Author's Note: Have you ever wondered what might have happened if Shane did end up in Direct Line Operations in Northglenn? How would she have met Oliver? How would the four of them become the POstables? This idea has been percolating for some time now and it's finally time to flesh it out. I know not everyone is a fan of AU (alternate universe) stories but hopefully you'll give this a chance. I will, as always, do my best to keep Oliver, Shane and the rest in character. As always, thank you for reading and giving me your feedback. It is very much appreciated.

These characters do not belong to me…they are the work of the incomparable Martha Williamson and brought to life by Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Yan Kay Crystal Lowe, Geoff Gustafson, and all the talented actors who have made Signed, Sealed, Delivered the gift it is to all of us.

Shane tapped the screen of her phone again, her foot tapping nervously. The minutes ticked by as she waited in line to order her much needed, much anticipated skinny vanilla latte. Her eyes focused on the hat sitting high on a man's head at the front of the line. She couldn't understand what was taking so long. There were only four or five people in front of her but the line hadn't moved in several minutes. They were stalled much like traffic on I-25 during the Monday morning rush hour. She might be able to eke out more patience had she fed her caffeine fix at home but knowing the challenge that lay ahead she knew showing up late on her first day at the Denver main branch of the USPS would not be a good move. Opting to find coffee on the way to work relief smoothed her anxiety when she found the Denver Bean coffee cart not far from the USPS building. After spending the last month orienting with the Direct Line Operations team in Northglenn it was time to put her experience to the test. Chosen to implement many of the upgraded systems she'd worked on when she was in the DC, her first assignment was to train employees at the Denver main branch.

Shane was still adjusting to the reality that Denver was now home and she would not be returning to DC. She spent her first week in the Centennial state living in a hotel. Every morning, in the brain fog that comes with waking to a new day, she woke expecting to be flying home to DC, her mother, Becky and…that's when reality hit that she was here to stay.

She missed her mother, best friend Becky and of course the cherry blossoms that were just starting to bloom when she left but that was about it. The timing of the transfer was fortuitous given the demise of her relationship with Steve. Icy blue eyes and the seductive smile that launched her stomach into roller coaster curves popped into her head. If she were to only judge their relationship by physical standards she might have stayed in DC. That part of their relationship was never at odds. It was the intellectual and emotional elements of their relationship that often seemed to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. The night he'd shown up unexpectedly from his latest assignment expecting her to drop everything and go to dinner with him was the last straw. Finding herself shuttled into a cab after his sudden departure in the middle of said dinner she knew his top priority would always be his work and she could either accept that or make a break. She'd started putting together an exit plan from the relationship even before the news of her transfer to Denver.

A breeze rustled through the tree branches weighed down by little white flowers. She inhaled their scent of almond and vanilla that wafted through the air and thought it was almost as good as cherry blossoms. Up on her tippy toes she tried to see the head of the line. The hat was still there. Really? Could this man not order a cup of coffee? Did he have any understanding that he was putting the rest of them at risk for being late to work? Just as she was about to storm the front of the line and order for this guy, who apparently didn't know the difference between a black coffee and a latte, he turned away from the cart and walked toward her.

She watched from her place in line as he juggled his coffee and satchel before strutting away from the cart seemingly oblivious to the other people waiting for their morning fix. She wasn't sure if he was confident or arrogant…or maybe a little of both.

But as he came closer she got a clearer look at the source of the coffee line hold up. Along with the fedora he sported a three-piece suit in blue plaid complete with a coordinating pocket square. Her pulse pounded erratically and she sucked in a quick breath. She quickly turned her head away from him when she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. It wasn't just his attire that had Shane fumbling to regain her composure. Even under the brim of his hat his eyes still caught her attention. They were as blue as the spring sky above her. The scent of his musky cologne gently floated past and she couldn't resist the urge to watch him as he walked away. The view from behind was almost as good as the front she noticed. His suit was tailored to perfection and accentuated his shoulders and tapered waist. She decided she might need to forego coffee at home again tomorrow so she could return to the Denver Bean and see if he made a reappearance. Maybe this time she could arrange to navigate the menu board for him. She shook her head. Stop it Shane…you just got away from one guy who was full of himself. You don't need another.

Once Mr. three-piece-suit was gone the line picked up quickly and she made it to the USPS at 20th and Curtis just in the nick of time. She checked in at the front desk and asked for the branch supervisor.

The woman behind the counter pursed her lips and looked at Shane apologetically. "Oh, you want Andrea. Let me page her."

###

Andrea's name was used in hushed whispers back in the Northglenn office. When it was announced at a department meeting that she had been assigned to train the employees at Denver's main branch on the new systems she quickly stared down the colleagues who'd snickered at the news. She brushed it off as jealousy that the new girl was given such a prestigious assignment. But when the stares and whispers didn't let up she finally asked her supervisor, Carl, what was going on. Leaning against the doorway to his office she waited for his response. "Listen Shane, there are a few people at the Denver main branch who might, uhm, how should I put it, challenge you?"

"What do you mean or should I say who do you mean?" She had joined Direct Line Operations in DC with no previous USPS experience and had risen in the ranks rather quickly. She was used to being challenged by both the work and the people who thought she was climbing the ladder a bit too quickly.

"Sit down." Carl motioned to the chair on the opposite side of his desk. "Okay. I'm just going to lay it out for you. There are three people at the Denver branch who may be a bit difficult to work with. I've only met two of them but the third guy's reputation precedes him."

Tilting her head she raised her eyebrows in response. "Okay?"

