A/N: Alright, so chapter two, yay! I won't waste much time in talking very much up here, but I will say that Berkeley's car is inspired by my personal preference of cars. I've been auto-less for over a year now, and the only reason for that is because my two Cadillac DeVilles are sitting in my backyard, waiting to be fixed, and I refuse buy something in the meantime because, well... I've been spoiled by them. Driving down the street in a Honda or a Toyota is all well and dandy, but floating in the plush, exquisite luxury of a Cadillac DeVille is just so, SO much more comfortable. And it can't be a Fleetwood or an ElDorado. No, the DeVille is just so much better...

Anyway, enough of me ranting about how grand Cadillac's are. Please enjoy chapter 2~

Midnight at the Precinct

Chapter 2: Chairs, Cars, and Curbs!

Ryo wandered into the back offices yet again. Even though it was only his second time coming here after hours, Kirk was already starting to expect him. He even gave him a lecture about not visiting sooner. To be honest, Ryo didn't even know why he was here tonight. Bikky was over at Carol's for the second time that week, except this time it was to work on some school project, and Dee hadn't stayed over. It had been about two weeks since he was last here and the feel of the 'nighttime precinct' hadn't changed one bit.

Except unlike last time, he wasn't wearing a suit. Instead, he wore a blue polo shirt with a jacket hanging loosely off his shoulders and denim slacks. There was no need to worry about how he looked tomorrow, since it was his and Dee's off day. However, cooped up at his apartment for the evening, the blonde had started to feel somewhat bored. And lonely, but he wouldn't admit that to anyone at the office. Maybe to Bikky, but that was a different story.

And a part of him had wondered if the commissioner would be here tonight as well. A small part, but a part nonetheless.

"Hmm…" Ryo glanced over his desk, the lack of folders almost surprising him before he remembered that, for once, he and his partner had actually finished all the work they had been assigned that day. "Well, I guess I could help Drake out…" he mused to himself, wandering aimlessly over to his friend's desk and selected a manila file from the pile that had been dumped there. He smiled lightly as he looked at the mountain. Yeah, he would definitely appreciate the jump-start on this one with the looks of how many he had to do.

Really, he should be getting some kind of help. No one goes to their workplace when they were bored and certainly not the evening before a day off. "Maybe Dee's right…" he sighed as he settled down in his seat. He rubbed aimlessly at his hair before leaning back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling for a bit.

Maybe he decided not to stay late today, Ryo thought to himself as he allowed his focus to wander pointlessly.

Just as the previous night in which Ryo had decided to pay a visit to the empty precinct, Berkeley Rose was cooped up in his office, working silently on the last remaining pages of the monthly status report. It had been an exhausting month, to say the least, and the blond felt every last inkling of fatigue weigh upon his shoulders as his fingers danced across his computer's keyboard. His eyelids threatened to slide over his hazel-colored eyes, as they already had numerous times before, but he straightened in his seat and continued on.

He needed a break and he knew it, but he also needed to hurry and finish this last bit of work before heading out for the night. The statement should have been finished hours ago, but no thanks to the day's problems, he had been busy and unable to finish his report. At least he would be able to complete it before the deadline at midnight.

Mid-blink, he heard the sound of footsteps somewhere outside his office, and but unlike the last time his work was interrupted so late at night, the commissioner remained calm. Perhaps part of him hoped that it was the same late-night visitor that had come some two weeks previous. Or maybe he was just too tired to really be on his toes.

Regardless, he rose from his chair, eyeing the expanse of desks outside his office and immediately catching sight of the person who he had silently anticipated. This time, however, the detective was dressed in street clothes, which was more casual than he wore even on casual dress days. It made him look younger, more vulnerable…

Ryo's back was to him even as he fell into his chair then leaned back to gaze up at the tiles of the suspended ceiling. He apparently didn't hear him approaching, even though the commissioner swore that he wasn't being as stealthy as last time. Before Ryo even knew it, he was leaning over the other blonde with a tired albeit curious expression, his usual frown plastered to his face.

"Long time, no see, Maclean."

Ryo blinked, Berkeley's face materializing in his vision as a blur as he fell backwards in his chair. "ACK!" The seat rolled out from under him, hitting his head as he and the offending piece of furniture clattered to the floor.

Berkeley's weary eyes widened just slightly at the other's sudden flailing, his head tilting downward as Ryo crashed to the floor. Well, he was more awake now, that was certain. He didn't think he had surprised the detective that badly. Perhaps he really was just that deep into thought.

Then again, this was Ryo.

"Perhaps I need to work on my entrance," he quietly remarked to himself as he peered down at the younger male. He blinked, wondering why he said such a thing aloud, and then reached a hand down to help the detective up. "I apologize for startling you. Again. Are you hurt?"

