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Sydney sat at her desk in the empty office finishing up some paperwork. It had been two weeks since the incident at C.D.'s. Every now and then Gage would bring it up, causing her to blush. But it also caused Gage a black eye. Sydney chuckled at the memory, Gage and her had been working out in the gym when he had teased her one too many times . . .

Flashback:

Gage laughed, "What's the matter Shorty? Can't reach my face, you'll have to do better than that if you want to hit me!"

Sydney laughed back and aimed for his nose, but he blocked her punch and pinned her to the ground.

Gage continued, "Apparently you were also too short to reach the bathroom door handle at C.D.'s."

Sydney blushed violently and tried flipped him over.

"Oh yah, . . . Francis. Just watch this!"

Sydney jumped up on him, a little too quickly and knocked him to the ground.

"Wow Syd" he teased, "you're so short you had jump just to attack me. Now that's sad."

Since Gage was so caught up in his laughter, and Syd so caught up in her aggressiveness, Sydney was not aware that Gage was completely distracted. Causing him to get full impact from the punch she through right into his shocked face.

He had a black eye for days.

End Flashback

She and Chris had become a little closer, but for some reason Gage always tensed up when Chris was around. Syd liked Chris, sure, he was a little over enthusiastic. But he was friendly enough. She didn't know too much about him, he was pretty private about his life in California. But she figured that life had been tough for him back there, why else would he ask to be transferred to Dallas?

Today she was the only one in the office, Walker and Trivette were at some bank robbery. Alex was at court. Gage was following up some leads on their latest case. And Chris . . . well, to be honest, she didn't know exactly where Chris was. She looked around the office full of desks until she found his. It still had his coat and coffee so he couldn't be done for the day. Syd stretched her neck to get a better view, his keys were still sitting on top of some uncompleted paperwork. But Chris was no where in sight.

"Come to think of it," Sydney thought, "I haven't seen him since early this morning. Where could he be?"

Just when she was about to let it go who else but Chris comes strolling into the office. Syd smiled up at him and asked,

"Hey Chris, where have you been all day?"

"Oh," he replied, "I've been around Syd."

Sydney flinched ever so slightly when he called her "Syd". She didn't mind him calling her Syd, that much anyway. It just seemed weird to her that he started calling her by her nickname since day one. No one else had called her that until she got to know them. Gage was actually the one who gave her the nickname. On their first assignment together, she had protested at first. But eventually she grew fond of her little nickname and let him call her it without protest. Sydney smiled at her memories. But then she was brought back to reality when Chris said,

"So Sydney, you busy this weekend?"

Sydney answered the question carefully,

"I'm not sure actually, why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wondering," Chris said confidently, "if maybe you'd like to get together."

Praying he wasn't saying what she thought he was saying Syd smiled and answered,

"You mean like at C.D.'s?"

Chris shifted his weight and said,

"No, I meant at a restaurant or something. Like, . . . a date."

Sydney choked on nothing but quickly regained her composure,

"Uh Chris, I don't think-"

But Chris interrupted her and said,

"I know it's sudden, but I really like you. Just give me a shot! Please?"

It was hard to look at his pleading face but she said,

"Chris, I'm flattered, really. But I don't think about you that way. I think it would be best if we stayed just friends."

"Why?" Chris protested.

"Well, uh . . ." Sydney didn't know how to respond.

"Come on." Chris said as he rubbed her arm.

This snapped Syd back and she brushed away his arm,

"Listen, Chris. I'm sorry, but I have to say no."

"But-" Chris said, and was interrupted by Syd.

"Chris, seriously. No."

He opened his mouth again but Sydney got up and walked out the door,

"Chris, I'm not interested. I have to go."

Then Sydney left the room trying to snap out of her state of shock.