"No," he said grimacing.

"Have fun gentlemen, just don't ask for the ladies for change," she said waving them off.

That night she was leaving the same time as the men, but walking in the opposite direction. She heard the footsteps behind her, but didn't pay attention to them until she felt the hand on her arm.

She spun, ready to take out whoever it was. "Oh," she gasped when she saw it was Flack. "What's up?"

"You never said if you were okay with this." His blue eyes nearly pierced her to the sidewalk as much as his hand held her there.

She attempted to wiggle out of his grip, staring him back down. "Didn't know I had to, you guys can do whatever you want for Adam's birthday."

"That wasn't what I was asking," he replied in a low voice.

Gus attempted to ignore what his tone was going to her insides. "Than what are you asking?"

He gave a half shrug, "just didn't think this is the kind of thing you would be fine with."

"Am I the number one proponent for the adult entertainment industry, no; but they are adults who are allowed to choose how they make their money. Sex work is actual work. I had a friend who did it for in grad school to cover her tuition. She got out though, a lot of them don't." Gus stepped back, trying to put distance between them, hoping to cool the heat rising through her body as he continued to stare at her.

Flack looked down at her, trying to decipher is she was telling the truth and also trying to figure out why he wanted her to be fine with this. "So we're good?" he asked again.

"Flack, I'm not going to give you permission, I'm not your mother, I'm not anything, it doesn't matter if I'm good with it!" She flung her arms up in the air in frustration.

He looked after the group, who were waiting on him just down the block and then back at Gus. "Well, what are you going to do then?"

"New flash, I do have a life!"

"'Cause if you don't want me to go..." Flack realized how much he wanted her to ask him to not go.

Gus chocked a scream back, gripping both of his arms. "Don, listen to me: it doesn't matter what I think, I don't ask you before I go out with Lindsay or Stella or anyone for that matter. You don't ask me before you go out on a date do you? So, why is this different?" she dropped her hands and crossed them over her chest.

"I haven't actually been on a date in a while," he admitted meekly.

She looked up at him warily, "define a while." He refused to look at her or answer. "Oh god, you haven't been on a date since the roof have you?" He stared intently at his shoes. "Flack!" she said, her voice rising. "Crap, your boys are coming," Gus said seeing the guys headed back their way, restless and ready to go.

"You coming or not man?" Danny asked.

"Would y'all please take him!" Gus said, plastering on her beauty queen smile. "And do me a favor and make sure he doesn't leave the club without at least 3 phone numbers."

"Sweet"!" she heard Adam remark. Danny was already dragging Flack ahead.

Hawkes turned to look back at her. "You alright"? he asked.

"Not you too," she groaned "Go, have fun, be careful," she called to the group walking away.

Danny drunk dialed her at 2am, "we should have had you come Gus, we don't understand these women," he slurred.

"It's pretty simple Danny, you give them their money, they pretend to like you."

"Oh," he said giggling. She heard music and the guys in the background.

"You aren't talking to Monroe are you?" she heard Adam ask."

She'd kill me," Danny said laughing even harder now, "it's Gus, I was trying to have her tell me how to get, 'what's your name sweetheart' -Candy to like me."

"Hang up Danny," she heard Flack bark. Rustling ensued, then, "sorry about that, he's really wasted."

"How you coming on those numbers, Flack?" Gus asked him with a smirk in her tone.

"Yeah, thanks for that by the way," he said sarcastically.

"Try to have fun, blue eyes," she said hanging up.

"Good night, sunshine' Flack said before realizing the guys could hear him. Luckily they were all engrossed in the very limber young woman in front of them.

Gus hung up her phone and looked over at the lump in her bed. She nudged with her toe until it moved, a head full of dark hair emerging. "You need to go home now," she said to him. What was his name, Peter? Brian? Either was he was way too young.

"Huhnguar?" said the sleepy male.

"Home, you need to go there, now. You need me to call you a cab?"

