Derek hadn't really said when exactly he would call, but as the morning ticked by, there was no phone call. Had he lost her number" Had he had second thoughts" Had he not made it home safely"

To be fair, Holli hadn't been waiting by the phone all morning. She'd spent her time in her secondary location, working on decrypting the information she had swiped the night before. But as the morning ticked over into the afternoon, she found herself wondering why he hadn't called. He hadn't given her his number, but ....A few minutes of industrious hacking later, and she was flicking through the security feed in the building where he worked, looking for him.

As an investigative reporter, he didn't have his own office. His was just one desk among many in the newsroom, which was mostly deserted on a Saturday morning. If she looked hard enough, she might find him hunched over his desk, scrolling through something on his computer screen that she couldn't quite make out.

"There you are," she murmured to herself, checking to make sure the time was synced up correctly. "Busy little bee."

Smiling to herself, she shut everything down, grabbing her jacket as she slipped out of the basement, locking it up securely behind her.

Little did he know he was being watched, but in a way, so was she. He was carefully studying the security camera feed from the break in at Logicorp the previous night. It wasn't much to go on, but there was something strangely familiar in the way the intruder moved. He'd been so involved in digging through the clues that he'd lost all track of time, the remains of a bagel and half-empty cup of coffee on his desk, as forgotten as the time.

It was probably just as well he was so absorbed, though it likely came as a shock when Jake, one of the security guards, called out to him from a short distance away.

"Hey, Derek. Didn't you have a date to get to' I ask because there's a pretty blonde downstairs trying to tell me you got her pregnant and she intends to force you into marriage today."

Derek blinked, his concentration broken as he was drawn away from his thoughts. "Yeah, but not for ..." He trailed off, as he glanced at his watch. "Shit. I'm late," he murmured, as he shut his computer down. "Where'd you leave her?"

"She doesn't have a pass, she doesn't get in," Jake reminded him with a grin. "She's by the security desk. Doesn't seem too pissed, if that helps."

He dumped the remains of his breakfast into the garbage and moved to his feet, shrugging his jacket on over his shoulders. At least today, he was dressed casually in a gray shirt, blue jeans, and black leather jacket. "Thanks, Jake. See you later."

"Will do," Jake agreed, ambling after him more slowly. "Don't get distracted while you're on your date. You don't take enough time off!"

"The only thing that's gonna distract me today is a pretty blonde," he promised, tossing the other man a mock salute as he made his way from the newsroom.

Said pretty blonde was leaning on the security desk when he got down there, hair down, soft pink sweater under a brown leather jacket of her own, black jeans and wedge heeled boots.

Holli grinned as Derek came into view. "Hey, handsome. Did you forget me?"

"Who could ever forget you?" he said, the first real smile on his face that day as he moved close to greet her with a brief but soft kiss, hoping he didn't get a slap for it. "Sorry, I must have lost track of time. Guess you didn't have any trouble finding me though, huh' Resourceful girl."

She grinned into his kiss. "Well, you do have this kind of minimal celebrity thing going on," she pointed out. "And you gave me a clue about where you might be. I guess I thought the risk of dropping by was worth it."

"Not much of a risk. This place is as quiet as a morgue on the weekend," he told her. Not quite a morgue, but the weekend crew was much smaller than the norm.

"The risk was more than you might not be here," she pointed out with a smile. "C'mon, let's get you out from under the fluorescent lighting. It does nothing for your complexion."

"Where else would I be?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders. At least, during the day. There were things she didn't know, at least not yet. "How do you feel about lunch' I'm starving." Big surprise from the guy who seemed to have a bad habit of forgetting to eat, though he didn't look like he was starving himself.

"Did you finish breakfast?" she asked, raising a brow in an affectionately accusatory manner.

Behind the desk, the other security guard hastily turned a laugh into a clearly false coughing fit.

"If you call a bagel and coffee breakfast," he replied, lifting a hand to silence her before she could scold him. "I did eat!" he was quick to point out.

"Did you finish it, or did you eat half and then forget it was there, Mr. Buys Chinese At Midnight?" she asked impishly, tucking her arm through his. She was perfectly aware that he hadn't finished his breakfast, but she wasn't going to call him on that. She was having too much fun teasing him.

"Can I plead the Fifth?" he asked, which was as good as admitting he was guilty as charged. He shot a look at the security guard, who seemed amused by the situation, as if to say, "Not a word," with only a look.

"You need looking after," Holli chuckled. "C'mon, Hungry Hippo, let's get you fed before I bowl you into infinity and beyond."

He chuckled at her insistence on taking care of him, but didn't bother to argue. "Okay, Buzz," he replied, since she'd quoted Buzz Lightyear. "I did promise you pizza," he reminded her.

"You did," she agreed. "And you very nearly stood me up. How many damsels have to come looking for their prince because he lost track of the time? If Rapunzel had to wait for you, she'd have grown enough hair to climb out that window on her own."

Yes, she was definitely teasing him, and it was definitely amusing the security guard even as they walked away.

"Feed me meat, I will always be happy." Apparently she had a definite preference in that department. "What about you, what colors do you like?"

"I don't know," he replied with a thoughtful frown. "I mean, I tend to like neutral colors, but those aren't really colors, are they?" His jacket was black, his shirt gray, and his car white, just to name a few, but that didn't mean he didn't have a favorite. "I guess if I had to pick one, it would be blue."

"Like your eyes, huh?" She smiled to herself for a moment, before realizing she might actually have said that out loud. "Not that you stare longingly into your own eyes, I assume. I mean, it's fine if you do, it's just weird."

He laughed again. "I do not stare into my own eyes. Do you?" he asked, turning his head to look at her briefly. "Besides, aren't your eyes blue, too?"

"Probably?" She laughed at her own answer. "They spend a lot of time behind glasses, I tend not to look at them too often. Sweet that you absorbed that so quick, though."

"Well, I can see them better than you can," he said, even if her eyes were behind glasses. Unlike some men, he didn't seem to mind the fact that she wore glasses either. "Do you ever wear contacts?" he asked, merely curious.

"When I have to," she said. "They're not that comfortable to wear, and I've lost a few pairs in random bathrooms in the past. It's just easier to stick with the glasses, you know?"

"I was just curious," he told her, hoping he hadn't offended her with the question. "They look good on you. The glasses, I mean." There wasn't much that didn't look good on her, as far as he could tell.

"Thanks." Her response and smile were completely genuine, unused to getting compliments that revolved around the one thing that usually put guys off from showing an interest in her.

"Here we are," he said, as he pulled the car into a parking lot behind a building with a sign that said "Pizza Paradise". "Best pizza in town," he told her as he parked the car.

"I'm impressed," Holli said as the car came to a halt. "You've brought me somewhere I've never been before. Although, to be fair, I don't really go out to eat much."

"And I probably go out too much," he admitted, though from the looks of him,, he didn't seem to be suffering much from it.

She laughed. "It doesn't show," she assured him. "You must work out like a demon." A slow, appreciative smile curved her lips as she looked him over. "I should get you to do a salmon ladder for me sometime. Bare-chested, of course. A muscled back is supremely sexy."

"A salmon ladder?" he echoed curiously. "Is that the one where you climb a ladder doing pull-ups?" he asked, for lack of a better way to describe it. "Yeah, that's nuts."

"Yeah." She nodded cheerfully. "Burns like hell, but so worth it." She knew she was dropping hints about what she did to stay fit herself, but she also knew he had to have noticed how well toned her arms were last night.

"That sounds like a challenge to me," he said with a grin. "So, ready for the best pizza in town?" he asked, as he shut the engine off, his stomach growling a little too loudly.

"Ready for you to prove that claim, sure," she countered with a grin. "I'll even let you order, so long as you don't try and make me eat anchovies."

