A/N: Phew, made it! Thank you everyone for the reviews! I should warn you that this part gets a little risqué towards the end but what the heck! I also want to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy 2012!

o-xxx-o

New Year's Eve (Saturday) Pt.2:

The gates opened at precisely 8:00pm, they made their way along the ramp and Jack showed the attendant his tickets.

"Mr and Mrs Hudson, welcome aboard. Please follow me."

Sue tried to correct him but Jack squeezed her hand to silence her.

"Table for two, just over here by the window…" He pulled out their chairs for them and lit the candles. "Someone will be along to take your complimentary cocktail order shortly."

"Thank you." Jack removed his coat while she took off her wrap and they both sat down.

"Mr and Mrs H-U-D-S-O-N," Sue signed discreetly.

"I thought it would attract less attention than Hudson and Thomas. I hope you don't mind?"

"No." she whispered shyly.

The drinks' waiter appeared beside them and they both chose a non-alcoholic cocktail, sipping it in companionable silence while watching the other people board. At 9pm sharp the mooring ropes were released and they eased away from the dock.

"Shall we go out on deck or would you prefer to stay inside?"

"On deck, please."

Wrapping themselves up against the winter chill again, they made their way out and stood at the railing. The sky was cloudless and a thousand stars shone down over the city. It was cold but luckily not freezing.

"This is amazing. I've never seen the city look more beautiful." Sue sighed.

"And I've never seen you look more beautiful." The words were out before he could stop them.

Flushing at the unexpected compliment, Sue opened her purse and took out her Blackberry, smiling when Jack frowned. "It's okay. I just want to take some photographs."

"Good idea." He fished around in his pocket for his cell. "You know, I always forget these things have built-in cameras." He took a few shots and then tapped her on the arm. "Can you move to your left a little?"

"Why?"

"I want to get a picture of you in front of the Jefferson Memorial."

"Jack…"

"Please." He brought out his Puss in Boots look again and she did as he asked. "Thank you."

"Your turn…"

They snapped a few more then an elderly lady, who had been watching in the background, came up to her. "A lovely couple like you should be photographed together, not separately. Here let me." She took Sue's phone and had her lean against the railing before turning to Jack. "Now put your arm around her."

Jack shrugged apologetically and did as he was asked.

"My Lord, would you look at her as though you mean it! I'm sure you can do better than that."

Wanting to get the ordeal over as quickly as possible, he pulled her closer but it seemed that everything was conspiring against them. The boat was caught in the wake of another vessel, buffeting it and making the deck lurch and Sue stumbled into him. Instinctively he caught her in his arms, their eyes met and held fast until a sudden flash had them jumping apart.

"Now, that's more like it," the woman chortled. "Here you go my dear, I'm sure you'll be able to send it to your boyfriend's phone for him."

"He's not my…" Jack nudged her. "Thank you, you're very kind."

After she'd gone they both turned towards the river somewhat self-consciously, each lost in their own thoughts until she came back.

"I thought you'd like to know that they're serving dinner, you should go back inside."

Sue looked to Jack for help as the woman had been facing away from her.

D-I-N-N-E-R

O-K

They took their time over the three-course meal and just as they were finishing dessert, the band came in to start off the main entertainment, replacing the piped music. Jack reached across the table and touched her arm.

"Dance with me?"

She nodded.

"Are you, okay?"

"I'm fine." She smiled softly. "I just keep expecting Levi to pull off the bedcovers and wake me up."

"Come on Sleeping Beauty, they're playing our song."

They spent the rest of the night alternating between the dance-floor and their table until the attendant came round with the champagne to toast in the New Year.

"Let's go out on deck." Jack suggested, putting on his coat and helping her with her wrap.

She followed him curiously. "Why out here?"

"You'll see."

The ship's bell sounded to herald midnight and the band started to play 'Auld Lang Syne'. Being careful to keep her back to the shore, knowing that she wouldn't hear what was going on behind, Jack raised his glass. "Happy New Year, Sue..."

"Happy New Year, Jack..." They touched glasses and he leaned in to give her a tender, yet chaste kiss, his heart skipping a beat when she responded in kind.

"Now, turn around."

She gasped in delight as hundreds of fireworks exploded over the city lighting the sky, their reflections casting ripples of colour on the water but when Jack looked her way he was surprised to see her eyes glistening with tears. He lifted a hand to brush one away.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just so beautiful. Thank you for bringing me. This is my best New Year ever."

"Mine, too." A wave of protective tenderness washed through him as he continued to watch both her and the scene in front of them and it took all his willpower not to take her in his arms and hold her. She shivered breaking the spell. "You're cold, we should go back inside."

"No, not yet…"

Slipping out of his coat he wrapped it round her shoulders and held it in place with one arm. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you." She snuggled closer to him in an effort to share the warmth and they stood together quietly until everything died down.