"Nah, I'm good. Um...thanks," he looked around nervously after getting dressed. "I um-"

"Don't worry about the pleasantries. And don't call," Gus commanded.

"You didn't give me your number," he pointed out.

"Exactly. Good. Bye." Gus finger waved at him as he backed out of her room.

She probably should have felt bad about kicking a 22 year old out into the night at 2am, but he could take care of himself. She hadn't meant to bring anyone home, hadn't even meant to go into that bar, but everyone else was otherwise occupied, and she had told Flack she had her own life, she wanted to make sure she had been telling the truth. She couldn't help it that a tall dark haired guy was in there with what she had thought were blue eyes...

Chapter 18: Morning After

Bright light, too bright, streamed through Flack's bedroom window. He rolled away from it, and nuzzled into the soft warm body beside him. "Morning sunshine," he said into the long blond hair.

And then his heart stopped. The girl rolled over and he didn't recognize her. Oh god, she wasn't a stripper was she?

"Morning yourself," the women said, contentedly. "I've never gone home with a cop before, we usually don't get guys as hot as you in the bar."

That damn bar, it clicked into Flack's head. After the club, they went to the pretentious bar next door, whose idea was that? After enough drinks, the girl started to remind him of Gus, and he took her home. Now what was her damn name? Staci, Traci, Laci, something obnoxious and with an "i" he remembered.

"You know what would be super?" the girl practically bounced on the bed like a puppy.

"Strong coffee and an aspirin?" Flack sneered.

"No silly, brunch!"

Brunch, did he look like a brunch kind of guy? He hoped not. "Um, actually Maci," thank god it had come to him, "I have to go to my grandmother's house for," he looked at the clock, "lunch."

"Aw, that's so sweet," she gushed.

Flack felt like he was going to be sick. "So you need to go home now," he said slowly, staring her down.

"Oh, oh, this was like a one time thing, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he said smirking.

"Oh, um, okay then, um like thanks and stuff. If you ever want to do this again, you can like call me."

"Not likely," he muttered.

"By-e then," she said, bouncing down the stairs.

Half an hour later after a shameful shower, he found himself calling Gus, guided by a force greater than himself.

"Morning, detective," she answered a little too sunnily to not be fake.

"Afternoon, now, isn't it?" he asked.

"Well, then. So did your overnight guest just leave then?" she pressed on, laughter in her tone.

Flack stared at the phone. "How did you know?"

"I didn't, but you just sold yourself out." He groaned. "Good for you, Flack, was she cute?" Gus pressed on, trying to ignore the sadness filling her heart.

"I'm not having this conversation." Flack mentally kicked himself for calling her, but kicked himself even more for not having done it after they left the club.

"Aw, come on, you're no fun. What did you call for then, if not for advice or sharing?" she pointed out.

"To see if you wanted to go get coffee and food, I'm out of both," he replied, hoping she would believe him.

Gus clucked after him, "poor thing, why don't you just come over? I don't think I am fit for public consumption."

"See you in a few then," Flack replied, his shame replaced with something akin to relief at being able to see her.

By the time Flack was knocking on her door, she had a full spread of eggs, bacon, toast, chicory coffee, and cheese grits. She answered the door, in jeans and a long-sleeved tee, her hair still damp from the shower, in glasses and bare feet. "I see the building's high-tech security system has been breached again?"

"Mrs. Potter has her walker stuck in the door again. I tried to go all cop on her, but she just pinched my cheek. Hard," he said rubbing his face, with the sleeve of his Ranger's jersey. He stepped in, following her to the kitchen, "it only took me 25 minutes to get here, Gus."

"I move fast. And I was already making the grits, and that's my 2nd pot of coffee," Gus pointed out. "So no food for your overnight guest then?" he queried, hoping for a negative answer.

She knew he was teasing, but couldn't help but take the opportunity to take the upper hand. "No, I kicked him out around the time Danny drunk dialed me, so no, no food for Peter...Brian...whatever his name was."

