Just a note: I've noticed on several others of my stories that people are putting them on their favorite list without actually telling me why they like them (aka reviewing). Don't get me wrong, it means a ton to me that you like my stories enough to add them to your favorites, but please, make my day (or week) in less than thirty seconds by, after you're done reading, clicking that little button on the bottom in the middle of the page that says review. Enough said.

This is a post "Duped" fic, because I absolutely loved that episode. And is it just me overreacting, or were there definitely some hints at Myka/Pete that was a little more than just friendship? Anyways, this is more romance-y inspired by that episode and the lack of any fluff in anything I've read, watched, and/or experienced. Not that I care at that last one.

Disclaimer: All I own is the long statement about reviewing that I just made.

"Myka would never, ever kiss me. Ever. Not even if her life depended on it."

Agent Pete Lattimer didn't usually have trouble sleeping. He couldn't sleep for awhile after he experienced the spine. That was reasonable, though, it made sense. Most of the people that had the spine couldn't control it, let alone come back to life after electrocuting it and themselves. It would give anyone nightmares. Yet tonight, long after the spine was pushed to the back of his consciousness, thoughts revolved in his head, keeping him awake.

Pete Lattimer was not usually one to revisit unpleasant experiences until he knew them by heart, instead he tends to think about them, dissect them, and then let them disappear. Yet now he sees Myka trapped in a mirror. He sees Alice telling him that nothing can go in the mirror without something coming out. He sees himself holding a gun at his partner's head, who really wasn't Myka, but seemed like Myka. He remembers himself not being able to realize that Myka was Alice, even though he has worked closely with Myka for quite awhile now.

Pete wasn't one to be confused about his feelings. They were feelings, and they were normally quite clear. He laughed at the stupid TV when the female characters complained about being so confused. They were your own feelings; you should be able to make some sense of them, considering you are the one that is feeling them. But now he's not so sure. He is confused, wondering why the kiss with "Myka" felt the way it did. It couldn't be because he actually wanted to kiss her, could it?

There was a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach when he thought over his previous words. "Myka would never, ever kiss me. Ever. Not even if her life depended on it." Which, to him, was completely and in all ways true. They would always be whatever they are now, which what that is, he has no word for. To simplify it, partners. Tonight he would let himself feel bad about it, let the openness and the longing in his chest consume him, just because he needs it. He needs to feel this feeling that is familiar and yet completely new to him. Tomorrow he will smile and joke and resume being his normal self, if just to not let her know how he is feeling. Tomorrow he will not let it overcome him, tonight he will.

If only he knew about some things that would have given him hope. In a bedroom sits a ferret named Pete. If only he knew that he was not the only one replaying the hug that she had given him last night. If only he knew that she was also confused, wondering why Alice chose to kiss Pete, why he kissed her back, and most of all why she felt something that felt a lot like jealousy.

But he couldn't know that no more than she knew why he was still awake as he joined her out on the patio, looking out to the starry sky. So things would stay the same, like the tattoo of infinity on Myka's ankle, circling back around the same pattern until someone decided to break free of the never ending cycle and take a chance. Because, like the stars, the things that are the brightest can seem so far away.

Hoped you liked it! I didn't really expect it to get all angst-y when I was writing it, I was really going for fluff, I swear. Guess I'm just in a serious mood. Although I think I'm the first one to post a romance story here. Sorry if you think it's still too soon.

Review, review, review, review, review, and I promise I will send you back a well thought out reply on how absolutely amazing you are (unless of course you write something bad).

-OtterPotter