"How long did that go on?"

"Quite some time."

"Don't tell me you two started to hang out regularly."

"Okay then."

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

" . . . "

"Fine. What happened after that?"

"Another four months of getting too lazy to open the door for her, I gave her a key."

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, I am."

"You gave her a goddamn key."

"Yes."

"And who else knew you did this?"

"No one. Not until after she left."

"Who did you tell then?"

"I was out with Mark, got really drunk and blurted out something about how I didn't want my key back. He called Youngjae and the two of them spent the night hovering over me hugging a toilet while they deciphered my rambling."

"Smooth."

"Hmph."

"And you swear you never had ?"

"I never so much as caught a glimpse."

"You're still a terrible cop."

"As you never fail to remind me."

"I assume you didn't stop running into her in public, then?"

"No. The next time we met in public, thankfully, I was with Mark."

"I'm just saying, there's no reason that I should be focusing so much on David, but I just get this vibe from him." Mark said, leaning on one elbow against the bar. He'd chosen a much calmer place than a club for this after-work drink. "David really strikes me as the one who killed Emma."

"Maybe you're just looking at him from the wrong way and your intuition will pay off."

"I know. I just need one thread! One thread and he'll crumble completely. I can feel it."

"What does Kunpimook think of it?"

"Bambam had the same response to him that I did. He hates his guts, totally convinced he killed her."

Jaebum shook his head. "Maybe homicide was a bit much to lay on him so early in his career."

"I don't think so. Boy's got some of the sharpest eyes I've ever seen, discounting you and me, of course. We're the best."

"Well, since Seokjin and Yoongi went off to join the military police." 

Mark rolled his eyes. "Seokjin was too nice and Yoongi too sharp."

"You're just saying that because you were trained by them."

"Don't act like you thought Namjoon was all that great, either."

"He became Chief of Police." Jaebum raised an eyebrow. "At twenty-seven. Namjoon was a genius and he taught me a lot, even though I could have done without the textbooks."

"Where is he now, anyway? He nominated Youngjae to take his place and disappeared."

"Secret Service, last I heard. He moved out to Washington and didn't really keep in touch."

Mark nodded. "I imagine he's busy as hell."

"Hmm."

"Why do you think he picked Youngjae?"

"He's got hte best temprament. Never yells, but maintains a strict and respectable authority, can deal with enough paperwork to start a deforestation campaign and doesn't lose his cool. I mean, everyone was a panicking two months ago when Amber got attacked."

"Was that the one with those three ers who were screaming about how it shouldn't be a 'police reform' rally but a 'police-killing' riot?"

"Yeah. They shot her, remember? I don't know how he did it or who told him, but it was Youngjae who stopped that from turning to violence, especially after Victoria reflexively pulled her weapon on the assaulter."

"Yeah." Mark leaned on the bar with both elbows, facing what passed for the dance floor, though there was only slow, softer music playing. "I guess I see it."

"Did you think you would be better at it?"

"Nah. Just trying to get into Namjoon's head. He was awesome at homicides."

"Yeah, he was. I wish I could ask his advice quite a bit, actually."

Mark snorted. "Well, no point in lingering on it, right?"

"Absolutely not." Jaebum raised his glass and tapped it gently against Mark's. "To success?"

Mark grinned. "To success." He took a drink and looked back out at the people milling about the bar. Something caught his eye and he nudged Jaebum. "Well well, take a lookie here."

Jaebum turned around on his barstool, the lower lighting atmosphere of the bar still catching on the silver of those stilettoes. "Carly." He breathed. 

"Looks like it." Mark laughed. 

The closer she came, however, the more apparent it was that there was something seriously wrong. Elegant but personable in her presentation, Carly hit three random people and almost tripped, barely keeping her footing. The smile fell from Mark's face and he stood up a little straighter. She made it over to them, almost falling again trying to avoid a woman walking past her. Her legs gave out, but she threw her arms around Jaebum's shoulders and he had a tight grip on her waist.

"Carly?" Jaebum asked, Mark pulling back her hair. She was too pale, her eyes eclipsed by her irises and she was shaking. She was trying to speak, but her tongue was too thick in and she was having toruble swallowing. 

"Bartender? Can I have a glass of water?"

She came with it shortly, but paused when she caught sight of Carly. "Is she okay?"

"She's been drugged." Mark said lowly, leaning over the bar. "Don't make a scene, or else the person who did this to her will leave."

"You want them to stay?!" She hissed back. 

"Yes. I'd like to be able to arrest them for drugging and attempted assualt." He pulled out his wallet like he was looking for money and flashed her the badge. She calmed down quickly, clearing and raising her voice more.

"No need, sir. Water is free here."

"Thank you so much." He smiled at her and handed the glass to Jaebum, who repositioned Carly some so she was sitting on his lap. He clasped his hand over hers as she went to drink from it, making sure she didn't shake so badly and that she didn't drop the glass. 

"Can you speak to me? Point out who did this?" Jaebum asked, putting the glass down.

