To Logan's surprise, Ramos didn't leave immediately after their shower. He stuck around and they split the leftover fish tacos as an after-sex snack. As they sat eating, Logan couldn't help but feel a little curious about the enigma of a man sitting across from him.

"So, what did you think?" asked Logan, resting his chin on one hand as he leaned on the table. "Was it satisfying?"

Ramos blushed and nearly choked on the bite of food he'd just taken. Logan watched him splutter around with amusement. He'd seemed almost like a true alpha earlier, but now he was back to his same old self. Well, almost.

"I...it was," said Ramos after a moment. "I didn't think I'd feel...like this afterward." From the look on his face it was clear that Ramos was having some sort of internal conflict.

"Whatever's going on in that head of yours needs to stop," said Logan after a moment. "We're both consenting adults. We didn't do anything wrong. If anything, it's a crime against nature that you've never been with a man before."

"You don't understand," Ramos said as he pushed his plate away. "I don't think we can keep this up." He looked across at Logan with a serious expression on his face.

"It was fun, no one got hurt." Logan shrugged. "Why not? Do you want to do it again?"

"Th-that's not the point." Ramos seemed exasperated. "I'm a cop."

"So you've said." Logan stood and stretched. "But cops have sex too. They date and have kids and families."

"But not with criminals," Ramos blurted.

Logan felt as if he'd been stabbed in the gut. He looked back at Ramos and could tell that the other man instantly regretted what he had said.

"Look, Logan, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that, you're an informant and if someone finds out we did this it could undermine the whole investigation. The safe house, any chance of protection, that all goes up in smoke," Ramos tried to explain.

"Then why did you even come here?" Logan challenged him. He hadn't expected to get this upset about it, but his emotions were still running high from the aftermath of their sex. It's not like he had been ready to dedicate the rest of his life to Ramos or anything like that. He had wanted to get to know him more though and see where all of this took them.

"Because I don't know how to resist what you do to me," admitted Ramos as he rose from the table and approached Logan. "I've been trying, but ever since that moment in the soup kitchen I feel like I'm under your spell. I can't stop thinking about you. I want to be around you, near you. I..." Ramos took a deep breath before continuing, "I had your phone when I came to see you earlier, but I hadn't looked at it. When you asked me about it I honestly didn't intend to lie, but some part of me wasn't ready to give it up yet.

"When I got home yesterday and I saw it there...when I saw you...I wanted to find some way to claim you. To be a true alpha instead of the wuss I've been till now."

"And what? Now that you've gotten that, now that you've fulfilled that part of yourself, you're done?" Logan stepped away from him. He'd had one night stands before. He'd never had problems with arrangements that were "just sex" with no strings attached. Why then was this giving him such a difficult time? He barely knew the man standing in front of him. He didn't need this extra drama.

"It's not like that." Ramos looked wounded by the insinuation. "I don't want to end this before it even gets started, but I have to. Don't you see that? We come from such fundamentally different worlds that anything more than just sex between us is going to end badly."

"Then let's keep it casual. Just sex. No strings. No obligations."

Ramos looked away. "No one else can know about this," he said as he looked back. "It would undermine everything."

"It'll be out secret," said Logan with a playful grin.

"Fine." Ramos stepped forward and kissed his forehead. "We'll do this again sometime."

Logan thought he sensed some reluctance from the other man as he withdrew and began gathering up his things.

"Are you leaving?" Logan asked with a little pout.

"Casual sex doesn't end with cuddling, Logan," said Ramos as he glanced back over his shoulder at him. "We had fun. We'll have more fun in the future. For now, I should probably head home."

Logan said nothing as he sank down onto the bed and watched Ramos make his way towards the front door.

"Keep the door locked--"

"Don't answer it for anyone other than you or Pescado. I got it. See you later." Logan switched on the television and waved Ramos away.

The detective hovered by the door indecisively.

After several moments of trying to ignore him, Logan looked back his way. Those storm-cloud eyes met his and electricity flashed through the air between them.

Before Logan could react, Ramos had crossed the room and pinned him back onto the bed once more. Their lips met eagerly as they began to dig at one another's clothes again.

