Juliet had been at Mittelos for one week. Orientation consisted mostly of meeting enough people to ensure she wouldn't remember any of their names, and furniture shopping for both apartment and work space. They'd had an empty office waiting for her when she arrived, and even though she was worried about asking for too much too soon, Rachel urged her to take full advantage of the fact that there didn't seem to be a limit on her expense account.

Seated at a desk that was way too big for her, in a chair that was way too comfortable to ever give up, Juliet heard her phone ping with a new message. She saw Rachel's name and smiled.

This is my new favorite place.

Juliet chuckled and replied.

Are they treating you well?

Another text arrived almost immediately.

Yessss, it's like a day spa over here, I never want to leave!

Rachel was in the same medical complex where Juliet now worked, in the wing where experimental treatments were administered. Lucky for her, her treatment involved a lot of relaxation while friendly doctors fiddled with computer settings and readouts. She could eat, she could read, she could take a nap while they did...whatever it was they were doing. Even Juliet couldn't be privy to all of it. The details had to be kept private for the sake of intellectual property rights. They explained to Rachel what they were doing, and she repeated the information to Juliet as best she could through all the technical jargon.

"You've met Dr. Faraday, right?" Rachel asked her on their second night in town.

"I think so..." Juliet replied, wading through the sea of names in her recent memory.

"He was there today." said Rachel. "He talked to me for a while, but he's got this funny way of speaking..."

Suddenly the name clicked, and the face and voice came to Juliet's mind. "I thought he was a physicist?"

"Oh, maybe I have the name wrong then."

"I don't know..." Juliet was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, especially in a weird and exciting place like Mittelos. "If it involves electromagnetism, it would make sense for him to be there."

Now, at the end of their fifth full day in Miami, the details of Rachel's treatment were still a bit murky, but her sister seemed happy and hopeful. In some ways that was the most important thing.

Just remember, Juliet typed quickly into her phone, I'm your ride home...and I have nothing left to do here! ;)

Not too much longer, I promise. 0:) Rachel replied.

After that, Juliet stared at her computer screen, lost in thought. Her email inbox had a whopping total of two messages in it, both tests sent by the IT administrator. One was for her work address, and one for the Biology Department mailing list to which she'd promptly been added. She glanced at the clock above her office door, wondering for the millionth time what James might be doing. It was four o'clock in Miami, which meant one o'clock in LA. He was either just going to lunch with Miles, or skipping it completely because of some hitch in a case. Juliet smiled softly, thinking of James and the serious faces he made whenever he was worried about his work.

The more she thought about him, the wider her smile became, until the deep ache of missing him started to grow in her chest. The ache had begun the moment she left the hotel, and if she let it grow too much - if she thought about going to bed without him, or spending an entire day not seeing his face, feeling his body, being naked with him and kissing him endlessly - she was afraid she might cry. So she took a deep breath, and opened the top drawer to her right. There was a binder in there, with profiles of all the other scientists at Mittelos, a sort of cheat sheet for her to get familiar with her coworkers. The copy she'd received, on her third day there, had even been updated with her picture and mini-biography. They were really on top of things here. She knew the small head shots and basic information would mean nothing until she got to know all of them in person, but reading it through again would at least distract her from missing James.

Juliet flipped through the pages, pleased to see a good number of women in the ranks. Charlotte Lewis and Danielle Rousseau were in her department, though she hadn't met them yet. They'd gone to the same conference that Richard Alpert had been attending at Oxford.

Next week, Juliet thought to herself, remembering what Richard said about when they would really get back to work and integrate her with the team.

She heard a soft knock on the jamb of her open office door. As if her thoughts had conjured him, Richard was there with a friendly smile and a wave. She heard other people in the hallway as well. It seemed they were back from the conference and, instead of going straight home to sleep off the jet lag, had come straight back to work.

"Juliet." he said warmly when she looked up.

