Rollie was surprised when he woke in the morning. At first, his thoughts had refused to allow him sleep, he'd remained awake tossing and turning over half the night. He'd changed his mind a thousand times last night. Finally, he'd taken hold of his thoughts, told himself sternly that he was going to ask her (today!) and thought of what it would be like if she agreed to go on a date with him. Much to his amazement now, he'd fallen asleep and from the way he felt, slept soundly and well. The Aussie honestly hadn't thought it possible. He leapt from bed, ready to face whatever the day held.

Mira wanted to use one of their computers to do some net research today. The ones at Mid-town South were too slow for the volume of data she needed to search. Francis might or might not come with her. They were trying to identify and locate the killer of an international commodities broker.

Angie would be in to work on the CGI effects for "Flashpoint!", the latest movie for Tyler FX. He would be setting up the explosive packs for the pyro effects the movie required. Filming would begin in two days and they had to be ready.

Rollie took a quick shower, shaved and then dithered ten minutes over what he should wear. He wanted to look nice when he asked her to go out with him. Finally, he settled on a clean pair of almost new black jeans and a colorfully striped black polo shirt. She liked color. He smiled at himself in the mirror and tried to shake the haunted look from his eyes. Today! Today he would find out! Either he was doomed or he had a chance at the happiest future he could imagine. All he had to do was get some time alone with her and hold on to his courage long enough to ask!

Life just doesn't go the way people plan. Rollie ground his teeth in frustration. Mira had appeared first, Francis in tow. They had an audio tape of a phone call from some one, probably the killer, or maybe the person who hired the killer, gloating over the death of the victim, Sam Simmons. While Mira surfed the net looking for information, Francis and the special effects expert ended up analyzing the tape. So there went most of Rollie's plans for the pyro packs.

Angie showed up half an hour later and was firmly ensconced in the clean room, hard at work on the CGI. At least that part for the movie was on track. Rollie knew he'd end up working late to make up the packs.

There was just no way he could say "no" to his police friends. The packs were for a movie, make believe, not life and death. The detectives were in pursuit of a real killer, some one who just might kill again. His priorities on that point were clear. Real life over reel life. No, the frustration Rollie was feeling was because there didn't seem to be a way to get any privacy with her! He wasn't about to ask with an audience around. No way! It was okay if she laughed at him, but the Aussie really didn't want to hear the jokes from his other friends.

Rollie sighed deeply and forced his mind back on track, yet again. He had to pay attention. Analyzing audio tape wasn't easy. It required meticulous attention to detail. He tilted his head to one side, surprised by the faint background sound he'd just identified in the large sound manual. "Francis, when was this tape made?"

"About nine A.M. yesterday, Rollie. Why? What is it?"

"Since when do fog horns sound at nine A.M. on a clear day?"

"Fog horn? Are you sure?"

"Positive. It's unmistakable. This isn't from the East coast, it has to be from the West."
 
Rollie stood up, stretched and called up to his partner. "Angie, can you take a break from the CGI for a while?"

"Sure, Rollie. What is it?"

"I want you to check for fog reports on the West Coast yesterday. Around six A.M."

"You got it, boss!"

An hour later, Angie reported fog off of the Washington and Oregon coasts. Mira came up for air from her net search, excited about something and dragged Francis off to deal with it. Angie left for lunch. Rollie started trying to match the sounds to maps of coastal cities in those states.  He was also trying to bury his frustration. He felt like crying. The Fates seemed to deem that he wouldn't get a chance to ask her out.
 
Angie returned with a bag of take-out and gave him stern instructions to eat. She went back to the CGIs. Mira and Francis returned from what turned out to be a wild goose chase, asking for what else he'd found from the tape. The detectives ate Rollie's lunch. He just wasn't hungry.

The FX man's persistent searching revealed that the call had probably come from a ten block area in Seattle. Francis called in the findings. Captain Vanduran issued a verbal pat on the back and told them to look for more information. If they were going to recruit the Seattle Police Department, they'd need it. Mira went back to her internet search. Francis pulled up the phone book for the Seattle area on another computer, trying to tie some of the names they had dug up with the area.

Rollie finally got to start work on the explosives packs he'd meant to start on that morning. The loft was quiet and Rollie was getting nervous again. Maybe asking her wasn't a good idea. Maybe the Fates were trying to warn him off by not giving him an opportunity. Faint heart never won fair lady, Rollie quoted to himself. The only way I'll find out is if I ask. That's all, just ask! Ask, surely I have enough guts to ask, damn it! One little question. That's all. Just one! He gave himself a mental shake. Rollie chewed on the inside of his cheek and concentrated on the explosive packs. It was not a good idea to be distracted when dealing with the dangerous components. The Aussie nearly jumped to his third floor bedroom when Angie touched his shoulder. The others had left and he hadn't even noticed!

"Rollie? Are you okay?" Angie asked, her eyes full of concern. Rollie had been acting odd all day. Distracted and... odd. She knew for a fact he hadn't eaten much. That was really strange, Rollie only missed eating if he was sick or too busy. But even busy, he didn't miss eating if she put the food right there beside him. Today, for the first time ever, he had.
 
"I'm fine! Fine." Rollie answered, but he was obviously nervous.

