Chapter 4: Pancakes and Messer

The sun slowly filtered through the blinds as she opened her eyes and came face to chest with her bed buddy. What? There's someone lying next to her. What happened? She started getting panicked and went to move her arm from the unknown owner of the well-defined chest when Flack stirred. He sat up and still not moving his arm from her waist said very calmly 'Hey, hey, hey are you ok? It's just me Don - you fell asleep last night on the couch. I put you to bed and you asked me to stay and sleep beside you." She looked into his eyes and calmed down as she remembered last night's events, "Yeah I'm ok. Sorry I panicked I just forgot what happened there for a minute." she said in barely a whisper, half embarrassed for how she had freaked out. He relaxed and smiled "That's ok - I thought you might have been regretting asking me to stay and I was regretting myself not sleeping on the couch and ..." Kate, now more awake cut him off "No. Not regretting anything. I had a really great night and thanks for staying with me". They both smiled at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Kate moved and cuddled back into his chest and they both fell asleep again for another hour until the alarm sounded.

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

Kate looked around her apartment for Flack's phone. He must have left it behind when he went upstairs to have a shower and change. Thinking it would probably be work and therefore important she answered it. "Hello, Flack's phone" Danny who was standing in his office almost fell down - what was a woman doing answering Flack's phone at 7 in the morning?

"Hey, it's Detective Danny Messer. Who is this and could I speak to Flack please",

"Well Detective to answer your first question I'm Kate and Flack's not here at the moment. Can I take a message?" She said quite bluntly,

"Sorry I didn't mean to be blunt before but I was a little bit shocked that a female answered his phone - must be getting back in the saddle good old flacky?" this Danny man said in the thickest New York accent she had ever heard. Now she was confused, who did this Danny guy actually think she was and what about Flack - Kate thought he would have females knocking down his door and hanging from his bed posts

"Huh what saddle?"

"You know he hasn't dated since he was hurt in the bombing - think he is a little self conscious about the scars and everything"

"Oh, ok" What bombing and what scars? She had noticed that he favoured his left side but she didn't think much more about it and she hadn't seen him without a shirt - last night he had worn a shirt to bed -

"Anyway, could you tell him to ring Danny back and what are you doing tonight?"

"Why?"

"Well we all go to Sullivan's - that's anyone who works for NYPD - and you should come". Ok, he obviously thought she was Flack's girlfriend. Quite honestly she didn't know what she was to him - friend, neighbour, acquaintance, possible girlfriend.

"Um, ok I will think about. I will tell Flack that you rang. Bye Danny". With that she hung up and continued making pancakes.

When Flack returned to Kate's apartment, now in his suit ready for work he couldn't help but lean against the doorframe and smile at her. She was now wearing a suit (she had showered and changed when he was upstairs) and was singing along to a song on the radio while peering closely at the pan in front of her making sure that the pancakes were exactly perfect. He came up behind her and cleared his throat signaling to her that he in fact was behind her. He didn't want a repeat of the other day - his rump was now a nice purple colour. She slightly jumped before smiling at him. He advanced closer behind her and put his hands on her waist and leaned forward and kissed her cheek from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "What are you making me?" he gently whispered into her ear making her breath hitch and shivers start shooting up her spine.

"Um pancakes - although if you keep distracting me they will be burnt and horrible", he turned her around and looked at her with the most innocent expression on her face

"Me distracting?" The space between them became suddenly even smaller as Flack placed his hands on her chin and brought his face down to her. His lips brushing ever so softly over hers. Sending chills down both their spines she closed the space further and pressed her lips flush on his. She brought her hands up and around his neck as he put his hands onto her hips. They continued kissing the softest gentlest kiss slowly exploring each others lips before she allowed his tongue to part her lips allowing access into her mouth bringing little satisfied moans from both of them as he maneuvered them so that she was leaning against the bench. They were quickly interrupted when the pancakes started burning.

"Flack this is all you and your gorgeous lips fault. Now the pancakes are ruined" she shouted half smiling, half laughing.

"Not my fault that you are too beautiful and tempting for your own good sweety". She smiled again and quickly kissed him before walking to the door and standing there with hands on hips.

"You now owe me breakfast Detective - otherwise I don't think you will be getting any dessert anytime soon" she said raising her eyebrows to look at him with a seductive look on her face.

"Umm I don't know there's still some cheesecake in my fridge that looks very tempting" he said trying to maintain a completely serious face.

"Fine" she said now slightly amused "I will go out onto the street and see if anyone else wants my dessert since you don't seem to".

He was at her side before she had made it completely out the door, "What do you want for breakfast?" he asked her now quite flushed from her teasing and earlier make out session.

At the door they grabbed their things - each there own badge and gun - and walked down the hall with Flack's arm around her and she laying her head on his chest. Life seemed completely perfect although Kate was still thinking a little bit about what Danny had said and why Flack hadn't said anything to her about it. Then again Flack didn't know everything about her either though. That's when she remembered that she hadn't told him that Danny rang.

"Hey Don"

"Yep"

"A detective Danny Messer rang when you were upstairs - he said that you had to ring him"

"Uh ok - did he say anything to you?"

"Obviously he had to otherwise conversation would have been a little hard" she said again smiling the whole time. He kissed her on top of the head

"Well of course - its just that Danny sometimes says stuff without thinking and you answering my phone in the morning no doubt he would have had some remark" Well Flack certainly did know his friend she thought.

"Yeah I think he was a little confused to who I was to you. I didn't really answer coz I don't really know - we haven't defined anything which I don't mind because it's new for both of us"

Flack looked at her before smiling "Well I hope you would say that you were my girlfriend when asked but I understand either way" She again broke into a huge smile

"I would like to call you my boyfriend as well Don but I still need things to go slowly - I haven't allowed myself to care about someone or be cared by someone for a long time - its easier and just avoids getting hurt" Flack looked at the emotion in her eyes wondering who had hurt her so badly and wondered if it had something to do with the scar on her hip. He didn't want to push her.

"Ok I understand and I haven't exactly been out there dating or anything lately. I would like things to go slowly as well'. This must have been what Danny was talking about she thought

"Ok - play it by ear then on the official title then?"

"Yep"

"Ok".

"Oh and Danny asked me to go to Sullivan's or something after work but I said I didn't know - there your friends and everything" Flack smiled at her again - she seemed so insecure sometimes which just added to her charm. God Danny must have really been on his interfering game this morning.

"It's up to you sweety, but I would like you to come if you wanted to"

"Play it by ear? I have a big bust on this afternoon so I don't know what time I will be finished or how I will feel".

"Yep that's ok - just be careful ok?" He had fallen hard for her and really didn't want her to be hurt.

"I will Don".

After they finished breakfast, they kissed and went in opposite directions. Don to a murder at central park and Kate to the FBI offices. Both in for another long day