Sorry for the wait... Thank you all for your continued support! :) Here is the date...

Chapter 6

Clarke parked his car in Herrmann's driveway. He was there to pickup Maggie for their date. He had no idea where to take her so he asked Herrmann for ideas. He had named a hole in the wall place that Maggie loved. As he walked up to the house he heard kids squealing. He knocked on the door.

Maggie opened the door looking frazzled. "Hi. I… Lee Henry! For the last time! The frog stays outside!" She fussed and turned back to Clarke. "Hi. I'm sorry. Come in." She knew she looked a sight. "If you've met the Herrmann children you know that wardrobe is the last thing."

He smiled. Her hair was straight and her makeup looked perfect. She was wearing one of her dad's old Firehouse 33 t-shirts and a pair of gray yoga pants with little handprints.

"Uncle Christopher and Aunt Cindy aren't back from the store yet. They swore they would be back in time. I don't know where they are." She had wanted to be ready before he got there. She never let anyone outside of her family see her like this.

"Don't worry about it. We don't have to be in a hurry." He said kindly.

"I don't like to keep people waiting." She explained.

"It's okay. I have an idea. Let me make a call. Okay?"

She nodded and walked to get Kenny James who had woken up from his nap and started crying.

Clarke pulled out his phone and called Shay.

"Hey Clarke. What's up?" Shay chirped.

"You remember when you said 'anything for a friend'?" He asked.

"Yeah. Why?" She was suspicious.

"Tonight's my date with Maggie. Herrmann and Cindy are supposed to be back from the store, but they aren't. Do you think you could…"

"Say no more. I'm on my way. ETA ten minutes." She grinned.

"You are a lifesaver." He grinned.

"Maggie you look pretty." Mindy watched her finish getting ready.

"Thank you Mindy. Now let's hope that your brothers don't throw something at me." She looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a mint green v-neck sweater and white jeans. "Make sure the coast is clear of your brothers?"

"Okay." She giggled and ran out.

Maggie grabbed her purse and walked out of her room into the kitchen.

"Wow." Clarke gaped at her. "You look fantastic."

"Thank you." She blushed. "You too." There was a knock on the door. "Who is that?" She wondered aloud.

"Helloooooo! I'm here!" Shay announced her presence.

"Aunt Leslie!" Mindy cheered.

"No worries children. Your fairy godmother is here."

"Hey Shay." Maggie walked into the living room.

"Hey Maggie. You look nice. You too Clarke."

"This was your idea?" Maggie looked at Clarke.

He nodded.

"I'm not going to let my friends or godchildren down when they need me." Shay grinned proudly.

"You're the best." Maggie hugged her.

"Go on you crazy kids. Have fun! And Clarke? Have her home by 10!" She chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes.

"Thanks Shay!" Maggie said as they walked outside.

"So where are we going?" Maggie asked. She had told Clarke to surprise her.

"I wasn't sure where to go so I asked Herrmann. I realize he either set me up for failure or success." He admitted.

"This will be interesting." She wondered what her uncle had suggested.

"Here we are." He pulled into a parking lot and parked.

Maggie looked out with the window but didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say.

He got out and walked around to open her door for her.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

He wasn't sure what was going through her mind. He was honestly afraid that Herrmann had set him up for failure. Maggie didn't seem happy at all. He opened the door for her. A waitress seated them and walked away.

Maggie glanced around the diner. She hadn't been in years. She heard they had closed, but couldn't bring herself to drive by and see it. She smiled at Clarke. He looked relieved.

"So did Herrmann set me up for success or failure?" He asked hesitantly.

"You definitely didn't fail." She smirked.

"So what's the story with this place?" Clarke asked after they ordered.

"I used to come here all the time as a kid. Aunt Cindy brought me here to introduce me to Uncle Christopher when they started dating. My dad and I would get chocolate shakes sometimes." She smiled. "Of all the places Uncle Christopher could have picked." She shook her head. "I haven't been here in years. I heard they had closed. I couldn't bring myself to find out for sure. Sorry if I made you think you had failed, but I was in shock they were still open." She smiled.

"Margaret?"

She turned to the voice. "Chief!" She jumped up and hugged her dad's former chief.

"I didn't know you were back in Chicago." He hugged her.

"Yes sir. A couple months now." She smiled. "You know Jeff Clarke right?"

"Of course! How are you Clarke?"

"Doing well Chief." Clarke stood up and shook his hand.

"Take care of my girl." The old man smiled.

"Yes sir." Clarke nodded.

"Good to see you Maggie. Keep him out of trouble."

"I'll try." She smiled.

He nodded and walked out.

