Okayyy..Here goes nothing. Thanks for being patient with me while I worked on getting this chapter out and I hope you all enjoy it! Jana, here's your token for giving me positive vibes for a day️ I look forward to more in the future :)

It took her several years to get where she is, the first female Captain in Seattle and this was a big achievement for her. Despite the heavy criticism and pressure from the men, she managed to rise above. She was hardcore, there was nothing easy and breezy about her, yet in contrast she could be the most empathetic and sincere person you've ever met when you need her.

Her dad, the former Captain, who had a stellar record, left her with a legacy to maintain and she was intent on doing so and creating one for herself. She had to, all eyes would now be on her. No doubt there would be several hurdles to jump over and misconceptions to prove futile.

Today was supposed to be a normal day. A day where Andy goes to work and ensures the team gives their A-game, she'd catch up on reports and attend that meeting with other Captains in that division and the Chief, who said he had an announcement.

Caught up in her computer she didn't see the door swing open. She was pulled from her thoughts by someone talking.

"So I heard a rumor that the Chief is coming by today"

She glanced up, "Maya, is it a rumor if you already heard from a credible source?"

"Well Captain, you love when I gossip with you and I need more than you're giving me"

Andy chuckled, "Yes he's coming along with the new Battalion Chief and that's it...Now like I said in the lineup, no distractions unless someone's dying" Maya nodded and took off.

Andy continued filing her reports for the day, ensuring she completed them and had time for her meeting in about an hour.

Despite her office door being closed, she could hear the loud laughter coming from the team up in the beanery. She smiled to herself thinking how they were truly the best bunch, despite clashing personalities they were just the right mix, having the best dynamic.

Looking at her watch, she saw she had 20 mins to spare. This prompted her to go up to the beanery, get a drink of water and then take another look at the conference room to ensure it was in full working order. She heard the alarm go off and saw the team rushing out. She was somewhat glad they were out on a call knowing how inquisitive they'd be once everyone started arriving. Once she determined she was pleased with the setup, she headed off back to her office to grab a few things.

It didn't take long for the other Captains to start filing in and Andy greeted each one with a smile. She directed them to the conference room and once most of them made their way up, she made her way up too.

With all the captains settled, they awaited Ripley and the new Battalion Chief. They'd all gotten an email about him but this would be the first face to face official meeting and as expected, all wanted to leave a good first impression.

It didn't take long for them to arrive and immediately all eyes trailed to the door. Seeing Robert's stance, it was obvious to all he served time in the military.

"Glad to see you all here today." Ripley spoke as he entered the room and beckoned to Andy to close the blinds. "As you know, the city appointed a new Battalion Chief for our division, so help me in welcoming Robert Sullivan"

Applause filled the room as each person welcomed him. Robert graciously acknowledged everyone and thanked them including Ripley for the welcome. He broke the ice by giving a short introduction and got to know everyone's names.

The vacant chair in the room allowed Robert to sit directly facing Andy and her beauty naturally appealed to him. Throughout the meeting Andy often voiced her concerns and it was clear she was passionate about her job, another thing that caught his attention. He was impressed that despite being the odd woman per say, she never let the influx of men make her cower in fear. If he knew Andy though, he wouldn't have found it surprising. She was a force to be reckoned with, she would stand her ground and give her all in everything. After all, this has been her life's mission, it's all she has known and it's all she has ever wanted. This job kept her sane, made her who she is; you could say it ran through her veins.

The thought ran through Robert's mind that his best friend was trying to set him up when he convinced him to apply for the Battalion position in Seattle but when he thought about it, he should've been able to read Luke but he wasn't getting that vibe.

Ripley gave everyone the heads up about inspections coming up and the date for each Station. He also gave them an update on the group of volunteers that were to come in for training. 19 was the central house, and fairly close in distance so selected firefighters would be training them depending on their circumstances.

After 2 long hours, and much decision making, the meeting was now finally over. The other captains said their goodbyes and left, while Andy stayed back to rearrange the room, considering their new Battalion Chief would be taking over the room.

