"I know." she responded, just a little wickedly, to try and cover her once again darkening cheeks. It was just a little frustrating, knowing that she really shouldn't be reacting like that when he gave her a compliment. She'd known she'd looked good tonight, that had been the point. Ashton was simply pointing out the obvious.

"Thank you though."

He'd rented his tux to look like Bond. The old one.

"That...is astonishingly cute." She admitted.

"And I think you could pull off the whole secret agent thing if you tried."

"No problem," He replied. It hadn't been a problem at all. That was a good color on her, pink. He made a mental note. His hands gripped the wheel just a little harder as he focused his best on the road.

She took his admission and called it cute. He chuckled. "I don't think I could handle the secret agent life, honestly. Too trusting." He made a turn, after a light. "And I'd have to move to the UK. God and country, isn't that the line?" Or was it queen? "I prefer my burgers double and my twinkies deep fried."

Burgers and twinkies. Quin shook her head, "I'd hate to see your cholesterol." she said, but there was no malice behind the words, and a bright grin accompanied them.

"I do think Queen is in there somewhere, but you'd simply charm her right off her throne, I'm sure."

He was too trusting though? Quin tilted her head slightly as she turned to look at him in the car. "Overly trusting isn't ever a vibe I got from you."

"Suave, I could see. Definitely brooding when necessary..."

>> "I'd hate to see your cholesterol."

Ashton smirked.

>>"I do think Queen is in there somewhere, but you'd simply charm her right off her throne, I'm sure."

And shook his head.

And listened. And smirked.

"Suave, huh?" He asked. "You do realize I was kidding about the twinkies and burgers, don't you? Those are just things 'Merica is famous for having. Like apple pie. I certainly don't think they're reasons to be deemed 'suave.'" That said, he turned again, and took them into the parking lot of their favorite pizza place. He parked the car.

"Trust me, you're plenty suave without the twinkies and burgers. Don't try to swing it away from the burgers either, don't forget that I've seen the inside of your fridge."

She grinned.

"I've had the best organic apple pie though...you really should try it sometime."

This conversation reminded her of that night. Ashton had made her a BLT. They'd watched football. He'd been there for her and he'd been an absolutely perfect gentleman. She'd woken up warm and covered in her chair.

The car shut off, and Quin climbed out with much less difficulty than she'd had climbing in. It was chilly out, so she didn't want for Ashton, instead hurrying towards the door.

"Six cheese...here I come." she announced as she pulled open the door.

All he could do was smile as she talked. Oh, organic. Age old argument, but at least it tasted good. Her talking about it reminded him of the same night. BLTs, football. Quin's head, lolled to one side as she started her own personal pool of shoulder drool. It was a good thing he'd had a towel on-hand. Otherwise, they may have drowned in-doors.

He slammed his door, then locked everything with a click and pocketed his keys. He was in about one second after her. "Better be organic," He commented wryly as the door pushed air out of the way behind him, slowly slamming closed.

"Very clever." Quin commented, actually sticking her tongue out over her shoulder as she made her way to the bar. "Pizza is the exception to every rule."

Somehow there were already two beers waiting there.

"You're a God, Mike." she called, and the barkeep gave a nearly imperceptible nod of his head.

"I told you he'd take the clothes in stride..."

That settled, Quin took a long drink of beer.

"Yup...definitely better than cheaply spiked fruit punch."

Ashton took a look at her enjoying her beer as he enjoyed his, and agreed.

"Plus, we get pizza."

Without a comment from either of them, Mike turned on a game. Ashton shot a look his way to reiterate Quin's previous comment. God, among men.

For a while, that's how it was. Mike came by a few minutes later to get their pizza order, and Ashton and Quin kicked back to enjoy the game. There wasn't a lot of conversation at first because...well...beer and football. Once the pizza arrived though, and there were other things to focus on, Quin glanced over at her partner.

"We're a good team." she said, working at her pizza with a fork to get a piece and put it in her mouth. Quin chewed, swallowed, then continued, "Do you think they'll let us stay partners if I ever get my shield?" The, Would you want to. was unspoken, and the question slightly more relevant than one would think.

Some people like their pizza as finger food. Some people like pizza that's so thick you have to fold it over and eat it like a sandwich, Chicago-style. Some people like their deep dish deep, and like to hold it all in their hands. Ashton was of this mind. So while Quin worked on her pizza with her trusty fork, he manhandled his slice.

He chewed the question over thoughtfully while he, well... chewed. Jaws worked. Head tilted. Eyes showed the motion of a thought as it glimmered and churned inside a head.

He liked Archer as a partner. Quin was a hell of a good backup, for when one needed it. She would make one hell of a full-fledged cop. Would it hold her back? That was the question. Even if she was asking an entirely different one, that was the question he saw. As answer, he told her "You would make an amazing detective, if you decided to go off on your own. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a partner. Especially me." He smiled down at his pizza, bowing his head for one self-conscious moment. "The question is, what do you want?" He let that sink in while Mike wiped down a table in the back.

Ashton was so astute sometimes that it absolutely threw Quin for a loop. She hadn't exactly known what she'd been asking when she'd posed the innocent question, but he'd answered anyway.

Cheeks positively burning now, the redhead studiously observed her pizza as it sat on her plate. He said she'd be great on her own, or great with a partner. He said he'd be lucky if he was her partner. He said that it all came down to what she wanted.

What did she want?

The question hit home on a number of levels that were previously unknown, and Quin had to think...really think.

There were so many options. She could stay with MRC, but then again she could go somewhere else. Nothing said that she had to stay there, and there were mutant detectives who had been greatly successful in other parts of the department. She could go solo, she could work with a partner...and that didn't even start to deal with things outside of work.

"I don't know..." she said finally, so soft she didn't know if Ashton would actually hear.

"I haven't known for a while now..."

He heard.

"Well then," the cinnamon-scented detective noted. "It's a real good deal that right now, we're eating pizza and not making major life choices." And sipping beer. He did that, to prove the point.

Quin nodded her head and smiled slightly down at the pizza. Ashton was right, there was no need for things to get heavy tonight. They were just relaxing, watching a game, and eating some pizza.

Oh yeah, there was beer too. Quin took a deep drink of hers and set it down, then went back to the pizza.

"Since we're not going to solve any of the universes great problems...what are we going to do?"

"I thought that was obvious."

Ashton ate some more pizza. It was good.

"Although, just so you know. If you do go out on your own, I want to keep in touch. So don't think you going 'Career Girl Barbie' would mean losing a friend." That said, he tipped his beer back into his face.

"Fair enough..." Quin replied, as Ashton continued to make easy work of the slice of pizza in front of him. She did the same, only looking up when he spoke again.

The words were comforting...that making that kind of decision wouldn't mean the end of life as she knew it. Quin was pretty sure she'd always want a partner. Going it alone simply didn't feel like her kind of thing. If he thought about it, Ashton probably knew that too.

"Thanks..." she said.

"Well, whatever happens, it never would have if it wasn't for you." Hell, he'd saved her life...probably twice if they counted the day the house had exploded around them.

"I definitely owe you one...or ten."