A/N: this chapter takes place directly after the last chapter. Thanks for the kind reviews...
"What's so funny?" Sue grinned at Jack as they left Parnelli's pizzeria later that evening. "Do I still have some sauce on my face?"
"No…it's all gone now." Laughing, he shook his head in amazement. "I just think it's crazy that you'll eat pepperoni, Canadian bacon, hot Italian sausage, onions, pineapple, black olives, peppers, mushrooms and almost anything else Mr. Parnelli can find to pile onto a pizza, but you won't eat sushi."
"It makes perfect sense to me." She stood tapping her foot, pretending to glare at him as he continued to laugh. "Those things are cooked on the pizza and sushi isn't cooked at all! Why would anyone eat raw fish? Yuck!"
"Right. Whatever you say." He gave her a silly wink as they started down the sidewalk. "You know, they make sushi that doesn't have raw fish in it…like California rolls, for example..."
She scoffed at his outlandish statement. "That's ridiculous. Why do they call it sushi if there's nothing raw in it?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's the style of rice they use or something. Anyway, I think you should try one of those non-raw rolls..." Seeing her resolute expression, he nudged her playfully with his elbow. "You're just being stubborn. You don't want to try one because you might like it...and that would make me right about something..."
Rolling her eyes, she sighed in mock exasperation. "And I think we eat out too often, and having pizza and fast food all the time isn't good for either of us. Maybe you should come over tomorrow evening and I can make you a nice home cooked meal."
He grimaced slightly as he considered her invitation. "You're gonna make meatloaf, right?"
"I thought you liked my meatloaf." She narrowed her eyes at him as he laughed again. "What's wrong with it?"
"Well, nothing's wrong with your meatloaf, which is, of course, spectacular...the best meatloaf ever!," he teased. "But I think all meatloaf is basically just a glorified hamburger...right down to the ketchup. Why not just have a regular burger on a bun?"
"Humph.," she grumbled. "I don't know how we can be friends if you don't like my meatloaf. I suppose you'd like it better if it was raw, like sushi..."
"I do like your meatloaf, but..." Smirking as she pretended to pout, he made a show of giving in. "Alright...fine. We can have meatloaf if that's what you want. Hey, can we also have that ice cream dessert you make with the crushed oreos, the chocolate sauce and the peanuts?"
"I think that can be arranged…" Sue glanced at her companion as they came to an intersection. "It's a nice night, with a full moon. Why don't we walk through the park on the way back to my place?"
"That sounds good." Sighing contentedly, Jack nodded, glad to spend extra time with Sue that evening. There were some important things they needed to discuss...things that needed to be settled between them soon. I can't wait any longer...I gotta do this tonight...
As they ambled along in comfortable silence, Sue sneaked a peek at her co-worker. He hadn't been his normally chatty self that evening, and she wondered if something was bothering him...except that normally he'd tell her if something was wrong.
Unfortunately, the fact that she knew him so well did nothing to make their relationship easier to understand. Some days, he treats me like I'm his little sister...but then, other days, it's like he has something else in mind...like he wants something more between us. I know he cares about me, but in what way? Of course, I guess it doesn't make any difference in what way, since we can't date each other while we work together…but still...I think I'd like to have something more than just friendship with him...and I wish I knew where I stood with him. I know I'd like feeling his arms around me...but that's wishful thinking, isn't it? He doesn't think of me like that...
Lost in her own thoughts, she'd missed Jack's pointed glance in her direction. He'd noticed that she'd been subdued all evening, as if something was on her mind. Maybe she regrets her decision to stay...
Sighing to himself, he wondered if she could ever understand the depth of his feelings for her. Could he really be the reason why she'd changed her mind about moving? Not that it mattered, really, because Bobby was right...no matter how it had happened, he'd been very lucky. With her staying in DC, it's like I've been given a second chance. I can't blow it this time. I gotta tell her how I really feel. I gotta make this work…I can't let her slip away again...gotta find the right words...
She coughed quietly. "You seem preoccupied tonight. Is something on your mind?"
"What?" Startled out of his reverie by Sue's observation, Jack stammered out an explanation. "Yeah, well...um...it's this whole credit card fiasco...it's such a pain, dealing with all of it." He gave her a bashful smile. "You know, normally when I ask a lady out to dinner, I don't make her pay for her own meal, so thanks for bailing me out this evening. Somehow, I'd forgotten all about that little issue with my credit cards until the check came, and I'd used all my cash for lunch, so I guess I'm just a flat broke bum. Sorry…"
She laughed merrily. "I guess it's just a good thing I decided to have dinner with you, isn't it? Otherwise you'd still be doing dishes for Papa Parnelli..."