Ripley, in the meantime, had walked with Robert to give him a tour of 19, ensuring his friend was all settled. He knew moving was a big change for him and he'd probably never accept the offer if it wasn't for him. "So Sully, what do you think so far?"

Robert glanced over at him shaking his head, "Luke, I love you brother...but you annoy me." Luke chuckled "You know me man I'm an in the field person, I live for the thrill of calls."

"You have the skills and I'm sure you'll be able to get in the action every now and then plus you'll have a great impact on the fire houses. Now, I was talking about what you observed from the captains?"

"Well they all seem capable, I see no issues so far about managing them." He pondered on bringing up the question at the forefront of his mind. "So...Herrera?"

"Yea, she's a fiery one. She has passion for sure, can be stubborn - that I know for sure from a past experience and definitely willing to risk it all for her team." Seeing how he was listening intently, Luke added "It won't be surprising if I hear about you two clashing, considering you both like to be perfectionists and have your own way of doing things"

"I'd still be the superior figure"

Luke patted his shoulder, "I can tell you that doesn't make much of a difference when it comes on to her team. Let's see how it plays out though, Batt. Chief Robert Sullivan" clear evidence of mockery in his voice.

They eventually made their way to the beanery and as they approached they could hear talking, which was soon followed by laughter.

"...You should've heard how Travis screamed like a baby" Vic let out as everyone laughed, some harder than some. Caught up, they didn't realize that their Chief and Battalion Chief walked in.

"It was not as bad as you make it seem" Travis endorsed trying to redeem himself.

"Ahh Trav, we all know Vic wasn't exaggerating" Maya added.

Robert looked at Luke realizing the team were caught up in their convo. He signaled to him if he was going to say something but he shook his head.

It didn't take long for them to acknowledge their presence because Andy got up to grab a bottle of water and saw them. "Umm...Chiefs? Didn't see you there" she quickly let out grabbing everyone's attention.

"Just admiring the bond you all have," Ripley commented. He has seen 19 in action and the family vibe never fails to impress him. "Everyone, this is our new Battalion Chief, Robert Sullivan. As you know 19 is the most central house so he'll be stationed here. I'm hoping you'll treat him well"

Robert greeted them and they all acknowledged him. "Why don't you both join us and grab a plate?" Vic declared, which inherited a few glances from those in the room. "What? We have extra and we can get to know a person better over a meal."

She did have a point, and considering they didn't know much about either of the men, it would be a good opportunity. Ripley was quick to agree and with some nudging Robert accepted the offer and it didn't take long for them to be seated engulfed in conversation. As an outsider, Robert didn't say much or well he tried not to but couldn't escape the questions thrown at him. They were able to learn where he was from, how he became a firefighter and what brought him to Seattle. Having enough questions about himself, he tried enquiring about Andy.

"So, Herrera, how does it feel being the first female Captain?"

Andy's eyes flickered up to him, surprised he asked about her. Before she could answer, Maya and Vic alternated responses

"She's thrilled"

"Glad to be kicking ass"

"Intoxicated by that feeling of power"

Chuckles could be heard around the room as they carried on. "Girls, enough...It feels good, I'm humbled and really excited to be able to make a difference and contribute to the SFD. It's empowering even..."

"That's good to hear. Guess we'll be chatting soon."

"Yes sir"

As they all ate and caught up on each other's lives, every now and again Robert would glance at Andy. He took note of the way her eyes would light up interacting with the guys or the way she could be sassy and playful as if she wasn't their superior. He knew himself and he wasn't quick to feel things but something about her kept drawing him in. He tried to dismiss whatever infatuation was happening considering they'd never work out; rules and all. It also made him more tense and closed off in an effort to not build on that fire that he knew could get out of control just as quickly.

The day progressed and Robert set up his office and Andy was back out in the field with the team. It was a long day for her, from that meeting and back to back fires it was exhausting. Having more reports to file didn't ease the pressure, but that was the job she fought for, the pressure was expected and she could handle it as she had been doing a fair portion of that job when her dad was in command.

