It was a night unlike any other. She'd allowed Sam to drag her out of the office long enough to collect two drinks, and inebriate herself just enough to where she was not comfortable to drive home and go through her mundane routine of watching movies, and trying to turn off her depressed, lonely brain. At her second home, her office, she sat back down at her desk, staring at the file. Delicate fingers brushed over the label.

Anna Piper. The name was known too well, it was a name that vexed her. What the young detective was staring at was her first case, and it was the only unsolved one that tarnished her name. What was worse" It was Sam's little sister. Orion could remember too well the day she took on this case. A broken man coming into her office, crazed with emotion and heartbreak. It was something not foreign to the detective. They'd been working together since. At first the case she was currently staring at, and eventually she threw him other cases to occupy his mind. Sam was good, and there was no denying that"but trails ran cold as they always seemed to; and soon, so did he.

Removing her jacket, she neatly folded it over the back of the chair. The small little coffee pot was fidgeted with, and soon, it was brewing, splashing liquid caffeine into a pristine white mug. Impatiently, the perfectionist watched it brew, staring down at the unopened file. Opening it was always the hardest part; pale fingers hesitated at the mouth of the folder. A deep breath was taken in through her nostrils and sighed out. Finally, the muddy stream stopped and the mug was full, hot, and ready. She lifted it to cold lips and took a sip as if to test the heat. Then a bigger gulp was taken that shocked her tongue, but did not burn it.

Hooking the lip of the folder with her index finger, she slid it open. There they were; the crime scene photos and the part that she hated looking at. Anna had been twenty-one years old, the same age Orion was when she agreed to take on this case. That wasn't what sent shivers down her spine, though. It was in the text of the report that would follow. Found by Samuel Piper, brother"

It was a sentence that broke her every time, the thought of him seeing her like that. It boiled in her belly every time she read those words; and every time she had to go back and take a second eyeful of that gory photo. The words that followed were always the same and strangely human coming from the robot. "That poor man?"

Night after night, for seven years she'd stared at this sleeve. It was always the same; and somehow, she remained hopeful that something, anything would jump out of the page at her contact covered eyes. Tonight, something did. It wasn't so much as to what was on the pages, as what wasn't. Fingers flipped wildly, sheet after sheet overturned. Something was missing; something had been missing for a long time. "How did I..?" spoken solely to herself as she continued to flip one more round through the file. A long drink was taken from her mug and she sat there, dumbfounded for a moment. This was just a copy of the original file" The same copy that Sam had, the same copy that they'd been obsessing over for years"and something was misplaced. A string of profanities rang out in her brain alone as she finished off the mug.

The slow creaking of an unmaintained door rang out into the darkness of her office. Orion froze, and pulled her drawer open. Inside, rested a loaded gun with the safety on. "Who's there?? she called out in a firm voice, but remained seated with her hand on the weapon. Going exploring from the security of the four walls that made up her office was a stupid way to get killed. She'd much rather funnel the attacker through her doorway and take them out.

Sam stared after Parker as she walked out the door. She was right about him. He did blame himself for what happened to Anna. He saw the scene every night when he closed his eyes. Pool of red creeping out from beneath the bathroom door. Anna, reclined in the tub, lifeless eyes blankly staring up at the ceiling. Her throat with a neat, gaping slice down it's center and her wrists opened and duct taped to the crimson stained tub.

The 30 year old detective tried to shake it off as the image poured in again, his empty glass of whiskey in his hand. A deep breath entered through his nostrils and was blown out in a heavy sigh as his sharp blue eyes scanned the crowd. Mostly retired cops here. Old men who had chosen a life protecting and serving, to varying degrees of success. Some of them 30 or 40 years. 40 years of days, seeing the worst humanity had to offer. The idea turned his stomach. It was no wonder these men came in here every night to drown themselves in a bottle.

Sam blinked as a bottle of whiskey was set before him over his shoulder. He leaned back to see a familiar face. Barry Coleman. 45 years old, his head shaved rather than deal with a receding hairline, his once slim, fit body gone soft in recent years. A slightly pitying grin on his dark face.

"You're a smooth cat, Sammy."

"Cole. What got you up off the couch this evening?" Sam shot back with a playful smirk.

The paunchy former detective sat with a groan, pouring both of them a glass of whiskey. "They voted off Lesinda from the competition. Show might as well be over now."

Sam sniffed a laugh, plucking up the glass with two fingers. Blue eyes stared at the dark liquor for a moment. Coleman watched the young man, brow furrowing in concern.

"You ain't getting sweet on your boss, are ya?"

Sam looked up to him wide eyed, a small laugh escaping him...the built and built until it was a full belly laugh. "That woman' Are you kidding me" You'd need an industrial crane to get into those pants and even then, I'm pretty sure it'd be like sticking your stuff in liquid nitrogen."

Coleman chuckled and took a big sip off his glass. Brown eyes shifted up to Sam. "Then why you here" Drinking yourself stupid with the rest of us broken down old bums?"

Sam's smile faded. "Friday's the anniversary." The glass rose to his lips and took in the liquor, savoring the burn as it went down.

"You're a young man, Sam. You don't belong in a place like this. You should be out there. Chasing happiness, not some faceless man that's long gone."

"I'm not going to just quit, Cole." Sam looked up to him sadly.

"And I'm not saying you should. But you can't ever have a life, son...if you carryin' the weight of the dead."

The two men sat silent for a long moment, Sam staring off and Coleman watching him.

"I've looked over that file a million times. Still...there's nothing."

"Time to let it go, Sam. You're stuck in a rut. You always been like that, focusing on one thing and missing what?s going on in the bigger picture. Ya can't see the forest for all the trees."

Sam glanced up. "'Forest for all the trees' huh?"

"Yeah, you ain't heard of that before? You get all bogged down in the details and don't see the big picture."

"I know what it means, thanks, Cole."

"Just sayin', kid. Keep your eyes open."

Sam nodded slowly. HE set the glass down. "I'm going home. Give Marcy my love."

"Uh huh. You keep your love away from my wife, hot shot."

Sam chuckled, throwing on his suit coat. "Don't get jealous. I'm certain she's more than satisfied having your big ass whenever she wants."

"Hey, my big ass gets the damn job done every time."

Sam patted his shoulder. "5-11, brother. 5-11."

Cole looked at him reproachfully. "Just sayin! Ain't no problem doin' the grown folks in my place."

Sam waved over his shoulder. "Night, Cole."

"Take it easy, Kid."

Sam walked up the stairs of her apartment, dressed to the nines in an impeccably tailored grey suit, a cup of coffee in each hand. He wrapped at her door with his knuckles, glancing out the window at the end of the hall.

Galaxy eyes shifted to the door as his knuckles trailed across it, she moved from the couch and tip-toed towards the doorway, a single murky green peeper stared through the hole, and a little sigh of annoyance rang out. She was not dressed so proper, she wore a black nightie that came to mid-thigh, and a silk robe wrapped around it. Her hair, which was usually uptight in a ponytail of bun of some fashion, was tumbling down in unruly waves like an auburn waterfall. She pulled the door handle, peeking out at him with sleepless, tired eyes.

"What're you doing here, Piper?"

He turned his head toward her...God was she a joyless-

Then he saw her...and it gave him pause.

"Just wanted to check in. You didn't come into work. Thought I would get here and find the place on fire."

Parker studied his features carefully, as if to figure out whether or not he was lying. Sam wasn't the type to beat around the bush, if he knew something, he made it known. "I just needed a day off, Piper. Some time to myself, I called in. Jordan took care of my books for the night."

"You NEVER take a day off. What's going on' Also, I brought coffee." Sam shot back, raising the second cup to her.

Damn it if she didn't enjoy coffee...."...come in," she mumbled, pulling the door open. "Step on the rug, take your shoes off there." The girl pointed, and shut her robe a little bit tighter. "Take the coffee directly to the table, do not spill it. Do not drink it anywhere else." The apartment was almost virginal, pristine and white. Not a stain or speck of dust anywhere to be found. There were two bedrooms. One where she slept, another where she worked....Both were completely organized, almost everything in the house was white, from the carpets, and yes, to the drapes. What wasn't white, was another neutral color. It was all clean and organized, obsessively so.

"Thank you..." Sam muttered as he stepped in his eyebrows raising as he looked around that pristine room, his lips forming an "O" as he studied the place.

"Wow. This is...nice?"

"Thank you," she said shortly was she watched him. "Here, just....Just give me the coffee." Hands reached out, as if she didn't trust him not to spill it.

He slipped his shoes off and handed the cup to her. "Place always this...spotless?"

"Yes, I do not like stains or dirt," she answered as she took the coffee cups and placed them on coasters...on a marble countertop. He DID take the opportunity to check out her...outfit while she wasn't looking before heading over to the table. "So, what?s up" What are you working on?"

It was probably the first time since they met, where he got to witness those beautiful legs not having been covered up by pants. "I'm just reading over some unsolved cases, I just figured if I wasn't surrounded by distractions, I might actually get stuff done." Scurrying across the floor as Sam walked, was a strangely patterned cat.

"Mrowrrrr! " the creature cried in distaste, and ran up to sit in the window seal.

Sam glanced down at the feline, a bit surprised that a neat freak like her would have a pet.

"That's Cygnus," she nodded to the cat. "He's a perfect specimen. Genetically enhanced not to shed, born without claws." There was something of pride when she spoke of the cat.

"Well, Sorry to interrupt your hard work." Sam smirked up to her over the rim of his cup, sipping carefully. Parker sipped at her coffee and looked at him, "Didn't interrupt anything. I'm done for the day, and will probably be out of the office for the rest of the week." Sam nodded, letting a moment pass. "Listen. I want to apologize. What you said last night...You were right. And...I was kind of a dick."

"No apology necessary, I know exactly who I am," she said with a nod. "And I'm usually right. I don't need to hear you tell me."

He narrowed his eyes at her as if she had just spoken a different language. "You ever LISTEN to the way you talk to people?"

The doe-eyed dame looked up to the man from her coffee cup. Those eyes were big, beautiful and one of a kind. They gave her a sense of faux innocence, "What do you mean?" she spoke against the cup.

Sam took a step back frustrated hands coming up to his neatly combed brown hair. "You're so...Ugh! You talk to people like they're idiots. You talk down to me CONSTANTLY. You say things without regard for anyone else...and you're...you're arrogant. And NOT in away that's at all charming."

He paced in front of the table. "I come here, to make sure you're okay, give you a peace offering and you jus throw it in my face" I know we're not exactly brunch buddies, but damn, Parker!"

Parker blinked, watching him. "Okay..?" she asked as if she didn't see his point. "You came here to offer me a peace offering, correct' This is who I am. I'm not going to tell you that you're doing a good job, and I'm certainly not going to hold your hand and baby your feelings, Piper. You don't have to like me...Hell, I prefer that you didn't."

He laughed wearily to himself and shook his head. "**** it." He walked over to his shoes and slipped them on, leaving his coffee behind.

Parker's mouth opened to say something, maybe it was supposed to be an apology. Nothing came out, because she didn't feel as though she was wrong. Sighing softly, she ran her fingers through her hair.

Sam glanced over his shoulder. "I'll have my stuff cleared out of the office by tomorrow. We're done. This ****ing nightmare of a partnership is done."

He opened her door and stepped out into the hallway not even bothering to shut the door behind him.

Part of her thought to baby him, beg him to stay. Instead, she went right after him and circled around. God was she condescending in what she did next. A fake pout was put on her features, "You gonna quit your job because your boss is a big bad meanie?"

Sam stopped on the stairs and turned to face her, disgust on his face.

"**** yourself, Parker. You have been one 7 year long waste of time. I should have known better than to put my faith in someone like you. You only care about yourself."

That...stung. Visibly wincing at his words, she shook her head. She hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours working on his stupid case. She was so close to cracking it wide open.

"Good luck." Sam spat maliciously at her before he started down the stairs. "Bastard..." Swallowing hard, she went for her door and slammed it shut.

Sam burst into the office, all fire and brimstone, an empty box in his hands. On the other side of the door, Jordan fell backwards as it flew open. Papers went everywhere. Lists of names and phone numbers as well as a few crimescene photos. "Aha! Back off! I've got a gun!" the girl cried out.

Sam turned to her, his hands out as if to catch her. He let out a breath seeing she was okay. "Oh...Jordan. Sorry."

"Sam...Oh thank god...I thought you were a rapist..." The spaz admitted as she moved to collect her papers.

Sam nodded before moving on. "I'll be out of your hair in a minute." He walked into his office and started grabbing his personal effects and throwing them in the box.

Jordan appeared at his doorway. "What're you doing?"

"Leaving. I am DONE working with that woman."

"Parker?" she asked collecting the files and standing up. "What happened" She hasn't even been here..."

"Jordan She's a condscending, arrogant, RUDE bitch. I've put up with her **** for 7 years and I am done. I'm done being talked down to, I'm done putting up with her saying whatever the hell she wants without regard for anyone else. I'm done with her treating me like a piece of gum on the bottom of her shoe.?"

"Well, yeah..." Jordan said as she moved after him, trying to unpack his things. "I would be, too if I had her life, though.."

Sam wheeled around on her. "You know what, Jordan' No. I don't care what happened to her. Having a hard life, does not give you carte blanche to treat people the way she does!"

"I think you should calm down," Jordan said, shaking her plain little blonde head. "Take a breath, smoke a cigarette or whatever. Just tell me what happened.."

Sam slammed a drawer and turned to her. "It's not one little thing. It's 7 years of this. Hoping that one day she'd act like a human being. I had GLIMPSE of that last night. A GLIMPSE. But, it ended how it always does. Her insulting me and expecting me to be grateful for it. I felt I was a bit harsh. So I go to apologize. And all she has to say is 'I know I'm right. I don't need your apology.'?"

"You couldn't have hurt her feelings too bad, Sam...I was here at three in the morning and she was here, working on your case. She usually stays late, but not that late...She didn't come into work today, because she wanted to go over every detail at home. I know that she's hard on you, she's hard on everybody, and that sucks...But you can't say she doesn't care. If she didn't, she wouldn't be working so hard.." A soft sigh escaped her, "You're not quitting."

Sam scoffed to the girl. "She's not doing it for ME. She's doing it for her. I'm an unfortunate consequence. And, if you think that woman cares about you...well..I'm sorry. But you're wrong."

