Authors Note: Characters are a little OOC I know. *shrug* But it's more one-shot fun so you guys don't mind, right? ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the show. If I did Jo would be on screen all the time.
Jo's ex-husband and she were standing in her apartment like they had been for over an hour. The conversation was going round in the same circles which involved Russ asking her to take a chance at their relationship again. "Think about it Jo, one more try of us working and if we realize it isn't going well then we call it quits for a final time."
"I called it quits last time, what was that; try number 5 right? How many one more tries are we gonna take?"
Russ took a step towards her and moved a strand of hair from falling over her face. He had done the same on their first date and every time he needed to apologize or win her back since then.
"Please. I promise to stop asking you out and I'll attempt to control my jealousy when I see you with a guy if we don't work this time."
His hand was still resting on her cheek and she couldn't stop herself leaning into it and accepting his offer as he pressed his lips against her forehead. It was more out of exhaustion than actual desire to get back with him but didn't have the heart or courage to tell him.
One month later the reunited couple seemed to be growing more content with each other but her colleagues had noticed a change in her whole personality. She was quieter than before and she chastised herself every time she made a sarcastic comment, saying that she shouldn't mock her friends, even when they all told her they didn't mind.
Russ came to pick her up almost daily and got slightly angry if she was too busy to leave straight away without having texted him prior to his arrival at the lab. The rest of the team knew her current disposition was caused by her relationship status and his need to have a more domestically orientated wife.
Her skills as a CSI had not altered but in briefings and meetings she was a little less confident with her findings which led Mac to think that she might be getting advised to give up the job and hated that idea. He and Jo had struck up their friendship nearly instantaneously and he couldn't imagine what he would do without her any more.
Lindsay was unable to hide her surprise and delight when Jo accepted the invite to Lucy's birthday party without consulting Russ and his constantly packed schedule for the both of them first. Lindsay and Danny had been hesitant to ask Russ along to since nobody who was attending from their workplace were eager to get on with him because of how Jo had been acting recently, but they knew it would look suspicious if every other spouse or partner was there and he wasn't.
On the day of the party thankfully everybody managed to avoid being dragged into work on a last minute case so they were all sat around the small family's living are talking and cooing over the little girl - who was incredibly excited over the extra attention and toys she was getting - when Jo and Russ finally turned up.
The couple entered the room holding hands and Mac couldn't help but feel a bit jealous whenever his friend looked adoringly at her partner or how when they sat down both of the FBI agent's arms wrapped around Jo and got the chance to kiss her quickly.
Jo was wearing a deep purple dress with larger empire line designed for summer wear which helped show off her curves and as usual she had teamed it with a cardigan - this time a pale gray one - and her black knee high boots.
As the celebrations continued Russ began to get more vocal about his lack of enthusiasm for the family he hardly knew, repeatedly asking Jo - in what he thought was a relatively quiet voice - when they would be able to head off. Mac watched all these terse exchanges with the knowledge that she was getting more annoyed every time Russ spoke to her. The intimacy that had when they had arrived was now completely gone and Jo ended up sitting on the floor playing with Lucy, clearly loving having a little child to spend time with and fuss over again.
"Josephine, can I have a word with you in the kitchen, now." She glared at her ex-husband whilst suddenly remembering how he had always managed to manipulate her into doing what he thought was the correct thing, and got up to follow him.
The rest of the group tried to ignore the shouting that started as soon as Jo closed the adjoining door.
"Why can I not be your perfect partner along with having a career I love? And just so you know, those people through in that other room are my friends; you could at least have the decency to pretend you care!"
"I am fine with you having a career, just not one that takes up entire days and nights, especially considering my hours are chaotic at the best of times."
"Everything always has to return to how you and your life is so awful because you are too busy and I am so wrong. Why don't you just disappear now, you used to be very good at it when we were married? We're all done by the way; for the rest of our lives this time."
The others listened in silence as the front door banged shut. Lindsay waited a few minutes before standing up and moving through to the kitchen to see how Jo was and was stunned to find the older female almost in tears as she stood against the wall.
"I'm sorry for ruining your day."
"Hey! You did no such thing. Come back through, Lucy is looking lost without you already." Jo smirked but shook her head softly.
"I can't. I really should leave you guys to it."
"Just wait here one moment please," Holding one finger out like she did when Lucy was close to having a tantrum, Lindsay turned back to the living room - the people in it having started to make noise again, Adam in particular - and casually approached Mac from the side and asked him in a whisper to go speak to Jo. He looked at her in confusion for a second before giving in to her deadly stare.
"So you're her way to get me to stay?" Jo asked as Mac entered the small room.
"Seems that way. None of us want you to go away yet."
Jo dropped her eye level down to stop herself from getting too caught up in the man she was growing to admire in much more than a strictly professional manner. "He criticizes everything about me. Even down to my choice of clothing - before we left his place we had it out because he thinks that I'm trying to hard to impress someone or whatever because of the cut this dress has. No 'you look good Jo' or anything, he just found the faults in it."
"Jo, why did you get back with him in the first place? Ever since we came into contact you've not wanted to be anywhere near him."
Mac couldn't help but watch as she leaned back against the work-tops, some of her best features being accentuated thanks to the dress and the angle she was standing at. He understood why Russ would be jealous about the reaction to her from other people because she was incredibly attractive.
"I don't know Mac, maybe I just wanted to feel wanted and I don't see any other offers, do you?" She exclaimed, wishing that he could see she meant him.
They caught each others' eyes and didn't have the courage or desire to break it.
"What would you do if someone were interested in you, someone who you haven't been married to or had kids with?"
"You're making it sound like I'm a serial bride! But to be honest I think I would ask what kind of illegal narcotic he's on since he assumedly knows how insane and in love my job I am."
"Give yourself the credit you deserve Jo. I agree you are one of a kind though."
Jo ran a hand through her dark hair and sighed, "See, not even you think I have the qualities necessary for being a good catch."
He looked back at her seriously, "When have I ever said that?"
"Oh come on Mac, I'm just a friend to you. You'll say anything to try to keep me happy."
He took a step forward, just close enough so they were almost touching and could feel each other's breathing. Closing the gap he placed his lips on to hers for a brief second before telling her honestly, "You aren't just a friend."
A smile appeared slowly on her lips as she realized that Mac could maybe be feeling the same way about her as she was about him.
"Why didn't you say anything while I was with Russ? Could you not guess that I would have dropped him as soon as I could if there was the possibility of that kinda kiss?"
"Jo, I hardly know you - single or otherwise - and I am not exactly the most willing to share my feelings. I couldn't have done it to anybody involved."
"Always the good guy," she said with a laugh and kissed him gently again.
As they broke apart this time Mac decided to make sure he had completed his original mission to get her to stay; he hadn't planned to admit how he felt but it had seemed like the right time, "So you're staying at this party for a while longer?"
"Only if you are. Just to be my defense when Adam and Danny start with the jokes about my ex." She laced their fingers together and pulled him through to join their friends again.