"I'm back, Boss," James told him, entering the office.
"How'd it go?"
"Very well. I ran into an old, eh, friend of yours."
"I have no friends."
"This lady, I think you remember. One IMF Agent Kincaide. You were right, Boss, she really is a great fuck."
Garrett's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
"Kincaide's a good lay. Gets around from what I found out."
"She's more than good."
"Repeatedly more than good. Consistent. And she goes at it like four times in one night, it's unbelievable."
"Only four? You must suck."
"Apparently she fucked pretty much everything on two legs when she was training."
"Shut up."
"Uh oh... the boss has a little thing for the official whore of the IMF."
"She's not a whore. I don't ever want to hear you say that again."
"She wasn't when you knew her, Boss, but it was downhill from there as far as her morals regarding sex are concerned."
"I don't want you touching her in that way again."
"Yes sir."
"I'm serious."
James nodded, knowing quite well that he was serious. "You've got a thing for her."
"I do not."
"Right. Sorry."
"Bring Grace in here."
James did so, leaving and sending for Grace.
She entered with a slight smile. "Hi."
Garrett pulled her down, kissing her.
Grace pulled him close. "Special occasion?"
"Yeah. I missed you."
Grace smiled and kissed him.
"How are you doing today?"
"Good. Better now."
"Well good. And how's your assignment going?"
"Very well. I think I'd be part of the team already if he wasn't afraid of how my stupid older sister would react, since she doesn't know about me."
"Do you realize how invaluable you are to me, Gracey?"
Grace smiled. "I try."
He smiled back at her. "I have work to do, but I’ll see you later, right?"
"Of course."
Garrett watched her go. The girl was nothing like her sister. God, he'd give anything to have Cass back, to hold her, to kiss her...
~*~
"You're good at that," Cassidy told Krit as he gently broke the kiss.
The compliment caused Krit to blush. "I just have a good partner is all..."
"Also true..." She smiled.
Krit kissed her again, his hands taking in her body as he did so.
"Mmm-" Cassidy cut herself off. Oh God, she'd almost just called him Garrett.
"You okay?"
"Yes. Yes, Krit," she said his name aloud, as if to remind herself, then kissed him.
Cal pounded hard on the door.
They both jumped, and Cassidy shot Krit a slight smile. No, he was not Spencer. Garrett Spencer used his tongue a lot more effectively... She got up and got the door before she kept thinking. "Hi."
Cal was fighting tears and Krit saw this. Kissing Cassidy's cheek he took his leave.
"Sit down, what's wrong?" Cass asked, sitting cross-legged on the bed near Cal.
"That fucking prick is what's wrong!"
"What'd he do now?"
"He...I came on to him Cass, because he seemed interested and I thought, well I thought if..."
"It makes sense, I know what you're saying."
"And he laughed at me! He's fucking Hannah and now I feel even more worthless!"
Cass gave her friend a quick hug. "You're not worthless, and someday in the near future when you save his ass he'll realize that."
"I don't know how to deal with him!"
"Just... leave him alone for now. I'm finding that works best."
"He made me cry. No one fucking makes me cry!"
"Cal, it's not your fault he's a..." Cassidy used several choice words she'd learned in the orphanage and on the street since.
"Yeah I know I just...I'm a fucking good agent! I AM!"
"I know you are."
"He won't give me a chance. Have you ever once seen him let me play even a minor role in any of our missions?"
"I swear, if I didn't like what I was doing I'd leave, Cal. I know he's a prick."
"I can be effective. I'm here because I can go in there and get the shit he needs!"
"And if I had any influence, I'd use it, but I'm the local insubordinate whore as far as he's concerned."
"God I hate him."
"Amen."
"I put in for a transfer, about a week ago, they told me no."
"Refused mine, too." Cass seemed to hesitate. "I did something stupid when Krit was in here."
"What?"
"I was kissing him, and I almost called him Garrett. Hell, I don't even call *Spencer* Garrett anymore."
"Wow..." Cal noted, thinking about it.
"So for what it's worth, I think I'm clinically insane."
"I don't."
"You don't?"
"No."
Cass shrugged. "It'd get me out of Callahan's domain."
"And you'd lose your job."
"I'd find something to do."
"Then he'll have won."
"No. Because there's a whole network of these type groups out there, did you know? Outside the IMF."
"So what are you going to? Join Spencer?"
"He's not the only one out there either."
"Don't go Cass..."
"I'm not. I'm not going anywhere... just wish I was."
"Yeah."
"You know... you're the first actual friend I've ever had."
"Yeah I could say the same for you."
"Guys... don't count so much."
"Yeah I know what you mean."
"Because in the end, all they're good for is procreation."
"Exactly."
Cass smiled. It was nice to have a friend.