"Hi!" she replied. It had been a little too quiet in there, holed up in her office. Aside from the texts from Rachel she hadn't had much human contact that day. Juliet stood up and motioned with her hand. "Come in, please."

Richard took a step inside, and looked around at the new layout. "It looks great in here."

Despite it being a compliment, Juliet's reflex was to assume he was being passive aggressive, as if it had been said in Edmund's own voice. As she walked around her desk, she glanced at the brand new furniture and suddenly saw it through different eyes.

"Is it too much?"

Juliet watched his face for any sign of disapproval, but he really did seem impressed.

"Not at all." he reassured her. "Whatever makes you more comfortable, we're only happy to provide."

Her chuckle was modest, to the point of conveying discomfort at the very idea.

"Juliet..." Richard narrowed his eyes, never losing the warmth or friendliness. "I get the sense that you're not used to being respected at work."

Juliet smiled, hoping the tingle in her cheeks did not show as a blush. "Respected, maybe." she said. "The LAPD treated me as well as they could manage. It's all the pampering that's freaking me out. You're spoiling me, Richard. I'm worried it will lead to diva-like behavior."

Richard laughed. "I really can't imagine that from you. You're far too modest."

Something in his eyes made Juliet feel as if he wasn't talking about her work. She shook her head demurely and broke eye contact. She didn't want him looking at her that way. After a tension-filled pause, Richard changed gears.

"Anyway," he said. "I really want to apologize for being so absent this week. Just bad timing with the conference, I guess. Aside from the office - which really does look great, I promise - are you settling in okay?"

"Yes, it's been great." Juliet replied. "Everyone has been very welcoming."

The only thing that came close to a complaint was that people were being too nice to her. Where was all the conniving and backstabbing taking place?

"The apartment is also way too nice," she added. "Thank you."

"And your sister?" Richard smiled at the face Juliet made then, like there was something funny about him asking. "Is she liking it so far?" he asked anyway.

"She's loving it." Juliet said knowingly.

"It's amazing what a truly relaxing environment can do, right?"

As he spoke, Richard motioned for Juliet to follow him outside.

"The average hospital can be so terrifying." Richard remarked as he started down the hall. Juliet followed. "It's ironic how unhealthy that can be for someone who is already sick. We believe that a happy patient is a healing patient. And a happy scientist," he punctuated that word by placing a hand lightly on Juliet's back. "Is a productive one."

Juliet smiled. "You'd think more places would have that figured out by now."

"Well," Richard continued more modestly. "I could spout proverbs all day, but if we're being honest, it's still money that keeps the wheels turning. We're lucky here. Our benefactors really do care about the people who work for them, not just results."

They were walking down the hall, toward Charlotte's office. Richard's hand was still resting very lightly between her shoulders. Under any other circumstances it would have been a pleasant feeling - it was nothing like Edmund's angry grip on her waist, and Richard was a very handsome man - but Juliet could see where it was headed, and she knew she would have to shut it down at the earliest opportunity.

"Dr. Lewis wanted to introduce herself before we all go home for the day." he explained quickly as they reached Charlotte's door. The woman with a head of long, copper curls looked up when Richard knocked, and smiled just like in her photo.

"Dr. Burke, hello." Charlotte walked to the door and extended her hand in greeting. "So nice to finally meet you."

"You too." Juliet smiled, and they shook hands. She'd forgotten that Charlotte was originally from England, but her accent was a clear reminder. "I feel like I've been stalking people through their work profiles," said Juliet. "It will be nice to get to know everyone in person."

"Before I head out," Richard interrupted as politely as possible, moving his gentle touch to Juliet's elbow. "We're looking at hiring assistants next week, so if you have any requests or requirements, get those in soon."

Assistants. Juliet thought hungrily. I've never had one of those.

"You'll give us pick of the litter, won't you?" Charlotte asked Richard coyly.

"Only because you're married to a Faraday." Richard quipped.

