Part 2: Chapter 4

PJ could not help the small smile that tugged on his lips as he felt Maggie subconsciously snuggle into his side as the movie continued to play. He had invited her over for dinner, Nick's words repeating over in his head. He knew they had to talk but dinner had turned out quite enjoyable, the conversation flowing freely, and he had not had the heart to ruin the easy banter. Thus, he had suggested a movie to stop her heading home. However, as the piles of paperwork upon his desk illustrated, he was a master at procrastination.

Maggie shuffled slightly on the couch as she continued to watch the movie play out across the screen not caring how Bruce Willis would manage to get out of his current scrape. She had decided not to enlighten him that she had seen this movie. Every movie actually that had featured the man, having developed a fondness of them during her absence.

He reached his hand over to her lap, stealing another chocolate from the packet, his attention focused on the action sequence playing out. She stifled a yawn as she diverted her eyes to the room, her mind wandering, curious to when PJ had changed the curtains.

She felt him move underneath her jostling her and she groaned as her eyes flicked open. She paused. When had her eyes been closed? She looked groggily up at PJ, his eyes sparkling with amusement at her perplexed look.

"You fell asleep," he offered, shuffling as she swung her legs to sit upright.

"Sorry," she mumbled, rubbing her tired eyes with the back of her hand "What time is it?"

"Eight-thirty, you were out for the last hour," he supplied a small smirk on his face.

"Aww," Maggie groaned tiredly "You mean I missed the one good part of that stupid movie," she stated, disappointed.

PJ frowned in repose giving her a curious look "You've seen the movie before?" he enquired and she stilled for a second, realizing her slip.

"Yeah," she admitted softly, turning to face him properly on the couch.

"You hate Bruce Willis," he stated surprised, he had always use to battle with her for a Bruce Willis movie to even enter the house.

"I did, I do," she admitted before sighing, "They reminded me of you," she supplied, breaking her gaze slightly embarrassed. He eyed her as if trying to read her thoughts. The silence in the room lingered and she felt her breath hitch as his blue eyes grew more intense. He moved his hand towards her, caressing her cheek with his fingers as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

She met his eyes, the intensity igniting between him as his fingers remained against her cheek. She felt herself lean into his touch, his hand cupping her face. He move forward, capturing her mouth as his self-control crushed under the tide of emotion. It was just a whisper of a touch against her lips and he felt her tremble as she laced a hand around his neck, pulling him back to her as their lips met in a slow sensual kiss. He heard her whimper against his mouth as she deepened the kiss and he encircled her waist, pulling her gently against him.

Gasping for air, he reluctantly broke away from her, resting his forehead against hers, their erratic breathing the only sound to be heard. Maggie swallowed, trying to clear her throat as she struggled to speak.

"Wow," she whispered, her voice husky as she tried to regain control "Unexpected," she managed, as PJ remained silent, his heart pounding. Nick's word echoed in his mind. This was not fair to her, he berated himself as he glanced into her eyes, he could not leave things the way they were. He had to do this now.

He pulled back from her, tilting her chin with his hand to meet her gaze "I need to talk with you," he admitted softly but before she could speak, he continued, "I love you, I want you to know that."

She gulped slightly at the intensity in his eyes but gave a brief nod "I love you too," she replied, refusing to break eye contact. He moved his hand to capture hers, watching the uncertainty flitter through her eyes and he felt the guilt stab at him.

"When I went back to your hotel room that night," he stated, his voice hitching slightly at the mention of their one night together "I needed to be with you. To know that it was real. To know you had come home." He stated, trying to articulate his thoughts. Maggie sat there, processing every word, trying to understand.

"And all I have wanted to do since you came back is take you to bed and pick up exactly where we left off," he added softly, slightly bashful at his admission.

"Then why?" she interrupted, trying to steady her own emotions "Why didn't you want me here with you? Why the space?" she asked, fighting against the tears that threatened to spill, her own emotions from the past couple of weeks no longer able to be suppressed.

"I use to dream that I saved you," he admitted softly, trying to answer her "But every time I ended back at those rail yards…" he started, his voice breaking.

"I thought we had worked through that…why I left, what happened," she replied softly, trying to understand his hesitance over the past weeks.

"We did, that's not it," he replied, fidgeting slightly "What haunts me now is the prospect of losing you again," he admitted, voice thick with unshed emotion "Because I am so scared that it's not over,"

"PJ…" she began but he shook his head needing to speak.

"I believe in us," he admitted, "I believe that we love each other enough to make this work." He took a deep breath "But I'm scared of loose ends, I'm scared that someone will recognize you…those wheels you set in motion when you saw Barry Craig…that network is extensive…I know because I spent months searching through it trying to find out who kil-" he stopped, unable to form the words. "I worry that one day the allure of finding those answers will draw you back in and I worry if you'll ever be truly ok with not knowing…not putting Robbie and everything related to rest."

