Although not my first attempt at a one-shot, this is my first one-shot that does coincide with my Legacy of Thunder series. This scene is set shortly after "Back in the Saddle" and goes into greater detail about the first date I know several of you anticipated for quite a while. Enjoy :)

First Date

I wanna get closer...
Closer to heaven than I've ever been in my life
Before the night's over I wanna get closer

"Closer" by Susan Ashton

Katheryn Beaumont pulled her coat tighter against herself as she climbed from Carlos Sandoval's unmarked Crown Victoria after he had parked it carefully alongside the curb just a few feet away from Uppercut's front entrance. Katheryn quickly took notice of the gentle, darkening pink sky as she opened the passenger side door. In short, it was perfect. Not wanting to step into the traffic, Kath quickly eased around the front of the car and waited for Carlos at the sidewalk, her nerves partially shot as she dressed her face in a smile as to allude to any such notions. Even though the cool winter blues of January still hung in the atmosphere, Katheryn couldn't quite figure out if she was cold from the weather or the butterflies inside of her. Then she inwardly scolded herself. Why was she so nervous? She had been best of friends with Carlos and the gang for almost six months already. They worked together as best as any tag team could. Why would tonight be any different? The she realized the obvious. Everything was different now. As far as they had been concerned over the past months, they were friends. Now, they could be treading a very different path. One that could lead to anything. One that could lead to a closer friendship. Could she dare play on her desire that it could turn into a actual romance? The likes of which she had had little accomplishment with in her own life so far.

"You ready?"

Katheryn blinked hard to pull herself out of the ridiculous reverie, thinking for sure her face was red from embarrassment. It was as if she felt her thoughts were written right on her face for Carlos and everyone else to read.

Carlos nearly chuckled and raised his eyebrows, cocking his head gently. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah," Katheryn chuckled. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts there for a second."

"You do know you have a habit of doing that quite regularly don't you?" Carlos took a step forward, the two walking side-by-side the short distance to the door.

"Yeah, I know." Carlos was right. But she wasn't about to admit one little bit of what she had been thinking about. "I guess it's my way of escaping sometimes. Subconsciously."

Carlos seemed confused as he stopped and turned to face the most beautiful girl he had ever met. "Wait. You were just trying to escape?"

"No!" Katheryn quickly reassured Carlos with a lift of her hand and a broadening smile, still feeling heat consume her whole body. "I meant other times. I—I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"That's okay." Carlos' subtle smile Katheryn had become fond of since meeting this man broadened on his face as he turned to continue walking. He slipped one hand into his jeans' pocket and opened the door to Uppercuts with the other hand. Then he stepped aside, letting Katheryn enter before he shut the door behind both of them.

As if everything was already preordained, Katheryn noticed Butch give Carlos a wink and nod before he pointed to a booth in the corner just past the entrance to their right. A small square piece of paper was taped to the edge and read reserved. Katheryn then raised her eyes slightly to see another note…no an envelope with her name on it. Seeing that her name was written on the outside, she took it in hand and opened it, revealing a piece of paper which read in hand-written cursive, I suppose it's no use hiding behind the guise of secret admirer any more. Here's to a good evening tonight and many more like it to come in the future. Sincerely, Carlos. Katheryn turned a heartfelt smile and a barely audible thank-you to him before she did anything else.

With nothing but a smile from Carlos, Katheryn had figured it all out. By the time they were sitting in front of each other in the booth, she had deduced the situation and secured her culprit. Kath set her handbag aside, tucking Carlos' sweet note within its safety as she began easing out of her coat. "So, you called ahead did you?"

Carlos hid a smirk, glancing away briefly as he pointed to the bar with his crossed on the table. "Yeah. Butch let us have this whole corner to ourselves for the night."

"And what's it going to cost you?" Katheryn smiled.

"Nothing much," Carlos shrugged. "Let's just say I owe Butch one in the near future."

Soon Butch had brought them a couple of drinks, his comments of a sarcastic nature towards a slightly slow detective who had surely taken long enough to make this night happen. But Carlos took the words in good spirit, promising himself that this girl had been well worth the wait. He hadn't quite admitted it to himself until then, but this date seemed different than all the others. It actually seemed real and genuine. Not at all like ones he had so willfully pursued in the past as legitimate. Then again, he had no reason to believe tonight was any different. Or did he?

Carlos waited for them to be alone again before he folded his hands on the table and cleared his throat to speak. "So, what brought you to Dallas last year? I know you started at the H.O.P.E. center and all. Was that why you moved here?"

Katheryn's reflective sigh helped to bring back the memory of the summer of 1998. She could hardly believe eight months had passed since she had made that life-changing decision to uproot her life and move a couple hundred miles away from the place she had called home most of her life. "Well, I've always loved Texas. Ever since I can remember, I've loved watching old westerns and falling in love with that time in history. So it seemed like I was destined to love the culture here. After I graduated from high school, I didn't go to college immediately like everyone told me to. I sort of took my time to really find out what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I had several talents. I just wasn't sure about pursuing any one of them. Writing seemed to hit the spot for me though. I wrote a lot through my teenage years. I even picked up some freelance journalistic work along the way here and there to pay the bills. I really enjoyed the chance to learn and grow as a writer. I was able to connect with others and network. It was fun.