Charlotte scrunched her nose up at him. Their relationship seemed very friendly, like siblings. It gave Juliet the feeling that she was joining a family and not just a cold corporation.

"Either of you up for dinner?" Richard asked them both.

Charlotte put her hands up immediately. "I'm sorry, Dan's flight gets in soon, I'm trying to get him alone for a night before he has to leave again."

Richard nodded, and turned casually to the new girl. "Juliet? I owe you big time, leaving you alone to fend for yourself all week."

His fingertips, so light on her elbow, were like a flashing neon sign that said DON'T DO IT in Juliet's mind. Remembering her promise to James, she smiled and used her poor, sick sister as an excuse. Rachel wouldn't mind; she'd hear all about it later. Richard didn't seem to mind much either. If he was disappointed, he was too professional and polite to let it show.

"We'll take you out soon," he promised, speaking for Mittelos now. "You and Rachel, we'll have to show you the town."

"Bio's got dibs." said Charlotte, speaking for the biology department.

"Then I'll take Bio out for dinner." Richard countered, verbally sticking his tongue out at her.

"See how I did that?" Charlotte asked Juliet, who very much enjoyed the twinkle in the redhead's eyes. She couldn't keep herself from smiling.

After that, Richard said good night and that he'd catch up with them on Monday. Once he was gone, Charlotte turned her full attention to Juliet.

"We're not usually this lazy, I swear." Charlotte joked, regarding their four o'clock Friday stop time.

"Didn't you just fly in from England?" Juliet asked. "I didn't expect to see you until next week."

"Oh right, that. Well, we wouldn't be in research if we didn't spend our entire lives at the office. Prepare yourself for the guilt complex."

"Oh, I remember it well." Juliet said, recalling the endless, caffeine-driven nights of a previous professional life. Of course, a lot of the guilt she'd suffered had been piled on by Edmund himself.

Ugh, Edmund.

Juliet was annoyed that she kept thinking about him. The last time she was in a research facility like this one, she was telling him their marriage was over, and he was telling her she'd never work in that town again. The scars had faded over the years, but they were deep. There was still a lot of 'too good to be true' to get over this time around.

Charlotte explained that a few of them were only there to pick up a notebook or something to work on over the weekend while they recovered from their trip.

"Speaking of workaholism," said Charlotte. "You should definitely go for an assistant. I mean, they can afford to hire the good ones, and it doesn't get taken out of the departmental budget."

Again, Juliet's inner eyes grew wide at the very prospect of a lab slave.

"It's been such a quiet week with everyone gone," she remarked. "I feel like I don't really need one yet."

"None of us do, yet." Charlotte smiled. "But you won't regret it a few weeks from now when it really gets busy. We can pick out a hot young grad student, get a little romance going, right?"

Juliet didn't reply outright, but Charlotte could tell by her reaction that she'd said something silly.

"Oh," Charlotte covered her mouth, embarrassed. She looked about ready to giggle. "I'm sorry, are you married?"

Legally speaking, Juliet was still married. Just not to the right man.

"Not married, but..." Juliet smiled in a way that made Charlotte understand exactly how she felt about James. "Taken."

"Ohhh, someone better tell that to Richard." Charlotte nudged Juliet's forearm with her elbow. "I'm kidding. I should warn you, I get a bit giddy when these projects start up. I've worked with this company before, it's basically like being showered with money. This new venture looks to be the same. Beats teaching, that's for sure."

"Hm." Juliet murmured agreement, smiling inwardly. "Before this," she said, "I worked in the morgue of a metropolitan police precinct that was fighting to take funds away from the department of education just so it could pay its full-time salaries. I've gotta say...I like it here a little bit better."

Charlotte smirked. "Just a little?"

"Well...the boyfriend is back in LA."

