Author's Note: This is for the Jellie shippers Summer Carnival Fic Challenge on LJ. My prompt was Duck Shoot. This story is the main reason why my ongoing road runner typing spree of JC Carmicheal has been interrupted, but now that this has been finished I can go back to do that. Apologies to those who had still been waiting. This story takes place before the end of season two, so Casey is still a Major. XD
Also again, the highest of hi fives and much appreciation to Kuryakinsgirl!
Casey Versus The Duck Shoot
"What do you think, John? Reckon you could do this?"
Major John Casey looked away from the bustle of the crowds around him and he couldn't help but let out a scoffing laugh.
Most carnivals had these stalls and they all varied in their themes. This particular one had ducks.
Four rows, each containing ten wooden duck targets were moving back and forth and up and down. A much more sophisticated version than just the ones that sat there and did nothing.
To those men who were trying to show off, they did prove to be a challenge. Hardly anyone could hit them, the guns shot out the pellets and missed their targets by miles, yet only one man managed to shoot a duck and claim a prize for his screechy little girlfriend.
"Erm, sis…I don't think we should-!"
"Chuck, bro!" Awesome chirped. "Let John have a go. If he can. I personally don't think he he can."
Another scoffing chuckle emitted from Casey's mouth. If he can. Pah! He could do this blindfolded.
But the NSA agent shook his head and declined, mainly because his skills would draw attention to himself. A lot of men were wanting to prove themselves at this evolved Duck Shoot and Morgan and Devon were no exception. Ellie and Anna watched as both their men paid for their turns and took up the guns nestled on the hooks.
Casey observed Captain Awesome and Grimes, noting their stances were reasonable enough though they didn't quite get the grips on the weapons right. Their arms were a little too bent and no matter how hard they tried to impress their girlfriends by shooting at the ducks, they failed miserably. Casey had to hold in his laughter when Morgan dropped the gun completely after shooting and ruining one of the stuffed toys.
Devon did nearly hit one, but everyone was more impressed when Anna took up position next to Awesome and paid for her own turn. To everyone's astonished belief, Anna actually did what the men could not. Casey gave Sarah a look…they really had to try and do something about recruiting this young woman. Her skills were being wasted at the Buymore.
"What about you, Chuck?" asked Ellie, hooking her arm around her brother's and patting affectionately at his shoulder. "Wouldn't you like to win one of those for Sarah?"
"Me?" Chuck gasped. "Oh no. No! No, no. I'm not any good at these things."
"But you play your shooting games so well at home on your Xbox." the Elder Bartowski shook her head in disbelief. "Surely this is the same principle."
"It's all about the weight of the weapon, Eleanor." Morgan said as he struggled to make himself seen behind the very large brown teddy bear that Anna had won for him. "We'd be thrown off completely."
"You'll be thrown down if you're not careful." scoffed Anna, giving Ellie an evil look. It was clear she was still suspicious of Ellie when it came to Morgan. Anna fixated the intentional "leave him alone" vibe at Ellie and then smiled and walked off to the nearest candy floss stand. Morgan followed, stumbling and bumping into others with the giant teddy.
"Sure you don't want a go, John?" Ellie asked again, pleading with him whilst at the same time still being slightly perturbed by Anna's glaring.
"I have no one to win the prize for." he politely replied. "Besides, what would I do with a giant soft toy? Thank you, but no thank you."
"We'll find something here you'll like!" said the young doctor, smiling with fiendish glee. "There has to be something in this carnival that will lure John Casey in!"
"Too right, babe!" Awesome said, wrapping his arm around her waist and tugging her into him. "What say we go on the roller coaster?"
Chuck and Sarah agreed to that, even Morgan did when he came back with Anna and trying eating a large stick of candy floss.
"Right then, dudes and dudettes! Let's go!"
He hadn't asked her. As the group with their prospective partners moved away from the Duck Shoot, with Casey once again following from behind, he caught just briefly when she turned her head, the expression on the Elder Bartowski's face.
Ellie had been the one who had organized this outing, she had invited everyone along to enjoy a family day together and for some of it, she had been happy.
Ellie's smile never faded. Not once, Casey noticed. Her laughter had been non-stop, yet he wasn't fooled by her ecstatic outward manner. There were times when her sweet laughter and illuminating smile was genuine, but he saw from time to time, the disappointment and the upset when her ideas and suggestions were ignored.
