Blind Date

Note: YES, This is a Jack/Nora story…so if you do not like the idea, you might not want to read this…Please review my story!

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters, I'm simply borrowing them for a story, so please, don't sue me.

*************

Nora packed up her brief case, put on her coat and started out of her office. She had a blind date to get ready for. She hadn't been looking forward to it; she hated blind dates and could have killed her friend Jeanie for setting her up. Though she promised Nora that the guy was smart, sweet, and handsome and had all the qualities that she liked, Nora was weary to the idea of going. It had been seven years since her husband passed away, she finally got up the nerve to start dating again, three years later Jack McCoy came into her life. They had stopped seeing each other after a fight over one of his cases, sometimes she wished she wasn't so stubborn.

"Nora, wait up" Jack called after her.

She stopped and waited as he hurried towards her, briefcase and helmet in hand.

"Still riding that hunk of junk I see" she grinned noticing his helmet.

"How about a ride?" he teased, he knew she hated him riding his bike, they argued all the time while they were dating about it, and she always worried about him.

"Not if my career depended on it" she smiled.

They got on the elevator and Nora pushed the button for the first floor.

"Congratulations, I see your miles ahead in the election" Jack said shifting his helmet to his other arm.

"Yes, Thank-you. I must admit, It's quite a surprise!" she said.

"Why? You're the best D.A. I've ever worked with."

"Are you sucking up to me for something?" she asked.

"No, it's true."

"Well, if I can impress Jack McCoy I must be good enough to impress the voters" she said as the door's opened.

"Getting nervous for the big night?" he asked referring to the upcoming election.

She cleared her throat "Oh, no big deal!"

"Liar" he smiled. He could tell she was terrified.

"I don't know how I should react, I feel like a substitute teacher, this whole job hasn't been quite real to me."

"I hope I haven't made it too difficult for you" he grinned childishly.

"Just a little" she laughed.

They walked out of the building together and he followed her to her car "Have a good night Jack" she smiled, not really wanting their conversation to end.

"You too boss" he smiled and walked towards his bike.

She got in her car and watched Jack go the opposite way on his bike. She hoped she would win the election just so she could work with him, she knew that their relationship as lovers was over, it saddened her, she missed their quiet fire side nights together on the floor of her apartment. She missed the feeling of him holding her at night, and waking up in his arms. When she arrived home she threw her briefcase on her bed and opened the doors to her closet. She had no idea what to wear. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to go on the date now that she had Jack on her mind. She decided on her favorite outfit, her black dress with the red overcoat.

Jack put up his bike and went in his apartment. A friend of his set him up on a date, which he wasn't looking forward to. He didn't want to go out with another woman since he and Nora broke up. Working with her didn't make things easier, she was everywhere and he couldn't get her out of his mind. He still loved her more than anything, but he knew that she would never date him again, not with their jobs on the line and her position. He hated himself for being so stubborn, if he had apologized all those years ago for seeing one of his ex- girlfriends and hadn't lied about it, they might still be together. He changed into his favorite blue sweater and black dress slacks, got his wallet and started out. On his way to the restaurant he ran excuses through his mind on how to get out of the date if it didn't go well.

Nora paced outside the restaurant awaiting her date. He was late, and she debated weather or not she should just leave. Jack came up behind her and touched her shoulder "hey, what are you doing here?"

"Jack, Hi. I'm waiting for my…friend" she didn't want to say date, "how about you?"

"Same. A friend of mine set me up. I'd rather be having a root canal though" he smiled.

"Same here" she said with a laugh. "Honestly, this is a blind date" she sighed.

"Why would you need a blind date? You've always had tons of guys goo-goo over you" he said.

"I have not" she blushed. "I haven't dated anyone, since…well…you."

"Same here" he smiled.

Nora watched as a short, chubby man clumsily walked up the street with a piece of paper in his hand. He appeared to be looking for someone. "Nora? Nora Lewin?" he asked.

