A/N: Thanks all for your continued support. This chapter is quite the departure from the typical Flashpoint repertoire. You'll see why.

Again, I found myself laying in bed. Only this time it was quite different from a typical day.

Diminishing rays of sunlight filtered through the dark blinds

The house was empty. Even Haley and Matthew were gone. The only sounds are of the humming of the dryer in the basement, and the deadened sound of cars going down the suburban street.

If only I could stay here forever, I would. Forever peaceful.

A quick glance at the alarm clock told me 1:57pm.

Time to get up and get ready.

Time to go preserve the peace.

I pulled into SRU headquarters, and made my way inside as quick as possible, as the cold March air still carried the blistering arctic breezes of winter.

Once inside, I stomped off my boots and walked towards the men's locker-room, when I was intercepted by Kiera.

"Hey Kiera." I said with a smile, hoping she would get out of my way.

"Mail was delivered."

"Yes I know. The mail is delivered here around 1300 hours every day of the week, Monday to Friday." I responded with sarcasm.

"You have mail."

Flummoxed, she passed me the mail that came for me. It was a small envelope. I didn't get a chance to inspect, as Kiera was walking away when she said, "I had a fun time with you guys on Friday. We should do it again sometime. Friday at Casa Blanca's?"

Not paying attention to what Kiera said, I just gave her an automatic "Sure.", as I inspected the envelope and went into the locker room.

Ed was already here, dressed and sitting down on the bench, reading a daily newspaper.

"Damn Leaf's lost again!" Ed said aloud.

"Yeah?" I responded, as I opened my locker, and put the envelope on the door with a magnet beside a family picture of Haley, Megan, and Matthew.

"What's that?" Ed asked, concerning the envelope.

"Ah, its just mail. I'll read it later," I said with a smirk, "So, you missed a big day on Friday, eh? You hear?"

"All I heard was what was on the news- local college into lockdown, SRU on scene. That's it. Why?"

"Oh its a story you have to hear from everyone, but I'll give you the Reader's Digest version: lockdown, automatic weapons, scorpio, SUI inspection."

"Sounds interesting." Ed said with interest.

The door burst open, with Spike gleefully entering the locker room. "You'll never guess what we get to do today!"

"Please tell me not another inspection?" I asked.

"What?" Spike asked, "Oh, no- not that."

"CQB testing Team four?" Ed asked with a grin, "I've been wanting to best Donna since we did our re-qualification."

"No."

"Ok Spike," I said, "This started out fun, but its getting lame. Just tell us."

"We have an escort job!"

"Oh joy." Ed said, his happiness slowly fading away.

We all sat in the debriefing room. Parker just went through our escort job details.

"Seriously?" Asked Spike, "THAT'S what we're escorting? Nuclear waste?"

"What did you think it was going to be, Spike?" Jules asked.

"I dunno, something interesting. The Prime Minister, Governor General...a super computer."

"Well, a super computer its not." Greg said, "Now, we got some health unit nurses here. They're gonna have to take a vial of blood before and after the job, and test it, to make sure we haven't been exposed to too much radiation. They'll be taking the blood downstairs in Conference Room 2. Perra, your up first- head on down."

I got up and left, without comment.

Its bad enough I had to see Conference Room 2 on Friday, but again today? Sheesh.

I entered the room.

I was surprised to see Kiera here.

"Hey you." I commented, as I sat down, and exposing my left arm, as the nurses prepped both a vial and the surface of my skin.

"Kristopher Allison Perrasmith." Kiera said, looking at the one nurse. "Try fitting all of that onto a label."

"I'll do my best." the male nurse said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Kiera.

"They want someone from SRU to oversee the blood draws. I volunteered."

"You just wanted to see my naked arm, didn't you?" I joked.

Kiera grinned and with a wink said, "You bet."

After the blood draws, the entire team suited up and drove out to Oshawa, where we would meet the nuclear convoy.

Whenever we got there, we were amazed at the already beefy security they had.

RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, Canadian Forces, a nuclear defense team from a nearby nuclear power station, and heck, even some members from Canada's elite- Joint Task Force 2.

"Why again do they need us?" Jules asked, after checking her equipment.

"Its a stipulation from the City of Toronto, that if they wanted to transport it through the city, that SRU must assist." Greg explained, "We're to meet with an...Agent Black...something makes me think that's not his real name."

"It sure isn't" came a voice from behind us.

We all spun to see a massively muscled African-Canadian.

"Agent Black?" Greg asked.

"Yes sir, and you are Sargent Greg Parker, correct?"

"In flesh and with my team."

Agent Black looked at all of us, as if he was looking for a tell. "I was told that there would be six of you- there's only five."

"Our Constable Sam Braddock has some family matters to attend to." Greg stated, "Look, we're here to help, and to assist in anyway possible. Point us where you want us, and we'll do our duty."

"Ok-" Agent Black started, "When we started out, we had some military guys in the second transport trailer. They had to leave back before Smith Falls. I need two guys in there. Could also use two of your trucks- one out front, and the other in the back. We have another transport- we can trailer your third truck on that one until Niagara Falls. No need to have more than one person in the vehicles. Also- your girl.."

