Here is a quick update. I'm not going to reveal anything to ruin it, but I hope you enjoy.

This chapter is dedicated to the anonymous reviewer who thinks that I have written CaReese OOC, but in time I will develop my skill/talent and become a strong writer. Thank you.

Cupid

Joss sat her desk and tried to review the files stacked before her. It had been a long night with little sleep, but she wasn't tired. No, she was more worried about John and what kind of trouble he was getting into. There was no doubt in her mind that what ever trouble he and Finch had found to immerse themselves in, it was going to blow up and she would be in the middle of it. It was just a matter of time.

But as she looked at her watch for the umpteenth time, she came to the realization that maybe they had this one under control. Picking up the file on the cold case homicide, she sighed. Her one chance to see John since their disastrous meeting last night was quickly passing by. And with each second, her heart beat picked up speed.

Joss cast a quick glance at Fusco's empty desk. They were supposed to have lunch together – until he was called to a meeting with Captain Lynch. She knew the man well, and there was nothing about him that she liked. His reputation of being a bottom-dwelling, scumbag was true. And just hearing his name was enough to make her skin crawl.

"Great," Joss muttered to herself and tossed the folder on to the stack. "I'm stuck here." she took a sip of her coffee. "And my coffee is cold." The set the cup aside and gave it a disgusted look.

Suddenly her burner phone rang.

"John?" she asked. Her voice was low so it wouldn't carry.

"Sorry, Detective," Finch apologized.

Immediately her feelers went up. "Finch! What's wrong?" It wasn't like the man to randomly call her any more. She knew something bad had happened and it involved the man she loved. Her heart raced with fear at the possibility that John could be hurt or worse – dead.

"It's Mr. Reese. I can't get hold of him, Detective," Finch hurried on in a rush.

"What happened?" Joss stood up and grabbed her badge, service weapon, and car keys.

"There was an explosion in or on the armored truck he was riding in. I've tried to get in touch with him, but he isn't answering. I heard gunshots, Detective," Finch tried not to plead, but he was worried for the health and welfare of his best friend. "I can't get in contact with Detective Fusco..."

"Report of gunshots. Repeat. Report of gunshots. Patrol cars in vicinity, please respond to..."

"I'm on my way, Finch. I'll take care of him," Joss promised before closing the phone. Faster than she thought possible, she flew out of the precinct.
*****

"Thank you for meeting me, Carter," Reese said as the detective sat down at the table in the quaint but tastefully decorated restaurant.

"You asked me to come; how could I say no?" Joss replied with a small smile. She looked around at the surroundings. "This is a little...um...different than our normal meeting places. Don't you think it's a little...I don't know," Joss faltered as the words escaped her. She looked down at the table.

"Risky?" Reese supplied. His gaze stayed on the woman sitting across from him. Slowly he drank in her beauty and felt his heart squeeze.

"A little," she admitted and picked up the menu. Glancing over the options, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She set the menu down. "What?" she asked.

"Hmmm?"

"You're staring at me," she accused.

"I am." He couldn't lie to her.

"Why?"

Reese shrugged slightly. "Because I like looking at you." Because I've missed looking at you these past two weeks and it's broken my heart nearly every second that I can't see you, he finished silently.

Joss ducked her head and gave a small smile. "Thanks."

Before either could speak, the waitress appeared to take their order. After she finished writing on her pad, she took the menus and departed to leave the couple in an uncomfortable silence.

"I want to -" Reese began.

"I want to -" Joss started. "Sorry."

"What were you going to say?"

"No. You first," she invited.

"I wanted to thank you for coming to the hospital and helping me."

"You're welcome, John. It was the least I could do. You're alive and the bad guy – and bad girl didn't get away with murder. Who would have thought that Lynch was their inside guy?" Joss shook her head. "And to take him out in the process..." She tried to make sense of the events, but couldn't, so she gave up and tried to concentrate on something else.

"Lynch got exactly what he deserved," Reese remarked without elaborating. He had no love for the corrupt Captain who had given the order to have Joss assassinated. If he had one regret, it was that he hadn't thrown the son of a bitch off the roof that night. In his mind the killing of Lynch was good riddance to rubbish.

"After last night, I thought... I would've understood if you had left me there," Reese continued.

"I wouldn't have done that. And last night was..." No, she didn't want to think about how empty she had felt as she left the pub. And she didn't want to think about how she cried her soul dry after being rejected.

"I was wrong. The things I said – the way I made you feel – that was wrong of me, Joss. I had no right to hurt you."

"John..." Joss protested weakly. Her feelings were still raw, and an apology was the last thing she expected.

"Hear me out, Joss. Please," Reese tried not to plead, but it was hard enough for him to put his thoughts into words without the fear of being rebuffed. When her eyes met his, he felt a feeling of peace come over him.

"Okay."

"You and I had a misunderstanding," he explained. "Actually, it was a miscommunication of major proportions. We were both wrong, Joss. And there is no reason we need to hold on to it, nor do we need to take on more guilt than we already have. We both made mistakes while trying to do something right."

"John..."

"But that did not entitle me hurt you to the point of making you cry."

Joss' eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"I followed you," he confessed. "I shouldn't have, but I had to make sure that you made it home safely."

A tiny thrill of pleasure ran thru her at the thought that he might still care for her. "You-you...followed me?"

"I wasn't stalking you, Joss, I swear," he added quickly to clear up any misunderstanding she might have about his actions.

"I know you weren't," she assured him.

"So, you're not angry?" Deep down inside he was holding his breath as he waited for her reply.

"No. I'm glad that you did."

"You are?" Now he was the surprised one.

"It's nice to know that you still care." Tentatively, she reached out and touched Reese's hand. When he didn't pull away, she covered it with her own.

"Thank you for understanding, Joss."

"Thanks for still caring." She smiled at him. He smiled back. "And I forgive you for what happened with Szymanski."

"Thank you."

Their meal arrived and effectively cut off any further conversation.
****

"Thank you for walking me home, but it wasn't necessary," Joss said as she and Reese stopped at the stairs of her brownstone.

"I wanted to."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'd ask you in for a cup of coffee, but..." They had saved their relationship and discovered something new about the other, but they still needed to take baby steps.

"It's okay."

"Besides, after the last couple of days you've had, I'm sure you want to go home and sleep," she observed.

"I could stay and talk to you all night, Joss." Reese looked deep into Joss' eyes and fought the urge to reach up and brush the strand of hair from her cheek. At that moment his earwig beeped. He touched it to turn it on and spoke, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I need to see you."

"I'm on my way." He touched the earwig to turn it off. Joss sighed.

"Finch? I guess you'd better go."

"I'll take you up on that coffee invite later – if that's okay with you?"

"It's more than okay with me. You should go."

"I will once you get inside and lock your door."

"Watching over me?"

"Always, Joss."

"Thank you." Joss hurried up the stairs to the front door. Inserting her key, she turned around to look at the man in the suit. Half expecting him to have already disappeared in the shadows, she was pleasantly surprised to find him still standing where she left him. She chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"You wouldn't understand." She unlocked the door and turned the knob. "Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, Joss."

Joss stepped inside the foyer and closed the door behind her. Disarming the alarm, she waited the thirty seconds before setting it again. The house was quiet and dark, but she didn't bother to turn on a light.

Moving over to the window near the door, she pushed the curtain aside and looked out the window at the street. Her heart jumped to find Reese outside. Their eyes met. Joss gave a little wave. Reese nodded in response.

Feeling the weird butterflies in her stomach, Joss let the curtain fall back into place, then she walked upstairs.