AND NOW FOR THE CONCLUSION~~~~~~~~~~~

Cap had called Chris on his cell phone, to talk with him about the paperwork. Rita laid beside Chris as he talked, trying to hide her giggles. The moment Chris hung up the phone, Chris grabbed her, and pinned her down, tickling her.

"You want to laugh so much , do you.. Well now your going to get it ... That was Cap on the phone, young lady... If he gets wind of us, we're through as partners. We have to keep this quiet." Rita suddenly stopped her laughter and looked at Chris seriously.

"Chris?.... Do you think that might be a good idea anyway... I mean with us together now?.... There is a reason why they have that rule, you know?" Chris gently wiped away some of her hair from her face. He knew what she was afraid of.

"No.... I don't think so Rita, because I know with you, I have the best partner I could ask for..... And I know that if your with me, you'll be safe out there. No one could watch our backs the way we watch each others... You know that.... Hmmm?"

She nodded, then snuggled herself into his chest."It's just that I love you so much, Chris.... And I wonder if it's gonna be this way all the time now.... Will I always be questioning myself , my actions?.... Wouldn't you question your own too?" she asked him.

Chris thought on this.

"No.., I don't think so... I know I'm a good cop... And I know you are too, Sammy. Aside from being good cops, we are also good people.... And when it comes down to that, I don't think anything we do in the line of duty will go against that. Rita,..... We can't always predict the way we will react to any situation.... You know that.... Not even as cops.... You just have to believe that your instincts will kick in... Like yours did last night."

"Now... No more worrying, okay.... Your a good cop.. I might even admit your a better one then me.... If you get this gorgeous butt of yours up out of this bed... We do have to go into work after all.

Later , while Rita was on the phone with The Claymont’s, and Chris was filling George in on some last minute details, hurricane Frannie came in, and stood over Rita's desk. She glared at Rita, as she waited for her to get off the phone. Rita looked up, and knew she was in trouble. She looked over at Chris, who was now standing by, watching what was about to take place. Rita hung up the phone.

"Ah, Fran... Hi... What can I do for you?" she asked hesitantly. "Rita Lee Lance! I am just so disappointed in you! When Christopher told me what you did, I didn't believe it.... But when Heschy admitted it to me, well... To think that you would let him eat that piece of cake, just knowing how he suffers so much with his stomach.... And I wondered why he was up all that night with an upset stomach.... Here I thought the carob was just too much for him as well... And now I realize what it really was. I have him on a strict diet, Rita... You know that..... How could you?"

Rita looked down, ashamed at herself. "I'm sorry, Fran. It will never happen again, I promise."

Now Chris was laughing his head off. He was enjoying watching Rita get into trouble with Fran for once. It was the feeling most children get when finally the "little angel" of the family gets caught by their mother doing something wrong. Chris relished this moment.

However he wasn't prepared for the look on Frannie's face, when she turned to face him now.

"And Christopher! I come and bring you a nice home-cooked meal, out of the kindness of my heart just so you won't have to eat another pizza, or more take out Chinese.... And what do you do? You tease Heschy with it! I never thought you could be so cruel, Christopher! You have no idea what that poor man goes through, do you? How could you do that to him, make him feel so deprived, that he would loose all common sense and accept that cake from Rita?"

Now Frannie looked at them both, and shook her head sadly.

"I am just so disappointed in you both right now..."

Chris and Rita gave each other a look, completely flustered now..... what could they say?

It was that moment that Harry came out of his office, laughing. Soon Fran joined in with him, leaving Chris and Rita shaking their heads, as they were catching on.

"Ah, ha! Got ya both... That was great Fran! That will teach them to keep me out of their little schemes with each other..... As if I didn't know what was going on." He looked directly at Chris and Rita when he spoke...". I know everything that goes on around here.... You can't get anything by me..."

"Chris... That was pay back for teasing me... And Rita... That was pay back for using me to get to Chris... And besides that little lecture from Frannie... You both are out of work for a week." Chris and Rita stopped their smiling now, ready to argue with their captain, but he interrupted them.

