As Nick was trying his best to reanimate Odwale, Cal called the ambulance to seek some help. This time she may not have been that lucky, she thought. She ran outside to see what really happened with the explosion but after hearing the sirens whirling the police was already after her. She felt the need to run, feeling the panic rising, but soon someone was on her, stopping her and pinning her on the ground to prevent her from escaping. Her mind connected to the real world and she revealed her identity as an FBI agent, if she had done it before she wouldn't have been hurt now; the crush with the ground wasn't soft and she could tell it gave her some bruises that would have appeared in a couple days. Talking with Nick and Cal was useless, doctor Odwale admitted to be related to their case but he never mentioned an accomplice or an enemy, which gave them no new informations. Their number one suspect was dead and so were all the informations they needed, at least the one she didn't recorded.
Crown called her into his office as soon as they entered the bureau and she could already tell he was pissed, did she even care? She had to find out what that son of a bitch did to her kid and a suspension or being fired wouldn't stop her. As she expected, Crown told her he couldn't pass on what she did and that she had to take responsibilities for it, however he didn't fire her; however she expected a suspension once the case was over.
She left his office to go back to Cal and Nick who was now working with them; she didn't know how to take it, was it good or bad? Having Nick joining their team was helpful because he was a good worker and three brains were better than two, plus she had someone who could distract her from thinking about Cal in any kind of inappropriate ways. On the other hand, the last time that Cal saw Nick at her place and knew what happened, thing got messy and they never talked about it again.
Luckily someone found something that could help solve the case, a bunch of hidden emails sent through the previous seven years. Seven years. It wasn't a random amount of time, not for her. Unluckily Crown made that information pubic in the middle of the bureau so now everyone connected the dots and she couldn't hide anymore. Cal gave her a sad and worried look from the other side of the room and she just nodded, that moment had to come sooner or later. Arriving at Odwale's house they found a hidden room with tons of files and evidences, Nick managed to enter in his computer and they found a video of Laurie, now everyone had the real proof that everything was connected to her. Luckily or unluckily all the other files in that computer were locked and it would have taken a couple days maybe to discover all of them. They could either be her ruin or her salvation.
"Emily" she heard Cal calling her as she exited the house.
She turned around to listen to him and he gave her an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry" he simply said.
"About?" she was confused.
"About the case, no one had to know if we found something related to you, it was our secret" he answered sadly, he felt really bad for her.
"It's ok Cal, it's not your fault" she was being honest, he wasn't guilty of anything, someone else found the evidences and made them public, he couldn't have stopped it.
"I should have been more careful and found everything before them" he answered.
"Don't worry. I need to go back to the bureau to check some files, see you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yeah" he needed to check some files too but he didn't tell her.
He wanted to find everything that could have been related to her and one of his friends who worked in the FBI archive offered him to collect the files about her case, but only during his shift so he had to be quick. He entered the bureau without her noticing him and he collected the files, took some pictures with his phone and put them back to their place. He then finished some paper work he had left and headed toward the exit. He tried to see if she was around, after all he just wanted to help her and she might have needed him. He spotted her sitting in a corridor, papers and folders everywhere in front of her and her back leaning against the glass wall, she looked exhausted.
"Did you find anything?" he asked approaching her.
She looked at him confused, what was he doing there? Didn't he say he would have gone home? Maybe she misunderstood.
"No, nothing, no accomplice, no clues on who killed him… nothing" she answered exhausted.
"So until they crack those files in his computer tire's not so much we can do then" he was right, the files had nothing in them, everything was in the computer.
He looked around for a moment, non really knowing whether to do it or not, but he decided to risk it. he got closer to her, offering her his hand.
"You need a break, come on, let's go blow off some steam" he said as she looked at him confused.
What did he mean? Blow off some steam how? What had gotten into him all of a sudden? She definitely knew how to blow off steam with him but they were clear about it... did he change his mind?
"I don't mean it in our usual way don't worry. In a friendly way" he cleared, he knew what she was thinking about.
She took his hand, at that point he was right, she just needed a break and she liked being around him. Maybe going out alone as friends would have make her feel better, knowing that she could also be just a friend to him instead of a lover. Knowing that even if their relationship wouldn't work, they could still be friends and have fun together in a common way. They went out with his car, stopping at the supermarket to take some beers, she was already liking it. He kept driving for a fee minutes, before stopping in the middle of no where.
"We're here" he said getting out of the car.
"Here where?" she asked confused.
Looking around she could see a big field with tall grass and some trees, in front of them the view of the city. Cal took out the beers and sat on the car's hood, telling her to do the same, leaving the radio on.
"So what's so special about this place?" she asked looking in front of her and starting drinking.
"It's quiet,it's no where" he answered simply.
She could tell there was more but she didn't want to push him. Looking around she felt a sense of peace, it even looked magical in some strange way; or maybe it was just the fact that she was with him. Actually it was the first time they were alone together outside of their houses and work, it could have been considered their first date if he wouldn't have explicitly said they were there as friends. She kept drinking her beer, maybe more than one, when suddenly her ears catch the song that was playing at the radio, she hadn't listened to it in a while.
