A/N: Hi all, I'm so happy to be back and we had a little reunion that made me all fuzzy inside.

I just want to make you smile, and hopefully laugh.

As always, enjoy!

Chapter 2: Motorbike

Saturday 27th August 2016, 11.05am, Aunt Tullie's house, Summerville, South Carolina

"Is that your bike, Mr John?" Reggie asked, with his face pressed against the window at the blue Ducati Monster in the driveway. The mere idea of starting it reduced him from a 20-year-old to an excitable child.

"For now. And you can call me John."

"No, you can't." Cece interjected, shaking her red dreadlocks in disapproval from the arm of her mother's chair. Since Joss wasn't very forthcoming with details, she was pleasantly-surprised to see that if her cousin had to dip in the swirl-pool, at least she picked a fine one who worked out…a lot. "So John, what brings you down here?"

"It's been a while since I've seen the Carolinas. Years actually. Charlotte was nice."

"So what stopped you from coming back?" Aunt Cammie enquired.

"Prison." He replied honestly. Taylor found a spot on the wall to concentrate on, anything to avoid his mother's gaze; through eavesdropping he knew John was wanted in six states.

Cece was amused. "That's a good one."

"Charming." Aunt Cammie chipped in in her trademark deadpan tone. "Well, I'm sure we'll get better acquainted during your stay. And how long is that exactly?"

Tullie cut her off. "Cammie, you know better than to ask. And this is my house. You're welcome, John. Feel at home."

"Thanks."

She smiled, because she was taken with his blue eyes and black and white leather jacket. Something about him put her at ease at having a stranger in her house. "Josie, you'll show John to the guest room and make him comfortable, won't you?"

Cece snickered while her mother cleared her throat. "Sure I will."

And like clockwork, Evelyn made her entrance in a peach sundress with capped sleeves, silk pressed wavy hair and the broadest smile spread across her face. "John! What are the chances?" She exclaimed. "Imagine seeing you here. Quelle surprise."

He turned on the charm offensive. "Evelyn, radiant as ever."

"Well…" She basked in his compliment and the victory of step 1 of her plan going off without a hitch. "You know, Rosie's flying in this afternoon. You'll get a chance to meet the whole family."

The last time Joss was ambushed with this level of premeditation, she was demoted to Field Training Officer in uniform. "It's this way, John. Follow me." On their way out, Gregory apologised sincerely with his eyes.

11.05am, Aunt Tullie's house, Summerville, South Carolina

Tasked with showing her 'special friend' some Southern Hospitality, Joss fluffed his pillows in an awe-struck silence as she couldn't believe he was really staying. Every now and then, she'd look him up and down to confirm he was there in the flesh. Not that he was paying attention to her; John was fascinated by the old and new photos on the wall and all the people she never told him about. "That's that guy, right? The baseball player." He asked, matching the teenager in sepia to the full-length portrait of the military man with the prosthetic arm who wasn't much older than him.

"Yeah, that's Cousin Jason. He used to be a pitcher for the Gamecocks in college."

"And now?"

"He's a Drill Sergeant at Fort Jackson, maybe you'll get to meet him. Unless you need to dip out." She thought aloud.

"I called in the reinforcements; trust me, I won't dip out." He confirmed, wondering why she was on edge.

She sat on the edge of the bed. "So, how did you get here?"

"Why? Is nobody supposed to be here?" He asked, proving they had spent too much time together fighting for radio control. "You already know how; you've seen my bike outside."

She was warming up the idea of him staying, not that she'd admit it. "You still know how to make an entrance, huh?"

"And you're Miss Congeniality." He replied with all the sarcasm he intended.

She exhaled; he teased her because it got on her nerves, and all that nervous tension usually led to her finding her underwear with her feet. "Welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay-"

"I will." He said, with confidence.

"…and your time on the skewer. 'Cause Southerners love them some Barbecue."

"I'll take my chances." He took off his jacket and threw it on the bed. "So, are you gonna keep giving me the cold reception?"

"Maybe." She rolled her eyes. "...No." Her resolve was plummeting again, like it always did. "Lock the door."

He didn't plan on asking her why or what for, just as she didn't intend on dressing like a college bum for a minute longer especially when she had a man around who showed his appreciation for her skin with the curve of his fingers and the tip of his tongue. Up went her raggedy t-shirt over her head. "Who's next door?"