"Then just a few months after I turned twenty-one, I decided out of the blue to up and move here to Dallas. Everyone thought I was crazy. Especially when I didn't have any prospects whatsoever. There wasn't a job waiting on me or anything. And once I had stayed in a downtown Dallas hotel for a week, I was beginning to think they were right. But one day I was ordering some food to go at a restaurant when I began talking with this stranger. Turns out it was Josie. She started talking about her work with the H.O.P.E. center and how much it meant to her. Once I finally worked up the courage to ask if there were any job openings, she gave me Alex's card and said to come by any time to talk it over. I was so excited when I arrived. I fell in love with the place right off. And Alex hired me on the spot. Then I guess you could say the rest is history because I met you guys about two weeks later, and clearly I haven't looked back."

Carlos chuckled a bit and looked at Katheryn in earnest. "Not for nothing, but I'm really glad you decided to get your lunch to go that day."

"Me too," Katheryn smiled. "So have you always lived in Texas?"

Carlos nodded. "Yeah. For the most part. Theresa, Hector, and I were all born and raised in Texas. Our parents met when my mother's father decided to move here from Mexico looking for work. My mom was eighteen I think. Some rowdy cowhands were trying to convince her to be friendly with them when she was trying to buy a few things at a mom and pop store just outside of Laredo. My dad happened upon them just in time and stood up for her. My mom was grateful but it took a while before they became friends." Carlos stopped his recount of history with a glance away and back. "I'm sorry for rambling. You probably don't want to hear my family history."

"No," Katheryn inserted as quickly as her voice could manage before she relaxed into a smile. "Please continue. I love stories like this."

Carlos smiled, impressed once more as he realized just how comfortable he felt talking with Katheryn. He had never told this much about himself to a girl before…and she actually enjoyed it. "I tell you what. What about we play a game of pool before eating?"

"Sure." Katheryn suddenly remembered their friendly competition of darts from the other day at Ranger Walker's birthday party and could still see the tenacity in Carlos' eyes when he insisted they'd be playing pool next time.

With that thought in mind, Kath stood up out of the booth and followed Carlos through the evening commotion of the bar up to the loft area of Uppercuts where Butch had the pool table, dart board, and pinball machines set up. As she silently chalked up a couple of cues for them to use, Carlos gathered up the balls from the six pockets and racked them on the opposite end of the pool table. Katheryn took notice of his rather keen knowledge of the game as he placed the eight ball exactly in the middle and made sure one striped ball was in the bottom left corner while a solid-colored ball occupied the other bottom corner. He also was sure to put the yellow number one ball at the very top of the triangle. Carlos then shook the triangular device and centered it perfectly on his end before lifting it carefully up and over the balls, leaving them in a perfectly still formation. He tucked away the plastic helper before rounding to the other side to retrieve his cue from Katheryn.

"You want to break?" Carlos asked Katheryn before she could speak.

Katheryn smiled. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Flip for it?"

"Sure."

Carlos reached into his jeans pocket for a quarter and handed it to Katheryn. "Tails."

Katheryn shuffled the piece of change in one hand with an eager smile before she opened her hand, clapping it and the quarter onto her bare wrist. She lifted her hand and grinned. "Heads."

"Should I ask for a recount?"

"Oh, you don't trust me?" Katheryn playfully elbowed Carlos with a broadening grin.

Carlos simply sighed, surrendering to this beautiful girl's good fortune. "Alright. Have it your way. But only because I like you too much to argue."

"Suits me." Katheryn bent low, looking over at the triangulated balls and placing the end of her cue between her thumb and index finger as she laid her hand down on the green surface. She moved the cue back and forth, gliding it along her skin with squinted eyes, teasing the white ball with the chalky dust of her cue's tip. Then without warning she let her cue drive straight into the white ball, sending it into the group of colored balls and causing them to scatter.

Three solid balls made it into two different pockets around the pool table, causing Carlos to turn to Katheryn with raised eyebrows and an expression of sheer surprise. "You're good. Really good."

"Save the compliments, Sandoval. This is only the first game." Katheryn attempted to trash talk Carlos but hid a genuine smile as she turned her back to him in order to aim at another ball. Having missed that shot, Carlos ambled over to her and looked over her failed attempt. "I did it on purpose," she explained.

"Right," Carlos chuckled and bent down to take an aim of his own. He managed to get one striped ball in a pocket, drawing a quiet applause from Katheryn. "Oh, stop it," he insisted and glared towards her playfully. Yet she was too busy trying not to laugh.

About fifty minutes later, they were in a dead heat of two to one in favor of Katheryn in games won versus lost.

