Justice is ServED

WelcomED

Disclaimer: I don't own EEnE, or the characters, nor do I claim ownership of Nat as he belongs to c2ndy2c1d. All I own is the plot.

Blue eyes stared up at the pristine white ceiling. Edd has been awake for several hours now, just lying in bed going over the events of the day before in his mind over and over again. It was definitely not something he ever expected to happen but out of everything that went down, the most surprising to him was still seeing Kevin and the emotions that reignited after being buried for years.

Edd had thought that Kevin was gorgeous six years ago, but now, Kevin was breathtaking. He was taller now and his shoulders broader than they were back then but his body was still lean and covered in hard muscle. Edd wasn't one for being superficial or shallow, he didn't base his desires on looks but he couldn't deny the affect the man's appearance had on his own body. Those gorgeous emerald eyes that sparkled when he smiled and darkened when he was passionate about something.

Groaning lightly the nerd turned onto his side and buried his face in his hands. Thinking about the way the man felt pressed against him the day before was not a good idea as Edd felt his pajama pants tighten. He had tried to avoid thinking about that all night, for this exact reason. He couldn't help it though. The man had smelled so good and held onto him so tightly that it ignited the fuel for his imagination to run wild with fantasies he knew would never happen. And Edd knew better than to get his hopes up that something ever would. Kevin helping him to the car and into the hospital were just one time deals, Edd would probably never get another chance to so much as touch the man again.

That last thought was enough to fix Edd's growing problem and he sighed before sitting up in his bed. His alarm clock hadn't rang yet but he may as well get up and get ready. He wouldn't want Kevin to be late today since he was waiting on him. So, after giving his cactus 'Jim' a slight smile, he got out of bed and quickly made it before making his way to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Melancholic blue eyes gazed back at him as he unwrapped the bandages around his neck. Once they were removed and he was able to properly look at the injuries again he winced at the sight of the deep purple bruising interrupted only by thin cuts in his flesh. He sighed then began to gently clean and re-bandage the wounds, luckily the gauze covered the bruising so no one else would have the misfortune of having to see it. Once that task was done he went about his normal morning routine before making his way back into his bedroom and checking the clock.

6:45 am

Nodding to himself he quickly changed into a clean and crisp pair of jeans and a white button-up shirt under a dark blue sweater vest, like yesterday's outfit except today he decided to add a black tie to complete his outfit. Checking his reflection in the mirror and making sure his beanie was in place and the bandages still looked okay he gave himself a nervous smile.

Today will be better. I will make today better. Standing up straight with determination, Edd left the room to try and eat something before he was to go meet Kevin. Grabbing a strawberry yogurt from the fridge and a spoon he began to eat it slowly as he walked around the kitchen. He was nervous about seeing Kevin again. How would the man be today? Was the nice Kevin just a one-time deal as well? Would they be back to being indifferent to each other after their drive to work?

Edd wasn't all that sure what he wanted to happen between Kevin and him but he knew anything other than friendship was wishful thinking and that was something he refused to allow himself to do. Even just being friends with the man was something Edd was loathed to think about because if it turned out that Kevin wanted nothing to do with him again, the scientist wasn't sure his heart could take that kind of pain. Shaking his head lightly he looked out the window in the living room across the street to see Kevin standing against his car.

Blue eyes checked his watch to make sure he wasn't late and when he saw the little seven followed by two zeros on the screen he gazed at the man curiously. Kevin was not really one for being early for anything and from what Edd could remember the man was not a morning person so why was he waiting for Edd so early? Well, whatever his reasons, Edd was more than content to watch him for the time being but he was so still. The longer he stood and watched Kevin just stare at the ground, unmoving, the more concerned he got about the detective's well-being.

Was he okay?

Once they made it to the precinct, Edd followed Kevin into the building carrying two of the four boxes. They were stopped by Bridget at the front desk who asked about Edd's health, then by a couple of the security team at the scanners, but as they walked through the main lobby to the breakroom with the donuts, no one paid them any mind. Edd was grateful for that. It was nice that people cared about his health but he just wanted to work, he wasn't in a place right now to make friends…or enemies should that be the case.

Edd was no idiot, he knew that his personality, quirks, and looks made it easy for people to be mean to him. For practically his entire life he's felt as though he had a flashing neon sign above his head that said 'kick me!' or something equally rude. He was raised to be caring, gentle…complacent. He didn't hate who he was or what he was like though. Few people were like him these days but that left him open to ridicule constantly, even now as an adult. One would think that maturity came with age but sadly this is not the case.

Following Kevin into the break room, Edd followed Kevin in setting the boxes on the table and opening the lids when he heard the man chuckle softly. Edd turned a small smile to the man, curious about what he found amusing only to see him freeze with eyes wide. The nerds' curiosity increased at the others' reaction to him. When Kevin turned away from him and stuttered out about leaving, Edd felt his concern from earlier that morning return full force. He nodded slowly in response and worried blue eyes watched as Kevin practically sprinted out of the break room.

