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"What's so funny?" he growled in mock anger, as he pulled her close to cuddle in his arms.
"Some morning you're going to knock the lamp over on top of your head doing that."
"It's YOUR fault," he told her. "You...distract me." He started to nuzzle her neck.
"Nuh uh. Sorry, Charlie, we don't have time this morning," she informed him, even as she slid her hands around his neck and lolled back her head to enjoy his attentions.
"Why not?" His lips roamed to her ear, where he nibbled the lobe, and she shivered as his breath tickled.
"I have an early surgery, and you have court," she reminded him. She pushed him away reluctantly and sighed. "Go take your shower and I'll start breakfast."
"We could always skip breakfast and shower together," he suggested hopefully, with a gleam in his eye.
Kacie looked tempted, and then ruefully shook her head. "We tried that once before, remember? I know that no one on the surgical crew believed me when I tried to explain why I was late, and I am NOT going through THAT again. Get going." She watched him get out of bed and pad to the bathroom. "Better make that a COLD shower, Hon," she called after him, and grinned as he slammed the door petulantly by way of response.
They paused beside their cars for a last kiss and embrace before leaving for work. Within the shelter of Peter's arms, Kacie commented,"You know, we didn't get very far last night."
Peter laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. I know that *I* got somewhere, and I'm POSITIVE that you did, too. SEVERAL times,as a matter of fact."
Kacie's face flamed and she jabbed his ribs playfully. "THAT is not what I was talking about," she scolded.
"That's what I remember," he teased, and then let his smile fade as he saw how seriously she was looking.
"Look, Peter, I know how much you want me to like Eppy," she said slowly, looking intently into his eyes. "I thought he acted like a jerk last night, and I still feel that way this morning. But for your sake, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, and try to keep an open mind about him."
"Do you want me to talk to him about coming on to you last night? Just to set the record straight?"
"Would you flatten him, if I asked you to?"
"If that's what you really wanted me to do, yes, I would." His eyes darkened and his mouth was set in a grim line as he remembered what Kacie had told him about the events of the previous evening.
Her eyes twinkled at the fierce expression on his face, and shecouldn't resist a laugh. "That won't be necessary, Hon. It's enoughfor me that you offered. I think...my knight in shining armor is all polished up again."
"You sure?"
She tightened her grip around him, and kissed him with such fervor that, when they came up for air, he had a dazed expression on his face. "Does THAT answer your question, Sir Lancelot?"
"I think I need further clarification."
"Sorry. No time for further explanations. You'll just have to take my word for it." She leaned back in his arms to look in his face. "Let's just say that I'm willing to give your friend a second chance to prove that I'm wrong about him."
"I really think that once you really get to know him, you'll like him," Peter insisted, still looking a little stunned after her kiss.
"We'll see," she hedged. "We better get going, Hon." She embraced him closely again, almost to the point of clinging to him.
Peter could feel the tension in her arms. "What's the matter?"
"You just be careful out there today. Shining armor makes a pretty easy target, you know. Now that you're all shined up again, I want to keep you that way. I love you, Peter. Gotta go." She gave him one last quick kiss.
"Love you too, Sweetheart."
Peter watched her pull out of her parking place and drive off before getting into his own car. As he started up the Stealth, he thought to himself. {This is the first time I've really realized how much she worries about me when I go to work.} He grinned. {Hmmm. A knight in shining armor. I gotta make sure I don't keep falling off my horse.}
The next few days passed uneventfully. Eppy was a frequent visitor at the precinct, and he and Peter usually had lunch together. Paul joined them on this particular day, and the three were busy catching up on old times.
"So, Eppy," Peter asked in between bites of burger, "You've never said how you like your new precinct in Boston. How long you been there now?"
"Been the place where I've hung my hat ever since I left the city."
Peter smiled at him fondly. "Had to break in any more rookies like me?"
"Kid, there AIN'T any more like you," Eppy commented seriously. "These new kids out of the academy these days, just a bunch of know-it-all punks. Never wanna listen, always gotta do things their own way, no respect for their superior officers..."
Paul broke in at that. "I thought you said they weren't like Peter was?" He laughed at the insulted look that crossed his foster son'sface.
"Now wait a minute. I was never like..." Peter's voice trailed off as memory started to kick in and both Paul and Eppy were giving him pointed stares. "Well, OK, maybe a little," he admitted sheepishly.