"I hear they're good for you, but I'll pass," he said, as he pushed open the door and climbed out of the car, pocketing his keys. The smell of pizza fixings wafted their way, making his stomach only growl all the more.

Climbing out on the other side, Holli rolled her eyes. "Fish does not belong on pizza," she said firmly. "There are much better ways to eat fish than by defiling a perfectly good pizza with it."

"Agreed," he said as he came around the car to join her. "So, what do you like on your pizza?" he asked, despite the fact that she was letting him order.

"I am both boring and classic," she said, tucking her hands into her pockets as she looked up at him. "I like a good meaty pepperoni."

"Classic it is," he said, reaching for her hand to lead the way into the pizzeria. She had taken his arm, after all, so he didn't think she'd protest.

Freeing her hand as he reached for it, she linked her fingers with his without even a suggestion of protest, content to be lead. Out of habit, her eyes were marking the area with keen, guarded interest, noting exits, hiding places, cameras. It only took a few seconds, but she knew everything she needed to know about the location by the time they walked in through the door.

"Hey, Tony!" Derek greeted the man behind the counter as they stepped inside. "This is Holli. It's her first time here," he told the man.

Tony - who seemed to be in his 50s with his hair just starting to gray at the temples - flashed a grin at Holli. "Nice to meet you, Holli," the man replied. "And welcome to our little corner of the city."

A part of her was not surprised to find that Derek knew the guy in charge behind the counter, her lips parting in a bright smile as she was greeted. "Thank you for the welcome, Tony," she answered. "It's a pleasure to meet you. How do you know Tall, Dark, and Hungry here?"

"This guy?" Tony asked, regarding Derek with a chuckle. "He used to deliver pizzas for me, once upon a time."

"Hey, delivering pizzas helped put me through college," Derek pointed out. It seemed apparent from the conversation that Tony owned the place.

"Good work ethic?" Holli asked Tony with a teasing smile. "I gotta know if I'm going to get my money's worth, after all." She squeezed Derek's hand, just in case he didn't realize she was teasing him.

Tony chuckled again. "Works too hard, if you ask me. Maybe you can convince him there's more to life than work."

"Hi, Derek," a female voice interrupted. "Who's your new girlfriend?"

He was not an easy man to read, that was for certain, but Holli was enjoying the challenge of deciding what was real and what was not. She had suspicions, but nothing concrete, and nothing had yet shaken the sense of safety she felt around him. She was about to say something more when that unexpected voice interrupted, turning her head to see who it was.

For perhaps the first time since they'd met, Derek's usually unflappable exterior failed. He frowned, and blew out an exasperated sigh. "Holli, this is Tina. Tiny, Holli. Tina is my ex- girlfriend. Very ex," he said without apology. There was no point in lying.

Holli's brows rose, absorbing the very firm definition of this woman as his ex. So she's trouble, huh" She twisted in her seat, offering the other woman an almost obnoxiously friendly smile and her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Tina," she said, as perfectly warm and sweet as the best apple pie.

"I'm sure it is," Tina replied with a slightly more predatory grin. Unlike Holli, she was dark-haired, but the shade of auburn she was wearing looked more like it came from a bottle than from nature. She was pretty, in a Barbie doll sort of way, but whatever attraction Derek had once had for her had waned a long time ago.

"What are you doing here, Tina?" Derek asked, just barely maintaining his composure.

"Waiting for a pizza. Same as you," the woman replied, reaching for a chair. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Actually, we do," Derek was quick to reply.

The tension in Derek's frame was a little concerning to Holli, but she hid that concern as she studied Tina. The woman was dressed to impress, certainly, but to impress who' Was she here to try and convince him to leave with her, or was she here to try her hand at making him regret the end of their relationship"

"Is it normal to invite yourself to someone else's date?" she asked innocently.

"I told you - I'm waiting for my pizza, just like you are," the brunette pointed out, narrowing her eyes at Holli's implied challenge.

"There's a whole restaurant to wait in," Derek pointed out. He was trying very hard not to make a scene, especially here, but he and his ex were obviously not on good terms.

"But Derry-darling, it's been so long!" Tina said, pouting.

Ah. Now that the gauntlet had been laid down, Holli couldn't help laughing to herself, leaning back more comfortably in her chair. There was no challenge here.

"I've missed you," the brunette purred, leaning closer, though she didn't dare touch him, not with her watching.

"Tina!" another voice called from somewhere behind them. "Stop bothering the customers! Your pizza is ready."

The brunette bit her lip, her pout deepening. "We're only talking, Uncle Tony!" she called back.

Unfortunately for Derek, Holli was not about to insert herself into this "conversation". Tina seemed like an idiot she didn't want to have to deal with unless it was absolutely necessary and besides, she didn't think Tony or Derek would be happy to see the brunette with a black eye any time soon.

"Come get your order before I toss it in the trash!" Tony called from the counter.

Tina huffed, obviously used to getting her way, though it seemed she wasn't about to get it today. "Call me sometime, Derry. I miss you," she said, before turning to Holli with a bright grin, as if nothing at all had just happened. "Nice to meet you, Holli! Good luck!" she said, wiggling her fingers in farewell before flouncing away to collect her pizza.

"Oh, the pleasure is mine, Tina," Holli replied, her smile just as friendly as before. She watched the woman walk out of earshot before turning a smile that was decidedly more amused onto Derek. "She screams bunny boiler."

"Thankfully, I don't have a bunny," Derek replied in a quiet voice. His gaze tracked his ex-girlfriend until she could no longer be seen or heard. "Sorry about that," he said, as he turned back to Holli and away from the past.

"Don't be." She chuckled, dismissing the little interaction easily enough. "You okay' You went tight as a guitar string for a couple of minutes there."

"Tina and I broke up years ago, but she still seems convinced that we're going to end up together, as soon as I come to my senses," he told her with a sad shake of his head. "I have told her more than once that it's over, but every time I run into her, that happens."

"She'll get the hint eventually," Holli assured him. "Maybe when you're a granddad." She flashed him a teasing grin and a wink.

"Let's hope it's way before that," Derek said, still frowning. He couldn't do much to change the things that had happened in his past, but he was still in control of his future.

"Sorry about Tina," Tony interrupted, as he brought out their pizza. "She's a bit of a spoiled brat, but she won't cause you any trouble."

"Is there a limit to how far I'm allowed to go to prevent any trouble she might try to cause?" Holli asked sweetly. She knew perfectly well that she looked harmless. Sometimes being 5'3", blonde, and smiley definitely worked to her advantage.

"I'd set the limit at murder. Just don't tell me the details," Tony replied, with a wink that told her he was kidding - mostly, anyway. "What Tina really needs is a boyfriend. You know anyone willing to date a psycho?" he asked her.

She laughed, tucking her hair behind her ear and absently pushing her glasses up her nose with her thumb. "Not without a truly huge bribe, sadly."

"She's not psychotic," Derek pointed out. "She's just very high maintenance."

Derek didn't think unionization was a bad thing, necessarily, but it was hardly something to get someone killed. There had to be more to it than that. He arched a brow at her suggestion. "You think they killed him because he was generous?"

"I didn't know much about what he was doing," she admitted. "But he was making plans to open up a homeless shelter, and a fund for impoverished kids to go to college, that sort of thing. As soon as he was out of the way, all that stopped."

"Why would someone want to kill him over that?" Derek asked, not really expecting an answer. It didn't make sense to him. All those things were good for the city; it had to go deeper than that.

She shook her head. "It eats into profits?" she suggested. "Maybe they wanted the land he was using" Who knows" I'm pretty sure they wanted his influence on the city gone, that's all, whoever they are."

Derek turned quiet a moment as he contemplated something. Had her father known his father" Had they been killed by the same people" He didn't want to suggest anything yet, but it was worth looking into. He fell silent so long she might have worried she'd broken him.

