A/N: Been absent for quite a while, I know, but I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my older stories, just the encouragement I needed to get back into writing.

A one-shot and a perfect example of what happens when you write a new chapter to an old story at 4:00am with 'The Sniper' episode playing in the background…

Disclaimer: The characters in this story don't belong to me they remain the property of Paxson Entertainment and Pebblehut. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

Signing in bold.

o-xxx-o

Someday

o-xxx-o

Sue was daydreaming again, her thoughts straying from one seemingly impossible task to another. She'd spoken to her mother just days before and the conversation had ended on the same note as so many lately… her future. She'd been reminded, yet again, that she wasn't getting any younger and if she wanted a family of her own, she needed to seriously consider her options. The whole subject was getting on her nerves and she resented it every time it came up but deep inside she knew she was right. Carla always managed to make it sound so simple and it was actually anything but, especially when the only man she could envisage spending the rest of her life with was seemingly unattainable, or at least that's what she'd believed up until a few months ago…

She'd read somewhere that the eyes were the windows to the soul and although it certainly didn't apply to most of the people she came across in day-to-day life, he was fast becoming the exception, if you knew what to look for. Or maybe, it was a deliberate thing where she was concerned? Whenever they made eye contact these days, it seemed his guard was down, allowing her tantalising glimpses of the man inside. It had all begun on the day of their 'talk' in the corridor when he'd thought she was leaving and it had surprised her. He'd looked so vulnerable as he'd tried to tell her he didn't want her to go but the thing that had touched her most, was the emotion he'd shown. He'd spoken from the heart and she could tell even without hearing his voice that he was struggling to hold it together. It was all there, on his face and in those eyes, those incredible, gentle, brown eyes that had the power to hold her captive and steal her breath away, if she let them. It made her thankful to be deaf, because it meant she could focus on his hands and mouth as he spoke, not that concentrating on his lips wasn't difficult enough, especially when all she really wanted was… She gave herself a mental shake; this was definitely not the time to be travelling that particular path.

The entire team had been stuck in the bullpen for days, catching short naps on the cots that had been set up in one of the conference rooms. They were surviving on snatched meals and far too much coffee, as they tried to catch another 'crazy' who was using the citizens of D.C. for target practice and once again, because of his skillset, Jack was the lead agent on the case. With three people already deceased and two others wounded, the pressure was mounting on him to get a result and it was beginning to show.

He'd made sure they all had breaks to sleep, eat and stretch their legs but he'd remained at his desk throughout, apart from the odd comfort break. Right now, he was wading through reports of possible suspects, his cell constantly interrupting as people requested either progress reports or instructions. Looking up unexpectedly, he caught her watching him and gave her a weary smile, fatigue oozing from every pore as he asked if she was okay. Running his fingers through his hair, he blinked several times before returning to the task at hand. She knew what that meant, it happened to her when she'd been working for long periods, his vision had started to blur and the way he rubbed his forehead told her he had a headache. He was attacked by a fit of the yawns and she decided it was time to step in but just as she started to get up, Myles came through the door, making some sarcastic comment about keeping him up and demanding an update on what had been happening while he'd been gone, along with a run-through of everything they had so far and then he was called away. Returning to his desk an hour later, he slumped down in his chair and closed his eyes. For a moment she thought he'd actually fallen asleep where he sat but his cell went off again and he dispatched Myles and Tara to chase down some new information while Bobby continued to work his way through a list of informants. Seizing her opportunity, Sue crossed to his desk and perched on the edge.

"You should get some rest."

"Now, how did I know you were going to say that?" He gave her the same weary smile he had earlier. "And please don't tell me it's because I'm brilliant, I feel anything but, right now."

"No, you're exhausted. You need a break."

"Sue…"

"Uh-uh, no arguments... You're not going to do anyone any good if you go on like this."

"Haven't we been here before?"

"Too many times," she glared at him, crossing her arms in front of her and he capitulated.

"Okay, okay," standing he swayed a little, resting a hand on the back of his chair until he regained his equilibrium.

"And when you get up, you have to eat."

"Yes Mom," he reached over to pick up his cell but she took it from him.

"You won't need that."

"Sue, I'm in charge of this investigation, remember?"

"Not for the next couple of hours." He opened his mouth to argue but all that escaped was another yawn. "If anything important comes up, I'll wake you."

"You heard the lady, Sparks, and if you don't go on your own, I'll escort you personally."

"I'm going, I'm going." His eyes locked with hers for an instant and despite his protestations, she could see the gratitude in their depths. "You know where I'll be."

o-xxx-o

Putting one foot in front of the other was a chore but when he reached the conference room, he had to smile at the notes that had been pinned to the door. There was a polite one in Tara's handwriting asking not to be disturbed, one obviously written by Sue that read 'make as much noise as you want, it won't bother me'. Lucy's was a simple, 'don't make me hurt you', and then Myles stating that he 'had a gun and wasn't afraid to use it' and an adjacent one with an arrow pointing to his with 'what he said', scrawled on it. He should probably have added one of his own but his brain was far too scrambled to think of a witty one-liner at that point.

