ABOUT US 3: The Good And The Bad 1/13
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M, Clay/Annika (eventually)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: If they belonged to me... no comment. :) JAG is property of DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: This story takes place two months after the events of About Us 2. The rest of the information related to LLNL and the different laboratories mentioned, as well as the current research on Nitrogen bond-dissociation is real, although not nearly as advanced as I make it in the story. Believe me, the world would be a whole lot different. Even though chemistry is a passion of mine, Nitrogen compounds is not my area of expertise; but if anyone is interested in further information about anything mentioned on this story, please don't hesitate to contact me. :) Enjoy...
Thanks a bunch to my incredible betas! You guys are the best!:)
PART 1
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
OCTOBER 12, 1998
It had been an extraordinary day. That morning, when he'd woken up, it had all seemed normal; nothing out of the ordinary. His wife of eighteen years had served him breakfast at exactly seven o'clock and then hurried upstairs to make sure their children were all ready to come down for breakfast before heading off to school. Everything had smelled the same it always did. The clothes he'd chosen the night before had been just where he left them, and he'd been ready for his day. He'd kissed his wife goodbye and dropped his two adolescent daughters off at school.
Traffic had been surprisingly forgiving, as he'd driven into the parking lot at work a few minutes before scheduled time. The coldness of the brisk winter day had hit him as he opened the door to exit his car and he'd smiled as he'd breathed in the cold air. Minutes later he'd sat in his office, quickly reviewing his notes as he'd gone over his presentation a thousand times in his mind.
Finally, the time had come and he'd walked the short distance from his office to the auditorium where his colleagues awaited his arrival. It'd been a special day for N Division researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as Dr. Rasdja had finally walked through the door and started his presentation.
It had gone overly well, and afterwards he'd headed off to have lunch with a few of his colleagues. Everyone had seemed pleased with the new developments he'd presented that morning at the lab meeting and they'd been eager to find out more, as it was always the case whenever new developments occurred in any laboratory at LLNL. Dr. Rasdja knew this, yet still he'd felt flattered by his colleague's attention. It had been a special day indeed.
Now, as the working day neared its end, he sat at his desk once more, with a smile permanently plastered on his face. Endless days and nights of research had paid off and no one would be able to take away the satisfaction he felt, evidenced by his wide lasting smile. No one would dare.
Finally, the time came to head on home, and with evident pride he strode out of the laboratory, and into the hallway. Turning the handle on the door he stepped through it and smiled at John, the guard who worked the night shift, and who was always there at five o'clock on the dot. It was already dark outside and he pulled his coat a little tighter around himself as he made his way towards his car.
Keys in hand, he neared the vehicle. The bright red of his new SUV was hard to miss, even in the darkness of the night, and he swiftly pressed the tiny button that unlocked the car and disarmed the alarm. Once inside he sighed and smiled at his own reflection in the rearview mirror.
It had been an extraordinary day. The end, however, would be anything but. A blaze of fire enveloped the vehicle and its owner as soon as the key was turned to start the car, and at once the force of the explosion had rattled the windows on which the fire's reflection was so clear. People ran out the door and stood horrified at the scene unfolding before their very eyes. Their colleague, their friend was in that car and there was nothing any of them could do. The firemen arrived shortly after, followed by the police and later the FBI as they all tried to make sense of the situation.
A man was lost that day. A scientist, a researcher, a friend. But also a father, a husband, a brother, and a son. But the man was not to be forgotten, and neither was his work. His visions of a new generation of nitrogen chemistry was to revolutionize industrial as well as academic research.
Nitrogen. In the days that followed, some spoke highly of Dr. Rasdja at his memorial service. Some offered words of comfort to his family. Some wrote about him. Some prayed. Some simply thought about him and kept the rest to themselves. The investigation of his death went on for a few months until it died down quietly, no one ever knowing who had truly been behind it. No one but the one who had been responsible.
Ironic, some would say, how the one thing he'd spent years trying to develop and further had been the cause of his very death. Ironic. Science. The good and the bad.
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
LIVERMORE, CA
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2002
"You wanted to see me, Dr. Jones?" Nicole Avery asked as she entered her Principal Investigator's office early that morning.
"Yes, Nicole. I just wanted an update on your work this week, since you're leaving tomorrow for the meeting at Georgetown University."
