Author: Katelynne
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Josie, Martin, Danny, Vivian, and Sam.
Disclaimer. I don't own any of the characters from Without a Trace.
Description: Josie meets a man.
Category: Angst/Romance
Feedback: please, on list or off, walked up toward the FBI building and saw Josie standing out front. He raised his hand to wave at her, but stopped when he noticed the look on her face. She was on the phone and looked tense. He stopped and leaned against the building and good distance away to allow her some privacy.
Danny walked up, saw Martin leaning against the building and joined him. "What's up?" Martin nodded in Josie's direction, "That's what I'm wondering."
Danny and Martin watched as Josie hung up the phone and sighed visibly. "Let's find out." Danny suggested, pushing away from the brick wall and approaching the female agent.
"Hey Josie, you okay?" He asked her. Martin walked up behind him and looked at Josie worriedly.
"That was my mother... I'm sure it's nothing." Josie shrugged. "How 'bout we go inside?" She turned on her heel and headed inside. Danny started to protest, but Martin caught his shoulder, "Leave her alone. She obviously doesn't want to talk about it." Danny nodded his agreement and the two men walked inside getting onto the elevator with Josie.
Josie looked at Danny, "So, are you still seeing that girl from Vivian's party?"
Danny looked confused for a moment, "Oh Chris? Nah... that didn't last very long."
"Oh, that's too bad. She seemed nice." Josie smiled. Danny smiled back, "I'm never alone for long." He replied. Martin rolled his eyes as Josie burst out laughing, "You dog!"
They all left the elevator, "Will we see you at the Hail and Farewell tonight?" Danny asked, heading in the opposite direction of Josie and Martin.
"Yes, I'll be there." Josie smiled. Martin looked down at her, "You sure you don't want to talk about that phone call?"
Josie shrugged, "Like I said, I'm sure it's nothing. My brother, Sean, is in Iraq and my mom hasn't heard from him in about a week. I'm sure she's overreacting."
Martin shrugged, "Those guys get pretty busy. I'm sure it's just one of those times."
Josie smiled at him gratefully, "That's what I told her. I'll see you later." She left him at his desk.
Later that night, Josie walked into Shelby's Bar and Grill. She entered the conference room where the party was in full swing. She immediately found Sam at the bar. The woman was in high spirits and Josie wondered if it was the drink in her hand, or if it was something else. "Hi," Josie smiled.
"Hey!" Sam said, "How are you?"
"I'm good. You look great." Josie remarked, noting the bias cut dress Sam had worn. Josie looked down at her own black pinstripe pants and cashmere sweater and felt frumpy standing next to the tall blonde. She ordered DeWars on the rocks. "No harm in catching up with Sam." She thought.
The two women were making small talk when Vivian joined them. It wasn't long before they were all discussing Jack Malone's plans for the future. Sam lowered her voice, "I heard that he may not be moving to Chicago after all."
"Where did you hear that?" Vivian asked, pulling her to the side. Josie heard what sounded like Vivian saying, "You aren't involved with him again are you?" but was prevented from hearing more when she was interrupted by a voice beside her, "May I buy you another?"
She looked up and saw a man she didn't recognize, "I'm sorry?"
"Your drink is empty... I thought I'd get you another." He smiled. Josie noticed what a nice smile he had. It extended right up to his warm brown eyes. "Uhh, sure I guess."
The man ordered her another drink and handed it to her, "I'm Brian DeWitt." He told her.
"Josie Sinclair." She smiled back at him.
"From MisPer. I've heard of you. You're doing good work down there." Brian said, leaning back against the counter casually.
Josie wracked her brain and finally realized where she'd heard Brian DeWitt's name. "Oh... Agent DeWitt, from District! Sorry, I didn't immediately recognize you..." she blushed furiously.
"No need to apologize. I'm not such a egotist that I expect everyone to know me." He laughed. Josie giggled and immediately felt foolish. "My God," she thought, "I'm making an absolute idiot of myself. It's like I'm 12 again!"
Martin walked into the room and immediately scoped out where his co- workers were. Sam and Vivian were having a heated discussion in the corner, Danny was at a small table flirting with several women from logistics, Jack was nowhere in sight, and Josie was at the bar talking to Brian DeWitt. Martin groaned. He definitely did not want to go over there while DeWitt was sliming his way around. Martin walked over and joined Danny and his girlfriends.
"Hey." Danny grinned at Martin, "You know Sheila, Debbie, and Jane?"
Martin nodded at them as they got up to go to the Ladies Room. Danny shrugged, "Why do they always do that?" he wondered, as if women going to the restroom together was one of the key mysteries of the universe. "They're probably going in there to have a catfight over you," he said, all the while keeping one eye on the situation with Josie and DeWitt. Danny laughed, "Don't taunt me like that Fitzgerald," his eyes followed Martin's glance and he snickered, "Uh-oh, Josie is talking to DeWitt."
"I know. I'm keeping an eye on her." Martin said, "I'm sure he'll be leaving her alone in a moment."