Completing the shift Andy went home, drawed a bath and upon settling in grabbed a fire manual and her usual case of beer. This would seem unusual to the eyes of outsiders but for her this was the norm. The day was simple where she got rest, binged her favorite series and just relaxed on her off day.

The next day things went by smoothly, Robert had been comfortable but he avoided much interaction with the team. He'd always dismiss breakfast and dinner invitations saying he had work to do. In reality, he felt he needed to give them space. Apart from a meeting with Andy to discuss shifts and the training coming up he didn't socialize. He knew if Luke checked in on him, he'd probably smack him in the head telling him to stop being such a workaholic and go interact but he wasn't like Luke who was easily loved. He had a harder exterior and one few people can get him to really branch out.

It continued for days and everyone found it odd. That wasn't the impression they got at first. They didn't expect him to be there all the time, he was still one of the big bosses, they just felt like he could come out of his bubble every now and then. Ben, being Ben, asked if he would join them for dinner another day but he declined the offer. Robert thought about joining but he feared getting close to them would blur the lines when it comes to disciplining. He had prepared himself to not have friends once he was promoted, well aside from Luke he couldn't count on anyone else.

The team had asked Andy to mention it since she'd been having meetings with him and could bring it up. Andy wasn't trying to be close friends with her superior so she really didn't put out any effort to force him to be close to them. It was self preservation; a means of not having people talk about her getting preferential treatment. She already had people saying she only got captain because of her dad and for political reasons. She had to admit she wondered why he was so distant though. Ripley didn't interact much with them but when he was around he tried to be conversational. She knew socially distanced chiefs seemed unapproachable, distant and, to some, intimidating which didn't help with him getting to know the experience of the team.

In his 2nd week with 19, Robert had a meeting with them and basically pointed out flaws and recommended they get the ball rolling to improve. It came off as if all he cared about was efficiency. They all thought they were doing well, in fact they are and everyone knows. Andy tried to be the buffer and explain they could do even more so they'd be setting time aside to do some practice drills and exercises when they aren't on calls.

Later in the day, Ben went to request some time off and of course that meant Andy had to run it by the Chief considering the nature of his job consisted of organizing schedules and time offs.

As she approached his office, she could see him deep in thought with knitted brows, focused on whatever was on his screen and she found herself admiring him for the first time since he arrived. He was quite dashing and had perfect form. She stood gazing and as she watched she saw him grab his phone and there she saw his irresistible smile. That smile wiped away all her other thoughts as all she could think was why didn't he smile more. He could win over anyone with that smile. Completely immersed in her thoughts, she didn't realize that he had been looking in her direction. Snapping out of it, she just took the opportunity to go in and see him..

"Hi Chief, just came to drop off these for Warren to be approved."

He nodded. "Thank you, Captain."

"Can I ask you something Sir?" Gesturing she continued, Andy spoke "The team is curious about you not joining us for meals.." Robert laughed and Andy looked confused.

"I wasn't expecting that…" What he wouldn't say was that he thought it had to do something about her staring at him for a few mins through the glass. "I think you should all have your freetime plus being the boss doesn't give me the luxury of having friends."

"But I join them? They would be comfortable having you around and well they don't bite..You know you don't need to pour your heart out or anything, it's just eating and you could learn a thing or two about them that can be helpful in the field"

"I appreciate the gesture but I'm okay. You should continue to enjoy the time with them though." Andy couldn't understand why he was so dismissive but at least she gave it a try.

She nodded and turned to leave. Before closing the door she managed to voice

"By the way, you should smile more." She quickly hustled down the steps to avoid hearing a response from him if any. Not fully understanding why she made the comment, she found any and everything to do so she could forget what just happened. Robert on the other hand was shocked at her statement but couldn't help smiling at hearing those words and he replayed them in his mind.

After that little interaction, he'd smile at her whenever he got the chance and she'd return the gesture. They didn't talk much but that smile gesture was enough to reduce whatever tension there was and make them feel somewhat comfortable talking to each other.

