Disclaimer: I do not own CI nor it's characters.

Goren glanced over at Hannah. She was reading one of his magazines. The National Geographic. Her hair was curled and she wore a short sleeved red button up blouse and a black skirt. Whether she was wearing a ballroom gown, a bikini, or a potato sac, it wouldn't matter. He wanted her all the same.

Even when she had been sick he had found her beautiful; though, her face was puffed up, her eyes and nose red. Of course when she was sick, he had only wanted to take care of her the way she took care of him. Possibly more. He was after all the reason she was sick in the first place. Hannah had kissed him, out of a gesture of love, and contracted the flu from him. He had seen it coming but he wasn't at all sorry she kissed him until she had actually gotten sick.

His eyes scanned her face and he felt his stomach flip flop with excitement and he shifted in his seat. Unable to help himself, his eyes scanned her body. God he wanted her.

Goren wasn't used to waiting. The women he had gone out with in the past stuck with the 3 date rule and he hadn't minded one bit. However, despite his frustration, he was glad Hannah wanted to wait. At least he was at first. Now, he was finding it rather difficult sometimes. 'Relax man it's not like it's been a year, you've been together only for 7 weeks now…give it another month before you say something…you can't make Hannah feel pressured…but…even if Hannah wasn't making you wait a year, it's been that long since you were with a woman…at least…when was it? Before mom got sick…'

7 weeks. They probably bickered more over the last 13 days than they had the entire time they've known each other. But then, they were both cranky from being sick. First it was him, then both of them, and then just Hannah. Despite the bickering, or perhaps because of it, Goren felt even closer to her.

He had seen a side of her she hadn't shown him before and he was glad. It was the irritated, cranky, and pouty side of her. If she hadn't been sick it probably would have been a turn on.

On and off over the past couple weeks, Goren was called away a few times to work on a case. Every time he left Hannah got upset with him, wanting some sort of special treatment, like he promised, because of her flu. Then he'd come back and she had forgotten all about it.

There were also a couple days where Goren was forced to do extra research for the case. Instead of doing so at the library or his apartment, Hannah had convinced him to come over to her place. Originally he had been concerned about not having any peace and quiet to concentrate, or that he would be imposing on the family. But it actually felt comfortable.

He would play with Noah for a few minutes before dinner, help wash the dishes afterwards, then he'd tackle the books for awhile. He even got to spend a little time with Hannah after doing the research.

It surprised him really, because an arrangement like this hadn't crossed Goren's mind in years. And now he was with a woman who was okay with it. For the first time in his life he felt like he was in a healthy, and strong relationship. He would never dream of doing anything that could sabotage it. So, as sexually frustrated as he was, Goren would do everything in his power not to pressure Hannah in anyway. A little tension wouldn't kill him.

Goren cleared his throat and went back to his book. "I uh…should only be a few more minutes…then we can go."

"Okay, no rush. This is pretty interesting." Hannah tilted her head to the side hoping to show off part of her neck and cleavage. From the angle she was sitting in it wasn't difficult.

He looked at her curiously. "Which article?" He glanced at her chest and forced his eyes back up to her face.

"Deconstructing Atlantis." She looked down at it quickly. 'Seriously, Bobby do I really need to strip to get you to make out with me?' She had thought she could easily turn 'fooling around' into something more. She wasn't one to be very obvious about sex. Hannah was more comfortable with her subtleties.

"Oh…that one's been done before. Nothing revolutionary." He studied the way she was biting her lip and felt himself getting turned on even more. Goren was a little worried at the intensity of how much he wanted her. He didn't want to get too frustrated or he might say something that would make it seem like he was pressuring her.

"I know but I always wonder how the myth got so big if the only real source that mentions it is by Plato. And even that was only a few lines wasn't it?" She paused. "And I guess I like the idea of hidden civilizations." 'I thought he said he was attracted to a thirsty mind and I am talking about something intelligent…'

He smiled. "There's one in…Z-zimbabwe. Hundreds of villagers disappeared, practically overnight…" He went on to tell her about it, forgetting about his book and the notes he was taking. Goren mentioned the theories about what happened and all that was discovered about the society so far.

Hannah watched him, her elbow on the back of the couch and her head resting in her palm. She smiled softly, loving the sound of his voice and how excited he was about the topic. The way he gestured his hands and stumbled over or stressed certain words, and even the smug self-confidence he held…it was so…Goren. She loved it. It was such a turn on. Several minutes went by, with Goren deep into the topic, before Hannah gave up. 'That's it! Mister I'm-a-big-shot-detective, if you can't take a hint then so be it!'

