His alarm screeching for the 3rd time woke him up, he stretched om the bed before flipping it off.

Throwing back his blankets he rolled to the edge to stand wincing and the sharp pain in his left leg.

His knee throbbing a burn slicing through the muscle in his thigh into his hip and lower back.

He sat on the edge of his bed feer on the floor wearing only his boxers and trying to breathe through the pain.

Finally he stood easing his weight to his left leg, then the right, then back.

When the pain had eased to a dull ache he walked towards his bedroom door pulling it open he was greeted to the smell of bacon, eggs and coffee.

He walked towards his kitchen assuming his meddling mother was here yet again.

He stepped into the kitchen and saw long black hair hanging well past a trim waist.

"What are you doing?" He asked his voice still coarse from sleep.

Nicole spun around to face him, a hand covering her heart.

"Shit, you scared me."

"In my own house?"

"Well, yeah but I thought you were asleep."

"I have to be at the station by nine."

"Well I have breakfast made."

"I might grab a shower first," he said wincing as he reached for a cup of coffee she was handing him.

"Is the pain bad today?"

"I can handle it. Must be a rainstorm coming."

She glanced out the window but didnt say anything as she scooped some bacon onto a plate for him.

He glanced at her bare feet, up her tan legs that were nearly completely covered in tattoos, the small denim shorts and black tank top her arm was an entire sleeve on one side.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked.

"Nah."

He gave a small nod, sipping the coffee she gave him before turning to head towards the bathroom.

He turned the shower on letting it heat up and then stripped his boxers off, careful not to look in the mirror avoiding the scars that covered most of his left side.

He wasnt vain, the look of the scars muddled together against his skin didnt bother him, but the reminder he was never going to be who he wanted to be was enough to keep him from looking.

The hot water eased some of the tightness in his joints and muscles but the result was nerves that were irritated and stinging.

With a sigh he climbed out of the shower, he wrapped in a towel ans stopped across the hallway into his bedroom.

Rummaging in his dresser he pulled on his boxers, socks, an under shirt his button up shirt and slacks. Finishing off with his tie and his badge he grabbed his belt and gun from the chair near the bedroom door.

When he reached the small kitchen Nicole was finishing up with the scrambled eggs.

"Thanks for this," he said as he sat.

"Your mom said the pain has been really bad."

"She's meddling and she likes to gossip," He pointed out.

"She loves you, she worries."

"Well, I appreciate you stopping by."

"I wasnt home yet anyway," she said with a shrug grabbing a peice of toast.

"You haven't been home yet? What time did you close?"

"The bar closes at three but I was there until after five cleaning up so I figured since it was almost six anyway when I was walking by your place I may as well just pop in."

"Wait, hold on...you were walking?"

"Yeah, my car is in the shop again."

"What the fuck? Nicole? You know better than to be walking at that time of night."

"Oh, spare me the cop lecture Dean. I'm not Liberty. I can handle myself."

She turned and began to rinse off some dishes he had been letting pile up in his sink.

He rubbed his eyes, every interaction with her had always been exhausting.

She moved from the sink to set a plate in front of him where he sat at the kitchen island. Bacon, eggs, pancakes and toast with a black cup of coffee.

He could see coffee grounds floating in the cup and the bacon was burnt beyond recognition. The eggs were rubbery and a strange color so he started with the toast. Cooking had never been her strong suit.

"What are you doing tonight? Do you have work?" He asked.

"Yeah,  of course I do."

"Can you call me? I can give you a lift home."

"What would dragging you out of bed at three in the morning solve? You work all day."

"Humor me."

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the sink.

"Nic,"

"I can have one of my regulars drive me home."

"Is that safe?"

She shrugged her gray flannel sliding off her left shoulder.

"Most of them are pretty chill dudes." 

"Most of them?" He took a timid bite of some eggs, forcing it down with some water he found to his left.

"Its a bar, Dean. Dudes get drunk and handsy its fine."

"Its not."

"I saw JJ there a few days ago." She ventured softly.

"My nephew JJ?!"

She winced the turned to face him drying her hands on a nearby towel.

"Yeah...I guess he didnt know I worked there. He came in with 2 of his idiot friends. He high tailed it pretty quick. I was gonna call you but...I dont think he will be back."

Dean sighed. His brother in law James was a drunken piece of shit and unfortunately his Nephew JJ wasnt too far behind.

"Hes a fucking kid." Deab muttered.

"I know."

"Had James been in?"

"Nah, he goes to the bar a few towns over. He steers clear of mine."

Dean gave a nod, why his sister insisted on staying married to James he would never know.

"Keep an eye out for JJ?" He asked.

"Of course."

He stirred his eggs hoping if he pushed them around enough it would look like he ate something.

"I...I saw the wedding invitation...on the coffee table."

"You went through my mail?"

"No I was cleaning up it was open...are you going to go?"

"To my ex fiancés sisters wedding? Hell no."

"She is marrying one of your oldest friends."

"I know."

"I didnt know you had an issue with Hillary."

"I don't but its like a 4 day thing in the city I cant take work off that long."

"Yeah what if a cat falls down a well and youre not here to save it." She said with an eye roll.

"Thats the fire department."

"Whatever."

He slid his plate towards her and stood grabbing his tan cowboy hat to settle it on his head.

"Just think about it." Nicole offered.

"What time are you going to work?"

"Not until late."

"Could you do some laundry? Please? I hate to ask but..."

"Stop, Dean...stop. I got it."

He gave a small nod heading for the door. He hated having help with day to day chores and for the most part he managed without but he never knew when a flare up of old wounds would hit or how long it would last. Lifting, turning and reaching became a personal attack and made those simple things agonizing.

Nicole taking the time to do some dishes and Laundry would allow him to relax when he got off work and he would be sure to slide her some cash.

It also eliminated having his mother or  sisters constantly underfoot babying him. They meant well but most times they made him feel useless. Nicole did a good job at waling the line that gave him help and allowed him his independence.

He climbed into the his issued sherif vehicle ans drove to the station already anticipating going home and crawling into his bed.

He would set an alarm at three, make sure he was outside the bar when Nicole closed. It was the least he could do.