As I Always Imagined

by longtallsally

Author's Note: This isn't really where I want it to be, but I don't know what else to do with it. Any and all mistakes are mine alone.

As soon as the show wrapped on Friday night, Maggie hurried home to get ready. She curled her hair and put on the fabulous green dress that had cost her an entire paycheck. She wouldn't mention that to Jim, though. She already knew what Mr. Thirty Dollar Pants would have to say about that. Maggie didn't care. She wanted this night to be special. She wondered if he would notice that it matched her eyes perfectly.

Forty-five minutes later, Jim was knocking on her door. He was wearing a sport coat, and he'd changed his shirt and tie. His usually floppy hair was parted and slicked to one side, as if by sheer force of will.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You look nice."

"Thanks. So do you."

He was bouncing on his toes, full of nervous energy, and she didn't stop babbling a mile a minute as they got in the cab.

Jim had made reservations for them at a swanky restaurant downtown on a recommendation from Charlie. He pulled out Maggie's chair for her, and then the waiter came over to get his approval on a bottle of wine.

"Uh, sure. That will be fine," Jim replied, because really, what did her know about it? He hadn't exactly gone to a lot of wine tastings in Peshawar.

Maggie smiled at him in a way she hoped was reassuring. Jim smiled back, and they made stiff, polite small talk until their food came.

The entrees were in French, the portions were small, covered in weird sauces. The conversation was strained and awkward. They were both on edge. Jim cleared his throat and tugged at his tie. Maggie kept brushing her bangs out of her face.

"This is ridiculous," Jim said finally.

Maggie looked up from trying to surreptitiously remove the walnuts from her green beans, startled. "What?"

"Are you having a good time?"

Her eyes widened. "Wh—of course!" she replied quickly.

"Excuse me," Jim waved the waiter over. "Could I get the check, please?"

"Is everything alright, sir?"

"Yes, everything is fine. We just have to go."

"Of course, Mr. Harper." The waited returned shortly with the check. Jim's eyes widened when he saw the bill, but he quickly hid it. He signed the check, and then pulled out Maggie's chair.

"Let's go." As soon as they were outside, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

They glanced around the street.

"Where are we going?" Maggie asked.

Jim looked at her and grinned. "I'm not sure yet. Let's go." And they took off jogging down the block.

They walked several blocks until Jim stopped in front of a diner that was still open at eleven pm.

"What can I get for you?" the waitress asked as she seated them at a booth near the back.

"We'll have two cheeseburgers with everything, one without pickles, and a basket of fries," Jim said. He glanced at Maggie for approval.

"And two chocolate milkshakes," she added.

When the waitress left, Jim and Maggie looked at each other and dissolved into a fit of laughter. Impulsively, she reached across the table and mussed up his hair. "There." She leaned back in the booth with a satisfied smile. "Much better."

Two hours and an additional basket of fries later, after they had taken turns trying to find the most annoying song on the jukebox in the corner, Jim was telling stories about his first job in Atlanta, and Maggie was laughing so hard that her face was red and she nearly had milkshake coming out her nose. Jim paused suddenly and just looked at her.

"What?" Maggie self-consciously wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Nothing. It's just… your eyes look amazing."

Maggie blushed and looked down at her plate, but she smiled because she didn't think she had ever been this happy.

As they walked back to Maggie's apartment, their hands kept bumping into each other until finally Jim grabbed onto hers and didn't let go.

"Well, this is it," Maggie said when they got to her door.

Jim smiled. "I know."

Silence hung around them, but it wasn't awkward like it had been at the restaurant. It crackled and vibrated between them.

"Well, have a good weekend—"

"So, I guess I'll see you—" They laughed.

"You go first," said Maggie.

Jim opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again. He held her gaze for several long seconds, then leaned in and kissed her slowly, sweetly. "I had a great time tonight," he whispered.

"Me too," Maggie whispered back. "It was as much fun as I always imagined it would be."

~The End~