On shift 5 days after, things between them spiraled and not for the good. They had gotten called to a big fire that required Robert's presence. Once he took over the scene, in an attempt to strengthen the team and see if they've been practicing to be more efficient he assigned them new tasks. Ben was partnered with Vic on search and rescue and in an attempt to please him, Ben went after a victim and unforeseenly got cut off and was on his own. It took some time for the others to get to him and luckily he and his victim were uninjured. Everyone was just glad he was okay but the Chief wasn't pleased. What made it even more of an issue was that Ben has a history of going off trying to play hero and breaking rules.

As they all disembarked from the Engine, Ladder and Aid Car, clearly exhausted, Robert hopped out of the Battalion vehicle and spoke, "I think we all learnt a valuable lesson today about why we don't freelance. Isn't that right, Mr Nomad?"

An already frustrated Ben kept silent. Andy, however, took the chance to say "Don't talk to him like that." Indignation was clear in her voice.

"What'd you say?"

"We made a great save today, that old man would be dead if not for him. If he got a little too eager out there, it was only to prove himself to you."

"I don't like your tone Captain."

"I don't like yours...Ben and everyone else here have already proven themselves, you ought to treat them with respect. We aren't just assets you can push around...Chief."

Robert was clearly pissed by her attitude, "I want you in my office in 5 mins Herrera!"

Everyone looked around, clearly knowing this wasn't going to end well.

"Cap, you know, I appreciated that but it was stupid." Ben said, walking off giving her a pat on the back.

A few minutes later in the Chief's office, "I heard you could be hard to deal with, but let me say this, I don't abide insubordination! I don't know how your dad used to run this station...maybe you now think because he was incharge you know enough to go dismiss my directions...

You should know a firefighter shouldn't be running off on their own. I think you need to keep in mind it's a privilege to be where you are and it can be stripped away from you just as quickly as it was given to you!" He wasn't sure why he let out that last line but there was no going back now. Hearing those words triggered something inside Andy and she was now furious. Robert continued "..and how dare you talk to me like that in front of subordinates!"

"So me standing up for my team is an issue now? Well I won't step aside and let you not treat them with respect. You've been here for what...3 going on 4 weeks...and apart from the first interaction with them you've locked yourself away and all you focus on is rules, rules and more rules. We all thought you would've been different from how you were initially but I guess that was a show. Trust me we all understand the rules but being a leader is more than that."

With them both engaging in an intense staring competition, neither one refusing to stand down, it made the convo even more tense. Robert knew what it felt like to lose a member of a team when they disobeyed orders, while Andy was bent on supporting her people knowing she would've done the same to save a life, and afterall they were her family.

"You are right, being a leader isn't just about rules. Being a leader also means that you know how to respect those placed above you and it also means not being defiant in front of subordinates, clearly something you need to work on. Yes, you've been a firefighter and you have a fair amount of experience but you are still new to this, still using training wheels. I've been at it for years and I've been on several teams, lost men, good men. You said you were humbled to be chosen, how about you be humble and work on curving your team to take orders and accept criticism."

Feeling chagrined and not wanting to lose a job she worked hard for, the only good thing in her life, she took a deep breath and uttered "You know, we are all under your command, the least you can do is hear us out and try to understand our point of view. Ben's becoming a fine firefighter and you making subtle hints about his career change and mistakes as a way to make him doubt himself is quite low. I'm prepared to face whatever consequences but he deserves better."

She did hit a nerve with that comment as he knew she was right. Needing time to think, he replied "You're dismissed. We'll talk about how to move forward soon."

Andy turned on her heels and headed to her office. As she got to her office she huffed and started rearranging the books on the shelves in her office, her coping mechanism when she's mad. She needed to calm down seeing how Robert's words really fazed her. She knew he had a point but she was too stubborn to admit it. The more she thought about it, the more she worried. At the forefront of her mind was whether he would add it to her record or not. She couldn't afford to be written up for something as simple as this, standing up for her team. He was unreadable and that annoyed her the most. Yes, he was angry but she had valid reasons and he couldn't ignore those and him telling her he'd follow up didn't give her any positive affirmations.

