If you've ever read Operation Poisoned Heart, this is where you will really see a hard reset of the story start to occur. Not just with plot points but also with characterization. OPH didn't have a good set up for Kico, Kowalski was less oblivious and more of a jerk for no apparent reason so I'm hoping that this chapter of Heartstrings begins to correct that.

Enjoy!

Operation: Heartstrings

Chapter 2

"Why did I agree to go on this date?" Kowalski asked himself as he struggled with his tie. For all he had dared to dream about going on a date with Doris now that it was actually happening he was second guessing everything. He wasn't even sure what they could possibly talk about, they had had brief conversations on biology and chemistry, but that didn't seem suitable for a date. "What do you even talk about on a date?"

"You okay?" Rico asked despite knowing that Kowalski was not okay if the mangled tie was anything to go by. Or the fact that he clearly had been caught talking to himself a clear give away that anxiety was getting the better of the genius.

"Ugh, no. I'm starting to think tonight is going to be a dumpster fire," Kowalski said and gave up on his tie. "I haven't been on a proper date in years."

"Eva?" Rico asked knowing that something had occurred the last time they had run into North Wind roughly a year and half ago.

"That was less of a date and more of an alcohol fueled hook up with a lot of regret the next morning," Kowalski winced both at the reminder and the way Rico wrinkled his nose at the comment. "I already know to skip the wine at dinner. I'm just worried I won't know what to do or say. Plus what if Skipper is right, in the sense that this date is part of some plan for Doris to humiliate me? I wouldn't blame her either, I mean, I've certainly put Doris in some awkward situations. She nearly lost her job because of me once. I know it would make me look like an asshole, but I'd probably be better off canceling the whole thing. What to do I even have to offer anyway?"

Rico shook his head in disagreement and approached Kowalski to undo the mess of a knot that the genius had created. He wasn't surprised to hear Kowalski berating himself; the genius swung between having an ego the size of the room to a self-esteem that would shatter if you so much as glanced in his direction. As he began going through the motions to make a decent knot in the tie he started listing off things that Doris would like about him. "You're smart. Funny. Kinda a dork, but, " Rico paused for a moment as he finished the knot and as he pulled it snug against Kowalski's throat he looked up and met the older man's eyes, " handsome."

Kowalski felt his throat grow tight and looked away, unable to shake the feeling that Rico was wholly sincere in what he was saying. Yet, he had to remind himself that Rico had flirted with him as a joke many times before and chalked the fluttering in this stomach up to nerves. "I mean it Rico, what if Doris doesn't like me?"

"Her loss," Rico said with a small smile as he straightened the length of the tie before stepping back to admire his work. Even though it was still clear to anyone that knew Kowalski that he was a bundle of nerves, he looked, "perfect. Doris would be stupid not to like you."

A smile broke out across Kowalski's face. He touched his tie and felt a rush of gratitude as his nerves settled. "Thank you."

Of course, the calm didn't last and Kowalski panicked the second he saw Doris. He was certain that she thought he was a bumbling idiot and only remained at the table out of pity. Especially after a mostly silent dinner that was peppered with awkward small talk to catch up on what was going on in their lives. Many things on her end he already knew and from his end it was almost all classified.

"There's no reason to be so nervous, Kowalski, I don't bite,well at least not without consent" Doris playfully winked before reaching across the table to place one of her hands over his. Their plates had long since been swept away. "I'm guessing you don't do this a lot." Her voice was softer this time, "date, I mean."

"I was hoping it wasn't that obvious." Kowalski looked down and just knew that his ears were turning red in embarrassment. It felt like some of his worst fears about the date were starting to come true. He wasn't sure why he seemed incapable of talking to a woman without making things awkward or embarrassing himself. "I mean, it's not like I haven't dated before, but to say it's been a while is an understatement." Two years was less like a while and more like an eternity.

Doris nodded in understanding. "If it makes you feel better, it's been a while for me as well. A few years at least. I just hope you haven't been holding out for me all that time."