"He wants you to keep me out of trouble?" Clarke asked.

"There might be a rumor going around that I get people in trouble." Maggie smirked.

"Care to elaborate?" He asked.

"No." She smirked. Her phone dinged. She ignored it. It dinged several more times.

"You can get that if you need to." He said.

"I thought it was on silent." She pulled out her phone and giggled when she saw the text messages. She held up the phone so he could see. They were from Aunt Cindy. 'So sorry we weren't there! Christopher left his phone at home. He locked the keys in the car with my cellphone and all the groceries inside. We had to wait for a locksmith.'

Clarke read the messages and laughed. "That's hilarious."

"That's them though. I love 'em." She put her phone back in her purse.

"Do all of your messages pop up like that?" He asked.

"Mhmm." She nodded.

"Mine just says I have a text message from someone." He explained.

"I had mine like that once, but if you live around Marco Spencer you'll change it fast."

"Why's that?"

"He will want to know who the person is. Why you are texting him or her. What you are texting about. Etcetera." She rolled her eyes. "Brothers."

He laughed. "He's a cop?" He thought he remembered that right.

"Yeah. He made lieutenant not long after I moved back to Chicago. Him and his wife are expecting their first baby."

"I remember you saying your sister in law had called." He was putting the pieces together.

"Have you heard the story about Ricky?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded. He wondered if he should tell her that Mills told him.

"Oh thank you." She smiled as the waitress set their food on the table.

"Thanks." Clarke smiled.

"When did you hear the story?" She asked as she popped a french fry in her mouth.

"That first day I met you. Herrmann was talking about your dad 'cause I asked what house he had been at. He said that you hadn't stepped foot in a firehouse in over two years. Dawson I think asked him why and he said he couldn't tell that story. I know I have never seen him upset before. I don't think anyone else had either. So Mills told us what happened." He explained.

"Oh Peter Mills." She shook her head. "I'm glad he told you. I can never get through the story."

He reached across the table and placed his hand on top of hers. "If you ever want to talk about it I'll listen."

"Thank you." She smiled and cleared her throat. "So enough about my crazy family. Tell me about yourself. Are you from Chicago?"

"Born and raised." He didn't like talking about himself.

"Are your parents still around?" She asked.

"As far as I know." He said.

"Do you not get along with them?"

"I haven't talked to them much since I got home. They were never big fans of my joining the marine corps. I was so messed up when I got home that I didn't even go see them. I need to go see them I just haven't." He shrugged.

"Marco was an MP in Iraq; not long after the regime fell. He wasn't the same when he came home. I don't know how anyone could be." She said quietly.

"It's challenging that's for sure. I made the mistake of thinking I didn't need help. I pushed a lot of people away. But that's another story for another time." He hadn't brought up his ex-wife. He didn't know how to.

"Another time then." She smiled.

"So I was thinking since you have a ride tonight we should go to Molly's." He smirked.

She laughed. "Well since I have ride we might as well."

"You know we might get teased?" Clarke asked.

"We might, but it'll be okay." She reached for her door.

"Don't you touch that door." He ordered before he got out of the truck.

She smiled and remembered how her dad told her that a good man would never let her touch a door. He had taught her brothers to do the same. "Thank you." She smiled at him when he opened the door.

"My pleasure." He held out his hand.

She smiled and took his hand in hers.

"After you." He opened the door to Molly's for her.

"Thank you." She walked in before him but never let go of his hand.

Shay saw them walk in and elbowed Dawson.

"Ow. What?" Dawson glared at her.

"Look! Clarke and Maggie are holding hands!" She giggled.

"Aw! That's sweet!" She smiled.

"What's sweet babe?" Casey asked her.

"Maggie and Clarke are holding hands." Dawson grinned.

He glanced over at them and waved.

"Great Matt. Now they'll know we were talking about them." Shay joked.

"I'm sure they expected us to talk about them when they walked in." Dawson said.

"Yeah, true." Shay nodded.

"I see you survived the Herrmann children." Maggie laughed.

"I did. I cannot say the same about Lee Henry's frog." She said.

"What happened to it?"

"I accidentally sat on it." She made a face.

Maggie laughed. "I'm sorry to laugh."

"It was kind of funny at the time. We had to have a funeral service for the frog, and then bury it in the pet cemetery."

"They have a pet cemetery?" Casey asked.

"Yeah they do." Maggie nodded. "I don't even think most people would classify them as 'pets'."

"Cindy thanked me for squishing the frog."

"Thank you Shay! I hate frogs." Maggie shuddered.