"Really?" she asked, moving to prop herself against his desk. "Then why did she tell me not to say anything to you because she couldn't watch you get your hopes up again.." Why did she specifically tell me that she didn't want to see the look on your face that you get when the trail goes cold?" Jordan asked. "I know it's easier to convince yourself that she's not human...She cares, Piper. In her own, twisted way, she cares."

Sam's eyes snapped up to her and he held up a hand "Whoa, whoa whoa...wait. What' Get my hopes up about what?"

"****..! Frick!" Jordan's hand covered her mouth, and she turned away from him. "Nothing...I shouldnt've said that..." Sam watched her his suspicion piqued.

"Should NOT have said that..." smacking herself a few times in the forehead the spaz went off, "Bad Jordan....Baaad Jordan..!"

He waved her off. "Easy! Easy. Don't worry about it."

A deep breath was taken in and sighed out of the spazzy assistant, "Oh man....I talk too much.."

He'd pieced together what it was probably about and quickly formulated a plan. He'd let Parker put together her evidence, do her research and see where it led. For now he'd stay. But afterwards...well...he'd see.

"Don't quit, Sam....She might not ever tell you that she needs you, but she does. So do I.." A hand to his shoulder, "And maybe, take a look at her file....Don't EVER bring it up to her, but...Just look." Nodding. He smiled to her and nodded. "I won't tell her...I promise."

A smile crept onto her face, "Thank you....I've JUST started getting her to have an actual conversation with me.."

He smirked, an eybrow quirking. That detective's brain working. "Uh oh." "Uh oh?" she asked with a wide gaze.

He let out a little laugh. "Oh-hoho wow. Good luck. That's all I'm gonna say."

"Good luck" With...what?" confused as ever.

Sam gave her a withering look. "That crush you're workin' on, there."

"What"! No! That's just stupid....She's my boss! I admire her for being so dedicated...and yeah, there's moments where she smiles a little, and it's beautiful...and she always smells good, but it's PURELY a professional admiratio— please don't say anything..."

He looked to her doubtfully as she protested and then laughed when she flat out admitted it. "Secret's safe, Jordan."

"Thank you, Sam.." Jordan said in an almost defeated manner.

Sam gave the girl's shoulder a squeeze and set the box down.

"One day she'll be human....She's probably straight, but...I think one day she'll thaw out," she said hopelessly and wrapped her arms around Sam, which he didn't at all expect. His arm going up a bit awkwardly before he patted her uncomfortably on the back.

Pulling back, she smiled up at him. "You're a good detective, Sam," she said stepping back and smiling.

Sam smiled warmly to the girl. "Thank you."

Fingers tapped away at the keys as she sat in the local coffee shop. Milky Way eyes stared at the screen and something of a smile crossed her normally cold reflection. Index finger clicked against the wireless mouse and the screen flickered as a new window opened. "More coffee, Miss?" the server asked as she slowly approached the table.

Parker hadn't slept in days, her head throbbed and her eyes showed it as they dragged to the waitress. "It's Parker, and yes, please," she said softly. Sam's words rang into her head, about how she talked down to people. Eyelashes pressed against the sleepless circles as she squeezed her eyes shut. "And"thank you," she corrected herself.

"You look like you're having a rough night," was offered as she topped off the detective's mug. "I'll leave the pot for ya," she said with a smile.

There was something almost dismissive about the way she nodded, eyes staring at the screen. "Thank you," was mumbled idly as she brought the coffee mug to her lips. The server only smiled and walked off, leaving the detective to her work. Parker watched the webpage flicker to life. Everything she'd worked for, all of the wakeful nights was leading up to this moment. Eyes grew as the page loaded, and a smug smile took over her tired expression. "I gotcha?" those words came out more southern than she cared to ever admit. It was a good thing this place was dead.

A few more buttons were pressed, and her camera flickered to life. She was staring at her own tired face. "My name is Detective Ori?"

The cook stared over at the strange detective and nudged the server. "What's up with her?" he asked. He was a thin, good looking man, a bit on the taller side. He had blonde, slightly curly locks which hung over dark brown eyes.

The server was older, dark, graying brown hair pulled back into a messy bun. Soft wrinkles lined her features, "Not sure, she's been here for hours" She comes by every so often, always alone, usually drinks about a pot of coffee, typing away on her computer."

"Always alone, huh?"

"Easy, boy' First week on the job, don't need you trying to pick up customers. Especially that one," she said with a smirk.

"What's that mean?" he asked with a youthful chuckle.

"I mean there's a reason that one's alone. She's married."

The cook stared over at the detective as she talked quietly to her computer, "I don't see a ring on her finger?"

"Some marriages don't require rings or vows. That one's married to her job," she mumbled with a nod. "She's cold, that one."

"I'd like to warm her up," he said with a grin and nudged the older woman, earning a bitter grunt and a less than amused look. "Aw come on," he mumbled and held his arms out.

Sam walked down the street, still in the clothes from his date. Hands in his pockets, his phone still turned off as he made his way to the office. Jordan was on her way out of the office with two coffee cups in hand. She painted her face with a small amount of make up, and looked a little more cheery than usual. The two nearly bumped into eachother again, his arms steadying her before she or the coffee could fall, a soft yelp coming out of her mouth.

"Jordan. We've gotta stop meeting like this."

"Sam! Oh! Hey, I was just on my way out. What're you doing here this late?" she asked with wide blue eyes.

"Just wanted to stop in, grab some stuff." He noticed the coffee and quirked an eyebrow. "Where, uh...where ya headed?"

"Parker's....She called me and ask me to come over," she said with a beaming smile.

A suggestive smirk came on his face. "Well. Maybe I was wrong about her." "Maybe you were," she said with a grin. "Wait....She didn't call you? She said she was going to call you over an hour ago...Sounded important." Sam's head tilted in confusion "...no?"

His eyes widened as he realized. "Oh, sh*t! I turned it off for the show..." He pulled his phone out and turned it on, waiting through the loading screens, seeing a message waiting for him.

Jordan sipped her cup and peering over at him. "Oh, a show?" she asked, furrowing her brow

"Yeah, had a date...saw some...uh...ballet." He looked up to her. "Yeah, I know. It was actually...really nice." He brought the phone up to his ear clicking on the left message.

"You went on a date?" she asked with a grin. "With a man or a woman?" Penny asked and rolled her eyes, giving him a playful nudge.

Sam shot her a withering look. "Hilarious."

The message started. His face dropped as it played. Sam's eyes widened in horror as he heard the sound of Parker getting dropped. "Oh my god..." he said, his voice a whisper.

"We have to get to her apartment right now!"

"What' Why?" Jordan asked and took another quick drink.

"Something happened, I don't have time to explain. Come on!" He took off running down the street toward Parker's place, moving as fast as he could, desperate to get there. The coffee cups were dropped to the ground without a second thought, and she was running right after him.

Not long after, he stood outside Parker's door his glock drawn and at the ready, pointed down at an angle. "PARKER"!"

Only silence greeted him.

Sam took a step back from the door and lunged forth with a solid kick the burst the door open violently. Parker would probably have a few choice words with him over that. Sam cleared the immediate area as he entered making sure nobody was in there, his gun held in front of him.

"Parker"!"

Penny stayed behind him at all times.

"Parker?" she added her own calling to the room as she slid in after him. He glanced back at Jordan and held a hand up. "Wait here." Piper moved quickly to the other rooms of her apartment...empty. Nothing out of place. Just a faint smell that something had been burning. That was when he turned and saw the spilled coffee, his eyes going wide. He looked up to Jordan who stood near the light switch. "Get the lights."

"..right," Jordan said with haste and smacked her hand into the lightswitch. The lights flickered to life, and she winced as her eyes adjusted. Sam approached the coffee stain and knelt beside it touching two fingers to it. Cold. This had happened a long time ago. His gaze came across a small amount of bloodspatter, a grimmace overtaking his features. He traced back...someone had been in there wearing shoes...he could see a bit of the print in the carpet, slightly dirty on the once pristine white carpet. And it was bigger. A man's shoe...

Eyes went wide as Penny's stomach churned. "Oh my god..." she mumbled softly. "Somebody broke into her house and spilled coffee all over..." Clearly she was in denial.

"Oh...sweetie." Sam though as he glanced up to her a moment with a pitying look. "Someone was in here...came up behind her...Hit her over the head.." He gestured to the blood and slowly trailed his eyes to the door finding a couple other flecks of blood on the floor. "And dragged her out..."

"Can we just...pretend it's the other thing?" she asked hopefully as she kneeled down next to him, a broken look on her face. "Who would do that...?"

Sam shook his head. Something clicked. "The file!" He got to his feet scrambling for her table. Only to find the file was gone. His stomach felt like it had flipped over.

"She backs everything up on her laptop!" If there was one thing Jordan was good at, it was knowing everything about Parker. "Her...laptop case is empty, though.."

"Damn it...god damn it..." He stumbled back against the counter

"Wait....you think it's connected to your file" You think it was...him?" she asked with wide eyes before standing up. It was almost involuntary, the way she climbed to her feet and moved towards the bathroom with slow steps. She stopped just outside the door.

He nodded slowly, numbly. "It was him." he said, completely certain. He was suddenly aware what the burning smell must have been. He looked to Jordan and then toward the bathroom. Jordan's eyes squeezed shut as she reached for the bathroom door handle. She twisted it and stepped inside, but couldn't bring herself to opening those blue peepers. One eye opened and she looked down at the burned file and smashed up laptop that was placed in the bath tub. "...yeah...it was definitely him.."

His breathing rose heavier and heavier as he stood in the kitchen, trying to suppress the pain bubbling up in him. Suddenly, he lashed out flipping the table in front of him and its contents violently to the floor with a loud crash "GOD DAMN IT!"

The sound was enough to make her come running out of the bathroom.

"What"! WHAT!" Oh...Sam...don't mess up her apartment more..."

He pressed a clenched fist to his forehead, his face screwed up with hopelessness and guilt. He pounded his head back against the cabinet in frustration. It had happened again.

"Hey..." Penny said with wide eyes as she moved over to grip his shoulders. "Get a handle on it."

Sam's eyes clamped shut and he tried to control his breathing, slowly getting back to normal. Those blue eyes flashed open to her, a look she'd never seen. "We find that son of a bitch. I don't care if we have to burn this town down, I want him dead."

The look made her draw back again, her features were so young and innocent. She nodded as firmly as she could, "Agreed." Sam blew out a heavy breath, holstering his firearm. "The laptop. Can we salvage anything?"

"It's smashed up pretty good...but I know my way around a computer....If there's anything to get off of it, I can do it." Penelope told him with a nod. Blue eyes perked. "Oh..! OH!" Penelope was shaking him now.

"WHAT"!"

"You know how serial killers keep trophies?" she asked, moving excitedly over to the laptop bag, Sam walking after her, unsure where she was going with it.

"Yeah?"

"Parker does the SAME thing....Whenever she catches somebody...Before she even lets anyone know....She backs up all of her information to a USB drive....It's like a pride thing with her...Even records a video of her talking about the case....It's kind of cute, actually..."

He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Jordan. Focus."

"Right! My point is! If she called you, and she called me....Chances are, she already backed it up.."

"...we just need to find it..."

"And hope that he didn't take it.." Penny said with a nod. "She'll have practically handed us the information.."

"Alright...we turn this place upside down until we find it." Sam said, determined. A spark of hope in his bloodshot eyes.

A firm nod from the little assistant, and she was moving to go through every pocket of the laptop case. "Check her purse....I can't imagine she had a chance to stash it.."

Sam pulled up Parker's purse, digging into it. Good GOD, parker. Even your purse was anal retentively organized. Penelope went through the laptop bag, determined as ever to find it. Sam would find it, first, though. It a side pocket, a blue USB drive labled, 'Anna Piper—47536" He took it out slowly, carefully like it might turn to dust if he made a wrong movie. "Jordan." He said, turning to the girl and holding the drive up to her. "God I love that woman.......professionally." She uttered wistfully.

Nodding to that last part before going through her purse and pulling out a tiny little net book. "Here," she said with a nod, holding her hands out. He cleared his throat. Yes. Of course. Professionally.

Sam handed the drove to her, those blue eyes watching her. The computer flickered on, and she began typing in her password. Fingers moved effortlessly over the keys, and she plugged in the drive. "Mk....Awesome!" she lit up as she clicked into the files. It didn't take long for her face to fall. "Most of these...They're in zip folders...She password protected them." A fist pounded into the carpet.

Sam sighed. God dammit, Parker...you can't do ANYTHING easy' He sat on her couch running through possible passwords in his head while Jordan was at work on the files.

"The video isn't....Maybe she left details in there," she mumbled softly and clicked into it. Parker's sleepless little face was frozen on her screen. A finger moved slowly to drag over the woman's face. "Please be okay..." Sam looked down to the girl, hearing the worry in her voice. His right hand touched her left shoulder from behind, giving a little reassuring squeeze.

"Mm.." a little noise escaping her as she clicked over her touchpad and brought the video to life. Sam leaned forward to get a better look. On screen, Orion Parker pushed her hair out of her face, it was clear that she hadn't been sleeping. She drew in a breath, and let it out. "My name is Detective Orion Parker, and this is case number 47536, also known as my first case. It, until tonight has been my only unsolved case—and it will always remain the most troubling one. Seven years ago, Samuel Piper came into my office. He gave me all the details of the case, and I've been working on it every night since. Due to a copying error the case was cold for years. A few nights ago, I found the error and here I am. Attached is every detail of the case, including the file, my own personal notes, and what lead me to find him....This one's for you, Sam. We got him.?" the ending of the video would be a smug smile on her pretty face, as she reached out to stop the recording.

Sam's heart broke, his breath leaving his body, and his head dropping. How had he said what he said to her" How could he treat her like that' He'd have given anything to take it back right then and there. She'd done this all for him and now she was in the hands of that psychopath.

Penelope wasn't sure what was said. Or why his head was dropping, so she was a little insensitive to what he was feeling. "Well, that told us nothing..."

Sam's voice was low, drained. "Can you get into those files?" "I'm sure I can get in but....it might take a while....Where's her phone?" she asked looking at him.

"I didn't see it..."

Fingers fished out her own phone and put it to her ear. "Listen for the ring. She never leaves it on silent, and it's always charged."

Silence as the call was answered. After a moment, a voice came from the other end of the call A man. calm. Almost monotone. "Let me speak to Mr. Piper."

Jordan's eyes went wide as ever as if she just seen a ghost. "...Sam..." she whispered softly, two shades more pale.

Sam reached out for the phone, his hands shaking. Hesitantly, she handed the phone over. "Speaker..." she whispered. Sam turned it on speaker and listened.

