Tasha was wearing the usual dark forest green suit, she had worn to work dozen times. She could have worn something completely different, like the outfit she was dying to try out. Yet, she didn't and all because she didn't want to bring attention to herself, especially Tasha's. Her wavy strong hair was down arranged her usual style. The watch on her wrist marked 8:53. There was no doubt that Patterson was already in her lab with all the techs and interns. Hopefully, Patterson's busy enough, that she won't notice me.

She breathed in and she breathed out, her chest rising and falling. Breathing was such a simple process which required no consciousness, but lately, it felt like an impossible task. The elevator ride was almost over, and pretty soon she knew that she would hear the ding. Her soft lips pressed against each other. Fuck. Tasha cursed. She didn't want to see Patterson, she didn't want to talk about it, and she wanted nothing to do with it― the kiss.

The ding was loud and sharp and as the doors opened her stomach dropped. It became hard to breathe, and the cause of it was Patterson. Patterson was looking right at her, her bright silver blue eyes piercing as ever. The genius agent was her drinking buddy from Friday night, but now instead of a glass filled with alcohol she was holding a tablet, setting up things for the morning briefing. Tasha tried to look away, but it just didn't happen, it didn't work. So she kept looking at her, watching as she put the tablet down and began to walk over towards her.

But Tasha rushed to her desk, with her hand covering the side of her face, making it pretty obvious that she was avoiding her. She sat down on her seat and brought a few strands of hair to cover her face. Tasha presses the keys with her fingers, viciously tapping them in hope that her screen will light up, but the computer is slow like always. So she stares at the pitch black screen pretending it's on. Patterson is there, she can feel her presence and from the corner of her eye see more than her shadow.

"Tasha," Patterson says, her tender and unique voice. Tasha, but she doesn't. She remains silent and watches as the log-in finally pops up. Tasha begins to tap at the keys "Umm, Tasha?"

"Uhh, Not now. I really have to finish this, Patterson." She continues to efficiently log in. The screen glows a blazing blue and white and the computer's hymn is loud and clear. Tasha eternally curses inside.

Patterson does that awkward thing with her face, the one where she purses her lips and nods. She didn't say anything more but decides to leave things as they are. It was clear as water, clear as day, the woman who had kissed her (Patterson) had no interest in talking.

For Tasha, it was hard to watch Patterson leave. It left her with millions of feelings stirring around in her chest, and the more she tried to identify and make sense of the feelings inside of her the more confusing everything became. She was lost and perplexed by what was rising to the surface. Did she want Patterson? Did Patterson want her? Why was it so hard for her to talk to Patterson? Was it all because of the kiss or the night? Was it the drinks? Did she have these feelings before? She wasn't sure about those questions quite yet, she just knew that she was being a jerk.

Tasha fought not to look up at Patterson, but it was pretty much hopeless. The spectacular noun that was Patterson has turned away, and not being caught by the mujer risueña made it easy for her to sneak a peek.

She tried to look busy, she clicked around on the computer, wishfully thinking that Reade or Kurt would walk in any moment soon. But then the thought that Patterson could basically override any computer in the world, entered. It obviously made her paranoid and messed with her thought processes. She was being paranoid, of course, Patterson wasn't looking at her screen. Not being able to help it, she turned slightly, and she caught a glimpse of Patterson tapping away at the mini screen in front of her.

The buff men in suits walk in and they are filled with grace and laughter. There was some game over the weekend and like usual they were thoroughly discussing the details of it. They approach Patterson, Tasha behind Kurt and Reade. They stop and glance up at Patterson, and turn back at Tasha. That's when the frenzy begins, and the sport-fanatic-gal is attacked with questions. "Wait. So you didn't watch the game?" Reade asked perplexed.

Tasha nodded, "How many times do I have to tell you?" Tasha glared at him, "I was busy, having a life."

Kurt was about to interfere in the conversation, when Reade blurted, "Were you on a date with slim shady or homeboy?"

Tasha placed both hands over here face, she didn't know why Reade couldn't let things be. She lifted her head up, her eyes unintentionally connecting with Patterson's for less than a second. It was Patterson's presence that made her feel like she had to say something in regards to Reade's comment. Not to clear things up between her and Reade, but Patterson. "No. I just wasn't home to catch the game."

"You, guys, please," Kurt said trying to focus the attention on their work as opposed to the game on Sunday night. "Tasha, I'm sorry you didn't catch the game. But we have bigger issues here, right Patterson."

"Yeah, bigger issues." Patterson delivered to Tasha only, but everyone else just happened to be there also.

Tasha tried her best not to eat Patterson up with her eyes. First, she would look at the floor, then maybe the ceiling, and then eventually Patterson, but not for a moment too long. She didn't want Patterson getting ideas, even though she had every right to. So far it was working, and any variation of eye contact had been avoided.

