A/N.  Hello my lovelies, it's the weekend! Hopefully you had a great week and have a wonderful weekend in store.
Don't forget to vote if you like this chapter. Comments appreciated and welcome. We are all friends here :)

Have a wonderful day...

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"Who the hell do you think you are?" snapped Kaitlyn. Her fists were clenched, nails cutting into her skin, as she held herself back from the persistent itch to slap his very masculine face. This was her chance to get justice for her father's death and no one was going to get in her way, not even this brooding hulk.

Kaitlyn continued to assess the man that was standing between her, and her need for closure. A gentle nagging began at the back of her mind. The more she stared at the man in front of her, the more familiar he looked. She couldn't place it but she recognised his face, and yet, she was sure that they had never met.

But why does he seem so familiar?

Instead of replying, the interloper stood his ground. An unreadable expression as he continued to glare at her as if she were a speck of dust to be brushed aside.

Before Kaitlyn knew what was happening, the Profiler had somehow stepped around her, picked up a folder from Doug's desk and began to head towards the door, "I work alone. Don't need or want a partner."

How the hell did he do that? Kaitlyn spun around and watched with surprise, questioning how such a large man could move with such speed and stealth.

Before Murphy could disappear through the door, Doug halted the Profiler in his tracks, "You're both on the case, and that's that. You will just have to learn to work together."

The man turned slowly, a flash of disbelief at Doug's words plastered across his face, as he looked between the other two occupants of the office. It was obvious this was the last thing he had expected to hear.

Doug then turned to address Kaitlyn, a no-nonsense look as he spoke, "And that goes for you too."

She balked at his tone, "I'll just go and practice my levitating skills shall I?" Kaitlyn remarked dryly, "because both have about the same chance of happening."

Murphy threw the woman a glare that would whither and disable a lesser person, and continued to say nothing, his expression virtually shouting his opinion at having her as a partner.

"Actually," admitted her boss, "this isn't my call, the Police Commissioner put four names on the table. They're non-negotiable."

"What?" both Kaitlyn and Murphy chimed in unison as they swung around to face the SAIC.

Doug smiled. "See," he said, "you're already working together. That came out in perfect stereo. Kaitlyn, I don't think you've formally met Murphy O'Neill."

"O'Neill!" The female FBI Special Agent snorted out in a very unlady like manner. "You're 'the' Murphy O'Neill?" Disbelief was evident in her words and tone.

There is no way he is O'Neill. He can't be any more than what? Thirty-five?

"Afraid so sweetheart."

A smug expression washed across O'Neill's face as he watched her mixed emotions ranging from disdain, shock, disbelief, admiration and then settling back at disdain and disbelief.

Murphy O'Neill was a legend within the FBI. He had worked nearly every high profile serial killer case in the past fifteen years, and his success rate was astounding. He guest lectured at Quantico and pretty much rewrote the book on this type of crime.

What was more astonishing was that he didn't actually work for the F.B.I. He was a Consultant Profiler which the F.B.I called in when needed. When he was on a case, he had the full backing of the agency and was accorded the same privileges as a Special Agent in Charge. Once the case was over, he disappeared off the radar until he was next called to serve. No one knew where he went during these stints. In fact, if the rumors where true, no one actually knew where he even lived.

"You can't possibly be," Kaitlyn maintained, she was flustered and had completely been taken by surprise.

Turning questioning eyes to her boss, she was mortified when he nodded in confirmation.

Shit!

"As I was saying," continued Doug, "the Police Commissioner specifically requested the both of you to partner up in a joint effort with his people. He's assigned a Detective Garcia to work the case with you. And, to make sure that any arrests stand up in court, you are to run everything by one of the Assistant District Attorney's that will be assigned to you."

The glare both agents threw at Doug spoke volumes. It was clear that neither wanted to work with the other agencies. Over the years, a distinct and invisible barrier had been erected between the separate organisations. And, when they had to work together, it was with reluctance and a lot of complaints.

"Look, just play nice with the Police Commissioner's people will you. The city is about to start to panic and implode on itself. We don't need further animosity between us. Remember, if this goes south, the FBI will bear the brunt of the fall-out."

"And when it succeeds," muttered Kaitlyn under her breath, "the Commissioner will take full glory."

The office fell quiet as both Murphy and Kaitlyn considered their options.

Quinn knew O'Neill outranked her by far, and had more experience on these type of cases. But, she argued with herself, she would be more committed, more determined to catch the man that killed her father. She had a right to be on the case. Panic welled within her at the thought that her future would be set by a man who she had just met but could barely tolerate.

"Fine," said Murphy with a grunt, as he put an end to the thick and unpalatable silence that had built.

Kaitlyn released a breath she didn't know she had been holding as relief flooded through her. She was going to get the bastard that took her father from her. The FBI agent reluctantly admitted to herself that she had the best chance of catching her father's killer with O'Neill's help, then not.

"So who have you dumped me with?" Murphy asked, sighing as he addressed her boss, ignoring the woman standing beside him.

What the hell is the matter with this jerk!

"Hello, I am standing here," Kaitlyn pointed out. Her irritation escalated as he continued to ignore her presence.

"If you're worried about commitment and ability, don't. Kaitlyn is my best agent, and I have cleared all her case load so she can focus on this one."

