Author's note: Hi my fellow POI peeps *waves* this story took me by storm quite literally I was sitting down to start writing for my Moments series, and I got this idea gnawing at me so I started to write it out, and like four hours later realized I had to finish it before I continued on with the Moments series. So sorry if you are waiting for that story to come it will be a teensy bit longer since I haven't even made an outline for the story yet!

I want to thank Elaine who is my friend, and proofreader who had been bombarded with chapter after chapter of this story to read for me! I, thank you for the positive feedback and so I will trudge ahead and post. I always get anxious when first posting a story afraid my ideas that I think are good really aren't, but she assured me this was a good story. So I am trying to let go of my harsh opinions of myself!

Disclaimer: I own nada, seriously nothing of this is mine whatsoever, which is a good thing the show would bomb out if I owned it lol. Creese would be solving cases from bed, Reese wouldn't ever have clothes on...I could go on but you get the picture the show is in the rightful hands, I just like to take them out to play };D

"So the plan was to get ambushed?"

"Carter, not now!" John sighed as they hunkered down beside one another as more gunshots ricocheted off the pavement.

"No, its fine, clearly you have this under control," she huffed. John shot her a dark look but she wasn't looking at him to see it.

"Carter!" John snapped it this time. He wasn't in the mood to be told how terrible the plan had been. He knew it already and he didn't need to be reminded.

"John, we don't have an escape route."

"Yes we do."

"Where?" She eyed the wall behind them with one small square window. "That window overlooks the water John, not a very good escape option. The water is like 30 degrees."

"I'll distract them by jumping out the window and you shoot them." Her eyes flew to his.

"John, that's an even worse plan than just barreling in here, guns blazing!" she grabbed his arm when he was about to get up.

"Carter, it's the only option we have." He wasn't too happy with the plan either, but he had gotten them into this mess, he was going to get them out of it.

"No! How about we wait for backup? Fusco is on his way."

"I'm not risking you getting shot prior to his arrival."

"John, this is insane, you'll get hypothermia-at the very least, maybe even shot in the process."

"I won't be in the water that long," he assured her. Before she could muster anymore of a protest he stood up rushing the window, firing his weapon as he went. John burst through the window as they returned gunfire. He floated in the air for mere seconds before he hit the icy water below. His body was swallowed whole in the frigid depths, knocking the wind out of him. Oh shit, was this water cold! His lungs screamed for oxygen immediately, his limbs felt heavy as he struggled to break the surface.

John just hoped like hell Joss was alright, but he knew she could take care of herself. She had told him that on many occasions, so he was trusting in her assurances that she could. John broke the surface gasping in much needed air as his entire body shuddered violently. He looked around the bay searching for the shoreline. John finally saw it off to his left and he began slowly swimming his way over to it, feeling his muscles tighten. The bitter coldness of the water was making it hard to stay afloat, but he concentrated on his breathing. When he made it close to the shoreline he stood up slowly, wading through the water. John almost didn't hear Carter screaming. His instincts kicked in and aimed the gun he still held. But Joss wasn't screaming for help. She was running towards him, away from the warehouse they had been cornered in that overlooked the bay. Well he was just glad his terrible plan worked and that she was alright. John dropped his gun, unhappy to hold it as his body viciously shook.

"Oh my god John, your lips are already blue." She shrugged her jacket off as he dropped to his knees, the trembling so bad he couldn't stay upright. He couldn't even tell her not to worry, that he had only been in the water for possibly five minutes.

"F-fine." his teeth chattered so loudly. He needed to know she was alright. He hadn't meant to just leave her stranded, but he knew the men would look and shoot at him.

"You're not fine," she groused as she threw her jacket around his shoulders.

"N-no, a-are y-you a-alright?" he forced out, trying to control the shuddering his body did, but to no avail.

"John, they were so busy shooting at you they totally forgot about me. I clipped each guy in the knee, you'd be proud," she huffed, huddling close to him and rubbing his shoulders. "I got to call for an ambulance, John."

"N-no h-hospitals."

"John, you probably have hypothermia."

"I-I c-can walk to y-your car."

"No, you can't. You are shivering way too hard." Okay, he hadn't really thought he could make the half mile trek either, he just didn't want to go to a hospital.

