Chapter 105: Margarita Pie
Gus tromped over to Blue Moon happy to be meeting her friends, but feeling at a loss as to what she could possibly share with them tonight.
"Flack proposed, but I turned him down like an idiot and now I think I may have messed up our entire relationship but I offered him a crap consolation prize of moving in, what about you Stel, how you doing with the whole HIV thing?" Gus could only imagine how that would go down.
Lindsay was already ensconced in a booth, pitcher of margaritas waiting, playing with a nacho. "Tell me Stella isn't standing me up again?" Gus exclaimed sliding into the booth.
"Nope, she just had to finish up a file for Mac. Who wasn't even there mind you, but whatever," Lindsay said, slightly mopey.
"Peyton?" Gus inquired with raised eyebrows and disdain.
"Yep wanted his 'opinion' at an autopsy, as if she doesn't tout having sixteen years experience on her own," Lindsay grumbled.
They pair glowered for a moment, trying to brighten as Stella slid in beside Gus, "why so downcast, ladies?"
"Life, men, Peyton," Gus snipped.
"She's not that bad, she's just..." Stella pondered for a moment, "British?"
"Something like that," Lindsay sighed.
Gus took a long swallow of her margarita, "I see Juan packed these full of punch again," she sputtered.
"I feel like we need it, to good friends, my city musketeers," Lindsay said raising her glass.
"Here, here," Stella replied.
"Salut," Gus said, clinking her glass against the others.
They chit chatted for a while about random pointless things until suddenly Stella cleared her throat. Gus and Lindsey grew silent, staring at their friend until Stella finally spoke, "Lindsay there is something I have to tell you, something that happened while you were in Montana."
"Oh God, is Danny seeing someone? But he-" Lindsay clapped a hand over her mouth and then removed it to take a huge swallow of margarita.
"Danny? No" Stella's curls bounced as she shook her head, "I was cut at a crime scene, there was a lot of glass and blood and the vic had AIDS. I am waiting on a test to determine if I am HIV positive. I think most everyone knows about it and I didn't want you to hear about it from anyone other than me."
"Oh God, Stella!" Lindsay exclaimed, "why didn't you say anything? You knew Gus?"
Gus cast a look at Stella and slowly nodded.
Lindsay looked wounded for a moment and then composed herself, "If there is anything you need, day or night, you call me, you hear?"
"Thanks Linds, thanks to the both of you, I don't think I could handle this on my own. Just promise me, you will stand by me no matter what!" Stella looked at them with pleading eyes.
"Of course, Stella, don't be ridiculous," Gus assured her.
"Couldn't imagine doing anything but," Lindsay added.
The mood turned serious and they talked about cases and the Lindsay's trial and Gus' fear over her stalker. Time slipped away as they caught up over all the had happened in the past month. Of course things got back around to the subject of Flack and Gus with Lindsay trying to innocently ask, "so how are things with you two then?"
Gus squirmed slightly and took a huge drink as Stella and Lindsay shared a long look. "It is good, but things just keep seeming..." she trailed off as Lindsay and Stella remarked in unison, "complicated?!"
The trio bust out into squeals and into another round of drinks. Lindsay suddenly burst out with, "Danny flew to Montana."
Gus snickered as Stella looked amazed.
"For the trial?" she asked. Lindsay and Gus both nodded. "And you knew?" Stella turned to Gus. Gus nodded slowly yet again. "How many secrets do you have?" Stella asked Gus quietly.
"Too many," Gus groaned.
"Any you want to share?" Lindsay pressed.
"Yes," Gus said into her drink, "I can't though," she sighed.
"What if we guess?" Lindsay asked.
"Nope."
"Come on, it can be like a game," Lindsay egged on.
"Yeah, like 20 questions," Stella piped in.
"We have obviously all had too much to drink" Gus retorted, gesturing to the wasteland of empty pitchers and glasses and limes, knocking over the empty nacho basket.
"You aren't going to tell us, are you?" Stella said, eyes bright.
"Gus, you are no fun," Lindsay whined in a half slur.
"Be that as it may, but if I started telling no one would tell me anything," Gus said, trying to focus on her friends.
All three nodded, admitting it was true and also realizing the restaurant had emptied out and they were the only ones left beside the servers.
"Er, um, I think we might need to leave," Lindsay pointed out. They settled their tab and wandered into the night.
"Yeah, so where we headed?" Stella asked, enjoying being out of her head and fears for a while.
"Home?" Gus ventured.
"That's boring. I wonder what the boy are up to?"
"Danny, Sheldon, Flack and Adam are playing poker at Danny's," Gus said, happy to be revealing something that wasn't a secret.
"Adam?" Lindsay remarked.
"He's like their mascot now," Gus grinned.
"We should go crash their party," Stella grinned wickedly.
"Why have we dissolved into junior high girls?" Gus protested.
"What happened to your sense of adventure, swamp girl?" Stella shot back.
"Fine. But if they are done playing and we wake up Danny and he is pissed, I am using Lindsay as a shield," Gus grumbled as she climbed into the cab Stella had hailed.
They stood in front of Danny's apartment door, having slipped into the building, or more accurately strolling in after some man walking his dog held the door for them.
"I ain't knocking, dawlin' no way," Gus said.
"Me neither," Stella said, suddenly thinking this was a dumb, juvenile and very un-Stella like think to do.
"Fine, I will!" Lindsay said, wavering slightly on her feet and feeling the full effects of the tequila. She knocked loudly and rapidly, all three of them taking note that it did not sound like anyone was inside playing poker.
"I'm comin', I'm comin' keep your pants on," Danny called crossly from within.
For some reason, this struck Gus as a hilarious statement, as she could only imagine that Danny would prefer that Lindsay not keep her pants on and she doubled over in silent laughter in the hallway.
Stella leaned over to check on Gus as Danny threw open the door saying, "Flack, for the last time, I wasn't cheatin' it just wasn't your ni-" he broke off seeing Lindsay standing sheepishly there.
"Montana?" he exclaimed with a wide grin. Lindsay's eyes grew wide as she tried to stammer out a greeting.