The blinds were all down, so he paused in the doorway to give himself time to get accustomed to the lower light level before looking around. He'd never been a fan of the cots they provided, they were uncomfortable, unyielding and far too low, but right at that moment a bed of nails would have been a welcome sight. Moving to the closest, he stretched and loosened his tie but then changed his mind; the last thing he needed was for an unsuspecting colleague to come rushing in and trample him. In the end he opted for one on the other side of the room and under the window. It kept him out of harm's way and there was enough light intruding around the sides of the closed blind to see by, if it became necessary. Shoving his tie into his pants' pocket, his jacket having been discarded a long time ago, he lowered himself down and removed his shoes before lying back and staring at the ceiling.

He'd hoped he was tired enough to fall right off to sleep but his mind was still on full alert. The crime scenes, the reports he'd read, possible scenarios the team had come up with to trap the killer, were all dancing around in his head. Growling in frustration, he grabbed the sorry excuse for a pillow and pummelled it into shape before turning onto his side to face the wall and that was when it hit him. For a moment he thought she'd followed to make sure he was doing as he was told but if she had, he would have heard her. Moving again, he breathed deeply, a faint smile lighting his face when he realised it was actually two different scents he was picking up, one her shampoo and the other her perfume and they were creating a heady combination. What were the odds that he'd pick the same cot she'd used earlier? Then again, he'd found himself drawn to her in so many ways lately, so why not?

He'd done an awful lot of thinking about them since the day she'd announced she was taking the job in New York and his embarrassing, stumbling, speech in the hallway. Realising just how painful it would be to lose her from his life had shaken him, forcing him to see their whole relationship in a completely different light and now he was finding it almost impossible to return to being just work colleagues and friends.

They'd been spending more of their free time together in the past few months and grown closer in the process but had drawn an invisible line between them, neither prepared to risk the other's career by breaking the F.B.I.'s stringent rules on dating. A line it was becoming more and more difficult not to cross, at least for him.

The hardest moments came late at night, after having dinner or taking in a movie at the Montrose. In fact, they'd gone there the day before this whole thing kicked off, taking Amanda and Ben with them on one of their 'double dates', not that he'd ever admit to Sue he'd known what the sign had meant all along. It had all seemed so right somehow and when one of the other patrons had commented on what a lovely family they made, it had set a scene in his head he hadn't been able to shake. The whole wife, kids, dog someday thing they'd touched on during their undercover, suddenly seemed like a real possibility and not a distant dream. After they'd dropped the youngsters off, they'd gone for a coffee and he'd walked her home. They'd both stood outside her building, neither wanting to be the one to say good night and she'd looked so appealing he'd almost forgotten to breathe. Oblivious to everyone and everything around him, he'd instinctively moved in closer with every intention of kissing her and if Lucy and Levi hadn't come along when they did…

Just the thought of what might have happened had filled him with a sense of warm anticipation and despite his exhaustion, and the seriousness of the case, he felt the tension of the last few days slowly receding. She could do that to him, even in his darkest moments; a kind word, a reassuring touch of the hand and his world would be back in balance. Sometimes he only had to see her to feel better and that could only mean one thing… He was in love and he was almost sure she felt the same way. With that thought in mind, he made himself a little more comfortable, closing his eyes and letting the sleep his body craved, claim him.

o-xxx-o

Apart from the female contingent, the bullpen was deserted when D stepped inside and looked around. "Where is everyone?"

Lucy answered for them while Levi gained his mistress' attention. "Myles is with Metro PD. Bobby is following up a possible lead…"

"And, Jack..?"

"Taking a break..."

"He hasn't slept in days." Sue explained, jumping to his defence.

"Yeah I know, but there's a meeting upstairs in forty-five minutes and they want him there. I take it he's in the conference room?" Pulling out his cell, he called the case agent's number but it went unanswered. "Damn, I don't have time to…"

"I'll go…" She'd offered a little too quickly and Tara and the rotor exchanged knowing grins.

"Okay, thanks."

Grabbing her coat from the hook and picking up her purse, she told Levi to stay where he was before practically running out of the door, leaving two bewildered women staring after her.

"Why did she need her coat?"

Tara shrugged, "I guess it can get pretty cold in the elevator."

The phone rang on her desk, giving Lucy no time to reply.

o-xxx-o

Opening the door with her free hand, Sue quickly located him and shook her head in disbelief. Of all the cots he could have picked…

Moving quietly to his side, she opened the blind just a touch to allow in extra light and knelt down beside him, placing her purchases on the floor. She knew she should waken him but he looked so at peace and there was a faint smile on his face making her wonder what he could be dreaming about that would create a temporary oasis in the eye of the storm. He moved slightly and her heart-rate shot up at the thought she might get caught watching him again but he merely slid an arm under the pillow and snuggled deeper into it, sighing softly. It was a ridiculous thing but she found herself envying that pillow; she wanted to be that pillow… Have his strong arms around her as they slept.

