Episode44

Part 1

**
Kat watched as he replaced the bedding on the empty bed, "Nurse Parker?"

He turned around quickly, "Ms, Bauer, you startled me."

"Making your rounds?" Kat knew he was getting the room ready for the next resident, but she was desperate to strike up a conversation.

Nurse Parker smiled, "there's never a shortage of work around here."

Kat walked over and helped him pull up the blankets, "I guess not. How many nurses are staffed now?"

He had to think for a minute, "well, there's fifty full-time and twenty-five part time."

"Wow," Kat waited to get his attention again, "you certainly seem to put in a lot of hours here?"

Nurse Parker didn't know how to respond, "I don't know, I guess I like this place."

She had another question in mind, "I guess you'd get attached to the people?"

"Some more than others, but yes." He paused himself, "you get used to death."

Kat thought about his interesting comment, getting used to death. He looked as if he were ready to leave the room, she had to stop him. "I guess you know a majority of the patients then?"

He walked back towards her, "I know something about them all."

**
Rachel waited for Mr. Hayes to sit down before she began, "how are you today?"

He looked at Rachel again, he didn't remember her being there too often. "Pretty well, doctor. Are you new here?"

Rachel smiled, "I'm just temporary."

Mr. Hayes sat nervously before her, "like most of us."

Rachel needed to know more, "why do you say that?"

Mr. Hayes laughed softly, "we come here to live out the brief duration of our lives here, there's no glory to it."

Rachel refuted, "it could be worse."

He looked up at Rachel, "for some it is."

"You mean the patients who are sick?"

Mr. Hayes pointed to the folders on the table, "Look at your papers, Dr. Leek, we're all sent here to die. No one ever comes here and leaves. Some people just aren't as lucky as others, they feel that they have to live out their misery."

**
"Dr. Leek, could I have a word with you?" Kat walked quickly to catch up with Rachel as she headed down the hall. "I've been looking for you."

"Of course, Ms. Bauer." Rachel stopped and went into the employee break room after seeing it was empty.

Kat shut the door behind her, "Mr. Hayes went to visit the same four women today before you spoke with him and I just had a chat with Nurse Parker."

"The same four he visited last week?" Rachel wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

Kat looked at the folders Rachel had, "yeah, are these their charts?"

"Yes," Rachel looked at her notes, "they all have terminal illnesses and a year or less to live."

"So it is Hayes that helps them die?" Kat didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she had a feeling she was right.

Rachel checked the door to make sure no one was coming, "it looks that way, but there's no way he'd have access to this type of meds on his own."

Kat smiled, "and that's where Parker would come in."

"Exactly." Rachel dispersed the files around the table, "Nash wants us to check these out again for anything suspicious. Be out there in fifteen minutes."

**
Nash looked at Rachel, "so what do you hypothesize?"

Rachel looked at her notes for a minute, "I am guessing that Hayes helps these woment to die and Parker helps him get access to the meds or whatever his means are."

It was good, but not enough. "But why would Parker help Hayes?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," she paused for a moment, "there's no apparent connection."

Nash was certain about Parker, "even if it's not apparent, there is a definite link between the two."

"Yeah, but how do we find out what that link is?"

"I had Antwon pull the files of all the employees last night, I want you and Kat to screen them." It definitely was going to be a long night for everyone.

Rachel turned to make sure no one saw her outside, "so what are we looking for?"

"Anything tying Hayes to Parker." Nash saw a few residents outside and knew they had to finish their discussion quickly.

"Then what?"

"Find a lead and then we'll have our guy," Nash was confidfent she and Kat could come up with something.

Rachel questioned, "so you think it's Hayes too?"

"I want to find out what role Parker is playing in all this, then I'll make my conclusions." Nash handed Rachel a stack of papers and walked back towards the 'Cuda, hoping they'd come up with something by day's end.

**
Kat laughed as she sorted through the files on the floor, "this is unreal. Guess who's file is missing?"

Nash did a quick survey, "Parker's?"

"You betcha." Kat shook her head, "I should've guessed it would be gone."

Nash looked through some papers from another folder, "that's mighty convenient. Were you able to cross referencve Martin's records here with the file from City Hall?"

Kat rolled her eyes, "another big surprise, it wasn't there today. You think whoever is behind this is onto us?"

Nash waved her question off, "nah, but they're covering their butts."

Kat quickly perused another stack of papers. Something wasn't right, the missing paperwork didn't match up. There had to be another link. "Right, I guess too many deaths at once might raise suspicion."

Nash suggested, "catching them in the act would certainly help us out at this point, but we both know the likeliness for that happening."

**
"What are the odds for me seeing you on your birthday?" Rachel looked over her shoulder, they were still alone in the parking lot, there was no need to be discrete.

"Outside of work?" Harvey smiled, noting the irony.It wasn't an the ideal arrangment for a newly married couple. He worked with her every day and they lived three blocks from eachother, but he never got to see her anymore.

"Preferably." Rachel knew he was being sarcastic, but the problem was becoming serious.

"Did you have something in mind?" Harvey hoped she wouldn't go overboard. He tried not to think about his birthday, he wanted the day just to pass by.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Rachel flashed an evil grin, covering her lack of a reasonable answer.

"You know, it isn't nice to keep secrets from your better half." Harvey couldn't help but laugh at her, wondering how Rachel had time to plan anything. He imagined she was running on caffeine.

"Well, when you find my better half, maybe I'll share." Rachel didn't intend to be mean, she was merely trying to lighten the mood.

"Ouch." Harvey playfully jabbed her in the arm, "that was low, but I'll get a babysitter for tomarrow night."

"And then?" As he moved in closer to her, Rachel took it as her cue to advance, loosely wrapping her arms around him and slipping her hands into his back pockets.

"I just might let you have your way with me." Harvey looked at her suggestively, about as romantic as they could get standing outside Hidden Lake.

Rachel shook her head, "honestly, I don't know if I can handle you for the entire evening."

"I'm sure we can work something out." Harvey stole a quick kiss before heading back inside the building, he had some work to finish.

**
"Twon, take a gander down the corridor to your right." Harvey watched on the screen as Antwon worked his way through the hallways with the mop. He had a perfect view of Hayes and Martin on the next screen.

Sure that no one was around, he replied. "okay."

Harvey watched as they came into Antwon's view, "see what I'm talking about?"

Trying not to make a sound and stay out of their sight, Antwon leaned against a wall. "Uh huh."

Parker waited a few seconds before he handed Martin Hayes an envelope, speaking in hushed tones, he said "here's the key, I want you in an out."

Martin looked at him and lightly touched his arm, "I'll do my best."

Parker turned to check his back, "the cops have been here."

He softly responded, "I know."

Parker pulled Martin aside, towards the storage closet. "They wouldn't understand, I don't want you to get caught. For now, they think it's me."

Martin pleaded, "I don't want you to take the blame for me."

"And I don't want to see you go to jail." Parker brushed his hand against Martin, "be careful." He walked back down the opposite end of the hall, leaving Martin alone.

Antwon waited a few seconds, knowing he had to find Rachel or Kat. He spotted Rachel going towards the women's washroom. He quickly entered behind her.