Nicole quickly took a seat and proceeded to open her lab notebook, which she kept in perfect order. "I finished the data analysis from the real-time RT-PCR data you requested. The order for the primers and GAPDH fluorescent probe has already been sent, and I'll make sure to leave a full report on your desk today before I leave."
Dr. Jones nodded approvingly. "That's good work, Nicole. So far, you've proved yourself to be on the right track towards a brilliant career in biomedical research. I'll look forward to your report."
"Thank you, Dr. Jones" Nicole answered with a bright smile on her face and stood to leave the office. Dr. Jones watched her leave and sighed. How had a first year graduate student like Nicole landed a job at LLNL? Sure, she wasn't doing any major individual research or anything, but her research topic at UC Davis seemed interesting enough, and she was sure doing her job well. Shaking his head, he went back to his work.
The day went by fast enough for Nicole, and once her time to leave approached, she went directly towards Dr. Jones' office and handed his secretary the report she'd promised. Collecting her things, she made sure not to leave anything personal at her bench, and headed out. Once safely inside her vehicle, she took out her cell phone and dialed.
"Hi, Don. It's Annika. I'm leaving the lab. I'll be there Thursday at 1535. Jones thinks I'm leaving tomorrow, so I'll have tonight to do some final poking around."
Don smiled at her choice of words to describe her work. 'Poking around' sure sounded less dangerous than what she was actually doing. "Great. I'll see you then, Nik."
"Okay. Don, what about Clay?" Don smiled at the other end. How dumb of him to even think for a second she'd forget to ask about Clay.
"He's doing fine, Annika. He's almost done over there tying things up. He should be back sometime this week. Now, be careful, cover your tracks, and get back here ASAP, Agent" Annika smiled, relieved that Clay would be back in Washington soon, and happy that she'd be getting a few days break from her investigation.
"Bye, Don"
ROCK CREEK PARK
WASHINGTON, DC
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2002
0657 EST
The cool morning air caressed their faces as they made their way down the smooth running track around the park. Running together in the mornings had been one of the first old habits they'd decided to take up again after the doctor had cleared Harm to exercise. Being the stubborn Sailor that he was, he had refused to stay inactive longer than he had to, and therefore, their morning routine now included a five-mile run around the park.
"Harm, you okay?" Mac asked, a little concern as she took in his breathing pattern.
"I'm...okay...Mac...just..."
"Okay, stop it right now, Sailor. Let's go a little easier here" she said as she slowed her pace and waited for him to do the same, which he was more than happy to do.
"Harm, you've got to take it easy" Mac sighed.
"I told you, I'm..." and that's all she needed to hear. Quickly stopping her jog, she caught his arm and halted him.
"You know, not even Jingo was this hard to tame, Squid" she finished with a teasing smile as she took in the tiredness and exhaustion on his face.
"That's because he was already trained when you got him, Marine."
Mac rolled her eyes. "Okay, we're done for today. Let's walk back to the car, and I promise I'll make you some healthy low-fat breakfast."
"Low-fat breakfast?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Well, don't want you complaining about my cooking being the reason for those tiny, tiny love handles you seemed to have worked up the past few months" Mac finished, teasingly pinching his side and opening her eyes wide as if she'd just pinched the side of a fleshy bulldog. Harm simply rolled his eyes.
"More like your cooking would be the cause of the heart attack I'd have if I ate like you, Marine. But since you don't cook..." Mac smiled.
"Harm, I'm serious. You'll get back to your old self eventually. You know this takes time" Harm sighed, both hands placed on his hips.
"I know, it actually took me longer to lose the weight I gained last year after my crash." He mused distractedly and missed the flash of pain and regret that crossed her eyes. Running away and not being there for him during his recovery wasn't a source of pride for her. 'Stop it. That's all over' she admonished herself and turned her attention back towards him in time to catch his next words.
"I guess three ejections and almost four decades on me doesn't help matters, huh?" Harm uttered, shooting a lopsided grin her way.
"Are you calling my boyfriend old?" Mac teased, effectively ending the strained conversation about Harm's less than excellent physical shape. Smiling, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and started off in a run towards their car, leaving a smiling Marine behind. "Race ya" he yelled over his shoulder, laughing at Mac's protests of unfairness.
