A/N: Never would have gotten this started nor completed without wolfmusic218. Truly. Thanks, girl, as always. :)

"I'm afraid we may not have a choice, Mr. Reese."

Reese shook his head. "I'll put Fusco on it."

Finch sighed softly. He knew it was a sensitive subject for John—her relative safety and well-being—but he needed to push his friend to see the bigger picture. "Detective Carter is better equipped. She has the experience, the understanding. And she's quite capable, in case you've forgotten."

John glared at his partner. "I knew this guy, Finch. He's dangerous. A hothead."

Finch nodded, trying to show John that he was genuinely hearing his concerns. "I understand, Mr. Reese. But if we've learned one thing, it's that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. You were in the army together nearly twenty years ago." He looked at John pointedly. "People can change."

"Nobody changes." He let that hang between them before walking back over to the taped photograph of Tom Chapman, their new number, his former army comrade. "If his number's up, it's because he's up to something. I know it."

Harold sighed once more. The former soldier did know more about Chapman than he did. "Regardless, we need to make contact with him, and since you're legally dead, it can't be you. Mr. Chapman just started attending a VA support group in Brooklyn. Sending Detective Carter in is the only logical option if we wish to get close to him." Finch studied the back of John's head. "She got through to you, didn't she?"

Reese clenched his jaw as he stared at Chapman's picture. Harold was right but he didn't like it. At all. Guys like Chapman didn't change. If they sent Carter in on this and something happened to her…

"John, I'll have ears on her 24/7. And you'll have eyes, along with Detective Fusco. She'll be closely monitored whether Mr. Chapman turns out to be the threat. Or not." Finch waited several seconds, eyes lit on his partner's rigid frame. He allowed his thoughts, only for the briefest moment, to seriously question John's intentions when it came to the detective. His stalwart concern for and interest in her from the beginning made Finch wonder if even John understood what he was feeling.

Softly, John asked, "Where is she, Finch?"

Recognizing acquiescence in John's quiet tone, Finch pulled up the GPS map. "Looks like she's on her way to work." Reese turned to face him and Finch met his eyes. "Better hurry if you want to intercept her."

Joss climbed out of the driver's seat of her black Charger, phone to her ear, and started to make her way through the packed precinct parking lot toward the side door entrance. She sighed. "Ok, Taylor. You can go. But I want you home by eleven…...That's what I said…..Okay, well, then, just stay home…Uh huh…..Yeah, bye. Be careful." She had about two seconds to lament about teenagers before she received a text. Across the street. Looking around, she spotted him. Frowning—he didn't usually lurk around the precinct considering he was a wanted man—she detoured toward the street, waiting at the crosswalk for the signal to legally cross the street. She soon felt awkward, standing there waiting, because he kept his eyes trained on her the entire time. Uncomfortable, she looked away, down the street as the slight wind hit her face head on. She could already tell something wasn't right, and she started to rue the day she'd agreed to work with that maddening man.

When it was safe to cross the street, she looked in his direction again. He was still watching her but this time she noticed he was standing in front of the precinct's closest coffee shop. In spite of its proximity, no one went there because the coffee and service were unimpressive. In a force of habit move, she looked over her shoulder before addressing him. She shrugged both shoulders to indicate her puzzlement. "What's up?" Wordlessly, he headed into the coffee shop and she followed, grateful for the reprieve, however short, from his scrutiny. He headed toward a pub table in a corner and they settled themselves across from each other.

"Coffee?" he asked.

"Not here." She waited a beat, noticing he was all business this morning. "What's going on?"

John leaned forward a bit, pulling a photo from his jacket pocket and sliding it across to her. "Finch and I need your help."

Joss looked at the military photo, expecting him to ask her to pull some information. "What do you need?"

"Tom Chapman. He was in my squad through '96."

She raised her eyebrows at that. "So you can't get too close to this one, huh?"

Reese nodded. "Not too much on him. He moved here in the last few weeks from Seattle. Never married, no children. He's been working in construction since his discharge. He attends a vet support group in Brooklyn on Chapel street."

Carter now understood why they wanted her instead of Fusco. And why John seemed on edge. His entire life was helping people, and he couldn't help a fellow brother in arms. "You want me to go to a meeting, see what I can find out about him."