Rachel looked at him suspiciously, "last time a man followed me into the women's bathroom, I gave him a fat lip."

Antwon smiled, "lucky me. Where's Kat?"

"Upfront, why?"

Antwon checked the door, worried someone else might come in. "Meet me out front for a smoke break in five."

**
Kat leaned up against the reception counter, "have you seen Nurse Parker around?"

The nurse smiled warmly, "he might be with Mr. Hayes if he's not in the break room."

Kat was inquisitive, she turned on her wire. "Does he spend a lot of time with Mr. Hayes."

The nurse turned away from her computer, "oh yeah, they talk all the time."

Kat laughed, "I've seen that Mr. Hayes is a very popular guy around here. "

"All the women love him, he stops by to chat with whomever he can." She waited a moment before she continued, "I've spoken with him a few times myself."

Kat wanted more, "he does?"

The nurse lowered her voice, "especially those who are ill, I mean, terminally ill, I guess they remind him of his wife."

Kat hadn't heard about her yet, "how so?"

The nurse checked if anyone else was around, "she was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and less than a year to live. He said she was really miserable the last six months, he hated to see her in that pain."

Kat looked to see if Rachel was anywhere around, "oh, that's terrible."

"He," she stopped, "I don't know if I should say this."

Kat smiled, positive the nurse would continue, "go ahead."

"He wanted someone to euthanize her early on, knowing she'd have to suffer later."

Kat asked, "did he want to let her go before she got too bad?"

"Exactly." She waited before she said anything else, "you won't mention this to anyone, Ms. Bauer?"

"Of course not, it's as if I had spoken with Martin myself during a session." Kat clicked off her wire and turned to find Rachel coming towards her.

"Ms. Bauer?" Rachel waited for Kat to finish with the nurse, not wanting to interrupt.

"Yeah?" Kat was anxious to share her information.

"Do you have a minute?" Rachel walked with Kat towards a room with both beds empty, but the door was opened.

"Sure." Kat followed her inside, "what's up?"

Rachel was confident they had their man, "Antwon saw Martin with Parker by the storage closet."

Kat nodded, "he's definitely behind it."

**
"We've got him kids." Harvey turned around and smiled as Rachel, Kat and Antwon entered the cramped office.

"Huh?" Antwon looked a little surprised.

"While you were tracking Hayes and Parker, Kat was badgering the nurse up front." Harvey couldn't help but chuckle, badgering was one of Kat's best tactics.

Rachel grinned, "so he is the angel of death?"

Harvey pointed to the screen and turned up the sound, "sure enough."

Nash walked in and shut the door, hoping that no one outside had seen him go in, "tell me what you've got."

Kat looked up, "it's Hayes."

Nash had to ask, "still no connection to Parker?"

Antwon shook his head, "not yet. We're on it."

Nash looked towards Harvey and Antwon, "let's bring Hayes in."

Rachel didn't want to cause a problem with all the residents, "when?"

Nash questioned Kat, "when does Parker get off?"

"Half hour," Kat looked at the schedule, "according to his normal times."

Nash had an idea, "do it once he's gone for the evening."

Harvey thought about it, it was going to be hard. "What and where?"

Nash planned out the scene in his mind, "let's try and not make a scene. Get him to a corridor with a door at the end, have 'Twon block it off with some signs. Kat, walk him down with Rachel and Harvey, I want you waiting in the room closest to the exit. Then, bring him in."

**
"Dr. Leek, you won't mention our talk to anyone, will you?" Martin flashed Rachel a concerned look, as if he thought she'd turn him in.

"Our talk about Hidden Lake?" Rachel was certain that's what he had been referring to.

"It's not so bad here, I just don't like seeing people suffer." Martin waited for her to say something, "it's just hard to let the people around you die in pain." Kat watched as the two walked down the hall, and hurried to catch up.

"Good evening, Mr. Hayes." Kat signaled to Antwon down the hall to close the walkway off.

Martin paused long enough to shake her hand, "good evening, Ms. Bauer."

"Are you feeling better today?" Kat wanted to see if she could get anymore out of him.

"About as good as this old man is going to get." He looked around, the hallway was unfamiliar to him, "where are we going?"

Rachel smiled, "just for a walk."

Kat wanted to keep him talking as they approached the room where Harvey was waiting, "why don't you tell us about your wife?"

Martin smiled, "alright, I do love to talk about her. Maria was a wonderful woman..."

Harvey looked at Rachel, "I've got it." He took out his cuffs and placed them upon Martin's wrists, "Mr. Martin Hayes, you are under arrest for the murders of Jacqueline Harris, Sophia Perez, Dorothy Hamblin, Ida Baker, Theodora Steinhauer and Francesca Gianni. You have the right to remain silent..."

**
"Either one of you know how his wife died?" Joe looked at Rachel and Kat, still not used to seeing Rachel in a lab coat.

"The nurse said she had Lou Gehrig's." Kat glanced at Rachel, "right?"

Joe thought for a second, "but was that what killed her?"

Rachel had more to add, "the nurse had said he had been looking for someone to euthanize her."

Joe leaned back in his chair, "so he might have done her in too. Kat, check that out tomarrow with the coroner."

Rachel looked towards Hayes' cell, "I'm surprised that Parker hasn't shown up yet."

Kat smiled, "he might not know, we did wait till he was off his shift to arrest Hayes."

Joe could tell they were anxious to get out of the SIU for the evening, "take all the files you've got from Hidden Lake and see if you get anything. I want to know their connection. Can you access the records online at home?"

Rachel shrugged, "I could try, Harvey usually is the technical one."

Joe smiled , "get out of here and tell me what you found tomarrow morning."

Rachel grinned, "thanks, Joe, I owe you one."

Kat walked away with Rachel, "I'll help you look."

**
"Daddy..." Cassidy waited to make her entrance, she wasn't happy about what she had to do.

"Cassidy..." Nash was certain she had reached some type of conclusion. He waited for her outside against the railing,

Cassidy soflty replied, as if she was ashamed,"I am going to take the job at Sunset, for now."

Nash chuckled, "that's good to hear, I'm sure they will be happy to have you."

Cassidy moved in closer to him, "it's just desk work, largely secretarial."

Nash didn't understand her complaints and questioned, "isn't that what you wanted?"

It wasn't her ultimate career goal by any means, "well yeah, but after the baby I want to do something else."

"You've still got some time left to decide," Nash suggested.

Feeling offended, she replied, "I'm keeping the baby, Daddy, and that's final."

Nash blew it off, "I was talking about your career."

"Oh." Cassidy felt bad about jumping to conclusions.

As Cassidy started to walk towards her car, Nash thought of something else. "Cassidy?"

Cassidy turned around, "yes?"

"Sunset doesn't need the secretary anymore, we do." Nash knew she wouldn't be happy at all about her relocation.

**
Kat watched as Ryan ran back and forth behind the furniture, he wasn't quite as loud and destructive as her boys had been. This child was inquisitive. "He's a cute kid, Rachel."

Kat smiled as Ryan ran towards Rachel to hide, almost as if he knew she was talking about him, "wonder where he got that from?"

