Thanks,Canada! (Sav)

Chapter 14:

Miss You In A Heartbeat

I believe that there's something deep inside
 That shouldn't be from time to time
 I sure found out, thought love was such a crime
 The more you care, the more you fall
 No need to worry, no need to turn away
 'Cause it don't matter anyway

Hanson groaned and rolled over onto his side. Why me? It seems like whenever I care about someone, they either end up leaving or dying.

He'd learned that the hard way, yet Tom, as cynical as he was becoming, believed that there was something inside him that just shouldn't be there, that showed up from time to time, the dark side of him that he hadn't even known existed until he was sent to prison a month ago for a crime he didn't even commit. Even before then, actually, considering he'd been working undercover in a local street gang when said crime had been committed.

Don't think about that, Tom told himself. There's no need to worry; Booker cleared you, remember?

It didn't matter anyway.

The knock at the door snapped him out of his depressing thoughts. "Coming!" Tom yelped, throwing the bedcovers aside and lurching toward the door. When he opened it, he was greeted by the sight of Officer Judy Hoffs.

"Hanson, what are you still doing here?" she demanded. "Fuller's been asking for you, boy. You'd better get moving."

"He gave me the morning off, and it's only nine."

"It is?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Oh." Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Um, can I come in?"

"You're in here already, aren't you?" Tom shut the door behind her as she took two steps forward.

"Wow, you must think I'm an idiot right now." Judy glanced down, but Tom lifted her chin up, his brown eyes meeting hers. He soothed, "Of course not. You never could be."

(Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you right away
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 'Cause it ain't love if it don't feel that way
 Oh no

"Hanson . . ." Her voice trailed away. Judy cleared her throat and tried again. "Maybe I should go."

"No. Stay." The words were out before he could stop them. He didn't want her to leave, and when she pulled her head away from his hand, he missed her touch right away.

"Why?" she asked, voice calm, eyes searching his face for an answer.

"I haven't seen you all day . . . and I'd miss you in a heartbeat if you left." And maybe because I love you. It isn't love if I don't feel like this—at least, I don't think it is.

Hoffs hesitated before replying, "Okay. I'll stay."

When we touch, I just lose my self-control
 A sad sensation I can't hide
 To love is easy, it ain't easy to walk away
 I keep the faith and there's a reason why, yeah
 No need to worry, no need to turn away
 'Cause it don't matter anyway
 Baby

His hand rested on her cheek again, one finger tracing a line from her ear along her jawline. He started to lean in, but her hand shot up and encircled his wrist. Judy whispered, "What are you doing?"

Her touch was electric, sending sparks flying through his body. Tom had to clear his throat before he spoke, and even then his voice was hoarse. "Just let me kiss you, Jude. You don't know how long I've wanted to."

Judy's lips parted to ask him a question—or not—and his mouth was on hers, gentle, soft. The kiss lasted no more than a few seconds before he withdrew.

"I won't hurt or force you, Jude," Tom said quietly. "You don't have to worry about that." It doesn't matter anyway.

"Tom"—the hand that had his wrist let go and began tracing the contours of his face—"I know," Judy said before she kissed him.

it had never been easy for Tom to walk away from her, and he'd always known there was a reason he kept faith. He was her rock, her shoulder to cry on, her protector.

(Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you right away
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 'Cause it ain't love if it don't feel that way

It would kill him to lose her, he realized. And when Hoffs finally drew back, his entire body ached with frustrated desire. But if he didn't miss her right away, that wasn't love, was it?

Now, I ain't big on promises, I'll be true to you
 'Cause I'll do 'bout anything yeah
 For someone like baby, for you

"We should probably check in with Fuller," Judy said after a few minutes of silence.

"Oh . . . yeah, right." Tom turned his back to her. "Just let me get dressed in more appropriate clothes first."

A wry smile lifted her lips, but Hanson sensed it rather than saw it. "Don't smile," he said as he headed into his bedroom. Uh huh, like that ever works.

He was back tow minutes later dressed in his Tommy McQuaid outfit and opened the door for Judy. "Ladies first."

She laughed as she stepped out into the hallway, leaving Tom to shut the door behind them.

Hanson may not have been big on promises, but he'd do anything for her. He'd always had and he always would.

But how could any of the team have known that he would be the first to leave them in 1990?

(Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you right away
 (Oohh, oohh, oohh)
 I miss you in a heartbeat
 'Cause it ain't love if it don't feel that way