Thanks for the reviews of Ch. 48, CSI Encyclopedia, Bluestarshine & Eyesdown104. Thanks to everyone else who has read this far. Please review!

So, this is it... the end... THE FINALE!

...

THE DATE

CHAPTER 49

"I was wrong." The familiar voice behind Peter Quinn's desk, made him jump and spin round in shock.

"I was wrong." Rudy McCoy was standing there looking nervous. "Carrie was never in love with you. She loves..."

"It's OK, I'll get used to it," Quinn grunted, sad and defeated. "Just don't expect me to come to your wedding."

McCoy stared, confused. "What?!"

"Aren't you pair supposed to be at the cabin?" snapped Quinn, tasting his own bile rising. "Celebrating?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" McCoy assessed Quinn as if he'd gone mad. "I've been bringing a terrorist suspect in this morning... Hey, you do realise that Carrie's gone to the cabin with Brody?"

Quinn's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"I convinced Carrie to listen to Brody... the day after I moved in with her," explained McCoy. "They're back together."

Quinn was shaken to his core. "What about Brody and Jessica?"

"Brody never did go back to Jessica... the only reason they'd been sneaking around was to discuss their divorce in private," McCoy smiled. "It's all very amicable. Jess and Mike want to marry as soon as possible."

"But I thought..." Quinn swallowed with confusion. "When you moved in with Carrie..."

"Carrie is a good friend," McCoy shrugged. "Nothing more I promise."

"But you fucked her in Beirut?" The sickening words stuck in Quinn's throat. "In the bathroom, at the Military Airbase."

"I've never fucked Carrie," McCoy laughed loudly, as if he found the idea ridiculous. "Her boundaries were all over the place in Beirut and she tried to kiss me. I told her it wasn't a good idea."

"But you came to Langley for her," recalled Quinn. "After the Memorial Bombing. Unfinished business you said?"

"There was no spark for either of us. It was obvious the first week when I came to work here." McCoy shrugged dismissively. "We're just friends. You and Carrie were different though. I always thought that you guys might get it together. After your little encounter at the Motel?"

"Carrie and Brody are a force of nature. No one can compete with that. Not that I'd want to anymore..." Quinn smiled slowly, suddenly feeling optimistic. "I've had someone else on my mind over the last few months..."

"You've been on my mind since I handcuffed you to the bed-post at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia..." McCoy grinned wickedly and reached to grasp Quinn's wrists.

An unexpected flashback suddenly disturbed Quinn and he pulled sharply away from McCoy. "How's Syed by the way?"

"You tell me!" McCoy's blue eyes instantly became furious and jealous. "Syed told me the other day that you pair had spent some time together... Alone in his apartment."

"Well, that's because I thought you were engaged to Carrie," Quinn retorted. "Anyway, Syed told me that you sneakily gave him your cell-phone number!"

"Yeah, well that was a big mistake," grumbled McCoy. "I thought he wanted to talk about the Children of Jihad, but he asked me out on a date. Wanted to take me to a kinky gay nightclub of all places."

Quinn wasn't overly surprised. After visiting the bathroom in Syed's apartment, he'd accidentally glimpsed a disturbing pornography collection, handcuffs, a black hood and duct tape piled on the bed. It had made him sweat anxiously.

When Syed had slithered towards him, grasping at his wrists, Quinn had abandoned his coffee and got out of Syed's apartment as fast as he could.

"Did you go?" asked Quinn, worried. "To the kinky nightclub with Syed?"

"No way, that guy makes me uncomfortable," McCoy shuddered. "In fact I've brought Syed back in for further questioning this morning. I don't trust him at all."

"Why?" asked Quinn, worried that he'd missed something important.

"Syed started asking me a few too many questions about Yasir el-Zaid." McCoy grimaced. "He asked about who had intercepted the abduction of Yasir's nephew."

"Syed shouldn't know anything about that." Alarm bells rang loudly in Quinn's mind and he thought more about the duct tape and black hood in Syed's apartment. He'd assumed that Syed just had a rather interesting sex life, but perhaps it was something more sinister. Quinn jolted as he thought about Julia and John staying in same apartment block as Syed.

"So, Syed's definitely in custody right now for further questioning?" Quinn desperately needed the confirmation, otherwise he was leaving immediately, suspecting Julia and John were in imminent danger.