John nodded again.

"You guys have any idea who might be trying to hurt him?"

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around."

She raised her eyebrows again. He caught her eyes and the force behind his caused her to lean back in her chair. She listened intently as he spoke measuredly.

"He was unhinged, Carter. Dangerous. Way too eager to kill. Probably still is."

"Court martial?"

"No. Honorable discharge. Somehow."

Carter looked down at the picture and nodded. They needed her help but, frankly, she didn't feel like dealing with any kind of craziness right now. Not to mention she had a day job that was currently running her ragged. She tried to tell herself that this was what she signed up for. And that if someone needed help and she didn't do all that she could, she could say goodbye to sleeping at night. But she wondered how far she would get with this guy. Maybe they should send Fusco in instead.

Reese continued. "I'll be around, but I need you to be careful."

She sighed. "I will, John, but I don't know how far I'll get. This is some white guy, possibly off-balance…..I doubt he's gonna want to talk to me."

Reese shrugged his left shoulder. "I did."

She looked at him and decided he was not being deliberately obtuse about this situation. "You weren't off-balanced. Just…...sad."

"You don't give yourself enough credit."

She shook her head, looking at the photo of Chapman again. "Still….."

"Say the word, Carter. We'll figure something else out."

Something told her she should let them figure something else out. But that something else would probably include John blowing his cover. She had unfortunately enabled the CIA to find him after his "death." This guy was small potatoes compared to them, but she was extremely averse to allowing someone from his past to find him again. Knowing him the way that she did now, she couldn't handle him ever being hurt again because of something she did or didn't do. After several moments, she brought her face back up to his. "What time are his meetings?"

Joss slowly made her way out of the small room following the support group meeting. They had all sat in a semi-circle, Tom Chapman sitting opposite her. In order to draw attention to herself—as if being the only black veteran and only woman in the group wasn't enough—she'd decided to play her part to the hilt and opened up old wounds, telling the story that had resulted in her receiving the Purple Heart. She'd told the story before, having attended her fair share of support meetings following her discharge, but it always brought those feelings back. She could handle them easily enough now, but she always needed to take a few moments to shake them off afterward.

Chapman didn't speak during the meeting, apparently choosing to listen instead. She had observed him as inconspicuously as she could. He looked every bit of his forty-five years and she wondered what kind of life he'd led following the military. She wondered what Harold and John had found out about him since they'd briefed her earlier that day. She wondered what John was like when Chapman served with him. She wondered about John's comment earlier, about her not giving herself enough credit. Just how low exactly had he been when she met him?

Not wanting this endeavor to be a bust, she needed to at least attempt to make direct contact with Chapman and see if he was open to conversation. See if there was more John in him than she thought. She glanced back into the room and saw that he was engaged in conversation with two other group members. She wandered along the hallway just outside the door, cell phone in her hand as she opened the camera app and surreptitiously snapped a few photos of the group talking before turning her attention to the bulletin board behind her. She sent the pictures to John and Finch even though their boundary-less asses had probably already seen them and everything else on her phone. But who knew? Maybe one of Chapman's support group buddies were involved in whatever was going to go down.

Interestingly enough, she didn't have to come up with a plan to "accidentally" bump into Chapman in order to get him to talk to her. He had conveniently slipped beside her while she was feigning interest in the announcements on the board without her noticing he had left his group. She looked over at him while he glanced at the postings.

"Joss, is it?"

She nodded when he turned to look at her. He was tall, probably a few inches past six feet. Muscular build. Graying brown hair. Sad eyes. "I didn't catch your name."

"Tom."

"Nice to meet you." She turned back to the board.

"Likewise. You know, we don't get too many women in the group."

She smiled. "I could tell."

"How was it?"

She shrugged her shoulder. "Not bad. I've been to some before. They're all pretty much the same. Been to one you've been to them all." She watched as he nodded. "What about you? How long have you been coming here?"

"Few weeks. Just moved to New York."

"Really. Where you from?"

"Seattle."

"Hmm. Pretty far. Did you have family here or….?"

He shook his head. "No." Then he turned to her. "You from here?"