Chuck and Morgan wanted the bumper cars. They went on the bumper cars. Three times.
Awesome constantly dragged people to the larger more terrifying rides and he would often go again if the queues weren't that long. He also went on without Ellie.
Anna chose the haunted house. She wanted to see the sword swallowing and the fire eaters. Which they all complied with.
Chuck and Sarah chose the tunnel of love. The three couples went on it and John being the only one without anyone was glad he didn't have to. When the ride finished, Chuck and Sarah came out from the tunnel quite happy and they seemed to enjoyed it. Anna and Morgan were still making out quite ferociously when the car came through the doors and they were asked by the staff not to ever ride on it again.
Awesome and Ellie. He'd never seen two different reactions. Devon was laughing and Ellie looked positively sickened. Whether it was because of Devon's childish chuckling or the tunnel of love was that sickening, Casey wasn't sure.
Everyone else always made the decisions. Ellie was never asked.
Those eyes of hers belied her smile, they looked so sad. Seeing her like that made a little guilt pang in his chest because Casey hadn't asked her either. He'd stayed silent, going along with the flow just like she did, not complaining, but not really enjoying himself either. Casey didn't go on a single ride. He didn't feel the inclination to.
One soda was all he brought from a refreshment stand.
"Casey?"
Sarah Walker's voice distracted him from his observations of Chuck's sister and he looked round.
"Are you going on this ride?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Casey shook his head.
"I'll stand by and watch."
"Very well. But why don't you relax a little bit more?" said his partner as the group approached the end of the long line. "You look like you work the security for this place."
He wasn't going to tell her that a lot of people had already made that mistake. Sarah smiled.
"You're not enjoying yourself…are you?"
"I'm fine, Walker." Casey lied. "Just you, Bartowski and the rest of the mob go and…"
Casey was caught unaware when a large brown teddy bear was thrusted into his arms. Morgan didn't say anything, he just ran off to be at Anna's side, still scoffing on the candy floss. Casey was left holding the grinning toy and he felt ridiculous.
"If you dare say anything, Walker…." he growled when his partner smirked at his predictament. He couldn't finish the threat as the blonde CIA took out her phone and like last year she took a picture of him.
"It's rather cute! A lot sweeter than the one with you in just your underwear!" she said, before running off to join Chuck.
He growled. What was it with her and that damned camera phone?
Casey didn't know why he had agreed to coming to this outing. Yes Ellie had asked him and he had immediately said yes…but this was not his idea of fun. He was having a horrible time. He could have quite easily have been at home with his feet up, fine scotch in one hand, a cigar in the other and a good film on the television.
But instead he had spent this hot blasted day, sweating in the sun being extremely uncomfortable.
That was until he saw the whole incident.
It was as if all his wishes came true.
"You seem happy."
He should be.
Morgan Grimes went on the roller coaster despite some warnings about riding it so soon after eating candy floss. The natural and obvious happened during all those loops and turns and from a perfect vantage point, Casey watched at he vomited spectacularly over Anna, Chuck and Sarah behind him.
He had never been happier, hearing their cries of disgust and Morgan's groans and complaints. But what had made him even more so was to see the laughter in Ellie's eyes as well as hearing it in his ears.
"You want your toy back?" asked Casey as Morgan was helped along by Devon. Morgan only groaned once more and nearly fell to the ground. Devon took the toy away from Casey and then sighed.
"Look, we'd better take them home." he said. "Let's all call it a night."
"Now?" asked Ellie, her voice a little sharp and high pitched at the suggestion. "It's only eight in the evening, I thought you and I could ride on the tea cups together."
"Not really wanting to babe. Sides, they can't stay here." Devon pointed to their vomit covered friends.
Casey laughed even more and then took out his own mobile phone from his pocket.
"Say cheese!" He bellowed with laughter at their screaming protests and at the perfect picture that he knew was going to be a keeps. Yet his amusement at their situation quickly faded again when he saw Ellie's expression.
"They need to get changed and showered." Devon said. "We've been on everything here that's really worth going on and in all fairness, the others can't stay here."
"Devon, John has his car." Ellie replied, holding a hand in gesture towards Casey and giving him a pleading look at the same time. "He's got enough room and I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking them back. You and I can stay here a bit longer."