"I was only joking," Flack muttered, his mouth full of toast.

"I have a table you know," she said swatting him away from dunking toast in her pot of grits.

"Too civilized," he retorted. "What the hell are these anyway?" he said making a face after swallowing the grits.

"You don't have to eat them, more for me," she replied, rolling her eyes.

Later, stuffed and sprawled on opposite ends of Gus' couch with the game on, Flack said, "this is the best way to nurse a hangover."

"So you had a good time then?" Gus asked.

"Meh," he responded noncommittally.

Gus pulled herself up slightly. "It's fine if you did, you know are allowed to have fun."

"I know," he said, flipping channels and not looking at her.

Sinking her teeth in, Gus pressed on. "So you going to see her again?"

"Who?" Flack asked, stabbing at the remote buttons harder than he needed to.

"You didn't tell me her name," Gus pointed out.

"Oh, Maci, not likely." Flack ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach, not wanting the mood to be ruined.

"Why not?"

Flack gave a small growl, why did Gus always have to be like a dog with a bone? "She was a badge bunny. And...perky," he said sounding horrified.

Gus raised her eyebrows at him. "You didn't pick up on that before you brought her home?"

"Hey now, you were the one that sent me on a numbers mission," he pointed out, finally staring back at her.

"I guess I did," Gus said, flopping back sullenly.

"What about you? Any hope of meeting, Peter or Brian or whatever his name is?"

"Hell no, that boy was a child, I can't handle that kind of drama. Besides, I didn't get or give any numbers."

"Cradle robber," he teased, tossing a pillow at her.

She caught it, hugging it to her, "I didn't know it until he said he was still in school. And he was legal, thank you very much. Besides, did you ID your conquest?"

"No, I didn't know I was supposed to. See I need you to teach me the rules," he said yawning and stretching.

Gus caught a glimpse of his well tone abs between his jersey and jeans and swallowed, looking away, chanting 'stopitstopitstoptit' to herself.

"You still with me?" he asked.

"Huh, yeah," she said shaking her head.

"How is your couch so much more comfortable than mine?" he asked.

"Because mine isn't a million years old from someone's basement," she teased.

"That would explain it, mine was free though."

"Cheapskate."

"Am not."

"Whatever," she said grabbing the remote back from him.

They lay in silence for some time, in fact Gus thought Flack was asleep when he spoke, "it was weird, ya know."

"What was?" she said half awake herself.

"Waking up to a stranger, I almost thought-" he cut himself off, disbelieving that he almost told Gus he had thought it was her.

"So you're not in the habit of sleeping with strangers, hardly makes me think less of you, Don," she said yawning, wide, stretching.

"How come you never wear glasses at work?" he asked.

"Alright Mr. Random. I don't like wearing them, they make me look nerdier than I already am, I have an unnatural attachment to my contacts."

"Well I like them, they kind of give you this sexy librarian look. Which means you should never ever wear them to work."

"I'll keep that in mind," she yawned again, "listen, I'm either going to have to get out of this place or fall asleep, so it's up to you if you want to go do something or if you want to go home."

"Just take a nap then. It's all your couch's fault though, damn thing sucks you in."

"You sure you don't have more exciting things to go do?" Gus asked, praying his answer was no.

"Hey, you've got cable, hockey's on, I'm good."

"Well just let yourself out then, whenever," she said drifting off.

Now neither of them will claim responsibility or tell you they know how it happened, but somehow Gus woke up from her nap snuggled peacefully against Flack. She froze upon realization, not wanting to move, or breathe, having no clue what to do. As fate would have it, their phones went off at that moment, and both scrambled for them.

After calling in they looked at each other. "Weird, I was told to get in no matter what state I was in."

"Me too, this must be bad."

"Yeah."

Walking up to the station, Flack couldn't resist teasing her, "Sleep well, sunshine?"

"You breathe one word about this to anyone, and I will kill you," she snarled.

