Late Night;;Derek.

[derek metre]

"Coffee," Derek mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He was tired as anything, and sore even more so. God only knows what time it is. Somewhere around midnight. Work had been hard today. A certain someone wanted not to answer any questions Derek asked him, but instead hit on his partner. Which pissed Derek off the most. He threw a punch at the guy, which was pretty much illegal. But Derek didn't care. The guy lunged back at him, only to be pinned to the ground.

Fucker.

The bar tender brought Derek his coffee, along with two packs of sugar and two of cream. He didn't bother to put them in; he liked his coffee black. It was just easier that way. Why add all the extra stuff? People drink coffee because it's strong. Sugar and cream just weakens that effect. He took a gulp of the liquid, and winced as it burned his throat. He placed the half empty mug on the counter and moaned. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Derek took the energy he had in him and turned around, surveying the inhabitants of the deli. There were only a few people, considering the hour. Derek turned back around, and motioned to the bar tender again. "Do you have any alcohol?" he asked, keeping his voice low. Unfoortunately, he already knew the answer to that.[/size]

[siren davenport]

Siren was having a great night. Well okay it was okay. She hadn't been caught by any cops and the gang let her off to be by herself. Thank god, it would have been hard to manage her "game" face for much longer. She was still recovering from the loss of her brother, and her home. Everyone siad it would just take time. But there had been time. And she still wasn't over it. So how long was it going to take?

It was hard getting back into gang life. And she wanted to be in, well most of the time she did. It seemed to make everything more complicated, but she would just stick it through like she used to. If she could. Lately, she seemed to be cracking but she didn't know why. Well she did, but she didn't. The gang life was killing her but she wouldn't walk away from it, couldn't. And so she kept pushing through. But the harder she pushed the harder it was to keep up her cold front.

Shivering slightly, she entered the deli and ordered a coffee. Black, of course. When it came she took a sip burning her tongue. But she didn't care. She downed half of it within seconds. It felt good. Maybe it would help her get her control back. At least marginally. Of course she was thinking stupid thoughts, and she had to laugh. A laugh had slipped out but right now she didn't care. She was being stupid. With a shake of her head, she bit her lip, bringing herself under control yet again.

Now her gaze swung around the small deli. She saw a man sitting next to her and frowned. Did she know him? Maybe, but then she heard what he asked. No he wasn't who she thought he was. Was he? But she wasn't going to bother to find out.

[derek metre]

The bartender laughed. Vinny was his name. Very rough, very Italian. Him and Derek were pretty close, so they did joke around often. "You know shit for sure, Derek," he said, and pushed Derek's head up. He replied with a laugh, but hit the table. "Fine, fine. Get me another coffee, would you?" he asked putting his head in his palm. Vinny walked back into the kitchen, and said something about how Derek was as cynical as all cops get.

Vinny was one of the only people who knew about Derek. He was permitted to; he used to be a cop himself. Taught Derek a lot of what he knows, that man. His head still in his hand, Derek turned to see a young girl sitting a stool away from him. His smile faded. Siren Davenport. She was young, and had been through way too much for her age. Derek had denied her case, as his brother, Jack, used to know her brother a little. He was allowed to take a "personal", and with this case, he did.

Derek cleared his throat, and turned back to the bar. He sipped the rest of his coffee; it had cooled down by now. But he couldn't help but think about Siren. He had an entire dossier on her, along with her brother. They were that important, even at such a young age. She'd been suspected of killing a member of a gang back in Chicago, and had been followed by eyes back to New York. But whatever. It didn't matter. Derek had nothing to do with her,really, so he figured he'd just get to know her personally. Try to be polite. She most likely wouldn't know who he was, anyway.

He looked to her again, and smiled gently. "Can I get you anything?" he asked, trying to sound as sincere as possible. He didn't want to blow this, and act like an ass. She was only 18. Derek knew his boundaries when he met them. But there was something about this girl. Something...different.[/size]

[siren davenport]

Siren let a sigh blow through her lips. Life sucked. Everything sucked. Everyone was so very stupid. She frowned again as she watched the bartender and the guy. Her brain was moving fast. She knew him, right? What was his name though and how did she know him? She didn't know.

Wait yeas she did. It was him. Derek. Derek Metre. Derek the cop Derek. Damn. Hopefully he didn't recongize her, as that would cause major issues. This was just great. Siren was just having a great week. First caught crying and then running into Derek here. Yep, everything was just dandy. A perfect week for her. It was amazing that she didn't just fall apart. That's what she felt like doing.

