A/N: Tehe :)
Spoilers for episode 7x17, Fallen Idols.
We'd both been through a lot the last few months. But somehow, with Sara's steady hand guiding the blade across my face, I felt our problems stand still. Our eyes meeting every few seconds, the look of love and concentration on her face, the very few inches that were between us, erased every fear, every worry, every doubt.
God, I loved her.
She put the blade down, took the towel slung over my shoulder and dabbed at my face.
"Done."
I stepped close to the mirror and examined her work. I ran my finger over the smooth skin – not one nick or errant hair.
"Perfect," I said, turning back to her.
She gave me a teasing smile.
"Did you expect anything less?"
I smiled back and stepped closer to her, placing a hand on either side of her hips. I nuzzled my newly shaved face into the nape of her neck.
She moaned.
"You know, the beard has its advantages," she said, cupping my face to tilt it up. "But I like this too. I think I'll have a hard time keeping my hands off you."
I leaned in to kiss her.
"I'm okay with that."
She linked her arms around my neck and we kissed more. She was right – she couldn't stop her hands from touching my face. We kissed until we were breathless, both our hearts pounding in her chest.
I looked her in the eye, trying to imitate that deliciously teasing look she so often gave me. One hand reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the other rested firmly on the small of her back.
"Do you trust me?" I asked her huskily, echoing her words.
Her gaze flickered up to me, the answer to my question reflected so obviously in her eyes, but she answered it anyways.
"Completely."
I led her to the bedroom.
The following night, Sara and I showed up to shift early. We'd been late once… or twice… due to getting a little carried away at home and, as Sara pointed out, we needed to be a little more careful. We took seats in the break room waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.
"What are you looking for, honey?" I asked her as she rummaged through her bag.
"My hair clip," she said, dumping the entire bag on the table. "My hair looks like a mess tonight, thanks to you, and I want to pin it back."
"I like it like that."
She glanced up at me from her searching. I leaned across the table and plucked the clip from the piles of paper and half-eaten granola bars. A gaze passed between us and I saw the look in her eye – the one that betrayed how much she wanted to kiss me. But instead, she leaned over and put her hand to my face, her thumb stroking back and forth softly. I would have shaved much sooner, had I known how much it would make her want to touch me.
A noise from the doorway made us jump apart.
"Coffee in here?" Jim asked, a little too brightly and striding in a little too assertively.
Sara flushed red, fumbling with the clip in her hands.
"The container is empty," she said quickly. "I'll go grab more."
She scurried away without a second glance. Jim sat in a chair facing me, a quiet smirk on his face.
"So," he started. "That only took seven years."
I opened my mouth and shut it again, caught off-guard and not really knowing how to respond.
"I… what do you mean?"
"Oh, don't even try, Gil," he said, sounding pleased. "It's been painfully obvious from the start that you two belong together. I've just been sitting here patiently, waiting for you to get over your hang-ups and realize it too."
We stared at each other. I didn't really know how to recover, and honestly, I didn't want to. I actually felt a little bit of relief that someone knew, and I was thankful that out of anybody, it was Jim. I think I might have had a panic attack if it were Hodges.
"Are you happy?" he asked.
I smiled.
"Yes. Very."
He nodded.
"Is she happy?"
My smile grew wider.
"Yes."
Jim stood from his chair, and despite the fact that he'd come for coffee, started to leave without getting a single drop.
"Then I'm happy for you," he said, pausing in the doorway. "But just for the record, if you hurt her, I will kick your ass."
He gave me the briefest, happiest little smile, then turned away, coming face-to-face with Sara, returning with a brand new tub of coffee grinds. He winked at her and took off, leaving the two of us staring at each other in disbelief.
But instead of looking nervous or embarrassed, she stood there and smiled at me.
Did I mention how much I loved her?
