A/N - Thanks, reviewers! This one is still merely PG-13 - it was going to be longer, but I figured you'd want more frequent updates instead of waiting for me to finish the good stuff :P Hey, you like Miles, right? It's got lots of Miles! And he's the bad boy in this AU...

"Dr. Burke!"

Richard Alpert sounded pleasantly surprised as he answered Juliet's call.

"Hello, Mr. Alpert." Juliet greeted him formally, and then she remembered. "Richard." she corrected herself in a friendly tone. It couldn't hurt her chances.

"Please tell me you have good news for me." he said, putting Juliet at ease just as he'd done over lunch.

Juliet smiled. "I do have good news. I mean, if you'll still have me...I'm calling to say I'm accepting the offer."

She couldn't see it, but Richard leaned back in his chair and grinned, feeling like he'd just scored a touchdown for the company. The month-long holding period had been a big risk, one that he would have had to take the blame for if she'd refused. Now he got to take the credit.

"That is great news, Dr. Burke. Amazing. We're all so happy to have you on our team."

"I'm part of the team already, huh?" Juliet marveled sarcastically at his good nature. What was in the water over there? Maybe it was those giant magnets...

"A complete tour of our facilities is in order before you commit to anything, of course."

"Well, it looks like I'll be moving to Miami whether I take the job or not. But thank you, I can't wait to see the center."

"I did see your sister's name on the waiting list." Richard confessed.

"And is it safe to assume my sister was taken off the waiting list and accepted into the program because you wanted me so badly?"

"Just one of the many benefits we hope to shower you and your family with, Doctor."

She almost considered telling him to call her Juliet, but she did like how 'Doctor' sounded. She'd worked damn hard enough for the title. Besides, James was in the other room and she didn't want him getting needlessly jealous.

"Thank you." she said. "For considering me and giving me the opportunity. And for helping my sister. I'll admit, a large part of me still thinks it's all too good to be true."

"Starting today, Dr. Burke, we are going to prove otherwise. You can't put a price on brilliance or genius. But...we try."

They shared a chuckle. It felt so cheesy, like she was daydreaming and Mr. Alpert was a figment of her desperate imagination. But it was real. She had a new job, Rachel was going to get real treatment, and James was offering real long distance support.

"Besides your sister, is there anyone else coming to Miami with you?"

Juliet's eyes widened. Was he fishing for the information she thought he was fishing for?

"Um..." Juliet stalled. The professional relationship was still so new and fragile. Richard was nice now, but Edmund had been nice once upon a time.

"There are a lot of housing options." Richard covered his curiosity about Juliet's love life with shop talk. "We can figure it all out later."

Juliet chuckled politely. "Right."

As Richard began to explain more about the timeline of the project itself, Juliet noticed some movement where the living room became the kitchen. She glanced up and saw James peeking from around the corner. He was waiting there with Rachel, and probably eavesdropping with her too. Juliet smiled to let him know everything was fine. James had known it would be fine, that anyone with half a brain wouldn't let Juliet get away so easy. In that way he understood Edmund's stubborn attitude regarding their divorce. As much as that asshole made Juliet feel inferior, he must have known she was the best part of his life.

Miles slouched in the driver's seat of an unmarked police car, so low that only the top of his head and the long telephoto lens of a professional still camera were visible, and only if you were paying attention. Through the camera he was viewing the front entrance of a nice hotel on the other side of the street. It was Monday, just about one thirty in the afternoon. The office grunts were already back at their desks, but the very important people were entering their second hour of their luxuriously long lunches.

"All sorts of things you can do in two hours." Miles muttered. He took a few practice shots, to get used to the shutter speed. "Like pick up a lady friend. Or. Just a lady. That's not a friend."

Miles sighed, and reached to the passenger seat without looking, groping for a bag of chips.

"Come on, Shannon. Send him out."

His impatient muttering seemed to summon her. A second later Miles dropped the chips and gripped the camera with greasy fingers. The camera started clicking at a rapid pace. It sounded deafeningly loud to Miles' ears, but it was pressed against his face, and he was the only one on a stake out. No one passing by on the sidewalk took notice.