Back at their table, they finished the last of their drinks as they completed the final leg of the journey.

"Do we have to get off now?" Sue's question was tinged with sadness.

He checked his watch. "We have twenty-five minutes at the dock first and there's something I just have to do before we leave."

"What's that?"

"It's been calling to me all evening and I can't resist any longer." He pointed to the table which held the chocolate fountain. "Care to join me, Ms Thomas?"

"I'd love to."

"Tell you what," he noticed that a queue had started to form. "Why don't I go and get an assortment of bits and pieces and bring them back?"

"Okay."

He returned about ten minutes later, put down the dishes and grabbed a serviette, pouring some water onto it and wiping the front of his jacket. "It's a good thing you did stay at the table, its complete mayhem over there. I swear I barely escaped with my life."

"Never separate a chocoholic from their fountain." She grinned.

"I wonder if there's such a thing as Chocoholics Anonymous."

"Mmm hmm, I think it's called 'Weightwatchers'."

Jack practically exploded with laughter as he picked up a sugar curl savouring every morsel and then wiping his fingers on the damp tissue.

"I never realised you had a thing for chocolate."

"Too big a thing, that's why I usually try to avoid it except on special occasions…"

"Me too… Although Lucy says it's better than…" She stopped abruptly, colouring violently when she remembered who she was talking to. "Never mind..."

"Better than what..?" Jack prompted, already knowing the answer.

"Forget I spoke, please…"

"If you insist but for the record, she's wrong… It does run a very close second though." He was taking a perverse pleasure in tormenting her but soon the shoe was on the other foot.

Completely embarrassed, she chose to distract herself with a chocolate-coated strawberry. Holding it to her lips, her tongue snaked out to lick off the drips before they could escape and Jack almost choked. By the time she'd taken her first bite he was a quivering wreck.

It had been a purely innocent gesture on her part but that had made it all-the-more seductive and when she started to lick her fingers he was forced to grab a serviette to smother a groan. A little of the chocolate dribbled down her chin and he quickly pushed back his chair and stood up. "Excuse me for a moment, I just need to use the… before we go."

"Oh, okay. Aren't you going to finish your dessert first?"

"No, I'm good. I think I've had quite enough for one day."

He breathed a sigh of relief when he returned to find the table had been cleared and prayed she wouldn't notice that his hair was damp from where he'd splashed his face with water. Many of the other guests had already left and reluctantly they collected up their things, Jack once again, giving her his coat.

"You'll freeze like that."

"Nah, it's only a short walk to the car." He shrugged. ~ And the cold air will probably do me good. ~ He added mentally. ~ Geez, Hudson, get a grip! ~

By the time they reached her building, the image had been firmly pushed to the back of his mind but nevertheless, he was firmly convinced that he'd never be able to look at either chocolate or strawberries in the same way again. Getting out of the car, he walked round to open the door for her.

"Do you want to come in for coffee or some hot chocolate?"

"No… thank you. It's very late and you have to be up early in the morning."

"I do?"

"To collect Levi, remember? Will you be alright here on your own?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you."

"Okay." They held each other's gaze until a stranger walked by and wished them a Happy New Year.

"I should go."

"Me too, it's been a wonderful evening."

"Yes, it has. Any plans for tomorrow?"

"A few... I'll pick up Levi on the way to church and then I promised to go to the Little Bookworm Club."

"Oh…" He looked disappointed.

"You could come, if you want."

"Really..? I'm not sure how much help I'd be. My signing isn't up to telling stories yet."

"That doesn't matter. You know more than some of the parents and maybe you'll learn something."

"In that case, you're on. What time?"

"I'm not exactly sure. How about just after lunch? I'll come round and collect you."

"I think I can drag myself out of bed by then."

She laughed. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night. Sleep well."

o-xxx-o

He'd taken a quick shower, sponged down his jacket and was lying in bed replaying the evening in his mind, the doubts he'd had earlier having totally evaporated. But now he was left in a state of utter confusion as he tried to work out just when his feelings for Sue had changed from friendship and admiration to something far more complex.

His whole intention with Christmas and New Year had been to turn disappointment into a bit of fun but sharing meals and time with her away from work, had brought back memories of their stint undercover as man and wife and left him wanting more… that was why he'd been so pleased when she'd asked him to come into her world tomorrow, instead of her always being in his. The thing with the chocolate had been a whole other story and taken him completely by surprise. Of course, he'd fantasised about them being boyfriend and girlfriend but that side of it had never really entered his mind until tonight and then it had been… whoa! His cell bleeped and he automatically reached out to pick it up, pressing the button to display the message and smiling when he saw that she'd sent him the photograph.

He studied it carefully, surprised by just how much of what he was thinking was visible in his eyes and seeing something in them that it was becoming almost impossible to ignore. His breath caught in his throat when he realised that the look in hers mirrored his own.

o-xxx-o