They both went through the day on edge. In fact the entire station was walking on glass afraid to cause a further rift between both of them.

"So guys who do you think will break first mom or dad?" Vic whispered as she came up behind Dean and Travis.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Herrera and Sullivan. Don't you see how pissed they both were? Acting like parents. Plus we all could practically hear them shouting at each other from his office."

"I'm just trying to stay clear," Travis commented.

"So who are we betting on?" Vic asked, clearly unphased by their comments.

Trav spoke up first "I say Herrera, she has a lot on the line"

"Yea me too" Dean added. Vic grabs their 10s and skips off to go find the others. With everyone making bets, they all kept an eye on the two to see hints of what would happen. Unfortunately, they didn't get any results going into the night so they determined it would be in the morning.

It was 7am and it was the end of the shift. With nothing new the team said goodbyes and agreed to wait until the next shift.

Andy and Robert were still at the Station, both still working and clearly having their disagreement in mind. Robert took the initiative to go to her office since he did say he would have a convo with her.

He knocked and made his in. "Chief, hi" she quickly said, now fumbling with the documents before her.

"I think now would be a good time to talk. The others have left so we can have a conversation in private" Andy nodded in agreement.

"I understand that these past weeks I came off as being distant and that didn't reflect well on me as a leader. I should be able to communicate well with my team and make efforts to hear you out. Not doing so may have made you doubt my intentions and it felt as if I didn't respect you and your team. I want to assure you that's not the case. I do respect you, and them. You are more than an asset"

"Thank you. I must apologize too for my behavior. Thinking deeply on it, I wasn't setting a fine example as a leader on dealing with differences.Just so you know I will still stand behind my team, I'll never go down without a fight. Like you said though, I'm still new to the role and I have hopes of learning valuable skills from you.."

"That's a good trait, standing up for your people. It's what I've heard about you.."

"Oh?"

"I think us working together will help the team even though it may be a challenge. I'll try to be more interactive and I could use some suggestions, you seem to be able to balance being their companion as well as their superior."

"Sounds good sir."

Neither expected that convo to go by so smoothly since they were both strong headed people, each had thought about having to fight for what they thought was best and see who had more power. A good compromise though definitely leveled the field. That convo though paved the way for a potential friendship between them and it was now a matter of when and would they let down the walls built to get there.

The next shift was different. Anyone could sense the tension had lessened and more importantly they saw the Chief join them for a meal. Eyeing each other, they were all curious about what happened.

Andy walked in and was shocked to see Robert. She greeted those in the room with a "Morning" and grabbed a plate.

As she walked by the table she sat beside Robert. "Chief, nice of you to join us.

He smiled in her direction and continued eating. The whole team watched the exchange and as expected needed to know what changed.

Some time after while Andy was in her office she was bombarded by Vic and Maya. "So do we want to share what changed?" Maya asked.

"Nothing. We just came to a mutual agreement to stay civilized at the station."

"Oh. So you didn't jump him after that heated argument and made him rethink his choices"

"Vic!" Andy and Maya shouted simultaneously.

"What?! Girl you need to release tension. He's hot hot and you're both available, at least I think he is. You know what, we are going out on Friday, all of us. I'll even leave it to you to ask our 'Battalion Chief'

Vic quickly dragged Maya out before Andy had a chance to back out or say anything.

With Robert making an effort to interact with the team when he's at the firehouse, things had been developing calmly. He didn't always join them for meals but he took an interest in them individually, getting out of the office, and learning first-hand what was happening.

It was finally Friday and they all made plans to hang at Joe's bar for the evening. Robert had said he'd possibly stop by but couldn't make any certain promises.

The girls and the guys split up and both groups went off to do whatever suited them.

"You know Andy, I think you may have the Chief wrapped around your finger but that's good. You're a good influence on him" Vic spoke clear signs she has had one too many drinks. "Hear me out, I think he likes you and despite what you say I think you feel a little something something for him too"

"Oh you're delusional. I barely know him and we've only been interacting more for like a few days" Andy glanced at Maya looking for some back up.

