8 The Party II

That early afternoon, Sam stood outside the address Marco had given to her assistant. There beside the wooden door was a sign that says,

'Jackson Detectives' below it was

'7 Eastbourne Rd'

Sam looked at the wooden door, on it, a paper that says, 'Walk in' was taped.

She entered the front door and saw a green door to her right, and a sign on it that says 'Jackson Detectives'. She made her way inside when she bumped into a curly blond woman that was going out.

In the small party, Levi scanned the redhead from head to toe, reading her. She was wearing black jeans and black boots, a black blazer over her red blouse. Her hair was freshly combed and still slightly damp, saying she was in a hurry, didn't have enough time to blow dry her hair for a social gathering. Or maybe she simply didn't bother nor cared what she looked like.

She had faint bags under her eyes, and a crease on both her inner forearm, clearly from doing paperwork throughout the night.

In her hand was a box, her gift to the Celebrant. Sam smiled at the familiar tall, slicked blond when she saw him approaching Marco and her.

Marco sighed in relief that his friend decided to socialize and not ignore the woman who had helped them in their previous case.

"Hi." She greeted Levi, "Hello." He replied, offering his hand, she shook it gently. "Oh, yeah. Marco, this is for your daughter." She said, handing him the gift. "Thanks so much, that's kind of you," Marco said, happily.

"It's a dress. I didn't exactly know how big your daughter is, I just hope it fits," Sam explained, while Marco opened the box cover and revealed a white dress, a printed name tag on the fabric saying,

Hi, I'm Dr. Liz Evans

Marco's lips curved up completely touched, he liked it, and he bet Lisa would too. "Thanks so much! It's fantastic! Liz would love it, although Lisa would argue she'll be a lawyer instead. Speaking of Lisa, my wife, I'll go get her for you. She'd been looking forward to meeting you." he said. Before leaving, he turned to Levi, "Levi, mind introducing her to some of our friends?"

Levi looked at Marco, glass still in hand. "Acquaintances." he corrected.

Marco rolled his eyes at his response,

"That," he said. He turned to Sam with an apologetic smile before he left the two alone.

Levi and Sam made their way to the table, where drinks were served.

"Long day at Guy's as usual," he commented, earning a chuckle from her as he handed her a drink. She raised her brows at him, "Thank you. And is it that obvious?" She asked.

Levi pointed at her forearms, "The crease on your forearm, you've been leaning on a desk for a long time and your fingers are slightly reddened from holding a pen. You were doing paperwork. You almost forgot today, but your assistant must've reminded you in some way, thus, you left the hospital in a hurry to go home to take a shower and change, resulting in your still-damp hair and minty breath." he explained.

Sam covered her mouth for a moment insecure, then smelt her breath as Levi watched, amused at her antics. "God. You're right, that's wicked." She said, taking a sip of her punch, hoping it will wash the tooth pasty smell.

Levi guided her towards the two familiar faces of Davies and Jones. Levi gestured to the two men, with a dull expression on his face. "You know Sergeant Davies, and this is Dr. Jones." he introduced. Dr. Jones, in Levi's opinion, was a subpar pathologist.

Sam smiled at the familiar short flabby man, offering her hand. "Good to see you again, Inspector Davies," she greeted, then turned to the thinly-bearded man Jones, her face contorted into a scowl. "Jones, how's your soon to be ex-wife doing?" she asked.

Levi and Davies exchanged looks, eyes bouncing from Sam to Jones.

"You know each other?" Davies asked them.

Jones opened his mouth to speak when Sam scoffed, "UNFORTUNATELY." she said like it was acid passing her lips, earning a smirk from Levi.

Jones rolled his eyes, "Didn't know you hang out with the living, Gray. With you hanging out with the dead all the time. I heard you've been sleeping in the morgue again." he said. Sam took a sip from her glass, then looked straight at Jones. "I do prefer the dead, they don't talk about useless trivial things, like you do. How is the Martin Case going, by the way?" she asked in a mocking tone. "Still haven't figured out the murder weapon, haven't you? Yet, again another file that's going to be on my desk soon," she said, earning a glare from Jones.

