Kisses and Repercussions
By Emily Jarrett
Rating: Pretty darn near close to G, implied stuff, but not even heavily implied.

Spoilers : Wedding Bells

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I don't even pretend to own anything. CBS owns everything, please do not sue, I'm a starving student and won't be able to pay anyway.

Author Notes: First off, many thanks to Kathleen Klatte for beta-reading this story for me, also if you want to post this anywhere just tell me and keep my name and all this stuff attached.

"Another beer?" Syd offered, already sliding the bottle down the bar towards her partner.

"Thanks," he replied, raising the bottle slightly towards her before opening it with a quick twist and taking a large swig of the dark, frothy liquid.

She proceeded to sit back down beside him opening her own bottle and all but downed it in one fell swoop. After pausing to swallow for a moment she spoke to him, "Look Gage, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"Don't worry about it, it was nothing," he replied, not daring to look over at her for fear that she would recognize the apprehension in his eyes. Truth was he rather enjoyed it and was rather anxious to try it again, soon.

"No, it was a complete breach of regulations, and... and..." she could not think of an adequate excuse as much as she wanted to. If only she could somehow dismiss what she had done, find a great reason to have suddenly kissed him like that (and relief about Alex and Walker was a poor excuse)then maybe they could just forget it ever happened.

"And what?" he quietly asked after a few moments of silence. He was still trying desperately to hide the nervousness and anticipation in his voice.

"Oh, nothing."

He finally let out his breath, not even having realized he'd been holding it. As he set his beer down on the polished bar he spoke up, loudly so as to make sure Jimmy would hear it over the television set, "I think it's time we called it a day."

The television flicked off overhead and Sydney, Gage, and Jimmy all rose from their seats. "I gotcha." At least he had a smile on his face, ecstatic at the feat Alex and Walker had performed just under an hour before.

They all stood up, ready to leave and to sleep, - it had been a long and busy day after all. Syd tossed the 4 empty and one half-empty beer bottle in the recycling bin before catching up with the other two. Gage quickly started the car barely registering the bickering going on between the other two, something about the back seat. He did very much notice when Sydney slid into the passenger's seat beside him and the self-satisfied grin on Jimmy's face, he couldn't know could he? He'd had his back turned when they kissed, and by the time he was done thanking God for the safe landing of Walker's flight they were facing the bar again. How did he know?

"Thanks Gage," Sydney said as they pulled up to her house.

"Yeah, no problem," was his brief, and rather quiet reply.

They hadn't spoken the entire way over aside to say farewell to Trivette when they reached his place. It was more than a bit awkward, a result of the combination of Gage's nervousness and Syd's need for denial.

As she moved to get out of the car Gage finally managed to gather enough courage to take action. He reached over to gently grab her arm and stop her. She turned towards him. He quickly proceeded to reach up and gently rest his other hand on her cheek and pull her back down onto the seat and closer towards him. A moment later he placed his lips upon hers. It had taken so much courage for him to it, but it had been well worth the effort.

The kiss was very gentle, at least at first; it quickly progressed into a deeper exploration of each other's mouths, still incredibly slow and deliberate. They quietly reciprocated each other's movements, not wanting the tender embrace to end.

Finally he pulled away, pressing his forehead against hers and holding her face in his hands, "I guess this makes even, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so," she smiled back after getting over the shock, and sheer enormity of their actions. "Gage, I think we need to talk," the words came out slowly with long pauses in between them, as it was her turn to be nervous now.

He nodded in reply, smiling back at her.

"Do you want to maybe come in for coffee or something?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

She poured two cups of the freshly made coffee before sitting down on her leather couch, beside her partner. He quickly accepted the proffered cup, "Mmm, two cream and a sugar, you remembered."

"After eight years I'd better know how you take your coffee," she lightly chided.

"Yeah I guess so," he replied after taking a sip of the slightly too hot beverage. "It has been eight years now hasn't it?"

"Well I started when I was twenty-four and you're the only partner I've ever had," she was starting to ramble.

He waited in silence for a few moments before setting his cup down. "Enough talking now, ok?"

She looked up at him for a moment before setting her cup down as well, and just letting him take her in his arms.

Fin.
Copyright (c) 2000 Emily Jarrett
All rights reserved