"Are you sure? You hardly ate lunch and I don't think you had any breakfast."

"I said I'm fine!" Oh great, Rollie thought, that's a great way to act. Settle down. She's just worried about you. She cares, that's all.

"Okay, fine. Forget I asked. You're fine." Angie threw up her hands and started to walk away from her suddenly temperamental partner.

"I'm sorry, Ange. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just..."

"Just what Rollie?"  Angie turned back and asked with gentle concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nerves, I guess." Rollie shrugged, uncertain about what he was about to do. Not sure what to say or how to say it.

"Nerves? About what?" Angie felt the tension radiating off her partner and rubbed his shoulders, trying to get him to loosen up and relax.

"I... There's someone I want..." Rollie shook himself, trying to get control back, his voice low. "I... I... I want... to ask... ask out. Someone... someone... special. I'm scared! I'm scared what she'll say though." I sound worse than I did as a teenager on my first date. It's not fair! What have I gotten myself into?!?

Angie stiffened slightly, then hoped Rollie hadn't notice. "So you're finally going to ask Mira out?"

Rollie turned around so he could look into Angie's eyes. "Not Mira, Angie." His voice was a pain filled whisper. "You." He closed his eyes, not wanting to see her look, not wanting to see the laughter... or the rejection. How could I have done this? There is no way I can pretend. Looks like the swaggie life for me now, he thought bitterly. Everything he'd planned, every word he'd thought to say had gone totally and completely from out of his head. Idiot!

Angie stood stunned, her mouth open. "Me?" She mouthed the word. Certain Rollie didn't mean it, afraid that wishful thinking had affected her hearing. Every date she went out with was compared to Rollie Tyler and every one of them failed to measure up to her partner. Then she looked at him. Really looked at him, looking for signs of a joke... a prank. Rollie had bowed his head, his eyes squeezed tightly shut, shivering ever so slightly. Angie thought her heart would break looking at her miserable partner. He was serious! He wanted to go out with her! Her! And he was afraid! Afraid she would reject him! Angie couldn't believe Rollie was afraid of her! "Oh Rollie," she whispered, so quietly the dejected man didn't hear. She placed a warm hand under his chin and lifted it up. "Rollie?" Hoping he would open his eyes.

With obvious reluctance, Rollie opened them and Angie thought she would drown in the depths of his warm brown eyes. She'd never thought you could drown in brown eyes before. She smiled gently, trying to reassure her friend. "Yes."

"Wha'?" Rollie swallowed hard, positive he'd heard wrong. That he'd finally gone totally round the bend. "What?"

Angie's smile warmed. "I said yes! Rollie, yes, I'd love to go out with you!"

As Rollie's stunned mind tried to process Angie's words, the tension released his body. To Angie's surprise, he slid out of the chair to the floor. He'd fainted! Rollie had actually fainted! Worried, she patted his cheek gently. When that got no response, she went to the nearby sink and wet a wash cloth. Placing Rollie's head in her lap, she wiped his face with the cloth, trying to coax him back awake. Just as Angie was thinking about getting the smelling salts from the first aid kit, Rollie stirred. "Rollie? Come on, Rollie, wake up." Angie pleaded in a trembling voice. "Please wake up!"

"Hmm." Rollie's eyes fluttered, then opened. "Ange... Angie? What happened?" Memory returned and he blushed. Oh no! He couldn't believe it! Angie had said yes and like a total idiot he'd fainted! Maybe he really should become a swaggie. He was obviously hopeless. He sat up and looked around the room, anywhere but at the beautiful blonde that was so near.

"Rollie, are you okay?" It seemed an idiotic question to ask someone who'd fainted, but she couldn't think of anything else to say. Angie wondered how many times she was going to ask Rollie that particular question today.

Rollie nodded,  ashamed. "I... I... Sorry, Angie. I'm sorry! I'm such an idiot!" He licked suddenly dry lips. "If... if you don't want to go out with me now, I'll understand."
 

Angie examined the miserable figure sitting on the floor in front of her. She reached out and picked up one of Rollie's large hands in hers. "Rollie." When he still didn't look at her, she tried to think of something to say and wondered why Rollie had fainted. The only other time she knew of was when... Of course! "Rollie? When was the last time you ate something?"

"Ate?" Rollie blinked and tried to remember. "Um... yesterday I think..." He considered the question more closely. "No. It was lunch the day before."

"Uh uh, and how much did you eat for lunch?"

"A... I had a chicken salad. You know that! You were there and had the same thing. Why?" Rollie twisted around to look at her now, puzzled.

"Rollie!" Angie smacked him lightly on the shoulder, exasperated. "The last time you almost fainted was right after we finished blowing up that dam. Remember? You'd been fretting for days about getting it right and kept skipping meals. I think if I want my date, I'd better make sure you eat something!"

"Sorry. I'm sor... Your date? You mean you're still willing to go out with me?"

"Of course! I said yes, didn't I?" Angie patted Rollie's shoulder. "Let's get some food in you, Rol. I don't like it when you faint. And I think after you've had something to eat, you'll make more sense." Maybe after Rollie ate, they could kiss. Her toes curled in pleasure at the thought. Angie had a feeling if they did it right now, Rollie would just faint again.