No lie. This song ranks as one of my top 10 favorite songs of all time. I love it so much. And if you follow me on Tumblr, the picture of Mariska walking down the street in the green dress really inspired this one. If you don't, see if you can find it. Or follow me over there (khughes830).

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes

- The Killers (Mr. Brightside)

Anthony watched as Rafael Barba threw back his glass of top shelf scotch and waved him over for yet another refill.

"You wanna slow down a bit, Mr. Barba?" he said, slowly pouring another glass. Barba just shook his head, staring into the glass.

He found himself wishing he could drown himself in it. No. He found himself wishing he could rewind a few hours and not walk into her office.

He leaned against her door frame, watching her work for a moment. He rarely caught her like this, not knowing he was there. He could take a moment to appreciate how hard she worked, how determined she was, how the skin on her neck looked ridiculously soft and how he would love to find out. More than anything in the world.

He didn't really need to come by here. But he did anyway. "Liv" he said quietly.

She looked up and smiled. "Hey. You need something?"

"No, I was on my way out. Wanted to make sure you didn't need me for anything?"

"Nothing that can't wait till tomorrow." He nodded, trying to decide about seeing if she wanted to go do… anything… when he saw it, hanging behind her desk. The forest green color jumped out at him.

"New dress?"

She looked over at it, then turned back to him. "Not really, just never had a chance to wear it till tonight. Blind date." She quickly looked down at her notes as his eyes went wide. A date. He felt like his tie was choking him.

"Oh" he sputtered out. "I didn't realize you were…"

She shrugged, still not looking at him. "I decided to just jump in, you know. What the hell? Gotta take a chance some time, right? I've got a good feeling about this, though." She finally looked at him and, for the first time in a long time, he could not read the look on her face. At all. He bid her a quick goodnight and hurried out of the precinct. He hit the street and finally, for the first time, acknowledged what he was feeling. Jealousy. Whoever this man was that was going to get to see her in that dress, that was going to make her laugh and hold her hand and rub her shoulders… he hated him. With a passion. "Drunk" he said to himself, turning in the direction of Forlini's.

Anthony watched Barba rub his hand over his eyes. Barba couldn't think straight. The alcohol was supposed to dull the feelings, but he would close his eyes and see this random man holding her close and kissing her and peeling that dress off of her and he wanted to throw his glass against the wall.

"A date" he choked out, laughing harshly. Anthony didn't even have to ask. "Oh" he said quietly.

Barba just nodded. "Yeah. A date. In that dress. That man doesn't stand a chance. He's a goner." Barba was staring into his glass, so he missed Anthony looking over his shoulder toward the entrance and smiling.

Anthony just nodded. "He sure as hell is" he responded, pulling out a wine glass and grabbing a bottle of Cabernet. Barba buried his face in his hand, eyes closed, willing all the images running through his head to just go away.

"This seat taken?" he heard from behind him. He froze, wondering if he had passed out in a drunken stupor at the bar. But he turned slowly around and there she stood, long legs coming out of brown sandals. That ridiculous green dress with the leather jacket he missed earlier. Hair slightly windblown. She slid into the chair next to him and nodded at Anthony as he placed the glass of wine in front of her. She took a sip and smiled at him.

He was frozen still. Just staring at her, sitting next to him. He honestly had no clue what to do or say.

"You alright?" she asked quietly, crossing her legs toward him. He almost passed out on the spot.

He cleared his throat, finally gaining some of his words back.

"I guess your blind date was a bust?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Give me an hour and I'll get back to you on that." And then she just stared at him. Hard. He's not proud that it took him much longer than it should have to pick up on what she was saying, on what she was getting at. But he eventually caught on when she rolled her eyes at him. "Come on, Barba. You're a smart guy." And then he knew.

He turned himself toward her so their knees were touching. "How did you know I would be here?"

She laughed like he had seen in his imagination and he was the one causing that in her. His heart beat double time.

"You, dear, are predictable."

"And you just assumed I didn't have plans?"

She smiled shyly and shrugged and he knew he had been set, been played. "But it's not really a date unless we order food. I'm starved" she said, staring at him hard. He swallowed the lump in his throat and waved at Anthony. They placed a quick order and she slipped off her jacket, exposing her arms and shoulders and he knew, without a doubt, that he would get to see if her skin was as soft in real life as it was in his imagination and he would get to discover that tonight.

"A toast?" she asked, holding up her glass.

He nodded. "To green dresses and second dates."

"You seem awfully sure of yourself, Counselor. We've barely started the first one."

"I have a good feeling about it" he replied as they clinked glasses.