A Prayer for Every Year
December
17th
Sue woke up and stretched against the warmth at her back. It took her a few
minutes to realize that it was Jack. Originally ready to bolt, she changed her
mind when she found his arm draped possessively around her. Levi's lick,
however, alerted her to Lucy's presence in the doorway. Sue, instead of bolting
upright and risking waking the man at her back, turned away and buried her face
in Jack's chest. He stirred and she stiffened, hoping upon hope not to wake him
up. His hand tightened around her waist and she felt his chest move with a
fluttering breath. She closed her eyes and burrowed closer, feigning sleep for
Jack's benefit. She felt him laugh at something Lucy must have said and looked
up at him very disgruntled. He smiled disarmingly at her.
She finally turned over and faced Lucy having gathered her courage to face her
tactless roommate. All Lucy did was grin and move into the bathroom, going for
her morning shower. Sue groaned and turned back into his chest. Jack laughed,
Sue feeling it in his rising and falling pillow. He lifted her chin and smiled.
"I should go. I didn't expect to fall asleep and I don't have clothes for
today." She nodded and moved slightly, feeling a twinge in her neck and back.
She kept herself from hissing or crying out or moaning at the pain. She smiled
up at him as she fell back on the couch. He took the opportunity of Lucy in the
shower to kiss her goodbye.
Her neck and back weren't feeling any better when she walked into the bullpen to another box on her desk. Jack was out again, with Bobby, Myles, D, and Tara but he'd left her today's present. It was the same as the one of the Christmas tree. She pulled open the box and smiled at the small bell that was inside. Then her phone rang and she turned back to work.
Lucy was more than worried when Sue dropped her stuff in the front hall then proceeded straight to her bedroom where she dropped to the bed and promptly fell asleep.