Back again! Sorry, if there is something messed up with the chapter numbers, I deleted the chapter that was the note telling you I was on hold. So this is what would have been chapter 18. But I didn't replace any chapters, I made a new one, so I hope it is still showing up in your notifications. Someone please let me know if it's not.

Thank you so much for the kind responses on my earlier chapter, I'm getting back into the swing of things a bit, hopefully I will have the next chapter up sometime either next week, or the week after that. Hope you're still with me, enjoy!

"Ya know Myks, those bags under your eyes aren't really adding to the whole ensemble of your outfit."

"Pete, I'll punch you."

"Myka, I've known that since the day we met."

Pete turned to her and grinned, contorting his face until he finally got a small grin out of Myka. He hadn't seen his former partner genuinely smile in months. He knew she was back in therapy, and he knew she was going, and he made sure that she ate three meals a day and tried to make her smile as much as possible, but he knew Myka was only barely hanging on. The details of her mother's murder had rocked her world all over again, not to mention she had placed trust in HG, and she felt betrayed. Pete didn't know how to fix this, it wasn't one of the things he excelled at. Goofy faces, food, detective work, video games, those were things he could do; upset women, not so much.

He had been content to wait this out for a while, but...he hadn't thought the months would drag on like this and he knew that it was time to kick her ass in gear. Metaphorically speaking of course, Pete would never be stupid enough to fight Myka, she'd beat him up easy hands down.

"So...Myks, you were invited to HG's kid's birthday right?"

Myka side eyed him. "Real subtle Pete."

"I try."

Myka snorted and accepted her coffee from the barista. "You can get mine." She offered. Pete sighed and passed over the cash, running after Myka and swinging an arm over her shoulder. "Pete, don't start." Myka warned.

"What!? I didn't even say anything yet."

"I've known you for almost eight years Pete." Was all Myka said in response.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Pete's arm casually slung over Myka's shoulder despite the late summer heat. Never being one able to hold his tongue for any length of time, Pete took a deep breath – which only made Myka laugh – he ignored it. "Myks, we have known each other for almost eight years, which is why I'm done being quiet."

"Pete I am..."

"If you say fine Myka, I might actually punch you." Pete said, exasperated. "You are not fine and you know it. Everyone knows it, everyone's been leaving you alone cause we all know that's what you want; but there is a time for leaving you alone to get yourself better, and there is a time to pester you until you actually let someone help you. This is the pestering stage in case you were wondering."

Myka gave a small resigned sigh, which Pete took as a sign to continue.

"It's okay not to be okay Myka. And it's okay for people to help you, and you have to actually trust people or it is gonna eat you alive. It already is Myks, you can't keep doing this, you're not okay."

"I know." Myka whispered.

"No! Myka you have got to listen to me you... wait you know?" Pete removed his arm and stood in front of Myka. "You...huh?"

Myka started crying, slowly at first, Pete reached up to brush away a tear and she burst out into gut wrenching sobs. Pete flung his arms around her and held on. She gripped him incredibly tightly. Neither of them moved for a good five minutes, Pete waving people by as he tried to move them out of their way without loosening his grip on Myka. When she had finally settled down enough to move, she gripped his hand tightly and the two walked on without saying anything. Pete directed her into his apartment, kicking his strewn belongings out of the way and tucked her into his bed. She was already half asleep when he placed a kiss on her forehead and went to crash on the couch.

Claudia picked the lock as her way into Myka's apartment; and almost got shot for her troubles.

"FUCK, CLAUD!" Myka screamed as she instantly lowered her gun and lost hold of the towel covering her body. Claudia smirked to cover up the mini heart attack she'd just had and crossed her arms.

"Well...I see what all the fuss was about. You got a banging bod Myka, no wonder HG's so hot for you."

"Claudia." Myka said through gritted teeth as she secured her towel back into place. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?"

"It's my day." Claudia answered with a shrug. She made her way over to the kitchen and promptly helped herself into Myka's fridge. "There is literally nothing edible in here."

"Your day to what?"

"Babysit you." Claudia rummaged through the pantry and grimaced. "Okay, this is mold, we are going shopping, go put on some clothes."

"Excuse me?"

"Clothes woman! We've got other things to do today, move it!" Claudia smacked Myka's ass and went to watch tv while she waited. When she finally heard Myka huff and stomp off to her bedroom she grinned. This was so easy, Pete didn't know what he was talking about.

"They are driving me crazy!" Myka exclaimed. I haven't had a single night to myself, Claudia picks the lock and I made the horrible mistake of giving Pete keys years ago and I thought I took them back but apparently he had copies made, 'in case I die' which is idiotic. I'm going to kill one of them and it might be soon." Myka flopped down rather ungracefully onto the couch opposite her therapist, Maria Liu. "Why are you smiling?" She asked.

"Your friends sound nice."

"They sound like assholes who have no respect for personal space or boundaries is what they sound like."

"They are a little overbearing as of late, but...they clearly care about you. You have people in your life who are willing to devote exorbitant amounts of time into making sure you are cared for. That's no small thing Myka."

"It's an annoying thing."

Maria only smiled.

"I mean, Claudia actually tried to dress me yesterday, dress me! Like a china doll or something."

"That does sound a little extreme." Maria agreed. "Are they...are you truly annoyed and asking them to stop, or are you just venting? Because there is trying to help and there is truly not respecting boundaries."

"No, they're not...if I really told them to cut it out a bit they probably would."

