I do apologise for the wait. I hope that this chapter lives up to your expectation. Thank you for all the reviews I do really appreciate them and the time that you spend doing them. Thank you again.

Callie looked at Audrey over the rim of her glass of whiskey. She was the most relaxed, Callie had ever seen her. She had her blouse pulled out of her pants, the first three buttons close to the collar were undone, one shoe off and her hair was out of its standard tight bun. It fell around her face like soft, blonde waves in way, she knew men liked to reach out and touch.

Audrey was also completely shitfaced. That could have something to do with her state of relaxation and surely her state of undress.

Callie laid out four cards in front of Audrey face up. She tapped the queen of hearts before she flipped each card over. Audrey squinted both eyes, trying to focus on Callie's speedy hands as she watched the brunette swiftly move the cards around each other in no pattern at all.

The game they were playing was simple, find the queen of hearts among four face down cards. The rules were simple, find the queen the dealer drank but if Audrey lost, and she doing a good job at that, drank a shot.

Audrey was sure that this was a game that Callie had master a long time ago, as Audrey barely ever found the queen. And when she did, there was no doubt it was pure luck. Which burned at the detective who prided herself on her observation skills.

Callie was thankful that Audrey's observation skills were well beyond use now, as she was able to douse the blondes drinks with a healthy dose of water, in what she was sure was a useless attempt to make Audrey's hangover the next morning a tad bit better. Since she was constantly loosing, she was downing shots like nobodies business. She only started playing this game when she started to see double. Callie didn't think Duke could handled two strong willed women blacked out drunk in his bar.

"So, when are we going to talk about what is really going on?" Callie asked as she watched Audrey's finger tap the left outside card. She flipped it over and revealed the queen of spades.

"I don't know what you mean." Audrey told her as she swigged back the whiskey in her glass. She could barely taste the alcohol now, her tongue felt as if it was numb, her head was foggy and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that this was going to really suck in the morning.

"Bullshit, Rey." Callie said as she collect both of their empty glasses. At some point along the night, Callie shorted Audrey's name. She neither knew why nor was she at the point to care. She mostly blamed the second bottle of whiskey for making her feel the need to make a bond of friendship with a nosey FBI agent. "Cough it up."

Fuck, that need seemed to rear it's ugly head in more then one area of her life lately.

Audrey's eyes were on the deft movements of Callie as she lifted the whiskey bottle and pour the amber liquid into the glasses. Her eyes moved back up to Callie's face, prompted by her demand for the truth." Have you ever had more questions then answers about your life?"

Audrey's questions hung heavy in the air, as Callie slid the watered down whiskey in Audrey's direction. As if to steel herself for the truth of her own answer, Callie tilted the glass to her own lips, and felt the rush of heat in her throat as the whiskey set wave of fire up from her belly. "More then I liked to admit."

Even in Audrey's drunken stupor, she can recognize someone in a similar fate to her.

Audrey thought about Nathan, the way he stands by her side through all the craziness that troubles bring, the unanswered questions and mood swings that accompanied someone who doesn't know who or where she comes from. His stoic often silent ways calmed her troubled waters that rested beneath her surface. He gave her a sense of safety that she was used to providing for herself.

"I hate to say but I don't quiet think that's all of it."

Audrey frowned at the brunette across from her, and wondered when she had gotten so sloppy that Callie could read her face. "It's never so simple here, in Haven."

"No, it's not." Callie replied, a small sly smile appearing on her face. "It wouldn't have to do with the oh so friendly detective Warnous, does it?"

The blonde sighed and took a sip of the whiskey before she answered. "It's not that I don't want him to be happy. He deserves it."

"Sounds like he has someone else warming his bed." Callie nodded, remembering that Duke had told her briefly when she asked about the hostility that Nathan had for him. Crocker answered her question with little to no information about their on going battle of wits but ponying up information about Nathan's rather new love life. "From the look on your face, his new misses doesn't sit to well with you."

"No, yes I don't know." Audrey played with her glass before bringing her hand up to her hair. She ran her fingers through it and let out a frustrated sigh before continuing. "Ever want something you can't have?"

Callie thought of the dark haired man hiding in the kitchen. The man who smelled like whiskey, salt and the sea. Who made her laugh and gave her sizzling fantasy's at night. The man who always had a crooked grin, quick fingers and sharp mind for the con.

Callie licked her lips before replying. "Lately, more then I would care too."

"Duke is a rare man." Audrey told her, catching her eye. "He has been a better friend to me then I could have ever expected. You two work together."

"Doesn't mean it sticks. But the same could be said for your strong and silent Warnous." Callie ran her fingers lightly around the rim of her glass. She could see Audrey and Nathan together. They shared many of the same traits, and from the occasional few times she had seen them together around town they had chemistry dripping off them. All that truth and justice searching, long hours pondering over the truth must have bonded them close. Friendship could easily turn into something more, with the right push. " What are you going to do about it?"