Was that what was in his head as he lay there? Several times recently, she'd felt they were on the same wavelength and the other night, she'd been certain he was going to kiss her. She'd wanted him too, so much in fact it had hurt when he didn't. She'd been both excited and terrified at the same time and she wasn't sure she'd ever forgive Lucy for spoiling the moment.

There would, in all probability, have been all kinds of problems if they'd let it go that far and been found out but she'd thought about it a lot and realised whatever the price, she'd be willing to pay it. She loved her job and sharing the apartment with Lucy but she loved the man sleeping in front of her a whole lot more. At night before she fell asleep, she'd imagine a different life for herself, one with children, a dog and him.

Jack had been in her corner from day one, defending her right to be a part of the team despite all the opposition and the mistakes she'd made. He'd protected her, comforted her; been there whenever she wanted to talk or needed a shoulder to cry on, all under the guise of being her training agent and now she wanted to be able to do the same for him, without fear of repercussions. All he had to do was ask and she'd give everything up… but he'd never ask…

Pulling herself back to the present, she coloured violently when she saw he was awake and watching her, those eyes staring into hers with such intensity she was convinced he could see into her very soul.

"Hi…" he whispered sleepily, his expression gentle with just a hint of amusement.

"Hi." She could feel her cheeks burning but if he'd noticed he didn't comment.

"Am I needed?"

"Yes," her voice was shaky, giving her reply a double meaning and she quickly cleared her throat in an effort to disguise her discomfort. "There's a meeting upstairs in about," she checked her watch, "twenty minutes."

"For a moment I thought you were going to tell me that the case was solved and we could all go home. Is that coffee I smell?" He smiled almost lovingly, or so it seemed to her, and she temporarily lost the ability to focus. "Sue..?"

"What?"

"Coffee..?"

"Sorry," she flushed again. "I picked it up from the little place round the corner." She handed him the container. "And there are fresh croissants in the bag beside you."

"Thank you."

Whether it was watching him sleep, the tenderness of his expression, the sparkle in his eyes or a combination of all three she didn't know but for the moment she'd forgotten where they were as she reached over to tidy his sleep-tousled hair. Jack stole a glance towards the door and she started to pull away, but he caught her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of it.

Although she couldn't hear it, his voice had a husky quality to it. "When this is all over, I'm going to talk to D."

He didn't need to elaborate she knew exactly what he'd meant.

"If you want me to, that is?" His smile faded and his face clouded with uncertainty. Dropping her hand he turned away, leaving her at a loss, until he spoke again. "Myles, was there something you wanted?"

"Don't you ever answer your phone?"

"I don't have it."

"Oh. Well our illustrious leader sent me to fetch you. Actually, he sent Thomas and then I had to leave what I was doing to find you both." Having grown used to the darker room, his eyes lighted on the coffee container and the brown paper bag. "Breakfast in bed, how sweet…"

Jack sighed in frustration. "Was there a message?"

"The meeting has been put back for an hour."

"Meeting..?"

"The one I came to tell you about," Sue prompted.

"Oh, right."

The other Agent shook his head. "I swear you were more alert before you had your siesta."

"Sorry, need coffee…"

"Now you sound like koala boy, and that wasn't a compliment by the way."

"I guessed as much. Was there something else?"

"If you recall, you sent me over to liaise with Metro PD, I thought you might be interested in what I found out. And Thomas, Tara needs your help with some surveillance footage."

It was obvious he had no intentions of leaving so she reluctantly got to her feet. "Don't forget to eat."

"He's survived this long without a mother to watch over him, I'm sure he'll manage just fine."

Rolling her eyes, Sue dived into her pocket and handed him back his cell. "I'd better go." When she reached the door she stopped and turned to face him again.

"Thank you for the coffee." The comment had been innocuous for Myles' benefit but his face held a question.

"When case over we both go talk to D."

He nodded a 'yes' smiling again as he watched her leave.

"And what, pray tell, was that all about?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Now, what's so important it couldn't wait five minutes?"

"Do you mind if we discuss it somewhere else? I've felt like an intruder ever since I first came in."

"…Must be all that F.B.I training kicking in. You know, if Lucy wasn't a friend, I'd suggest the two of you get back together."

"Why?"

"Because, you share one thing in common…" Jack replied as he put his shoes back on.

"And what would that be?"

"…your incredible sense of timing."

"Somehow, I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing."

"You know something, Myles, neither can I." Picking up his meal he walked with his colleague back out into the fray.

.

o-xxx-o ~ The End ~ o-xxx-o