"Call her Jules." I interrupted. Jules beamed a smile my way.

"Jules- can ride with the another woman on the convoy company in the cab of the second transport. She's been bitchin' since Brunswick about being the only woman on the convoy."

"Alright-" Greg said with a nod, "Spike, Perra, your in transport two. Jules, its obvious where you're going to be. Me and Eddie will flip for you gets to ride in the front."

"Copy that." I responded with, following in tow of Spike, towards the second transport trailer.

Me and Spike climbed into the trailer of the second transport. Behind us- one of the Canadian Forces officers locked us in. Inside, we found another small, locked marine container. On opposite sides of the trailer, near the doors were two steel chairs, welded onto the floor. On the floor, were two harnesses, with a long cord attached to either wall.

"I suppose we're supposed to wear these?" Spike said, "We could've had a bit more instruction, no?"

"I agree." I replied, strapping on my harness.

After strapping myself in, I rechecked my equipment. Everything's ok.

Suddenly a loud knock came at the door.

"We're taking off in five!" came a muffled voice.

We each took our respective seats, and waited for the tractor trailer to roar to life.

Judging on my estimation- based on how fast we were going, I figured we were just passing the turnoff at Markham in Scarborough. Since we had left, neither Spike nor I had said a word...

"So..." Spike spoke, having to speak louder than normal, in order to be heard over the road noise.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. There's nothing to you. What makes you want to get out of bed every morning?"

"What do you mean?"

"What made you want to be a cop?"

I rubbed my scruffy face. "Well, most people would tell you that they became a cop because they want to help people, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I became a cop because I wanted more out of my job- and there was nothing more I could get out of it. So I just upped and ante and continued on."

"So, you're here to challenge yourself?"

"In a way, yeah. I'm always trying to learn new things."

"You know how to dismantle bombs?" Spike asked with a grin.

"To a degree."

"I'll teach you."

"Thanks." I said with a smile.

"Team one- status." came Greg over the headset.

"Still alive." said Jules.

"Watching the ass end of transport two." came Ed.

Me and Spike laughed silently, and radioed in together, "No harm."

Still wearing his smile, Spike pulled his cellphone from his vest, and started punching in some keys.

"Why does your daughter keep texting me?" Spike asked.

"She's texting you?"

"Since I gave her my number the day of Ed's party."

"What are you guys texting about?" I asked, with concern.

"Not much. Every few days, I get a text asking me questions about technology."

"Like what?"

"Like, 'what anti-virus is best for me?', 'Yahoo or Gmail?'- stuff like that."

"Oh", I thought out loud, "I dunno."

"So what's going on with you and Keira?" Spike asked.

"What?"

"I heard you guys when you came in this afternoon. She was flirting with you, and then you agreed to go on a date with her."

"A date?" I asked, "Where'd you get that?"

" 'Friday at Casa Blanca's ' ?" Spike answered, "Dude, it was a date."

"She was making arrangements for the entire team!" I mockingly yelled.

"Alright." Spike said with a sly grin, "So you wouldn't do that?"

I thought about it...her blonde hair, perfect body, and she always smelled pretty...

"Dude!" I said, snapping out of my day dream- "Why would you do that?" I asked, blaming Spike for putting the thoughts in my head. "Plus I'm married!"

It was a very uneventful day, after we arrived in Niagara Falls, where we would leave the convoy.

After driving back, and arriving at the station, the health unit nurses were again in the conference room, taking our after-call blood.

I was last to go in, and when I went in, Keira was again there.

"You just love this place, don't you?" I asked.

"You can say that."

A slight pinch.

I took a deep breath.

"You're not going to pass out?" asked one of the nurses, as he put on a bandage, and packed up his stuff.

I looked down at the white gauze and noted that it was filled with blood.

"I'm still bleeding." I explained.

"It's just residual." the other nurse explained, as they started to leave, and turned to Keira, "Do you mind staying with him, just for a while, until he starts to clot?"

"Sure."

After the nurses left, Keira stepped closer and nodded in the direction of the gauze. "Still bleeding?" she asked.

"Yeah."

I looked up at Keira, as she pulled up a chair beside me.

"Look, Keira," I started, "That dinner this Friday- that's for the entire team, right? Not just me?"

"Of course. It'd be weird if it was just me and you." she said, edging closer, with an arm draped over my chest, "Still bleeding. I hope you weren't part of some nuclear accident, were you?"

"No." I said, with a laugh.

She brought up her hand, and rubbed my face with it. She brought herself closer to me.

Feeling light headed, I instinctly brought my hand up as it graced her side. She quickly kicked her chair to the ground, as she swung over and sat on my lap.

She kissed my neck. Then my cheek.

She went to suck on my neck, but instead I moved my lips to face hers, and planted them firmly on hers.

A/N: As you can tell, now there's an emotional/ love story aspect now. Like to see where it goes? Read and Review!