Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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It's just after 2am when Lara Knight's phone rings.

A hand escapes from under the doona as it searches around for the ringing object. Pulling it from its charger, Lara raises her head from under the pillow to mumble something that might have resembled a greeting in Neanderthal times.

And considering who answered on the other end, she considered it fitting. 'Lara, I need your help.'

'Dean?' she groaned, her hand brushing hair from her face. 'We got a call out?'

'Not exactly,' was the response and she had a feeling he wasn't telling her something. 'Well, what?'

'There's a girl, and she won't go away,' continued the whisper.

'It's your own fault for getting her attention,' said Lara as she rolled over on to her back and looked up at her dark ceiling.

'Oh trust me,' she heard Dean reply defensively. 'There is no way I asked for this level five clinger. I avoided her most of the night - but damn if she didn't find me.'

'Just take her home and show her your bathroom. That ought to scare her off sufficiently,' Lara suggested with a poorly disguised yawn.

'What?! Are you nuts?' responded her partner incredulously, all the while still whispering. 'I'm not taking her back to my place. She'll know where I live!'

'Never bothered you before,' grumbled Lara as he continued to talk.

'I'll owe you big time,' he wheedled and Lara momentarily enjoyed an image of him on his knees begging. Kiss my feet!

'This is more than just a bottle of red Buster,' said Lara, groaning as she pulled back her nice warm, cosy, toasty - did she mention warm? - sheets. 'Where are you?'

'I'm at Corey's off Main St,' was the relieved response.

'Hmph,' she sighed.

'Thanks Lar,' he said.

'Oh don't you worry, you'll be thankful,' she muttered as she hung up the call, wincing as her shoulder flared in pain.

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Walking into the pub twenty minutes later, Lara saw Dean sitting at the bar with a redhead sitting very close by, almost in his lap.

Hiding a smirk as he jumped a stool, and the redhead promptly followed, Lara marvelled that this man could jump off buildings and abseil down cliffs, but struggled in the face of a clingy woman.

Walking down the bar, she saw the desperate look on Dean's face as he recognised her. 'Lara!'

Time to get this show on the road. 'Honey,' she said as she stepped around the redhead and stood close to Dean, resting her hand on his shoulder. 'You coming home yet?'

The look on Dean's face was priceless, but the look on the redhead's face was even better. 'Who is she?'

'Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Lara. I'm Dean's partner.' (That much was true at least.) 'And you are?'

'This is Cindi,' interjected Dean. 'We had a nice chat, but I'm going to head home now.'

'But Dean...' objects Cindi, walking her fingers up his arm. 'We were having such fun.'

Standing up, Dean tries to put as much space as possible between him and this woman. As the redhead stood up too and advanced on him, he sent a desperate look Lara's way. Oh for chrissakes. 'Honey, I'm hungry. I could really do with some chips, mayo, choc topping and gherkin - maybe with a cherry on top,' she simpered.

Lara rolls her eyes inwardly as Dean shot her a disbelieving look and Cindi's seriously annoying voice piped up once again. 'What a revolting combination that is!'

'Well, what can I say,' said Lara patting her stomach over her bulky jumper. 'What baby wants, baby gets.'

Nudging the suddenly coughing Dean, she plastered a grin on her face at Cindi's comeback. 'I did think you looked a little fat, but far be it from me to mention it.' Wow, retract the claws there girly.

Grabbing Dean's hand she tinkles her fingers in farewell as she turns. 'Must dash.'

Out the door and finally free of this suffocating situation, she turns her eyes on the man who had put her there in the first place. 'You owe me.'

'Sure Lara,' he said, hands raised up in surrender. 'But a kid?!'

'Hey, by that point, I was willing to do anything to get myself out of there,' reasoned Lara. 'Get in the car, I'll drop you home.'

'Nah ah,' said Dean. 'I'm coming to yours. That lady might just follow me home.'

Considering her options, she shrugged her shoulders - ouch she really shouldn't have done that - and started the car.

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Stepping into her house, now wide awake and with a throbbing pain in her shoulder, Lara headed for her medicine cabinet as Dean grabbed a drink from her fridge.

Panadol downed with a glass of water, she approached Dean. 'You, me, loungeroom, now.' Not even checking if he was following, she walked toward her lounge. 'And get your mind out of the gutter. My shoulder hurts and so you're going to give it a massage.'

'Yes ma'am!' was the smart response as the lounge dipped and his talented fingers started rubbing her sore muscles.

'Still sore?' he murmured as he administrated his medicine.

'Nnrgh,' she responded as he worked his magic.

Feeling sleepy once again, and with her shoulder loose enough for now, she arose with a yawn some time later. 'Blankets in the cupboard, cushions on the couch - you know the drill,' she said sleepily. 'Good night - or rather good morning. I can't believe we have to get up again in a matter of hours.'

'Well...' said Dean but stopped speaking at Lara's 'uh' and raised finger. 'Good night!' he finished.

Lara waves him off as she headed to her bedroom, her voice wafting down the hall as Dean approached the cupboards. 'Just cos I've got a good bathroom, doesn't mean you're welcome to stay for a while...'