Author's Note: This is a story that has been inspired by two songs from the group Lady Antebellum. Major thanks to Kuryakinsgirl who betaed for me, though if there are mistakes its all down to me. Don't blame her! :)

Enjoy.

I Need You Now

Chapter One: Looking For A Good Time.

He didn't come to places like this often. It was a place for those who liked plenty of drink and lots of people to purposely mingle with. In fact, he never came to places like this and he avoided them as best he could when not on a mission, yet here he was, sitting at the bar nursing a tumbler of whiskey and gazing out at the crowd of people dancing with endless energy to the live band.

The music was catchy, but he still had the urge to get up off his stool and leave. He swigged back the whiskey, feeling it burn gloriously down his throat and then slammed the glass back on the clear bar top, pushing it towards the edge.

Even though there were a few people trying to be served, the cheerful and lone barman took his glass, the five dollar bill next to it and refilled his drink without even asking what he wanted to order.

It was a rare break for him to have some time free away from the dangers of his job-he never got personal days off easily-but after what he had just been through, John Casey damned well needed it. His fingers wrapped around the tumbler, the glass cool from the couple of ice cubes clinking inside the dark swirls of whiskey, and he stared into its depths before turning his head towards the door.

The allotted personal day was a godsend yet he was curiously unsatisfied staying alone in his hotel room. He kept away from people mostly, especially the kind who were being so friendly and wanted to get to know him. Tonight, Casey was demanding that he enjoyed himself, in a way that he hadn't been able to indulge in since Ilsa….Damn, that was too long.

A few people, mostly women, he had allowed to engage in conversation with. Some of the scantily clad females were quite pretty, but not one woman gave him the urge or desire to get intimate.

Casey stayed for another drink.

After having some particularly interesting words with a bloke about gun laws-the man was eventually pulled away by his wife to the dance floor-Casey looked towards the door again.

He found watching people interesting when confronted with them in this kind of situation. Years of experience, of being wary wasn't something he could stop doing, so John constantly surveyed the establishment's customers, suspicious of who they could be and what secrets or potential threats they could cause.

The kind of people that intrigued him the most were the ones who arrived through the large glass doors, or the ones who left. They spoke volumes, for he could deduce why they came here by a mere look upon their face, by their body language, clothes and their company. Or lack of company.

As Casey took another sip of his whiskey, he noticed a group of five women walk into the bar, all smiles and bright gorgeous faces, beautiful skimpy dresses and impossibly high heeled shoes. These ladies clearly all worked together, they were friends, here tonight for a purpose. The jewellery and make-up, along with the already noted skimpy dresses, made it all too obvious what that purpose was.

Deep down inside him, the need for some female companionship was telling him to make a move, but they really weren't his type. Casey growled into his glass. This was pathetic of him. He took a swig of his drink and was about to get to his feet, when he paused.

She walked in.

At first, he thought this woman had come by herself, but when she joined with her group of friends, it made more sense. She was strikingly beautiful in the royal blue and black dress, it showed her perfect curves and just the right amount of luscious bare and unblemished skin. Long glossy spills of dark brown hair flowed over her shoulders, delicate wisps framed her face and the way her lips and teeth bit at the tips of her finger nails made him want to bite them for her.

She was breathtakingly stunning, literally. He choked even though he hadn't been taking a sip of drink; he felt his lungs actually having difficulty taking in air. His eyes locked and focused on every part of her with adoration and longing. The glass began to shake in his hand, he drained the remains and placed it on the bar, knowing that in a few seconds it would be refilled.

Unlike her friends, this captivating brunette was not excited to be here, she looked the complete opposite. This astonishing and beautiful woman appeared sad, withdrawn and looked incredibly uncomfortable. A couple of her friends hooked their arms around her and began talking with encouragement. Their support made her smile weakly.

Such a beautiful expression evoked Casey to produce a smile of his own. Her smile warmed him pleasantly. Casey wasn't taken in by young ladies' smiles, but there were the couple of exceptions. It looked like this lady was going to be the third.

So this girl's night was about cheering their friend up. She needed it and Casey, for the first time since he arrived here, was pleased he hadn't stayed at the hotel. He was more than pleased that he went against his better judgement.

Casey watched with appreciative eyes as she and her group walked over to surprisingly a spare table just in the far corner near the dance floor. The six women sat down and huddled together talking and, when one of them headed towards the bar, the rest of them began to console the brunette.

She was here to enjoy herself, but there was a fragility beneath the strength she was projecting and Casey began to have doubts. There was something worrying, upsetting her and he saw past the smile she was struggling to maintain. This woman couldn't be just another one of his flings before he took up his next mission, rejected and abandoned after a night of fun.

"Another one, old timer?"

The rumbled growl and killer stare shot back at the barman and it made the young man take a step back, nearly crashing into the optics display behind him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. But do you want another shot?"

Casey nodded and handed over his tumbler. The barman got his drink and other waiting customers protested at Casey being served before them, John turned his focus back onto the brunette.

As she interacted with her friends, slowly becoming more lively and comfortable, John Casey gulped down some of his refilled drink, hoping that more alcohol would dissuade further reactions that were now arising and making the stool really uncomfortable to sit on. He was being ridiculous, allowing a woman he didn't know in the slightest to get under his skin.

"She's a nurse or a Doctor, passionate, caring. No father or mother in her life from a young age, had to grow up her own while looking after a younger sibling…"

Ugh, sometimes being a spy and observing people told him too much.

Casey pressed his fingers on his forehead and rubbed at the headache but it wasn't doing any good. She was getting to him, soaking into him and eroding away at the barriers that he had put around his emotions. Spies don't let this happen!

The night went on, the beautiful medic woman brightened up, no doubt from the beers and her friends, but when she at last got up from her chair and joined three of her friends to the dance floor, his eyes hungrily followed.

