Maybe
Disclaimer: Nothing besides the story idea belongs to me, and this was written for entertainment purposes only.
Rating: K+
Authors Note: Thanks to those who read and reviewed my story! If you have any ideas, shout them out because any comments or constructive criticism is welcome.
If there was any confusion, Maybe is a Jen/Harm Friendship story.
In the end, this story is going to be Mikey/Jennifer, but throughout the story there will be plenty of Tiner/Jennifer as well!
For the most part my chapters are usually short and sometimes medium, I like to think that just means more chapters!
Enjoy!
Authors Note 2: I forgot to mention in the prologue – the Secret Santa is no more! I was having so much trouble with it that I took it out all together. So hopefully those of you who have already read this story will re-read it and notice the changes!
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Chapter One
Jennifer let out a disgruntled sigh and stabbed at the button that shut off the radio that had been playing on her desk since she got to work.
Her morning had started out well. She woke up before her alarm and even had time for breakfast. When she got to the office, someone had decorated the Bullpen and she couldn't help but to smile.
Jennifer settled down at her desk, and had been preoccupied by phone calls and visitors until around noon. And then, for some reason still unbeknownst to her she had decided it would be a good idea to turn it to a station that was playing "Non-Stop Christmas music".
Then the DJ decided to taunt her by playing every romantic Christmas song ever produced in history.
Well. Maybe she was exaggerating a little— a familiar song's lyrics drifted across the bullpen "…please come home for Christmas… or only in my dreams…" Jennifer dropped her head into her hand with a short growl of frustration— or not.
Jennifer sighed deeply, reminding herself that she had a job to do.
And if you don't do it, you'll be fired, and if you get fired… Jennifer decided not to finish that thought.
"Bah hum bug, Petty Officer?"
"Eh?" Jennifer replied, startled. She looked up and Sarah Mackenzie was grinning down at her. "Oh," Jennifer felt her cheeks flush, "yes ma'am, I guess you could say that. Did you need to see the Admiral?"
Mac nodded, "I need to confer with him about the Christmas Party."
Jennifer smiled, "Go on in." As soon as Mac disappeared into the Admiral's office at his call she sighed again.
When did you get this bitter? She wondered, drumming her fingers on her desk. You used to like Christmas, you used to look forward to the holidays.
She reached over and picked up the invitation that had been left on her desk that morning. Jennifer had tried to be excited but she had a feeling she had done a horrible job of convincing those around her. She wanted to be excited for the party after all; she had to be excited because she didn't want to bring everyone else's spirits down with her.
Be happy she commanded herself; you have so much to be happy for. She glanced up at the clock, and sighed before gathering up the large pile of files that the Admiral had left on her desk that morning. She shifted the weight in her arms; she hadn't realized there were so many. Jennifer walked to the door and pushed it open, glad that she didn't have to wrestle with a knob.
She set across the bullpen, with her eyes down on the files, trying to count how many she had, not looking at where she was going. If she had been looking she would have realized that she was heading right for someone, someone else who wasn't watching where they were walking but was more interested in trying to pin his visitors pass to the front of his uniform.
No one had time to call out a warning before they collided.
They strode into each other head on, Jennifer flew backwards, she cried out and fumbled to keep hold of the files before they slipped from her arms and scattered across the floor. Jennifer landed hard on her backside before Mikey could catch her properly.
As it happened he caught her elbow and was nearly pulled over himself. Jennifer sat on the floor, her face held a look of surprise and shock.
"I'm so sorry," Mikey apologized, which brought Jennifer swiftly back to the present. She looked over at the mess of papers and files.
"Oh no."
Mikey followed where she was looking and winced, "are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Jennifer replied, so much for getting out of here at 1900. She thought darkly, she looked over at the person who had crashed into her. She furrowed her brow; he looked familiar, though she couldn't put a name to the face.
"I can't believe..." Mikey muttered, his face was red with embarrassment and suddenly Jennifer felt her eye's burning and she blinked.
"It's okay," she said, her voice tripping over the sudden rush of tears.
"No," Mikey sighed, "it's not okay." The mess of files on the floor was going to take hours to sort through, there had to be at least fifteen. He looked at her face, and saw the tears that stood in her eyes and then he suddenly felt about twenty times worse.
"Hey," Bud came out of his office, and saw the mess on the floor, Jennifer was gathering the files into a pile and Mikey was still crouched on the floor. "They forget to teach you how to walk?"
Jennifer looked up at Bud, wondering why he would be so rude when suddenly something clicked and she looked back at the man who had run into her. She did know him, he was Bud's brother. They met two Christmas's ago.
Jennifer turned back to her files. This day was just getting better and better.
Bud walked over to where Jennifer had fallen. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she replied, the tears had managed to leak out of her eyes and she brushed at them with the cuff of her sleeve.
"I—I can talk to the Admiral," Mikey offered, "I can tell him it was my fault..."
Jennifer shook her head before getting to her feet. "Don't bother; he's used to this kind of stuff from me." Mikey took a better hold of her elbow and helped her up, she nodded. "Sorry for running into you." With that she turned and made her way back to her office, leaving Mikey in the bullpen, staring after her.
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Jennifer stared at herself in the mirror, she was in the ladies room and she had just splashed her face with some cool water.
As soon as she had deposited the files back at her desk she had rushed off to the rest room. When she made it there she had run into the first stall, closed the door collapsed on the toilet and burst into tears.
That had been the last straw, her throbbing backside and the papers strewn across the floor. She wasn't surprised with the first word that came to mind: Typical. The Admiral would look up at her from his desk; his brow slightly furrowed his mouth set into a line.
Jennifer could not bear that look again.
