A/N: I never thought LaSalle getting slapped would fetch so many reviews. Y'all are amazing, I'm touched really.

Chris did his best to harden his reaction. In fact, he'd gotten pretty good at not reacting to things since Savannah died. Almost nothing bothered him these days, which he supposed could be due to his lack of having a soul. It had been torn out the moment the he saw Savannah's body lying lifeless on his bedroom floor.

Gauging a shell shocked, Brody he plucked his keys from her hand and circled around to the driver's side of the truck.

"Ya gettin' in or am I runnin' down this list of names by myself?"

"What you said, was wrong," Brody retorted, hopping into the passage seat as he was about to pull away from the curb.

"Meb'be, but it also happens to be true." Purposely, he paused just for the effect. "Just because you talked to a therapist and opened up, doesn't mean that's what I need. I already told ya. I'm dealing with this in my own way."

"And you're doing a stellar job," Brody hissed under her breath. She still thought he needed to find a way healthy way to deal with his grief but LaSalle was stubborn as the day was long he would probably rather die than to open up to anyone about what was going on in that heart of his. She also took into account that Savannah had been a therapist. Though he wouldn't deny the wonders that the woman had done for Cade, when it came to himself it probably just added more insult to injury than anything else to seek help from someone in your dead girlfriend's profession. It must be like rubbing salt into a wound.

Chris flicked his gaze her briefly before heading into the Quarter traffic. It was mid-morning so thankfully it was light. The drive out of the city was silent and for the moment that was ok. It took the edge off of the uncomfortableness of their spat, tiff, whatever you had wanted to call it.

"So, Cecil Gaines, how do you know him?" Brody asked looking at the crumpled yellow paper in her hand.

"Savannah treated his teenage daughter for a meth addiction, a few months before she…" the inevitable lump started to form at the back of his throat forcing him to take a breath. "Cecil wanted to thank her for help in more than friendly way, if ya know what I mean."

Brody raised one eyebrow. "So, you threatened him?"

"Jus tol' him to leave her alone is all." Chris replied, the corners of his mouth twitching as Brody shook her head.

Whatever harsh words had been said earlier were forgotten as he managed to charm her with a slight version of his famous grin.

"Ok, so how do you want to play this?"

"Like we always do, weapons ready."

Weapons ready? They were just going to talk to the man. There was no need to persecute him right off the bat. What if he was innocent? "Ok, now you have me worried."

Chris' grin grew larger as he veered off onto a dirt road and threw the truck into park. "I may have forgotten to mention, that Cecil is the meth dealer who got his daughter hooked."

"Lovely". The thought of asking her partner why Cecil, the meth dealer, wasn't already doing time for supplying his poison to his minor daughter was lost on the sudden appearance of a thin layer of sweat, beading off of LaSalle's brow in time with bright red flushed cheeks.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Brody asked touching his forearm as he reached for the door handle.

He looked at her a bit perplexed. The woman who had just slapped the hell out of him, not thirty minutes ago seemed to be worried because a little fever had sprung up. "I already tol' ya, I'm good."

"At least you didn't say you're fine," Brody snorted softly as she slid out of the passenger's side of the vehicle and reached for her service weapon. Together they moved as partners do, in a quiet procession, using non-verbal expressions and hand signals.

"Cecil Gains!" Chris shouted, before knocking on the door. "NCIS-" He barely got the "S" out when a shotgun blast splintered the door sending both he and Brody into different directions. They circled around the house giving chase behind a well-built Caucasian, man about 6'2 and a couple of skinny bean pole types, wearing surgical type masks, and white coveralls.

Guess there was no doubt as what they had been doing. It was Heisenberg, Louisiana style.

The two agents managed to subdue the two string beans, almost immediately tackling and cuffing them on the ground, but the bigger guy well he was a different story. It had taken the two of them to wrestle him to the ground, only to come to realization that they didn't have an another pair of handcuffs.

Chris sat on the small of the man's back, holding his wrists securely into place while Brody fished a zip tie from the pocket of her vest. Once the man was no longer a threat, they rolled him over and pulled him to a seated position.

Cecil's green eyes grew wide at the sight of Chris, recognizing the agent.

