2x23 Canon-divergence, in which Jake and Amy's undercover mission consists in playing a newly married couple on their honeymoon for a week.

(Inspired by the deleted pool scene in Timeless 2x03.)

The small, cool breeze of a mid-May night makes Amy's body shiver a little as she stands in front of the rooftop pool of the luxurious hotel that has become her 'home' for the past week now. It's quiet, up here, with the only audible sound the soothing noise made by the wind on the water and the distant, muffled buzzing of the always so busy streets of New York City below. The ideal spot for times like these, then, when she needs some space to relax, or when she simply wants to be herself, far away from any possible prying eyes who could blow up her and Jake's entire cover if they're not vigilant enough, wasting a week's worth of work – and even more before the beginning of this mission they've been assigned to.

That is, playing newlywed couples on their honeymoon to get close to some wanted criminal living there with his own girlfriend, worming some needed information out of him before arresting him.

From the outside, it might not seem like it, staying at a 4* hotel, sharing 'dates' with her supposed husband or spending lazy afternoons by the pool, but she's had a very tiring week.

Always having to pretend to be somebody else can be quite challenging, despite how good at being Johnny and Dora (the names they came up with for their personas) Jake and Amy have become day after day. Indeed, they don't have to think about it anymore, when they sit next to each other, that they need to stay close and look like they don't mind the invasion of their personal space – it only seems natural that they curl up against the other's side. It's also become a habit of theirs, as if their hands are working on their own accord now, when they walk around the hotel lobby and their fingers intertwine, exchanging a broad, knowing smile like the blissful couple enjoying their vacation they're supposed to be here.

They've apparently even come to a new proximity, as of just a few hours ago – getting as close as kissing in front of their perp after sharing another of their made-up 'love' stories during a double-date with the man and his girlfriend.

She tries to persuade herself they're just that good at putting up an act – but the truth is, sometimes, like tonight, she wonders if they're still acting or if this is what they want, deep inside.

As Jake and Amy, that is.

(She knows he does – he told her so before their assignment started, when she confronted him about creating a whole fuss out of it and asking – pleading – their Captain to make him go on the mission with someone else, arguing that nobody would ever believe they were married, even daring to say that he and Hitchcock had more chemistry together than the two of them.

"Why are you trying to keep me off this case?"

"Remember when you told me that you didn't want to date cops? I was kind of thinking about asking you out."

"Oh, okay…")

Footsteps coming her way suddenly takes her out of her reverie and, when she turns around to see who's disturbing her quiet moment, Amy finds herself face-to-face with Jake himself, a small smile curling up his lips when their eyes meet. She notices how he changed from the suit he was wearing during their 'date' to more casual clothes, his hair still a little wet from the shower he's just gotten out of and still was in when she last left the room. His face is brightened by the open lights inside the building, a dire contrast with the darkness of the night, framing his features in some shining glow, and she can't help but smile back at the sight of him.

"I knew I'd find you here."

He slowly approaches her, handing her one of the two drinks he apparently brought from their room with him once he's by her side – the perks of staying at a very expensive hotel (not to their own fee, much thankfully).

"I got worried sick when I didn't see you in our room, sweetheart," he teasingly says, making her chuckle lightly as he gently bumps his shoulder with hers, glancing at her with an amused, knowing grin – it seems to entertain him a lot, calling her by all the possible pet names he can think of when they play pretend – sometimes very ridiculous, shameful ones.

She'd be lying if she'd say she doesn't find it funny and somehow extremely cute, though, and that she didn't feel the tip of her ears burn and her heart skip a beat the first time he called her 'babe' for the sake of their mission (that's definitely her favorite, if she had to pick one – and he seems to have understood so, because it's also the one he tends to use the most when he can't think of new ones he's already called her by before, she noticed). But right now, while she quickly decided to play along and counter with something even more gnarly and embarrassing most of the times he comes up with this game, she settles for not answering anything back, simply rolling her eyes and shaking her head at his silliness. They end up sipping their cocktail in silence, the both of them with their gaze stuck in front of them, lost in their own heads and wandering thoughts, watching as life goes by down below, the city never going to sleep, even this late at night.

It remains this calm for a while, until Jake eventually breaks the quietness that quickly, though agreeably fell upon them, something on his mind bothering him.

"About earlier… I'm sorry I kissed you at dinner."

It makes Amy look at him with a frown, memories of the event coming back to her in a rush – how he took her by surprise, putting his hand around her neck and gently pulling her towards him, brushing his lips with hers without even a warning first.

(How her heart stopped, if only for a second, getting lost in the man's embrace as she finally kissed him back, eyes closed to better appreciate the exchange and feel it more deeply.)