Danny noticed a red faced Gus wiping tears from her eyes and Stella with her heard buried in her hands. "You guys alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," Gus said, "But I gotta go," she said, bolting for the stairs.
"I should see if she is okay, lots of margaritas," Stella said, racing off after Gus.
"You guys!" Lindsay protested.
"So what about you, Montana? Did you have lots of margaritas?"
"Don't get any ideas there, cowboy," Lindsay quipped, looking nervous.
"No ideas, but you want to go get some pie or something, I am starving." Danny grinned.
"Pie?" Lindsay squeaked.
"Yeah, you know crust, some sort of fruit filling, whipped cream, ice cream if you are lucky?" Danny joked.
"I like pie," Lindsay stammered.
"Me too, just let me grab my wallet, fattened by Flack and Hawkes, I might add," Danny grinned like a cat.
"Nice flight or fight reaction, Gus" Stella laughed out in front of Danny's building.
"Well, what were we doing? We probably look like idiots."
"Probably so. And it is late. I'm going to head home," Stella said, flagging down another cab.
"Me too," Gus said.
"Say thanks to Flack again for me," Stella said, sliding into the cab.
"I will," Gus said, groaning at Stella's knowing smirk as she hailed the next cab coming down the street.
Gus fumbled into her apartment, struggling with her bag, shoes and coat. Setting the alarm, she padded into the bedroom where Flack was aimlessly flipping through channels. "So was Danny cheating?"
"Huh?" Flack looked at her in bewilderment, wondering what the hell the discussions had been over margaritas.
"At cards? You know the poker game."
"I don't know, Adam was the only one who didn't loose big time," Flack replied bemused."Wait, how do you know about the poker game?"
Gus whistled softly to herself, stripping down to her underwear and pulling on a tank top, "maybe we somehow ended up at Danny's" she said meekly, sliding into bed, shoving Flack over.
"Somehow ended up at Danny's? How much did you have to drink?"
"Me personally or the table?" Gus grinned, snuggling up on beside him.
"Either," he said with a grin, poking at her nose, "are you drunk?"
"You know me and tequila. Why, you want to take advantage of me?" Gus flirted.
"Nope, just want to know how mean you are going to be in the morning," Flack kissed her on the head.
"Thanks a lot," Gus swatted at him. "I'm glad you came back here," she said softly.
"I thought I lived here now," Flack dimpled, moving in for a kiss.
"Oh my god we left Lindsay at Danny's!" Gus suddenly exclaimed.
"You just now realized this?" Flack was beyond amused.
"No, I knew it, but we left a drunk Lindsay at Danny's. He better not do anything stupid," Gus grumbled.
"He won't, Messer is a good guy at heart," Flack reassured her.
"Promise?"
"Promise!" Flack said sliding a hand under her tank top, "I however, might not be," he grinned wickedly.
"Oh please," Gus' snort turned into a whimper, "okay, maybe you aren't," she moaned.
"We're gonna be late, sunshine," Flack said, poking at Gus with one hand while holding coffee in the other.
"Crap," Gus groaned as she peered at the clock.
"How many pitchers of margaritas did you say you went through?"
"Five, no six, no, I dunno," Gus grunted, grabbing at the coffee. "Ten minutes," she said, shuffling off to the the shower.
"Do me a favor and drink the coffee in the shower, otherwise I don't want to get close to you," Flack called after her.
"Not the tune you were singing last night," Gus yelled back, wincing as she did so.
Flack snickered and then sat on the sofa, thinking he would be more than happy to hang his television over the fireplace, where Gus' had been, but he would need to buy a new bracket and he wasn't so sure all of his books would fit and...
"Where y'at, blue eyes?" Gus asked, coming out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair.
"Just thinking," he replied as she ducked into the bedroom.
"Good thoughts, I hope," she called back.
"Yeah, I was thinking not all of my books are going to fit on your bookcases."
"So we'll buy more. Tell me you are bringing your wonder-bed," Gus said, smiling to herself as she threw on clothes.
"Yeah, but Sam is going to whine about not having one."
"She can have mine," Gus said coming out, pulling her damp hair into a messy bun.
"You sure?"
"Where would be put two beds, Flack?"
"True. You are still alright with this, huh?" Flack drew Gus into his arms.
Gus smiled up at him, "yeah, I am. But as you said, we were going to be late." She wriggled out of his embrace.
"I did, didn't I?" he sighed, "I guess I just still don't understand why you are fine with living together but not with-"
Gus threw her shoe at him, "Do not say the 'm' word, Flack. I am fine with what I am fine with, take it or leave it."
"I'm taking it, I'm taking it, I am just saying," he handed her back her shoe.
"Say all you want. I am a freak, I get that!" Gus said, slipping the shoe on and debating if she needed a coat or not.
"It's gonna be warm, windbreaker at the most and you aren't a freak," Flack said, knowing what she was pondering.
"You have got to stop doing that," Gus grinned, pushing him toward the door.
"Not a chance," he replied, kissing her on the neck as she set the alarm.
Gus concentrated on breathing in and out slowly through her nose and visualizing taking a bath in coffee through their roll call meeting.
"How many hours have you clocked this week, Broussard?" Lieutenant Daddino asked her as the meeting was adjourned.
"I don't know, 53, I think," Gus calculated in her head.
"And when if your next scheduled day off?" he said taking in the green tinge on her skin.
"I am on call this weekend," Gus shrugged, it was one of those weird schedules where they had to work an endless stream of days in a row, but she hadn't cared as it was building back up her comp and leave time.
"You look like hell," Daddino finally said.
"Thanks, Loo, you always know how to charm the ladies," Gus said, trying to ignore the pounding in her head and wondering where Flack had run off too so quickly out of the room and praying it wasn't a call.
"I'm serious, anything you want to talk about?" her Lieutenant questioned carefully.
Gus shook her head, but mid shake realized that was a bad idea, "probably just because I haven't put on makeup yet," she shrugged.
"You are like the walking dead this morning, you sure that is all?" Daddino pressed on.
Gus closed her eyes briefly, thinking 'oh yeah, just a little marriage proposal from my partner that I turned down because I am a wuss but I think he is moving in and I don't really know how I feel about that and I despise my uncle's first real girlfriend since my aunt died and my friends and I got plastered last night proving that I am getting too old, something further proved by the underage cousin who I took accompanied to a bar'.
Finally she spit out, "to be honest Loo, I went out with Stella and Lindsay from the CSI team last night and I think we had too many margaritas."
Daddino broke into laughter, "ah the margarita hangover, been there myself. Well go put on some makeup before you frighten any small children or the boys in the pit, they aren't used to seeing you look so rough."
"Jesus, thanks a lot Loo!" Gus cried, wanting to stomp off but also wanting to not hurl up her coffee.
In the locker room, the Lieutenant's statements were supported as Gus looked in the mirror, she did have kind of a monstrous look going on, her only hope was that Lindsay and Stella were looking and feeling much the same way.
She quickly made up her face grumbling over why Flack had not mentioned she looked like she should be laid out in a coffin or lying face down in the gutter on Decatur Street, texting him on the way out of the locker room.
Why didn't you mention I looked like I should be on Sid's table?xo -G
His reply pinged seconds later.
You still are gorgeous to me, wouldn't let you anywhere near Sid's table, his is a twisted one, meet me in the lab, have something for you xxoo -F
Gus broke out into a wide and sunny smile so much that Parker snickered, "glad to see you aren't dead over there, rough night?"
"Girls' night," Gus responded, turning the corner to head to the lab.
Gus wandered up the hallway, wondering what on earth Flack may have for her in the lab, she was praying it was not some grotesque piece of evidence drudged up from the evidence locker by Danny in retaliation for their little visit the night before.
Gus was more then pleasantly surprised to see Flack with Stella and Lindsay at a table in the canteen with an array greasy breakfast foods.
"You are so my hero," Gus exclaimed pulling open the glass door to the room.
"Shh, Gus," Stella said, savoring a huge bite of her food.
"Sorry," Gus dropped her voice to a whisper as she grabbed the bag Flack was holding out for her.
"I seemed to recall you doing the same for Danny and I a while ago, figured I should return the favor."
"Speaking of Danny, how did you end up last night?" Gus asked Lindsay who blushed to her roots.
"Pie," was all she stammered out.
"Pi, like 3.14159?" Sheldon asked, stepping into the canteen as Gus groaned, unwrapping the biscuit loaded with cheese, egg and bacon. He shook his head and then took in the condition of the three women sitting around the table, "well you either had a really bad night or a good one."
"Good," all three responded in various gruff voices.
Sheldon just looked at Flack. "Apparently many pitchers of margaritas were involved," he said with a dimpled smirk.
"Ah, I see. Well hate to break up this little party, but I have some results on that test you had me run Stella on the old Ferguson case."
Stella sighed, took one last bite of food and a gulp of her coffee. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Thanks again, Flack. You two are out to get me I swear!" she said pointing at Gus and Lindsey, "I am too old for you both!"
"No you aren't, Stella," Lindsay exclaimed.
"While I agree with Linds, I think we may all be too old!" Gus said. "Water and B-12," she called to Stella's retreating figure.
"So pie?" Gus asked once Sheldon and Stella had left the room.
Lindsey shot Flack a look, but opened her mouth to speak, "after you took off like a bat out of hell, thanks for that again by the way, Danny said he was hungry and wanted pie. So we went to a diner around the corner from his place where he proceeded to devour everything on the menu and I tried to not pass out in my pie. They make a mean peach one by the way."
"And?" Gus said with raised eyebrows.
"He flagged me down a cab and I went home," Lindsay said, crumpling her wrapper.
"That's it? That's all you got?" Flack bust in.
"I'm sorry, Don, did I ask your opinion?" Lindsey sniffed.
"Well that is the last time I bring you hangover breakfast," he said, mock wounded.
"Sorry, it's just a weird situation, one that only came about because your sweetheart over there bolted out of the Danny's building so fast you would have thought the building was on fire!" Lindsay huffed, shooting Gus an evil glare.
Gus wilted under her stare and mumbled, "Sweetheart? What is this 1952?"
Flack snorted and had to bite back a comment of his own while Lindsay rolled her eyes, "you make a crap cupid, Broussard."
"Oh that reminds me!" Gus said, slapping her hand on the table and then grimaced at Lindsay's wince.
She held up a finger while scrounging in her bag, "I had a message from Mandy, she decided to move back to her parent's house in Georgia, said the big city wasn't for her. So I guess we don't have to worry about breaking up her and Jimmy anymore."
"Well that takes care of that then," Flack replied.
"What are you two talking about?" Lindsay looked at them baffled.
"Remember that brunch we all went to?" Gus asked and Lindsey nodded.
"The hostess from the restaurant is even worse at picking men than Stella and apparently her boyfriend got mixed up in some crap. Super-Flack here turned him CI," Gus hitched her thumb toward Flack, "but she was kinda on her own since the task force didn't have use for her."
Flack puffed up at being called 'Super-Flack' but deflated under Lindsay's mocking look. "Task force, this sounds big. Are you two involved in it?"
Gus' face clouded, "some of us are, others of us are apparently not competent enough and just get to do crappy leg work."
"I never said you were incompetent," Flack argued.
"Flack, what did you do?" Lindsay admonished.
"I may have suggested to brass that Gus could use a break from all the chaos," Flack replied sheepishly.
Both woman gave him death stares until he squirmed uncomfortably. "You might want to backtrack on that one," Lindsay suggested.
"I am starting to get that impression," Flack glowered.
"When are you men around here going to stop treating us like we are some delicate little things made out of glass that are going to break?" Lindsay spewed forth.
"Whoa, whoa there Linds," Flack threw up his hands in a gesture of protection, "where is this coming from? What's going on?" He slid a look at Gus, who merely shrugged, nothing had come out last night that was for sure.
"Nowhere precisely, it's just a feeling I have, especially since having gotten back from Montana that everyone is trying to protect me or something and it is getting old," Lindsay sighed, resting her head in her hand.
"It's because we are like a family, Linds, we protect ya 'cause we love ya," Flack said, squeezing Gus on the leg as he said this.
"It can be pretty annoying though," Gus countered.
"It is certainly not the best feeling in the world to be made to feel like a piece of useless fluff," Lindsay wrinkled her nose.
"Maybe its not because someone thinks less of you, Lindsay, maybe it's because they think more and are scared," Flack pointed out stoically.
"You have obviously been spending too much time with her!" Lindsay pointed at Gus. "In that case, I'll send you my bill later," Flack joked.
"I've got to head back in there, Danny wanted my help," Lindsay said standing. Flack and Gus exchanged a smirk. "I saw that you too, and just remember you two, there are no blinds in here," she teased on her way out.
"Thanks for doing this, it was really sweet of you," Gus said leaning into Flack.
"Ah, it was no big deal. Figured you ladies could use a boost. Sad state of affairs though, if you ask me, when you three have a more rambunctious night out than us guys," Flack said, enjoying Gus nestled against his arm and shoulder, a bold move for her at work.
"That's because you guys had a night in," Gus joked resting her head on his shoulder and yawning.
"You look like you need more coffee," Flack said, tapping gently on her forehead.
Mac came in just then clearing his throat loudly, "don't you two belong in homicide?" he said half joking half serious.
Gus jumped away from Flack, but Flack just remained relaxed as always, not about to be scared off by Mac Taylor in this case, no matter how intimidating he might look. "Slow day, and Flack brought breakfast for me, Stella and Lindsay."
"Margarita night, I heard. Stella looked like something the cat dragged in at the meeting I had with her this morning," Mac stared at his niece warningly.
"Hey, I didn't make them drink!" she protested.
"Yes, but you have a liver the size of Texas and manage to not drunk dial your superiors at 2am," he smirked slightly.
'Probably because I was otherwise occupied at 2am' Gus thought with a shiver as she looked at Flack.
"Lindsay drunk dialed you? I thought she was eating pie with Danny," Gus exclaimed.
Mac gave her a weird look and shook his head slightly, "No, Stella called. I wasn't able to answer, but she left a very interesting message including an impressive rendition of 'New York, New York' at 2:12 this morning."
Gus dissolved into uncontrollably giggles at this until Flack and Mac were staring at her like she had grown a third arm.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she gasped after containing herself, "maybe you should have her join you at Cozie's the night time you play. When is the next time anyway?"
"I've been a little busy, Gus," Mac replied.
'With Peyton' Gus acidly thought. "Speaking of which" she said in an authoritative tone, "you might want to give Reed a call, I think he thinks you have been avoiding him."
With that Gus rose, gave Mac one hard look and left the canteen.
Mac looked at Flack, "Don?"
"Don't ask me, she's still a mystery I am trying to figure out," Flack shrugged following after Gus.
Mac shook his head and pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.
Gus barely sat down on her desk, swallowing a few Advil, when they got called out to a scene.
As they lurched through traffic, Gus leaned over to rest her head on the glove box. "Sunshine that can't be safe," Flack said poking at her.
"I don't care if this is safe, if you don't wreck us we will be fine and if you don't want me to hurl in your precious unmarked, I suggest you stop poking me."
They arrived on scene only to be immediately surrounded by uniforms telling them it was a false alarm, "some guy reported seeing a DB in his courtyard when he looked out the window, apparently he is a shut in so he hadn't see the postings in his building for filming in the area," a uniform explained.
"So there isn't a DB?" Flack asked, jaw tensing.
"No, just a scene from a horror move, so there was lots of fake blood and stuff. Apparently, the director was real pleased that it looked so real."
"Great, just friggin' great," Flack rolled his eyes.
"Where's the movie and tv unit? Why didn't they call dispatch?" Gus asked the uniform.
"I dunno, around I guess," he replied.
"Probably stuffing their faces at the catering truck," Flack sighed.
"Well yay," Gus grumbled.
"Let's go do some completely pointless paperwork then," Flack said, leading her back through the crowd, his hand on her lower back.
Flack and Gus finished up the paperwork for the false alarm when Flack got called into a meeting about the task force.
Gus thought about protesting, but she was frankly too tired to put up too much of a fight.
Flack rapped on her desk before heading off to the meeting and said, "sunshine, if you want in, I can get you in."
"Get me in? Thanks, I'd rather be asked to join," Gus snorted and shook her head.
"You know what I mean," Flack worked his jaw.
"I actually have to work up a profile for Jimmy, so I think I will do that, enjoy your meeting."
"I'll try. You think about what you want for dinner tonight," Flack dimpled at her.
"Your treat?" Gus cooed.
"Don't think I am totally wrapped around your finger, sunshine."
"You're not?" Gus mocked, "I guess it can be my treat since you lost all your money to Danny," she grinned.
"See ya," he grinned walking off.
Flack came back right towards the end of the shift, dropping files on Gus' desk, "guess who is the newest member of the the task force?"
"What? Crap, there goes any hope of a weekend," Gus said, staring at the pile of papers.
"Don't worry, sunshine, Loo said we were getting put on the bottom of the call in list and you don't have to worry about the profiles right this second. Looks like it involves Gavin Wilder, the Irish drug mob boss himself."
"IRA ties?" Gus asked.
"Back in the day, not lately though," Flack gave her a long look, "thought you would be more excited, you are going to be part of the task force."
"Only behind the scenes, and only because the NYPD is too cheap to hire in someone from the Feds," Gus sighed.
"I am not sure you know what you are wanting to get into, there is nothing wrong with being safe and behind the scenes," Flack argued.
"If it is so dangerous, why do you want to be a part of it then?" Gus clipped.
"I am not saying it is dangerous," Flack took a deep breath, "look, how about we just get out of here and try to enjoy our weekend and ignore our badges for a little bit?" he looked at her with pleading eyes while pulling on his jacket.
"Yeah, I would like that and I am sorry I got onto you about the task force, but I kinda like having you around and I want you to stay safe," Gus shrugged as she shoved some files into her tote and headed out.
"Same here, sunshine. So what are we doing for dinner?" Flack said as he squeezed her arm.
"I was thinking since it is my treat we could try this new sushi place that opened near my, I mean our, place," Gus grinned.
Flack groaned, "fine, but only since you are buying. I don't know how you and Lindsay can eat cold food twenty times a week."
"Ah, poor baby, I'll help warm you up after, promise," Gus patted him as they walked to the car. "In that case, can we get take out?" Flack quipped.
Chapter 106: Boxes
"For all your whining, I don't see how you just ate so much, Flack! I don't even think I got any of the Dragon Roll!" Gus protested, stealing the last piece of a sushi roll before Flack got to it.
"I have to say this place is pretty good, ya know for cold fish."
"Yeah I forget that your version of seafood tends to be of the deep fried variety," Gus teased.
"Watch it there, sunshine," Flack piercing her sweater with his chopstick.
"Hey now!" Gus protested, battling back, which turned into a wrestling match, which ended with Gus taking Flack's elbow to the nose. "Dammit!" she squealed, clutching at her nose.
"Crap, Gus, are you alright?" Flack jumped up worriedly, realizing he had contacted rather hard.
"I'll be fine, I think" Gus said, squeezing the bridge of her nose to make sure it wasn't broken.
"If you say so, but I think you are bleeding on the couch," Flack pointed at the crimson drops that had fallen down onto the ecru cushions. Gus jumped back, stubbing her toe on the coffee table, crying out again.
"Just don't move" Flack ordered, going into the kitchen and returning with an ice pack and a roll of paper towels.
"Here, let me see," he said, hooking his finger under her chin. "You are a mess" he stated, pulling her hand away from her nose. Gus let him lead her to a chair and place an ice pack on her face, "just sit," he said, "I'm going to try to clean up the couch."
"I don't know if scotch-guard will save it," Gus groaned.
"The answer would be no," Flack replied a few minutes later, "don't worry about it. We can bring my couch over, didn't you say you had wanted leather anyway?" Flack replied.
"Do you need boxes?" Gus suddenly asked.
"There are probably some in the basement," Flack shrugged.
"I have some in the storage locker," Gus said.
"I don't really have all that much stuff, sunshine," Flack remarked.
"You have been living in the same place forever, how can you not have that much stuff?"
"I'm a guy, guys don't need that much stuff," he countered.
"Yeah, but what if it doesn't all fit? I mean really, we haven't really talked about this like where is your stuff going to go and what if there is something I hate? Or is there anything of mine that you hate? We really should have figured this out." Gus said worriedly.
"Gus, it will be fine, we will figure it out, I think you have seen everything of mine that I will be bringing and the only thing of yours that I hate is your worrying, so cut it out," Flack growled pulling her into an embrace that pulled her off the ground.
"Worry? Who said I was worrying?" Gus said when he put her down.
"Nice try, now let's go watch a movie or something and make sure we are rested up for tomorrow," Flack pulled her toward the bedroom.
"I thought you said you didn't have a lot of stuff!" Gus exclaimed.
Flack flopped down on the bed, "I don't, but Bobby will be here bright and early before he has to go to a job, and besides," he said, pulling her down to him with a kiss, "I didn't say you needed to be rested up for just moving!"
Gus was up well before Bobby got there or Flack had even begun to stir. As her usual habit, any major change or stressor caused her sleep to diminish greatly.
She had cleared out bookshelves, space in the entry closet and a drawer in her desk all before the sun rose. Still feeling she had far too much nervous energy, but not feeling like going out for a jog, Gus set out a full breakfast spread by the time a yawning Flack wandered out of the bedroom.
"Sunshine, how long have you been up?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and taking in the food on the table.
"4:30, and you and Bobby will easily clear this, I've seen the way the Flack men eat!"
"Humph!" Flack said, slumping into a chair and grabbing at the bacon plate. No sooner had he sat down, his phone started to buzz and both he and Gus started to groan.
"I thought we were on the bottom of the call list," Gus whined.
"We are, it's Bobby," he said answering, "yo, cuz. Dude, the buzzer that says 'Broussard' push it!" Flack growled and hung up.
"He was looking for 'Flack' like a moron," Flack said getting up to press the door button.
"Er, um...yeah" Gus sputtered out, suddenly feeling ice grip her, Flack on her buzzer. HER BUZZER! "I gotta strip the bed," she yelped running into the bedroom.
Sitting on the bed, trying to breathe, Gus pondered her brilliant idea of having Flack move in. What if it didn't work out? What if she couldn't live with him? What if he insisted leaving wet towels on the floor, no wait, she left wet towels on the floor, what if he couldn't handle that?
"Sunshine?" Flack asked from the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, his muscles showing through the tight shirt. Gus looked up at him, caught in a sudden wave of longing, and gulped. "Ya havin' second thoughts?" Flack asked a bemused look on his face.
"I was, for a second," she grinned back, "mostly because this bed has seen some good times" she joked.
"Nice try," he said, entering the room and sitting on the bed beside her, throwing an arm around her, "I get that this is still big for you, but it really isn't that different from what we have been doing the past few months."
"Yes it is, I can't kick you out now if I want to have a girls' night or time alone!" Gus protested.
"Sure you can, it's simple you say, 'hey Flack, get lost' and I'll get lost" Flack countered.
"As simple as that?" Gus sounded disbelieving.
"Simple as that," Flack said, "not everything needs to be as complicated as you make it," he ended drawing her in a kiss.
"Could you two stop sucking face on my bed, I already am having issues trying to suppress what that bed may have seen," Sam ordered from the doorway, having come with Bobby.
"Well excuse us!" Flack said, with a dimpled grin, but getting up and pulling on a long sleeved t-shirt.
"Thanks for taking him, Gus," Sam teased, giving the other woman a hug and saying, "if you hadn't, he would be in that house until he died!"
Flack snorted in argument but didn't say anything to them instead calling, "Bobby, you done stuffing your face?"
Gus stood in Flack's room as he sorted through his books, cds, and vinyl collection. "You sure I can't help?" she asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.
"Just sit down and relax, I told you I am not bringing that much stuff," he said, sorting items out into take, give away and throw away piles.
"Why not?" Gus asked slumping on his couch.
