Rule #24: Do not underestimate the deductive skills of those around you

"Oh god." Saera whispered as she stared at Mark in shock. "Are you sure?"

Mark nodded, "Her birth certificate said everything. She changed her surname when she became a cop because she didn't want anyone treating her differently as a cop because she had 'connections'. And there were pictures, of her growing up with him next to her."

"I can't believe this." She said as she leaned against the wall next to him.

He groaned and pressed the heel of his hands to his eyes, "I feel like a piece of . I gave him so much hell for being the reason she died and it was his own goddamn daughter. He must've felt ty enough as it is."

"It was a fair reaction. You didn't know any better. I would've done and said the same thing if I was in your place." She said kindly, "And that still doesn't make up for how he treats you."

Mark shook his head, "I feel like trash."

"Then make it up to him." She said simply.

Mark looked bewildered, "How exactly do I do that?"

"You help him catch the man who did this. That's how I'm making peace." She said with a shrug.

Mark looked defeated, "You were right. This only validates the fact that Kwon must be doing an investigation behind our backs since this case is personal. There must be so much he knows that he's not telling us."

"Maybe there's reason behind that." Saera said stiffly.

"Hey." Youngjae said with a scowl as he dropped down on the floor next to them. "Next time you two decide to break into someone's office at least have an exit strategy."

Saera looked at Mark who just scoffed with a laugh, "Thanks kid. You saved our asses."

"You're so lucky that I looked away from BamBam or else I wouldn't have seen you  two playing Mission Impossible. Do you think everyone in this building is blind or something?" He pouted.

Saera squished his cheeks together, "Thanks, bro. Your sister loves you."

"Yeah, yeah." Youngjae said in embarrassment.

Mark watched the two interact with a slow smile on his face. Something about the two of them together would always put a smile on his regardless of his mood.

Saera was a big ball of obnoxious, uncensored love. He could tell that she was the type that would stand up on a table and scream to everyone how much she loved her brother. If she had to chose between her brother and something else, she'd always chose her brother. There's nothing that would make her hesitate.

Youngjae was different. He had a bashful love towards his sister, the kind any teenager would have. He doesn't want the world to know he loves her but he wants her to know he loves her. Even if he's the younger one, he's going to try to look out for her as much as he can.

They were total opposites but the love was the same.

Mark wondered what that felt like.

-----

Mark noticed Saera's change in demeanour the second Youngjae and BamBam drove off with Jackson.

It was like light hearted, airiness completed drained from her and was replace with lethargy. When she turned to the car, the light in her eyes dimmed and her shoulders sagged.

And now, the whole drive home she was just staring forlornly out the window.

Because they were all at the precinct, they had stayed longer than his normal shifts and when they left, the sun had long set.

"I was thinking that we could make dinner tonight…together." He suggested as they wove through the street and passed the other cars.

A weak smile curled up her lips, "Do you even cook food other than breakfast?"

"I could learn. You could teach me." He said as he to his street.

Saera's smile widened a fraction more as he pulled to a red light on an intersection. The both turned to face each other as a light drizzle pattered against the window.

"That sounds fun." She said with a smile.

Mark felt the strangest sense of euphoria and adrenaline pump through his system when he saw her smile. He reached over and gently pushed back a couple strands from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

Saera froze and felt her stomach spin as they locked eyes in the dark. His fingers stayed by the side of her face and even his thumb gently the line of her jaw. Memories of their kiss flashed behind her eyes as she stared back at him.

A rack of shivers ran through her heart and around her stomach before circling her body and slipped down her spine.

Suddenly a blinding light shone through Mark's window and Saera's eyes slid over his shoulder before they widened in panic.

"Mark." She said quietly, "Mark. Mark! MARK! CAR MOVE!" She screamed while shaking his arm.

Mark looked through his window to see a car coming barrelling down the road. He quickly slammed his foot on the acceleration and floored it. The car lurched forward a few feet, barely missing the car that crashed into the sidewalk behind them.

"Oh my god." Saera breathed out in shock as they sat in silence. It took Mark a second to snap out of his daze before he pulled over and got out of the car. She followed him out and the two of them raced to the crashed car.

Mark took out his flashlight and gun and aimed both at the car as they slowly approached the vehicle with caution.

As they reached the driver's side door, Saera held her breath as Mark shone his light at the window.

No one was driving.

Mark opened the door and looked at the floor of the car where a red brick was tied around the acceleration.

"Call 9-1-1." Mark said as he used the sleeved of his jacket to take the key out of the ignition.

Saera walked away off to the side to make the call and just as he was about to get out of the car, he noticed something tied to the rear view mirror.

He pointed his flashlight at it and felt his fists curl as he called Saera over to show her what he found.

A purple lace ribbon tied in a neat bow.

-----

"Thank you for your work, I'll check back with you guys in the morning. Thanks again for coming down so late guys. I appreciate it." Mark said as he shook hands with the officers and forensics crew that came on call.

The accident site had been taped off and flood lights were propped around the wreckage. Evidence was collected but nothing substantial was found. The entire car was inspected but nothing of use came from it.

The ribbon had no prints and there was nothing else to connect them to The Collector.

But both Mark and Saera and most likely every person down there knew that there was only one person who would do this.

Mark shook his head and walked up to Saera who was leaning against his car hugging herself. As if things weren't messy enough as it was, now all his colleagues were wondering why he was in a car with Saera, 2 minutes away from his apartment, this late at night.

But he had reached a point where he didn't even care anymore.

His behaviour and relationship with Saera had been changing since day 1, there was no point in trying to find logic to it now.

"We can finally head home. Are you good?' He asked.

Saera nodded, "A little shaken up, but I'm good. It…It was a really close call. Did they find anything?"

"Nothing." He said grimly, "Someone definitely rigged it and they didn't find any finger prints or cloth fibres anywhere. The car was reported stolen a few days ago, so I'm going to have a few uniforms speak to the owner tomorrow."

She rubbed her face, "We were so close to getting squished."

"But we didn't. That's all you need to remember. We're both fine." He said sternly.

Saera frowned, "This isn't how The Collector normally acts, is it?"

"He's never done anything violent outside of his regular…ritual, but me and you are a different case, we're getting closer to him and he's retaliating." Mark explained.

She shifted on her feet, "Was there anything in the trunk?"

"It was empty." He confirmed.

Saera sighed in relief, "This is insane." She pushed her jacket sleeve up and held out her arm, "Look! I have goosebumps."

Mark smiled and took her arm before rubbing his hand up and down, warming her up.

"I bet making dinner doesn't really sound appealing now." He said lightly.

"Are you kidding?" Saera snorted. "Making dinner sounds like the exact thing I need to do right now."

Mark gave her a tired smile and nodded before walking to his side of the door.

"Then let's go."

-----

Mark stood by his stereo and messed around with his phone until he was able to sync it to a radio station to play music in the background.

Saera was setting up ingredients that Mark had called for delivery earlier that day, before pulling out a knife and a cutting board. Mark walked up behind her and watched her lift the k