Had Edd done something he shouldn't have? Curious and worried, Edd shuffled through his memories of the past day and a half but nothing struck him as overly odd. He never mentioned what happened six years ago, he didn't awkwardly touch the detective; he has been completely in control of his emotions when around the man so what?

Several officers then walked into the breakroom and headed straight for the donuts. Edd smiled politely, stepping back to give the group room. Sounds of laughter filled the room but Edd wasn't paying any mind to the noise. His mind preoccupied he slowly eased passed the larger group of law enforcement officers and exited the room. Standing off to the side of the entrance to the gorgeous main lobby, Edd allowed his eyes to sweep over the people crowding the station.

It was still early so the lobby was fairly quiet as officers, civilians, detectives, and others went about their mornings. Criminals being brought in and processed, suspects being taken into interrogation rooms, detectives huddling over their desks together or on their own waiting for their partners. Edd smiled gently, he was happy to be here, despite what happened the day before. He had a really good feeling about working here, and he was determined to do his best and with that thought he made his way over to his lab.

His lab. He still couldn't believe that he would have his own work space. The lab he interned at had multiple people in it at all times and was stuffy, but Pine Brook had been a busy precinct, so it shouldn't have surprised the quiet scientist. And it wasn't like it was just his lab anyway. They had day, swing, and night shift crews so others would be there too just not all at once. Martha was day shift, and Edd was quite happy that he would get the same schedule. He found it hard to work swing and nights, so this job was perfect for him.

This was something he'd been concerned about when interviewing with Martha after finding out about the shift schedules. He didn't want anyone thinking he was getting special treatment, but the pregnant woman had reassured him. Apparently, the other four techs had set times they preferred working and that was what made their team so efficient. They would trade-off on weekends and certain holidays, otherwise everyone was happy with the way things were.

Upon entering the lab, Martha spun toward him with a wide, happy smile, and an enthusiastic greeting. Edd smiled back in response and grabbed the lab coat hanging on a hook near the door, one with his name embroidered on the left-breast pocket. Smiling at his name, he swiftly put the coat on and felt relief spread through him. Wearing a lab coat was comforting for him, and he knew this job was going to be worth whatever trials he would come across.

The rest of Edd's training week with Martha went by smoothly and for that he was grateful. Despite not being able to talk for most of his training, he and Martha got on quite well. She was very knowledgeable and didn't treat Edd like he was a burden to her. Unlike his mentor at the Pine Brook Crime Lab. Just because he was young, didn't mean he didn't know hundreds of different compounds by memory, or that he didn't know the subtle differences in some poisons.

But that was then. Now he was working DNA instead of Trace and he couldn't have been happier. He was hardly ever allowed to touch the DNA samples before but he was able to show Martha that he was not only confident in his ability to do it right, but to also do it efficiently. The past week was actually fun for Edd and he would miss Martha now that she was leaving.

Smiling sadly at the file in his hand, Edd relished the relative silence of his lab. He was the only one in here and he found himself enjoying it a lot. Peach Creek was a lot smaller than where he was before and had less crime but whatever the reason, Edd liked it. He could hear the soft whirring of one of the machines and the computer beeping every so often as it cycled through fingerprints in the database trying to find a match. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that because the forensics department wasn't as busy that he was in charge of not just DNA and Toxicology but fingerprint analysis as well.

Shaking his head to clear it, he began to read through the file on Kevin's current case. He heard through precinct gossip that Terry Humphrey had been found dead in his apartment yesterday evening after someone called in with a tip. Now they were looking for the person who'd taken out Humphrey. Edd didn't know the specifics of the case, just what he overheard or read in the files.

Glancing around the room as he turned around he stopped when his eyes locked on Kevin through the windows. He was sitting with a tall teal-haired man that Edd guessed was the red-head's partner. The two seemed to be in the middle of a serious discussion as they went over papers in front of them before he saw Kevin glare at the other man and push him back. Edd loved watching Kevin be playful again. It was nice to see his former bully not taking himself too seriously anymore.

Thinking back on their senior year, Edd remembered watching Kevin from afar. After the teen was awarded his full-ride scholarship for football, the teen had started taking his education seriously. Edd knew the teens' grades at the time weren't where they needed to be for the school Kevin was going to but he was happy to see that that wasn't stopping the other from going. Edd recalled offering to help Kevin should he want it, but the redhead declined.

"I need to do it on my own dork." Smiling slightly at the memory, Edd turned away from the windows. During the past few days, aside from when Kevin came to get him for work the day after the hostage incident, Edd hadn't spoken to the gorgeous man once. He'd heard around the office that Kevin and his partner Nathan were unfortunately doing nightly stakeouts to try and get Terry Humphrey, their newest suspect in their murder case.

