Chapter 19

"What took you guys so long?" Amita questioned innocently but she knew what was really going on all along. She had glanced back at just the right moment, the moment when Terry and Don leaned towards each other

"Don decided to be beyond thorough and analyze every plate I gave him before declaring it clean" Terry answered calmly as she could. Amita just shook her head and went back to doing a crossword puzzle with Charlie (which was more Charlie guessing words that would be off by a letter because as smart as Charlie is at math he's not a good speller). Don and Terry took the other end of the sofa and got comfy.

"So how is your latest case going?" Amita asked giving up on the puzzle

"We just finished the case, thank god" Terry said letting her eyes drift closed and shoulders relax

"I'm glad. How long do you get off before you have to go in again?" Charlie asked just now realizing there was a conversation going on that wasn't about the crossword puzzle

"We get off until Monday" Don said relaxing also

"So what do you two plan to do with your weekend?" Amita asked casually but in reality she was trying to trip them up and get to admit they were now spending it together

"W- I mean I'm going to go see a movie and I don't know what Don is doing" Terry answered hurriedly which gave her away just as much as the stumble over words when she first started to speak

"Terry can I talk to you upstairs for a few moments?" Amita said disengaging herself from Charlie's arms

"Sure" Terry responded a little uncertainly but she had a feeling that she already knew what it was going to be applied to. The two descended the staircase, (Terry a little sadly already missing the heat that Don had provided)

"So how was it?" Amita after she closed the door to her and Charlie's room

"How was what?" Terry tried to play dumb, applying tactics she had learned in the academy but Amita saw through that in a second

"Terry, what happened in the kitchen?" Amita asked sitting on her bed

"I um…oh forget it" Terry exclaimed dropping down onto the bed next to Amita "Me and Don may have gotten back together"

"How did that happen?" Amita asked curiosity slipping into her voice

"Well I'm not exactly sure. It started out us teasing each other. He said that I was lucky that I'm me. I asked him what that means and he said it means- and then stopped. I saw emotions flying across his face. Then he spoke"

"What did he say?" Amita asked sitting on the edge of her bed

"He said that if you weren't the woman I love, I would have made you wash these dishes alone. I was in shock. I mean what did he mean? Was it love like at the academy or is it luv like you love a close friend? I stayed silent for a moment debating how to respond, which no doubt killed Don. I mean I was afraid that if I reacted to it as love and I was wrong that would make every day after this really awkward for me but if I had reacted like it was luv and I was wrong that would make every day awkward for Don"

"And judging by the kiss you said I love you too and you weren't wrong"

"You saw the kiss?" Terry asked blushing slightly

"Well I saw the lean in…is he a good kisser?" Amita asked

Terry paused for a second. She was intrigued by this new side of Amita that she's been seeing "Yeah he's a really good kisser, he always seems to know just how…intense or soft to make the kiss"

"Sounds like how Charlie kisses" Amita commented giggling and Terry shortly joined her

"What's so funny?" Don asked appearing in the doorway

"Just sharing what our boyfriends kiss like" Terry answered smiling

"What? She knows? You told her!" Don asked quickly rushing to Terry

"No, she saw us lean in to kiss, that and she's a girl. She knew the second we sat down on the couch together"

"Guess we should tell Charlie and my dad" Don spoke as if he were asking Terry but she that he had already made up his mind

"Yeah and Amita and Charlie have something to tell you and your father so it'll be an even trade-lets go downstairs" Terry quickly added when she saw that Don opened his mouth to question her. The three descended the staircase to the living room. All three got nervous as Charlie and Alan watched their every move

"I feel left out" Charlie said as Amita joined him on the couch

"Don't worry about it" Amita spoke, then she whispered in his ear "we have to tell them about what happened with the dean"

"Are you sure?" Charlie whispered back

"Yeah, if its ok with you" Amita confirmed

"As long as your fine with it" Charlie spoke. Amita nodded and Charlie took a big breath and spoke "Terry, Don, Dad, me and Amita have something to tell you"

"Of course Charlie" Alan replied slightly concerned. Charlie was looking at the floor so he couldn't read his sons face and Amita was much better at hiding her emotions then Charlie

"Well Don and Terry you know this part so hold on a for a second. Dad, on mine and Amita's one year anniversary I apparently didn't shut the door the whole way and a jealous colleague overheard our conversation and she um she blackmailed me" Charlie finished and looked up at his father. His father looked outraged

"What! She blackmailed you!" Alan yelled his face (slightly) turning red

"Yes, Alan, she blackmailed Charlie" Amita answered. "She got him to write an article under her name"

"When did all this happen?"

"About a month or two ago. Remember the fight Charlie and me had when he snapped at me? Well he snapped because he was worried about not finishing the article in time" Amita answered taking Charlie's hand

"I see" Alan nodded, his voice speaking volumes of emotions otherwise unexpressed

"Yesterday one of Don's coworkers approached him with the article I wrote under Dr. Harris' name. Terry and Don decided to talk to her. Maybe scare her into leaving me alone, but when they got there they found out that she had somehow made a tape of conversations me and Amita had in my office. When I heard this I decided that I didn't want this to go on any longer. This morning Amita and I left early to talk to the dean"

"What!" Don shouted almost falling out of his chair

"I spoke to Amita last night and we decided that we weren't going to let her have that power over us any longer. I, we-" Charlie corrected himself "-decided that she shouldn't have that power over both or lives, so we went and told the dean everything"

"What did he say?" Alan questioned in a very controlled voice (what emotion he was trying to control was beyond the knowledge of the rest of the group)

"We're up for a council review" Amita answered calmly

"What does that mean?"

"A board of college employees hear our case and they decide what to do from there" Charlie clarified

"How are you this calm?" Don exclaimed clearly distressed that (potentially) the jobs of two people that he cared about are on the line

"We're this calm because the dean already said that the worst they would do is dock our pay"

"But-" Don started

"Yes normally they might do worse but for some reason John seemed to be um happy that we found each other. I mean were we really that obvious?"

"Yes" The other three people in the room answered in unison

"Yeah so anyway, we're not that worried about it. I'm more curious how many other on the board will be really happy that me and Amita finally got together"

"I'm guessing all of them" Don answered smiling at his brother, who promptly threw a pillow in response

"Anyway, now that we're sharing with the group- Alan, Charlie, me and Don have something to tell you" Terry spoke taking Don's hand that was hidden by the pillow now residing next to him

"Oh god tell me it has nothing to do with your jobs"

"No, dad, it doesn't. Dad, Charlie, me and Terry are dating again"

"That's great news!" Charlie exclaimed standing up and crossing the room to give Terry and Don one of his rare hugs (which since Amita actually aren't all that rare anymore)

"Does this mean-" Alan started

"Dad, do not count the grandkids before they're born" Don interrupted his father. The group erupted laughter, truly happy for the first time in awhile.

A/N: Ok guys, here is where I REALLY need your help. I may end the story here (granted there will be an epilogue) but if you want me to keep writing I can. I have ideas for other stories if you want me to end. I also have ideas in the back of my head of where I can take the story if you want me to continue. I really want feedback because I write to make the readers happy and I don't know how to make you guys happy unless you give me just a tiny clue on what you want the story to do.

Those of you who may like my writing I do have ideas in storage but I know if I start working on two stories at the same time, the older one (which in this case would be "To Wish; To Desire; To Prefer" this story you're reading right now) 100 of the time gets abandoned and it won't get finished…practically ever (I have to non fan fic stories that are a good 100 pages long each but I'm so busy writing the fanfics I haven't touched them in a year or so). This long note just means: PLEASE , PLEASE, PLEASE, DROP A REVIEW OR EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT