The invigorating scent of coffee and a fresh Danish waiting at his desk was a treat after the three hours spent canvassing the neighborhood around the cemetery, covering the blocks between 16th and 17th as well as Church and Dolores, hoping to get some early clues into their latest investigation.

It felt like the right thing to do while they waited for Bernie to do his preliminary examination and for the lab crew to go through the crime scene top to bottom. Eventually though, their tedious job of knocking on doors ended up being a huge waste of time, yielding nothing but citizen complaints about the new parking guidelines along Dolores affecting nearby businesses and uncomfortable questions about the progress of the infamous arsonist case.

As he arrived at his desk and began to strip out of his overcoat, Steve stole a glance over at his partner's empty office, the sight bothering him greatly even though it had only been a few days since their harrowing encounter with Osorro.

And while his rational thinking sided with Bernie, knowing there was a good chance that the arsonist was indeed dead, part of his mind couldn't shake the shadow of doubt that this was an elaborate plot, aimed to get them to lower their defenses.

What better time to attack than right now, with them being separated, Mike completely defenseless in a hospital bed.

Feeling the shudder run down his spine, Steve discarded the thought for the time being, knowing that they lacked enough evidence to justify protection no matter how much his heart longed to keep his best friend safe.

Sighing wearily, he made a mental note to grab some cookies on Friday, knowing that Mike wouldn't be able to yield Olsen's order to stay home once released from the hospital. Chocolate chip goodness would be a fitting greeting for the man who selflessly saved his life once again, a debt Steve knew he would never be able to fully repay.

"Heard you and Tanner took a trip to the graveyard. Thought it'd be fitting to get you a treat after that…"

Norm Hassejian's baritone voice appeared from behind, temporarily startling him.

Disguising the slight flinch running through his body, Steve turned around and smiled faintly.

"Yeah. Not sure if it's a mob hit or some homeless guy that got buried there. Too soon to tell. We're having the lab check the other gravesites as well, including the tombs and obelisks and around the statues, as well as the Saint Francis Basilica. There's a chance that this body might not be the only one. It was a relatively shallow grave."

Steve knew that he didn't owe Norm an explanation of the process of their investigation. And yet, without Mike's watchful eye on his every step, it felt good to talk things through with the experienced Sergeant.

With his warm gaze settled on the young Inspector, Hassejian nodded hesitantly.

"Don't rule out the church people either. They're the worst when it comes to stuff like that. Nobody ever suspects them."

Detecting a hint of sarcasm in the Armenian Sergeant's words, Steve chuckled amicably and slapped the other man's shoulder.

"They are on top of my list, don't you worry."

"Good. Because I do worry. Especially about you and Mike. How's he holding up anyway?"

Word about the process of Mike's recovery had been no secret around the bullpen; as a matter of fact, several good souls had been visiting the Lieutenant over the past few days, trying to recreate a sense of normality that Osorro had robbed them of months ago.

At the same, many of them had taken Steve under their wing, offering snacks and bags of fresh groceries to keep him going, until he was reunited with his partner.

It was those deeply humbling and heartwarming gestures over the course of the past week that had allowed him to remain focused throughout the aftermath of the arsonist case and settle his weary nerves, as they all prepared to slowly move on.

"He's worried.", Steve returned matter-of-factly, knowing that Norm would understand the deeper meaning behind his words.

"Can't blame him. I would be too if I were him. There just isn't any definite proof."

"Bernie is still working on that…"

His answer had become as automated as the time operator whenever the issue had come up, more or less to assuage his own innermost doubts than to convince anyone else.

And Norm saw right through it.

"Unless there's irrefutable evidence, there's still a chance that this psycho is alive. You can't fault Mike for being worried. That's a concerning set of crosshairs you two have on your backs if Osorro is still around."

"I know. I just hope that we'll find enough evidence to prove that the body recovered is indeed our killer. There's gotta be something we can do."

"Keep your eyes and ears open. That's what you can do.", Norm said somberly and turned to walk back to his desk, then hesitated briefly, "Just…just be careful out there. Watch your back. Matter of fact, call backup if something doesn't seem right, you understand?"