"Since you have a driver we need to drink in memory of the frog." Shay set out shot glasses. "And I'm not on shift tomorrow." She poured the shots.

Maggie laughed. "To Lee Henry's frog." She downed the shot.

"Clarke! Shot?" Shay asked.

"Nah. Just a beer." He said.

"Suit yourself." She shrugged and handed him a beer after she downed her shot.

"Thanks Shay." He winked at her.

"Anytime." She knew he was thanking her for watching the kids.

Maggie took another shot. "I'm good."

"That's only two." Shay protested.

"Yes, but I'm getting a late start. I need to be able to walk out of here on my own two feet, and not be carried into the house." She chuckled.

"You're no fun." Shay handed her a beer.

"I know." Maggie shrugged.

Clarke smiled when Maggie squeezed his hand. Her hand in his felt right. He had forgotten he was still holding it. He brushed his thumb back and forth across her thumb.

"If he kisses you I want to hear about it." Shay whispered in Maggie's ear.

"Deal." Maggie whispered back. "Goodnight guys!" She waved as she walked out with Clarke.

"Congrats on walking out on your own two feet." He teased.

"Don't be a smarty pants." She rolled her eyes.

"I believe you called me a smart ass." He smirked.

"I really was drunk that night." She vaguely remembered it. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I was being a smart ass and you called me out on it." He laughed.

"Did I say anything else embarrassing?" She groaned.

"I warned you not to fall asleep on me because it wouldn't look good to Herrmann if I had to carry you in."

"Oh gosh. I told you it wasn't the first time or the last time." She groaned. "Did I mention anyone?"

"Marcus." He wondered if she would tell him about the guy.

"Oh gosh." She shook her head. "He carried me home on more than one occasion."

"An ex?" He guessed.

"Yeah. He's an ex. It's… complicated." She sighed.

"Exes can be." He said. "I know mine is." He added.

"Something tells me that has something to do with that story that's for another time?"

"Something like that." He grimaced.

"Hmm." She felt like she had stuck her foot in her mouth.

He opened the truck door for her.

She got in the truck. "Sorry." She offered.

"For what?" He didn't follow.

"If I said something I shouldn't have." She said quietly.

"Ah. No you didn't. My ex… She's a doozy." He shook his head.

"Okay." She felt a little better.

He shut her door and got in the driver's seat. His phone buzzed. He had a message from Shay. "I have a message from Shay. 'Remember you were supposed to have her home by 10.'" He laughed.

"She's so funny." Maggie laughed.

Clarke parked the truck and hopped out before Maggie could say anything. He opened her door for her.

"Thank you for always opening the door for me." She smiled.

"You're welcome. You should never have to touch a door as long as I'm around." He smiled.

"I'll remember that." His words made her feel giddy inside.

"Good." He hugged her.

"Thanks for tonight. I had a great time with you." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're welcome. I had a great time too." His voice caught in his throat when she touched his cheek. She leaned in to kiss him, but he stopped her by putting his finger to her lips. "Oh no ma'am." He smirked. "You don't get to kiss me first." He planted a soft kiss on her lips and pulled away.

Her lips twitched into a smile. "I think you forget that I kissed your cheek the other day."

"That doesn't count." He shook his head.

"Yes it does." She whispered in his ear.

The feel of her breath on his ear made his stomach squirm. It took him a minute to collect his thoughts. "No it doesn't, but this does." He pressed his hand against the small of her back nudging her closer to him. He kissed her forehead, her nose, and finally her mouth.

She slipped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. She broke the kiss to catch her breath. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "That counts." She grinned.

"Agreed." He nodded.

"Walk me to my door?" She held out her hand.

"Yes ma'am." He kissed her temple and took her hand.

"Goodnight." She turned to him as she reached for the doorknob.

He placed his hand on top of hers. "What did I just tell you about touching a door?" He whispered in her ear before pressing a kiss to it.

Her stomach did flips and her heart skipped a beat. "Oops?" She giggled.

He rolled his eyes. She was adorable. He wanted to kiss her swollen lips again.

She knocked on the door. "Goodnight Jeff Clarke." She kissed him.

"Goodnight Maggie Spencer." He smiled.

Cindy opened the door. "I thought I heard you pull up. Just come in whenever." She smiled before disappearing back into the house.

Maggie giggled. She felt like she had been busted.

"I should probably go." He grinned.

"If you must." She held his face in her hands and kissed him. "Goodnight."

"Night. Sleep well." He kissed her.

"You too." She smiled.

Thank you for reading! Thoughts/Comments/Suggestions are always appreciated! :) I'm working on Chapter 7, but it's having some issues. Suggestions are welcome! :)