"For the millionth time: first because my sister and cousin have laid claim to a lot of it, second because you have all the basics as it is and third because I don't have that much stuff!"
Something caught Gus' eyes, "wait, what was that?" she asked. "What was what?"
"That!" she leaned into the box and pulled out the top record, "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane from the Five Spot recordings? Do you know how much this is worth? I had it, took a loss on it too from the damn insurance company," Gus grumbled.
"Yeah? Huh? I inherited a lot of jazz records from my grandfather. Looks like you have it again," he added with a dimpled grin.
Gus gently placed the record back in the box and said, "you know blue eyes, maybe this was a good idea."
"I think I have to agree with that," Flack said, sealing another box.
Several sweaty hours later, Gus and Flack stood in the middle of the apartment having stored the last empty box. "You are a machine, sunshine," Flack remarked in amazement, twisting the cap off a beer.
"Practice, I'm amazed all your stuff fit," Gus said, taking a swig of her own, "glad it was a nice day," she sighed, wiping sweat from her face.
"Even nicer night," Flack said, placing his cold beer bottle on her neck and following up with a kiss.
"Don, I sweating more than a whore in church, that's gross!" Gus exclaimed as he lead a trail of kisses down her neck.
"Don't care," Flack said putting both of their beers down on the table and pulling her back into his arms, "how about we go fully introduce the bed to your bedroom?"
"Our bedroom and no way, we are gross and-" Gus was silenced by the once again magical ability Flack had to silence even her most analytical protests.
"See, we would have just gotten sweaty again anyway," Flack said devilishly a little while later in the shower.
"Stop gloating and start scrubbing my back, blue eyes," Gus ordered.
"Pushy now that you've suckered me into moving in, aren't ya?" Flack said with a playful swat.
"Suckered you!" Gus gaped, flinging water at Flack.
Just as the shower was about to get steamier, a familiar buzzing and ringing could be heard over the water. "That's yours," Gus groaned, turning off the water.
"I am aware," Flack said, wrapping a towel around his waist and going to answer it. He was back a few minutes later, glowering, "Jimmy. Needs to meet, has info."
"Be careful," Gus said, pulling on a fresh shirt and jeans.
"I will, sorry about this," Flack said, giving her a longing kiss.
"No reason to be sorry, it's our job," Gus said casually.
"I know but how often do we get a Saturday night off together?"
"Rarely, makes this one no different and we are on call," Gus pointed out.
"Always gotta be right, huh sunshine? Shouldn't be too long," Flack said, pulling on a sweater.
"No problem, I'll get a start on those files you shoveled off on me," Gus said, walking him to the door for one last kiss.
Gus had just spread out all the paperwork and case files that the task force had going so far when her phone rang, she growled but brightened when she saw the caller id, "hey Linds!" she answered.
"Gus can I please convince you and Flack to come to the movies with me tonight?" Lindsay begged
"You probably could, but Flack just got called out to meet a CI," Gus said, trying to figure out why Lindsay sounded so pleading.
"Well you come anyway, I don't want to be alone with Danny," Lindsay yelped.
Gus smiled knowingly, "you need a chaperone, Montana?" she teased, "I don't want to be a third wheel."
"You won't be, I promise, please Gus?" Lindsay suddenly sounded like a lost teenager.
"Fine, fine, but I've not changing out of my jeans, so we better not be going anywhere fancy afterwards," Gus said with a shake of her head.
"We won't and thank you so much. Meet us at the theater?" Lindsay gushed.
Gus met up with Lindsay and Danny in front of the theater. "So what are we seeing, kids? And I am not sharing my popcorn" Gus said after hugging them both.
"Shut it Broussard, how about that creepy looking one with the kid from the Disney channel?" Danny suggested.
"Works for me, how about you Linds?" Gus shrugged.
"I don't care, I am just glad to not be at work," Lindsay beamed.
"You ain't kiddin', Montana" Danny said with a light playful punch to arm.
Settled in seats, Gus rolled her eyes as Danny flirted with Lindsay, "If ya get scared Montana, I'll let ya hold my hand and I won't even tease ya about it."
"Just don't scream like a girl, Messer," Lindsay flirted back.
Gus slumped down in her seat and tried to ignore the other two.
After, the trio agreeing that the movie had been far better than they all feared, they decided to head over to Sully's for a couple of drinks, arranging for Flack to meet them there.
It was pretty packed in the bar area, but they were able to grab a booth and put their names in for a pool table and were a pint in by the time Flack made it over.
"Hey Flack, wha's this about you working even when ya ain't on call, huh? Trying to make the rest of us look bad or something?" was Danny's greeting along side the man pat.
"What's this about you taking two beautiful women out on a date, Montana not enough for you Messer?" Flack ribbed back as both women exchanged a look and an eye roll.
"Anything?" Gus asked as Flack slid in next to her and stole her beer.
"Whoa must be some serious case if you ain't even ragging him about taking your beer," Danny said, but shut up when Lindsay shot him a look.
"Yeah, a lot of stuff, it's gonna be big when the top blows," Flack sighed, he looked worn, it had been a long day.
Gus fiddled with her coaster not saying anything, wondering just how deep Flack had gotten and blaming herself since it was Mandy that was the connection to it all.
"I'm going to go get us another round" Lindsay said, nudging Danny out of the booth. He went to slid back in, but Lindsay cleared her throat and said, "Danny," in a warning tone.
"So how was the movie?" Flack asked Gus.
"Pretty good and nice try," Gus shook her head. "How big, how bad, how dangerous?"
"Working up to huge, pretty damn bad and not too dangerous because there is going to be a hell of a lot of coordination and back-up," Flack said, trying reassure her with a smile.
"You are aware we both still work in homicide, right?" Gus retorted.
"Yeah."
"Just checking" Gus sighed, she could tell that Flack was pumped about this, whatever it was going to be and there was no use arguing about it anymore.
He was a good cop and intelligent, he had kept himself safe this long, excluding that damn bomb...Gus clenched her jaw not wanting to say anything that would sound like she was nagging. She understood he wanted to do his job and it was an honor for him to be part of this task force, it didn't make her any less worried about his safety or feel any less left out.
