Casey wasn't sure what surprised her more, the fact that she and Nicole were practically giggling together in the girls' room at the station or the look of death Beaumont gave her when she walked into the rest room before disappearing into a stall. Nicole, of course, noticed the look and leaned in closer to Casey.

"What's up with her?" Nicole whispered.

"I have no idea," Casey said, her face showing her confusion.

Nicole shrugged and took out a tube of colored lip gloss, "So anyway, Eddie invited your partner, Delahoy and Banks out for beers."

"Really," Casey said, lifting her eyebrows and leaning against the sink next to Nicole. "Why?"

"I guess Eddie misses having a guys' night. I think it would be good for him. It also means I can have a girls' night out and I want you to go clubbing with me," Nicole grinned.

Casey laughed, "Nuh uh, I remember how crazy you used to get in high school when you partied. I'm a cop now and can't afford that kind of scandal."

"Hello, I work for the D.A.'s Office. Besides, Karen Moore was the crazy one. Come on! A few drinks, some dancing. I bet you haven't done that in a long time," Nicole said, giving a little pout into the mirror.

Casey sighed. Nicole was right. She and Davis had broken up a few weeks ago and it wasn't like they ever did anything like that anyway. Usually they would eat a quiet dinner at home or at a fancy restaurant and then spend the night at each other's places. Casey's quiet but still somewhat active social life had come to a screeching halt since she cut him loose.

"All right," she said.

"Yes!" Nicole bounced a little and beamed at her new friend.

"You interested in going too, Allison?" Nicole asked as Beaumont left her stall and washed her hands at the sink farthest away from where they were talking.

"Not in the least," she said, practically stomping her feet as she left the bathroom, not even bothering to dry her hands.

"Okay, what the heck was that all about?" Nicole asked, turning towards Casey.

"I don't know, she's been like that ever since she and Walsh broke up," Casey answered.

Nicole turned and carefully applied her lip gloss while she gave Casey a knowing look in the mirror.

"What?" Casey asked.

"Do you happen to know why they broke up?" Nicole asked, holding out her hand, offering Casey the lip gloss.

Casey shook her head at the lip gloss and the question, "No, Walsh doesn't freely talk about those kinds of things unless I pester him and then he gets annoyed when I give him advice about how he could have handled it better."

"Besides, he's 'not a girl so would you please shut up about talking about my feelings'," Casey said, lowering her voice so she could badly imitate her partner.

Nicole laughed, "Guys are so dumb. Did he at least tell you who broke up with who?"

"He broke up with her, I think. He seems to be going out of his way to be really nice to her when he can't avoid her and she's been kind of scary to everyone but Cole."

"And let me guess, she has been taking her bad mood out on you the most," Nicole said, turning again to face her friend.

"Actually, she's been the meanest to Walsh but I've been a close second in the hell hath no fury department. How'd you guess?"

"Honey, you're his partner. And since he hasn't been seeing anyone else, which I know since you didn't mention it, you're like the other woman to her," Nicole said.

"Well, that's stupid. She'll get over the break up after awhile and things will be normal again. You'll see," Casey said, trying to reassure not only Nicole but herself.

Nicole just smirked, "Sweetie, I think this disaster is only just beginning and normal? Since when has normal ever been the adjective to describe you lot."

"You should have a nice little chat with your partner about his break up and those scary feelings he doesn't like to share. I bet you're going to be in for a surprise, if he's honest with you," Nicole said, using her know-it-all tone and flipping her hair.

"What aren't you saying?" Casey asked, understanding that Nicole seemed to have caught something that she missed concerning her partner and his love life.

"Sorry, not going to tell you. But maybe tonight, after a few drinks and some dancing, I'll get a little chatty," Nicole said.

"Just don't get drunk and throw up on me."

"Shraeger, I need a favor," Delahoy said, rushing up to Casey's desk as she shrugged into her slightly wrinkled suit jacket which had been hanging on the back of her desk chair for most of the day.

"Really?" Casey asked, her eyebrows rose as she looked at her partner who was putting on his own jacket while standing behind his desk opposite of hers.

Walsh also had a confused look on his face and he shrugged his shoulders indicating he had no idea what Delahoy wanted.

"I heard that you were going out with Nicole tonight and I want you to invite Monica," he said.

She gaped at him. How did he know?

"Alvarez won't shut up about this dumb guys' night out and he said that Nicole was dragging you to some yuppie club to dance and get plowed on over priced, girly frou-frou drinks," he explained, anticipating her question.

"I don't know if you would call The Blaize a yuppie club and while our drinks will be over-priced, they sure as hell won't be frou-frou. Are you jealous that I might have fun while you boys will be grumbling in your beers in some tired old pub like a bunch of bored, retired geezers?"

"Like Alvarez is really going to be in charge of our night out. He's lucky we're letting him tag along. Anyway, please invite Monica," Delahoy begged.

Everyone knew about Dr. Monica Crumb and Delahoy's obsession with her. She had gotten fired for helping him a few months ago with his brain tumor and Delahoy had instantly explained the situation to her superiors and then told Brown about his condition. Soon after he went into surgery, remission and was now back on the job. His hair had been buzzed and was growing in stubbly and dark. Soon, he would be able to hide the ugly scar that crossed his scalp with a head full of thick hair. Dr. Crumb had been hired back but she was barely on speaking terms with Delahoy which was driving him up a wall.

"Why, what do you have planned?" Casey asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Nothing, jeez are you paranoid," Delahoy said, lifting up his hands, palms forward in a 'what did I do' gesture.

"Then why are you so hot-to-trot about me inviting her to go with us tonight? I barely know her," Casey said.

Delahoy sighed, "All right. I was hoping maybe after a few drinks you could maybe chat her up and ask her about me. Maybe put in a good word or something. Find out what I should do to get her to forgive me."

"Sorry. It's against the Girl Code," Casey said, smiling.

"Right, like you would follow a Girl Code. I think you are required to wear heels and not be able to beat a man within an inch of his life armed with only a pencil and your wits to follow said code. So, you'll do it?" he asked, looking worried.

"All right, I'll ask. But she will probably say no. She knows we work together and she'll guess that you have something to do with this out-of-the-blue invitation," Casey warned.

"I gotta try. Thanks, Case," he said, walking away to bump fists with Banks who must have been in on the plan.

"You playing matchmaker now, 'Case'?" Walsh asked, walking next to her as they prepared to leave for the morgue where they were due to look at a body while Casey would also attempt to convince Dr. Crumb to go out with her and Nicole later that evening.

"Hardly, you know she's going to say no," Casey said. "Shame, though. I could use her help to wrangle in Nicole when she starts gyrating on a table or something."

Walsh looked at her with that shit-eating grin of his, "You could always just join in, I mean, why fight it."

She snorted, "That would look good. If I let Nicole run loose, then tomorrow morning you'll be seeing a couple of very familiar faces in our holding cells. At least I wouldn't have to worry about making it to work on time."

"She's really that bad?"

"You think anyone normal would ever marry Eddie Alvarez?"