Title: Chef for Hire
Chapter 1 – Careful what you Wish For

Summary: AU wanting to thank Donna for saving his life, Ed calls a company to get some help with a first date. However the person who shows up is the last person he actually wanted to see.

Disclaimer: If you don't know by now read my other AU/FP stories lol there is no Sophie and no Hank, our AU couple is free to be together and I only own the idea behind that and my OC's if any – don't sue, I have no money lol the rest belongs to FP

A/N: Yes when Alice comes up with an idea for a M/F story idea, our AU couple is the only one currently that comes to mind. No peril in this – just some humor, angst, romance, friendship and a wee bit of crack-fic in here haha hope you all like it.

Dedicated to fireflyangel0511

"Who has the shot?" Greg asks impatiently as he looks at Jules with a heavy frown.

"No joy," Sam answers firmly. "He won't move and I can't chance it from where I'm located."

"Team three? Anyone? We need to end this before another cop is killed!"

Donna looks through her scope and then over at Tom who was getting into position; her heart racing and stomach tight. "I have an idea," Donna whispers over to Tom. "Just be ready to take that shot when Barstow stands up."

"Do I even want to know what you're thinking?" Tom groans as he readies his finger.

"No because you'll talk me out of it. Greg, Tom will have the solution in about five seconds."

"Donna, what's going on?"

"HEY!" Donna shouts, the shooter, his hostage and Greg all looking up at the same time. "Tom now!"

"I have the solution."

"Scorpio."

Within seconds, the shooter had fired, Donna ducked and Tom had taken the shooter down; Ed's life being saved seconds before he would have ended up the third victim at the hands of Derek Barstow.

"What if he hit you?"

"From this distance?" Donna shrugs as she shoves her gun back into its holster and looks back through her scope; breathing a small sigh of relief when Wordy is freed and rushes to Ed to uncuff him and check him over.

"Truth. If it had been anyone other than Ed would you have done that?"

"Course," Donna retorts with an impish smile as she quickly turns away to shield her reddening complexion. "I'm just glad he's safe."

"Yeah me too," Tom gives her shoulder a small squeeze before she packs up her gear and he leaves his as is and then both head for the elevator, Tom diverting away from her as he heads for the waiting SIU sedan while Donna slowly walks toward Rachel and Gary in the SRU SUV.

She looks over at Ed as he exits the building, their eyes locking and his expression one of relief but guarded thanks. Ed Lane wasn't the kind of man to shower people with gratitude in public; even when it was his life on the line that they just saved. But the small smile and intense gaze for even a few fleeting seconds, forced her heart to beat a few notes faster and her lips to automatically curl upward.

"You know a brief yeah you saved my life and I'm okay so let's not talk about it glimpse won't cut it this time," Wordy mentions as he gets into the driver's seat; Ed slumping down into the passenger seat of the SUV as they head back to the barn after a very harrowing call. "Two cops lost their life and you were next."

"Wordy, she did her job? She'd have done it for anyone," Ed huffs as he casts a strained gaze out the window and frowns.

"Was pretty ballsy."

"She's a great cop."

"In any case you should actually say thank you."

"I will," Ed replies as he looks over at Wordy who shakes his head. "What? I'll say thank you."

"That's it?"

"You want me to recommend her for a citation for doing her job?"

"Was thinking more along the lines of something personal."

"You're married Kevin."

"Thanks for the reminder Edward," Wordy teases back.

"She saves my life and I ask her out? Too cheesy."

"Donna, thanks for saving my life. To show my appreciation I'd like to…make you dinner."

"Make?" Ed looks over in surprise before he lightly snickers. "Yes I'd like to show my thanks for her saving my life by killing her? Good plan."

"You said you took a few cooking lessons."

"It wasn't…no…I can take her out to dinner but…why am I even contemplating this?" Ed groans as Wordy lightly chuckles.

"Because I've seen the way you look at her and the way she looks at you when the two of you think no one else is watching. Besides…everyone's talking about it."

"Everyone?" Ed arches his brows in wonder.

"Well Sam and Tom mostly but that's because they like to gossip," Wordy grins. "But they are right, we all see it."

"She's dating someone."

"That didn't last. He didn't like what she did for work. Now's your chance."