"Don't worry. I just wouldn't have pegged you for a drooler, that's all."

Gus dropped her head against the wall.

The case was bad, a van full of dead college kids. Feds were already there to consult and everyone else on the team had managed to get there looking a tad more professional.

"Hey there flotsam and jetsam, nice of you to join us," Stella proclaimed. "I got the page 10 minutes ago."

"First call went out 2 hours ago," Mac said. They both looked down at their phones, Gus' pre-War building had horrible cell reception.

"6 missed calls," they both said.

"Great, just great," Flack said, heading off to the briefing room.

"You two weren't, you know," Lindsay asked her as he walked away.

"No, not at all. I fed him that's all. Besides he hooked up with someone last night after all the guys went out."

"All the guys went out?" Lindsay looked crestfallen.

"Except Mac," Gus said, making a face.

"Danny went out?" Lindsay replied quietly.

Gus smirked, "especially Danny. He drunk dialed me at two," seeing her friend's expression she quickly said, "I'm pretty sure he went home alone, Linds."

"Doesn't matter," Lindsay bristled.

"Sure it doesn't," Gus retorted.

Lindsay sighed, "about as much as it doesn't matter about Flack going home with someone, Augusta."

"Ouch...truce then?"

"Truce." Lindsay knew her too well.

"Five victims were found early this morning in their touring van. They were in town to play a benefit at NYU for victims of the hurricane. All were attending school in New Orleans," the agent briefing them started. Gus could feel eyes in the room turning to her. "All five were strangled and suffocated. On the side of their van the words 'no more refugees' was spray painted".

Lindsay leaned over to Gus, "You alright?"

"People died in New Orleans all the time you know, people from New York probably died in New Orleans as well," Gus replied, lying through her teeth.

"Forensically, we have collected a large amount of evidence, but since it was a rented van and had traveled many miles, it is going to be hard to sort through," Stella remarked to the teams gathered.

"And for those of you wondering why the feds are here, it has been decided that New Orleans and New York both don't need any more bad press, so we are going to work together to get this case solved," the precinct chief spoke up. "Forensic teams will work jointly in our lab. Detectives and agents, the crime scene photos are on the board here, patrols are already canvassing the neighborhood."

Gus wandered over and squeezed in beside Flack, who shielded her from the throng of the Feds trying to take over. "Thanks," she whispered.

"No problem, you okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" Gus started to say studying the photos. Suddenly she clapped a hand to her mouth and stumbled back. "Jesus Christ" she uttered, running out of the room. She had to get out, she had to get fresh air...

"Gus, hold up, what's going on" Flack caught up with her and steadied her on her wavering feet.

"Those kids, Flack, shit, I.." she felt the world going dark and knew she was going to hurl. Flack didn't manage to clear in time before the contents of their breakfast was splayed on his shoes. Gus slid against the wall the ground. "I'm so sorry," she said starting to hyperventilate.

"Only shoes, but what is going on", Flack said wiping off the mess with a look of concern and disgust on his face.

"I knew one of them, Flack, I knew the girl" Gus said gasping for air.

"The girl from New Orleans?" Flack didn't see how this was possible, what were the damn odds?

"Yeah, she was a student worker for me at Loyola, I knew she was in a band, would always invite me to her shows but they always started really late…" Gus started to shake uncontrollably. She really was bad luck, everyone that knew her ended up dead.

"Gus, look at me, let's get you somewhere where you can sit, you want to go to Johnny's?" Flack gestured to the diner down the street. Gus nodded her head. "Look I gotta call in and tell them you are off the case."

"No!" Gus exclaimed, jerking up right, slowly picking herself up off the ground.

"You can't be in on this, sunshine, the feds are already here and we have to do this by the book, you are too involved." Flack turned around and dialed Mac. "It's Flack, listen I am, uh, going to take Gus to get something to eat. Yeah, I know, yep she just confirmed it with me, she knew the girl. No, I am going to try to figure that out now." Flack hung up his phone and then re-dialed and went through the same spiel with their homicide lieutenant. "Come on, let's get you away from that." Flack tried to not grimace at the mess on the sidewalk.