Danny raised an eyebrow in Martin's direction, "Are you seeing the same thing I'm seeing? One, Josie is a good-looking girl. Two, DeWitt likes good-looking girls. Do I need to go on?"
Martin grumbled, "No." He wished he had a beer that he could occupy himself with. He certainly couldn't go to the bar and get one, not yet. As if reading his mind, Danny called one of the waitresses over and ordered a beer and a Coke. She left and Danny clapped Martin on the back, "Hey, if it bothers you that much, go over there and break it up."
Martin sighed, "Nah... Josie's a grown woman, she can handle herself. I don't know why I'm bothered by it at all. It's none of my business."
The waitress returned with the drinks and Danny paid her, "Keep the change." He handed the beer to Martin and chuckled, "Denial, ain't just a river in Egypt my friend." He clinked his can to Martin's bottle and took a swig.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Martin took a pull from his beer, looking at Danny inquisitively.
"I'm not going to tell you. It's something you need to figure out on your own." Danny smiled.
"Gee, thanks Confucius." Martin smirked. He drank from his beer again and glanced over in Josie's direction and noticed her leaning toward Brian DeWitt, laughing at something he'd said. Martin rolled his eyes and groaned disgustedly again. "You know, it's just... she's my friend and I'm worried about her. Is that so wrong?"
Danny shook his head, "I guess not... but, seriously, you're pretty worked up. Your jaw is clenched."
On the other side of the room, Brian was telling Josie a story about being on the ski team in college. Josie's head was spinning slightly from the alcohol and she decided it was time to go. "I need to head home." She told him.
"Let me walk you out and make sure you catch a cab." Brian suggested. Josie agreed and stood up. Brian held her elbow as they made their way to the exit. Martin saw them leaving together and felt sick to his stomach. He jumped up and rushed after them.
Martin caught up with them, right as they walked outside. It was bitterly cold and Martin was without his coat, but he didn't care. "Hey... what's going on?" He stepped between Brian and Josie, practically nose to nose with the man.
"Fitzgerald? What do you think your doing?" Brian glared at the other man, exasperation in his voice.
"I could ask you the same thing, Brian." Martin said.
"Martin?" Josie said behind him, pulling his arm, "What are you doing?"
Martin looked down at Josie, "Protecting you..."
Josie laughed out loud, "Protecting me? From what?"
Martin pulled her to the side, "You don't know what your doing. This guy is a slimeball."
"He seems nice enough to me." Josie commented.
"You're drunk. Your feelings are a little hazy right now." Martin told her.
"My feelings?" Josie raised her voice, getting angry, "I think the fact that your father is Deputy Director and Brian works for him on a local level is making your feelings hazy."
"That has nothing to do with it." Martin said, flinching.
Brian walked over to them, "Fitzgerald, what is your problem?"
"Just back off, DeWitt." Martin said.
Brian laughed, "A little jealous are we?"
"No..." Martin shook his head, "But, I'm not going to let you take advantage of a friend of mine."
"Oh I see. You thought... man, I was just making sure she got a cab." Brian gave Martin a disbelieving look. "But, I guess that's what you are here for." Brian huffed angrily and went back inside.
Martin breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Josie who looked like she was ready to breathe fire. "You thought I was taking him home?" She cried in disbelief, "Fuck you!" She stepped into the street and hailed a cab.
"What did you just say?" Martin's jaw dropped open.
"Fuck you, Fitzgerald. You need me to spell it out for you?" Josie stepped toward him angrily. "First of all, I can't believe you'd think I'd do that. Second, I haven't been with anyone but my husband... I don't take sex that lightly. Third, if I did want to take Brian home and screw him 8 ways to Sunday, YOU wouldn't be the man to stop me!" Josie got into the cab and slammed the door, leaving Martin standing dumbfounded on the sidewalk.
"Ouch." Danny said from behind Martin. "That hurt. You okay?"
Martin turned around. Danny was holding Martin's coat. "She called me Fitzgerald."
Danny chuckled, "That's what you're upset about?"
Martin explained, "She's never called me by my last name. She's seriously pissed at me." Martin walked over to the building and hit the wall, "Son of a BITCH!" He turned around and bent over, pain rushing through his hand, "What did I just do?"
"You acted like a total moron." Danny told him, "But your heart was in the right place."
Josie sat in the back of the cab crying. The cab driver looked at her in the rearview mirror, "You know New York Cab Drivers are like therapists. You can talk to us about anything and it'll just be between us."
Josie looked at the driver and smirked, "I don't even know what that was about."
"Looked like a lovers' spat to me." The cabbie told her.
Josie shrugged, "I suppose it did, but that's not what it was."
"What was it then?" the cabbie asked.
"Honestly? I really don't know... God, I'm so mad at him but I don't want to be. Isn't that screwed up?" Josie sniffed back more tears.
"Not if you care about someone." The cabbie said, "You care about him?"
Josie nodded, "He's my best friend."
"There you go." The cabbie said softly.
"Thanks." Josie said as the cab pulled up at her building. She gave the cabbie a nice tip for listening to her.