"L-Lionel is o-on h-his way, s-so is F-Finch." He'd just wait for them.

"John, they'll be here in like fifteen minutes, that's too long! You need warmth now." she reached in her pants pocket, pulling out her cell phone. John stopped her from calling.

"Y-you c-could always s-strip d-down to n-nothing. I h-heard b-body heat w-warms y-you up faster." He shot her a devilish smile as his body took another chance to shudder violently.

"John Reese, did you hit your head on rocks on your way down?! Once I know you won't die on me from hypothermia I'm going to smack you upside the head myself!" She leveled him her best 'don't mess with me' look while she called someone.

"N-no, h-hospitals." he tried again.

"Fusco, hey its Carter, are you almost at Oyster Bay?" she demanded while huddling closer to his shivering body, rubbing her free hand up and down his arm. "Well John here decided he was going to play decoy and hopped into the bay. Yes, I know its like ice water this time of year, I tried to stop him he doesn't listen! Just hurry I need to get him warm fast!" She hung up and he stared at her, trying to focus on her rather than how cold he was. "Fusco said they are probably five minutes from us, they'll be here soon, just hang in there, John."

"C-Carter, g-go, its t-too c-cold for y-you to b-be outside w-without a j-jacket on." John tried to shift from her but she tightened her hold on him.

"John, you are very aggravating, you know that?"

"W-what do y-you mean?"

"I'll tell you what it means when I'm sure it will penetrate your thick skull!"

"T-the way y-you t-talk t-to me Carter, m-makes me so w-warm a-and f-fuzzy inside." He tried to joke but she shot him down when she didn't smile. "I'll b-be fine C-Carter, s-see the shivering is f-fading." he clamped down on his teeth to cease the incessant chatter. He was going to need to see a dentist at this rate.

"I would have believed that if you weren't clenching your jaw so hard to stop your teeth from chattering together." She nailed him with another of her patented glares. She rubbed hard at his arms. "John?"

"Y-yes Carter?" he gave up trying to stop shivering since she wasn't believing it anyway.

"Mr. Reese, Detective Carter!" John turned when Finch's voice washed over the sound of crashing waves. John struggled to get up and Carter's hands were on his arm assisting him.

"F-Finch, L-Lionel, s-so g-glad y-you could m-make it."

"Oh dear, Mr. Reese," Finch tugged his own jacket off placing it on top of Carter's. John watched as Lionel did the same.

"G-give y-yours to Carter, L-Lionel."

"Give it to John." Carter demanded when Lionel turned to hand her his coat. John glowered when she crossed her arms refusing to take the jacket even as a shiver shook her own body. The wind picked up and all she was wearing was her pantsuit blazer.

"L-Lionel." He wished the damn stutter to his voice would go. How could he be menacing if he couldn't stop stuttering?!

"Sorry Mr. Happy, she wins out." Lionel smirked at him throwing his jacket on top of him. He opened his mouth to assure Lionel that even though he was trembling he could still kick his ass, but his teeth chattered hard as he violently shook once again. He felt Finch and Carter wrap their arms around his body helping him forward.

"Both suspects are wounded in the knees and I cuffed them together to a radiator inside the small shoreline warehouse." Carter called out as Fusco hurried away with his gun drawn. "Finch, can you get John to your car alright? I need to help Fusco."

"Yes, of course, go help Detective Fusco. I'll assist John."

"C-Carter, I-I t-thought you w-were going to g-get n-naked for me?" He forced a smile on his lips.

"Finch, check him for brain damage!" she said with a smile on her face. Joss rushed towards the warehouse to go help Fusco. John felt Harold's gentle hands pressing him forward.

"Are you alright Mr. Reese?"

"I-I'll b-be fine o-once I g-get a chance t-to warm u-up." He shuddered as he allowed his friend to help him towards his car.

"So I take it Vincent and Dwayne Smithson were drug smugglers," Finch said, his breathing labored from helping him the entire walk as they finally made it to his car. He opened the passenger side door for him and John slowly climbed in. Finch was in the car in a flash, blasting the heat. John shook uncontrollably as his teeth chattered harder.

"D-definitely the p-perpetrators."

"No doubt. I take it the detective isn't very happy with you at the moment?" John smiled.