Ryo rubbed at the now sore spot on his head, one eye closed against the throbbing sensation in his temple. Maybe Dee was right and he was a space cadet when it came to these sorts of things… He really needed to fix that.

"Yeah…" he mumbled, focusing on the offered hand before taking it, thankful for the assistance.

"Hey, everything okay up here?" Kirk shone a flashlight at them and Ryo shielded his eyes as he regained his balance. Kirk's somewhat mussed hair looked even messier than usual, even if it was cut just slightly shorter than Ryo's. He looked between the two men, nodding at the commissioner before returning his slightly worried gaze to the man half on the floor.

"I'm fine, Kirk," Ryo answered, grinning sheepishly at the security guard, who squinted an eye at him before lowering the light. "I just fell out of my chair, that's all."

Kirk stared at the chair then visibly relaxed. He obviously didn't get much action here at night, so any bump was investigated. "Oh, alright then. You take care, okay, Ryo? If you're falling out of chairs, you really shouldn't be at work, ya know?" He returned the grin, his sleepy demeanor falling easily back into place as he waved. "Have a good night, Ryo. Commissioner Rose."

Ryo closed his eyes in his typical 'thanks for the advice… I think?' way and held his hand up in gratitude. "Yeah, I won't stay long," he said, then sighed as he heard Kirk settle back downstairs and bent over to pick up his chair. "Sorry about that. I guess I zoned out for a bit," Ryo explained as he turned to Berkeley, this time remaining on his feet. One hand steadied himself against his desk as he leaned against the much more solid piece of equipment, checking his chair to make sure nothing had broken in his tumble.

The commissioner quirked an eyebrow at the detective's "explanation". He was more than aware of the other's habit of drifting off and, while he didn't normally tolerate it from his other subordinates, he endured it with Ryo simply because he managed to get the job done before the rest of his co-workers. Not to mention, he was able to take advantage of the younger blonde because of it, which made it even more worthwhile.

Of course, he really wasn't able to do much this time, what with the precinct's lovable nighttime security guard showing up out of nowhere. His opinion of ex-officer Kirk Hoffman was rather minute. As he did with all of his subordinates, he had read the file on Hoffman and deduced that the man was once a sad excuse for a cop, did his time with the force, retired, then came back to work in a different field. It was probably because his pension was so small for him to return, but whatever repertoire he had was enough to secure him in what was probably the easiest job on the force.

Needless to say, he had little respect for the security guard. Then again, after scrambling up the stairs in record time at the sudden noise, his regard for the other man raised a tiny fraction.

"No need to apologize. After all, I was the one that surprised you," Berkeley replied, a light smile now playing on his thin lips. He let his eyes drift down the other's figure for a brief moment, taking in the sight of the detective in his casual dress, and then returned his gaze to Ryo's dark eyes. "So, what brings you here this time? Another argument? Or maybe you just missed me?"

If Ryo noticed the look Berkeley had given him, he didn't react to it. Instead, he just righted his chair and flopped back into its cushioned embrace. This time, however, he made sure not to lean too far back. A sigh escaped him and he opened his eyes to glance skeptically at his boss.

"Neither, sir," he replied, the formal title slipping from him before he had a chance to catch it. "I was just bored, I guess… Thought I could finish up the work Dee hadn't, but for once, it looks like he was doing his job. And since I was already here, I snagged one of Drake's files and decided to give him a head-start on his pile."

Ryo nodded to the folder on his desk, fully aware that Berkeley knew what his friends were up to tomorrow.

"And…" Midnight black eyes vanished behind Ryo's eyelids as he closed them once again and he didn't even bother hiding the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I really like how the precinct feels at night."

For a second, Ryo allowed the verbal thought to meander around the empty room. After that moment, he pushed back into a more professional manner of sitting, a gentle blush hinting across his nose and cheeks.

"Nevermind. That sounded pretty weird…"

A tiny voice of disappointment sounded inside the commissioner's head at the detective's failure to catch onto the casual flirt, but Berkeley's expression never changed. He simply listened to the other speak, a tiny swell of admiration clutching at his chest at the other's admission. The smile on his face broadened as a chuckle managed to sneak past his lips.

"It isn't strange at all, really," he replied, leaning his thigh against the other's desk and relaxing slightly. "Why do you think I like to haunt this place so late in the evening?"

"Actually, I hadn't thought about that…" Ryo admitted, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands, looking up at the other male. "I had always just assumed you worked late into the evening to finish up what you hadn't been able to during the day."