Kat shrugged, "must have been his father."

Rachel looked at her destructed living room, there were files and toys everywhere. No wonder why they couldn't find anything. "Any luck finding Hayes' or Parker's files?"

Kat shook her head, "nope."

Rachel lifted some manila folders off the coffee table and shifted some toys, "where could they be?"

"Somebody obviously doesn't want us to find them and, well, since we didn't have the files earlier, I doubt we would've lost them here in Toys R Us." Kat picked up an action figure of Jerry's and inspected him, "I remember these days."

Rachel eyed Kat's beer on the coffee table, "ready for another one?"

"Sure, why not?" Kat thought for a moment, calling back to Rachel in the kitchen, "is euthanasia legal in California?"

Rachel came back to the living room with a beer and a glass of wine in hand, "euthanasia or doctor assisted suicide?"

Kat looked at the various euthanasia newspaper clippings spread before her, "was Martin Hayes a doctor?"

Rachel had to admit, "he certainly had the medical know-how."

"Did he say anything about his past in your interview?" Kat had her doubts about the man's mental stability.

Rachel quickly flipped through her notebook, "no, I've got nothing like that in my notes."

Kat peered at the notes over her shoulder, "once again, Parker had the know-how and ability but Hayes had the will."

Rachel refuted, "but neither one of them said anything during the questionings."

Knowing Rachel needed a diversion, Kat suggested, "I think someone wants your attention."

Rachel looked back at Ryan, patiently waiting with a book in his hands, "hey, little guy..."

**
Nash called down to Harvey, "don't you ever go home, Leek?"

"Nah, I love spending time with you." Harvey could hear Nash coming down the stairs, there was something on his mind.

"You certainly don't look happy." Harvey looked up at Nash as he passed his desk, maybe the stress was finally getting to him.

"Your friend Steve Johnson seems to have made parole and is roaming the city." If anyone could infuriate Harvey Leek, it was Steve Johnson.

"San Francisco?" Harvey certainly didn't need him around, he was having a hard enough time dealing with Anna.

"Listen,Bubba, I just wanted to let you know what's going on. We can't bring him in for being a threat to society, but I thought you should know that he's here." Nash knew as well as Harvey that the man should've been locked up for life, but the justice system hadn't worked in their favor.

"How long has he been around?" Harvey knew better than to ask questions you really don't want to know the answers to.

"A few weeks." Nash looked around, he had to make sure Rachel wasn't there. "I take it the subject of Steve Johnson hasn't been discussed with your wife. "

"No." Harvey looked down at a picture of he and Rachel on his desk, and then back at Nash, "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"You might want to consider saying something before she finds out from somebody else." Nash would never tell her himself, but just having Steve Johnson in the city was a threat.

"That should go over real well, Nash, telling her that I'm responsible for Ryan Mazza's death." It was a nagging sense of guilt Harvey had, being with Ryan's son didn't make it any easier for him.

"You weren't responsible, you weren't even there. Steve Johnson pulled the trigger." Nash had gone over the report time and time again, Ryan's death had been completely coincidental.

"But if I had been there, he wouldn't be dead." Harvey looked around the barge, sure Rachel would appear at any minute.

"Or it could've been you." Nash knew Steve's attack was meant for Harvey, there was no denying the evidence. The two had years of problems between them. "Johnson isn't alone this time, rumor has it he's got a wife and a kid.''

"Maybe they're plotting against me as well." Johnson's motive was clear, he was out for revenge.

"Johnson's son died because he was covering for his father, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Nash was certain Harvey had fired as a last resort, if there had been any other way, Johnson's son would still be alive.

"And Rachel's partner died because he was covering for me." Harvey never realized until then how much Ryan's death would impact his life.

"Harvey, you can't change the past but you can have an effect on the future." Nash didn't want to see another unhappy ending, with Johnson around there were no guarantees.

**
"Can I ask you a something?" Kat was hesistant, but she couldn't help but be suspicious.

"Yeah." Rachel continued to pick up the toys scattered around the living room floor.

"It's personal?" Kat didn't want to overstep any bounds, this was one of the few things she didn't know about Rachel.

She waved off Kat's doubt with ease, "we work at the SIU where we are grossly outnumbered by gossiping men, nothing is personal."

"Okay, then tell me this, why don't you and Harvey live together?" Kat looked back at Rachel, waiting for her to hurl something across the room at her.

Rachel glanced up, not knowing what to say. "I guess we just haven't gotten around to that yet."

Kat, a little surprised, questioned, "do I sense a little reluctance?"

"No." That wasn't what Rachel meant to imply, "we've had a few distractions."

"A week or two of living seperately is one thing, Rache, but almost four months?" Kat didn't mean to pry, "I am willing to bet you two saw eachother more when you were just friends?"

Rachel tried to shoot her down, "that's not true."

"I said you saw eachother more, not more of eachother." Kat was curious, she had to dig deeper. "If I didn't see you together or know you, I'd think you and Harvey were both still on the market."

Rachel sighed heavily, not expecting her partner to act as a marriage counselor, "so what's your suggestion?"

Kat replied blatantly, "that you claim your man before somebody else does."

Rachel looked at her in disbelief, "do you know something I don't?"

"Rache, I am not saying your naive by any means, but you have got to realize that this Anna woman isn't sticking around for Jerry alone. She's still pining for Harvey. As far as she's concerned, you're nothing more than an occasional obstacle.'' Kat had stopped Rachel dead in her tracks, that was exactly what she didn't want to hear. "Point blank, you're letting her walk all over you and right to his arms."

"I am not!" Rachel eyed the stuffed animal in her hand and considered tossing it at Kat or using it to gag her.

Kat's eyes widened at Rachel's loud reply, "take it from a woman who's husband was sleeping with his secretary and had a child with her, mind you I didn't find out for quite a while, don't be Anna's doormat, McCabe. Don't enable her to take your husband."

**
"So we meet again." Steve held his gun next to Antwon's head, ready to fire, "I guess this partner was lucky you showed up, unlike Ryan Mazza."

"Put the gun down, Johnson." Harvey was ready to do just about anything, he had enough. Bound and tied to the chair, he struggled to free himself.

Johnson lowered the gun but kept Antwon kneeled and cuffed before him, "such a pity, it's not him that I'm really after."

"It's me you want, don't make him pay for my mistakes." Harvey didn't want Antwon to suffer for his lack in judgment, but Steve was relentless. All he wanted was revenge.

"If I were you, I'd be a little more worried about who's at home than my partner." Steve smiled as tension filled Harvey's face, "Inspector McCabe wasn't happy to find out that you were behind Ryan Mazza's death."

Harvey tremored with fear, "what have you done?"

"Harvey, what the hell is going on?" Antwon looked to him for answers, certain they were both going to die.

"Your partner here let me out of his sight last time he tried to catch me. When I came back to town, he was to busy to deal with me and Officer Ryan Mazza had to die infront on his partner, Rachel McCabe. Betcha didn't know that?" Steve shoved Antwon against the ground, "the icing on the cake is that Inspector Leek killed my son."

Antwon looked at Harvey in horror, "he wouldn't do that."

