A/N: I know this update is long overdue but I promise the next couple of chapters will all be worth it!

Crescent City Hospital

Loretta was waiting at the entrance of the ER when the Denali came to a screeching halt in the ambulance bay.

"She went catatonic on the way here," LaSalle told his trusted friend as the trauma team loaded his partner onto an awaiting gurney. Her eyes seemed to be looking blankly at him not knowing that he was there. It had taken him 45 minutes to get her back to the car and then another 30 to the hospital.

"She's in shock," Loretta replied knowingly stepping in front of the agent as the trauma team whisked Brody away.

"I need to stay with her," LaSalle attempted to sidestep the medical doctor only to meet her block.

"Christopher, it's a snake bite. She's going to be fine, "Loretta said calmly.

"You don't-" He wanted to tell Loretta about the hex and the tarot card but he stopped himself.

"Do you realize how ridiculous that would sound?"

"Come with me," Loretta ordered escorting the concerned agent to an empty room with an awaiting IV drip.

LaSalle looked at the medical examiner with confusion. Was this for him?

"You physically tried to extract the venom from Agent Brody, by doing so you put your own health at risk." Loretta explained that they needed to start a drip of anti-venom just to be safe.

LaSalle started to protest when a familiar figure appeared behind him.

"Don't argue with her, Christopher." Dwayne Pride clapped his hand down on the younger man's shoulder.

LaSalle closed his eyes in defeat he knew better than to pick a fight with King. Reluctantly, he removed his jacket and t-shirt and slid up onto the bed. "Just do me one thing and stay with Brody."

Pride nodded. Snake bites weren't uncommon when it came to the swamps.

Was this about the Tarot card reading? He'd never known LaSalle to be overly superstitious but for some reason his agent was visibly shaken.

Brody awoke to find LaSalle sitting in the bedside chair, his eyes staring intensely into her weary looking brown ones. He almost looked angelic she thought as she tried to focus on his rugged face.

"Welcome back," he grinned in his thick southern drawl.

Her eyes quickly shifted to the large bandage on his forearm where the IV had been inserted. It then dawned on her that LaSalle had risked his own life to save her.

Brody attempted to sit up. "How long have I been out?"

"A lot longer than expected," he answered, causing her to look at her partner with confusion.

"What does that mean?"

Loretta appeared in the door way, with Pride at her flank. "It means your body took its own sweet time in responding to the anti-venom."

Without forethought, LaSalle allowed his hand to slip over Brody's. "Loretta said they almost lost you. You nearly died from anaphylactic shock. Doctor said he's never seen anything like it."

Don't listen to him, Pride trying to lighten the moment. He would allow for her own personal physician explain the exact details.

On the way back from the hospital, Brody sought comfort in the warmth of LaSalle's jacket. Typical of the hospital, hers had been cut a part in the ER.

"If you want we can stop and get something to eat," LaSalle said from the driver's seat.

"I'm not that hungry," Brody returned, breathing in his clean sporty scent that radiating from the jacket. She'd never noticed, and suddenly it intrigued her.

"What kind of aftershave do you use?"

"I don't," LaSalle replied pulling into Whataburger.

"You don't seriously wear cologne, do you? "Brody laughed as the truck came to a halt in the drive-thru.

"Wrong again," LaSalle returned before ordering a Whatasized combo meal and a Coke. "You sure you don't want anything?"

Brody leaned over him gazing at the menu, "Chicken sandwich and a diet Coke."

Chris pulled into the drive way of Brody's house and then like the Southern gentleman he was, he circled around the truck and opened the door.

"You don't have to be nice to me just because I got bit by a snake," Brody smiled as he took her hand and helped her down.

"I'm being nice to you, because you're cursed and I don't want you to fall out of my truck," Chris returned grabbing the food.

They were just about to the porch when Brody noticed something hanging from the front door. In the place where a frilly wreath sporting the words welcome usually hung was a giant black rat that had been secured to the door by a staple gun.

"This is so not funny," Brody rolled her eyes at her partner as she marched up the steps and unlocked the door with Chris in tow.

"I don't think it was meant to be." LaSalle set the food on the table and drew his weapon. "I'll be right back."

A check of the perimeter found nothing except a set of unfamiliar footprints. Holstering his weapon, LaSalle walked back inside to find Brody setting her small dinette with paper plates.

"Did you put Sebastian up to this?" Brody asked, beginning feel like this whole thing was nothing but one big prank.

"Me? You think I did this?" LaSalle's brow furrowed as he watched her sit down and unwrap her sandwich.

"I don't know maybe it's your way of trying to indoctrinate me into the culture of the Big Easy with all of this Voodoo silliness."

Chris looked at her. Was she serious? "If I were going to try anything to get you to notice the culture around here, I'd take you to dinner and a jazz lounge."

"And let me guess, dinner would be Whataburger, right?" Brody held up her sandwich in disgust and pondered the thought of throwing it at him when a large roach crawled out from underneath the bun.

Chris watched in disbelief as she jumped up from her seat with an almost terrified look on her face. If there was one thing Meredith Brody hated it was insects.

"You want me to kill it for you?" he asked amused as she picked up a magazine from the counter and pulverized the hapless insect.

Once she had recovered, Brody ran a hand through her short hair, "I think I'd really like that invitation to the Jazz lounge."

LaSalle smiled, a little wine, a little music might be just thing to lighten the mood.

"Ok, but we have one stop we have to make first."