"That's the problem." Audrey leaned back off the bar and almost lost her balance. Callie had to reach for her and pull her back towards the bar by her shirt. "Thanks. Where was I?"

Callie smiled, "What you are going to do about Nathan's current sex life."

"Right, I don't think I have the right." Audrey told her, now leaning onto the bar. "He's waited a long time to find someone, why should I mess it up."

"Do you think your a better fit for him?" Callie asked her, collecting the discarded cards and shuffling the deck of cards. It was her one relaxing habit. She liked the feel of the cards running through her fingers. She had a wore out, dog eared deck that had been with her since she was sixteen and on the run. "Can you make him happier?"

"I think so, but loosing her would hurt him." Audrey pushed her glass towards Callie, knowing she would fill it up. " There is something wrong with her, I can't place it. She just gives me a bad feeling. She's sneaky, a bit of a liar and I don't think she is going to roll with punches that come with his life. I don't think she's built for it."

"You can take my advice, Rey but fair warning it could be complete shit." Callie told her, pushing over a drink that was more water then whiskey to Audrey." Go after him. Why wait, life too short. If you want him, take him."

"Oh, this is all talk." Audrey took a swallow of the whiskey, to her it still was tasting like straight whiskey. " Nathan doesn't even know I exist that way."

"Bullshit." Callie told her. "Duke told me that Nathan get's jealous when he flirts with you. He likes to get Nathan mad."

"Really?"

"Well, you can take it for all it's worth." Callie told her, her eyes cutting back to the closed kitchen door." It did after all come from Crocker."

"True." Audrey thought about what Callie said. "Still something to think about."

Duke glanced at his watch, and then down at the neat row of empty beer bottles. He was out of beer and Nathan was no where to be found. He eyed up the phone and thought about calling Nathan for the hundred time, but then he remembered that he filled up Nathan's voice mail box.

As Duke wondered what the hell Nathan was doing that was so important, he noticed that the bar was quiet. There was no laughter, loud voices from either women. In his experience quiet women usually meant trouble. And he could think of no worse trouble then drunk Callie and an even drunker Audrey.

Either they were sleeping on the bar or Callie killed Parker.

Duke slid off the counter and moved to the door, he pushed it open slowly, praying not to draw the two woman who he knew were plastered on his whiskey's attention.

Through the crack in the door , he saw Parker a complete mess and Callie swaying just a little bit on her feet. Both women very, very alive.

There he did his duty. He should just say fuck it and go home. But then there was no one to lock the Gull. Shit, and he was out of cold beer. He could go and pillage the stock area but then the beer would take a while to get cold.

Duke could not believe that he was hiding in the kitchen of his own bar like a pussy. If he was going to stay here and wait for Nathan to show up and take Audrey away, he wasn't picky about where he was going to have another beer.

Now he just needed to go out there and get his damn beer.

Duke's hand pushed the door forward and started to walk through when Callie's head whipped around, shooting him a look he couldn't quite read and caused him to stopping him in his tracks four steps into the bar. He can hear Audrey's hushed tone and see her fully focused on Callie. He could just make out what she was talking about before another one of Callie's looks send him hightailing it back to the kitchen.

He was pretty sure he read murder in her eyes.

A coke would be a safer bet then a cold beer.

Duke walked over to his fridge and grabbed a coke out of it. He resumed his perch on the kitchen counter and cast a glare at the phone.

"Fuck you, Nathan."

Nathan rubbed his eyes as he flicked on his turning signal. It was beyond late, he was irritated and a bit confused. Jess had woke up him, complaining that his phone wouldn't shut up. When he looked at the phone he had twenty three missed phone calls from Duke.

Duke Crocker hadn't called him in years, well not his personal number, and well not for anyone no police matter. Shit, he doubted Duke even did that. It wasn't till he listen to the first three voice messages (anything after that was pointless, cause Duke was boarder line rambling with a hint of hysteria in his voice.)that it clicked into his head. Audrey Parker, the only link between him and the one person he would could honestly say he hated.

For some unknown reason, Parker had develop a soft spot for that lying bastard. Nathan didn't understand it, wasn't sure if he wanted to and would break Duke's legs if he hurt Audrey. He gave up trying to explain to Audrey that Duke was a lost cause, and that she couldn't overlook his less then honest approach to life.

He drove down the gravel drive to the Gull, and parked beside the only car in the lot, Audrey's. Duke would have parked his truck around the back, but the delivery door. And Nathan knew that none of Duke's staff would still be on the clock at this hour.

Nathan wanted to kick himself. He knew that Audrey was in a pisser of a mood when she left the station that evening. Another lead to Lucy Ripley had been a dead end and even Parker couldn't hid the hurt and the confusion she felt.

