"Tell you what?" Amanda crossed her arms.

"My captain called to tell me about the autopsy report, I'll tell you about it later" he kept on staring at her, he tried to figure out if she knew what he was talking about, but her expression didn't give him much, she looked concerned but why? "Then she told me about how she asked someone else to take a look. You remember captain Weiss, from homicide, you met him when you were in New York"

"Nick" she knew where this was going and seemed relieved.

"Why didn't you tell me you talked to him about a transfer?" he asked.

"I wanted to see what it would take, it's not exactly easy" she shrugged "I didn't want to get your hopes, or mine, up"

"So what happened?"

"He wanted a recommendation from the lieutenant so I talked to him and…" she turned away from Nick.

"Don't tell me they suddenly found Patton's body after that" Amanda just shrugged and Nick knew that this is exactly what happened. Their relationship complicated things for her, they thought she was going to move to New York and built this weak case against her. It may have been weak, but everyone, including the judge apparently, wanted to put her away. He couldn't think of a reason why.

"You don't have to worry about getting my hopes up" Nick sat on the bed "I would have been so happy to hear about it"

Amanda sat down next to him "I kinda wanted to surprise you, if I got the transfer, I was going to show up at your place in the middle of the week"

Nick smiled at her "it would have been a nice surprise"

"I wanted things to be normal" she rested her head on his shoulder "now it's so much worse"

"They will be" Nick hoped so, he wanted it to be so.

"I'm gonna head out" her cheek was still on him "jog a bit, I don't want to sit here the whole day"

"Want company?" Nick offered, running wasn't his thing, but he wouldn't mind joining her.

"Nah" she stood up "you're not gonna be able to keep up, how about you take care of breakfast"

"We both know you're gonna have the last doughnut" he raised his brows.

"I guess you're right" she was about to leave the room "thanks for last night Nick, I needed that" she was talking about both parts.

Nick left the room a few minutes later, he could see her run down the street from the kitchen window. Not surprisingly the car was not far behind and Nick sighed.

He was about to make himself something to eat when there was a knock. It couldn't have been Alice, she flew back to Atlanta the previous day, the lawyer wouldn't show up without calling first.

Nick wondered whether he should have brought his gun. After all, he was overstaying his welcome, at least that's what some people in the APD would think.

Through the peephole Nick saw it was Bates, maybe their little talk worked, maybe he was there to help Amanda. He opened the door.

"I brought her things, cleared her desk" the detective shoved a small box into Nick's hands and walked away before Nick could say anything.

What did he expect? The man didn't want to help when he was asked, what would make him change his mind? Nick looked inside the box, just a few pens, papers, takeout menus. There was a snowglob with a small snowman inside. She took it from his apartment the last time she was there.

He remembered her snooping around in his place and found it on a shelf, hidden behind a book, he had no idea where he got it from and why it was there. Unlike his mother Nick didn't keep too much memorabilia, the snowglob didn't seem important so he was about to throw it away when Amanda stepped in. He told her she could have it. He liked the fact she had something of his at work, that every time her eyes would fall on it she'd think of him. But now it was in his hands again and she was…

"What's that?" he heard her voice, she cut the jog short, it was uncomfortable and she couldn't clear her head.

"Bates brought your stuff over" he looked at the box "sorry"

Amanda shrugged and went through some of the things, she threw away all of the menus and the papers, she scribbled on them once in a while, but it was nothing important.

"That's not mine" she picked up a pen.

"Maybe it was on your desk, it's just a pen"

"I better bring it back, or I'm a thief" she chuckled and looked at it. It seemed familiar and Amanda asked herself why she got that feeling about a pen, maybe she was officially losing her mind?

"It's that mic pen" she remembered and looked at Nick "why would he…" Amanda searched for the button that played the recording and pushed it.

There were a few background noises but then she recognized the lieutenant's voice.

"What do you want Bates?"

"I just…wondered about this whole Rollins things"

Pause

"What were you wondering exactly?"

