Breccia had her alarm set.

It didn't matter much though, she slept through it.

She always needed a couple hours each morning to get ready. She'd usually get up around five, have her mandatory cup of coffee, fed Flora, checked on Nibs and Koffing, then take a shower.

This morning, however, she woke half an hour before she was due to be in, rushed through feeding the Pokemon, jumped in the shower for a quick scrub and ran out the door in yesterday's clothes.

Morice was waiting for her, and admitted he would've actually came to wake her had she not locked her door. Instead he roused her from sleep by calling her transceiver.

"Sorry." Adjusting her scarf, Breccia slipped through the front door when Morice held it open for her. "I haven't been sleeping well the last couple of days."

"I've noticed." It wasn't until this point that Breccia noticed an extra cup of coffee in her boyfriend's hand.

Going towards the lab, both noticed how empty and quiet the small town seemed to be. While it was never bustling, there was no one in the streets.

Riker had stayed quiet, still having not reached out. Breccia figured he'd do so when he was comfortable, but with each passing day, her anxiety swelled.

"So, anything new from your end?" Morice asked, walking beside her as they trudged through the ankle deep snow.

"Not really." Breccia blew the steam from her cup. "I haven't heard from Riker since we got back. I figured he'd tell the lab what he wanted us to work on but we haven't received any orders. We've been looking over blueprints but that's about it." She sighed. "I sent Neil and the others home yesterday, there was absolutely nothing for them to do." The only thing Breccia knew, with all that was going on, was a few tidbits she picked up from the head of Sanchez's lab.

With Stotler gone, Sanchez was running not only his region but his fallen comrade's as well. This stretched finances in Sinnoh pretty thin.

Breccia knew the set up in Birtan was also struggling from a financial front, something that Riker often stressed about. With all that was going on, a part of her wondered if he'd have to allocate his efforts to other regions as well.

Making it to the lab, the both of them went around the back, avoiding the front entrance.

"Will you be able to swing by tonight?" Breccia asked, tossing her empty paper cup in the nearest trash can.

"Probably not. I'm pulling a double." He added: "But I'll swing by on Saturday and stay the weekend." When she reached up and hugged him, he attempted a kiss.

"Wait." Breccia pulled back. "Remember the whole "keeping it to ourselves" thing?"

"The camera's back here don't work, you said so yourself."

"I don't want to risk it." She met him halfway. "Just on the cheek."

"Fine." Morice appealed to her pleas...for a second. Going in to press his lips to her cheek, at the last minute, he caught her off guard and pressed it to her mouth instead.

Breccia sighed, more playful than annoyed. "You're a jerk."

"Would you expect any less of me?" He grinned when she wrapped her arms about his neck and returned the favor. "I'll call you tonight once I get off."

"I'll be waiting." Breccia called after him as he walked away. "Be careful."

Taking out her keys, she unlocked the back door.

She took notice, as she entered, that the lights were still on. Figuring that she forgot to turn them off the night before, she sat her keys on the table. Focusing on the coffee pot near by, she jumped when a voice startled her.

"I'm surprised he didn't come in with you."

Shrieking from surprise, she turned to see Neil and Maddie standing on opposite sides of the door.

"Don't mind us." Neil teased. "Just peaking in on your little kiss fest."

Breccia's eyes widened. "How much did you see?"

"Just him shoving his tongue down your throat." Maddie chuckled. "I bet you thought you were being sneaky."

Turing to the percolator, Breccia dumped out the old filter before reaching for a new one. "Crap..."

Neil crossed his arms, his Magnemite floating around the space above his head. "I'd hate to put in my two cents here, but I'm guessing Riker isn't aware?"

Maddie situated herself beside him, fiddling with the papers on the table to keep her hands busy. "Why would it matter?"

Neil seemed rather respectful of Maddie's input. (This was surprising as the two of them were often at each other's throats). "Well considering their positions..."

"We were hoping to keep it a secret." Breccia mumbled, grabbing a stained mug from the sink. "Besides it isn't a conflict of interest, we're both working towards the same goal." Seeing the glance Neil was giving her, she couldn't help but think of her father. If this circumstance was different, and she still lived at the clinic with her old man, he'd throw a huge hairy fit if she even tried to date Morice. (Considering his occupation).

"You sure this is a good choice?" Neil finally asked after an elongated silence.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well you know, he's kind of a lowlife."

Breccia's brow furrowed, taking the comment as an insult. "Aren't we all?"

"Well yeah, but..." Neil's voice tapered off, taking her change in tone as a warning.

Breccia couldn't help but feel that if Neil took the time to socialize with Morice, he'd change his opinion.

Maddie forced her way into the conversation to try and alleviate any bad feelings. "We'll just keep it to ourselves, won't we Neil?" Before he could agree, she added: "If anything, I'm jealous." Blushing slightly, she checked her transceiver. "At least you have a chance with your interest."

Breccia was watching the coffee drip down into the pot, her mind else where as Maddie and Neil talked about nondescript things in the background.

"We've been getting better." Maddie said, cutting through Breccia's thoughts. "Buzz waits a whole five minutes before blowing its top, so it's progress."

Sipping at her mug, Breccia was contemplating what she and her team would do for the day when her Transceiver vibrated. Glancing down, she noticed a message. "Finally..." She said out loud. "It's Riker."

Maddie's blush returned. "What did he say?"

Breccia, against her better judgment, gulped down the last of her steaming drink. "He wants me to meet him in his office. You two stay here and tidy up, hopefully he'll give me some instructions."