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
SAME DAY
1834 EST
For the first time since the night before they were shipped to Afghanistan, Harm and Mac had a date. During the three weeks Harm had been under her care, they'd had the time of their life, talking, laughing, getting used to being together as a couple, and marveling at how incredible it felt to finally have each other in every aspect.
The past two months had been a roller coaster ride, not just for them but also for the entire office, and truthfully the entire world. The events that had taken place barely a couple weeks before were nothing if not unsettling. Every night, she'd close her eyes and remember the cheering and clapping aboard the Seahawk after seeing Harm fly by the carrier, with a missile on his tail nonetheless. They had been so excited about the deflected threat to the ship that they'd forgotten that one of the best pilots in the Navy was still at risk of being blown up by the relentless missile. It wasn't until the coordinates for the missile's resting place in the ocean had been reported to the Seahawk, that Mac allowed herself some amount of relief.
Shooting a general glance at the mirror, she studied her apparel and placed a stubborn lock of hair back behind her ear. Mac smiled in anticipation of the wonderful evening that lay ahead for her and Harm, but her smile died and a pang of guilt ran through her as she realized she'd be spending the evening, and possibly the night, with the love of her life, while Harriet was confined to her husband's bedside. Sure, Bud was alive. He'd survived the horrible encounter with the landmine, and according to the doctors, he would recover well enough and most likely be able to return to his duties as a Naval Officer.
Harriet had been so understanding, masking as best as she could the pain she felt as she tried to come to terms with her husband's fate. Harm and Mac had been there with her every second they were allowed, and somehow they'd been cornered into taking a night for themselves, alone. They'd agreed to watch little AJ for the weekend, so Harriet and Bud could have some time alone for themselves, but it still didn't make it feel completely right to go out and have fun while their dear friends were going through so much.
The doorbell brought her back from her thoughts and straightening the invisible wrinkles of her dress, Mac walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. There he was, the most handsome, wonderful man in the Universe, and he was there for her.
"You're four minutes late, flyboy" Mac said, a look of mock annoyance in her feminine features as she opened her apartment door. Harm always managed to leave her breathless no matter what the occasion, so she usually tried to get in her teasing comments before the effect he had on her seeped in. This time was no different. After two months, one week, two days, and 18 hours of being officially together as a couple, she still couldn't figure out how she'd been able to resist the sight of him for so long.
"You know, we could always find something more interesting to do over there..." Mac mumbled against his neck as she nibbled softly and turned him slowly towards the bedroom. Harm smiled. They still hadn't had the chance to connect intimately since returning from the Seahawk with Bud fighting for his life. Tonight might be the night.
"You mean you'd miss an opportunity to go out and show me off?" Harm countered with a smug smile on his face. Mac loved that side of their relationship.
"Hmmm..." Mac pretended to ponder the options, remembering the day they'd finally gotten together and she'd told him she wanted to show him off to everyone. "Nah, let's go out. There's enough women out there who still need to know who you belong to." He laughed heartily at her comment, elated at Mac's protectiveness of him, and even happier that she felt comfortable enough to show it.
A bright smile grew on her face as she took in his amusement, much like the one she'd offered him the first time she'd realized they were finally a couple. The memories of that night, before all hell had broken loose with the "Webb" mission, had sustained him during those long days he'd been trapped in Afghanistan. Their first night together had been wonderful, magical, a scene straight from a romance novel, but to his amazement, things just kept getting better, and Bud's accident had done nothing but strengthen that invisible bond they'd always shared.
In companionable silence, they made their way down towards Harm's SUV, and as always, he politely opened the door for her, giving her a peck on the cheek before going around to the driver's side. Once they were on the road, his hand reached out to grasp hers. Immediately recognizing what had become a routine gesture, she gently cradled his hand between both her smaller ones, and set them down on her lap. With the tip of her fingers, she began tracing lazy patterns on his bigger hand.
"I love it when you do that, you know?" He said quietly, turning his head to give her a bright appreciative smile.
"I know" she answered and smiled back as she placed a soft kiss on his hand and then set it back down on her lap to continue her ministrations. It would be an amazing night.