"She kinda does have a point, Andy. It's small but it's there."

"Sometimes I wonder why I trust you ladies, you're both clearly out of your minds." She grabbed her beer downing it.

"Speaking of, look who just walked in'' Maya whispered with a clear smirk. Glancing at the door, she saw Robert walk in and his gaze landed on her. She shot back a quick smile and he made his way to the counter across from her. With enough nudging she walked over to him.

"Didn't think you were the socializing type" she joked as she sat beside him.

"Well someone convinced me it's a good way to show the team I know how to have fun outside of work."

They both maintained a pretty stable conversation throughout the night and every now and again watching the others have fun. Maybe an hour after the girls came and dragged Andy on the dance floor to let loose with them. As she danced along to the tune of the music, sweat shimmered across her entire body and Robert's eyes never left her body. He couldn't help but admire her and he wished he had the courage to dance with her but that wasn't him.

Soon enough she was back, barely catching her breath. "You looked really good out there" were the first words that came from his mouth.

You could see her smiling ear to ear, "Having a background in dance certainly pays off"

More relaxed they both got chatting. Andy felt good talking to him; more than she expected to. She had a few beers which loosened up her more, so much so that she didn't realize that the others had left. Robert offered to take her home once he realized it was getting late.

Later in the night, Robert's actions and the words that escaped his lips caught Andy off guard and she didn't know how to respond. It happened while he walked her to her steps, "I had a good time tonight, enjoyed the company" Andy spoke.

"I had a good time too. Thanks for the invite. You know I actually learnt a lot about the team and you.."

"Me? What'd you learn?" She questioned turning to face him.

As their eyes met, he couldn't help but notice the twinkle in her eyes and the innocent smile she had on. The moonlit night truly showed her features intricately and he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He edged closer to her "Well for one, you are quite fun outside of work...you aren't that much of a workaholic as you think."

"There's so much you don't know." Andy said as she laughed at his observation.

"I'm open to learning"

Surprised by his bluntness, she smiled without saying anything. Robert's body though had a mind of its own and he was now moving even closer to her taking her lips to his. Shocked. Frightened. Caught off guard really, but she also felt comfort in that kiss. His soft lips against hers made her forget who this was, her boss. This would really complicate things but in the moment that wasn't a priority.

Coming down from cloud 9, she realized the position she was in. Pulling away she was speechless. Clearly reddened from their heated moment, she struggled to find the words to dispute what she clearly wanted. "W-what just happened?"

"We kissed," he said bluntly.

"We??" She queried, signaling between them as if there were others around.

"Yea, you kissed me, too" he said reassuring her she wasn't dreaming.

By now she was panicking, "Oh dear. I-I really shouldn't have done that"

"Oh? Why not?" Robert asked, he was obviously missing something.

"T-This isn't me…"

"No, no, no, this is you"

"That's what I've been trying to show you, tell you. I'm a firefighter, well a Captain now and I still have a long way to go. My career has always been everything to me and I even have a 5 year plan."

"You do know you can do that with me, right? All of it. We're a great team"

"You're my boss"

"Okay, I'll fire you then…" she stopped and looked at him. He'd obviously gone mad.

"What?!?! Are you crazy?" She was now shouting.

"Sorry, that came out wrong…" she cut him off "I need to maintain a 100% focus on my work and it's all I want and all I have time for"

"So you're telling me you didn't feel something too?"

"That's not the point, Robert!" She responded by avoiding his question.

He held her arms keeping her steady "Andy, I'm falling for you"

Now all these feelings were confusing her, it was too much. "You don't know me and I don't know you. For all I know I'm just another girl you work with who you fell for."

Her words were like a sword to his heart. He sighed heavily, "Wow, well I guess it's time to look for another muse then."

Just like that he left her standing on her doorstep, alone, cold and confused. She probably just ruined her only chance at love.

The next day, tensions were high and this was even worse than their first argument a few weeks ago. This wasn't a typical Captain and Chief issue, this was about Andy and Robert, a hopeless love affair.

