Ashton answered Bull's knock on the apartment door; she had buzzed him in a minute or two earlier that Sunday evening. His visit was an unexpected surprise and after saying hello, she inquired if he wanted to stay for dinner. Bull could smell the distinct aroma of Indian spices wafting through the apartment. As he opened his mouth to answer, he was interrupted.

"Ash, do you have any towels in this place?" a man's muffled voice called from another room.

"Face the sink. Second drawer down," she yelled back. Ashton then turned back to Bull whose mouth was slightly agape much to her amusement. "You were gonna say yes, right?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Bull replied diplomatically as footsteps approached.

"Putting me in charge wasn't the best idea," a tall, stocky, dark-haired man told Ashton. He then looked over at Bull and nodded, "Jason."

"Alex. Nice to see you," Bull said with a matching nod.

"I'll be right there," Ashton assured her brother as he disappeared back to the kitchen. She then pointed near the door with a smile, "Coat goes on the hook. You didn't think I'd invite you up if I had a date?"

"Of course not," he protested and took off his overcoat.

"Your face said otherwise," Ashton whispered in his ear before heading to the kitchen.

After an awkward start to dinner, the diners and the stilted conversation became more relaxed as the night progressed. Ashton opened a second bottle of wine as her brother shared the latest escapades of his two young children which brought a smile to everyone's face. When they finished eating, Ashton told her brother that she would take care of putting away the leftovers. Alex gave his sister an irritated look but took the hint and conveniently disappeared to call home leaving her alone with Bull.

"I'd say he's still a bit pissed," Bull observed after his former brother-in-law walked away.

Ashton shrugged, "Alex is Alex."

"He's very protective of you. So is your father," Bull said astutely as he handed her containers to put in the refrigerator.

"I'm having a flashback. We had this conversation when I first took you home to meet them," she replied with a grin. "You said the same thing – right before you told me that my Dad said he would kill you if you ever hurt me."

"Your brother said the same thing at a later date," Bull reminded her with a wry smile. "I think your father got a little soft in his old age since I'm still alive."

"Jack Catazarro getting soft? Not a chance. I talked him out of it," Ashton answered seriously while her eyes glinted with good humor. "You're on your own with Alex."

"Great," he said acerbically as they walked towards the door. Bull then inquired, "Are you going back with them?"

"No, Dad told me it isn't necessary and Alex agreed," she said. Her tone of voice clearly indicated that she didn't fully believe or agree with either of them.

"I've gotta side with them on this, Quince," Bull told her as he put his coat on. "Your dad will be fine. Alex and Izzie are right down the road and they know how to get in touch with you if they need to."

"I know, I know," she answered and took the envelope he handed to her. Ashton looked at it curiously. "What's this?"

"Thank you card," he said with a wink. "My glasses weren't the only thing I forgot the other night."

"Jason, about that…I," she began to say, fully intending to apologize for making him uncomfortable. The rest of Ashton's words were cut off as he leaned in and quickly kissed her.

"Good night, Ashton Catazarro," he said and opened the door to the apartment. This time it was Ashton's mouth slightly agape. Whether he had intended it or not, Bull had once again thrown her a curve ball. "Thanks for dinner…and saving my life."

"Good night, Jason Bull," she replied and shut the door behind him.

Ashton walked back into the living room holding the card. Alex was now off the phone and sitting on the sofa with the television on. He looked up as she approached and observed the faraway, thoughtful expression on his sister's face.

"That was a surprise," Alex said and eyed Ashton intently.

"Yeah," Ashton replied evenly. "Thanks for being civil."

"Dad told me Jason visited him at the hospital," Alex revealed to her.

"A couple of times," she nodded unsure if he had witnessed the kiss Bull had given her before leaving.

"Looks like he visits you, too," her brother said brazenly.

Ashton bit the inside of her cheek and took a deep breath before replying. "I didn't realize that I needed to clear my guests with you," she pronounced with restraint.

"I know it's none of my business but you're setting yourself up to get hurt again," Alex stated.

"I didn't realize you became a psychologist too, and you're right, it is none of your business," Ashton retorted sharply and turned to go to her bedroom. Although she knew her brother meant well, his words sounded excessively callous to her ears.

"Ash, wait. I'm sorry," he said quickly before she left the room. Ashton turned around slowly to face her brother. "Even though you didn't say much, I know how the divorce tore you apart. I just don't want to see you go through something like that again."

"That makes two of us. Don't worry, I highly doubt Jason stopped by for a date," she replied recalling the psychologist's quick exit a few days prior.

"Yeah, okay," Alex scoffed lightly. "Ashton, he didn't stop by just to say hi."

"Maybe he wanted to make sure I'm okay – it's been a rough week," Ashton stated calmly. It was a half-hearted attempt to convince her brother – and herself – that Bull's intentions were purely out of concern for her well-being.

"Ash, he's a guy," he told her.

"What's your point?" she shot back clearly irritated.

"I know how guys think, being one of them, and I did go out with Jason a few times without you tagging along," Alex told her.

