Woahhhh this is really short but I wanted to update & say I love you all so much for your reviews. Best reviews I've ever gotten, can't stop smiling. I love you(:

"We could do it, you know."

She looked across the room at Mal, sitting at his desk, looking up at her, having abandoned his paperwork.

"Do what?" Natara asked.

"Raise your baby. I could help you," he answered calmly.

Wondering what brought on this random volunteering, she replied hesitantly, "Mal…"

"No really."

"Mal that makes no sense. Two friends don't simply 'raise a baby.'"

"I know," he stood up and walked over, leaning over her desk, hands on it. "I know two friends don't just raise a baby."

"So…? Then why did you…?" Natara stopped. "No, Mal. No. I can't. I told you, I can't. Just stop, okay? Please?"

"Nat, hear me out. Come on. You know it's perfect. It would work and your baby, he would have a daddy at last."

"I don't want him to have a daddy that way. I want him to have a real dad. But that's not possible. So forget it, me and him, we're already going to be a messed up family. I'd better keep it that way," Natara sighed.

Mal stopped her, "Nat do you even know what love is? Or does your brain not let you understand? Doesn't it suck when your smartness blocks what your heart is trying to tell you?"

"I'm not in love with him!" Natara half-shrieked. "I never was!"

"What? Who?" Mal's face screwed into a frown for the first time in the conversation. "Who are you talking about?"

"Oscar, of course. I can't just go running back to him, go out with him again, and pretend to trust him so Charlie'll have a father."

"Oscar? Why are we talking about him?" Mal questioned, confused again.

"I thought that's who you meant… Who were you talking about?"

"I… Nobody. Just someone I know that likes you. They work here."

"Who?"

"No one. It's fine," he dropped his gaze and trudged back to his desk, going back to his paperwork, leaving Natara dumbfounded.

She finally realized what he'd meant all along. She finally knew who had a crush on her. She was infinitely more confused and conflicted.

She had figured out how to listen to her heart, and it was screaming loud and clear.

There was someone else in the SFPD that had a crush, and it was on Malachi Charles Fallon.

Her heart spoke loud

She knew what to do

She'd finally listened

She knew it was true

The friendly, pretty profiler

With her mind quiet at last

Realized who she loved

She hadn't known in the past

Now what was she to do?

She had let him down

He knew before she did

Now she'd made him frown

He knew what love was

Whom he held dear

She hadn't seen it before

All the times he'd been near

Now she had a choice to make

To tell or to not?

Either way, she'd love him forever

Whether they married or fought.