"Originally? No. But I've been here since I was eighteen."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a lawyer." He nodded and she noticed the surprise he tried to tamp down. "You?"

"Well, I was in construction. Still looking for something here."

New in town and unemployed. That could sometimes spell trouble. He surprised her with his next question.

"Will you be coming to the next meeting?"

Either he was starved for some estrogen in the group or he was interested in knowing more about her. John's words came back to her again. You don't give yourself enough credit. The next meeting was in a week. They'd be finished with this case by then. "Not sure." She watched him nod. "Hey, listen, uh….If you need someone to show you around town, you can give me a call. I'm a pretty good tour guide." She got a smile out of him then and watched as he took his phone from his pocket. After giving him her burner phone number, he dialed it so that she would have his. She bluejacked his phone once he put it back in his pocket.

"Are you free tonight?"

Here we go, she thought. "What do you have in mind?"

"Maybe you can show me a few sights."

She made a show of considering it. "Okay. I'll text you an address. Wear something warm."

Reese sat in his car along the street and sighed in irritation. Chapman sounded normal enough, but John wasn't naive enough to believe the trigger-happy man he'd served with had changed. Carter was only supposed to get close enough to get information that would stop the threat against him, or the threat he posed. Chapman was not supposed to be coming onto her or inviting her on a date. Or learning the story about her Purple Heart before he did.

He tapped his earpiece. "Well, looks like we've all got a date tonight, Finch."

"She's good, Mr. Reese," Finch responded, admiration in his tone.

"Yeah." Too good.

"He may, however, be lying, John."

Reese sat up straighter in his seat.

"He said he didn't have any family in town. He has an uncle and a cousin. They both live in Queens."

Reese watched as Carter and Chapman exited the VA building. "Wonder what he's hiding…."

"Possibly nothing. Perhaps they aren't close, so he felt they weren't worth mentioning."

They both stopped speaking to resume listening in on Carter and Chapman.

"Where are you staying?" Joss stopped a few cars down from her own.

Chapman looked down the street. "A few blocks from here. Staying with a friend until I get back on my feet."

"Good friend."

He nodded but didn't say anything further.

She noticed his wince and the flash of distaste on his features. She nodded toward her car. "Well, I gotta get going. I'll see you tonight."

He nodded and smiled. "Look forward to it."

She returned the smile and headed toward her car. Chapman was standing there, waiting to see her off, so she avoided glancing in John's direction. Putting the car in drive, she peeled away from the curb and headed back toward the precinct.

Reese watched as Carter drove away, turning his attention back toward Chapman. "Did you know about the roommate, Finch?"

"No. And as you'll recall, the home address I found for him is not a few blocks from there. Detective Carter was able to clone his phone. He's texting someone as we speak."

Chapman was up to something. Reese had no idea what it was, but he was definitely up to something. "He's on foot. Wherever he's going now, it must not be far." Reese got out of his vehicle and began to follow him, looking down at his phone at Chapman's texts that Finch's software was forwarding. "Who's he texting?" He crossed the street, increasing the distance between Chapman and him.

"Give me a moment, Mr. Reese."

John's phone beeped. It was Carter. "Nice work, Carter."

"Where's he heading?"

"Not sure yet. He's on foot."

"Maybe to his friend's place?"

"Possibly. Finch has a home address for him, but it's not nearby like he said. It's in lower Manhattan."

"Hm. When he told me where he was staying, he kind of hesitated when he mentioned the friend. Like maybe the friend isn't that much of a friend."

Finch beeped in. "Hang on a second, Carter. Finch?"

"He's texting a phone registered to a Ron Kubik. Mr. Kubik's address is indeed a few blocks from there."

Reese looked back down at the texts. Chapman had asked Kubik where he was. Kubik responded that he was at work. Chapman texted ok and the correspondence ended. "We need to look into Kubik, then, Finch. And Chapman's uncle and cousin."

"Already on it, John."

Switching back to Carter, John brought his attention back to Chapman. "Carter, Chapman just texted someone by the name of Ron Kubik. His address is a few blocks away. That's probably where he's headed."

Carter maneuvered around a delivery truck. "I'll run him through the database when I get back."

"What time are you meeting him tonight?"