Hannah put the magazine down, uncurled her legs and slid over towards him. He looked at her curiously, kept talking, but slowed his pace a little, wondering if she was just trying to listen better, or if she was trying to cuddle with him.

She leaned over and kissed him, bringing the discussion to an end.

When she withdrew Goren smiled, amused. "W-what was that for?"

She smiled and kissed him again, and again. Hannah pushed aside the book and notes Goren had been making and straddled him, deepening the kiss. The pull in his gut increased even more.

"H-hannah-" He felt like he was going to lose his mind.

She ignored him and pressed herself against him losing herself in how he felt against her and how great a kisser he was.

After a minute Hannah broke the kiss and told him seriously, looking deep into his eyes and hoped more than anything in the world, that he felt the same as her. "I love you."

He blinked and his eyes softened. "I…I l-love you too." Her face lit up and hiis heart leapt. Hannah kissed him again and began unbuckling his belt, making her intentions very clear.

'Thank god!' Goren pulled her against him and got to his feet, carrying her, and tried to make it to the bedroom. They stumbled in the doorway, then flopped onto the bed.

He slipped off her blouse and skirt and looked her over. "You're so…so beautiful." He smiled and put his hands on her hips and allowed them to slide over her. "So soft…" He whispered, barely audible as a fog of desire swept over him.

Hannah drew in a breath as he began kissing her chest.

He stopped and asked her, "protection?"

"Just a condom." She'd explain later how uncomfortable she was with a few of the other methods of birth control, and about how pills caused her hormones to be too out of wack that no matter the dosage or the brand, she always felt sick. "My purse."

"Too far." He reached over and opened the bedside drawer. There was an unopened box of condoms inside. As soon as he got one, he started to pull off his clothes. He stopped, realizing something.

Hannah was wearing an expensive lace bra and thong. He blinked. "You…you planned this?"

She smiled. "I was trying to get your attention ever since I got here."

He smirked. "You were? You were…are hot…I was trying to ignore you."

"Well, you don't have to anymore."

He leaned down and kissed her hungrily before ridding himself of the last piece of clothing.

Hannah drew in a nervous breath as Goren finished with his own clothes and prepared himself. Her cheeks burned for a few reasons.

He then kissed her again before pulling down a bra strap.

"Wait."

He stopped and studied her face desperately hoping she wasn't serious.

She smiled nervously and stroked his cheek. She would never forget the look in his eyes. There was so much desire and love that she wondered if he was really here, looking at her. She bit her lip for a second. "I've only ever been with one man, I might not be-"

"It's okay." He whispered and kissed her softly. "It's okay…I won't hurt you, I promise…I'll never hurt you…" He didn't just mean physically.

Her eyes stung. "Robert I love you so much." She kissed him and slipped her arms around his neck. He smiled against her lips, leaned back a little and worked the hooks on the back of the bra. Once he got it off her he happily chucked it across the room, his playfulness made Hannah giggle, and it put her at ease a little.

Goren drifted off to sleep peacefully. Hannah relaxed against him, her arm draped over his chest. Her heart was beating at a normal rate again and she thought about how wonderful being with him was. She watched him for a few minutes after his breathing took on a slow deep rhythm, letting her know he was in deep sleep. Hannah carefully slipped out of his grasp and out of bed. She grabbed his shirt and slipped it on. She smiled, catching its scent.

She lifted the neckline up and drew in the smell of soap, cologne, and Goren's natural scent. Her smile spread into a grin and she thought about what had transpired between the two of them.

For Hannah, that was the second biggest step she could take in a relationship. The first one being marriage, which was a direction she hoped their relationship was headed in.

She left the room and studied herself in the mirror in the bathroom. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She had never doubted that she and Goren would enjoy themselves more than she and Jake ever did; but she had no idea.

As a lover Jake was selfish, which was no shock to herself or Goren. He was a selfish man so it made sense. And as a woman who had been searching her whole life to be loved by someone, Hannah never felt obligated to ask for anything. But over the years, Hannah had learned to speak up and in some cases, even become opinionated and independent.

As a lover, Hannah felt shy and insecure. Sure she had learned many things in her marriage, mostly how to please a man, but she knew she had plenty to learn. It hadn't even occurred to her how much Goren could teach her about herself and her own body.

