Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or ideas from The Killing. It's all just way too much fun.

Spoilers: Season 1, episode 12

DAY 12

Linden is at her desk composing an email to Orpheus when her phone rings. It's Holder, calling her from the hotel room, where he's waiting for Celine, his Beau Soleil "date."

"She show up yet? Your big date?"

"No, she's late. I'm telling you, Linden, customer service just ain't what it used to be." He looks through a refrigerator full of water and alcohol, choosing a bottle of water.

"Yeah, well, Aleena's postings are our only link to Orpheus, so you'd better be willing to put out, Holder," she tells him. For once she's the one giving him a hard time.

"Yo speaking of, when are you going on some dates? You know your man in Cali's MIA, Jack's running off to Chicago… Linden, you there?"

Linden, meanwhile, besides wanting to change the subject back to work, has uncovered something that may be important. "Did you know Drexler is one of Richmond's top donors?"

"So?" Holder doesn't see a connection.

"Richmond might know something relevant."

Just then, there's a knock on the door of Holder's hotel room.

"I'm out, my date's here."

Linden can't help but smile about Holder's "date," because she finds his current assignment very amusing. "Be safe," she tells him, her smile even apparent in her voice, and hangs up.

Holder

Finally, a task that Linden couldn't tell me she was taking over even if she had wanted to. Not that she's been doing that the last few days. I seem to have finally gotten out of the doghouse with her. She's stopped giving me such a hard time, even started acting like I might know what I'm talking about. I gotta say, it's a nice change.

Of course, she'll probably get pissed at me again for something, like, tomorrow, if not sooner. That's just how she rolls. But it's all good, keeps things interesting.

Linden

Really, I should know better than to bring up "putting out" when talking to Holder, knowing how he loves to mess with me…

He didn't seriously think I was going to respond to his baiting me about going on dates… because there was no way I was going there. If there's one thing I don't need to be doing, it's going on dates, and if I did, I don't think I would talk about it with Holder.

I don't even know where things stand with Rick – I haven't talked to him in a few days – but I know I don't need to go out looking for extra drama in my life. I can create more than enough drama all by myself. I hope he was kidding. Knowing him, he was probably just trying to get under my skin, like usual. Well, mission NOT accomplished.

…

DAY 13

They'd been canvassing gas stations – talking to owners, employees and customers – for the better part of the afternoon. It was getting monotonous and frustrating, and so far they hadn't turned up a single lead. They were both getting a little bit irritable.

"Hey, when did you eat last?" Holder asks as they get ready to head to yet another gas station that will likely be as thankless as all of the other ones they've visited so far today.

"Uhhhh…" Linden hesitates and tries to remember.

"Wrong answer. We need to make a stop. Because I know if I'm hungry, and I actually eat, then you definitely need to eat," Holder announced. "You going to let me drive, or are you going to be able to drive to a restaurant and stop the car? I don't know if you know what they look like…"

"Ha ha, very funny," Linden says, making a face at him. Then she does something completely unexpected: she tosses him the keys. Since they're already in the car, there's not much space between them, so he has to react very quickly to keep from being hit in the face with them. He's so surprised, they almost do hit him in the face.

"Wait…" Holder begins, still in shock. "You're voluntarily giving me the car keys? You sick or something? You feeling OK? You're not coming down with something, are you?" Holder seriously can't come up with a reason why Linden just turned over the keys without a fight. It had never happened before. And all just because he asked her? He didn't have to beg or something?

"No," Linden makes a face at him and answers simply. "You're right, we should eat. I'm actually kinda hungry. And since I don't care what kind of food we get, it makes sense if you drive." Linden concludes her explanation, and Holder just stares at her. Finally, slowly, they get out of the car and switch sides. Holder still looks confused, like he's not sure who it is he's in the car with, and Linden is pretty amused by his confusion.

"Yo, what's so funny, anyway?" Holder asks her. She's been watching him and looking like she's going to burst out laughing for several minutes now. It's just weird. He used to have to try pretty hard to get her to smile at all!

"You are! Is it that big a deal that I gave you the keys? Cause you're looking at me like I have three heads or something," she tells him.

"You're just full of surprises is all, Linden," Holder tells her, shaking his head.

"What can I say? Maybe you're rubbing off on me! Now are we going to get something to eat or do I need to take those keys back and drive there myself?"

"Alright, Linden, we're going, don't get all riled up," he replies as he starts the car.