Title: A First

Disclaimer: No I do not own any of these characters. They are the property of NBC and staff....

Show: ER

Genre: G

Pairing: John/Deb

Summary: John and Deb have their first date

The back of his hand grazed her smooth wind-kissed cheek. He felt her shiver under his gentle caress. She turned around in his arms until her back was to him; then she leaned back against him.

"This is beautiful, John."

"I thought you'd like it here."

She looked up at him, her eyes danced as the dim lights of the marina twinkled in her eyes. He felt his heart skip a beat. Their first date had gone perfectly.

He had shown up at her doorstep in one of his best suits. First impressions were always important. He wanted to look good for her.

She, on the other hand, had been stunning.

Her long, ebony hair had been swept up off her face, as it usually was for work. Except tonight...tonight she had thin, wispy tendrils softening her tanned complexion. She chose a short, flowing, spaghetti-strapped dress, which accentuated her every curve. It was rich navy blue in color and silky to the touch.

"You took my breath away, Deb," he whispered, as the image still lingered in his mind.

His lips grazed lightly against her ear, causing her to pull away slightly. He frowned. Was she upset?

She turned around and fixed those dark, chocolate pools on him; they seemed to search his in earnest, as if she had some unvoiced doubts.

"Why now, John?"

- & -

Their dinner down by the marina had been exquisite. John had arranged for a table down by the docks, with strings of small, white lights canopied above them. She had been on the verge of tears.

A gourmet meal awaited them, as well as a violinist, prepared to serenade her at a whim. They spoke about anything and everything. But somewhere deep down, she had wondered if this was all a dream.

"Why now?" he asked. An look of confusion etched his usually calm face.

Jing Mei pulled out from the warm comfort of his arms and walked to the edge of the dock. "Because we've done nothing but argue these past few weeks," she whispered softly. "That's not usually a prelude to a first date."

She swallowed hard. Every muscle in her body wanted him to reassure her, give her a logical explanation to the events of the past few weeks.

"I don't understand why after all these years, you've decided...you've decided you want," she spun around and motioned to the space between them, "this."

He stepped forward, closing the gap between them. She felt ill. Maybe she shouldn't have ignored the nagging feeling in her stomach. Ignorance was bliss.

They hadn't been getting along and all they had done in the past few weeks was fight. Everyone at County had steered clear of either her or John because of their mood. The only time their co-workers spoke to them was when it was necessary.

It had begun with a fight he had picked with her. She didn't even know what it was about anymore, just that he was always so tense around her. In fact, he had been avoiding her when possible, which hadn't enhanced their relationship.

"I," he paused. "This wasn't sudden, Deb."

Jing Mei felt her knees weaken at the gentle way he whispered her name. He was the only one...the only one to call her by that name.

"I have been thinking about us for a few weeks now."

The revelation surprised her.

Her heart was racing now.

"You have?" she asked tentatively.

This past year they had grown closer, spending increasingly more time with each other. To her, it had felt like they were...together. And then he had picked a fight with her and didn't speak to her for weeks, except for consultations.

Now...

Suddenly she felt his warm hands caressing her bare arms. Her breath hitched, as she hadn't noticed his close proximity until now. She locked eyes with him. "I..."

"Deb, you have been my best friend for more years than I can count," he revealed softly. "And it took this whole year to wake me up to..." His voice trailed off.

"To w-what?" Her voice croaked.

Her stomach was doing flip flops right now.

His eyes met hers; and slowly, as if Jing Mei were in a dream, she felt his lips tentatively brush against hers. She exhaled slowly, realizing she had been holding her breath for the length of their conversation, and slipped her fingers into his long, soft hair.

Jing Mei felt his hands grasp her waist and pull her body against his, as she deepened the kiss. Her heart was pounding so hard, she was certain he could feel it.

Finally breaking for air, Jing Mei stared into those lovely, hazel eyes of his, panting softly. She always loved his soulful eyes; they were a window into his deepest thoughts.

"You know," she smiled mischievously, "you've set the bar with this first date." She slid her hands down the front of his chest, fingering his lapels.

"Now how are you going to out do yourself for the second?"

He furrowed his brow. "You know I never thought of that," he chuckled. "What am I going to do?"

He pulled her in closer to him and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"You should've started out slow, like MacDonalds, and then worked your way up," she teased. Jing Mei relaxed in his arms. "Now it's champagne and caviar every night."

His fingers gently squeezed her waist, which caused her to jerk away instinctively. "Hey!" she pouted. "No tickling!"

He laughed at this and cupped her face in his hands. Her pulse quickened as he stared intently into her eyes, as if he could see right through her. "John," she breathed, slipping her arms around his waist.

Closing her eyes, she waited anxiously for his lips' gentle pressure. He made her wait. But when he made his move, the kiss was sweet and gentle. She moaned softly. She had been waiting for this light, fluttery feeling inside her whole life.

Now she had it. Tonight had been the perfect first date.

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Please feel free to review and leave me critiques, as that is what the reviews are for. Oh, note that this has not been beta'd :D

Sophy: Here it is dear. All for you ;)