"Spending time with you is always a good thing, Sue...no matter what the occasion is." He held her gaze for a few seconds, lost in her beautiful eyes, until he felt Levi nudge his hand. Scratching the dog's ears, he laughed quietly. "Besides, if I'd had to call Bobby about bringing me some cash to pay for my dinner, I'd never, ever hear the end of it, so I owe you one…"
Giggling, Sue shrugged slightly. "No problem. You've paid for my dinner several times over the past few months, so it was my turn to buy yours. Anyway, that's what friends are for, right? To help each other out?"
"Yeah...right. Friends." There was so much more he wanted to say, but he couldn't find the right words for some reason. He felt like he had to tell her the truth about his feelings or he might burst...but then he realized he was staring at her lips, and he couldn't help but remember when he'd kissed her in that lawyer's office while they were working undercover. That kiss had been the basis for many pleasant daydreams...and also for some thoughts that weren't exactly appropriate to have about one's work colleague...
Noticing his odd behavior, Sue frowned as she studied him. "Are you okay, Jack?," she signed.
"Well, um…" He grimaced slightly as he made a fist over his chest. "Just a little heartburn. I think maybe it was that hot sausage." He signed THANK YOU FOR DINNER. "And thanks for being such good company. It helped take my mind off my problems."
She signed in return. "You're welcome."
They continued silently down the sidewalk until Jack's curiosity finally got the best of him. "So, um...I guess my impassioned plea this morning, when I asked you to stay in DC...it was a complete waste of time, wasn't it? You'd already made up your mind to stay..."
She smiled as she shook her head. "I disagree. It wasn't a waste...it's nice to know that someone would've missed me if I'd left our unit."
"I know the whole team would've missed you a lot if you'd left…" He cleared his throat softly as he fidgeted with the hem of his jacket. "...especially since you're so good at what you do. I meant what I said...you're an important part of the unit, and you'd be hard to replace."
"Thank you for saying so." Sighing quietly, she tried to ignore the prick of disappointment she suddenly felt. I guess I misunderstood...he wasn't personally going to miss me if I left...he was just thinking of the unit, that's all.
Hearing her sigh, Jack quickly realized he might have said the wrong thing. I hope I didn't blow it...
"Well, it's the truth, okay?" Choosing his words carefully, he continued. "And even though I would've missed you on a personal level, too...a lot...I'm still kinda surprised that you didn't accept that promotion. I hope it wasn't because you felt like you couldn't do the job…"
"Oh, I knew I could do the work, especially since you've trained me so well." Her brow furrowed as she thought over the situation. "The offer was so sudden, though, and they wanted an answer in a hurry, so I felt like I was being rushed into making an important decision. I was also surprised that they wanted me...I never thought I'd be offered that position since there are so many well-qualified people who've been with the FBI longer than I have. I wonder who put me on their radar…"
"I've been wondering that, too, and I think it was Deputy Director Chastain." Jack pointed at a park bench, and they sat down. "He called me into his office about six weeks ago to ask me a lot of random questions about you, since I'd been your training agent."
Sue arched an eyebrow at him. "I see. What did you tell him?"
"Oh, you know...a lot of things…nothing important...most of what I said was even kinda good. OUCH!" Rubbing the place where she'd pretended to punch his arm, Jack pretended to frown. "No need to beat me up! I said some very nice things about you, okay?"
She gave him a haughty glare. "So you were trying to get me moved to a different job! I think you want to get rid of me because I always give you such a hard time, right?"
"No, it wasn't like that. You know our team would skin me alive if they thought I was trying to move you out of our unit." Seeing her pleased expression, he continued. "Anyway, it was more like Chastain was curious. He wanted to know what it was like to work with you, what with you being deaf and all, so I told him the truth. I said you were amazing...beautiful...smart...brave...compassionate...capable...resourceful...very adaptable...a real team player...you learn quickly...you're determined to be successful…you never give up...you're always thinking about another angle to use when looking at a case..."
As she read Jack's lips, Sue's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait...you told the Deputy Director that you think I'm beautiful?"