"I love this song" she whispered closing her eyes and listening to the sound of music.
"Here" she heard him say, before hearing the volume of the song getting louder.
She got up almost unconsciously, her feet finding the ground and moving through the grass. She started to dance, maybe the alcohol was already making effect but she hadn't drink that much, she felt like it was just something she needed to do, blow off some steam, as he said.
"You did good in Moldova, I'm glad you were there" he never really thanked her for being an amazing partner at work, she had been great while they were abroad and he felt the need to tell her.
"I don't wanna talk about it, I don't wanna talk about any of this shit!" she panted, the last thing she wanted was to talk about work in that moment.
She heard him open the car and handing her a gun, was he crazy?
"What do you want me to do with that?" she asked confused.
"I want you to try and hit this" he answered, showing her the empty bottle.
Was it even legal to use a gun there? She didn't care. Her aim was good, even after the few beers she had drank. She couldn't tell the same about him though. She didn't know if he missed his shots on purpose to let her win or if he was serious; all she knew was that she felt a sense of happiness embody her. She gave him a big smile and she started laughing as he smiled back at her. Even though that night was cold as hell she felt warmth spreading all over her body, she was happy. She felt her legs give up and her balance going to hell, her body hit the grass as she kept laughing with him, both of them surrounded by a sense of pure happiness, they definitely needed that break. She laid there next to him smiling, looking into his eyes and her heart skipped a beat.
She couldn't be just a friend to him, she couldn't see him as just a friend, she had tried to, but her heart just couldn't take it. Her body reacted involuntary, moving closer to him, searching for his touch. She laid one of her hands on his chest as he looked at her confused. Her eyes found his lips, it had been so long since she kissed him and she was craving it more than everything; however, she knew it was wrong. She just wanted to be free to love him as he deserved, not just some random hiding because a killer or God knew who, was after her. She felt her heart quicken as one of her legs straddled him, allowing her to lay on top of his body. His heart was beating fast underneath her hand and she couldn't take it anymore; her hands cupped his face softly, pulling him in for a long and slow kiss. As their tongues sought each other his hands found her back, gently caressing it; a rush run down her spine and she smiled into the kiss, holding him even tighter to feel him closer. His taste was addicting, it had always been; she could legit imagine herself kissing only him for the rest of her life. His soft lips were caressing hers slowly, setting her body on fire; he was kissing her so deeply that she felt the world that surrounded them disappeared, the only thing that mattered to her in that moment was that kiss. It was him.
Unfortunately the need of air became essential for both of them and they parted, staring into each other's eyes while panting inches from their mouths. He looked up at her and he saw her hazel eyes shine in the dark, her mouth slightly opened to catch some air and her lips puffy from the kissing, she was so beautiful. He wouldn't change her for anyone else, she was the only woman he wanted, but he also knew that she would have enjoyed their relationship more freely if she didn't have to bother about the case anymore. That kiss was both wrong and right; they both knew it was right, it was just the wrong time.
He removed some of her hair from her face to kiss her again, softly, running one of his hands though her hair, making her understand that if she stil had some questions about what he felt for her she didn't have to worry. Whatever she felt for him, however she wanted to call it, he felt it too.
"Cal I-" she tried to talk but he didn't let her, kissing her lips softly again.
"Me too" he answered, leaving a small kiss on her lips.
"But not now…" she continued.
"I know, I'm gonna wait. The case is almost over, I'm sure, I can feel it" he slowly swiped his thumb on her cheek.
She smiled, leaving a small kiss on his hand before laying her head in the crook of his neck, cuddling onto him. They were literally lying in the wet grass of a cold night, hiding by everyone but they never felt so happy, knowing that what they had was real and they just had to wait for the right time to fully enjoy it.
"We could look at the stars" he suggested.
"Cal it's foggy, there are no stars…." she answered confused.
"I know, I just wanted to have an excuse to stay here a little longer" he confessed.
"I wish I had one, but if you want we can pretend we could see them" she chuckled, looking at the sky but keeping her head on his shoulder.
"Sounds like a plan" he answered, trying to get both of them more comfortable on the grass.
She felt her eyes close and her body relax against his; she was tired, the case was warning her off and her sleeping schedule was so messed up. She felt safe between his arms, she had always felt, he had always made sure she felt good and protected with him and she was glad she could trust him enough to feel like that. When her eyes opened again they were still there, his arm was still around her and he was awake. She snuggled into him to search for some heat, the cold air was now bothering her.
"We should go" he pointed out when he saw she was awake.
He didn't know if she had noticed falling asleep for about twenty minutes but he didn't complain, she needed some rest and he enjoyed cuddling with her, it was something they barely did.
"We should" she answered getting herself into a sitting position.
He helped her standing up and they headed toward the car. He opened the door of her and she looked up at him before entering it, trying to say something. He just wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight and kissing the top of her head softly. She breathed him in, feeling that warmth and perfume that was just him. For the first time in weeks she was really starting to think that things were gonna be alright.
