Devil of My Word

Chapter Five: That Hurt! Do It Again

The office this particular morning was bustling with suspects of other cases, whilst you had none and a sobbing mother. After promising you'd find her killer, you let her go - which freed you up for a conversation with your least favourite hetero.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"Her only child was trampled to death, after some thug fired into a crowd. I've been better." You reported tiredly.

"Gang Unit's piggybacking Homicide till we can figure out who wanted Benny Choi dead."

Your eyebrows raised. "Is he talking?"

Steve shook his head. "Clammed up as soon as we got to the crime scene. Look..." You briefly rolled your eyes, knowing what he was about to say. "It could get bloody. You should probably stay as safe as possible on this one."

"Oh, yeah? Stick to the nice girly murders?" You smirked as you both walked to your desk.

"It just seems that every time I turn around, you're in another shoot-out with your buddy Natasha by your side."

You sighed, turning to face him. "She's not an issue. She was just, I don't know, some mystery that I wanted solved."

"I could think of a few other choice names." He chuckled.

"Yeah, how about a complete wack-job?" You offered. "Don't worry, Natasha Romanoff is completely out of my life now."

"Right." He pointed to your desk.

*Please, don't let it be her.* You prayed, but no deity answered as you saw Natasha leaning against your desk, flirting with a woman in uniform as she tightened a pair of cuffs around her wrists.

"Please tell me I'm hallucinating." You begged her as you made your way over, the other officer leaving.

"Well, I am dreamy, but try to contain yourself." She smirked, looking you up and down in your generic blazer covering a white shirt whilst your badge and gun were attached to your belt on your jeans.

"What are you doing here?" You asked her mindlessly, trying to not look at her for fear of undressing her with your eyes.

You would never tell her that tattoos were a turn-on for you.

"I'm not actually here to see you. I've come to talk to your boss. About a... shooting."

As soon as the words left her mouth, along with the gesture to her thigh, you froze and looked up at her. She actually grew concerned at the sight of your slightly-pale face. "Okay, I thought you had my back on this. If the department finds out what really happened, I could lose my badge."

"What, you mean the fact that you SHOT ME ON PURPOSE?" She yelled out into the department, with some people looking over.

You laughed nervously, attempting to make it look like a joke before you leaned into her and whispered. "I told you I was sorry about that. And I feel bad for it, I do. But it was a graze. I doubt it even left a scar."

"Didn't it?" She remarked, turning her head slightly with a gleeful look in her eyes.

"Ms Romanoff? I can see you now."

You looked up to see your boss, Lieutenant Olivia Monroe, waiting for Natasha expectantly. You watched Natasha walk to her office, giving you a cheeky smile before she closed the door behind herself.

The minutes that ticked by felt like ages, your fingers busying themselves with a 3x3 Rubik's cube until Lieutenant Monroe came out with Natasha following behind.

You stood up and straightened yourself up. "Lieutenant, I can explain."

"Oh, you better explain why you have been keeping such a valuable resource all to yourself." She chuckled.