AUTHOR'S NOTE: I can't believe I have gone this long without updating this fic! I guess History and French essays are more important haha.

ilovebug - I'm happy that you are really enjoying this story and hopefully chapter 4 tied you over enough to greatly anticipate chapter 5!

missiemeghan - Another one who liked seeing Lily get jealous, this is great because I always thought that Lily would have wanted Bug if she wasn't totally involved with Garret.

gryffingirl77 - Thank you for your positive review, it's quite funny if you see the quality of writing that I did with my first ever fanfic compared to this one you can see the detail I loved to use back then, I guess I'm more of a dialogue fiend now haha.

Armonia - The whole Woody thinking about his life with Sandra had been rolling around in my mind since I wrote the idea for this fic down, like back in the summer. I'm happy you enjoy the story!

spreet - I agree fully, we need more Bug centered stories.

LillyLebowski - Thank you, I will keep going even though it may seem like it takes a long time.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own characters appearing on "Crossing Jordan"

Chapter 5 - The Date

"Ready to go?" Sandra asked Bug as she packed the last of her gear in her backpack.

"I'm ready." replied a confident Bug, as he still couldn't believe that he was actually going out on a date with a beautiful woman that he hardly knew.

"So I take it we will take your car then?" asked Sandra.

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea to me."

They left Sandra's condo and headed for their date on the Appalachian Trail. It was a beautiful warm sunny day out and there was no chance of rain in the forecast. Bug drove them there and on the way they had the most amazing conversations about previous relationships, their families, their friends and especially their work. Sandi confided in Bug that she never intended on being a translator, instead she wanted to continue teaching and was wanting to move back to Canada because there wasn't a great need for French teachers in the States she thought. Bug also confided in Sandi that he would have moved back to Britain if he didn't become a U.S. citizen. He also revealed to her that he liked the States better than England any day, but he could tell that she was still missing her homeland, although the two countries were fairly similar.

As they were walking along the trail Sandra said something that Bug never expected.

"Mahesh, it seems like I have known you forever." said Sandra.

"Why do you say that?" asked a reluctant Bug.

"I say that because of our ease of conversation, how we can easily relate to each other. As well we basically know each other's life histories now."

"That is true, so when you were growing up on the farm did you milk a lot of cows?"

"Yeah but not the old fashioned way. Luckily there are milking machines now. You know the whole time I was seeing Lieutenant Moran, a colleague of Detective Hoyt's, he never once asked me about what it was like when I was growing up, he would go on and on about himself all the time. But enough about me, Mahesh I want to know about you. Like why do the people at the Medical Examiner's office call you Bug."

"It's because I am very knowledgeable in insects."

"I think that is very admirable considering all of the cases you must all get, I mean look at how many people die outdoors."

"Really? Most women are creeped out by that."

"Why should they be creeped out? If you want to know how someone died you have to use as many resources as possible right? And in agriculture you have to rely on entomology in order to detect which insects are a threat to your crops."

"You know you are the first woman outside of the Medical Examiner's office that I've heard say 'entomology'?"

"Really? I'm finding that hard to believe Mahesh."

"Well you better believe it. Ah here we are!" proclaimed Bug.

Bug and Sandra looked out over the most magnificent valley on the Appalachian Trail, it was five o'clock in the evening which meant that since the valley faced West they had front row seats to the most beautiful sunset ever.

"So I guess we will set up camp here?" asked Sandra, taking the view in. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her digital camera, "I need to take a picture of this."

"Yeah I normally set up camp here, although next time I think we should set up camp in the spot where there's this amazing sunrise." responded Bug.

"Aren't we doing this camping thing for two days?" asked Sandra.

"Yes and...?"

"Well we can go to that spot you were telling me about tomorrow."

"I was thinking we can do that on another camping date."

"Ah I see, I getcha. You don't want to let all of your secrets go at once. Don't worry I can wait, how patient I can be when I wait is a whole other story."

Bug was surprised that Sandra responded positively to his suggestive remark. He had a feeling that at any moment that she would not want to see him anymore. He had never been with a woman like Sandra O'Leary before and he was very cautious about how his feelings towards her would be. He was afraid of rejection, and rejection by someone he has bonded with.

That evening they feasted on pasta and other camping type foods. They watched the sun go down as their campfire roared behind them. The setting couldn't help but be romantic for a first date, a date in which both Bug and Sandra both enjoyed.

"Beautiful isn't it?" asked Sandra, facing Bug.

"It sure is." replied Bug, as he leaned in closer and closer to Sandra. He couldn't stop himself from giving her one long passionate kiss and to his surprise she didn't resist.