I decided to take the long way to Mike's office in the hope that he would go the short way. Luckily, I was right. I walked in and sat on the only other chair in the room besides his own. "Mike?"

"What?"

"Is it just me, or were you two getting competetive?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, you both seemed to be half unconsciously trying to out-do the other in the hopes of...well, I don't know...impressing me."

"It must just be you. As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to impress you."

"Oh. So you think you have absolutely no competition?"

"Exactly."

I smiled. "Well, you're right. I think."

"You think?"

"I'm never sure. But, so far...no one has charmed me quite as much as you."

"I didn't think so."

"You're being a bit cocky," I laughed.

"I always get a bit of an ego when we close a case."

"Well, we haven't closed it yet. We have to wait and see if Nick finds anything."

"True. You want to go get something to eat, or did you eat before you left the house?"

"Of course I didn't. I'd love to. Well, on second thought, let's just order a pizza."

"We can do that?"

"Yeah! Hodges orders Chinese all the time."

So, that's what we did. Then, we sat in his office and talked. We really couldn't do anything until Nick was done. "Mike, tell me about Amy."

"What about Amy?"

"What was she like? What did you like about her? You know...tell me about her."

He took a drink, then cleared his throat. "Well, she was a very calm person. Quiet, sweet...everyone liked her. When you were in the same room as her, it was like you were in the presence of an angel. I know that sound cliche, but there isn't a better way to describe it. She just lit up a room."

"That doesn't sound at all like me. How is it you were attracted to me, then?"

"I'll admit, you're no angel, but you do light up a room. You're brilliant...well, maybe street smart and intelligent is a better description. I think there are some deeper qualities that you and Amy share. You're both very strong. You make people believe you can withstand anything..."

"But?"

"But then something comes along, and it knocks you off your high horse."

"Ah."

"I guess I just feel that I have to be there...to catch you when you fall."

"That was really sweet."

"I try."

"So, when are we going out again?"

"When do you want to?"

"Friday night? Since we're off."

"Ok. Any request as per where?"

"Nope. You choose. I eat just about anything."

"Your figure doesn't betray that quality."

"Ah, but you see, it's not always what you eat. It is more often how much you eat."

"Valid point."

"Yes, I know."

He chuckled. "There's just something about you, Sierra McGregor."

"Well, thanks. There's something about you too, Mike Keppler."

"No, I'm serious!"

"So am I. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be dating you."

"Hmm."

"Hey, if you grew your hair out, would it be a white-boy afro?"

He paused, mid-bite. He finally took a bite and swallowed it. "Um...no. I don't think so. What in the hell would inspire that question?"

"The lack of anything else intelligent to say."

He laughed. "Oh." His pretty, blue eyes stared deep into mine as if scanning my brain for something.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Nothing. I just get facinated by the way the irises of your eyes have, like, facets of color. It's intriguing."

"Oh. Well, no one has put it quite that way before."

"But, I take it I'm not the first one to comment on your eyes."

"Eh...no."

"So, I told you about my past partner. Your turn."

"I don't have only one."

"So tell me about your favorite."

"Ok. Honestly, the guy who is now my best friend is my favorite ex."

"Wow. No wonder. If you get along this well after the break up, I'm sure the relationship was good."

"It was. We were basically best friends then too. We probably could've done without dating for a year...well, maybe not. The dating got the sexual tension out of the way. I think that's what allowed us to be such good friends. We got that out of our systems."

"Makes sense."

"Anyway, his name is Eric Delko. He is of Latino descent...I want to say Cuban, but I'm kind of having a blank right now, so I wouldn't swear to it. He was...is...really fun. He's smart, and funny, and charming. He's just so fun to be around. There's no other way to say it. Some of the deepest brown eyes I've ever encountered. Nick's are fighting for that spot though."

"Nick's?"

"Yeah. They're really pretty." He just sort of cocked his head. "Oh, come on. You're not jealous are you?"

"No...I'm just wondering why you think they're pretty."

"Well...because the shade of brown they are is really pretty, and it's kind of cool how the color looks a little less solid when light hits them right."

He shrugged. "Oh. Ok."

"You're sure you aren't jealous?"

"Yes, Sierra!"

"Ok! Geez." I grumpily scooted a little lower in my chair.

Mike sighed, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't long before we opened up again. About 3 hours later, Nick called and said he couldn't find any discrepancies at Longevity. I sighed, disappointed. "Alright, Nick. Come on home, then."

"I'm on my way. Be there in about 15."

"Drive safe."

"Will do."

He hung up. "He couldn't find anything?" Mike asked with an air of 'I told you so'.

"Nope. You were right."

"Can I be cocky now? The case is more or less closed, right?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

He smiled and walked out to do who knew what. I sat there a little longer, then sought out Sara to see how her case had gone. It was the male escort that killed her, but it turned out that she was only talking to him because he was her long lost son. He had thought she was just playing a cruel joke when she told him, and whacked her face in with a champagne bottle. "The world we live in is crazy," Sara told me once she had finished the story. By then, it was about time to clock out.

