He stayed through the night, and they woke up and had breakfast together. Granted it was cold cereal with milk and a cup of coffee, it was still breakfast.

"It's my dad's fault," she said, sipping her coffee.

"What's that?"

She glanced up at him. "My love for Frank. My dad's always been a huge fan, and out of all us kids it rubbed off on me the most. He wanted to name me Frankie. Actually," she put her spoon down in her empty bowl. "From the first time my mom got pregnant, through each time, Dad begged to name the kid Frank. Then they had my older sister and he petitioned for Frankie. Mom said no each time. Then they got to me, Mom said no as always, and Dad was heart broken. Mom felt bad, so she promised the next kid would be a Frank. See, after four kids, she thought she was done. She thought she wouldn't have to go through with the deal, because she didn't plan on having any more of us. Then my little brother came along, so reluctantly, my Mom agreed to name him Frank. Then my sister came along and...that was it. Dad had his kid named Frank."

"Your dad sounds like my kind of guy."

"He's an incredible man."

"So what made you decide to be a cop?"

"Well, I was gonna be like the other women in my family...marry a cop, be a housewife...but...then I decided it wasn't anything I'd ever wanted to do. I'd always wanted to be a cop, just like my granddad, my uncle, my dad, then my brothers...so I did."

"Can't say I see you for the housewife type," he agreed.

"Not at all." He helped her clean up, then headed for the front door.

"We'll do something soon," he said.

"Okay, see you then." She walked him to the door and let him out. It wasn't until he was gone and she went back into the kitchen, that she found his tie laying on the floor. She shook her head, smiling, and hung it over the doorknob of her pantry. She wasn't about to chase after him in her pajama's for a ridiculous tie. Of course, later on when her partner invited himself over for lunch, she horribly regretted leaving the tie and dishes from the previous night out in plain view. Luckily, she was able to jump around the topic when he tried to weasel it out of her. She wasn't about to tell anyone, especially her moody morose partner, about her private life.

Over the next month, she saw him twice. Once for dinner out, with drinks following at his place. The other time was supposed to be dinner out, but he had canceled for work, so she made Ed meet her for drinks. Then just her luck, in the middle of it, her phone rang.

"Cassidy," she answered.

"So what's the chance you haven't replaced me already tonight?" Mike's voice came through the line.

"Does my partner count?"

"No. Meet me, I'm hungry."

"Work?"

"Our guy died, nothing we can do tonight."

"See you in ten." She hung up and hopped off her stool. "Date's back on. See ya, Green."

"Just like that? You're gonna ditch me?"

"Yes." She headed out the door, smoothing her outfit down, and went to see him. Another good date. It was a couple weeks after that night that she was, once again, babysitting. This time her brother had dropped the kids off at her place.

She was sitting on the couch and laughing, as Nathaniel and Laurel danced around the living room wildly. Gracie was standing still, shaking her hips in tune to the song. "No Gracie, like this," Laurel moved over to her sister and started swinging her hands above her head and dancing around in circles. Nathaniel ignored his younger sisters and continued his head banging.

"Careful Nate, don't hurt yourself," Nina choked out in laughter. Over the noise, she just barely heard the buzzer sound. She jumped off the couch and went over. "Yea?" She called into it. Only static replied. "Can't hear you." She tried to listen again, and she just barely made out Mike's voice. "Come up," she said, buzzing him in. She turned to the kids who were all oblivious. "I'll be right outside where I can hear your screams," she warned. She stepped out of the door and left it open a bit and stood in the hall. Mike soon emerged from the elevator and walked over to her. "Hi," she gave him a nod.

"I was...in the neighborhood." He walked up to her, hands in his pockets, looking cool and nonchalant. He glanced at the door and lost his composure for a step. "You...have company."

"I do," she liked the look that fell across his face. "A bit of a party, really."

"I see. I'm sorry. I should have-"

She couldn't play him any longer, so she shook her head and cut him off. "Babysitting. Their parents went to a party, so we decided to throw our own. We got some pizza's, put on some music..."