Siren was lost in her mind trying to figure out what to do, while trying to stay calm, and sipping her coffee. There was no way out of this than to act natural so that's what she would have to do. Be calm and collected. No nerves whatsoever. So she took another drink of her coffee when she heard a voice, speaking to her. And there was only one person it could be.

Damn, again.

Looking up she flashed him a smile. "No. I'm good really," she replied softly showing him her coffee. The less she got from him the better. A frwon crossed her face for a moment. Now what? This was going to turn awkward. "You look dead," she said matter of factly. And it was true he looked terrible.

[derek metre]

If someone told Derek plainly that he looked like shit, he normally wouldn't care. Of he'd bust them in the mouth. But this seemed like a special circumstance. He picked up a red stirrer and put it into his new coffee. There was nothing to stir, but, then again, there was nothing to do. He laughed at Siren's comment, it coming out a little late. "Yeah, you don't look too hot yourself," he smiled, not wanting to offend her.

Isn't it just lovely when Derek's polite side comes out? Like, really. He'll be nice to girls, rather than tear them apart, or, better yet, use them. He'll smile at a random old man, rather than scowl. He does smile, you just wouldn't really know it unless you are very close to him. In a good way. But his mood had lightened. He liked Siren. Figuring the night wouldn't be horrible, Derek's smile stayed.

And then he realized something. Siren knew. His smile faded, and he looked away, occupying his eyes at the machines behind the counter. How the fuck did she know? "You looked pretty scared, though," he muttered, not looking at her. This was his business now. Derek knew who it must have been. Jake Brookes probably knew. But how Jake knew was unknown as well. Jack didn't even know.

[siren davenport]

Siren glared at him. Oh how she wanted to kick his ass. That would make the night all the better. Yet he would fight back, and then she would be aressted for assaulting an officer. Siren didn't want to go through all that right now. He sat there thinking he was all high and mighty. A smirk formed as he figured it out. But then he had the balls to tell her she was scared? Umm, can we get a no?

Biting her lip she thought about how to go about this. "Me? Scared. No, but you're loking a little sweaty," she tossed back at him. So he didn't think that she would know who he was. She had gotten a good look at him for sure, but she hadn't known his name. But that's where other people came in handy. Jake sure knew enough about him. She looked back up at him.

There was time when she would give up. And it was now. She wasn't in the mood for a fight of any kind. It wasn't time to through insult back and forth. Between them it never would be. They had gotten to know each other, badly. Well they met each other in the wrong place. So now what was she supposed to do.

An idea formed. They could start over? "Tell you what, Derek," she said emphasizing his name, "We can forget my past, and what you had to do with it. And we can start over as if we've never heard of or met each other. Deal?" That was her plan. He could take it or refuse. Which way he wanted to go. Siren didn't want to fight but that didn't mean she couldn't.

[derek metre]

Derek just kept on smiling. It didn't work too well, that whole nice thing. He tried, really, he did. He'd only wanted to know if Siren wanted some food, and then had just returned the favor. Or the insult. Whatever it was, Derek was being nice. In his mind, of course.

"I have one thing to ask," he said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Who told you, huh?" On the outside he was smiling, but on the inside he was panicking. This could be bad. He was an undercover detective for a reason. If the entire gang world knew by now, Jack would. And so many other people would.

Jack and Derek left Boston for a reason. Derek was involved with the gang scene, and wanted to get out. After the shooting, he wanted Jack to have nothing to do with these kinds of people. But Derek couldn't get out of it. Unless he planned on looking an important limb, going blind, or turning 60 any time soon. If the boys back home knew what Derek was doing, it would spread even further. Connections in Detroit, even. They'd all come looking for the Big Bad Cop, and his rep would be officially ruined.

Derek could feel his face burning. His smile had faded. he meant business. And Siren knew he was worried. Which is something you don't do. Never let a gang member know you are frightened, especially if you are a cop. It doesn't work like that. Officers aren't afraid of gangs. And Derek wasn't afraid of the gangs. Afraid for his life, no. Afraid for his brother's, however, was a yes.

[siren davenport]

Siren just shook her head at him. Fine he could be silent as long as he wanted. All she was trying to do was turn this around. Without doing something she would regret in the long run. But she was just having an issue with the man in front of her. Whatever he could do what he wanted, he was a grown- man. She placed a small s mile on ehr face and waited for him.

