A/N - This is probably going to be the final chapter. Unless I'm stuck by a bolt of lighting when I end it. I'd like to thank all those who reviewed, it means alot to me. :) So, just as a fair warning, if you haven't figured it out already, this fic is hitting an "R" rating this chapter. Fluff. Glorious fluff. Anyways...on with chapter six. Hope you enjoy.

-- SIX --

"Easy there tiger." Renee laughed as she backed into the elevator, as Garret captured her lips with his as the doors slid shut behind them. "Press doesn't need footage of this." She laughed again and looked in his eyes.

"I don't give a damn about the press." Garret grinned and then eyed the emergency stop button on the elevator's control panel.

"Do it and you're staying in the hallway." Renee arched her eyebrow with a smirk, before pushing him backwards as they doors opened on her floor. "Punk."

"Ooh...fiesty...I like that." He laughed as they walked down the hall, and he stood back while she opened the door. Once she'd stepped inside, he followed her in and the door was promptly shut, hard, and he was thrown back against it, her lips pressed against his as she threw the deadbolt.

"Fiesty enough?" Renee smiled sweetly as she pulled away, before she turned and walked away, pausing at the table to set her purse down and remove her earrings. "Come on in, make yourself comfortable."

Garret just looked at her for a long minute, leaning against the door. "I'm comfortable." He muttered softly, before walking over behind her. "How about you?"

"I'm...okay I guess." She sighed softly as she reached up, running her fingers through her hair. She turned and looked at him. "Need something?"

"To do this." Garret leaned over and kissed her deep, letting his tongue probe her mouth gently as he picked up the taste of scotch again.

She pulled away after a minute. "I believe we're both terribly overdressed for this...don't you?" Renee smiled again at him before she sauntered away into the bedroom. "Oh, and you have to stay out here."

"What if I want to help?" He grinned wolfishly and paused at the bedroom doorway.

"Then get your ass in here." She grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss. "You first." When he reached for the buttons on her blouse, she slapped his hand away. "No, yourself."

Garret stepped back as he realized what game they were playing. He thought for a second, before pulling off the short sleeved button up shirt he had on over his t-shirt. He dropped it on the floor beside him, then looked at her.

She kicked off a single heeled shoe. When she noticed him looking at her, she blinked innocently. "What?"

Garret stepped out of one of his shoes. "Fight fire with fire."

She shrugged and stepped out of the other shoe, as he did the same. She thought for a second, then smirked as she slid her nylons off. "Your turn."

Garret just pulled off his socks.

"Jerk." Renee glared at him and then stepped closer to him, catching him off guard in a deep kiss as she worked her hands under his shirt, grazing his chest softly with her nails before working his shirt off over his head.

"Hey!" Garret raised an eyebrow. "No fair. You skipped yourself."

"I'm the one who makes the rules around here." She smirked and slowly undid his belt, before pulling it free of his jeans and dropping it down on the floor.

"I'm the chief."

"I'm your boss, technically."

"Not tonight." Garret undid the buttons on her blouse and slowly slid it over her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

"You're up." Renee smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"Help me?" Garret looked down at his jeans. "I can't remember how these things work..."

"Like this." She quickly unzipped his jeans and slid her hand inside the fly, grazing him lightly through the soft cotton fabric of his boxers. "Getting your memory back yet?"

"Only of North Carolina." Garret kissed her softly as she continued to stroke him lightly. "My turn?"

"Mmhmm." Renee kept her lips pressed in a tight line as unzipped her skirt, letting it fall to the floor, before she undid the button on his jeans and let them slide down his legs. "You again." She sighed softly as he carefully unclasped her bra, letting it fall off her shoulders and to the floor between then.

Garret just looked at her as she slid his boxers off, then smiled slightly as he did the same to her panties. "You. Me. Bed. Now."

"Yes sir." Renee smirked and then pulled him into a deep kiss, before pulling him down onto the bed.

Garret was certain - six weeks was way too long to stay away from this.

Garret stirred awake early the next morning, and looked over at Renee sleeping soundly next to him. He smiled softly when the thought crossed his mind about how beautiful she was. He watched her for a minute before he carefully slid out of the bed and pulled on his boxers and slid his short sleeved button up shirt on over his shoulders, not bothering to button it as he walked out into the living room.

