Chapter 2

"I… erm…" Jack said looking at the intensity on Horatio's face. Ryan and Eric didn't know what to say and just stared at Jack.

"Jack, my office now!" Horatio ordered as he turned around and walked out. Jack walked over to Horatio's office with his tale between his legs feeling sorry for himself as Horatio went to look for Zoë. She was at the desk getting her messages when Horatio approached her.

"Horatio, what can I do for you?" She asked with a smile.

"Could I have a word please?" Horatio asked as he fiddled with his sunglasses.

They walked over to a quiet place when Horatio put his sunglasses away. "Zoë, did anything just happen between you and Jack? I walked into the lab and he… he's got a very big red mark across his face." Horatio asked looking at her.

"Everything's fine Horatio." She said with a small smile.

"Zoë, I've never seen or heard of you reacting like that, what did he do?" He said as he noticed her hand was red itself. She obviously slapped him hard.

"Horatio, it's fine. Leave it, I can handle him." Zoë said with a reassuring smile.

"I can see that, but I don't want anything like this happening again. He's in my office now, feeling sorry for himself, and I'll have it out of him." Horatio said seriously.

"Horatio, leave it. He just…" Zoë said rubbing her red hand.

"Just what?" Horatio questioned seeing her discomfort.

"Just slapped my bum." Zoë said shaking her head brushing it off. "It was just my instant reaction to slap him and I shouldn't have slapped him… I know that, but–"

"You don't need to worry about anything, thank you for telling me Zoë." Horatio said as he exhaled thinking of what he was going to do with Jack.

"Go easy on him; he's just like a child really." Zoë said with a smile raising her eyebrow.

"It's unacceptable Zoë." Horatio said lowering his voice.

"Yes, but it's up to me and whether I want to make a complaint or not, and I don't so that's where we're going to leave it." Zoë said dismissing the conversation.

"I'm only going to have words with him." Horatio said.

"Horatio, I know that look. Don't do anything stupid." Zoë said seriously.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid; you just shouldn't have to put up with that at work, or anywhere!" Horatio said as he placed a hand on his hip.

"Horatio, it's fine." Zoë said with a reassuring smile. He gave her a nod and she turned around and walked into the lab to finish off some work. Horatio looked at the floor cooling himself down before he marched back to his office where he stared at Jack who sat back in the chair.

"Are we going to have a problem here Jack?" Horatio asked bluntly.

"Of course not." Jack said as he leaned forward with a grin.

"I had better hope not, she doesn't want to press charges, but if anything like this ever happens again, I'm afraid I'm going to have put something into action. You need to fully respect Zoë, she works here too." Horatio said as he stood by his chair keeping his cool.

"I've got you Horatio." Jack said uncaringly and stood up.

"I didn't say I was finished yet." Horatio said seriously as Jack slumped back down.

"If I find out you've been inappropriate, I will have your head. Now get back to work, please." Horatio said getting a little flustered.

"Okay, I'm sorry Horatio. Thank you." Jack said realising the seriousness of the situation. He got up and turned to walk out.

"I'm not the one you need to be apologising to." Horatio said lowly and Jack turned and gave him a sorry nod. He walked out and went to find Zoë. He apologised to her and she forgave him drilling it in to him that nothing like that was going to happen again. Jack walked into the lab and got straight on with work. Ryan and Eric briefly looked up at him and smirked at each other knowing that Horatio had probably given him a hard time. The day passed quickly and Jack didn't even exchange a look with Zoë. Zoë got home and thought about the day, but the message really started to grind at her. The next day rose and they turned up for work. Ryan and Zoë were already in the lab chatting and sorting out evidence before the shift started.

"Have a good evening?" Ryan asked with a sweet smile.

"I wouldn't say good, I got home, made dinner, had a shower and then went to bed." Zoë said with a small chuckle. "How about you pretty boy?" She asked with a wide grin.

"Sounds pretty much like my evening." Ryan said looking up at her with a grin and he noticed her looking at him in a peculiar way.

"What?" Ryan asked with a suspicious look.

"Have you got a new tie?" She said lowering her eyebrows.

