Having Uber-ed home, Lucy entered her foyer, closed the door and leaned back against it. She had spent the evening with Jiya and may have had one drink too many. Closing her eyes, she thought about what she had done. Tonight she'd perhaps opened up a little too much, and now wondered if it had been the right thing to do.

This Friday night had started off terrible. Oh, she'd actually had a date. A date that stood her up… On her birthday! It didn't get any better than that. Not a call, not a text, not a nothing. During that hour and a half of waiting, she had texted Jiya a couple of times telling her she should've just gone straight home from work.

Earlier...

CALLAHAN'S BAR & GRILL - FRIDAY 7:33 PM

Lucy sat at the bar, deep into her fifth text to Jiya, when she suddenly popped up in front of her.

"What?! Jiya, what are you doing here?!"

Placing her hand on Lucy's shoulder, Jiya stated with finality, "It's high time we have a girl's night out."

Lucy shook her head. "Oh no, you are so sweet, but you didn't have to come down here. I shouldn't have texted you to death. You're a busy woman and I'm sure you have tons of better things to do with your Friday night than to sit here with the dumpee half of a date."

To stop her stressed monologue, Jiya enfolded her in a big hug.

Lucy's eyes stung as she breathed out and encircled her arms around her in response. It had looked like her birthday was going to end as yet another depressing, lonely day and here was Jiya, offering to stay with her and be a friend.

Pulling back, bright eyed, Jiya beamed as she placed a small purple gift bag in front of her, "Believe me, this will be a fun birthday Friday night."

The gift bag was filled with a fragrant assortment of Bath & Body Works items that Lucy actually used.

Touched by her friends' knowledge of her B&BW choices, Lucy squeezed Jiya into a hug again, feeling that it wasn't going to be such a bad night after all.

But Lucy's night was about to get even more interesting.

Later into the girls night…

They were both giggling over potato skins, chicken fingers and Mai Tai's, their conversation about the men they worked with. Suddenly Jiya blurted, "I love my Rufus, but what do you think of Wyatt?"

Lucy blinked. "Why do you ask?"

"That's what I thought!"

"What do you mean 'that's what I thought?!'"

Jiya giggled. "You like him?"

Lucy took another sip of her drink as Jiya waited for an answer. Wyatt was a nice guy. He'd been a little pig headed when she'd first met him… Well, a lot. But as she had gotten to know him, she found out that he was quite the stand-up guy. Someone to be trusted and very easy to like. But what should she say?

"To me… Wyatt… He's-"

"Do you want to kiss him?"

"Jiya!" A fit of giggles erupted from the two of them.

"Admit it Luce! Those gorgeous blue eyes, that boyish smirk!"

Even more giggles.

"I'm sure he may prove to be quite kissable, but..."

Jiya watched Lucy's expression as it grew wistful. "But?"

Lucy leaned forward and Jiya leaned in too. "There is just one thing I want for my birthday."

"What?"

What was she doing? Was she actually about to reveal something to Jiya that she barely admitted to herself?!

"What? What?!" Jiya squeaked.

"You know what… I shouldn't-"

"Don't do that to me. Don't leave me hanging. Tell me!"

"A kiss from Garcia."

Jiya's expression went from confused to shocked as she slowly sat back in the booth.

Springing forward again, she whispered, "Garcia Flynn?"

Lucy slowly moved her cocktail straw around in her nearly finished Mai Tai, as she looked up at Jiya and softly nodded her head.

"That's what I thought," Jiya said thoughtfully.

"Wait, what?"

"It's kind of evident whenever you talk about him."

Blanching, Lucy swallowed. "But you said, 'that's what I thought,' regarding Wyatt too."

Jiya smiled and shook her head as she laid her hand on top of Lucy's. "Don't freak out. Lately you get this look in your eyes whenever you talk about him or whenever he's brought up."

"That obvious?"

"I doubt the guys see it. Maybe Christopher does. But no worries," she said, patting Lucy's hand. "I will never tell them your secret."

Sliding her hand from under Jiya's, Lucy quickly stood up. "Gotta go to the ladies. Be right back," she said, and hurried off.

Beating herself up, she regretted having shared her secret birthday wish. But then, apparently she's transparent and people can read her better than she could a book. Her feelings for Flynn were something she normally wanted and tried to keep hidden, but sitting there having fun girl time with Jiya, (and the drinks), made her want to open up and tell Jiya her true birthday wish desire. Something as intimate as that would have previously been shared with her sister, but Jiya made her comfortable enough to let loose her deep, hush-hush wish. Shaking her head over what she'd done, she decided to call it a night before she revealed anything else that should be kept secret.

"Hey, I'm going to turn in." Lucy announced as she returned to the booth, grabbing her purse off of the table.

