Disclaimer: not mine, I just borrowed them for a while.

Small A/N: The events of this story follows the events of 'Let it Snow' but it is written in such a way that it is a stand-alone story. Also, some of the characters words and actions are harsh and offensive; they're in no way reflecting this author's personal opinion.

The board is set

The pieces are moving

Are you ready to play?

March 1st

Berlin, Germany

00:26 AM

The door opened, the hinges screaming in protest. She tensed, straining her ears to distinguish the footsteps that approached her quickly. She concluded that there were two, probably men and tried not to wince as one of them pulled at the ropes and then hurled her to her feet, cursing when she stumbled. They grabbed her forearms and pulled her with them, half dragging her. She tried to stand on her feet but her muscles ached too much, numb from sitting on the wooden chair for such a long time.

She didn't know how much time had passed since she last saw daylight. It could have been hours, maybe days. Her captors moved her from place to place, of that she was sure, she was mostly drugged but when she did wake up the smells were different and the sounds different. She was hungry and felt constantly sick. She wondered if she was being moved again. She heard the sound of a door opening and the sudden chill made her gasp.

Someone set his mind on getting her. The daylight and familiar environment lulled her into a sense of security and she was taken in broad day. Her memory of the event was failing her; she took a shower and left the bathroom, wearing a robe. She remembered hearing a noise from behind and was about to turn around when someone hit her head and she tumbled to the floor. She woke up in a dark room, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt that did nothing to keep her warm.

The two men left her and she fought against the cramps before dropping to the ground, her knees hitting the pavement painfully. Someone pulled her arm aggressively and firmly pressed a wet cloth to her nose. She fought against it, thrashing wildly against him. She didn't hear the other man stepping behind her before he pulled her hair, forcing her head backwards as she screamed through her gag, inhaling the sweet fumes that enveloped her mind in a black haze.

March 1st.

Hoover building.

09:35 AM

The golden retriever trotted through the bullpen, stopping next to the tall agent and resting his golden head on his thigh, sighing softly. Myles Leland looked down at him and sighed in return, ripping a piece of his doughnut and giving it to the grateful dog. "There you go, Levi, I'm not hungry anyway." He turned his eyes towards his computer screen, staring helplessly at his inbox while petting the dog's head.

"Myles?" Sue Thomas' melodic voice startled him and he looked at her with surprise.

"I didn't give Levi any doughnuts and I really don't understand why he must slurp all over my foot." He said cynically, moving his foot as Levi gave him a sad face. "Go over to Koala Boy, I'm sure he'll be happy to share."

Sue eyed him with concern, managing yet again to see right through him. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine." He replied curtly. "I'm just waiting for an e-mail." He explained, motioning towards his computer screen.

"Well, I'm sure you will receive it soon." She said, smiling at him.

He shrugged his shoulders. She didn't ask but whenever she was around he found himself sharing things he would never share with others. "I have been waiting for almost a week now. It's starting to worry me." He admitted.

"Lost your pen pal?" Bobby Manning quipped from his desk, grinning as he drank his morning coffee.

Myles raised an eyebrow. "My pen pal happens to be a very dear friend." He said, planning to be harsh but growing quiet as his nervousness only grew stronger. He rolled his eyes when Bobby raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I can help you trace him." Tara Williams offered. "If you'll give me his full name."

"It's a woman." Myles admitted, sighing when Bobby whistled and Sue smiled at him. "Unfortunately, you can't trace her; she's not from around here."

"If she's from the States then I can trace her."

"She's not; it takes a tiresome twelve hour flight to where she lives." He said, his eyes returning to his computer screen.

"Twelve hours?" Lucy Dotson drawled from her desk, turning to face him. "What did you do to scare her away like that?"

Myles' features hardened as he rose from his desk. "I'm going to take a walk." He said shortly, leaving the room in a hurry. Lucy raised her eyebrows, turning to look at Sue.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked and Sue shrugged her shoulders.

"I think he's really worried."

"Okay, people, clear up your desks. We have a new case and its high priority." Jack Hudson and Dimitrius Gans entered the room, handing manila files to everyone.

March 1st.

Hoover building.

19:27 PM

When Jack finally raised his eyes from his computer screen the bullpen was half deserted. He glanced around him to see Bobby and Tara slipping through the doorway, waving their hands at him. He remembered that D was heading home early and that Lucy had a dentist appointment. Myles was still at his desk, the Harvard graduate seemed to be absorbed in his work although he kept glancing towards his cell phone, obviously looking forward to something. He pursed his lips, something had been bothering agent Leland in the past few days; he wondered if it had something to do with the vacation time he took the previous month.