He meant to comfort her, suggest going to pancakes which had always been his way of comforting her but he had a date with Jess, and he wanted to pick her out a gift for no reason so he was nervous and it just slipped to the back of his mind.

Now, he was here in a deserted parking lot starring at the Gull.

"You don't have to come in with me." Nathan turned to the beautiful woman sitting in middle of the bench seat of his truck. The truck was warm, the wind outside was colder then Ed Miller's bitch ex wife and he really didn't know what condition Parker was going to be in when picked her up off Duke's bar floor. He would prefer if Jess just waited back at her house, but she had insisted.

And now he just wanted her to stay in the truck.

If he was honest he would admit that despite both women trying, it was always a bit awkward being around them. He felt like a piece of stringy cheese being pulled into two different directions, and he wasn't a hundred percent sure why.

Nathan wasn't aware of romantic feelings towards Audrey, but it crossed his mind a time or two that was a better then good looking. They had an easy friendship, great work partnership and she made him laugh. He could see why Jess would feel threatened.

He did spend a lot of time with Parker before Jess came into the picture and now he was spending that time with Jess. He knew that Audrey didn't have anyone besides him and well Duke, so he could see why she felt threatened.

Women made everything more complicated.

"Nathan, it's fine." Jess reassured him. She was going in, weather he liked it or not. Audrey Parker was drunk off her face, and Jess was no fool. She could read that woman's intention loud and clear. Audrey Parker had eyes on Nathan, and there would be no drunk hands or drunken confessions to Nathan tonight. "I'm happy to help."

"It's really cold outside." Nathan touched Jess's face and leaned down to kiss her. " I want you to be warm. It won't take me long to get Audrey. Then we can drop her off at the B and B, go home and I'll make it up to you."

"My coat is really warm." Jess told him, giving him a smile. "With the two of us getting Audrey will be much faster."

Seeing that Jess wasn't budging on staying behind, Nathan nodded and opened the door. He left the truck running as he would want the warmth for the girls when they got it. Didn't matter much to him, seeing as he couldn't feel it.

Jess followed him out of the truck and bit back a sharp in take of breath at the cold weather. The wind coming in from the ocean was a bitch, that bit hard into her skin and made her reconsider getting out of the truck for a moment. She shook her head, ducked underneath Nathan's outstretched arm and matched the fast pace set by Nathan towards the Gull.

Audrey blamed the whiskey. For everything. For her blabbing mouth, her double vision and the creation of a bond between her and Callie. She didn't want to like Callie, hell she didn't want to tell Callie one of her most private secrets. Fuck, she barely admitted it to herself, and even though her brain was yelling at her to shut up, her mouth was like the run away train. Just spilling the details of her secret longing for her own damn partner.

This moment of truce between the two of them would not change tomorrow. Tomorrow Audrey promised herself, she was going to find out who the hell Callie really was and what the hell she was doing in Haven.

And since Callie aligned herself with Duke, Audrey knew whatever the reason was, it wasn't good. Duke Crocker was trouble by himself, and she had a feeling Haven wasn't ready for the two of them together.

Well at least she wasn't a bitch about it. It surprised her that Callie was attempting to help her figure out what to do about her feelings for Nathan. Keeping quiet about them certainly wasn't helping her at all. She blamed the whiskey for that too. As drunk as she was, Audrey knew Callie had quiet a few drinks too. Considerably less then her, but Callie was at least working a buzz.

Audrey just wished her mouth would shut up before she starting talking about Lucy Ripley. That was not something she wanted to talk about, to anyone.

The sound of the door swinging open from behind her, saved her from the embarrassment of divulging another one of her secrets to Callie. Audrey shivered from the cold air that the open door brought in, and when she turned around she couldn't keep the smile from spreading across her face.

She knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help but smile every time she saw him. His hair was wind whipped, and she was thankful he remembered to wear a scarf along with his jacket even though he couldn't feel the cold.

Audrey stood up, steadier on her feet then she would have thought and moved towards Nathan. He gave her an amused smile and tilted his head down towards her.

"Nathan." Audrey said his name, more softly then she would have liked. She blamed the whiskey for that. She as almost to him when the door closed behind him and Jess stepped out in front of Nathan from behind him.

Audrey halted immediately in her tracks and the smile dropped from her face. She was confused, and sad at the same time. She knew she was having trouble wiping the expression from her face, and damn the whiskey for that. Clearly, the mess up hair wasn't from the wind, it was from being in bed with Jess. And he didn't remember to wear a scarf, Jess dressed him in it. When she finally got her self composed she greeted Jess. "and Jess. What are the two of you doing here."

Callie winced at hearing the slight hurt in Audrey's voice when she hear her speak Jess's name. She didn't have to look at Audrey's face to know that she had to be wearing a punch in the gut expression.

