In a World They Forgot

Let's Pretend You've Missed Me

*Miki*

The stereo shut off when I pulled the key from the ignition, the deafening sound of Lo Ball dying away suddenly. I grabbed my bag and locked my car before almost skipping into the crime labs.

I was in an extremely good mood after an [i]amazing[/i] coffee date at lunch. It was with a cute guy who I’d met a few mornings before on my way home, when I stopped at the store to buy some milk. There wasn’t a worse feeling in the world than realising there was no milk when I woke up, eager for that perfect coffee before work.

I fell into my seat in the lab and allowed the chair to spin around a few times before Greg walked in.

"Hello, my testosterone challenged friend." I said happily, my close-to-knotted pigtails hitting my face.

"Get out of my lab!" He said and pointed to the door.

I shook my head and grinned.

"You look about five with those things." Greg said indicating my pigtails with a wave of his finger.

I laughed and shook my head some more. I felt younger after the lunch date, even though I was fairly convinced nothing else would happen with the guy once he discovered my nightly past time.

"You'll take your eye out if you keep that up." Warrick smiled as he walked over.

"Just how much time have you spent in Starbucks this morning?" Nick added, leaning against the desk and watching me with an amused expression.

"Actually, I only had one cup of caffeine filled heaven and that was at lunch." I told them all.

"Wow, personal record." Greg joked.

I glared at him and then remembered something quickly.

"Guys!"

"It wasn't me." The three of them said at the same time, which was a little creepy as well as being highly suspicious.

"I wasn't going to accuse you of anything. I just wanted to know if you lot were free this Saturday evening."

"Sure, why?" Nick said as the other two nodded.

"It's my mom's fiftieth birthday and there's this kind of semi-formal party being thrown for her. I've been told to drag friends along and I will never live it down if not even one of you turn up." I explained.

"Yeah, sounds good." Warrick nodded.

"What do you mean by semi-formal?" Greg asked wearily.

"Just wear a shirt and pants and you'll be fine." I explained to him like he was five.

"Or come naked and really surprise Romani here." Nick grinned, batting my arm with a folder.

"You are a bad influence on Greggo here!" I said hitting him back with a random book about preservation of bodies.

"Hey guys, we've got a new case." Catherine smiled, walking in with the manila file in her hand ready.

"If you make us stay here for the next week I will not be held responsible for my actions." I said jokingly, turning the chair to face her.

"Don't worry, this one should be pretty easy and it's not as public so it won't be a rush case." Catherine said after a small  chuckle.

"So what's the new deal?" Warrick asked as we all crowded around the table.

"Nothing new really. Woman stabbed in her home during a robbery and a note was left apologising for the fact she had to die." Catherine produced a copy of the note from a folder.