Forest Angel - Hello and welcome! I've tried hard to keep her as 'human' as possible, although I do realise that there are parts where I've failed at that (but hey, I'm only human, lol) Tay's appeared in some cracking stories, so I'm thrilled you decided to give mine a chance - thank you!

demolished-soul - Flack always seemed so sympathetic to those who have been struggling with something (not necesarily murdered relatives) in the show, and I figured he would be slightly more receptive. I loved that part too (althought that wasn't who I was expecting to appear!)

sparkyCSI - lol, there really is no rush on those chapters - I know I bombarded you (and I may have a few more to send your way by Tuesday!) Yay for Hawkes being out - lol! Maddy can stop moping long enough and then she's gonna have a shock when I give Hawkes a girlfriend!

meadow567 - I know - they're so few and far between these days, and yet I somehow have acquired tomorrow off too, which makes me very happy!

Aphina - lol, I've never actually broken anything, but my friend who did was always trying to poke something under the plaster because it itched like mad! Here's more for ya... two more!

miss wizard of oz - Nope, you're about to find out (and yes, I can be that cruel) The dishes got half done... which means I'm gonna have to finish them at some point. Boo.

Madison Bellows - I'm glad you enjoyed, and Happy Easter again! Lol, am i doing that thing again where what I'm writing is actually funny but I don't realise it?

At this point, I need to really shout out a HUGE thanks to my beta sparkyCSI - I disappeared of the face of the planet for a few weeks and then bombard her with, what? A good ten or so chapters?!  So, thanks, girl!

The muses demanded fluff.  To be fair, they had a point.  I've put the guys through quite a bit, and I've certainly not finished there...!

What The Eyes Can't See

Chapter 163: I don't worry because everything's gonna be alright

Taylor rolled over, surprised to find the other side of the bed, not only empty. Peeking her eyes open only confirmed that fact. She yawned and sat upright, listening. Nothing.

With a frown, she pulled back the covers and stepped out of bed, across the room to her door. It was ten am on a Saturday, and not only was there no Flack, there was no Cordelia and no Wilbur either. Still frowning, Taylor headed into the kitchen and then spotted the calendar on the fridge.

Circled with a big red marker was the day's date. Inside the circle were two words. Coney Island.

Taylor smiled, feeling relieved. She had completely forgotten. A while back, Flack had suggested that the three of them (well, four, including Wilbur) should do something. This weekend it was fish, and the week after it was pigs (sadly, minus Taylor who had a meeting.

At that moment, Flack stepped in through the door, dressed in shorts and an NYPD t-shirt, followed by a smiling Cordelia. 'Good. You're up.'

'Lunch is sorted?'

Flack nodded. 'There should be enough sandwiches. I headed to the deli and got a few of their chicken pastrami subs. I got some cheese ones for you,' he added.

'Thank goodness,' Taylor sighed. 'Give me half an hour,' she told him, before dashing off for a shower.

Half an hour later, she was ready: running shoes, short shorts, the new top, and hair in braided plaits hidden under a cap.

'Is that mine?' Flack asked her, eyeing the PD cap on her still damp hair.

'Absolutely not,' she grinned, bouncing past him, out of the apartment.

It took a while to get there, what with the subway being so packed, but finally they were queuing for their tickets to the New York Aquarium. 'Maybe we can head to the rides later,' he told Cordelia who was watching two seagulls fight over a hotdog. 'Maybe get a hot dog for dinner?'

Taylor eyed the bulging bag of food in amusement. 'Didn't you buy enough there?'

Flack turned. 'You can suggest you're going to deprive me of one of Nathan's Famous?'

'I am not going to do any such thing,' Taylor told him. 'We'll head over there later,' she said, trying to fight back the amused grin. The guy could eat!

'Can we go see the octopuses?' Cordelia asked as they walked in.

'Octopi,' Taylor muttered as she put her card back into her purse.

Flack smiled. 'We can go straight there.'

'Neither her mother or her grandmother did anything like this,' Flack told her as they watched Cordelia, who was staring in amazement at the sea horses.

Taylor smiled sadly. 'I wish I could say I was surprised.'

'I was thinking that maybe we could take her to see a musical?'

Taylor looked up at him and pouted. 'Why do I get the feeling you want to do more with her than me?'

Flack laughed. 'Paranoid much? I was just thinking that she may like to go once she hears that I'm taking you Thursday night.'

Taylor's mouth dropped open. 'I'm sorry – what?'

'Wicked,' Flack shrugged.

Taylor stared. 'You want to go to a musical? What's the catch?'

'Nothing!' he objected.

Taylor just stared at him. 'Don, you have never expressed an interest in musicals.'

'Fine,' he shrugged. 'I just felt that you've had a lot to deal with recently. That maybe you'd like to be spoilt for an evening?'

'I don't think I tell you enough how much I love you,' Taylor sighed as she kissed him.

'I think Cordy is ready to move on from the seahorses.'

By Thursday night, Taylor was still feeling relaxed, despite the ghost visit she had incurred. Cordelia was still talking about the trip to the aquarium, and Flack was suggesting that maybe they could get her an aquarium of her own. Without the octopi and sea lions she had fed and fallen in love with.

Taylor had spent the day pottering around the house, pretty much waiting for Flack to get back from work. Cordelia was still at school, but, according to Flack, Danny was picking her and Ruben up and having them both for the evening – including Wilbur!