"Help . . . " She choked out. Her eyes were glazing over and the desperate fear that had her grip strong on his shoulder was slipping as the drug took full effect. She started to slide off his lap and his grip tightened. "JB." She made a whimper noise as her head lolled onto his shoulder and she went entirely limp.

"Call-"

"Yugyeom and Bambam are almost here." Mark interrupted. "Yugyeom's going to stand at the front of the bar, Bambam around the back. I'll go looking for her drugger."

"Careful. I'll stay here just in case he or she comes looking for her." He nodded at Carly, who blinked half-lidded eyes at Mark, then turned her uncomprehending stare onto Jaebum.

"Good." And then Mark disappeared into the unsuspecting crowd. 

Jaebum started scanning the crowd, looking for tables with abandoned glasses. He wasn't in the best position to see everywhere in the bar and no doubt that Mark was already actively scanning better than he would be able to. 

"There . . . " Carly whimpered, but she didn't point and he couldn't see her eyes. 

"There you are, Carly."

Jaebum's head snapped to the left and he spotted the talking man. He gave off a very greasy feel even though he was immaculate and Jaebum wanted to shower the second the other man smiled at him. 

"Sorry about her. Just can't hold her liquor, you know?" He gave a laugh that made Jaebum's hair stand on end. "She's a clingy drunk. I'll take her form here."

Jaebum's arms tightened around her. "I think that's quite alright. I've got her."

"You think I'll let some random man take my friend home?"

"Who said anything about taking her home?" He raised an eyebrow. "I had the bartender call her an ambulance. If she's drunk enough to just fall on me, she probably needs medical help, wouldn't you think? If you're so close with her, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind being the one in the ambulance with her."

"You would go in an ambulance with some woman you don't know?" The man snorted.

"I'm a cop. Just because I'm off-duty doesn't mean it's not my responsibility."

The man stiffened. "A cop, huh?" 

"You're damn right." His eyes narrowed. "Stay the away from Carly."

He abruptly turned and left, making a dash to the entrance. Jaebum knew that Mark saw the move and Yugyeom was right there to take him down. 

Carly whimpered again at his neck, her body starting with the cold sweats. He was instantly focused on her again, standing as best he could with her in his arms and walking out of the club. His car was parked on the sidestreet - he just hoped that no one called the cops on him for walking out of a bar with an unconscious girl in his arms.

Jaebum was up with Carly all night. 

She ran cold sweats all night, body twitching and jerking at odd times and once she threw up. She had been unable to move herself, though, and it was likely if Jaebum hadn't been there, she would have drowned in it. Her body finally calmed down sometime around five in the morning, after the second time he had washed her in his tub. Her heartrate had calmed down again and she was breathing through her nose, which meant her bodily distress had calmed down. 

They both fell asleep properly sometime around six in the morning.

Noon rolled around and the sunlight was far too bright, directly in his eyes. He checked the time. 

"Oh, that." He snapped at nothing. Six hours was far from enough sleep, especially with how Carly had her face buried in his shoulder, all warm and soft dressed up in his nightclothes. 

"Yeah." She moaned into his skin. She took some of her hair and put it over his eyes. 

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently, running his hand up her back.

"I want to die. What happened last night? I remember feeling terrible and finding you."

"Whoever you were meeting with drugged you. I'd say a date powder from the side effects."

"." She replied, burying further into him. "Thank you. For helping me."

"Don't worry about it." He rubbed her back more. "How is your body feeling? Do you still feel sick?"

"I feel really weak." She replied. "Like if I try to stand that my legs will give out on me. My heads also hurts a lot."

"Come on. Roll off me for a minute, I'll close all the windows up and then we'll get you cleaned up."

"Hey man." Mark was at his side the minute he walked into the station. "How is she?"

"She's fine. Staying over at my place again tonight."

"She not well enough to go home?" His brows creased in worry.

"No, no, she's recovered, but she didn't want to go home."

"Oh, good."

"Detective?" Yugyeom and Bambam appeared around a corner. "We wanted to tell you that we pressed charges to the man from the bar."

"Thank you, gentlemen." Jaebum nodded at them. "I'll have Carly come by tomorrow to sign as the victim."

He ducked into his office and sat down on the chair, running his hands through his hair. "Ah, ."

A man walked into the station and up into Jaebum's office. 

"Are you Detective Jaebum Im?"

He looked up from his paperwork. "Yes I am. And who are you?'

"I am a representative of the Halsey family." He walked up to his desk and pulled out an envelope, setting it on the desk. "We've been unable to contact Miss Carly Lee, but we know she's with you. I am here to apologize to her on behalf of the Halsey family for one of the sons' troubling interaction with her two days previous. We understand if you throw out or dismiss this request, but we would greatly appreciate it if you would do us this favour."

Jaebum looked down at the package. "I'll consider it."

"That's all we ask." He smiled and bowed a little bit, abruptly turning around and walking out. 

He reached out and opened the package. Inside was an apologizing letter, a lot of money and a ring in a plastic bag. 

"." Jaebum wheezed, throwing the items away. "Definitely not. Absolutely, definitely not."