Disclaimer: if do not own Life (sounds kinda weird doesn't it)

Charlie Crews. Ex-convict and damn good cop. He'd seen his old partner through tough times and had saved his new partner from even tougher ones. Charlie opened his eyes and looked around at the sheets and pillows that were askew. His ruffled orange hair like wildfire, and his eyes tired and bleary. He stood, faltered, almost fell but then regained his balance and went to the bathroom. The face he saw in the mirror brought back memories. He'd seen her vulnerable that day. Cocaine all over her, desperation and terror as he got her to the shower. He stood with her as she scrubbed and leaned against him. He'd seen a side of her that not many people had. It was a rare and special occasion if Dani Reese was vulnerable. And she'd let him in on that. Trusted him enough to know he'd take care of her. Allowed herself to lean against him. Charlie turned away from the mirror and sighed. He grabbed his phone from where he'd left it on the floor and checked for messages. Two from Dani.

9:15

Get up. We got a body.

9:30

Am if going to have to come get you?

Charlie laughed and nodded before texting back.

9:42

Yeah if need a ride. Ted set my car on fire.

Charlie laughed at the events of last night. Ted was shouting and Charlie restrained a laugh as Ted threw the flaming food he'd been trying to make out the window. Naturally, it went through Charlie's garage window, lit the car on fire and destroyed most of the insides of his garage but the firemen got there just before the flames reached Ted's apartment above. "I was not attached to the car." Charlie said something he'd said probably ten times last night, before he went back to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get his hair under control.

When Dani's car pulled up outside, she was annoyed he'd made her wait and she honked the horn until he came out, smiling at her as he hopped in. "Morning." He said as she pulled off, heading for the precinct.

"Not going to the crime scene?" He asked.

"No." She responded tartly.

"Ok." He responded casually. She just wanted to annoy him, to irk him like he did her but he was irk-less, not annoy-able. And it drove her nuts.

"You're annoying." She huffed.

"I didn't say anything." He said, as if a small reminder that he hadn't done anything to annoy her yet.

"Your silence is annoying." She retorted.

"So should if talk?" He asked.

"No. That's annoying too." She frowned.

"So...if should cease to exist." He smiled at her, and she could feel the headache this new hell was going to bring her. His Zen mode was kicking in. He was about to say something but she pulled over to the side of the road, debating ways to shut him up. He looked confused for a moment before he returned to Zen mode. Just as he opened his annoying mouth to break his annoying silence, with his annoying Zen crap, Dani kissed him. And he froze. And she began pulling back, concerned that she'd made an error in judgment but then his hand went to cup her face, to hold her in place as he began kissing her. And she melted into the kiss. Once again, her vulnerable side, only for him to see, was available. And when they finally pulled apart, she adjusted herself, and he smiled as he did the same. And she coughed and they went on pretending it never happened, because, dead guy, homicide, but that night, when she dropped him off at his place, she didn't go home. And she finally got to see his prison tats he'd eluded to.