His disciplined Marine and NSA trained mind was now yelling, Sergeant Major style, in his head to stop being such a damned ass. Reason and common sense was trying so hard to make him look away from the erotic sway of her body, away from looking at her hands grabbing at her hair and touching at her chest and hips…but the way she danced, the dress she wore was throwing all good judgement into the trash as the want, the urge grew stronger.

No more liquor. No more.

"Wow…she is beautiful."

"Hmmm." Casey responded agreeably, before turning behind him and seeing the bar man looking at the brunette. He scowled.

"I'm just saying!" the other man replied, as he expertly took several people's order and continued to serve the demanding crowd. "She is more than stunning, I can see why you haven't ordered any more drinks these past couple of hours."

"Why don't you just keep on doing your job and mind your own?" Casey snarled, turning his head back to the woman that was sending his whole body into overdrive. The group of women stood out amongst the dancers, but it was her that had his total attention.

When she circled her hips and bent down, her brown locks flicking over her face, Casey's whole body clenched at the sight of long well toned and supple legs. Her fingers coiled over the straps of her blue shoes around her calves and then they ran up the length of her legs and up over the rest of her body. When she straightened up, the music paused for a few seconds before the drum beat kicked in and she screamed along with everyone else in elation. The music reared up a notch in tempo and she began to spin, her smile broadened into a grin, her laugh exploded from her mouth and Casey nearly fell off his stool.

He caught the edge of the bar and ignored the giggles from some girls shoving and pushing to get served. The barman noticed his slip.

"She really is something, isn't she?" he said, after refusing someone when they had no ID.

He couldn't deny it. The woman who had been so sad, disconnected and fragile when she came into this bar was now, thanks to some booze and fun, much more relaxed. Also she was more vulnerable. Casey noticed that other men were looking at her, he saw how they tried to dance and get close to her and that made him angry.

"She is," he growled. "She shouldn't be in a place like this."

"She has her friends looking out for her. One of that group is staying sober, being the responsible DD. Why don't you go over there and talk to her? Why don't you dance with her?"

"I don't dance to this music."

The barman took his time carrying out a large drinks order and came back, just as the woman walked to her table smiling sweetly as she and another helped support the intoxicated blonde between them.

"What do you do, foxtrot or tango? Look…you've been glancing at her for hours, ignored and spurned all other hotties that have been trying to chat you up, so why don't you do what you came here for?"

"What do you mean?" asked Casey noticing that he now had two glasses of whiskey in front of him. He knew had drunk enough to make him pleasantly relaxed, but surely he wasn't at the seeing double stage. He knew how much he could handle.

"You're looking for a good time. Who isn't when they come here? But you, my good Marine friend… "

Casey's eyes widened but when the barman nodded towards the ring on his finger, it only proved that the barman was good at his job. Heck, Casey had been undercover as barman enough times, you had to be good at noticing things and hearing the right words in an environment like this.

"Any how, Marine, you like her. You being shipped out overseas soon I'm betting so this is your last night to enjoy yourself."

"Careful what you're going to say next."

The barman nodded and as he again continued serving people, he dished out the advice that Casey himself had been contemplating.

"More than anything, you're hoping to have that time with her. So get up, go over and talk to her. If her friends accept you…because I'm thinking they're going to be very protective of her. Get to know this woman, if things play out well, it may well lead to…"

"You think that's all I'm after?"

"Before she came in here. That and booze, sure. Now you are getting all…" The scowl and grunting snarl made the younger man back away again. "Okay not getting all. But do it, what do you have to lose?"

A lot if she wasn't who he suspected her to be.

With all of his experience, Casey was certain he could charm her, as he could any woman if it was called for. Casey was well aware that she was not just a "subject" or a "mark" for a mission.

Yes, he was here to have a good time.

He smiled genuinely as he picked up his glass and took a tiny sip of his drink. It might not end how he wanted it to, but if he didn't do anything about it, he would regret. Missing out on talking to her would be a terrible shame.

Major John Casey was about to get up and go over, but he really didn't need to.

This bar was packed. The band playing on the stage were very good and the lighting held the perfect atmosphere. At first she didn't like it, her depressed and bitter mood refused to let her enjoy herself, but after a few beers and some encouraging talk from Sophia and the other girls from the hospital, she found herself loosening up and having fun.

Ellie Bartowski was now determined to make this evening a good one. All the hurt and resentment and loathing was not welcome anymore.

She felt free on that dance floor, almost like she had been back in college. With the beat of the music and with laughs of her friends around her, it made her feel alive. Away from the hectic schedules of the hospital, Ellie allowed her mind to drift away from the argument she and Devon had had and went with the flow. The alcohol gave her an amazing buzz and when those men tried to come up and dance with her, she felt flattered and had giggled so much that eventually she had to sit back down.

Sophia had been drinking a lot more than she had and so Ellie and Alice helped her back to the table. She couldn't stop laughing, even when both Sophia and Hannah fell off their chairs.

"I think they ought to slow down." said Alice, the sober one of the group. "Or perhaps some soft drinks might be best."

"I'll buy the next round."

"No! This is your night, Ellie you diva!" Sophia said, getting back onto her chair and flattening her messed up blonde hair with her hand.

"That was some crazy sexed up dancing you did!" another nurse Rachel said, sipping on her bright coloured twirly straw. "Never thought you had it in you!"

"Me neither!" Ellie grinned.

"Ellie!" Sophia snapped. "We are paying for your drinks and we are going to make you move on! So, girls…Doctor Eleanor Faye Bartowski is not permitted to pay for her own drinks! She needs to move on! Find someone who knows exactly what he has when he has this wonderful brilliant and slightly intoxicated…M.D!"

"Soph…" Ellie took hold of her friend's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "I'm not looking for anyone right now. It's been a week since Devon and I broke up and I'm certainly not ready for meeting anyone new. Can we please just keep it to a girl's night, dance and have fun? We don't need to be looking at men."

