Blake watched the pedestrians straggle past as he idly kept watch for Korda. He glanced at the man next to him and a small smile grazed his lips. Jayden's head leaned against the window and his eyes glanced up and down the street. His new 'partner' had been on edge since they left the station. Eventually he was going to want to talk. Blake had kept quiet in the past about far worse things done by his fellow officers. He had no intention to become a snitch now, but Jayden didn't need to know that. Could work out well, to leave him hanging. Stop him acting so fucking superior, show him who was in control of this investigation.

"Blake…" Jayden started, then paused as though he had forgotten what he was trying to say.

"Yes?" Blake prompted.

"I'm trying to quit."

"Good for you."

"I mean, I'm not going to become a liability. It's just a personal thing. It wont affect the investigation."

"Maybe it would be best to let our superiors decide that."

"But-"

Blake glanced over at Jayden, he could see he was angry, see him bite back the words he wanted to say.

"Look, as soon as this investigation is over I'll take a leave of absence, get off it for good. But until then, I want to catch the killer just as much as you do Carter."

There he goes again. He really thinks I'm fucking incompetent. That without him the killer wont be caught.

"Please, cant we just forget about this, pretend that this never happened?"

You're so full of it Norman. Think everyone has to play by the rules but you. Blake smiled. "Maybe we can work something out."

"What?" Jayden's eyes were wary, his long eyelashes lowered as he stared back at Blake.

Blake's eyes were drawn downwards to the soft pink of Jayden's lips. How far did he want to go with this?

Jayden glanced back at the window, and suddenly he was getting out of the car. "That's him."

Blake followed him out onto the street.


The coffee was still stinging his eyes and the cold of the meat locker felt like relief. Blake blinked and followed the sound of feet scuffling on the polished floor. His breathing came fast as he threaded through the hanging meat, he was no runner. He stopped suddenly as he came upon his partner and the suspect. Korda was standing above Jayden, holding a metal bar.

Blake's hand travelled to his gun, but he noticed a steel bar on the meat counter to his right. That would be safer, he needed this guy alive.

He started to reach for it for it, then stopped. Korda was too absorbed in what he was doing to notice him, and Jayden too out of it. He stood and watched as Korda brought the bar down once, twice on Jayden's body. Not hard enough to kill, but enough to do serious damage. A broken arm, a few cracked ribs, would require a hospital stay and get Jayden off the case. He felt some of the panic he had felt ever since Jayden arrived, and started tearing holes in his investigation, subside.

Blake folded his arms against the cold. He was in control of this. Could let Korda beat Jayden to death or take out his gun and shoot Korda right there. It felt good, that control. There was something at the back of his mind, telling him this wasn't right, but he ignored it. That little voice had become real easy to ignore over the years.

Korda stopped, stepped back, redoubled for another attack. Finally Blake reached out and picked up the bar.


A/N - I wish I hadn't said this chapter was better now. Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed. I really appreciate you taking the time and it's great to know that people are enjoying this story. Please don't be afraid to be critical, whether it's of grammar, characterisation or plot.