"What are we doing here?" Chunk Palmer asked his boss. They were stopped outside a small art gallery and watched one or two people going in the door.

"To see some art. It is a gallery after all," Jason Bull answered glibly.

"I didn't know you were into art," the stylist told him.

"Depends on the art," Bull replied with a smile.

"Why am I here?" Chunk inquired.

"As the new guy, you won a night out with the boss and I'm pretty sure you will be able to appreciate what you see," Bull said. "Plus, you may just keep me from getting myself in trouble."

Chunk looked at Bull curiously but didn't say a word. The two men walked inside and slowly walked around taking in the watercolors hanging on the walls. All of the works prominently featured glass in some way and captured the transparency and color with exacting realism. Bull stopped and studied one painting in particular.

"These are amazing," the stylist said after walking around. Chunk paused next to Bull and looked at a painting of a glass of water and some flowers. The reflection and distortion of the glass and water was represented with a detail he had not seen in watercolor before.

"Mm-hmm," Bull replied continuing to look at the piece hanging in front of him.

"See anything you like, Doc?" A female voice asked.

"A few things," he said and gave the woman who had come to stand next to him and the owner of the voice, a prolonged admiring glance. The stylist looked on a bit flustered; he wasn't used to seeing his boss like this and began to wonder if this was the trouble Bull was referring to earlier. "Ashton, this is Chunk Palmer. He is now the stylist at TAC. Chunk, I present Ashton Catazarro, the talent behind all you've seen tonight."

"Nice to meet you," Ashton said as she shook hands with Chunk.

"Same here. These are remarkable; I didn't know watercolor could look like this," Chunk said as he shook hands with Ashton. The stylist estimated her to be five foot seven or eight. She had clear grey eyes and dark hair that hung just below her shoulders. Her hair was worn Veronica Lake style that night and perfectly complemented the retro style of her dark plum colored dress.

"You made my night. It's always reassuring to hear that someone likes them besides me," Ashton smiled and said sincerely.

"How long did it take to convince you to have a show this time?" Bull asked her. Although his tone was serious, his eyes shone at her from behind his glasses.

"Since no one has your people skills, quite a while," she replied. There was a slight sarcasm in the way she said people skills but Chunk noticed that Bull didn't seem to mind.

"This is her hobby. What you're looking at is the way Ashton relaxes," Bull chimed in when he saw the slightly perplexed look on Chunk's face. Ashton smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You should make it more than a hobby," Chunk told her with a nod.

"See. Now maybe you'll admit I was right all along when I said your work is something special," Bull said matter-of-factly.

"I never said you were wrong, I just don't totally believe it – which you already know," Ashton admonished him. It was becoming obvious to the stylist that Bull and Ashton had known each other for quite some time.

"Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have to circulate tonight. It was very nice meeting you Chunk. And Doc, thanks for stopping by," Ashton said. Her eyes met Bull's and lingered there. Although she didn't say a word, it seemed to Chunk that she had an entire conversation with Bull with just that look.

Bull watched her walk away and speak to another group of people who had gathered. Chunk followed his gaze and teased, "Doc, huh? You must know Ashton very well?"

"We're acquainted," he said cryptically and then added, "I am a doctor, you know."

"Uh-huh. She seems nice and she's very talented," Chunk told him.

"That she is," Bull agreed.

"Pretty, too," Chunk said to his boss wanting to see how far he could push the conversation. As if she felt their eyes on her, Ashton glanced over and smiled.

"Don't forget crazy smart," Bull said good-naturedly and focused back on Chunk. The psychologist was clearly waiting for the next question.

"She seems to like you," the stylist hazarded to say.

"I am very likable," the doctor replied and returned to observing Ashton.

"Is there where I leave so you can make your move?" Chunk asked noticing that Bull's attention was back on the artist.

"No, this is where you try convince me that I need to leave," Bull replied and turned towards the door.

Three weeks later, Ashton walked into the TAC office and was met by Marissa.

"Ashton, I haven't seen you in ages. Is everything okay?" Marissa asked surprised by the other woman's arrival at the office.

