A/N: This takes place the morning after the kiss in Dead Inside. It does not follow the time line of my other Flack/Angell stories.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own. The rest are figments of my imagination.

Sitting in a small coffee shop that was a few blocks away from the precinct, Flack and Angell were sharing a light breakfast. Jess had been pleasantly surprised when he called her early that morning and asked her to breakfast. She got the sense that Flack needed someone to talk. Happy that he felt he could turn to her, Angell readily agreed.

"I just don't know what to do. She doesn't want to let me in," said Flack.

"Don't give up on her, Don," said Angell. "Trust me, it's not always easy being the little sister."

"Yeah, but I bet you never drove your older brothers crazy like this."

You don't know the half of it, thought Angell. "Tommy Watkins' eighteenth birthday party."

"Huh, " replied a confused Flack. "What are you talking about? Who's Tommy Watkins?"

"He was a guy who lived down the street from me when I was growing up. I used to have a major crush on him. When he turned eighteen, he threw a huge party while his parents were out of town. Practically, the entire senior class was going to be there. Anyways, my brother, Jake, was friends with Tommy and I had begged him to take me with him. I was only fifteen and Jake didn't want me to go, but I threatened to tell our parents about the party and how there was going to be alcohol so Jake relented," said Jess.

"You know, blackmail's illegal," said Flack with a chuckle.

Angell joined in the laughter. "Well, it worked."

"So you went to the party?"

"Yep. I thought it so cool that I was the only sophomore there. I had spent hours picking out what to wear and making sure my hair was perfect. It paid off because I caught Tommy's eye when I walked into his house. He came right over and offered me a beer. Jake wasn't happy about that, but I told him I was a big girl and he needed to back off. I grabbed the bottle from Tommy and practically guzzled it own. Jake just stood there glaring as Tommy led me into the living room where everyone was dancing. After a while it started to get too noisy and Tommy asked me if I wanted to go somewhere quiet and talk. I said okay and we went up stairs to his bedroom. I was really nervous, but I didn't want Tommy to think I was a baby so I didn't say anything. We were only in there for a couple of minutes when he kissed me. It felt nice at first and I kissed him back. But then Tommy started pushing me back on the bed. I tried to push him off, but he was stronger than me." Angell paused for a moment to catch her breath.

"Did he..." Flack didn't want to complete that thought.

"No, he didn't. I told him to stop and after a moment, he did."

"Good." Don was relieved that he didn't have to hunt down Tommy Watkins and beat him to a bloody pulp.

"I wanted to leave, but Tommy told me how much he cared for me and how I was no longer the little girl in pigtails, but I was a woman now. I was so flattered. I spent my whole life as the baby of the family and being treated as such. Then here's this guy who tells me that I'm all grown up. I didn't want him change his mind and think I was a baby, so even though I didn't want to, I started kissing Tommy again. This time I didn't say anything when Tommy pushed me back on the bed and climbed on top of me. It felt so wrong, but I didn't stop him. I just lay there with my eyes closed wanting to be anywhere else. Then the next thing I know, Tommy's being pulled off me. I opened my eyes to see Jake holding Tommy against the wall. I'd never seen Jake so angry. I thought he was going to going to kill Tommy. I yelled at Jake to let go of Tommy. He did, but not before telling Tommy that if he even so much as looked at me again, he was dead. Then he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the bedroom. While dragging me out of the party, Jake yelled at me the whole time. Everyone was staring at me and I had never felt so embarrassed. When we got home, I laid into my brother. I remember screaming at him and telling him he had no right to do what he did. Needless to say all that noise woke up our parents. When Jake told them what happened, my parents grounded me for three months."

"He was just looking out for you, Jess."

"I know, but at the time I couldn't see past my anger. That night, l lay in bed unable to sleep, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had nearly done. If Jake hadn't pulled me out of there, I would have ended up making the biggest mistake of my life. Looking back on it now, I am so grateful that Jake did what he did. Of course, at the time, I let my anger cloud everything. Other than name calling, I didn't speak to him for weeks. I refused to listen to anything he had to say. Anytime Jake tried to talk me, we wound up arguing. Finally, our dad got sick of it and threw us out into the backyard together one Saturday and said not to come inside until we had raked up every single leaf on the ground and settled our differences. We didn't speak for the first hour, but by the time we were done we had worked things out."

"What changed?"

"Jake told me that even if I never spoke to him again, he wouldn't regret what he did. He said I was headed for something I wasn't ready for, even if I couldn't see it. He was right. I had just been to stubborn to admit it. My point is this, Don. Don't give up on Sam. Even if she says she doesn't want your help, don't give up. I have a feeling that one day she will be so grateful that you're her big brother."

"Thanks, Jess, for everything. I know it wasn't easy for you to share that story with me."

"You're welcome."

NYNYNY

After breakfast, Flack and Angell headed their separate ways. He to a crime scene. She to the station house. Once she was alone, Angell pulled out her cellphone and quickly dialed a number.

"Hello," said a male voice.

"Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Jess. How's favorite my little sister?"

"I'm your only sister."

"But still my favorite. So what's up?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for being such a great big brother."

The End

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