Title: Troy Story, Take Two
Summary: What if another person was intended to be on the receiving end of that kiss?
Rating: K
Disclaimers: Not mine, belongs to the Pax, Pebblehut and the Johnson Brothers
Spoilers: Season Three, Troy Story
Acknowledgments: Some of the dialogue is taken from the episode. I'd like to acknowledge the writers of that episode.
Author's Note1: This assumes Darcy has already made her decision at this point in the episode.
Author's Note2: This is dedicated to Colbykid and the other readers who are waiting for the last chapter of "Friends and Lovers." It's finally in the hands of the beta.
S – S – S – S - S
"Tara," Bobby began as he approached Jack's desk. "You like Mo Jo Jo Jos, right?"
"I happen to know she's a card-carrying member," declared Jack looking up. Tara straightened up.
"Well," grimace Tara, "I don't have an actual card, but yeah, I love them. Why?"
"You know the benefit I was ordered to go to tonight?"
She nodded.
"They're the evening's entertainment. Would you like to go?"
"What's the catch?" she eyed him suspiciously.
"You have to go with me," he said apologetically.
Jack shook his head. "Pretty big catch," he joked.
"What about Darcy?" she asked perplexedly.
"We broke up," he said briefly.
Jack and Tara exchanged glances. Jack's eyes darted to the only other team member in the office—Sue. She happened to be looking up when he caught her eye. At the question in her face, he subtly nodded to Bobby. In concern, she watched and waited.
"I'd love to go at any other time but Stanley's in town and he made reservations for dinner at a very expensive restaurant," said Tara apologetically. "I'm sorry."
Bobby shrugged. "I still need a date." He looked at Jack.
"Hey, don't look at me!" Jack protested.
Bobby glanced over to Sue's desk and saw her looking at him.
"Anything I can do to help?" she offered. "I didn't catch the whole conversation."
"I need a date for tonight for that benefit the director wants me to attend. Are you free?" asked Bobby diffidently. He really wasn't in the mood but an order was an order—even when it was thinly veiled as a request.
"Uh, what…" she was about to ask about Darcy when she saw Jack and Tara vigorously shaking their heads. Okay, she could take a hint as well as anyone. "What time do you want me to be ready?" she improvised.
"Seven?"
"Fine."
"Thanks, Sue."
She smiled as she nodded to him. He headed towards the door. She waited until he was out the door when she hurried over to Jack's desk.
"What's up? What did I miss?" she asked in concern.
"Darcy and Bobby broke up," stated Tara. "No wonder he was looking down in the dumps this morning."
"Why? I thought everything was going so well with them."
"Darcy was offered an editor's position with another newspaper," Jack enlightened them, sharing what Bobby had told them a few days ago after work.
"That should be great," replied Tara. "Why isn't it?"
"It would be but the catch is that the offer is in Los Angeles. Darcy must have made the decision to go alone," Jack further explained.
"I thought she was in love with him," Sue ventured.
"Bobby thought so, too, but I guess we were all wrong." He threw up his hands. "All I do know is that going out tonight might help him take his mind off of what's happened."
"I'll try to be good company," offered Sue, "but there better not be a test tomorrow on the speeches because I won't be able to tell you a thing. They'll probably be too far away for me to lipread."
"In that case, you," Jack said pointing a finger at her, "may be the luckiest one there."
Tara grinned in agreement.
S – S – S – S - S
Sue's apartment
Sue whirled around to show off her dress to Lucy. She sparkled in the deep purple sleeveless gown.
"Looking mighty fine, girl friend," smiled Lucy in admiration. "Too bad you're only going out with Bobby." Then she brightened. "But maybe you'll meet some eligible guys there."
"I'm going to keep a good friend company," Sue stated firmly. "I'm not looking for anyone."
"But someone might be interested in you, especially in that dress," Lucy airily suggested.
Sue shook her head at her matchmaking roommate. "Bobby should be here any minute. I'll go get my stuff."
"Doorbell," announced Lucy. "I'll get it. C'mon, Levi. Let's say hi to Bobby."
She opened the door to her tuxedo-attired co-worker. "I would whistle if I knew how," she said admiringly. She stepped back to let him in. "I like seeing you guys all dressed up."
"Enjoy it while you can, Luce," declared Bobby. "It's not something guys like to do."
"Too bad," she lamented. She noted his glance around the room. Anticipating his question she answered, "She's getting her coat and purse."
At that moment, Sue walked into the living room, a shimmering vision in dark purple. Her appearance left him speechless.
"I'm ready if you are," she announced. Her eyes swept his elegantly attired frame. "You look very handsome."
He could only nod. His mouth moved but no words came out.
Lucy gave him a puzzled glance. The loquacious agent was rarely at a loss for words. "You okay?" she questioned.