She drew her hands up under her chin, watching him for a moment. "How to kill the mood on a date, by Holliday Carr," she murmured dryly. "Sorry. I guess I shouldn't be so open and honest about my tragic back-story so soon, huh?"

Derek blinked, her voice drawing him back out of his thoughts. "Sorry, I was just thinking," he said, though that much was obvious.

"This city sucks in a lot of ways, but it's full of good people," she said, reaching over to gently chuck his chin with her finger. "I'm looking at one of them right now."

He smiled, a little amused at her assessment of him. "Says the woman who's known me for a little over twenty-four hours."

"Sometimes you just know," was her mysterious reply, accompanied by an almost innocent smile as she took up another slice.

"Either that or my reputation precedes me," he teased, eyes crinkling as he smiled. The only reputation he had in this city was as that of an investigative reporter who was known for being annoyingly persistent in looking into the seedy underbelly of the city, not unlike his father before him, though he'd chosen other methods.

"Could be both," she teased back. "Maybe I'm a PI in disguise, who knows?" If she was, she was probably the worst one in existence. It was hard to blend in, even when wearing her glasses.

He chuckled. "I'm practically a PI. Same skill set, anyway," he pointed out, except he had to report on what he found, rather than merely turn it over to someone for profit. He studied her a moment, as if contemplating something. "You'd do okay as a PI. Who knows" You could be investigating me right now."

"If I am, I'm doing a bad job of it," she pointed out cheerfully. "You know more about me than I know about you, Mr. Constantly Dodging Questions."

"Ah, my nickname keeps getting longer. First I was Mr. Doesn't Eat Breakfast, now I'm Mr. Constantly Dodging Questions." Or something like that anyway. He smirked. Anything he wanted her to know about him was easy enough to find out, but he didn't think that was what she meant. "I've decided my favorite author is Stephen King. Does that help?" he teased.

"A little late, but I'll take it," she said, laughing a little. "Besides, you started out as Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Got a problem with that one?"

"Tall, sure," he replied, with a grin. "Not so sure about the dark and handsome." Whether he was or not was not for him to decide, but if she thought he was, who was he to argue"

"What, you don't like being referred to as the romance classic rogue and seducer's favorite descriptor?" Holli flashed him a warm smile again, her mood restored with just a little lighter conversation.

"I'm not exactly Heathcliff," Derek pointed out. "God, I hope I'm not Heathcliff!" he added with a chuckle, as he took up another slice of pizza.

"Oh, please don't be a Heathcliff," she laughed with him, shaking her head. "I am definitely not a Cathy! I prefer to think of myself as a Jane Bennett - pretty and destined for a happy life."

"Mm, Jane" You strike me as more of a Elizabeth, but that would make me Darcy," he remarked. Apparently, he was familiar with at least some of literature's classics. Either that, or he'd seen the film versions.

"Darcy's not a bad one to be associated with," she pointed out. "He has smarts, looks, money, and a big estate." She stuck her tongue out at him, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly.

"Well, that counts me out," he said, chuckling again. "Besides, that would make you a gold-digger, and you don't strike me as the type." Not to mention, she probably had more money than he did.

"I'm not hurting, in that regard," she admitted. What was the point in hiding it' "You think Lizzie Bennett is a gold-digger?"

"I think Lizzie Bennett's parents wished she was a gold-digger," he replied. "Does that count?" He took another bite of his pizza, a big enough bite that he was unable to add anything to that just yet.

"That doesn't make her a gold-digger," she mused. "But you're not wrong. She's just as eager to marry her sister off to someone rich so she doesn't have to do it herself."

"I have to admit, I've never really seen the appeal of that book anyway. Too many words, not enough plot," he said.

"Please don't tell me you prefer Dickens to Austen," she said, daring him to do just that. "He has too much plot, not enough character."

"Dickens?" he echoed, feigning a snore. "Don't get me wrong. I know he's a great writer, but he puts me to sleep." Was he really discussing literature on a second date?

"Okay, that we can agree on," she assured him. "Although I do like some of the adaptations of Christmas Carol, they can be pretty cool."

"I started out with ballet, but I didn't really take to it," she said, surprised by how animated she seemed just talking about this. "Kinda moved sideways into tap and modern, and then got bored with that. You're either in a group or you're on your own, there's no real sense of connection, you know" So I ended up joining this salsa group, and dancing with a load of old men and women, and I loved it. There's something about having a partner, you know?"

"Is that something you'd like to try again?" he asked. "Maybe with a partner who isn't so gray-haired?" he added with a smirk, making a mental note of these things to go back to later

"You know, I think I might," she said, unaware of just how soft her smile was as she said this. "With the right partner." Drawing in a deep breath, she met his gaze once again. "What about you, what do you do for fun?"

"Not much these days," he said. His schedule seemed to be as busy, if not busier than hers, which left little room for such things as hobbies. When he did have free time, he usually used it to catch up on TV or movies or reading before collapsing into bed, but he used to have hobbies, once upon a time. "I never took dancing, but I'm willing to try just about anything once."

"There are plenty of ways to dance. Doesn't always have to be to music." She blinked, rolling her eyes. "For once, I did not mean sex, but that's what it sounded like."

He laughed. "I have no idea how to dance without music," he admitted, unsure how one would even go about doing that. Though he was not a trained dancer, he didn't think he had two left feet either.

"Well, you know, a lot of martial arts use the same muscles in similar ways," she told him. "I mean, really good masters have a grace that is so fluid and graceful, it's almost hard to believe they could kill you with any one of their chosen moves."

Okay, she had him there, and that guess came a little too close to the mark. Then again, they were supposed to be sharing interests. She would likely know from the look on his face that he was guilty as charged, but it wasn't something he liked to brag about. "I might know a little about martial arts," he admitted.

"Yeah, I know a little, too," she allowed. "It's the way you move. Everything is under control, even the smallest motion. Poise and grace, you know?"

"Right," he said, wondering if she'd noticed that about him, like he'd noticed it about her. He hadn't thought much about it until now though. "I used to play soccer in school. My mother begged me not to play football. She thought it was too dangerous." This was the first time he'd mentioned his family in conversation.

"You know, I never understood the obsession with football," Holli mused. "You must have been good at soccer, though. Did your mom watch your games?"

"Yeah, she was my biggest fan. She used to come to every game," he replied, picking up his tea to take a sip, as if avoiding the subject of his mother.

She caught the past tense, and the defensive sip of his tea, nodding slowly. "Is that why you stopped?" she asked gently, fairly sure she was on the money with this one. "Because she couldn't come anymore?"

"I stopped because I grew up," he told her. He wasn't in high school anymore, after all, or even college. Other things had taken the place of sports in his life, though it could be argued that his parents' deaths had been a big part of that.

"All right, I won't press," she assured him gently. "So what do you think we should do together, two people who have no hobbies?"

He let the subject go, not only because she wasn't pressing him for details, but because he simply wasn't ready to talk about it yet. "I don't know," he replied. "Maybe we should look into dance classes," he suggested. Most of his other interests weren't the kind that made for good dates - or so he thought.

"Or we could find a dojo and spar," she suggested playfully, not expecting him to take her up on that. Most men assumed that their superior size gave them an advantage over her that meant she might get hurt, after all.

He chuckled at her suggestion, but at least he was smiling again. "We could, but I think maybe we should start with dancing." He had no idea what her skill level was, but he didn't want to hurt her.

"But today, we bowl," she said. "I am determined embarrass myself in front of you as early as possible so we get that out of the way first."

He chuckled. "I'm just as likely as you to embarrass myself. I haven't bowled in years," he admitted. So, why were they going bowling then" Because it was the first thing that had popped into his head when he'd asked her, and it sounded like fun. When was the last time he'd had fun"

"So let's embarrass ourselves," she said, her smile growing. "Who says a date has to show off all the best sides first' I maintain the best part of knowing someone is learning how and why they laugh."