"Hello, Samuel. It's good to finally meet you. I'm sure, by now, you've discovered the unfortunate scene we had to leave behind. If she were awake right now, I'd apologize to Ms. Parker for the mess."

Sam grit his teeth. Jordan's hand moved out to gently squeeze Sam's shoulder. The voice sending shivers up both their spines, their blood running cold in their veins...

"Who are you?" Sam asked darkly.

That voice...so cold, almost amused. "Oh, Mr Piper...you're not one of those bad little boys who sneaks a peak at his christmas presents early are you? No. No...you're not ready yet. I'm a sporting man, Samuel, so I will let you in on how the game is going to be played. In two day's time, Ms. Parker will be dispatched. I will leave her as I did Anna. If you find me before...then I have underestimated you and lost the game. If you don't...well...there's always round 3."

"You're a sick ****..." sam's voice shook with rage. If he could, he would reach through the phone and strangle the man.

"No, Samuel. I am simply ascending to another level. Don't worry. One day, you'll understand. You have two days to find us. Don't fail. Ms. Parker is counting on you. I wish you the best of luck, my friend."

The call ended and he was gone. "Hello' HELLO"! Parker!"

That hand steadied his shoulder, and she closed her eyes tightly.

"...Sam..." she whispered again as she watched him carefully.

Sam looked over to Jordan slowly. "Jordan. Get those files open and find that son of a bitch."

Swallowing hard, Jordan nodded. "You start going through her things...See if you can find anything useful...something she might use as a password....I'll start running scripts in the background. Shoot, this could take days.." she whispered as she hurried off to set up at Parker's desk.

Sam walked into the bedroom and heard hissing from under the bed. He crouched down and peered under the boxspring. The cat looked absolutely petrified, its tail was all poofed out, and it spat and swiped with clawless paws. "Hey there. Rough night, huh, buddy?"

He heard flashes of his visit earlier. "This is Cygnus..." she had said. Worth a shot.

"Jordan"!" he called out.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Cygnus. Try Cygnus."

"Oh! On it!" she yelled out.

The sound of her typing drifted in.

"No good!" she called.

He grimmaced looking at the cat and backed away, looking around the room for other possibilities. The cat would come out when it was ready. "Dammit..." His hands planted on his hips, those sharp eyes scanning over everything that might mean something to Parker....trying to discern meaning in anything.

Parker's bedroom was just as clean and neat as any other part of her house. The bed was made up without so much as a wrinkle. There was a large chiferobe in the middle of the room that held clothes organized by color and type. Shelves of underwear, bras hung up neatly. Everything was folded. Her closet had a book case inside of it. Rows of comics organized by alphabetical order and volume, as well as a bunch of movies. Two things would be clear, she was a Marvel fan who loved her sci fi. Other than that one closet, there were absolutely no personal things of hers laying around. No pictures of family, no evidence of overnight guests. It was a sad room, actually.

His eyes pored over the rows of movies, an eyebrow quirking at the huge collection of cheesy sci-fi. This he did not expect. "Anything!?" she asked, as if she thought the killer was waiting in the closet the whole time.

"Uh...Well. She's a giant dork...but...No." he said with a sigh.

Jordan screwed up her face in confusion "A dork?"

He pulled out one of the movies, "This Island Earth". and stared at the cover. "Oh yeah. Total dork." he muttered to himself.

"Oh.." Penelope said idly. "Yeah well....She used to wear glasses, and there's no way she didn't have braces so that doesn't surprise m....Oh god, Sam! SAM!" the spaz in full on panic mode as she ran to go through Parker's purse.

He rushed out into the main room. "What"! You find something"!"

"I don't think we have as much time as he's giving us..." she said, her voice suddenly shakey.

He looked to her questioningly as he approached her "What do you mean?"

The inhaler was fished out of Parker's purse. "You made me think of it when you called her a dork.."

"Oh ****..." his face fell for about the 50th time that night.

"If she wakes up and something triggers an attack....Alright come on...No thinking about that!" says the woman who brought it up. Sam rushed back into her room and started digging through her movies...nothing really standing out....and then he moved to her comics. Digging through, looking at the covers as he sifted through them. He noted a LOT of covers featuring a red and blackmasked character...often doing something cool...or smart-assed...

Deadpool.

The scripts ran in the background, and she stared at the screen. So far she had tried her own name, Sam's name, Anna's...nothing. "Why does she make everything difficult!?"

He chewed his lip a moment...a hunch building in his mind. He flipped through a few issues of the comic...noticing a repeated line. He was admittedly stunned that she liked THIS character. He was the ANTI Parker.

"Anything, Sam' No pressure! Except for the pressure!"

Sam had a good feeling about this though. He looked out to Jordan. "Try Chimichanga."

"Right...How do you spell that!?" she asked.

He stepped up behind her and set the comic in front of her. Her eyes darted from the comic to her keyboard. Her eyes lit up and she slapped his arm, "We're in!"

Sam's face lit up as he leaned in over Jordan's shoulder, giving it a squeeze and a little shake. "Oh, Parker...you beautiful...complete and utter nerd...."

Hours were spent going through all the info she'd left behind. Cole had even come over to lend a hand. They sat around the office, take-out boxes littering the desk. Each on about their 8 or 9th cup of coffee. Cole leaned back in his creaky chair running his fingers down his tired face with a groan. "God damn. How this woman likes doin' this shit, I'll never know."

Sam glanced up from his own laptop, eyes red from sleeplessness. Each had put a copy on their computer and each were studying separate files. A quiet breath that was more of a nasal exhale escaped him. Cole got to his feet.

"Anybody need coffee" I sure as hell do..." he muttered tiredly.

Jordan had barely so much as blinked all night, dark circles made a home beneath her already distinguished eyes. A hand was brushed through her hair as she stared at the screen like a zombie. Cole was offering coffee and she didn't bother looking up. "Please, and thank you.."

Cole stepped wearily over to the coffee machine, pointing to her as he passed. "You got it, kiddo."

Jordan yawned loudly, stopping herself and then shaking it off. Was it possible for her face to fall off" It felt as if her face was going to fall off. "The worst part is....Parker does this all the time...No wonder she's so cranky and awesome.."

Jordan gasped as she stumbled across something in one of the files. A name. A picture. A slight man with average features. Green eyes, and a quiet smile on his face. Something about him unnerved her. Colin Tremmel. 35, single. A pediatrician. And god, did he look familiar. She couldn't place where she'd seen him before but she was certain. Squinting at the face, the young detective rubbed at her eyes. "That guy..." she mumbled softly, sleepily as she continued to rub at a single peeper.

Sam glanced up from his own computer, exhausted. "What's up?"

"...how do I know him?" Jordan muttered to herself.

Then, it came in quick flashes, her face. She'd seen him just outside the office. Once she'd even bumped into him after running things to parker's place. Not thinking much of it at the time.

"Who?" Sam asked , tired of waiting on a response while she was in her head.

Pointing almost frantically at the screen. "...that's the guy!" she mumbled in a panic. "He's been following her for a while now...." She said, horrified, turning to Sam. "I know that face. He's been to her apartment, and to the office.."

Sam stood and walked over, bracing himself on the back of her chair, leaning over her shoulder. He knew the second he laid eyes on him that it was him.

"Cole, run a check on this guy."

Cole set aside the coffee moved to his computer. He still had access to current police databases and set to typing.

Sam moved over to him. "Colin Trammel. T-R-A-M-M-E-L."

Jordan watched them, pulling up a second file and going through that now. She brushed those youthful blonde locks from her eyes and sighed softly, taking a long drink from her cup her eyes widening. "Mm! We got an address right here!"

She pointed excitedly. ?"2808 Lincoln St."

Sam looked to Cole. "You know it?"

Cole's eyes scanned the page, coming up with similar. "Yeah, quiet neighborhood out north. Supposed to be real nice."

Sam slapped his hand on the desk . "That's it! That's where the son of a bitch lives!" He grinned to Jordan "We got him. We got the bastard!"

Immediately she was punching the address into her phone. "Alright, let's get him." she said, grabbing her jacket and moving for the door. No game plan, no gun. Just Jordan, more ready than ever. Cole held up his hands, standing up.

"Hold up, hold the hell up! You two just gonna go runnin' in there like Rambo, gunnin' and blastin' away' In the middle of a residential neighborhood?"

Sam turned to him. Maybe it was unreasonable. Maybe it was poorly thought out. But right now" He did NOT care. Jordan glanced up, pocketing her phone. "No...I was going to punch him..." The girl held her hands up as if she were a boxer. "...with my fists..." her voice fleeting.

Sam hooked a thumb back to her. "That's the plan, yeah."

Cole scoffed giving them a reproachful look. "Don't you think you better notify the department before you go shootin' the **** outta Leave it to Beaverville?"

Sam pulled open a locker, grabbing a kevlar vest as he did so. "We don't have time. You know the standard procedure. They're gonna roll up with lights flashing and this guy is going to panic. Might kill her before we get a chance to get at him. This is our best shot."

Cole sighed and shook his head. "Alright. Alright. But you get in there and you can end this without shots fired, you do it. I don't want any unnecessary gunfire, you get me?"

Sam strapped the vest and nodded. "Got it."

Jordan watched him, and looked between the two. "You ready?" she asked with wide eyes.

The three of them piled into an SUV and were on their way. Sam glanced to Jordan in the rearview mirror. "Listen, when we get there, I want you hanging back. We don't know what?s going to be waiting for us in there. I don't want you getting hurt,"

"I love you, Sam, but screw that..." Jordan said shaking her head. "I'm with you," she said with a nod. "I'm never going to be a detective if I keep 'hanging back'."

Sam grimaced. He didn't like it, but having a bit of back up wouldn't go unappreciated. He nodded reluctantly before giving her a stern look in the mirror. "Okay...but you stay on my six, you got it' You do what I say, when I say it. Understand?"

Cole glanced over to his young friend, he was still uncomfortable with this whole plan, but you backed your brother's play. He turned and reached back, holding a 9mm Glock, the grip toward her. "You know how to use one of these?"

Looking at the gun, she thinned out her eyes and waved off the question. "Yeah, totally.." she said with a huff, and carefully took it, keeping her finger off of the trigger. Had she studied up on guns and known all the rules" Yes. Had she ever actually fired one" ...not exactly.

"Well," Cole thought, "at least she LOOKS like she knows what she's doing."

"You be careful with that." He turned around, sharing a concerned glance to Sam before turning to stare out the window. "You see him coming at you or Sam, you put two in his chest and one in his head. Drop him and end him." he said, his tone low and grave.

Those soft, young features lowered to the gun in her hand. She made sure the safety was on and then rested it on the seat, pointing it away from everyone. "Thanks, Cole.." she said.

The SUV stopped across the street from the house. It was unassuming. Quiet. A cozy little ranch style in an idyllic little neighborhood. Cole surveyed the scene with a practiced eye. If anything was wrong here, he couldn't see it.

Sam turned on the walkie talkie at his hip, just in case he had to call Cole in for back up, his eyes turning back to Jordan as her phone rang. She rolled her eyes and gave him the "1 second" finger. Immediately, she looked shakey and pale, seeing Parker's name on the caller ID. She stared at the answer button, dreading presssing it and hearing his voice again.

Finally, she steeled herself and answered. "H-hello?" she asked as the phone was pressed to her ear.

"Speaker." sam whispered to her Jordan winced, and tapped the speaker button.

That sickeningly sweet and condescending voice came from the other end. "Hello, Sweetie. Can I speak to Samuel, please?"

"Here he is..." she mumbled uncomfortably as she passed the phone to him.

"Yeah, what do you want?" He stepped out of the car, nodding to her to follow him.

"Just checking on your progress, Mr. Piper. Ms. Parker is getting very antsy." He said in a playful singsong. On the other end, Colin glanced over to the bound and gagged Parker a smile on his face

Jordan gripped her gun tightly as she listened in. "...that son of a bitch....How do we even know she's not dead?" she whispered to Cole with wide, teary eyes. "This could all be some stupid game.."

Cole had the same exact sentiments, nodding to her.

"Jordan." Sam whispered, covering the mouthpiece with his shoulder. His pistol drawn and leveled at the ground, the other gripping the phone. Jordan grabbed her gun and flicked the safety off, stepping out of the vehicle quietly, not shutting the door all the way. She stayed at his ankles, moving quietly across the ground as she held her gun down and outward. They made their way across the front lawn. "Well, I know who you are, ass. And you better strap in, because we're gaining on you."

Colin laughed jovially. "Are you, now?"

Sam smirked. "Damn right. And I swear...if you harm a hair on her head, you sick ****-"

His voice rose over Sam, as if he were a misbehaving child. "Samuel. Now, you play nice. You keep talking like that I might just leave Ms. Parker's head as a charming decoration on your mailbox. We wouldn't want that now would we?"

Sam looked back at Jordan as they came upon the front door, trying to move as quietly as possible. He held the phone out to her, pressed against the wall. The phone was taken and she took in a breath. Jordan looked back at the vehicle and felt her heartbeat thudding away in her chest. She gave him a nod as she moved to the other side of the door. Sam peered in through the window, seeing a silhouette standing by the back door, phone to his ear.

"You listen to me, you son of a bitch. There's nowhere you can hide that I won't find you. Nowhere you can slink off to this time. You're time is up. Game over."

Sam stepped back and with a power kick, busted the door open. He raised his weapon and stormed into the foyer. "HANDS! LET ME SEE YOUR HANDS!"

Circling around to his backside, Jordan continued to hold her position right near him. She raised her gun and stared, "NOW, DIRTBAG!"

Sam's eyes adjusted as he realized what the silhouette was. A mannequin...strapped with with a vest of plastic explosive.

Colin's voice came out of Jordan's phone in a sing song taunt "UH-ohhhhhhhh....Game over Sam."

Sam's eyes went wide. He turned and grabbed Jordan around the waist. Jordan's feet lifted off the ground, and she was carried away like some rag doll.

"But thank you for playing."

The phone on the mannequin rang.

The two were just on the porch when the explosion ripped through the house. As the blast went off, Jordan's free arm shielded her face and her eyes squeezed shut. The force sending them and bits of debris and glass through the air. Sam's arms wrapped tight around her as they were sent violently spinning. The windows in the SUV burst around Cole, his arms coming up to shield his face. Jordan and Sam slammed to the ground and rolled to a stop.