"I don't mind." Casey agreed, even though he did. The thought of puke smearing all over the upholstery of his beloved Crown Vic was horrifying, but he knew what Ellie was doing.
Devon was being given a choice.
Morgan began to choke and the other's desperate pleas and whines to leave made Devon's decision for him.
"Nah, it's all right babe. I'll see to it they're okay. You stay with John and I'll see you later."
The Awesome doctor didn't even say goodbye, he just aided Grimes away and left John Casey alone with his fiancee.
The hilarity of Morgan's projectile vomiting was now lost on Eleanor Bartowski. Whilst Casey thanked god he hadn't had to take them in his car, he also scolded him for not giving Devon even the most basic aspects of common sense. That man simply wasn't clued up on what his woman wanted. She had wanted him to stay with her even if it was just for one ride.
Idiot.
Now it was just Casey and Ellie, standing amidst the bustling crowds who were enjoying the bright lights and the hot summer evening.
Someone brushed past, shoving Ellie and causing her to stumble. She fell into Casey and as her hands grabbed onto his arms for support, Casey's own hands grabbed hold to steady her. When she looked up at him it seemed that her energy and desire for any more fun at the fair had gone. Her cheeks were flushed with red, clearly showing her frustration.
Casey felt angry too at Devon for leaving her like this, for all she had wanted to do was spend some time with him, on something she wanted to share. His heart went out to her.
Even though he didn't want to remain here any more either, John knew that it wouldn't do anything for the young woman's day if they both left as well.
After being bustled, shoved and knocked by the other carnival goers, Casey took it upon himself to make a decision. One he hoped would put that lovely smile back on her face.
"Do you want to go on the tea cups?" he asked, nodding in the direction of the ride.
It worked. Her lips turned ever so slightly upwards and there was a glint of delight in her eyes as she looked up at him.
"Do you want to go on them with me?"
Not really.
"Sure. We're here, I don't see why not."
"Thank you, John. I would love to."
Together they tried to make their way through the swarms of people. As they did so, Casey found himself wrapping his arm around Ellie's shoulders to keep them from being separated. He tensed quite suddenly as she clung to him, holding her body tightly to him and resting one hand on his chest and the other on his back. It made walking a little difficult, but when she nearly tripped, her nails dug hard and deep into his chest. Casey winced feeling the trails of pain from her excessive hold, but they quickly turned to pleasant shots of warmth all along his spine. It tingled and pulsed through every part of him and it felt so good.
It had been a long time since he had felt anything like that.
Not since that night with Ilsa.
Oh hell no.
"Oh no!"
Casey came to an abrupt halt, again experiencing the waves of euphoric excitement as she clenched harder at his back. She pulled herself from his grasp and as he came down from the high of her closeness, he saw what had made Ellie utter those words.
The ride she had wanted to go on all day was shut down. A sign was standing in front of the entrance that said, "Due to technical problems this ride is no longer operational."
Ellie forced her way through other disappointed on lookers and swiped an angry hand at the sign before letting it rest, shaking on her hip.
"This is just perfect!" she said, sarcastically. "It had to be closed!"
"Things break down." Casey said, as she then began to shake with intense frustration. "Perhaps there is something else you might like to…?"
"No. I'm sorry John." Ellie breathed heavily to try and calm herself down and she paced angrily in front of the sign for a moment. When she felt calmer Ellie turned to face Casey. "I invited everyone else out to enjoy themselves and they have. I'm pleased that they have…really I am. But all I wanted was to go on this ride with Devon. The tea cups was the first ever ride I went on when I was little. Okay it was smaller than this, a little children's version but I loved it so much. These bigger versions have been a favourite of mine ever since and Devon said he's never been on it. All I wanted was for him to try it out with me, but no. It's not exciting enough or fast enough for him. Was I asking for too much?"
"Not really." John replied, finding a curious comfort in hearing her vent her frustrations at last. He never liked it when anyone moaned and complained, in fact when they did, he would normally tell them to shut up and get over it. But he couldn't tell that to her.
