If CJ was thinking clearly she would have realized that the site of the Press Secretary running out of the theater was bound to attract the press's attention. As it were, knowing that Simon was alive and waiting for her obliterated everything else in her mind, until the flesh bulbs exploded through her closed eyelids.
She groaned and broke off their kiss. "I can't believe..."
"Hey CJ," yelled Mark Landry, from the Hartford Courant, "was the Secret Service protecting or serving just now?"
Simon swallowed the first ten words that came to his mind, but CJ, the consummate professional, put on her best Press Secretary smile.
"The Service just informed me that my stalker was caught," she said, and was rewarded with cheers and clapping. She didn't kid herself. She knew the distraction was momentary and they'd get back to The Kiss fairly rapidly. She turned to Simon. "Can you get us out of here?"
Simon nodded and began stirring her towards the security line. Passing by Mandy Lowry from the New York Times, the journalist called out, "Who is he, CJ?"
Still reeling from her very lucid waking nightmare, her emotions alternating between euphoria and terror, CJ blurted out, "you all know Special Agent Donovan."
Snickers, and Mark Landry again, "just how special is he, CJ?"
CJ considered revoking Landry's press credentials, before the rational part of her brain took over. Luckily, Mandy Lowry clarified, "The stalker, CJ. Can you tell us anything about him?"
CJ shook her head, saying, "I don't have all the information myself yet. I'll brief everyone tomorrow."
Simon's body language made it clear they were through, and he got CJ away from the shouted questions. They ran smack into Agent Barbara Layton, who grinned up at them. "Couldn't wait, huh, Donovan?"
"You have a point, Layton?"
"Actually, I do," she said. "Eagle asked for half-an-hour alone with the archbishop, so that gives you two some time. There's a nice place not to far from here. Cozy, intimate, good coffee, decent drinks, nice jazz -- perfect for a first date. Also, my sister owns it."
"Your what?" asked Simon, his mind preoccupied by CJ's demeanor. She looked pale and badly shaken. Something was up.
"Sister, Donovan, you know – same parents, two girls?"
"Oh, yeah, I have one of those. I didn't know your sister owns a jazz place."
"She's the black sheep. The rest of us are all military and law enforcement and she went for romance. Go figure."
Simon shook his head in mock disgust. "That's awful!" CJ punched his arm.
Agent Layton gave them directions to Jen's Place, and they walked off. Simon studied CJ closely.
"You know, you looked pretty happy to see me when you came flying out that door. Now you looked as if you've lost your best friend. What did I miss, and when did I miss it?"
CJ shook her head. "You're going to think it's ridiculous."
They reached Jen's Place and Simon turned CJ towards him. Gently cupping her face in his hands, he said softly, "CJ, whatever it is that's spoiling this perfect night for you can't possibly be ridiculous. Please don't shut me out when you've finally let me in."
CJ looked up at him and nodded. She turned towards the door and he followed her inside.
They found a corner table and sat down, appreciating the music (smooth jazz), low lights, and general coziness of the place. They ordered some drinks, and Simon leaned back, looking at CJ expectantly. "You're not trying to break up with me already, are you?"
CJ smiled and shook her head. "No, you're stuck with me, Special Agent Sunshine. I'm pretty tenacious."
Simon cocked his head, waiting for more, and CJ's smile disappeared. She took a deep breath and poured it all out. The waking nightmare her mind conjured up during the play – the convenience store, the guy on the floor, the guy Simon never saw shooting him. Hearing the news from Ron. "It was so real, Simon. I saw you die. I heard Ron breaking the news to me, and I felt myself walking through the streets, crying. I snapped back to reality when the applause started at the end of the play. But I can't shake that part of me that's grieving and, quite frankly, it freaks me out."
"Wow." Simon was quiet for a while, thinking hard. It disturbed him to think that on some subconscious level CJ could conceive of him as being so arrogant and careless. The convenience store scenario was completely out of character for him, or so he hoped, regardless of how distracted he was by her and their impending date. He looked up and said softly, "I made a mistake earlier tonight, when my phone rang. I turned my back to you and walked away, and at that time I was still your agent. It was a stupid thing to do. I was pretty sure what the call was about, though. Ron told me he'll have news for me shortly, so I was letting down my guard. I don't know if that obvious mistake played into your convenience store scenario, because, quite honestly, I don't believe there is any way I could be *that* careless and…well…dumb. Even the thought of *you* can't get me to act carelessly. I value my life, and I'd like it as an old man, not a dead agent."
He sighed and thought carefully about what he was going to say next. This was a road he'd been down before, and he hoped this time would be different. "You do realize that, implausible scenarios such as this one aside, there is always the risk I won't come home from work one day? I am who I am and this job is one that I love. But there is a very real risk in my job. Between my days in the Chicago PD and here at the Service, I've had a couple of relationships I would have liked to pursue, but they couldn't take the uncertainty. People enter serious relationships with the intent of growing old together. That's my goal, but I can't guarantee it will happen."
CJ looked at him, speechless, for a long moment. Then she said, "Did I ever accuse you of being *quite*? You just gave me a whole speech!"
"Please don't change the subject, CJ. This is important to me."
She nodded quietly, and said: "I don't want to be away from you. I think I'm realistic about the risks involved with your job. I'd worry about you and I'll cope. I promise not to let the worrying get in the way of our relationship."
"Good," he said happily, "I guess we won't have to worry about this aspect of my job complicating things."
"Well, considering the way we started this relationship, how can things possibly get more complicated? "
"I could be assigned to Governor Ritchie's security detail."