Summary: ... Because love means facing your biggest fears.

A/N: I'm back with another Joe/OFC story, just to put it out there I am in no way opposed to Kent/Chandler fanfiction I really don't mind reading it, in fact most of it is terribly cute, I just choose not to write it is all, anyway back to the story, I thought it might be nice to in some way incorporate Joes background into a romance fic a little bit... I'm rambling again! Enjoy and don't forget to review! ^.^

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They had been stood outside the incident room watching and waiting for about half an hour now, watching the DI stumble over his words talking to the pretty red head, if they didn't go in soon it was going to look suspicious to the constables and reception staff who had been watching them for a good ten minutes so Miles place his hand softly on the door and pushed it open just in time to hear the DI jokingly laying into the young woman about her legs.

"You can tell you've been living in America too long, Jesus look at that thigh gap I could fit my whole fist in it!"

His companion pulled a face and punched him in the arm, before looking all too obviously down at her legs, clad in black skinny jeans they were indeed thin and there was quite a noticable gap between her thighs "Shut up." She grumbled before punching his arm again but this time afterwards she squeezed it with both of her hands, "Never mind about my legs, someone has been working out... Trying to impress the ladies hot shot?" He rolled his eyes and she giggled before poking his stomach, "Ooo... That's nice too!" She grinned and prodded him again.

They had faltered on the stairs feeling as though they were massively intruding on a very private moment. She was about to prod him in the stomach again when he noticed them and caught her hand expertly, she pouted.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, "I was enjoying that!"

He ignored her and increased his hold on her hand so she couldn't wrench it free, "Morning!" He greeted them all brightly, he was met with a surprised/astonished returns of morning or a stumbled 'morning sir' in Kents case.

They all made their way to their individual desks but no one took their eyes of the red headed woman, though Mansells was more learing rather than watching, not that she had noticed, she was more intent on getting her hands free so that she could poke Joe in the stomach again.

"If I let you do it once more will you promise to stop?"

"No..." She mumbled shaking her head defiantly, he just increased the grip on her hands "Okay!" She squealed, he let go and she prodded his stomach again before turning away, folding her arms and pouting like a small child.

"Oh, uh, everyone this is Jess an old friend of mine,"

About bloody time he offered an introduction, Jess smiled cheerily at them all.

"Good morning!" She sing songed.

She was met with a series of 'Morning...' 's

Commander Anderson seemed to materialise in the doorway, "Jess, you were supposed to meet me an hour ago, how long have to been here?"

"Oops," she laughed nervously, and Joe backed away from her "About an hour and a half, sorry, I got distracted... From what I can feel through his shirt Joe has some nice abbs," she reached out behind her to prod him again but Joe successfully swatted her hand away.

"You do get very easily distracted when not on assignment don't you dear?"

"Yeah, sorry daddy, I'll be on time next time I arrange to meet you for breakfast," she grinned, "I guess it more kinda brunch now huh?" She asked as she collected her bag and shrugged her jacket on over her blue silk blouse, "Bye Joe,"

He smirked "Time to fly is it songbird?"

She smiled as she made her way up the three steps from the incident room to the door "See you later heart breaker!" She called and winked at him as she and Commander Anderson exited the room.

His team just sat and watched the exchange between old friends, Mansell and Riley were staring open mouthed, Kent was wide eyed and Miles was smirking to himself.

"Where did you meet her?"

"Uh..." Joe laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair, "I've known her all her life... I'm not sure if you know by now but Commander Anderson was, technically still is, my god father and my dad was that for Jess and her sisters..."

"That brings us to another topic sir, are we ever going to meet any members of this elusive family of yours?" Riley asked carefully

"The only two people worth meeting are those you've already met, Jess and Commander Anderson... My mother isn't the type of person any of you would like, sometimes I don't even like her." Joe shrugged

"And what about your father?" Buchan asked having entered the room just as Jess and the commander were leaving

"... Um..." He faltered, a little too long for Miles' liking any way "That's not possible..." He was fidgeting uncomfortably and messing with his watch "He died when I was seven..."

The atmosphere in the room shifted, no longer was it banter welcoming and playful, but sad and awkward.

He shifted from friend to boss, "Right. What do we know?"

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A/N: I apologise if my grammar is not perfect, I'm on an iPad you see, not a computer at the moment... Reviews much appreciated! ^.^