Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. Just borrowing them for a bit while we wait the 2 weeks for the next episode.
Her shoes tapped out a beat against the pavement, her breathing heavy as Jo jogged along the sidewalk. It was still fairly early, the streets relatively clear and the sun only just beginning to rise, casting everything in a warm yellow glow which if she was a sentimental person she may have enjoyed. But she was a cop, she couldn't afford to be sentimental and she let the rhythm of her movements consume her thoughts.
It really shouldn't have been a surprise when she found herself on the same street, just a couple of blocks ahead of Abe's Antiques. She had found herself thinking of Henry a lot as of late (just out of professional curiosity she told herself.) Maybe she should go past, just to check on things. It sounded lame, even in her own head yet she found herself heading in that direction anyway.
She got an ever bigger surprise when two blocks later she ran into-literally-the person in question. Henry reached out, placing a hand on her arm to steady her, letting it drop when they were no longer in danger of toppling over, ever the gentleman (and damn if it wasn't rather charming.) There was something about him, some sort of old fashioned charm that she couldn't help but be drawn to and his accent, smooth and rich, all warm tones that despite how much she tried to deny it sent flutters through her stomach. But there was something else, a cloud of mystery that surrounded him and that, she supposed is why she kept coming back to him.
She realised she had been quiet too long and his gaze was piercing through her, concern etched into his features.
"Hi" she said.
"Hey" he replied, his voice sliding over her like silk.
"I was just...uh running" great, way to go. Words, remember? The inner scolding helped a little and she composed herself.
"I didn't see you there"
"Oh no, it was my fault. I was caught up in my thoughts" he replied. Damn him and his manners and charm. Why was this even affecting her? He was fiddling with the edges of his scarf (was he ever not wearing one?), probably a nervous habit. She was relieved it wasn't just her.
"Did you um...want to go grab a cup of coffee?" she clamped her mouth shut, regretting it almost as soon as she opened her mouth. That was not what she had been planning to say. They stood there awkwardly for a moment and she was fully prepared for him to decline her offer when he nodded.
"Coffee sounds nice" She gritted her teeth, trying not to sigh in relief. This wasn't high school and she needed to pull herself together. It didn't help matters that she was dressed in workout gear, a thin sheen of sweat covering her skin. Not that she was self-conscious, she wasn't the type but standing next to him impeccably well dressed as always she felt out of place. He either didn't notice or didn't mind as he opened the door for her. She was too distracted to notice the gesture though it wouldn't have surprised her: him and his never ending charm.
Henry studied her as they sat, waiting for their order. She seemed a little off today but he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was. She had dark circles under her eyes and he guessed she hadn't been sleeping well again. They weren't quite close enough yet for him to mention it without making things awkward so he took a different tact.
"So how are you?" he asked, hoping he sounded casual, clasping his hands together in his lap giving her his full attention.
"I'm fine, just you know...fine" she tapped on the table absentmindedly, glancing every few minutes in the direction of the barista. He wondered if he had done something to make her nervous. Even though he had become accustomed to adapting sometimes he missed things in the changing times.
"What are you doing in this part of town?" she was trying to make conversation and he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.
"I live here" he replied, sending her a wide smile to accompany the joke.
"Right of course you do" she had that look her face, the one she got when she was disappointed but this time it was self-directed. He found it oddly endearing.
"What about you?" he asked.
"Oh I came here for the coffee" she replied, confidence returning. Ah, there was the Jo he knew.
"You can never underestimate the power of a good cup of coffee" she nodded in agreement and they smiled at each other. The silence returned but it was no longer awkward. He was glad her ran into her though if Abe found out he would never hear the end of it, after all it was because of Abe that he was out in the first place. He had insisted on it after Henry had spent the entire night researching, all but shoving him out the door. 'Just because you're immortal doesn't mean you can't live a little' had been his exact words. At least it was a walk and not a nightclub, that hadn't ended well last time.
Their orders were called and he thanked the barista, handing one of the large take-out cups to Jo, receiving a grateful smile in return. Once again he opened the door for her, seeing Goosebumps break out across her bare arms as the frigid morning air hit. He made a move to offer her his coat, now that she wasn't moving she was probably cold but decided against it. It was no longer the correct thing to do (they weren't close enough for that) and he regretted how the times had changed.
"Was the coffee worth the trip?" he asked. They had covered the three blocks to the store relatively quickly and he wasn't quite ready for the encounter to be over yet.
"Yeah" she replied honestly. They were no longer talking about the coffee. Something passed between them and he couldn't quite decipher how it felt. It was almost as if time had stopped for the two of them, marking the moment, a chance encounter between two unlikely friends. It was too much too soon and somehow they both sensed it.
She smiled as she waved goodbye and he returned the gesture, watching her walk away. It wasn't until he could no longer see her when he went inside. Abe was just starting to open up and Henry was startled by just how long he had been gone.
"How was your walk?" he asked, a knowing smile on his face having no doubt seen the whole exchange outside.
"Fine" he answered as nonchalantly as he could manage which wasn't fooling anyone. The whole encounter had left him somewhat rattled and he needed time to process it.
"Good for you" There was something in Abe's eyes as he said it, something that made Henry think that maybe, just maybe fate had once again made an appearance in his life.
And perhaps this time he didn't mind.