"Oh, so far." Charlotte cooed. "You poor thing. I do the long distance thing with Danny sometimes, it never gets easy, does it?" She lowered her voice, even though their boss was long gone. "You know...I was kidding about Richard before, but he does seem interested. He's a great guy, the gallantry is not an act. He just...doesn't always know how to take a hint. Don't be afraid to let him know you've got a jealous boyfriend on the other coast, even if he's not jealous. Is he jealous?"

Juliet affected a smug smile. "He's a little jealous."

Charlotte grinned. "Even better."

The door to the interrogation room slammed open, the sheer force of it startling everyone in the squad room. James didn't see any of his fellow officers as he stormed out, on a direct route to the locker room. His vision was red, and he had just enough self-control left to remove himself from the situation.

"Sit tight." Miles muttered to the suspect they'd been interrogating. More accurately, the suspect that James scared shitless while Miles watched. Miles went out and saw everyone staring, and he gave them his best Can I help you, dipshits? look. They glowered back, not amused. Detective Ford did not have a monopoly on bad attitude at the precinct, but his temper certainly gave his bad attitude some flair.

Abbadon strolled out of his office and looked right at Miles. "Something I need to know about?" he asked his junior detective.

"He's fine." Miles said, testy. "Just taking his role as bad cop a little too seriously today."

"Reminds me of a cadet I once knew."

"Yeah, no kidding." Miles sighed. "I'll find him." he muttered.

"Stay put, Straume." Abbadon told him. "Ford doesn't need a babysitter."

Miles glared at his lieutenant. "I wasn't going to comfort him, sir. I was gonna go kick his ass. I'm the primary on this case and he's fucking it all up."

Normal shop talk for a shitty day. Still, Abbadon didn't take kindly to disruptions or too much complaining.

"You want a new partner?" he asked Miles in a droll voice.

Miles shut his mouth, waving his hand in annoyance as he turned back and re-entered interrogation room one. The door slammed shut. The room had stopped paying attention a while ago.

Left alone, James cooled off quickly. The anger left him, and a residue of regret was left behind. What the hell had the stupid suspect even said to piss him off?

"Shit..." James mumbled. He sat down on a wooden bench between two rows of lockers and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. It smelled bad in there. He didn't miss it.

Thoughts of Juliet bubbled up; he didn't even have to try, it happened on its own. He hoped she was having a good day. He hoped he could call her and talk to her later that night. He couldn't call her when he was like this.

"Shit." James hung his head low.

"Thank god it's Friday?" said a voice near the door.

James sighed and looked over at Miles. The mopey Asian looked pissed.

"You get anything out of him?" James asked.

"No." Mile said petulantly. "He asked for a lawyer. All the desk slamming rattled him."

"Ah shit, Miles." James didn't bother saying he was sorry, and Miles didn't expect him to.

"Is this how it's gonna be?" Miles asked instead. "You don't get laid for a couple days and all our case work goes to shit?"

"That's not what this is about." James told him, his tone dismissive.

"Okay. Let's pretend this is about me not buying you the Starsky & Hutch DVD's for your birthday. If there's a difference, then please, tell me how we can avoid another disaster like the one that just happened out there."

James had no defense. He sighed again and stared at the lockers in front of him. In the past, James would have yelled back, they both would have gotten their aggression out and the problem would be solved. This quiet James was way worse. It meant there was a real underlying problem to deal with beyond the moment. It took the fire out of Miles' furnace. He didn't have it in him to keep admonishing his partner when he was like this.

"Fuckin' sad sack." Miles said, in a way that only Miles could make it sound sympathetic. "Flipping out on perps isn't going to solve your problems."

"I know." James grumbled.

"Do you?" Miles challenged. "I still remember GirlfriendGate 2006."

A look of disgust came over James' face, as if he were offended at the very mention.

"That was different, come on."

"A different situation can yield the same result."

James looked up at his friend. "Why am I suddenly the one being interrogated here?"

"Because you apparently had a visit from the douche fairy last night."

James snorted, smiling in spite of himself.