"That's me" she sighed.

"Hi, Hi…I'm John Phillips. Wow, you're even more beautiful in person!" he sighed.

"Why, thank you. John" she looked up at Jack with a small smile.

He took her arm and led her inside. She turned to look at Jack; he waved to her sympathetically, smiling.

John pulled out a chair for her and tripped as he walked to his own. "Are you all right?" Nora asked.

"Yeah, I'm a bit accident prone" he said.

Jack walked in with his date and winked to Nora. When he'd seen her outside he had hoped that she was his date. His date sat across from him and went on and on about nothing. He'd managed to tune her out over her Fran Dresher like voice. All through dinner his mind returned to Nora. He'd look over at her, longing to be by her side. She looked depressed with her date that was constantly spilling something or making an absolute mess. Jack decided to put an end to it all. "Um, Maggie, you know what? I just remembered, I forgot something at the office, I really need to go."

"Oh, but Jack, we only had dinner. Don't you want to…get to know me better? She grinned and touched his hand.

He lifted his hand away from hers. Definitely not, he thought. He'd only known her an hour and was already sick of her "maybe some other time" he got up, paid the bill and went outside to a pay phone.

Nora watched as John picked his teeth. She rolled her eyes and looked towards Jack's table, he was gone and so was his date. She sighed; things must have gone better for him she thought. She made a mental note to kill Jeanie for setting her up with this loser and stared at her watch, hoping this date would end soon.

"Ms. Lewin, there's a phone call for you" the maitre de said bringing them their bill.

"Excuse me, John" she followed the maitre de to the lobby. Jack grabbed onto her shoulder and pulled her into the men's room where he had snuck in to wait for her.

"Jack? What the hell are you doing? She asked as he locked the door.

"I need to talk with you" he led her to a bench in the corner and they sat down.

"Jack, I have a phone call…"

"-I called you," he said.

She looked at him with a smile "you did? But why?"

"Because you shouldn't be here with that shmuck. You should be here with…me."

"Oh, Jack" she said softly.

He put his hand on hers "I have never gotten over you, Nora. I never will" he rested his hand on her cheek.

"You haven't?" she asked softly.

He shook his head "No." She smiled and hugged him; he rested his head on her shoulder. There was a loud bang on the door "what's going on in there? Open this door right now!" a man, yelled.

Jack sat up and looked into her eyes "Do you want to ditch that jerk in there and come with me?"

She leaned forward and kissed his head "I'd follow you anywhere!"

He took her hand and they rushed out of the building, both of their dates staring after them angry, and sad.

They laughed as they raced through Central Park under a tree, holding and kissing each other.

"Did you see their faces?" Nora laughed.

"Your date looked like he was going to cry!" Jack said.

"I'll send him an apology letter," she said.

They stared deeply into each other's eyes, wondering what to do next, and slowly put their heads together in a long passionate kiss.

"Jack, we really shouldn't" she mumbled. "It didn't work out before, what makes us think it will now?"

Jack led her to a carriage paid the driver and they got in "love" he smiled "I never stopped loving you Nora. I never will. We never should have broken up."

Nora touched his face "I never stopped loving you, Jack. And I never will stop. But we tried this before…"

"-Last time, I was depressed" he sighed "I was depending to much on scotch to get me through the day than anything. I had just lost someone very special..."

"Claire?" she asked.

"She was like a daughter to me" he smiled "I blamed myself for her death, and everyone around me. I took it out on you and I regret it now more than anything."

She could see the sadness in his eyes "Come here," she whispered, taking him in her arms. He rested his head on her chest, relaxed in her embrace.

They enjoyed the carriage ride in silence, holding each other closely, sharing occasional kisses. They got off and walked hand in hand towards Jack's apartment, where they spent the rest of the night shut up in his bedroom.

The End

Here's a cheap plug to my website…hehehe…

www.jackandnora.cjb.net