When she heard Kurt's voice, her head automatically turned to face him. She watched his lips move, but she was lost in her own mind. The thoughts of what Patterson was thinking crowded inside her head. "You listing, Tasha?" Kurt asked.

She nodded, "Of course." She responded, hoping that she didn't miss anything vital. She grasped onto the hem of her dark forest green blazer, her grip numbing. She really needed to focus.

Kurt finished up and gave them their assignments. He decided that it was best if they broke up into three. He would go get the footage from the hotel, Patterson would stay and check for any possible updates on the location of Gris, Reade would look and talk to Lorne Gris, and Tasha would check Gris' storage unit for anything useful. As soon as everyone was dismissed, Kurt and Reade headed out to the elevators. Tasha watched them leave, avoiding the beautiful woman behind her.

"Hey," She felt as Patterson grabbed her arm, "can we talk?" Patterson asked Tasha. Her grip was gentle, but also certain.

"Ohh, Hey," Tasha said, she said to the floor.

"Can we talk?" It seemed like Tasha's eyes were glued, so Patterson reached for Tasha's chin, but Tasha negated herself the touch of Patterson. Instead, she glared at her with drilling eyes. "Tasha, please don't make this difficult," Patterson said under her breath.

Tasha shrugged, her shoulders rising an inch and her expression uncertain. "I have to go check out the storage unit, please, Patterson. We talk later."

Patterson closed her eyes in frustration. "You have time, Tasha. I'm not dumb. I know how long it takes to get a warrant." Patterson took a step closer, but then a step back only seconds later. She should have known better, then to stand so close to Tasha at work, in the middle of it all.

Her eyes opened wide, and then a smile lifted her cheeks up. Tasha blessed the buzzing sound coming from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and on her screen was the image of the warrant for the storage unit. Tasha cleared her throat. "I guess you don't know everything, Patterson." She slid the phone back into her pocket and headed her way out.

There, still standing, was Patterson. She had her tablet in her hand and a bunch words stuck to her tongue. Sunday morning was crazy, but she liked it, and she wasn't going to run away from what she felt. Not months after feeling like she would never feel such extravagant sensations inside her again. They had lived such painful days not long ago, that she feared that she would become numb to the pain and happiness. She feared becoming numb to the happiness the most, but the night she had Tasha's head on her lap, and the morning she had Tasha's lips on her lips, her hypothesis of what would become her life was proved wrong.

What if she's the one that never leaves?

Patterson brought the tablet up and saw how her fingers were clenching on. So she went back to her lab, sat in that black chair and diffused herself into that world of putting things together. Inductive and deductive reasoning, after all, this was what she lived for. The numbers on the screen the, algorithms, the codes, the syncing of things, this was what kept her going. No one kept her going, but herself and her own willpower (and the antidepressants but those are just pills).

Her fingers quickly skimmed the keyboard, her eyes skimmed across the screen, looking for a picture that might get them somewhere or at least help the team out a little bit. It was often that she would worry about the team, especially because of what she had experienced out on the field. Their jobs were difficult and dangerous, and too many times she had been close to losing them, every single one of them.

She knew that the case they were working on today wasn't as dangerous. For starters, it didn't have to do with anything related to Jane. Also, they went their separate ways, which always indicated a light case. It wasn't as exciting, so she wasn't on the edge of her seat like with the tattoos. Too many times had something gone wrong with those.

Yet, knowing that there was a serial rapist/murderer out there managed to keep her on her feet.

She heard a ding, and glanced down, it was someone from the group message.

Group chat: Doe, Kurt, Patterson, Reade, Zapata

Zapata: There's only like a few receipts, but they're all faded. What should I do?

Patterson wanted to tell Tasha to come back to the lab so that they could talk about the kiss, but the group chat wasn't the time or place.

Reade: Damn… Tasha. Are You trying to win? How long did it take to get that warrant? You got connections?

The blonde genius smiled.

Zapata: You mad, Reade?

Kurt: Well, you can head back. It seems like I might be stuck in his apartment a while.

Reade: Same.

Patterson smiled, "Ohh my." She brought her phone to her chest. Tasha was coming home, and she had time to spare. With Patterson's determination, she was going to get her to talk.

"What?" One of the female techs asked worried, "Something happen?" The intern left the hard drive on the desk in front of Patterson. "Don't tell me something bad happened. What happened? Is it bad?" The woman was worried.

Patterson laughed, "No, no, no." she looked down at her phone, "Everything's fine." She said with a decorated smile on her face. "Great, actually."

"Okay," the tech continued to look at her, "let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Always." Patterson swore.

The tech took a few steps closer, "You sure?"

"Positive, Katie." Patterson assured.

The tech, Katie, grabbed the hard drive and continued her way. Patterson reminded herself to be careful with her emotions. She didn't need anyone else knowing her business, much less the people she worked with that weren't a short-tan-sexy-Latina named Tasha Zapata. Zapata was the only one she wanted knowing her business.