Epstein punched his arm and chuckled. "Yeah, but the thing with you, Kid, is that after I got your attention, you'd at least listen HALF the time. The last rookie they hooked me with, he didn't last..." He stopped abruptly and took a quick swallow of his drink without finishing the sentence.
"Come on, Eppy, tell the rest of the story," urged Peter, anticipating some great punch line.
"Got himself shot during a liquor store hold-up. Died in my arms before the ambulance could get there."
Peter's smile disappeared and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but where he was. He dropped his head and muttered, "Sorry, Ep. Didn't mean to tear open any scars."
Epstein took another swallow of bourbon and continued as if he hadn't heard a word. "Kid died in my arms begging me not to let it happen. Not to let him die. Two days. Stupid bastard was on duty for two days and he up and dies on me." He shook his head and gulped down the last of his drink. "Yes sir, I told the captain, no more rookie partners for me. None. Zip. Nada. I'd either work alone or gimme somebody with experience." He waved at the bartender to bring another drink, and swirled around the few drops of amber liquid at the bottom of the empty glass. "His wife was pregnant with their first baby. All he could talk about."
Peter sat studying the edge of the table, miserably wishing that he had never pushed the subject. When he dared look at Eppy again, the bitterness and grief etched on his old friend's face nearly broke his heart.
Before the conversation could continue in the maudlin vein it had taken, Paul interjected. "Peter, Annie and I were just talking that it's been awhile since you and Kacie had been over for dinner. What do the two of you have planned for tonight?"
Peter looked at him gratefully and responded, "Nothing, as far as I know. I'll check with Kace this afternoon and let Mom know for sure, but I think you can count us in."
"Great. I'll tell Annie to plan on the five of us. Unless you have other plans for tonight, Eppy?" Paul turned to Epstein, who was staring vacantly out the restaurant window.
"What? Who, me? The great social butterfly that I am? I will haveto check my calendar, but I think I can squeeze dinner at the Blaisdell's somewhere in between meeting with the president and having tea with the Queen of England."
The somber mood was broken, and the rest of the lunch passed quickly.Peter glanced at his wristwatch and commented, "I gotta get back to work. Eppy, you need a ride anywhere?"
"Naw, I got my car outside. Thought I'd drive around the old neighborhood and see if any of it looks the same anymore. Maybe scout out some possible office locations. Hell, Kid, I haven't had this much free time in years. I don't hardly know what to do with myself."
Peter clapped his old friend on the shoulder. "OK, then, Ep. We'll see you tonight at Paul's." Looking at his foster father, he asked, "Give you a ride, Paul?"
Paul looked at him and grinned. "That should be a real trick, Son, when you consider the fact that *I* drove YOU here."
Peter laughed at himself. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. OK, can *I* have a ride?"
When the two were alone in the car, Peter told Paul about the situation with Eppy and Kacie that first reunion night at Chandler's. "What do you think I should do about it, Paul? Eppy hasn't said a word, and I don't know if he even remembers what happened. I hate to embarrass him by making a big deal out of it, but I sure don't appreciate him putting his hands on my wife, either."
"How's Kacie feel about it?"
"She says to just let it go. Said she'd give him the benefit of the doubt this time."
"You're lucky she's so understanding."
Peter grinned. "I am just plain lucky, Paul. I never dreamed I'd find someone like her."
"She's something pretty special to all of us, Peter." Paul thought a moment and then said, "I think I'm with Kacie on this one, Son. It was probably an isolated occurrence. The less said about it, the better. Eppy crossed over the line that night at Chandler's in more ways than one, and I think he's just as aware of it as you are. I doubt that anything like that will happen again. He's seen you mad before, and I can't think of anyone in their right mind who would want to deal with you when you're like that."
Paul pulled his car up in front of the precinct and Peter jumped out. "Thanks for the ride, Paul. Why don't you just plan on the both of us, and if we can't make it, I'll call."
Peter spent the afternoon thinking about Eppy and wondering just how much the young partner's death had impacted his old friend. In spite of himself, he also remembered the number of drinks the man had consumed at lunch. {I wonder if he drinks like this all the time, or just when he thinks about that partner of his?} He shook his head. {Nah, not Eppy. He knows better than to handle his problems with a bottle.}