Show: The Agency

Title: American Family: Chapter 2

Pairing: A.B. Stiles/Terri Lowell

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

*~*~*~*~*~*

::She had a date! What the hell!:: Stiles mused as he drove his truck through the dark quiet

streets towards Terri's new house. ::Terri Lowell hasn't had a date since…. Well since… God

knows!:: Stiles couldn't help but feel hot jealousy pooling low in his stomach, and the fact that

Terri was going out with a man tonight, was a bitter pill to swallow.

Stiles swung into the driveway of Terri's two-story house and savagely slammed on the brakes,

the F-150 coming to a stop, just inches from the silver bumper of her SUV. A.B. clenched his jaw

and tried to cool down. It wouldn't do very well to meet his little boy like an ogre, no matter how

obsessed with monsters that particular four-year-old was.

He just could not understand these feelings he'd been having the past few weeks where Terri

was concerned. They had ranged from anger and frustration, to happiness and relief, to just plain

damn lust. Hell, well, that was nothing new. He'd always lusted after Terri. Now add, pissed off

and possessive to the list. A.B. scoffed and slammed the door shut, amazed it didn't rattle the

windows.

*~*~*~*~*~*

From her bedroom window upstairs, Terri heard the squeal of tires. Moving a filmy curtain aside,

she looked out to see A.B. slam he truck door and stalk toward the door. ::What's got his panties

in a twist now?:: she wondered, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Alex!" she yelled to her son, "Your Dad's here. Go open the door for him, sweetheart."

Terri smiled as she heard the little pitter-patter of feet racing down the hallway past her bedroom.

"Ok, Mom," Alex replied bounding down the stairs.

She listened carefully as Alex unlocked the door. She carefully placed the other diamond stud in

her ear and straightened her dress just in time to hear her son squeal, "Dad!"

Terri listened to hear A.B. break out in a stunned laugh as no doubt Alex had practically leapt into

his arms. "Hey, champ!" she heard Stiles reply, closing the door behind him.

Terri grabbed her purse from her bed and exited her bedroom. In the near darkness at the top of

the stairs she watched the two Stiles men together. Of course calling four-year-old A.B.2 was a

little much, but she couldn't help it when he looked so much like his father. He shared the same

brilliant blue eyes framed by decadently long lashes and the same dark hair, but unlike his father,

A.B.2's fell constantly into his cherubic face and had a tendency to wave, just like his mother's.

Watching A.B. tickle his son, sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Moments like this, when

she could silently watch him with Alex made it so hard to remember he was a ruthless CIA

operative, a man trained to kill. A man who had caused her so much pain; broken her heart.

"Where's your Mom?" asked A.B. as he mercilessly tickled the little boy in his arms.

Alex was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "Stop!" he begged between gasps. "She's

upstairs!" he screamed, as his father attacked his ribs voraciously.

"She's right here," answered Terri from above them.

A.B.'s head snapped up, his blue eyes widening as he took in her form sashaying slowly down

the stairs. A.B.2 lay forgotten in his arms, and he knew his jaw was probably scraping the floor,

but at that moment, he didn't care.

Terri's eyes twinkled mischievously as she cleared the last step and came to stand before him.

Carefully, A.B. set his still giggling son on his feet. Terri looked… amazing. He cursed himself for

staring, but he couldn't help it.

Her long wavy chestnut-coloured hair had been pulled back and up into an intricate French twist.

Diamond stud sparkled in her ears a tiny floating diamond laid just above the deep plunging

neckline of her sinful dress. It was mainly shiny black satin and it lovingly hugged every curve

before stopping with a flirty black Irish lace hem just below her knee. His eyes journey

appreciatively down her strong shapely legs to her sexy black sling-backs, her dainty fire-engine-

red toenails peeking out.