"First there's Andrea Schmeckle. She's the main branch supervisor. She seems to have a permanent vendetta against anyone she thinks has risen above her in the USPS hierarchy." Ned paused. "I've met her a few times at meetings. She is the most unpleasant person I've ever met in the USPS system and I've met a lot of them."

Shane nodded her head in understanding. "Ah, now it makes sense. I've had more snickers directed at me than I can count and they're always accompanied by whispers of Andrea's name."

"Shane, from what I've heard from Rebecca Starkwell and your boss in DC, not to mention what I've seen since you arrived, I have no doubt you can hold your own with Andrea."

Shane straightened her shoulders and sat a bit taller as a smile crossed her lips. "Thank you. I appreciate that. I'm sure I dealt with worse in Washington. So tell me about the others."

"Well, next there's Lester Kimsickle."

"Kimsickle?" Shane repeated.

"Yeah, he's Chief of Postal Security but fancies himself the next Eliot Ness." Carl chuckled. "I've only seen him in action once and it was enough to last me until retirement. He's a bit of an oaf but I think he means well. He just forgot to get in line when they were handing out social skills."

Shane laughed. "I'll be on the lookout. And the third?"

"The third is Oliver O'Toole. He runs the Dead Letter Office."

"The dead what?" She wasn't sure what department that was but it sounded rather morbid.

"The Dead Letter Office. Their job is to deliver letters and packages when they've been damaged or misdirected." Carl smiled. "I've heard amazing stories about the things they're able to deliver."

"So why does he pose a problem?" Shane was genuinely curious.

Carl stifled a chuckle. "Because Oliver O'Toole doesn't believe in technology. Never has and he refuses to use it. There is a computer in his office but it's only used by one of his team. He refuses to do email."

Shane scrunched her face in disbelief. "Doesn't his work and status as a section leader require that he, at the very least, have email? Even my 70-year-old mother has e-mail."

"You would think so but somehow he's managed to get around it. I think he's been with the USPS for so long plus his father and grandfather also worked for USPS so there's some history there."

A visual of Oliver O'Toole was forming in Shane's mind. He was likely older, sixty plus…grey hair…suit and tie…chauvinistic…pompous. She'd seen them before, and actually worked with a couple in DC. She could manage the Andreas and Lesters of the world but dealing with someone who hasn't yet moved into the 21st century was going to pose a challenge. How do you get to accept new systems when they haven't even used the old ones?

###

Shane waited while the clerk made an announcement over the loudspeaker. Andrea Schmeckle didn't quite live up to the image Shane had created in her head. She was a few inches taller than her though their eyes met on an even plane thanks to Shane's high heeled boots. She wore a neatly pressed and tucked in postal blue uniform and her hair was pulled back into an early 90's French braid. Hints of gray at the hairline suggested she was several years older than Shane. Her glasses sat low on her nose and she kept them from falling with a thick black strap that wrapped around her neck. She opened the file sitting on her clip board and squawked. "Are you McInerney?"

Eyebrows raised Shane gaped at Andrea. Did she really just call me by my last name? Shane remembered what Carl said. Yes, she could hold her one with this one. She gathered herself and said "I'm Shane McInerney with Direct Line Operations." Switching her coffee cup to her other hand Shane stuck out her right hand and continued. "I'm here to train your branch on the new system upgrades Washington is implementing."

Andrea looked down at Shane's outstretched hand and ignored it. "Come with me. Here's a list of all the departments and section leaders. You'll see them all at the department head meeting this morning at 9 a.m." She stopped and looked at her watch. "That's in five minutes." She handed Shane a piece of paper with a list of departments. A cursory glance at the list and two names jumped out at her. Lester Kimsickle and Oliver O'Toole. Ever since Ned had warned her about the two she'd been curious to see if they lived up to their reputations. Andrea certainly did.

The department list included names of employees that worked in each group. Shane didn't realize how many people worked at the Denver main branch and her instincts told her there was no way she would be able to bring everyone up to speed within the month she'd been allotted to train them all. She was going to need to talk to Carl about the timeline. She slipped the list into her bag for later reference.

Shane followed Andrea down myriad hallways that were all equally dank and dark until they reached the conference room. Walls of white cinderblock were empty save one lone window that might have allowed for daylight to enter the room but it was covered with metal blinds in what else but postal blue. The office stood in stark contrast to the Direct Line Operations office in Northglenn that was in a modern building with windows allowing in natural sunlight. This is just depressing Shane thought.

Taking a seat to Andrea's left she watched as various department heads made their way into the room. A man roughly 40 years old lumbered in wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt and tie. His resemblance to Dwight from The Office was uncanny. Put a pair of wire rimmed glasses on him and they could be brothers.

Shane watched as he sat down and then jumped up when he saw her. He pushed a couple of people out of the way working his way to where she was sitting. "Well hello there." His voice made her skin crawl. And for the first time she actually had a little appreciation for Andrea's brusqueness.

"Lester, go sit down. We're about to start." Without making eye contact Andrea cut him off before he could say anything else. He skulked back to his seat but not before turning and winking at Shane.

Ugh Shane thought. She was going to have to be careful with Lester Kimsickle and made a mental note to never be in the same room with him alone. Shane chuckled realizing Carl was two out of three so far in his descriptions of the main branch's problem children.

She pulled the department list from her bag and was reading through the names when a moment later she heard Andrea bark "Oliver, you're late."

Ah, Oliver O'Toole. Shane recognized the name as the third person Carl described. Was the image she'd conjured up in her head accurate? Lifting her head her heart slammed inside her chest and her fingers shook. Mr. "can't order a cup of coffee" was, in fact, Oliver O'Toole.