I have returned, lovely human beings! I was on the fence about posting this at all because I felt like it it might confuse people, but Skylarcat encouraged me to share it. And, because it is a sequel, I will tell you to READ DISSOLUTION TO UNDERSTAND THIS STORY. It might be able to be read alone, but was meant to follow Dissolution after 1 years time.

I had the inspiration to write something after a friend of mine on Tumblr told me we are lacking on the undercover front, and Skylarcat wrote The Quiet. This is intended to have 4 parts, but we'll see how it goes. Nothing is mine, all I own is my car, and I'd appreciate any feedback I can get. Enjoy!

It had taken her a little over a year to be able to be in the same space as him, and nothing could prepare her for the wave of emotions that threatened to choke her as she saw the back of his head through the glass behind her. She'd turned, trying to ease her discomfort at being summoned by Cross without knowing if she'd run into him. Everything was different, she was different, and she was thoroughly afraid to see how he'd changed. Would he have cut his hair, did he have more gray hair like his father, was he seeing someone? That one hurt the most, knowing that it was entirely possible that her part- ex-partner could be in a relationship with someone else in the time she's been away. She tuned out Mark as she watched him, seeing his profile as he laughed at something Lucas said, the action making her smile involuntarily a bit. She missed that smile, missed the warmth in his eyes as he looked at her, especially that night-

"Angie, are you hearing me?" Mark asked, and she whipped around to face him, nodding as she met his gaze guiltily. He sighed, looking out his window at his detectives as they got into the elevator.

"Did you want to say hello to them since you're here helping me out? I know it's been a while-"

"I can't, you know why," she muttered, ducking her head as she fiddled with the ring on her right hand. She, Betty, and Mark had this discussion when she'd left, and he knew just how hard it had been for her to leave Vega behind. He'd talked to her about Vega, finding out about them being involved when they'd met for a drink a couple weeks after her transfer. He'd put together just why Vega had looked so devastated after that, knowing it must have made her leaving damn near impossible to get through.

"You know what? I really miss homicide," she said, her voice throaty from the alcohol they kept throwing back. Mark knew this Angie, the one that wanted to drown her sorrows rather than talk them out like a normal person. At one point, he was that person, but he'd come a long way. He watched the way her eyes seemed unfocused, the glass dangling from her fingers dangerously as it hovered over their table. She'd called him up and invited him out, and it baffled him until she'd said she just needed someone to talk to aside from Betty. After everything they had been through, he could understand just needing a familiar face. It seemed like she needed that, but as their night went on, he knew it wasn't him she was looking for. Betty took it in stride, sipping her martini as she watched Angie intently, silent for far too long in his opinion.

"Yeah, well anytime you wanna come back Ang-"

"I can't Mark, I'm not welcome," she said, lowering her voice before she downed what was left in her glass. He looked puzzled, but she waved him off as she signaled for another drink, fiddling with her empty glass as she kept her eyes away from him. Betty knew this conversation well, had it a few days after her transfer.

"Of course you are Angie"

"No, I'm really not. Nothing can go back to the way it was"

"You're confusing me Ang, nothing's changed," he replied, and she crossed her arms against the table and dropped her head onto her forearms. The motion muffled what she'd said, and when he asked her to repeat herself, she lifted her head just high enough to give him a death glare.

"I said, I slept with Oscar," she exhaled, talking a large gulp of the new glass that was placed in front of her just moments ago. He gaped at her, but she just looked up at the ceiling, avoiding him for a moment as the alcohol burned her throat. Betty smiled sadly at him when he looked at her, knowing that this was going to be hard for them all. She took a deep breath and kept talking, missing the look of astonishment that was currently on his face.

"It was the night before I sent you my transfer, I was a coward and he was there…"

"So you're telling me you had sex with Vega because it was convenient?" he asked bewildered, not understanding her logic in the slightest.

"Yes, because interrupting her will get you answers Mark," Betty muttered loud enough for him to hear, earning herself a glare in response. She shrugged a shoulder, unapologetic.

"No! God no," Angie rushed, looking at him like he was stupid, "I slept with him because I care about him, and I was leaving and…"

"And…?"

"And if I stayed, I was afraid I was going to lash out and blame him for things that were never his fault. I would have ruined him Mark, and he would have left so…I did it first," she whispered, ashamed that the only time she'd ever admit this aloud was because the guilt was eating at her. She hadn't forgotten in the last six weeks how he'd held her, intertwined their fingers as he kissed her deeply, hoping to hold onto her. She'd known it then, he was trying to give her a reason to stay, it was in his touch; the kiss to her wrist that begged her to give him a chance, the way he splayed his hands on her lower back trying to keep her with him any way he could. It broke her heart knowing that if she'd let him, he could have convinced her to stay. It scared her, the way she wanted to give into him completely; give him all of her broken pieces in the hopes that he'd fix them and make her whole again.