"Well, my advice is to keep spending time with them, but perhaps change your locks." Myka gave a small laugh. "I'll see you next Thursday?" Maria asked.

"Yeah, next thursday." Myka stood up and grabbed her blazer.

"Myka, you are doing better." Maria said softly. Myka gave her a small nod and walked out the door.

"There is no way in hell I'm doing that." Myka protested adamantly.

"Girl come on, it'll be fun." Leena whined. Myka only shook her head. Leena had been trying to get Myka up and dancing with her for a full ten minutes, and it was nothing doing. Leena could stay in and watch movies, and make sure Myka got fed with the best of them, but she was done letting her friend mope, they were dancing if Leena had to haul her ass onto the floor by her hair. "Myka, you know I love you, I really do, but if you don't get your skinny, white butt on that dance floor in the next five minutes, I will make sure Perlmutter does all your autopsy cases for a month."

Myka's eyebrows rose in shock. "You wouldn't." She pleaded.

Leena downed the shot in her hand and leaned in close to Myka's face. "Try me." She said and sauntered off to the middle of the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Myka, and wrapped her arms around a very attractive asian man and began to dance. Myka remained on her stool, fidgeting in the slinky black dress Leena forced her into earlier that night. Leena waited. The two of them used to go out dancing after work at least once a week, she wasn't gonna let Myka sit alone in her apartment anymore. Myka tugged at her dress once more, glanced over at Leena and groaned. Leena smiled as she watched Myka reach over and down a shot before shoving her body off the stool and making her way towards the middle of the dance floor. Leena pushed the man in her arms away, "thanks babe, I got a new partner." She grabbed Myka's hand and laughed as one of their favorite songs began to play. It took a little more coaxing, but by the time the chorus began playing Myka was singing along, swaying her hips and flinging her curls around her head with a grin on her face. Leena deemed the night a success.

"Sir...are you trying to bond with me or something?"

"Absolutely not!" Artie insisted. "All my detectives should visit the firing range regularly. I can't have any of you out of practice, that includes myself."

"Right, of course." Myka turned away from him and fired off a few rounds while Artie watched. He had told Claudia specifically that he was not going to be involved in this...babysitting as the young redhead had put it. His detectives were grown ups, he was well aware of Myka's issues and while he cared for her well being in general, he mostly just wanted her able to do the job. He had no qualms about her abilities, therefore, her personal life was her own damn business. He had explained all of this to Claudia multiple times, and yet, this was his third trip to the firing range with Myka in the last month. Claudia was going to run this department someday, and she'd probably do it better than him. There was no way in hell he'd ever admit that to the girl.

"So...I've been...look Myka, Ms. Wells is most likely going to be back to shadow you in the next few weeks." Artie was never really one for beating around the bush.

For her part, Myka almost dropped her gun in shock. "I'm sorry what?"

"New book, needs new ideas, it...well it came from the mayor and I'm not exactly in a position to say no to him. I can make her work with another detective, but she's going to be in the precinct."

"I...when?"

"Well, a week from tomorrow actually."

Myka turned back to her station and emptied her gun. Artie waited silently. "Don't punish someone else on my account." She finally said.

Artie nodded. "One word and she's gone." He promised. Myka smiled and before he could stop her, she bent over and placed a small kiss to his cheek.

"I know Captain."

Myka tugged at her blouse for the millionth time that morning. Pete had tried to get into her apartment only to find Myka had taken her therapist up on her advice and changed the locks on him. She should have known her peace would only be temporary; within twenty minutes he and Claudia barreled into the apartment. "Seriously?" Myka asked.

"Well...you could have been kidnaped, we had to check." Pete insisted. "Why didn't my key work?"

"I changed the locks." Myka said as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"Oh, well, I'll need new copies of those. For emergencies."

"No."

"Well, then I'm gonna get Claudia to pick the lock every time I need to come over!"

"No you're not. I have a life you know. I'll get you copies." Claudia answered as she helped herself to some of Myka's coffee.

"Both of you need to stop coming over uninvited." Myka said. She sat down and pulled on her boots. "I'm good. I've been good for a while, you both know it. I've been going to therapy, I've gone food shopping, I've ever attempted some cooking, I've been sleeping better, I hardly need the pills, I'm good you guys, it's time to back off a little."

Claudia and Pete shared a look and Myka chose to ignore them while she holstered her gun. The two of them could communicate whole paragraphs in silence. It was annoying.

"You were getting good, but...Myka, HG is coming back today." Claudia said practically in a whisper. Myka almost winced at the name, but stopped herself, knowing the two of them would truly never let it go if she had.

"And you think an annoying author is going to send me back into a tailspin of depression just because it is all her fault I had to kill the only man who knew anything about my mother's murder on her behalf?"

Claudia and Pete both rose their eyebrows simultaneously. "YES." They yelled together.

"Well she's not. When I said I'm fine, I'm actually fine this time. HG Wells bugging the crap out of everyone at work is not going to change that. It's been months since I've seen her, it's been almost a year since she's worked with us, I'm fine. She did an incredibly stupid thing, and it's over, water under the bridge, all is forgiven."

"Well, darling that is certainly splendid to hear." Myka, Pete and Claudia all whipped their heads around to see HG Wells standing in Myka's doorway, hand raised as if about to knock. Myka's hand had instinctually reached to her side for her gun. "Ah, so we truly are destined to meet at gunpoint aren't we?" HG grinned.

Claudia leaned in to Pete and whispered, "things are about to get so awkward around here."