"N-no, s-she's not. I-I don't t-think she l-liked the p-plan."

"I have to agree with her, Mr. Reese, it wasn't very smart." John leaned his wet head against the headrest. Not him too. He had already heard how terrible his first plan was, now he had to listen to them gripe about his second idea. Well, it had worked, right?

"Finch, l-look, it w-worked o-out."

"You don't care enough about yourself, Mr. Reese, or you don't trust in us to be there for you."

"I t-trust y-you guys."

"Which means you don't care enough about yourself, Mr. Reese! You need people like myself and Detective Carter who look out for your best interests, whereas you don't." John didn't want to argue about this. He had thought Carter was going to tell him off, but Finch and Fusco arrived. Finch began driving them down an empty road. It was late in the evening, and in the dead of Fall not many people came up to Oyster Bay during the cooler months. John felt a little warmer with the hot air blasting him but he continued to shiver. When they saw a small market Finch pulled over in the parking lot.

"W-What are y-you doing?"

"Going to find you a change of clothes, and an electric blanket, Mr. Reese. Then I'm taking you to the nearest motel to get you warm before we continue our two hour drive back home."

"W-why didn't you b-bring Bear a-along?" John asked as Finch climbed out of the running car. But Finch didn't answer him. He swung the door shut to engulf John in the heat some more and limped his way inside the market, leaving John to think about what he said not caring about himself.

Joss was indeed going to kill John. He never thought about himself, ever. Last night he just hopped out of the window without listening to her protests, or that they could have waited the men out for Finch and Fusco to get there. Nope, the man had to do as the man wanted. Typical pigheaded men! Well she was going to give the man a piece of her mind whether or not he wanted to hear it. She knew he didn't think of himself as high as he thought about others. Well, that's why he had Finch and her to do that for him. Think about his best interests and having his back! Joss pulled her cell phone out, leaning back in her desk chair before dialing his phone number. John answered on the first ring.

"Hello Carter." his warm voice washed over her and she was glad he was alright. But she was supposed to be angry with him and this time she was going to hold onto her anger!

"Hello, John." each word dripped with venomous bite to them, hoping he knew how upset she still was.

"Sounds like you're still mad." He paused to sneeze viciously, making her clutch the phone tighter to her ear. "But I'm alive and hypothermia free, doesn't that count for anything?"

"You sound sick, John." she heard him sneeze again in answer to her. "Damn it John, this is why you don't go swimming in the middle of FALL!"

"I'll be fine."

"Heard that one before, are you drinking lots of fluids?"

"Yes."

"Alcohol doesn't count." He chuckled a little.

"I didn't drink alcohol, Carter."

"Coffee doesn't count either John." The man always was drinking coffee, which was good she agreed, though it wasn't a drink of choice to battle an illness.

"Uh-oh."

"John!"

"Yes, I'm drinking water!" he sighed, and she knew he was aggravated with her. "And coffee." he added at the end. She didn't care, she just needed to make sure he was taking care of himself.

"Do you have a fever?"

"No."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No."

"John!" His answer had been way too quick for her to take it seriously.

"Maybe."

"You're sick! That's it, I'm coming over." she couldn't let him take care of himself or he'd be dead by the end of the day! And men were big babies when they got sick, but she figured John was going to be even worse of a patient than normal men.

"No, don't worry, Carter." He paused to sneeze again. "I'll be alright."

"When's the last time you had a cold, John?" If she took a guess she'd say he hadn't had one in a while. If that was the case, John was going to laid out because of it.

"Its been years, but I assured Finch I'll be alright and I'm assuring you the same thing. I'm fine."

"I'm coming over." she gathered some of her files so she could work on them at his place. "Give me your address, on my way over I'm going to pick up some chicken noodle soup."

"Carter, you don't have to come over."

"John, I suggest you be quiet; after last night I'm still pissed at you." He sneezed again and she rolled her eyes before she gathered up the files to work on. She crammed her cell in the crux of her shoulder and ear, grabbing a scrap piece of paper and a pen. "Address, John."