A newfound outlook on the commissioner began to take root in Ryo's mind and the younger blonde made an internal note to remind himself to ponder it later on in the week.

Berkeley mentally nodded at Ryo's assumption. This was very true, what with all the going-ons at the precinct and half of his officers making his life less than pleasant. He could have very easily accessed the system through his desktop at home, but there was just such a gratifying feeling about staying late to finish his business. It was also less lonely, which was something he would never admit to anyone; and with Ryo's recent appearances, his nights were now even less solitary.

Again Ryo looked around the office. The usual bustle and clatter of the day was gone, replaced now with an eerie serenity and the corners that usually held so much life were now shrouded in peaceful darkness. There were no pranks hidden under desks and no coffee purposely spilt over chairs. The only light poured from the overhead fluorescent lighting, and even then, Ryo hadn't bothered to turn on what hadn't already been left.

"I can see why you'd prefer to work during the late hours, though… It's much calmer than during the day." Another smile teased his lips, but it was quickly replaced by a look of concern. "Speaking of which, don't you have work to finish up, Commissioner? I wouldn't want to keep you from getting home on time."

At the other's sudden concern, the commissioner's eyebrows rose once more.

"On time?"

Now that was something he certainly hadn't thought of recently. Actually having a set time of the night to be home? There was nothing waiting for him at his home that required him to be 'on time'.

"Do you honestly think that the position of Commissioner of Police grants a person a specific time they can leave?" he asked, ignoring his thoughts in favor of something a bit less personal.

Ryo promptly looked back at his desk. "Sorry…" he said rather sheepishly. "I guess I just assumed that…" he trailed off and scratched aimlessly at his nose for a second.

He really didn't know what to say. It was just that… well, even though Berkeley stayed late, Ryo thought that there was just someone, or something, waiting for him at home, like a pet or even a housekeeper.

"I probably should have thought that through a bit more carefully…" Ryo concluded, sighing a little and allowing his hands to fall on the desk as he leaned forward even further. "Even so-" Again his eyes studied his superior. "You look… tired, sir." The 'sir' added in only as Ryo realized what he had been saying, and of course deciding it was out of line, thinking that adding it in would make up for his lack of discipline.

Berkeley blinked then smirked slightly at the younger male.

"I am tired," he admitted then gave a casual shrug. "But that doesn't excuse me from anything."

Pushing away from the desk, the commissioner gave a tired grunt. Despite being worn-out from work, he had no intention of leaving the precinct any time soon, not with Ryo here, at least. In fact, he already had other ideas.

"Since you're here and I have about, give or take, an hour's worth of work to do-" Berkeley paused for a second, not really certain why he did. He wasn't nervous over what he was about to say. Must be the lack of sleep kicking in, he thought vaguely to himself. "Would you mind if I joined you out here?"

Ryo made a gesture with his hand to encompass the table before him. "By all means," he said, picking up and moving some of the folders and office materials from one side of the desk. It would be nice to have someone to work with that wasn't constantly in your face about what you were doing that evening or trying to distract you with witty comments about your hobbies.

"It'll be a good change of pace to have someone working with me that's actually working," Ryo laughed, adding in his previous thoughts to the older male.

"No kidding," Berkeley muttered. He debated commenting on the other's partner then decided against it, as they were already having a pleasant conversation that excluded him, deeming it better that way.

The commissioner took a step toward the computer, picking up one of the folders that Ryo had moved then cast a fleeting glance at it before setting it back down. It was then that he remembered his own paperwork back in his office, along with the open programs on his desktop which would need to be closed before he could proceed with them out here.

"I'll be right back," he told the other, edging past him, and in the process, momentarily placing a hand atop Ryo's shoulder. It wasn't until he had taken several steps from the desk that he realized what he had done, but by that time, a smirk was already tugging at his lips. Despite his exhaustion, this was going to be a rather enjoyable evening.

"Sure," Ryo said as Berkeley moved to get his things, not even thinking about the hand that brushed over his shoulder.

Several minutes later, Berkeley once again joined the detective, clutching a stack of folders and papers with one hand, the other gripping a mug of room temperature coffee. Giving Ryo a nod, he set his things next to the computer. He left once more, this time returning with a nearby office chair, which he promptly collapsed in once it was in its proper place in front of the monitor.

After sitting there for a moment, staring at the computer screen and the work surrounding him, Berkeley turned to Ryo. He blinked, not realizing how tired he looked, then nodded at his mug.

"Would you mind getting me some more coffee?"

By the time Berkeley returned, Ryo had opened the folder he had stolen from Drake's desk and was flipping through the papers. The counter space was limited with both of them working there, but he was easily able to adapt to it and was leaning his head on one hand while gazing at the contents of the file when the commissioner spoke.