Across the street, an angry Edmund Burke stormed out of the hotel's front doors. Miles couldn't help but smirk at his own handiwork. He tried to keep the camera steady as his good friend and partner in hopefully-impossible-to-litigate-crime Shannon followed Edmund to the curb. She had on a micro-mini skirt, a skimpy top and shoes with ridiculously high heels considering she already towered over Edmund when barefoot. For once Miles wasn't checking her out. His eyes were on their target instead.

"Ohhh fuck, you look angry." Miles said under his breath as he let the shutter fly. "You douchiest of bags."

Shannon grabbed Edmund's elbow, trying to make him stop and listen. Edmund wrenched his arm away, stuck his finger in her face and, in what Miles guessed was a very stern, very commanding, very douchey voice, told her to stay the fuck away from him.

Miles was supposed to be working on one of his open cases. There were other cops in his department that wasted their time in worse ways, for worse reasons. He could only feel so guilty for this. It wasn't even guilt, really. Just the distant fear that he might get caught, might be reprimanded, might take a little shit from the lieutenant for this. Or fired. He might be fired. And it really might be worth it, just to help his friends.

Again, Shannon grabbed at Edmund's arm, and she was convincing enough to make him stop and listen that time. With a few words and a subtle head motion she got Edmund to glance toward Miles' car. Miles read Shannon's lips, mouthing the words along with her.

We're being watched.

She'd always wanted to be an actress. The best of her high school drama class, that's what she'd told him. That was why he'd gone to her with this important job. She had a flair for the dramatic and she was a blonde. Everyone knew Edmund liked blondes.

Miles saw Edmund crossing the street like he owned it, barely looking at oncoming traffic as he traversed the lanes.

"Shit." Miles sat up and started snapping pictures in a more obvious way. It was showtime for Detective Straume.

"Who the hell are you?" Edmund asked in a hushed tone when he was close enough for only Miles to hear him. "And why the hell are you taking my picture?"

Miles lowered the camera and stared up at the doctor, wondering yet again what Juliet had ever seen in him, what any woman could see in him. He asked his questions not out of fear, but only so he could figure out exactly how he was going to destroy Miles' life for even attempting to spy on him. Shannon, meanwhile, crossed the street with more caution, catching up to Edmund a few seconds later with her hooker heels clacking on the pavement.

"Oh, hi." said Miles. "I'm just a tourist, taking in some of the local color."

Edmund reached out, gesturing for Miles to hand the camera over to him.

"Excuse me?" Miles said. "I don't speak servant-ese."

"Give me the fucking camera." Edmund said in not-so-plain English.

"I can't." Miles said innocently. "It belongs to the city." he explained, innocence giving way to a pleased smile. He was holding up his badge now, swinging it lightly on its chain from one side to the other for added emphasis.

Edmund's eyes narrowed as he put the pieces together, looking to Shannon and then back to Miles. "What the hell is this?"

"This," said Miles. "Is a plain clothes cop catching you with a prostitute. This is also a plain clothes cop that knows exactly who you are and how badly you want this little incident to be kept a secret. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Burke."

"It's 'Doctor'." Edmund said flatly.

"Not for much longer if you don't behave yourself."

"Are you trying to blackmail me? Because, if you even try, I will destroy you."

"I don't care about money, mister- oh, sorry, I mean Doctor Burke. Now is that...medical doctor? Because even for a layman such as myself, it's pretty easy to tell the difference between a dick and a-"

"If you don't care about money, then why are we still talking?" Edmund interrupted him testily.

"I just need your signature." Miles told him calmly, and quite apathetically. They stared at each other, as Edmund worked it through in his mind. Now, who else wanted his signature, bad enough to set this up...?

"Can I see that badge again?" Edmund asked.

What a normal conversation they were having. Miles shook his head no.

"This isn't official police business, is it?" Edmund asked, smug, as if he'd found a way out of this.

"No," Miles shifted in his seat, telegraphing impatience at Edmund's failure to grasp what needed to be done. "But it can be. It's in both our best interests to keep it off the books. I assume you're used to that. Keeping things off the books."

"You talk a lot of shit for a nobody." Edmund muttered, trying to sound menacing. "You're his partner, right?" he guessed.

"It doesn't matter who I am."

"I'm gonna have both of your badges by the end of the week. And that's a promise."

It was quite possible Edmund had that power, but Miles could be a cocky bastard too. The bullshitter in him took over and he turned to Shannon.

