Chuck wobbled back to his feet and brushed himself off before banging on the door, ignoring the less than subtle refusal of his company. "Hey come on Casey, you need to talk this out, buddy."

"Go home Chuck." Came a bellow from the other side of the wood. He didn't particularly want to talk but not for the reason Chuck was persisting. True Ilsa was once a big part of his life, and knowing that she was alive and an agent certainly stirred some desire but he was truly over her.

Chuck ran round to the side of the window and smooshed his face against the glass grinning, he watched Casey sigh. "Casey let me in. This was huge, we gotta talk about it."

What he actually wanted was to sit in darkened peace with a scotch and work over what Ilsa said. 'Show him what he could have.' His fists clenched, his pride berating him. She saw what no one had yet. Hell, he had only just figured it out.

"No." He shut the curtains on the puppy dog eyes. "We really don't."

But the taps got increasingly louder. "Casey! I'm not going anywhere till you let me in."

Casey dragged his hand down his face; the kid could be more stubborn than he was. The saying 'can't live with them, can't live without them' had never applied to Casey so prominently. Begrudgingly he unlatched the window, as it seemed to be the kid's choice of doors recently and let him ungracefully fumble his way in.

He sprung up eyes sparkling, which just made Casey wince and head to his drinks cupboard. "Get on with it then."

"Well… I mean, you've just lost your one. You just had to give up a life outside of…" His hand flailed about his person, "…well, this. You had to just let her walk away? You're not fooling me with that Darlek routine."

"What are you a cartoon? 'The 'one' doesn't exist Chuck. And besides, even if it did she wouldn't be it."

"What are you talking about man? You love her, you told me! The flower stall ya know?"

Casey grunted, he never should have given him that bone. "It's been years, I thought she was dead, I got over it and moved on. I've changed a lot since, and so has she."

Chuck mused for a few seconds wondering what changes could possibly have got him over a woman like that. "But that kiss though."

"So you were watching, you little pervert."

"Woah hey, man…no. I just… aha, ok ok I was watching. But can you blame me? It's like seeing a vending machine recite sonnets."

Casey flared an irate and confused look.

"But that kiss it was so…I dunno, convincing?"

"We knew you were watching, had some fun messing with you."

"Oh yeah sure. First of all, my spying is like impeccable so I know you didn't see me, second, you're telling me that was what, a trained kiss? Nuh-uh, nope, not buying it, that was real."

Casey walked round the breakfast bar to tower over Chuck sitting on the stool.

"Not buying it huh?"

Chuck suddenly losing his backbone gulped slowly and opened his mouth to try and squeak a 'nope,' but Casey pounced. One hand wrapped around the back of his neck the other pulling up his shirt and tie lifting him into a violently passionate kiss. Chuck, from fear of falling off the stool, had grabbed onto Casey tightly gripping his arm, the other flat against his chest in a vain effort to push him away.

But Casey's tongue was savouring the silence of the other's mouth. 'So this is all it takes to shut him up.'

Chuck's hands relaxed the vice grip he had on his arm, melting into a gentle hold. But when Casey felt the other hand gingerly start roaming his chest Casey separated, picked up his drink and took a swig while walking back round to the sink.

Chuck was left staring at the empty space in front of him, waiting for his brain to reboot. "Uhhhh…?"

"Convinced now? You're trained in every life aspect on how to be convincing in any cover."

Chuck swallowed again trying to materialise some words, he lent on his elbows trying pass off blasé. But instead of a quip, what came out was: "Everyaspect?" His eyebrows raised and his eyes panicked as he realised his brain didn't filter that out and had actually said it out loud.

Casey had his back facing him but cocked an eyebrow. Ilsa was right, she really did hurry this along. He walked towards the other man, the island table separating them. He rested his weight on his hands and loomed over. "They're very…" He paused emphasising the next word. "Rigorous."

Chuck gulped again and flashed his signature 'I'm in trouble' smile. "Well, big guy." He moved to pat the man on the chest, looked at it and reeled his hand backwards remembering the previous touch. "You seem to have reset back to robot mode so I'm gonna go."

Casey sneered. 'Coward' he thought, though he wasn't sure which one of them he was addressing.