"It's your night! You gotta look at other men!" Sophia grinned a blushing drunken grin and flopped her arm around Ellie, leaning her head against her shoulder. "Okay, you may not want to be looking at men, but one has been looking at you all night!"

"He has?" Ellie gasped, turning her head round to scan the entire bar. Sophie's face scrunched up and she pulled her head up from her friend's shoulder.

"I maybe drunk, but I still know what's going on…in a hazy view! That tall, dark and tasty has been sitting at the bar watching your every move! I swear his eyes nearly popped out when he saw you on the dance floor."

"Where?" Alice and the others looked round towards the bar and immediately Ellie saw what her drunken little friend had seen.

Ellie hadn't noticed him before, but Sophie wasn't wrong. A man wearing a black leather jacket and jeans was taking to the barman. He had a broad, sturdy and…yes appealing frame, dark brown hair and a face Michaelangelo could have chiselled from marble. He was handsome and had an air about him that screamed danger and excitement. There was also another sense she got off him, one she couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it certainly intrigued her.

"You going to go over there to talk to him?" asked Alice, gathering up the empty glasses and bottles that collected on the table.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Al…I'm not here to start chatting up other men, especially older…fine…muscular men that I don't know and who could probably kill me with just a look. I'm here with you."

"She's going to go up," Sophia said, sitting up straight in her chair and crossing her arms. "Trust me. She will."

"Erm, did you not hear me say he could kill me with a single look?" Ellie protested, though unable to stop smirking or take her eyes away from the man. "What if he's a killer? Some kind of axe murderer that would lure me away and…"

"He's not an axe murderer!" said Grace flapping her hand around. "I'm betting he's probably got the lamest job, working in a Buymore or something!"

"Oh please!" all the other five protested in chorus.

"A Buymore? Him?" Ellie laughed. "I don't think so!"

"Oh he's looking at you! Go up! Get the next round!" Alice, shoved a couple of empty glasses and some money into Ellie's hand. Ellie felt her chair being dragged away from the table and with a sudden jerk was tipped up to her feet. Ellie staggered a little and bumped into someone standing by the other table. She was startled at her friend's rather drastic and silly manoeuvre but seeing all of their faces grinning back at her, wide eyed and hissing:"Go on!" she eventually decided that she would.

They wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't.

She was going to talk to the man, but not for the reasons they wanted her to. She was intrigued by him, fascinated that she supposed she would regret it if she didn't at least get his name or find out his intentions.

Ellie was determined though to keep it just at that. No funny business.

Devon and she may have broken up, he may have wanted his "space" and "dude time" but there was always the possibility of him coming back. Wasn't there?

"I swear, if she doesn't get anywhere with Mister-jeez my ass needs a biting, I'm going to try!" said Sophia, making a grab for her half drunk bottle but falling off her chair instead.

There others shook their heads in dismay.

Ellie made her way across the room, avoiding the crowd and pushed her way to the bar.

The man was right next to her and somehow she couldn't bring herself to even look at him. In fact Ellie did everything she could to look elsewhere, at the display of bottles and optics, the glasses, the other customers all calling for the barman's attention. She felt a curious warm discomfort vibrating through her body and the alcohol she had consumed was making her cheeks burn. She wanted to turn to him, but instead she met the eyes of the barman. He was grinning like a cheeky teen.

"What're you drinking?"

Ellie felt her whole body tense. The voice directly beside her made a hot pulse flutter in her low down places and she felt something burst. When she finally turned and caught sight of those intense blue eyes, she could have died.

The throbbing within her was causing all of her skin to burn and flush, the man may well have been in his mid forties, but-oh my god!- those eyes, that voice…

"I'm buying a whole round," she said, feigning strength to her voice despite that this man, the smell of the leather from his jacket, was messing with her judgement more than the alcohol was. "If you wish to buy a group of drunk nurses some beers, then be my guest. My purse would be most grateful, Mr…?"

"John. John Casey."

He took his hand off the glass of whiskey and held it out towards her in greeting, smiling gently and warmly that Ellie almost felt herself gush once again.

"I'm Ellie."

"Nice to meet you, Doc."

She took hold of his hand and the feel of power in his grasp, the warmth of his skin as his fingers wrapped around the back of hers, it made her teeth bite at her upper lip. Her muscles tensed and the sweat slickened in their palms, squelching at the grasping and she had to literally force herself away and break the contact…lest she had another spasm.

Though finding her voice, clearing the lump in her throat, Ellie found some of her courage as well.

"What makes you think I'm a doctor?"

Ellie was unable to do or say anything, except tremble and clench her legs together as John Casey's entrancing eyes looked her up and down. It wasn't a leer or a creepy disgusting glare that most men had, it was intense captivating and holding. Ellie was caught in his trap and as the tip of her tongue pressed and held her top lip with nervousness, she could feel sweat tricking down her spine, slowly as if in perfect synchronization with this guy's eyes.

"You said your friends were nurses, but I don't think you are."

"You thought correctly then. A good guess."

"It wasn't a guess. I know. So can I buy you that drink? Name your poison." he brought out his wallet from the pocket in his jacket. Ellie was going to say no, but as she managed to tear her eyes away from him and looked back to her friends, she paused.

All of them had the same wide eyed expressions and were waving their hands in a "go for it!" motion. Alice was giving her the thumbs up and they were all giving her the okay to stay with him.

"I'll have a beer please. What are your intentions after I drink that?" she asked, defensively. He chuckled.

"Straight to the point. Understandable." Casey signalled for the barman and then shucked off his jacket.

Ellie tried not to look at the muscles of his arms or the expansive solid chest that was stretching the black t-shirt he was wearing. When he rose up off the stool, Ellie clenched her mouth shut to prevent herself from gawping like a complete ditz.

He was a fraction taller than her brother, but much more impressive in stature. His shoulders were broader, he looked powerful, stronger than a solid steel wall and his denim worn jeans showed that he was carrying a considerable…Ellie looked away suddenly.

