To the guest who reviewed chapter three with the start being "I don't know", my response is simple: then don't read this.

If you don't want to read a "generic cop story" (of which this is not), then don't. I'm not forcing you. In fact, I don't really care. I do, however, agree that it's difficult to introduce new characters into BB/BCS. It won't stop me from trying, but I agree nevertheless. As for my plans in the future, yes do they include Gus at the very least, but again, if you don't care to get through the first few chapters, then don't read it. Just my two cents as well.

Onto the chapter.

"Whoa, calm down Mike, it's only me, Nel." The woman gave something of a squeak when she saw where his hand was going. Her hands rose higher in the air, away from her wild hair. "Jeez, I know you're old but surely your memory of our one night stand didn't fade away just yet!"

If he had somehow forgotten her, that would have reminded him of who she was immediately. Inappropriate, crossing the line...yeah, that was Nel. His hand slowly lowered, his gaze flickering to the area around him. "One night stand?" He said dully, his guard still high. "Why are you here, Nel?"

"No one else is here." She supplied thoughtfully as his gaze flickered to all the corners and doors in his house. "Just me, myself, and I." Not that he had any firm reason to trust her word; it was obvious in the way his hand hovered. "You can look around and I'll stand here looking pretty." She suggested lightly.

He studied her a moment, debating with himself. If he went to check the house - boy, he sure had a lot of unwanted, unplanned visitors lately - there was a risk that she might try something. But would she really? There was something off about her, he had been skeptical ever since he first knocked on her door. He couldn't put his finger on it even when she had told him her story, but he knew well enough by now to trust his gut.

Something was off and it was made even worse by her sudden appearance here. His jaw tensed, he made a decision. "Why are you here, Nel?" A hint of tiredness crept into his voice. Hadn't he just thrown off some goons? A peaceful night never seemed to be within his grasp.

"Mind if I put my arms down first?" Same Nel, answering a question with a question. It was this type of avoidance that made his suspicions grow.

He took that moment to study her. She wore dark blue jeans, black boots, a brown top, and a black jacket. All in all, she wore clothes that would have helped keep her hidden in the night. His suspicions spiked. While his hand didn't rest on his weapon like before, he did take a step forward. "What are you carrying?" She had to be with some weapon or another.

She made a slight face. His glare was a warning. If she lied...well. "A shiny new gun, of course. It's on my hip like any normal person. Hence the jacket."

They locked eyes. It was a brief staring contest. Finally he decided, once again, to go with his gut. "What else?"

Her lips twitched just as her arms did. "You're fishing." She stated, slowly lowering her arms.

"Keep 'em up." He stated in such a firm tone that she had no choice but to obey. Mike stepped forward suddenly. The action prompted Nel to take a step back - or, rather, try to. Instead she only backed into the couch she had been leaning against, nearly falling onto it. For a split second, there was a look of panic on her face at being, in a sense, cornered. It fell away as soon as it was seen though.

"The sarcasm or my arms?" She tried lamely.

He stopped a foot from her and reached over, taking her gun. She scowled darkly but tried to lighten it. No doubt she was sour at the idea of having her weapon taken from her twice within a few months. Her ego would survive though. He then paused and guessed, "You have one chance to tell me about your other weapon."

She inhaled deeply in the hopes of calming herself. A moment passed in which she debated calling his bluff. Finally, however, she rolled her blue eyes and moved her arm, digging into her bra before tossing a pocket knife at him. "Ass." She grumbled briefly before letting her arms fall.

He kept his composure in the moment and caught it, satisfied. With both items in his possession, he took a step back. The distance was just as much for him as it was for her. "What are you doing here, Nellie?" He repeated. By the way her jaw tensed, he knew the full name was annoying.

"Can't an old client just drop by to say hello?" She let herself sit on the armrest of the couch. At his deadpan stare, she sighed. "I...it's complicated."

"Most things are with you, it seems." He grumbled. "Spill."

They stared at each other for another moment as Nel debated what to say. He already knew to be skeptical of whatever left her mouth this time. "I've got a...proposal for you." She said carefully.

Mike raised a brow. "And it couldn't be told over a phone call? Or earlier than midnight?"

She gave a sheepish grin. "Apparently not. Though speaking of the time," she stood from the couch, "perhaps I should get out of your hair - er, house. Let you sleep, go to bed myself, so on." She didn't start to walk just yet, waiting for his permission first. After all, he did hold two guns currently.

"Tell me about the 'proposal'." He ignored her attempt to leave. "And don't start by getting on one knee." He added, beating her to her next jest.

Instead of making a sour face at it, she grinned a bit. "I believe that's your part, actually." She bit her bottom lip briefly before clearing her throat. "I'm meeting someone in two days. Information exchange."

"Thought you were done with hacking computers."

"I am. Well, mostly done. Like...seventy-eight percent done." She shrugged a bit. "Money is money. In any case...I uh...don't quite trust the guy. Care to be my bodyguard?" Pause. "I'll give you a thousand."

There it was again, that gut feeling that something...something wasn't quite right. He didn't know what it was though. "Who's the guy?" When she didn't answer right away, he added, "Listen, I always do my research before I take a job. Yours was a one-time exception," curse his soft spot for damsels in distress, "but if you want me on this, you give me his name."

"That mean you'll take the job then, if I give you his name?" She raised a brow. "Legally binding contract? Well, 'legally', so to speak." She did air quotation marks around the 'l' word.

He watched her eyes for a moment, her body language next. She was tense but she kept her gaze on him. She wasn't flinching or fidgety. There was something off, but she gave no signs as to what. "Sure."

A smile broke out onto her face. "Good. I'll call you tomorrow and we'll figure out where we're meeting the following day. Now, I'll get out of your...house if you give me my weapons back, please? It's dangerous being a woman alone at night." She held her hands out.

Mike glanced at them before looking back at her. He didn't respond or react, but waited. A full minute passed before she scowled softly, her hands falling. "Glad to see you're still a nosy bodyguard. Honestly, aren't BGs just supposed to do as told?" When he raised a brow, she finally answered his earlier question, "Gus Fring."

Mike nodded. The name didn't sound familiar, but that didn't mean anything. A few calls, some research, he'd find something out. "Tomorrow then." He stated calmly as he offered her the knife back. With it safely in her bra once more, he took out the ammo in the gun before handing them both back. Clearly the whole 'breaking into his house' thing had left a sour taste in his mouth.

Still, Nel took it all with a smile and nodded. "Tomorrow, expect a call." Then as if there had never been any tension, she all but bounced out of the house, spring in her step and all.