"How could I not see who she really was"

"Close the door Bates"

Another pause

"I know you two were partners, but she is not a goody two-shoes like she tried to act. She killed a man, someone with a bright future. She tried to hide it…that is why she tried to work here, so she could see what we know"

"Her boyfriend was here and he…"

"She'll suck anyone's dick to make him believe her. Rollins is nothing more than a bitch, she's pretty, but that's all she's got going for her. We both know that all those cases she worked on, you did the important stuff. Women like that…they don't belong here"

"Woman like what?"

"I think you have work Bates, and don't worry about the boyfriend, he will be back in New York in no time"

The room went quiet and Amanda looked at the pen "you went to see Bates?"

"I just had to ask him, I hoped he'd be on your side" Nick realized he was still holding the snowglob.

This didn't prove anything, maybe Bates thought it would help, thought he could get something. But the lieutenant was careful, he said crude things, but it didn't make a difference.

"I'm not going back to New York" he sat down next to her, softly touching her back.

"This is not going to get better" she looked at him "Washington called me, the trial's in two weeks and I'm gonna go see him soon"

"I have something about the autopsy report, the coroner in New York thinks he wasn't beaten"

"Really?" there was something in her eyes, but it was gone so fast Nick couldn't define it.

"She thinks he was ran over, maybe by a truck, and I know what kind of car you were driving back then" Nick smiled a bit.

"But she can't prove it, not after all this time. It's her word against his, we already know who the judge will believe"

"Not the jury" he tried to sound convincing.

"Yeah, that's gonna be just great" she chuckled "I'm gonna take a bath, won't get to have those in jail, wanna go with me? Won't have you in prison…"

"I'd love to join you" Nick caressed her cheek "but let's not talk about prison anymore, alright?"

"I'm gonna miss this" Amanda said quietly. Her back was resting against Nick's chest and his hands were on her stomach.

"I thought we had a deal" he thought they weren't going to bring this up again.

"I mean in New York" she turned her head to him "I'm thinking positive, no tub at your place"

"But I'm at my place, that has to count for something" his right hand moved lower and his fingers traced circles on her thigh.

"It does" she smiled "I love you"

"I love you" Nick's left hand climbed to her right breast "and I'm going to do everything I can to make you not miss this bathtub"

"Yeah? Cause it feels like I'm gonna have some great memories" she slowly stroked his erection.

Nick's fingers moved to her opening and she spread her legs so he'd have room. He found her clit and was rewarded with a moan.

"This is doing the trick" Amanda kept on moving her hand on his member while his fingers moved inside of her. Nick pinched her nipple, eliciting an approving moan.

"Want to move this to…"

"Keep going and I won't stop" she closed her eyes and tried to focus, give Nick what he's been giving to her.

"Please don't" Nick always loved the way she touched him and this time wasn't different.

"Nick" she hissed when he pinched her a bit harder this time, his fingers caressing her wetness. She trembled and muttered a few curses when she climaxed but didn't stop rubbing him, bringing him closer and closer to his release.

"Do you like that?" she turned her body to him and whispered into his ear.

"Yes" he groaned "I love everything you do to me"

Amanda caught his lower lips with hers and smiled as he came under her hand "damn Nick, you're hot"

She carefully stood up, keeping her eyes on him as she stepped out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her body.

"Don't block the view" Nick got out of the bathtub and wrapped his arms around her, taking the towel off and nuzzling her neck.

"I gotta go soon" she pulled away "but I'll let you look at me later"

"I'm gonna hold you to that" he winked and planted a peck on her cheek.

Nick decided to call Berg again, he wanted her to listen to the recording, he already told her about the threat.

She picked up right away and he placed the phone by the pen.

"Nice to know the lieutenant's such a nice guy" Nick knew how much she hated when people spoke like that, as if being a man gave you a right to say whatever you want.

"I don't like this Nick, I think you should return"

"I can't leave her, I have enough time off I didn't use…" he was surprised she thought he had to leave.

