No Matter What | JenniferxDuke
A/N: This was written by me and Compactor.
Summary: The conversation about the events in the precinct. (it happens after the episode 9, season 4)
As soon as everybody recovered their consciousness, Duke got out of the precinct with Jennifer. They walked to the car and he started to drive. Jennifer was quiet almost the whole way to the Rouge: when he was talking to her, she just answered "hum" or nodded - what was uncommon to her since she talks a lot - , maybe she was just ashamed of the thing she did: yelled at him, slapped him and thought he was cheating on her.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked softly, rubbing her arm with his free hand.
She knew it wasn't her fault, but that Trouble brought out the worst in everyone-in her. She watched the scenery fly by her mind elsewhere. When Duke reached for her she jumped, looking at him with tears in her eyes. She was fighting with herself-with the idea that she had actually thought that. No matter how deep the Trouble had to dig for it- she had those thoughts.
"No, Duke, I'm not. The things I said. What I did. What I told Nathan to do… I-I can't believe I thought that, Duke," she stated.
Her voice quivered and she force herself to look him in the eye. "It's not your fault, Jen." He kept rubbing her arm, but paying attention on the road.
He wanted kiss her, hug her, make anything to make her feel better. But he couldn't just because he was driving, this was making him feel worse.
"It was the Trouble" After a pause he continued,"You weren't acting like that because you wanted to."
"It had to come from somewhere, Duke," she told him.
His touch was soothing and made her feel all warm inside, but she still felt angry- violated even. She snuck a glance at him. Duke was frowning. He was concentrating on the road, but also on her.
"We'll talk more when you're not driving," she said lightly.
Her fingers laced through his and she saw him smile. He smiled. Of course he smiled, he was feeling like he was making her feel better,even not doing much. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed, he was starting feeling better because she looked happier. Jennifer smiled up at him. The gesture was small-just a kiss to the back of her hand, but it was enough. Enough for her to realize that he cares for her. He did tell her himself.
The marina came into view and suddenly she was nervous. Butterflies welled up in the pit of he stomach, fluttered against her ribcage as her heart galloped. She was nervous because now everything was real. Yes, they slept together and he told her he cared for her, but she hadn't seen any of that coming. None of it, but what might happen next…that she knew was coming. She knew what she wanted. They came to a stop parking and he turned off the engine. Her hand barely touched the door handle when he grabbed her wrist, stopping her. Jennifer turned to him fighting off the shiver of his touch.
"Yeah, Duke?"
"Wait,"
"Wait?" Jennifer watched him closely.
He looked like he had a lot to say. He was still holding her hand, still looking into her eyes. There were a lot he wanted to tell her, he wanted her to know that he really likes her, that he will be with her no matter what. He took a deep breath, he didn't know where to start.
"Look," After a moment he continued. "I really like you. I wanna be with you, no matter what. You shouldn't feel insecure about it, ok?"
Of course there were more he wanted to say, he wanted to say he loved her, but they were together less than 48 hours. It was too soon for that. Instead, he just leaned and brushed his lips with hers. She had stopped breathing when he began to speak. His eyes bore into hers with such intensity that she was transfixed-couldn't look away. His words spoke volumes.
They tickled her ears and filled her with warmth. She loved it. His lips touched hers lightly-a loving kiss. Duke's hands cupped her face as she kissed him back. All of their emotions flooded into one simple kiss. The kiss was deep enough to him lost his thoughts. The only thing that mattered was both of them. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers.
"I love you." As he said that, he gave her a quick kiss.
He doesn't care if it's too soon, it was what he felt. She deserved to know, she's a amazing person and she couldn't be better for him. He said it first. An overwhelming feeling of-of- she didn't know how to explain what she was feeling. Jennifer's smile was so big it hurt her cheeks. Tears threatened to spill over as Duke leaned his forehead against hers. He was calm…almost as if he hadn't realized he had said it.
"I love you, too," she whispered sweetly.