"Hey, have you seen Nick? I never saw him get back."

"Yeah, he was downstairs clearing out the exhumed coffins and stuff when I last saw him."

"Thanks."

"Sure. See you at home?"

"Maybe. I might hang out a little bit."

"Ok."

I met Mike by his car and kissed him goodbye/goodnight, then went back in and took the elevator to the floor Nick would be on. I put on a medical apron and goggles, then walked down the coffin lined hall. He nearly ran into me on his way out of a door with an armful of pvc pipes in evidence bags. "Hey!" he said, slightly shocked to see me. "Aren't you off shift?"

I smiled. "Yeah. Aren't you?"

"Yeah," he answered with an almost shy smile.

"Do you need some help?"

"Sure...thanks! I'll be right back."

He walked past me to deposit his load somewhere, and I went into the room. It was full of dusty coffins. "This is morbid looking," I muttered to no one. There was still a body on an autopsy table that had yet to be put back in her coffin. She looked nothing like Amy...but I saw Amy anyway. My face blanched and I felt suddenly parched. I shook my head violently to clear the thought. Thankfully, I managed it before Nick came back.

He came in and asked teasingly, "Could you think of nothing better to do except come down here and help me with the dead people?"

"Well...I just wanted to make up for my unwillingness to help earlier," I answered while gathering up some of the bags.

"You didn't need to. I wasn't offended."

"I know. I just thought you deserved some help. You worked really hard on this case."

"You did too. We all did. I think we made a pretty good team."

"I think we did too."

"Some promising partnerships?"

"Unfortunately, a few more weeks and they'll be broken. I have to go back to Miami."

"Oh, yeah. How's that going to work with you and Mike?"

"I...haven't figured that out yet." My phone rang, so I got it out and checked caller ID. "Huh, speaking of the devil. Hello?"

"Hey, I know this sounds terrible, but I'm lonely. I was wondering if you'd come over."

"Um...I'm helping Nick with some of the clean-up on the 2nd floor. I can come by after that. I'll try not to be too late."

"Ok. Bye."

"Bye." I flipped my phone shut and put it away. Nick just kind of looked at me from across the room. "What?"

"Nothin'," he said as he turned and got back to work.

"Yeah, right," I muttered. Even though he was facing away from me, I just knew he smiled.

After helping Nick, I drove over to Sara's and grabbed up some more comfortable clothes...and clothes for the next day. Once I'd grabbed everything, I drove to Mike's. I knocked on the door and quietly waited for him to answer. When he did, I was amazed with the weird feeling of relief I had. It was as if not being able to see him meant he was in constant danger or something. "Hi," I said.

"Hi." He moved so I could get in the door. Once I had, he shut it. "Do you get overtime pay for helping Nick?"

"I don't know. I just thought he deserved some help."

"That's not what you thought a few hours ago!"

"Well, I know, but still. What time is it?"

"Almost nine."

"Ooh! Is last night's Law and Order on?"

"Probably." I ran into the bedroom and changed into my shorts and t-shirt, then ran back out and flopped on his couch and switched on his TV. "Are you hungry?" he called.

"Not really."

He pulled out a bag of chips, then came and sat next to me on the couch. I cuddled into his side. About half-way through the episode, I got sick of his dropping crumbs on me, so I poked him in the side. He gasped and flinched, obviously ticklish. I chuckled deep in my throat. "Please, don't," he pitifully begged.

"Why?"

"Because I prefer not to thrash around like an epileptic having a spasm."

"Oh. That's not a bad reason." I affectionately patted his stomach.

"Sierra?"

"What, Mike?" I looked up at him and suddenly found his mouth covering mine. For whatever reason, I was easily turned on and everything quickly progressed. In no time, he was practically throwing me on the bed. It was an amazing experience. When it was over, I was left with a feeling of utter completion. "Wow," I breathed as he plopped down beside me. "I had no idea how much I wanted that."

"I'm tempted to say me too, but that would be a lie."

"Huh. And I never got any extremely lustful vibes off you."

"I know. I can control myself, unlike some men in the world."

He snarled the last part. It shocked me. Then I remembered...Amy had been raped. That's why she killed herself. "Mike, do you wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what? What's to talk about? You know exactly why I feel like this."

"Well, I just thought...you have a point. I'm sorry."

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"I know." I rolled over and put my head on his chest. "Mike, do you think that sex could be a psychological trigger for you? I don't want to go all shrink on you, but it's possible. I mean, I know...that Amy...I know what happened. And you told me yourself that you struggled for years with any kind of intimacy."

"Yeah, but I'm getting over it. I got through this without thinking about it. It was only after."

"Ok. I'll let it go this time."

"I like that idea, and not because it means you'll get off my back."

I snorted. "Then why?"

"It means there will be a next time."

I smiled softly. "I'm leaning towards more than one next time."

"You know...I kind of was too."

"Mike?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry now." He just laughed.