Cole stumbled out of the vehicle, his ears ringing loudly in his head as he slowly came to in a daze. He propped himself up on the door, looking in their direction, shouting their names wordlessly. He took a step forward on wobbly legs, falling to his knees before getting up as burning debris floated to the ground around them.

A scream left her lips, but it was silent in their deafened ears. She was on the ground beneath him, her eyes still shut. "I'm dead..am I dead" I think I'm dead..." she thought to herself.

Sam rolled off of her onto his back, his body wracked with a pain more intense that he'd ever felt before. Vaguely aware of his and Jordan's names being called. It sounded like they were being called from the other end of a tunnel. Cole knelt beside them checking to make sure they were, in fact still alive.

Little cuts and bruises littered Jordan's body, and she was temporarily deaf from the blast. She grunted softly and coughed out, sputtering. Cole leaned over the girl, checking her for any serious wounds. His big hand touched her face. "You alright"! Come on, baby girl! Talk to me!"

A little head trauma, his voice sounding distant as ever. She rolled her eyes open and looked at him, those blue eyes rolling around in her skull. Slurring slightly, "Did...did I get him?"

Cole grinned and gently put a hand on top of her head. "Yeah. You got 'im."

Sam's head lolled toward where the house once stood. Now a smoldering, burning ruin. It was a trick. How had he not seen it' It was obvious! He was obsessed...and again...he was missing things. Focusing on the details and not the obvious. For all the pain in his body, this hurt the most. And what made it worse...he'd almost got them killed. He stared up at the darkening sky, a feeling of desperation coming over him.

The room was cold and damp around Parker. And the smell equally unpleasant. Like sulfur and dirty rusty pipes. Colin was in the other room sharpening his knife humming "this little light of mine" to himself.

"This little light of mine...." SHINK!

"I'm gonna let it shine..." SHINK!

Parker hadn't slept a wink, her eyes were half lidded and she stared down at her hands as if willing the bonds to break with her mind. That's where she was at now. There was no way she was getting out of this on her own. Nobody could hear the screams silenced by the tape. Eyes ticked with every sound metal sliding across whetstone.

"Let it shine...let it shine, oh...." SHINK!

He held the knife before his face. His voice a whisper. "Let it shine."

If by some miracle, she'd gotten out of this and somebody ever sang that song around her, she'd cut a bitch. Colin, satisfied with his work, turned toward that filthy bathroom. "Well, Ms. Parker. By now, I'm assuming our friend is licking his wounds. I do hope he wasn't too badly hurt. It would be a shame to have to postpone tomorrow night's festivities." He walked through the doorway and crouched beside the tub his sharpened knife in his hand.

Sam....As he spoke to her, she dragged her tired, pissed off eyes up to him. A deep breath was taken through her nostrils as she flailed around in a last fight; but eventually collapsed back down. Two syllables muffled against the tape.

He smiled softly. "Now. If I take that tape off of your mouth...are you going to play nice like a good girl" Or are you going to mouth off like a filthy whore?"

How the hell was she supposed to answer that' She nodded her head, but she could have been saying yes to either of those questions.

"You're going to be good?"

Eyes were tired and glaring, a stubborn nod as she huffed in a defeated manner.

"Very good." He reached up and grabbed an end of the tape, before stopping. "This is going to hurt. I apologize." He pulled the tape off quickly in one swift pull. Well, saved her the trouble of paying to get her upper lip waxed. Involuntary tears welled up in her eyes as she hissed out a cry. Fingers instinctively moved towards her mouth, but were halted by the bonds.

Colin appraised her, an admiring smile on the killer's face. "You are a rare beauty, Ms. Parker. I can see why he stays around. I must admit, I was quite taken with you upon first glance, myself."

"You're wrong," she whispered in a hoarse tone through a dry mouth. "He stays around because he knows I'm his best shot at killing you..." Parker told him with a lazy glance before letting her head rock back against the tub.

"You truly believe that's the only reason?" his head tilted.

"There's not a doubt in my mind....I can't wait to see it, either.." Parker informed him, another deep breath taken in. "You've been partners for seven years. And you're a detective. A brilliant one. Surely you've noticed...glances. Little smiles here and there. Moments when you've caught him looking away, disguising panic..."

"And can you honestly tell me you've never looked at him the same way?"

"You haven't done your research, have you, Mr. Trammel?" she asked turning her eyes back to him. "I'm the office robot," she mumbled softly. "Most people don't even think that I'm human half that time." When he asked about her looking at Sam, she just dropped her eyes away. "Not even going to justify that with a response."

A knowing grin crossed his thin lips. "I think you have. I think you hide a big heart beneath that cold exterior you put up with everyone. Even your so-called friends. I could hear it in your voice when were on the phone. Planning my demise. That wasn't the office robot. That was a woman who, I believe cares very deeply for a man...but hasn't the faintest idea of how to express it."

Was it bad that she'd rather him kill her than keep talking about this" That's the bridge she crossed at this point. "I think you're reading too much into someone that you're planning on killing anyways." Parker answered him and raised an eyebrow.

"I find you fascinating. So...I wish to converse with you. I told you before, I will take no joy in what I do to you. I have a great amount of respect for you, Ms. Parker. You are a brilliant mind and this world will be worse without you." pulled his stool up closer to the tub. "I hope...before the end. You can forgive me."

"Then why do it?" Parker asked, turning her eyes to the ceiling. "Why kill me" Why kill Anna, and I swear if you say it's to evolve, I will scream so loud that I bust your ear drums....This isn't a game, Trammel. It's a sickness. Why do you want to torture him' What did he ever do to you?" she asked.

"Anna was a symptom of the disease that is eating humanity. Vulgar, rude, promiscuous! She was a flirt. An arrogant woman with more pride than humility. And she flashed her body all over town like common whore. She needed to be taught a lesson. This was NOT about Samuel. The game was over. But he chose to keep playing. Neither of you have any idea the force you're toying with. For 7 years I have lived right under your noses. Free to do as I wish while the two of you tread water."

He stood up pacing toward the other room. "So many times I could have taken your life. So many times I could have broken him again. But I waited. And I waited. And now?" Those dull blue-grey eyes turned on her. "You are FINALLY...close enough."

"You don't get to decide who lives and who dies, Trammel....Who do you think you are" You make me sick." Teeth beared once more.

He walked toward her slowly. "But I do. Ask Anna Piper. Ask Mary Golden. Sandra Palmer. Rae Flattery. Michelle Gomez." His voice escalating in intensity with every name. "It was my hand. MY hand that decided their fate. No one else's."

Parker struggled against her bonds. If she could have, she'd have ripped his throat out. "You're a coward. Your little 'game' ended the second I got your name and address, and you know it....You ****ed up."

He looked to her surprised. "Did I" Ms. Parker. You are strapped to a tub, naked, about to be cut open and drained like cattle in a slaughterhouse."

A smile on her face, "And I'm a better player than you....I left him what he needed..." Blinking her eyes several times as her photographic memory came into play. "2808 Lincoln St....That's your address, right' But that's not where we are....We're in Parkview, aren't we" The cavalry is coming, Trammel."

He smiled to her and leaned in. "You haven't heard have you?" Not shying away as he leaned closer, "Heard what?" in a snappy little tone.

That self-satisfied little grin on his face was just about the most infuriating thing she'd ever seen. "2808 Lincoln St. is now a smoldering ruin. Apparently...a man and a young woman...a Penny Jordan..tried to break in earlier today. Some...trickster had left a surprise. Amazing how much damage a little plastic explosive can do."

He reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, earning an attempted bite at his fingers. He had to admire her tenacity. "Your friends may be a bit late."

Sam...Jordan....her heart sank into her belly. "You're lying. Even if you're not, he's stronger than you think. He'll be here, and he's going to put an end to your game once and for all, and you're going to be nothing but a rotting corpse in this basement, because I am for damn sure not cleaning you up." Parker spat, and began grinding her teeth.

"Then I hope, for your sake...that he hurries." Colin placed the knife at her wrist, beneath where the tape sat and sliced quick, horizontally. The blade cutting through skin and opening her veins, sending screaming pain signals directly to her brain. Almost clinically, he moved on to do the same to her other wrist.

Fingers clenched into tight fists, which probably didn't help her. Teeth were beared as she silently screamed into the night. "Gah!" Looking almost betrayed, but not quite there. She hadn't trusted a word the man said, but she still had to wonder. "Why now?" it was a hoarse sound, pained as ever.

The clock struck 12...it was friday. "Happy anniversary."

"Son of a bitch..!" Parker screamed at him, eyes trailing to her wrist as she watched the blood flow out of her flesh. Dizziness hadn't settled in yet, but her ears chimed as the situation became more surreal than ever.

Hot blood oozed down into the tub. He spoke soothingly to her. "Ms. Parker" Calm yourself. Calm yourself. Don't want to move too much or you'll make it drain faster. I want this to last a good long while. Give our friend time."

Colin wiped the blood on his pant leg, standing up. "And besides..." He said with a smile. "We're just getting started."

They were both out for a while, and Jordan hadn't left their side. Parker's wrists had been bandaged up, but they were still waiting to see if she'd suffer any nerve damage. She'd lost a lot of blood, and both her and Sam were hooked up to IVs to replace the fluids that they'd lost. Sam lay unconscious, his monitor beeping steadily. It had been touch and go for a while, but he was eventually in stable condition. He was fortunate the blade hadn't hit any vital organs. He'd be sore as hell and have to take it easy for a while, but he would live. Peacefully, he lay there, chest rising and falling in a soft rhythm, his face clean but for the scrapes, bruises, and stitches from the explosion. Parker was dehydrated and upon arrival, had a pretty massive panic attack, so she'd been administered drugs to put her out. Jordan was curled up in a chair beside them. Her eyes sleepless as ever, but she waited and watched for them to wake up.

Parker's galaxy eyes flickered open, she was in a daze for only a moment before panic began to settle in. She jerked upwards, feeling the binds of wires sticking into her flesh. She let out a sharp cry, still blinded by the drugs as she began to rip away at the wires.

Jordan moved over to her and tried to steady her hands. "Parker....Parker! Calm down! You're okay....Stop..." Jordan said, gripping her arms and trying to settle her back down weakly.

"Jordan..." Parker whispered softly as she laid down as she instructed. "What...what happened?" she asked, her head still foggy from the drugs.

"You got taken by that psycho....I was so worried about you." Jordan whispered, pulling her into a tight hug. "Sam got hurt pretty badly getting you out of there, but....he's dead, Parker. You don't have to worry about him again, he's dead."

"Sam's dead...?" eyes not opening.

"No, Sam's right next to you....The psycho is dead."

"Is Sam okay..?"

"Yeah, he pulled through, they got the bleeding stopped....He should be fine."

"What're you doing here, Jordan..." When was the last time you slept?" she asked, finally allowing her eyes to open and settle blurry vision on the blonde.

Her eyes turned to Parker. "If they hadn't given you drugs, you wouldn't have slept either, Parker."

"Hey, Jordan..." Parker said attempting to grab her hand with useless fingers. "You don't want to be like me, alright' I don't even want to be like me.."

Raised voices came from outside the room. "Girl, you better get your damn hands off the merchandise. That's my friend in there!"

"Sir, if you aren't family, you're going to have to wait-"

"What the f-girl, get out my way!"

The door opened and in hobbled Cole, leaving a VERY frustrated nurse in his wake.

Jordan spun around, "Hey, it's alright...He's family," she said with a nod.

The sight of Sam stopped him in his tracks. Cole was MUCH less worse for wear than anyone in the room, but he had his share of battle scars Parker knew him. Not well, but they had met a time of two. He took in a lungful of air and let it go. Finally he noticed Jordan and Parker.

Cole walked over to Jordan, arms opening for a hug as he approached. "Damn, girl, you alright?"

"Huh' Yeah....I'm fine," Jordan said as she collapsed against his embrace. "A lot better off than these two. Also, I shot a guy," she said with a weak smile. "Sam put him down, but I shot the shit out of him first.."

Cole let out a laugh, giving her a tight squeeze. "Atta girl."

Parker settled down in the bed as she watched the two, and then let her eyes fall shut. It wouldn't be long before she saw his face, and jolted her eyes open. A deep breath was taken as she tried to relax. "They say if I can go home soon?"

A smile up to Cole before she turned her eyes to Parker. "You crazy' You're really dehydrated, and you lost a ton of blood. You just lay there until they say you can go..." A bit more bossy than usual.

Parker was defeated as ever, and simply nodded, her eyes turning to Sam.

Sam's eyes slowly opened just as Parker's eyes landed upon him. A long moment before either moved or said anything. Just quiet while Cole and Jordan talked. A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. Those deep blue eyes locked on those milkyway galaxy eyes, silently saying "It's over." Parker stared over at Sam, looking more vulnerable and human than ever before. When he smiled, her lips weakly upturned for him. It was a moment that the two would share, something she would try and think back on any time she was in panic mode. He glanced over to the battered Jordan, looking like a total bad-ass and glanced to Parker as if to say "Jordan. Am I right' Who'da thought?"

Memories were slow to come back to her, but she remembered Colin moving in to finish her off, she remembered the profanity coming from Jordan's mouth, and she remembered their lives being saved. The smile strengthened up a bit, and she nodded. Her hand turned, thumb sticking up, but some of the fingers unable to ball themselves in a fist. It was the world's most awkward thumbs-up. Sam's left arm reached out over to her bed and took her hand weakly. Fingers attempted to give his a squeeze, some of them worked, some of them weren't there yet.

Cole noticed the movement and leaned over Jordan's shoulder. "Holy shit...he's awake."

Jordan's eyes trailed over to the two just as they were holding hands. There was something on her expression before she wiped it away.

Cole stepped over, hands in his pockets. "God damn, kid, you had us scared a minute there."

"Really scared. How are you feeling?"" Jordan mumbled.

Sam gave one last soft smile to Parker before he let her hand go. His voice sounding like he'd been gargling rock salt all night. "Had...better days..."

A little laugh escaped him, drawing out a wince. Weakly, he gestured at Cole's face. "God...you're even uglier than I remember..."

Cole laughed. "Jesus, all that stabbin' and he couldn't even kill your sense of humor?"

Sam coughed when he laughed, his hand going to his chest, his breath coming out a bit weezy. Sam's eyes landed on Jordan and he reached out for her.

"What sense of humor?" Parker asked, as she watched Jordan move over towards Sam. Steps were slow and calculated as if she were afraid of tripping and breaking him.