"Ahh," he nodded and stepped forward. "And you didn't invite me?"

"Didn't know you liked parties, much less kids."

"I don't dislike kids I just don't know how to act around them."

She stared at him. "Act around them? They're kids, Mike. Come on." She pulled on his arm and brought him inside. They stepped in in time to see Nathaniel standing on the back of the couch, head banging, and Laurel was playing air guitar. Gracie on the other hand was standing on the coffee table with her shirt rolled up, showing off her stomach, and she was, in no kinder words, humping the air and twirling her sweater above her head. Nina gasped. She pushed Mike and pointed to Nathaniel, he nodded and went to grab the boy off the couch. She crossed the room with her hands on her hips. "Gracie Lena Cassidy! Down!" The little girl jumped at the loud voice and hopped down from the table. Nina grabbed the sweater from her hand, knelt down and fixed Gracie's shirt. "No dancing like that. Where...where did you learn that?"

"From TV," Gracie said softly.

"Well don't do it. Ever." Nina glanced over at Mike, who had picked up Nathaniel by the back of his shirt and was now holding him in the air. "You can put him down," she advised. Mike nodded and put the boy down. All the kids resumed their dancing. Or head banging. Nina and Mike looked at each other and held in their laughter.

"Nice kids," he muttered, as he got to her side. She nodded.

"Who's that Aunt Nina?" Laurel asked.

"This is my friend Mike."

At this, Gracie ran over and stood at Mike's feet and craned her head back to look up at him. "I talked to you on the phone."

"Hmm," he said, crossing his arms and looking down at her. He scratched his chin for extra effect. "Gracie, age four?"

"Yup," she giggled.

"Aunt Nina pushed you down the steps?" He went on.

"No!" Nina cried, at the same time that Gracie nodded and giggled more.

"Nice to meet you," Mike said, holding out his hand. Gracie giggled and ran off. Mike looked at Nina. "I like her."

"Want something to drink?"

"I'm good," he shook his head and sat on the couch. A new song started and Laurel screeched. Mike held his ears.

"It's my favorite song ever ever!" Laurel screamed, jumping up and down. She then proceeded in stepping to the middle of the living room and singing along to every word, while dancing along to what must have been the exact dance moves used in the music video. Luckily, nothing at all as bad as Gracie's table dance.

Nathaniel took a break and sat next to Mike, looking him over. "Girls," Nathaniel finally muttered, in a deeper than normal voice. Then he sat back in a mocked position of Mike.

"Aunt Nina, dance with me," Gracie begged. She held her arms out to Nina.

"Sorry, kiddo, I need a break." Nina sat down on the other side of Mike. "Ask Mike." She grinned. Gracie eyed Mike for a minute, then slowly stepped over.

"Mr. Mike," she said sweetly, "come dance." Mike looked at Nina with death eyes. "Please?" Gracie asked. She stuck out her bottom lip. Nina bit her lip in laughter and poked Mike with her elbow.

"Oh you're so in for it," he whispered in her ear, standing up. Except, by the time he stood up and walked around the coffee table, the current song ended and a new one started. It was an old classic rock power ballad. "Sorry," he shrugged at the girl. He started to walk away but she stomped her foot.

"Wait. Like this." She took his hand and stepped onto his feet. "Like Daddy does." Mike couldn't say no to her, so he started carefully turning in circles. The whole time his eyes were glued to Nina's with a playful glare.

Nina knew what she was doing when it came to the kids. Barely twenty minutes later, Nathaniel was laying on the floor playing with his GameBoy, and Laurel was curled up asleep on the couch. Gracie, having refused to stop the dancing, was passed out in Nina's arms. Her head was on Nina's shoulder as Nina dance-walked her around the living room. A few songs before, Nina and Mike had commandeered the music, and put on some Frank. For the past two songs Nina had been walking Gracie around hoping to get her to sleep. But every time she was asleep, and Nina stopped walking, the girl woke and fussed.