"But he did, and now he's got to pay the price." Steve fired the trigger into Antwon's back, killing him before another sound could escape. "Such a shame."

"You bas..." Harvey couldn't even finish his sentence, he needed a moment to regroup, "where is she?"

Steve threw the gun to the ground, "it doesn't matter where she is, you'll never see her again."

Harvey continued to struggle for his freedom, demanding, "tell me where she is."

"She and your son are in a better place, far away from you." Steve held out a picture of Rachel with Jerry to taunt Harvey before Steve fired the gun again, "such a shame you'll never see them again."

Harvey woke up in a pool of sweat, unable to breathe. "Rache?" He felt the bed next to him, terrified she wasn't there. He got up and turned on the lights, "Rache?"

He thought for a moment, she hadn't come home with that night. She had to be okay. Rachel was fine, she was at home in her own bed. He'd call her in the morning, there was no sense in waking her up now.

Harvey found Jerry's stuffed bear near the foot of his bed and picked it up, he had to make sure Jerry was alright.

Harvey walked down the hall towards the stairs, dreading finding an empty bed. As he climbed the stairs, the vivid images from his dream filled his head. He wouldn't let Steve get away, not this time. He stopped outside Jerry's room, trying to regain his composure. Harvey found Jerry lying wide awake under the covers, "what's a matter, little guy?"

"Don't go, Daddy." That was all Jerry needed to say.

**

                                                                         Part 2

**
"Happy birthday, Harve..." Rachel leaned over just enough to kiss him lightly. She didn't want to wake Harvey up, he still had another fifteen minutes to sleep. Rachel gently brushed her hand against his cheek and got up, she had to get to the SIU before he did, there was no time for distractions.

Harvey felt her warm hand against his cheek and opened his eyes as she headed towards the door, "hey, get back here." He sat up and waited for her to come back towards the bed, then pulling her down next to him, "to what do I owe this visit?"

Rachel flashed an evil grin, knowing her brief appearance alone would be a tease for him. "I'm just here to give a preview of the night to come."

Harvey smiled as he began to undo the buttons on her shirt, he was adamant on getting her to stay a while. "A preview or an advanced screening? It is my birthday, you know."

Since he was more responsive to her tease than she expected, she decided to let him carry on for a few more minutes. "Is that what day it is? Since when do we need a special occasion?"

"Good point." Harvey leaned in closer to kiss her, certain that they had a limited time frame before Jerry would be making his presence known. As his lips began their trek from her mouth towards her neck, he realized she was re-fastening the buttons on her shirt.

He looked at her, a bit surprised and completely baffled."What are you doing?"

Rachel laughed, almost with a demonic tone. "I've got to go to work."

'Now?" Harvey looked at his alarm clock, she normally didn't go into work for at least another hour. Harvey once again started with the buttons on her shirt, determined to win her over.

"Good thing I wore layers and stopped you now or you'd be thoroughly disappointed by rejection after all that work." Rachel sat up and turned away from him, trying to put herself back together.

"Mean, McCabe, very mean. I'm not talking to you anymore." Harvey laid back down on his side of the bed, pulling the blankets up to his neck and the pillow over his head.

Harvey felt her leg slide against his, "think of it this way, the earlier I go to work, the more time we'll have for this tonight." She raised the pillow covering his face and kissed him before getting off of the bed.

Harvey removed the pillow and tossed it, "I better be getting one hell of a gift from you after that little tease." She grinned and shut the door behind her, pleased with her successful attempt at taunting him.

Harvey got up from the bed a few minutes later, he could already smell the coffee in the kitchen. He thought Rachel might still be there, it was early. "Rache?"

Harvey pulled on his jeans, there was still no response. Maybe she went upstairs to check on Jerry. "Rache?" No luck.

Harvey wandered back into the kitchen, finding a fresh pot of coffee and his favorite mug already out. His bagel was already on the table, along with the low-fat cream cheese and guava jam. Jerry's cereal was ready, with berries. As he reached across the counter to grab the sugar, he spotted a single red rose with a note.
                            Tonight's your lucky night.
                                                    Rachel

Harvey set the note down and wondered if there was anything Rachel didn't think of, he definitely was a lucky guy.

**
"Listen, Rache, I didn't mean to scare you with what I said last night." Kat felt she had to apologize, she had been a bit too harsh with her realities.

Rachel peered up from the pile of paperwork on her desk, "you're probably right."

"Harvey loves you, that's obvious, I'd just watch out for Anna." Kat offered a kind smile, trying to make up for what she accidentally implied.

As much as Rachel hated to admit it, she had to be honest, "Anna's got one up on me, she's the mother of his son."

"Don't let her use that line, you're his wife. He took you to the altar, honey, not her." Kat had seen this scenario many times before, the second fiddle complex. "Listen, I am not suggesting you try your hardest to get pregnant to keep him around, that generally doesn't work, but what I am saying is to use your status to your advantage. You've got his name and his heart."

Rachel grinned, "did you come up with that yourself? That was pretty good."

"Nah, read it in a trashy romance novel of the Harlequin variety, but the value holds true." Kat checked her watch, they had work to do. "Anyways, enough lessons on love from the scorned, I've got to go visit the coroner's office."

**
"Incoming." Antwon smiled as he dropped the missing files onto Rachel's desk, pleased they had finally been found.

"What the he...?" Rachel looked up to find Antwon towering over her desk, beaming from ear to ear

"I found these in the employee break room after you all left yesterday," Antwon reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper, "this too."

Rachel glanced at the paper, it was a list of all the women who had died. "Where did you find this?"

"It was inside Martin's file, Parker must have put the folders back there sometime yesterday."

"Unless someone else knows," it wasn't such a bad suggestion,

"It's Parker's file and Hayes' and Hayes' missing file from the City Hall," Antwon thought the evidence was pretty obvious. "You look these over and I'll tell Nash."

"I'm on it."

**
Joe saw Kat heading up the stairs, "what did you find?"

"She didn't die of natural causes or Lou Gehrig's disease, that's for sure." Kat handed Joe the coroners report.

Joe quickly looked at it, "so he did it?"

Kat shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. Her death was ruled as suspicious."

Joe was running out of options, "but not as a suicide?"

Kat looked at the report again, "nope."

It didn't make sense, "did he help her die?"

Kat considered it, "that was the ultimate act of love."

Joe looked to see if Martin was still locked up, "where is he?"

"Probably downstairs with Nash," Kat guessed that's where he'd be if he wasn't in lockdown.

Nash looked down the table towards Mr. Hayes, "tell me about Nurse Parker."

Martin Hayes looked off in another direction, "he doesn't know anything."

Nash replied, "but we've seen him with you."

Martin refuted the evidence, "the boy had no part."

Nash was willing to try anything, "Mr. Hayes, we really need your help."

Martin's eyes started to tear, "I helped them, not him. "

"Mr. Hayes..." Although he understood his reasoning, murder was wrong. He waited for Antwon and Kat to sit down with him.

Martin was willing to plead his case, "after watching Maria, I couldn't stand to see those women suffer."

Nash looked towards Antwon, "he won't talk about Parker."