How did she know? Did he think she was stupid? "Know what? That your Detective Derek?" she asked with a smirk. She studided his face. Twirling a piece of hair around her finger seh thought about how to answer. "It wasn't hard. I had seen you. All I had to was describe you to one of my sources. they told me everything I needed to know," she responded slowly. It wasn't hard to get information out of people. Especially when you could lie.

A smile crossed her face. Leaning in she raised an eyebrow. "So Detective Derek, do we have a deal?" she whispered to him. Her mouth right next to his ear. Her mouth curved up in a smile as she waited for her answer. And she would get it a yes out of him.

Moving away a little she still kept herself close, turning so that this conversation would be easier. But she kept silent. This was his choice. And she was hoping that he would choose to make her life easier.

[derek metre]

Relationships with cops are easy, really. You can't be in a steady relationship with one, unless you were married before they took the job. Cops can't maintain something so civil. They are constantly working, constantly leaving you behind. And they couldn't bare if something were to happen to you because of them.

But sleeping with a cop is a totally different thing. Sleeping with a cop usually gets you one of a few things: a shit load of diseases, a horrible record, or a ticket to wherever the hell you want with absolutely no punishment. Sleeping with a cop only happens for two reasons: you did something horrible, or you enjoy the adrenaline and danger of doing it.

Derek knew Siren's reason was the first.

He smiled to himself, not looking back at her until she moved away. He can't be very close to women, unless something were to happen. He took his time with this answer. Spun the coffee around, took a long sip. He could benefit from this, really. "You know how cops work, don't you Siren?" he asked, wondering if he should be putting the poor girl through this kind of stress. She just wanted a simple answer. A yes or no would do the trick. But Derek saw life in black and white, as well as shades of gray.

"You're a smart girl, from what I know. And I'm a smart cop. I'm gonna be all like, 'Tell me a name and we can start over.' And you are going to just forget about it. Get one of your pals to knock it off." He looked back behind the bar. "But never mind that. Yeah. We can start over. I'm not going to ask you for jack shit, but you are going to try your best to stay out of trouble. Which, I guess, is hard in your case. You want to spare me and give me a name, fine." He put his hands up like he was surrendering.

He turned his head to her and smiled wide. "Derek Metre," he laughed, sticking his hand out. "Pleased."

[siren davenport]

Siren knew that she was walking into trouble. But at the moment she did not care one bit. This thing hanging over, well really she hadn't cared when she had done it. But this thing was going to disappear hopefully. And sooner rather than later.

She knew that doing something with Detective Derek over here would proably be one of the stupiest things she could ever do in her life but she was beyond caring right now. There was nothing that would come of this, and it wasn't like she had something to give a rat's ass about.

That gave her a pause. She sort of did. But then she mentally shrugged. That would be over soon, very soon. It wasn't fair.

Sweetie life isn't fair.

Siren waited for him to continue. To laugh and say no way. But she would wait in silence, give him a peice of her mind and then see what he had to say, if he did that. She heard his voice, and she frowned. How cops worked? What was she three? "No... of course I do," she said calmly. Adding in her head, jackass. But there was no need to voice that out loud. She was in enough trouble as it was.

And then she suffered through his big speech. Only listening when he said, that they could start over. Good. He had her marked right so la-de-da. They would start from the beginning, and maybe have some kind of okay relationship. A smile graced her face as she took the hand he offered. "A pleasure," she told him sweetly, "Siren Davenport." The look on her face may have looked sweet, but her eyes were blazing. A silent warning. Dont' fuck with her.

[derek metre]

What a fucking smart ass. Derek hated smart asses. More than anything. His smile stayed strong though. It was what he had to do. What he should be doing, however, was taking this girl in. Double siding her. Anything ethical in any way. But that wouldn't be fun, now would it?

"I am as well," he said, pulling his hand away after the quick shake. He knew she was playing him. But Derek didn't care much. His main goal was finding Jake Brookes and beating the shit out of him. Which would be hard, considering cops aren't necessarily supposed to do that.

"So tell me," he muttered, finishing off his second cup of coffee. "What brings you here at such a late hour of the night?" He really was curious. Probably some business, but Derek wanted to know. He had this ting where he would always stick his nose in other people's business. His brother couldn't go a day without telling Derek his plans. Detailed.