"Is Jason here? I need to speak with him," Ashton replied. She looked worried and her eyes were slightly red and puffy as if she had been crying. Her naturally wavy dark hair was doing its best to work its way out of the band that was holding in a ponytail.

"He's not here at the moment but he should be back soon," Marissa told the other woman.

"Do you mind if I wait for a bit?" Ashton asked with a distraught expression. She had been unsure if she should stop by the office or just try calling him. The uncertainty now came flooding back.

"Not at all," Marissa said. "Go sit in his office. Tea, right?"

Marissa got Ashton a cup of tea and brought it to her in Bull's office. It was set away from the open office area and allowed for some privacy when meeting clients. After quick pleasantries, Ashton gave Marissa a quick overview of what was going on before the TAC's linguistics expert got called away. About fifteen minutes later, Dr. Jason Bull walked into his office. Ashton turned from the window as she heard the door open. "Marissa told me you were waiting. What's going on, Quince?" he asked using his nickname for her.

"You don't know?" she asked and he shook his head. After taking a deep breath she went on to explain, "It's my dad. He was rushed to the hospital the other day and they referred him to a doctor here in the city. It doesn't look good."

"Ash, I'm so sorry," Bull said sincerely and embraced his ex-wife. She allowed herself to relax and rested her head on his shoulder for a bit. Bull knew Ashton was extremely close to her father and the older man had always treated him as a son as well. "Do you need anything?"

"Right now, I'm lucky I found my way here. I have no idea what I need or don't need," she said quietly and then pulled away from him, suddenly self-conscious. "I'm not even sure what I'm doing here. I know you're busy. I just…"

"Ash, it's okay," he said gently as Ashton began nervously pacing around his office. He didn't say anything but watched her with genuine concern and waited for her to speak again.

She stopped in front of a watercolor on the wall. "I see you got the delivery I sent."

"I did. Thank you. I was going to drop off the thank you card myself but I got a little sidetracked," Bull said and picked up an envelope off the desk.

Ashton replied with a knowing glance accompanied by a half-hearted smile.

"You could've sold it," he told her.

"To all those people wanting a picture of a guitar and glass of whiskey?" she said of the painting. The focal point was the glass and the amber liquid with the instrument in profile.

"That guitar is my favorite. I'm surprised you remember what it looks like," he said and pointed to a scratch on the body in the painting.

"I've seen it at least a million times," Ashton joked then checked her phone for the time. "I should get back to the hospital and I'm sure you've got things to do. Thanks for giving me some time, Jason."

"We'll talk more later. If you need anything in the meantime, call me," he assured her and then walked her to elevator at the entrance of the TAC. The other members of the team, with the exception of Marissa, watched with interest from where they were sitting.

"Who's that with Bull? New client?" asked Cable to no one in particular.

"She's an artist. I think he bought one of her paintings, I saw it in his office," Chunk said.

"That's Ashton," Benny chimed in after turning his head to see who they were referring to. "His ex."

"Ex…girlfriend?" Chunk asked.

"Wife," Benny told him without pause and nodded as the others looked at him.

"No way," Cable said with surprise. The young tech hacker would have never guessed that the woman wearing slim black pants, black sneakers and black leather moto jacket would have been married to the boss.

"Way," Benny countered with a chuckle.

"I met her at an art gallery a few weeks ago. Bull took me along to her show opening. He didn't say anything when he introduced her; neither did she," Chunk said.

"Sounds about right," Benny assured him while the rest of the team listened intently.

"There was some definite flirting going on, too. From both sides," Chunk informed the other man.

"Yeah, that happens with them," Benny said casually with a nod. "It's complicated, and probably going to get more complicated. Her dad is in the hospital and not doing well."

"You're awfully well informed about Bull's personal life," Danny chimed in. The former cop looked at the lawyer wondering how he got all the information.

"My sister is married to her brother. She sent me a text earlier," Benny replied with a grim expression.

"Related to the boss…interesting," Cable told him with a smirk.

"Not technically," Benny shot back.