Antwon pointed towards the desks, "I took the files to Rachel and she's looking them over."

**
"Tease." Harvey looked up at Rachel as she walked by his desk, "and a very mean one at that." She sat down on the corner of his desk, trying to distract him from his work.

As he tried to shoo her away, Rachel grinned, "I was going to take a lunch break now, if you'd like to join me."

"Oh, so I can get another tease?" Harvey looked at her, pretending to be upset. "No way, I've got work to do." Harvey chuckled, "I'm fairly certain that food isn't the only thing on your mind."

"Then I'll be eating this by myself." Rachel held out the deli bag in front of him, knowing he'd reconsider.

"Is that from Miller's?" Harvey recognized the bag immediately, he could almost smell the wonderful bread inside.

"Could be." Rachel knew she already had won him over, work could be put off for a few minutes.

"What's inside the bag?" Harvey stood up to see if he could identify the open bag's contents.

"I don't know, could be Harvey's favorite hoagie." Rachel knew exactly what she had to say, he was sold.

Harvey pushed his chair in, anxious to get a short break. "We eating inside or out?"

**
"I came to take my daughter to lunch but she's too busy, care to join me?" Lisa waited while Kat finished her call, "I didn't mean to interrupt."

Kat hung up the phone, "that was David, he's sending me Josh for the weekend."

Lisa smiled, "you sound thrilled, you can tell me about your boys over lunch"

Kat looked to see Rachel and Harvey's empty desks, "well, I suppose since my partner has departed for her lunchtime makeout-madness, I won't be getting any work done with her. Let's go."

Lisa laughed, "are you serious?"

Kat acted as if she were gagging, "it's disgusting. I mean, she's still a youngster so it might be acceptable for her, but him? Ugh. We're too old for that type of thing."

Lisa mocked Kat's reaction, "you're jealous, aren't you?"

Kat pushed in her chair and grabbed her purse, "of those two? Eeeeeeew. Not for a minute, I think she's getting a dose of reality with the married life."

Lisa thought for a minute about everything Cassidy had said, "they having problems already?"

Kat checked to make sure no one else was around to listen, "Rachel isn't the problem, Harvey's ex-girlfriend Anna is."

Lisa had a vague memory of who she was, "the hooker?"

**
Rachel looked again at the information, the names were identical. She checked to see if Harvey was at his desk or not, "Harvey, come here."

Harvey walked towards her desk, sure it was work related and not personal. "What's up?"

"Look at this." Rachel displayed the forms before him with the highlited information."

Harvey eyed the forms quickly, "Carly Hayes is the maiden name of Parker's mother and that's also the name listed as Martin Hayes' daughter."

Rachel smiled, knowing she had figured out the connection, "that's his grandson."

"Yes it is." Before Rachel could say anything else, Harvey was headed up the stairs to tell Nash.

Harvey waited for Rachel before he started, "we've got it Nash."

"What?" Nash looked at the forms Harvey had in his hands, they found something.

Rachel couldn't wait to tell him, "Parker is Hayes' grandson."

Rachel spread out the forms before him, "how so?"

Harvey pointed to the highlited areas, "it's all right there."

Nash looked everything over, "good work, now let's get Parker in here."

Rachel looked downstairs, finding Parker between Joe and Antwon, "we might not have to do that."

**
"What the hell is this?" Anna furiously fumbled through the papers, she had officially been served. Harvey and Rachel wanted sole custody of Jerry.

"Anna?" Harvey sat back in his chair, he was certain it wouldn't be a pleasant discussion. She had gotten the papers.

"Harvey, how could you do this to me? Why are you trying to take my son?" Anna knew Rachel was behind this, she was taking over her life. Harvey wouldn't have done something like this on his own.

"Anna, please, I really don't have time for this right now." Harvey checked his watch, he had to get to the Louis' office by two.

"I'll go get him." Jerry wasn't going to be taken away from her without a fight. Rachel walked up to Harvey's desk, pointing at her watch. The look on Harvey's face told her something was wrong.

"Anna, no. We'll talk about this later on." Harvey pulled the phone away from his ear
as Anna slammed it against the receiver. This was only the beginning of his problems.

Rachel looked at him curiously, "who was that?"

"Anna's back from Vegas." Harvey really didn't mind her being away, "let me tell you, she wasn't calling to wish me a happy birthday."

"Back so soon from her extended weekend?" Rachel wondered how that worked, she chalked it up to Anna being a hypocrite.

Harvey rolled his eyes, "Anna wants to see Jerry."

Rachel really had no idea what their legal standing.. "Do we have to let her?"

Harvey shrugged off her question, "we might not have a choice."

**
Nash watched the boaters outside on the water as Parker sat silent before him, "do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Parker coldly replied, "I was helping my grandfather."

Nash sighed heavily, he was getting nowhere. "Why?"

"I saw what he went through with my grandmother. He couldn't bare to see her in pain." He removed a picture from his wallet and showed it to Nash, "they raised me."

Nash had to ask, "did you help him kill her too?"

Parker nervously fidgeted with the handcuffs, "I helped end her pain, these women were in pain too."

Nash had to contradict, "their families don't seem to think they were."

Parker wasn't in the mood to argue, he knew from experience, "the family doesn't always understand."

Nash waited a moment, "and you do?"

Parker watched as Nash summoned Ronnie towards them, "my grandfather and I do."

As soon as Ronnie got to the table, Nash said "book him."

**
"What should I do, Louis?" Harvey sat nervously in the chair in front of Louis' desk.

"You've taken a big step, but you can still go back." The damage wasn't totally beyond repair. Louis poured himself another cup of coffee, his day wasn't getting any easier.

"No.'' Harvey couldn't change his mind now.

"You do know that if she sees him, she might run." Louis wanted to be realistic, Anna would fight to the end.

"That's what I am afraid of." Harvey couldn't stand to see that happen.

"Then there's your answer.'' Louis didn't want to jump to conclusions, but he felt it was very probable.

Harvey sighed a heavily, with a thousand images flying through his mind. "I don't want to hurt my son by cutting her off completely."

Louis knew Harvey would feel guilty, "would you rather put Jerry through a tug of war? Besides, this might all be temporary. The judge will probably recommend visitation for Anna."

Harvey didn't like the sound of that, "couldn't she take him then?"

There was more to the case than Rachel or Harvey was letting on. "Are you sure it's him she really wants, or you?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way." Harvey tried not to think of Anna in that context, he was a married man.

"Maybe you should." If Anna wanted Harvey, they might have some leeway with Jerry.

**
"We've already got our next case. Due to previous history, Leek will be upfront for this one." Nash looked down the table as their eyes all fell upon him, eager to hear what was going on. "Steve Johnson is back in town."

Joe decided to chime in, "this time he isn't alone, he's rumoured to be married and with a child."

Kat smiled, "that should certainly make things interesting when we go to bring him down."

Joe nodded, "but, we have to wait until he makes his next move to bring him down."

Kat looked at him as if that were the craziest thing she had ever heard, "Joe, the man killed a cop and is responsible for countless robberies and whatever else over the years, he has no right to be roaming the streets."