"Well, I planned on maybe talking." He held his hand out to the stool, gesturing for Ellie to sit. She didn't. She kept her arms folded and gave him a quizzical eyebrow raised glare.

"Just talking?"

His eyes never blinked, they bore into her, gleaming with genuine sincerity and-Ellie had to swallow hard-there was an equal dark beckoning glint within the blue.

"Just talk." John replied with a genuine smile.

"And after the 'just talking?'"

"I was thinking on doing some more talking."

"Oh really?"

"Really." John ordered two beers from the grinning barman and when the bottles came he handed her one. Ellie tentatively took the bottle and sipped nervously at the neck. The cold fizzy liquid tickled her mouth and then slipped lusciously down her throat.

He wasn't doing much talking at the moment; instead,he was watching her with absolute fascination.

"So are you going to talk?" Ellie asked, entranced at the way his fingers gripped his own bottle and his lips sipped at the beer. "Or are you going to carry on starring at me in that…"

"I can talk. What do you want me to say?"

"Oh this is rich. You lure me here…"

"Lure? I don't lure." he smirked.

"Yes! You lure! Believe me you lure. You make me come over to you and start chatting me up, intending to ply me with more beer and then while I babble on you observe more things about me that you'll use to your advantage, no doubt in your plan to seduce me. Well, I'm not here to be seduced, Mr.Casey."

"As you wish. Now, what do you want me to say?"

"What do you do for a living? Are you an axe murderer or do you work in a Buymore?"

There was the sound that, just barely above the loudness of the band, caught everyone's attention. The barman nearly dropped some glasses and quite the majority of people turned as the man John Casey laughed. Ellie was nearly blown apart, astounded by that sound, which was then suddenly muffled by his mouth as it clamped over the neck of the bottle.

His laugh made her grin again, though she got the suspicion that this man didn't do it very often. Yes he expressed this extreme seriousness, he looked to be a man who wasn't the sort to goof around, but there was mischief in those eyes now, a daring, playful and irresistible need for fun.

"No. I don't work in a Buymore." he said at long last, his enticing eyes still looking at her with its unrelenting hold. "I work as a security consultant for a big firm in Chicago."

"Consultant? You're a security guard aren't you?" she said, grinning. He feigned offence.

"Bodyguard actually. I'm paid to keep people safe, not stores or warehouses. People. Important people."

"Then I am impressed, but not surprised." Ellie smiled shyly. "You look the typical sort to go into security. Big…I mean tall, heavily built. With the….big arms and the muscles of the arms…"

That deep warm chuckle was accompanied by a knowing smile upon his face. There was intention behind that glare, Ellie could see an ice blue fire ignite behind his pupils and she hated that she had allowed herself to mutter such garbage.

"They're just arms, Doc." His voice rumbled sweetly back.

"They're…" Ellie clenched her teeth and then put on her "Doctor" voice. "Look, Mr. Casey-!"

"John. My name is John."

"John, I can't…I think you're very nice…"

He smiled again, another pleasured flutter skipped in her abdomen before her muscles clenched tightly. She curled both her hands around the bottle and held it against her chest. The glass was cool against her breasts, the condensation dripping down the bottle dampened the edge of her dress and fell down beneath, but the brief coolness wasn't helping the heat flushing on her skin.

This was ridiculous, she was behaving like some teen infatuated with a teacher.

"He could teach me things." she thought.

"Nice? I'm nice?" He tried to sound and appear offended,buthe failed as the sly smile curled at his lips. "Puppies and flowers are nice."

"You are…you're luring again!"

"I must stop that," he answered sarcastically.

"Mr. Casey," Ellie reasserted herself. "My mind can't help but think that you can do this to every woman you meet. I am not like the impressionable young women in this bar. I have just come out of a long relationship, one that-well, it's complicated. I came here to forget about him, to forget about men and spend this night with my friends. I just want to have fun. So…"

"So you don't need me to confuse things for you. I understand."

He straightened up from leaning against the bar and put a more comfortable distance between the two of them.

"Oh." She couldn't keep the disappointment from sounding. She jumped as his fingers took hold of her hand and was instantly paralysed by his eyes.

"You have graciously allowed me to buy you a drink and I've had the pleasure of being in the presence of the most beautiful woman in this bar. You said you wanted nothing more and I'll respect that. I'll leave you alone."

It felt as if the whole of her stomach dropped out of her body and the beer had gone nowhere except down her chin. She cupped her fingers against the dripping alcohol and was surprised when out of nowhere she was given a napkin. She felt her fingers brush with his, a static spark shot across her skin. She wiped the dribbled beer away with the napkin and then as she went to put it back down on the bar, she realised something.

"Wait! Hold on! What did you say?" Ellie spluttered.

He had said she was beautiful.

It was a line. Surely it was a line! It was something that men said all the time to try and flatter the ladies, to get in their pants, but when she managed to catch her breath and when she was once again caught in his glare, there was no doubt.

He was serious. He wasn't lying.

No. She couldn't let this happen…Devon…it was too soon.

"I said you were beautiful," John confirmed. "I know you've probably heard every man say that to you…but you are."

No. No one had told her that for a long time, not even Devon, but hearing this stranger John Casey, tell her that she was beautiful, it made her well up. She had to get up off the stool; she had to go back to Alice and Sophia. Ellie drained the bottle, put it on the bar and began to make her way quickly back to the table, without saying goodbye to him.

She didn't notice the look of horror on her friend's faces, who had been watching. Nor did she hear Sophia's yell of protest, but half way back something made Ellie turn around.

John Casey had planted himself onto the stool she had just vacated; his shoulders slumped and as he leant against the bar, she could clearly see that he was bitterly disappointed.

Ellie Bartowski was being a fool. Devon had been the one to break this up, he walked out on her and now a week later she was still unable to carry on with her life. Would it be a really bad thing if she was to stay with John Casey? Would she be a terrible person if she just indulged herself…with him?

He had tried.