"That sounds like a plan," he said, as he finished off his third slice of pizza, which hardly made up for breakfast, but it was a start.

"The best laid plans of mice and men," she said, but her smile didn't seem entirely comfortable all of a sudden. She'd heard the door close behind the last customer to leave, but there were a couple of men in a booth who seemed to be ....edgy. She didn't like it.

"Often go awry," he said, completing the quote with a chuckle. In its entirety, that thought didn't bode well for their date, but he didn't think much about it, until he noticed the look on her face. "What is it?"

"Just a feeling." She shrugged, raising a hand into her hair to shake the length for a moment, but her eyes flickered in the direction of the two men in the booth across from them. A sensible person would call 911. She was not known for being sensible.

He followed her gaze to the men in the booth across from them. He'd noticed them already and was keeping an eye on them, but so far, nothing had happened, and he wondered if he was just being paranoid. Either they were up to no good, or they just looked like they were.

"Might be nothing," he told her quietly. Then again, it might be something, in which case, it was probably good he was there.

Now that the danger seemed to have passed, Derek seemed pretty nonchalant about it, albeit hungry, but not so nonchalant not to notice that Holli was a little on edge. "You okay?" he asked, a concerned expression on his face.

She shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck. "Just ....wondering if they were on their own," she admitted. "And not that excited about being interrogated, to be honest."

"Well, we haven't seen anyone else, so that would be my assumption," Derek reasoned. "Don't worry about the police. We're the good guys, and no one got hurt."

"I guess." She shrugged again, wrapping her hands about her elbows. "I don't like how violent this city has become. This never would have happened a few years ago."

"Things have changed. It will take time for things to get better, but they will," he said, optimistically. After all, who wanted to believe the opposite was true"

She smiled faintly. "That's a nice dream," she agreed. "Who knows" It could happen, with the right people in the right places."

"Why do you think I do what I do?" he asked her, in reference to his day job. She did not yet know what he did besides that.

"Because you're a good man trying to make the world a better place?" she suggested. "Trying to work within the system to fix it."

He smiled at her assessment of him, though she didn't know him that well yet. "I'm trying," he said. "Do or do not, isn't that how the saying goes?" he teased.

She snorted with laughter. "Aren't you a little short to be a Jedi hermit?" she asked impishly, but she was beginning to relax. That alone was a surprise; she'd never been able to come down from the adrenaline high that fast.

"A little too tall maybe," he replied with a grin, glad he'd been able to break the tension and make her laugh. She'd been wound tighter than an antique wristwatch with broken springs. Thankfully, he wasn't as jittery as she was. After all, in his line of work, he was accustomed to talking to the cops; but this time, it would be them interviewing him, rather than the other way around.

"Reese!" a voice called, as two blue-suited men with badges pushed through the door to the pizzeria. "Have you been causing trouble again?"

"Hey, Jake. Nope, just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Derek said, relaxing a little to find the cops who'd been dispatched were ones that he was acquainted with.

"Again?" Holli raised a brow at Derek as he was greeted by the approaching cops, curiosity warring with admiration in her gaze for a moment before she settled her expression. Now was the time to bring out the best lies of omission she could present.

"Yeah, this guy is a real troublemaker," the policeman who apparently went by the name of Jake smirked. "Better get out now while you still have a chance!" In the meantime, his partner had gone behind the counter to talk to Tony and get his side of things.

"Maybe I like trouble." Pushing herself from her lean, she straightened her shoulders. "Let's get to it, huh?"

"I need to take your statements," Jake said, getting right down to business. There was also the matter of arresting the suspects, once they regained consciousness enough to be read their rights.

This wasn't a side of herself she had particularly wanted to show off to Derek quite so soon in their relationship, but Holli didn't really have a choice here. Her answers were informative but vague, giving just enough detail to explain the injuries without openly stating that she had engaged in the fighting at all. She was clearly accustomed to fudging the truth around the police.

Derek didn't even bother to lie, as there was no point in it. He merely shrugged and said they'd gotten lucky, and the cops could only concur. They were both warned to leave the crime-fighting to the police and told to stick around town in case they were needed again for questioning, but that was that.

Released, they made sure Tony was going to be okay before they left the pizzeria, and Holli found herself tucking under Derek's arm, feeling the need for a little reassurance. "Well, it's a memorable date."

"A little too memorable," Derek replied, though thankfully no one had been hurt, except the thugs. "I'm not sure I feel like going bowling now though. What do you think?"

"I don't think so," she agreed softly. "Any ideas?" Her arm had crept about his waist as she looked up at him, curious and serious but very sure she didn't want to just end their date right now.

He drew an arm around her shoulders, where she had conveniently tucked herself against him, a smile on his face that was almost mischievous. "Do you trust me?"

"That question automatically makes me suspicious, but ..." She studied that mischievous look on his face and felt herself smile in answer. "Yeah, I trust you."

"We'll have to drive though," he told her, as the place he was thinking about taking her was not in walking distance to where they currently were. "It's not far, but too far to walk."

"You're the one with the car," she pointed out, her smile relaxing once more. "That cheeky look on your face suggests this plan of yours might be fun."

"Bowling is fun, too, but I think we've had enough excitement for one day," he said. He thought what he had in mind was still fun, but not quite as physically challenging as bowling or taking out a couple of thugs.

"I'm not that delicate," she protested, though she was taking advantage of having him right there to indulge in a little feminine insecurity right now.

"I never said you were," he told her, not wanting to argue. He led her back toward the car, turning to face her once they were there, his arms going around her waist. "You were very brave in there," he told her.

"Aren't you always good?" he asked, teasing her again. He had neither denied nor confirmed their destination, but he knew he couldn't keep it a secret much longer.

"Sometimes I'm wicked," she offered impishly. "There are occasions when that is much more appropriate than just good."

"So bad you're good?" he said, smirking. She really was too easy and too much fun to tease.

"If I was arrogant, I'd say I'm never bad," she mused with an audible grin. "But instead, I'm just going to say I'm never boring."

"I believe it," he said, though he didn't specify which claim he was referring to. "You like animals?" he asked, turning to her as he stopped the car at an intersection. "I suppose the zoo is not the most romantic place for a second date."

"I love animals," she admitted without hesitation. "And it all depends on your definition of romance. I mean, some people would say that fighting crime together is romantic."

He chuckled. "Is that what we just did?" he asked, regarding their little adventure back at the pizzeria. Little did she know what he did for his night job.

"They were committing crime and we fought back," Holli pointed out cheerfully. "Power couple, remember?"

"Right, I forgot," he said, smirking again as he continued to drive, their destination obvious now that they were so close.

She rolled her eyes, laughing a little at his coyness. "What's the matter, do you think you should be wearing tights for that sort of thing?"

He laughed. "That will be the day," he murmured sarcastically, as he turned the car to pull into the parking lot. Hopefully, it wasn't too crowded today.

"Never say never," she teased playfully. The childlike excitement that had been rising in her since she'd guessed they were going to the zoo was palpable now - an innocent happiness bubbling up that almost certainly confirmed that he had made the right decision.

"I definitely say never about wearing tights," he assured her without a doubt. "Do I look like Superman to you?" As far as Derek was concerned, he wouldn't be caught dead - or alive - in a pair of tights.

"I don't know, I haven't seen you rip your shirt off yet," she reminded him in an impish tone. She didn't wait for him to be the gentleman this time, pulling off her seatbelt and opening the door to let herself out, practically bouncing on her toes as she looked over at the entrance to the zoo.

"I'm not the one ..." he started, but before he could finish she was already out the door. "....wearing glasses," he murmured to himself. He couldn't help but smile at her excitement though. "I guess the zoo isn't such a bad idea after all," he said as he joined her.