Feeling out of the loop, Antwon asked, "how did he get out?"

Nash grimmaced, "apparently he made parole." Nash looked towards Rachel, "I want you tracking everything. With Harvey and 'Twon upfront, I'm going to need you here and I'm going to have Kat on him as well. We won't let him slip away again."

Rachel forced herself to smile, "okay."

"That's all for now, we'll start on this tomarrow." Nash waited patiently for everyone to leave before he approached Rachel, unsure if Harvey had spoken with her yet. "Rache?"

"Yeah?" She turned back towards Nash, she really wasn't in the mood to rehash her background with Johnson.

"Has Harvey spoken with you yet, about the case?" He was hesitant to bring it up, as if he were treading on dangerous ground.

Rachel had to think for a minute, "I know that he and Evan worked on it a while back, and that it's very important to him that the case gets solved this time around."

Nash couldn't do it, he couldn't tell her. "Yeah, he doesn't want to let Johnson get off again."

**
"She made you do this, didn't she?" Anna blocked the doorway, Harvey wasn't getting out until she got answers.

"Anna, please don't do this." The last thing Harvey wanted to do was ruin his day by going a few rounds with Anna.

"Why, Harvey, why do you want to keep me from our son?" Anna couldn't find anyone else to blame besides Rachel, she had to be responsible for Harvey taking legal action.

Harvey stood there, trying not to waiver. He placed his hands upon her shoulders, in a futile effort to calm her. "Anna, this is the way things have to be for now." He tried to move past her, but she wouldn't have it.

Anna was so desperate, anything would do. "Please let me see him, just for a few minutes."

"I can't do that." The suggestion that she might run off with Jerry was Harvey's worst nightmare, he wasn't going to let that happen. Not now.

"You can't or you won't?" Anna was certain that if Rachel wasn't involved, the custody issue never would've come up.

Harvey hated when Anna made a scene, this was certainly no exception. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

"You're the one who filed for sole custody." Anna was ready to pass the blame, Harvey was becoming just as disagreable as Rachel.

Harvey didn't know what to do, Louis hadn't prepared him for moments like this. "I want what's best for my son."

Struggling to further obstruct his exit as he tried to move past her, Anna threw herself towards him, with every ounce of dramatic flair she could muster. "Taking him away from his mother is what's best?"

**
"I've got to hand it to you, McCabe, that was a good call with Hayes." Kat had been waiting to say that, she could tell Rachel needed a boost. "How did you even think of that?"

"I didn't, I happened to see the spot on Parker's employee information sheet that requested his mother's maiden name.It was right there." Rachel wasn't out to claim the glory for solving the case, she was just glad it was over.

"Still, it was a great find. Who would've thought Nurse Parker's grandpa was the angel of death?" Kat chuckled, still amused by the idea of the two being related. "If you don't mind me asking, how come you don't want to be front and center tracking Johnson?"

Kat knew the answer to her own question, she just wanted to see how much Rachel was willing to share. "Personal involvement with his previous case."

"I'd almost venture to think that would make you all the more eager to put him away," Kat watched Rachel's facial expression change, she had gotten somewhere.

Rachel looked at her solemnly, "Steve Johnson killed my partner, Kat."

"Oh," Kat didn't know how to respond, "he was your son's father?"

"Yeah," Rachel paused for a moment, "I don't think it would be in my best interest to seek revenge now. I still feel guilty."

"It wasn't your fault he died, Rache, Johnson pulled the trigger. He could've just as easily killed you." She knew her words weren't reasurring, but it was the truth.

"A lot of things could've been different, we shouldn't have been on that call." Rachel had a bad feeling about it from the start.

"I heard that another department passed the case over, assigning the officer who was on the Johnson case before to something else." Kat didn't know how much of what she heard was gossip, she hoped Rachel could at least fill her in.

Rachel was finally getting a chance to vent, "had the officer done his job right the first time, Johnson wouldn't have been back on the streets."

"I think most people would agree with you there, he should've finished what he started." Kat knew she reached a sore spot with Rachel.

"Five and a half years later, I still wouldn't take a case like that again, even with the SIU as back up." Rachel waited a minute before continuing, sure of what she wanted to say, "I don't know who it was or what other case was so important, but that officer and his boss can go to hell."

**
"I'm going to take him to the park." Anna had to get away with him for a few minutes, she had to let Jerry know what was going on.

Harvey would not let her out of his sight, not with what was going on. Jerry was to great a price to pay. "I'll go with you."

"You don't trust me now? If I were you, I'd be more concerned with my new wife abandoning my son than his own mother taking off with him." Anna was angry, unable to understand how he could trust Rachel more than her.

"You said yourself that you wanted me to spend more time with our son." Harvey knew that wasn't the context in which she meant it, she was referring to him spending less time with Rachel and all his free time with her and Jerry.

"Fine." Anna couldn't say what she wanted to anyways. she didn't want to scare Jerry. She'd have to find another way.

Harvey walked down the hall a ways, calling into the back room. "Jerry, get your jacket on."

Jerry ran out into the living room after Harvey, "is she here yet?"

Anna shot Harvey an evil glare, "who is she?"

"She is the babysitter." Harvey was certain that Anna thought Jerry was waiting for Rachel.

"And you won't even leave him with his own mother?" Anna never before thought Harvey to be so cold.

"Not now, Anna." Harvey began to lament his decision to let her come in.

**
"Kat?" Rachel had thought of something at the last minute and needed to talk to her before she left. She knew exactly where to find her.

"Why are you still here?" Kat sighed heavily and smiled, "what's up?"

Rachel saw Cassidy sitting with Antwon outside and pointed, "what's she doing back here?"

Kat moved away from the coffee pot and looked towards the window, "who?"

"Cassidy."

Kat chuckled, "oh yeah, she's our new secretary."

Rachel looked back towards the window, "you're kidding, right?"

Kat stepped in front of the window to block Rachel's view, "not hardly. Besides, I thought you two buried the hatchet?"

Trying to restrain herself, she decided to summarize, "we had a civilized conversation."

"I see where the line is drawn." Wondering about the evening ahead and wanting to change the subject, she questioned, "what time do we meet?"

Rachel eyed her watch, "I was thinking around seven-thirty?"

Kat laughed, "sure, maybe if Nash is being nice we might all be out of here by then."

Seeing that Cassidy had come back in, Rachel suggested, "with our new secretary, we should have no problem getting out at a decent hour on a regular basis."

Kat was a little surprised, "Lisa is wonderful, Nash is something else, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for Cassidy."

**
"You gonna join us tonight for Harvey's birthday?" Antwon sat down next to Cassidy on the bench outside the SIU. He could tell she had been keeping her distance from there lately.

Cassidy struggled with her response, not wanting to say too much, "I don't think it would be the best idea if I went."

Antwon paused for a moment to think, "I thought you said you patched things up with Rachel?"

Cassidy bit her lip, not wanting to get herself in any deeper. "Let's just say that there's a little more to it than the personal problems between us."

"I see." Antwon couldn't imagine what could be so bad, "but you're friends with Harvey, right?"