"Probably around seven."

"Where?"

"I'm thinking Battery Park. Maybe we'll do a statue cruise. And hopefully he'll be in a talking mood. If he's planning anything, it probably won't be tonight since he agreed to meet with me."

"I'll be nearby."

"I know."

"Carter?"

"Yeah?"

"Stick close to Lionel today. I may not be able to have eyes on Chapman all day."

If he could see her, he would have seen her roll her eyes and shake her head. "Be careful, John."

"See you tonight."

At a little past six in the evening, Joss closed her front door and headed down the steps toward her car. She had already texted Chapman to meet her at the park and spoken to John. He'd spent the day following their person of interest while Finch looked into his supposed roommate and relatives in Queens. Purse over her shoulder and keys in hand, she assumed John would be following Chapman all the way to the meeting point. However, when she glanced towards her car, there he was leaning against it, waiting for her. "What's up? Case solved?" she half jokingly questioned as she made her way over to stand in front of him.

"You strapped up?"

She gave him her best Do I look like this is my first rodeo? look in response.

John noted she was in jeans, low-heeled boots, and a motorcycle jacket. She looked enticing, which was the point he knew, but it heightened his unease for some reason. Out of her work clothes she seemed….more vulnerable. To settle his nerves, he fired off a series of instructions. "I'll be close by. You'll see me. Anything happens, just give me a few seconds. If we get separated, end the date. Tell him you got a text, need to make a phone call, something. But leave."

She didn't know why he was telling her all this. It really wasn't her first rodeo. But she nodded anyway because he was waiting for an affirmative response and didn't look like he was in the mood for anything less. In fact, his on edge nerves were making hers follow suit. John didn't rattle easily, if at all, and she wondered what she was missing. "We're gonna be in public. What do you think is gonna happen? What did he do?"

Reese knew she was referring to his and Chapman's army days. He looked away. "He was just...one of those guys. There because he wanted to kill people. Pretty sure he murdered some civilians, but I couldn't prove it." He turned back to her and shrugged his shoulder. "And you didn't go against your brothers."

She nodded. "Okay." She decided not to tell him that people can change, that Chapman might be attending vet support groups for a reason, and that he still may be a potential victim and not out to get anyone. Because, again, John didn't look like he was trying to hear any of that. "But you know I'll be fine. You got my back, right?" She got a small smile out of him and it made her feel better.

"Always." He spoke the single word softly, feeling the weight that came with it. He'd always had her back, yes, but the current circumstances increased the pressure, along with her expectations of it.

Carter smiled back at him. He got her into extra trouble all the time, but she never felt alone anymore. Always felt she had someone she trusted that she could turn to no matter what. Still, she always wondered why he chose to insert himself into her life. Her so-called "moral compass" couldn't have been all there was to it. Not needing her thoughts to go there, she looked at her phone to see the time. "Time to go if we're gonna get there early." She looked back up at him. "Need a ride?"

He shoved himself away from her car and turned to open the door for her. She slid past him and settled into the driver's seat. He closed her door and stood there expectantly so she turned the key in the ignition and rolled down the window.

He placed his hands on the car door. "I'll be right behind you."

She thought that he probably should have been right behind Chapman in case something happened. She doubted he'd sent Finch to do it. "Who's watching Chapman?"

He shrugged. "I was." He knew that she knew he could've called and told her everything he'd just told her in person. But she didn't say anything and he felt his attachment to her cement further.

Carter swallowed her questioning thoughts, set her foot on the brake, and put the car in reverse. "No speeding, John."

He let go of the car door. "Be careful, Detective." He backed away from the car and watched as she pulled out of the driveway before switching into his work mode and jogging toward his car a block down the street.

"Any kids?" Joss took a sip of her champagne as she sat across from Chapman on the Statue of Liberty cruise. It was an hour-long boat ride and she hoped the time, and the alcohol, would get him to open up. She didn't see John and assumed he had situated himself somewhere behind her trying not to look too conspicuous since he was alone and most people were here with friends and loved ones.

Chapman shook his head. "No. Just never happened for me. You?"

"One. My daughter, Taylor."

Chapman nodded. "How old?"

"Fifteen."