Edd tried not to feel upset but he had to admit that he was feeling a bit lonely and that threw him for a loop. He had only seen Kevin a couple of times since being back in Peach Creek and they weren't even friends so why did he miss the man so much? He reasoned it might have just been because he was a familiar face and he was just being nostalgic, but he also blamed his resurfacing crush. The more he thought about it, the less he could deny it. His feelings were coming back and he couldn't find the will to stop them from doing so.

He leaned back slightly on the one of the tables in the middle of the room shaking his head sadly. If this continued, the scientist knew things would go horribly wrong. He needed to do something but was at a loss of what that something could possibly be. So stuck in his musings, Edd didn't notice the door to his lab opening until a cheery voice rang through the room startling the poor man.

"Howdy there Edd!" Presley sauntered further into the room stopping a few feet away from him, her white lab coat swishing around her slightly. She wore a blue plaid button-up shirt underneath the coat and tucked into her boot-cut blue jeans. A large bronze belt buckle sparkled in the white florescent lights and her black cowboy boots clacked softly against the floor. After calming his heart from surprise, Edd smiled politely at her beaming face and bright blue-green eyes shined with so much cheer one would think it was Christmas.

"Salutations Mrs. Jenkins, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He replied softly. His throat wasn't fully healed but he was able to talk now, thank goodness for that. The woman threw her head back and barked out a loud laugh as she punched his arm good-naturedly. Edd winced and rubbed his arm lightly, laughing nervously with her.

"Now, now Edd, ya don't need to be so formal with me! Just Presley is fine! Or Pres, or Lee, honestly I answer to all three, sometimes even 'hey you' so you don't gotta think too hard on it." Edd nodded chuckling softly at her as his hands found their place in his lab coat pockets before he waited for the woman to state why she was there. After casually tossing her long brown braid back over her shoulder and out of the way, she put her hands on her hips and gave him a slight smirk.

"So, how ya doin? Settlin' in alright?"

"Oh, yes, I most certainly am. It is a very nice change from my previous place of work." Edd smiled happily, glad that this woman was so personable. It has been a long time since someone spoke with him just to see how he was doing and he found that he'd missed this sort of interaction. His previous lab had most definitely not been as friendly with him as the people were here.

"That's good to hear Bud! Mind if I call you Bud?" A soft chuckle escaped his lips and he shook his head no, in all honesty, the way she spoke was really growing on him. There was something to be said about that southern dialect that, despite the obvious grammar issues, was pleasing to the ear. Maybe it was her charming smile that swayed him but he couldn't deny that he liked her voice. Not in a romantic sense, it was just aesthetically pleasing to him.

"Great! Alrighty Bud, come with me," she said turning on her heel and walking out of the door with Edd following more out of curiosity than anything else. Jogging a couple steps to walk next to her, he heard that she had started talking.

"So, I hear you and Detective Barr go way back, that true?" she asked eyeing him out of the corner of her eye as they turned right to head to the main room of the station. This was the first time anyone has mentioned Kevin to him since the incident on his first day. Curious about why she was bringing Kevin up, Edd nodded cautiously before he answered.

"It is. Kevin and I lived in the same cul-de-sac when we were children, up until after high school." The woman nodded as if what he'd said was something interesting, piquing Edd's curiosity more.

"Ah, I see. So that would explain his protectiveness over you." Edd stopped walking, confusion settling on his face. The way she had said that was so offhanded. Since when has Kevin been protective of him? Presley stopped a few feet ahead of him and gazed at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Um, Presley, may I ask why you mentioned that? I am rather confused," he spoke tilting his head slightly when the woman walked back to him, fiddling with her braid that had somehow managed to find its way over her shoulder once more.

"Hmm? Why I said it? Oh, well, after the morning heads-up meetin' with the Chief on Wednesday, one of the Narcotics guys said somethin' 'bout you, not sure what but that was the first time I'd ever heard Barr snap another detective like he did." She explained before walking again and pulling Edd along by one of his coat sleeves.

Unfortunately, her explanation only confused him more. Just because they lived near each other for so long, Kevin and Edd weren't friends when they were younger, and after they got into high school they barely even saw each other let alone spoke. To Edd, there was no reason for Kevin to show any degree of protectiveness but he didn't know what Kevin had been doing the last six years. Maybe something happened? Edd shook his head gently, trying to erase any thoughts about the redhead. He shouldn't speculate on the man's life and instead tuned into Presley as she continued to speak.

"Yeah, ya know, I heard from a friend a his. A cute little blonde thing, what was her name? N-somethin," she said a small finger raising to her chin as he brow furrowed as she thought. Could she be talking about Nazz? He voiced his thought and she shouted in joy.

"Yeah! Nazz! Spoke to her briefly once a long time ago. Mentioned that Barr has changed somewhat from when they were young-uns. Not sure why but she mentioned it to me but that's what she said. Maybe that's why you're confuzzled? Anywho, why don't you walk on in there for me."

Edd was wide-eyed at the speed and amount that Presley spoke, trying to understand her and take it all in before he was pushed through the break room door. Blue eyes moved around the room, wide, as he took in all the people that crowded into the space. Martha stood grinning at him in the middle of the room.