"Ahh," Miles grumbled dismissively. "I worry about you, buddy. More importantly, I worry about me. Who am I gonna partner with if you get your badge taken away? Jenkins? Do me a favor and shoot me in the face with my own service weapon before you leave."

"I'm not gonna have my badge taken away." James said, tired and patronizing.

"It almost happened last time." Miles tried to remind him.

"There's no 'last time' for this, Miles!" James insisted. "'Last time,' it was because I couldn't get out of a bad situation."

"Wouldn't." Miles corrected. "You wouldn't get out of the bad situation."

"Beside the point." said James, not eager for a trip down memory lane. Missing Juliet was bad enough, he didn't need to drudge up forgotten problems of the past. "It's ancient history." he reminded his partner.

"I get it," said Miles. "I really do. The element that balances your delicate chakra is out of town. Your energy is all out of whack. The feng shui of your soul is trapping all the anger and frustration and it's causing you to act out."

"I love it when you go all New Age on me, Straume."

"I will buy the most bless'd healing crystal if it means you won't fuck up my cases, Ford."

"You mean it, Straumey?"

"Double, triple, quadruple-to-infinity mean it."

"How nice." James smiled mirthlessly. "Do we suck each other's dicks now?"

"No, James. That would be cheating. You have so much to learn about this relationship stuff."

James stood up, as if to say Enough of this sad sack bullshit, indicating that he was ready to return to the land of the level-headed.

"Did Abbadon notice what happened?" James asked.

"Who gives a fuck?" Miles asked in all earnestness as they left the locker room together. James chuckled and clapped him hard on the back, cracking a genuine smile at his partner's surly comments. James may have flown off the handle every once in a while, but it took real talent to keep it simmering just below the surface at all times like Miles.

Juliet looked both ways before driving her car out of the Mittelos parking lot and onto the city road. Life was treating them well, no reason to get in a horrible car accident now.

"I think..." Juliet said slowly as she merged into traffic. "Richard still wants to date me."

"Uh oh." Rachel looked at her sister, curiosity piqued. "Why do you say that?"

"Well..." Juliet hesitated again, still working out the details in her mind. "He invited me out to dinner." she confessed.

"Okay, that's a pretty clear signal."

"Except, he invited Charlotte at the same time. So, not so clear."

"Charlotte's the redhead, right?"

"Right. And she's married to Daniel Faraday."

"Hm..." Rachel nodded, assimilating the information. "Patient woman."

Juliet smirked at the commentary. "He invited both of us, but she declined, so he turned to me. I used you as an excuse, by the way."

Rachel smiled. "You know you're always welcome to."

"It seemed innocent enough, you know? He wanted to make up for the fact that he wasn't around all week."

"Yeah, it could go either way."

"It wasn't just the invitation, though. He was sort of...touching me the entire time."

Rachel's brow furrowed. "...Touching you?"

"When he led me down the hall to her office, his hand was on my back the whole time. And then really lightly on my elbow. It wasn't creepy or anything, just..."

"Is he a 'hands on' kind of guy?" Rachel asked.

Juliet laughed. "I don't know, I think he's just really friendly. After he left, Charlotte said he really is a nice guy. They seem to know each other pretty well. But she also said he's not so good at taking a hint."

"Everybody wants you, Juliet." Rachel teased.

"Yeah," Juliet said with extra sarcasm. "Even my ex-husband won't let me go."

"Ugh," Rachel made an automatic sound of disgust. "No. Why are we suddenly talking about him?"

"I don't know." Juliet groaned. "It's being back in this environment. I keep expecting him to jump out from around every corner -"

"Like the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?"

"Oh my god." Juliet said with utter seriousness, because she found the comparison far too apt.

"Except the children are young, female med students?" Rachel elaborated.

"I hate you for saying that, but yes. I was going to say I keep expecting him to jump out from around every corner with an intern hanging from his dick."