He nodded again. Clearing his throat, he answered. "I'm fine. You're looking quite stunning, Sue. "
She smiled in appreciation. "Thanks. Shall we?" She headed towards the door.
One hand on the small of her back, the other on door, Bobby paused to toss, "'Night, Luce," over his shoulder.
"Don't stay out too late," Lucy called out. "We have work tomorrow."
He waved her off.
S – S – S – S - S
Outside the Embassy Hotel
Sue glanced up at Bobby while they waited for the valet to bring his car. He had been pre-occupied all night. He tried to put on a cheerful façade but she knew something was on his mind and she was afraid she knew what it was.
"Penny for your thoughts," she uttered.
"Hmm?" he responded absent-mindedly.
"I said a penny for your thoughts, although it should be a quarter with the price of everything nowadays," she tried to joke. "You seem rather thoughtful. Want to talk?"
He looked at her for a moment. Maybe it would help to talk to someone and he couldn't think of a more sympathetic person than Sue. "Would you mind? It might take a while."
"Of course not," she said seriously. "I always have time for my friends."
With a smile, Bobby leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "I just hope I don't bore you."
She smiled in return. "You have permission to wake me up if I snore."
Bobby laughed. He already felt a little bit better.
S – S – S – S - S
It was decided to go back to Bobby's apartment for coffee. They could relax and have some privacy.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything that would fit you," apologized Bobby. He'd changed out of his formal wear into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved Henley while the coffee dripped. He'd found Sue in the small kitchen getting the coffee mugs ready.
"Don't worry about it," she assured him. "As long as I get to take my sandals off, I'm fine." She lifted the hem of her gown and wiggled her toes. "They make my feet look gorgeous but they're not the most comfortable things to wear."
"Cute toes," he teasingly commented.
"Thanks," she smiled. Her eyes fell on the coffee pot. "Coffee looks ready."
"Why don't you grab the pot while I bring in the mugs and sugar?" he suggested. "Living room," he directed her.
As soon as he set down the mugs, she poured cups for each of them. While waiting for the coffee to cool, she tucked her feet under her and looked at Bobby. "Any time you want to talk," she offered.
He stared at her undecided how to begin. "Is there anything wrong with me?" he finally blurted.
"Wrong?" she asked puzzled.
"Yeah."
"You mean aside from the fact that you're organizationally challenged, you have outrageous taste in ties and you need to lower your cholesterol?" she teased.
"I didn't ask for a list," he responded wryly.
Her expression became serious. "There's nothing wrong with you, Bobby Manning. You're handsome," she began with a nod in his direction. He nodded back in return for the compliment. "You're funny and thoughtful and one of the most accepting people, I know. You've never made my deafness an issue."
He looked puzzled. "Should it be?"
"That's what I mean," she emphasized. "You accept people for who they are, not what you'd like them to be."
"If I'm as wonderful as you think I am, then why did Darcy decide she's better off without me?" he asked in a bewildered tone.
"I can't answer for Darcy," began Sue, "but maybe she realized her dreams and yours aren't the same. From what I understand, this is a huge promotion for her. Maybe she thought she wouldn't have the time necessary to devote to a relationship because she needed to focus all her energy on her career."
"I would've understood," he pointed out.
"I know you would have," she agreed, "but perhaps she didn't. Do you think it's too late to explain that to her? She hasn't gone yet, has she?"
He thought about it then shook his head. "No. She said all the right things about still loving me and she's doing this for us but I got the feeling she's ready to move on. It appears this job is very important to her—more important than everything else," he said unhappily.
"Oh, Bobby," commiserated Sue. She leaned over to place her hand on his arm, "I don't know what to say except I'm sorry things didn't work out between the two of you. I liked her."
"So did I."
S – S – S – S - S
It was after midnight when Bobby finally brought Sue home.
"I can't tell you how much I appreciate your shoulder to cry on," said Bobby. "I don't know how to thank you."
"I think the foot massage was ample payment," she smiled. "And if you need to talk some more, I have another shoulder that's dry."
He looked at her warmly. "You're a very good friend, Sue Thomas."
"So are you, Bobby."
Two pairs of eyes smiled at each other in friendship when suddenly and almost imperceptibly, a hint of something more flickered. As though mesmerized, Bobby unconsciously leaned in and kissed Sue.
Sue felt her heart do a flip flop when his lips made contact with hers. "Bobby?" she asked breathlessly when he finally pulled away from her.
"Sue?" He stared at her, stunned at his reaction to the kiss. He was about to say something when the front door was flung open.
