[IC] Blue Shield

[World Traveler]

"I'm just saying Devin you don't always have to be on." James said. While they waited for the rest of their party the conversation went back to Devin making James look a little foolish with his wing man ploy. "It is just like Law School. Just let something happen and it can happen. I swear it is like a weird control thing."

The conversation was pleasant enough as James meant well, but Devin wasn't much interested in continuing the conversation so he kept quiet. "It is like with that Mia girl. She checked every box! Hot, funny, interesting, hobbies"

Devin interrupted "What do you mean hobbies?"

"Dude she took belly dancing lessons!" James said nearly in earnest pain. At this comment Devin gave a chuckle. He didn't argue with James, but as they both learned silence can be more damning than a confession. As the thought hung in the air Devin was getting ready to finally answer until James caught sight of their second half of the group.

"Ladies!" James said with a very big voice. He sat up and hugged both Jordan and Harper. Devin was a little dazed at how amazing Harper looked.

"I think this literally might be the first time I have seen you in a dress Harper." Devin said looking her up and down.

"Careful your jaw is pretty close to the floor boys." Jordan said with a laugh. "And I got the bottle so you know how serious tonight is."

"wait you didn't have someone buy it for you?"

[LunasRose]

"Jordan brought it..She must have gotten a pay rise and not told us or something."

When Devin commented on the dress, Harper smirked. "A little impractical for work, don't you think?" The blonde opened her eyes wide in feigned horror, before she scooted into the booth next to Devin. Noticibly, he smelt pretty good.

"I wish I'd gotten a pay rise." The brunette grumbled, "I don't get paid anywhere near enough."

"Oh please, I've seen your paycheck." Harper attested, taking a healthy sized sip from her glass, "She get's more than us. Did you know that?" The blonde woman turned to look at Devin. It was undeniable that he looked rather dashing in his blazer combo. Dashing, hot. What was the difference?

Jordan couldn't stifle a laugh, "Any way James, how are you? We haven't seen you in a while.."

[World Traveler]

While the crew hadn't hung out out like this in some time this was the best chemistry they had ever had. The reason most likely being Joel wasn't with them. The man always had a habit of acting like a high school kid when he was out with Harper. Tonight the music was loud, the bottles were continuous and the conversation sloppy fun.

"I got the Blue Dog CASE!!!!" James shouted with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning. The rest of the group save for Devin seemed confused so he had to better articulate his good news. "They are a new client. Their retained contract with us is off the charts. I mean if we are talking big money then these are whales." James was all smiles as he kept going into more and more detail. Finally Devin slowed him down.

"People are going to pay James a lot of money to deal with their crap." he summarized to everyone.

"To dealing with other peoples crap!" Jordan said and they raised their glasses again.

"I think that is where the real money is." Devin said clinking glasses with the group.

"Indeed!" James then asked the women in the group. "So we know what James is celebrating, and we know what Devin is celebrating. What are you celebrating?"

[LunasRose]

"I'm celebrating a fresh start."

It was a no brainer for Harper. No more Joel, no more drama. It was all going to be rainbows and unicorns from now on. Apart from living with her parents - naturally. Somehow, she really needed to find herself an apartment. That was a little daunting though, so for now, she put it to the back of her mind.

What are you celebrating Jordan?

"I have no idea.." Jordan admitted, "Being awesome. Getting Harper out of her jeans.."

"Steady on, Jordan." Harper jibed playfully, "Don't tell everyone." Johnson settled her back against the booth, relaxing in her present company. "I have a reputation to uphold. What was it you said? I'm professional?" Naturally, she rolled her eyes in amusement. And after a moment of thoughtful silence, she stood up.

"I'm going to find me some rum. Any body want anything?" Champagne just wasn't hitting the spot. Harper slid out of the booth, and straightened out her dress a little. "But nothing expensive.. I'm not made of money."

[World Traveler]

From the back the dress Harper was wearing wasn't just eye catching it was almost blinding. James got up to help Harper find the rum, but was stopped by James. "You aren't leaving till this is empty." She said while picking up the bottle and pouring him some more bubbles. James didn't seem to fight it which wasn't that much of a surprise. He seemed to be digging the jump suit.