"Ah, no problem," Ryo replied, almost automatically, and stood from his chair. Might as well get myself some coffee too… he thought, the beginnings of a yawn tickling the back of his throat.

It wasn't long before he got back to the workstation, pleased with himself for knowing his boss's preference in the mocha colored substance, and set the filled mug down beside his own steaming glass. A concerned look passed across his eyes, the black hues glistening in unease as he stared at the blond next to him. He looked more than exhausted and Ryo pondered the idea of trying to talk him into going home early.

Of course, knowing how stubborn Berkeley was, Ryo knew that wasn't going to work. He had tried talking Dee into, or out of, enough things to know that attempting would end in failure. He remained standing for a bit, gazing at the work spread out before him on the desk before settling back in his chair with a sigh.

"If you can't get everything done tonight," Ryo started, not looking at Berkeley as he positioned his reading glasses on his nose, the frames slipping slightly at first, "you always have tomorrow to finish up. Don't overdo it, dude." Dee would tell me to take some of my own advice… Ryo thought, a smile tugging at his lips as he did so and got back to work on the file.

Berkeley hummed lightly at Ryo's words. The tiniest trace of a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as well, the "dude" at the end causing the rest of his professional mask to break and a grin to form. He leaned back in his chair, swiveling in it slightly so he could see the other blonde.

"Your concern is touching," he replied as he gazed at Ryo, the grin fading away to a warm smile. "I really appreciate it."

He wanted to… to…

But he was already so tired, that was for certain. He needed the energy to finish the reports and for him to be physically distracted would only hinder him from having them completed by their due time.

With a sigh, he turned back to his portion of the desk and continued on. "Unfortunately," he added, his tone switching back to his usual, professional one, "unless the precinct doesn't mind getting their paychecks a day or two late, I need to finish this paperwork."

Ryo looked up from his work, the glasses slipping down on his nose again. He pushed them back into place as he returned the smile. He didn't notice the stare, as he had once more looked back down at his own work; however, the 'unfortunately' did make him wonder what the older male was talking about- especially because the superior next to him had nothing to do with the payroll. That was all taken care of off-site.

Again he glanced at the commissioner and opened his mouth to question what he meant, but decided against it. Ryo had never seen Berkeley so tired and the fatigued edge to his occasional sigh made the younger detective wonder if he should have pushed harder in getting him to retire for the night.

But Ryo knew that even if he had, the result would have remained the same. Once again the file held his attention as he dismissed whatever deeper meaning Berkeley had been getting at.

Time passed. To Berkeley, it had felt like hours, though the clock on the computer screen showed that only forty-eight minutes has gone by since either one of them had last spoken. He had recalled taking several pauses throughout that time to either sip at his coffee or rub his bleary eyes. He had even considered taking a bathroom break, just for an excuse to get up and walk around, but that would only waste time.

With a very audible sigh, the older blond leaned back in his chair, pushing his glasses away to rub furiously at his eyes once more. He was finally done, finally able to leave the precinct, and finally able to center his thoughts on something other than work.

Weary hazel orbs turned to stare at the detective next to him, an equally tired smile soon following. He was too damn drained of energy and he knew it, but all he could think about now, other than how comfortable his bed would feel once he collapsed in it, was how considerate it was for Ryo to stay with him. The detective could have easily left him with his work, but he didn't and the older male was more than thankful.

And he'd be even more thankful if Ryo could put him up for the night, but that might be overstepping things a bit. Plus, with his kid hanging around, things would only get more complicated, and right then, he didn't need complicated.

Ryo glanced over as he felt someone looking at him, but not really expecting the older blond to be staring so intently. Without thinking, he looked back at his work before fully realizing that it wasn't his imagination.

"Ah, are you done?" he asked casually, pushing back in his chair and stretching, a bone popping somewhere in his shoulder. A contented look flashed over Ryo's face at the sensation, but quickly passed as his gaze shifted from the computer back to his boss.

Berkeley nodded, the smile fading just slightly from his face. Just watching Ryo was enough to make his muscles ache for relief from being hunched over for so long, but his own limbs felt too sluggish to attempt a stretch.

"Yes," he replied, not really feeling like being articulate at the moment. With a tired groan, he sat up in his chair and began to mentally pick through what he needed to grab before heading home, which thankfully wasn't much.

His thoughts suddenly drifted toward Ryo and how he would be getting home as well. It was late and while he wanted to get home as soon as possible, Berkeley wanted to make certain that the detective was planning on leaving soon after. He knew enough about Ryo that he lived nearby and often times would simply walk to work rather than deal with the traffic or transportation system. Had he walked to the precinct tonight as well?