He shot a little grin Parker's way and pulled the young detective down in the a one armed hug, holding her as tightly to him as he could in his weakened state. Jordan wasn't quite expecting that, she hesitated and resisted a bit, afraid of hurting him. Finally she let out a weak chuckle and hugged him. "What's that for?"

"Good...shot." Sam released her and grinned up to the girl.

"Wasn't going to let you have all the fun..." Jordan said with a chuckle and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm glad you're not dead, Sam.."

"Me...too..."

"Remind me to yell at you later..." Parker said.

He lay back, his eyes still a bit blurry, his body still incredibly weak. "You got it...boss." He managed to eek out.

"Jordan," Parker snapped. "Go home, eat something and sleep...Maybe bring me some files to look over later, but go take a shower and take care of yourself."

Cole nodded. "Yeah, come on kid. I'll give you a ride home."

Another glance between the two of them, and she lowered her eyes. "I'll be back later to check on you two.." Jordan mumbled softly.

Sam waved weakly to both of them, "Thanks...again..."

Parker's eyes slid to Sam as the room cleared out. "I don't know whether or not I want to hit you or hug you.."

"I'd...prefer...the latter."

"You got so focused on me....You almost got yourself killed, Sam...Don't ever let that happen again. You always secure the area before dropping your weapon, you understand me?" There was no condescending tone, and there couldn't have been more care in her voice than in that moment.

"...you're welcome, Park." He smiled over to her.

Parker frowned lightly, "...and yes, thank you....But...Don't do that again....If Jordan wasn't there.." Swallowing hard, she took in a breath.

He nodded slowly. "Almost...bit it..."

"You and me both..." Parker whispered, her expression turning to panic again. "I was so sure I was going to die.."

Maybe it was the drugs, maybe it was how tired he was, but he said it. "Wouldn't...let you..."

Talking was becoming harder by the word, but those weary, tired eyes stared across at her. "Sorry....what I..." He swallowed, the words getting more difficult to form. "Was wrong."

"I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you all these years, Sam." It was probably strange having her use is first name so casually. "...you're a good detective." Swallowing hard, she settled back down into the bed. "...get some rest." Eyes would not close save for an occasional blink.

He nodded, his eyes sliding shut. But he looked back up to her again. "Good...."

He took in a deep breath and exhaled. "Friend..."

He nodded to her. His mouth worked into a smile as his eyes slid shut.

"Good friend, yeah.." Parker whispered and sat up in the bed. She was already antsy and restless. She'd do more to watch him, than actually get herself some needed rest.

4 glasses of whiskey (for her) and 5 beers (his) later, he grimaced across the table at the increasingly drunk redhead. Whiskey didn't sit well in a blood stream nourished by leaves and small bits of chicken. Four drinks down, and she was resting her head on the table pushing the fifth, half empty glass across with her index finger.

Galaxy eyes rolled up to him, and she smiled. "Hi.."

He gave her a grin, slouched back in his chair. "Heya."

"How's it goin' over there?"

"I think the waiter is getting annoyed at us," she whispered too loudly as she lifted her drink to her lips and finished off the glass. "I feel...shiny." Parker said with a grin.

He tipped his bottle back and downed the rest of his beer. "Wanna get outta here?"

"That sounded like such a line..." He made a distasteful face, which was wiped away a moment later. "But...wanna get outta here. Go home. Make some grilled cheese?"

"You know?" Parker asked as she set down the empty glass, "I kinda do." Then she was laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

He chuckled and stood up to his full 6' tall height, a hand offered down to her.

Parker took his hand, and stood stumbling into him a bit.

He caught her, stumbling back a bit with a quiet laugh "Oh, jesus. No. No we're good."

Parker looked up at him and grinned, "The alcohol has seemed to affect my legs, good sir!" she said with a grin.

"Yeah, four glasses of whiskey will do that." He smirked down at her, those shining blue eyes reddened a bit with the haze of alcohol. "You okay?"



"Yeah, I feel pretty good...A little wobbly, but pretty good.." There was a big grin on her face. "Take me home," she pouted playfully. "And make me a sammich.." A finger came up to poke his nose. "Boop!"

"Alright, come on, drunk ass."

"You're the one who's drunk...butt." she said, following him when he took the lead.

He led her out of the diner/bar and walked down the street with her in the dark.

"I knew it." Sam said with a chuckle. "I knew you were gonna be a fun drunk."

"Am I fun?" she asked with wide eyes and a big, light up the night smile.

"Yeah! And you're smilin'..." he said in a high voice. "I like it when you smile."

"I had braces when I was younger..." Parker admitted. "I got into the habit of not smiling..." Clinging to his arm as they walked.

"Parker, you could stop traffic with that thing."

"You're lyingggg..." she said with a chuckle.

He glanced down at her, a drunken grin on his face. "Nope. And I like your hair."

"My hair" It's a mess right now! I like your scruffy...face." A hand moved up to rake over his beard.

He jutted out his jaw toward her, eye brows raising as he stifled a laugh.

"No, but it's all pretty and red..."

"Yeah it's pretty red..." she said thoughtfully as she dragged her fingers over his jaw and let her hand drop.

The two stumbled up to the apartment. It took him a good 3 or 4 tries to get the key in the lock before he nudged the door open.

Sam tossed his keys in the bowl and wandered in, stopping to turn to her. He pointed at the drunken redhead. "Grilled cheese" I make the best grilled cheese."

Her head was planted against his spine as he worked the door open, and she'd stumble after him as he stepped inside. "Grilled cheese, definitely ..." Orion said.

He wandered in and started to work, breaking out the pan, bread, butter, and cheese slices. "You want anything to drink?"

"Yeah, I'll take whatever.." Parker said as she disappeared into the bedroom to put on her bed clothes.

He finished up just as she was about to step out. He had forgotten she was there for a moment, despite putting two plates with two waters out and headed toward the door almost bumping into her as she was coming out.

Orion stumbled backwards, he'd recognize the outfit as what she was wearing the day they fought. "Hey! What're you doing in my apartment!?" she asked with a grin.

"Ooh...Sorry...Wait what? YOUR apartment?" He smirked down at her before becoming suddenly aware of their proximity.

"It was a JOKE!" she said with a chuckle, then sniffed the air. "Smells gooood."

He laughed and stepped around her "I know."

"'scuse me." He entered the room going to his drawer and pulling out a clean shirt for bed, setting it on the bed.

When he stepped around, she tied off her robe and followed after. "There's no excuse for you!" she said, and obviously found it to be the most hilarious thing in the world judging by the laughter following after.

Sam's arms crossed in front of him and he shook his head, laughing more at her than what she said. "You are a mess."

He pulled his shirt over his head wincing slightly at the stitches in his side.

"Nuh uh. I'm SUPER clean." Sitting in a dainty fashion on the edge of the bed, Parker continued her laughing fit until she saw his chest, and then she looked like she might cry. "That was my fault..."

His muscled torso only had hints of what had happened. But his side would always bear that scar.

"What was?" He gestured to the wound "THIS?"

Fingers delicately traced beneath the underside of his stitches, and she nodded slowly.

He twitched away. "ooh..ah...heh heh....Sorry. Ticklish there..."

That made her laugh, "Really"! You're ticklish' You're HUGE!" I'm not even ticklish!"

"Tall people are ticklish too!"

"You're a nerd!" she giggled and snagged a grilled cheese, taking a bite.

"Yeah, says the woman whose purse is cataloged like a museum."

"Organization is its own reward, Sam."

He leaned over by the dresser, pulling open a drawer and taking out a pair of shorts, changing into them with his back to her.

Wide silver dusted eyes watched him as she nibbled away on the snack. "Take it off."

"Hey. Behave back there."

Pouting against the grilled cheese, "Make me."

He walked back to the bed with a smirk, shaking his head at her before grabbing his t-shirt.

Hair rested in front of her eyes, "This IS the best grilled cheese ever."

He pulled it down over his torso and walked out, grabbing his grilled cheese and leaning against the doorway, chewing. "Right"!"

"It's so cheesy! How...how you do that?" she asked with a grin as she took another bite.

"Two slices!"

"Genius!" she yelled.

He nodded all proud, mouth full of food before he went and sat on the couch in the living room.

Orion, with her grilled cheese, moved to follow after him. "Hey...where you going?"

His fingers went through his soft brown hair, scratching at the back of is head and looking up to her. "Just sittin' on my bed."

A thumb jerk to his room, "That's your bed..."

"No. That's YOUR bed, remember?"

"It's mine?" she asked with her eyes trailing to the ceiling. "Oh yeeeeaahh."

"Cuz I'm a gentleman." he mumbled around his food, pointing the sandwich at her.

"Were you wanting to go to bed?" she asked.

A drunken smile on his face as he sat. "Not just yet..." He patted the couch next to him. "Come on. Hang out with me."

Orion sat down next to him and finished off the grilled cheese, "Sooo goooood." The girl said with her cheeks puffing out lightly.

He chuckled. "I'll pass your compliments onto the chef."

A poke to the top of his chest, "You're the chef!"

He gasped. "Well, lookit that!"

He gave her two thumbs up and wink.

"I'm having a good time, Sam. Thanks for taking me out," she said with a smile as she leaned back.

"Any time, Parker."

"Nooo," she looked into his eyes as if he wasn't taking her seriously. "I mean it, thank you." With a wide stare.

He looked to her oddly. "..I...mean it, too' Any. Time."

He stared at her a moment, swallowing another bite. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but...you're...fun."

"You don't have to say that.." Parker said, brushing her hair away from her eyes.

"I know. But I am."

"Well, Mister Piper," she said with a grin. "I thank you. The entire state of Tennessee thanks you."

He reached over and took her hand gently and nodded. "Well, you and...the good people of Tennessee are welcome." He smirked, giving her hand a gentle shake.

That hand was issued a squeeze with the fingers that were still working. She giggled lightly, "We're a modest folk," she said with a nod. No clue what she was talking about.

He laughed "Yeah, I can tell."

He smiled to her, only vaguely aware that he was still holding her hand. Orion scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder, completely unaware that they were holding hands. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, her left arm crossing her chest to her right shoulder, their hands still together. When that arm wrapped around her, she felt her head roll against his chest. Fingers were issued another squeeze and she sucked in a breath, letting out a content little sigh. Sam leaned back his head a moment.

Drunken blue eyes glanced down and redhead who was under his arm. He turned his cheek, resting it to the top of her head. Those giant galaxy eyes blinked up at him, and then they closed happily as he rested his cheek on her hair.

"It's getting late."

"You getting tired?" she asked.

"A bit." He nodded. "Okay, Sam." Parker said with a nod, as she issued another squeeze to his hand, and moved to work her way out of his arms.

He looked up at her. "Goin' ta bed?"

"You're tired, so I figured I should leave you alone..."

"...well, help me make up the bed, dork."

He stood up and pulled out one the couch cushions.

Parker giggled softly, "Whatever you say, Sam.." she said, and grabbed a cushion.

"Also...I need a couple of your pillows."

"I'll go grab some, I only use one anyways..." Parker said, disappearing into the bedroom.

He unrolled the creaky sofa bed. going to the closet to grab some sheets. Doing this drunk was a chore and a half....

"Thank you!" He called after her, eyes watching her backside as she walked in.

Stumbling out into the room with two pillows in hand, Parker smiled. "Anytime," she said.

He took the pillows in his arms. "Thanks."

Moving to straighten out his sheets, she rolled her eyes. "No, thank you....For letting me stay." He shook his head "Glad to have you."

He set the pillows on the "bed" and sat

A small smile crossed Parker's face, "Want me to read you a story?"

"No, I think I can handle it." He smiled up at her. "Goodnight, Parker."

Parker moved in to awkwardly hug him, "Goodnight, Sam.."

He stood as she started for him, his arms wrapping around her. He couldn't help but breathe her in, the smell of her hair amazing. Staring up at him, her wide eyes thinned out in a bright smile. Sam stared right back down at her, a soft smile on his lips.

Parker's lips pursed lightly as she fought the smile, and rested her head against his chest, giving him another light squeeze. His hand went to the back of her head. "You need anything...just call for me. I'll be out here all night.

"Same to you," she said with a smile. "I can't sleep, so I'll be up reading." Pointing to the bedroom.

He broke the hug and smiled. "Night, Parker."

A hand patted against his chest, "Goodnight, Piper."

He stepped away from her and flopped down on the bed, blowing out air. Eaaaaaasy, boy.

Smiling to him, she moved to disappear into the bedroom. She turned off the light for him, and the only light that would filter in, was that filtered in from the crack in the slightly open door to the bedroom.

Those blue eyes stayed on the door until sleep overtook him. He would worry about how awkward that night ended up tomorrow. For now...sleep.

Jordan stared up at Parker from the coffee shop table. The server poured their coffee without a word and trotted off, their lunch orders were already cooking up. "So' You and Sam are living together now?" asked Jordan as she sipped from her mug and blinked up at her with bright blue eyes settled on those features that had been slightly bruised and cut from the explosion. She tried to hide the grimace, but Parker hadn't seemed to notice either way, because she'd been staring down at her cup. "How's uh' How's that going?"

"Nice, actually' Nicer than I thought it would. He's a lot cleaner than I expected, and I half expected him to kick me out," she rambled on. "He's a good man," nodding to that final statement as the doe-eyed detective darted her vision up to her assistant.

Jordan stared back at her, this was the most Parker had ever talked about something that didn't involve cases or files, or cases of files, for that matter. "Anything" happen with you two?" she asked hopelessly as she took in Parker's unadulterated beauty as if she were some child with a schoolgirl crush.

Orion practically choked on her coffee, eyes squeezing shut as she coughed. "What' No!" she yelled and glared over at Jordan, who shrank back and dropped her eyes. Parker's gaze softened and a soft sigh was exerted from her lungs. "There were a few times I thought he might kiss me," she answered and took a soothing sip of that favored beverage. "I guess I was wrong, though. Sam's right, I'm a great detective"but I suck with people."

"You seem disappointed, Parker," Jordan said, and she sounded just as let down with that revelation.

"That's just stupid," Parker answered with a weak smile. Eyes trailed down to her half empty cup, as she let herself slip into thought about the detective. She idly ran her fingers through her hair, and Jordan cleared her throat, making Orion's eyes snap back up. "What"!" she asked with a chuckle.

"Look," the cook said to the server as he up-nodded to the pair that sat at that favored table. "Gingersnap brought a friend," he told her as he pushed his hair from his eyes. The food was plated and he watched as the server reached for them, rolling her wrinkle-lined eyes. "Ah-dut-dut!" he said, swatting her hand away. "I'm taking this one, you go smoke a cigarette."