Did I really tell him that she's beautiful? Great...just great. Way to act professional, buddy… Jack ran his hand over his face as he realized his slip. "I meant beautiful on the inside...you know, empathetic." He finger spelled a word. "K I N D, okay?" He gestured towards her face. "Not that kind of beautiful…"
"So you don't think I'm beautiful on the outside?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Hmm...I see. Well, there goes your free home cooked meal…"
Sighing in exasperation, Jack held his hands up in surrender. "Of course, I think you're beautiful on the outside, but that's not what I meant when I told Director Chastain that I think you're beautiful." He swallowed nervously. "Look, the point is that he was probably asking around for one of his buddies with the A-USA's office in New York because they needed a good analyst. Directors do that stuff all the time...they help each other fill key positions if one comes up." He paused a few seconds trying to find the correct words. "Anyway, I like I said...you'd be able do that job really well, and it would've been a great opportunity for you…" He reached over to take her hand in his. "...but I'm very happy that you've decided to stay in DC…"
"Me, too." She paused for a moment, enjoying his beautiful smile and warm brown eyes before offering him an explanation for her decision. "It wasn't the job I was worried about...not really. That's not why I turned down the move." She shrugged slightly as she listed her reasons. "It was more the logistics of moving...you know, finding an apartment I could afford in New York that's big enough for a large dog like Levi and close enough to a well lit park where I could walk him every morning and evening. I'd have to put my things in storage while I looked for a place to live and also try to find a good roommate, and maybe I'd have to live in a hotel room with Levi for a month or so, and then learn where everything was in my new neighborhood once I got settled. Being deaf makes all of those things even more difficult. Besides, Lucy would've had to scramble to find a new roommate on such short notice…and I have lots of good friends here...and Amanda still needs a mentor..." She paused, smiling as she looked over at Jack. "I was ready to go, but leaving DC just didn't feel right, so I changed my mind at the last minute. There'll be another opportunity for a promotion someday, and maybe then I'll feel more confident that it's the right move for me." She shrugged, turning away from his intense gaze. "Besides, what I said this morning is true...there's more to life than promotions..."
"Yeah, it'd be hard to move away from the good friends you have here…and it can be hard to make new friends in a large city like New York." He puffed out a small sigh before fishing for more information. "...and if there's a 'special' friend in the picture, that makes it even harder to leave DC, right?"
"You mean a 'special friend' who's background check worthy?" She giggled when she saw Jack's surprised expression. "I know you ran one on David. I saw the paperwork on Lucy's desk."
Busted! Jack rushed to explain what had happened. "I ran one on Dog Boy because he was going to do landscaping work for that Senator, that's all. Any contractor who works for a government official has to be checked out…"
"Of course." Nodding, she chuckled at Jack's embarrassment "But you ran the check on David a month before he met the Senator, right? He hadn't been awarded the contract yet..."
"Well, he was dating someone who works for the Bureau, so it's better to be safe than sorry, right? I didn't want you dating some sort of criminal, okay? You might slip and give away important secrets if he...you know...put you in a compromising position...somehow..." Knowing he'd been caught being nosy and maybe even being jealous, Jack tried to change the subject. "By the way, whatever happened to David? I haven't seen him around recently."
"Our relationship sort of fizzled out. It was a mutual decision to stop seeing each other." Sue reached down to scratch her dog's ears, deciding to omit the part of the story where David had become very jealous over all the time she'd been spending with Jack. "Levi misses Nikita, but...David and I just drifted apart. We couldn't seem to find much time for each other with our work schedules, so we both decided to move on. He's dating someone else now...she's a teacher..."
"He let Sue go? I always knew that guy was a idiot.," Jack muttered to himself. "But maybe that's good news for me…"
As she tried to read Jack's lips, Sue shook her head. "What did you say? I didn't catch that…"
Surprised at being caught, he improvised. "Nothing important...I was just saying that it's too bad you're not moving to New York since that place so many good sushi places…we could've tried some of them when I came to visit you." He grinned at her annoyance. "I'm gonna make you like sushi someday…"
Jack was planning on visiting me in New York? He wanted to keep in touch with me if I'd moved! Feeling her heart race at the thought, she pretended to scowl at him. "So you've said…" She gave him a sidelong glance before continuing. "And in case you're wondering, I don't have anyone special in my life at the moment, although I am very interested in someone here in DC."
"Oh, I see…well, that isn't any of my business, but..." Jack cleared his throat nervously. "Um...is it anyone I know?"
"Maybe, but I'd rather not say who it is right now, because I don't want it to get back to Lucy yet. You know she'd jump at the chance to do some matchmaking, and that could become embarrassing."
"True…" Suddenly feeling nauseous, Jack decided he really didn't want to know about Sue's new guy, but it was obvious she wanted to tell him everything anyway. "...but I don't want to pry into your private life…"
"Well, it's not like we keep secrets from each other, and you did check on David, right? So it seems like you'd want to know about my new crush, too." Seeing his reluctant nod, she laughed softly. "Anyway, here goes: he's handsome...he has such beautiful brown eyes...a great smile...and he's brilliant...caring...he has a great job...he has a great sense of humor...he's a good friend...and he won't need a background check."