Around the team they put on a show, playing it cool but if you knew them well enough, they were only fooling themselves that they had things under control.

It took a lot out of her to resist her feelings, she had a plan and she had to stick to it. There was too much at stake and she couldn't fall in that trap many have fallen in, falling for your boss. It was ironic though, she had been falling for him. She thought about how things like this never happened to her. The universe never allowed her to meet a man who felt like Mr.Right. She now began to question why, what was this new feeling and why now? Why hasn't she felt it before?

The more she thought about it, she came to the conclusion that she'd never craved attention, never strived to have his eyes on her, and most certainly didn't make it her mission to have her superior infatuated with her. After that conversation that night though, things... well, they get turned on in her head.

Two Weeks Later

After a week, they had somehow managed to pretend that everything was fine. With the training coming up they were spending quite a lot more time together and slowly whatever was between them was building up. Robert tried to give her enough space, not pushing her. Meanwhile, Andy felt herself being pulled even closer to him and the waging war between choosing her job and love was more pressuring.

One fateful Thursday when they had a session together, she felt the need to talk to him. After talking to a close friend, she figured she had gotten enough courage to have a full conversation with him and settle things.

An hour later, she was making her way up to his office, prepping herself and going over the words she wanted to say to him. Soon enough she was there, she greeted him and they began the assessment. Throughout the entire meeting, she was quite distracted by her thoughts. After about 30 mins, they had covered everything and she had the chance to leave. She said, "Can we talk?"

"About?"

"Us, and how we left things a few weeks ago" He mouthed sure.

"When I kissed you that night, I've never felt those emotions before…I avoid relationships because I can't count on them, first my mothers death and then I lost my best friend." She stood up now pacing across the room "I've built my whole life on the one thing I can control which is my career..and then you came along - you confuse me, you push, I push back harder and I-I'm afraid." By now he had made his way across to her and reached out and held her stationary. She looked at him and as she spoke her voice crammed with emotion "Falling in love with you was the easy part; it's admitting to myself that it happened that's hard. You see I've had these very efficient defences for so long and now that you've brought them down I-I'm afraid I won't ever be able to put them back up."

A smile dangles across his lips as he strutted closer to her clearly having something in mind. With each step forward she took a step back, "Robert, Wh-what are you doing? I just poured out my heart here" Ignoring her, he continued making bigger strides and soon had her pinned against the wall. As someone who's been in a superior position for years and knew pursuing something with a subordinate could have hard pressed consequences, in this exact moment his mind wasn't his own and his primal instincts took over.

"Look at me." Although his deep bass tone sent shivers through her body, she refused to look up which only made him inch even more closer as he took a finger to her chin raising it slowly. Eyes now opened and peering directly at him she realized his lips were mere inches away from hers. She isn't usually one to let her guard down but with him she had no control. With his eyes piercing deep into her soul, her mouth watered as the tension built up within her body. With a raspy voice she managed to let out, "You know we're at work and we promised we wouldn't cross any lines. I-I can't afford to...I.." She was cut off by him placing a finger on her lips.

Robert had already had enough of their supposed truse to not be together because she had a plan, a plan which didn't give her time to feel things or act on what she felt. He was already hers, he was in love, his heart had been caught in her web.

He felt safety, comfort and unwavering trust. For the time he has been around her, the times they were close, he could be his true self no matter what. She made him better and in more ways than one her passion and stubbornness helped him renew his love for his career.

"Andy, my heart is, has been and always will be yours. I believe you're the right one and I didn't need eternity to prove that, all I needed was a month. I don't need to say much, just know I am yours, fully yours, believe it."

A person smiles with more than their mouth, and she could hear it in his voice, in the choice of his words and the way he relaxed. It was beautiful. She had enough confirmation she made the right choice. Not caring about anything else around them, she let herself be and gave into what she was feeling.

Still pinned against the wall, smirking at him, she said "So what are you waiting for? Aren't you going to kiss me?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he replies slyly.