So this was how this evening would end.

Casey finished off the beer and slid the bottle back towards the barman. The young man looked as if he was going to offer up his condolences, though Casey wasn't wanting any of that. He wasn't going to accept sympathy just because he'd lucked out on chatting up a lady.

His being rejected didn't happen that often, but having Ellie do it, it actually made something sting inside of him. He didn't allow this feeling to fester, he couldn't, not someone like him. Casey ran his hands through his hair and turned to slip off the stool.

He had never been more pleased to see that he was wrong. Again.

"Same again?" she asked, holding out a note towards the barman.

Casey quickly jumped to his feet and offered the stool for her. Ellie refused and fished a second one from out of nowhere, pulling it up close to his. They both sat down at the same time and both of them were unable to look anywhere else except at each other.

"Sorry," Ellie said.

"Why are youapologising?" he asked, unable to hide the surprise and delight in his baritone voice.

"For everything. A lot hasn't really been right for me and I suppose crying and being miserable about it isn't going to help." Ellie gave Casey his beer and clinked her own against it. "If I'm going to be happy with anything in my life, I have to make it happen. So I come here, I get approached by…"

She breathed in and held her breath, grinning as she tried to think of a way to describe Casey, without being any more obvious than she was already being.

"By?" he coaxed, intrigued and amused.

Ellie released her breath and swigged at her beer. She couldn't say anything more and John saw her earlier confliction and worry replaced by an amazing confidence and an impenetrable brightness. She was actually willing to spend the rest of her evening with him, though how…remained to be seen.

Casey's own worries about her were gone. He could read people pretty well and despite that Ellie had some issues and despite his concerns and apprehensions about taking advantage or seeming to, Casey was assured that this evening was going to end up well.

No matter what happened.

She was here, talking and drinking with him.

Nothing else needed to happen.

"One more?"

It was fast approaching midnight now. Along the bar were many empty beer bottles, neatly lined up in a row.

Considering that she had drunk quite a bit, Ellie was feeling strangely assured of herself. She knew that she was sitting here, edging ever closer and closer to this man, hanging on to every delicious word that came from his mouth. Yes she was tipsy, merry, and the hurt in her cheeks was because of her teen-like grin still plastered on her face, but she was enjoying herself.

They had talked about a lot, though thankfully Devon was not mentioned at all. He was far from her thoughts as John Casey occupied her evening, attention and her focus.

Ellie shook her head, realizing that she had been gawping at him and not really paying attention to what he was saying.

Casey had spun a simple little cover story for her; he was used to it. Being who he was, it was easy to lie, spin tales and keep the truth from others and Casey had absolutely zero problems with doing so. Though there had been occasions, that he hated keeping secrets.

He was hating it now.

Everything she did and said was driving him crazy. The slight hitching of the hem of her dress, showing more leg, made him squirm on his stool. Her smile on her lips and in her eyes had him hypnotised and although he had said to her that they would just "talk", the urge to whisk her away from here to somewhere more intimate was getting difficult to ignore.

"What?" they both asked at the same time.

"Something is amusing you," Casey said, swallowing the nervous dryness in his throat and wetting it with another intake of beer.

"You're nervous," she said, startled out of her revelry. "Your foot is shaking, you're biting your tongue and you haven't stopped playing with that ring."

Casey noted that he had been turning the ring on his finger, there was a slight tingle on his tongue where his teeth had been nipping the end of it and instantly the jerking of his foot on the rung of his stool stopped. He was supposed to be the NSA's best spy, and spies didn't go around showing their obvious attractions so easily.

"Don't look so worried," she said when his eyes widened in horror and he turned away very quickly. She reached out and without even thinking placed her hand on his shoulder.

Casey's whole body stiffened at the touch of her fingers, he clenched his eyes shut and he could feel the bottle straining beneath his grip.

"John. I didn't upset you…did I?"

She couldn't upset him. He was just frustrated with himself at being as readable as a book. He allowed a smile to form and turned back round. He almost faltered again, the look of genuine concern for him made her even morebreathtaking. He covered her hand, trailed it down the length of his arm until that hand rested in his other.

It was her turn to stiffen, the sensation of his twitching muscle beneath her finger tips had her heart racing, her blood was pumping rapidly,colouring her skin with an aroused and flustered red. She was shaking now, trembling as his hand crept up her arm and rested in the nape of her neck. She angled her head so her cheek brushed against his knuckles and her eyes fluttered closed.

It felt so good, the light movement of his fingers caressing her skin caused her breath to gasp and she felt herself lean forward into his solid mass.

"I…"

"I'm sorry."

The wonderful feeling of him moved away from her and his hand stroked over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Casey repeated again. "You didn't ask for this."

That was earlier. That was before, when she was nervous and didn't have a few beers inside of her. She felt she didn't need men to have a great evening, especially so soon after Devon left her, but being faced with John Casey- mysterious and oh so heavenly sculpted John Casey- Ellie was changing her mind. She wanted him to put his hand back on her shoulder and the more her gaze looked at his face, at the outlines of his mouth, she badly wanted him to kiss her. Ellie wanted to call a cab and have them leave this place, leave her friends and all the hassle behind.

Damn her silly worries and insecurities, for here was a man who was clearly attracted to her and was great looking; Eleanor Bartowski was a grown single woman who could do what she damned well liked!

"You are beautiful."

Ellie focused on the sound of his voice and felt the whole of her body hum with pleasure. Casey put down his bottle and moved Ellie's away from her reach. He then took hold of her hand and softly, more enticingly, stroked at the smooth skin on the back of her hand.

His eyes fixed with hers.

"That dress you're wearing…the way you danced to that band earlier…"

"You were watching me?" Ellie felt her skin blush and she tore her hand away from him to touch at her cheek. It was burning.

"How could I not?" Casey picked up the bottle and sampled another bit of his beer.

"Hot,was it?" her voice crooned.