Devin stood up and without a word just followed his partner towards the bar. "Let me give you a hand" he finally said. As they walked to the bar more than one guy looked Harper up and down and then seemed to give Devin the 'nice' look or node. He had never been oblivious to Harpers good looks, but had always suppressed or focused on the aspects of her that weren't simply sexy. The way she sometimes was a bit too much of a rule follower made her a good partner and stopped him from day dreaming.

He put his empty tequila glass down at the bar and looked over at Detective Harper. "The dress looks good." he said but the music likely made it impossible to hear so he leaned in closer. "The dress looks good." he said and then leaned back to try and get the bartenders attention. At this point the place was starting to get busy. Part of the lobby turned into a more swanky night club lounge and the eye candy was out in force. Men and women of every kind were looking for a cocktail a conversation or a companion. What I am looking for tonight? He thought to himself.

[LunasRose]

"Thanks." The compliment almost caused a blush to find it's way to the detectives cheeks, "I'm digging the blazer."

Harper reached out and gave Devin's lapels a tug. It was quite the mystery to her, that everybody had her pegged as this consummate professional. Sure, she liked to do things properly. But she also had a sense of humour. Goofy was her second nature. But then again, perhaps she'd been a little uptight as of late. And to be fair to her, she'd had reason to be. She'd always downplayed her personal drama. Who liked a drama Queen? No one. That's who.

"It's busier then I expected.." Harper admitted as her green eyes scanned the room. Naturally, she had to be alarmingly close to her buddy in order to be be heard above the music and the happy Friday nighters. And of course, she couldn't resist poking him in the ribs from such a close proximity.

He really did smell good.

Focus Harper.

Where was the fun in that?

"I think James is quite fond of our lovely Medical Examiner." Harps noted as she turned to rest her back against the bar, facing Devin now, "What do you reckon?"

[World Traveler]

Devin looked back at their table and saw Jordan clearly leading the poor James on a conversational roller coaster. He knew exactly what had happened. James made the very silly decision of asking how Jordan's day was and she was not in 4K detail going over their case and every facet of the corpse currently calling her office home. James was clearly not expecting this as he kept nodding along.

"I think it is more sucked into her current." Devin said. "James is one of my best mates, but the man has no game. Jordan could be good for him. She plays the game almost as good as me." A few women pushed behind Devin and smiled at him. "In fact I think you could say James might be worst than you actually."

Over the moves and shakers the DJ seemed to get the show started. "Are you ready New York City!" As the crowd roared alive the bartender finally came over and started to look for an order to take. Looking at the competition Devin nudged his partner.

"He isn't looking to take an order from me." He said. Age old rule of any bar. Serve women first and the guys will stay. Sadly they were too late as a woman walked through the crowd and placed a card down.

"Vodka soda please!" She shouted and the bartender nodded. She turned back and looked at Harper and Devin. "O my god your dress is amazing!"

[LunasRose]

"What do you mean, worse than me?" Harper narrowed her eyes playfully at Devin, "I have game. Don't act like I didn't schmooze you that night after the party.."

And that was quite possibly the first time their encounter had been unashamedly mentioned since it had happened.

When the random female managed to push her way past them, Harper watched in curiosity. The broad clearly loved herself a little bit, huh? And when she complimented the Detective's dress, she offered the woman an almost dangerous smile. "It is, isn't it?" She purred, before waving at the exotic barman from before. He offered her a charming smile.

"What can I get you? Out of champagne already?" He grinned.

"Almost." And with a chuckle, Harper pointed. "Can I have two Tequila's and a rum and coke please?"

Coming up.

The blonde turned to Devin, "And that is how you order at the bar." She did a little drum roll on the highly polished wood, before nudging her companion in the side with her hip. "You got any better at dancing in the last two years?"