"You're in love with him," Mark said, low enough that she barely heard him, and she cringed at the emotions that one sentence brought on. She'd had enough soul bearing for a lifetime, and she couldn't keep going over this with Mark if she was intent on keeping her distance. She threw down a twenty and stood, pulling on her jacket as she avoided eye contact with Cross, knowing that if he could see her eyes, he'd know he was right. She bent down and kissed his cheek, giving his shoulder a pat as she waved at Betty. She knew it wasn't the last time she'd see either of them, but she needed to put some space between herself and her feelings.

"Take care of them…of him Mark. You too Betty, promise me you'll be there if he needs anything. I'll see you guys around," he grabbed her hand, holding her just a moment longer before patting it and letting her go.

"Yeah Ang, see you around"

"I promise sweetie, I'll be there," Betty vowed, and Angie's wobbly smile was all they got before she walked out the door.

"If this is all too much for you, we can always do this over dinner or something…"

"It's fine Mark, I'm not gonna break," she answered, but she nodded her thanks at the consideration. She was beginning to feel as if she was going to crawl out of her skin, and she knew she'd have to leave before she did something stupid, like throw herself into Oscar's arms. She knew what it was like, clutching onto him for dear life, and it terrified her that the feeling hadn't faded like she'd hoped. She was still just as in love with him as she had been before…everything went wrong.

"Yeah, okay. I'll go over the details with Oscar and see how he feels about it all. I know Franco requested you for this assignment, but you don't have to do it," Cross offered, knowing that what was being asked of her was enormous.

"He's Oscar's father Mark, and someone sent him a death threat. I can't turn him away unless Oscar doesn't want my help," she said, afraid that he really would tell her to essentially go to hell despite Franco's request.

"I'm not saying you'd be so petty, all I'm saying is that going undercover is going to make everything between the two of you surface. You can't hide from him with this, especially because it's about his father"

"I know, I'm just hoping that he can stomach being around me for a night"

"Somehow I think he'll manage," Cross said sarcastically, leaning back in his chair as she glared at him.

"Have you even told him about the letter? I'd be less worried about me and more worried about yourself," she responded, knowing that the grimace on Mark's face wasn't forced in the slightest.

"I know. You wanna grab a drink Friday, my treat? I'll even see if Betty's free," he asked, hoping she'd take him up on his offer. He could see over her shoulder and out into the bullpen as she faced him, and he saw Vega walk back in, Lucas running into his back as he stared back at them from the side of his desk. Lucas looked up and saw Mark and Angie, and he cringed at the happy expression on his face. Vega looked like he'd seen a ghost, and Mark wanted the earth to open and swallow him before he had to tell Angie to turn around.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Why do you look like someone just punched you?" Angie asked, and he darted his eyes over her shoulder again, and he could see the dread in her eyes, as she understood what he wasn't saying. Her eyes filled with tears, her head dropping in defeat. She didn't want to see him; she didn't deserve the rush of happiness she got at the thought of it all. She'd broken them; she didn't get to win this time.

"I guess I had to do this sometime," she said, her tone making it clear this was the last thing she wanted to do, especially if he declined her help for the detail.

"I can send them to the morgue, you say the word and I'll do what I can," he offered, and she took a minute to just prepare herself for this. She knew it was a long time coming, but it was all still so fresh she didn't know how to act around Oscar anymore. The last time they'd been close she'd kissed him, and she sure as hell couldn't do that now. She closed her eyes, turning around and opening them, not expecting the vision that was before her. She turned back towards Mark briefly, asking him to explain what the hell she was looking at.

"That's Elise, as far as I know she's got a thing for him but nothing's happened," Mark admitted, rubbing the back of his head nervously as Angie snorted cynically.

"Is it wrong to dislike her on site...?" she asked crossly, raising her eyebrow at him as her gaze flickered back to the woman that had placed a file on Oscar's desk and lingered. She was pretty, had long dark hair pulled back into a bun that made her look professional and put together. She and Oscar made an attractive couple, but it hurt her to know that he might be moving on from…whatever it was that was between them. She knew it was a distinct possibility, but a small part of her hoped that maybe he'd want to be with her. It was a selfish part of her she decided, the part that thought coming here today wouldn't be such a difficult thing; the part of her that liked to lie to herself.

"I know it's weird Ang-" he said, but she waved him off, straightening her shoulders as she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself as she saw Betty step off the elevator. The redhead smiled brightly at her and she had to smile back, even if she was falling apart inside.

"It's fine, I had this coming. I've gotta make the rounds, but I'll see you guys Saturday? And please Mark, have some tact when you tell him, okay?" she asked, giving him a look that meant more harm if he was thoughtless.

"Alright, good luck" he said, and she punched him in the arm as she walked by, feeling better when she heard his muttered curse. Served him right.