"You're starting to get some color back in your face…"
Mike's quiet voice pulled him out of his deep brooding and Steve glanced up from the file he'd been studying intently, momentarily blinking against the sunlight coming in through his partner's large office windows.
Managing a faint smile and moving slow enough as to not upset his irritated stomach any further, he watched the Lieutenant pour himself a fresh cup of coffee, before grabbing his and doing the same.
"How was the meeting?"
Taking a couple sips of reheated black goodness to help with his sore throat, Steve leaned back in his chair and waited for Mike to sit down at the corner of his desk, before glancing across the bullpen deep in thought.
"It was interesting. You've gotten Lee's files already?"
"Yeah, I just started to go through them.", he said and pointed at the stack on his desk, "Left a message with Lenny to see if he has time to sit together later on this afternoon to go over things."
Nodding approvingly, Mike rested the coffee cup on his thigh, before motioning toward the door.
"Sometime this morning, we'll have a group of teenagers walk through here. The troubled kind. This is some sort of proactive measure to build a lasting relationship of trust between the public and law enforcement. Better put on your most charming smile."
Grinning at his partner cheekily, Steve put his hands behind his head and chuckled.
"Don't I always?"
Mike was about to retort when his eyes fell on the small brown paper bag next to his partner's phone. A second one sat by the stack of file folders.
"What you got there, Smiley?"
"Oh…I don't know…", unusually uptight about his assortment of goodies, Steve threw him a wily grin before theatrically rubbing his belly.
"Somebody brought you some sympathy goodies, didn't they?"
Mike tried to reach over but Steve leaned forward, effectively blocking his access to the bags.
"I just got some…ehm…Oatmeal raisin cookies from Laura down in booking and eh…Sandy from records got me some chocolate chip almond bars too. To help me recover from this…intensive undercover assignment. And Roberta from Vice got me some Starbucks coffee earlier too."
Mirroring the smile, Mike chuckled and shook his head.
"It's nice to see that you've got your own private fan club going on here, Inspector. "
"Well, you wouldn't want my talents get wasted lying in bed at home recovering from this now, would you? It's nice to have an assortment of individuals who…you know…put me under their wing…help to get me back on my feet…return to my shiny and bright-eyed self."
"You mean like me watching you thrash around in my bed recovering for the past twelve hours? Rest assured, that'll be the last time we ever get dragged into a case like that. Mind if I have a cookie, you poor, battered young man? That long night of playing nurse and this morning's meeting has my stomach growling."
"I guess that's the least I can do for you putting up with me. Those oatmeal raisin ones are the best. Laura said she baked them late last night after she found out what happened, you know…", Steve explained and handed over the larger of the two paper bags, the sweet smell of cookies inside quickly filling the bullpen.
"Oh, believe me, I've seen her face when you flash that smile and bat those eyelashes. I'm surprised she isn't up here right now making you a nice home-cooked meal and spoon-feeding you. For being such an individualist, I am surprised to find you enjoying all that coddling way too much."
"I consider it my emotional support group. You know, between the long hours and my deep devotion of putting the job before my health…for better or worse."
"You just enjoy all the ladies downstairs fawning over you…I am starting to wonder if you're all sobered up yet. I am sensing a lot of hot air around here…"
Their good-natured bantering was broken up by the commotion of a group of teenagers walking through the entrance door of the bullpen, signaling that Homicide was the first stop for the group Olsen had talked about.
Snatching a wax-paper wrapped cookie and skillfully sliding it into the pocket of his black dress jacket, Mike squeezed his partner's shoulder tightly before getting off his desk.
"Time to handle the brigade. I'll have them for a good hour. After some introductions, I'll pull them into one of the interrogation rooms to give you guys some peace and quiet. Let me know if Lenny gets back with you on a time and what you find out in the files. I should be back around…oh…noon."