Shit, this was awkward and Callie had no idea what the hell to do. So she poured herself another drink.

"Parker, we're hear to take you home." Nathan told her, moving towards her. She didn't look so steady on her feet and he was confused at why she looked so damn sad right now, in fact he didn't think he ever saw Parker so a mess. "You have the early shift tomorrow, remember?"

"I'm fine really." Audrey told him, backing away. She did not want to be touched by him. She could in the past, pretend Nathan wasn't sleeping with Jess, but that was clearly out the window. She stopped walking backward when she hit the bar stool. "I don't need help to get home."

"Your too drunk to drive, Parker." Nathan stopped moving, when he saw her move away from him. "I would hate to have to arrest my own partner for driving under the influence. I don't think the department could live down the embarrassment."

Audrey knew he was joking, but she just wanted him to leave and take Jess with him. " I'll call a cab."

"Old man Northman doesn't run past ten on a weekday, you know that." Nathan reminded her.

"Your friend Duke, left seventeen messages on Nathan's phone, asking him to come pick you up. It woke us both up and we left the nice warm bed at my house to drive into town to come get you. I guess you don't have any other friends for him to call after Nathan didn't pick up the first five times." Jess tried hard to keep the bit out of her tone of voice, knowing Nathan would be annoyed with her for it but she was tired, cold and just wanted to get out Audrey out of her sight as soon as possible. "I would hate to think Nathan is missing his sleep because you don't know when it's time to quit."

"He didn't put it that way." Nathan shot Jess a look. He didn't understand why she would make Audrey feel like a she was burden or something. Damn it, he was too tired for this shit. "Audrey, it's no big deal. I can take you home."

Duke heard that distinctive deep voice that belonged to one man. Nathan Warnous had finally dragged his ass down to the Gull to save the day. Bout damn time. He set down his mostly empty can of coke next to the empty beer bottles and headed for the door to the bar.

He knew he should have stayed in the kitchen when he walked into tension so thick he was choking on it. He couldn't place the problem til he spotted Nathan's little bed warmer. He could begrudge Nathan a little friendly time but he knew enough about women to know this one did not like Parker, and Parker wasn't feeling friendly towards Nathan's new woman.

He was about to head back into the kitchen when Callie hissed out. " Don't you dare, Crocker."

Duke bit his lip and continued forward, moving behind the bar to stand beside Callie. He looked at the bottles laying empty on the floor and cast Callie a look. " You couldn't have moved towards the cheaper shit could you?"

"The first one was mostly gone already when I started pouring." muttered Callie as she watched Audrey swing around to face them both. Callie's heart felt something strange when she looked at Audrey's hurt filled face. Sympathy filled her heart and it felt weird to her, almost alien like. She had spent so long feeling nothing for no one but a four legged soul that feeling it for someone else was odd to her.

"Duke, did you really want me gone?" Audrey tried not to sound pathetic but Jess made it sound like neither of the men in her life had time for her, both seem to be presuming other interests at the moment.

Duke registered the hurt in Audrey's eyes and sad look on her face when she spoke to him. It ate at him. He had a soft spot, that he would never admit to seeing as she was on the wrong side of the law, the straight side that was. Duke's eyes turned to Nathan with a cold stare. "Audrey, I never said that. Did you tell her that Warnos? That's cold man."

"I never said that." Nathan's jaw clinched and he glared at Duke. It was his fault that Audrey was this drunk, if Duke would just had controlled the situation then this awkward moment would have never happened.

"It doesn't matter." Callie cut in, she could feel Duke stiffen up next to her and she knew he was pissed." I'm sorry you got out of bed for no reason. Audrey's coming home with me."

"What?" Nathan didn't understand why the women that Audrey was currently dogging all over town was offering to take her home.

"I didn't know Duke was making arrangement for you to come down and help Audrey. She and I had already discussed that Duke was going to drive us down to the harbour as he's sober as can be. Speaking of which, you should start the truck so it's warm while I lock up."

"Well, see Nathan they've got it all under control." Jess told him as she grabbed his jacket and pulled him towards the door. " Let's go back to bed. I seem to remember that you promised to make it up to me about this little interruption. I think you should start soon."

Nathan shot Duke a dirty look, and looked at Audrey. " I'll call you to make sure your up for your shift."

"Let's go Nathan." Jess tugged harder on his sleeve and was relieved that he turned around and started to walk to the door.

Audrey waited til they both left and then turned to Callie. " I need to use the bathroom."

"Why are you taking Audrey home with you?" Duke asked when Audrey was out of ear shot. Audrey was not Callie's favourite person by far, and it was vice versa for Audrey.

"I blame the whiskey." Callie told Duke as she drank what was left of her drink.