"Are you leaving now?" the commissioner asked, hoping the inquiry sounded more like a suggestion instead.

"Well…"

Ryo looked down at the file he had been working on. Sure, it was Drake's case, but he was almost done…

"I wanted to finish this up, and then I'll be headed out. I'm starting to get tired, but I'll be fine getting home. My place is just up the block, and since I didn't drive, I won't have to worry about finding a parking space." A moderately sleepy grin melted onto his face. "Believe me, trying to parallel park isn't fun when you're half asleep… and speaking of, you look exhausted, sir. I'm glad you finished your work before it got too… well, too incredibly late."

Ryo continued to lean back in the chair, looking over at Berkeley.

Berkeley blinked, casting a less than amused stare at the blonde, or at least he had been until a particularly handsome smile decided to take over Ryo's face. He was about to open his mouth to agree, on the subject of parallel parking, that is, when the detective commented once more on his tiredness, but despite the distraction, Berkeley's mind had managed to stay focused enough on his original concern.

"I've stayed much later than this, trust me," he began, adjusting his glasses as he spoke. "Tonight's just been one of those nights. Lack of sleep and lack of caffeine tend to wear you down pretty quickly." He took on a more serious tone now. "In either case, as much as Parker would probably appreciate you working on his case, I suggest letting him complete it himself. Let's call it a night."

The commissioner stood, his back popping slightly as he did. It felt wonderful to no longer be stooped over a desk, not to mention he was beginning to slowly awaken from the work-induced stupor. As he began to pick up his belongings, he cast a quick glance at the other male.

"Let me grab the rest of my things and I'll drive you home."

Blinking, Ryo sat up and swiveled around, fully facing the retreating detective.

"Wha-Wait, commissioner!" he fumbled with his words, half rising from his chair as he did so. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed that if he stood up, he might be able to get Berkeley's attention. "It's really not a problem for me to walk home!" he tried again.

"And it's even less of a problem for me to take you," Berkeley replied, his sober expression fading away as he spoke. A tiny smile began to tug on his lips as he turned away, heading back to retrieve the rest of his effects. "As you said, it's just up the block. Both of us know how dangerous it can be on the streets this late at night," he added, casting another glance over his shoulder at the detective.

Not to mention he didn't mind in the slightest actually seeing for himself where Ryo lived, not that he was going to mention that, of course.

"I'll be back in a minute," he told the other before disappearing inside his office.

"But, sir!" Ryo took a step towards his boss before he vanished through the door to his office, the light flicking on and illuminating a patch in the darkened hallway. With a sigh, Ryo scratched his head and turned to look back at his work. Well, Drake's work. Gathering up the contents of the folder, he stuffed them together with a sticky note, a neat 'you're welcome' scribbled across the yellow paper, and placed it on his friend's desk. There wasn't much left to do, so he'd be at least one case ahead when he got in tomorrow.

There was nothing he had brought with him, other than what he had in his pockets, so he opted instead to just lean against his desk and stare up at the ceiling as he waited for Berkeley to return. Of course he knew how dangerous it could be, but he hadn't forgotten his weapon tonight. He patted his side just in case and felt the reassuring hardness of the firearm strapped to his shoulder holster. He was always telling Bikky to be careful, so he knew where the commissioner was coming from...

Again he scratched at his hair. It just felt weird to be getting a ride home from his boss...

It was less than a minute later when Berkeley exited his office, his briefcase in hand and jacket folded in the crook of his elbow. He was pleased to see Ryo already standing and waiting for him, albeit not entirely pleased with the situation he was being put into. That didn't matter to the commissioner; however, unless the other man told him that he absolutely did not want to be taken, his "offer" was going to remain firm.

Noticing the other blonde had nothing in his hands, Berkeley arched a brow. "Are you ready?" he asked, wondering if perhaps he had spooked Ryo into forgetting something.

Ryo furrowed his eyebrows just slightly. Seeing Berkeley with his briefcase and jacket made the younger question himself as to if he was overlooking something he needed to bring home.

He looked back down at his desk, the coffee mug he had used still resting on its naked steel top. With a mental chide to himself, he moved it to the coaster. He patted his gun, pockets, and chest again, assuring himself that his firearm, badge, wallet, and keys were all safely in place.

"Yeah," he said simply and pushed away from the desk, one hand snaking into the pocket of his jacket. "Want me to carry something?"

"Thank you, but I'm fine," Berkeley replied, and with a small nod toward the door, he proceeded toward the exit.

As per usual, he had parked in the rear of the building in one of the reserved parking spaces. He had refused the offer of having a placard to designate his personal parking space, like several of the superior officers- including Chief Smith- had, simply because he didn't want to highlight his vehicle for theft or vandalism. Parking in the reserved area was probably cutting it close, but it also secured him a decent space closest to the building.