"It's just… it seemed like Augustine was looking at us suspiciously and his girlfriend was waiting for me to do something after this 'romantic' story we shared with them." His gaze fixates on the liquid inside his glass, making it turn nervously with a swirl of his wrist, unable to meet his colleague's eyes.

But, much to his surprise, when he eventually manages a glance up at Amy, she's smiling at him – something shy, yet very soothing.

"That's okay," she says, and she means it. "You did what you thought was the right thing to do to keep our cover intact. That was pretty clever, actually. Some quick, professional thinking out there. Well done, Detective."

She tries to sound casual, as if their kiss didn't affect her at all, but her growing smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. Jake catches it – and he wants to say something about it, but chooses to remain quiet instead, simply smiling back at her silently. It's only when he's looking at the view in front of them again that he lets out, barely above a whisper, more like an inner comment than anything she's supposed to hear, "Yeah… very professional."

But she does, and inside her chest something cracks a little, recognizing the defeat in his voice, knowing all too well what this means – how for him, it didn't feel like he was simply doing his job.

And, if she's being honest with herself, it wasn't the case for her either. What she felt when their lips touched wasn't part of any undercover missions, and she's not simply that good at acting.

And maybe that's okay, she's ready to admit it, now.

"I'm tired of pretending," she eventually says out loud with a sigh, following her trail of thoughts. She doesn't look at Jake while she speaks, but he does – and, studying her form from the side, unable to restrain the small beam to cover his face as he watches how the faint lights around them work on her features, making her skin glow in the dark of the night and her brown eyes shine brighter, he doesn't know how he's supposed to react to that – what she means, what she wants him to say.

If she wants him to say anything.

"Are you implying you're not enjoying playing married life with me?" He gasps exaggeratedly, covering his chest with his hand theatrically. "That's very hurtful, Santiago. I think I'm an awesome fake-husband, thank you very much." He jokes, because it's the best way he knows how to handle such situations, and the amused sound she makes in response to that warms his entire body up, remembering a conversation they had with their perp's girlfriend during the week, and the way Amy looked at him while giving what sounded like a very sincere answer.

("So, how did you know she was the one?"

"He makes me laugh.")

Her expression soon turns into something a lot more serious as she looks back at him and intently holds his gaze, though, making him instantly lose his smug grin as well.

"Hey, look, the mission's almost over," he adds in a much softer voice this time, then. "Tomorrow night, we'll be back in our own, separate rooms in our own, separate apartments. Back to a life as being just colleagues. We won't have to pretend anymore."

There's a hint of disappointment in his tone he's hardly able to hide – because, in truth, he likes what they have, here. The world they created, just the two of them, with Johnny and Dora. And he's sad it's already coming to an end, knowing this whole week of playing pretend is the closest he'll ever get to a relationship with this woman he really likes. He respects her choice, of course.

But still, it sucks that she doesn't want him back – especially when he sees how easy it's been for them to fall into this new routine as a 'couple' and got a glimpse of what dating Amy would be like, and how great it seemed – even if it was fake. Not everything was for him.

(Sometimes, during the week, he dared to think not everything was for her either, when while in the intimacy of their room, the only place where they almost never had to fake anything, he woke up to her body pressed against his own, and her smiling, sleeping face hidden in the crook of his neck.

But then she'd wake up too, and become aware of their proximity, and would get up and leave straight to the bathroom, and he'd watch as her ears turned a new shade of pink in a blush, never bringing it up again when she was back in the room, already making plans for the day to come.)

"That's not what I meant." Her voice brings him back to the reality of the moment, surprising him. He doesn't answer anything, waiting for her to further explain herself, which she quickly does. "I mean, I'm tired of pretending I don't want this –," she pauses, gesturing between the both of them with her free hand, locking her eyes with his in an intent stare, "– thing between us."

Jake's not so sure he's rightly understanding what she's trying to tell him, that's why he asks, confused, "Wait. Are you saying–…?" But he can't seem to finish his sentence, too startled by this unexpected – though something wished for a lot – turn this conversation is taking.

"I don't want this relationship to stop when we're back home. Well, obviously, I don't want us to act like we're a married, just-coming-back-from-their-honeymoon couple but, y'know…"

She trails off, but doesn't have to say more this time.

There's a new glint inside his eyes and a true beam curling up the corners of his mouth when he answers, ever-so sincere, "I really don't want to go back to how things were before either."

She smiles, too. "Good."

And, with that, Jake takes a step closer, putting his glass aside so that he can grab Amy's waist with both of his hands and pull her close to him, never leaving her sight. It makes her giggle, and her heart beat faster in her chest at this new proximity, and her grin grow wider in pure happiness as well. They've found each other in this intimate position several times during the week already, but never before did she feel as right inside this embrace – probably because on this quiet, void of any witness rooftop, she knows she's wrapped between Jake's – and not Johnny's – arms.

