Robbery In Progress

*Kelsey*

Since Rose was bored and alone, I had decided to stay with her for a bit longer. It seemed rude to just up and leave right after having my amazing realization from the information she had given me. So when she asked me if I wanted to play cards with her, I absolutely said yes.

My coworkers may have different feelings about how I should be spending my time but if they wanted this done quickly they should have done it themselves. Instead, they sent me because I would seem...what was it they said? Less threatening? More likely to open up?

Well, they weren't wrong but it turned out that theory applied to a broader set of possibilities. One of those being Rummy. A game I had honestly never played before--I'm not big on card games--but would now be adding to my repertoire. Maybe I could convince Emma to play with me one night. It occurs to me that I have no idea if she likes card games, but even if she doesn't I imagine she'd sit through at least a few rounds just to satisfy me. The idea makes me smile, sitting on the ground and throwing cards around like lunatics.

But then I remember that I told her I was in love with her and not only did she not say it back, she said she would see me later and walked off to her family.

I was suddenly less excited about my professional win and my new discovery of card games. Which was annoying. I should be having a freaking fantastic day right now, but I'm not.

Well, I was.

And it was awesome.

But now...now it just seemed dull. Like yeah I just cracked a case I've been working on for two months now wide open, but what of it? What's the point if I can't call up Emma and tell her all about it?

I hate her a little bit for doing this to me. I liked my life, like a lot.

Work was great, I got to work with my best friend everyday which was a blast.

My family? Amazing. Happy and healthy and they even lived close enough for me to see them weekly.

Sex life? Also great. It was mostly one night stands, but when I wanted to have orgasms with another person around I could. And I did. Often.

How could life get any better than that?

Then she had to stumble into my life with her stupid smile, and that dumb body that makes me weak in the knees, her infectious laugh, sparkling eyes, bright red hair, bright *mind*, kind of a mess of a life but in an adorable sort of way...and now I've lost my point and I'm just listing things.

I must have a lot on my mind because I didn't even notice that I had made it back to the station. Part of me is concerned about the fact that I could have caused a car accident if I was really zoned out and driving on autopilot the whole way, but I shrugged at that part of me and headed into the station.

Matty and Drew were in the conference room so I set my stuff down at my desk and headed in, "Rose does not know where he could possibly be hiding. Actually, he seems to live a bit of a double life with her. But, I figured out the why. I think. Maybe, I don't know but it totally could be *a* why." My confidence decreased as I continued to speak and they both looked at me like my puppy died and they were trying to figure out how to break the news. "Okay, seriously what are those faces about?"

It's Drew that bites the bullet, "Emma texted me. She's on her way."

"Oh," I reply. "Great. Cool, no that's fine. Really. Sweet. Good. Awesome." *Stop listing, idiot.*

*Emma*

When I get to the station I have a small flashback to that first time. When the front desk worker was playing gatekeeper. Tammy was her name. She called me a kook, I think. Then she asked if I was friendly and Kelsey said "TBD".

I have a feeling that this time Kelsey won't be walking in to save me from her apparently not so friendly receptionist. Nonetheless, I do have a job I need to finish so I walk up to the desk and hope for the best.

"Hi," I greeted with a smile on my face. Hoping maybe pleasantries will save me this time. "Agent Harrison to see Detectives Lawson and Collins." I hold up my badge for her just in case.

"They expecting you?"

*Here we go.* Smile in place, I nod. "Yes, they are. I love that blouse, Tammy. Where did you get it?"

She looks down at herself and starts to smile before she covers it up. "Macy's," she mutters, tossing the guest badge on the counter for me.

"Macy's is the best. I always say that." I can't exactly compliment and run because then she'll think I was just doing it for the badge. Which I kind of was, but she doesn't need to know that. "They stock the best jeans." She eyes me for a minute, assessing. "Okay, maybe you aren't a kook. Or you're good at hiding it."

Part of me thinks that Tammy is the real kook around here, but saying that to her wasn't going to win me any favors so instead I grabbed the badge and smiled at her. "Thanks, Tammy." My phone vibrates, a text from Drew. "I have to get going but you have a good day!"

Waving quickly, I head to the elevator then pull out my phone.

*Drew: Room's a bit icy up here. Collins was glitching earlier but now she's raving on about who knows what.

Emma: Would you say she's a kook?*

I smile at my own joke as I lock my phone and slide it back into my pocket. I've been doing that a lot more recently, smiling. *And I like it.* Feeling all those hard things earlier today made me a lot less afraid to feel the good stuff so I'm trying to just ride that high for as long as possible.

I know that more hard feelings are coming, but instead of being afraid of them, I've just succumbed to their inevitability. I've accepted that they'll happen and trust that I'll be okay in the end.

I just can't be afraid to feel again. I made a promise to myself that I would never do that to me again.

And heck, even if Kelsey is a kook I'm still going to try my hardest to get a shot with her too. If she'll let me, that is. Which is up for debate at this point. But I remain undeterred. I'm just biding my time, that's all.

I walk into the conference room where Drew and Matty are sitting at the conference table as Kelsey stands at the whiteboard. A marker is in her hand, uncapped, as she rants to both of them about...something. Hold on, okay. It's something about insurance, I think. Or lack of insurance? It's hard for me to tell because she's kind of got this crazy eyes thing going on and she's talking at light speed.

When Drew sees me he stands and smiles in relief, "Harrison. You are just in time to hear about what Kelsey found out from Jason Robert's sister Rose." "Right," Kelsey agreed. "Right, yes. Jason Robert's sister. Rose. Nice girl, surprisingly great at Rummy."

I didn't really know what to say to that and apparently no one else did either. I'm positive we could have heard crickets in that room it was so quiet.