Chapter 4:
December 20th
"Morning!"
"You sound all happy and cheerful." Lucy smiled, handing him a report. "It's for you, insufficient details in your expense report."
"You're kidding." Bobby cursed quietly and threw the offending file on his desk. "Tara, last night I found out that Megan Paul has an ex boyfriend who's trying to contact her for about a week now. She's avoiding the calls."
"You got a name?" Tara looked at him.
"Brian Ford." He answered, grabbing a doughnut from the box that stood on her desk.
"When did that happen? You and Megan sharing intimate details?" Jack raised his eyebrows and could have sworn he heard Sue snorting next to him. "What?" He faced her.
She shook her head, grinning. "It looks like you and Bobby switched places." She said, referring to the teasing he was obviously about to start. Jack shrugged his shoulders and smiled back at her.
"Well?" He asked and Bobby shook his head.
"I admit, alright, she's a nice person not the monster I first thought she was."
"What made you change your mind, Crash?" Jack raised his eyebrows suggestively and Bobby clenched his hands, trying hard not to throw the doughnut his way.
"Maybe he realized he wasn't such a good judge of character." Myles said and Bobby rolled his eyes. Tara laughed and he returned to his desk with a huff.
"I think I got it." Tara rose from her seat suddenly. "Brian Ford just happens to be here in Washington. He flew in last week."
"It could be a coincidence." Dimitrius said. "Maybe it's time you tell your paramedic friends who you really are."
"They're civilians." Jack said quickly.
"But it's their life on the line." Sue answered. "Besides, I thought of something last night. Maybe the shooter is someone they treated before or someone that they couldn't save and now holds a grudge against them. It doesn't have to be personal; maybe he's after all of them."
"We need their help, although I doubt they'll remember former calls or special patients. I don't remember and I only had two shifts."
"It might calm them to know that we are actually working on the case."
Jack Nodded his head. "Yes, James voiced his opinions quite loudly last night."
"Alright then." Dimitrius spoke. "Myles and I will check on Brian Ford, Bobby and Tara get Megan Over here."
"Sue and I will get James." Jack said and Sue nodded her head. He smiled at her and they headed outside.
When they walked towards his car Jack glanced around and when he saw no one else in the garage he reached for Sue's forearm, stopping her. She turned to face him, question in her eyes. She was about to speak but closed her mouth when she saw the look in his eyes.
He gazed at her with relief and then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him. She went willingly; knowing inside this meant something for him. He said something and then kissed her hair gently, pulling away slowly.
"Jack?" She asked, her voice shaking.
"Last night we got a call. A woman passed out in the middle of the street. When we arrived, I saw someone who looked just like you." He shook his head. "For a moment there I actually thought it was you although it made absolutely no sense. I was so scared. When we came back I needed to talk to you so much…"
She traced a line along his cheek. "That's why you called me? But, you didn't say anything."
He chuckled, fighting the urge to avert his eyes. "I thought it was silly afterwards. I don't know."
They stared at each other for a while. Her hand rested on his cheek, cupping his face gently and his arms rested on her lower back, caressing slowly. He closed his eyes, all he needed to do was lower his face just a little and kiss her. He longed to do that. He needed it.
"Jack?" her voice broke through his haze. "Where are we going?"
He opened his eyes and looked at her. The question had other meanings then the obvious and he knew that. Pushing a strand of blond hair behind her ear, he smiled. "Right now, we're going to get James Meyer but afterwards…afterwards we'll go and grab some lunch...just the two of us?" He inhaled deeply.
She smiled and nodded her head, leaning into his touch a little more before they continued towards his car.
"James?" The red-haired woman called. She turned towards them. "He just woke up, he worked night. Have a seat, I'll go and get him."
"Thank you." Sue said and watched her leaving the room. From the corner of her eye she saw Jack smiling. "What?"
"It amuses me that both she and James have red hair." He shrugged his shoulders and Sue laughed softly. Jack turned his head towards the staircase and watched with amusement as James Meyer nearly toppled down the stairs at the sight of him.
"Jack?" He raised his eyebrows. "Is there something wrong?"
"It's good to see you, James. This is Sue Thomas, my partner."
"You're a Fed?" James' voice was too high for his own ears and he winced.
"We'd like to talk to you if that's alright." Sue said and James nodded his head slowly. "If you don't mind, we'd like you to come with us to the office."
"Is he in trouble?" James' wife asked from the top of the stairs.
"No, Mrs. Meyer, we just like to talk with him for a while."
James walked down the stairs and grabbed his coat. "You're a Fed and you let me go on and on last night about how you were the most useless lot I have ever known?" Jack shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently. James grinned. "Oh, wait until Megan hears about this."