Berkeley led Ryo to his vehicle, a Cadillac DeVille which was only a couple years old, but still shone and purred as if it were fresh off the lot. Like many of the commissioner's other possessions, his car was merely a reflection of his projected image: intelligent, ambitious, prestigious, and indestructible.

Not to mention it didn't 'drive' down the road, it floated, and he would probably debate shooting someone in cold blood if they so much as dinged it.

Alright, so maybe he did like his car, but, of course, he wasn't going to let anyone else know that.

To say Ryo was shocked would be an understatement. He knew that Berkeley drove a nice car, but this one? He had seen it in the lot a few times, when his boss didn't drive the squad car apparently, but he had just assumed it belonged to some rich hot-shot who wanted an easy parking space to work and had bribed one of the officers to give them their decal.

"Wow…" he breathed, half-gaping at the vehicle in front of him for a second before scrambling to catch up, a flush touching the tops of his cheeks. Damnit… he thought as he hesitated in front of the passenger side door. I must have looked like an idiot… I've been hanging around Dee too much… he concluded, hoping Berkeley hadn't heard- or worse, seen- the amazement that had passed over his features.

He couldn't wait to tell Bikky!

Okay, now he was being like a kid in a candy store…

"I didn't know this was your car…" he mused aloud as he got in, being carefully sure not to bump into anything that looked important… and promptly slammed his head above the door. He fell the rest of the way in, rubbing his head and muttering his pain to the air as he did so. "Sorry…" he mumbled, looking up to see if his head had damaged the frame or something.

Berkeley didn't even notice the other's awe, as he was more interested in getting into said vehicle, but he did notice the very audible thunk next to him. He turned, very wide-eyed and much more alert than he had previously been to see Ryo rubbing his head with a rather pained expression. It wasn't that difficult to put two and two together and realize what the detective had done.

"Are you alright?" he asked, much more concerned over Ryo than whatever damage may have happened to his car. The blonde wasn't quite so hard-headed that Berkeley needed to worry whether an indentation was left from where his head had rammed into the doorframe. Hopefully it didn't cause him to have a concussion, Berkeley thought to himself as he stared at Ryo apprehensively.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" said hard-headed blonde responded, glaring slightly at the offensive piece of machinery before forgiving it and sighing in defeat. "The worst I'll be is getting a headache, which I'll just sleep off."

A sheepish smile accompanied the slight chuckle that escaped him now, the initial pain settling into a dull throb.

"I guess I'm more tired than I thought. Thanks for the ride home."

Berkeley smiled back. "You're welcome," he replied, reaching over and giving Ryo a reassuring pat on the thigh. Even though he was sleepy, his mind registered the firm muscles of the blonde's leg through the fabric of his pants and immediately his hand sought to touch the leg once more. His fingers twitched stubbornly, but the commissioner decided against it. Not right after he injured his head, Berkeley berated himself, unable to hide his somewhat crestfallen expression.

His hand begrudgingly made its way to the gear shift, putting it in reverse and pulling out of the parking space. The lot was mostly packed with police cruisers, though a small handful of personal vehicles remained from the officers who were patrolling overnight. They drove past Kirk's vehicle, an older looking Ford that was probably from the previous decade before coming to the exit.

"Take a left here," Ryo instructed as they got to the stop sign and tried to stifle a yawn. He failed and wound up needing to pause in his next instruction to put a hand over his mouth in an attempt to keep the yawn contained. "My building should be just around this corner."

Berkeley followed the other's directions, grateful of how simple it was to find his apartment. Despite the traffic, as even though it was late and Ryo's apartment was on a main street, it didn't take but about five minutes to get there. Part of him regretted the short distance, as it didn't allow much time for conversation or further enjoyment of the blonde's company, but he knew that this was a blessing in disguise. Even though he already knew how to get to Ryo's home from reviewing the detective's files, perhaps next time he would actually be allowed inside it, he mused, the barest of smiles touching his lips.

Pulling alongside the building's entrance, the older male turned toward his colleague, his smile further widening as he awaited the other's words of parting and appreciation. Another downfall of the short drive was that, in his tired state, he couldn't think of exactly what he wanted to do to the detective. He wanted to do something, but what? He certainly couldn't have done much, what with the lack of time as well as having been needing to pay attention to the other's directions. The thought of pulling to the curb and kissing Ryo had at one point drifted across his hazy mind, but he didn't want to risk alarming the blonde and him walking home; granted, that wouldn't have been very gentlemanly either, but, fortunately for Ryo, he was more interested in locating his home than anything.