"I know I should have been more insistent." Ellie flung her arms up in the air, before slapping one hand against her forehead. "I could have told him to, that he had no choice…but argh! He left, just because Morgan puked up on the roller coaster. I asked him to stay with me…"
"But he left any way." Casey walked up to Ellie and gently took hold of her shaking hands and placed them down by her side. "Ellie, if there is nothing else you wish to ride, then how about I take you home?"
Her head tilted back to look at him. She swiped her brown hair from her face with a couple of her fingers and her breath caught in her throat. Her lips parted, opening to an o of surprise before her hand gently covered her mouth.
"Oh John. I'm sorry. You didn't want to be here in the first place. Did you?" Ellie stepped closer to him, reaching out to touch apologetically at his arm. Her fingers lingered on his bicep and once again just with that simple contact, the warm pleasured shots bolted up his arm and down his back.
He stepped away, rather too abruptly and Ellie noticed his discomfort.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have-!"
"Ellie, it's fine. I said yes to your invitation, so I came. If I really didn't want to come, I would have said no."
"But you didn't go on any of the rides. You ended up being the bag and wallet man all day! Anyone would have thought you were our group's bodyguard or security escort! You haven't enjoyed yourself at all, have you?"
"It was all worth it to see Morgan being sick." he said. "It was hilarious, I hadn't laughed like that in a long time."
He showed her the picture he took from his phone. The snort from her nose and mouth made Casey smile in surprise. It wasn't a sound that was particularly pleasant in most people, but coming from her, it was quite endearing.
"He never learns." she said letting some light hearted chuckles loose before folding her arms across her chest. Her smile faded a little. "Neither of us want to be here now, so there is no point in remaining. This ride isn't going to be fixed any time soon and I'm now feeling tired. Could you take me home, John?"
"Of course, Miss Bartowski."
Ellie pointed a finger up at him in disapproval.
"Don't call me that! I've told you before. We're friends. We are friends, aren't we?"
No.
Casey almost blurted it out. He couldn't be friends with her, it wasn't his assignment or his job to be friends with her. All he should be concerning himself with was keeping the Intersect safe and his cover intact. Casey's cover as co-worker with Chuck had to be a top priority.
He was Ellie's neighbour, but not all neighbours got on well. He had planned to be one of those grumpy and sinister sort, the kind that would complain about the parties and the noise, but it had been difficult to behave like that around her. John never thought that a woman could ever effect him after what happened with Ilsa. He was dedicated to his job, his country, it was his life.
But how could any sane red blooded American male not like this woman? You can't dislike her smile, her voice and…oh heavens forbid, you could never hate her cooking. Her kindness, compassion and hospitality, her intelligence…her grace….her beauty, everything about her was likeable. Even when she freaked out, OCD'd on the cleaning or even when she was angry, no man could hate her. He certainly couldn't.
"Yes." he said. "I'd like to think we are."
"Thank you John."
Ellie stepped back into his personal space and surprised him even more by forcing her arms around him for a hug. What shocked him even more was the rapid response his own arms did by going round her. It felt like the right thing to do, but he was not a person for hugging and such close personal contact. She squeezed him and rocked her body from left to right, making him join in on the little sway.
The closeness of her hug, of her body pushing up against his own sent Casey into such sudden and abrupt turmoil. If her hands had caused those brief but excited pleasurable jolts, then the feel of her curvy body, the contours of her pressed and squished against him made his entire form burn with a lusting need.
He felt like he was on fire with her in his arms and if she stayed there any longer, he would have consumed her. He wanted to. He wanted to show her what it was like to need her and to crave her so badly.
"Devon should be here. Not me. She isn't dating you…she doesn't have feelings for you, moron!"
"Shall we make a move then?" he grunted, forcing Ellie away from his body and out of his arms with a nervous push.
"Yes. Okay." Ellie's head bobbed in acknowledgement and so the two of them proceeded to walk through the crowds towards the car park. During that journey, Casey tried to keep Ellie from being separated with one hand occasionally gripping her shoulder instead of putting his whole arm around her.
Why was he feeling nervous being with her all of a sudden? He had been in Ellie's presence a lot over the last year and a half and though he could not be his originally planned grumpy self, he didn't recall having any of these feelings before. She is beautiful yes, he respected her for the strength she supported her family and friends, but when had his judgement and sense slipped and allowed his emotions get the better of him?
Dammit. Why didn't you stay at home?