"Dad your ex?"

It was her turn to nod. "What about you? Ever been married? Long term things?" Carter knew these were questions they already had the answer to, but she hoped they would ease him into answering questions she wouldn't think to ask.

He turned to look out at the water. "Almost….once…."

She waited for him to elaborate. Instead, he turned back to her with a question of his own.

"I never asked. What kind of a lawyer are you?"

"Family law. It's about as depressing as criminal law." She shuddered for effect. "The stuff you see…."

Chapman nodded. "I can imagine."

"It's amazing….the things people do to hurt one another….especially the ones they're supposed to love the most." She watched his reaction carefully, looking for an opening. She knew he'd lied about not having any family in town, and had changed the subject when she asked about his past relationships. She didn't know why she thought it, but his closed-offness reminded her a lot of John, whose presence she still felt even though she couldn't see him.

Chapman nodded to himself as he looked out at the scenery again. "No argument there."

Was that a hint of bitterness she detected in his voice?

"What made you decide to be a lawyer, Joss?"

She bristled at the subject change again. "Money." She smiled at him when he faced her and they shared in the brief mirth. "Well that and….I wanted to help people. Seemed a lot safer than being in the desert on enemy ground…." She again watched for his reaction. To see any glimpse of the man John had described. "...having to kill people….not knowing if they're terrorists or….innocent civilians."

Chapman shifted in his seat and took another sip of his champagne. He cleared his throat. "War is hell."

"That it is." Silence befell them and Carter turned to look at the scenery that she'd seen several times before. Chapman was a hard nut to crack, but she was an interrogator and could never turn it off. His body language was telling the story.

Starting to feel like a dog with a bone, Carter dug for more. "You haven't told me why you left Seattle. I've been once. Visited a friend. Nice city. Too overcast and too much rain, but I liked it."

He shrugged. "I just needed a change." He suddenly made a move to get up from his seat. "Can we make our way up to the upper deck? Better views there probably."

"Okay." Joss grabbed her bag and took his proffered hand, letting him help her out of her seat. Unable to help herself, she took the opportunity to glance behind where she'd been sitting and spotted the back of John's head four tables back on the opposite side of the vessel. Chapman waited for her to walk ahead of him and she maneuvered around the small group of people, two things at the forefront of her mind: Seattle was off limits and a past love had probably hurt him. Maybe the threat had nothing to do with anyone in New York. Maybe it had everything to do with Seattle.

Reese stood alongside the rail at the top of the boat, frustration looming on the outskirts of his mind. "Finch, we need to look into Seattle. Something's there. If we can find out why he left, that might be the key." He glanced quickly over to Joss and Chapman, who were standing a little too close to one another. It had been less than twenty-four hours, but he was already beyond annoyed with this case. He did not like sending Carter out in the field and they were coming up empty on solid leads. He hadn't been able to find the roommate yet, and Fusco's trip out to see Chapman's uncle and cousin revealed that they hadn't been in contact with him in over twenty years. Seattle was important, but who, what, and why?

Carter rolled her eyes as she leaned against the boat's railing. "Why do men always ask that?" Maybe she was falling a little out of character, but she'd always hated that question. Chapman had asked her why she was single, like she had the power to make any man she wanted fall in love with her and be her perfect mate. He laughed, trying to play it off. "Why are you single?" She lobbed the question back at him, hoping he'd give them something. The boat ride was coming to an end finally, thankfully. Lying and keeping the lies straight for an extended period of time was exhausting, and Chapman was standing a little too close for her comfort, too.

Reese shifted slightly where he stood, remembering the time he'd asked her if she'd ever thought about moving on, interested a little more than he should be in this exchange.

"I asked you first."

Joss rolled her eyes again, deciding she'd better give him something a little honest. Perhaps she'd get something with some depth in return. She looked out over the water. "I watched this movie on Netflix the other day. There was this line. Something like: 'They say people build up walls just to see if someone will care enough to tear them down.'** Reminded me of a…..friend of mine. Then I started to think about myself." She shrugged. "Maybe that's why." She paused for effect. "After you've been hurt once…."