"Wow. All of that good stuff in one guy?" Averting his gaze, Jack hoped Sue couldn't see his disappointment. "Sounds like a keeper…"
Smiling to herself, she signed YES. "He is...he's a good catch...definitely worth staying in DC for…" She paused, wondering if he'd caught on to what she was telling him, but he didn't seem to get the message. Come on, Jack! Do I really have to spell it out for you?
"Right. So he's the real reason you decided to stay, not your job here or people in our unit. I get it. You didn't care about leaving me behind...it was someone else who made you want to stay." Dismayed at her news, he quickly rose from the bench, wondering if he'd made a strategic error by waiting so long to say anything about how he really felt. Hearing Sue admit that she was interested in someone new was crushing. I should've let Lucy help me out with some matchmaking…
Chewing his lip nervously, he tried to smile as he turned to face her. "Seriously, though, instead of crushing on some new guy here in town, maybe you should consider working in New York in the near future...if you ever get bored with your job in DC, that is. After all, there are a lot of single guys there…and it's not all that far from DC. Lucy could visit you often...it's only 3 and a half hours on the train...I could come up, too, from time to time...maybe even every weekend..."
"I thought you were glad that I'm staying here.," Sue said suspiciously. "Now you think I should move to New York? Make up your mind, Jack..."
I must be an idiot. After all, I practically begged her to stay...and now it sounds like I want her to leave. He paused, trying to come up with something logical. "Well, I don't really want you to leave, of course, but I can understand the need for a change. I mean, I've checked out the job postings at the NYC field office over the last week or so myself. In fact, I applied for one of the openings and had a phone interview yesterday."
"Really? That's...unexpected." Confused by his sudden job search, Sue stood up and gently tugged on Levi's leash. "How did it go?"
Jack scratched the back of his neck as they continued their walk. "Really well. They offered me the job on the spot. All I have to do is fill out some transfer paperwork, and BAM...I'm off to the Big Apple and new adventures with their field office, working in the Major Crimes division."
"That's great...a new division and everything," Reading his lips, Sue attempted to smile at his unexpected news. "And I guess if you move to New York, you'll be close to Allie, so that's nice…"
"Nah…that wasn't the reason I was looking into it." He smirked as he glanced at Sue, wondering if she'd figured out his ulterior motives. "Besides, me and Allie are over for good...we have been for several months."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Trying not to grin at the news of that breakup, Sue feigned sympathy. "I thought you two were serious…"
"We used to be, but not anymore. I think it's probably a good thing that we ended it. Neither of us was really happy with how things were going." As they waited for a light to change at a crosswalk, he filled her in on the details. "We want different things out of life, and it was like no matter how hard we tried, we could never find a good compromise. She wanted me to leave the FBI so I could practice law at some fancy corporate law firm, and for us to move to an expensive apartment in some Manhattan high rise, but, as you know, I've been leaning towards making a career in the FBI and having a nice house in the suburbs, or maybe even an acreage farther out from the city, if I find one I can afford. She doesn't want kids, and I do...it was a bunch of things like that. Anyway, we're still friends, but that's as far as it goes, and I'm okay with that."
"I see." Scolding herself for feeling relieved, Sue nodded. "I guess it worked out like you wanted, then. Solid Midwestern values win again."
"Yeah, it looks like they did." He pursed his lips slightly, deciding that as a highly trained federal investigator, an interrogation was in order. "So this new guy you like...the handsome, smart one...what does he do for a living?" Suddenly suspicious as he heard her laughter, he gazed at her intently. "Wait...it's someone at the Bureau, isn't it? I knew it!"
She pretended to be horrified. "Are you snooping into my personal life, Jack?"
Busted again! "No, of course not, but…"
She smirked at him as she reached down to adjust Levi's collar. "However, you're right...it's someone with the FBI."
"Look, I'm sorry for being so nosy, okay?" He shrugged, trying to be nonchalant and failing miserably. "I just want to make sure that he's a good guy. I mean, I'd hate for you to settle for some loser from White Collar or Cyber when you could have someone as special as you are...you know, someone who's an experienced field agent…a guy who does real investigative work and not some computer jockey…because, you know, a real agent would be so much more interesting to hang out with..."
"Is this one of those things where you're trying to trick me into saying something good about you...maybe something like 'oh, you're a really good field agent, Jack, and I'd like to hang out with you'?"
"Wow, that hurts my feelings." Smiling at her sly teasing, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Do I actually need to trick you in order for you to say good things about me?"
She smiled sweetly. "No. I can think of plenty of nice things to say about you...and someday I may let you hear some of them...but in small doses, so you don't get a big head."
