"Cassidy." The sergeant's voice bellowed over the usual din of the squad room. "There's a rookie on one that thinks they got something on one of your cases."

"Now there's something to spread around." Evan rolled his eyes and picked up the phone. "Cassidy."

"Detective. It's Officer Holzman. You're working the Steven Webber hit-and-run right?"

"That's right." Evan nodded and then realized the officer couldn't see him.

"I may have a lead for you. This girl, she's down at the campus, apparently she's been talking about not remembering much from that night and her car's gone missing since then. Luckily for us, some of her hall mates are real talkative drunks."

"What's her name?" Evan grabbed a notebook from his desk and scribbled down the information.

"Haley. Haley Marano. But be careful, she's a rich trust fund type."

"I don't think money will make this go away." Evan argued, but took the officer's advice anyway. "I don't suppose any of those hall mates owned up to being witnesses?"

"Nope. Gotta make you do at least some of the work."

"Gee thanks. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Rumor has it she has a new boyfriend. Unfortunately, the rumors run from a Jonas brother to the campus football star to the new English professor."

"Really?" Evan smiled. "Now that sounds like a very uncomfortable situation. I live for those."

"Well now that I've solved your case for you, I do need to get working on my own."

"I appreciate it. Thanks." Evan hung up the phone and left his chair, glancing down at the little information he had to go on. Oh well. It was more than he had been able to dig up himself. He kept waiting for the commissioner to suggest he take time off with all the hindering around the station he seemed to be responsible for. He no longer felt in control the way he used to and he had only himself to blame for it. Getting involved in something that had absolutely nothing to do with him. He should have turned Lulu over to her parents. If he'd had any sense that's what he would have done.

Evan left the station and drove the half hour to the campus. He had called ahead of time to confirm that Miss Marano had classes until two when she was expected at work. If he missed her at the campus, he would catch her at work. Her boss was probably already tired of hearing his voice. If he hadn't argued the importance of detaining Haley for a few minutes before he let her start her shift, Evan wouldn't have had to shove logic and obligation down his throat. After all, he was a citizen of Port Charles. Didn't he care if one of his employees was part of a conspiracy? His answer came in a bunch of expletives and a resounding no. Still, he had agreed to call Evan the moment she showed up and that was better than nothing.

He parked as close to the main entrance as possible and then locked the car behind him knowing that particular logic was faulty. No one in their right mind would want this car. It had been issued to him by the Department and their budget got lower and lower as the months passed. He purposely didn't drive his car around town. No, that he kept for his days off when he would drive without a real purpose in mind and only stop when his car demanded fuel.

Before leaving the station, he had collected as much information as he could on Miss Marano. He had a picture of her along with the short list of friends she cared enough to keep in her phone. One call to the local phone company had provided him with that information. He might not be able to use it in court without a subpoena, but at least it told him who to talk to. From that list, he would have to branch off to the people that didn't give a flying fig about her because those, he knew, would be the ones who wouldn't mind letting a few important details slip.

*****

Chewing the bottom of her lip, Lulu checked the clock over the refrigerator again. Had he said six? He had told her he was off at six, right? She checked the calendar one more time to confirm yet again that Evan was supposed to be off at six. It was now seven-thirty and he was officially late.

Why hadn't he called? He always called. Ever since that first night, he'd call as he was leaving the station. Call her if he was going to be even just a few minutes late. Evan always called. It was one of the most reliable things about him. If he said he would call, he would call.

Evening hours were the worst time for her. The urge to go out and score was still strong. It was easier to find the drugs under the cover of darkness. The corners of the local clubs provided shadow and anonymity, perfect to score whatever a junkie would crave and explore whatever body you wanted to get to know that second. It was the nights she needed Evan most. He wouldn't let her leave. He distracted her. He refused to let her consider giving up and just having one more hit.

Picking up the phone, she dialed numbers she couldn't even remember memorizing. She just needed to hear his voice. Know he was ok. Then maybe she could get through the night.

"You've reached Evan Cassidy. I'm sorry I've missed your call, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 911."

"Damn it Evan." She cursed into the phone. "You better not be dead."

"Did I hear my name?" Evan asked, turning to disengage the alarm and locking the door behind him.

She flew across the room and launched herself into his arms. Burying her face into his neck, she felt relief at his appearance rise up as well as irritation at his casual entrance. "Where the hell were you?"

Evan held her tightly to him. "Geez, Spencer. I didn't know you cared so much."

"You always call. Why didn't you call?" She continued, ignoring his comment.

"There wasn't any service where I was. I was working on the case." He had forgotten. How could he have forgotten Lulu? He had gotten wound up in the interview and where it led him.

"What case?"

"The hit-and-run. I interviewed my first suspect today."

"The hit and run? Steven's accident?" Lulu asked slowly, taking a step back from him.