"That's part of the problem," Cassidy replied. "Rachel doesn't understand our connection with Evan."

Antwon sighed, "I'm not sure I do either."

"Listen, it's not what you think." Cassidy waited a minute before saying anything else, "Harvey and I just have a lot in common."

Antwon questioned, "and this is because of Evan?"

Cassidy knew he was putting more into it, "yes, it's because of Evan."

Antwon couldn't help but ask, "you're not after Harvey, are you?" Cassidy looked at him blankly, not wanting to give an answer.

**
"I don't have a lot of time, so make this quick." Rachel walked quickly to catch up with Louis, he said they had to talk.

"Always a pleasure to see you too, Rachel." Louis stopped a moment, allowing Rachel to catch her breath. "I spoke with Bill earlier."

"Oh yeah?" Rachel hadn't spoken with him lately herself, her conversations were usually limited to fifteen-minute calls with her daughter at night.

Louis stopped at the coffee stand along their path, signaling to the worker he wanted a cup. "Bill isn't doing so well."

Rachel delayed her reply, she hadn't thought to ask Lili how her dad was. "I see."

"I just wanted to warn you, it will probably be soon. I know you and Harvey have got your hands full with Anna and Connie." Louis reached into his pocket to pay the cashier, "I assume asking you to take time off to go back to Boston is a lot?"

Rachel knew he wouldn't like her reply, "I really can't do that now. Having Lili here is one thing, but I just don't have the time or the flexibility to pick up and leave."

Louis didn't even have to ask her why. "I'll explain everything to Bill, tell him what you're up against."

"Any other time, I'd go, I just can't do it now. With Ryan and Jerry, it wouldn't be a good time for me to leave." Rachel wasn't trying to write her daughter off, but she couldn't just walk away from her other responsibilities.

Louis didn't want to make her feel guilty, so he changed the topic, "speaking of Jerry, I spoke with Harvey today."

"And?" Rachel was almost afraid to ask.

There was no eloquent way for Louis to phrase what he had to say, "Rachel, this is going to get ugly."

**
Joe smiled as he approached Nash's desk, "I see that Cassidy is back amongst our ranks."

Nash looked down from the balcony towards her, "for now she is."

Joe waited, "I thought she was going to Sunset?"

Nash turned back towards him and sat down, "they filled the position already, so she came here."

Joe didn't mean to sound biased,"I see."

Nash shook his head, "it's not like that, Joe."

Joe scowled, "I never said it was. What does she think of this arrangement?"

Nash knew her reply, "she would've preferred Sunset."

Joe tried to avoid Nash's eyes, "I can't say that I blame her."

"She's got to," Nash paused a minute, "learn that she just can't walk away from her responsibilities."

Joe shrugged, "I know, man, but I'm just a little, uh..."

"Don't worry about it, Bubba, I've got my eye on her."

**

Part 3

**
"Anna." Harvey stepped insider Jerry's room, it was time for her to leave. Her visit had lasted long enough. He eyed Anna on the bed with their son, she wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

Anna looked to her son, hoping he would help her out. "We just started a story, didn't we Jerry?"

"Anna, come on." Harvey wasn't in the mood for her games, he was already going to be late for meeting Rachel.

"Harvey, let me finish the story." Anna didn't want to leave just yet, she wanted to see if Rachel had the nerve to show up with her there.

Harvey wasn't willing to reason, he had already given in for the day. "Anna, you said a few minutes."

"Our son would like me to stay."Anna knew if she put it on Jerry, Harvey wouldn't refuse his son's wishes.

Harvey knew exactly wht she was doing. "Don't...please, I am trying to be fair."

"So let me finish the story and then I will leave." Anna would have to wait, Harvey was more of a pushover than she gave him credit for.

"I'm going to get cleaned up, I want you done by the time I'm finished." Harvey knew he shouldn't have given in. He had created a monster.

"Go get cleaned up, but I think you look fine." Anna was hoping to charm her way into spending the evening, so far, Harvey had been pretty willing to repent his actions with a little drama.

"Well, thank you." Harvey was positive that Anna wanted something else, surely, she wasn't finished with her anger.

"But then again, it's not me that you have to change for in order to impress.'' Anna was really trying to get to him. She knew all the buttons she had to push.

**
"Can I get you a refill, Mrs. Leek?" The bartender looked over in her direction, she had been there alone for quite awhile.

Rachel eyed her glass, "I probably shouldn't, but what the hell."

"I'm sure your husband probably has a good explanation, he probably had to stay late at the SIU." He knew Rachel and Harvey well, they stopped in occasionally for drinks after work.

"Probably." He might be right, Harvey usually had to be pried away from his work.

"I can check and see if he called?" The bartender motioned over towards the phone.

"Thanks, but he has my cell phone number." Just as Rachel dropped the phone into her purse, it rang. "McCabe."

Joe hoped everything was alright, he had to ask, "no sign of him yet?"

"Was he at the SIU when you left?"

Joe thought for a minute before he replied, "no, he had left about an hour or so before."

Kat's ideas about Anna ran wildly through her mind, "where the hell is he?"

"I'm sure he's fine, call me when he gets there and we'll meet you."

"You should just go eat, maybe we can reschedule."

Joe tried to reassure her once again, "he's fine, Rachel, don't worry."

" He's never this late." Rachel hung up her phone and looked back towards the door, he still wasn't there.

**
"Anna, time's up, I've got to get going." It was later than Harvey expected, Anna was still there, lying on the bed next to Jerry.

She had to try another tactic. "I thought you'd want to spend your birthday with your son?"

"Anna, I really need to go, the babysitter is waiting." Rachel had something planned, and he didn't want to let her down. He waited patiently in the doorway, but Anna wasn't going to budge.

"You hired some girl to watch our son so you can go out with your wife, leaving our child behind?"

"Rachel deserves a little of my time." He was quick to jump to her defense, she hadn't asked to be put into the situation with Anna that they were in. Anna got up from the bed, it was time they had a few words. She walked into the hallway with Harvey.

"More than your son?" Anna saw it as her right to argue on behalf of Jerry, he was too young to understand the situation himself.

"That's not fair."

"You know what's not fair, you and the woman who gave up her kids trying to take my son away from me."

Harvey stepped away in disgust, "that was uncalled for."

"She's changing you, Harvey, and I don't like the man that you've become."

"If anything, Rachel is opening my eyes to what's going on." Harvey was just happy that he had found someone to share his life with, who enjoyed being with his son almost if not as much as he did.

"You won't win, Harvey, my husband and I won't let you." Anna didn't intend to blurt it out, but somehow the statement would have to work to her advantage.

Harvey wasn't sure he had heard her correctly, "your husband?"

"Yes." She had caught his attention.

Louis had been right. "Do I get to meet this guy?"

"You never bothered to check with me before bring Rachel into our son's life."

Harvey had heard enough, he pointed to the door. "Goodbye, Anna."

"I'm not done with his story." Anna was going to use Jerry, he was her best defense.

"I'll finish it later." Harvey didn't want to waste any more time arguing with her, he wanted to leave.

"Is that before or after you take Rachel to bed? Good to know where our son ranks in your list of priorities."