TBC
Author: LeE
e-mail: lee_81881@yahoo.com
Classification: Romance H/M, Clay/Annika (eventually)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: If they belonged to me... no comment. :) JAG is property of DPB and CBS. I'm just having some fun while procrastinating on homework...
Author's Note: This story takes place two months after the events of About Us 2. The rest of the information related to LLNL and the different laboratories mentioned, as well as the current research on Nitrogen bond-dissociation is real, although not nearly as advanced as I make it in the story. Believe me, the world would be a whole lot different. Even though chemistry is a passion of mine, Nitrogen compounds is not my area of expertise; but if anyone is interested in further information about anything mentioned on this story, please don't hesitate to contact me. :) Enjoy...
Thanks a bunch to my incredible betas! You guys are the best!:)
PART 1
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
OCTOBER 12, 1998
It had been an extraordinary day. That morning, when he'd woken up, it had all seemed normal; nothing out of the ordinary. His wife of eighteen years had served him breakfast at exactly seven o'clock and then hurried upstairs to make sure their children were all ready to come down for breakfast before heading off to school. Everything had smelled the same it always did. The clothes he'd chosen the night before had been just where he left them, and he'd been ready for his day. He'd kissed his wife goodbye and dropped his two adolescent daughters off at school.
Traffic had been surprisingly forgiving, as he'd driven into the parking lot at work a few minutes before scheduled time. The coldness of the brisk winter day had hit him as he opened the door to exit his car and he'd smiled as he'd breathed in the cold air. Minutes later he'd sat in his office, quickly reviewing his notes as he'd gone over his presentation a thousand times in his mind.
Finally, the time had come and he'd walked the short distance from his office to the auditorium where his colleagues awaited his arrival. It'd been a special day for N Division researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as Dr. Rasdja had finally walked through the door and started his presentation.
It had gone overly well, and afterwards he'd headed off to have lunch with a few of his colleagues. Everyone had seemed pleased with the new developments he'd presented that morning at the lab meeting and they'd been eager to find out more, as it was always the case whenever new developments occurred in any laboratory at LLNL. Dr. Rasdja knew this, yet still he'd felt flattered by his colleague's attention. It had been a special day indeed.
Now, as the working day neared its end, he sat at his desk once more, with a smile permanently plastered on his face. Endless days and nights of research had paid off and no one would be able to take away the satisfaction he felt, evidenced by his wide lasting smile. No one would dare.
Finally, the time came to head on home, and with evident pride he strode out of the laboratory, and into the hallway. Turning the handle on the door he stepped through it and smiled at John, the guard who worked the night shift, and who was always there at five o'clock on the dot. It was already dark outside and he pulled his coat a little tighter around himself as he made his way towards his car.
Keys in hand, he neared the vehicle. The bright red of his new SUV was hard to miss, even in the darkness of the night, and he swiftly pressed the tiny button that unlocked the car and disarmed the alarm. Once inside he sighed and smiled at his own reflection in the rearview mirror.
It had been an extraordinary day. The end, however, would be anything but. A blaze of fire enveloped the vehicle and its owner as soon as the key was turned to start the car, and at once the force of the explosion had rattled the windows on which the fire's reflection was so clear. People ran out the door and stood horrified at the scene unfolding before their very eyes. Their colleague, their friend was in that car and there was nothing any of them could do. The firemen arrived shortly after, followed by the police and later the FBI as they all tried to make sense of the situation.
A man was lost that day. A scientist, a researcher, a friend. But also a father, a husband, a brother, and a son. But the man was not to be forgotten, and neither was his work. His visions of a new generation of nitrogen chemistry was to revolutionize industrial as well as academic research.
Nitrogen. In the days that followed, some spoke highly of Dr. Rasdja at his memorial service. Some offered words of comfort to his family. Some wrote about him. Some prayed. Some simply thought about him and kept the rest to themselves. The investigation of his death went on for a few months until it died down quietly, no one ever knowing who had truly been behind it. No one but the one who had been responsible.
Ironic, some would say, how the one thing he'd spent years trying to develop and further had been the cause of his very death. Ironic. Science. The good and the bad.
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
LIVERMORE, CA
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 2002
"You wanted to see me, Dr. Jones?" Nicole Avery asked as she entered her Principal Investigator's office early that morning.