"Hey buddy! You sure you don't want to try this out?"
Casey nearly collided with Ellie when she stopped right in front of him. Both of them turned and saw that they were next to the Duck Shoot stall again. The man running the attraction was waving them over, grinning from ear to ear, no doubt hoping to lure them into wasting their money.
Some youths were trying their hardest to shoot the targets and were not having the best of luck. It was tempting, he did feel like showing all these boys how a gun should be used, but he didn't think it would be a wise idea. But then again he hadn't been good at having wise and intelligent ideas today.
"Why don't you try it out?" asked Ellie, her face lighting up just how it had done when they had passed the stall earlier. "You might win something."
"Again, Ellie I state my earlier question." he uttered. "What would I do with a big stuffed toy?"
"I don't know!" she laughed. "Maybe you would snuggle down with it when you go to sleep?"
"Are you mocking me, Miss Bartowski?"
"Fine!" Ellie scowled and then with an assured and defiant manner she strode up to the stall and reached inside her bag for her purse. "Then I'll have a go."
"It's a waste of money, Ellie."
"I'll be the judge of that!" Ellie handed the owner over some money and approached the firing line. The other youths seemed greatly amused by this and they all stepped away so they could watch. Their laughs and aroused glares at Ellie as she picked the gun up from the hook, made a deep resentful growl rumble inside of Casey. Yet, when he watched Ellie, his eyes couldn't help but look at the way she stood. She was so confident and determined, strong. So beautiful.
Oh this is not good, he thought to himself. Don't think on how great she looks holding that gun…don't. It's Bartowski's sister. But she does look…amazing.
BANG.
The shot of her first go missed all of her targets and it made the boys laugh. Yet it didn't deter her one little bit. She adjusted her stance, flicked her hair out of her face and took some deep breaths before firing again.
BANG.
That missed too.
"Oh dude! I told ya girl's can't shoot!" cried one of the youths to his friends.
They obviously hadn't met Sarah Walker. Or Anna Wu for that matter.
"I notice you didn't shoot anything yourself. Think that makes you a big girl's blouse?" Ellie quipped to the boy. His friends howled with laughter at the come back and Casey found himself chuckling as well. Her sense of humour was the best.
She had one shot left. Ellie again adjusted her standing, but she wasn't quite comfortable. Casey saw her shift her weight from one foot to the other in an attempt to get herself positioned, but it wasn't working.
Before he knew it, Casey walked up directly behind her, pushing his body up against hers. He felt her jump and she began to shake a little as he placed his hands over hers and the gun. He lifted them up and used his bulk to steady her.
"Just relax." he said quietly into her ear. "Don't be so tense."
"I'm not." Ellie's voice seemed to whine at the sound of his deep voice and the feel of his breath on her skin. "I'm just a little nervous."
"Don't be."
Edging her a little bit with his torso, he got Ellie at last into a suitable firing pose. He spoke gently to her about aiming and about her grip, all the while trying not to react to her sudden rise in temperature. Her face was now flushing, she was biting her lip, her hands were sweating beneath his and when his eyes looked down he saw the rapidity of the rise and fall of her chest. He also caught a glimpse of light beading sweat smattering across her skin….
Look away. Concentrate on something else…not her. Not Ellie.
"Calm your breathing." he said despite the fact he was having difficulty with his own. "Find your target…take your time."
"John…." the whispered gasp of his name made him groan. He closed his eyes briefly to help rid the racy thoughts which had entered his mind, but he felt Ellie turn her head up and round. Opening his eyes again, he saw that she was looking at him…her eyes were misted up, dazed but yearning. Those lips of hers were inches from his own…so close.
Why had he told her to take her time? Fire the gun! Fire it dammit!
"Gently squeeze the trigger when you're ready. Don't pull it." he murmured. Ellie turned her head away and focused once more on the ducks.
He hooked one finger over hers and the trigger. He saw her pick a target and then…
BANG.
One of the wooden ducks toppled over.
There was the sound of applause and whistles from the spectators but neither Casey nor Ellie moved from their position.
His mind was ordering him to back away, but yet again his body was disobeying such orders. The heat from both of them was too much, they couldn't pull apart. Eventually the gun was lowered down; their arms sunk together, his fingers caressed over her hand and then he guided her fingers over the gun, feeling the roughness of the weapon before he helped her put it back on the hook.
