Thank you for the encouragement guys, I appreciate it. This is the next installment!

The Dating Thing

It was three days before he worked up the courage to admit he absolutely had to do something. He felt like crap, hadn't slept for days and had yet to sell his bike. Just because of one damn woman who had wormed her way under his skin. And straight to an old flyboy's heart, a voice added. Grinding his teeth, he turned in his bed for the nth time. A few minutes later, he was up, dressed and heading for the door.

--

2.11am. The red light of the clock blinked at her. Sighing, she pulled the duvet over her head, willing sleep to overcome her traitorous mind. When she had left his house, she had come straight home and sat on her couch. The house had been silent. Deafeningly so. Finally, she was alone. And loneliness sure did hurt. The tears hadn't taken long to appear, and she had sobbed until her body hurt and she could cry no more. Two days before she should have become Mrs Shanahan, and she could admit that no matter how lonely she was, breaking it off had been the best thing. Yet somehow, that just made her feel worse.

2.12am. Wanting to scream about the unfairness of it all she swiped at the clock, sending it flying into the adjacent wall. It smashed and tears sprung to her eyes again. The ringing of the doorbell made her jump.

--

"Carter. You look like crap." His voice was gruff from lack of sleep, and he looked just as bad as she thought she looked.

"Likewise, sir." Their eyes met and held. He looked away first, surprising her.

"Er, Carter, do ya think, maybe, I could come in?" She nodded and stepped back into the hall, leading the way to the kitchen.

There he stood, looking awkward. The silence stretched, and he still didn't look at her directly.

"Sir?" Their eyes met again for a second, before he looked away again.

"I think we might need to talk, Carter, but, er…" He seemed uncomfortable again, and annoyance swelled inside of her.

"What?" She snapped. He flinched, seemed to consider for a moment, and then replied-

"Could you maybe, uh, put some pants on?"

Looking down at herself, she realised that standing in front of her CO - Ok, ex CO - in just a spaghetti strapped t-shirt and underwear was probably not a good idea. Blushing in embarrassment, she stuttered an answer and fled.

--

Sagging in relief, Jack sat on her couch, willing away his x-rated thoughts. Christ, her legs really did go on forever. Swallowing heavily, he tried to train his thoughts on the uncomfortable conversation that was sure to be ahead.

When she returned, she had pulled on a pair of jeans and was still wearing the blush on her cheeks. Willing his eyes not to follow the denim clad thighs; he blinked and focused on her face.

"Right. You wanted to talk?" She seemed all business.

"About us." She started, jerking her eyes up to meet his. Then she shrugged in a defeated way.

"What's there to talk about, really?"

"A lot." She shrugged again.

"Go ahead then."

He was momentarily lost for words, then he forged ahead, not thinking as clearly as he wanted, the image of her long, pale-skinned legs still emblazoned onto his mind's eye.

"I thought maybe, uh, when I was in Washington, I might still be able to visit, ya know? Maybe we could go for coffee or something." Now that he had started, he couldn't seem to stop. "Maybe, you could visit DC too, ya know? We could try some coffee there or something….." He trailed off. She seemed amused by his little confused tirade. She gave a slight nod though, and he felt a warm relief fill him. "As friends, if you want." He added gently. She looked startled then.

"If I want?" He shrugged, avoiding eye-contact again.

"Sure." Giving him a puzzled smile, she seemed to gear herself up for something.

"If I want?" She asked again.

"Yeah."

"If I don't want?" He frowned.

"Huh?" She huffed, rolling her eyes at his density.

"What if what I want would make it awkward?"

"What do you mean?" He really had no clue what she was getting at.

"What about Kerry?" Her question was rushed out so that she tumbled the words together, and he took a few seconds to figure out what she had asked.

"What about her?"

"Won't she find it weird?"

"Dunno. Haven't seen her for over a month." He tilted his head to look at her, as she took his words in.

"Why not?"

"She broke up with me."

"She broke it off?"

"You seem surprised."

"I am. Why would she do that?"

"You can't think of any reason?"

"Well," she conceded. "You can a bit obtuse and stubborn when you want to be, but I guess that makes you you."He was touched and hurt at the same time.

"So you can't think of any reason why a woman would leave me?" He was genuinely startled and she blushed, looked away and shook her head. His ego inflated a little but he added;

"Apparently I have issues."

"Everybody has issues," she shot back.

"She said that too." Her response was a raised eyebrow.

"It was a specific issue that she had a problem with."

"Oh?"

"You, in fact." He relished her reaction. First, her face was a blank mask, and then it filled with surprise, horror, and then confusion.

"But…."

"But what, Carter? Kerry isn't an idiot. She knew a man in love when she saw one."

--

His words took a second to sink in.

"What?"

"I love you."

"You…"

"Yup." She swallowed. Oh God. He loves me.

"I love you too."

"Yeah."

"So, what do we do?"

"We go for coffee."

"Coffee?" She realised she sounded sceptical, so she continued; "A date. For coffee?"

"Right."

Then she smiled. And he was smiling back.

--

Short and sweet? Hope u liked - let me know if you did:OD