[World Traveler]

Devin had never been slapped before but when Harper mentioned their night together he might as well have been. Nearly two years ago they shared a night of unadulterated physical joy. The next day he had to convince her not to report themselves due to being partnered the next day. He remembers very vividly making a promise to never ever ever ever ever ever mentioning it again. He could be remembering it wrong but he might have actually been required to say more evers than that.

Had the Bar Bambi not interrupted them Devin might have been more than a deer in the headlights. He couldn't put this Harper into any known quantity and he was unsure what that meant. The bartender caught Harper in his sights and quickly took her order. She ordered Devin another tequila which he appreciated, but wasn't surprised. He was one of the few people in their circle that drank the stuff slowly and enjoyed it.

Since his partner didn't seem to be bringing the earlier reference back he figured maybe she skipped dinner and had pregame a little with Jordan to loosen her up. It seemed like something Jordan would do and might actually be the reason she was able to get her in a dress. "Harper you do know dancing has changed in two years right?" Devin said with a laugh and a nod to the dance floor. IN front of them in clear view the club was in full grinding gear.

"Dancing has gone full spectator for us." He said meaning men in clubs. "The only difference is some have a partner and some just watch creepily"

[LunasRose]

"Full spectator?" Harper repeated. Well, you learn something new every day.
"The Romans had a similar idea with the colossium, but there was a whole lot more blood involved."

"You've just totally taken the fun out of dancing. It just feels like a cattle sale now." The statement was accompanied by a pout of the lip, but it didn't last long. A laugh escaped her at Devin's expression, but she certainly didn't appear to come across as somebody that was sailing on a cloud of booze. How would she have been able to walk in heels if she'd gotten blotto?

"Come on, I want to view this new ritualistic dance floor in person. I'm intrigued." She took Devin by the hand and weaved her way through the crowd. "So, I think you were shitting me." She laughed, "Nothing has changed."

[World Traveler]

The lights were bright and the beat was all bass. The whole floor was a mile high and completely down to earth. As they wiggled through the dance floor Devin allowed himself to really look at his partner. The lines on her dress only exemplified the facts that he had for nearly two years been ignoring. His partner was hot.

IN the middle of the dance floor now he held his drink and the other one Harper had ordered. She still had her rum and coke and with no hands free Devin simply laughed and sipped his drink while bobbing to the music. He always felt anything less than grinding on a dance partner and full style dancing like swing or ballroom just made guys look silly. It definitely didn't help that he couldn't even do much with his hands. Still Harper was laughing, looking good, and clearly feeling good which was all tonight was about for him and Jordan.

-----

"Where are they with the drinks?" James asked looking towards the bar.

"Ignore them." Jordan said quicky and accompanied by a wave of her hand as if to push the whole view in front of them away.

"So, Devin never told me you were a layer in fact he never told me he was a layer. How did I not know?" She was incredibly interested in all things facts and figures on her friends.

"He doesn't say he is a lawyer cause he doesn't think he is...and" James paused as he didn't to sound mean when he quoted his friend. "He isn't a lawyer cause he hates thinking like one." Jordan looked confused so James tried to better explain. "Prosecution and the defense both went to the same school. Law school doesn't teach you how to be a lawyer it teaching you how to THINK like one. Some people can do it and some people hate it." Devin unfortunately is someone who can do it very well and hate it."

[LunasRose]

Harper finished her rum. It was her favourite drink, perhaps she'd been a pirate in her former life. Quite possible. She was unnaturally attracted to Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Or was she just unnaturally attracted to Johnny Deep? One of her favourite anecdotes was bumping into Johnny Depp at a music festival. She had been so doe eyed, that she'd lost all ability to speak and stared creepily at the man. It was surprising that he didn't hit her with a restraining order, actually. Or at the very least, a cease and disist.

Rather conviniently, there was free table just to the left of them, that made the perfect host for her now empty glass. The tequila had never been her favourite, so she took a sip - wrinkled her nose violently, before setting that down too.

"It tastes much better with lime. I don't know how you drink that stuff and enjoy it." Of course she had to be up close and personal with Devin so that he could hear her, and once again she was distracted by how good he smelt, and once again it triggered memories that had been suppressed for a very very long time. Too long.