"Ohh!" Rachel giggled. "That's a good one."

Juliet shook her head. "It's horrible."

"Yeah, but so is he."

"Anyway..." Juliet sighed. "I don't know what to do about Richard. I don't want him to keep hoping I'll change my mind, but there's no way to make it clear right now without sounding presumptuous. Like I expect him to want me."

"Does he even know you have a boyfriend?"

Juliet winced. "When he asked me out in Los Angeles, I told him I was seeing someone. But he knows I moved here alone."

"Because he made all the housing arrangements..."

"It's just so many potentially awkward things at once. I just want to work."

"Don't worry about it, Jules. When he asks you out -"

"If." Juliet corrected.

"When," Rachel stressed with a knowing smirk. "He asks you out, just make it clear that you're in a committed relationship. If he really is a nice guy, he'll understand."

Juliet nodded. It was the sensible thing to do.

"And if he's not," Rachel added. "He can go fuck himself."

Juliet chuckled. "I mean, if circumstances were completely different..."

"He's pretty hot." said Rachel, picking up on Juliet's implication right away.

"Not as hot as James." Juliet quickly added.

"Of course not!" Rachel agreed.

Juliet glanced at her sister, just long enough to seem mischievous. "You should go out with him." she suggested.

At that, Rachel made a stinky face. "Yeah, like I really want to go into that knowing I'm second choice. And that's assuming he'd even go for me, which is just...no."

"He did say he wants to show us the town."

"And you did promise James you wouldn't be alone with him."

Juliet pulled into the garage underneath their apartment complex, the one that Mittelos rented to temporary employees and patients that needed housing. They were neighbors now instead of roommates.

"I'm hoping it will be a big group thing." said Juliet. "Charlotte sort of manipulated him into taking the entire Biology department out to dinner."

Rachel sighed happily, if half-sarcastically. "I love your new job."

Around six o'clock in the evening, James convinced Miles to take a break for dinner. He also offered to pay, to make up for the botched interrogation earlier that day.

"Weinerschnitzel." Miles demanded immediately, and James had no argument there.

While Miles ordered for the both of them an amount of food that was sure to give them indigestion, James snuck away to a dark, quiet part of the parking lot and took out his phone.

On the other side of the country, nine o'clock Juliet time, she picked up his call. Before the first ring was over she was already smiling at the thought of hearing his voice.

"Hi." she greeted him, her voice soft and excited. All the stress of his day melted away for just a moment.

"Hey, baby."

He sounded so relieved. Even though he wasn't there to hold her, she still felt warmer talking to him.

"Sorry I didn't call earlier," said James. "We got a hot one today. Just broke away for a quick bite to eat."

"Dinner break, huh?" Juliet said. She knew that it meant they were nowhere near done for the day.

"Yeah, it's gonna be a late one. Gotta clean up a mistake."

"Aw, but James - you don't make mistakes."

James chuckled once, sadly. "Today I did."

Now he sounded upset with himself, really down. Juliet's heart felt heavier. She wanted to be there to comfort him somehow, even if it was just a back rub. But in the moment all she could do was listen.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I let Miles down." James put it simply. He didn't like talking too much about work details, especially when things weren't going his way. "And he wasn't even that mad at me, so now I feel extra bad."

"I'm sorry." Juliet said.

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked tenderly.

"I'm sorry I can't be there."

"Well," said James. "At this very moment. Miles is stuffing his face with corn dogs on my tab. We'll be fine. I'm just sorry we won't be able to have our usual night time chat."

"And here I was," Juliet said suggestively. "Ready to tell you all the things I'd do to your body if you were here..."

"Come on now, I'm in public." James said, though she could hear through the phone how it made him smile. One moment of imagining his dimples and she suddenly missed him so much that it hurt. "Are you in bed?" he asked.

"I'm on it." she said, a technicality. "I was reading."

"What are you wearing?" he asked, in spite of his warning.