"See, that's more like it. So if you say lots of good things about me, and if you play your cards right, I can make sure you get a good guy to be your new boyfriend…" He reached down to stroke Levi's head. "Someone special, like you deserve...someone who'll treat you right...someone who likes dogs..." Seeing Sue's stunned expression, he hastily changed the subject. "You know, even though you do occasionally say nice things about me, I have to admit that I'm a little bit peeved with you…"
That's random. What is wrong with him tonight? She studied his expression with curiosity, trying to figure out what he was getting at. "Peeved? Why?"
"Well, Sue, your goodbye/welcome back party kind of stole my thunder. See, I had a big announcement to make today, too. I was going to tell everyone after lunch, but you know...everyone was still so excited about you staying that I decided to wait."
"Really?" She regarded him with interest. "What kind of announcement?"
"A job announcement." He smiled with pride as he told her the news. "Director Chastain called me back to his office again a couple of weeks ago, saying that he was impressed by the fact that I'd been able to figure out how to use your talents to my unit's advantage, even though you're deaf. He said a lot of people would've given up on hiring you because of that one small part of who you are, and then end up missing everything else that you have going for you. He called it 'thinking outside the box'. He's been real happy with how our closure rate has improved since our team began using your special abilities. Of course, I told him that it worked so well because you had natural instincts for working cases, but…"
Sue suddenly interrupted. "But you trained me, Jack. I wouldn't have had any idea what to do while working a case, but you helped me figure it out. You're so patient when I make mistakes…you've taught me so much while I've worked with you..."
"Come on...I'm not always patient with you, and you know it." Rolling his eyes, Jack tried to correct her. "Besides, it wasn't me being such a good trainer as much as you were a good pupil…"
Shaking her head, she sighed in frustration. "You're such a confusing man. First you tell me that you want me to say good things about you, and then when I do, you argue with me about what I say." She giggled as she nudged him. "When Director Chastain called me to ask about you last week, I said a lot of nice things about you. Do you want me to call him back and change my answers?"
"I don't think so, thank you very much." Jack exhaled slowly. "And as for having trouble taking compliments...it's a guy thing." He wore a faint smile, wondering how he could explain the truth to her. He desperately wanted her to think of him as more than just a good training agent...he wanted her to think of him as a good man as well.
Shaking off those frustrating thoughts, he forged ahead with his news. "Anyway, I guess he believed what you said about me. See, Chastain is in charge of the unit that does the outside recruiting to fill open positions with the FBI, and he told me that he wants the Bureau to be more inclusive...you know, he wants us to investigate how we can find a place for people whose talents that might be overlooked because they're hearing impaired or maybe they have limited mobility...things like that. He wants me to head a task force to improve our inclusivity. He feels like there's a large pool of prospective employees out there that we're overlooking since they don't fit in the traditional mold of an FBI employee. He also said that since I was willing to make the effort to integrate you successfully into my unit, he wants me to work with the guys in personnel to see how that sort of thing could work with other units. I'll also be going out to universities to talk to people getting ready to graduate, like at Gallaudet, or maybe I'd talk to disabled veterans' groups...the possibilities are practically endless." He smiled proudly. "I'll get a nice raise, too…and he says with my outgoing personality, I'm a natural. He's sure I'll be a successful recruiter, especially since I'm younger than most of the guys that work for him. He thinks I can relate more to college kids."
Sue reached out and took his arm, turning him so he was facing her. "And you'd recruit these people to do more than fingerprint analysis, right? It needs to be something more meaningful than staring at slides all day, if they're up to the challenge..."
"Yeah, if that's what they want, we could place them in any sort of position they're suitable for...they wouldn't be hired just to tick off a box that shows we're meeting some government quota. Maybe they'd be able to become intelligence analysts, like you are, which might free up more agents to work in the field, or maybe they could even do some computer work like Tara does."
"I see." Still somewhat confused, she studied him carefully. "It sounds like you've given this idea a lot of thought…"
"Yeah, well, it's important to me. I've thought about our situation for the past year or so." He gazed silently at the sidewalk in front of them. "I can't imagine not knowing you…" He hesitated, afraid he'd said too much. "You know, I can't imagine not having you on my team, just because you're deaf, and it makes me wonder who else the FBI has missed out on…"
"Oh." Sue sighed softly as she realized where his focus lay. "I guess that makes sense…."
He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. "Anyway, that's one reason why I decided not to move to New York. I went by Chastain's office after lunch today and told him I'd work as the head of the task force on inclusivity in new employee recruitment for the East Coast, based out of the DC office, under one condition."
Smiling broadly, Sue laughed happily. "That I get to help you with recruitment, right? I can interpret what you're saying if you talk to students at Gallaudet..."
Nodding, he chuckled. "Okay, under two conditions...that you'll help me out if I need it, and that I get transferred to his department. He agreed, so I'm starting over there next Tuesday."
