Carter had made several attempts to open the bedroom door, but her efforts were thawed by Reese, who would stop her by pressing her up against the door with a smoldering kiss. Finally Reese allowed her reprieve and they exited the bedroom and found Taylor and Aunt Brenda in the kitchen.

"'Bout time, now you can scoot," Aunt Brenda said waving Taylor off. He was suppose to be helping her make a salad while the Chicken was frying, but Taylor was doing more eating of the vegetables than cutting of the vegetables. "You can take John with you too, Jocelyn Renee will help me in here." She instructed and garnered a frown from Carter at the idea Brenda was putting out there that the kitchen was where the 'women' belonged.

"I know my way around the kitchen Aunt Brenda, I'd be happy to help," Reese offered and was rewarded with a smile from Carter.

"Ah appreciate that baby, but if you stay Jocelyn Renee won't tell me all the juicy details about you." Brenda stated with a wink and a smile. Reese return the smile with a toothy one of his own, he liked Aunt Brenda.

"C'mon John," Taylor spoke out as he patted the older man on the shoulder and then turned towards the exit to the kitchen. "I got a couple of first person shooter games that you might like." With a nod and a quick wink thrown at Carter, Reese followed the teenager out.

"So since when you started liking all of that cream in yo coffee?" Brenda jumped right into the questioning. "Ah can recall you preach'n to yer cousin Chris a few years back after he brought that young white girl home for the reunion. You told him he needed ta stick with his own kind as ah recall it."

"Yeah but I wasn't talking about the color of her skin, I was referring to her intellect." Carter stated as she began chopping up the carrots that sat on the countertop. "I would say she was dumb as a rock, but that would be insulting...to the rock," She added and both women laughed a bit. "Honestly, before John I've never looked at a white man like 'that' before. Don't misunderstand me, there are some pretty fine white men out there, but I've just always been attracted to 'brothers'. Sorry if him being 'white' bothers you, but I really like John. He's really a good man Aunt Bren."

"Chile please," Aunt Brenda huffed out as she rolled her eyes at her niece's accusation. "Ah've gotten my 'swirl' on a few times, and all during a time when it was deemed illegal for blacks and white ta be 'tagether'." She chuckled. "Ah think that's why ah started mess'n wit them white boys, 'cause they told us we couldn't. But there was some pretty ones like ya said, like yo young fella in there." She leaned back from the counter a bit and peeked around the corner, through the exit, and across the way at Reese, who seemed to be engrossed in whatever video game he and Taylor were playing. "Uhmm...hmmm, he sho is easy on the eyes." She added and then focused back onto her task of cutting vegetables for the salad. "If ah was 20 years younger, gurl you'd be in some trouble."

"Aunt Bren," Carter exclaimed as she smiled at the older woman.

"What? ah ain't dead ah still have an occasional itch that needs scratching, shoot." The two women fell into a fit of laughter before Aunt Brenda got serious. "Taylor seems ta like him, and he seems ta like Taylor," This caused Carter to turn and peek out at the two males in the living room. "That's always a good sign about the quality of a man." Carter smiled at that thought.


In the living room


"Boy for being a badass you really suck at this," Taylor teased with a wide smile as he shot Reese's man in the head again.

"Well, real guns aren't shaped like this," Reese offered an excuse as he genuinely tried to aim and shoot at Taylor's man to no avail. He hadn't gotten the hang of the controller yet though he did remember Taylor's instructions on how to use it; which button did what.

"Sooo," Taylor began and Reese prepared himself for 'the talk'. "You and my mom."

"We didn't want you to find out about us like that Taylor," Reese stated as he paused and looked at the young man seated on the couch beside him. "That was my fault for not locking the door, I'm sorry."

"Well I do have a key," Taylor shrugged. "So there is an 'us', I mean you and my mom...you guys are like a couple or something?"

"Yeah," Reese answered with a nod. "Are you OK with that?"

"Yeah sure, so long as my mom's happy and..." Taylor paused their game and looked directly at Reese, who returned his gaze. "I don't want her to get hurt. I mean there we're a couple of other guys...before you...she liked them. I mean she really, really liked them and they seemed like decent guys, but then." He stalled his words and looked off for a moment as if he were trying to think of the right words to say. "They just stopped coming around, you know. Mom would play it off but I could hear her on the phone asking them what she did wrong and then later she'd go into her room and cry." Reese had to swallow his rage at hearing this. "I hate for my mom to cry. She's awesome, funny, smart, kind, and she can cook." Taylor spouted out as if he were giving Reese his mother's resume. "She's the best so...just don't hurt her. OK?" Reese smiled kindly at the Taylor and then placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I promise you that I would never hurt your mom, or you for that matter." Taylor nodded his understanding and then restarted the game and quickly sniped Reese's man 'again'.

"So you'll be coming around more then?" Taylor asked and Reese could hear the hopefulness in the boy's voice.

"I would like to, if that's alright with you." Reese replied as he leaned to the side a bit as if it would help him aim better.

