Fanfic time!!! However, let me warn you I'm kinda in a sad mood so this story will prolly have a really depressing ending. If you've ever listened to Snow Patrol, 'Chasing Cars' and 'Run' have inspired this. It takes place after 'The Kids in the Hall'. It's going to act as if 'Severence' never happened.

Chapter rating: PG-13 (language)

Disclaimer: I don't own Standoff, but if I did... =)

{Chapter 1}

Emily Lehman bit her lip and scrunched her eyes at her computer screen. For the past two hours she had been trying to win one game of Solitaire, and her head was aching from the glare. Sighing, she started yet another game and looked begrudgingly at the pile of paperwork she was supposed to be doing. Ever since she and Matt had broken up she felt depressed, been drinking more, and had many restless nights. She hated not being with him but couldn't work up the courage to talk to him about it.

Finally frustrated enough, she exed out the Solitaire box and opened up a word document. She should at least get some of this work done before she left the office. Glancing at the clock, she swore softly and hurriedly opened one of the files. It already was five o'clock and she was exhausted. She didn't want to have to take these files home, but as she saw Matt Flannery walk around the edge of the bullpen back to his desk, she broke.

Logging off her computer and madly piling the files into her arms, she sent a glare at Matt and grabbed her jacket. "If HE'S not going to do anything, I won't," She said quietly, knowing it was childish but was too angry to take it back.

Seeing Matt again had just awakened all her angry thoughts from the night before, a night like all the others that she had spent awake and alone, thinking about what was going to happen at work the next day. And, if she did ever manage to get some sleep at night, she always was awake by five-thirty with a rock in her stomach, a reminder she would have to see Matt in a couple of hours.

Getting to the elevator and pressing the down button, she felt someone's eyes on her. Turning her body fifteen degrees to the right to get a better view of the cubicles, she saw a brown haired head duck down. "Real mature, Matt," She muttered with a sneer.

The elevator dinged and she stepped inside, shaking her head to banish all thoughts of Matt.

***

Matt Flannery felt absolutely atrocious as he left Cheryl's office and walked to the bullpen. He was determined to make today the day he would apologize to Emily and tell her he loved her again.

However, getting to his desk, Lehman seemed angry and left quickly, shooting a glare his way. Watching her walk to the elevators, he didn't sit down, but, instead, just stared at her back. He missed her. Of all the girlfriends he had broken up with, and of all the 'just sex' excuses to Cheryl, he could honestly say he felt like he couldn't live without her.

Ducking down as Emily shot a glance his way, he quickly packed up his things, grabbed his jacket, and ran to the stairs to try and catch her at her car.

He took the steps two at a time, almost twisting his ankle once and running into people three times as he made a mad dash to catch her. Finally getting to the lobby, he threw open the stair door to see her walking slowly with her head down toward the front doors. He jogged over to her and grabbed her arm. "You're coming with me, Lehman." He said, and, as she shot him a mean look, realized it came out meaner than it was supposed to.

***

Matt grabbing her arm made Emily look up, startled. Giving him a mean look she heard him tell her she was coming with him. "Not if I can help it," She said huffily, wrenching her arm from his grasp and stopping in the middle of the lobby. "You broke my heart once, Matt Flannery, and I am not going to let you do it again."

She stared into his face as a smile grew over his face. "You're smiling!?!" she shrieked, and many people turned to them, giving them weird looks. But she didn't care. Continuing to walk toward the doors, she felt a hand on her lower back and felt another arm encompass her waist. Matt's lips touched her ear and she shivered. "Yes, you are coming with me even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming."

Emily went limp in his arms, remembering their last night together, when he had whispered many other seductive things in her ear. She felt like she didn't have any strength left to fight him.

***

Matt felt Emily go limp and he smiled wickedly, knowing she couldn't resist him when he kissed her ear. He carried her to his car, setting her into the passenger seat and then climbing in on the driver's side. Not even putting the keys in the ignition, he sat facing her. "We need to talk," he said, his smile gone from before. "We've asked Cheryl to be reassigned. She's not going to give it to us. She says we're the best damn team she's got and she's not going to split us up over some conflicts of interest." As Emily tried to interrupt, he held up his hand to stop her. "No. We're staying together. I just talked to her, 5 minutes ago, and she told me, straight out, she would never break us up. Now, we can either put this behind us and totally forget what happened, or we could both say that we're sorry and try to take it on from there."

He saw Emily's open mouth shut at the last half of his comment. "You mean, start up again? US?" A puzzled look crossed her face.

Matt just smiled and started up the car. "Sorry."

Emily's jaw only dropped at his boldness.

***

Emily had wanted to get back together with Matt ever since they broke up, but part of her didn't. She felt like someone had cut off a limb without anesthesia and then tried to sew it back on using a dull needle. And then he had apologized. "You know what, Matt, um, just take me home." Sneaking a glance over at him, she saw his knuckles whiten as he gripped the steering wheel. "Please." She added.

Taking a quick glance from the road, he looked at her straight in the eyes. "Fine," he said, his voice tight.

Laying her head against the window and closing her eyes, she didn't open them until he pulled into her apartment complex's parking lot. Opening the door, Emily sniffled a little. Making a motion to shut the door, Matt called out, "Good night Lehman. I'll see you tomorrow. What time should I come?"

Emily was dumbstruck. "W-wh-what?" She managed to squeeze out.

Matt smile evily again and added, "You don't have your car. What time tomorrow should I pick you up?"

Emily's jaw dropped and she saw his eyes light up. 'B**tard...' She thought. Then she saw he was making an effort. And she smiled. "Seven. Don't be late or I'll kill you." Matt just smiled, and, after she slammed the door shut, drove off. Emily was alone once again.