"You're transferring out of our office?!" Sue was aghast. "But you love working with our unit, Jack! You love being a Special Agent...never a dull moment, remember? Why would you want to make such a big change? Won't you miss being in charge?" I'm going to really miss working with you…
"You mean, won't I miss getting shot at by a crazed hit man, or having to work 72 hours straight without enough sleep to find a bad guy, or worrying about stepping into some building, wondering if it's going to explode? Nah...I think I can do without all of that stuff for a while…at least for a few years...or 'til you take a different job."
"But you just got through saying that field agents are interesting people, and now you're not going to be one. I don't understand why you'd make such a drastic move in your career."
He was incredulous as he considered her question. "You really don't know?"
She blinked back her tears, hoping she wouldn't cry when he was apparently so happy about his new job. "Not really. It doesn't seem like a logical decision...I can't believe you're leaving me…I mean, us...the team..."
"You're right...It may not be logical...but it's a decision I needed to make. In fact, I should've done this several months ago, but it took a while to get things to work out right." He reached out and gently tapped her arm. "So I'm gonna tell you why I took a different job, okay? Watch."
Finally it seemed like all the months of learning ASL and the waiting for the perfect moment had come to fruition. Exhaling slowly, he looked into her eyes for a few seconds before pointing at himself, crossing his arms over his chest, and pointing to her.
She was obviously shocked. "I'm not sure I got that…show me again."
Hoping he hadn't signed the wrong thing, he tried again, watching to see her reaction, and was thoroughly disappointed when there was none. "Maybe I'm not doing this right…"
"Do you mean this?" Biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud, she pointed to herself, crossed her arms over her chest, and pointed at him.
He threw up his hands in frustration. "Yes, of course! Isn't that what I was doing?" After trying several more times, to her great amusement, he finally gave up. "Okay, let me try it another way." Taking her hand in his, he gently pulled her closer and looked into her eyes. "I'm in love with you, Sue. Don't you know that by now? It's not like I've done a good job of hiding how I feel about you…how much I care about you...how much I need you in my life..."
She blushed slightly as she turned away from him. "Jack…I don't know what to say…"
Seeing her dazed expression, a horrible thought suddenly crossed Jack's mind. "Er...look...um...I know you said you were interested in someone new, and I don't want this to be awkward, but maybe you'd consider giving me a chance if it doesn't work out with the other guy, okay?" He winced as he realized how pathetic he must sound. Wow...how lame am I? No wonder she's passing me by...
"Well...maybe. I might be willing to give you a chance." She sighed softly as she stepped away from him, trying to hide her smile. "I don't know, though...the man I'm interested in is very special, and he'd be hard to top. And you do know him from work…"
Groaning softly in embarrassment, Jack stared at his shoes as he considered who might be his rival for her affections. "It's not Bobby, is it? I mean, he's my friend, so I know he's a great guy, but…'
"It's not Bobby…"
"And definitely not Myles, right?" Seeing her grimace, he nodded. "Good...and D is married…"
She laughed to herself as he worked out the puzzle. Maybe I should just tell him…
"Is it one of the lab techs? Or someone who works in Cyber?" He hesitated slightly as he considered the options. Finally he sighed in exasperation. "It isn't Levi, is it?"
"No, silly…"
"So if it isn't any of those guys…or the techs...and it's not the dog..." A happy smile finally lifted the corners of his mouth. "...it must be...me? You're interested in me?"
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm more than interested, Jack. I love you, too."
"Wow…" He exhaled slowly, still uncertain. "Really?"
"Yes, really!" She wore a blissful smile. "You should know that by now! You're the reason I'm staying here, Jack. I haven't hidden my feelings very well, either..."
"Really? Hey, wait a minute." He laughed as he shook his finger at her. "You knew what I was signing for you all along, didn't you? I'm not that bad at ASL…I signed 'I love you' correctly..."
She giggled as he embraced her. "Yes, you were saying it right...but I've waited a long time for you to tell me that you love me, and I wanted to enjoy it."
"I guess in some weird way that makes sense." Grinning happily, he brushed a strand of hair away from her face and kissed her tenderly. "I love you, Sue Thomas. There...how's that?"
Reaching down to untangle Levi's leash from their legs, she smiled. "That'll do for now." She gently caressed his cheek. "Is that what you were trying to tell me this morning?"
"Yeah…" Shrugging, he smiled sheepishly. "I was up all night trying to figure out what to say so you'd stay, and I was hoping to find just the right moment...and the right words, but...you know…there were people all over the place when I saw you in the hall, and I was afraid you might torpedo me...I thought maybe you might not feel the same way, and then I'd be sitting there in the office all day wishing I was somewhere else while I died of embarrassment…" He paused, shifting from one foot to another. "...but then at lunch today, Bobby set me straight on what an idiot I was being, so I knew I had to just tell you the truth...that I've been in love with you for a long time." He kissed her again. "I gotta admit...Bobby was right."