Once seated in a green vinyl booth, the waitress came over to greet them, "What can I get you folks?" she said snapping her gum.

"Hot chocolate and a Quaalude," Gus murmured.

"What you say, honey?"

"Hot chocolate," Gus said looking up, "extra whipped cream."

"All right and you sweet cheeks?"

"Coffee. And a slice of pie, two forks," Flack said, not taking his eyes off Gus who was looking paler by the second.

"I'm not hungry," Gus grumbled when the waitress sat down the steaming mugs, slice of apple pie and forks.

"We are good thanks," Flack said to the server smiling politely. "So don't eat it. I however, need pie." He dug in with gusto. "So tell me what is going on."

Gus wrapped her hands around the steaming mug, her eyes going soft into the distance, "I don't know, just seeing those kids, like they haven't had it rough enough with their whole life being turned upside down and who knows what destroyed and then someone kills them because they don't want anybody else in their town? Like those kids would be mooching off anyone, they probable came from good families. Oh God, their families! Who is going to notify them?"

"Don't worry, I think they already identified them and the feds can make the calls, they have the resources to do it in person", Flack looked back at her, "I am a little more worried about you right now."

"I'm fine" Gus sighed, "No, I'm not..." Gus trailed off, somewhere else for a minute, "I'll be fine, you think I would be used to this by now."

"You haven't been a cop all that long, and it is hard when the vic is someone you know," Flack tried to sympathize.

"Not what I meant, but thanks," Gus drained her mug, "now if you don't mind, I think I just want to go home and have bath and a real drink and forget as much as I can."

"You want me to come with you?" Flack tossed some money on the table.

"Nah, blue eyes, I can make it on my own," Gus gave him a quick nanosecond hug, "just go catch whoever did this."

And with that she was gone.

Chapter 19: Talk Don't Talk

Later in the week, Flack said the words of doom, "we should talk." Of course he said this while they were stuck in traffic on the bridge.

Gus wondered if she should just throw herself over the side of the bridge. Instead she stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes, "fine."

"Sunday-" he started.

"No one thinks anything is going on between us, Flack, otherwise they would split us up which is fine since nothing is going on between us." He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "And Danny knew you had gone home with someone and I told Lindsay and I am over the whole New Orleans kids thing, it happens-" he kept drumming. She stopped talking.

"You done?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep."

"I was just going to ask if you could not tell me about any of your future cradle robbing escapades."

"I told you, he was 22, of age!"

"Or any of your conquests then because I decided I didn't want to know."

Hmm'kay," came her reply.

"Hmm'kay," he joked, poking her.

"As long as you don't tell me yours then," she shot back.

"Why, are you jealous?" Flack had a feeling her answer was yes, but he also knew better than to think for a moment she would admit that.

She snorted, "at least I have green eyes naturally." She stopped kidding, "seriously though, Flack, I think it is good for you to be out there. You are a great guy and you should have someone to share life with."

"I got plenty of people for that," Flack replied.

"Share your bed then," she smirked.

"As long as you take your own advice, sunshine."

"My job makes that a little impossible."

"Oh and mine doesn't, I know I don't have as many cases as you, but I get just as many calls as you do."

She turned to face him, "I'm not getting into a pissing contest with you. And you're right it's hard for everyone on the team. I'm just not the best at relationships, but you know all about that."

"Maybe you just need more practice," Flack pointed out, leaving off how much he wanted her to practice with him.

"As long as I don't tell you about it, right?"

He stared back at her, the silence swallowing them both. Gus had to clasp her hands together in order to not reach out and touch him. A horn blasted behind them, traffic moving up ahead.

A few moments later Gus deadpanned, "Sorry I drooled on you, Don."

Flack broke out laughing. "It's okay, I'm just glad you slept."