Juliet grinned. She could see so clearly in her mind the smile on his face when he said it.

"You know the suit Anne Hathaway wears when she's Catwoman?" she asked.

James narrowed his eyes. "Yeah..."

"Yeah, not that." she clarified.

James chuckled. "We'll have to fix that one of these days."

"For now, I'm just wearing my normal PJ's."

"Wouldn't know what those look like." James said smugly. "You don't wear PJ's with me."

"What about you?" Juliet asked. "You keeping that gun in its holster?"

"That depends, which gun are we talkin' about?"

Miles had been waiting with the food on the other side of the parking lot, for as long as his lack of patience would allow. "Ford!" he shouted rudely. James turned with a mean scowl on his face and waved him toward the car.

"Do you need to go?" Juliet asked, having heard Miles' rude shout.

"Yeahhh..." James sighed, not ready to say goodbye. She may not have been wearing the cat suit, but that sexy kitten voice of hers was the only thing keeping him sane.

"I miss you." she said.

"Miss you more." James replied.

"Give Miles a big kiss for me."

"I will, right on the mouth."

Juliet giggled. "I love you."

"Love you too, baby."

Miles had his hands full of paper boats and a cardboard drink tray. When James got close to the car, Miles kicked the door impatiently, indicating that James had to unlock and open it for him.

"No phone sex for you." he said to James. In retaliation for his rude and childlike behavior, James took a few fries from the top of the pile of food and tossed them right at his partner's eye socket. "The fuck?!" Miles complained as he ducked his head. "I have no hands right now."

"Eat some of it!" James scolded him. "I thought you were hungry."

"I did eat some of it. This is the rest."

"Jesus, Straume."

James got into the driver's seat, finally acquiescing when Miles made no attempt to open the door on the passenger side. James leaned over and opened it from the inside, making sure to hit Miles in the side gut in the process.

"Okay!" Miles snapped as he quickly sat down. "We're both cranky. Here, eat a phallus."

James' stomach growled, and he took the trio of hot dogs from Miles without further complaint. At least for a few minutes. With a mouth full of processed meat, James gave Miles an exaggerated side-eyes glare.

"Next time you interrupt a phone call with Juliet, you get one of these dogs up the ass."

Miles loudly slurped the final sip of soda from his empty cup, knowing exactly how much the sound annoyed James. "You promise?" he asked when he was done.

"Quadruple-to-infinity, you little shit." said James. It made Miles smile.

Rachel sat with Juliet for a while after that, watching TV and chatting about their week. Hours later, when their yawns came frequently enough to make speech unintelligible, they laughed and admitted it was time for bed.

"No phone call?" Rachel asked on her way out, just realizing she'd had Juliet all to herself aside from the short phone call earlier that night.

Juliet shook her head. "He said he might be working really late. Really late. Sounded like Miles caught a shitty case."

Rachel got a funny feeling at the mention of his name, but she didn't let it show. It was still their little secret. They hadn't been in contact all week. It felt strange, since they'd been chatting almost every day in the weeks before the move, but it followed the casual pattern of their non-relationship. Rachel was trying to keep her distance, in case Miles wanted it that way.

"You know how they are at work," said Juliet. "Always there for each other. Even if they bicker the whole time."

I know, Miles told me all about it. Rachel thought. She held her tongue, offering a quiet chuckle instead. She'd have to tell Juliet about hooking up with Miles eventually, Rachel knew that. Especially if these funny feelings kept happening. Right now she was more comfortable denying anything real had happened. It was always easier that way.

"Good night, li'l sis." she said. She gave Juliet a kiss on the cheek.

"Sleep tight." Juliet replied.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite!" they both called out to each other a few moments later, as Rachel walked a few doors down to her own apartment.

So Miles was probably having a shitty day. To text, or not to text? That was Rachel's question. It was two in the morning where she was, for their sakes she hoped they would have stopped working by now.