"Don't worry. Syed's locked up and is probably loving it. I mean chances are it's nothing... He's maybe overheard something about Yasir el-Zaid and the attempted abduction. Perhaps he heard it from the guards in the safe house and he's just curious. Syed might not be a terrorist, or dangerous at all," guessed McCoy. "Maybe he's just a bit sexually adventurous?"

"It's a possibility," agreed Quinn.

"Syed Bacho was a good Doctor when I was a hostage in Syria... a kind man... and of course he helped you to rescue me from the compound," McCoy frowned. "But I don't trust him... for some reason..." McCoy gazed earnestly at Quinn, "And believe me, I've certainly never liked Syed in that way."

"What way?" Quinn tried to suppress his relief.

"This way..." McCoy reached forwards tentatively and touched both of Quinn's shoulders, then trailed his fingers up and around, gently stroking the back of his friend's neck.

Quinn closed his eyes momentarily. It was beyond bliss to feel McCoy's warm hands again.

"Can I move back in with you?" McCoy leant close and winked cheekily. "Today?"

"No," Quinn pulled away, grinning. "I have a guest sleeping over tonight."

McCoy narrowed his eyes, before looking distraught. "I've blown it, haven't I? You've moved on. Met someone else."

"John's staying over tonight," Quinn smirked, sensing an opportunity to tease. "Maybe you can move back in tomorrow..."

McCoy looked gutted, then his blue eyes glinted, steely and determined. "Well, you can tell this John bloke, whoever he is, to leave right now. I'm not sharing you, Quinn. My head's been a mess, but I'm better now. I've missed you so fucking much."

Quinn tried to remain serious and straight-faced as his heart somersaulted with hope.

Tears welled in McCoy's eyes as he reached forward again and caressed Quinn's cheek with his thumb. "I never meant to hurt you by staying at Carrie's. I just gave up trying to contact you to explain the situation when you ignored all my calls. I've been so upset... then that predator, Syed, said you'd been over at his apartment... I wanted to kill him."

"I'm not telling John to leave," Quinn taunted mercilessly. "I love him and I'd like you to get to know him."

"Please Quinn," McCoy begged, as tears starting to roll down his cheeks. "Don't do this to me. You wouldn't have come to Syria to rescue me if you didn't care. Oh God and the kissing, man. You were driving me wild and I was bandaged up like a mummy. It was unbearable. It was too much. I'd fallen for you, but I was so afraid of what I was feeling... I was afraid to love you in case... I lost you..." McCoy tailed off, gutted, as he choked up. "Now I've lost you anyway..." He began sobbing.

"Do you want to see a picture of John?" Quinn pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and quickly found a cute photo.

"No I don't!" McCoy scowled and looked the other way, wiping his eyes and cheeks on his sleeve. Curiosity got the better of him and he sneaked a look sideways, seeing a small boy grinning on the screen. He glanced up at Quinn, confused initially, then he smiled slowly in understanding. "You lying bastard! Is this your son? John!" he sniffed.

Quinn nodded happily, "John's going to stay in your old room tonight. He wants to decorate it with pirates... now that he'll be staying with me more often.

"Cool!" McCoy grinned. "That's amazing man. I'm so happy for you!"

Quinn smirked, "So basically if you move back in... You haven't got a room... or a bed anymore!"

"What?" McCoy pouted as he pretended to glower. "I'll have to sleep on the sofa?"

"No," Quinn pushed McCoy's muscular chest, pinning him against the wall of the office. He began to kiss him passionately. "If you're lucky, I'll let you bunk in with me..."

They struggled for dominance in their rough embrace, McCoy eventually getting the upper-hand and spinning Quinn around and slamming his back against the wall. They entwined fingers tightly as their kissing became more urgent.

"I'll sleep in your bed on one condition..." whispered McCoy, his breathing ragged, as he grabbed Quinn's hips.

"What condition is that?" Quinn gasped, lunging to bite McCoy's neck again.

"Never leave," McCoy tilted his friend's head, their blue gazes aligning intensely. "I fall apart when you leave."

"Me too," agreed Quinn, before abruptly pushing McCoy away and walking briskly towards the door.

"No!" McCoy sounded panicked as he shouted after his friend, confused, alarmed and fearful at being abandoned. "Don't go!"

Quinn slammed the office door in Max's startled face and quickly turned the lock. He winked as he returned to McCoy and solemnly promised, "I'll never leave."

No further words were exchanged or needed as they attacked each other's buttons and zips. Their kissing intensified into urgent motion, ebbing and flowing, naturally and instinctively until eventually they reached their peak of perfect harmony together. They both knew that it would be like this, just like this, always.

THE END