Maybe that's why you're hiding out in the bathroom, she checked her watch, she'd been in here for almost ten minutes. The Admiral would find out about it one way or another and no amount of hiding was going to change that fact.
Jennifer turned on the tap, splashed her warm cheeks with more cool water before turning off the tap again. This time she grabbed a few paper towels and patted her cheeks dry, and then she dabbed at the lapels of her jacket, and the front of her uniform.
As she exited the ladies room, Jennifer was relieved to find that neither Bud nor his brother were in the bullpen. She could hopefully keep some of her dignity.
She heard a song float across the room— someone else must have grown tired of the Christmas music as well. She wasn't familiar with the band, but they had a mellow tone that made Jennifer feel better. After all, who was really happy all the time anyway?
She pushed open the door that lead back to her desk and she let out a quick gasp of surprise.
"Oh," Mikey stood up, "look, I feel terrible. Will you at least let me help you?"
Jennifer reflexively smoothed down the front of her uniform, "some of these files pertain to ongoing cases and I think it would invalidate confidentiality clauses if you were privy to them." Jennifer was aware that she said a three word reply in all that nonsense but she pushed that thought out of her mind.
Mikey stood beside her desk, he was clutching his hat in his hands and his visitors pass was finally clipped to the front pocket of his uniform but it was askew and Jennifer had a sudden urge to fix it for him, set it straight.
"It's alright," Jennifer said it's not as if I had any plans for tonight anyway. Then suddenly she realized The Christmas Party! This would be her only free night off to go shopping. Tomorrow she had to work, and then she would go home, eat, change quickly and head over to the Admirals house.
Jennifer wanted to get something for the Admiral and sentimental as it was she wanted to pick a gift for him that would express how thankful she was to him for giving her a second chance. Now she would have to settle for a coffee table book and that was if she was lucky, with the mess that was spread across her desk she would be lucky if she could pick up a gift certificate before all the stores closed.
Unless…
Mikey was still standing there, with a hopeful and apologetic look on his face.
There were only three folders that were connected with open cases and she could do those first, set those aside and then the two of them could go through the rest of the folders together.
"Okay," Jennifer finally agreed, "let me get the three open files together and then we can work on the rest."
Mikey's face broke out in a wide smile, and Jennifer couldn't help smiling back.
"Let me get a chair!"
Jennifer passed him on the way to her desk and then she bit her lip, before she dug into the papers with both hands.
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Jennifer placed another manila folder into the pile that she and Mikey had put together. With his help, the time had been easily cut in half, and with Mikey's good mood and easy humor Jennifer found herself in a better mood.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," Jennifer replied, as she set the last file onto the top of the pile.
"I know we've met before but—"
"Two years ago," Jennifer replied quickly, "around the same time actually." Jennifer's face flushed with embarrassment when she remembered when they had met, and under what circumstances.
Jennifer had changed a lot since then, the night she had promised herself that she would never put herself or anyone else in that position again. It had been difficult over the months, but she knew that with the Admiral and Harm and of course Mattie that it wasn't impossible.
"Oh," Mikey replied, and something crossed his face and then he nodded, "I remember."
Jennifer smiled as she pushed her chair back, she didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything at all.
"Hey," Mikey said, "it's only 1830."
Jennifer smiled, a wide genuine smile, "thank you—"
"Mikey." He stuck out his hand and Jennifer took it, his grip was strong and he shook it quickly before letting go.
"Petty Officer Coates" Jennifer paused, "or Jennifer," Jennifer picked up all her files and she wrapped her arms around them protectively. "Well thanks again and sorry again, for running into you before." A moment of silence passed over them, and though it wasn't entirely awkward Jennifer felt the back of her throat dry and she swallowed. Maybe it was the fact that he always looked at her, straight in the eye.
That and the fact that he's not terrible looking might have something to do with it.
Jennifer cleared her throat, and made her way to the door.
"Let me get that," he pushed the door open for her and she couldn't help but to look at him with something akin to disbelief.
Maybe it was the fact that somewhere over the years Jennifer had become jaded but, she felt suspicious at his kindness. He seemed too nice, but it was strange because Jennifer trusted that he was being genuine. She wasn't sure why she trusted him, but she did.
"P.O Coates," a familiar voice called just as she stepped out the door.
"Yes Sir?" She did not want to take the chance of spilling the files again, so she tightened her arms as Mikey snapped to attention behind her.
"At ease; you almost done with those files?" The Admiral asked.
"Yessir," Jennifer replied.
"That's good; I wouldn't want you to be the last person left in this building."
The corners of Jennifer's lips twitched and she nodded, "yessir, all I have to do is file them away."
"Glad to hear it," the Admiral smiled before finally disappearing back into his office. If Jennifer didn't know any better she could have sworn that the Admiral…winked at her?
Jennifer shook her head, no; he had something in his eye. She glanced over to Mikey.
"Well, I'd better go catch up with my brother," he said, "it was nice to see you again."
"Oh," Jennifer said, "thanks, you too." She watched as he pushed through the door and headed towards Bud's office.
It took Jennifer a second to realize that she was staring at the closed door. She shook her head and headed to her filing cabinet that rested against the far wall.
Jennifer opened the first drawer and took the files that were lettered A through C.
She hadn't thought it was possible this morning but she actually felt better. Better perhaps than she had felt in a long time.
As she closed the drawer and opened the next one she hoped this wasn't the last of her good moods.
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Another chapter is complete, and she has now met Mikey!
I think due to what happened with Jennifer's ex boyfriend (being abusive and all) it would take her a long time to trust guys even though it has been years since it happened. That's why she is almost suspicious when Mikey is being nice to her.
This story will not be of epic proportions ut, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, so please review and let me know what you think!