Jack turned his gaze to the blond analyst who sat in his line of vision. Sue had her eyes focused on her computer screen and he smiled at the pleasure of simply staring at her without being caught. His head resting on his hand, he watched quietly as she worked, her slender fingers typing something in her computer. He tried to remember every feeling those fingers could evoke, every sigh that came from her lips, the way her lips were soft and her body fitted so perfectly with his.

He blinked, finding that something was blocking his line of vision. Myles stood next to him, a sardonic smile tracing his lips. Jack leaned back in his chair, raising his eyebrow, expecting a sarcastic comment. Instead, Myles' smile turned genuine. "A word of caution, if you don't mind, I know your relationship with Sue was always…unique but some of us can detect that it's changed." Jack nodded his head in reply, not admitting or denying a thing. "Also, if you don't mind me saying, it's about time." Myles pursed his lips and turned around, making sure Sue saw him as he said goodnight and left the bullpen.

Sue raised her eyebrows and looked around, a smile forming on her lips when her eyes rested on Jack's face. "Are we alone?" She asked, laughing when Jack nodded enthusiastically, rising from his seat and moving to sit at the corner of her desk.

You and me, dinner? He signed slowly, grinning when she nodded her head. He moved for his coat and helped her into hers, his hand lingering on her lower back. They walked towards the elevator together, his hand creating shivers down her spine, entering the elevator, Sue moved away from him, reaching for his hand and squeezing it. He grinned, not looking at her and staring at the floor numbers as they changed quickly. Soon, they were in the garage and he took her in his arms, lowering his mouth to hers, finally having his way with her.

Her lips parted on their own, without any pressure from his. He tasted chocolate and inhaled her scent, moaning as the kiss deepened. Sue sneaked a hand under his coat, bracing her palm against his back, craving further contact. He halted his exploration, slowly ending the kiss, chuckling when she clung to him, sighing to his lips before settling her head on his shoulder.

"Pretty soon there will be no place safe for us." She whispered, her voice laced with laughter.

Jack chuckled, moving his hand to caress her shoulder. "Our apartments should be safe." He said quietly and she raised her eyebrow.

"You think?"

"I meant safe from being discovered but I see your point." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "But it will make for an interesting evening don't you think?"

Over a quiet dinner in a small restaurant Sue broached the subject they kept avoiding. "Shouldn't we tell someone?" She asked quietly, reaching out for his hand. "It's been more then two months now." Her thoughts drifted to the special Christmas Eve that they spend together at his apartment.

Jack nodded grimly. "The problem is that part of me likes things just the way they are. It took me so long to finally find the courage to hold you in my arms and I just feel that it's something personal, private that I don't want to share with anyone."

"Lucy will kill me if she hears it from someone else." Sue smiled, imagining her roommate and best friend signing franticly and jumping giddily at the prospect of her matchmaking project finally coming to an end. Jack smiled; imagining Bobby's face when he told him, Bobby would be excited for them, clapping him on his shoulder and grinning, saying it was about time.

"What about work?" He asked and she bit her lips in frustration. She didn't have the answers, she couldn't even think about working in another team without him by her side but she knew she wanted to share her happiness with the world, it wasn't rational but she wanted someone to talk to about her new relationship.

He touched her hand gently, bringing her back from her musings. "It's late." He said, taking a look at his watch. "Why won't I take you home and we'll discuss it over the weekend? We should have some down time by then and we could both think it over in the next few days."

Sue nodded her head and they paid the bill and headed towards her apartment. Jack walked her to the door and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her for a kiss. Sue smiled, molding herself against him as she traced his lips with her tongue, feeling him moaning in return. Their tongues danced together and Sue wrapped her hands around his neck, holding on when he pinned her to the wall, his body pressing hers intimately.

Jack moved his hand to caress her hair and then her cheekbone, tracing a line with his thumb. His passion rising, he had trouble restraining himself, unable to stop tasting her. He thought he would love to stay there all night and kiss her to oblivion, he wished he could stay all night. Slowly easing away from her moist lips, he pressed his forehead into hers and breathed deeply, smiling when she caressed his hair. He signed his goodnight and she returned the gesture, leaning for a last kiss that nearly destroyed his noble intentions.

He was still smiling when he pulled the car over next to his apartment building. He was happier then he ever remembered, he looked forward to the weekend, planning to order in a nice dinner and watch a DVD with Sue in his arms, he couldn't think of a better place he wanted to be. As he entered his apartment, he frowned when the light didn't turn on. He played with the switch several times before sighing and heading towards the door, intent on checking the fuse box.

He reached for his gun when someone blocked his way, a tall man with a white mask. Jack blinked, aware that someone else was behind him. He didn't have time to react, groaning when something heavy hit his head and his consciousness seemed to slip away as he fell, hitting the floor painfully.