He had been so focused on washing his hand that he had yet to notice the other man who had exited another bath stall until he looked up at his own reflection in the mirror and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Geez," Fusco exclaimed and he closed his eyes a moment to calm himself.

"Are you avoiding me Lionel?" Reese asked in a calm voice as he moved to the sinks and began to wash his own hands. "You don't call me and you don't pick up when I call you, have you grown bored in our relationship?" Reese teased as he looked up at Fusco's reflection; in turn Fusco rolled his eyes at the man beside him.

"Look I've been busy," Fusco stated as he turned to face Reese. "Man you have got some balls coming here, you do know every cop out there is looking for you right?"

"No they're looking for someone fitting my description, because none of them have a clear picture of me, and lucky for me my description applies to a lot of men in New York City. You did do the task I asked you to do for me earlier."

"Sorry but there was a murder over on 3rd, Carter took it and asked me to ride shotgun. Turned out to be a murder suicide, some guy whacked his entire family and then swallowed a bullet himself." Fusco said shaking his head, still in disbelief of what he had seen at that crime scene.

"Murder suicide and it took you all day to figure that out?" Reese asked his annoyance showing.

"No but Carter had to make a few pit stops on the way there and then more on the way back to the station. Look I'm about to take my lunch break I'll go check on that address for you now." Fusco offered but Reese had lost interest in their current conversation at hearing Carter's name.

"Is your partner sick? I sure hope it's not catchy because I need you on the job for the next couple of days," Reese said fishing for info about Carter but in a way as to not show true concern about her.

"Don't worry what she's got either isn't contagious or I'm just immune to it." Fusco said with a chuckle and seeing the baffled look in Reese's reflection he continued. "The way she's been rushing to the bathroom all day she's either got food poisoning or gotten herself knocked up, so either way I won't be catching it. I'll go look into what you asked about and I'll call you later when I have something." With that Fusco left the bathroom leaving a stunned Reese behind. After a few moments letting what Fusco had said settled in his head Reese exited the bathroom and made his way to the bull pen of the precinct. He spotted Carter seated at her desk and suddenly she looked differently to him, she had a glow he hadn't noticed before. As if feeling eyes on her Carter looked up and locked her eyes to his. Instantly her eyes widened and scanned their surrounds much as they had during their meeting at the diner earlier. She stood and began making her way to where Reese stood she stalled in her step as she notice his gaze turn from one of warmth to one of coldness. She jumped a bit startled as someone grabbed her from behind and covered her eyes with their hands. Her reflexes had her delivering a crippling elbow to her unknown assailant's ribs and then she grabbed their arm and flipped them over her shoulder. All the men in the room arched their brows and held an impressed look at Carter's moves, especially Reese. He had known she could handle herself but she still managed to surprise him with just how tough she really was. Carter took a defensive stance as she stood over her 'attacker' but her defenses crumbled as she stared down at the pain filled face of Assistant D.A. Michael Marsters.

"Oh Michael," Carter exclaimed as she cupped a hand over her mouth. "Oh God," She leaned down and helped him to his feet. He buckled over a bit and held his ribs. "I am so sorry."

"No…it's my fault," Marsters gasped out as he tried to catch his breath. "I shouldn't have surprised you like that."

"Are you ok Mr. Marsters?" It was Reese's voice who questioned and again Carter jumped as she felt him gently touch the small of her back. She had momentarily forgotten he was there.

"Yeah," Marsters replied as he looked over at the two 'partners'. "I stopped by to see if you've had lunch yet." He directed to Carter as he sat upright and leaned back against her desk a bit. Carter was at a loss for words, it had been about a month and a half since their missed date, which was the same night that she started her new relationship with John, and she had been putting off Masters advances and overall avoiding him ever since.

"Sorry, you're a bit late," Reese said with a playfulness in his eyes that told Carter this was probably going to turn into a pissing contest between the two men. "I was just about to take her to lunch," Reese lied and Carter arched her brow as she threw him an amused look. "But you're welcome to join us." John offered and Carter's amused face turned to one of horror.

"Oh, I'm sure Michael has other things he has to do and we really need to go over that case from earlier, I found some information." Carter interjected hoping that Reese's work would pull him away from his posturing and she also hoped that Marsters would take the hint and decline the offer.