Her hand clamped over her mouth when she realised what she had said and how she said it. Spit sniggered into her palm as Casey choked and spluttered on his drink. When he caught his breath he saw her flustered exasperated face and the frantic gesturing of her slender, delicate hands.

"What did I say! No! It wasn't hot! No! I don't normally dance like that!" she squeaked. "Not in that way! I mean, I wasn't trying to…I've had a bit to drink, the music was loud and when you get in the mood…oh God, I didn't-!"

"You're babbling," Casey said, calmly though he was trying not to be so utterly amused by her flutter of words.

Ellie clamped her mouth shut again and tried to hide her face with the loose strands of her hair. She jolted and her heart gave a violent thud in her chest when John pushed her hair back behind her ear, the tips of his fingers caressing her cheek.

"I tend to babble, when I'm nervous, or excited or drunk…" Ellie stopped when sherealised she was doing so again, despite that Casey was enjoying it. She leaned over, scooting off her stool to grab at her beer. After several quick successive swigs of the now warm beer and gasping through a new wave of alcoholic buzz, Ellie saw his eyes darken.

"You're luring me again, Mr. Casey." Ellie frowned, even though she liked the luring.

Casey held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry. Perhaps I should leave. It's late and I'm obviously making you uncomfortable."

"I'm not uncomfortable, John." Ellie sighed. "A little hazy from the alcohol, maybe, but I am enjoying your company. I'm really enjoying your company."

"I'll warn you then, because if I stay, I know that I will kiss you."

'And that would be a bad thing, how?' she asked herself.

Ellie gulped and unconsciously licked her lips, completely forgetting that Casey would see and when the tip of his own tongue lightly stroked across his mouth, she heard a rumbling growl from somewhere, lusciously deep and wanting, calling for a response.

Ellie wasn't sure, but she thought she may have growled back.

"What was that?" he asked, trying not smile at the very confused look upon her face.

"I..I was just clearing my throat." It wasn't convincing at all and all she could do was hold in her own smirk.

"Oh really? Is that what it was?" Casey asked her, playing along.

"Yes."

"I don't think you were clearing your throat."

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest, just like Casey had done with his own and started out what appeared to be a staring contest.

Throughout their evening, their conversation had been light and friendly, Ellie was so full of confidence. Casey knew that she was attracted to him and until only a couple of beers ago, she had been keeping control over it. She was relaxed and he had enjoyed her jokes, her stories and even tolerated a couple of her friends coming over to poke their noses in. He didn't tolerate them for long and thankfully neither did she, for Ellie shooed them away with threatening glares.

Casey admired her even more for that commanding allure, here was a woman you really couldn't say no to. Ellie could be the woman to make him consider-for a moment-of giving up everything he had and settle into civilian life…with the home, family, the white picket fences…

Ellie was ignoring the constant and unending niggles in her mind that were telling her to stop this. When talking to John Casey it was easy to forget about Devon and the whole petty break up and arguments they had. John Casey was listening to her; she had every bit of his attention.

"Do you really want to?" he asked as they both heard the unasked question. The one that was so obvious with the tension between them.

"I…yes. I want to."

Casey slowly rose to his feet and stepped closer to her. His leg pushed apart hers and slowly slid between her. He cupped his hand against her cheek, tilted her head forward against his chest and breathed in against her hair.

"It might not be a good idea," he murmured, barely controlling himself.

"I've not been one for recently making good ideas."

"I could still be that axe murderer…" John warned with a low growling tone and a smirk.

She had to laugh at that comment, and as she pulled back and reached her hand up to touch his face, feeling the smoothness of his skin and the tensing of his square jaw, Ellie was certain that he wasn't a crazy lunatic.

Laying her palm flat against his chest, Ellie heard the racing thuds of his heart, she felt the rise and fall of his rib cage with every breath he took and it felt like he was taking up all her air.

"Do you want to stay here?" She felt his voice purr as vibrations through his body rather than hear in it in her ears.

Ellie bowed her head and took her shaking hand off Casey's chest. She then picked up her purse and fished out her cell phone. She held it up for Casey to see and there on the screen was already, a number for a taxi firm.

"No. I don't."

"I was hoping you would say that."

Then it happened. Ellie felt his hands cradle her face and she was pulled lightly forward to meet his lips. The power of his kiss made her feet give out beneath her and her arms went round his neck to support herself. His hands dropped from her face to hold Ellie round her waist and he continued the kiss, coaxing Ellie to return the want and need which was screaming in her mouth. She screamed back with equal ferocity.

They didn't hear the barman's request for them to "get a room" or the excited squeal of Sophia and the others. It was only when it was of absolute needthat the kiss stopped.

As they caught their breaths, Casey rested his forehead to hers and squeezed her tightly.

"I can't promise anything more than tonight," he gasped.

"I know."

He instead made a different promise as he led her out of the bar.

There would be nothing more after this one night, because for him, in the morning, the complications would only get worse if she still remained.

The moment they got into the cab, the silence between them was tense and powerful. Their fingers touched as if reluctant but each graze of their skin, the static of excitement made the urge impossible to resist.

Casey cared nothing for the driver who was watching them in his rear view mirror, when at last he took hold of Ellie's hand and brought it to his lips. He brushed light kisses over her knuckles, across her fingers and round to her palm, feeling her tremble moments before her hand clamped to the back of his head and pulled him into a needing crushing kiss.

The journey to his hotel was unnoticed, though Casey knew the exact moment when to hand oversome notes to the cabbie, he knew when to throw open the door and lead Ellie up to his room.

She was swept up in his arms, elated by the taste of his kisses and play. She couldn't believe she was doing this, but it felt, for the first time in a long while, so right. As they staggered their kiss through the lobby of the hotel, nearly knocking over some large plants and vases off tables, both of them lost all sense of reality around them. Their hands pried desperately at each other, wanting to feel flesh instead of the clothes they wore and when they finally got into the elevator, Casey had whacked his hand at any button, not knowing if it was the right one for his floor.