"Yes, Nicole. I just wanted an update on your work this week, since you're leaving tomorrow for the meeting at Georgetown University."
Nicole quickly took a seat and proceeded to open her lab notebook, which she kept in perfect order. "I finished the data analysis from the real-time RT-PCR data you requested. The order for the primers and GAPDH fluorescent probe has already been sent, and I'll make sure to leave a full report on your desk today before I leave."
Dr. Jones nodded approvingly. "That's good work, Nicole. So far, you've proved yourself to be on the right track towards a brilliant career in biomedical research. I'll look forward to your report."
"Thank you, Dr. Jones" Nicole answered with a bright smile on her face and stood to leave the office. Dr. Jones watched her leave and sighed. How had a first year graduate student like Nicole landed a job at LLNL? Sure, she wasn't doing any major individual research or anything, but her research topic at UC Davis seemed interesting enough, and she was sure doing her job well. Shaking his head, he went back to his work.
The day went by fast enough for Nicole, and once her time to leave approached, she went directly towards Dr. Jones' office and handed his secretary the report she'd promised. Collecting her things, she made sure not to leave anything personal at her bench, and headed out. Once safely inside her vehicle, she took out her cell phone and dialed.
"Hi, Don. It's Annika. I'm leaving the lab. I'll be there Thursday at 1535. Jones thinks I'm leaving tomorrow, so I'll have tonight to do some final poking around."
Don smiled at her choice of words to describe her work. 'Poking around' sure sounded less dangerous than what she was actually doing. "Great. I'll see you then, Nik."
"Okay. Don, what about Clay?" Don smiled at the other end. How dumb of him to even think for a second she'd forget to ask about Clay.
"He's doing fine, Annika. He's almost done over there tying things up. He should be back sometime this week. Now, be careful, cover your tracks, and get back here ASAP, Agent" Annika smiled, relieved that Clay would be back in Washington soon, and happy that she'd be getting a few days break from her investigation.
"Bye, Don"
ROCK CREEK PARK
WASHINGTON, DC
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2002
0657 EST
The cool morning air caressed their faces as they made their way down the smooth running track around the park. Running together in the mornings had been one of the first old habits they'd decided to take up again after the doctor had cleared Harm to exercise. Being the stubborn Sailor that he was, he had refused to stay inactive longer than he had to, and therefore, their morning routine now included a five-mile run around the park.
"Harm, you okay?" Mac asked, a little concern as she took in his breathing pattern.
"I'm...okay...Mac...just..."
"Okay, stop it right now, Sailor. Let's go a little easier here" she said as she slowed her pace and waited for him to do the same, which he was more than happy to do.
"Harm, you've got to take it easy" Mac sighed.
"I told you, I'm..." and that's all she needed to hear. Quickly stopping her jog, she caught his arm and halted him.
"You know, not even Jingo was this hard to tame, Squid" she finished with a teasing smile as she took in the tiredness and exhaustion on his face.
"That's because he was already trained when you got him, Marine."
Mac rolled her eyes. "Okay, we're done for today. Let's walk back to the car, and I promise I'll make you some healthy low-fat breakfast."
"Low-fat breakfast?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Well, don't want you complaining about my cooking being the reason for those tiny, tiny love handles you seemed to have worked up the past few months" Mac finished, teasingly pinching his side and opening her eyes wide as if she'd just pinched the side of a fleshy bulldog. Harm simply rolled his eyes.
"More like your cooking would be the cause of the heart attack I'd have if I ate like you, Marine. But since you don't cook..." Mac smiled.
"Harm, I'm serious. You'll get back to your old self eventually. You know this takes time" Harm sighed, both hands placed on his hips.
"I know, it actually took me longer to lose the weight I gained last year after my crash." He mused distractedly and missed the flash of pain and regret that crossed her eyes. Running away and not being there for him during his recovery wasn't a source of pride for her. 'Stop it. That's all over' she admonished herself and turned her attention back towards him in time to catch his next words.
"I guess three ejections and almost four decades on me doesn't help matters, huh?" Harm uttered, shooting a lopsided grin her way.
"Are you calling my boyfriend old?" Mac teased, effectively ending the strained conversation about Harm's less than excellent physical shape. Smiling, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and started off in a run towards their car, leaving a smiling Marine behind. "Race ya" he yelled over his shoulder, laughing at Mac's protests of unfairness.