After a few weeks of giving in to the notion, Gus became rather comfortable with being partnered with Flack. Having someone have your back was a nice thing, something she hadn't ever had before in a genuine sense. And he was a great cop, even if he did not see any shades of gray between good guy and bad guy. Her only issues were during interrogations, when he accused her of being too nice or gullible.

He caught her in her office to chastise her after a questioning, "never would have thought that would be a problem for you, sunshine. You being so jaded and all."

"I am not jaded, you are just mean."

"I am not paid to be nice, and you aren't either anymore."

"Fine, I won't be nice."

"Just in the interrogation room, Gus, I know you like to go all in and stuff, but I don't want to see you turning into a total cop."

"Would y'all please make up your minds, either I can be a cop or I can't. I'm not a freaking Prius!"

"What?"

"Hybrid car, you know electric/gas."

"How can you be so hot and such a nerd?" he asked.

She flushed. "It's my super power," she stammered out. Gus glanced over at Flack to see if he had reacted to his calling her hot.

Of course he was as straight faced as always. "I'd rather be able to shoot laser beams from my eyes."

"Are we seriously having this conversation?"

"Why not?"

"Well, in that case, I think you already can, I've seen some suspects die under your glare." He puffed up at that. "Don't get cocky, Flack, it doesn't become you."

He shrugged. "Fine. So how have you been sleeping?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Nowhere, just can't have you falling asleep on your feet. Seeing as you fall over them and all as it is."

"You are such a comedian. How have you been sleeping or should I say who-?"

"Thought I said we weren't going to talk about that stuff," he cut in.

"Because it bugged you, remember, I never said it bothered me." He didn't respond, except tensing his jaw. She sighed, "your eyebrow's going to start twitching again if you don't unclench your jaw."

"Do you have to call me out on everything?"

"I don't do it in front of other people, do I?"

"No, thanks for that, but still."

"I'm just saying. Anyway, I had just heard some rumor's about you and that new chick in SSTU, was curious that's all."

"Gus, you and I work together at least 50 hours every week, don't you think you would know if I was sleeping with someone from the precinct?"

"I don't spend every second with you. Nor do I know what you do when not a work. Besides there are plenty of places to get busy without being seen at the precinct."

Flack stared, "you know this from experience?" "Thought we weren't talking about this?"

"You opened it up. And by the way, we do spend an inordinate amount of time together outside the office, people have stated calling you, me, and Messer the three musketeers. So you probably would know if I was hooking up with Michelle."

"Yeah, freaking Adam started that one, I should wring his scrawny neck. Michelle, huh, I didn't even know her name." Gus looked at Flack with a sly smile, hoping for a reaction.

"Don't start, there is nothing going on with her, she's nice enough but...I think she is looking for a husband on the force."

"Figures, SSTU people aren't even real cops."

"Says little miss I ain't a cop."

"I got over that, thank you."

He snorted, "Fine. But don't believe every rumor you hear around this joint. Otherwise I would be asking if that jerk Dennis in Major Case was treating you OK."

"Huh?" Gus was thoroughly confused.

"Rumors run in every direction in the house, why do you think I like the lab so much, it is more contained over there."

"Oh except for wondering about Danny and Lindsay, Stella and Mac, you and Lindsay, Me and Hawkes, Hawkes and Stella. Those techs think we are a freaking soap opera."

"People talk about me and Lindsay?"

People talk about you and everyone, blue eyes, I ain't the only hot one in this partnership." And with that, she finally got him to blush. "Hmm," she said sitting back, satisfied.

"Are you really alight about that New Orleans girl?" Flack asked her, serious again.

"As good as one can be, seems like there are some great leads on the case, not that I am supposed to know anything about it," Gus leaned back in the seat, letting the sun shine on her face, "I guess you just never know when its all going to be over," she said sounding wise beyond her years.

"I guess not," Flack replied not enjoying the melancholy turn the conversation was taking, so he turned up the radio and drove on.