[World Traveler]

Laughing at his partners seemingly forgetful member convincing her to try the tequila again put a big smile on his face. The two had been standing by the edge of the dance floor where the tables created a slight fencing but now that their drinks were on the table the started to move towards the inner den of the dance floor. A few people here and there having fun just dancing, but a large swatch was going at each other like a high school house party. Devin loved every inch of the scene.

There was something about the night and everyone out to impress and show up that he loved. It wasn't that people were trying to fake or even pretend. Many were dreaming and that is where you can live without worry. The music was hitting his chest and dancing with Harper was starting to get fun. Before when she had leaned up to talk to him about his drink he couldn't help but smell her hair and figured she had been in the shower only moments before she slipped into that dress. A dress that showed up and show out every part of her that a man could want.

The music began to hit its second stride as the DJ let it slow down at first with a heavy build. Reaching back over and taking a giant gulp of his tequila he then jumped into the deep end and took his partner into the frey of the dance floor this time much closer to her as they continued to dance.

[LunasRose]

The dance floor was slowly becoming more and more packed. You could feel the heat from the bodies as the base trickled through the crowd. Why didn't she go out more? Well, there was an obvious reason up until recently - but she really didn't have an excuse now. With everyone having such a good time, it was palpable, and you could really see why the bar was becoming one of the most popular nightlife spots.

It amused Harps when she caught a glimpse of Jordan and James engrossed in conversation. Atleast that's what it looked like. Hopefully Jordan wasn't creeping the lawyer out with any tales from the morgue tall. Not everybody was as comfortable around death as she was.

Devin was closer, and she didn't protest that. You could have used the excuse that the dance floor was so busy, you had to be - but she really didn't need any other excuse other than liking it. And as the dancing went on, and the atmosphere built, the tension was really quite delicious.

[World Traveler]

Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom

With ever beat the dance floor continued to add more and more people with no added space. Harper and Devin continued to get jostled this way and that and each time one of them did they just laughed and didn't draw attention to the fact that they moved a half an inch closer. Finally it seemed as though they were in a phone booth which neither seemed to fight.

At one point a group of guys were making their way through the crowd and they seemed to cut behind Devin which meant he nearly pinned Harper to another group. Standing her ground and shockingly staying upright in her heels he felt it best that she was on her tiptoes leaning forward because it meant she was leaning against him more so than the strange couple.

This time he didn't pull himself back. Instead he just continued to dance and simply enjoyed the fact that now they were very much against each other as they danced. Her dress and his slacks seemed to give almost no friction meaning every motion could be felt and enjoyed as their bodies moved to the beat of each other more than the beat of the music.

[LunasRose]

"And you said it was entirely a spectator sport now." Harper get Devin a playful poke on the tip of his nose, "You lied." With her feet aching on the tiptoe front, she took the last step towards her buddy. That final step mean't that she could have her feet flat on the ground, but she was still very much sharing the personal space. Dis it bother her? No. Not at all. It actually felt alarmingly natural.

One could argue that it was bound to feel natural. After all, they spent every day together. In the middle of the case, that could realistically mean seven days a week, with a fair few all nighters. Of you couldn't get along with your partner, you really would suck at your job. However, this was a new level of comfortable.

Harper, rather lacking on space - found her hands now resting against Devin's stomach. Being the mischievous type, she couldn't resist tickling him momentarily, just to watch him squirm. It was an entertaining spectacle.

"Whoops, sorry.. My hand slipped."

Of course she wasn't sorry. It didn't matter how your hand slipped, you couldn't make it involuntarily tickle someone. Harper's dark green eyes found his, and a strange butterfly like feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

[World Traveler]

Her touch was like life's fire. That was the only way to describe it. The memory bank vault opened up and every memory of their long nights, tight jeans, and sexually charged moment they shared could draw electricity from his body. Moving close and putting his arm around the small of Harpers back meant there was no question in what they were doing. The last ounce of professional walls seem to crumble as Devin slide his legs between Harpers and the beat meant they were not just dancing but feeling each other.