Nina realized she'd been lost in her world with her niece and not paying attention to her other guest. She glanced over at Mike, who sat on the couch by sleeping Laurel. He was staring at Nina, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes met hers and he just held a tight gaze. She walked over to the stereo and turned the music down. She tried again walking with Gracie to her bedroom, and she lay Gracie on her bed. Gracie just rolled over and kept sleeping. Nina walked to the living room and scooped up Laurel and deposited her next to her sister, then she pulled the door shut. "Hey buddy," she pushed her toe softly against Nathaniel's back and he looked up. "Want to watch some TV til your parents get here?" He nodded and shut off the game. "Bathroom first, but be quiet." When the boy left the room, Nina collapsed next to Mike. "They'll be picked up in an hour or so."

"You're good with them."

She shrugged and closed her eyes. "Tired." His hand dropped to her knee. When Nathaniel came out, he sat on the floor in front of the couch and turned the TV on. He found an action movie and kept it on there. Nina tried to pay attention, but the night had worn her out. Without realizing it, she fell asleep leaned against Mike. He didn't complain. He did nudge her, though, when her buzzer sounded.

"I think your brother's here," he whispered to her. She opened her eyes, yawned, then nodded. She got up and buzzed her brother up, then started getting the kids things together.

"Got everything?" She asked her nephew. He nodded, tiredly. His father pushed through the door at that point.

"Hey Neen," he said, kissing Nina's cheek. He glanced at Mike, then at Nina, who just shook her head.

"Girls are in my room, let me help." She went with her brother and they each picked up a sleeping child and carried them out of the apartment, with Nathaniel trailing behind. Nina helped buckle the kids into the car, and said hi to her sister in law who was waiting in the car.

"So who's the guy?" Her brother asked.

"A friend, leave it alone. Goodnight." She turned and went back inside her apartment. The television was off and Mike had cleaned up the pizza dinner. "I'm sorry," she walked up to him and rested her head against his chest. "I can't..." she yawned. "I need to sleep." She inhaled his scent, enjoying the comfort of him. He held her and ran a hand up her chin. He propped her head back and bent down to kiss her.

"I don't know what you're doing to me, Cassidy," he said softly.

"I'm not doing anything," she mumbled in response. "I just want to go to sleep."

"I mean..." They looked at each other. He clasped his hands behind her back. "You're making me think things that I prefer not to when dating."

"I'm too tired to decipher."

He sighed and looked around nervously. "Okay, okay..." he glanced back down at her. "When I showed up tonight and thought you had company..."

She gave him a smile. "You were jealous," she teased.

"No. I-" One raised eyebrow from her and he stopped with a sheepish smile. "Yea, I was jealous. More than I wanted to be."

"I appreciate it, Mike. Can I go to bed now?"

"I'm not ready to leave," he said.

"Then stay," she pulled from his arms and headed for her bedroom. "But I'm sleeping." He turned the lights off and followed her into her room. She went into her bathroom and he stripped to his boxers and undershirt. She emerged from the bathroom in pajama pants and a t-shirt. She yawned before saying, "Don't hog my sheets or I'll push you outta my bed." Then she fell into bed and slid under the covers. He watched her for a moment, then crawled in next to her. She turned the lamp off and the room went quiet for quite a bit.

"Hey Nina," his voice said.

"Hmm?" She mumbled into his chest.

"I was thinking tonight...what if we...y'know...keep doing what we're doing, but maybe a little more often?"

She brought her head up a bit to look at him, and smiled. "Logan, are you asking for this to be more than casual?"

"Hell if I know," he replied, tightening an arm around her waist. "For whatever reason..." he sighed. "I just want more of you." She pressed even closer to him and kissed him.

"Sounds good," she whispered, then dropped her head onto her pillow. Before Mike could say anything more, though, she fell asleep. He just closed his eyes and kept holding onto her.