A small banner with 'Welcome to the Team!' hung above her. Sheridan was to Martha's left and Lillian had her back to the surprised man on Martha's right. Kevin stood off to the side with a tall teal-haired man who was staring at him with a smirk and sharp golden eyes. The redhead was slightly turned away from Edd but he looked over and gave Edd a small but friendly smile as he spoke with the man.

Others were there as well but Edd had yet to meet them. Several blue uniformed officers, a few detectives he hadn't met yet and a happy Bridget from the front desk bounced happily over to him and threw her arms around him in a quick, tight hug.

"Welcome to your new home Edd!" she chirped before letting him go and walking to a lightly scowling officer on the other side of the room. Presley laughed at Edd, frozen to the spot. This was a bit overwhelming for him and he bit his lip lightly and blinked rapidly a few times to keep himself from crying. Everyone here seemed to genuinely want him there and they threw him a welcome party? Smiling shyly at everyone he said a soft but heartfelt thank you.

The Texan gently pushed him further into the room and Sheridan handed him a water for which he was grateful for. Lilian came over and nodded and gave him a slight smirk as she handed him a delicious-looking brownie covered in chocolate-coated candies.

"Enjoy, I promise I didn't put anything in it." Grey eyes held mischief and Edd swallowed a lump that formed in his throat before he nodded curtly as the blonde woman walked away snickering. Edd looked at the brownie in his hand, debating on whether or not he should even try it but was saved from making a decision.

"It's alright, she didn't do anything to it. Lil makes the absolute best brownies but she also likes to pick on people so don't let her know she gets to you." A deep voice said from behind him. Edd turned slowly and had to look up at the very tall man, broad-shouldered man. Amused hazel eyes watched him with curiosity before he stuck his hand out to shake one of Edd's hands. The scientist nearly dropped his water, forgetting it was in his other hand but the man caught it and laughed at the flustered tech.

"Woah there, no need to throw it at me." He laughed good-naturedly as he placed the water bottle on a nearby table and tried again. This time Edd shook his hand without problems and the man introduced himself.

"I'm Axel, Axel Whitaker. I work in the garage on the vehicles brought in for processing and sometimes the department vehicles. It's nice to meet you, Edd right?"

"Oh, yes! It's a pleasure to meet you." The shorter of the two blushed lightly at the handsome man. He was nicely built and had messy black hair that seem to shine in the light. The man was positively charming with his big smile and dimples and sparkling hazel eyes. There was no doubt about it, this guy was gorgeous, but he was no Kevin. Blue eyes widened at his thought and he looked away. Where had that thought come from?

Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a short woman who poked her head around the well-built torso and eyed Edd with blank light blue eyes.

She too had short black hair styled in an inverted bob with bright blue peeking out underneath. A sparkling near her nose drew Edd's attention next and he noticed the small stud in her nose before seeing the small, nearly hidden black bar sticking out of her eyebrow and he caught a glimpse of several piercings in one of her ears before she moved around the hulking man, eyes still blank. She wore a similar white lab coat buttoned over all black attire and Edd had a feeling he knew who she was. Neither spoke and Edd found himself fidgeting nervously from one foot to the other and glancing at the man smiling tenderly down at the woman.

"This is Melanie, my girlfriend, she's the day shift Medical Examiner." Axel said as she gracefully lifted her hand for Edd to shake.

"U-Um, it's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Melanie," Edd muttered anxiously as her expression didn't change. A soft chuckle above him sounded and he looked up at Axel questioningly.

"She's shy, well see you around! Welcome to the team," was all he said before he excused them both and walked away with his arm around her shoulders. The scientist stood where he was, not too sure about what just happened as he watched the odd couple leave the room.

"I see you met Mel, yeah ain't she a treat!" Presley laughed slapping the beanie-clad man on the back playfully, jarring him from his thoughts and nearly making him drop his brownie. A nervous laugh escaped his lips and Edd turned to the slightly obnoxious woman.

"Aw, don't get all flustered Bud, she's like that with everyone at first. Let her get used to ya. Since you got to meet everyone now let me just say somethin'," she said amused before her expression shifted to a serious one that startled Edd slightly and she spoke low and slow.

"Edd, us techs are a family, alright? You mess with one of us you get all of us. So, if anyone is messin' with ya, or you feel uncomfortable around any of the others, you let me or Axel know. Some of the guys here think that just cuz we're not out in the field savin' lives that we don't do shit in here but that ain't true! Don't let any of them tell ya any different, alright? You're one of us now, and we take care of our own." Presley finished with a small, encouraging smile and a firm squeeze of his shoulder.

Edd felt touched that they considered him one of them and he smiled happily at the woman. So far no one has been mean to him but he can see why she might feel the need to warn him. He knows he tends to give off a 'helpless nerd' vibe, he's been aware of this for years. Some people don't ever grow out of their childishness and Edd knew this too. He nodded in understanding and was about to thank her for her concern when a big smile spread across her face.