* * *

"So much for casual sex," laughed Logan as he lay, exhausted, against Ramos.

Ramos was laying beside him with an arm curled around Logan. The sheets were tangled around them as they looked up at the ceiling and relaxed in one another's embrace.

"I think we need to set some ground rules," said Ramos as he gently stroked Logan's back.

"Or maybe we just let this be whatever it is," suggested Logan, propping himself up on one elbow. "Don't try to define it or shove it into any one particular box. I get that it needs to stay a secret. So we keep it secret, but other than that let's just figure this out as we go. Okay?"

Ramos peered into Logan's face with a look of quiet calm. It was almost impossible to tell what was going on in that mind of his.

"Okay," Ramos said after a moment. Logan could tell that it was difficult for him to release control of the situation.

"So, Detective Fuentes, what's your favorite color?" asked Logan as he settled back down beside Ramos.

"What?" Ramos chuckled.

"It's just, I don't know much about you at all. I thought I'd start with something simple." Logan looked up at him with a grin.

"I honestly don't know," Ramos admitted. "I'd never really thought about it before."

"Then tell me something about yourself," prodded Logan.

"Um...I mean, there's not much to tell really. My dad was a cop and my mom was a nurse. They died when I was little. I was raised by my grandparents. I entered the police academy as soon as I graduated high school and here I am." Ramos shrugged as he looked back up at the ceiling.

Logan sat up slowly, the sheets slid down his body and pooled around his waist.

"What's wrong?" Ramos looked up at Logan with concern.

"Your dad...did he have a partner?" Logan asked softly. He was remembering what Lupita had told him the previous day. He'd intended not to worry about it, but Ramos' summary of his life sent chills down Logan's spine. Goosebumps prickled across his skin as he spoke.

"Yeah, but I don't remember much about him. I saw him mentioned in my dad's police records, but I didn't really look into him. Why?" Ramos frowned, "You've got goosebumps, come get back under the blankets."

"Do you remember his name?" asked Logan, ignoring Ramos' attempt to coax him underneath the blanket.

"Uh, I think it was Jorge something. Lucas? Lopez?" Ramos sat up and tried to draw the blanket up around Logan's shoulders. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"Jorge Lopez," said Logan, meeting Ramos' gaze and forcing a smile. His chest felt heavy and a chill had settled in his skin. "He was my dad. Lupita told me that she thought he'd been partnered with a guy named Fuentes and that I'd played with his kid a few times."

Ramos inclined his head thoughtfully, as if trying to recall. "Your name..."

"My parents weren't married when I was born. I have my mother's last name," explained Logan. "They were going to get married and get my name changed, but..."

"My dad and his partner were both killed in that hurricane," Ramos finished.

"My mom..." Logan's voice trailed off. Everything felt so surreal that part of him thought he was making it all up. "My mom was a nurse at the clinic. She was helping first responders down near the beach."

"Three nurses were trapped beneath an emergency vehicle when floodwaters surged down main street." Ramos had reached out and take Logan's hands in his own. He met Logan's eyes and peered into them.

They'd both lived through one of the worst storms to ever hit the island and it had taken everything from them.

"The only difference between you and me," said Logan, exhaling shakily, "is that you had family to take you in after it was all over. I went into the system."

The fact that they had both started out life under similar circumstances and had ended up on opposite ends of the spectrum, left Logan feeling shaky. Had things been a little different, how would his life have ended up? Ramos seemed to be at a loss for words as he reached out and pulled Logan into his arms.

They sank back onto the bed together, huddled beneath the blankets, and said nothing as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Morning dawned before Logan was ready for it. He felt physically and emotionally drained. His personal creed to keep the past in the past was being broken more and more lately. He didn't resent Ramos' more fortunate circumstances, but he did feel like life had sucker punched him in the gut.

He could tell before he opened his eyes that Ramos was gone. There was a note waiting for him on the table, instructing him to keep the door locked and...yadda, yadda, yadda.

Logan took a shower and put the hotel room back in order. He made the bed, folded what clothes he had, and did what dishes there were. It took him less than an hour to finish all of his chores before he flopped back on the bed, alone with his thoughts once more.

