*Bryan watches Marissa rifling through her handbag at a frantic pace*

Bryan: What are you looking for?

Marissa: My Claritin. My allergies are kicking up today. Damn Spring!

Bryan: Do you want me to go out and get you some?

Marissa: No. I bought a new box yesterday. I know it’s somewhere in here.

*Opens random pockets in her handbag*

Marissa: There’s too many damn pockets in this damn bag!

Bryan: I thought that is your favorite handbag.

Marissa: It is....just not right now. I know I put them in here this morning.

Bryan: You want me to go over and ask Stephen if he has any?

*Stares with wide eyes at Bryan*

Marissa: Are you mad? I’m not giving him any encouragement to come over here and talk to me.

*Looks over at Stephen who is laughing to himself as he reads through a stack of papers on his desk*

Marissa: Is it just me or does he seem crazy to you?

Bryan: It's just you. Compare to some of the people I've worked with at other offices, he's completely sane.

*Marissa studies Bryan thoughtfully*

Marissa: Maybe you were the crazy one.

Bryan: Hmmm....that could be true.
*At that moment a loud sneeze erupts from Marissa*

Bryan: Bless you

*Marissa grabs a handful of tissues from her bag and blows her nose*

Marissa: Thank you. I’m dying. My head is about to explode and my eyes feel like they have sand in them.

*Drops head dramatically on desk*

Bryan: Hand over your bag and I’ll take a look.

*Marissa clutches bag to chest*

Marissa: No! Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s improper to look through a lady's purse?

Bryan: Yeah. And? So? She also told me not to date loose women. Did you think I listened to her?

*Marissa stares at Bryan and narrows her eyes*

Marissa: You were dropped on your head as a baby, weren’t you?

Bryan: Either you let me look for the medication or I go across to Stephen. Either way you’re going to end up embarrassed.

Marissa: Have I ever told you how much I hate you?

Bryan: Repeatedly. Now what is it going to be?

*Marissa lets out a loud, long sigh*

Marissa: Fine.

*Throws handbag at Bryan*

Marissa: I’ll take Partner Humiliation for $200 Alex.

*Bryan takes the bag and begins the search for the Claritin.*

Bryan: Jesus! Can you pack any more shit in here? Sheesh! No wonder you can’t find anything.

Marissa: Hey! No commenting on my bag. Just focus on the allergy medicine recovery.

*Bryan holds an object up for inspection*

Bryan: Is this what I think it is? Why do you have a screwdriver in your bag?

*Marissa rolls her eyes at Bryan*

Marissa: You never know when you’re going to need that. I’ve been in situations where that would’ve come in handy.

*Bryan shakes his head sadly and goes back to rummaging in the bag*

Bryan: I don’t even want to know. Is this a roll of duct tape?

*Holds up roll and stares at it incredulously*

Bryan: Please tell me you don’t have midgets in this bag.

Marissa: Ha, ha. Very funny. Give me back my damn bag.

*Lunges for bag*

*Bryan holds bag up in air away from her grasp*

Bryan: Not so fast missy. There’s one object in here I’m curious about.

*Marissa looks at him nervously, hoping he didn’t find the secure cell phone Marcus had given her to use when she needed to contact him. When he gave it to her she had refused vehemently, and questioned him about where he gotten such a phone.

His only answer was: “There are some things I don’t ask you about your job, and I request that you do the same about mine.”

She was about to throw the phone at him when he continued: “I’m sure you don’t want to explain to your boss why you’re talking to the FBI’s most unprosecutable gang leader on the East Coast, and the fact that I’m not even your legal C.I.”

He had a point there.

So, she reluctantly took the phone, but kept it turned off and buried it in a zippable pocket at the bottom of her bag.

Out of sight, out of mind was the philosophy she told herself she was working with.

But unfortunately the more the phone was hidden the more she thought about it. She hadn’t told anyone about the phone and she didn’t intend too. She was not even going to use the phone.
She hoped.
Now Bryan was giving her an odd look and a heavy feeling of dread was beginning to settle in her stomach. She watched as Bryan’s hand went deep into her bag and came out holding a roll of toilet paper.

Relief flooded through her.

That was close.

Bryan: Seriously? You walk around with toilet paper in your handbag?

Marissa: We’re on a lot of stakeouts. You never know when nature may strike. Plus you know how weak my bladder is. I can’t do without going to the bathroom every two hours.

*Bryan puts the toilet paper back in the bag and hands Marissa the box of Claritin and a bottle of water.*

Bryan: You’re scary. And after viewing what’s in your bag I think I’ll take heed to my mother’s advice from now on.

Marissa: So no more loose women?

*Marissa pops out a tablet from the case and swallows it with a gulp of water*

Bryan: I guess so. Now I’m going to have to find looser women.

Marissa: And you say I'm the scary one? Ha!