Joss found John's place with relative ease as she held a bag of food in one arm and her mountain of files in the other. She had stopped to pick up some over the counter medicine and kleenex for John, as well as the soup before heading over here. She was going to make sure the man ate and then drank plenty of fluids; then she was going to nail him to the wall for his antics last night. She found his apartment number and knocked. She heard heavy footsteps before the door opened and she just stood there staring. Joss couldn't help it, she had never seen John quite like this before, he stood on the threshold wearing just dark gray boxer-briefs and a white t-shirt. His 'man in the suit' attire was gone, leaving her to see John in a whole different way. Which wasn't unpleasant, her eyes skimmed from the top of his mussed hair down to his bare feet suggesting he hadn't been out of bed in a while. She forced her gaze onto his face to see how he looked. He definitely looked sick. His blue eyes were glassy, he was slightly pale, his high cheeks were a little too red as was his nose.

"You look like hell, John."

"Thanks, Carter, I always appreciate your compliments." his voice was gravelly as she shot him a smile, sidestepping him to enter his place.

"Nice digs, John."

"Thanks." he let out a wallop of a sneeze as she placed the bags of food, kleenex and medicine on his counter in his adjoining kitchen. Granite countertops, nice, she wished she had this fancy of a kitchen herself. She threw her files down next to the food before shucking her jacket off of her. Joss watched him with a careful eye as she slung her jacket on the back of the barstool nearest her. She began pulling the containers out.

"I got you extra soup so you can heat it in the microwave for later." He nodded his head, moving towards her. "Once I make sure you have some food, its to bed with you." He eyed her saying nothing, but she saw a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "Don't even say it, John." Even as she said it a smile graced her lips.

"What?" He sounded so innocent, but the look on his face was anything but.

"You know what." she pointed to the barstool. "Sit and eat, John." He did as she told him without another sound which was astonishing to say the least. The man must not be feeling all that well for him to be ordered around. He slowly ate using the plastic spoon the restaurant supplied him with. John ate and after about five minutes later the container was empty. He stood up as he sneezed once more. Joss shook her head behind him as he walked to his bed. He got under the covers and she put her hands on her hips staring holes into him.

"Spit it out Carter." He sighed, leaning back into his pillows and pulled his arms out from under the covers, laying them on his stomach as he yawned.

"Spit what out?" her anger over yesterday burning bright in her. John was in for a lecture and he had nowhere to go to escape her. Usually he ended her lectures by leaving or hanging up on her. Well, she was at his place and he was sick which meant he couldn't get out of this one!

"Whatever you want to say." he smiled slowly as he shifted to sit up and patted the bed beside him. Joss grumbled a bit to herself as she sat down beside him.

"Since you invited me to spit it out, as you so delicately put it, I think I'm going to take you up on that offer!" she crossed her arms across her chest staring at him.

"I think I regret saying it like that now."

"You should." She smiled though she felt none too happy at the moment. "You never listen John, you just go on about your business, caring less and less about yourself." He might not think his safety was a big deal, but it was too her.

"Carter-" she wasn't having any of it. So she spoke over him. "No, John, you be quiet. You are going to listen to me now!" she dared him to deny her.

"Alright, Carter," he replied almost too meekly.

"John, how the hell did you know I'd be alright huh? I mean, you just left me with two armed men. I know that I can handle myself in that situation, but that's besides the point! You didn't even think of the fact that they could have shot you! You were lucky they were crap shooters and missed every shot! But what if they weren't, huh? What if they had clipped you? Then you would have been in the water, injured?!" she knew her voice was getting louder but she couldn't help it. The man really didn't care about his safety as much as he should!

"Can I speak now?" he asked as he sniffed his stuffed up nose.

"No! And another thing, you don't get to decide everything; I have a voice too. We are partners in this-whatever the hell this is, and well, you didn't listen to me last night. You just ordered me around, not giving a thought about yourself!" Joss felt better getting that off her chest. She waited and when he said nothing she let out a long suffering sigh. "Well, do you have anything to say for yourself, John?"

"I didn't know if I was allowed to speak or not." Her eyelids narrowed on him as she heard the distinct sound of laughter in the man's voice. Argh, he made her so angry she wanted to tear out her own hair!

"You think this is funny, John? Its not! You're my friend and your well being is as important to me as mine is!"