He diverted his gaze from hers, the silence permeating the air. She leaned over placing a soft hand on his arm to gain his attention "Can I speak now?" she asked and he gave a small nod, indicating that he was listening but unable to meet her gaze.

"I have the same fear," she admitted softly "You know as well as I do that people aren't suppose to come back from witness protection. I worry that the attention from the town may make me a target and I worry that witness was wrong when they claimed I was no longer under threat. I can't sit here and tell you that things are ok because I don't know that they will be" she stated "And despite everything I loved my family, but I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be able to understand what happened to them. I can promise you one thing," she stated, waiting until he finally looked up at her before continuing, "I do not want and will have no part in that drug syndicate."

His eyes locked on hers as he reached up cupping her face, bringing her closer as he captured her mouth in a gentle kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into his embrace and she hugged him back just as tightly. They did not say anything. There was no need, as they took comfort in the mere presence of each other before drawing back.

"Okay," he stated simply, taking a deep breath his hands resting gently upon hers.

Her breath hitched at his words, unsure as she met his gaze, eyes pleading for an explanation.

"I trust you," he stated, giving a small nod of his head "I don't want to go backwards," he admitted softly.

"What do you want?" she replied "PJ, you insisted on space and now…" she trailed off, not wanting to get too hopeful "You're not being fair," she stated adamantly, finally tired of their over complicated relationship.

He gave a deep sigh, letting his mind mull over the truth of her words "After you…I always said if I had just had one more day," he stated, voice catching slightly "These last few weeks was not how I would have spent it."

She gave a small nod as she waited for him to continue, waiting, hoping.

"If you meant what you said-" he started but was interrupted by Maggie's curt "I did"

"Then I have to trust that," he admitted softly "And that has to be the end of it."

"The end of it," she repeated softly, not quite comprehending his words, eyes searching for reassurance.

He felt his heart constrict as he watched the slight panic cross her features as her mind tried to process what exactly he was ending. He shuffled closer to her, placing a reassuring hand on her arm "I want to re-build our lives here," he stated softly barely above a whisper. She prayed that she had heard him correctly. That he wanted her. A life with her.

He looked up, for the first time since the beginning, knowing exactly what he wanted "I love you," he started as he slowly closed the distance between them, a coy smile on his face "I don't just want to be your friend."

She felt the relief flood her body as the smile split her face. She reached out for his hands, before meeting his shinning eyes "So…" she asked, needing to hear the words

"I want to be with you," he stated, feeling relieved to finally be able to say the words. To take that leap again.

"This is it," she clarified, allowing him to pull her closer, encircling his arms around her waist "No more maybes, no more waiting…just the two of us?" she asked needing to be certain that he could put everything behind them "No more pushing away," she added, eyes hardening slightly in a silent warning.

"This is it, if you want it to be," he confirmed, unable to stop the grin tugging at his lips. She exhaled deeply as she closed the remaining space between them, meeting his lips in a loving kiss.

"Was that a yes?" he mumbled, nuzzling his face against hers. She remained silent, until he looked back up at her "Yes," she whispered softly

He moved in to kiss her but she pulled back keeping the distance between them. He stopped, giving her a questioning look and she grinned in response, placing a soft peck on his cheek before rising from the couch.

PJ stared at her dumfounded as she grabbed the keys of her rental car from the table, giving him a small smile "I'll meet you for breakfast tomorrow morning at the Imperial," she stated, heading towards the door. She was stopped, however, when PJ finally got his head into gear, his arm acting as a barricade between her and the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked surprised, as he used his body to block her up against the wall, pinning her between his arms. She knew that if she attempted to move that he would let her but she stayed still, a small twinkle in her eye.

"Cooling off period," she responded casually and she stifled a small giggle when she saw his eyebrows arch in surprise "Thinking of backing out already?" he asked jokingly, although somewhat nervous.

"No," she responded honestly, casting him an assuring glance "But I think enough big decisions have been made for tonight, it's safer if I leave…see if everything is the same in the morning" she added, shuffling slightly

"It will be," he stated adamantly, meeting her eyes "And safer if you leave?" he queried giving her a knowing grin "What exactly do you think is going to happen?" he asked waggling his eyebrow suggestively.

Maggie let out a burst of laughter at his antics, the atmosphere returning to the lightheartedness of earlier. "Nothing," she replied with a small smirk "Because I'm leaving," she added, ducking out from underneath his arm.

He gave her a small nod in understanding as he followed her out "Tomorrow, breakfast," he repeated and she gave a nod "I'll see you at seven thirty," she commented opening the door, but was stopped at his hand on her wrist

"When you say seven you mean nine right?" he asked and she gave a small shake of her head "No, I meant seven" she replied giving him a grin. "Just think that with all the extra sleep you'll get tonight, it will seem like nine when you wake up," she responded coyly as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before heading out into the night.