He had taught her a lot today already. Mainly, how great making love could be. Of course she had experienced pleasure before, but nothing close to this and what made it better was the fact that Goren so obviously enjoyed himself.

Her cheeks were still a little flushed.

Hannah turned on the tap and splashed some water on her face.

After freshening up, Hannah went down the hall and into the kitchen. She doubted she could sleep right now. Her smile faded as she thought about the possibility that she could just be another girlfriend of Goren's. He loved her; she knew that much, but sometimes things just didn't work out.

She stopped herself from scrounging for some food, and instead went over to the dirty dishes in the sink. Goren liked the dishes out of the way but he had intended on tackling them after their date was over.

Hannah plugged up a sink and filled it up with soapy water. 'What if things don't work out?' Her heart seemed to shatter at the thought. She loved him so much it scared her, and now that they had made love, she could barely stand the thought of them apart.

She scrubbed the dishes, upset, worrying that for one reason or another they might break up. It finally hit her how serious everything was. Not that she didn't know, but Hannah had mostly thought about her boys, and worried that Goren might one day hurt her the way Jake did.

Hannah knew the latter wouldn't happen, and she finally accepted and believed that, which was part of the reason she felt ready to be with Goren. He was in no way a terrible man and he would never do anything to hurt her.

'But sometimes relationships go wrong…'

She was almost done the dishes when the floor creaked behind her.

"W-what's wrong?" Goren fidgeted, clenching and unclenching his fists.

She glanced at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked away and wiped her eyes. Goren was really worried. "Nothing." She said pathetically.

"D-don't…" He tilted his head, his eyes studying her, his heart racing anxiously. 'Didn't she like it? Did I hurt her? Oh god, I did…' He had thought that both of them were enjoying themselves. He certainly had. In fact, though he might be biased, Goren thought Hannah had been the best lover he ever had. They had chemistry and compatibility, enthusiasm, stamina, passion, and love. It had been amazing and all he wanted to do right now was repeat that act.

Hannah was always a terrible liar. She turned away and dried her hands on the towel. She put her hands on the edge of the counter and fidgeted with it. She could feel Goren approaching from behind.

"Did I…did I hurt you?" He asked weakly. If he did he'd never forgive himself. "I know I was eager, and…and it's been awhile but…I didn't mean-"

"No…" She wiped her face again. "I just…" He came over to her side, letting out a breath and drawing in another, bracing himself for whatever bad news she had to say.

"Y-you regret it?"

She glanced at him worried. "No, do you?"

"No, I had…" He cut himself off. He wasn't sure how much to tell her and how much this meant to him.

She looked down at the counter. "When you made love to me…I felt things… how much you love me…and I know the physical stuff was incredible but it was so much more than that and-" She talked so quickly she barely could even breathe. "And I never felt so…" She put her hand on her chest and refused to look at him, it was all so overwhelming and she was a little embarrassed at how emotional she was. "What if things don't work out with us? I can't lose you and…and I love you. I know I shouldn't be so clingy but I can't help it."

He tilted his head to the other side. "Hannah-"

"No I'm serious, I know this is probably a faux pas and maybe I seem juvenile but I can't help it. I don't want to lose you."

He took her hands. "You won't." He studied her face then kissed her once, then twice. He pulled her into a hug. "We'll make it."

"But what if-"

He drew from her and cupped her face, giving her the puppy dog eyes. "You think I felt this…f-for anyone else? Not like this…not like us. I love you." He kissed her again, deepening the kiss. It was refreshing and comforting to know that he could be vulnerable with Hannah and she wouldn't laugh. Hannah was right now as vulnerable as him, if not more. She had been hurt badly, by the only man she had ever been with. That had to leave a big scar and Goren knew it.

Goren also appreciated how she wasn't guarded the way other people were. She tried to be but he saw right through her.

Hannah sighed, burying her face in his neck. His arms were so strong and warm. She loved his arms. She felt the pull in her gut and the warmth spread through her body. She whispered in his ear, as though it was a secret. "I want to be good for you, so if there's anything you want…"

He watched her emotionally. "I have everything…" He pulled her closer again, resting his hands on her hips. He looked her over and couldn't deny the fact that he was deeply turned on again. He kissed her and swept her up into his arms quickly. Though he could be a gentleman sometimes, he was still human. Goren was going to take her up on her offer.

A couple hours later...

Hannah tossed the lid of the ice cream onto the counter and scooped some up. She turned the spoon over and put it in her mouth, to eat the ice cream.