The server shook her head, "Suit yourself,? she said as she waved dismissively and headed outside. The cook headed over to the table.

Sam called her and told her to just meet him at the bar. He was finishing up a final interview about the incident and would be a bit late. Something in her voice told him she wasn't entirely thrilled with him. He parked by the apartment and made his way over, stepping though the door. A navy blue suit jacket over a white v-neck tucked into a pair of neatly ironed black pants. His hair and beard flawless as sharp blue eyes scanned the bar for her.

He spotted her and started over giving a little wave. He pulled out the chair across from her. "Hey...sorry I'm-"

An arm reached over her shoulder setting a drink in front of her. "Here ya go." Dark eyes looked up at Sam. "This guy bothering you?"

Sam's eyes drifted up to the stranger. He didn't know him, but he sure as hell didn't like the look of him. And he certainly didn't like his body language around Parker. Finishing her first drink, she looked up at the man.

"Uh....No?" she asked with a wide-eyed stare. The guy had been circling her since she'd got there, he was handsome for sure, but too confident for her taste.

"Hey Sam..." Eyes looking at him saying, 'I don't know this dude...'

He looked to sam and nodded as if Sam just escaped a beating. "Oh. Cool. What's up. Bodie." He offered his hand to the other man. Sam glanced down at the hand and took it hesitantly, his strength made evident as he shook the man's hand hard enough it hurt.

"Whoa, ease up, there, tiger." Bodie, because of course that was his name, sat down, arm over the back of her chair. Parker looked at the drink, looking for anything fizzy before she lifted it and inspected it from the bottom. She really didn't feel like being roofied today. Sam pulled his chair out and sat across from them, turning to her, completely ignoring the guy. "Talked to Watkins down at metro. Says we're in the clear on everything."

"I couldn't imagine we'd be held accountable for anything," she mumbled, it was a less bitchy way to say they'd done nothing wrong. Still inspecting away at the drink, she set it aside. "But that is good news."

"Yeah. It's good to be home free."

Bodie held up a hand. "scuse me. But, uh...Sorry. I don't wanna interrupt but...we were kinda in the middle of something, bro. So if you don't mind..."

Sam's eyes snapped in his direction, narrowing every so slightly..

One eyebrow furrowed and the other elevated slightly. "We were" Because..." Swallowing hard and rolling her eyes to Sam with the 'what in the actual ****"' look, "I came here to meet him." Pointing with three fingers to Sam.

Bodie smirked. "Come on, baby don't play the hard to get game..."

Parker looked between the two guys and just rested her head against her palm, "I don't play games," she mumbled with all the annoyance in the world. She'd honestly never been hit on before, or she was bad at picking it up.

Sam's eyes leveled on the man like a predator. "Kid. Take your hands off her. Get up. And get the hell out of here."

Bodie scoffed looking at her and then back at him. "Wow!" He shook his head in disbelief. "Wow! Listen, uh, pretty boy' How about you mind your own **** business before I mess up your fancy clothes, you closet *****."

"Woah! Language!" Parker said, turning to look at him with milky way eyes, squinting in the best glare those eyes could muster.

Sam stood up slowly, unblinking. rising to his full height over the scraggly haired young man. He wiped his lips and nodded. "Get up."

Bodie smirked, his arm still over her chair, his brows raising as if to say "Make me". Parker's eyes widened as Sam stood. "Sam....Don't."

Either sam didn't hear her or didn't want to. He started around the table. "Get the **** up."

Now it was a little bit louder, "Sam!" she yelled up at him.

He looked down to her, chewing the back of his lip. Bodie just laughed. "Yeah that's it. Do what your woman tells you, big man. If you know what?s good for you." This kid literally could not see death two feet in front of his face.

Parker's fist drew back and went flying for Bodie's jaw. "Knock it off!"

He was not at ALL expecting it and took it full force. Fingers wrapped painfully around her wrist, and she winced deeply. "....OW!" Right, sliced wrists not so good for punching. He fell out of his chair staring at the ground in shock, his jaw radiating with pain.

He spat on the flood and got up to his ffet. "What the ****, bitch"!" He drew his fist back only to have a strong hand grab him by the wrist. Sam twisted the kid's hand into an awkward, painful position, pulling it behind his back.

"Alright, Junior, party's over." Bodie cried out when same started pushing him to the door, giving him a hard shove out into the street. Parker's eyes widened as his fist drew back, but then Sam was on the move. She peeked over her chair, and watched him throw the guy out. Why was that SO hot' Bodie stumbled onto the side walk in a heap. Sam pointed down to him "You come near her, talk to her, so much as look at her in a manner I dislike again? I'll put you in the ground. Do not test me, boy. Understood?"

Bodie looked up angrily. Still trying to be the tough guy. Sam's fist clenched, fully ready to pound this kid into a fine paste. "Are. We. Clear?"

Bodie nodded hesitantly. Sam's eyes remained on him as he backed towards the entrance. Sam came lumbering back in, still a bit on edge. She didn't want him to kick the guy's ass...so he wouldn't. Not tonight. He pulled out his chair and sat down again, letting out a deep breath. Parker's drink was inspected a final time and then she shoved it away.

"Damn it, Sam..." Parker said, staring up at him. "You can't be trying to fight everyone...You're not healed all the way."

He rose his eyebrows to her. "you...are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not kidding you....What happens if your stitches pop?" she asked with wide eyes.

He laughed and shook his head, his hands sliding down his face. "Next time, should I just let him throw a punch' Do whatever he wants to you?"

"No...I appreciate you throwing him out..." Parker said in a defeated manner. "Just....Be careful."

"Yknow...after something like that, I think a THANK YOU is more in order than a lecture."

"I can't help it! Lectures just fall out of my mouth!" still cradling her wrist. "...it's only because I care," that much mumbled under her breath.

He glanced over to the bar tender holding up a finger and nodding, a beer soon on its way. Parker stared up at him for a moment before lowering her eyes.

"Thanks," she said softly.

He took the beer and glanced over. "You're welcome. Where'd you find that mook anyway?"

"He's the cook at that coffee shop I go to....Not sure what he was doing here," she mumbled thoughtfully.

"Oretty sure you were on the menu." "On the menu?" she asked with a wide-eyed stare.

He picked up the glass the kid bought for her, taking a sniff. "Bet good money if you drank this, you'd be taking a little nap soon after."

Parker chuckled softly, "I could probably use the nap," she mumbled.

"Yeah, but not what would follow." He slid the glass away from him.

"Yeah, not that part..." she mumbled, flagging down the waiter and ordering a new drink. "You wouldn't let that happen to me," she mumbled and smiled softly.

"No. He would't leave alive." He sipped his drink.

"So is that why you asked to meet me?" taking a drink from the glass, "To tell me we were in the clear?"

"No. Because I haven't seen you all day...and I like going out with you."

That put a pretty little smile on her features as she wiggled the ice in the glass and took another long drink. Sam leaned forward on the table, quiet a moment. "I'm sorry. Just...people like that..." He sighed, shaking his head..

"Don't apologize Sam....I don't usually punch people for the thrill," Parker said, and took a long drink.

HE nodded, those blue eyes shifting up to her. He held out his hand. "How's that hand, slugger?"

That made her smile, her still-aching arm reaching out, "It's fine....Wrist wasn't ready for that one, though.."

He took her hand gently, checking her wrist. "Yeah. You know you should REALLY be more careful. You know. Fightin' and stuff..." he said with a miscievious smirk. "Pretty dangerous in your condition."

Parker laughed, "I get it!....Shut up..." she mumbled and rolled her pretty eyes, finishing off her second drink. "...guy was a d-bag, though..."

He quirked an eyebrow in agreement, snickering. "Severe. I have to admit it felt pretty good seeing that son of a bitch get decked."

"I can't believe he was going to hit me back!" Parker yelled and shook her head. The bartender looked her way and she nodded.

Sam glanced toward the door, almost wishing the kid would come back for more. "He didn't exactly strike me as being a decent guy. Doesn't seem like he's heard the word 'no' too many times in his life."

"Yeah....I'm going to need a new favorite coffee shop." she said, an adorably pouty expression on her pretty face.

Sam shook his head, taking a swig of his beer. "He won't bother you. I guarantee that."

"You think?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Blue eyes shifted up to her, offering a nod. "Mm. We had a...meeting of the minds."

Parker smiled, "You're a great friend, Sam."

He raised his glass to her's for a toast. "Same to you."

The newly filled glass was raised, their glasses clinked. Parker took a sip and nodded, dropping her eyes away. "Jordan talked to me today....she made a lot of sense. I'm coming back to work, I think."

Sam's eyebrows raised to her, a lopsided grin on his lips. "Yeah' That's good!"

"Yeah, but...I'm going to slow down." Parker told him, taking a big gulp. "I almost died," she admitted. "A virgin whose never had a real boyfriend."

He nodded, chewing on the back of his lip, a twinge of guilt, remembering the look on her face the night before. Two more gulps were forced down and she nodded, "Sorry, over-sharing again.." she mumbled and wiggled the glass.

He shook his head waving her concern off. "You thinking about trying to get into the dating pool?"

"Yeah, I think I am," she said with an awkward smile. "Is...internet dating still a thing" Or is that too pathetic?"

"Naaaaah...Just be careful. I'll just have to shadow all your dates. You know...just in case"

"You'll be the best body guard in the world, Sam." Parker said as she finished off her drink, and set it aside.

He smirked and finished off his beer. "damn right."

"I don't even think I know how to date...I'll probably accidentally point out that I'm smarter than him, and he'll go running.." A hopeless little smile.

His head bounced back and forth as if considering that. "Well...it'll be true." He laughed "If he can't handle it, screw him." He smirked.

"Damn right, Sam." Parker said with a smile and let her head rest down on her arm.

He stared at the bottle in his hand. "I can't believe I'm going to say this...but I don't feel like having another."

"Oh, I hit my limit already..." Parker said with a smile. "Though I guess I could drink that one," pointing to the roofiecolada.

He smirked. "Well, you're sleeping here, then, cuz I'm not carrying you home."

"I'm sure they'd keep me comfortable," she said with a roll of her eyes.

He gave a small chuckle. "wanna get outta here?"

"Carry me?"

"I would...y'see...but I got these stitches?" He pointed at his right side. "Big baby.." she said with a roll of her eyes and stood up, heading for the door.

"Oh-hoho...NOW I'm a big baby about the stitches!" He chuckled stepping out into the night with her.

The pair wandered down the street to their place, Sam playfully nudging her lightly with his elbow, a smirk on his face. Feet shifted to accomidate the shift in her weight, and she giggled softly, shoving him lightly. "Watch it, old man."

He laughed. "Oh, old man, huh' What are you? Like...5 minutes younger than me?"

"Old man," she nodded as they entered the building, heading up the stairs. "Um....I think you're in your thirties, right' I'm in my twenties. So..." Tongue came out as she began t head up those stairs.

He gave her SUCH a look. "I'm BARELY in my 30's."

"Still old! Still counts!" she cackled as she began to get the key in the door.

He smirked following her into the apartment. "Just means I've been around the block a few times. I'm wise."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart!" she said with a roll of her eyes. The keys were tossed in the bowl and she took the clip out of her hair immediately. Long hair tumbled down her shoulders, the scent of shampoo filling the air as she let out a soft sigh of relief. "There's nothing better than that."

He glanced to her slipping his jacket off and hanging it on a hook. "Letting your hair down?"

She nodded, her fingers running through her hair straightening it up from it's pony tail. "Yeah....It's a really good feeling."

He slipped his shoes off by the front door and walked toward the bedroom. "Yeah, I could imagine. You've got a lot of it, too."

"Yeah, too much...I'd cut it off, but then I wouldn't have it going for me," she said with a roll of her eyes.

He laughed stepping into "her" room and changing into a pair of PJ pants and a comfortable sleeveless t-shirt. "You could pull off a shorter look."

He stepped into the bathroom and set to brushing his teeth. A glance to his arms, and she watched him disappear into the bathroom. She cleared her throat, "Maybe....but I like my hair."

"I do, too!" He said around the toothbrush. As he finished up, he stepped out, that shirt clinging to his body, muscular arms out for her to ogle.

"Then why'd you just tell me to cut it"!" she asked playfully. She'd gotten changed to her bed clothes and sat on the couch, curled up.

He looked to her like she was crazy "You JUST said you wouldn't have it going for you!"

"I said no such thing! You're a filthy liar!"

He smirked and sat on the other end of the couch, shaking his head.

"And you used to be such a fun drunk."

She looked at him with those puppy dog eyes. "I still am! And...I'm so not drunk right now," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Buzzed at best."

He chuckled quietly ."Yeah' Well...good." Sam's bright blue eyes looked her over a moment. "So...tell me. Before he got creepy...did that guy stand a chance with you?"

Parker's eyes slid over to him, and she raised an eyebrow. "You kidding" He was dumber than a box of rocks! ...The first time I saw him, he gave me and Jordan our food and said," she put on a deep, dumb voice. "Hey....I made that." Cackling through the next syllables, "Like it was the greatest accomplishment to mankind!"

That put a smile on his face. He nodded. "Good."

He arm propped against the couch, leaning her head against it. Those galaxy eyes on him. "I don't go for guys that think their the universe's gift to women, when actually they're a curse on humanity.."

His face fell only slightly. did that leave HIM out' Was HE like that' He knew he was pretty confident in himself. But was he that...pigheaded" "Well...gotta have your standards."

"What's that look for, Piper?" she asked, giving him a slight nudge.

"What look?" He tried to play it off.

"That look you just got!" Parker attempted to immitate it.

"I did not make that face..." he scoffed at her as if she was ridiculous.

Parker snorted, "You totally made that face!"

He shook his head, leaning back. Still not willing to admit his fear that he wasn't good enough for her. "Whatever."

"how was jordan?" He said, casually trying to change the subject.

"Good," she mumbled softly, easy going with the whiskey in her system. "She talked me into coming back to work, I guess the student became the mentor."

"Yeah' How's she handling everything" Can't have been easy for someone so new at this."

"I'm actually thinking about assigning her to be your new partner." Parker told him with a nod.

"I'd be up for that. She handles herself well under pressure, listens reasonably well to orders and knows when to take matters into her own hands..."

"Yeah, she defininitely proved that.." Parker agreed.

The pair were quiet a moment. Only the ambient sound of the room between them. "Parker...Can I ask you something?"