It was still sweltering outside, despite the fact that it was verging on the beginning of October. Taylor moved away from the window where she had been staring down at the sun-bleached city. The weather was defying everything the weather experts had predicted.

Taylor pulled back her hair into a sleek ponytail and wandered into the living room to wait. Flack appeared a few minutes later, muttered quick apologies, and disappeared into the bedroom. Four hours later, they were walking out of one of the Gershwin Theatre, Taylor singing random lines (incorrectly) under her breath.

'I want to be on Broadway,' Taylor muttered. 'It looks like fun.'

'With your voice, you could be headlining,' Flack told her, grinning.

Taylor pouted, punching his arm. 'Hey!' she objected. 'I am not that bad.'

'Of course not,' he smiled as he draped his arm over her shoulder. 'Come on,' he told her, pulling her towards her. 'Damn encores.'

'What's the rush?'

'Food,' Flack shrugged.

'And what culinary delight are we going for this evening?' Taylor asked, trying not to laugh at Flack's need for food. It didn't matter that he had been snacking all the way through the show.

'Actually, it's only pizza,' he shrugged, pulling her in the direction of the originally named Luigi's, hidden away just off Broadway.

This time, Taylor did laugh, but allowed him to lead her through the throngs of people to the little pizzeria.

It didn't take long for the margarita pizza to arrive, and there was silence at the table whilst Flack wolfed down a couple of slices. Finally, he spoke. 'You look a bit happier.'

Taylor put the pizza down and swallowed. 'What do you mean?'

'These past few weeks, you've been a little…' Flack frowned, choosing his words. 'Distracted.'

'Two of my friends were arrested, and I became an overnight parent,' Taylor said, her nose wrinkling slightly as stared at him in confusion.

'I don't mean it badly,' he shrugged. 'But, and I know this is probably gonna scare you, but I know you more than you think I do, Tay.'

The frown intensified. 'What?'

'Taylor,' he said gently. 'I know that you have been to the funeral of every ghost that you've ever helped. Including that guy who broke in to your apartment.'

Taylor's mouth dropped open. 'How?' she managed, although spluttering somewhat.

'I told ya. I know you more than ya think.' He leant over and grabbed her hand. 'And don't think I haven't noticed that you've spent more hours sleeping on that couch than you have in bed.'

Taylor felt her cheeks warm and looked away.

'I'm not getting at you,' he said softly. 'I'm just worried about you.'

'I'm fine,' Taylor told him.

'I think you think that,' Flack said. 'But in reality, I think you need to talk to me. Or someone,' he suggested. 'I can guarantee you the apocalypse isn't coming if you do.'

Taylor looked at him in puzzlement at his choice of words. 'What do you mean by that?' she asked as she poked at the slice of semi eaten pizza.

Flack chuckled. 'Noah's Ark.'

'You've lost me,' Taylor told him.

'That call out I got the other night – turns out it was to a DB called Noah. He had an ark in his garden. There were even giraffes in it.'

Taylor snorted. 'An ark? It hasn't rained in at least five months,' she laughed. 'They keep saying it's going to rain and it never does.'

'That's exactly what I told them.'

'Them?' Taylor asked.

'Oh, the couples in the ark who were waiting for the heavens to open.'

Taylor sat back and stared out of the window at the darkened streets thoughtfully. 'It's a sad world when people are building a boat waiting for the end of the world.'

'The guy was a loony, Taylor,' Flack reassured her. 'I've told you, the heat brings out the loonies.'

'Maybe so, but they had a reason for believing it.'

'Are you ready for the pig farm this weekend?' Taylor asked Flack as the two of them were walking lazily home.

Flack nodded. 'We may end up being a non-pork family.'

Taylor looked up at him. 'Don, if it wouldn't contaminate a crime scene, you'd be eating at it.'

'Yeah, but my dog don't have a face.'

'It probably had fifteen of them,' Taylor muttered under her breath.

Flack stopped suddenly – and as he was holding onto her hand, so did she. 'What are you saying, Miss Turner?'

Taylor looked innocently up at him. 'You will eat anything.'

'Not anything,' he shrugged nonchalantly.

'Yeah, you will,' Taylor told him.

Flack shook his head. 'I won't eat your cooking,' he told her, before leaping backwards to dodge the hand which was aiming for his arm.

Taylor opened her mouth to voice a, somewhat, cuss-ridden response, only to have it drowned out by a rumble of thunder. The pair froze and looked up into the sky in disbelief as large, fat drops of water began to fall heavily from the sky.

'You've gotta be kidding!' Flack exclaimed in disbelief as the sidewalk began steaming as the raindrops hit the still warm ground.

Taylor let out a small yelp as one of the drops fell on her bare back. 'Come on,' she yelled, grabbing Flack's hand and dragging him hurriedly in the direction of home.

They had managed to get virtually all the way back to Taylor's apartment until Flack again stopped suddenly. As he was still holding Taylor's hand, she too stopped suddenly and went flying backwards into Flack's chest. 'What-?' she started, only to have the sentence finished for her by Flack pressing his lips to hers.

'I guess there is an apocalypse coming,' Taylor murmured breathlessly when they broke apart.

'Only in your apartment,' he grinned as Taylor rolled her eyes.

He was right in more ways than one.

Yes... this is a short chapter... which is why I'm posting a second one... which in reality is shorter than this one, but never mind!