"I'll be fine, sunshine, mostly because I know you would kill me if I got hurt," he kissed her furrowed brow, reading her thoughts.
"Again!" she said grinning and kissing him back.
"Alright, alright, break it up you two," Danny said coming back from the bar, "our pool table is open anyway and I think it is time for a little men versus women action."
"Don't you mean boys versus women?" Lindsay said, landing Gus a high-five.
"Dream on, Montana. Next round is on the loser," Danny joked, giving her a hip bump.
"Hope you brought your wallets, boys," Gus said, grabbing a pool cue as she and Lindsay shot both men a wicked look.
"Poor little things, they don't know what hit 'em" Lindsay said three winning games later.
"Only because you two don't play fair," Danny sulked.
"We didn't cheat at all!" Gus protested.
"You didn't cheat, doesn't mean you didn't play fair, sunshine" Flack said, wrapping his arms around her. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "mostly because you two vixens sure know how to keep our minds off the game."
Gus smirked and noticed that Danny and Lindsay were lost in their own world, smiles plastered on each of their faces. "Best of five?" Flack asked loudly.
Gus groaned, "how much punishment do y'all want? Besides, I think I am ready to call it a night."
Lindsay flashed Gus a smile.
"Fine, fine, you win, again," Flack said, leaning his cue against the wall.
"Night y'all, don't stay out too late," Gus smiled at Danny and Lindsay.
"Notice she said out not up," Flack teased. The pair shot him a look as Gus led him out of the bar flashing Lindsay a 'call me' sign.
Arriving back at the apartment, and taking in Flack's belongings there as if they always had been, Gus felt herself give start. "This feel at all weird to you, sugar?" Gus asked as she pulled off her shoes and stripped off her sweater.
"What feel weird?" Flack asked, flopping on the couch.
"Obviously not" Gus said, curling up beside him, "this, your stuff in my, now our, place?"
"Maybe a little, but I know more so it feels right. My television looks a lot better in here," he ended with a smirk.
"You're terrible," Gus replied, leaning against him and kicking her legs out on the leather couch, "but you do have one mighty comfortable couch here, blue eyes."
"Only the best," he grinned down at her, feeling right at home.
A while later, Flack realized Gus had fallen asleep against him. Not wanting to wake her, knowing she hadn't slept much in the past couple of days, he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.
"You trying to give yourself a hernia, blue eyes?" Gus stirred in the hallway.
"Shut it," Flack said, but did put her down. Gus stripped down to her tank and underwear and climbed into bed and passed out.
"Well apparently you have gotten over the shock of me living here, sunshine," Flack said to her sleeping form and crawled in beside her.
The pair slept in, mostly due to not being interrupted by phones calling them back to the mean streets of the city. Sunlight and a persistently angry pigeon roused them both from deep sleep.
"Damn rats with wings," Gus moaned, burying her head under her pillow.
He couldn't help but smile, pulling the pillow back enough to land a kiss on her head. "Coffee?" he asked already knowing the answer.
"You know it," Gus replied, emerging from underneath the pillow and stretching.
Gus laid in bed, listening to Flack move around in the kitchen, struck by how different and not different it was.
On one hand he had been staying here all the time but on the other hand he really was going to be here all the time.
"What if it is too much togetherness?" Gus questioned, walking into the kitchen and staring at the coffee dripping into the pot.
"Not possible," Flack dimpled, handing Gus her favorite coffee mug.
"How is this so easy for you?" Gus asked, pouring a mug for both of them.
"I don't know, I can't explain it, it just is," Flack said, taking the mug from Gus.
"But love isn't supposed to be so easy," Gus protested.
"Maybe, just maybe, sometimes it is," Flack countered, giving her a quick peck before heading out of the kitchen.
Gus stood in the kitchen shaking her head, still not trusting her luck.
When Gus wandered out of the kitchen, Flack was slipping on his shoes, " I was going to get the paper and some food, any requests?"
"Nope, whatever is good with me."
"Any grand plans for today?"
"Yeah, working on those profiles and paying bills. Welcome to the exciting days off of Augusta Broussard," Gus joked, heading to her office.
"Well in that case, I think I see chocolate in your future," Flack said before slipping out.
Gus was deep into files and typing away when Flack came back. She barely looked up even after he dropped a paper bag on her desk, though the aroma drew her away from her work quickly enough.
"Chocolate croissant?" she asked diving into the bag.
"Ya gotta lot of good bakeries in this neighborhood" Flack shrugged.
"So do you," Gus replied, biting in and groaning.
"Do I need to leave you two alone?" Flack asked with a smirk.
"Maybe," she joked, licking her fingers, "I think the profiling will be pretty easy, seeing as they all have records. The only weird thing being, some of the files are locked by the feds. Y'all sure you ain't stepping on any toes here?"
"Shouldn't be, figured we would know by now," Flack shrugged, nonplussed retreating to the living room with the newspaper.
Gus felt like her eyes were turning to sand a few hours later when both her home phone and Flack's cell phone rang. Knitting her eyebrows together, she checked her silent cell, it was on.
She picked up the receiver on her desk phone and said, "Broussard" right as she heard "Flack" as he picked up his cell.
"I think I am a goner, Gus!"
"Lindsay!" Gus sighed, "I thought I was about to get called in."
"Nah, slow Sunday, one of those everyone is on call. I had to process a scene of major case earlier, but it turned out to be for nothing because they caught the kids breaking in to another place down the street and they started pointing fingers right away," Lindsay quipped.
Gus shot a look out of the office at Flack who was now pacing with his phone in front of the windows probably trying to get a better reception. "Goner, huh?" Gus asked.
"I mean, I don't know if I want to be, but there is just something there and..." Lindsay lowered her voice as Adam walked into her office.
"Did he just come in?" Gus asked.
"Hey, Adam," she heard Lindsay say.
"Ah, I see," Gus said, "how about we grab dinner?"
"Yeah, sure, sounds great. Can you meet me at the lab?"
"No problem, I might have to check out something at work myself, see you in a bit."
"See ya," Lindsay rang off.
