~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"In the heat of the fight.
I walked away.
Ignoring words that you were saying.
Trying to make me stay.
I said this time.
I've had enough.
And you've called a hundred times.
But I'm not picking up.
'Cause I'm so mad I might tell you that it's over.
But if you look a little closer…"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Other side of the door- Taylor Swift.

"So I heard that you two got the Monroe woman to make a statement" Mickey Webb said as Max and Ashley walked into CID.
Ashley nodded and smiled "Oh yeah. Nothing a bit of persuading can't handle" She stated as she walked over to her desk and sat down.

Max threw himself down into the chair "Now we push her to tell us about what other habits her son has; maybe we could get some insight into the Charlie Roberts disappearance while we're at it" He stated.
Ashley looked over at Max "No; she's having a hard enough time as it is making a statement against her son let alone make one about something that may or may not have happened"

Max placed a mocking hand on his heart "Touching really Ashley…" Mickey saw that there was another one of their explosive arguments happening and stepped away. Knowing best not to get involved; "…But we have the perfect opportunity to solve a five year old kidnapping. We'd be stupid not to take it" He said, placing his hand back onto his lap.

"Well lucky I'm stupid then" Ashley sarcastically remarked as she stood up from her desk. Max followed suit and placed his hands on his hips, calmly saying "No complaints from me. But do you know what your problem is Ashley? You get too attached to cases. Your emotions get the better of you"

Ashley scoffed "Well at least I have them!" She exclaimed as Neil walked in and whistled at the two of them.
"You two. Time out" He shouted as he walked over to his arguing officers.

Max decided to take one more jab at the younger officer "Remember who you're talking to her DC Cooper" He hissed.
Ashley saw red, she hated when he threw his authority around "Oh yeah; that's right. You're my sergeant…" She sarcastically began "…How'd you get that promotion? By killing someone. Talk about mixed perspectives" She finished. She could see the rage and anger in his eyes as he stormed out of CID; slamming the doors as hard as he could.

Jo stood by the door with her mouth opened slightly "Come on. Let's cool you down" She said, standing up and leading Ashley to the canteen.

Ashley sat across from Jo, frustratingly tapping her fingers on the blue laminated table. The older woman could see how tense she was just by the look in her face.
"What's his problem?" Ashley suddenly said after a few moments of silence.
Jo shrugged "He has issues" She said simply; taking a sip form her cup of tea.

Ashley nodded "Yeah. Tell me about it. He's such…." She struggled to find the right word "…Shit" She finished lamely as she rested her head in her hand.
Jo smirked "I don't understand why you two haven't gotten together yet" She questioned as she folded her hands around the cup.
Spluttering, Ashley looked at Jo with an appalled expression "Because I have standards" She stated.

"I mean it Ash; you two are like…The perfect couple" Jo continued, loving the expression Ashley had on her face at that moment.

"Yeah, in Hell maybe" She exclaimed.

Jo continued as if Ashley had never spoke "Bet the angry sex between you two would be great"

Ashley abruptly stood up "I'm leaving" She turned around and began to walk away.

"Give it a thought" Jo called out after her. As soon as the younger woman was out of sight, Jo burst into fit of laughter.

Ashley walked though the carpeted corridor as she walked towards the bathrooms; just as she was approaching the male, Max stepped out, sniffing and rubbing his nose.
"Got a bit of a cold there serge?" She commented as the two of them began to walk down the corridor together.

Max shook his head "No. No, just….Got the sniffles" He stated as he tried to calm his beating heart.
Ashley looked at Max, noticing how he seemed slightly distorted "Hey. Are you okay?" She asked, stopping in her tracks.

Max nodded "Fine. Why wouldn't I be" He turned to face her. Ashley saw that his eyes were slightly dilated, even though, if she hadn't been looking at them, there was no way she would have spotted them.
Looking behind her, she saw an empty office. Ashley grabbed his arm—much to his protest—and pulled him in, closing the door behind her.

"What's with your eyes?" She questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.
Max narrowed them "What'd you mean?" He asked, leaning against one of the desks.

"I mean they're dilated. Have you taken something?" Ashley had seen this many times. When she was younger, her older brother used to come home with the same look on his face when he came back from a night of clubbing.

Max shook his head "Maybe it's the light?" He lied; he knew fair and well it wasn't. But that was another thing she didn't need to know about.

Ashley observed her superior once more before saying; "Whatever" And walking out the room. Leaving Max to take a few deep breaths in and out, closing his eyes, and trying to quell the high he was currently feeling.

"Mickey!" Ashley shouted out to her friend as she saw him walking towards her.
The blonde haired man stopped in front of her and saw the look of concern on her face "What is it? Everything all right?" He asked, placing a hand on her arm.

Ashley nodded "Um…I'm not too sure; have you noticed anything odd about Max lately?" She asked discreetly.

Mickey shook his head slowly "No. Why?" He shifted from foot to foot, hoping to get away from this line of questioning as soon as possible. He hated lying to someone who he had come to see as his little sister.

"I saw him before and I could swear he had taken something" she explained. She noticed how Mickey had failed to meet her eyes "What is it?" She asked.

Mickey shook his head once again "Nothing. Don't worry about it" He went to move past her but stopped when she grabbed on to his arm.

"I want to know what's going on with him" Ashley said a little more sternly "So if you know something Mickey. Then tell me. Please"

Mickey eyed the woman suspiciously "Why do you care so much about what he does?" He asked gently "He treats you like shit ninety-nine point nine per cent of the time"

Ashley loosened the grip on Mickey's arm.
Why did she care so much about him? It wasn't like he even cared about her; or even thinks about her feelings. According to him, she's just as stupid as the rest of them.
"I don't know. I just do" She stated before letting Mickey go.

Mickey looked around the hall to make sure no one was around "I really shouldn't be telling you this" He said in a hushed tone.
Ashley bit her bottom lip "What is it?"

"When Max and me were on a job together last. You know the one about the hit-and-run of the drug dealer?" Mickey began, remembering the friend who perished that day.

Ashley nodded once "Yeah…" She said slowly.
"We were offered some snow. And while I didn't take it….Max did" He finished, watching as a play of emotions showed themselves on her face.

"What? He…" She started a little too loudly "…He took cocaine" She finished quietly. Looking back, she felt as though she should have known.
Mickey nodded and held up his hands while sliding past her "You didn't hear it from me though" He trotted off down the corridor.
Armed with this new revelation, Ashley decided to confront her sergeant with it and see what he said. For some reason, she felt hurt and disappointed in her boss.
The man who, while he insulted her on every chance he got, she still thought was a good copper.

Stopping in the middle of the corridor, she swore to herself.
Jo was, unfortunately, right she did care about him more then she should.
"Shit" Was all she could say as she banged her head on the wall, earning an amused look from a uniformed officer who was passing by.