Brushing her hair from her face she looked up at him, leaning forwards to rest her elbows on her knees. "Yeah?"

He swallowed and looked up to her. Speaking softly as if trying to word something correctly. "I...noticed some...movies. In your cabinet." He smirked. "Back when we were looking for you?

All that hair fell down in front of her face again, "...yeah?"

"This Island Earth?" He said like a parent who had caught their kid with porn.

"I enjoy the occasional Science Fiction movie, yes....Did you have a point, Piper" 'Cause I'm still your boss," a playfully stern look in his direction.

"Not in here. In here, you're just a tenant." He smirked. "I just wouldn't have placed you as a scifi geek."

"Total geek...Tell no one," she mumbled and brushed her hair out of her face. "Least it wasn't porn?"

He looked around the room as if the mere idea of it was the most shocking thing ever. "Oh, god. That might have blown my mind. I may not have recovered, frankly." He smirked up to her his arm resting along the back of the couch.

"Ha!" Parker shoved him playfully and leaned back. "Whatever Sam..."

"I'm serious!" He said with a grin. She just narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know," she started, raising an eyebrow to him. "You'd have to know your stuff to pick that out of all my movies," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You got a little scifi geek in you?"

Sam's mouth opened, a defensive look on his face. "It had a brain monster on the cover!"

"And how would you know that if you didn't reach for it!?"

Eyes wide, like a man accused of murder. "It was just the first one I saw!"

"Really"! Because they were organized alphabetically! Liar!" A finger, or three pointed at his face.

He swatted playfully at her fingers. "And...maybe I saw it on a show I liked once."

"Mystery science theatre 3000?" she asked hopefully.

"...maybe." he muttered.

"Ha! Geek!" she said and stood up, "I rest my case, Piper."

"IT WAS A FUNNY SHOW!" he said in a frustrated, defensive tone.

"GEEK!" Parker said, spinning around and waving him off. He acted all put out and looked away, his lips pursed. Parker smiled softly and disappeared off into the bedroom.

"Yeah, case rested." Parker told him and hopped on her own bed.

"You going to bed?"

"Nah," she answered. "Just couldn't be in the same room as a self hating GEEK!" He tilted his head back, seeing her upside down.

"I'm not self hating! I'm closeted at worst!"

"You can't throw me out of the closet and then refused to come out, Sam!" she yelled over her shoulder.

He stood up and walked over, a sigh escaping him. "Alright...look...I DO like SOME nerdy things. Totally admit it. Star Wars" Love it. StarGate" GREAT movie. Jim Cameron movies" ALL over it. And...I like MST3k. But I'm not quite on your level."

"Nobody is, I'm secretly the Queen of the Geeks. Don't tell anyone though, they'll try and assassinate me," she whispered.

He gasped "Oh no. The geek land and genrty. What will become of them' You should try those folks if you wanna start dating. They'd carry you around like a goddess."

"Oh yeah...I'll get a bunch of sweaty fat guys that secretly love My Little Pony," she said and waved her hand as she sat on the bed. "No. Thanks."

Sam launched into a belly laugh. "Probably land you a furry."

"Ugh! So not my type," she said with a roll of her eyes and collapsed backwards on the bed.

He put on a lisp and a listless voice. "What-th wrong. You don't wanna date a tri-gendered pryo fox named Fire-dah-sh?"

Parker snorted and shook her head, "Nope. I'm pretty picky, Piper."

"Yeah' what?s your type?"

"Never thought about it too much," she said. "Up until lately."

"Well, come on. Throw some ideas out there. Maybe I can help?"

"I guess I want a guy who's smart, but strong. Can protect me, but also challenge me...Ideally' Someone like you.," she said with a shrug. "What about you?"

His head tilted when she said that, his heart felt like it had started pounding in his ears. "Uh...Yeah...um..." He shook his head.

Parker lifted her head, "You okay?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

He thought a moment and then, "Big boobs." He smirked. "Gotta have the boobs." He nodded matter of factly.

She rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot, Piper.." A pillow was snagged and thrown at him.

He caught it and held it to his chest. "I don't know...Uh...Smart. Kind. Someone who doesn't NEED me...you know" I don't want to be needed. I want to be wanted. Someone who doesn't let me get complacent. Keeps me in line."

In the small time she'd spent with that pillow, it oddly smelled just like her. "Yeah, I get that." Parker said, shoving herself up to sit up in the bed.

"Someone who appreciates the things I do...but doesn't expect me to be perfect. That would...probably be my ideal." he nodded to himself, thinking about it.

"Never knew you were so deep, Piper. When you do find this love of your life....What do you think his name will be?"

He looked off all wistful "Carlito. One day, I shall find my Carlito..."

Parker cracked up, and shook her head. "You've got issues, Piper."

He laughed "Coming from you, that is hilarious."

"Yeah, you're probably right...I'm a mess." Parker admitted, and brushed her hair from her face, staring up at him with an awkward little smile.

"No you're not. You just need some time. You are...a hell of a woman, Parker."

"Whatever, Sam," she said shaking her head at him for the thousanth time. "Stop being so nice," she said turning her eyes away from him.

He nodded to her, those big arms crossed over his muscular chest. "Why?" "Because it's not your job to make me feel better," she mumbled. Those eyes drifted to his chesticle area and she bit into her lip.

"Maybe I'm not saying it to make you feel better."

A condescending laugh came out of her lips, "Hokay!"

He frowned a bit and shook his head. "Yeah..." He glanced up to her. "Parker. You're amazing. Even if you don't believe it."

With a smile, he turned and walked back out to the living room, moving the coffee table so he could set up his bed. Parker watched after him and sighed, she moved a few moments after and headed into the livingroom. She watched him move the coffee table, and then she flopped down on the couch, displaying all the maturity known to mankind.

Sam blinked down to her, straightfaced. "Well, that's not helping."

Stretching her pretty legs as far as they'd go, she sprawled out. "No?"

"Surprisingly, no!" He smirked

"Well, shoot! I lost the manual, I guess!"

"Well...looks like I'm just gonna have to sleep on you." He stared to move to sit on her

"Yeah, okay!" she said sarcastically, calling his bluff.

"O-kay..." Sam said in a sing-song voice, his firm butt descended down toward her stomach. Parker's fingers reached out to goose him.

"Gah!" he jumped up, spinning around. A light up the room smile was presented for him, a bit of laughter echoing in the room.

"I'm GETTING in my bed!" He grinned, grabbing her and lifting her up over his shoulder.

"Ahhh! Haha! Stop! STOP!" The girl tried to stop laughing, "Your stitches, Sam!"

He carried her to the door to the bedroom and set her down on her feet. Not immediately aware of how close they were standing. That face of his lit up with a playful grin. His hands remained on her hips. Delicate fingers trailed over his chest, eyes slowly lifting from it to meet his gaze. Be careful...words that didn't leave her copius lips.

Sam's eyes looked amazing when he smiled. And right now they stared straight into her's. Parker caught the smile as if it were some infectious disease, she swallowed hard and took in a breath, because she realized she had forgotten to do that. He could smell her shampoo, hear her breathing along with his, his skin tingling, alive and alert with goosebumps. His heart pounding. He leaned forward halting just a second, Orion's mind racing with thoughts of a crazy person....and then he slowly pressed his lips to her's, soft lips pressing against her's. Her mind suddenly went blank. Numb fingers touched his face and she leaned further into the kiss. Sam inhaled her deeply through his nostrils, one hand curving to her lower back as the other moved up her back. His lips broke and captured her's again.

A soft little noise against his lips, eyes wide open and finally falling shut. An arm snaked around his shoulders as she pulled back, "I don't need you," she whispered. Then smiled up at him, "..but I want you,"

A grin crossed his lips. "Perfect." Their lips connected, the two slowly making their way into the bedroom..

Sam was returning home after a day tracking down a lead on one the lower level cases they were working on. Dressed in a shirt and tie, tucked into suit pants, his sleeves rolled to his elbows, He trudged up the stairs After fumbling with his keys, he unlocked the door to the apartment, and stepped in.

Parker was in the kitchen, fishing out a bottle of water from the fridge. The day was lazy, so she hadn't left her nightgown, covered only by her robe. Her sleepless eyes glanced at him widely as he stepped inside. It was like that every time he came home, she looked defensive, staring to make sure it was him—and then visible relaxation when she found his eyes.

Blue eyes scanned over her, taking in the sight of her in that gown and robe. "Hey there." He said with a smirk, stepping into the living room, tossing his keys into the bowl.

"Hey," she said, lighting up a bit before taking a sip of her water. "I cooked some mac and cheese, it's in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Sounds good." He moved into the kitchen digging through the fridge. "Have a good day?"

Jumping up on the counter and sitting on it, she wiggled her bare toes. Geez, even her feet were perfect. "I ate a bunch of mac and cheese and watched this horrible zombie movie. All in all" Good day."

He took out the mac and cheese, scooping some out into a bowl. "I tracked a fat middle aged man whose wife thought he was cheating on her with her sister...and found out he was paying a bunch of dudes to do...stuff." he stared off like a shell shocked soldier. "Some things you can't unsee."

Sam shuddered and popped the bowl in the microwave and turned it on.

"...what?" she asked as she watched him microwave the food. It was all home-made. Nice big noodles with three different kinds of cheeses and breadcrumbs.

"Yeeeeup. It got gross. I would take a million zombie movies over that." he made a face over to her.

"Don't think about it....I slaved over that mac and cheese so you better eat it." Her toe came out to poke his tummy.

He smirked to her, pulling his body away from her foot. He had been worried things might be worried after the other night, but coming home to her like this actually felt really good.

"Well, thank you very much." He grinned, taking the dish out and grabbing a fork, walking to the table and taking a seat. Hopping off the counter, Parker followed after him and sat near him. Things weren't weird in the slightest, though she had a ton of questions she was too afraid to ask.

Sam chewed and swallowed his food, blue eyes resting on her. "so...I was thinking."

Parker looked up at him and grinned, "That's never good."

He offered a tight-lipped grin, his mouth full of macaroni. He swallowed before talking. "What...are we?"

"Uh...I don't know about you, Piper...but I'm a human. Female, as you have seen.." Playfully avoiding the question because she had NO IDEA.

Sam shot her a withering look. "You know what I mean. Usually if I've been with someone ...like that...we should probably have 'the talk.'"

"I have no idea what we are, Piper," she admitted with an awkward chuckle. "What do you want us to be?"

Sam stared at her a long moment, thinking. "Okay." He leaned forward, his face all business.

He spoke in a businesslike montone. "You like me?"

"You have your moments," she said with a grin. Then winced, "Yes, I like you."

He nodded, that faux seriousness in his voice. "I like you too. Should we date?"

"Ha! I think we passed dating when you..." A soft sigh escaped her. "I'm bad at this..."

He smirked a bit and shook his head. "Nope! Yes or no answers only please."

He smirked to her. "Wanna date?"

"Yes," she nodded, cheeks aflame.

After a long, agonizing moment, he nodded, sagely. "I will consider your offer."

He tried to keep a straight face as long as he could, but eventually a grin snuck in.

"Offer withdrawn," she said, turning away from him.

His mouth opened in a big O as he reached out to her. "Awwww no! I changed my mind!"

"Too late!" she said, nose in the air.

He dropped to his knees shuffling to her. "Pleeeeeeeease?"

"Depends..." she said thoughtfully.

He looked up to her with hopeful innocent eyes. "On what?"

"Are you a tri-gendered pyrofox named fire-dah-sh?" she asked.

He laughed putting on a disaffected, lispy voice. "I don't appreciaaaaaate...people referring to me...ath a thiss gendered human maaaaale?"

Parker laughed and attempted to nudge him back onto his butt with her foot. He rocked back with her nudge, laughing.

"Dork." she said, a fond look in those big beautiful eyes.

The two gazed at eac hother expectantly.

"Wanna date?" she asked, sitting tall above him from her chair.

He got to his feet and leaned down. "Absolutely."

He smiled to her, leaning in and kissing her lightly.

"I have considered your offer and— mm!" his lips met hers and she smiled against him.

Their lips parted and she whispered, "Yes."

"Okay...I say...i finish this mac and cheese..then we throw on a movie and curl up in bed. Would you be up for that?" He tilted his head to her curiously.

She nodded pretending to think about it. "Mm. Yeah. That sounds nice....but here's my counter offer." Her still-recovering fingers reached up and loosened his tie. "You finish that mac and cheese, and then we go back into the bedroom..." Those eyes turned up to him. "And we make up for 28 years of sexual repression."

Sam sucked his lip between his teeth, brows raising. "I am full." he said matter of factly.

Parker grinned at him, and tilted her head. "Yeah?"

"Stuffed." he nodded slowly.

"Speaking of stuffed.." Parker said thoughtfully, and then groaned in laughter. "Sorry, that was gross."

Sam chuckled. He offered his hands to her. Taking them, she lifted herself up from the chair and raised an eyebrow. Sam's hand rose up, slipping through her hair as he leaned in, his lips pressing to her's softly. His free hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. Parker's eyes rolled shut as his beard tickled her face, she grinned against his mouth and ran her fingers through his hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Later, the quartet was sitting in the bar, drinks in-hand while Cole told stories about a young, rookie cop named Sam Piper. "So, we pull over in the black n' white and get out. This woman...big ole chick, right' She got her old man tryin' to keep her at bay, but she's swingin' a fryin' pan, right?"

Sam looked away, his face red, as Cole continued. "Well, I tell him to address the woman and attempt to deal with the situation. But Robocop here looks at me and...what did you say?"

Sam rolled his yes and nodded the two of them talking at the same time. "How much trouble could she be."

The girls seemed totally into the story. Jordan and Parker alike, stared with sky blue, and starry eyes.

Cole smirked. "So, Sammy bignuts walks over there all 'Ma'am, you are under arrest! Cease and desist!' and he grabs her by the shoulder. This broad just wheels around and cracks him right in the bean with that damn pan! CLANG! Sam goes down and this chicks just losing her shit and jumps on top of Sam." He started laughing "So, he's down there screamin' like a little girl, trying crawl away and this chick just keeps dragging him back and slappin' him around!"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, and this asshole's just standing there NOT helping because he's laughing his sick ass off."

Sam shook his head and sipped his whiskey as Cole laughed. Parker's hand was over her mouth, it was clear that she was trying really hard not to laugh.

Jordan shook her head, "One time, Parker was showing me the ropes, and we were outside this warehouse checking on a lead—"

"No." Parker said, turning dangerous eyes towards Jordan. The girl turned her eyes down, and took a drink of her beer.