Rising back up into an upright position, Ellie leaned back into him and pressed her cheek against his chest.
His heart was thumping so hard, surely she could feel it. Surely she would move.
She did, but not because of that.
"Oh!"
Ellie spun round and John got a good look at her face.
She wasn't embarrassed by that sensation, nor offended by his actions in helping her with the shot. Instead, Casey saw the most understanding and beautiful smile upon her flushed face.
"You did it." he said, realising that those words could have meant the successful shot or the reaction that had suddenly come to attention.
"Thank you." Ellie looked away and smiled shyly.
For the shot or the poke in the back?
"For…for helping me with the shot." she replied as if reading his mind.
There were wolf whistles and it was those that brought Casey back to his senses.
They boys were winking and grinning at them both, especially at Ellie, but it was the suspicious glare from the stall owner that finally made him gain control of himself. Mostly.
"What?" he snapped a little too harshly. He went to back away from Ellie, to create some distance from Devon's fiancee, but she at least remembered what had happened and remained in front of him. Why wasn't she offended? Why didn't she say something about how inappropriate this was?
"You want your prize?" asked the owner, waving a large purple alien toy. "That lady did shoot a target."
Casey grunted a soft affirmative to the question and took the toy from the man's grasp. As soon as he did, Ellie sidled away from him and he held the prize against his waist where it conveniently covered up his embarrassing reaction.
He felt like such a fool. The quicker they got out of here, the quicker he got home and away from Eleanor Bartowski, the better things will be.
"You not having a go of this yourself, pal?" asked the store owner with a cocky grin.
He was going to say no. He had to say no, but instead Casey fished out some money and startled the owner, Ellie and everyone else watching when he mentioned that he wanted enough attempts to use all the guns once.
"John, didn't you say this was a waste of money?" asked Ellie, as he picked up one of the guns with just a single hand. "You don't need to-"
"Yes." he said softly under his breath. "I do need to."
He had to. It was the only way he could think of that would ease the attentiveness in his pants. It was the only way to take his mind off another man's future wife, the civilian who he had no right to be reacting to like this. He had to focus on his mission, he had to be at his best to ensure the safety of the Intersect.
Casey looked at the forty ducks…the little wooden things moved back and forth, mocking him. He watched them for quite a while, getting a sense of the rhythm and sequence of the movement before taking in one deep breath.
He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he squeezed again and again on the trigger.
They weren't ducks when he shot them. They were assassins, Fulcrum agents. They were targets for elimination.
As one gun emptied its round, he moved onto the next one, every shot connected with a duck and in the exact same place, on the head. When all the weapons were used, Casey felt the tension in his body vanish. He could breathe.
He felt like himself again.
Casey placed the gun down and tilted his head from side to side to crack the last remnants of stiffness in his neck.
"Holy crap." was all he heard as he turned to Ellie. The boys and other observers hustled round the stall in pure amazement, the owner himself was frozen to the spot with his mouth open, but their reactions were nothing like Ellie's.
She was shocked, there was no doubt about it. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed from her supposedly friendly neighbour who worked in a Buymore, yet under that sheer astonishment he saw that she was impressed.
"Shall we go?" he asked, ignoring the store owner's incessant questions.
Ellie didn't respond at first. She gawped at him, speechless at what he had just done, before eventually she just nodded her head.
She followed him back to the car.
None of them said a thing.
The drive back to the apartment complex was really uncomfortable. He couldn't look at her or offer up any sort of lie to explain his expertise at the gun stall, though a couple of simple reasons could have been mentioned to ease the tension between them.
"I'm a member of the gun club. I practise regularly…"
"My father taught me when I was younger…self defence purposes."
"I go paint-balling quite often…it's a hobby of mine, you should try it. Does wonders for any pent up stress.."
Casey couldn't say any of those things. He was thankful that Ellie didn't ask him any questions either, though whilst he was concentrating on the road, he noticed her look at him from time to time.
She must have wanted to ask, she must have wanted to talk about what had happened between them, apologise or something. Ellie was normally quite talkative when she worried or was deeply concerned, but she never said anything.
John parked the car and took out the plastic bags of all the soft cuddly toys he had won and followed Ellie back towards the courtyard. She was worried, for her steps were timid and slow, her hands were clasped in front of her, fidgeting with the hem of her white and yellow top.
