Author's Note: Hey guys! Here are another two chapters up. This first one, is once again mostly filler. Alot of dialogue and a look into Sue and Jack's mentality and the dilemmas they're facing. I know I know, it can get a little angsty. The next chapter has some action in it so hopefully you won't get too bored! Thanks so, very, ever much to all of my readers who continue to support this fanfic since it is pretty much my first one. Thanks alot guys and I hope you guys continue to read and review!

Chapter 9 – Quit While You're Ahead

Sue sat at her desk in the bullpen and stared vacantly at the file in front of her. She hadn't expected her attention to be divided so easily and thoroughly but her conversation with Sylvia last night still dominated most of her concentration. It used to be easy to throw herself into her work and be distracted from her personal issues with the details of a case, but when those two worlds end up colliding, the fallout can turn out to be disastrous.

"All right," Bobby stood up and slipped on his coat. "Who's up for a lunch break?"

Various members of the team all sprang up from their desks in agreement and followed him towards the door but Lucy noticed that Sue was still staring blankly off into space. With concern, she approached her best friend and put a hand on her shoulder. Sue sat up with a bit of a start and looked to Lucy, forcing a smile on her lips.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked.

Sue nodded. "I'm fine. I'm just trying to work something out in my head."

"Do you want to talk about it? Maybe over lunch? I'm sure I can somehow get Bobby to cover the bill for us," Lucy said mischievously.

Sue smiled tightly, "Maybe next time."

From the doorway Eric noticed the two talking and looked at Sue with concern. She had been spacing out a lot lately and it was definitely an issue of concern. He saw Lucy nod and give her shoulder a light squeeze before heading out the door to catch up with the rest of the group.

"Uh, listen. Tell the gang I just remembered I had to take care of something." He told her before she left.

"Sure, want us to bring you back anything?" Lucy offered.

"Just a sandwich would be fine thanks. And please remind them to hold the onions. I almost died last time."

"It was an accident!" Lucy defended.

Eric chuckled and walked back into the office. He hung his jacket back across his chair and looked over at Sue who was still lost in thought. He sighed and sat across from her desk.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He offered.

"Only if it's a shiny one," Sue replied with a forced smile.

"You've just seemed a little distracted lately. It's not showing up in your performance or anything but…as a friend I'm just a little worried."

Sue took in a deep breath. "Well, it's true. I have kind of been all over the place."

"I don't suppose this has something to do with a certain FBI agent who used to work here who everybody thought was dead but isn't really dead?"

"That obvious huh?"

"Well," Eric replied, "Some things are."

"Yeah," Sue nodded in agreement. "Like the fact that he has a new name, a new career…maybe even a new girlfriend."

An awkward silence fell between them for a moment before Sue took in a deep breath and spoke up again. "It was easier back then, you know? We knew what the rules were…we knew what was possible and not possible."

"But you can't help who you love, can you?" Eric responded, looking up at Sue.

"I don't even know if it was love…" Sue answered honestly. "I always thought there was a chance that he felt the same way I did but I knew there was never a chance for it to amount to anything…whatever that may be."

"But now you do," Eric replied. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It would have been easier, you know? To go back to the way things were. To go back to just being friends, co-workers. Because at least then we knew where we stood."

"To be fair, Sue…you can't just pick up where you left off. It's been three years."

"That's my point…" Sue took in a deep breath. "I've already come to terms with the fact that I wasn't going to see him again but I still would have given almost anything to have him back here. But now that he is…what now?"

"Sue…" Eric reached out and took her hand. "It just sounds like you don't know what you want yet, and neither does Jack."

"But why not?" Sue pleaded. "If it's love then shouldn't the answer be easy?"

"Love is never easy," Eric explained. "Especially if you've been apart for three years. You guys have always wondered what it would have been like to be together and yeah…now's your chance. But obviously you can't start where you stopped three years ago."

"There's just so much to consider…what's he going to do after the trial ends and what about Sylvia?"

"Maybe you should be talking about this with him, not me," Eric pointed out. "He's the one that needs to hear it."

Sue smiled tightly and nodded, taking in a deep breath. Eric gave her a soft smile and walked over to his desk.

"Thanks," Sue called out.