Jiya gave her a boo boo face. "Aww. You sure?"

"I am. But thank you so much for this Jiya, I really appreciate it." Pulling out her wallet she held out her half of the bill and tip to Jiya, who stopped her.

"It's on me."

"No Jiya-"

"Not hearing anything else so you might as well give in now. I got ya, birthday girl."

A smile spread across both their faces as they stepped into a hug.

"You truly made a rotten day turn out to be a lot of fun. Thank you."

"Of course! And we have to do this more often!" Jiya squeezed and rocked her from side to side as she sing-songed, "And may all your birthday wishes come true!"

Back to the present...

FRI 11:42 PM

Pushing herself off the front door, Lucy headed for the kitchen, kicking her heels off as she went. Flipping on the light, she plunked her gift bag on the island and went straight to the refrigerator. Water was desperately needed since she was still feeling the effects of the three drinks she'd had, and they were beginning to make her pay for it in full with a headache. Bending down, she opened the drawer inside and saw that there was no water in it to be found. There was a case in her pantry. Standing, she closed the refrigerator door, turned around and screamed.

There in her kitchen, was Flynn.

"Oh my-" She gasped, grabbing her heart. "What are you doing... In my house?!"

He shrugged. "I've been in here before."

"OK, that's something I didn't want to know. But now that I do, don't come in my house!"

Seemingly ignoring her words, he stepped further into her kitchen.

Lucy's heart fell still as she watched him cross his arms over his broad chest and lean back against her counter like he owned it. He sure was handsome. Clothed in a black sweater, black leather bomber jacket and dark blue jeans, he looked just as menacing as he normally did.

"You asked me to come here tonight."

Giving him a sideways look, she slowly shook her head as she sassed, "Umm, nooo, I'm pretty sure I didn't."

His eyes took in the woman before him. He noticed her dark hair had more soft curls in it than usual. She was wearing a flattering royal blue, straight dress, with a little silver buckle at her waist. It fitted her quite well. And her cute bare feet had hot pink toe nails. Seeing the growing annoyance on her lovely face, he glanced down at her gift bag.

"It's your birthday." His eyes went back to her face. "And I know your date didn't show."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "So, you came to rub it in?"

"Again, you asked me to come."

"Again, I'm pretty sure I didn't." Lucy folded her arms. "Wait, how'd you know?"

He raised his eyebrows. "How do I know you asked me to come here?"

"...About my date?" He slowly shook his head, clearly not giving up the info. "Tell me you didn't kill him." He looked at her with an unreadable expression. "I meant… That as a joke." She blushed. "Probably not a good one."

"Do you know him well?"

"That was what the date was for. To get to know him better."

"A professor of entomology?"

"You looked him up?"

Uncrossing his arms, he slid his hands into his front pockets. "How do you think the date would have went?"

Considering his question with some wonder of why he was asking, she leaned her hip against the island. Switching her voice between masculine and feminine, she replied, "Maybe a, 'hi, I'm Jeff-hi I'm Lucy-you look great tonight-thank you, so do you, this salad is great-And so is this soup-insects, interesting subject-right?! Lucy, want to go out again?-Uh, no Jeff, insects are just. not. my. thing.'" She ended the sentence with each word sounding less feminine and more dead pan.

Flynn chuckled. She liked the sound of it. Sobering, she stood straight, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know. He probably wouldn't have wanted to go out again, anyhow."

Tilting his head, he looked at her thoughtfully. "Men tend to want to go out with women that they find funny… And beautiful."

A wave of pleasure went through her soul and showed up on her face in a deep blush. Flynn said she was funny. And thought she was beautiful. Trying to cover up just how much of an affect his words had on her, she decided to move the conversation along.

"OK, so what do you mean I told you to come here?"

"You texted me. Which was surprising because I never gave you my number."

She'd gotten Flynn's number through a college girlfriend of hers, who worked for the phone company. But he didn't need to know that, so ignoring his last statement, she shook her head in skepticism and questioned, "What did the text say?"

Not missing her avoidance of explaining how she got his cell number, he replied, "You asked for me to come here so that I could give you the one thing that you wanted for your birthday."

Lucy let out a gasp. "I can't believe Jiya! She must have texted you with my phone when I was in the restroom. She knows my passcode?" She wondered aloud. Flynn raised his eyebrows at this information as Lucy closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. "Did she tell you what it was?"

He hesitated, not knowing what she meant about what Jiya may have said, so he replied, "What if I told you she did?"

Her mouth fell slightly open. "And... You actually came?"

"This entomologist. He wouldn't have been able to give you the one thing you want me to give you?"

"Well I guess I can't find out now, can I?"

He ignored her comment and pressed, "Could he have?"

Wondering at his persistence, she replied. "No."