He pinned her up against the mirrored wall of the elevator, her legs wrapped around his waist and as the kiss luridly swept down her neck, to her bare shoulders, Ellie squeezed with her legs to pull him into her. She could feel him, hard and big, stabbing at the inside of her legs. His hands had hooked up the hem of her dress, grabbing, clutching and squeezing the flesh of her bottom.

This was not silly at all. Not irresponsible or foolish. Not at all.

Neither of them took any notice of the floors they stopped at, or that some staff had spotted them, but eventually, the elevator reached Casey's floor and he ended up carrying her along the corridor, crashing into the walls and other doors before they came to the right one.

Casey thought he was going to spend himself right there in the corridor, he was aching for her, everything about her was driving him wild and when Ellie pulled his key card from his back pocket, her fingers grazing his ass, he gave a sharp jolt up into her.

Ellie screamed at the force of him buffeting her against the door, but she contained it by burrowing her face into his shoulder and smothering her mouth on the leather of his jacket.

The door eventually opened after several attempts to fit the key card in the slot, they fell through, saved from collapsing to the ground as Casey managed to keep his balance and carry her over to the bed. The knock of the bed against the back of his knees made Casey let Ellie slip from his arms and down onto her feet. She wobbled, stumbled and then tipped them over and onto the mattress.

There was a momentary break in the frenzied entanglement of lips and limbs, they broke as the impact on the bed bounced them apart forcing them to make one last decision.

His blues eyes locked with her greys. The back of his hand caressed her cheek.

Ellie hitched a breath.

"Lie to me. Say you don't have to leave in the morning, that you can stay and make this woman happy."

Casey closed his eyes and brushed his mouth against her lips.

"Tell me that you love me. That anyone could love a guy like me."

Ellie's arms coiling round his neck, pulling and crushing the kiss harder made the decision.

Nothing else was going to matter now.

Within minutes, after a struggle to undress each other, their clothes were thrown across the room and what followed was more than either one of them had ever hoped.

It was also something that they would come to regret.

"Are you okay?"

Casey lifted his head and saw her nod back with an affirmative reply. He wiped her hair out of her face and then carefully rolled off of her to allow Ellie the chance to breathe. Casey needed to rest as well, for the room was spinning. It felt like a furnace and, while his body ached with the pleasures she'd given him, he badly wanted to sleep.

He wanted to sleep with her in his arms. Just this once, Casey wanted to have a woman-Ellie-stay with him and enjoy the aftermath of, what he could only describe, as the most intoxicating and liberating intercourse he had ever had. Eleanor had overpowered him on both occasions with her stamina and emotion and left him so weak, that as he flopped back to the pillow next to her, he didn't think he would be able to move again.

Ellie was pulsing with a warm and satisfied throb all over. What John Casey did, every single touch, push and kiss was still reverberating in her body and she thought it wouldn't stop. She didn't want it to. Turning onto her side, she was surprised but pleased when he gestured with his hand for her to snuggle up close. She shuffled over and draped her leg over his and her arm rested over his chest. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and without even thinking about it, began to stroke at the ends of her damp hair.

Holding each other felt surprisingly comforting as they silently shared their recovery together. Soft caresses through the thick hair on his chest, kisses to her sweating brow, any tiny movement or touches that they had hoped to soothe them to a calmer state was taking them perilously close to falling asleep.

"Are you all right?" asked Ellie, her eyelids fluttering as she fought to keep them open. A purring deep "Hmmm." replied back along with another press of his lips against her forehead.

"I'm more than all right." he murmured happily. "I'm..."

His voice trailed off into soft rumbled breaths and just before he and Ellie could drift into slumber they were pulled awake suddenly by the vibrating tones of a cell phone and some bleeping.

Both of them immediately shot up into an upright position and looked around the room for the source. There was a faint flashing light over by the television and as Casey slipped out of bed, Ellie coiled herself up in the sheets and watched as the naked man strolled over to get it.

Ellie couldn't help but ogle him, eyes wide with glee and her tongue licking with anticipation and hope that he would come back to bed and do all those wonderful things all over again. But the smile and pleasured expression he had been sporting turned deadly serious.

Casey frowned. His face turned dark and Ellie saw the air of danger ebbing from him. His whole body stiffened to attention and his free hand curled into a fist. He was not happy at all.

"Perhaps I should go," she said, after he sank down onto the end of the bed and very nearly crushed his phone with his fist. "I'll get my clothes."

"Huh?" Casey looked round to her, shocked that she wanted to leave right now. He scrambled to her side and pulled her onto his lap. She choked with laughter and surprise but when his hands massaged against her bare stomach and he rested his chin on her shoulder, Ellie sighed with contentment.

"You don't have to go right away," he said.

"But it would be best," she said. "If I stay any longer than I know I'm not going to leave at all. John Casey, you made my night last night."

"You weren't so bad yourself, Doc," he whispered.

"Weren't so bad?" Ellie cried, slapping his leg and causing him to let out a delectable rumbling laugh. "That expression on your face when I-!"

"Okay, you were amazing, Ellie. You…oh…you made this man really…"

Another blissful and arousing "hmmm" billowed into her shoulder and his warm breath tickled down her back. Ellie closed her eyes, and enjoyed the tentative traces of his hands on her belly, the feel of his solid chest and his hardness rubbing at her back.

She had done something she had never thought of doing, but being here with him, she didn't care. He had changed her, made her pass on from the silly moping and self pitying woman she had been because of Devon. He had made her smile-he'd also made her do things she never thought possible-but Ellie was so glad. This was a man who knew what she and her body wanted, he was handsome, charming, mysterious and solildly strong. His humour was refreshing, intelligent and he had told her that he loved food.

Loved food. Oh how she wished she could have cooked for him. There was a rumble from his stomach. It seemed she wasn't the only one thinking of eating.

Ellie shook her head and sadly stroked Casey's leg.

