Title : Where Do We Go From Here… (at last, Part III of the Trilogy!)

Author : Jaggie 107

Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV – and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.

Rating : G to PG-13 (Just in case!)

Thanks for the first reviews to : jtbwriter; GuitarVixen; DD2; Nikki; Froggy0319; anna7; Jbird7986; beegirl; JAGFANWI; Abigaile; Judy; roxy; KJFlygirl87; mayaresi; alicia; starryeyes10

New readers/reviewers will be added to the list with each chapter.

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry it's taken so long…better late than never! Jack's Apartment – Washington DC

Jack Hudson turned off his alarm and turned over in the bed, reaching out for the other warm body, and then groaning when he remembered. Sue wasn't there with him. His fiancée had been sent to Quantico for an update course shortly after they had returned from California. It had been short notice, and initially Jack had believed that it had been an attempt by some at the Bureau to discredit Sue's ability to work with the Special Investigations Unit. It had been two years now, and still there was dissention about having a person with 'special needs' working with such a high-profile team. Sue had more than proved herself capable of both working with the team, and dealing with her detractors, and as far as she was concerned, it was 'business as usual' when she entered the Bureau building each morning. Sitting up and running a hand over his eyes, Jack got to his feet and padded through to the bathroom, turning on the shower as he reached for the toothbrush on the shelf above the sink. Just as he was about to start cleaning his teeth his cell phone rang.

"Hudson."

"Hiya, Sparky, it's me. Got a case for us, hot off the press. Can you meet me in ten, Union Station?"

"Union? What's going on, Bobby?"

"I'm at Jenny's place, and I need a ride. I'll tell you what's going on when I see you."

"Okay. Will do. Might be more than ten, with traffic…"

"Yeah…and you're still in your jammies, right?"

Jack looked down at himself and grinned.

"Nope, I can honestly say I've just got my toothbrush in my hand."

"Ugh, too much information. Okay, go clean your teeth and I'll see you when you get here."

"On my way," Jack answered, and then closed his cell phone.

Mattie and Jennifer's Apartment – Union Station

Bobby Manning closed his cell phone just as Jennifer Coates entered the lounge from her bedroom. Her hair was fastened back in its usual French braid, and she was picking at a piece of lint on her blouse as Bobby leaned in to drop a quick kiss on her lips.

"Good mornin', beautiful."

Jennifer grinned and kissed him back.

"I bet that's what you tell all the girls," she retorted, and reached behind him for her coat and cover. "I've got to get going, Bobby. Do you need a ride?"

Bobby shook his head.

"Nope. Jack's swinging by to pick me up. I've just got off the line to him. We've had a case called in. Not the best news I've had on a Friday morning; a suicide."

"Why does it involve the Bureau? I would have thought the DC police would take the call."

"Usually, yes, but this appears to be special circumstances. No doubt we'll find out more when we get there." Bobby informed Jennifer of the basics of his call, and then tipped his head to one side as he watched her pull on her winter uniform coat. Jennifer stopped as she saw him looking at her.

"What?" she asked. When Bobby didn't answer immediately she shrugged into the coat and began fastening the buttons.

"Did I happen to tell you how much a woman in uniform turns me on, Petty Officer?"

Jennifer laughed softly, reaching up to kiss him again, but before he could put his arms around her she sidestepped and opened the door.

"That's a nice thing to say, Agent Manning," emphasizing the word 'Agent', Jennifer became the dedicated officer that she was, her voice business-like too. "However, I don't have time to take you up on the offer, and neither do you. If you want to stay inside until Jack comes by, just drop the catch when you leave."

"Nah, I'll walk you down. Jack should be by soon, anyway."

"Okay." Pushing Bobby out of the door ahead of her, Jennifer grabbed her keys off the hanger by the door, dropped them in her purse, and pulled the door closed behind her. As they passed Harm's door on the way to the elevator Bobby voiced another question.

"When are they expected back?" he thumbed at the closed door.

"Tomorrow. Mattie's due back from the Bahamas with Harm's parents today, and then they all travel back together from La Jolla."

"So, our nights of grand passion are going to have to stop, for a while at least…"

Jennifer groaned and looked at Bobby.

"I know. It's been great that you've been able to stay over, but we won't be able to do it when Mattie's back. I'll be able to come to your place, but not to stay over. There'll be other times."

"Yeah, but sometimes I think Harm counts on you a little too much to look after Mattie," Bobby murmured. Jennifer shook her head at him, her voice a little reserved as she spoke.

"Harm doesn't presume anything, Bobby. It's my choice to look after Mattie as I do. It was an arrangement that suited all our needs at the time, and it gave Mattie some independence even though Harm was her guardian."

"And now he's her father?"

"They're in the process of looking for a house, especially with the twins due. Until then, I'm happy with the arrangements we have."

"Okay, I'll go with that."

"Thank you. Believe me, I'd be the first to rant if I thought Harm or Mac, or even Mattie, were taking advantage." Jennifer leaned up to drop a quick kiss on Bobby's cheek as they got into the elevator, and he let the matter drop.

As they left the apartment building Bobby saw Jack's car pull into the parking lot. Turning to Jennifer, he gave her a quick hug and walked over to where Jack was waiting. Two people watched his movements. Jennifer, aware that although he had dropped the subject for now, knew it wasn't the end of the discussion by his rigid stance as he walked away. And Jack, who saw the dark look on Bobby's face as he came towards the car, before climbing into the passenger side and slamming the door.

"Good morning to you too, pal. So, what happened between your phone call earlier, and just now?"

"It's something I need to work out myself first, Jack. Just drive, will ya?"

"Sure, when you tell me where we're going?"

"The Crowne Plaza, just around the corner. A woman was found dead this morning."

"And we're involved because…?" Jack asked, trying to make conversation, which was difficult because Bobby's mind was elsewhere. Jack checked his mirrors before pulling out onto the street again, and then asked again. "What does this have to do with us, Crash?"

The nickname brought Bobby's attention back to the present. Turning in his seat a little, Bobby faced his friend and colleague.

"Dunno. Tara called to say the DC police had passed the matter on. Something to do with security breaches."

"Okay. I guess we both know as much as each other now." Jack settled into the traffic for the short journey, and his lips tilted in a slight smile, which Bobby saw.

"What's the smile for?"

"You might want to lose the lipgloss. Pink just isn't your color, Crash." Jack didn't look over, but he knew he had brought a smile to his friend's face, albeit a rueful one as Bobby wiped off the remains of Jennifer's kisses.

To be continued