"You gonna chime in here?" he asked her, still playing the jaded cop.

"Please don't arrest us." she begged, fully in character. On the inside Miles smiled, proud. Those acting classes were really paying off for her.

"He can't arrest either of us." Edmund assured her, barely turning toward her as he spoke. His words were more of a way to shut her up than reassure her.

"I almost have enough money for the surgery," Shannon continued. "I'm so close, and you know how hard it is to find johns that will actually pay me after they find out-"

"I know, I know." Miles said sympathetically. He looked to Edmund. "I'm surprised you didn't recognize her. Oh, I guess she's only a minor celebrity 'down at the precinct'."

"We're done here." Edmund said abruptly of the situation. "And you're done permanently." he said directly to Miles, right before he turned to go.

"She's leaving, you know." Miles called out to him.

Edmund stopped in his tracks, his back to Miles.

"You drove her out of town." Miles continued, his eyes drilling holes into the back of Edmund's head on James and Juliet's behalf. "Just saying."

Edmund didn't reply. After a few seconds he started walking again. Shannon waited until he was gone, staying close to the car as if she were going to plead with Miles a little more. They both watched Edmund stalk across the street, back toward the hotel valet, while multiple cars screeched to a halt and honked their loud horns in protest.

"So, Detective." Shannon said as she turned to Miles. "How did we do?"

Miles was still staring after Edmund, his usual apathetic attitude disrupted. "Why does he talk like we're all hobos or something? Does he have any idea what it takes to make detective?"
"Aww, Miles!" Shannon grinned. "Did the mean old man hurt your feelings?"

"Come on, get in." Miles motioned with his head for her to get into the passenger seat.

"Shouldn't I get in back?" Shannon asked.

Miles stared at her for a second before replying. "It's not a squad car." he said. "Nobody's looking. Oh, and you're not really a hooker."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "You're no fun." she teased. Once in the passenger seat, she tried again. "Seriously, did that go well or are we in big trouble?"

Miles looked over his shoulder to make sure there was no oncoming traffic and quickly pulled out of his parking space. "Both?" he said, speeding up to get through a yellow light. "Neither?"

Shannon rolled her window down and rested her elbow on the bottom of the frame. "I'm fine as long as he doesn't decide to litigate. If he ends up suing us my step-mother will kill me."

"Listen to you, using words like 'litigate'."

"Oh my god," Shannon muttered. "How does your partner even stand you?"

"He obviously can't, that's why I need a county court desk clerk to help me with my detective work."

"Uhh!" Shannon made a sound that was half disgust, half warning. "Not everyone wants to get fat on donuts and beer, okay? Maybe Dr. Burke has a point there, it's not like you're a doctor..."

"OUCH, Shannon."

"Well?"

"You know where to find him if you want a date."

The sound Shannon made then was all disgust. "Ugh, please."

"Let's go take some pictures of a drug corner so I can explain why I took the camera out. We can find you a real bad boy there."

Shannon chuckled. "You're the baddest boy I know, Miles."

"Stop, I'm getting hard."

"Ewwuh!" Shannon punctuated her current disgust with a slap to Miles' arm.

"You looked, didn't you?" Miles accused her. "I'm telling."

The Lieutenant sidled up to Miles' desk the next morning. They'd had their differences in the past. Most of their interactions involved at the very least a stern look from Abaddon, if not a full-blown tirade. Straume was still part of the team however, and he wasn't a bad cop. Maybe that was why Abaddon gave him such a hard time - he wanted Miles to do better, because he wanted to keep Miles around. That was why Abaddon just couldn't believe the complaint he'd received the previous night, that one of his own had been harrassing an important member of the medical community, while he was on the clock no less?

"Straume." Abaddon said, softer than the usual bark.

Miles looked up, casual but still respectful.

"Where were you between twelve and two-thirty yesterday afternoon?"

"Who, me?"

"Don't be cute. I've got angry people asking me questions."

"I was with Ford." Miles lied. It caused his partner, who was sitting right there across from him, to look up from his computer. Abaddon glanced at James, who maintained an innocently curious look and nodded to corroborate Miles' alibi. James knew Miles was lying, but they were partners - they were ready to die for each other, and if Miles needed a cover story it was reason enough in itself to give him one.

"Why?" Miles asked his superior.