"I've freed a couple of hours just to come see you, Lyn." Marsters said with a mischievous smile as he stared directly at Reese. Carter couldn't stop her eyes from rolling as she stared at the two men before her. "But if the case you wanted to discuss is something I shouldn't be privy to then…"

"Oh it's not that important, we can discuss it later tonight when I stop by your place Jos." Reese stated as he smirked at Carter. She opened her mouth to give both men a piece of her mind but quickly clamped her mouth shut again when it began to water and nausea kicked her in the stomach. She cupped her hand over her mouth and rushed to the bathroom, apologetically shoving pass people on her way.

"Whoa is she sick?" Marsters asked in genuine concern and he stared after Carter.

"It looks that way," Reese replied as his eye remained locked onto the closed door of the women's restroom. After a few moments Carter emerged through the door and Reese could see that her skin had taken on a dull coloring and looked clammy.

"Sorry about that," Carter apologized as she once again stood before the two men at her desk. "I think I must have eaten something that doesn't agree with my stomach. I'm gonna have to take a rain check on lunch, I think I'm actually gonna take the rest of the day off, go home, and crawl into bed." She stated as she moved to her desk and retrieved her badge and other belongings.

"Well would you like some company?" Marsters asked in a playful tone not really expecting Carter to take him up on his offer. Carter shot her eyes up, but she didn't look at him initially, instead she took a quick look at Reese, who was looking at Marsters with murderous intent, and then she settled her gaze on to Marsters. Under normal circumstances Reese's jealous behavior would have been amusing and sweet to Carter. However, being that she knew for a fact that Reese could kill Marsters with his bare hands probably with just his pinky finger this was quite frightening for her.

"No thank you, I don't think I would be much company anyway. John would you mind giving me a lift home and we can discuss that case on the way?" She asked hoping to regain Reese's attention, which worked as he rolled his eyes from Marsters, who didn't seem to notice the glaring man beside, back onto her.

"Sure." Reese said coolly and then returned his cold gaze to Marsters who this time noticed and frown up a bit at Reese's scrutinizing stare.

"Do you have a problem?" Marsters asked as he gave Reese his full attention. It was Carter who answered.

"No, no problem," She said as she moved around desk and grasped Reese's arm and gave it a rough squeeze that only brought a warm smile to his face as he stared down at the petite woman now standing beside him. "John likes to think of himself as a profiler, you know finding out everything there is to know about someone just by looking at them. I have told him how rude and annoying that is,"

"It's a hobby," Reese tossed out to Marsters who simply nodded his head at the very strange man before him.

"O…kay…Anyway, I hope you feel better Lyn and I will be holding you to that rain check." Marsters said as he swooped in and gave Carter a swift kiss on the cheek. "John," Marsters said with a curt nod and then turned and headed out the way he had come.

10 minutes later

"I really didn't expect you to take me home," Carter spoke from the passenger seat of her own car.

"I don't mind, but I do need to make a quick stop first." Reese announced as he pulled in front of a local bodega. "I'll just be a moment." He said and then exited the car. After just a few moments Reese returned. He got back behind the driver's seat and handed Carter the paper bag he held before driving off again. "That's for you." He said and Carter looked at him curiously as a slight pouty frown pursed her lips. Carter opened the bag and took a sharp intake of breath at the contents, before she clamped the bag closed again and tossed it in the back seat.

"I don't need that." She said as she folded her arms across her chest and stared out the passenger side window.

"Are you sure about that Detective?" Reese asked as he looked over at her.

"Yup, that pregnancy test was one of the first five I took." She stated as she gazed at him with her head tilted to the side.

"The 'first' five?" Reese repeated, stunned by the admission.

"Yeah, I've taken 12 different brands so far." She responded and he arched his brows at her, he thought either she was very thorough or in a state of denial, he wasn't sure which yet.

"And what did they say?"

"They all said the same thing." Carter said purposely being vague.

"Jos," He called to her softly and she sighed as she let her head fall back against the headrest and then she turned to face him.

"Ok…I'm pregnant but you don't have to worry about it," She said reassuringly.

"Oh…and who should worry about it then…Marsters?" Reese practically spat out in anger, a rage filling him at the thought of Marsters being with her.