"We may be divorced but I'm still not ready to hear any of those stories about him, okay?" she told him. "And I never tagged along; you make it seem like I was there to make sure Jason behaved himself."

"One, I'm your brother. He wasn't going to do anything with me along, so I don't have any stories; and two, Jason was totally hung up on you – which was the point I was trying to make," Alex stated. "From the looks of it, he still is." To emphasize his point, Alex pointed to the envelope in Ashton's hand.

"It's a thank you card," she informed him curtly.

"A thank you card? What's Jason thanking you for?" Alex teased with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He could tell his sister was annoyed with him and Alex hoped to lighten Ashton's mood with a bit of brotherly badgering.

"Can we pretend we're both adults for a second?" Ashton asked as she tried not to laugh.

"Sure," her brother agreed and paused, his attention back on the television screen for a bit longer than a second before eagerly asking, "Well?"

"I have a great idea, let's watch TV and not talk anymore," Ashton suggested.

"Aren't you gonna open it?" he pressed.

"TV!" she stated decisively. Ashton knew the card was a friendly gesture on Bull's part for the painting she had given him and to expect it to contain anything more than kind sentiment would be wishful thinking on her part.

"Fine. I'm keeping the remote," Alex answered with a smirk.

"Everything okay?" Marissa asked as she walked over to a corner of the office. Bull stood staring out a window as evening settled over the city.

"Hmm?" he replied deep in thought.

"Want to talk about it?" she inquired.

He turned his head to look at her. "I'm fine," he said.

"I've worked with you too long to believe that. Is everything okay with Ashton?" she asked with genuine concern. Marissa had always gotten along well with her boss's ex and, given the situation, guessed that was where Bull's thoughts were.

"I suppose. Her father went back home Monday; that's the last I've heard," Bull remarked.

"Has Benny heard from her?" Marissa questioned. She had noticed that Ashton dropped by the office again and had been speaking with the lawyer.

"Not that I know of," the psychologist replied.

"You're concerned," she declared.

"Yes and no. Ashton tends to be extremely private with personal matters, as you know. So, it's not unusual for her to go silent over something like this but…," he trailed off.

"But you thought she'd reach out to you since she came here when her father went into the hospital?" Marissa conjectured.

"I did," he admitted. "I should know better than to assume how Ashton will react."

"Have you tried to get in touch with her?" she asked.

"No," Bull said causing Marissa's eyes to widen with disbelief.

"Bull. Why not?" she inquired.

"Ashton knows I'm here for her. I've told her that," he replied seriously.

"Recently?" Marissa pressed.

"Yes," he said and then admitted, "We've been spending some time together lately."

"I see," Marissa replied with raised eyebrows and a quick smile.

"You see what?" Bull inquired seriously with a sideways glance.

"Why you weren't as surprised as I was to see Ashton here looking for you and why you're bothered that she hasn't called you. My advice is reach out to her. Call…text…let Ashton know you're thinking about her," Marissa told him and walked away leaving Bull alone with his thoughts again.

"Where do you think Bull went? He usually joins us. And where's Danny and Benny?" Cable asked Marissa and Chunk as the trio sat around a table having a drink after leaving the TAC office.

"Danny had a date and Benny said he would try to catch up later," Chunk said.

"I think Bull might have gone to check up on Ashton. Her dad is pretty sick and Bull hasn't heard from her in a few days," Marissa revealed and hoped it was true.

"She's hard to find anything on," Cable said off-handedly. "I did discover that she has a master's degree, had a double major before that; plus a marriage license and a divorce decree."

"Cable, tell me you didn't do a deep dive on your boss's ex-wife?" Chunk questioned interrupting Cable's recitation. "It's one thing to do it on the rest of us, but Bull is a whole different level."

"Well…not totally," she replied cagily before adding, "I was curious. He's…well…Bull, and she seems so not Bull…at least from far away."

"Ashton is definitely not Bull," Marissa said with a smile. "But, it worked."

"Still would work from what I saw," Chunk added.

"You've met her," Cable said to Marissa. "What's she like?"

"Ashton is quiet until she gets to know you, intelligent, and obviously has a great sense of humor combined with the near patience of a saint to put up with Bull for any length of time," Marissa answered.

"Who's a saint for putting up with Bull?" Benny asked as he came up behind Marissa.

"I was referring to your sister-in-law," the linguist told him.

"Ashton does deserve a medal – or two – for that," Benny agreed. "At least I'm not the last one to arrive. Where's Bull and Danny?"

"Actually, you are. Danny had a date and Bull said he had somewhere he had to be," Cable chimed in. "You don't happen to know where that somewhere is, do you?"

"Girl does not give up," Chunk said and shook his head.

"I have no idea where he's at," the lawyer replied with a grin. "Nor will I even try to guess."

"Have you heard from Ashton?" Marissa inquired. "Bull seemed a little concerned."

"I haven't heard from anyone," Benny told her. "No news is good news, that's my motto."