Kowalski chuckled at the teasing tone in Doris's voice and felt himself relax slightly- a nagging voice in the back of mind that sounded annoyingly like Skipper kept chiming in that there was no way Doris hadn't dated in years. "No, well not entirely, for some time I was focusing on my own research and then other things," he resisted the urge to touch his neck, " life, got in the way."

"Trust me, I understand how that works." Doris met Kowalski's curious gaze before continuing. "I feel like one thing I need to make clear tonight is that I have always liked you."

"Really?" Kowalski couldn't hold back the tone of surprise in his voice.

Doris laughed lightly, her green eyes sparkling, "Yes! I mean sure you came on a bit strong a few times, but I admire how passionate and determined you are when it comes to things you care about. Plus it's not often I meet someone that stimulates my...scientific intellect. It was just that I was trying to get through graduate school and I didn't want any distractions. Not when my brother had sacrificed so much for me to get an education to begin with."

"I didn't realize you had a brother." Kowalski couldn't recall it ever coming up in conversation before. Although he wasn't sure if he had ever given Doris the chance to share such a detail about herself.

"He practically raised me," Doris took her hand off Kowalski's and touched the silver dolphin pendant resting just below her collarbone. "After our parents died, he gave up his opportunity to study marine biology and took a miserable job at a water park to make sure we could stay together."

"That's quite admirable of him. I imagine that you two are very close then?" As soon as he asked the question he regretted it seeing a sadness sweep over Doris's features.

"We were," Doris explained, "he passed away some time ago."

"I'm sorry for your loss. I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like. The closest thing to having any family would be my teammates and I know I'd be devastated if something happened to one of them. " That was potentially an understatement on Kowalski's part. He wasn't sure if there was ever an accurate word to describe the agony of losing a brother in arms like when they thought they had lost Private to Dr. Brine's Medusa Serum.

"Thank you. Some days it's still hard to believe he's gone even though we weren't as close once I started working at the aquarium. Once that happened, he was able to start pursuing his own goals. Unfortunately, that meant that both of us were always too busy working on some project or research or goal to properly stay in touch. We always were talking about making plans to see each other and catch up. In fact, I hadn't seen him in person for over three years and then a few months ago after I got back from a research trip, I found out that he had been in a fatal accident. When things like that happen your whole perspective changes on what is and isn't important."

Kowalski leaned forward and took Dori's hand, feeling like he was finally starting to understand why he had always felt a connection to her. "Doris, I'm so sorry, that must have been very difficult for you."

Doris smiled at Kowalski from across the table, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "It was, but I think I've grown as a result. I mean, that's really what it comes down to in life. You either fight, adapt, and survive or you give up and let life pass you by." She stopped for a moment and looked abashed by her comment, "I realize that sounds harsh."

"It does," Kowalski agreed, feeling the last of his nerves evaporating. "However, I had a similar epiphany when my mother passed. I was quite young when it happened, but my father," Kowalski hesitated for a moment searching for the right words, "wasn't in the best state mentally or emotionally to be raising a child. I had to adapt and survive for years on my own, it wasn't easy, but I believe it is something that made me stronger overall."

Doris blinked back tears, "I wasn't really expecting you to be so understanding on that front. Actually, I wasn't expecting to be so open tonight- you're just so easy to talk to."

"I have to say the same. You know I was so worried about what I was going to say earlier, although I think our dinner proved that, but with you it's easy."

"I know this is going to sound silly, given our elevated understanding of the natural world, but I feel like this," Doris gestured between the two of them, "was meant to be. Like I've always felt some connection to you for the longest time I thought it was because we're people of science, but it seems like it goes much deeper than that."

"I feel the same way."

Doris bit her lower lip and leaned forward in her seat, "I'm hoping I'm not being too forward when I ask this, but how'd you like to skip desert and come back to my place for coffee?"

"Oh! Um," Kowalski floundered for a moment, his mind going to the small scars that now littered his body and conflicting with the earlier memory of Rico calling him handsome.

"And it can be literally just coffee," Doris was quick to correct, " if coffee would be too much for a first date or if I have completely misread the evening."

"No, I was just a bit surprised. I'd love to continue our conversation over coffee."