Hello again my dear fanfiction readers.

This is basically a sequel to my previous CM fic (The Snowman), it's not necessary to read it, although there is some slight mentioning of Prentiss' 'trauma'. So if you've not read it and hate to be out of the loop I'd suggest going back and reading that. Otherwise, please enjoy this fic!

Yeah, so...thanks for reading, hope you have fun with it...that's all. Arc

Fourteen days ago (the silhouette of night)…

She had her eyes closed, not too many women felt comfortable enough in this kind of bar to dance with their eyes shut. Maybe a quick close and open, but he'd never seen a woman who looked like that, dance for that long, with those movements, with her eyes shut for going on twenty minutes. It was impressive. He pretty sure she was here alone too. She'd bought her own drinks, given him her purse and started dancing. Five minutes to relax, five more to get into the vibe of the bar, and 'boom'…all eyes were on her. Men, women, sexual preference, it didn't matter, she was the focus of all attention.

She smiled a little to herself, and moved more. Her body sliding and curving to the beat of the music. Her hair was out; when she had arrived it had been straight. But now, with the beat of music, her self-expression on the dance floor and the heated gaze of everyone in the room, her hair had curled and tousled itself. She was truly remarkable.

Her purse started to bounce and skate across the nook he had put it in. Probably her phone. He thought about pawing through her purse to get to it and answer for her. It was good business sense not to disturb her, he was sure attendance had doubled since she'd started dancing. On second thoughts, she might not appreciate the invasion of privacy. She hadn't indicated that she wanted to dance with any of the multitudes of guys trying to get near her. He was going to have to interrupt her. He sighed and made his way over with her purse.

He had waited while she called back the person. Heard her sharp and short comments. He deduced work wanted her come in, he glanced at his wristwatch…12.45am, perhaps instead it was a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, who knew these days! He hoped she didn't work for a competing bar, he wanted her to come back. Maybe he could pay her to dance again. Nothing sleazy, just to attract…anyone. All the patrons seemed to be mesmerized by her. She asked him to wait with her outside for her ride. She hadn't had a lot to drink, he'd been counting. But she was over the driving limit. He wondered if she'd told her boss she was slightly drunk. He wondered if anyone would even recognize it. She seemed completely in control.

She smiled at him then, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Thanked him for waiting with her. He nodded back. Asked if she would come back again soon, told her she was good for business. An amused smile had graced her face then, her eyes had peered into his soul and she made her decision. A tiny nod answered his question. He smiled again this time with teeth, it was his mark of respect and acceptance. All of his loyal patrons, the ones who had been coming to his bar for years knew that if you got Smokey Tom to teeth-smile at you, you were in his inner circle, and all drinks were half price. Not exactly in line with his usual business savvy nature, but his bar was the best non-gang biker bar in DC. He'd let his patrons know, this one was under his protection. She certainly wasn't biker material, too soft and womanly, too 'upper-crust'. But she drew new people to the bar, and he always welcomed new people. She seemed to draw in the white-collar people who wanted a night on the wild side. And she was a novelty for his normal crew. They liked the extra white-collar people too, they got to try out their stereo-typical attributes to fascinating and usually hilarious result.

He didn't ride with the gangs anymore, not since '89 when he'd 'smoked' a couple of hooligans trying to compete with the main set. It was bad enough back then trying to determine who was a Hell's Angel or a Bandito, but to have some punk, up-start kids try to make a piss-weak 'The Dugongs', or some other equally poorly named gang, was too much for his ego to take. He'd 'smoked' them. The other gangs had approved. But he'd had to drop off the motorcycle scene, much to his and his gang's disappointment. He survived, used his cash bundle to start up this joint…Smokey's. It was working out great, enough time had lapsed that most people didn't realise who he was, unless they'd been around at the time, and, quite seriously, not many of them had survived. Smokey's was neutral ground. If members of any gang entered, they were essentially swearing to keep personal business outside. So far, it had worked. He hadn't had to 'smoke' anyone for at least a decade, and he'd earned his stripes, his bar was the best in the area.

She could tell he was thinking about the old times. She smiled another one of her amazing smiles at him. She wasn't perturbed by him in the least, he admired her guts. A pretty girl like her, walking into Smokey's without a man or at least a gun. But, he hadn't searched her…she was a smart one, she probably did have a weapon on her. He arched his eyebrow at her while asking if she was packing. She cocked her leg, resting her booted foot on a trash can, and pulled up the smooth as silk pant leg to reveal a small calibre gun. It definitely looked used and well cared for. He liked that she was comfortable with the weapon. That's when he saw the steely glint in her eyes.

This woman had been through some shit. He smiled again, this time injecting it with a little more respect. A nod to her, that he understood their stances. She nodded back as a dark SUV pulled up. A severe looking man barely glanced at him. His arm was slung low across the back of the passenger side seat. He waited patiently for the woman…Shadow (Smokey decided to call her) to get in. She gave him another amused smirk, got in the car and they pulled away. In the distance he could see the man begin to berate Shadow. Probably for being in this kind of a neighbourhood. Didn't the man know Shadow could take care of herself. She had certainly seen worse things than this neighbourhood had to offer, Smokey was convinced of that. No one who hadn't walked through hell could be so confident in his bar. He grinned, he couldn't wait for Shadow to return. Next time he was going to have a proper conversation with her.

So, how's that for a first chapter?

Oh, forgot to mention, this story is set a few months after my last. The Snowman was set before season three's finale - so there was no bomb in a car mentioned even though I guess at some point it had happened between (Snowman) and now, but it included the fact that JJ was pregnant, just go with it :)

This one is set after Henry's birth and I'm ignoring that Agent Todd ever arrived. Nothing against her I just can't be bothered to add in a new character development. So we'll just pretend, when JJ went on maternity leave the team had no need for a media liaison, unusual but is fanfic, you'll forgive me :)

Arc, please review. They make me shiny and glowy on the inside!