"I have indeed." Ryan said as a shy boyish grin appeared across his face.

"It looks good, although, you need to tighten the knot a little more and pull it up." She said giving him a smile, tilting her head.

"Oh, thank you." Ryan said bringing his hands up to his tie to adjust it.

"No, look, come here." She said with a smile as they both stepped closer. She placed her delicate hands around his tie and adjusted it for him. Once adjusted she let go and place both her hands on his strong chest. "There you go." She said with a wide grin. She dropped her hands from his chest as he gazed into her eyes as he admired her gorgeous smile. She turned around and got back to work, completely oblivious to how much he liked her and the signs he was giving her.

"Thank you." He said straightening his tie out. Eric walked in and she flashed him a smile. They began to talk when Jack and Valera arrived together; all 3 of them stared at Jack and Valera.

"Well, at least he'll be off my case now then!" Zoë said as she turned to Ryan and Eric with a smile as they stood behind her next to each other.

"It looks like it." Ryan said with a small smile at her, Zoë had her back to Jack and Valera as she studied Ryan looking at him curiously again.

"What?" Ryan asked lowering his eyebrows thinking there was something on his face. Jack turned around to look at Zoë.

"I don't know, have you done something different with your hair?" She asked as she reached up to swipe it back up, instead of to the side. Jealousy flushed through Jacks body.

"Hey hey." Ryan said as he pulled his head away. "Don't mess up the hair." Ryan said adjusting it again.

"Oh I'm sorry pretty boy, would you like some make-up to go with it?" She said with a cheeky smile. He began to laugh with a wide grin. "No, I think I'm all set, thank you." He said grinning at her.

"Not even a little lip gloss or mascara?" She said giving him another cheeky grin.

"No thank you." He said grinning at her.

"Okay pretty boy, if you need any, you know where I am." She said with a smile and both of them.

Valera pulled on Jacks arm as she saw him looking at Zoë and got his attention.

"Hey, I'm over here." Valera said to Jack.

"Yeah I know baby, I'll be back a little later." He said as he walked out and Valera huffed getting annoyed with him.

Back in the lab with Zoë, Ryan and Eric, Zoë turned her attention to a smirking Eric.

"You're not getting off lightly either, I know you've change your cologne." She said with a raised eyebrow completely oblivious about the fact that they both fancied her, Ryan more so.

"Now please excuse me boys, I've got a lot of work to do." She said as she walked through the middle of them.

They turned around and said "see you later" simultaneously.

"Boys, for your information, if you're changing because of Jack, here's a little tip… go back to your old style, you both have got a much better chance of having any woman you want over him. Ryan, keep the tie." She said with a smile as she walked out.

"She is right you know." Eric said looking at Ryan.

"Yeah I know. I can't believe Valera lowered herself to his level though." Ryan said a little sickened.

Jack rushed after Zoë. Eric, Ryan and Valera all saw it. Valera got into more of a huff realising that she had been played and now looked like the 'office slut'. Zoë stopped and turned to Jack exhaling deeply waiting for the sleaze about to project out of his mouth.

"I saw you with Ryan, are you and him having it off?" He asked forcefully.

"No we're certainly not! Ryan is a close friend of mine. How dare you speak to me like that! It's none of your god damn business anyway!" She raised her voice at him and walked off in a huff. He stared at her ass and then turned around and realised everyone was staring at him. He adjusted his shirt and walked into the lab still just as cocky. Ryan and Eric were just gobsmacked at him.

"How long is this going to go on for? She doesn't have to put up with that." Ryan whispered to Eric.

"It's going to get out of hand soon." Eric whispered as they then got on with their work. Zoë walked in to the locker room where she cooled herself off and took her inhaler as Jack was stressing her out far too much, it was causing her chest to tighten. She closed her locker when the door opened and Jack slunk in eyeing her up.

He approached her saying "you know how much that cream suit turns me on don't you?" Jack said raising his eyebrows.

"Jack, grow up." She snapped at him as she shut and locked her locker.

(Trying my best to upload them quickly, I apologise that it's not as quick as it used to be. But thank you for reading!)