Robbery In Progress

*Emma*

I was doing a mediocre job of not thinking about Kelsey when I started my day. By the time she was standing right in front of me it was a lost cause. And that look on her face when we first locked eyes? I was stuck between running to her side and holding her close, and going after whoever made her upset and making sure it never happened again.

It wasn't a feeling I was unfamiliar with, that strong need to protect was why I got on the force. This past year aside, I felt it for my family, and I felt it for my friends, coworkers, and strangers that I was helping. But the last time I felt it this strongly? This...all consuming part? That hasn't happened since Sam. And that is not what I wanted.

I don't need someone to come into my life and make me feel those things again and then risk them getting hurt, or worse dying. I've had my fill, thank you very much.

And yet, I couldn't get her out of my head. The only thing having a chance of rivaling her right now was the fact that Joe showed up and contacted her. Everything about that was strange. Plus, I didn't even get her to tell me what he said other than his regards, whatever that means. On top of that I know she slipped something into her pocket but she didn't feel like sharing what that was apparently.

Hopefully she'll be more forthcoming tomorrow when we are back at work. Seeing me at the zoo with my family was probably as jarring for her as it was for me to see her with her family. She mentioned her mom died so my guess was that she had a stepmom, it was nice that her dad found that again.

Much like myself, my dad had one love and that was it. We just weren't built for round two. Even as I was scolding myself for thinking about her too much I was pulling out my phone and opening up our text conversation.

I was poised over the send button on that "hey" message from earlier when my sister nudged my arm.

"Are you paying attention? They are about to find the missing book and fall in love over here. What are you doing?" I locked my phone and set it down instantly.

"Nothing. Sorry, I'm just thinking about work." I did my darndest to refocus on the TV. After roaming around the zoo for another hour, the kids got tired so we came back to their house and they went to take a nap while Meg and I turned on a movie in the living room.

The movie was twenty minutes from ending and I was gripping my hands together in an attempt to stay put and not go pacing around. I just had too much going on in my head and pacing helps.

"Is this because of seeing Kelsey today? She seemed a bit shaken up." Meg was perceptive as ever. They do say mom's know everything.

"She ran into a suspect. Sort of." I sighed, "it's complicated. I don't have all the information yet. I was thinking about texting her about it."

Meg reached for the remote and paused the show before turning to me. *Here we go*. "Just about that, huh?"

"Yeah, just about that." I was scared of what she would say if I asked what else I might be texting her about so I withheld that. "It just seems odd that they would reach out and it kind of worries me because how did they know she would be there? They must be stalking us or something. But that doesn't really fit this person's m.o. It's all very strange and I have a lot of questions but not a lot of answers."

"Hmm," was all she said in return before she grabbed my phone off the coffee table.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I tried to lean over and reach for it but she dodged me.

"You're still using 4268 as your passcode? You should update that, people could get into your phone and send text messages to your crush as you. Huge security risk if you ask me." I felt the blood leave my head as my face paled. "Tell me you didn't." I prayed for calm as I replied to her. *Calm calm calm calm calm*, I just kept repeating it, hoping that would make it come true.

"I can't. But! Before you get mad, I just hit send on the message you already drafted. A very innocent -- *boring* - 'hey'." She looked so proud of herself I almost felt like smiling, but then I remembered what she was proud of and I scowled at her instead. "Hey, I'm the best wingwoman you're gonna get."

"I don't want a wingwoman. I'm off the market." She gave me my phone back and it took every ounce of willpower to pocket it without checking for a reply.

"You're dating someone?" She was so excited, I almost wanted to say yes and make someone up.

"No, I'm dating no one and don't plan on dating anyone." We were getting very close to the topic that had us fighting just last week so I stood up and changed the subject. "I should get going. Thanks for letting me spend the day with you guys."

"You don't have to go, Em. We should probably talk about this." She was always so mature, but I guess that's what happens when you're forced to raise your own sister because your mom died and your dad couldn't handle it by himself. "Really, it's fine. We are good." I assured her as I headed for my jacket that was laying on the back of a kitchen table chair. She was right on my heels.

"Okay, I'm glad. But I'd really like to talk about this never dating anyone thing. Are you just going to be alone the rest of your life?"

I sighed and pulled my jacket on. "It's easier that way. It's really hard to get left if there's no one there in the first place." I knew she would think I was crazy for this so I don't even know why I was telling her. *Probably because she would pester me relentlessly until I fested up*, I thought to myself.

Just as I expected she gave me a pained look, obviously trying to decide what to say to that. "It's worth the risk," was all she said.

I leaned over and hugged her tight. "I'm changing my passcode the minute I get home." She smiled in response before I headed out the door.

*Kelsey*

I shouldn't have been surprised when Emma reached out. I was positive she knew I was hiding something and the workaholic that she was couldn't just let it be. That being said, I was expecting a phone call, or a text saying something along the lines of "what aren't you telling me?". So the innocent "hey", I received about five minutes ago was really throwing me.

I should stop staring at my phone. If I stare too much longer then my dad or Heather are going to ask what I'm looking at and how am I going to explain to them that I'm staring at a text that says "hey"? They'll think I'm crazy. Or they'll tease me. I rolled my eyes at that thought.

After they saw me with Emma at the zoo today they've gone off the deep end with the comments and the questions. Part of me can still feel her hand wrapped around my wrist and I'm hating how much I'm loving the residual tingles right about now.

How on Earth am I supposed to convince my dad that we are just coworkers when I'm heating up over some wrist contact? That makes no sense.

"What are you looking at, pumpkin? It looks like you're about to burn a hole through your phone." *And there it is*. I locked my phone and pushed it into my back pocket.

"Nothing. Just a text from work. Speaking of work, I should probably head home. I've got a lot to work through from the robbery yesterday."

"Okay, pumpkin. Thanks for coming out here and spending the day with us. Text me when you get home." He enveloped me in a hug, which I immediately returned. After I promised to text him and I said goodnight to Heather I was out the door and already requesting a ride back to Queens on a ride share app.

Once I had that all set up and went back to Emma's text message. I stared at it for another three minutes before I finally just said what the hell and replied.

*Hey. What's up?* Lame but it'll do. Her reply was almost instant so she was either waiting for my response or she was on her phone that very minute.

*We should probably get a sketch artist to draw up who you saw at the zoo today.* Work related, should have known. I don't know what else I was expecting.

*Good idea. I'll make some arrangements in the morning.* It was probably terrible of me to emphasize in the morning but I couldn't seem to stop myself. It seemed like she picked up on it too because she didn't answer right away. It was well timed because that's when my rideshare showed up.

I was crawling into bed by the time I finally got another message from her. And I definitely didn't look at it instantly.

*See you tomorrow.* That was all it said. How typical.