Megan stepped off the elevator in her usual flash of color and movement, marching straight into her office to drop off her bag before heading into the lab where she knew Peter would be waiting.

"Good morning," he smiled as he continued to take some more photos of their latest body.

Megan barely grumbled a response as she threw on her lab coat and donned a pair of gloves.

"Not so good morning?" he tried again. "Lacey still…"

"Up all night puking? Yeah," Megan answered sharply, then took a deep breath and continued. "She's a little better this morning. My mother's staying with her."

"How nice of Joan," Peter remarked.

"She's not half bad when she's not offering relationship advice," Megan sighed, bringing her scalpel to the victim's chest, beginning her Y incision.

Peter chuckled a bit then continued snapping pictures.

"And how is Kate?"

Megan paused for a moment, almost unnoticeably, but long enough for Peter to catch it.

"Aha," he smirked. "That's what's really bugging you, isn't it? It's okay, Megan. I'd be going crazy too."

"I am not going crazy," Megan insisted. "I just wish the case would wrap up already. If I was there, maybe I could…"

"I'm sure if Kate thought it was a good idea, she would have called you in already."

Megan shook her head.

"Or, maybe she wants to but the Commissioner won't let her."

"Why would she…"

Megan gave him a knowing look.

"Come on," he scoffed. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does. She could argue our relationship might compromise things. Might give one of us a subjective bias to the other's findings."

"That's ridiculous," Peter insisted. "Has that happened so far?"

"Not as far as she knows. But none of our cases have been this high profile since we started dating."

"I don't think that's any reason to keep you two from working together," Peter objected. " Does she even know you're a couple?"

"The woman knows everything. She just picks and chooses when she wants to use that information. And when the media's involved, she'll do anything in her power not to draw attention to the 'wrong' details."

Megan brushed some of her hair behind her ear with her elbow. Her neck was turning red. Clearly, she had thought a lot about this.

"Okay," Peter tried a different approach. "Say she does think that. What would you do?"

"What can I do?" Megan shrugged. "It's not like Pennsylvania has any laws protecting same-sex couples from being discriminated against."

"That's…absurd," he started to get ticked off on her behalf. "The two of you are brilliant. Who would question your ability to keep things professional?"

"I'm not saying that's what's happening, Peter. It was just a thought," Megan admitted. "You're probably right, anyway."

"Wait, say that again?" Peter smiled. "Right about what?"

Megan shifted a little uncomfortably, trying to keep her focus on the open chest in front of her.

"About missing her," she said softly. "I'm sure that's all it is."

Peter put his hand on her shoulder.

"I hope so."

He offered to buy her a drink after work to calm her nerves, take her mind off things, but after running around town all day with Bud and Sam interviewing witnesses, she was ready to head home. Besides, she needed to relieve her mother of sick-duty. She was happy to see Lacey sitting up on the couch, eating some homemade chicken noodle soup and feeling much better than the night before. After making herself a bowl, she tucked her daughter in and headed back to her room. Kate was still in a meeting that was running late, so she sent her a goodnight text before falling asleep.