"Yeah. I got a lucky break. I wasn't even the one to find her. When I did, all she did was deny everything that I knew to be true, so I scoped out some of the other party members and placed her not a mile from where Steven's body was found. She has no recollection of what happened between five and ten that evening and her car is missing. CSU provided me with the results of the footprints they found at the scene and this suspect just happens to wear the same size boot as the prints match up to."

"You had footprints? I didn't know that."

"I didn't remember about them until I got the results back from CSU. I figured they would just match up with Steven Webber, but it seems that the driver of the other car got out, probably to see what they hit, and then abandoned the car. Of course, there's nothing backing up that last theory. The car could be anywhere."

"You...you still don't have the car?"

"No, but Port Charles isn't the only place it could be. She could have driven it out of town, out of state. We haven't stopped looking for it. Of course it would be the smoking gun because it'll provide the most information."

"Right." Lulu pushed her hair behind her ears. Her stomach was tangling up in knots and she couldn't place why. Some instinct wanted her to change the subject to something else, anything else. "So that was the only reason you were late?"

"Part of it, yes."

"Only part?"

"I forgot you were staying with me."

She smiled a little at that. "I thought you said I was impossible to forget."

"You are." He agreed, his mood lightening even more when he saw her smile.

"So then why exactly did you forget I was staying here?"

"I must be losing my mind. Not a big surprise. It was bound to happen eventually." He chuckled.

"Well I never did give you much credit for your brains." She teased.

"Why were you looking for me? Are you alright?"

"I'm ok. It's just...you've never not called."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you also sorry you forgot me?"

He had to laugh. "Yes. Of course. I'm thinking I may have to find a way to keep that from happening again."

"Yes you will. You'll also have to make it up to me somehow too you know."

"I say we make as many memories as possible." He leaned down to kiss her. It was a heady sensation to feel her lips automatically part for him.

"That's a start." She leaned into his palm when his fingers danced up her neck and tugged loosely on her hair. Her head tilted and the kiss deepened, her hands gripping at his shoulders.

He walked them out of the foyer, his back no longer shoved against the door, and into the living room. Her arms wound around his neck and his hands slid to her waist. The kiss went on and on, neither of them wanting to stop to breathe, and he nudged her toward the couch.

"Tired?" She teased, drumming her fingers across the back of his neck.

"Not me." Evan promised untangling his jacket from around his arms and letting it fall to the floor.

"Good. Me either."

"I've had you fall asleep on me before."

"Well you'll just have to keep me awake then won't you?"

Almost shyly, she touched the tip of her tongue to his; he pushed her deeper into the couch. As bad as he felt about forgetting her, if this was his punishment…His fingers slipped beneath the hem of her shirt and he groaned at the feel of her skin. In his arms, she was warm and pliant and he reminded himself not to get too caught up. He knew he wouldn't need much convincing.

She sighed at the feel of his hand on her skin. Moving her fingers down from his neck, she traced along the buttons of his shirt until she found the shirttails. Slowly, she undid one button at the bottom and slipped her fingers inside.

"I never asked how your day went." Evan whispered into her ear, trying to catch his breath. He had a little trouble concentrating on the very part of his brain that made speech possible.

"It's getting better."

"Did you sleep any?"

"Some." She kissed him again, this time moving her lips to the pulse point on his neck.

Evan wasn't aware of his shirt being completely undone until she pushed it off his shoulders. He took her hands in his and held them until she met his eyes.

"What?"

"We don't have to rush." He pointed out.

"Who's rushing?" she smiled.

"What are you trying to prove?" He asked, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Nothing. I'm just enjoying this. Aren't you?"

"God yes."

"Then why are we talking?"

"Because I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I won't."

"Honey when I came in the door you looked like you were about to lose it."

"Because I was worried since you didn't call me."

"What made you call me now instead of earlier? What changed?"

"It was getting late."

"You know that I wouldn't let him near you." Evan didn't see the point in speaking the name. She knew who he meant.

"I know. I wasn't thinking about him."

"Did something spook you?"

"No."

"I think we need to slow this down."

"Give me one good reason."

"It's too soon."

"So we're on some sort of time table?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then what are you saying? Because if this is what we both want, I'm not seeing the problem here."

Damn her for using logic. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing that even thinking about taking that next step could send you stumbling. "Listen to me. I'm not exactly on solid ground here. The longest relationship I've ever had was with the expired milk in the fridge. I want you to feel comfortable here."

"You do make me feel comfortable." Lulu reassured him, running her hand through his hair.

"Aren't you worried that'll change if we rush through this?"

"Evan. We've already done this before."

"I know." He sighed. "But I want the next time to be about you and me, nothing else."

Lulu smiled up at him. "That's the first time you've admitted you want there to be a next time."

"Well there wasn't much to brag about that first time since I don't remember more than meeting you and waking up alone."