I love her. He sighed softly as he walked over to the door to the balcony and opened it quietly, stepping out and shutting it partly behind him. He walked to the edge and leaned against the railing, resting his arms as he stared out over the city. But she doesn't deserve to deal with the baggage that I come with. Garret dropped his head down again for a second. I've got more issues than anyone should have to deal with. My ex-wife, I just lost my daughther...the fact that I'm desperately searching for someone but afraid to get burned again. I can't go through that. He looked back into her darkened apartment. "And you don't deserve that." He spoke softly before turning back to the city below him.

Renee rolled over to cuddle into Garret in her sleep, and when he wasn't there, she sat up, pulling the blanket around her before it could settle around her waist. She noticed that he wasn't in the room, and it felt colder than normal in the apartment. She climbed out of bed and pulled his t-shirt on, briefly inhaling the scent of his aftershave before she pulled on her pair of thieved boxers and walked quietly out of the bedroom. Walking to the living room, she saw him standing out on the balcony and shivered at the cool air coming in through the open door. She quietly slipped out of the door and smiled when he turned around and looked at her. "I missed you."

He smiled slightly and then turned back to staring out over the city with a soft sigh.

"You okay?" Renee asked quietly as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his back after kissing his shoulder softly.

Garret didn't say anything for a long minute, then smiled softly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About?" She just held him close to her and then moved to rest her chin on his shoulder gently.

"About us." Garret knew deep down what he wanted to say, but he wasn't sure that she'd feel the same way, and he was scared of ruining what they had by running her off.

"What about us?" Renee inhaled slightly, concerned for what he was going to say.

He bit his lip for a moment, then stared out over the darkened city, as one side of the sky began to lighten as dawn approached. "I'm in love with you."

She didn't move for a minute, then moved so she was standing between him in and the railing on the balcony, then looked up into his eyes. "Say that again?"

Garret looked down at her and into her eyes. "I'm in love with you." He felt his heart pound in his chest. "Last night...at the bar...I realized that life is too short to go through alone. There's too many things that are uncertain and it's a unforgiving place unless you have someone to turn to. I'm pretty much alone now...Abby was all I really had left from my old life." He looked out over her head, swallowing hard. "But I'm ready to start over. A new life. A new day. But I don't want to be alone...I can't do it alone."

Renee reached up and touched his cheek, causing him to look at her. "You're not alone Garret." She smiled up at him. "You're not alone anymore."

He just smiled and then lowered his eyes for a second, before looking up at her.

Renee slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a deep kiss, before pulling away and whispering in his ear. "I love you Garret." She kissed him again, softer this time. "So much. And I'm going to be there for you every step down that road. No matter where it takes you, if you'll let me help you I'll be there." She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thank you Renee." Garret kissed her softly.

"Always Garret." She smiled and then turned around, pressing her back into his chest.

"Hey. This is my t-shirt..." He ran his fingers over the white fabric.

"Fair game." She smirked slightly as he wrapped his arms around her again. "It's mine."

"Fair trade." Garret laughed softly and then kept his arms around her as they stood out on the balcony.

As they watched the sun come up over the city, it was obvious to Garret that he was finally moving forwards instead of slipping back. He knew he was nowhere near leaving his problems behind, and nowhere near having his life going completely right...but with the start of this new day, he had a good feeling about it. He was finally learning to live and love again.

FIN

A/N - I wanted to thank each and every one of you who reviewed my story, and let you know that I'm glad you liked it. If I feel so inclined, I may write another fic that is a sequel to this one. Or maybe just an epilogue. We'll see.

Saskia ­- Thanks for your constant prodding at this little "fluffcake" of mine, and for letting me throw ideas at you. Without your help, this fic probably would have been half as good as it is.

Danielle, MissDanielle, Sabrina, sharebear, Su - thanks for you guys! I love that you all loved it!!!

screwydame - These kind of praises from such an amazing author like yourself really are awesome! I take those props with honor, and the name thing is SO funny. Thanks girl!