Kaitlyn's head whipped around to face her boss so quickly, she heard a small crack in her neck. "Even the unfinished paper work?"

Doug rolled his eyes, "Yes, I'll split the case reports between Mike and myself."

"Yes!" Kaitlyn hissed out, halting when both men turned to observe her odd behaviour. She had the decency to appear contrite as they continued to stare.

Deciding that she should at least pretend to want to work with the Profiler she reached out her hand.

"Special Agent Kaitlyn Quinn, we haven't formally met," she said with what she hoped was a welcoming smile plastered across her face. She glanced up at the imposing man, the incessant nagging at the back of her head becoming louder as she looked directly into his eyes.

Why do I think I've seen you before?

As their hands made contact, a tiny jolt of static electricity spread upward through her arm and down her spine. She snatched her hand back as if it had been burnt. Kaitlyn could have sworn she detected recognition and then surprise cross the Profiler's stern face. It was so fleeting that she was not sure if she imagined it.

"Kaitlyn Quinn," he murmured as his ebony eyes searched her face, as if looking for answers to an unasked question. "Any relation to Detective Ryan Quinn?"

Kaitlyn froze. How did he make the connection? Quinn was a very common name, especially in Boston. And the subject was not something she talked about - ever.

"Yes, he was my father," she admitted hesitantly.

A slight rising of one of his eyebrows was the only indication that he heard her answer. "I see," he said, a strange expression now replaced his previous indifference. "That is why you were so hell bent on being assigned to the case?"

"I want the case," Kaitlyn declared lifting up her chin, "because I am the best person for the job. My personal feelings do not come into it." She hoped fervently, that he did not see through her obvious lie.

Murphy continued to stare at Kaitlyn, making her almost squirm uncomfortably. His dark orbs unblinking and all seeing, giving her both comfort and anxiety at the same time. His only response to her outburst, an uncommittal, "We'll see," as he shrugged his shoulders.

Before either could snap at each other again, Doug weighed into the conversation, more to get them out of his office than anything else, "The scene hasn't been cleared yet, they're waiting for you, so you'd better high-tail out of here before I am on the business end of a call from the Commissioner demanding an update."

Without saying a word, Murphy nodded to Doug and left the room. Again, ignoring Kaitlyn as he did so.

"Quinn, try to keep your temper under control with this one." Warned her boss as he noticed her expression. "He normally works these cases alone, so it's going to take a bit for him to get used to working with a partner."

"Okay, just don't expect me to like it," Kaitlyn muttered as she raced out the door to catch up with her new partner.

She raced back to her desk to grab her gun and identification, and found she had to literally sprint across the floor to keep up with him before he disappeared through the lift doors. Murphy stood staring at the shiny metal doors, saying nothing the duration of the ride to the basement. Kaitlyn spent the entire time wondering how long it was going to take before she gave into the urge to shoot him.

I could just say it was an accidental discharge.

Kaitlyn suppressed a smile that was threatening to emerge as she imagined the conversation with her boss. Doug, you won't believe what happened when I was cleaning my gun. It just went off, and somehow, a bullet made its way into that poor man's butt.

A ding broke through her fantasy, and she pushed through the door before it had completely opened. Turning left, she continued down a row of parked cars.

"Where are you going?" His voice echoed through the carpark.

"Well, I don't fancy walking to the crime scene, so I'm heading to my car. If that's okay with you," she began, "and, unless you have the required stickers on your vehicle, I suggest that come with me."

Kaitlyn continued toward her parking spot. After a couple of strides she could pick-up his footsteps headed in her direction. Arriving at her shiny red car, which stood out in the row of dark or silver ones, she depressed a button on her keychain, and there was a clicking sound as the car unlocked itself.

"What the hell is that?" Murphy exclaimed, a hard edge to his voice.

Kaitlyn looked around to see what he was talking about, her hand automatically reaching to her holstered gun. Not seeing anything obvious, she turned back to him, "What?"

"That," he declared pointing at her car.

She decided the man must be totally insane. "It's what we generally like to call a car," she said slowly and evenly, as if he were a child.

"That's not a car," he pointed out shaking his head, "it's a battery on wheels. I'm not getting into that death trap."

Kaitlyn balked at his rudeness. Her Prius was her pride and joy. "I'll have you know that this car has been given the highest rating for the least carbon emissions."

Murphy stood impassively as she continued her tirade, arms folded across his chest. His indifference, only adding fuel to the fire.

"Are you quite finished?" he asked.

Before she could answer, the irritating man opened the front passenger door, reached in, grabbed the two police and FBI permits that were stuck onto her windscreen, exited the vehicle, closed the door, and then headed in the opposite direction.

"I'm driving," were his only words as he strode purposefully down the aisle of vehicles. Not once looking back to see if she was following.

The nerve of that bastard! her mind screamed in frustration as she slammed the door shut and raced to catch up with him. She wondered in exasperation how one man could say so little, yet irritate her so much.

It would serve him right if I accidentally fired two bullets into his sanctimonious arse!

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A/N. So what did you think?

...Looks like they have no choice they need to partner up, wonder what the other two team members are like?

...What do you think of Kaitlyn? Looks like she takes no prisoners... and really, and I mean REALLY hates paperwork :-)

...And what's Murphy's issue with her car? What's wrong with Prius's? :-)

Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed this chapter. :-)

M.