"Now, how's about I teach you how to handle a gun, yeah? You'd like that wouldn't ya?" Edd paled and this time did drop his brownie in shock. He began to stutter incoherently, not even noticing a large hand catching his dessert until another voice interrupted his scattered thoughts.

"Pres, you aren't goin' anywhere near Double D with a weapon, you hear me?" chuckled Kevin, but Edd could hear the small hint of seriousness in his voice as his brownie was handed back to him. Slightly shaky hands took it back and he gazed up slightly at Kevin's bright emerald eyes as they narrowed slightly at the now pouting weapons expert. Her hands on her hips and a glare turned on Kevin, Presley opened her mouth to retort before the tall man that Edd had seen earlier with Kevin came over and draped an arm over her shoulders.

"Can you really blame him Pres? The last poor soul you tried to teach nearly shot the Chief and we all know how that ended," the man's tone was slightly flirty as he wiggled his eyebrows at Edd before hissing in pain and grabbing his arm.

"Now you listen here Goldberg! You stay away from Edd, ya hear! We all know what you're like and I swear if you harass my bud I'mma kick your ass into next week!" she growled out shaking a finger threateningly at the man as he rubbed the arm she had punched.

"Seriously?! What the hell! Why does everyone think I'm going to hit on the cutie!" Nat pouted settling puppy dog eyes on Edd who merely blushed lightly and looked away. Kevin laughed at the loud chorus in the room that shouted several things but the gist of it that Edd got was that the man was a massive flirt, regardless of gender. Presley shook her head, a small smile gracing her face before she turned to Kevin and her face was serious once more.

"That Jungle Master huntin' knife you got from the suspects place was a match to the wound by the way, it's definitely the weapon Humphrey used on your vic, Dunhill. Now, I gotta get back and test out a couple guns so see who murdered your suspect, later." After giving Edd a quick hug and welcoming him to the family she left the room, leaving Edd with Kevin and a still pouting Nat. Blue eyes glanced up at Kevin, then his brownie and he decided that he would eat it now. Taking a bite, he almost groaned in satisfaction at the way it melted in his mouth and the delicious taste. Axel wasn't lying when he said these were amazing brownies, he'd have to thank Lilian for making them.

"Not to scare you Double D, but she's right. You feel uncomfortable around anyone or they do or say anything, you tell me or Nat too." Edd's eyes snapped up sharply to Kevin's serious look and his heart began to race. Why would Kevin say that? Was Presley right, has Kevin really changed that much? Changed enough for him to feel protective of Edd? This was so confusing for him but he couldn't bring himself to ask and instead chuckled lightly.

"I appreciate your concern Kevin, but I am capable of taking care of myself. I am an adult too if you must know." The shy smile he gave to Kevin didn't seem to alleviate whatever doubt Kevin was feeling as the man frowned slightly.

"Well, unless you have a black belt in some martial art like Sheridan, I'm gonna worry alright?" the man said turning away slightly, refusing to look at the scientist's wide eyes and open mouth. Edd has only been at this precinct for a less than a week and the number of times he's been shocked, surprised or confused since was probably more than he'd felt in his whole life. That may be an exaggeration but still! Nothing was making sense for the man at the moment and he wanted to ask, to question Kevin on why he was being like this but he couldn't, wouldn't, didn't want to lose it, if he did ask. He'd never really had anyone who said that they'd stand up for him like this. It was…kind of nice.

"Anyway," Kevin coughed lightly as he glared at a smirking Nat, "This is Nat, my partner -,"

"His partner in crime, Double Cutie and may I just say that you are positively yummy ow!" Edd giggled softly when Kevin had growled and punched Nat in the same arm Presley had. "Damn it! Now I'm gonna have a bruise! Why do you people keep hitting me!" he whined sticking out his uninjured right arm with an open hand which Edd shook lightly before pulling back.

"A pleasure to meet you Detective." Kevin rolled his eyes at the scientists' politeness and nudged the man slowly out of the room.

"You got our results yet?" He asked as they began walking to the lab after Edd thanked everyone for the party, waving at Martha as she rested in a chair, speaking with some of the other women of the precinct, he would see her again before she left. Nat followed sulkily grumbling about the unfairness of life.

"Possibly. I was just waiting on a few tests to finish before Presley came to retrieve me for the lovely party. I must say I was quite surprised by it." Edd's hands settled comfortably in his lab coat pockets as they walked slowly through the chaotic main room to his relatively quiet lab. He saw Kevin nod and rub his neck with a light blush on his face but what that meant, Edd didn't know.

Pushing the door open he was happy to hear silence because that meant all his tests were done. He went to the left and removed two sheets of paper from two different machines before going to the computer in the corner and clicking a couple buttons before another two sheets printed out. He moved over to where Kevin and a bouncing, grinning Nat had appeared next to him. He laid the sheets of paper on the table facing them after looking at the results and pointing to the sheet with a face and fingerprint.

