Rubbing her temple as she exited the station, Ashley was abruptly stopped by a hand on her arm. She turned to find Gabriela looking at her intently. Clearing her throat, Ashley forced a cheerful grin.

"Lab queen!" Ashley greeted, trying to sound upbeat. "Surprised you're still here."

Gabriela frowned, her gaze drifting to Ashley's cheek. Without hesitation, she cupped Ashley's chin and tilted her face. "What happened to your cheek, Ash?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Blinking in surprise, Ashley laughed and shook her head. "Oh, this?" she said, waving it off. "I slapped myself—mosquito bite."

Gabriela tilted her head, unconvinced, and studied Ashley closely. Then, looping her arm through Ashley's, she steered them toward the parking lot. "Do you want to drop by my place? You could use a breather."

Ashley sighed and gave a sheepish smile. "I don't think I'll make it tonight, Gabi. But thanks for the offer."

Gabriela pouted playfully, then chuckled. "Fine," she said, smiling warmly. "But if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me." She stopped, cupped Ashley's cheeks, and, before Ashley could react, leaned in to kiss her lips.

Ashley froze, her eyes widening as she instinctively pulled back. "Gabi..." she murmured, her hand flying to her lips in shock.

Gabriela laughed softly, shrugging. "I told you—we could take a shot at this, right?"

Ashley chuckled nervously and ruffled Gabriela's hair. "And I thought I made myself clear. No, Gabi, we shouldn't. I don't want to risk losing a dear friend like you," she said gently. "But... thank you for the gesture."

Gabriela sighed, then smiled knowingly. "Fair enough. Are you heading home now?"

Ashley clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "Maybe. Honestly, I might need to stop somewhere first."

Gabriela nodded, taking a step away before abruptly pausing and turning back. "Ash," she called out.

Ashley glanced at her, startled. "Yeah?"

Without warning, Gabriela hugged her tightly, catching Ashley off guard. "I like you," Gabriela admitted in a rush. "No... I think I love you. But don't worry, I'm not pressuring you or anything. I just figured I should tell you."

Ashley gulped, unsure how to respond. "Gabi..." she murmured, hesitating before reluctantly wrapping her arms around Gabriela in return. She shut her eyes and sighed. "I'm so sorry, Gabi," she whispered, pulling her closer in a bittersweet embrace.

I can't choose someone like you, Gabi, Ashley thought to herself. You're amazing, but... someone else has been on my mind. Her heart clenched as her thoughts wandered to Mia.

Gabriela laughed softly against her chest, breaking the moment. "Why are you apologizing? You're not obligated to feel the same way, Ash," she said, stepping back and playfully tapping Ashley's shoulder.

Ashley reached out, wiping away a stray tear from Gabriela's cheek with her thumb. "I'll understand if you want to avoid me after this," she said, her voice low.

Gabriela chuckled, shaking her head. "I'm not going to avoid you, Ash. Like I said, I'm not expecting anything. I just needed to let it out—I've been keeping it to myself for so long." She smiled, her warmth unwavering. "Anyway, I should get going. Bye, Ash. See you around!"

Gabriela waved and jogged off to her car, leaving Ashley standing there, waving back half-heartedly.

Ashley let out a heavy sigh as she watched Gabriela's retreating figure. "It would've been so much easier if I could choose you, Gabi," she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with regret. "But I can't force myself to fall for someone I see as family." She paused, a rueful laugh escaping her lips. "And yet, here I am, having these feelings for someone ten years younger than me. Damn it, Ash." She groaned, smacking her forehead before heading to her car.



Burying her face against the steering wheel, Ashley let out a soft chuckle. She found herself parked outside Mia's building, staring at the faint glow of lights spilling from the windows. She couldn't remember what exactly had compelled her to come here, but the moment she realized where she was, her chest tightened.

"You're out of your mind, Ash," she muttered, switching off the engine and stepping out of the car.

Standing by a garden plot box near the parking lot, she started pacing, her mind racing in circles. "Should I call her? No, that's stupid. Why would I call her?" She groaned, running her hand through her hair. "God, you're embarrassing yourself. Do I need to remind you of all the chaos in your life, and yet here you are, acting like some hopeless fool over a girl who—"

"Talking to yourself now, Detective?"

Ashley froze at the familiar voice, turning to find Mia standing a few feet away with her arms crossed.

"Mia..." Ashley blinked, suddenly tongue-tied.

Mia's gaze darted around, taking in the situation. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice still carrying a slight nasal tone. "Don't tell me you were waiting for me?"

Ashley scoffed, crossing her arms in an attempt to hide her flustered state. "Wow. Someone's confident. What makes you think I'd be waiting for you?"

Mia smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, are you? You've been pacing out here like a lost puppy." She shifted the paper bag in her arms. "Anyway, I just came back from visiting the Pierces. Why are you here?"

"I..." Ashley cleared her throat, glancing at anything but Mia. "I know someone who lives here. You, actually. I was... just checking to see if you're okay."

Mia tilted her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "That's a lot of effort for someone who claims not to be waiting for me." She shifted the bag again, her smile growing. "By the way, nice performance at the market earlier."

Ashley's face warmed, her ears burning as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I didn't know you guys were there," she admitted, trying to sound casual.

Mia laughed again, her grip tightening on the paper bag. "Have you eaten yet, Detective?" she asked, her tone lighter. "If you haven't, want to join me for dinner?"

Ashley blinked, momentarily stunned. "What?"

"I'm inviting you to eat," Mia repeated, lifting the bag slightly. "Since you're already here, might as well, right?"

"Oh, uh..." Ashley stammered, swallowing hard.

"It's fine if you don't want to," Mia said with a shrug, turning away. "No pressure."

"Mia," Ashley blurted, reaching out to gently grab her arm.

Mia stopped and glanced over her shoulder, her brows knitting together in mild concern. "Something wrong?"

"Can we talk?" Ashley asked, her voice softer now. She looked around as if searching for the right words.

Mia studied her for a moment before sighing. "If it's something important, we can talk inside," she offered, gesturing toward the building.

"O-okay," Ashley stuttered, letting go of Mia's arm as they made their way to the elevator.

Her mind screamed at her the entire time. What the hell are you doing, Ashley? She's straight. She told you that. Plus, she's ten years younger than you! Get it together!

"It's a surprise you decided to visit so late," Mia said as they stepped into the elevator. Her tone was light but tinged with curiosity. "Very unusual for you."

"Sorry for bothering you," Ashley mumbled, lowering her gaze to the floor. "It's just... I needed someone to talk to."

Mia's expression softened as she turned to look at Ashley. "Well, I'm glad you think of me as someone you can talk to when you need to," she said with a warm smile.

Ashley felt her heart skip a beat at that smile. She scoffed quietly, shaking her head. "This is so weird," she muttered under her breath, her voice almost too low to hear.