"Hey!" greeted Lucy. "Levi was right! Someone is at the door!" Her sharp eyes narrowed as they darted from Bobby to Sue. They looked flustered. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No," said Sue as she shook her head. "We were just saying good-night." She faced Bobby. "I had a great time. Thanks for asking me."
"Thank you for filling in at the last minute," he said. He looked as though he wanted to say more but didn't. "Well, I'll see you both tomorrow. Good-night, ladies." With a nod, he was gone.
Lucy closed the door behind him.
"You're up late," commented Sue as she took off her coat.
"I was flipping through the channels and While You were Sleeping was on and you know, it's my favorite movie," confessed Lucy.
Sue nodded. She'd watched the movie with her roommate countless times until they almost had the dialogue memorized. "So you had to watch it until the end."
"Yeah," she admitted. "But, how was it? You think it helped get Bobby's mind off of the breakup?"
"He put up a good front," answered Sue, "but I could tell he's hurt and confused by Darcy's decision. So, we went to his place to talk. I think he needed to get some things off his chest."
"That's good," sighed Lucy in relief. "I still can't believe Darcy chose her career over Bobby."
"Me, too," agreed Sue absent-mindedly. Her thoughts were still on Bobby's kiss.
S – S – S – S - S
Two forty-five. That's what the clock said. He'd spent the past two hours staring at the ceiling trying to resolve the confusion of his mind about the past twenty-four hours.
Twenty-four hours ago he thought he knew what he wanted in life. Twenty-four hours ago he would've sworn to anyone who asked that he was in love with Darcy D'Angelo.
Twenty-four hours ago he was planning to move three thousand miles to be with the woman he loved. That is, until she'd decided it would be best if she went alone.
Now, twenty-four hours later, a simple kiss and his world turned upside down.
It started from the moment he spotted Sue in that stunning gown—she'd literally taken his breath away. Throughout the benefit, she'd done her utmost to cajole him into a more positive frame of mind with gentle teasing and easy conversation. What started as an evening to fulfill an order turned out to be a very pleasant few hours.
Going back to the apartment and talking had helped, too. He smiled remembering the incongruous picture she made rummaging around his kitchen getting the coffee things ready in her gorgeous gown and stockinged feet. And then she'd spent the next two hours listening to him talk about Darcy and how he felt. He'd never shared his feelings like that with anyone else. There was something about Sue that made you feel safe and secure in the knowledge that she was truly listening with her heart and not making judgments.
She'd been so patient and so sympathetic, she barely moved during the entire time focusing her attention on him. Then, when she complained—no, that wasn't the right word--Sue rarely complained about anything. When she commented that her feet had fallen asleep, he naturally reached for a foot to massage despite her protests. Resting her foot in his lap when he rubbed, the physical contact was soothing and he could feel the emotional knot in his chest loosen further. She was having that effect on him.
The foot massage was making her sleepy, she claimed with a smile. It was time to go home. When he pulled her up, he inadvertently tugged a little harder than needed and she tumbled into his arms. Laughing, she said she must be tired if she couldn't stand on her own two feet. He laughed with her but he felt his heart beat a little faster when he held her in his arms.
Then staring into her warm, compassionate eyes as they said their good-byes, something clicked in his mind—he was seeing Sue not as a colleague, not as a friend but as someone very special.
How could this be? What was happening here? Wasn't he still supposed to be in love with Darcy? What were these feelings he was experiencing for Sue? How did she feel after the kiss? He wondered what Sue's reaction would be when they saw each other at work.
He looked at his clock. Three thirty. He wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.
S – S – S – S - S
Next morning
"You're here early," commented Jack as he draped his coat on his hook.
"Couldn't sleep," was the short response.
Jack looked at his friend but Bobby's expression did not invite questions. The evening with Sue hadn't helped, Jack thought with a frown.
"How was the benefit?" he asked instead.
"All right," answered Bobby briefly. "You know how these benefits are—lots of speeches thanking everyone under the sun."
"Did Sue have a good time?"
Bobby's mind instantly recalled how the evening ended. "Um, I think so. The music was certainly loud enough for her to feel the bass."
"Good morning!" called out Lucy as she and Sue entered the office.
Bobby looked up and his eyes instantly locked on Sue's. They stared at each other for a moment then looked away heading to their respective desks.
Depositing her purse on her desk, Sue moved to hang up her coat and caught Bobby looking at her out of the corner of her eye. She quickly turned and walked back to her desk but not without sneaking a peek at him. A pensive look was on his face.
The rest of the morning followed the same pattern—a glance, a peek, a stare. Sue found it very difficult to concentrate. The memory of Bobby's closeness, the feel of his lips on hers dominated her thoughts.
She'd run the evening's events through her mind a hundred times as she tossed and turned in bed. Bobby was a friend, albeit a very good friend but last night's kiss didn't feel like a friendly kiss. It felt like…
"Sue?" A hand on her shoulder jerked her back to the present. She looked up to see Lucy staring at her.