She laughed, shaking her head at her own silly excitement. "Sorry, I just ....I remember going to the zoo with my parents when I was little, and loving it every time, and ..." She shrugged. "I haven't been for years. Not sure why not."

"Don't apologize," he told her. "I can't remember the last time I was here either." He reached for her hand, without even thinking about it, to lead the way to the entrance. "I wonder if it's changed much." He thought it must have, since it had been ages since he'd been there.

She didn't seem to think twice about it herself, sliding her fingers between his as she skipped along to match her pace to his own. She could smell the enclosures already, hear the chattering of the small primates closer to the entrance, smiling brightly all the while. "Are you going to find me a pretty stone, like a penguin?"

"A pretty stone?" he asked, brows arching upwards. From the look on his face, he obviously wasn't sure what she was referring to.

Laughing, Holli squeezed his hand. "You know, some penguins have this courting thing where the male finds the smoothest, prettiest stone he can find, and if the female likes it, they mate for life," she explained cheekily.

He laughed. "I think the human version of that is probably a diamond." As they reached the ticket booth, he had to let go of her hand briefly to pay the entrance fee and then they were hand in hand again and going through the turnstiles.

"Who wants a diamond to be like everyone else?" she countered, clearly unimpressed by the idea of a shiny gemstone. "We can go Dutch, you know - this is more expensive than bowling."

"It's okay. I do earn a salary, you know," he teased, lightly nudging her arm with an elbow. "So, where to first?" he asked, as he tried to get his bearings.

How quickly the memories came back, even after a decade or more. Holli gave him a tug to the left, automatically following the recommended pathway even without a guidebook, and straight to the small primates, pausing almost immediately to stare into the little enclosures in wonder. "Oh my god, they're so cute," she breathed. "And tiny!"

He wasn't overly fond of the primates himself, but he couldn't help but admit that these little guys were pretty cute. "They are pretty cute. What are they?" he asked, proving he was no expert on zoo animals.

"Silvery marmosets," she answered, without even looking at the info-board. "Look, she's got a baby on her back!" Leaning closer, she pointed at one of the little creatures, who was sitting on a branch near the glass, watching them as closely as they watched her.

"Where?" he asked, his gaze following to where she was pointing. "Oh!" He chuckled. "Looks like we're being watched," he told her, leaning a little closer to get a better look.

Not only watched, but apparently trusted a little, too. The tiny marmoset crawled closer along the branch, tilting her head this way and that, and finally turned, showing off the even tinier baby clinging to her back. Holli visibly melted.

"Aw, they are pretty cute. You want one for a pet?" he asked, smiling over at her when he saw the look on her face. He wasn't even sure that was legal, but he could probably buy her a plushy version.

"What are you proposing?" he asked curiously. She must have known he wasn't going to say no, but he couldn't help but wonder what she had in mind.

For once, Holli seemed to be at a loss, casting around for something else to offer. Evidently she gave up, eventually coming out with, "Heavy petting?"

He blinked a moment and then chuckled at her suggestion. "We are both adults, Holli," he told her. "And here I thought you wanted to see the petting zoo," he teased.

"You're the one who arbitrarily decided to double down on no sex until the third date," she pointed out laughingly. "I'm trying to abide by the randomly chosen rules here. But, you know, sex is totally on the table. Or the couch. Or the bed. Maybe even the wall or the floor. Your choice."

"I am not!" he argued. "You are the one who mentioned the third date rule." Wasn't she" Now, he wasn't so sure. He'd been sorely tempted to accept her offer to stay the previous night, but he had thought it better to wait.

"You're so easy to tease, I love it," she laughed, pushing out of her lean on the fence to throw her arm about his shoulders while he was still bent low enough for her to do so. Her lips brushed his cheek fondly. "I don't really follow rules, you might have noticed. If it feels right, I do it."

He turned to face her, forcing her to look up to him now that he had straightened to his full height. "And does it feel right?" he asked, sliding his arms around her as he met her gaze.

Leaning into him as his arms wrapped about her, she let her fingers tease the short hair at his neck. "To me" Yeah, it does," she said honestly. "But I'm not the only one who has to feel it for it to be right."

"I'd say we're off to a good start," he told her. It was only their second date, after all, but even he had to admit it felt right, and that was saying something.

"Really?" A soft flush of color spread over her cheeks, proof that she really felt that reassurance in a way that was hard to describe. Just knowing that he felt this too was enough.

"Really," he confirmed, leaning closer but only so that he could brush his nose against hers. "Don't worry so much, Holli. I'm enjoying your company."

She smiled ruefully. "It's been a while since I've wanted something so much," she admitted quietly, tilting her head to gently bop his nose with hers. "I don't know how to be laid back about it."

"Well, stop worrying, silly girl. I'm not going anywhere," he assured her. "It's been a long time since ..." He trailed off, a small frown on his face. Did he really need to finish that statement"

"Hey." Her hand curled gently to his cheek. "It's only been two days. You don't have to open up straight away, you know."

"You should know what you're getting yourself into," he told her, though he was a little reluctant to completely open up just yet.

"Derek." She touched her fingers to his lips. "I've got secrets of my own," she told him. "Secrets I want to tell you, but I'm not ready to yet. But I won't ever let those secrets put you in danger or bring you to harm. I promise."

He furrowed his brows, saying nothing for a long moment while she spoke. It was almost like she was telling him exactly what it was he wanted to tell her. "Are you in some kind of trouble, Holli?" he asked, feeling suddenly protective.

"No, I'm not," she assured him, shaking her head. "But I'm not as squeaky clean as you might think, that's all." She smiled faintly. "I will tell you, when it's time to. But I don't think it's time yet."

"Fair enough," he replied, putting his trust in her. How could he not when he had so many secrets of his own" All she really had to do was dig around a little to find some of them out.

Rising onto her toes, she kissed the tip of his nose gently. "So ....cocoa and chill?" she suggested, gently turning the topic away from the heavier parts of their lives.

"That sounds like a plan," he agreed, smiling as she kissed his nose. It was hard to stay moody when she was around. That was one of the things he liked best about her.

"Cool." As she grinned up at him, she saw something out of the corner of her eye reach over the fence they had been leaning against to wuffle against his cheek. One of the elephants had decided to try kissing him as well, it seemed.

Startled at first, he looked over to see who or what was slobbering him and laughed to find one of the elephants standing close by. "It seems you have a little competition, Holli," he teased, reaching out to smooth a hand against the elephant's trunk. To his credit, he looked delighted by the attention, rather than disgusted.

"Oh, I think I've lost," Holli replied, chuckling as the elephant's trunk raised to investigate Derek's hair almost playfully. "I could never out-cute an elephant."

"She is cute," he said, brushing the elephant's trunk away from his hair. "Hey! Do you know how long it took me to get it that way?" he asked, as though he had spent hours in front of the mirror grooming.

Pushed away, the elephant turned her attention to Holli, and revealed herself to be female by wrapping her trunk around the woman's neck in a brief hug before retreating. Holli laughed, looking up at Derek. "Looks like sisterly solidarity spans species here."

"How do you know she's female?" he asked. Though the answer to that question seemed obvious, he didn't really want to look between his or her legs.

"Mainly because elephants in herds are always female," she said with a grin. "I think she likes you."

"Because I'm so likable," he said, grinning. "She likes you, too," he added, which seemed obvious from the hug. Did elephants give hugs?

"I got a hug, you got a kiss," she pointed out laughingly. "Your sex appeal is clearly overwhelming for any female in the vicinity."

He smiled as she drew back, looking a little amused by her question. "Oh, we're going to watch a movie now" I thought there was going to be some heavy petting," he teased, though they couldn't very well sip cocoa and kiss at the same time.