Abaddon sighed. He was glad the accusation was false, but he still had to deal with the angry caller. "Some doctor's assistant is on the phone, asking if I have any Asian detectives on the day shift."

"Well, you know how it is, sir. We all look alike."

Abaddon chuckled and gave Miles a wry, knowing look. Inside Miles breathed a sigh of relief. Racism, he thought. It brings people together.

"Alright. Back to work." he said, like a father half-heartedly telling his kids to clean up after themselves. He wandered back to his office, taking his time so he could put off the denial of Edmund Burke's accusation a little longer.

"Leave it to you," said James, going back to his computer. "To get in some kinda trouble and parlay that into a rapport with the Lieutenant. What'd you do this time?"

"Let's just say it had something to do with a married woman." Miles said. "For now, that's all you need to know."

James grinned and chuckled as he typed up a report, slowly filling in the spaces on a spreadsheet. "Ohhh, Miles." he said. "You'll tell me about it someday, I'm sure."

"If I live that long." Miles joked. There was adrenaline in his veins; he had the feeling he always got when he pulled a major stunt and got away with it.

Two weeks later...

James raised his fist to knock on the door to Juliet and Rachel's apartment, and stopped when he noticed it was ajar. He held the knob with one hand and knocked with the other, poking his head in to make sure everything was okay.

"Hello?" he said, right as his gaze came to rest on Rachel, kneeling in the middle of the living room in front of a cardboard box. She was taping the top closed, and she looked up when she heard James' voice.

"Hey there." she said with a smile.

"Hey, Rachel." He smiled back, and Juliet walked in from the bedroom soon after. She had a small but heavy looking box in her arms, and she stopped when she saw James.

"Hi." said Juliet, smiling involuntarily, her voice rising in pitch as well. Her face was flushed, and she sounded a little out of breath. Most of their small two-bedroom had been packed up and sent ahead through the mail. They'd be arriving in Miami to fully furnished apartments, so they had to get rid of their furniture too. It got more and more empty looking every time James visited.

"Hey, baby." he said to Juliet, walking right over to take the box from her hands. They leaned toward each other and kissed a hello as he took the package. "Where's this one going?" he asked, hefting its weight easily.

"Right to the car." said Juliet. "We'll be right back." she said to Rachel.

Rachel smiled at them both and watched them slip through the door. James and Juliet being all over each other was nothing new, but they'd gotten shy about it lately. Maybe Rachel and Miles had teased them one too many times. Maybe their cuddling had become a more sacred activity since they wouldn't be able to do it after she was gone. In any case, James waited until they'd tucked the box in the trunk of Juliet's car to say hello the way he really liked.

He leaned her gently against the back of the car, feeling up the sides of her waist.

"Hey." she greeted him again softly, grinning as he leaned in for a more serious kiss. "Mm," she protested, pulling her head back soon after it began. "I'm sweaty."

"I've seen you sweaty." he reminded her, staying close. He smiled, pressing the fronts of their bodies together. "I like you sweaty..."

James kissed her deeply, and for a minute the entire world disappeared. The way he took her bottom lip between the two of his and then slipped his tongue inside her mouth erased every other thought in Juliet's mind. They kissed, and a few cars passed by on the street. One of them beeped, a stranger teasing them for their public display. They moved apart, and they smiled with a small degree of sheepishness.

"Two weeks is passing way too fast." James told her, shaking his head with the disappointment of time lost.

"I know." said Juliet, offering a weak smile. "Two more days."

James took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. He'd already asked if she was sure. Now he just had to figure out how to let her out of the city without stopping her or going with her. They had a special night planned, for the night before she and Rachel would get on a plane and fly away to Miami. They were going to spend the a day and night in a nice hotel, no roommates or interruptions, just the two of them. They just didn't want to actually reach that night, because the day after that, they'd be separated.

James leaned down and gave her a tender kiss, before he mumbled "I'll go to the post office with you." even though he wished he could take Juliet and all of her stuff back to his place instead.

"Thanks." she replied. She was ignoring the obvious worried feelings passing between them. He'd told her not to feel guilty for leaving him behind, that he knew Miami would be a great experience for her. She had to do this thing on her own or else she'd never know if she could do anything on her own. It didn't stop her from worrying, but it helped to know he was in her corner.