"CeCe, when she's not bunking with me. Why?" She asked, making light work of his belt.

"So I know who to apologise to."

"You've never apologised a day in your life." It would've stung, if she wasn't pulling his keys and burner phone out of his pockets. He knew she wanted him to stay. If she was the woman he met years ago, she'd never have let it get this far; she'd have had a speech playing in her mind about decency, and what was appropriate and right. But with a locked door, an empty bed and the buzz from last night, she couldn't resist what John had to offer. And through the failed attempts at suppressing her moans, he gave it to her.

"Someone didn't waste any time." Aunt Tullie commented with a congratulatory grin.

12.43pm, Aunt Tullie's house, Summerville, South Carolina

"You could be more discreet, Jocelyn."

"Leave her alone, Cammie, some of us like to have fun. This decade. If I heard correctly, twice. I like John."

Joss stuck her head in the fridge to hide her mortification. "Thanks. Where's Ma?"

"At the store. She said something about the coconut layer cake." CeCe told her, thinking John must be a magician for what her brought out of her formerly straight-laced cousin.

Joss grew suspicious. "She's shopping for dinner already? There's enough to feed 20 people in here."

CeCe cleared her throat as she'd said too much already. "Yeah, well, you know…"

"What's going on, C?"

"Nothing." She had always been a terrible liar; her nostrils flared. "I should check on the boys. Can't have Reggie getting injured when he just made the starting line-up."

"C..." Joss said to her back as she left in a hurry. "What's going on here?"

Aunt Cammie looked away, because she was completely out of the loop and hated being one step behind everyone else. Tullie tried her best to tell the truth, without saying anything. "It's a big dinner."

"How big?

"Wear something nice." Tullie advised. "And I had nothing to do with it." With a soft rub on the back Tullie disappeared into the garden where she poured out all she was holding in, to her plants.

2.57pm, Gantry Plaza State Park, Long Island City, New York

Fusco and Shaw had called each other many names over the years; food names, nicknames and, on rare occasions, expletives, but never 'partner'. Finch thought they could make a formidable team in John's absence, albeit an explosive one. The Machine had produced the numbers of 7-year-old twin boys earlier that morning.

"What's wrong, Curly Fries?" Shaw asked, when he stopped matching her donut hole for donut hole. "You watching your figure?"

"Gimme those."

"Is it the blonde with the overbite?" She pried, not because she cared but because she was running out of things to tease him about.

"No. And stop calling her that. It's Hazel."

She shrugged her shoulders. "So what's your problem?"

"It's Lee."

"It's the drugs, right? Salvia? Laughing gas?" She asked with false concern, playing park bench philosopher.

"No, Krusty. He blew me off."

"Maybe you're just…not…that interesting."

"Gee, thanks."

"Or maybe he's 14 and can't be seen with you in public."

For some reason, that was a comforting thought. "I guess you're right. And if you're right then I'm stunned."

6.18pm, Aunt Tullie's house, Summerville, South Carolina

Taylor soon discovered being roped into setting the long adjoining tables for 36 wasn't so bad when he had front row seats to the I Love Evelyn Show with Gregory trying to perform a miracle by making a mountain move i.e. dissuading his wife from her carefully laid plans.

"…and it's not too late, Ev. You can…abort mission anytime you want. Like now for example."

She smiled, so inflated with assurance she was practically walking on air. "I'm not a quitter. If John didn't want to, he wouldn't be here, making silly noises with his bike. Jocelyn just needs some…encouragement."

"And if she's…discouraged? What will you do then?"

"Oh Greg, do you even know me at all?" She batted her eyelashes and carried on laying rolled napkins.

6.41pm, Aunt Tullie's house, Summerville, South Carolina

The only 'nice' thing Joss had to wear was a short blue lace dinner dress with long sleeves that was a nightmare to put on, sit in and take off. "Zip me up." She said, before taking a sharp inhale for the zipper.

"You want me to press your hair?" CeCe offered, when the only answer was yes.

"Okay."

"What's up with the suits?" She asked, taking enough hair in her hand for a bang. "I've seen at least 4 suit bags since morning."

"It's his thing." Joss replied, leaning her head forward.

"You happy?"

"Yeah."

"Aunt Rosie landed an hour ago. You know what that means?"

"Yeah. We're in for it."