"So I'm the rebound?"

"Why do I even bother," Wordy groans as it's Ed's turn to chuckle.

They pull into the SRU parking lot but Wordy knows by Ed's contemplative silence that the latest news about someone he knows his best friend is still very much interested in is forcing a plan to be put into motion in his mind. Now he just hopes he acts on it or Ed could lose Donna to someone else; there was no shortage of men interested in the golden haired beauty.

As soon as they enter the building, Ed pulls away from Wordy and goes in search of Donna, wanting to at least offer a small thank you in person for her quick thinking that ultimately saved his life. He spies her heading into the small team three meeting room to enter her debrief notes and quickly heads for the nearly vacant room; Wordy watching with an amused but silent gaze.

"Hey…got a sec?" Ed's warm voice slightly startles Donna, quickly pulling her from her thoughts as she looks up with an inviting smile and nod of confirmation.

"Always," Donna answers with a hint of nervousness in her tone. "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. I just wanted to say thank you. Was a tense situation but your quick thinking saved my life."

"You're welcome," Donna replies lamely, her brain giving her a silent shake. You can face a hardened criminal and put your life on the line but you don't know how to act calmly around someone you're attracted to? I know I need help. "Glad you came away from there unscathed considering the death toll. Did you know the two officers who were killed?"

"I knew one of them," Ed answers in truth, his brow slightly furrowing as he eases himself down into a chair opposite her. "Bill Young. He had one young son and his wife Melanie. Glad I'm not the one that has to make that call."

"It's always so hard to have to be the one to explain that a son that his father isn't coming home for simply doing his job; the wife is usually bad enough. I know it comes with the territory and such but still. Who's going to see the family, Greg?"

"Yeah he usually makes that call. I didn't know him that well so it's better if it's Greg. He's the master of the touchy-feely stuff."

"I remember the one last Easter; it nearly ripped me apart," Donna comments softly as she offers Ed a strained smile. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah me too," Ed adds before he frowns and then looks at her with a strained smile. "Do you want to have dinner with me, at my place? I'm cooking." He blurts out suddenly. Wait…what? What did I just ask? Did I just offer to cook?

"I'd love to," Donna answers in haste; her brain reasoning that mind games and playing hard to get were for young kids. They were both adults and the attraction was there. Why wait? Besides he worked up the nerve this time, if I said no might he again?

"Okay…great. So I'll uh…Friday at seven okay?" Ed manages weakly.

"I'll be there. Can I bring anything?"

"Well that wouldn't be fair right?"

"I don't mind, honestly. Whatever you want."

"Okay. I can't make dessert very well," Ed admits somewhat sheepishly.

"Dessert it is. Shall I surprise you?"

"Only fair since dinner will be a surprise," Ed counters almost dryly. What on earth am I doing? I can't cook! This has disaster spelt all over it. But before Ed's foot can sink a bit further into his mouth, Greg arrives back from his call to the families and needs to add a bit to Donna's notes before they all call it a day and the moment is broken.

Ed offers Greg a good night, giving Donna one last lingering smile before he heads into the hallway toward the locker room. "Don't even say it," he holds up his hand at Wordy's large grin as he pushes past and enters the now quiet locker room.

"What?" Wordy snickers as he follows after Ed. "She said yes right?"

"To what? Me offering a half cooked meal and it probably being her last."

"Wait…you offered to make dinner or take her out to dinner?"

"Make dinner…damn what the hell was I thinking, Wordy I can't cook," Ed growls as he pulls his phone and starts to search his contacts. "I got mixed up from what you said and the look on her face when I offered…I couldn't back out. Damn…maybe I can…"

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for her number to text her and tell her I made a mistake and…"

"Ed, don't cancel."

"I'm not cancelling the date, only the me making it part. I can't cook and you know that," Ed groans as he finds her number. "I'll take her out instead."

"Hold on a sec," Wordy states as he snatches the phone out of his partner's hand, Ed looking at him in frustration. "She's not expecting a five star, five course meal but you did offer to cook so…"

"I'll say I was nervous, give that back Wordy," Ed warns firmly. "I can't cook and I don't want to screw up on our first date. What?"

"I have an idea."

"I hate when you say that."

