Chapter 4: The Morning After

Jack woke with a start, wondering for a moment where he was. Then he realized he was in the living room and, judging by the kink in his neck, he'd spent the night on the couch. He had vague memories of watching a strange infomercial on television before he finally drifted off. Noticing that a blanket now covered him and the television had been turned off, he realized that Sue must have been up late too. His internal alarm must have woken him because his watch told him that the clock radio in his room would be going off any moment now. It was time to get up. Jack stood up, stretching and yawning.

It was surprising how well he'd slept considering how long it had taken him to get there. Worry had plagued him the night before, along with everything else he was feeling. He'd never imagined things could become so complicated so fast. His decision to kiss her had been solely based on keeping up the appearance of a couple very much in love. He had little doubt that any suspicions Sam and Mary may have had about his "marriage" to Sue had been put to rest the night before. The fact that they'd been caught in a passionate embrace only made their cover stronger.

Certainly he had to admit that the decision to kiss Sue had been a relatively easy one on the spur of the moment. He just hadn't counted on the feelings that followed. Knowing that he had another ten minutes before Sue would be up, Jack headed for the shower, hoping that things wouldn't be awkward when they faced each other this morning.

"Wow! Something smells great!" Sue said as she entered the kitchen. Jack was standing over the stove and turned around when she spoke with a spatula in his hand.

"Good morning. You're just in time. I hope you're hungry because you're about to have the best omelet you've ever tasted," he informed her, flipping an omelet onto a plate.

"Your omelets are good! I remember you made me some the last time we were married," Sue said teasingly. "Are you saying you've outdone yourself?" She sat down at the table, and Jack put the plate in front of her, along with a glass of orange juice. Thank you, she signed.

"I've had lots of time to practice since then---I've got it down to a science," Jack assured her, watching her take a bite.

You're right," Sue signed, smiling with pleasure. It's delicious. Thank you!

No problem, Jack signed back. She watched him whip up another omelet for himself as she ate and realized that, just like last time, it was amazing how easily they had slipped into a domestic life together. Even though being around Jack often caused her heart to skip a beat, she was very comfortable with him and had been since shortly after they'd met. She remembered feeling an immediate attraction to him, but that had immediately taken a backburner to the friendship they'd developed. He'd shown her such kindness and was willing to go to bat for her, giving her the opportunity to prove herself.

It wasn't until Jack had told her that she was officially part of the team, that day outside the courthouse and she'd pulled him into a hug, that she'd felt the spark of something more than friendship. The connection she and Jack shared had only grown in intensity since that first hug. Now that there had been a kiss between them, even though it wasn't supposed to mean anything, Sue wondered if maybe they'd crossed a line that made it impossible to go back to the way things were before. The more she thought about it, the more confused she felt. A gentle tap on her arm brought Sue out of her reverie.

"Hey, did you have enough to eat?" Jack asked her. "I made two more and I don't mind sharing with you."

"Sure. I could probably eat some more, half maybe?" Sue answered, somewhat relieved that Jack hadn't asked her what was on her mind.

Jack gave her half of one of his omelets and sat across from her, smiling. "By the way, I meant to thank you for covering me with a blanket last-night and turning off the TV. Did you have trouble sleeping too?" he asked.

"Kind of. I got up to get something to drink and found you and Levi sleeping on the couch. Too bad I didn't have a camera handy..." Sue said, grinning.

"I'm glad you didn't," Jack responded. "In my experience, pictures taken when a person is asleep are never a good thing."

"Oh really?" She said, raising her eyebrows. Sue was tempted to press him further but decided to let it go for now. "Well, in this case I think it would have made a very cute picture," she said, smiling at him. He smiled back and both lapsed into silence as they finished eating. Unbeknownst to each other, they were both thinking about the kiss, both at a loss about how to deal with their feelings.

"Do you see what I see?" Tara asked Bobby softly, nodding her head toward Sue and then casting a glance in Jack's direction.

"Trouble in paradise?" Bobby mused.

"I don't know but something is definitely up with the two of them. They've both spent more time watching each other than concentrating on their work, yet they're avoiding eye contact like the plague," Tara observed.

"You're right," Bobby agreed, glancing at their friends. "Well, it's almost lunchtime...why don't you talk to Sue and I'll handle Sparky? A burger from Slappy's sounds good right about now, and I'm sure Jack would agree, what with all of those home-cooked meals Sue's probably filling him with." Tara rolled her eyes.

"I hardly think Jack has a problem with that part of his assignment," she commented.

"I doubt he has a problem with any part of this particular assignment," Bobby replied, nodding in Jack's direction. He was watching Sue with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Hey Mate! You into grabbing lunch at Slappy's?" Bobby called to him. Jack tore his eyes away from Sue, looking embarrassed. Getting out of the office was probably a good idea since he couldn't seem to keep his mind on the report that he had been trying to write for the past hour. Not with Sue sitting only a few feet away from him.

"I'm there; Slappy's sounds good," Jack said, reaching for his coat. He glanced at Sue, who had looked up from her work when he'd left his desk.

"Going for lunch?" Sue asked him.

"We're going to go to Slappy's. Do you want to come with us?"

"No thanks. I've got to finish this. You guys go ahead." Normally Sue wouldn't have hesitated to join them for lunch, but she wasn't ready to have another one of their awkward moments in front of any of their friends.

OK. See you later, Jack signed.

Sue nodded and smiled at him before turning back to her computer. Jack and Bobby left the bullpen. As she was typing away on her keyboard, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked up to see Tara standing behind her.

"Hey, I know you said you were busy but I was going to go to lunch. Since the guys went to Slappy's and everyone else is in a meeting with Garret, I was hoping you'd come with me," Tara told her.

"I don't think I should," Sue replied regretfully. "I really do have a lot of work to do."

"I know you've got your hands full with this case, but you've got to take a break sometime. Besides, then I won't have to go eat alone," Tara said, trying to convince her. Sue had to admit that Tara had a point. Besides, she was starving, and it would be nice to get out of the office. Maybe after she'd taken a break it would be easier for her to concentrate on working, whether Jack was sitting across from her or not...

"OK. I'll go," Sue signed and spoke, smiling at her friend.

Great! Tara signed. She waited while Sue put on Levi's leash, and the three of them left the bullpen.