"I'm sorry Carter." She heard the genuine sincerity in his voice. She waited for more. "I'm sorry for not taking into account your opinion on the matter. You're right, we are a team that work together and I should listen to your opinions as well." She searched his eyes, seeing honesty in them. She nodded curtly, glad to get half the apology she deserved.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Annnnnnnnd?" Did she really have to browbeat this man into an apology for risking his life?!

"I must not be following you, Carter?" He sounded perplexed.

"You're sorry for risking your life unnecessarily!" she motioned with her hand waiting for him to continue.

"Sure, that too," he said sneezing abruptly again; she exhaled, her anger fresh.

"Oh my god, John!" Flinging her arms up in apparent exasperation. He eyed her looking a little unsure.

"What?"

"You don't see anything wrong with what you did, do you?" Joss hadn't realized she had moved so close to him that their faces were inches apart. She poked a finger against his chest, earning a look; well too damn bad, she was angry too! "You don't care about yourself enough, well I do!"

"I know you do, Carter."

"Obviously you don't!" she made a move to get up but John grabbed her wrist stopping her movement. "Let go, John." She tugged hard on her arm, angry with him. The man was more stubborn than a mule; she needed to go before she said something she'd regret.

"No, I am sorry, Carter."

"John, you don't care that I care a lot about you." She turned more fully towards him pinning him with her harsh glare. "You don't care what would happen to me if you were hurt! You don't care that I-" but the last of her rant was cut off when John reared forward wrapping his free hand around the back of her neck pulling her to him, capturing her mouth with his. She sat frozen in surprise. John Reese, her friend John Reese, was kissing her? Her eyes slid shut as unknown feelings were evoked by his mouth pressing into hers.

Joss sat still in shock as his lips remained connected with hers. Oh wow, did his mouth feel good on hers. Joss felt herself melt into him as she kissed him back. She leaned into him, her hand that hung at her side lifted to cup his stubble roughened jaw, while the other was still held by him. John let go of her hand to tangle his fingers in her hair. Joss moved closer, needing more. Alarm bells rang in her head, but when John's tongue swept across her lips her brain shut down altogether. Joss opened her mouth in invitation and sighed when he accepted.

John angled his head to deepen the kiss,making her breath hitch as his tongue touched hers. His tongue was so soft, warm, and wonderful. Oh good lord, what was happening here? Joss wasn't one to be outdone, so she did some exploring of her own. Joss ran her hands from his jaw and chest to wrap around his neck pulling him closer. She searched his mouth, loving his taste of coffee and soup.

Joss wasn't sure how long they were locked in the kiss before it ended, but she was gasping in ragged breaths when they both sprang apart, finally grasping the fact of what they were doing.

"Oh my god." She pressed a hand to her mouth, staring at him wide eyed. Okay, that happened right? Her mouth was wet and her lips felt swollen as she rubbed her fingers against them. It did, it wasn't her imagination.

"I-uh-I don't know why I just did that," John said, a perplexed tone in his voice. Joss scrambled up, bumping into the nightstand beside his bed in her haste to place as much space between them as possible.

"N-no, its okay, John, y-you, you're sick," she motioned to him. "And I'm leaving." She whirled around, rushing to grab her jacket and the files that lay abandoned in his kitchen.

"Carter." she stuffed her arms into her jacket, needing to escape. She didn't know how to process this and fleeing was the best option right now. She flicked her long hair out from underneath the jacket, turning to look at him. He was climbing out of bed.

"No, don't get up on my account, John. I can see myself out." she snatched her files up so quickly they spilled onto the floor, papers flying everywhere. Perfect, there went her great escape. She exhaled blowing her bangs up as she squatted down to pick the papers up. She felt his hand brush against hers, stopping her. She lifted her gaze off the fallen papers to his blue gaze.

"Carter, take a breath."

"John, you're my friend. I don't make many friends, I don't know how to trust anyone anymore. But I trust and respect you." She licked her lips, feeling his mouth still on hers. "I can't lose you." Her eyes plead with him to understand.

"I know." Of course he knew. He had the same trust issues as she did. She knew he trusted her and respected her just the same. They were hardened soldiers, both of them, and it was why they got along so well. She couldn't risk losing that or losing him.

"That kiss never happened, John."

"Agreed." She nodded and they both averted their eyes from one another as they picked up all the pieces of paper that had fallen onto the floor. John handed her a small pile of them and she smiled gratefully. Joss stood up as he did and he let out a vicious sneeze.