"You been keepin' your word Cecil?" Chris took a moment to swipe his brow with the back of his hand, sweat was pouring off of him now.

"I already tol ya, I ain't going near your girl again and that's the truth. Ain't been near my daughter either. Lucy, she's got a good home now with some nice folks in Baton Rouge, doing well in school. She's been clean since she left that clinic where the pretty red head works, I swear. Ain't been near her either, just been here doin' minding my own business."

"Your own business, huh?" Brody repeated, quickly crossing the man off as suspect and calling the J.P.S.O. Given the fact that Chris was still suspended and that they didn't have a warrant, the duo decided it best to leave the trio for the local authorities.

Brody was still talking to one of the deputy's when she noticed LaSalle hunched over by the truck, his hands resting on his knees. Concern coursed through her as she jogged over to him.

"Chris?"

Automatically, he straightened at the sound of his name revealing his phone in his left hand. "I just got a call from Cade's boss. Seems he's done gone pulled one of his disappearing acts again. I gotta take a ride down to Mobile, see what's goin' on. Would ya mind hitchin' a ride with the good deputy over there?"

Brody frowned. She knew that Cade was important but Chris didn't need this right now. "How about if I drive you?" she asked gazing at the highway of red wavy lines that surrounded his normally bright blue irises. Whether he wanted to admit it, the big crash that Loretta had warned him about was barreling down on top of him. Brody was worried he might not be able to make the 90 minute drive. What if he fell asleep or passed out at the wheel?

This was Cade, his brother. What he had to deal with was a brother thing. "It's nothing I haven't already dealt with a thousand times, he probabl' just went off his meds again. Besides, he'd hate for you to see 'em like that." He paused smiling at her. "Ya know he's got a little crush on ya, right?"

Brody lowered her eyes for moment, trying to hold back the smile that was creeping up on her face. "You LaSalle brothers are incorrigible you know that?" Her face twitched as she looked back up at him. "If you get sleepy call me and I'll talk you through it."

LaSalle's eyes widened slightly. "You actually sound like you care."

"Maybe, I do." She said under her breath as he got into the truck and headed toward the Interstate.

Pride's cocked his head, crossing his arms over this chest. When Brody had come lumbering into the office without LaSalle in tow, he became concerned. "Let me get this straight, you went to LaSalle's to protect him, the two of you had words, so you slapped him and he took off in the truck?"

The senior agent had most of the story correct, the part of about Cecil, the meth dealer, was really irrelevant. There was no need to anger the man over an unlawful search and detention. "Did I mention he looks like the walking dead?" Brody added. "He nearly fell over."

Pride uncrossed his arms, and started across the room. "And yet you still let him drive off in the truck…"

"Something came up with Cade." She was grasping at the straws as she kicked herself for falling for LaSalle's charm and sickly looking blue eyes. Even when he was ill, his eyes were still as mesmerizing as all get out.

"You should have taken the keys." Pride relented over his shoulder. Cade had been doing well now for the past several months, staying strong in case he needed to take care of his wayward baby brother. While Bi-polar disorder could certainly be unpredictable it didn't make sense to the older man that he would have a relapse at the exact same time Chris was going through a crisis. But then again, in strange twist of fate both brothers had lost the women they loved just days apart. So, Pride stopped questioning the little voice in his head.

"I already tried that." Brody answered starting to feel a bit small. "He took them from me."

"Someone out there is trying to kill him." He returned in his usual placid manner entering the kitchen.

Brody was beginning to see the picture. It didn't matter what she said, Pride was going to side with LaSalle's safety. Her friend was in trouble and she had let him slip out of her sight. "He's on his way to Mobile. He thought it would be better if he dealt with Cade alone." she argued softly as Percy burst into the room with her usual loud tone and brash manner.

"Y'all, tall and lanky's got somethin' for us on the Plasma screen." The DNA sample had finally come back.

A/N: Not as exciting as the last chapter, but it moves everyone into position for the climax and we will find out who really is after Chris ;). Sorry for the small cliffy but if I continued it was going to end up that way, regardless. The next chapter will be more suspenseful and revealing. I had just had to move our heroes beyond the slap first.