"What? No! Michael and I have never been intimate. Sorry to disappoint you but this baby's yours," Carter said showing her irritation at the man seated beside her. "I was just saying you don't have to worry because I know that I can't keep this baby." After that proclamation they both got silent. It wasn't until Reese pulled the car in front of Carter's brownstone and parked it did he speak again.

"What's stopping you from having this baby?" He asked as he turned off the car and gazed over at her.

"Are you serious?" Carter asked as she threw a humorless smile at him. "How many times have you been shot at John, no…no how many times have you been shot since you've known me? And my job isn't the safest for having a baby either…"

"You have Taylor," Reese offered as a defense.

"I had him before I became a cop and he's almost a man now, and after what went down with Elias kidnapping him…I don't ever want to go through that again. Also I don't really want to raise another child alone and definitely not at my age."

"C'mon Jos you've got a few years yet before you'll qualify for any senior citizen discounts and you should know by now that you're not alone. You've got me and I will never let anything happen to you, Taylor, or this baby." Reese said his sincerity evident in both his eyes and his tone of voice.

"Are you trying to tell me that you want me to have your baby?" She asked with a slight chuckle.

"You already have it, it's right here," He reached over and place a gentle hand over Carter's taunt belly. "I know that this baby would be a liability with our line of work, but just knowing that it exist makes me want to protect it. I understand that the final decision is yours to make, but if we're taking a vote then I vote to keep her."

"Her?" Carter repeated amused. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

"It's just a gut feeling I have and my gut is never wrong." Reese stated with a smile as he stroked at her belly. Carter smiled back at him and shook her head slightly.

"Look John, I have to think about all of this and I mean really think about it. I can't afford to let my heart rule on this one, I have to consider what this baby's life will be like if we keep it. We both have enemies, hell you've got two of the most powerful agencies in this country looking for you, is it fair to bring a baby into our worlds?" Reese remained silent because he knew that she had legitimate reasons to worry and he decided that he would support whatever decision she made. "Did you want to come in?" She asked although she really did want to be a lone to think about things.

"No I still have that Hightower case I'm working." He said.

"Right I almost forgot…I did contact someone I know at immigrations and it turns out that Grace Hightower, whose real name is Zaria Komora, actually has amnesty, the work visa is just a cover. She's from Sierra Leone although the official papers say she's from Kenya. My contact didn't know the reasons why but someone went through a lot of trouble to conceal this Ms. Hightower or Komora's identity. The question is why, and I'll leave that one to you and Finch to answer."

"No wonder Finch couldn't find anything on her she's using an alias, thanks," Reese smiled. "Do you think you'll want some company later tonight?" He asked hopefully.

"You know that my window's always open to you, especially since you're so good at picking the lock," She teased with a wide grin. "And maybe by then I'll have come to a final decision about the baby." Carter stated and Reese nodded and then reached over, grasped her at the back of her neck, and then pulled her into a sensual kiss. The move stunned Carter because they had both agreed that such displays of affection would and should be kept behind closed doors, but she wasn't about to complain. After several intense moments John broke the kiss just as abruptly as he had started it. "Wow," Carter panted out breathlessly.

"Sorry," Reese apologized though he really wasn't sorry. "Just something about my woman carrying my baby, it's very sexy."

"Oh so I'm your woman now," Carter teased.

"Yes," He said with seriousness on his face that left no room for argument. His claiming words caused a sudden wave of heat to wash over Carter. "Exclusively, so you might want to pass that on to Marsters next time you see him, or I will." Carter rolled her eyes as she remembered how the two men had acted earlier.

"I'll see you later," She replied as she opened the passenger side door and exited the car. "And please bring the car back to me in one piece, it belongs to the department and if you get pulled I don't know you," She threw him a smirk and then walked up the steps of her brownstone. Reese sat and watched her until she disappeared behind the door. As he started the car once more he got an incoming call. He pushed on his earpiece to connect the call.

"Mr. Reese," Finch's voice rang out. "Did you get any news from Det. Carter?" His choice of words brought a huge grin to Reese's face and a chuckle.

"Yeah you can say that, but I'll tell you about it later. Right now I need you to find everything you can on a Zaria Komora." With that said Reese hurriedly disconnected the call before Finch could question him further. He then headed to the private school to set up further surveillance on Ms. Hightower.