Catalyst

She doesn't notice at first, just chalks it down to actually having a life outside the force. But as days turn to weeks, which then turn to months she knows there must be more to it. There has to be.

She turns her mind's eye back a few months previous. They had just wrapped up a particularly trying case of an old fashioned murderer who targeted young teenagers because he thought society was being destroyed due to the lack of respect and values shown by the younger generations. Their nook of the bullpen was relatively empty at the time, and with a final flourish of his pen Mal had signed off on his report and had looked her way.

"I'm so glad that is over. Paperwork can be such a bore," Mal said, his hands raised and resting on the back of his head.

She had fixed him with a glare which they both knew held no malice, "Well some of us are still trying to finish their paperwork so you can keep your thoughts to yourself thank you".

He had merely raised his hands up in an 'I surrender' gesture and replied, "Just calling it as I see it".

Mal had been quiet after that, and before long she had finished her own report. A quick glance in his direction found him making paper aeroplanes.

Natara had shaken her head at that. He was such a child sometimes. Clearing her throat got his immediate attention. "Ready to go I presume?" he asked.

By way of answering she stood up and shrugged on her coat, "Just waiting on you slowpoke"

"You can't rush genius" With a flick of the wrist, the paper plane flew over the gap between their desks and landed neatly on her keyboard. "Open it"

Deciding to humour him she did as he asked. "Dinner, Miss Grumpypants?" she read aloud, the corner of her mouth quirking in amusement. "Sure, but you're paying Buster"

He had laughed, and gathered his coat up before walking with her to the elevator.

Thinking back she now realises that something changed between them that night.

TBC

AN: I'm no good at multi-chapter fics so I'm hoping shorter chapters will motivate me to update.