Sam gave her such a look "Oh, no. Come on. If we can tell the story about my ass getting dragged around the lawn by some angry housewife...."

"You're a better sport than me," Parker said, rolling her eyes and taking a sip of her whiskey. "Besides, it wasn't a funny story."

Jordan looked over at her, but kept her obediant mouth shut. Cole gave Parker a disapproving look "Aww..you're no fun."

"Alright, tell the damn story, Jordan.." Parker mumbled, taking a gulp of her drink.

Sam "YES!" He grinned and sipped his whiskey.

"Okay, so we're following this lead....Right outside a warehouse," Jordan spat without hesitation. "This huge guy claps his hand right on Parker's butt, and she pulls this like karate move and nearly breaks the dude's arm...I mean, he was like three times her size, and she gets him on the ground in seconds....So I'm thinking, woah...This lady is my hero, total badass....Right?"

Sam grinned, glancing to Parker, with a quirked eyebrow.

Cole nodded with a smile. "100% bad ass."

Parker groaned audibly, and finished off her drink, signaling the bartender to bring another. "So like just as she makes the guy walk off with his tail between his legs, a car drives through the parking lot, and splashes muddy watter all over Parker. Every muscle in her body stiffens up like a board....She has this like...panic, asthma attack right then and there. I thought she was going to have an aneurysm! Our next stop" The hospital....Because she got a little dirty.."

Burying her face in her hands, Parker shook her head. "Bacteria, Jordan! It's a thing!"

Sam chuckled but Cole laughed so hard it came out as a wheeze.

Jordan thrilled to be entertaining, went wide eyed remembering ANOTHER story. "Oh and there was this one time—"

"Don't make me tell the dog food story..." Jordan shut up then and there.

Sam glanced between the two of them. "Dog food?"

"You don't want to know," said Jordan, her cheeks aflame.

He gave jordan a nudge with his forearm. "Ahhhhh come on." Jordan sighed softly, "Go ahead..."

"We're in this shady neighborhood, because a certain somebody doesn't understand busses, and I had to pick her up at midnight..." Parker said, sliding her eyes to the woman. Jordan finished off her drink and sighed. "So I get there, and she's smiling at this guy sitting on a bench."

Sam grinned "Oh no..."

"She looks at me proudly, and says, This is Jeff, he's a traveling sales man...He tried to sell me dog food, but I don't have a dog. Offered me Birdie powder, and a dragon, too! He's selling all sorts of cool things....he has a black pearl! So naturally, I grab her by the arm and start steering her to the car. And she's arguing with me!"

Cole gave her SUCH a pitying look "Oh...sugar..."

Jordan sighed once more. "She's struggling and carrying on about how she wants to buy the black pearl....So finally, I elbowed her and hissed, It's heroin, Jordan...I've never seen her get so pale in my life."

Cole chuckled "awww...it's alright, baby girl. Ya gotta learn somehow."

"We done telling stories now?" she asked, raising her eyebrow to Jordan. The girl nodded shamefully. Cole took down the rest of his drink, setting the glass on the bartop before turning to Sam. "Who was that one guy...uh..."

Sam looked to him questioningly as cCole pointed, snapping his fingers, trying to remember. "You remember...with the..." Cole hooked his thumb backward.

Sam grinned and nodded. "Ohhhhh! Collins."

"Collins!" Cole exclaimed pointing to Sam.

Parker raised her eyebrow at the two, "You two spend too much time with eachother..."

Cole looked to them already starting to laugh. "So...This guy's out late and he busts this prostitute down on seventh. Got her in the back of his squad, right' And she's runnin' off at the mouth tryin' to get him to let her go...and she lets it slip...she might do all manner of....unspeakable things to him."

Working on her second drink, Parker listened to the story. "To Collins" Or Piper?" Sam smirked "What' You kiddin'" Piper" The Boyscout over here" He'd a lost it in his pants if the girl LOOKED at him."

Sam shot him a look. "Hey..."

Cole continued, "Yeah, so, Collins gets all hot and bothered, pulls his shirt off, hangs it on the the antenna, drops his service belt and he hops right on in back with her. Only, this jackass is so hot to get it on, he don't think about the door closing behind him." Cole started chuckling."So, they finish up and he tries to get out, starts freaking out, but he can't get his keys or his radio to call this in. So, this well meaning citizen sees the car, see's the shirt and he knows his stuff, right' Calls in an officer in distress to the local PD. 10 squads pull up on this guy, news crews are on their way all because this asshat decided to get himself a piece on the side."

Jordan cracked up, and Parker just shook her head in disgust. "That's disgusting..."

"What about that time you were a stripper for a week?" Jordan asked, nudging Parker with her elbow. Oh, the hellfire in Parker's eyes wouldn't soon be forgotten.

Cole shifted on his stool "Oh, hello."

Sam grinned to her antagonistically. "Yes, Parker. Please tell us this story."

"Remember two years ago when all of those strippers at Booties were going missing...and nobody was talking to the police?" Parker asked.

Cole made a face "Yeah. Pretty damn well, actually."

"Well....We needed an in....and I made it happen..." Parker said without much shame.

"Yeah, but who knew you could shake your money maker like that!?" Jordan said with a smug little grin. Sam bit his tongue. HE knew exactly what she could do with her "money maker".

"Shut it, Jordan." Parker said through grit teeth. " I'll remind you that SOMEONE tried to get a job with me, but they wouldn't let her, because she can't shake her hips to save her life!" Parker snorted.

"Careful, Orion....I took a video."

Sam choked on his whiskey. He cleared his throat. "There's a what now?"

Jordan took out her phone. "Don't...you...dare..." Parker spat.

"Oh, you started this war..." Jordan said with a grin.

Sam leaned over Jordan's shoulder while she started up the video. "Her stripper name was Hellfire..." she said with a smirk.

Parker's hand went up, "Can I get like, five more over here?" she called out to the bartender just as the video started up and revealed Parker on stage, dancing in a piece of red lingerie.

Sam's eyes went wide, watching. "God DAMN, Parker."

"Screw you guys!" Parker yelled defensively. "I nailed that case..." She mumbled, burying her face.

Cole sat at his stool "You see how good I'm bein' Marcy asks, you tell her I sat here and didn't look at that video."

"No, you GOTTA see this. It's like once in a lifetime!" Jordan said, turning the phone towards Cole.

Cole looked away, but only for a moment as curiosity got the better of him and he slowly peeked. "Oh. Oh damn. DAMN, girl! Get it!" He looked legitimately impressed and gave her a thumbs up.

The bartender brought over a tray of whiskey, and she began double fisting it. "I'm going to kill you, Jordan..."

"Aww come on! You looked hot!" Jordan whined.

Sam nodded "Seriously. You were killin' it up there."

"Tell them how much you made..." Jordan said with a devious little grin.

Parker pouted, shooting those starry eyes at her. "No!"

"Nine hundred dollars. She made nine hundred dollars.."

Sam grinned "Well...if this detective thing doesn't work out for you..."

"Good point, Sam. I quit.." Parker said as she finished off both glasses.

He put an arm around her "Awww, no, come on. You're just dedicated to your craft." He smirked down to her, Cole giving him a cocked eyebrow. Easy boy.

Another drink was snagged as the increasingly drunk detective leaned on him. "I am the most dedicated....I solved that case in a week." A finger went up as she chugged the glass. "A WEEK!"

He picked up a drink and raised it. "Guys. A toast."

Grabbing the fouth drink from the tray, Parker lifted her glass and stared curiously. Jordan raised her beer and waited. Sam smiled to each of them in turn. "To new faces, and the return of a couple old ones. Here's to us, guys." He clinked his glass to their's tossing the drink back. Parker smiled and clinked her glass, downing it. Jordan clinked her beer against everyones, "And to seeing Parker shake that thang!"

"damn right!" Sam said with a grin.

Sam sat at the kitchen table early the next morning. How in the living blue fuck did he look so rested" Last night was a drunken nightma-oh. Right. It was just Parker who'd drank herself retarded. Sam pored through the files, sipping his cup of coffee.

One one side was his laptop, a dozen folders open there, too. he was going back and forth cross checking the physical with the digital, trying to piece together any information.

Parker's dress was all twisted, around. She stumbled out with tangled up 'brave' hair, and let out an audible groan. "Oh...oh man..." she whined as she attempted to make it towards the fridge. He looked up to her ,his eyes wide. The man was THRIVING on coffee right then. "Hey, Parker. Mornin'. I made coffee."

"Please..." Parker groaned and put up a hand, "No yelling..."

Sam smirked up to her "aww...poor Parky drunkers."

he turned back to his work. "Cole had the department email over their files. I'm seeing if anything clicks."

"You do that..." Parker mumbled, "I'm going to grab a coffee, curl up on the couch, and will my body to shut down.." she mumbled, grabbing a cup with a trembling hand.

He glanced up to her, a small smile on his face.

Sam set his work aside for a moment and walked up to her when she was turned toward him.

He put his hands on her hips and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Good morning."

Parker lent her weight to him and groaned softly, her face pressing against his chest. "Morning..."

One arm went around her waist, the other to the back of her head, fingers slipping into those crimson tresses.

He kissed the top her head.

"doin' alright?"

"Why are you being so nice?" she asked, finally peaking up at him with dead eyes.

He looked down to her like it was a stupid question.

"You're my girlfriend."

"why wouldn't I be?"

"Your girlfriend who drank herself sick?" she asked. "If the tables were turned, I'd be sooo condescending..."

"I know. I'm just a better person than you." He smirked to her.

A weak smile made its way on her features, as she stood up to kiss his lips. Her breath probably smelled like death. If it wasn't a true show of his devotion that he kissed her without even thinking about it, he didn't know what was. Parker leaned her head against him and waved her arms. "Mm....Put that away and cuddle with me..." the needy girlfriend mumbled.

"Yes, boss." Setting the cup on the counter and abandoning her efforts, she stumbled towards the couch. He followed her, sitting first and throwing an arm up over the back.

Parker curled up next to him and kissed his cheek, before laying on him. "I hate myself.."

"Ahh, you had a good time is all." He stoked her hair gently.

"Then why does it feel like I tried to murder my liver?" she asked with closed eyes, enjoying the feeling of his fingers in her hair.

He was quiet a moment. "Okay...maybe TOO good a time..."

"Too much of a good thing is.....Oh god..." The girl groaned and tucked her face in his neck. But you know what?"

"What..?"

"You didn't wake up screaming or in a cold sweat. That's probably the first time since you moved in that you slept through the night."

"That is the first time..." Parker told him with a nod and a weak little smile.

"Bright side of life, Parker."

"Your optimism slays me..." Parker said, lifting her head to glare at him.

Sam chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Jordan suspects something."

"Well, we can't tell her..." Parker said with a shake of her head. "I don't want anyone at work to know.."

"Me either...but she was kind of...pushing last night."

"If someone finds out, I could very well have to step down."

He quirked a brow "Why' Aren't we a private company?"

"It's not a matter of me having to step down because someone makes me....I could lose all credibility for the others I'm managing, Sam.."

He was quiet a moment. "I need to be honest with you..."

"Okay...?" Parker asked, fearing that he was going to break up with her.

"um...When I said...Jordan was pushing last night...She was pushing for you to move out of here...and in with her." He glanced over, "I talked her down...said you were happy here and we had a good living arrangement...but the girl's crazy over you, Parker."

"She's...what?" Parker asked, lifting up and staring at him with concern in her eyes.

"You didn't hear it from me. But she's...she's pretty taken with ya."

Parker covered her eyes with her hand. "I feel like such an idiot..."

"Parker, hon...I adore you...but you're really good with facts and stuff...but you're still working on that whole...people thing."

"...and she told you?" Parker queried.

"basically, yes." Sam answered with a nod.

"Why wouldn't she tell me?" she asked, and then held her head, collapsing back onto the couch. "Ughhh..."

"You're an intimidating woman, Parker. Plus...she idolizes you."

"What am I supposed to say to her..?" the redhaired detective whined.

he shook his head. "I don't know. But...I would be honest with her. Let her know whether or not you feel anything for her...beyond friendship. Trust me, beating around the bush with this stuff doesn't help anyone."

Parker shot him a doubtful look. Her eyes begging him for help.

"I'd say...'listen...I know you've got some feelings for me...but we need to keep this professional. You are my employee and I am your employer. It would be inappropriate for there to be any romantic relationships between us.'"

"And then she finds out about us, and I lose all respect for her..." Parker said with a soft sigh.

He sighed with her, quiet a long moment. "do...do you think we should...end this" Just go back to what we were?"

"Do you...?" she asked, lifting her head.

"I don't want to...but...I also don't want to put you in a bad position."

Parker stared at him with those beautiful, starry eyes "I don't think I can go back to where we were..."

He smiled a bit at that. "Me either. I don't WANT to. I want you. I want to go to bed next you. Wake up next to you. I want to kiss you. I want to hold you. I want to laugh and joke and drink with you. But...it complicates things." His head tilted, his brow furrowing. "You're the boss, Parker. Tell me what to do."

"Don't ever talk about ending this for me again....If you don't want to be with me, say it...but don't do anything to protect me, Piper..." She stared at him hard, concern mingled with sadness in her eyes.

A small smile crossed his lips. "Yes, ma'am."

His fingers brushed her cheek. "We'll just...be careful."

Parker nodded slowly. "We'll be careful..."

The sky hung grey over the cemetery that day. A cold wind blowing through the lines of tombstones and monuments to those loved and lost. Wrapped in a black peacoat, Sam walked through the rows in long strides. The wind tousling normally perfect brown hair, the detective's blue eyes set forward as he approached his destination.

Anna Rose Piper.

Born Nov. 6th, 1986

Died Oct 9th 2008

Sam stood before her grave, staring at the engraving a long moment. Sometimes he could still hear her voice, see her face. She had been smart as a whip, full of so much potential that Trammel snuffed out in an instant.

Those dark blues scanned the area around him before he spoke. "Heya, Ann. Been a while since we talked. Suppose I just couldn't find the time, but..."

Sam's eyes lowered. "But I know that's not true. I couldn't do it, Anners. I couldn't come here and talk to you knowing that I'd let you down. That he was still out there."

Sam crouched down and put his hand on the headstone. "We got him. We got the bastard, Anna." He smiled through watery eyes. "Thought you should know."

He stood up and straightened himself out. "I miss you, kid." The wind whipped at his coat and hair, his tall, thin frame black against the grey sky.