"How did you two meet?" Davies asked, trying to break the tension and discover the cause of their apparent feud. "She broke my nose and gave me a black eye in the Forensic Seminar ages ago," Jones revealed. Davies waited for her to deny it, while Levi wasn't surprised at all, he assumed she had a violent streak in her.

Sam laughed at the memory, "It was so worth getting kicked out. He groped my ass like the pervert that he is. So, who are you feeling up now? A colleague?" Sam suggested, and Jones's shocked expression was enough confirmation, causing her to laugh. And Davies to snicker and Levi to grin amused that she had a sharp tongue.

"What Bridgette saw in you, my mind cannot even fathom. And I'm a genius." Sam stated, taking a sip on her drink. Jones glared at her.

"You are an acquaintance of his wife." Levi thought out loud, earning a nod from Sam. "Nice, sweet smart woman. Horrible taste in men." Sam replied nonchalantly. "Hey!" Jones interjected.

Sam gestured to her upper lip, "Shave it, man. You look like someone who recently got out of prison."

Jones subconsciously strokes his thin beard, self-conscious. He had only recently started growing it out, but his moustache and beard were naturally thin. And it didn't give the effect he originally wanted, he also didn't realize he gave such an impression, but his mistress claimed to like it.

"Or a sleazy street drug dealer." She added, causing Davies to choke on his drink, he too had the same thought before.

"Scarlet for ya," Levi told Jones, a smug grin on his face, which basically means that you did something extremely embarrassing and should probably be disowned in Irish slang. And as a result, Davies cackled so loud the other guests looked at their group funny.

Marco approached the group. "Hey." Marco awkwardly greets, looking at Jones glaring at both Sam and Levi. Lisa looked at the red-haired woman a couple of feet away; she was simple and practical looking, no other accessory other than her wristwatch. Sam smiled at her kindly, and Lisa smiled back as Marco ushered her to his wife, with Levi behind.

"Sam, this is my wife's attorney Lisa Evans, she brings the bigger bacon home." Marco started, earning a giggle from the girls. "Lisa, this is Dr. Sam Gray, the one I've been telling you about." Marco introduced, giving Levi a sly look which only Sam missed.

Lisa offered her hand, and Sam accepted it, shaking it gently but firmly. "Atty. Evans, a pleasure to finally meet you. Congratulations."

"Please, call me Lisa, Dr. Gray. And thank you." Lisa said, mirroring the new woman's formality, earning a wider smile from her. "Please, call me Sam, Lisa."

Lisa saw the toddler in the corner of her eye, "Oh! and my baby, Lizzy. Here she is." she said, stepping away for a moment to take 'Liz' from Janet and ushered her towards the group.

Levi frowned down at the child, who was gazing up at him yet again. She had a particular liking of his slick blond hair, which she would mess up whenever she had the length to reach it.

Blue-eyed Liz turned to look at Sam, who knelt beside her, levelling with her eyesight. "Hi, I'm Sam. Happy 3rd birthday." she greeted, offering her hand to the toddler, which the child shyly took, and they shook hands quickly. Elizabeth soon after, like a ninja hid behind her mother's leg but kept peeking at her. Mostly her bright red hair.

"She likes you." Lisa commented, "I bet it's the hair. Children like bright colors." Sam said, holding a strand of her hair, and the four chuckled at this.

Minutes later, Lisa took Sam away from the two boys, introducing her to the other guests in the event. She dragged her to Mrs. Whitehall in the kitchen, Levi's trusted maid. The flabby older woman immediately took a liking to her, finding her proper, respectful, and even sweet.

The women chatted for a while, forgetting the other's till Elizabeth's wailing interrupted them.