"And that's why you were looking at the job postings?" Taking his hand in hers as they walked on, Sue glanced at Jack. "So you were willing to move to the FBI office in New York if I took that analyst's job? I thought you said you didn't want to live there...you want to live in the suburbs..."
"I didn't want to live there with Allie, but I'd gladly live there with you."
"And you quit our unit...so we could be together? You did that for me? But you love your job…and I enjoy working with you...and are you sure it's okay if we're together now?"
He laughed happily as her questions quickly tumbled out. "I did love that job, but I love you more, Sue. Anyway, what kind of lawyer would I be if I couldn't find some sort of loophole in the FBI rules? Recruiting isn't necessarily a forty hour a week assignment, so I can still work with my old unit from time to time if I'm needed for some reason…but technically, I won't be in that division anymore, so it's all good, and we can be together...if you want, that is." Seeing her smile, he bent down to kiss her again. "And as for making this change for you...that's a big part of it, but I'm doing it for me, too."
"I don't understand…"
"Well…" Shaking his head, he heaved a sigh. "I got tired of trying to be 'professional' around you all the time, when all I really wanted to do was kiss you and to tell you how much I love you. I also got tired of watching jerks like Tony Capono flirt with you while I had to sit there and pretend not to care. Seeing him make eyes at you...wondering what you two were doing when you were out with him...it was eating me up inside, but I couldn't tell you, because with us being in the same unit, we weren't supposed to have any kind of romantic relationship, right? I wasn't supposed to feel that way. And anyway, even after you kicked Tony to the curb, I didn't want you to feel pressured to break the Bureau's 'no dating within the division' rules...so I did what I needed to do to make things work for us. I guess I was being selfish, but...you know…that's what I did, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I needed to."
"Maybe you were selfish, but in a good way." Leaning into him as he put his arm around her, Sue giggled softly. "You know what? The way you felt about Tony? That's how I felt about Jessica. I found her to be really annoying. I didn't like her very much, even before we found out what she'd done. It was hard for me to sit by and watch you two flirting since I'm in love with you..."
She was jealous of Jessica! Yes! Jack pretended to scowl at her, adamant in his denial. "I did not flirt with Jessica!"
"You did flirt a little bit, but she flirted with you a lot, and I know you enjoyed it, especially when she complimented you on your 'six pack'. I didn't like the way she was checking you out, but of course, I couldn't say anything...and when she pretended to be faint with hunger, practically 'collapsing' in your arms, and you came to her rescue and took her out for dinner…I'll admit, I was jealous...all I could think about was I wanted you to kiss me again, but I was afraid you were kissing her instead."
"Sue…" Jack exhaled slowly. "Jessica and I had some history together, and...at one time I actually thought she was the one for me. Fortunately, I figured out that I was wrong about her...I knew that even before we found out what she was doing." He smiled sadly. "Jessica has always thought of herself first. Seeing her in action, and seeing how different you two are...how you care for others...how you bring out the best in people...well, let's just say I thank God that I saw the true Jessica before I made a horrible mistake."
Sue chuckled softly. "So the way she paid attention to you didn't affect you in any way, right? You just ignored her…"
Preening a bit, Jack couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, well, maybe I do like having a beautiful woman fawn over me from time to time, but Jessica's a terrorist, so now I have to find another beautiful woman to fill the bill. Any idea where I can come up with one?"
"Maybe…"
"Good. So new rules, starting now...no more flirting at the office unless it's with each other. Deal?"
Sue quickly signed DEAL. "Do I have to wait until Tuesday to flirt with you?"
"I think we've been flirting in the office quite a bit already, so why stop now?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "Besides, I've already kissed you, and you kissed me back, so it would appear that we've strayed too far to go back to the way things were."
"True." Taking his hand, she manipulated his fingers into an ASL sign. "Bend these two middle fingers down toward your palm and hold these two up...put your thumb like this...see? It means 'I love you', so if you see me at work, you can tell me so…"
"Or…" He kissed her passionately until she was breathless. "...I can say 'I love you' like that, too."
