Sorry for the delay….connection issues and busy time. The next chapter will be posted shortly.

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The drive from JJ's place took approximately 1 hour. They stopped to grab coffee for the adults and chocolate milk for Henry. As they enjoyed their donuts from the same roadside diner, JJ kept asking where Dave was taking them. She knew they were heading out of Quantico, but he refused to tell her where they were going. When she realized that he wasn't going to spill anything until they got there, she stared out the window daydreaming.

"Jennifer, why don't decided to take a page from your son's book and take a nap."

Shaking her head, JJ told him she was fine.

"Listen Bella, I can see from the dark circles under eyes that you aren't telling me the entire truth. So here is what you are going to do. You are going to close your eyes and all you are going to think about is your beautiful son and a place so peaceful and beautiful that you won't ever want to leave. Capice?"

Narrowing her eyes at the dark haired man, she stuck out her tongue. "Do you realize just how much of a bully you are?"

Smiling, he didn't respond to her question. Instead he turned on some classical music and told her to close her eyes and relax.

Eventually she did close her eyes and very shortly afterward she feel into a restful nap. She was so relaxed that her mind began to create a place that felt real. She fell so deep in her sleep that JJ could actually smell the wild flowers as she ran through the meadow. When she reached out to pick a bouquet of flowers, her hand hit the door in reality, waking her up. She looked around to see if Dave had noticed and realized from his chuckle that he had seen it all. It was the first time in many weeks that actually closed her eyes longer enough She knew that it was the first time in a long time that she actually slept long enough to have a dream.

Sitting up, she turned to the right to look at her son and was glad that he was still sleeping. Opening her window, the cool air pushed her hair out of her eyes: the tips of her long locks reaching behind the headrest of the seat. It was unusually warm at this time of the year. Resting her head against the chair, she turned her face towards the window and enjoyed basking in the sun's warmth.

Dave watched her out of the corner of his eye, while trying to keep the other eye on the exit from the freeway. Her natural beauty stunned him as he silently watched the wind play with strands of her golden hair.

She could never know what she truly looked like at this exact moment. The pain and hurt gone from her face; the usual furrowed brow now smooth but the eyes, he knew, still held darkness behind their searing blue gaze.

Dave took the next exit and drove only a few miles from the freeway before he parked the car in an underground parking at 6th street.

Gently, he touched JJ on the shoulder, "we're here."

JJ opened her eyes to see where "here" was but the walls gave her no clue to where Dave had taken them.

They got out of the car and woke up Henry. He opened his eyes with a smile when he saw that it was Unca Dabe taking him out of the car. "We here?"

"Yes my boy, we are definitely here."

"Dave?"

"Yes Jennifer?"

"Where are we?"

Touch the tip of her nose with his finger, Dave teased, "You are a nosy bird aren't you and so full of questions. I bet you that you can't go a whole day without asking one more question, can you?"

Not one to turn down a bet, JJ's eyes narrowed. "You're on. What are your terms of this little wager?"

"Well, let's see," Dave replied, stroking his goatee, "How about this, if you win, I will take you to the most expensive restaurant in Washington for dinner. How does that sound?"

Nodding her head in agreement, JJ wrinkled up her brow and asked what Dave expected if he won.

"Nothing much."

Snorting, JJ raised an eyebrow and responded, "Yah right…like I really believe that."

"Okay…okay. So how about if I win, we get to do whatever I say today." He grinned in a way that gave her goose bumps.

Clearing her throat, JJ pointed a finger at Dave's chest. "I don't think so, Buster."

Holding up his hands in defense, "That is not what I meant, Jenn. It'll all be good clean, FAMILY fun. I promise. Scouts honor." Dave said while drawing a cross over his heart.

"Okay…..but just so you know, I get lobster wherever we go tonight for dinner."

"That sure of yourself, eh?"

"That's right!"

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When the elevator door opened, they walked out into the Gallery Place Mall right in front of the biggest toy store JJ had ever seen. Looking over at Dave's face she refused to ask him what he was about. Instead she walked purposely over to the store and told Henry to go choose something.

The youngster's eyes grew big at all the items that the store had that he couldn't make up his mind. JJ reminded him that he could only choose one thing. He finally settled on a Green Lantern action figure. Before JJ could take out her wallet, Dave had whipped out his credit card and handed it to the cashier.

"Dave. It is not necessary…"

Cutting her off, Dave told her that it was his right as 'Unca Dabe' to buy Henry the toy and JJ couldn't argue that.

Walking out of the store, they opened the box so that Henry could play with his newly acquired "friend". He walked ahead of the adults as they kept an eye on him so he wouldn't walk too far. Dave took JJ's hand and placed it in the crook of his arm as they window shopped through the mall.

JJ couldn't help but laugh when Henry stopped in front of the window of a large department store. Pointing to a brown tweed jacket in the window, Henry excited told JJ, "Look mom, I want a jacket just like Unca Dabe's".

Dave smiled at the enthusiasm of the little guy. "Well he certainly has good taste." Couching down beside Henry, Dave whispered in his ear. Nodding to the soft words Dave said to him, he took Dave's hand and walked into the store. "We'll be right back."

Stunned JJ looked at the two of them and she almost asked what they were up to but she caught herself just in time. He wasn't going to get her that easily. Instead she sat on the bench in the middle of the mall drumming her fingers on the side of the bench waiting for the boys to get back to her.

When the two exited the store, Dave was carrying several full bags. Standing in front of JJ, Dave waited for her to ask what he bought. Instead, JJ grabbed her son's hand and started to walk towards the food court. Without turning back, in a manner loud enough for Dave to hear, JJ told her son, "Now that you have bought out the store, let's go get some fuel for our belly's so Uncle Dave can continue spending his money."

Dave stared at JJ's back and rolled his eyes. It was going to be a long afternoon of window shopping and if he didn't get JJ to slip up and "ask" a question, it would spoil the rest of his plans. He wasn't about to let that happen, so he quickly devised a plan that would give him his desired results.

Whistling a happy tune, Dave followed behind JJ and Henry knowing that it wouldn't be much longer before JJ slipped up. Of that Dave was extremely sure.

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