Takes place immediately following Diane and Denby's first meeting at CitiWide. NOTE: I came up with two separate endings and couldn�t decide which one to use. They are both here, just substitute Ending B for A.

Heels stabbing�concrete taking the brunt of her anger. Every step punching a hole into his flesh.
Lips bloodless from pressure�throat rage-constricted�heart jackhammering�arms rigid�
hands molded into fists, ready to annihilate�
A perfect storm
God!�SO STUPID!�can�t you learn! Every�damn�time!
�Someone new in your life? Who is he? I�ll kill him�, �You're a woman in your prime with strong unmet needs��
Harry Denby�human gladfly�landing�stinging�darting�watching�
Her stabs at repelling - Pathetic.
�I can't stand you Denby�!!
That was it?! That�s all she had, a sister to kid brother reaction?!
Steps slowing�.Dead stop.
People sidestepping, detouring, glaring
Little-girl-lost gaze�remembering
His shout � �I love you!� � reverberating in her brain
Her clever come back - finger stabbing sky�and then�
She�looked�back!
She had looked back!
Head shakes in disbelief. Shaking the image out. Trying. Attempting. Won't go.
Angry thrust of hands into pockets�one inside seam splits in protest
God, how she hates his guts!�
doesn�t she?

Squad room.
People�furniture�every blessed thing - invading her space.
A headache making itself at home�
Danny�Mary�Andy�everyone with problems�have enough of her own�
does she look like Dear Abby? No, wrong reaction. They don't deserve�sorry - nerves.
(Danny. Groan. Puppy-dog eyes�little boy/man crush�weekend getaway invitations. Have to stop it�soon��let him down easy� time (Too late?))
So keyed up. Want to - need to - scream, jump, run, hit�something
Pencil morse coding against desktop. Concentrate. Work. Losing battle.
Major ET-envy � want to go � Home!

Home!
Shoes airborne, drop-kicked across room�toes and arches revel in freedom�minor skirmish with shirt-tail�Ohhh, Heaven!

No�not Heaven. Not good. No better than office.
At least she�s alone�no longer watched, analyzed by curious eyes
She can come unglued� here� without an audience
Time creeping, crawling�One hour�two.
Muscles unable (unwilling?) to relax.
Tiger pacing. Room too small�skin too tight�itch she can't scratch�Maggie the cat.
Radio�music�soothe the beast�
Oh, for the love of�(can�t she get a break?!) Chris Isaak's voice teases the hair on her nape�Wicked Games�
Muffled whimper of frustration.

Knuckles rap. The door. Knocking�
Oh, God�
Feet move, legs and body follow.
Hand grasps knob�twists�jerks door open.
"Pizza delivery, ma'am."
"It's about time!"
Hungry fingers grab fistfuls of blue jacket�tugging, pulling
Door slams.
Box drops�a mushroom, onion, pepperoni, meat sauce mosaic spread across the carpet.
Bodies mesh, arms cling, lips crush�her mouth wiping the grin off of his
Surfacing�teasing his ear�whispering�"I swear, one of these days, I'm going to kill you Harry!"

Ending B

Knuckles rap. The door. Knocking�
Oh, God�
Feet move, legs and body follow.
Hand grasps knob�twists�jerks door open.
Damn!�Danny.
Danny?�pizza? (Uh, oh.)
Welcoming smile unreturned
Puzzled��Danny?�
Door widening�Danny stepping forward
Not stepping
�falling�landing�dead weight�pizza bleeding sauce
Blue eyes�frozen surprise
Kneeling�unbelieving�horror-filling
Hands lift head�fingers spread � red
Voice startles�behind
Denby!

Shoulder doorjamb-propped
Lips stretched sardonically
�Naughty, naughty, Diane," finger wagging�playful.
"There was someone new in your life.�
Long limbs straighten�hand emulating gun�finger-barrel pointing down�at Danny
�Told you I�d kill him.�
Wink