"Shelly recommended this service to her friend Ronald when he wanted to impress his first date. It's called Chef for Hire."

"Pardon? I don't think so. If I have someone else there she'll….forget it I'll take her out, it'll be the same thing."

"Hold on," Wordy chuckles as he pulls the phone back. "You can request any level you want, in your case amateur and they'll come over a few days before and teach you how to cook a complete meal. Or you can hire them to make the meal for you both and you can just warm it up."

"The cooking lessons didn't work."

"You took those for yourself in a school. This is at your home and you have someone to actually cook for…that you want to see again – alive," Wordy concludes with a large grin.

"I'm gonna regret this, I know it," Ed groans as he takes his phone back. "What's the number?" Ed takes the number from Wordy, promising to call the service when he got home and after he had a bit of time to think about it. But the call helped to ally some of his fears as the administrator on the phone told him the chef would cook a meal at his skill level and then teach him how to recreate the same one a few nights later his date never knowing; a meal he could then say was home cooked, that he made and the person he cooked for would be none the wiser.

"Ah how bad will it be?" Ed mutters as he looks at the notes he had written down on the paper at his fingertips and then leans back and looks at the calendar. The chef would come by tomorrow at six, or later depending on his shift, teach him how to make a simple but elegant meal and then he'd write down all the notes and try to make it again from scratch, by himself, to impress a woman he's very much attracted to a few nights later and hope that she'll still talk to him the following day.

"What was I thinking," he groans as he fully realizes what he' s just agreed to. "I can't cook….this is going to be a disaster."

XXXXXXXX

"Ed's…making dinner and I agreed to dessert," Donna mutters to herself as she enters her quiet apartment. She closes the door and then leans against the wooden panel for a few minutes trying to process what she's agreed to do. "I agreed to make dessert. I don't make dessert…I make dinner…I can make dinner well…I can only make one type of dessert…oh damn what was I thinking?" She huffs as she pulls away and finally heads for the kitchen in the search of her own late evening meal.

Donna pulls open the fridge and stares at a few things before selecting some items to make supper with and then getting started. She glances over at the answering machine; turning on the stove to warm it before she presses play to clear the rapidly blinking light.

"Hi Donna…this is Marie at Chef for Hire. We have a request from an amateur home cook for tomorrow night if you can make it. The schedule…fits yours so later evening. Something simple…ingredients…."

"Damn machine," Donna groans as she tries to get all the details. She writes down the address and most of the meal request, the rest being garbled along with the name. "Dinner for two. Male cooking for a special occasion. Something simple but satisfying. No dessert. Late evening. Mr…" she groans as she looks at the time, quickly realizing it's too late to call Marie back for further details.

She places the small notepad and pen back on the table and heads into the kitchen to make her own dinner, her mind thinking back to when she first told Tom over a year ago that she had joined Chef for Hire.

'Donna, what? Really? Since when do you cook?'

'When I first started with the SRU, Greg suggested I get a hobby, not related to guns or the field in any way…something I enjoy doing that will be a complete break from work and will help me distress after a tough day and add something new and exciting to my life.'

'You can't cook, you told me that.'

'When did I join SRU?'

'What?'

'I said that then. I've been with them a few years now and I meant I couldn't cook well…professionally. Difference.'

'Okay but…seriously you…really?'

She remembers laughing at her team leaders face and then nodding and continuing. 'I took night school courses and practiced for two years before I applied. Then I auditioned and got it. I've been doing it for a year now.'

'What? Really?'

'Just main meals and stuff here, still working on my dessert skills. So when someone calls the service and requests a basic home cooked meal with a simple or no dessert and I'm available then I go. I then either make it for them right there or teach them to make that meal another night. I really enjoy it.'

'I honestly can't…really?'

'Yes so stop acting so shocked. I quite enjoy it actually. I have a list of dishes I have put down that I prepare quite well and so far have gotten only positive reviews.'

'So…can you teach Anna how to make a really good roast?'

She remembers giving her partner a few hints and then offering to help his wife free of charge, unless they wanted her actually come over and make dinner, but not to do it out of pity. 'I don't do it for the extra money, I do it because I love to cook and it takes my mind away to another world…but the extra money doesn't hurt either.'