"It won't get in the way of us being…friends, right?" She asked hating how insecure she felt right now. He looked at her and smiled.

"Why should it, since it never happened?" She smiled up at him, they understood each other.

"Thanks." She clutched the paperwork to her chest in like a bear hug. "John, eat all that soup I brought you!" she admonished as she backed up towards his front door while he followed slowly nodding his head.

"Yes ma'am, I won't hear the end of it if I don't."

"Nope. Someone has to make sure you take care of yourself." he nodded his head when she opened the door. "Uh, see you whenever you need help on a new person?"

"Yes, see you then, Carter."

"Bye." she turned and walked away. When she reached the stairs she took them two at a time. John watched as Carter flew as fast as she could to get away from him as he quietly shut his door. Not that he blamed her, he had no explanation as to why he had just grabbed her and kissed her.

"Damn it." John sighed as he sat down on the edge of his bed. That had been the worst mistake he had ever made. Sure she griped about his plan of just going into the warehouse and sure, she griped about his plan of jumping out of the window. But this by far, kissing Joss, was his worst idea ever! Carter was a friend of his, someone he relied on and trusted; he didn't have many people he could say that about. Just her, Finch, and even Lionel, but that was it. That kiss was a mistake that he instantly regretted the moment they broke apart. And she had a look of pure horror on her face that probably mirrored his own. What had he been thinking? He wasn't sure.

What he did know was that he didn't want to lose Joss over this. She clearly was taken aback by it, as he was. He reared back, lying on his back on the bed. He stared at the ceiling as if it would answer the questions running through his mind right now. John coughed a little as he rolled out of bed when his phone rang. Finch had promised to call him if they got a new number; he wondered if that was the case. He picked up his cell phone and answered it quickly, glad for a distraction.

"Hey Finch." He sneezed violently again. Damn it, he really needed that medicine Joss brought. He hated medicine, but he needed to not be knocked out by this on-setting cold.

"You're not feeling any better are you, Mr. Reese?"

"Not really." To be honest he was feeling worse. But he wasn't going to tell him that. "But you got a new number haven't you, Finch?"

"Yes."

"I'll be there." He sighed while yanking open his closet to find a pair of dress pants. "Whose the new number?" he asked after he sneezed.

"Mary Caldwell, she's thirty-four years old, never married." John sighed, zipping his pants trying to stop the sneeze that wanted to make its way out.

"What does she do for a living?"

"Well, she's a personal trainer." John blinked as he grabbed a dress shirt. He had heard correctly, right?

"A personal trainer?"

"Yes, Mr. Reese."

"Who would want to kill a personal trainer?" John sneezed as he began buttoning his shirt up.

"Maybe no one, she could be the threat."

"Who would a personal trainer want to kill? Is she seeing anyone?"

"As far as I can tell with her digital footprint, no." Well there went that theory of being harmed by a boyfriend.

"I'm on my way." John looked around for his gun, not remembering exactly where he had placed it. He tried to clear his throat when it felt scratchy.

"When you arrive Mr. Reese I'll have a hot cup of tea for you, it should soothe your throat." John scoured his loft finally finding his gun. Damn where had his head been at last night and this morning? John coughed as he hung up with Finch. He needed to find his earpiece too; it made making and answering calls much easier,especially when he was called in the most inopportune time. John took two of the pills Joss brought him before tugging his jacket on. He longed to stay in bed, but duty called. He, for one, was happy since it was a distraction from thinking too much about Joss and the kiss that should never have happened.

Author's note: So, this story is part 1 of a possibly trilogy I do not know if it will be a trilogy or just this story and a sequel. Haven't thought that far in advance :D Well actually its all up to you guys if you like the story I'll begin writing the sequel, if you hate this story I won't lol. This story is finished completely my proofreader is checking over all of them and she has sent me back chapters 1-3 already so the updates for this will be quick-ish lol. Oh, and if this title for this story sucks that because literally I couldn't think of an appropriate title for this story. Literally my mind stalled, and I sat there staring blankly at my screen. Guh titles, and summaries are my downfall I swear!

Thanks for reading, and I am anxiously waiting to hear if you like this story or not...