"What about your ex-fiancé? Neil? Nathan?"

"...Noah… I don't recall telling you about him," she said quietly.

"Could he have given you this one thing?"

Lucy's heart picked up the slight rise of earnestness in his question, which made her answer with more information than she intended.

"Not with him. I tried. But couldn't. He and I... Just weren't on the same page. So... No." She gently rubbed her hands over her upper arms feeling the growing tension rising between them, and not knowing where it was leading to or what to do if it got there.

Holding her gaze with his, he slowly pushed himself off the counter and calmly walked towards her, stopping in front of her.

"...And Wyatt?" His low voice reverberated through her.

She swallowed and stammered, "He's a nice-nice guy..."

"You can't get this one thing from any of them?"

Unable to look away from him, she told him. "No. Technically, no."

He quirked an eyebrow and surmised, "So you can only get it from me." She was trying to think of a response to that when he shot her an unexpected question. "What do you think of me?"

She saw how he was looking for something in her eyes. There was an answer he wanted from her that he seemed to be hanging on for, in the hopes that it would be something he'd want to hear. What was he looking for? Acceptance? To be told he's good? To be wanted and needed and loved? His question touched her in a way that opened up a deeper longing for him, to understand what she thought and felt about him.

She laid her hand on his chest as she looked in his eyes. "I think you're a very driven man. A very passionate man." Looking down at her hand with her fingers splayed on his chest, she slid it over to his heart. Her voice soft, she looked back up at him. "Your heart. It's very big. But its been hurt. And now you hide it."

Her words hit him to the core. So exposed, so laid bare. But it was by Lucy. She saw him. Saw through him. Saw him for who he really was. Raising both his hands, he covered the one she had pressed against his heart.

Fervently he whispered, "Lucy, what could you possibly want from me?"

They held each other's eyes as he bent down towards her and to his shock, surprise and delight, Lucy met him half way and their lips gently lighted upon each other in the softness of a kiss. The sensation that shot through them both was more intense than either expected. Flynn moved his lips over hers and she felt herself being pulled in. His arms slowly encircled her waist as her hands traveled up and around his neck. She felt him pulling her in tighter, as he deepened their kiss. Having tried hard to fight the growing feelings she had for him, this… Changed everything. He heard and felt her moan in response to his tongue tasting hers as he lifted her off the ground. Flynn felt as if a ball of frustration was being released inside of him and into this woman who encumbered beauty, intelligence, spunk and bravery. He hadn't experienced anything like this since...

Gently, he began slowing them down. As they both down shifted, kissing each other softly on the cheek, the chin and back to the lips, he finally pulled back. Both were breathing hard and both were looking into a pair of dilated eyes. Slowly, he let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor.

He took both her hands in his and they stood there like that for a time, as their breathing slowed to normal. Softly, he ran his thumbs over the backs of her hands, making Lucy want to be back in his strong, warm arms, being held against him.

Turning her hands over, he revealed her palms and placed a kiss on each one and said, "You haven't told me what you wanted."

"That was it."

"...That's all?"

Looking up into his eyes, she said with growing love for him, "When you're ready, I'll want your heart too. Not to take it over or erase anyone else that you've shared it with. But to be a part of it."

Feeling the softness of her words caress his broken heart, he raised his hand to cup this amazing woman's cheek and softly touched his lips to hers with a firm, lingering kiss.

Stepping back before he could pull her in his arms again, he turned and walked out the kitchen towards her door. When he got there, he turned back around as Lucy stepped from behind the island.

Smoothly, he slipped his hand into the inside of his bomber jacket and pulled out a little beige box with a silky black bow. Curious, she walked over to him.

"Happy birthday, Lucy Preston."

He held out the gift to her, and she gingerly took it in her hand. The last kiss he gave her was quick and on the cheek. Turning the knob, he opened the door and left her house, closing it quietly behind him.

Sitting on her sofa with her gift, she pulled at the black satin ribbon until it gave way, and laid it across her lap. Taking the little lid between her thumb and forefinger, she opened the box, revealing what was inside. A feeling of shock, immense warmth for the giver and giggles went through her.

It was a beautiful, gold, heart shaped locket that was clearly an antique. Lifting it by it's gold chain, she saw its outside was intricately carved with feminine swirling patterns. Gently, she opened it up on its hinges and tears sprung to her eyes at the inscription that simply said, "To Lucy, from Garcia". Thinking about it, the locket must have been something he'd had for some time, since he couldn't have gotten it between the time he got "her" text and showing up at her place.

Reaching for her purse, she pulled out her cell.

It's so lovely. Thank you. For both gifts and a wonderful birthday. -Lucy

You're welcome. Good night Lucy. -Flynn

Although scared, (hell, she was terrified), she knew she and Flynn were embarking on something new and promising.