And it makes all the difference, knowing they're not playing pretend anymore.

Nonetheless, she still stops him before their lips can even only brush, when he leans over and his face is just inches away from hers, worry coursing through her veins. "Wait, we're still on duty." She slowly, very reluctantly pushes him a little away from her, her palm flat on his chest to prevent him from coming any closer, the fear of being distracted from their job hitting her hard and not wanting to leave her mind once settled there.

In response, Jake simply lets out an amused chuckle. "Yeah, working as a couple. I don't think this will blow up our cover. If anything, it'll make it look more real, don't you think? Plus, we've done remarkable work this week, Detective, I say we deserve at least one night of taking advantage of this amazing hotel for realz before we leave."

His thumbs are gently skimming her skin over her dress as he speaks, reassuring her, and he can feel her body relax at his touch – or words – or probably both. When he falls quiet again, seeing her nod her approval after a quick thinking, he doesn't waste any more second and leans over again, pressing his lips against hers. She doesn't stop him this time, even deepening the kiss by abandoning her own drink too and encircling his neck with both her arms.

Again, it's nothing like the first one they shared a few hours ago – it's much better, and intimate.

It's real. It's them only.

They're both grinning widely when they part, trying to even back their breathing as they rest their foreheads against one another, unable – unwilling – to let go of the grasp they hold on the other. For just a moment, Jake looks away from Amy, his gaze suddenly drawn onto the empty pool before putting it back on her with a shining glow in his eyes, as if an idea just popped into his head.

"Y'know, I've always thought making out in a pool would be kinda hot." He nods towards it, grinning suggestively.

Immediately, her expression switches from loving to something more severe – daring, even.

"Don't you even think about it," she warns him, but the way she looks at him doesn't seem to scare him a bit. Quite the contrary, even – it only makes him laugh. "I am not getting this dress wet."

"Aren't you, really?" He teases her, then without another word, takes her into his arms and jumps into the water, dragging her along with him before she can realize what he's doing and thus prevent him from doing so.

Amy lets out a loud gasp when their heads are back on the surface, searching for air, and she splashes him with water in revenge.

"Jake!" She tries to complain but soon enough, between two laughs, his lips are finding hers again, shushing her with a searing kiss. She has to admit then, getting lost into his embrace, hooking her legs around his body as he holds her tight against him, kissing her again and again while the water hits them in waves, that it is kind of hot indeed, the two of them alone in this pool in the dark of the night, little drops of water falling from their hair and faces. She'd have stayed there if it weren't for her body quickly getting cold despite Jake's warm hug and hot kisses.

"Let's go back inside, you're shivering," he offers after a while, reluctantly pulling away from her, leading her out of the pool and back to their hotel room.

Once inside, he doesn't waste any second, going straight to the bathroom, where he takes out a bathrobe he gently wraps Amy in, stroking her arms vividly to try and warm her up. She doesn't leave his sight as he does so, biting her lip as she watches him work with a concentrated frown between his brows, taking care of her so sweetly. Suddenly, she stops him in his movements by grabbing his arm and stilling it, her fingers curling around his bicep.

She's already feeling much better now, thanks to him.

He finds her eyes, smiling softly when they meet, and after a few seconds of getting lost in each other's gaze, she gets up on her tiptoes to kiss him again, fiercely, already missing the taste of his lips on hers, walking towards the bed without letting go of the other.

(The next morning, as they wake up entangled in each other's arms, the bliss of the previous night still coursing through their veins, they decide it's better if they keep things 'light and breezy' between them and don't tell anyone about their little dalliance until they figure out what they are. Their supposedly secret relationship doesn't last long, though, when only a few minutes later Charles and Rosa, who've been working undercover as some of the hotel's staff the whole week to keep each other updated on the case, walk into them still naked under the covers and curled up in bed.

"Oh my god, Rosa, is this a dream?! Pinch me, I need to know if I'm dreaming." Charles lets out a loud shocked gasp at the sight, stopping still in his tracks when his eyes lay on the pair, grabbing Rosa's arm as his gaze wanders between his two colleagues' forms, unable to look away.

Rosa just rolls her eyes, though can't hide a small smile too, before she very happily obliges to his request and leads him outside, the older detective letting out a cry in pain.

"We'll come back in ten minutes…"

Left alone, Jake and Amy exchange first a horrified look, soon turned into a burst of laughter.

"Screw the rules?" he offers with an amused raise of his eyebrows, and she nods in return.

"Screw the rules." Before she kisses him.)