"I mean with her" she said "if you're being threatened, followed…it's clear something fishy is going on"

"But she can't leave, she had to surrender her passport and she has to stay in Atlanta" he would love to just fly away from there, but not without her.

"Actually, I think there's a way. I spoke to the DA already and we can say she's a material witness, get a warrant"

"I don't know if that would work"

"Look Amaro, if you think it's worth it, and it seems to me it does…we'll help with that"

"Thank you, I'll call her" maybe it won't help the case, but no one would follow her every move in New York and if they manage with that, maybe the APD would ease up, knowing there are people behind her, not just Nick.

"Welcome home" Nick opened the door for her.

"I am so happy to be here" Amanda walked into his apartment.

It wasn't easy, took a lot of persuading from the DAs office in New York and Amanda's lawyer, but the judge allowed her to leave, he felt like they didn't leave him a choice.

"I'm so glad that you're here" he pulled her in for a kiss "don't ever leave"

"Thank you" she looked into his eyes "you've been amazing and I'm…sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry about, now that you're here we will be able to calm down, handle this better, I'll be back to work and see what I can find out. We'll figure it out and then you will move in permanently and…" Amanda's lips interrupted the sentence, she kissed him with so much fire and need everything else didn't matter. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

"Sometimes it doesn't seem real, that you're here with me" he caressed her bare abdomen "that night in Miami…"

"We were so responsible" Amanda chuckled, remembering how they only slept together that night "if we wouldn't have been and did have sex, I bet I'd end up getting pregnant and…a few years later we'd meet somehow and…" she smiled at him "surprise, you have a kid you didn't know about"

"That sounds like a bad soap opera" he gave her a kiss, thinking that was a terrible storyline.

"What if we wouldn't have met that night? I wouldn't be in you bed right now" she planted a few kisses on his collar bone.

"You know what, I think that even if that night wouldn't have happen, we would have met anyway, I don't know how or where. Maybe we'd end up working together. But we'd meet and fall in love. Don't forget that this is what the cookies predicted, I have the proof on my fridge"

"Love is right by your side" she remembered.

"It is" Nick smiled.

Nick had to return to work and he left Amanda alone. He knew that going to the station won't be easy, everyone will have a lot of questions. But he could trust his squad, they would stand by his side.

The fact she was able to get away to New York must have affected the case in Atlanta, the lawyer called and let her know they offered a deal. But fifteen years in prison wasn't something to cheer about. He didn't want her to spend a single day in jail. They were going to have a good life together.

A few hours after Nick had left Amanda felt a little lonely, the last days have been insane but he was there, with her and for her.

Now that she was in New York she could walk around without anyone tailing her. She strolled for almost an hour, stopped to get a hot dog and lay on the grass at a park, watching the sky. She felt almost free. Except for the whole murder charge.

"Amanda?" she heard someone call her name when she was on her way back and turned around, surprised to see the person walking over to her.

"Querida!" it was Nick's mom.

"Hey" Amanda figured she had no idea about what's been going on and that was a very good thing.

"Nicky didn't tell me you're here" Cesaria was holding a large paper bag but still gave Amanda a hug "you took some time off for a visit?"

"Something like that" Amanda nodded and reached for the bag "let me help you with that"

"Thank you querida, is Nicky here?"

"He's working" Amanda replied.

"When you're on vacation?" Cesaria shook her head in disappointment "that's not very considerate, but he's a good guy"

"I know he is" Amanda smiled, Nick has been nothing but considerate "you did a good job raising him" they both started walking and Amanda guessed she was going back to her place.

"Nick was born good, he was a quiet baby and such a sweet little boy" she seemed sad for a moment and Amanda knew she must have been blaming herself for not leaving Nick's father.

"If you have time I can give you that cooking lesson I offered" Cesaria smiled "only if you want to"

"Eh…" but Amanda didn't really have anything better to do, she hated not working and now that Nick was at the station she had nothing to do "ok"

"I'm gonna show you how to make Nicky's favorite"

Cesaria was a good instructor, she didn't just show her how to make it, she told her how Nick would ask her to make it all of the time when they just moved to New York.