MAC'S APARTMENT
GEORGETOWN
SAME DAY
1834 EST
For the first time since the night before they were shipped to Afghanistan, Harm and Mac had a date. During the three weeks Harm had been under her care, they'd had the time of their life, talking, laughing, getting used to being together as a couple, and marveling at how incredible it felt to finally have each other in every aspect.
The past two months had been a roller coaster ride, not just for them but also for the entire office, and truthfully the entire world. The events that had taken place barely a couple weeks before were nothing if not unsettling. Every night, she'd close her eyes and remember the cheering and clapping aboard the Seahawk after seeing Harm fly by the carrier, with a missile on his tail nonetheless. They had been so excited about the deflected threat to the ship that they'd forgotten that one of the best pilots in the Navy was still at risk of being blown up by the relentless missile. It wasn't until the coordinates for the missile's resting place in the ocean had been reported to the Seahawk, that Mac allowed herself some amount of relief.
Shooting a general glance at the mirror, she studied her apparel and placed a stubborn lock of hair back behind her ear. Mac smiled in anticipation of the wonderful evening that lay ahead for her and Harm, but her smile died and a pang of guilt ran through her as she realized she'd be spending the evening, and possibly the night, with the love of her life, while Harriet was confined to her husband's bedside. Sure, Bud was alive. He'd survived the horrible encounter with the landmine, and according to the doctors, he would recover well enough and most likely be able to return to his duties as a Naval Officer.
Harriet had been so understanding, masking as best as she could the pain she felt as she tried to come to terms with her husband's fate. Harm and Mac had been there with her every second they were allowed, and somehow they'd been cornered into taking a night for themselves, alone. They'd agreed to watch little AJ for the weekend, so Harriet and Bud could have some time alone for themselves, but it still didn't make it feel completely right to go out and have fun while their dear friends were going through so much.
The doorbell brought her back from her thoughts and straightening the invisible wrinkles of her dress, Mac walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. There he was, the most handsome, wonderful man in the Universe, and he was there for her.
"You're four minutes late, flyboy" Mac said, a look of mock annoyance in her feminine features as she opened her apartment door. Harm always managed to leave her breathless no matter what the occasion, so she usually tried to get in her teasing comments before the effect he had on her seeped in. This time was no different. After two months, one week, two days, and 18 hours of being officially together as a couple, she still couldn't figure out how she'd been able to resist the sight of him for so long.
"You know, we could always find something more interesting to do over there..." Mac mumbled against his neck as she nibbled softly and turned him slowly towards the bedroom. Harm smiled. They still hadn't had the chance to connect intimately since returning from the Seahawk with Bud fighting for his life. Tonight might be the night.
"You mean you'd miss an opportunity to go out and show me off?" Harm countered with a smug smile on his face. Mac loved that side of their relationship.
"Hmmm..." Mac pretended to ponder the options, remembering the day they'd finally gotten together and she'd told him she wanted to show him off to everyone. "Nah, let's go out. There's enough women out there who still need to know who you belong to." He laughed heartily at her comment, elated at Mac's protectiveness of him, and even happier that she felt comfortable enough to show it.
A bright smile grew on her face as she took in his amusement, much like the one she'd offered him the first time she'd realized they were finally a couple. The memories of that night, before all hell had broken loose with the "Webb" mission, had sustained him during those long days he'd been trapped in Afghanistan. Their first night together had been wonderful, magical, a scene straight from a romance novel, but to his amazement, things just kept getting better, and Bud's accident had done nothing but strengthen that invisible bond they'd always shared.
In companionable silence, they made their way down towards Harm's SUV, and as always, he politely opened the door for her, giving her a peck on the cheek before going around to the driver's side. Once they were on the road, his hand reached out to grasp hers. Immediately recognizing what had become a routine gesture, she gently cradled his hand between both her smaller ones, and set them down on her lap. With the tip of her fingers, she began tracing lazy patterns on his bigger hand.
"I love it when you do that, you know?" He said quietly, turning his head to give her a bright appreciative smile.
"I know" she answered and smiled back as she placed a soft kiss on his hand and then set it back down on her lap to continue her ministrations. It would be an amazing night.
TBC