[[Author's Notes:

I never intended for this idea to see the light of day, but since I got at least a couple people wanting more Juliet/Lauren at the end of "Handcuffed", here it is. Do yourselves a favor: sit down and listen to Melissa Etheridge sing "Sleep While I Drive" before you start this. It's okay, the story will wait. It's not a songfic, per se, but influenced by that. And a bunch of other songs too that will get their own mentions as the story gets going.

Each chapter is, not counting the notes, a 101 word drabble. The extra word is necessary in Elskeland. It's like the downbeat before a song, or the invisible ampersand before everything I say: I swear, my life is a run on sentence. Anyway! Jules/Lauren Lassiter, with established Shassie in the background. Enjoy or don't, and please tell me why either way.

&hearts, Elske]]

"&Baby, You Can Sleep While I Drive"

oo1: &there's a chill in her bones

"Juliet!" Carlton Lassiter breathes, taking his shaking partner into the protective circle of his arms. Her gun's at her feet; the criminal that threatened them is bleeding into the concrete of the parking garage: thanks to a moment of surprise, thanks to Juliet being Carlton's human shield, thanks to the luck that protects all good cops right when they need it.

He can feel her heartbeat, feel the outline of her ribs through her favorite gabardine blazer.

Ribs.

He frowns. "Where's your bulletproof…"

"Forgot it. Forget it." Her eyes are wide and whispers, "Wouldn't it be glorious to die a hero?"