Eric smiled. "Anytime."


Jack knocked on the door connecting his room to Sylvia's and waited patiently for a response. It was extremely stifling being cooped up in a hotel room all day and this was one of the days where Jack didn't have to be involved in giving statements or testifying in front of someone. He also managed to sweet talk the agents into letting him go around the city, with a security detail of course. For the first time since he can remember he was buzzing and excited. He wanted to take Sylvia around the city and show her all of the places that he used to frequent. When he was in Hartbridge he certainly got nostalgic and wistful about seeing those places again, and now he could finally make it a reality.

There was still no response from Sylvia's room and he called her name from his side. He stared at the door quizzically. It was already noon, maybe she just wasn't awake yet or maybe she hadn't come back from her usual morning swim yet. A knocking came from the door to his room and he peered through the peephole. He opened the door and greeted Bobby warmly.

"Agent Manning, I take it it's your turn for the babysitting duties." Jack joked as Bobby entered.

"Hey man, if it was up to me I doubt you'd need it at all, but you know what the guys upstairs are like," Bobby answered. "Are you and Sylvia still going to head out today?"

"Yeah, maybe. I think she's still doing her morning swim or something."

Jack handed Bobby a drink from the mini-fridge and Bobby sat down on the couch, propping his feet on the coffee table. "So, what's the deal with you two anyways?"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"Don't play coy with me now, Hudson. You know what I mean."

"Weren't you the one who told me I shouldn't be going out with her?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, maybe," Bobby answered sheepishly. "But to be fair, I did think she was going to kill you."

"Fair enough." Jack conceded.

Bobby took a sip of his drink. "So, what about the other 'S' then. The blonde one."

Jack swallowed a gulp. "What about her?"

"Jack Hudson the heartthrob, can't say I'm surprised." Bobby mused.

"You remember that night we went out for dinner?" Jack answered. "Well…I was walking her home and then…I kissed her."

Bobby's eyes widened. "You did? Wow…good on ya, mate." Jack nodded slowly and merely shrugged. Bobby noticed this and arched a brow. "Not…good on you?"

"It's confusing…that's all," Jack replied.

"Then why did you do it?" Bobby inquired.

"Because I wanted to," Jack answered with honesty.

"Sounds like a good enough reason to me," Bobby agreed.

"It's a little unfair though, isn't it? I've wanted to do that for so long and it took me to die for me to actually do it," Bobby gave him a quizzical and confused look. "It made sense in my head," Jack answered sheepishly.

"Listen to me mate," Bobby started with seriousness. "You know what kind of girl Sue is, she doesn't exactly have to sit around or try very hard for guys to want to line up around the block for her, does she? And I know that she cares about you a lot…when Eric first came in she was actually hostile towards him. And you know she's never like that with anybody."

"They seem to get along fine now," Jack countered.

"Yeah, really well." Bobby said pointedly.

Jack looked up in alarm. "Are you saying…Eric and Sue—"

Bobby shook his head. "Naw, I don't think so. More on his part than hers but you can tell they've got some chemistry going. Look, he might have taken your place at your desk but I don't think he has in her heart."

Jack took in a deep breath. "I figured this would be easy, you know. If I had to choose between my old life and my new one."

Bobby let out a deep sigh and took in a long sip of his drink. "Don't go telling anybody this but I've been hearing things going on at the bureau. It seems like Eric's been offered a position in Organized Crime that he's highly considering about accepting. And the guy who tried to off you? Mintayga…we busted his entire operation a year ago so there's no more threat to your life…So then you'd be able to have your old job back…"

Jack's eyes lit up instantly at the thought but then he stopped in contemplation. "But then I might have to break up with Sue…or…something like that."

"Right…or you can take the job in O.C. and Eric stays where he is," Bobby offered. "What do you say, Jack? Are you ready to be Special Agent Hudson again?"

Jack took in a deep breath and sighed wistfully, "I wish I knew."

Bobby looked at Jack sympathetically and then his cell phone rang. "Manning. No, they didn't. Jack said she might be at the hotel pool or something…You did?…I see…I'll let him know." He clicked off the phone and looked at Jack reluctantly.

Jack looked at Bobby in alarm. "What is it?"