Bo looks over at Nora and releases a sigh as he pushes himself up out of the chair, “I…I should get going.”

Nora stands up and steps in front of him, “Why don’t you…why don’t you stay here,” she clears her throat, “I’m…I’m sure Matthew would just love to wake up and have you here in the morning. He really missed you.”

Bo smiles, “That sounds great. I’ve been staying at the mansion for the past few weeks and well going there isn’t an option right now since it may or may not be a crime scene.”

Nora tilts her head to the side, “You haven’t been staying at the garret?”

Bo shakes his head, “No, it’s too quiet there. It hasn’t felt like a home in a long time, well it really only began to feel like a home to me when Matthew came into my life, so with him gone I’ve been spending most of my time at the station.”

She nods, knowing that part of the sadness she sees in his eyes was caused by her and the way that she had kept Matthew from him for the past month. She clears her throat once again and tries to break the tension and silence in the room, “Well all I have to offer you right now is the couch. The spare room is full of boxes from the attic,” she shrugs, “I attempted to spring clean,” she says with a laugh.

“It’s September, Nora,” he says with a laugh.

She waves him off as she walks towards the stairs, “Exactly, that’s why I said I attempted to. I never said I actually finished,” she says with a laugh as she ascends the stairs. She stops halfway up; “I’ll be right back with a pillow and blanket.”

He nods and watches her as she disappears up the stairs. He walks over to the couch, loosening his tie. He pulls it from around his neck and lays it across the back of the chair. He pulls his shirt from his pants and slips his shoes off. He unbuckles his belt and pulls it through the loops, draping it along side his tie. He unbuttons a few buttons and rolls up his sleeves. He sits down on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table.

She returns to the living room ten minutes later. She stood beside the end table watching him as he sat on the couch, his head lying against the back of the couch, his eyes closed tight. She could tell he was thinking, playing all the different scenarios out in his mind. Always the cop, she thinks to herself.

She shifts her feet, causing him to open his eyes. He stands up and walks over to where she’s standing, holding the pillow and blanket. He takes them from her, “Thanks,” he says quietly.

She smiles and nods, “Umm…I put some more towels and things in the bathroom for you.” She looks over and sees his tie and belt draping over the back of her chair and she feels a sudden twinge in her gut. She shakes it away and looks back over at him, “If you need anything let me know.”

Bo nods, “I will,” he drops the pillow and blanket on the couch, “Thanks again, Nora. It’s going to be great to wake up and see Matthew first thing.”

“He’s going to be really happy that you’re here, Bo.” She says, “And I am to,” she thinks to herself. She turns and makes her way back towards the stairs. She steps up on the first step and turns and looks at him as he spreads the blanket out on the couch, “Good night, Bo.”

He looks up and smiles ‘that’ smile, “Good night, Nora. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Nora walks into her bedroom and closes the door, leaning against it. She closes her eyes and inhales deeply. She pushes herself away from the door and walks towards the bathroom, unbuttoning her shirt as she goes. She slips off her shirt and drops it into the laundry, adding her jeans a moment later. She turns the hot water on in the sink and begins to wash her face, trying to clear the thoughts of him from her mind.

He walks up the stairs and down the hall, pausing for a moment outside of Matthew’s bedroom. He checks on him, covering him back up before closing the door and walking towards the bathroom. He glances at her closed bedroom door and lets out a sigh before turning and walking across the hallway and into the bathroom.

He walks over to the sink and notices the towels that she laid out on the counter. A smile spreads across his face when he sees an old pair of sweatpants and an oversized LPD t-shirt that he hasn’t seen in over six years, laying beside the towels. He turns the hot water on and begins to wash his face, trying to clear the thoughts of her from his mind.

She walks back into her bedroom and over to her dresser, pulling out a nightgown. She slips the nightgown over her head, allowing the material to fall down her body. She climbs into bed, flipping on the radio on the nightstand. She reaches over and pulls the other pillow tight against her as the lyrics wash over her.

Dance with me, I want to be your partner.
Can't you see the music is just starting?
Night is falling, and I am calling
Dance with me

Fantasy could never be so giving
I feel free, I hope that you are willing
Pick your feet up, and kick your feet up
Dance with me

He walks over to the radio and flips it on, breaking the deafening silence of the dark living room. He makes his way over to the couch and lays down, draping his arm across his forehead as the lyrics wash over him.

Let it lift you off the ground
Starry eyes, and love is all around
I can take you where you want to go

Dance with me, I want to be your partner.
Can't you see the music is just starting?
Night is falling, and I am calling
Dance with me

She rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling. She tried to keep her mind from slipping into the past and how much she missed the feel of his arms around her. She thought back to earlier in the evening and the quick hug they had shared when she had tried to comfort him as he worried about his father.

Let it lift you off the ground
Starry eyes, and love is all around
I can take you where you want to go

He rolls over onto his side and pulls one of the throw pillows up against him, hugging it tight against his chest. As the song continues to play he fights to keep from thinking about her sleeping just up the stairs and how much suddenly he misses the feel of his arms holding her tight. His mind slips back to earlier in the evening and the way she felt in his arms when she had offered him comfort.

Fantasy could never be so giving
I feel free, I hope that you are willing.
To pick your feet up, kick your feet up
And dance with me

The last verse of the song begins to play and she can no longer keep the tears from slipping onto her cheeks. Why she thinks to herself, why after all these years has she not been able to get him out of her system. Why can’t she just move on?

Dance with me, I want to be your partner.
Can't you see the music is just starting?

As the final verse is sung he can no longer keep the tears from falling. Why, he thinks to himself, why can’t he stop thinking about her, about the way she makes him feel. She’s in his blood and no matter how hard he tries he can’t get her out of his system. Why…why can’t he just move on?

Night is falling, and I am calling
Dance with me
Dance with me
Dance with me

She reaches over and turns off the radio, wiping the tears off her cheek, as she pulls the pillow against her once again. She closes her eyes, a few more tears falling onto her pillow as she falls into a fitful sleep, thinking of him.

He picks up the remote and turns off the radio. He rolls onto his back once again, resting the pillow on his chest, crossing his arms over it. He closes his eyes, a final tear slipping from the corner of his eye as he falls into a fitful sleep, thinking of her.

TBC…