"I got a little tired eating it everyday, but Nicky would ask for Asopao Criollo de Pollo no matter what. It's still his favorite"

"I think I'm going to leave the cooking for the experts" Amanda smiled "I'll help with the dishes"

"You don't have to do that, you're my guest"

"I'd love to, I'm responsible for most of the mess anyway" it wasn't even complicated, yet she managed to leave so many dishes dirty.

"I'm happy I got the chance to show you, his ex wife…" Cesaria realized what she said and stopped talking, she gave Amanda an apologetic look, she had no idea what Nick had told her about that.

"It's ok" Amanda said "I know he was married"

"Oh, I didn't want to say anything I shouldn't have"

"You didn't, Nick told me everything" Amanda reassured her, it wasn't entirely true, Nick didn't talk much about their relationship, she didn't even know how they met. But Amanda decided not to ask, she trusted Nick and if he didn't want to talk about it – it was fine with her.

"Good, keeping secrets is not a good way to start your life together. I know they've been together for a long time but I don't think they really loved each other, he never looked at her the way he looks at you" Cesaria gave her a knowing look.

Amanda's lips curved into a small smile. Nick said that he didn't love that woman, but hearing it from someone else, a person who had such a big part in his life, it made it feel even more real. She wished someone would say something similar to Nick, reassure him that she never felt anything even remotely close for anyone else.

Her phone buzzed and Amanda smiled when she saw Nick's name "hey babe" she answered.

"You're ok? I came back home and you're not here"

"I am at your mom's" she didn't even text him she was there "she showed me how to make this thing with rice"

"Asopao Criollo de Pollo?"

"Yes, that" she chuckled, she should have tried harder when she took Spanish, but she always loved hearing Nick speak that language, so maybe she could practice.

"I'll be there soon" he said goodbye and Amanda placed the phone on the desk.

"Hello Nicky" Cesaria greeted him with a kiss.

"How are you feeling mom?"

"I'm fine, had a nice time with Amanda" she let her son know "hope you're hungry"

He smiled and walked over to the dining table, Amanda was almost done setting the table "Hey" he placed his palm on her lower back and she turned her head for a quick kiss.

"Glad you're here" she grazed his hand "I'm hungry"

They had a nice time and Amanda got to hear a few more funny stories about Nick. She threw him a few smiles, she loved hearing about his childhood, loved finding out things about him.

"We're gonna head back home ma, thanks for the food" he finished with the dishes.

"You need to thank Amanda, she's the one who cooked"

"I mostly poured things into the pot"

"Thank you anyway" Nick gave her a kiss and Cesaria gave each of them a hug.

"I think I already said this, but I like your mom" Amanda sat down in the car.

"She loves you, I'm glad you got to spend time with her"

Amanda nodded, she felt comfortable with the woman, she wasn't judgmental, she cared about her son and she cared about her, even though she wasn't family.

"Just don't expect me to cook this for you"

"What I want from you" he gave her a serious look "is to love me"

"You already got that babe"

Nick had to go back to work so he dropped Amanda off at his place and promised to be back soon. She was jealous, she missed working and knew she was a good detective, sitting at home doing nothing was a waste of time. The only calls she got were from the lawyer, and he never had good news.

Just when she thought about him – he called.

"Yeah?" Amanda wasn't hopeful, she walked to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.

Nick returned home earlier than he thought and it could be a nice surprise for her. He opened the door quietly and walked inside, she didn't seem to notice. Amanda was on the phone, her back was turned to him and she was holding a glass in the other hand.

"So your investigator couldn't find a footage?...I know it's been five years but…yeah, no, I haven't told anyone…I know the broken nose isn't helping…it's my ass on the line, you think I don't know that? You don't think I get how fucked up this is? Yeah, I remember I'm the one who broke Patton's nose and beat him up…" she turned to go back to the couch and saw Nick, from his expression Amanda knew he heard her.