He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when she was held a gunpoint, da a deranged serial killer, he had her back as a partner. His cuore raced like an 808, pounding inside his chest. His palms were sweaty as the gripped his gun, trembling at arms length, ready to fuoco anytime. The fear in her eyes as the killer buried the gun deeper and deeper into her neck, threatening to pull the trigger at any secondo worried him. Because she was his friend, his partner. Nothing more.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when she was sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza back in the squadroom he was relieved, because he didn't have to break in a new partner. He smile that reassuring smile, to let her know that he always had her back and his eyes gleamed because he knew they were best friends. A friendly hug let her know that he would always be around to help if she was ever in need. Because she was his partner and friend, nothing più nothing less.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when she realised she had been part of the Special Victims Unit long enough, he gave her a parting hug and a warm goodbye. A tear welled as he realised she want going to be his partner anymore, but he didn't let it fall. He only wanted her to be happy, where ever that was. Even if it meant he wasn't there. He went to her farewell party, but left early. She brought her data and he didn't want to intrude. He drove her to the airport and wished her farewell. But he didn't stay long, otherwise she might not want to leave. In his final goodbyes he gave her a card and a teddy, to remeber him by. Chicago was such a distance from New York. But he wanted her to remember him as a good friend and an even better partner.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when he was offered to be reassigned with a new partner he declined, so she would know that he thought no-one could better her as a policewoman and detective. And when he sat there alone he thought of nothing but her and the times they shared together. Of her jokes and the way she would slip him a sly wink across the room when no one else was looking. Of the way she would high-five him when they caught a perp, o when she had a glint in her eye that signalled she had an idea. He thought of those moments because he had a great friendship with her and she was the best partner a cop could hope for.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when he was called at 3am da her, he was ready to listen, because that was what Friends were for. When she told him she was coming back to New York, because Chicago wasn't as great as it first seemed, he offered to pick her up because that is what good Friends did. And when he heard a man yelling at her in the background and her quiet sobs he told her he would always protect her. Because that is what good partners did.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when he met her at the airport, they hugged just like Friends that were finally being reacquainted. He grabbed her luggage of the baggage carousel because although he knew she was strong enough, he wanted to mostra that she had made a good decision to come back, because he was her partner. And when they pulled up at her apartment and he carried her luggage for her and told her that he missed him, which was truthful, and that he didn't want to loose her again. Because she was his best friend. His very best friend.

He wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.

So when she kissed him he kissed back. As a friend. Just a friend. Because he wasn't in Amore with her. Not at all. Not one bit. Nope.