"Absolutely, because you are gonna need a whole lot of practice...you really suck at this game." He chuckled as Reese threw him an irritated look along with a smile.

"Alright you two, dinner's ready," Carter spoke from the entrance way of the kitchen. Taylor stopped the game and he and Reese both stood and made their way towards the kitchen. Just as Reese reached Carter who his eyes had been locked onto and roaming her body from head to toe, his cell started ringing. For the first time since Finch had recruited him Reese loathed getting his call. He regretfully pulled the phone from his jacket pocket as he stared straight into Carter's understanding face. As he answered the call she turned back to the kitchen to follow Taylor and give Reese privacy, but Reese quickly shot his left hand out, grabbed her right wrist, and tugged her closer to him.

"Finch," He answered his usual way as he continued to stare intensely at Carter. He listened as Finch told him about a new number while he stroked his left thumb across her hand. "Alright I'll be there in 30." Reese then ended the call and placed his cell back inside his pocket.

"Duty calls, huh?" Carter said as she stepped closer to him and placed her left hand against his chest. He simply nodded as he headed for the front door, pulling her along behind him. "If there's anything I can do to help you just give me a call." She offered sincerely as they stopped just at the door.

"You can expect my call, whether or not I need your help with this new number." He replied as he opened the door and then turn back to face her with a smirk, as she fought down the giggles that bubbled up at his words.

"Can I also 'expect' you to come back tonight?" She asked hopefully.

"I don't know how long this will take and you have family visiting I don't want to intrude." She was about to protest but he cut her off. "Besides we've already been caught once tonight, do you really want to risk a repeat performance."

"Well we could just snuggle and 'sleep'," She stated and Reese couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips.

"Jos, snuggling with you will never lead to 'sleeping'...for either one of us."

"Well if I knew where you lived I'd sneak out and stop by your place," She teased jokingly knowing that he was too privacy and cautious to indulge that info even to her. However, Reese surprised her when he turned over her hand, which he still held and placed a single key in her palm.

"It's a spare so you can keep it." He said. He then turned to the table by the door, which had been cleaned up, and grasped the pen that was housed there and began scribbling on a piece of paper. Carter stood speechless as he held out the paper that had his address on it. When she finally grasped the paper, Reese in turn grasped her hand, yanked her flush against his body, and then kissed her soundly. After a moment he released her. "Please let Aunt Brenda and Taylor know how sorry I am that I couldn't stay for dinner."

"I will, and I'll see you later." Carter promised as she watched him cross the threshold, closing the door behind him. She stood there with a giddy smile on her face as she clutched both the key and paper to her breast. She held that smile even as she made her way back into the kitchen.

"Where's John?" Taylor asked as he looked around her mother's frame for the missing man.

"Oh Uh...he had to go to work, he says to tell you guys, that he's sorry he has to miss dinner." Carter answered Taylor. "Actually I have a work thing too...that I need to go take care of." She added and Brenda threw her a knowing smile.

"Well go on then, Taylor and I will be jus fine." Aunt Brenda assured her, and Taylor nodded as he reached for another piece of chicken to put on his plate.

"I might be in really late, or it could be an all nighter." Carter added.

"Ah understand baby, you go on and get ready and ah'll fix you a plate ta take witchu."


Sometime later


It hadn't taken Carter long to get ready because she opted to dress very causal. Before she had left Aunt Brenda had handed her 'two' plates and told her to have fun, before sending her on her way. Now she stood just outside the door of Reese's loft apartment adjusting the belt of the beige trench coat that hit her just at the knees, while balancing the two plate in her other hand. When she let herself in she had expected to find the place empty because Reese had told her he might be late, so she made her way to the kitchen and placed the food she brought inside the oven, where it could easily be heated up later. She turned suddenly when she heard a banging noise. She then noticed that there was a door up against a far wall, close to where Reese's king sized bed rested. There was a light that shone beneath the door and as Carter listened she could hear the distinct sound of a shower running. She smiled and moved to the bed. She quickly untied the belt of her coat when she heard the shower turning off. Carter removed the coat completely and stood in nothing but a black lacy bra and a pair of matching panties. She seated herself upon the bed in a seductive pose as the bathroom door opened.

"John is that you?" A female voice spoke out and Carter immediately jumped from the bed, just as Zoe Morgan pulled down the towel she had been drying her hair with. "Detective Carter," She greeted having remember the half naked woman standing before her from when Reese had introduced them. Zoe could tell by the way Carter stared at her in shock that she didn't recall her. "I'm Zoe...John's wife, remember we met?" Realization instantly hit Carter, her eyes widened and mouth dried as she became filled with guilt.

"Oh God," Carter gasped out as she reached for her coat. "I'm...uh...Oh God." She repeated as she pulled the coat on. Both women turned as the door suddenly opened and Reese walked in. His eyes lit up when they landed on Carter and her attire until he looked up and recognized the hurt and anger on her face, it was then he noticed the other woman standing off to the side. Zoe waved slightly at him as an amused smile played on her lips. 'Oh Fuck' was all Reese could think when he took in the scene