The familiar chime of his cell phone caught his attention. He glanced at the screen. Ramos must've input his number before leaving.

"On my way with Pescado. Aguado with us. Be there soon."

The message was equal parts warning and heads up. Well there was nothing to worry about, Detective Fuentes. The room was clean. No one was going to know that you were snuggling naked with your CI just a few hours ago. Logan smirked to himself as he tried to shake away the murk that had been looming over him.

He could always make himself feel better by assuming the role of incorrigible bad-boy. Making people blush and getting under their skin was just what he did.

* * *

"What are you trying to say? Beating around the bush like a moron isn't helping anyone. Just tell me what you mean." Logan folded his arms across his chest. He was getting annoyed by the way that Lacey kept skirting around exactly what she meant. She seemed less sure of herself than she had the day before. Her attitude was more reserved and she seemed to be reluctant to share what she really had to say.

Logan could only assume it was bad news.

The tiny hotel room was once again crowded by the presence of the two detectives and Lacey. Ramos seemed to be focusing on anything other than Logan. Pescado was his quiet self as always, and Lacey was uncomfortably shifting her weight from foot to foot as she tried to come up with a way to say what was on her mind.

"The fact is..." Lacey's voice trailed off again. This was the third time she had tried to start a sentence and failed. No one else seemed willing, or able, to jump in and help.

"Just spit it out already," said Logan as he resisted the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake her until she snapped out of the awkward spiral she'd fallen into.

"I'm sorry, Logan, but your services are no longer required," Lacey blurted. She met his gaze for a moment and then hurriedly looked away.

"What are you talking about?" Logan frowned. He was having trouble believing what she'd just said. Judging from the expression on Ramos and Pescado's faces, they hadn't actually known what she was going to say either.

"We followed up your lead," said Lacey. She took a deep breath and steadied herself before continuing. "We were able to scoop up the entirety of Julio's counterfeit passport operation. The thing is, the forgers have worked with everyone in Julio's organization at one point or another. It didn't take much for them to agree to give everyone else up in exchange for lighter sentences."

Logan swore under his breath. He'd thought the forgers would be a small taste of what he could give the police. A small, but critical, component to Julio's operation. He'd been stupid and hadn't considered the implications.

"The task force has withdrawn its offer for protection and accommodation. The room is yours until three o'clock, after that you need to be out." Lacey turned to leave the room. She'd delivered her message and clearly wanted to be away.

"Aguado, you can't be serious about this." Ramos intercepted her before she could leave. "He's taken a serious risk helping the task force out and you're just going to cut him off?"

"We discussed it and we believe that, due to how entwined they are in Julio's operations, anyone could have leaked the forgers to us. Because of that, we don't think there'll be any serious risk to Logan's life." Strangely enough, Logan got the impression that Lacey had been opposed to cutting him off like this.

"So that's it? He's out in the cold? Are you serious?" Ramos continued his objection.

"Why are you getting so worked up about this?" Lacey looked him in the eye, but it was clear there was no bite to her challenge.

"It's fine, Fuentes," said Logan after a moment. "They've got what they need. She's right, no one is going to be able to trace this back to me. Any one of those guys could've given up the forgers. There's no point in fighting it." He felt a bit deflated, but also strangely relieved. Knowing that he wasn't going to have to take any further risk had left him feeling a little positive.

"I've got to get back to the station. Thank you for your help, Logan." Lacey offered him a quick, apologetic, smile and left the room.

Logan turned away from Ramos and Pescado and began gathering up what few things he had. "I'll be out of here in just a few minutes. There's not really any point in hanging around."

"Look, I'm sorry about this. I didn't realize that's what she wanted to talk to you about." Ramos sounded apologetic.

"It's fine," said Logan with a shrug as he turned back to the two detectives. He forced a smile. "I'm out of Julio's operations. I've got my life and I helped out a little. I'm sure you two have bad guys to go catch or something."

Reluctantly, Ramos slunk back towards the door of the hotel room. He seemed to want to say more, but his desire to keep their inappropriate relationship a secret outweighed whatever else he was thinking.

The door to the hotel room swung shut behind them and Logan found himself alone once more.