He would be patient, as he had been, but he knew that patience wouldn't win him the prize he wanted. Laytner probably didn't have the word in his vocabulary, and yet…

The thought burned him, knotted his stomach and clawed at his heart. How could Ryo be attracted to something like… that? He was able to win the affections of numerous women on just charm and wit alone. He could tell if they were interested in him or merely in his status or money. Ryo was interested in him, that was clear enough, but to what extent and, more importantly, how could he broaden it?

Berkeley hadn't said anything during the ride and even now the older man was silent. To be honest, it unnerved Ryo a little. Black eyes flittered to his boss as the sleek car stopped in front of his building. The smile that greeted him didn't make him feel much better, but he smiled back nonetheless. He was probably just tired and over-thinking the whole situation.

"Thanks for the ride," he started, looking around for his case before remembering he hadn't brought it with him. "I, uh… I'll be seeing you, I guess, day after tomorrow," he finished, his smile turning a bit sheepish. His fingers fumbled against the door and he actually had to look over before finally locating the handle. "Thanks again," he added before undoing the latch…

Berkeley nodded and hummed at Ryo's words, still too concentrated in his previous thoughts before finally speaking up. "You're welcome," he said, his voice sounding a tad strained. He cleared his throat as quietly as he could and he added, "And in the future, if you ever need another ride-" The commissioner left his sentence unfinished, figuring his offer was obvious enough to need to complete it.

"Yes, thank you." Even though he knew Dee would never allow him to ride with Berkeley on his off time and would more than likely go out of his way to make sure it didn't happen, the offer was still welcome. As it stood, Ryo might even take him up on it if Dee didn't tone down his childish antics.

As he watched the blonde turn so he could locate the door handle, the same need that had stirred inside him throughout the night arose once more, this time swelling even greater. Muscles tensed, eyes widened, nostrils flared, and before he knew it, his mouth opened as well.

"Ryo," he called before the other could exit the vehicle, trying not to voice the urgency that he felt.

With one foot half-way out the door, Berkeley called him, and his tone made Ryo freeze. Had he done something wrong? Had the commissioner gotten some kind of feeling that something was going to happen that he would be needed for? Did Berkeley even get those feelings?

He was watching too many cop shows…

These thoughts flew through his mind in only a second or so and he was already turning his head as he stopped the ridiculous train of thinking.

"Yeah?" He could see Berkeley clearly now with the light of the car, but the surrounding shadows still played with his image. Even though the look on his face should have been familiar to the blonde, what with being partnered with Dee and all, but of course—Ryo didn't catch it.

Berkeley was already leaning toward Ryo as he responded, his mouth almost immediately clamping onto the blonde's before the other could do anything about it. He didn't grip the detective's jacket or thigh like he had originally debated in his frenzy of thoughts, but from as firm a kiss as it was, it wasn't as if Ryo could immediately pull away from it, or so the commissioner hoped anyway.

A small sigh flitted from his nostrils from the excitement and relief of finally having being able to take Ryo's mouth in his. With the brief tug of the other blonde's bottom lip, Berkeley finally pulled away, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction and amusement.

"Thank you," he said, his lips several inches away from Ryo's before leaning back the rest of the way. The corners of his mouth were curled upward into a devilish grin as he stared at the other male. "For the company, that is."

Ryo blinked, his eyes widening as Berkeley's warm lips pressed into his own. The kiss was short, maybe a second or two, and the younger didn't have time to collect his thoughts, process the collected pieces of his mind, and react to it all before the commissioner pulled away. That and he was too tired for an instant response… The gentle puff of air tickled his nose, the tingling melting down into his lips as he sat there, perplexed as to what had just occurred. A mild sigh had fallen from his mouth at the nip, and still his bottom lip prickled with the lasting sensation. Ryo was aghast he had even made the sound and he had to make sure his voice would not betray him again before speaking.

"Uhh… Anytime?" he answered, not quite sure what to say.

But getting out of the car seemed like a very, very good idea right about now.

Ryo pushed himself out of the vehicle, a second farewell planning in his voice box only to be interrupted by a surprised intake of breath as he tripped on the curb. He stumbled a bit before catching traction on the cold concrete. The nip in the air helped cool his face, dulling the lingering effect of the kiss and allowing his sleepy mind to begin functioning properly once again.

"Get a good sleep, sir. Don't, uhh… don't collapse at work tomorrow… or something…" he added as he closed the door, straightening and shoving one hand in his pocket. He held the other up in parting as he headed for the apartment entrance. He could still feel the warmth of Berkeley's lips, their calloused yet soft texture against his own… Shaking his head, he stood in the crisp air another second to push simpler thoughts to the forefront of his mind. The idea of his bed beckoned and Ryo toyed with adding a shower before answering its alluring call.