She snorted with laughter, giggling. "I thought a little background sound might help?" she offered innocently.

He chuckled at her answer. "Your house, your choice," he told her, letting her choose. It hardly mattered to him. At this point, she could do little wrong.

"We gotta get there first, Speedy," she pointed out with a playful glint in her eye. "I didn't bring my bike, so we're not racing."

"Fortunately, I have a car," he remarked, with a matching look in his eyes. And they were standing right next to it. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing toward the car with a hand.

"Mmm, I do believe we shall," she agreed. She reached up, gently pulling him down into another soft kiss. "I really can't see myself getting bored of doing that."

He had no argument there, smiling into her kiss and thoroughly enjoying it. "Do you want to spend the rest of the evening in the parking lot or would you prefer your couch?" he teased.

"Privacy would be nice. Just in case I decide to unclothe you in the heat of the moment." She winked at him, reluctantly stepping back to open the passenger door.

He chuckled again. "You don't waste any time, do you?" he asked, as he stepped forward to unlock and open the door.

"What's the point of that?" she asked, quite honestly and sincerely. "I don't understand why people play games and pretend disinterest. It's deceitful."

"I would never pretend disinterest, but I do think it's good to get to know someone first," he said, as he held the door open for her. Let it not be said that he didn't at least try to be a gentleman.

"Well, yeah," she conceded, dropping into the seat. "But it doesn't take weeks to be sure you want to make the leap. I think most people don't listen to themselves."

"Hold that thought," he told her, going around to the other side of the car to climb in behind the wheel. "There's nothing wrong with one-nighters. So long as both parties are agreeable. I just don't want that with you," he told her once he was seated beside her.

"No, neither do I," she said. "But we're both agreed on that, so where's the harm in having fun while we get to know each other?"

"No harm," he said. So long as no one got hurt. He didn't say that out loud though. It was a little too soon to talk about their feelings, wasn't it' There was still a lot they didn't know about each other - a lot she didn't know about him.

"I'm trusting you to lay down your boundaries, you know," she pointed out. "Like an adult with actual agency and awareness."

He furrowed his brows thoughtfully as he started up the car. "I'm not sure what they are," he said. It had been a long time since he'd let anyone close, and a lot had changed since then.

"We'll find out, then," was her confident reassurance. "Just remember to talk to me, and we'll be fine."

"I'll try," he told her, though he wasn't sure how much he'd be able to keep that promise. Only time would tell.

"No pressure," she said again, reaching over to gently stroke her knuckle against his cheek. "Stop worrying over something that might never happen."

"I'm not worried," he assured her with a smile that wasn't entirely genuine. What was the point of being in a relationship if you had to keep secrets from the one person who cared for you most' He knew they weren't quite there yet, but it was promising. And this was in part why he'd avoided relationships for so long, but there was something about her he couldn't resist.

"You're not the only one walking into something not sure if it's the right idea," Holli said softly. "I figure, since we're both a little iffy on it, we should hold hands, right?"

He smiled, happy for her reassurance. "Sure, but not while I'm driving," he said, letting his sense of humor slip out again. At least, he had that.

She laughed. "Fine, I'll keep my hands to myself," she grumbled teasingly. "But only while you're driving."

"That would probably be a good idea, if we want to get to your place safely," he teased further. He reached to turn some music on. "What do you like to listen to?"

"Honestly' Anything but jazz," she told him. "Well, modern jazz. I don't mind the fifties stuff, but anything after that point is just public masturbation."

He blinked a moment at her remark and then laughed. "Okay, then. No modern jazz," he said, as he flipped through the channels until he found something adult and contemporary.

She snickered softly, resting her head back against the headrest. "What about you, do you have a favourite genre of music or one you absolutely despise?"

"Not really," he said. "I mean, music should sound like music and not noise, but other than that I'm pretty eclectic."

"Oh my gods, does this mean I've found someone who will sing along to the soundtrack of Hairspray with me?" she asked with innocent excitement.

He laughed again. "I'm not sure I'd go that far," he said, though nothing was completely out of the question as far as he was concerned.

"How about Hamilton instead?" he countered, with a grin.

"You're not dating me for that, Holli, but fair enough. You can pay for the next date, okay?" he said, agreeably enough now that she'd argued her case.

"Thank you." She leaned over to kiss his cheek, smiling at his answer. "See, this is how I know you're a gentleman. You give in gracefully. Eventually."

"I'm a pushover, I guess," he said, smiling at the kiss. Whether he was or he wasn't, he didn't seem too upset about it. He put his foot back on the gas, as the light turned green. "Almost there," he said, though if she was paying attention, she knew that already.

"You're adorable," she teased, settling back against her seat comfortably. Her apartment building wasn't exactly luxurious, but neither was it low-brow. It was a comfortable red-brick building rising five storeys, and the apartments within were spacious enough not to feel constricting. It was home.

He chuckled again. "No one has called me that in a long time," he told her. He'd been called a lot of things, but he couldn't remember having been called adorable since he'd been a boy.

"Get used to it," she suggested impishly. "I'm going to call you a lot of things, and I'll probably be sincere, like, ninety percent of the time." She reached out to point toward a turning. "If you turn down here, you can get into the parking lot."

"So long as you don't call me late for dinner," he said, with a cheesy grin. It was an old joke, and she'd left herself completely open for it. He did as she suggested, turning down a side street until he reached a parking lot and then pulled in.

She laughed as he turned it around on her, directing him to her secondary parking spot. "Let me jump out and move the bike, and you can slide in there."

He blinked as he pressed on the brake, pulling the car to a halt. "The bike?" he echoed. He'd thought she'd meant a bicycle.

She flashed him a grin, stepping out of the car to move over to where a sleek Honda CB500 was parked in her secondary spot. Pulling the tarp off, she kicked the stand, carefully wheeling the motorcycle right up against the wall, leaving plenty of room for him to pull in safely to the space while she covered her bike up again.

"She has a bike," he murmured to himself while she moved said bike so he could park his car. "I think I'm in love." Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly love yet, but he'd never met a woman he'd found so intriguing before.

Waving a hand, she directed him to pull in, her bike safely stowed against the wall and covered over once again. She leaned against it, smirking at the look on his face through the windscreen.

He schooled his expression as quickly as possible, but probably not quick enough for her not to have noticed the surprise on his face. He parked the car and climbed out, pocketing his keys. "When you said bike, I thought you meant a bicycle," he told her.

"I thought so." Holli's smirk widened to a playful grin. "Most people can't imagine me on a motorbike, so I go out of my way not to make it clear."

"I just ..." He shrugged. "You don't seem the type. I mean ..." He sighed, knowing he was just digging himself a deeper grave.

She chuckled, pushing out of her lean to reach up and gently pat his cheek. "Quit while you're ahead, handsome."

"That's probably good advice," he admitted, a slightly awkward smile on his face. It wasn't every day someone left him tongue-tied.

"C'mon," she said, taking his hand. "Let's go inside and warm up your composure." She drew him with her into the apartment building, leading the way to the stairs to start the trek up to the third floor. "So you're into bikes, huh?"

"I don't know if I'd go that far, but I have one," he said, as he followed her up the stairs, hand in hand, still a little bit stunned. "I just wasn't expecting that."

"Sometimes it pays to be small, cute, and blonde," she said teasingly, offering him a half-shrug. "You okay there" You look like I just slugged you."

"You are definitely that," he said, in regard to her description of herself. "Uh, yeah ....I'm just ....What's the word" Gobsmacked?"

She laughed. "Oh, man, I am definitely going to have to spar with you sometime," she said in amusement. "If this is how you react to just knowing I have a bike."

"You really are a little too eager to kick my ass," he said, chuckling. He'd seen a hint of what she was capable of at the pizzeria, but only a hint.