"The fingerprints found on the knife are a match to Terry Humphrey and I was able to find a partial that matches that of Sam Dunhill." He stated before his fingers hovered over the sheet next to the fingerprint analysis, "The majority of the blood found on the knife is also Mr. Dunhill's but there appears to be traces of another's DNA. I'll run it through the system and see if I am able to obtain a match for you." Edd looked up at Kevin and Nat when a sigh and loud groan reached his ears. Both men looked annoyed at his findings.

"Man! Why do we always get these assholes! Kev! I don't wan' another body!" Nat whined throwing his hands up in the air and Edd couldn't help the giggle that passed his lips.

"Now, Detective Nathan, that doesn't necessarily mean there's another body. I read Miss. Melanie's autopsy report she said he had a cut on his hand. It's possible that it is his own blood. Perhaps Mr. Dunhill attempted to defend himself?" Kevin nodded as he thought over what Double D said.

"Mel did say that there were some defensive wounds on Dunhill's hands, it's possible he was able to grab the knife or at least deflect it and Humphrey's could've cut his own hand trying to get control of it again." Nat glanced between the two men. A sly smile appeared on his face and he leaned forward on the table. Edd noticed the hard glare Kevin directed at the man but was unsure of the cause.

"Hmm, I see. Well, don't you two just work so well together," Nat snickered earning a growl from Kevin. Looking between the two detectives, Edd was lost on what was happening so he decided to remain silent. The redhead's fists clenched tightly as his frown deepened while Nat's smirk merely grew and amusement filled his gold eyes. Edd could feel the air around him prickle slightly with the tension radiating from Kevin and couldn't help the giggle that left his lips.

Gasping softly and covering his lips with his hands when Kevin's hard emerald glare snapped to him, Edd tried to contain his amusement. Kevin sighed loudly and relaxed his body as he pushed Nat away slightly. Edd smiled cutely at the two and the redhead blushed lightly.

"Uh, right," he coughed then pushed Nat harder when he snickered.

"Well, thanks Double D. Let us know when you get the results.," He called, dragging a highly amused Nat out of the lab with him.

"What the fuck Nat?" Kevin grumbled and glared at his partner. He sat heavily in his chair when they made it back to their desks and Nat just laughed as he settled across from Kevin.

"What? I did nothing wrong." Kevin stared deadpanned at Nat's attempt to be innocent. The teal-haired man just chuckled and sat back in his chair. "Okay fine. I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. You guys were just too cute bouncing ideas off of each other," Nat wiggled his eyebrows before continuing, "I can only imagine how cute he'll be bouncing on top of y-ow!"

Kevin smirked as he turned to his monitor, his stapler now missing from his desk. He elected to ignore what Nat tried to (or did) imply and continue attempting to find out where Humphrey's girlfriend Cynthia Haggerty was hiding. Nat griped about flying staplers and payback while rubbing his chest where he'd been hit.

"You know, you could've killed me Kevin. That was right over my heart!" He whined, dramatically falling back in his chair, hand over his forehead. Kevin rolled his eyes and hummed in agreement.

"Probably should have with how much of a bitch you're being about this," he mumbled as he typed in his login information. Nat mimicked Kevin's eye roll and sat back up.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, so here's what we've got: Humphrey leaves his apartment with a big bag Tuesday, goes back to his apartment Thursday, ends up dead somehow on Friday when that lady from down the hall calls us. Cynthia isn't hanging out at any of the spots her friends and family said she frequents and hasn't been seen in several days, but is our only lead right now." Nat summed up as he flipped through pages in their case file. Kevin turned to him and nodded.

"Yeah, but I think I may have an idea of where she'll be." Nat rose a perfect teal eyebrow at his smirking partner. "She has a public Facebook page, and she just tagged herself at the salon for a 'pick-me-up haircut'." Nat chuckled as he stood with up and reached into his top desk drawer, pulling his gun and badge out.

"Well, then let's get to it." Kevin followed suit and the two left the precinct. The woman was only a few blocks away so they elected to walk.

"So, when are you going to ask out Double Delectable hmm?" Nat asked hands resting behind his neck as they walked side by side down the sidewalk. Kevin glared lightly at Nat and sighed as he shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. The sun was out but there was a cool, gentle breeze that swept by the two. Kevin was stupid for continuously wearing his leather jacket in the summer every year but it was part of his image, he couldn't change it now.

"Nat -,"

"I know, I know, you don't wanna talk about it, blah, blah, blah, I don't give a rat's ass." Nat spoke seriously. Kevin knew better than to interrupt when Nat got serious, it didn't happen often but when it did it was worth taking note of.

"Look, I think you should talk to him. Maybe not about everything but I really think you should. It's been what four days and you're still not comfortable with me making jokes about you two in the sack? Come on Kevin who are you trying to kid?" Kevin rolled his eyes at the man's reasoning.