"Well, I don't know about you," Katheryn sighed, "but I think I'd like to take a break."

"Says the victorious ruler of the game." Carlos rolled his eyes but smiled. He was oddly satisfied with having lost to Katheryn tonight. At least just this once. He'd have to up the ante on his billiard capabilities for their next match someday.

Carlos and Katheryn had not reclaimed their table for about thirty seconds when Butch came out with a couple of plates of food for them both. "Hey, now what's this I hear about you two hogging the pool table for an hour?"

"It wasn't an hour, Butch," Carlos argued and shot Katheryn a grin. "Was it?"

Katheryn smiled. "It was pretty close to it." She glanced at her wristwatch to confirm it. "Although I will admit I have since lost track of time."

Butch winked her way before he half-turned to return to his post behind the bar. "You two enjoy yourselves, you hear?"

"Will do," Carlos answered before taking a couple bites of his sandwich.

Once Katheryn had tasted her own food and uttered a few compliments regarding how good it was, she resorted to her glass of sweet tea and the conversation they had left off with. "So, tell me about your sister. I didn't know you had a sister."

"I do," Carlos smiled as he recalled his childhood. Theresa had been rather protective of him when Hector went astray, knowing that Carlos would follow in his footsteps for sure as the youngest if someone didn't keep him on the straight and narrow. "Theresa still lives in Dallas. She works as a nurse over at a children's clinic just outside of Deep Ellum. She sees lots of needy kids and loves what she does."

"Is she married?" Katheryn asked, immediately feeling as if she was prying too much. But Carlos didn't seem to mind as he shook his head.

"No. Well, she was. She has a teenage son named Jesse, my nephew. He's a good kid. But he took it pretty hard when his dad died."

"How did he…?" Katheryn asked cautiously.

"Desert Storm."

Katheryn nodded, understanding the implications Carlos had conveyed.

By the time eight o'clock started to approach, the atmosphere was not as quiet anymore. Many of the Saturday night regulars began pouring in and having a laugh with a friend or two as they pumped up the volume on the football game coming from Butch's little corner television set. He usually didn't let things get out of hand around there. But even on a calm night, it still could get loud among the crowd of conversations and friendly good times.

Katheryn glanced around and let out a deep breath as she pushed away her plate. "That was good."

"Sure was," Carlos agreed before trying to figure out what Katheryn was looking at. He turned in the booth to look behind him only to see strangers having a good time. He turned back around to seeing Katheryn's forehead creased as if she was far away in her thoughts. "Katheryn? Are you alright?"

Katheryn shook off the reverie. "Sorry." She smiled. "Sometimes extra noise around me lulls me to where I can't really think straight."

"Another escape?" Carlos searched for her eyes, and Katheryn met his, nodding with a broadening smile. "What do you say we get some fresh air?"

Katheryn immediately smiled at the notion of getting away with Carlos for a few moments. Somehow the thought of a moonlit stroll was exactly what this date needed to make it complete. "I'd love to," she finally answered after keeping Carlos in suspense for a few seconds.

"Great." Carlos placed some money on the table for their meals and nodded to Butch before he crossed to open the door for Katheryn and himself to be on their way. He too was feeling rather fond of capping off their night in the quiet of the outside atmosphere.

Although the sidewalk that lined the street outside of Uppercuts was not the quietest of places, what with the distant sirens and the lull of the interstate not very far away, it was the perfect place for Carlos and Katheryn to be. Because whether they realized it or not, they were right at home with each other…more than they had ever been as friends over the course of the past several months. A gang of drug dealers, an exploding warehouse, and a standoff at gun-point that resulted in one of them nearly losing their life—none of these things had separated them yet. In fact, if they were completely honest with themselves, those events had brought them closer together. And such is a mark of a lasting relationship. One that is able to stand the test of time and tragedy. One that is real between a man and a woman. A relationship that had surely begun that night to take a path far different from the one they had been on before.

"Thanks for tonight," Katheryn reluctantly pulled away from a brief kiss on Carlos' cheek as they said goodnight by the street outside the H.O.P.E. center a short drive later. Her crimson Stingray Corvette sat just in front of them almost calling her as she felt a subtle tiredness settle over her. But she didn't want the night to end. Not yet. Not after she had felt the way she had. It couldn't end now. But it had to.

Carlos' smile never faded. "You're welcome. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. I'll save a place for you on the third pew. How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect," Carlos was still unable to remove his gaze off of Katheryn. He reached low to take a hold of Katheryn's hand. He held it tenderly, almost wishing to kiss her but holding himself in check. Instead, he set a gentle kiss to her forehead before he reluctantly slipped away and back to his own vehicle after saying goodnight.

Katheryn turned around and waved as Carlos drove off, leaving her listening to the sound of a gentle winter wind that sent a chill throughout her almost like the one she had felt when the night began. Only this time, it was loneliness that she felt. Loneliness and such a distinct measure of joy that even herself as a writer could not quite describe with enough words to do it the justice that it so rightly deserved.