A Prayer for Every Year

December 14th
A pair of skates sat on her desk the next morning and an apology for not being in the office. Jack had been called out to interviews for a new case and had left strict instructions that she wasn't to get involved. For once, she didn't call him to argue with him. Instead she shrugged, content to puzzle, for now, over the skates.
Jack returned at noon, looking a little worse for wear and she was immediately worried. He smiled at her though, and with a few small signs told him they were still on for skating and it was just a bunch of trying interviews. Her smile brightened him considerably and, making their excuses to the rest of the team, headed out.
He didn't tell her where they were skating, so, she was forced to ride in the car with him. Of course, she didn't mind much. He took her hand as soon as they were away from the security cameras of the office and she squeezed it in response, a smile flitting over her face. They stopped at a small rink where few people were skating in pairs and Sue got out, reluctantly.
"You okay?" he asked her, extremely concerned. She nodded, though hesitantly. He prodded a little more.
"I haven't been skating in a long time," she finally broke down and told him. She then proceeded to describe a rather nasty fall she'd had. He smiled sympatheytically.
"I'll be right beside you the whole time. I won't let you fall." He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and tapped her nose before beginning to walk towards the rink. She stood there for a few moments. Levi tugging on the leash slightly, brought her back and she noticed how far ahead Jack was. She followed quickly.
He rented skates - she brought the ones from her desk - and they tied them on, Sue making quicker work of it than Jack. They headed out onto the basically empty rink and skated a few laps before everyone started to leave. When they were the only two left on the rink, Jack asked her to show her some of the things she did when she was little. She blushed.
"I don't know if I could do it," she said. He kept encouraging her to try and try. Finally, she pulled herself together and made a jump. The look on his face when she landed it perfectly was priceless. He grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around. Then, when he put her down, pulled her close and kissed her. It was the most natural thing for either of them. When they pulled away, Sue kept her eyes closed, at least until Jack tapped her nose to get her attention.
"I think I'm falling in love with you," he told her. She smiled, a smile that lit up his world.
"Good. I'd hate to be the only one."