A.B.'s gaze flitted back to her flawlessly made-up face: smoky grey eyeshadow leant an air of

seduction and soft glossy rosy lips begged him to kiss them. Jealousy hit him hard in the belly

and caused him to see red. Of course it would not be him to kiss her lips… it would be some

other man. Oh how he wished to God he could punch out the bastard lucky enough to be going

out with Ms. Terri Lowell tonight!

Terri blushed under his scrutiny, knowing that he would probably find some way to burst her

bubble and make her feel like crap, but she was pleasantly surprised when all A.B. could muster

out was a very appreciative, "Wow…."

Terri grinned, although she was a little uncomfortable with his intense gaze. Those butterflies

were fluttering like mad in her belly.

A.B.2 looked back and forth between his parents. "Yeah, wow, Mommy, you look pretty."

Terri smiled again, and bent to kiss her son on the cheek. "Thanks A.B.2 . Go upstairs and get

your stuff. You don't want to keep your Dad waiting."

"Ok." Alex darted away and up the stairs toward his room.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them then.

"Wow," said A.B. again, clearing his throat and breaking the silence, "your date's one lucky man."

He hoped he'd said that without a degree of bitterness although the possessive beast in him was

biting at the bit. He was so jealous, he wanted to hit something! Preferably Terri's date!

"Yah think?" she asked, patting her hair as she set her purse on the sofa. "It's not too much for a

first date?" she asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

A.B. was stumped. He wanted to scream at her that yes it was a *lot* too much, and maybe she

should go change into sackcloth and ashes, but of course, seemingly indifferent as ever, he

casually leaned against the staircase, trying his damnest not to stare at the lush swell of her

cleavage and nonchalantly replied. "Nah, Terri, of course not. It's fine." ::You're fine:: he wanted

to add.

She smiled in gratitude, "Thanks," she said softly, her beautiful brown eyes twinkling.

Stiles turned to see A.B.2 bounding down the stairs, dragging his little Batman backpack down the

stairs. "All set, champ?" he asked Alex.

A.B.2 nodded his head. "Uh huh. I'm ready, Daddy."

Stiles took the little boy's hand and led him over to his mother.

"Ok, now, you be a good boy, A.B.2," Terri ordered, kissing her son's smooth soft cheek. "Don't let

Daddy feed you too much junk and stay up late, and don't keep stealing Mrs. Watkins' cat,

alright?"

"Uh huh, Mommy," he replied, planting a kiss on her cheek in return. "I'll be good…I pwomise," he

continued innocently.

Terri rolled her eyes and snorted with laughter, knowing when A.B. and A.B.2 got together, chaos

ensued and bruised arms and skinned knees were the order of the day. "I'll bet you do," she

replied sarcastically.

"Get your jacket, Alex," Stiles instructed. "and wait for me in the truck. I'll be right there."

Stiles and Terri watched as their son did as he was told, closing the door behind him. Terri

cleared her throat and handed him a sheet of paper from the coffee table. "Here is the restaurant

number and the emergency numbers. Call me if anything happens," she continued, pushing him

toward the door.

A.B. nodded his head as he accepted the papers. She was practically kicking him out. He knew

she wanted him gone before her date arrived, and those jealous feelings wanted him to make up

some excuse to stick around till the other man showed. Instead he clamped his feet down and

turned to her.

Terri gasped as he was only inches apart from her. A.B.'s blue eyes turned smoky as his gaze

inadvertently dropped to her glossy lips. "You look really beautiful tonight, Terri," he said huskily.

Terri's eyes widened as his warm breath fanned across her lips. Swallowing hard, she took a step

back and clumsily opened the door for him. "Goodnight A.B. I'll call you in the morning."

A.B. smirked and allowed himself to be pushed out onto the porch. "Have fun," he called

sarcastically.

Terri's eyes narrowed and she slammed the door in his face.

::Yeah right!::

TBC…

A/N: Well that's it for now, folks. R&R, please, tell me what you think, especially about Terri's

outfit. Should I even bother to continue with this story. Your feedback will let me know, so don't be

stingy. Ciao!