The boat docked and people began filing out. Carter walked beside Chapman as they filed down the steps, wondering if John was already below or somewhere behind them. The friend she was talking about was him, and she wondered if he'd figured it out. She glanced at her companion. "Your turn."

He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I guess we've all been there. That one hurt you just can't get past…."

She nodded. "Yeah…."

"The ex-husband?"

Bingo. She took the opening. "Yeah. Yours?"

He didn't say anything for awhile and she could sense his immense hesitation. He was probably regretting his leading question. They'd reached the bottom of the boat and were waiting in a quickly moving line to exit.

She urged him on. "She must have really done a number on you, Tom."

He sighed. "My ex. I met her after my discharge."

"How long were you together?"

"Not long really. Two years."

"You messed it up, didn't you?"

"No. She did."

A chill. She felt one right then. His demeanor and voice changed for only a few seconds but it took her aback. She desperately wanted to ask the woman's name, but she didn't want to tip him off to her fishing. "Patrick did, too. Well, I used to think that way. It takes two I guess. Maybe I pushed him too much. I don't know. Something made him look elsewhere for what he wasn't getting at home."

"Well, we're a pair. Diane cheated on me, too."

Carter noticed he'd relaxed quickly—too quickly. People who went from hot to cold like that made her nervous. But she hoped the first name they'd just gotten was enough for Finch to go on. It would be difficult from 3000 miles away, but if anyone could do it, Finch could.

They walked through Battery Park, sticking to lighthearted conversation. Again, she was comforted by the sense of being followed, and relieved that the evening was over. If Chapman wanted to get a drink somewhere, she'd ask him for a rain check because she had work in the morning.

When they reached the park's entrance, she stopped walking and looked up at him. "Well, what'd you think? Classic New York City."

Chapman nodded to himself. "Not bad." Then he met her eyes. "I think the company made it better, though."

Reese followed them, listening to Finch tell him what he already knew—that it would be difficult to find out who Diane was without a last name. A Diane who may or may not still be in Seattle. And may or may not be involved in this damn case. He kept walking past them when they stopped.

Carter ignored Chapman's statement, smelling John's cologne as he casually walked by. "Did you drive?"

"Yeah. I can walk you to your car, though."

She readjusted her purse on her shoulder. "Actually, I left it midtown, took the subway. Way cheaper than parking here." She pointed to the nearby subway station.

"Okay. I'll walk you to the station."

Reese beat them there by half a minute, making his way past the turnstiles, down the stairs, and waiting for them by the tracks. He saw them enter the concourse, still listening to their small talk, and it struck him again like it did on occasion. The reminder that he was attracted to Carter, followed by the urge to suppress it. Just looking at her, she had a beautiful, magnetic soul. A light that seemed to emanate from her at all times, even though she was a homicide detective who dealt with senseless death on a daily basis. And it didn't help at all that, on the surface, she was just a sexy woman. Her confidence, her competence. The way she carried herself. Brown skin that looked soft as silk, curves he itched to hold.

He hoped Chapman wouldn't try to kiss her goodnight, but his hope was soon dashed. He swallowed and looked away, feeling his body become rigid. It was a public place and a "first date", so the kiss was brief, but John noticed his jaw painfully clenching and forced himself to take slow breaths until his muscles relaxed.

The subway car arrived and Reese waited until Carter said goodbye to Chapman and entered before he stepped through the next set of doors. He stood, his hand holding onto the vertical pole until the car began to move. Then he made his way back to where she had found a seat and sat beside her.

Carter turned to look at him. "What'd you think?"

"He's running from something. But I don't know if it's related to whatever he's mixed up in."

She nodded and faced forward. "He's real bitter about this Diane, that's for sure. I got this uncomfortable vibe when he brought her up." She turned to him again. "Did you find his roommate yet?"

He sighed. "No. I'm going back to his apartment, see if he's shown up yet."

They had reached the next stop.

"You getting off here, then?"

He stood up, missing the warmth of sitting so close to her and lamenting the fact that he had to leave her so soon. But the faster they put the pieces together, the sooner he'd be able to relax. "Yeah. I'll be in touch."

She watched as he beat a hasty retreat and felt a pang of loneliness before she berated herself and took out her phone to pass the time.

**CRU (2014)

~TBC