71 What are you doing?

"What are you even doing here?" I ask Brian as I flop onto the loveseat.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?" He snips right back at me.

I motion my arms around the room, "Uh... I live here, dumbass. I was sent home on PTO since our temporary replacement office isn't big enough for everyone. I was the lucky one to get drawn out of a hat."

I cross my arms over my chest and purse my lips, narrowing my eyes at him. "Now, what are you doing in my home when you thought I was at work?"

"Lance asked me to stop by. I was out visiting a patient and he called to let me know about his case. When I told him where I was, he asked me to stop by and see if he left something here. I heard noise upstairs and went to check it out. I thought someone had broken into your place. Then you decked me." Brian lifts the bag of corn, flipping it to the other side.

"Here give me the corn, I'll go get you something else to put on it." I get up and hold my hand out, which he promptly fills with the bag.

I put it back and grab an actual ice pack to bring to him. As I walk out, Brian puts his phone away. I look closely at his cheek and eye again, before placing the pack on it.

"So... did you find what Lance needed?" I inquire.

"No. I did not." He sighs in exasperation as his eyes drift to the ceiling.

"What was it? Maybe, I can help?" I offer.

*Ding* His phone goes off and he pulls it out of his pocket. I catch a flash of the screen.

-Never mind, I'm sorry bro.-

"Well, looks like he doesn't need it, so I just got my face busted up for nothing." Brian huffs out.

"Brian, look, I AM Sorry. You were not expecting me, I was not expecting you. Be glad I was surprised and was not close to any of my home defense weapons of choice. It could have been a lot worse." I cross my arms, not going to let him keep making me feel guilty, even though I know it was mostly because his face was hurting at the moment.

He glances back my way, his eyes narrow but he rolls his eyes and sits up. "Well, I guess you are right about that. I need to get back to the office now though. Do you mind if I take this with me?" He lifts the ice pack from his face and wiggles it a bit.

"Go ahead. Least, I can do is let you take it. You want the corn too?" I ask, snickering as he gives me a dirty look.

"Nope, you can eat those later with your dinner. Enjoy your corn à la Brian." Brian gets up and I walk him to the door, suppressing a smile.

"I'm sure they will be delicious. Later, Brian." I wave as he flips me off, making me scoff, rolling my eyes and shutting the door.

I hear my phone going off upstairs, so I head to go grab it.

"Lance, honey, Brian just left." I start up. "So how did court go?"

"The judge ruled in my clients favor and awarded all requested amounts, plus some. The defendant owed more money to my client, that my client was not requesting to have paid back, but the judge felt that sufficient proof was submitted that she was in fact entitled to it." Lance is satisfied with the outcome and you can hear the confidence that laces his voice.

"That's awesome!" I praise him, knowing how hard he had worked on this case.

"So what are you doing home from work already? Did you enjoy beating up our friend?" Lance inquires.

I sit and lay back on my bed, groaning, "Your uncle sent me home. He said that I needed to discipline his naughty nephew for sending people into my home with out my permission. I could have gotten assault charges or Brian could have been charged with home invasion. What do you think is an appropriate punishment for all that?"

Lance chuckles, "How could he send you home, before the incident happened, with the intent to have you deal out punishment for said incident?"

I laugh out loud, knowing his quick wit would see through that really quick.

"Well, you caught me there. I got sent home for the next two weeks because they found mold from a busted pipe in the wall and are doing removal. Our temporary office does not fit us all in there though. We drew names and I'm the lucky one who gets PTO." I give him my best sultry voice, "However, you're still going to be punished later. You naughty man. I beat up an innocent man over your actions."

Lance chuckles, amused and obviously in an area that people are near by that he's trying to keep his composure, "I look forward to it, although I would not call Brian innocent." Lance snickers, "However, could you please go to my place for me then? I need some files that I must have left behind there. Could you go find them and bring them to me at the office so I can finish up my paperwork for my client?"

"Of course. I'll head over there now." I say getting up and grabbing my purse to head out the door.

"Thanks, Lirael. Bye."

"Bye."

....

Over at Lance's place, I'm searching high and low for these damn files. I call him to get the name on the files to check his filing cabinet and desk, unsuccessfully so I'm back to searching. I've been searching for the damn thing for over an hour and a half, when I call him back.

"Lance, I don't know where you left this file, but it's not in your office here." I inform him.

Lance hums, "Check the kitchen table or the coffee table?"

I keep him on the phone and go to check, "Coffee and kitchen table is clear."

"Check my entry way table, where I set my briefcase?" He asks.

I walk over and shake my head, "Nothing, you have your smaller soft case here. You want me to open it up and check it?"

"Please, darling."

I open it up, and find some files there and start reading the names out loud, "Grants, Bradley, Hooper, Gonzalez, Germaine, Vasquez, Chang, and Schorske. No, S. Prise."

Lance clears his throat, "Could you check in that OTHER room, please?"

I walk over to our playroom, and unlock the door. "Why would it be in here?" I ask as I go to turn on the lights. Flipping them on, I glance around the room, noticing a file sitting on one of the chairs.

Lance's voice goes down low, "My cousin came over and I caught him taking a non-member chick in there. He apparently took the key from my office. I might have set it down when I told him to take his date somewhere else."

I snigger, "Bet he loved that." I really did not care for his cousin, from his fathers side, Lucas. He's a cocky jerk, always trying to get away with shit he should not.

"No, he didn't. Trust me, I embarrassed him to no end. He's no longer welcomed on or around the premises." Lance informs me.

"Good for you. There is a file here. Let's see..." I trail off, reading the name, "S. Ike. Sorry, darling, this is not the right file either."

"Lance! We found the file! It somehow was gathered with the ones from our other case." I can hear one of his guys tell him.

I chuckle, "Well now that it's closing time... Shall we get together for dinner?"