A/N: Madison Bellows, thank you! You're very nice!

Just a short chapter. Hope you like.

Chapter 16: Intermezzo

No one could ever imagine it, but even Don Flack had a tender spot. Lying on his couch, with Jess lazily stretched on top of him, he was almost convinced that the world wasn't such a terrible place. And Angell felt very privileged to be the only one who could see that side of Flack.

"You want the last egg rolls?" she asked him, gesturing toward the remnants of the Chinese take-away.

He wrapped his arms around her hips, preventing her from moving, "no, I'm good this way. Very good."

Jess took a long look at him, with closed eyes and a light smile on the lips he was the picture of tenderness.

"Maybe I should shoot a video and post it on YouTube. People have to see how cuddly you are."

"You won't do it... plus, it's not true!"

She laughed, "oh c'mon! You'd purr, if you could!"

"There's no quicker way to ruin the mood than to compare me to one of those little hairy, disgusting creatures." Don had opened the eyes and was staring at her a little annoyed.

"Not my fault you're allergic, don't take it out on the cats!"

Flack didn't comment further so she put her head back on his chest. Once at home, they had agreed to not think at the case but try to relax and spend a quiet night. They laid silent for a while just listening to their breathing. Jess was almost asleep when Flack spoke. "So, Miss, here we are, relaxed, calm and alone. Give me some unimportant details of your wedding dress."

"Never. You won't know till wedding day. You know it's bad luck."

"All of a sudden are you a super traditional bride-to-be?"

"Nah. But don't you want it to be a surprise?"

"I'd like this to be our first evening as married couple."

She looked again at him and kissed him fondly, "remind me who's not the mushy one? Okay, it's fuchsia!"

He joked back, "perfect. It'll be beautiful next to my orange suit."

"You know I'm not scared of the suit."

"I swear my mom and my sister helped me choose the right tie. And it wasn't the one I'd have bought."

"Luckily!"

"Seriously, I wish it was over. It just seems that the people who are here to help us like complicating things. Why can't they just do what we tell them? It's easier making a suspect confess than getting the cake I want!"

"You know what? It has been a couple of days since the florist's last call. I just wish he wasn't planning something."

"I swear if I'll see an apple somewhere I'll arrest him!"

"Only roses and Gypsophilas? Too dramatic!" Jess mimicked him.

They laughed together, feeling content and in love.

"I think we better go to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day," Flack said after a while.

"Right," she agreed. She stood and reached for his hand to help him stand. With synchronized movements they got ready for bed.

Once under the covers, Angell felt the exhaustion take hold of her muscles. She moved closer to Flack, nestling herself, as usual, against his side, with her right hand carefully placed on the top of his abdominal scar. It was a small gesture she had started doing at the beginning of their relationship; almost as if she meant to protect him. Her eyes closed, she felt her body relaxed completely and she was sure she would fall asleep in a matter of seconds.

"Before meeting you the idea of ever getting married was so foreign to me." Don's voice, already full of sleep, captured her attention.

She hold him closer while kissing lightly his neck. She agreed with him; before meeting him, she was sure she would never get married. But she had also been certain she would have never dated a fellow officer. Now here she was, madly in love with one of the toughest and wittiest detective she had ever known. And she wouldn't have changed the situation. Ever.

With her lips still brushing his skin she murmured, "'night, Don. Sleep well. I love you."
With that, she fell fast asleep.