Donna thinks about her latest culinary request and knows that aside from a few pre-meeting jitters, the menu was quite simple and something she not only enjoyed making but eating as well. "Special occasion," she mutters to herself as she prepares her own dinner, "probably an anniversary."

With that thought in mind she also makes a mental note to spend a bit of time after supper researching some wine pairing suggestions just in case.

"I need to get those intermediate dessert courses started," she tells herself as she carries her plate to the table, flips on her laptop and then settles in for the rest of the evening. "Basic brownies and pies won't cut it anymore," she reminds herself as she makes another note and then allows her mind to wander. "I wonder what Ed will be making. He suggested he'd like to cook so I'm sure he's got something really fantastic planned," she ponders in interest. "I wonder if he likes brownies."

Donna slowly finishes her meal and then starts to work on the basic menu for the following evening, praying that there would be no SIU involved shooting and she'd actually be able to show up on time as promised. "I'll just show up and hope for the best."

XXXXXXXX

"So what time is the chef coming tonight?" Wordy asks as he walks up to Ed the next morning.

"Six. That is if today's a slow day. I'm already nervous and I won't even be doing much tonight but watching and writing…and trying to remember so that when I do decide to make a fool of myself on Friday I'll have something to blame."

"Your short attention span?" Wordy chuckles as he pats Ed on the back. "You're going to be fine. You requested basic right?"

"Yes basic."

"Women aren't fussy, plus I heard the last guy she dated couldn't cook either so she won't be comparing," Wordy reminds him in truth. "It's going to be fine."

"Fine…right," Ed grumbles in an undertone as Wordy watches in amusement.

"Never seen you this nervous before."

"Would rather face a gang of armed men, unarmed."

"Poor chef. You'll probably get some nerd-like guy, who's really friendly and easy to intimidate and will end up burning dinner and take all the blame."

"Poor me," Ed retorts as they head toward the team one meeting room. Ed glances down the hall just before they disappear inside, watching Donna laughing with Gary and Rachel and feeling a sense of nervous anxiety starting to cover him. But the moment they lock eyes for a few intense seconds, that anxiety slowly dissolves and a small voice reassures him that everything is going to be fine. His attention is quickly diverted back to the present, him and Wordy entering the team one meeting room and the day getting started.

XXXXXXXX

"Do you ever get nervous before these things?" Tom asks Donna as they head toward their cars in the parking lot.

"Sometimes. I think tonight's an anniversary dinner so that'll be okay. I was told a special occasion and the wanna be chef is male, so that's my best guess but could be a proposal or job promotion…anything really. I'll tell you about it tomorrow," Donna informs him, not having any idea of who's apartment she was heading to and for what special occasion she'd be teaching the chef what to cook for.

"Have fun."

"Oh I always do," she calls back as she gets into her car. She had packed most of her supplies, but would make one quick stop to the fresh market just beside the address and then hope her evening goes as smoothly as the previous ones. She takes a few deep breaths to calm a few natural nervous jitters, but tells herself that this was something fun and just to enjoy the evening adventure ahead. It's going to be routine…piece of cake. You can do this. You enjoy this and have had success. Tonight will be no different.

"Okay everything is…" Ed talks to himself as he gets everything ready that the Chef for Hire service told him to have ready. He looks at his modest kitchen and shrugs. "Ready. I think…ah well am sure the guy doesn't care if there are placemats or not…or he'll tell me…" Ed rambles nervously as he looks at the clock and frowns.

"How bad will it be? If it turns out really bad I'll just…this better work," is the last word in his one sided conversation as a brief knock is finally heard and he knows it's time to get down to business. He heads for the door, pulling it open, expecting to see complete stranger but instead feeling his jaw drop as he stares at the last person he expected to see.

"Donna?" Ed asks weakly as his mind races in wonder. Oh no not now! Now when I have the chef coming. How do I get rid of her? Oh damn this is a disaster!

A/N: Muwhahaha okay so this was supposed to be a one shot but it got a bit too long so I cut it in half and yes left it here on purpose hence the evil laugh at the start lol how'd you all like the start? Oh Ed what were you thinking? But now what happens? What will the first reactions be? Ed's still expecting the chef right? What happens when the truth comes out? Is the evening over? Please do review if you liked the start and thanks so much everyone!