Goren went up to her, smiling happily, in his boxers again. He slipped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

She beamed, scooped some more ice cream and held it up to him. He took a bite. "Mmmm." He licked his lips and pulled her closer. She was small compared to him but their bodies fit perfectly.

Everything was perfect.

He kissed her neck softly. Hannah beamed and turned around. She held up another spoonful of the Cookies N' Cream ice cream Goren had bought and he devoured it, chuckling lightly.

Sometimes he didn't understand Hannah. At times she was so strong and independent, while others she was delicate and emotional. He knew how she was, he just didn't always understand it. Right now she was the latter. It only made him more protective of her, which he rather liked. He liked taking care of her. He needed to. It was just who he was.

Like Hannah, his identity had been created around the idea that he was to take care and look after someone he loved.

He played with her, trying to get a reaction from her. He wanted to see her smile.

Hannah giggled and pushed him away slightly. Goren pulled her into his embrace.

He thought about the events of the past year. He knew that if he hadn't met Hannah he would have likely become more withdrawn, and focussed only on his work. Doing that would have only allowed the dark abyss to engulf him. Even though it still hurt to think about his mom's death, he wasn't consumed by the pain anymore. He knew it had everything to do with Hannah. She had rescued him from the darkness and even taken things a step further. She had brought in more light than he thought was possible in his life. She made him laugh, made him feel such powerful and beautiful things he didn't think were possible.

Loving Hannah was the only thing he wanted to do now. To be with her, love her, take care of her and her boys...to hopefully be seen as a friend, and even better, as a father-figure to them, it was all he really wanted. All of it, and to hold Hannah, smell the floral scent of her perfume, and to feel her impossibly soft skin beneath his hands and his body...that was his definition of happiness. And today, it was the happiest day of his life.

He felt amazing. Goren tickled the back of her neck.

She squirmed. "Bobby!"

His fingers continued on the small spot.

Hannah squirmed and shrieked. "Bobby!"

He pulled her against him and laughed into her neck. She giggled and snuggled against him. He stroked her back and sighed, letting out a breath.

Hannah lifted her head up and looked at him surprised. "Again?"

He smirked. "Do you blame me? You're gorgeous."

"Flattery will get you everywhere." She kissed him softly and he deepened it.

Later that night...

Hannah was curled against him, asleep in the dark. They hadn't gone out at all. From early afternoon until now they had taken the day to make love, order in some food, and make love again, until they were spent.

Goren was on his side, his arms around her, asleep.

The pink phone on top of dresser next to the bed started ringing to the tune of 'Let it Be' by the Beatles.

For the next couple rings neither woke up. Finally Goren did and realized that Hannah's phone was ringing. He picked it up and asked hoarsely. "Hello?" He blinked. "Oh, yeah…uh, she's here…I'll tell her. Yeah…we'll be right there." He hung up. "Hannah."

She snuggled against him and moaned tiredly.

Goren grinned. "Hannah, wake up. You need to go home."

She blinked then sat up quickly. "What happened?"

He sat up and put a hand to her shoulder. "Nothing…nothing happened. It's just…nearly three. The sitter called…she was told she's only working until two thirty."

"Oh." She rubbed her eyes. "Right."

"I'll drive you."

"No you're tired…stay."

"Not a chance." He got out of bed and started getting dressed. Hannah threw the covers off and started towards the dresser, where she had piled the clothes neatly on top next to her purse.

She pulled her thong and skirt on under the oversized t-shirt. "Well…did you want to stay at my place?"

He turned to her surprised. "But…the boys…I thought…"

"I don't know…but I like waking up next to you."

He tilted his head. "Uh…you're confused…about the boys and w-what they will think."

"A little."

He gave a nod. "I can…sleep on the couch?"

"Really?"

He shrugged. "Your couch is comfortable."

"But it's small, your legs will hang off the end."

"I'll be fine."

She smiled. "Okay, only if you're comfortable with that."

"I am." The idea of being torn away from her tonight was not good. He smiled at her. "I need my shirt."

She pulled it off and tossed it at him. He made no effort to stop it as it landed on his head and covered his face. He chuckled and pulled it off but was disappointed to see Hannah already covered by her bra. She worked the hooks and smirked at him. "So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"You I hope."

Her eyes widened and she grabbed a pillow off the bed and threw it at him. He laughed heartily, catching the pillow. "So you like to throw things…I'll keep that in mind if I ever piss you off."

Note - more to come. Hope you like.