"John."
Beneath the arch way Ellie stopped and spun round to face him. He nearly dropped the huge bags of toys on the ground.
"I'm sorry." she said, smiling nervously. "I shouldn't have made you come along. I'm sorry that because of my silly and selfish needs to get my fiancee to join me on a carnival ride, I have made things…awkward between us. I like you John, I think you're a sweet guy…you are so kind and helpful and you're a good friend to Chuck. And to me. But…Devon and I…
He understood too well. The expression on her face and in her glistening eyes, her nervous shuffling and shy body language was contradicting everything she just said.
"I more than like you…I want you."
"Ellie…" he cleared his throat and dropped the bags down to the ground. Ellie tried to step closer to him, but she paused when he backed away from her. "I will not deny that you are a beautiful woman. I am…I find you very pleasing…as you probably noticed at the Duck Shoot."
A gentle smile of amusement and embarrassment flashed across Ellie's face. She tried to cover it with her hair, however it did little to hide anything.
"I know that you and Devon are…well, suffice to say I don't intend to do anything that will ruin what…"
Was he babbling? John snarled at himself, he had never been good on words. (Unless it was giving out orders to his troops and other agents.) John Casey was a man of action and believed that showing a woman that you liked them was more powerful than any poem or fancy declarations of feelings. Actions spoke louder than words and if he wanted to let Ellie know that he wouldn't interfere, that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardise her impending marriage to Awesome, all he had to do was politely leave and keep out of her way.
Yet here he was trying to explain, using words that he didn't want to use in the first place.
He certainly couldn't leave either.
"I won't do anything that will make you feel uncomfortable." Ellie said when Casey couldn't finish his sentence.
Will you stay away from me? Will you stop being nice to me and smile at me in that way that drives me so damned insane?
"I will do the same." he uttered gruffly. Casey then straightened up and became quite formal. "Miss Bartowski…"
She didn't tell him off for it.
"I shall say goodnight and….yes. Erm…goodnight."
Casey gathered up the bags and hefted them over his shoulder. There were some squeaks and strange other noises that some toys made, and they continued to do so as he walked away from her.
"John! Wait!"
"Yes?" he turned round a little too eagerly. There was a deep honk noise from one of the toys.
"I just want to ask…." She was trying to keep him here. "How did you learn to shoot like that? I mean…it was-"
"Paint ball."
"Really?"
"Really."
God it didn't sound a very convincing lie now that he said it out loud. Casey felt like explaining it further, but as the jumble of toys continued to squeak, it frustrated him even more. He walked back to her and for a fleeting second, he felt the urge to give her another hug…just to experience that warm pleasure within him that the summer heat wasn't capable of producing.
Instead he held out the bags towards her.
"Do you want these? I have no use for them. Perhaps you could take them to the hospital…donate them to the children's ward or something?"
"John that's so…" she was going to say sweet, but the little scrunch up of her face showed that it was far from sweet. She scooped up a couple of the bags, amazed that he had literally taken all of the stall owner's prizes. Then John watched as she opened one of them and held out the purple alien that had been her own. "Here. Have this."
"I don't have any use for-"
"Please?"
He reluctantly took the round purple thing and nodded his thanks.
He was about to leave, for good this time yet he never got the chance to, when quite suddenly Eleanor Bartowski was within his personal space.
She gently placed her palms flat against his chest and reached up to kiss him lightly on his cheek.
"Jo-!
His restraint snapped and Casey's hands took hold of her face, palms lightly cupping at her cheeks before pulling her mouth to his.
His kissed her, tasted and explored her, softly, gently at first until Ellie responded back. Claw like fingers curled in his hair, a wanting desperate whine moaned in his mouth before her tongue probed viciously inside. John felt something ignite inside, the touches, those exciting pangs of pleasure were nothing to what was coursing through him now.
This was what he wanted to show her…this is what any man who loved needed to express. With a kiss like this, there would be no doubt in her mind that he didn't love her.
They staggered, John moved his hands down from her face, across her shoulders and down her back where he supported her, holding her tightly to him. She pulled hard on his hair, making him hiss and groan as they still battled with their mouths and then one of her legs came up and hooked round his waist, unsettling the balance.