"I do solemnly swear to pull my punches," she promised. "Besides, maybe a guy who needs taking care of is my kink."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, looking puzzled. He wasn't a wuss by any means; he'd proved that much in the pizzeria. What did she mean by a guy who needs taking care of?

"Watched Raiders?" she asked over her shoulder. "The kiss it better scene with Indy and Marian?" She flashed him a grin, letting him put the pieces together.

"Oh, that!" He chuckled, realizing what she meant by her comment. Indiana Jones was definitely not a wuss! That was one hero he didn't mind being compared to.

"What, did you think I was going to call you a wimp or something?" she asked, rolling her eyes at this assumption. Digging into her pocket as they reached the third landing, she lead the way over to her apartment door, unlocking it to allow them access inside.

"Good to know you are fond of the classics," he remarked, grinning again. Indiana Jones was a classic in his opinion anyway.

"Not so hot on Temple, and definitely not on Crystal, but Raiders and Crusade are top notch," she agreed, drawing him inside to close the door and lock it behind them. It wasn't a rough area, but it never hurt to be secure. "Make yourself comfortable."

Glancing over at him, she laughed at his chosen mug. "That one, I may have bought for myself," she admitted impishly. "What can I say' I like mugs that make me smile."

"Everything should make you smile, Holli," Derek remarked, as he choose a more nondescript mug for himself. She deserved that much.

"What about you?" she asked, lowering the heat under the pan as she whisked just a little caramel syrup into the mixture. "Don't you deserve to be surrounded by things that make you smile?"

He shrugged as he retook his lean against the cupboard. "I suppose," he replied, without much fanfare. It wasn't so much whether he deserved it as whether that was practical. "In every life, a little rain must fall," he murmured to himself.

"A little," she pointed out, carefully pouring the cocoa into the two mugs. "Not a monsoon daily. There's marshmallows in the cupboard next to your hip, by the way."

"I've got no complaints," he told her, which was mostly true. At least, he had a purpose in life, which was more than could be said for some. He shifted so that he could open the cupboard to find the marshmallows. "What about you? Are you happy?"

"Honestly?" She sighed softly, rinsing the pan in the sink before setting it aside to wash properly later. "I don't think happy is a word I can apply to myself. I'm not unhappy, I'm just ....moving along, I guess."

Maybe that wasn't quite the right way to word that question. "Let me put it another way ....What do you think would make you happier?" he asked, as he opened the bag of marshmallows and held one up to her lips.

She gave him a playful look as she bit down on the marshmallow, taking her time to chew and swallow and let him fill in the silly gaps before she offered him a more serious answer. "Justice and stability?"

"Justice and stability are good, but I mean personally," he said, brows furrowing a moment as he realized something. "Or do you mean that personally?"

She hesitated, aware she was skating very close to a line that could not be uncrossed here. "Little of column A, little of column B?" she suggested.

He knew he was pushing his luck, but he had a feeling there was something she wasn't telling him. Then again, there was a lot he had left unsaid. "Justice for who or what?" he asked, deciding to take a chance.

"You can't guess?" she asked, raising a brow. "My father. My family." This came out a little more vehement than she had intended, her eyes quickly turning away from his to watch as she dropped marshmallows into the cocoa.

"I thought as much," he said, his voice turning quiet. He turned quiet a moment, thoughtful even, as if searching for the right words. "I won't ask, but if you want to talk about it, I'm a pretty good listener," he told her.

She shook her head. "It isn't ....it isn't something I can talk about, not yet," she told him. "It's complicated, but what isn't complicated these days, right?"

He smiled, letting the subject drop as quickly as it had been brought up. She had opened up by the tiniest crack, and he didn't want to make her slam shut again by asking too many questions. "Hot cocoa isn't complicated ....Unless you make it from scratch."

"Are you saying that life is better when it's complicated?" she asked, her smile turning a little incredulous as she handed him his chosen mug.

He shrugged again, before taking the mug from her. "It's more interesting anyway," he replied, making no judgment one way or the other. Some people lived their whole lives without any complications and were happy, but he had a feeling the two of them weren't like those people.

"Taste the cocoa before you make any decisions on that," she warned with a flicker of a grin, sipping her own as she turned to lead the way into the living room.

"I don't have to taste it. I already know it's leagues ahead of the powdered stuff just from the smell," he told her, breathing in the aroma of chocolate before taking a sip with a murmur of approval.

Chuckling quietly to herself, Holli lead the way to the couch, pushing a very thick knit blanket out of the way before easing down comfortably onto the cushions. "Come and pick a movie, handsome."

"As you wish, Beautiful," he replied, following her into the small, but cozy living room, the cup of hot cocoa warming his hand.

She laughed at the compliment, but that laugh seemed almost shy for a moment as she patted the couch beside her, reaching for the remote. Apparently Holli Carr was not as confident when it came to receiving compliments as she was at giving them out.

"What kind of movies do you like to watch?" he asked. Now that Thanksgiving was over, the TV was going to be full of sappy Christmas movies he always managed to avoid.

"Have you learned nothing from my conversation?" she said teasingly. "Asking me to make a decision or name a favourite thing is like asking me to invent teleportation - it ain't gonna happen."

"And you complain about me," he said, snagging the remote from the coffee table and flipping the TV on. He didn't much care what they watched, to be honest. He was just happy to be there, spending some time alone with her.

"Yeah, but you actually answer the question eventually, with a lot of prodding," she pointed out in amusement, drawing her feet up onto the couch as she leaned into him comfortably.

"Come on. It's not that hard a question," he said, ignoring the TV to focus his attention on her. "How about we start slow" What's your favorite color?" he asked, mimicking the voice of the Bridgekeeper from that silly Holy Grail movie.

"I told you, I like a lot of colours," she said, holding his gaze with a grin. "I like rich dark colours, and I like pretty pinks and blues and greens, and I like glitter and rainbows. I am pretty much a unicorn who occasionally has a goth phase."

He arched a brow, wondering why it was she was asking him that. It was kind of a loaded question, considering who he was and what he did both for a living and afterhours, but he could not imagine himself ever deliberately causing her harm. "If you don't think you can trust me, then why am I here?"

"All right, let me put it another way," she said, struggling to find the right way to phrase this. "If you had information that would absolutely make your name as an investigative reporter, but revealing it would put me in danger, what would you do with that information?"

He furrowed his brows this time, a little puzzled or maybe troubled by her question. "Holli, I'm not interested in fame or fortune. What interests me - what motivates me - is seeing people pay for their crimes, for their evil deeds. The truth is important, but what's more important is justice." He wasn't sure if that answered her question, but hopefully it would help her understand him a little bit better.

She was silent for a long moment, her expression almost stern as she considered the sheer power she was about to give him over her. But she'd done her digging; he was a good man, and his actions upheld that impression. Slowly, she raised her eyes to his, calm and quiet and absolutely serious.

"You're right about the Shadow," she said softly. "She is a woman. She's me."

He blinked slowly and then blinked again, as his mind tried to process what she was telling him. It wasn't just a confession, as if that wasn't shocking enough. By telling him this, she was not only putting her fate in his hands, she was trusting him with her secret. For a moment, he thought she must be teasing him again and he almost chuckled, but the look on her face told him different. Either she was a very good liar, or she was telling him the truth.

"You?" he said. "You're the Shadow."

"I'm the Shadow," she confirmed quietly. "I was late to our date because Kenneth Tomlinson's personal security was a little more than I was expecting to have to handle when I dropped into Logitech."

"Kenneth Tomlinson, right," he murmured, as he got to his feet. It didn't look like he was going anywhere; he was just suddenly feeling too anxious to sit calmly on her couch and take this all in. "I was there last night, you know. I dropped in after I left your place. Poked around a little. That place was buttoned up pretty tight," he said, as he paced the floor beside her couch. The room suddenly felt too small for him, too closed in. "If you're the Shadow, how'd you get in?" he asked, halting his pacing to hear her answer.