"I said good-bye." Harvey didn't want to hear it from her, she had no right to make that type of accusations against Rachel.

**
"Bridges, I haven't seen you in a while." Deputy Chief Martin had been putting off their meeting. He didn't want to cause trouble.

"I try and keep my distance. You do things your way and I'll do things mine." Nash sat down in the chair in front of Martin's desk, waiting for Martin's latest report. "So why did you drag me here on such a beautiful night?"

Deputy Chief Martin sat back in his chair, "I suppose you've heard about Johnson being in town."

Nash shook his head, "I did."

"Are you going to do something about it, or are you leaving this up to me again?" Deputy Chief Martin was still resentful for what happened to Officer Mazza, he thought Nash should take some of the blame.

"He hasn't done anything yet, but I'll take care of him when he does." Nash didn't want another incident like before. Losing one cop was bad enough.

"I guess Inspector Leek hasn't told Rachel about Officer Mazza's death?" They were still together, there was no way she knew.

"I've made the recommendation that he does." Nash didn't want to see the past blow up in Harvey's face.

"Rachel deserves to know why her partner died." Deputy Chief Martin never had gone into details with her himself, not even after she was transferred to the SIU.

Nash didn't want to beat a dead horse, it was a moot point, "Harvey didn't pull the trigger on Officer Mazza, Steve Johnson did."

"But had you transferred Inspector Leek onto the case as I ordered, Officer Mazza wouldn't be dead, now would he?" Deputy Chief Martin looked up at Nash, hoping he wouldn't let the opportunity to lock Johnson up for good slip away.

**
"Is Rachel still here?" Harvey looked at the bartender, hoping he had come to the right place.

"I believe she's by the pay phone." The bartender pointed in her direction, not having time to warn Harvey about her mood.

"Thanks." Harvey saw her across the room in the darkened hallway, with her back towards him. He walked up slowly, wanting to surpise her.

"I haven't heard from him, Nash, but I am about ready to go out and look." Harvey smiled as he walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, slowly beginning to kiss her neck. "I'll talk to you later, I think I've found him."

Rachel slid the phone into her purse and then turned to kiss him. "You better have a damn good explanation."

Harvey moved back a ways, "you have no idea the hell I had today."

Rachel sensed his cool demeanor and kept a good distance between them. "You can tell me about it over dinner or I could go?"

Harvey smiled, he didn't want to send her away. "I guess tonight isn't my lucky night, then?"

Harvey pulled her closer to him as she considered her options, "keep talking, I might reconsider."

**
"Nash said Lucas might not be the father?" Lisa wondered why Cassidy hadn't brought this up herself.

Cassidy spun the stool to face her mother, "there's a good chance that he isn't."

Lisa looked around the room, hoping Nash would come in, "how many other possibilities are there?"

Cassidy answered reluctantly, "two."

Lisa was shocked, she couldn't help but question her daughter. "You were sleeping with three different guys?"

"At the time, it didn't matter."

Lisa set down her wine and looked at Cassidy, "it sure does matter now. Do you even know who these men are?"

Cassidy replied coldly, "I'm not careless, Mom."

Thinking ahead, Lisa asked, "what will you say when your child wants to know who his or her father is?"

Cassidy already had these answers prepared, "trust me, I'll know by then."

Lisa couldn't help but look at the issue sarcastically, "what are you going to do, have them all do a DNA test? Cassidy, this is a child here, not a science experiment."

Cassidy was tired of all her questions, "the least you can do is be supportive."

"Be supportive?" Lisa walked away from the kitchen, she needed space. She turned around for a moment, glancing at Cassidy, "you need to be realistic, sweetie, your Dad and I can't keep bailing you out."

**
"Am I forgiven for being late?" Harvey tried to keep up with Rachel as they walked down the secluded beach, he thought she might still be mad.

Rachel turned around, so she could look him in the eyes. "Yes and no. Yes because it wasn't your fault and no because there was really nothing to forgive you for."

"I can't apologize enough for everything that's been going on." Harvey securely wrapped his arms around her waist, not wanting to let go.

Rachel moved away, "it's been crazy on both sides."

Harvey noted the distance between them, and looked back towards Rachel, "is something wrong?"

Now wasn't the time. Rachel walked up to him, lightly brushing her hand against his face, "no." She kissed him lightly and then pulled away, "I'll be right back."

Harvey was a bit confused, "where are you going?"

"To get something." Rachel flashed a bright grin before she walked towards where they had left the car. Harvey sat down on the sand, a few feet back from the shore as he waited.

Harvey smiled as he saw her approaching, carrying quite a load. "Need some help?"

By the time he looked back towards her, she was standing before him. "Go try out your gift."

Harvey eyed the telescope. It wasn't anything he would've gone out and bought for himself, just a contraption he wanted. "How did you know?"

"Could've been the dog-eared page of the Hammacher-Schlemmer catalog you left on my coffee table." Rachel watched as he set up the telescope, he was truly amused by his gift. She sat down on the blanket she brought out, wanting to make the evening as long as possible.

"I can't believe you got it, they were on eternal backorder." Harvey tried to focus the lens for the perfect view of the moon over the ocean, it wasn't clear. "Come here, you should know how to work one of these."

"Microscope, not telescope." Rachel noted the plastic covering the tube and smiled, "lens cap, Harve."

"Right." Harvey chuckled and removed the cap, once again trying to focus. Peering up at the stars, he motioned to Rachel, "you've got to see this."

Rachel watched as he bent down in front of her to pick up the manual. "I like my view right now."

"You fiend!" Harvey shot Rachel a quick look as he kneeled before her, "I'm trying to point out natural beauty and you're..."

"Anxious to pick up where we left off this morning." Before Harvey could have a chance to refute, Rachel was pulling him in closer by his lapels.

**
"I can't take this anymore." Anna paced nervously before Steve, she was on the verge of a breakdown.

"What now?" Steve pulled her down on the couch next to him, trying to be of some comfort.

"They filed for sole custody of Jerry today." Anna knew he'd be furious, but she had to tell him all the same.

Steve shot up off the couch, "why the hell did you let them do that?"

Anna looked at him, as the tears began to flow. "I didn't let them do anything."

"Now is not the time for your theatrics, Anna, I didn't waste two years of my life in prison just to see Harvey Leek take my kid like he did six years ago. No way." Steve tried not to show emotion, but they were crossing into a dangerous area. She couldn't find out now.

"What?" Anna wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly, but she knew he mentioned something with a son.

"Never mind that, my point is, you can't let him have Jerry. He's a murderer." He needed to use everything he could to turn her against him. Nothing was too low.

"A murderer?" Something wasn't right. "Harvey Leek is a lot of things, but he isn't a murderer."

"Oh yeah?" Anna obviously had no idea about the type of man she had fallen for. He had no intention of filling her in.

"He would've told me about something like that, he trusts me." She stood up next to Steve, wondering how she could get more out of him. Anna gently caressed his arm, "just like you should trust me, I'm your wife."

"Don't try to seduce me, Anna. It won't work." Steve removed his arms from his own and stepped away, "a word for the wise, don't ask too many questions either."

**