"Dude, four days is nothing -,"

"Yeah, but you never cared this much when I said the same things about the women you'd dated." Kevin frowned at that. He never thought about it like that. Any woman he dated, Nat always made awkward sex jokes and not once did they upset him like the one about Double D did.

"I just wanna make sure it's not because you hate the guy. I mean, you said you don't but you're refusing to talk to me about him, and I don't think I like that." Nat stopped, causing Kevin to stop and face him. The man was serious and Kevin couldn't deny what he'd done. Nat was his partner, his best friend, practically his brother, so why he couldn't talk about this with him? The redhead was at a loss for an answer and decided that he needed to clear the air.

"Nat, I just don't know what to, well, what to feel about any of this. My mind is telling me to ignore it, my heart wants answers, and my body…well…" Kevin coughed in embarrassment. Kevin knew exactly what his body wanted but with his mind so far in denial he knew he'd never act on it. At least not with Double D anytime so anyway. Calculating gold eyes just stared back at him, neither man moving.

"Listen to your heart, when he's calling for you," Nat spoke, eyes and face still locked in seriousness, but Kevin watched the man confused, "Listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do," Kevin narrowed his eyes at Nat, he saw the man's lips twitch. His eyes crinkled slightly in amusement before a huge smile broke out on his face and he sang loudly, and badly, "I don't know where you're going and I don't know why, listen to your heart, before you tell him goodbye! Listen to your heart!" [1]

Groaning, Kevin turned swiftly and quickly walked away, leaving a still obnoxiously singing Nat behind. He should've know the man could only stay serious for so long. Jamming his hands back into his jacket he glared at the ground as he walked quickly, ignoring Nat's laughter and pleas for him to slow down. He managed to walk a block before Nat caught up with him and he stopped and smiled slightly at the heavily breathing man leaning on him.

"D-dude, s-seriously," Nat breathed before he straightened up and smiled back at his partner.

"You're an ass, but thanks," Kevin said holding out his fist. Nat smirked and laughed, fist-bumping him in return before they both turned the corner and continued to the salon to question Cynthia. It wasn't long until they stood in front of the high-end salon. The view inside was blocked by huge block letters and fake plants from the inside. The two men looked at each other and Kevin nodded for Nat to take the lead. This was his territory, not Kevin's.

"Hello," drawled a flat feminine voice once they stepped into the odd smelling shop. Kevin sniffed quietly and tried not to gag at the overpowering and contradicting smells that assaulted his nose. The salon was a large open room filled with brilliant white light and obnoxious techno music. Several hairdressers' stations were lined up back to back up the center of the room and washing stations on the left hand side with drying stations on the right. There were several patrons dotted around the room but the one they were looking for wasn't in their direct line of sight.

"Can I help you?" A woman stepped in front of them, her long black hair, sleek and straight moved with her as she swayed slightly with the music. Her brown eyes stared judgingly at them as she popped her hip out and rested a perfectly manicured hand on her hip. Large, gold, hoop earrings swing from her ears and Kevin vaguely wondered if the weight hurt her ears.

"Yes ma'am, "Nat spoke up showing her his badge, Kevin doing the same, "We're looking for Cynthia Haggerty, is she here?" The woman lifted her nose at them.

"She's in the back, bikini wax." Kevin fidgeted slightly, he didn't really need to know that.

"Then we'll wait out here for her." Nat said cringing slightly. The woman nodded curtly then spun on her high heels and swayed toward the back of the shop. A few moments later she came back out and pointed a pink nail at the two men and curved her finger, telling them to go to her. Kevin was a bit miffed, he wasn't a dog, but whatever. They went to the back room and saw a tall, blonde woman sitting, fully clothed on a nice arm chair and staring at her phone with a bored expression. Nat coughed quietly to get her attention.

"What do you want?" she asked annoyed, not bothering to look up from her phone as she twirled a lock of blonde around her delicate finger. She smacked some gum between her teeth, blew a bubble, then continued chewing.

"We just have some questions for you Miss. Haggerty. And some bad news I'm afraid." Nat said using a deep voice. The woman stilled then looked up at the two. Her blue eyes widened at seeing the two detectives before she smiled cutely and pulled her slightly too small shirt lower, showing off her ample chest.

"Oh, well, she didn't tell me you two were so handsome," she cooed, gently running her finger down Kevin's arm and batting her bright blue eyes up at him. The color was similar to Double D's and Kevin wouldn't deny that her boobs were nice, but Kevin didn't like the sultry look in her eyes. She was jaded. Kevin preferred Edd's cute and innocent gaze. Clearing his throat lightly, Kevin took a step back from the woman. Well, if that wasn't a sign, he didn't know what was. Mentally rolling his eyes, he nudged Nat.

"Your boyfriend is Terry Humphrey, correct?" The woman rolled her eyes and nodded.

"What's he done now?" She asked, not at all concerned about him.