"Hey?" Lucy asked in concern. "Are you all right? Is something bothering you?"
She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something."
"Anything I can do to help?" Lucy offered as she perched on Sue's desk.
"No, but thanks anyway."
""Okay, but if you need to talk, you know where to find me." She looked meaningfully at Sue. "Anyway, the real reason I came here is to ask if you want to grab some lunch. I'm meeting Tara at the deli on the corner in about fifteen minutes. Want to come?"
She thought about it and grimaced. "I think I'll pass. I'm not very hungry right now."
"Okay," she said standing up, "but if you change your mind, you know where to find us."
"Have a good time," Sue smiled.
The bullpen was quiet with most of the staff out for lunch or meetings. She sat at her desk staring at the only person left on the team—Bobby. As though he could feel her eyes upon him, he turned to face her. This time they did not look away. Slowly he rose from his desk and walked over to hers.
"I think," he said quietly, "we need to talk."
Her dark eyes looked into his. "Let me get my coat."
S – S – S – S - S
The pair walked in the cold winter air in silence for a while, neither of them sure how to begin or where to start. Finally, Bobby spoke. In sorting through the turmoil of his thoughts, he'd come to several decisions.
"First of all, I owe you an apology," he began as he stopped to face Sue. He needed to clear the air about it.
"An apology?"
He nodded. "For last night." At her questioning look, he added succinctly, "The kiss.You must be wondering what kind of person I am when here you spent the better part of last night listening to me go on and on about Darcy who I'm supposed to be in love with and yet...and yet I kissed you." He hurriedly added, "I wanted to kiss you—make no mistake about that. And it was a very nice kiss. But I shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation."
Sue's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to kiss her. "It's okay," she said when she finally spoke. "It was probably a reaction to everything that's happened," she offered as an explanation.
"Don't make excuses for me," he chastised her. "I stayed up all night thinking about this."
She tilted her head in question.
"I asked myself," he said seriously, "if I'm still in love with Darcy why did my heart beat faster when I kissed you? What kind of man am I to feel like that?"
"A confused one?" she offered. "As confused as the woman he kissed?"
He looked at her in speculation. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just saying I stayed up all night, too, thinking about the kiss. It bothered me."
"I'm sorry, Sue," he apologized again.
She clarified "I mean, the kiss bothered me in a good way." Her eyes shifted as she thought of what she said. "Or do I mean in a not good way?" She looked at him uncertainly.
Bobby asked slowly in disbelief. "Are you saying you felt something? You liked it?"
"That's bad, isn't it?" she asked in chagrin.
"No, that's good," he replied his mood lifting.
She looked bewildered. "That's good?"
"That's good because if I felt something and you felt something maybe there's something more to this."
"This?"
He gestured between them. "This...whatever this is that we seem to have together."
She looked at him gravely. "And what is this we seem to have together?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "What I do know is that I like you, Sue Thomas," he said seriously. "I've liked you since the day Jack introduced you to the team. You looked like the proverbial brave little mouse bearding the lion in its den." He smiled at the memory. She certainly made an impact on him that day. "I like the way you tackle every case as though each one is of vital importance to our country. I like the way you've managed to change Myles from that egotistical bloke he used to be to a real human being. I like the way you always see the good in people." He smiled. "Your turn."
"I like you, too, Bobby" Sue shared. "I like your sense of humor. I like the way you're not afraid to express your feelings. I like the way you've forgiven your biological father for not being such a good father. And yes, I even like your outrageous taste in ties," She teased.
"So…where do we go from here?" he asked.
"I don't know," Sue replied at a loss. "There's still the Bureau's no dating policy."
He said seriously, "We'll worry about it when it becomes a problem. Until then, I suggest we take it a day at a time."
"And that means?"
"Behaving like we normally do and not avoiding each other like we did this morning," he said his eyes twinkling. "Didn't think I'd notice, did you?"
"Well, I don't know how you had time to notice since you were doing a pretty good job of avoiding me," she retorted.
"Point taken. I can guarantee you won't have that problem again," he promised with a gleam in his eye.
An answering smirk matched his.
"And if we should feel the urge for one another's company," he said as he took her hand in both of his and took a step closer, "we could have an occasional outing with or without the company of others. We'll let nature take its course and see where this 'thing' we seem to have takes us. How does that sound?"
"It sounds like a plan," she agreed.
He kissed the top of her head. "What say we celebrate with a cup of hot chocolate?" he proposed cheerfully.
"You're on."
Tucking her hand under his arm, they smiled at each other as they headed back to the office and new possibilities.
S – S – S – S - S