While not a giant Devin did stand above Harper. His knee bent slightly as they lowered a little to let the music and their movement match meant his leg was well above her lower thigh. It pushed her dress up as one that tight was bound to do, but despite that likely drawing the attention of many a man he was very fixated on not looking directly at her for fear he had misread something and was now moments away from a firm knee to the groin.

[LunasRose]

There was always that one drunk couple that ended up on the floor. On this occasion, it happened to be a rather loud redhead and her buzz cut of a partner in crime. The pair, who had clearly gone very liberally on the booze, stumbled straight into an unsuspecting Harper. So much so, that she had to cling onto Devin like a koala to stop a domino effect from happening.

The sight of two people falling through the air really tickled Harper's sense of hunour, and as they laid there stunned, the apparently serious detective buried her face in Devin's chest and laughed. It took Bonnie and Clyde a moment or two to realise what had happened to them, but when they did eventually figure it all out, they both clawed themselves to their feet and went off in totally seperate directions. That only served in amusing Harper even more. Who didn't love people watching?!

But luckily for Devin, she didn't feel the need to knee him in the groin for overstepping professional boundaries. That ship had sailed long ago.

[World Traveler]

"No see you can take the liver and cut a small part of it and then use that tissue to grow any unknown bacteria in a pitri dish. Depending on what grows you can tell how healthy the persons liver is and therefore tell how much alcohol they consume on a regular bases. Also the damage these sugars do to you across the board can be mapped just from a causal observation of the corpse." Jordan said in a matter of fact tone. The guys that had come over to talk to her and James then excused themselves and walked away quickly.

"Wow that is impressive." James said as he watched Jordan throw another glass of champagne back. "But I am sorry to say they lasted a minute and 8 seconds so you lose." He then laughed as he showed his cell phone to Jordan. The screen showing a minute and 8 second on it.

"Well they are just have the stomach for it I guess. Normally when I start breaking down their bodies they leave pretty quickly." Jordan poured the rest of the bottle into her glass and toasted her new friend. "What about you? Your still sitting here and I have described a decapitation, alcoholic falling down the stairs and a knife wound."

"I guess I can stomach more than a mortal man?" James said back at her.

"Wanna know what happens to your balls when you die?" Jordan said and watched as James instantly shot up.

"That is cheating. Ill get us another round. No bottle!" He said as he walked to the bar.

On the way he caught himself smiling as he had been enjoying his alone time with the medical examiner. Reaching the bar he looked over the bar and for a second saw his good friend and partner on the dance floor. "O damn!" He said. It was an accident but James found out from Jordan what happened between the two years prior. He couldn't really hear what she had said so when she thought he said "Yea I know" he actually just nodded and said yep! to be polite. From there she talked about the sultry past of Harper and Devin's first Christmas party right after they both made detective.

Laughing at how impressed he was Devin was able to actually be friends with a previous romp partner he looked along the lounge area and suddenly saw a red flag appearance. "O Crap!" He put his order for more drinks in with the bartender and then tipped to have the drinks brought to the table.

He rushed back. "Mia is here!" He said to Jordan.

[LunasRose]

Jordan blinked, "So?" The medical examiner shrugged, "Mia get's everywhere. From what I've heard, she's already on her second lap of the station. Apart from Captain Scott, obviously. He's very married.." Turns out, it was quite hard to focus on the topic in hand after half a bottle of champagne.

"How do you know Mia? She isn't coming this way is she? She has the conversational skills of a mosquito."

James quirked a brow, clearly amused. "I just mean that perhaps it's not the best idea for Mia to see Devin.."

"Why, doesn't she like Devin?"

"For someone so smart, you sure are slow." The lawyer quipped. Jordan was about to take offence, but she finally got a hold of what was being said.

"Oh! I get it. No. That probably wouldn't be good, would it?"

"You think?" James rolled his eyes, and nodded towards the woman.

"I guess I could go and talk to her." Jordan shrugged, "But I don't really like her." James chuckled, "I'll come along for moral support." And with that, the unlikely pair made a beeline for Mia.