The Morning After

"They'd been flirting for so long it was remarkable that it hadn't happened before," thought Patricia. Joseph Solomon and Rachel Morgan finally sleep together and despite their bet attempts, this is Gallagher with a bunch of spies as their faculty and somebody was going to notice...

A/N This came to me when I was reading a Body of Proof fanfiction on this site, it was all about Peter/Megan sleeping together and their response to it and I was like; what would Joe and Rachel's response be to finally sleeping together. Its set somewhere in 'I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you', maybe after the Dance scene but equally it could feasibly be before then. I don't honestly think if; Rachel/Joe are secretly together and Ally just hasn't revealed it yet (fingers crossed for the next book) that they did sleep together in the 1st book, but I secretly do think what if! Buckingham always ends up being in practically every GG story I write (maybe it's my subconscious talking) but she's such a great character! Anyways I will let you actually get to read it now!

Disclaimer: Not mine, The Gallagher Girls series is owned by Ally Carter not me even though a part of me wishes I could influence certain events...

"It was almost funny how ridiculous the two were acting. They were grown adults for goodness sake not two toddlers in a temper tantrum, however each to their own," thought Patricia.

It was honestly ridiculous though and it was a wonder that nobody else had noticed, particularly the girls. How ironic was it that these two people were the best the CIA had ever had and yet they couldn't even pretend to hide their emotions when it came to a little something called sexual tension. Patricia didn't know whether it was better or worse that they'd finally slept together because they'd been flirting for so long it was remarkable that it hadn't happened before. Previously the two would have fought over the little miniscule things, like the fact Joe in an act of kindness had poured milk on her cereal for her the morning before, their 'Morning After'. Sleeping together, was supposed to have relieved themselves of all that tension, Patricia reasoned, not make things worse so they had more to be angry at each other for.

Rachel had been forced to come to breakfast by Madame Dabney, and when she'd come she'd promptly ignored Joe, when usually they were inseparable talking mostly to one another. However what had led Buckingham to believe that they'd slept together and not just fought (which they did a lot) was that vibe. Patricia once two had had a beau all those years ago in MI6, and she knew the tell tale signs of the 'Morning After' ; the sad look Joe had in his eyes when he'd gently looked at Rachel as if they had been severed beyond repair. Most noticeably was the fact that Joe actually smelt of Rachel and her perfume and there was a slight scarlet red lipstick stain on his earlobe that hadn't fully washed off in the shower. Really Joseph, such a rookie mistake!

As clique as it sounded, it had happened in a torrent of anger, anger that had pulled them together...finally. The tension that had been escalating since the start of the semester was at long last reaching its climax*. That day, everything Joe had annoyed her. He'd been 2 minutes and 31 seconds late to a faculty meeting, he'd dared to pour milk on her cereal at breakfast, without even asking, he'd held a door open for her as if she were an invalid and finally he was now suggesting that she was hormonal and that was why she was exhausted, crabby. Thus insinuating that she looked like crap in the process.

If Joe Solomon had thought he'd seen Rachel Morgan angry, he had been very much mistaken. It had beyond lucky that her office was soundproof; for the amount of curse words she'd flung at him were far too inappropriate for an Educational facility. She'd been about to add to her 'interesting choice of adjectives' (and yes that was a euphemism), by physically hitting him in her rage, when it had happened. He had grabbed her arm, preventing her from touching him, her eyes seared with fury at his action, how dare he touch her. He'd searched for her eyes and before she could protest his lips were on hers. It was clique, from a novel or a movie; it didn't happen in the real world...at least not until then. She didn't respond right away, her pride was strong enough to resist wasn't it? It appeared now, when months of sexual tension had been built up and with his lips on hers that it really wasn't. Rachel had involuntarily opened her mouth just long enough to give him access to her and then she really did have to comply.

Rachel shook her head from memories of the night before and stared at her office desk, where he had pushed her roughly against it, their kiss having quickly had escalated into more. It had been fuelled by their tension, their anger for one another. At the time she was still angry at him for leaving her after Matt and he was angry at her for pushing him away after Matt had gone MIA. Her hands had found his hair and his hands had trailed down to her hips and when they'd reluctantly pulled away for air there had been no romantic conversation, analysing what had gone on, where their 'relationship' was now. Instead there eyes had met in anger, willing the other to continue, and so they had.

Rachel shook her head again. She couldn't be thinking like that, what had happened was wrong, it shouldn't have happened, it ruined everything. She thought she was going to cry at the thought of it now, by allowing herself to partake in such actions with Joe she'd ruined their relationship, severing it further than had been before he'd come to Gallagher. However a knock at the door stopped her from analysing their actions and it's new found complications further.

"Come in." She called out, the door having been slightly open already.

Quickly, Rachel wiped her eye to make sure no tears had been shed as Patricia Buckingham walked in and stood in front of the younger woman's desk.

"How are you Patricia?"

"Very well thank you." Patricia smiled at her and Rachel smiled back weakly.

"What is it that you came to see me about? Is it Macey's report, because I've just gone over it, she certainly had improved since September?"

Patricia shook her head gently and looked at her in the eye. "No it isn't, but I wouldn't mind talking to you about that another time." Rachel nodded and Patricia continued. "Rachel you honestly are the CIA's best asset but do try to be a little more discrete next time you and Joseph decide to sleep together."

And with that Patricia swept from the room, leaving a seriously surprise Rachel Morgan shocked beyond belief. She momentarily forgot about her anger towards Joe and didn't remember until she'd picked up the phone, dialled his number and he'd answered with a "Hey", what she was supposed to be feeling towards this man...

A/N I do promise to finish The Apple Woman (I have it planned out plus the sequel, I've actually spent more time on the sequel than I have finishing it off) but I have 5 more exams this summer and then I am free to spend all my time writing! Thank you for reading! Much appreciated!