"I want you both to take some time off... It was clear to me that you both must have been out of your minds that night you used me as the source of your pranks... So I figure you both need some time off... Paid of course..... Now... Take that week, and relax, rest up... And when you come back in, I know you both will be on your best behavior .... You will not drag me in on any of your little squabbles or anything else between the two of you... Do you understand?" Cap looked at them over his glasses, giving them his look. He was trying to tell them in a subtle way that he knew what was going on with them.

Chris and Rita smiled, at their captain and at each other. Cap wasn't sure if they really did understand what he was trying to tell them, but he was sure that they had their own plans to keep their relationship a secret, so he tried no to worry too much .

Still, Frannie saw him reach down and rub his stomach again.

"Now go! Go on, get out of here... I don't want to see either of you for a week... Got that?"

Rita stood up, and reached for her purse. She leaned across her desk, over to Chris's and took his jacket, then walked over to where her partner stood.

"Got ya, cap... We’re out of here", she smiled at him.

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and looked over to his captain and Frannie.

They knew Cap was really just giving them a much needed and earned vacation, that they weren't really being made to leave, but they also knew that they were going to.

"SEE YA!" he said. Harry and Frannie watched them as they walked through the palm doors.

It was Frannie who said out loud what her husband had already figured out earlier that morning.

"They're doing it." she said

Harry looked at her in shock. What she had just said was the last thing he wanted to get out, to become common knowledge.

"No, they're not" he lied.

"Are too... And you know it" she said back, smiling.

"Yeah... I know it.... But I shouldn't... I'd have to separate them if I did." Frannie nodded, agreeing with him.

"I think it's wonderful. I'm happy for them... They belong together, Heschy.... You know that too. "She said to her husband, convincing him that he was doing right, by allowing them to remain as partners.

'Yeah, Frannie, I do." he said, still hoping that the choice he had made was the right one.

"Come on... I'm taking you to lunch."

They had gone to Sanibel together, that very day together. Chris dropped Rita off at her place to pack, while he went to his. He had taken longer then he should have, and Rita was beginning to grow impatient. She couldn't wait to get him to Sanibel, to show him all that she loved about the place.... And to show him all that she loved about him as well, she thought to herself, smiling. Finally Chris arrived to pick her up. He put her suit cases in the trunk, and escorted her to the passengers side, where a huge package sat on the seat, proudly proclaiming itself FOR RITA on it's tag.

"This is for me?" she asked surprised

"Yes... Go ahead and open it" he said to her, smiling. Rita looked up at him, a little confused, but began to undo the ribbon on the box.

"Chris... Why? It's not my birthday or Christmas or anything."

"Why?... Because I want to, that's why."

She took the lid off the box, and lifted the tissue paper away, revealing a brightly multicolored plaid jacket, with patches all over it. It looked like something a real clown would wear. She lifted it up, almost afraid of it. Underneath that, laid a pair of large bright red shoes, with bells on top of them. She burst out laughing now, finally getting his joke. Chris pretended to pout though.

"What, Rita... You don't like my surprise? I just thought I would be nice, and replace the jacket and pair of shoes that got ruined. I thought that instead of just getting you a blue jacket, I would get one that matched all your clothes... I mean , look at all the colors in this jacket... You shouldn't have any problems finding things to go with that."

They both burst out laughing now, and Rita playfully slugged him.'

"Chris... Please promise me , here and now, that you will never ever go shopping for me again!" she said , still laughing.

Chris reached into the back seat now, and pulled out another gift box, and handed it to her. She took it

"Then I guess you don't want this" he said.

She took it from him.

"I'm not sure if I want to open this"

When she did open it again she saw a jacket, and underneath it, another pair of shoes. This time, she loved them. They were exactly like the ones that had been destroyed. She was touched by his gesture.

"Thanks, Sam.... Really." She had little tears in the corners of her eyes. He just made her so happy, in so many ways.

"Your welcome, Sammy, but I did it for my own benefit. I really loved the way you looked in that jacket." he pulled her into his arms for a kiss.

After awhile, they both thought it best that they hurried to get to Sanibel, as fast as they could.