Berkeley smirked at the blonde's thoughtless response. To say that he was pleased that Ryo hadn't broken the kiss or pushed him away was an understatement. His insides did a little dance of glee for a brief moment, but abruptly stopped once Ryo pulled himself from the car. Part of him wanted to drag the detective back in for another kiss while the other, which ended up winning out, told himself that one kiss was enough for tonight. Ryo would need to be worked slow and gently. They were both tired, and, in all honestly, he knew he really didn't have the prowess to seduce the younger male tonight.

He watched the blonde exit his car, his hazel eyes narrowing on the slight curve of the other's ass. Vaguely, he wondered how it would feel against his hand, fingers curling against the fabric of his trousers, and perhaps even against the supple skin underneath, but his thoughts were interrupted as Ryo suddenly pitched forward.

Berkeley's eyes widened, but before he had the chance to exclaim or hop out of the car to see to the detective, Ryo had caught himself. Whether the other had tripped from tiredness or from the lingering effects of the kiss, Berkeley didn't know, but his ego hoped that it was the latter. He rather liked the idea that he could have that sort of effect on the blonde.

"Same to you," he replied in a confident yet teasing tone before Ryo shut the passenger's door. He waved back, trying not to look as smug as he felt, and watched as the blonde headed toward his building.

His eyes traveled once more to the detective's backside and the smugness that he was holding back crept onto his smile. As much as he hated seeing the other go, the commissioner couldn't deny his enjoyment of watching Ryo leave. With that thought in mind, Berkeley tore his gaze back to the road, shifted the car into drive, and headed home, smiling lightly to himself all the while.

~.~.~.~.~

Bikky stared out the window at the car as it idled outside his apartment building. One eye squinted at it, trying his hardest to discern who could be in the driver's seat. He watched Ryo exit and trip on the curb, which distracted the boy for a second before his parent turned around, renewing his interest in the mysterious person. A couple seconds later, the car began rolling away, and Bikky was forced to stick his face to the window in an attempt at one last look. Ryo had gotten out of that car and even spoken to the driver. And that car wasn't Dee's.

He leaned back, folding his arms over his bare chest and pondered the thought for awhile. Maybe Ryo was finally taking his advice and leaving that good-for-nothing perverted waste of space for some pretty women- and if Ryo wanted to, he could have his pick of the litter! Girls always fell for the dense ones and Ryo definitely fit that description.

The click of the lock sounded in the living room and the boy's ears perked slightly as he listened for his 'mama' to fully arrive.

Ryo closed the door, expecting Bikky to be at Carol's for the night, and looked around the dark apartment. It was just a little after 11:30… I hope Bikky is finished with his project… he mused, trying to keep his mind off the kiss from just moments before. He shrugged out of his jacket with a sigh, hanging it in the closet near the door before scratching his hair and turning to glance at the kitchen… Maybe a snack would do him good… That and the preparations would definitely distract him.

"Yo," Bikky gazed up at him and Ryo jumped slightly with his appearance. He had, somehow, managed to leave his room without making a sound... which wasn't anything new; however, Ryo had yet to get used to it.

"B-Bikky?" he blinked at the boy, whose sharp blue eyes stared at him in that calculatingly intimidating way that set the detective wondering if he knew everything that had happened just by looking at him. Ryo could feel a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face as he placed one hand on his hip, matching the glare the best he could. "Weren't you going to be at Carol's tonight? What about your project? And shouldn't you be in bed? You have school in the morning." Even though Ryo's heart was pounding at his son's entrance, the kid was a blessing. Just knowing he was home made the blonde feel ten times better.

Bikky honored him with a shrug, looking away almost guiltily towards the rest of the room. "We finished early, so I came home. And I couldn't sleep because I was hungry," he lied, deciding not to mention the car he had seen. It probably was a girl and that would definitely show Dee, but… he had to make sure.

"Oh…" Ryo sighed again, unable to keep up his parental resolve and crumbled to the kid almost pathetically. Too much had gone on this evening and he was just too tired to scold Bikky for being awake- and he did get his project done. "Well, I was going to make myself a snack…" he mused, wandering towards the kitchen as he thought about what he could make for them both, forcing the kiss to the back of his mind. "Get the cheese out of the refrigerator and I'll make grilled cheese sandwiches." This decision was met with an excited 'yes!' and Ryo smiled a little as he heard Bikky mumble something about how awesome he was sometimes. He could worry about what had happened tomorrow.

And thus, Bikky effectively forgot all about the car and its driver for the time being.