You Pulled Me in and Together We're Lost in a Dream

"You owe me big time."

Jake lets out a grunt when the music stops and he abandons his partner to join Amy again, not amused.

It's not just the fact that she tricked him into dancing with an old woman who kept touching his butt during the whole duration of the song – it's the hope she brought to his heart for a second that she was asking him to dance with her. It filled his heart with utter joy and a well-known feeling he thought he'd locked away enough and damn, he was really a fool for believing he was over her.

(For believing she would actually want to slow dance with him, too.)

"Why's that?" Amy plays the innocent card. "You and Susan didn't click? Because you sure seemed to be getting along very well on that dancefloor."

Her eyes are shining with amusement as she's grinning widely. She's apparently still very proud of the prank she pulled on him. The softness with which she looked at him just mere moments ago while he was dancing and she was watching is still in there as well, hidden behind the newly retrieved playfulness of her expression and god, does she look adorable.

He's screwed.

"Ha–ha." Jake fake-laughs. "Very funny. But I guess at least she didn't step on both my feet at the same time. Not like someone else I know…" He teases back with a knowing beam because really, that's all he can do – he can't possibly tell her he would have rather shared a slow dance with her like he first imaged she was implying, can he?

They're friends. Friends don't share romantic moments.

(Friends don't gaze at each other the way they did during those full 3 minutes and 51 seconds of 'All Out of Love' playing in the background either.)

To be honest though, he would have shared a slow dance with anyone rather than Great Aunt Susan. But, in this endless list of people he would have rather danced with, Amy would have come first.

Yeah, even before Jenny Gildenhorn. And by far.

Seems like she is the one he's obsessed with and can't forget about, finally.

They keep going with their banter for a while and soon their shared moment is all but forgotten. They join the rest of their squad for a group picture, have laughs and drinks and friendly conversations, never staying apart for too long for the rest of the night. The thought of Jenny and her new 'boyfriend' doesn't reach Jake's mind once during the party – he's too busy having fun with his friends.

(Too busy having fun with Amy.)

That is, until the end of the night draws nearer, with part of the guests already gone, and the DJ seems to decide it's time to put back some CDs of soft music he already played earlier in the evening.

And of course, among them has to be the song.

"Are they kidding me?!" Jake pauses still in the middle of the dancefloor (Amy dragged him and their other colleagues there the minute the effects of the third glass of champagne she downed kicked in her system) as he immediately recognizes the melody filling the air.

I'm lying alone with my head on the phone…

Hearing the song again hurts but now it's not because of Jenny and stupid Eddie Fung and ruined bar-mitzvahs. Now it rather sounds like missed opportunities and pining for the woman across his desk at work – for the woman who's currently standing next to him and lets out a snort when she recognizes the music too.

"This is not funny." Jake pouts but it only makes her laugh more.

"I think it is." She offers him a bright, playful smile and he swears his heart might be melting in his chest.

There's a short pause after that, during which Amy seems to consider something before she eventually breaks the silence again.

"Wanna dance?"

At first, Jake thinks he might be hallucinating. He's had a few drinks and is feeling a little tipsy, after all. Hearing voices seems more likely that Amy asking him to dance together.

"With you?" he asks, seeking confirmation. He doesn't want to get his hopes up over nothing. Not again.

"Yeah, me with." Amy chuckles. It's probably the most beautiful music Jake's ever listened to in his whole life – even better than Taylor Swift's best tune.

(So. Screwed.)

"As you said, I owe you. Plus 3-Drink Amy is still kicking strong." Her smile is soft now and as he gazes into her eyes for a second, and sees the same glint in there as the one she looked at him with earlier while dancing with Great Aunt Susan, he understands that he is not hallucinating. She wants to dance with him – for realz this time.

Cool cool cool cool cool.

His heart is pounding, his mind is racing, filled with questions and what does this mean, does she still like me too or is this just Amy Dance Pants talking like she said it is but somehow, his voice is calm and sure when he answers her.

"Okay." He's pretty certain the smile he gives her back is the biggest grin he's ever shot anyone with.

The way they move around with the other couples slowly swaying on the dancefloor is shy at first. They don't get too close – Amy's palm is barely pressed on his side while Jake's hand brushes over her right shoulder, only touching her with the tip of his fingers. Their other hands are locked together as they take a few synched steps together.

Jake can't help but fear his hands will start to get sweaty with the nervousness he's currently experiencing and Amy will be able to tell, not wanting to show how much he's enjoying the moment too much.

They're just friends, nothing more.

But then he fixes his gaze onto Amy's, onto the bright smile and tender look she's shooting at him and his whole body relaxes in a second. Unconsciously, his grip on her body becomes firmer and she follows – he can feel her knuckles curling around his waist more as she grabs his suit and takes a step closer in his direction, invading his personal space a little more.

Jake lets out a small gasp. His heart is beating so fast and his whole body is burning so strong, he thinks he's most likely going to burst at some point.

He's got Amy Santiago in his arms and they're sharing a slow dance.

This definitely feels like a dream he's having – yet it's very real.