Casey's back crashed into the wall of the archway and then before he knew it, they were toppling over.
The bushes behind the archway broke their fall, and their kiss.
Ellie lay on top of him, panting hard for breath and caring not in the slightest that the branches and leaves were snagging at her hair. He didn't care that his back ached from impact or that he too had parts of the bushes digging into him. There was only her.
The burning ache for her within had settled, now it replaced by a feeling he knew to be love as he gazed into her eyes. He saw the same from her and his eyes fluttered shut as she bent down to kiss him just once.
"John…." The touch of her hand on his jaw ignited that burning ache, it arose and hardened where it had done before, and with her pressing so tightly against it, it almost made him act upon its want. When his hand traced down from her back to her bottom, he badly wanted Ellie to help him relieve the ache in the only way she could but instead he rose up into a sitting position.
"We can't." he panted. "I can't allow myself to do this to you. Not like this."
She didn't seem to hear at first as Ellie was lost in the moment of their close proximity and enjoying the feel of him beneath her. But as her breaths eventually evened out, her eyes came back in focus, Ellie found her centre and scrambled off him so she could get to her feet. John managed to get himself out of the bushes, a little disorientated from the impact with the ground, but otherwise fine.
"I'm sorry." he said as they awkwardly walked back to the courtyard to pick up the bags.
"No…I'm sorry." John saw that she was now shaking, on the verge of having one of her "freak outs." not that he blamed her. They had just had one of the most intense kisses he had ever experienced, but the problem was, he wasn't her fiancee. "John…I never intended for it to happen."
But it did.
It was inevitable though, even now as he helped her carry the toys back to her front door, he could see that she still wanted him. Her fleeting glimpses at him more than screamed that she wanted to carry that kiss further. He had wanted to show her how the kiss would have been more, how he could have made her feel…she would have welcomed it. They both knew.
Yet sense prevailed. Casey understood all too clearly what the consequences for the Intersect mission would have been if he allowed himself to carry on. The effect it would have on Ellie and Devon.
She would be strong. He knew it.
Casey allowed one last touch, a supporting strong hand on her shoulder to help her, calm her.
She looked up at him and already Ellie was calming down. Her smile and body language became more relaxed and confident as she prepared to leave and go into her house, to her fiancee.
"I have to make a decision now." she said.
"You know I can't help you with that."
"I do. But I can manage. I will."
"Of that I have no doubt, Miss Bartowski."
"Thank you."
The smile that shone on her face told him that she would be okay. They had done wrong, despite the fact that it had never felt so right before. She had cheated, he had instigated it, but they both badly wanted to finish it, properly.
It wasn't John's call. It was all down to her and he was certain that whatever decision she made, he would stand by it. She was Eleanor Bartowski and if she was happy, then that's all that mattered.
Her last words were a bid goodnight and so this time, Casey definitely turned away and headed for his door. He got his key in the lock and the door was half way open when he felt something hit him in the back. He turned and saw the purple alien toy from the Duck Shoot.
She had a good arm to throw that across the courtyard.
"Keep it." she said as her door opened. "And John?"
"Yes, Ellie?"
"Next time I ask you out to the carnival?"
John picked up the toy and bobbed his head.
"I'll say no."
There was no reply. Casey wasn't answering his door.
So Sarah used her keys and slowly entered into Casey's apartment with her gun drawn. Chuck cautiously proceeded behind her and all the while both of them gazed around the Major's apartment for signs of a struggle. There was none, everything was pristine and in their correct place, everything was as it should be.
Then, there was the soft gentle snorts of snores and it was plain to see that Casey had fallen asleep in his recliner. Sarah put away her gun and smiled at Chuck as they approached the sleeping bear.
Sure enough, John Casey was still asleep next to an open bottle of scotch and one arm wrapped around a giant purple alien toy.
Sarah smirked and went to get her cell phone for another picture, but Chuck's firm hand on her wrist stopped her from taking it out of her back pocket.
"No, Sarah. Don't." said Chuck, indicating to the half drained scotch. "He's gone through all that and that's not good news. The last time he got himself like this, Ilsa had left him."
"Are you saying a woman has made him like this?"
Chuck took hold of Sarah's elbow and gently eased her towards the door.
"Not just any woman by the looks of it."