Paper in a File {Brollins}

- Chapter 56 -

Luckily for Rebecca and Colby, her cousin and her two girls were so enamoured with Chase that they practically begged the duo to let them keep him around for the rest of the day when they had originally arrived to pick him up. Rebecca obliged, feeling a little freer but also partially guilty, not knowing if handing Chase away to someone else was the best idea.

"He must be on his best behaviour." Colby shook his head as the two walked back into their hotel room. "I mean, I know he's a good kid most of the time, but he could've saved some of that for when he's around us."

Rebecca smiled, "I knew having you around was a bad influence."

"Oh, c'mon now. That's not fair." He shook his head while he opened the door.

"I think it is." She shrugged as she took off her shoes. "I also think we should throw him a little birthday party when we get back home."

When she turned to find Colby half-smiling in an unfamiliar way, she raised an eyebrow. "What? I didn't think that was unreasonable. Turning one is a big deal."

"No, it's not that. That idea is perfectly fine." He agreed and leaned against the kitchen counter. "It's just... you called it home."

"Ah, I see. My mistake." She grabbed a bottle of water. "I mean, my current place of living."

"No, no, no. There was nothing wrong with it." He assured her, following close behind as she walked to the glass balcony door. "I- I like it."

"Then I'll be sure to never use it again." She nodded with a grin and turned to watch him roll his eyes.

Nevertheless, he grinned, "Asshole."

"Maybe having you around is a bad influence on me too." She poked his chest before moving around his fairly large stature.

"I didn't hear you complaining last night." He called out, practically in song, smiling when he heard her laugh.

"God, I get drunk around you one time, and this is what I get." She rolled her eyes with crossed arms and watched him walk toward her.

"Don't know why you're denying what's really going on between us, but you're about to learn I'm a lot more stubborn than you think I am." His voice quieted down the closer to her he got.

"As much as you'd like to pretend this is some fairytale, this was all meant to be temporary." Rebecca reminded him, trying not to allow it to sober their moods but unable to help herself. "If you were never suspended from my case this probably never would've happened. It's all circumstantial."

He grinned again, and Rebecca looked at him confused. "You said probably."

"Okay, definitely." She replied with a small smile, watching him slowly gain ground.

He shook his head and moved so close that she started taking steps backwards while he spoke. "Not true."

"True." She insisted, her lips twitching slightly as she felt the wall against her back.

"Not true." Colby repeated himself, leaning in and cursing quietly to himself when she slipped out of the way, and he found himself face-to-face with the wall instead of her lips.

She grinned as she sat on her bed. "Listen, Detective, I know I didn't make it as far as you did in school, but I still know the code of conduct and how to proceed with victims."

He chuckled as he leaned against the wall. "And how would you know that?"

"Guess there's some stuff you still don't know about me, huh?" She stretched her hands out to support her on the mattress. "Even with all those skills of yours."

Colby found himself more intrigued than anything, promptly forgetting about the teasing he was caught up in beforehand. "Like what?"

"Well, for starters... I always wanted to be a detective when I was younger." She admitted, "Never quite had the urge to be a ballerina or astronaut."

His eyes widened slightly, and an incredulous smile tugged at his lips. "No way. You're messing with me."

"I swear. Even went through some camps and scrounged up whatever I could to go into a base level program." She nodded, "Learned gun safety, medical training, and even Morse code to qualify for post-schooling. Never did quite have the funds to do anything more, though."

"That's how you knew all of those things at the precinct." He allowed his smile to form fully. "Colour me surprised, Quin. It wasn't something I was expecting, but it sure as hell sounds hot."

"What?" Her laugh was mixed with confusion.

"Think about it." He shrugged, walking toward her again. "Two detectives: partners at work and at home."

She shook her head, "Sounds like a cheesy rom-com flick if you ask me."

"Sounds pretty alright to me." He reasoned, "Guess it's cause I'm envisioning you in a less... up to protocol uniform."

She felt her pulse speed up the moment he came face to face with her so closely she had no choice but to lean back until her elbows were the only thing giving her a small amount of leverage on the bed, keeping her as upright as they could. "Yeah, I can barely handle you at home. Don't think I'd last seeing you at work too."

"Ha! You did it again!" His soft-spoken excitement made Rebecca feel surprisingly warm. "You called it home."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes, feeling a chill quickly make the warmth an afterthought the moment he came nose-to-nose with her.

"Not..." He leaned in and placed a soft kiss against her lips. "Whatever."

Colby grinned as he felt Rebecca's hands gently move to hold both sides of his face. "It's a moment that calls for a celebration."