"Well, he was wanted for murder, but it seems someone else wanted him dead." Nat said, he didn't much feel like being sympathetic about how he gave the news, it seemed to him that she didn't really care about him anyway.

"He's dead? Seriously? That explains why he hasn't returned my calls the asshole." She complained, looking at her phone with a forced smile and a giggle. Nat's eyes narrowed. His suspicions were correct. This woman didn't give two shits about the guy that was supposedly her boyfriend. Little warning bells went off in the back of his mind but he wasn't sure why. Something about her, aside from her lack of reaction, was tugging at him.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Kevin looked around the room as he listened. It was a simple waiting room with several plush armchairs and a table filled with a myriad of girly magazines. The walls were lined with pictures of different women, all of which Kevin couldn't find attractive. Rolling his eyes, he ignored that part of him and turned his full attention to Cynthia.

"I don't know last week or something?" Came a mumbled reply as she flipped her long hair over her shoulder. Nat was growing increasingly irritated with this woman but he still couldn't figure out why he felt like something was off. It wasn't how she ignored him for her phone, it wasn't the way she spoke. Gold eyes studied her intently. She was tense and the second he started asking questions she refused to make eye contact, using her phone as a shield. She knew something, but what?

"How was your relationship with him?" He asked off-handed, watching for her reaction. She stilled before she forced a bark of laughter through her glossy pink lips. Her wary blue eyes looked up over his shoulder, not directly at him.

"Our relationship was whatever. We did things but it's not like we were exclusive." She waved her hand around as if what she said was no big deal.

"Okay, then is there someone else you're not exclusive with that didn't like that little tidbit of info?" This time she glared up at him.

"Are you calling me a slut?" She exclaimed pushing from the chair to stand up, wobbling only slightly on her too-high heels. Her tight black skirt just barely covered her ass and her ample cleavage bounced when she put her hands on her hips.

"No ma'am, just curious about whether someone you know is jealous enough to kill for you," he smiled reassuringly but her reaction was amusing. She changed what he said and that was answer enough for Nat. There was someone she was with; someone she knew would have no qualms with killing for her but what reason would she have to have Humphrey murdered?

"W-well, there isn't! And I-I don't appreciate the insinuation that I c-cheated on Terry! So, if this is all, I'm going to go, you've taken enough of my time." She spat frustrated as she gathered her small purse and turned toward a door leading back to another room. Kevin stopped her gently and gave her a charming smile.

"Thank you for your time Miss. Haggerty, we're sorry for the trouble but we have to do our job. You understand right?" He handed her his card and told her to call if she remembered anything and the two left the building and headed back to the precinct.

"Augh! That woman, yuck!" Nat exclaimed as a full body shiver went through him. Kevin chuckled at his partner's overreaction.

"She wasn't all that bad."

"Are you kidding me! She was annoying! But she's also hiding something I can feel it." He stated. Kevin nodded in agreement but Nat noticed the smirk on his face and narrowed suspicious gold eyes on his partner.

"What do you know?" Kevin glanced at him with a raised brow then snickered.

"She was having a very interesting conversation with someone named 'Colty-poo'. I have a feeling we know this guy but we'll have to follow her to make sure." Nat laughed.

"If you're talking about Colt Gunner, then I'm sure he'd have issue with being known as 'Colty-poo'. I call dibs on calling him that first!" Nat chuckled. Kevin grinned in return and pulled out his phone. He pressed a few buttons and pulled up Cynthia's Facebook page.

"Well, looks like we'll have something to do tonight. She's tagged herself and several others for a party at The Warehouse." Nat grimaced and pretended to puke.

"That place is so nasty! Kev, I don't wanna spend my Saturday night at The Warehouse!" he whined, clinging to Kevin's back all the way back to the station. Kevin didn't care and ignored the man hanging from his neck.

"Well, too bad." Nat groaned loudly but smiled back at his partner when he let go. Kevin seemed to be less tense now than he was before they left and Nat couldn't be happier. He may joke a lot and pick on his best friend, but he truly cares for Kevin, and would do anything to make him happy.

Gold eyes glanced over at the cutie scientist moving about the lab and he smiled slightly. He might not know this Double D very well, but the feeling he got when they spoke was nice. Nat was always one to go with his gut feelings. Kevin did the same but Nat trusted his gut more than the other man did. Looking down to see Kevin looking at him warily he laughed and sat down.

Double D would be good for Kevin. Nat could feel it.

A/N: Yay! Chapter 7!

[1] - Lyrics from Listen to Your Heart by Roxette

First off, I'd like to thank Grimmylover101 for offering to beta for me!

Next, this chapter was longer! A whole 14 and a tad pages in Word. I'm hoping to keep the future chapters about this long, I think I like it better this way.

I hope you liked this one and thank you all for reading and reviewing! Reviews do speed up the update process (wink, wink) because they give me the warm, fluffy feelings that I require to write this story!

Thanks again,

ReinaKage