A/N – I know you would just like them getting married, but you waited during three seasons, you can wait through three episodes, can't you? I was dying for Jack to say something more compromising than "I'm gonna miss you ... personally", so you have to admit we can't simply press a fast forward button and make him jump on Sue. I believe he's too much a gentleman for this, even though I would have nothing to object. So, bear with me, nothing is going to happen for real, but their minds, well, that's quite a free space, isn't it? So that could work for keeping your greediness at bay. Enjoy!

As always, I own nothing except my thankfulness to the kind people who reward me with their precious reviews.

'Thoughts' – sign – "dialogue"

Sue and Jack were still skating hand in hand when their team mates came out and saw them.

"Do you think we should let them know we are here?"

Lucy could not avert her eyes from the perfectly matched couple, even though neither one of them was ready to admit it.

"I am sure I must have forgotten something in my duffel bag and I can't go around without it. So, Bobby, Myles, would you be so kind to help me? I'm sure also that Lucy or Tara could suffer from the same memory problem, and I'm aware that the felling you got from this is quite disturbing, don't you agree girls?"

Demetrius was really quick to come up with a decision, letting the shy couple be alone for a little while longer.

Sue and Jack had been doing some laps, just to learn each other's movements. Sue had kept her eyes focused on the ice, letting Jack be only in her peripheral view, just not to miss if he needed to say something. She was getting lost in thought again; the warmth shared by their hands a constant reminder of the embarrassing previous situation.

'Why do I always have to feel like a fool? We happen to fall and my mind start making me dreams impossible thoughts. I have to stop, before I make a fool out of myself, saying something I think it's just in my mind aloud. That would pretty much scare Jack away. He's so wonderful; as a training agent, as a partner, as a friend. And don't forget about the wonderful undercover husband. What wouldn't I give to know the real one... I mean... not as husband ... who am I kidding? Why can't I be honest with myself? I can deny all I want with Lucy, but I should really start to be true with myself. I care about Jack so much. When I met Deanne in that church and she told me about having her friends around... let's admit it, the first face that came to my mind was Jack's. However Lucy is special to me, almost as a sister, whenever I need someone's comfort, I think of Jack, whenever I need support, I think of Jack, whenever I have to think about someone I think about Jack first, every single thought can find its way around him, for any reason or none at all. Why am I so worked up? We are just skating; he's here, by my side me, not too near or too far. He looks relaxed; he seems to enjoy this time...'

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Jack pulled on her hand, making her eyes shift on him. He smiled wider and then started to talk with his face quite turned toward her, but his eyes looking in front of him. He had used that silent time to go over his strange sensation of warmth once again, coming up with nothing more than all the times were related to Sue's presence. He tried to focus on the rhythm of their gliding and her complete confidence in him, knowing that what she had whispered after that was maybe even more important, but it was not open knowledge, so he could only make a wild guess.

Not being sure about putting his strange feelings into words he tried to shift his attention on the possibility that his feeling was there in Sue, too; he needed a way to find this thing out.

"Sue, do you really trust me? I mean, I'd like to try with you something like you did with Tom, but I am aware I'm not as skilful as he is with figure skating, so if you'd rather not do it with me, I'd understand..."

"No, I'd love to, I trust you completely, tell me what to do and I'll try to do it the best way I can."

"Sue, I know it's more about me than you trying to do my best, so if I start doing something you are not comfortable with, we won't do that, alright?"

Jack moved to skate in front of Sue, gliding backwards. He extended both of his hands and pulled Sue toward him a bit, starting a simple spiral. The more was their speed, the wider were their smiles.

When they slowed down, trying to avoid any other fall, they reached toward the other at the same time, clasping their hands in a strange knot. Feeling the warmth spreading again inside his chest and up into his face Jack moved to glide on his side, signing to Sue to face him mirroring his moves, getting to make a parallel mirror spread eagles with Jack on an inside edge and Sue on an outside edge, looking like he was both courting and protecting her.

They then tried a rotational dance lift, with Sue doing a split while Jack was keeping her up with his arm around her slim waist. Sue was trying to gain her footing again when Jack yanked her in front of him, lifting her legs on his previously free arm.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, tightly at first, then forcing herself to loosen her grip and put some distance between their faces. Jack smiled dazzlingly and asked her again, "Sue, do you trust me?"

"I do, Jack, you know I do."

He felt a sudden emotion fill his heart upon hearing those simple words, but he focused on the task at hand.

"Then get ready and when I lift you, I need you to straighten up, so just do that!"

He pushed Sue up with his arm under her legs, turned her face down on his shoulder and kept her by her arms while she tensed her back and legs muscles to keep her position and not to lose her balance.

Jack slowed down and when he was still he began to let Sue slide on his back to land again on the ice.

"Wow, Jack, that was... amazing. Thank you so much."

Sue could not help herself and hugged tightly the unusually daring Agent Hudson.

When she pulled herself away he was almost blushing; Sue was certainly doing that.

"There's a last thing I would like to try with you, but if you are tired of skating or of me..."

"Never!" before she knew what she was saying was out of her mouth.

"Oh, okay, well, as I was saying, I would like to try a death spiral, you know, the element where the man performs a pivot while holding the hand of his partner, who circles him on a deep edge with her body almost parallel to the ice. Would you do something like that with me?"

Sue nodded and extended her hands towards Jack. He started again skating backwards, gaining speed and the middle of the ice rink. When she smiled at him to signal she was ready he tightened his grip on her hands, she straightened up and let him guide her in a back inside death spiral. He bended a bit down on his knees and Sue brushed the ice a few times. Then he stood up and slowed the spinning, moving Sue toward him. When she was up again she could not contain her enthusiasm.

"That was awesome! Jack, you were great, you are great! Thank you so much!" and she hugged him again.

Sure, during the whole time of their acquaintance this habit of her had firstly surprised Jack, since the time of her first statement in court, when right after he had announced her she could be part of their team; then he got more and more used to this way of expressing her feelings, he had to admit that deaf people were probably by far more free and open about their feelings than him. Now it was precious to him whenever Sue sought comfort in his arms or he offered assurance that they were okay.

A/N: there will be one more chapter, and then it will give way to the next episode on my mind. They can be read also independently, but I suspect that some of you could be disappointed that there's not a real ending to this one. I hope you will forgive me and give a chance to the next story.