Catching her breath, she giggled. "I don't think we can do that at work…"
"Yeah, maybe not at the Hoover. That might have to wait until we're on a recruiting trip." He reached down to scratch Levi's ears. "And we're going to train your furry buddy to 'sneer' at anybody who tries to flirt with you at work…"
"How will I keep college girls away from you?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "After all, you are very attractive…"
"We'll figure out something." Embracing her, he smiled. "And to answer another one of your questions...yes, we're together now, so we can go on dates...just like we normally did, only now we get to call them dates. We can do anything we want...we can go away together for a weekend...stay home and watch television while you make up funny dialogue...go to the movies...go visit my parents in Wisconsin and yours in Ohio...get married and buy a house in the suburbs…"
Hearing her gasp, Jack cringed. "Wow...did I really say that last part out loud?"
Trying not to laugh, she nodded. "I don't know if you said it 'out loud', but you did say it…you said 'get married.'"
"I'm so sorry…" He tried to shrug off his embarrassment. "I mean, I'm not really sorry, because I'd like that to happen someday, but now isn't the time for that sort of thing, is it? Geez…"
She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Jack…"
He didn't seem to hear her. Looking up at the stars, he sighed before turning to face her. "Remember when we were undercover as the married couple?"
"Yes, of course…"
"Well, I guess I never told you how much I hated watching you leave with Lucy that day when the job was over." Seeing her concern, he shook his head. "I wasn't mad at you, Sue. It was more like I felt like I'd lost something precious. I'd just spent a week having everything I wanted...a great house, and a beautiful woman in my life. It's hard to explain, but just waking up in the morning, knowing you were there in the house with me, ready for us to share our day together..it was a wonderful feeling, even if it wasn't reality. I just couldn't let it go. I knew that I had to get that feeling back...and now I know I have to keep you in my life, so maybe someday…if you want...then..."
Sue quietly interrupted. "You said you're getting a raise, right?"
Confused, Jack nodded. "Yeah, but..."
She held up a finger to quiet him. "How long will it take to get your credit rating straightened out?
He groaned softly. "Who knows? The guy at the company said it could be as long as six to eight months."
"That'll work." She smiled as she took his hand. "That would give Lucy time to find a new roommate, and it'll give us time to find someone to pronounce us man and wife other than Special Agent Garrett. Between your salary and mine, and with my credit rating, we might be able to afford a house on a small acreage in Virginia or Maryland if that's what you want…"
A grin spread across his face as he processed what she was saying. "So...wait...are you asking me to marry you? Like...soon? I thought you didn't like being rushed into making decisions."
"Well, it worked out fairly well the last time I asked you if we could get married." She smiled happily at him. "Jack, we know each other really well, and we love each other. We usually spend a lot of time together, and we've already spent a week living together. If that didn't make either of us crazy, we might as well go for it.," she teased. "Unless you want to wait…"
Grinning broadly, he shook his head. "Nope. I'm not taking a chance on letting you get away. I'm gonna get on the phone Monday and light a fire under that guy at the credit bureau to get things straightened out in a hurry. Maybe we won't have to wait six months."
"Maybe three months? We'll still need to find a place to live…" Sue giggled as Jack took her into his arms and kissed her. "Okay, six weeks…"
Laughing, he caressed her face. "Let's shoot for three months…say three months from today. Can you plan a wedding that quickly?"
Sue thought over the question for a few seconds. "I guess we'll find out. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. What about your lease?"
He gave her a thumbs up. "I'm almost at the end of it. That's not a problem. So we need to find a venue…"
Sue nodded. "I'm sure we can get married at my church."
They continued to discuss their plans as they strolled up to the front door of Sue's apartment building. Sighing happily, Jack embraced her tenderly. "It's gonna be hard to say good night to you and then leave by myself. Good thing we're having dinner together tomorrow…"
Sue put her arms around his neck. "You might want to bring some earplugs...when Lucy finds out what's going on, she's going to let out a squeal…"
Laughing, Jack nodded. "You know...I have an idea." He quickly explained his plan. "What do you think?"
Sue grinned at him. "I love it. It'll be interesting to see what happens." Suddenly feeling bashful as she studied his handsome face, she bit her lip. "I...I should go…"
"Yeah. Me, too." He smiled as he brushed her hair away from her face. "But first…" Kissing her, he smiled. "You have no idea how many times I've walked away from you while you were standing here, wishing I had kissed you good night…"
"Actually…" She gave him another kiss. "...it's probably the same amount of times as when I wished you'd kissed me before you walked away. I'll see you tomorrow evening...at six…"
"I'll be here…" He held her hand for a few seconds, finally letting go when Levi pulled on his leash. "I love you, Sue. Good night…"
"I love you, too, Jack." She waved before turning to walk into her apartment building.
"Wow…" Grinning to himself, Jack walked away with a spring in his step.
It had been a horrible week, but he couldn't argue with the way it had ended up. He and Sue were finally going to have their very own 'happily ever after'.
The possibility of another chapter lingers. I think it might be fun to find out how Lucy reacts to their news. Stay tuned...