As seconds pass and the song progresses, they both become more and more comfortable around each other, getting lost in the moment, to the point that Amy seems to eventually stop fighting the intimacy and just closes her eyes and rests her head against his. They instinctively switch positions so that they're somehow wrapped into a close embrace and Jake hears her release a satisfied sigh.

At this point, he who used to hate this dumb song finds himself wishing the DJ would let it play on repeat forever, so that he never has to let go of her.

Because nothing ever felt as good and right as having Amy inside his arms.

(Even if she still smells a little like garbage from their previous adventures of the day despite her change of clothes and use of perfume to hide it – it truly doesn't bother him. If anything, it only reminds him of another great memory they shared together, going after a criminal all James Bond-stylez.)

They move around in soothing silence, never breaking apart and leaning onto the other. Lost in his thoughts, Jake lets his gaze wander around at the other people surrounding them and catches sight of Charles. His best friend shoots him a huge grin and two thumbs up, making Jake shake his head in return and roll his eyes.

This is not what he imagines. This is just a dance between two friends. Because that's what Amy and he are.

Friends.

He tightens his grip around her body and lets his own head lean against hers with a contented sigh too.

Eventually – unfortunately – the song comes to an end. They stop when the music does, but don't draw apart too quickly. His arms are still around her body when Amy looks up and stares into his eyes with a look in there that makes Jake swoon. (He's pretty sure his own reflect the same awestruck emotion – or at least that's what he thinks he's reading in hers; what he feels about her.)

They don't say a single word, simply keep their eyes fixed onto the other for a beat. He catches how for a split second Amy looks down at his lips and damn, if he was trying not to think about it too much before, it's all it takes for his mind to take him there now: he wants to kiss her so much.

And he easily could, really. Her face is only inches away from his – all he has to do is lean in and he could press his mouth against hers in a tender kiss.

And he almost does, really. Because it seems like she's thinking about the same thing with her staring eyes and slightly parted, lipstick-colored lips.

But then a new, more upbeat song rises into the air before he finds the guts to make a move and the moment is lost. Amy turns her head, seemingly a little surprised as they're brought back to the reality of where they are and suddenly they both become very aware of all the people surrounding them and how they're the only ones still wrapped in an intimate embrace.

She jerks away. Jake immediately misses the warmth of her body pressed against his.

They find themselves stuck in awkward silence for a few seconds after that – they can't seem to dare meeting each other's gaze anymore when only a moment ago they were drowning into the other's eyes. Jake clears his throat as he wants to talk – wants to ease the tension between them.

(Wants to tell her how dancing with her made him feel. Tell her he still likes her, and probably never stopped.

Build up some courage and actually ask her out.)

(Because what they shared… they were having a moment, right? He didn't dream all of this. He didn't dream all the smiles and looks and how perfectly her body fit against his. It had to be a moment. It couldn't be the way she dances with everyone – he danced with her in the past, and though it was really pleasurable, it never felt as romantic as it did here.

What differs is that they were on duty, though. So maybe itis how she dances with everyone – when she's not undercover on a mission.

Nah, that's crazy. It can't be. They definitely were having a moment… didn't they?

But if they did, what does it mean, then? Does she like him too?! That's a pretty crazy thing to think about as well, to be honest.)

He knows the only way to find out is by directly asking her. But Amy beats him at it, her voice taking him out of his spiralling thoughts.

"I, uh–… I need to go to the bathroom." She points towards somewhere opposite them, still barely looking at him. "Sorry." She doesn't wait for an answer to leave.

He doesn't stop her. Simply watches her go, with his courage fading more and more with each new step she takes further away from him and his heart tightening in his chest.

(So, so screwed.)

"So, you and Amy, uh? Is it finally happening? We saw you guys on the dancefloor. You seemed pretty close." Charles and Terry appear out of nowhere by his side and take Jake out of his contemplation, wiggling their eyebrows at him suggestively and it makes him sigh. This is definitely not what he needs right now.

"Calm down. It was just a dance," he quickly dismisses them.

"Just a dance?!" They unfortunately insist. They share a knowing look and laugh. "You guys were literally devouring each other with your eyes."

"We could feel the tension from the other side of the room," Charles backs Terry up.

"Psht. I don't see what you're talking about," he still denies, although he can feel his cheek start to burn in a blush at his friends' words.

He so wishes they're right.

He so wishes she does still like him too, and he'll finally find the guts to ask her out – before he does the same mistake of speaking up too late.

(He doesn't do it that night, as Amy is soon to leave the party after she comes back from the bathroom, pretending she's tired. On the next Monday when they meet again at work, he doesn't do it either as they avoid any talk about the wedding altogether and he feels like the time isn't right.

In fact, it still takes a few weeks to admit his feelings – in his defense, she does tell him about her rule of not dating cops when he finally builds up the courage to do it, which stops him right in his tracks – but in the end, it doesn't really matter how long it takes for him to do so. Because from the moment he eventually does, the moment he doesn't hesitate and kisses her, it signs the start of something good. The start of a lifetime together, making up for bad timing and missed opportunities.)