"It's amazing how many people don't look at you if you walk fast wearing a high-vis coat and carrying a clipboard," she said simply. "Walked straight in through the front door."

"I saw the security footage," he told her. He had decided last night that it was definitely a woman; a man just didn't move the same way. He looked her over again, as if seeing her for the first time. She didn't look the part, not on the surface, but if you looked a little harder ....Yes, he could see how it might be her. "Why?"

It said a lot for her confidence in her own ability that she didn't seem intimidated or concerned that he was standing over her where she sat. "I needed access to the CEO's security clearance," she said with a shrug. "I'm putting together the evidence of what they did to my family, and to a lot of other families. When I've got it, I fully intend to scare the lot of them into getting out of Horizon City."

He blinked again at her answer, his face turning a shade paler than normal. "What' So, they can go pull the same bullshit on someone else? Ruin someone else's life" Someone else's city' No, they deserve more than exile," he said, realizing he'd probably said too much.

"I'm not them," she said simply. "I won't kill them. But if they don't go, they'll go down. I'm gathering as much verifiable information as I can. I have been for the last two years."

"You have," he echoed, blue eyes flashing like steel, though he had no reason to be angry with her. He dropped onto the couch at last and started to laugh at the irony of it all.

Holli watched him warily, waiting to see what his ultimate reaction would be. She didn't quite understand why she had told him her truth so fast, but perhaps it was better this way. She could cut all ties without breaking her own heart if she had to.

"Jesus Christ," he murmured as his laughter subsided. He shoved his fingers back through his hair, a sign of nervousness or agitation. "You've been gathering information." He chuckled again. It was just too funny. Here he was - a man who'd devoted his entire adult life to bringing down people like Kenneth Tomlinson - and here she was, doing the same damned thing.

"What do you think I've been doing for the last, oh, I don't know, half a decade or so' Investigating crooked car dealers and politicians who can't keep it in their pants?" he said, with a touch of sarcasm. He had been investigating those things, but they were just the stories that helped paid the bills. His real goal was to catch far bigger fish.

"You do it legally," she pointed out, still wary of his reaction. "I'm done with playing nice with these people. They've destroyed so many families in this city just for their greed, they need to go."

"What they need is to get locked up for life with no chance of parole," he told her. "Or better yet, to see what it feels like to suffer like they've made others suffer," he added under his breath.

"I'm not them," she said sharply once again. "You're not them. Don't give them the satisfaction of becoming like them in pursuit of revenge. Why do you think I've been going after evidence, and not just killing them on sight' You think I couldn't kill them if I wanted to?"

"I'm sure you could," he murmured, before catching himself. He really wasn't handling this very well, and he knew it. They were on the same side; they wanted the same thing. He drew a deep breath before turning to face her again. "Holli, these people are dangerous. Really dangerous."

"I know," she told him in a softer tone. "I'm very good at covering my tracks. I need to know if you're going to be able to keep my secret, though."

"Of course, I'll keep your secret," he was quick to reply. Did she really think he'd cash in on her secret just for a good scoop, when he wanted the same thing that she did" But maybe he hadn't made that quite clear. "Maybe we should share what we know."

"Are you kidding?" he asked, chuckling a little. They hadn't quite gone so far that they couldn't turn back, but he seemed more amused by her question than annoyed by it.

She laughed at his answer. "Had to check, right' Consent is everything." Her lips found his again, a little more insistent, a little more passionate, offering more if he wanted to reach out and take it.

"Do I look like ..." He trailed off as her lips found his again. It didn't seem to him like either of them wasn't consenting. His hands found their way beneath her sweater and up her back, fingers lingering on the clasp of her bra, almost as if silently asking permission as his lips deepened that kiss.

She arched into his touch, more than answering that unspoken question with her unspoken assent, letting her own hands slip down to tease their way up beneath his own shirt. It had been a long time since she had wanted anything like this, with anyone. She wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

He wore a t-shirt beneath his sweater, but beneath that was nothing but corded muscle that proved he did more than just run to stay fit. His fingers lingered over the clasp of her bra a moment longer before deciding to divest her of her sweater first, hands sliding up her sides to push the thing up and over her head. Unfortunately, he had to stop kissing her, but only momentarily.

She raised her arms for him, pulling her glasses from her nose before the sweater swept over her head, one hand groping to set the spectacles down as her hair cascaded back down onto her shoulders. She gripped the hem of his sweater, pulling it upward in turn, growling a little in frustration at finding the t-shirt there beneath.

In his haste, he'd forgotten about her glasses, which were probably steamed up by now anyway. Just as well she'd taken them off so he didn't have to. He chuckled at her growl, his gaze shifting to admire the view. It was a good thing he'd decided to take her sweater off before he worked on her bra or he would have missed the scarlet and lace confection she was wearing beneath her clothes. "Did you wear that for me?" he asked as his finger traced one lacy strap.

She glanced down at her bra, letting out a husky chuckle. "A girl can hope, can't she?" she asked, almost managing to sound innocent but for her obviously lusty tone. "Gotta make the goods look worth unpacking."

"Oh, I'm sure they're worth unpacking," he assured her. He'd seen enough to know that, even before he'd stripped her of her sweater. He'd never understood the need for fancy lingerie really when it was just going to come off, but he supposed it was no different than pretty wrapping paper on a gift, meant to entice and intrigue.

Giggling, she took the opportunity to pull his t-shirt up and over his head, tossing it aside as her fingers began to skim and tease his skin hungrily. "God, you're built."

"Mm, so are you," he murmured as he leaned close, his lips leaving a trail of soft kisses against her neck. "I mean, in a female sort of way," he added, obviously distracted.

She bit the curve of his ear gently, soothing the sting with kisses. "Nice save," she murmured, catching her breath as he kissed along her neck, her hips rolling almost of their own accord to tease them both with currently unattainable closeness.

As his kisses trailed slowly lower, he noticed something he hadn't noticed before. Frowning with concern, his fingers traced the bruise that was coloring her right side. "You really did collide with a railing."

She shivered at the tender stroke of his fingers, looking down at her side as he did. "Yeah," she admitted. "That railing saved my life, though. I'd have been a smear on the floor ten storeys down without it."

"You really do need someone to watch over you, don't you?" he asked, not entirely in jest. And he was just the guy to do it.

"One against six is hardly a fair fight," she pointed out. "I'm just lucky I'm quick." Her nose circled his, fingertips tracing patterns down over his sides as she teased him. "You offering to be my bodyguard, handsome?"

"Not exactly," he replied, brushing his nose against hers, an amused expression on his face. He didn't bother to tell her what he was offering though, as the time for talk was over. "You have a bedroom or do you prefer the couch?"

"I've got a bedroom," she assured him, reluctantly easing back to stand up and lead the way. It was a small room, might almost have seemed cramped, but right now, that could only be a blessing. The less distance to walk, the better.

He figured she did, and it probably wouldn't have been very hard to find in her little apartment, but the question he was really asking was where did she want to end up? He chuckled again as she showed him into the room. "I could almost fit your entire apartment in my living room," he told her, not that it mattered really. She lived alone, and she had all the essentials, but thank God it wasn't a single bed!

She rolled her eyes at him. "I like my little apartment, thank you," was her amused response. "I mean, if you want somewhere bigger, we could always get dressed and get a hotel ..."

"Shhh," he said, pressing a finger against her lips to quiet her. "No more talking." And with that said, he eased her onto her back on the bed, intending to finish what they'd started, no matter how long it took.

She giggled once again as he eased her down, reaching for him to loom over her, arching her neck to claim yet more kisses as the snow fell outside the window. They'd had the cocoa; the movie might happen later. Right now ....they were making their own entertainment.