Heard you're having a crap day - is it over yet?

Rachel sat down on her bed and debated how long she should wait before going to sleep. Miles sent a reply before she was done deciding.

FINALLY. it said. - what are you doing up so late?

standing vigil with Juliet... jk! we were just watching some trash tv

cool cool. are the doctors treating you ok? I can break some legs...

Rachel chuckled.

Aw :) It's going great. she typed. Miss me yet?

No doubt. It's boring without you.

You just miss the no-strings-attached sex.

Well DUH. But I miss our talks too :) buuuddy.

:) Did I ever tell you you're kind of cool?

Nope...I think your mouth was full last time I saw you

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her phone. Before she could reply, another message came through from Miles.

(I was implying that my penis was in your mouth)

She hadn't expected any less from him. Laughing, Rachel sent her reply.

WOW. Asshole :P

That was full too ;)

ok, now you're dreaming

jk, sorry

it's ok...you'll just have to make it up to me somehow. 0:)

Miles had completely forgotten his shitty day. He was sitting on his couch, smiling at Rachel's flirty text and trying to think of a dirty reply when he heard a knock at the door. The scowl returned to his face. James was already back from his beer run and, in the quiet apartment, his video game paused, Miles could hear the bathroom sink faucet running. It didn't matter who was at the door. Whoever it was, it was a person, and Miles generally disliked those.

The sooner he opened the door and told them to go away, the sooner they could go back to unwinding. It was probably just a neighbor asking them to turn the subwoofer down. That's what Miles told himself as he tucked his phone away and stood up. Noise complaints didn't happen often - since most other people in the building had exciting lives that involved going out on Friday nights - but once in a while...

Without looking through the peep hole, Miles swung the door open. The sight that greeted him was far beyond his worst expectations for a visitor in the night.

Kate was standing on their doorstep, with a small duffel bag slung over her shoulder and a deceptively happy smile on her face. The smile faltered when she saw it was Miles opening the door.

Well...at least I have the right address. she seemed to be thinking.

"Hi, Miles." she managed to say. He was surprised she could get the words out without clenching her teeth. Even when things had been good between James and Kate, Kate and Miles had never been able to get along.

Miles had no words. Slowly, very slowly, he closed the door. He stared at her face as it disappeared, as door and jamb met each other. He was really hoping it was all just a bad hallucination brought on by stress, and that the apparition would be gone when he opened the door again.

Then, he realized: he didn't have to open the door again. If he left it closed, the effect would be the same. Kate would eventually wander away, right? His words from earlier in the day - different situations can yield the same result - came back to him, and he almost laughed at how right he turned out to be.

James walked into the living room looking curious. "Who was it?"

Miles, who was still semi-frozen in confusion, turned to his roomie.

"...Mormons?"

Kate knocked again, three separate knocks far enough apart to sound sarcastic.

"Is James home?" she called through the door.

Miles stared at James, willing him not to hear the voice, or at least to not pay attention to it if Miles' psychic powers didn't work. Meanwhile, James' brow furrowed in confusion. Setting aside the fact that Miles was acting really weird - that was nothing new - what the hell was she doing at their door, this late on a Friday night? She didn't even live in LA anymore, at least as far as he knew, which was very little.

"Don't do it, man." Miles said as James walked toward him.

"Wouldja get outta the way?" James said in a hushed tone, gesturing toward the door. Miles raised his hands in surrender, or to keep them clean of whatever happened next, and backed off. James opened up, and Kate's expression transformed from one of annoyance to one that bordered on adoration.

"Hi." she said.

James made for a much more welcoming sight than his cranky roommate. No matter what had happened between them, there was a part of James that would not allow him to hate her. Despite the furrow in his brow, the obvious confusion and lack of invitation, the cold rejection she received from Miles was replaced by a softer sympathy in her ex-boyfriend's eyes. Still, he had to ask.

"...What are you doing here?"