Gus cocked her head, not wanting to listen in entirely, but knowing something was up by the way Flack's jaw was clenched.
"Yes, Grams. No, I know, yes I will be, fine, fine. Love ya too, bye," Flack said, hanging up and rubbing the back of his neck. He caught sight of Gus staring at him and tried to smile, "note to self, tell grandmother before moving in with girlfriend."
Gus closed the file she had been working with and got up. "What's up?"
"Oh I believe that was me getting called out by my grandmother who was curious to know why Sam was moving all of her stuff out of my father's house."
"Ah," Gus said, walking about to him and wrapping her arms around his waist, "and does Irene think I have stolen her dear grandson away from her?" Gus asked, only half-joking.
"No, she just felt out of the loop. Needless to say, I think I am going to head to dinner over there. Ya wanna come?" Flack asked, looking down at her hopefully.
"You don't need my protection, Flack! And while I would love to witness what I am sure to be a sound tongue lashing, I am meeting Lindsay," Gus gave him a squeeze before heading to get ready.
"Fine, leave me all on my own!" Flack called.
"You are too old to be scared of your grandmother, blue eyes," was her final retort before shutting the bathroom door.
Lindsay was just finishing up as Gus entered the lab after confirming she didn't have access to one of the arrest records for the task force.
"Hey Gus, what's up, you look upset," Lindsay said, pulling off her lab coat and pulling on her jacket.
"Not upset, just curious, trying to work a profile for a case, but don't have access to a file. It is sort of like trying to put a puzzle together without all the pieces," Gus sighed.
"Welcome to every day at the lab," Lindsay joked.
"Probably so. Any ideas on where to go?"
Lindsay wrinkled her nose, "I've eaten like a pig the past few days so maybe we can just get salads?"
"You will do anything to avoid going for a run, won't you? You are as bad as Flack" Gus teased, knowing her friend hated running.
"So what?" Lindsay joked back as they headed out of the building and down the street to one of their favorite haunts.
"A goner, huh?" Gus asked as soon as they sat down and placed their drink order.
"Cut straight to the point, why dontcha?" Lindsay said, settling the napkin on her lap.
"Sorry, old habits die hard, I'll turn off the clock, I promise," Gus smiled.
"No, it's good, as you know I am great at avoidance, so I am glad you kick me into gear," Lindsay took a swallow of her wine, "Danny has gotten, I don't know, under my skin."
"In a good way, I presume?" Gus questioned.
"And that is where I get confused. For almost two years we have been doing this little dance, from my first day here in the city he has been teasing me, flirting with me, and being...well Danny! But part of me wonders if it is genuine or if I am just another trophy or is that just the way he is."
"Just the way he is does not fly to Montana on a whim," Gus pointed out.
"I know, believe me I know," Lindsay shook her head, "and that was the big thing, he flew across the country for me. That has to mean something big right? But then I worry that I pushed him away for so long that maybe he has lost interest or my even bigger fear that there has been all this build up that reality can't live up to the hype. Do you know what I mean? Of course you do, I mean hasn't that been you and Flack?" Lindsay breathed out.
Gus had to laugh, she took a big drink of wine, "in a nutshell, yeah" she smiled, "but reality more than lives up to the hype. Hype's got nothing on real life."
"Yeah but isn't it hard, sneaking around and all that?" Lindsay looked like she wanted to be taking notes.
"We're not sneaking around! Well at least not actively, we just haven't been announcing out every move to the world. But Flack and I are a lot, I don't know, quieter people than you and Messer," Gus shrugged, hoping she wasn't offending Lindsay.
Her friend looked at her curiously. "What I mean, Linds, is that you and Danny both wear your hearts on your sleeves, everyone has already seen that you care for each other and you aren't going to be able to hide a relationship even if you want to. So my advice is to not even bother." Gus leaned back in her chair, giving Lindsay a look.
Lindsay flipped her head, "You're right, hell you and Flack could be engaged and we probably wouldn't even know."
Gus spluttered wine through her nose, coughing uncontrollably.
"What? Oh my god, you aren't are you?" Lindsay asked wide-eyed once she realized Gus could still breathe.
Gus shook her head wildly, "no, nope, definitely not engaged" she replied, "and aren't we talking about you and Danny here?"
"Sometimes I wish we could just fall into this easy pattern, just fit together," Lindsay gestured, "or just skip ahead to being comfortable and happy. And definitely skip over having to talk to Mac."
"I would skip over that one too," Gus snorted, "sometimes I think he loves nothing more than playing the relationship police and he isn't even my boss!"
"So how would you tell him if you were me?"
"I would not be the person to ask about that. Talking to Mac about my personal life usually disintegrates into yelling, name calling and me acting like a petulant teenager."
"But that's different, you guys are family," Lindsay said, feeling hopefully. "
Yeah, but so are you. Mac's team is as much his family as I am," Gus said.
Lindsay's face fell, "great, just great, another obstacle."
"At least you stopped being your own obstacle" Gus remarked.
"I suppose we both did, huh? How are things with your detective anyway? You really did avoid the subject during margarita night," Lindsay pinned Gus with her dark eyes.
"Things are good, almost too good," Gus admitted finally.
"Is that possible?" Lindsay laughed, but Gus remained serious.
Gus rested her chin in her hand, "for me, yeah, when things are too good for too long, bad things start happening. Bad mojo."
"Gus, that's ridiculous" Lindsay chastised, "maybe bad things have happened to you, and maybe they have happened at a much higher rate than other people, but that doesn't mean you are cursed."
"I can only hope that is the case," Gus said, digging into the salad that was placed before her.
They both ate in silence for a few minutes until Lindsay asked, "so how do I make sure Danny knows I am open to the idea of him and me?"
Gus fought an eye roll, "in case he has suddenly gone deaf, dumb and blind?" Lindsay glared. "Sorry, sorry, just be honest and if honesty doesn't work, just be forward," Gus chewed on her lip.
"I'm not so good at the being forward bit," Lindsay blushed.
"Liquor can help with that," Gus advised with a mischievous smile. Lindsay made a face and turned back to her salad.