A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in updating this. Hope you enjoy!

LATER THAT EVENING

The Commissioner had asked Baker if she would like to go out for drinks after the Policeman's Ball. Just the two of them.

She happily agreed, looking forward to spending time alone with him.

They hopped into the black Ford Excursion as they left the ball.

Well hopped wasn't the right word for her entrance into the vehicle she thought laughing to herself.

Frank had carefully looked around and then ever so gently, given her behind a boost to help her in.

Jim was driving and it was just the two of them in the backseat.

She shivered slightly as she rubbed her bare arms. She had been in a rush as she left her apartment that evening.

As usual she thought wryly.

Having just enough time to rush in from the airport and rush out again for the ball.

Frank looked over and noticed how cold she looked. He shrugged out of his tux jacket and motioned for her to slide over.

She slid to the middle of the benchseat and he draped his jacket around her arms.

"You're always forgetting your coat aren't you?" he murmured as she snuggled up close to him.

She looked up at him and smiled broadly. "Yes but you're always there to keep me warm."

He grinned back at her. "Affirmative." He laid his long arm across the backseat in a protective embrace of her.

She closed her eyes and breathed in his delicious scent.

How had she worked in such close proximity with this man and not noticed how supremely divine his masculine smell was?

But thinking back she realized she wouldn't have allowed herself such thoughts.

Not until that dream that is…

Lost in her own thoughts and feeling wonderfully happy to be in his embrace she sighed and said, "Home…"

He looked down at her, "What was that?"

She suddenly realized that she had spoken that aloud. That his embrace felt like HOME to her.

"It's um..it's good to be home," she covered it up.

Geez, how embarrassing. She didn't want to reveal the thoughts she had been having prior to her plane landing.

Commitment thoughts. No need to freak the guy out.

Why is it I can't control my mouth around him she thought mentally criticizing herself.

He nodded seemingly satisfied but she wondered if he really believed that was what had slipped out.

They rode in silence for a few minutes through the streets of Manhattan.

Frank's thoughts drifting he thought back to the dance they had shared that evening.

He hadn't realized until she was in his arms again how terribly he had missed Abigail.

And he realized that it was a foreign feeling to him. He hadn't let himself get attached to any other woman since Mary had passed.

And given how close together he and Abigail worked it was an entirely different relationship dynamic. It had felt like he was missing a limb when she was gone.

He couldn't function entirely without her.

Her head was against his shoulder as they danced and he realized that no matter what happened, whether their relationship became public, whatever backlash that might entail…he still wanted her.

No matter what.

At the end of the day all he wanted was her there.

In his life.

He looked down at her as they rode through the city streets, the lights dancing across her smooth skin. She had closed her eyes as she leaned against his chest.

She looked incredibly beautiful.

He bent down and softly kissed her forehead.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him lovingly.

He felt warmth coursing through his body and realized he would do anything for her.

Anything.

"Hey," she said quietly, "do you think we can stop for a sec? I have such a craving for a Snickers bar."

He laughed thinking they had just left an enormous buffet of food. But they had been too distracted with each other to notice it.

"I should have ate there," she explained, "and now I'm starving for a candy bar."

"Of course, hey Jim, can we pull over at the next bodega you see?"

"Sure thing, Boss" he replied and expertly pulled into a parallel parking spot at the next light.

Jim came around and opened the door for Abigail as she gingerly stepped out in her emerald evening gown.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Frank asked her.

"No, no it's ok. I'll just be a minute."

Frank rolled the window down on her side, "Keep an eye on her Jim, ok?"

Jim nodded and stood outside the vehicle on the passenger side watching her enter the little grocery store.

Inside Abigail nodded with a smile to the clerk as she headed towards the candy aisle.

It was fairly empty in the store. In fact, she only saw one other person in there. A young man with sandy blonde hair wearing jeans and a black hoodie.

Her eyes gazed across the row of candy bars until she found the Snickers she was craving.

All of a sudden she heard a surprised cry from the female clerk at the front of the store.

Her senses heightened she walked as quickly as she could in heels to the front and gasped.

The young blond-haired man was pointing a gun at the clerk.

"Money, now!" he growled as he shoved the gun into her face.

Catching sight of Abigail as she came up the aisle he suddenly spun towards her.

"Hey! Police!" she called out as she tried to grab her gold shield out of her tiny clutch purse.

The guy's eyes widened and he looked panic-stricken as he waved the gun around changing directions to her.

OUTSIDE

The Commissioner felt something. A change in the air.

He rolled down the window, looking for Abigail through the store windows.

But they were crammed full of goods blocking most of the view into the store.

"Jim, can you see anything in there?"

Jim turned towards him, "Not really Boss, there's too much blocking. I'll go inside and check -"

He was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot.

The Commissioner felt something clutch at his heart.

His voice was caught in his throat.

Abigail.

Suddenly he moved into action and hastily grabbed the door handle and jumped outside.

"Wait Sir, you can't go in there!" Jim grabbed the Commissioner's arm with one hand and with the other grabbed his radio

"10-13 shots fired at the corner of 5th St and 14th ave"

Panic rose in Frank's throat. He knew his position. He knew he wasn't supposed to go into a scene where an officer needed assistance.

But this wasn't just one of his 36,000 troops.

This was Baker.

His right arm.

His keeper of secrets.

His ever present help in time of trouble.

The love of his life.

And God help him, he was not going to lose her.

He wrenched himself away from Jim's grasp on his arm and with his long legs reached the door of the bodega quickly.

"Commissioner! Don't!" Jim called out realizing it was futile at this point. The Commissioner wasn't letting anything or anyone stop him.

Drawing his revolver from its side holster he entered the store...