John Casey was the kind of man she could stay with. He was older, more experienced and certainly mature, but he said this couldn't be more. They had both agreed that tonight couldn't be more.

She couldn't remain here any longer.

"I have to go," she moaned. "It's all ready difficult and I don't want to make it worse by staying."

"Sure," he reluctantly let her go and as Ellie began to pick up all her clothes, he fell onto his back and rubbed at his face with frustration.

She was right. It was so hard to watch her dress, covering up that soft amazing body, he was aching to touch her again and again, but he couldn't be so selfish. He couldn't have this woman or ever see her again. He would go back to DC and he would receive his next assignment and forget about her, forget about this amazing night.

He didn't want to.

When he looked up, Ellie had her dress on and had just finished tying up her shoes. He sat up and for a few minutes there was a dreadful silence. Then she smiled.

"I had a good time, John," Ellie said, bowing her head. "Thanking you sounds a bit silly but…"

"Hey." He got up and wrapped his arms around her. "It's not silly. I haven't felt like this in a long time, so, Ellie…thank you."

Still held tightly in his arms, they shuffled over to the door. Ellie was pressed up against it and as her hand reached for the handle, the tender and soft kiss he pressed to her lips made her falter. She slumped in his arms, barely able to hold on to him, hoping that he would carry her once again to the bed. His hand pulling her leg up around his naked body certainly indicated that he was about to do just that, but his cell phone buzzed again.

They broke apart.

"I have to answer that," he muttered. "It'll be work."

"Calling you at four in the morning?" she smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"They call me when they need me."

"And you just drop everything and answer that call?"

"Have no choice really."

Ellie saw his eyes dim, even the radiance of his smile appeared to have dulled a little.

"So…" She brushed her hair off her shoulders and wrapped her hand around his.

"So."

"I'll see you around,John Casey? The next time you're in Burbank?"

Casey shook his head.

"No. I…don't think that I will be in Burbank again."

Ellie understood. She didn't like it, but she understood. Ellie smiled, she let John's hand slip from her fingers and took hold of the door handle.

"Take care of yourself, John." she uttered.

"You too, Doc. I mean it."

"I know you do."

She reached up and kissed him politely on the cheek. Then she opened the door and walked out.

Even though she had left, the smile on her face and the spring in her steps never faltered. Ellie Bartowski was hopeful now, happy and eager for the rest of her life to carry on. She may not have Devon, or John Casey, but she now had the strength to carry on and take whatever life had to throw back at her.

John felt his head smash against the door when Ellie left. He clenched his fists and tried to get the ridiculous swarm of feelings towards her to calm down. It wasn't right for him to develop feelings, he had shut them out for a long time. Tonight he couldn't deny that this mission to Burbank had ended on a high note. A very high note. Probably a C.

He smiled. He should forget about her, but he didn't want to.

Casey eventually took his head away from the door and walked back to the bed. Sitting on the crumpled sheets, he could still feel the warmth radiating from them, he could still smell her everywhere and his mind couldn't stop replaying every sound, touch and feel of her.

His phone buzzed again and it pulled him away from his revelry. The warmth and contention vanished as soon as he pressed the accept button and he sat to attention.

"General."

He heard the orders for his new mission and accepted them without hesitation. Casey discontinued the call and headed immediately for the shower.

Return to DC. CIA agent could be attempting to breech Intersect project in the next few months. Damned CIA, bunch of amateurs.

He had heard Beckman mention the Intersect to him before, it was a top secret project that only a few people knew about and now she had said that she wanted her best agent to head up the investigating team. That would be him.

Once washed, once dressed in his best black suit. Once armed and packed, Major John Casey picked up his bags and headed out of the hotel room. He paused a moment in the corridor, remembering carrying the woman, the impact they made on the walls, the flavour of her when they kissed and he briefly smiled.

Doctor Ellie. What a woman.

"ELLIE!"

Ellie was literally crushed by the force of the hug from her brother when she came through the door. She staggered, her legs and body already weak from the wonderful ministrations she had received from John Casey. However, Chuck still hugged her and after about several minutes he managed to calm down and release her.

"Chuck!" Ellie laughed, patting her worried sibling's face. "What's the matter?"

"You've been gone for so long! We were worried! Where have you been?" cried Chuck, who then paused and took in the state of his sister. He scowled. "What have you been doing?"

"I'm not going to tell you about it now, Chuck," she said, smiling and rubbing his shoulder. "Suffice to say I'm a grown woman and I can stay out to four in the morning if I want to. Besides, you know full well I was with Sophia and the girls from the hospital."

Chuck nodded but he didn't seem entirely convinced.

He was right, because she had left, Ellie had every intention of coming back a heck of a lot earlier since she didn't want to go in the first place. Now, here she was all sunbeams and rainbows emanating from her grin and her eyes. Her skin was flushed and her hair was ruffled.

Chuck was very concerned.

"I do worry about you, El. You know that."

"I know, Chuck. I'm grateful. I really am, but I have been fine. Now I'm going to have a quick shower then go to bed…I'm so tired and worn out!"

"El…"

"Not now, Chuck. Can I speak to you about it in the morning? I will, I want to…" Ellie's eyes fluttered shyly and Chuck recognised that blushing grin anywhere.

He knew this look. His sister may have gone out with her friends but, it seemed to him, she might have made a new one.

"I do want to tell you everything, Chuck. Because I've changed. I'm so much happier now."

That he did believe.

"So…you had a good time?"

"I had a GREAT time, Chuck."

"Was it really that great?"

Ellie felt as if she had been punched in the stomach at the sound of that other voice. Her hand began to shake and the trembling fingers reached up to cover the shocked "o" of her mouth. She turned round and then everything that John Casey had made her feel, all the joy and brightness that she had found because of him, vanished at the sight of him standing there.

"D…Devon?"

"Babe…I'm sorry. I was wrong. I need you and I want you back."

TBC.