For the Ones You Love

Setting: Between 2.19 and 2.20

"Where did you get that thing, anyway?"

Tom looked up from his computer where he was supposed to be doing some research on the ring Liz's mom was wearing in the photo she had brought to him. A quick, discreet click brought the information back up and hid the browser page that had boat information listed out on it. "Hmm?" he asked innocently and his ex wife rolled her eyes a little.

"The car," she answered, motioning behind him at the blue Mustang.

"A friend owed me a favour. He knew I like Mustangs."

"Blue though?"

He shrugged. "Not my choice, but it's not bad."

"It's conspicuous."

"It's not stolen."

"Never said it was."

He watched her move, her fingers dancing across the hood. Liz had never been overly interested in cars and she had never let him get a sports car while they had been together, so her sudden interest in this one was curious.

"Toss me the keys."

Tom blinked. "Huh?"

"The keys."

"Why?"

"I want to take it around the block. You used to go on and on about these things, and you finally got one. I want to see what all the fuss is."

"Aren't we researching your mom?"

"Supposed to be, but you can tear yourself away from pricing boats for twenty minutes, can't you?"

"I'm not-"

"I thought you agreed not to lie to me. Come on. I won't crash it. Toss me the keys."

Tom pulled in a careful breath and dug his hand in his pocket. "I'm coming too."

"You scared I won't bring it back?" she teased.

He snorted and tossed the keys over to her, standing. He watched the woman he loved open the driver's door and slip in, repositioning the seat for her shorter legs and reaching for the mirrors. He slipped into the passenger's seat and watched silently as she changed everything.

"You do know how to drive manual, right?"

"What? That not in my file?" she popped back and he sighed.

"Or in nearly three years of marriage because you hated sports cars."

"No, I don't hate them. I said they aren't family friendly. You wanted a family."

Tom bit his tongue hard, resisting the urge to remind her that once they had wanted a family.

"Where is the-?"

He reached over and pressed a button, opening the door behind them. "Don't crash. Dying in a fiery car crash is not on my list of ways I'd be good with going."

Liz smirked at him and he saw a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. He pulled his seat belt into place as she pulled out, her handling much smoother than he expected, and she rolled the windows down. They drove around like that for a few minutes, an easy quiet between them, and he settled back into his seat. His eyes had begun to lull a little when he felt her take a sharp turn and start to pick up speed.

"Liz, you-"

"I know."

"Cops are all through this part of town."

"You said it wasn't stolen."

"And what? You're testing my honesty?"

She shifted a look at him from the corner of her eye. "Is it stolen?"

"No, but that won't stop them from pulling you over for-" Tom groaned loudly as the red and blue lights flashed behind them and his head thumped against the headrest - "speeding."

Liz growled in frustration. "Not a damn word."

Tom snorted and watched as Liz plastered a cheerful smile on her face as the cop approached them. "Hi. Was I going a little fast?"

"A little?" the officer grumbled.

"Sorry, officer. I've been teaching her how to drive a stickshift and she got a little carried away," Tom offered, flashing one his most charming smiles.

The cop quirked an eyebrow. "Your car?"

"Yes sir."

"The street may not be the best place for that. An empty parking lot or-"

"We've been using the parkinglot down the street from our place for the last week or so. She thought she was ready to get it out on the street. My fault there."

The officer shrugged. "It happens. Hell, I'm pretty sure that my wife might take my head off if I ever tried to teach her to drive a manual. Let me see your ID's and registration."

Tom reached into the glove compartment, relieved that he had left his gun at the warehouse, and handed over his driver's license along with Liz's. "To be fair, she's gotten pretty good. You should have seen her when she started."

He was going to pay for that one, but the officer chuckled and Liz offered an awkward sort of laugh. "This is the moment he's expecting me to call him a good teacher."

That got the other man laughing as he turned to run the ID's, and as soon as he was turned Liz glared at her ex. "Really?"

"He's not going to write you a ticket."

"Yes he is."

"He won't."

Her lips quirked. "Willing to put money on that?"

He mirrored her expression. "Dinner."

"What?

"Let me cook you dinner. Just some evening while we're doing research. There's a little kitchen upstairs at the warehouse. It's not much, but I could put something together for-"

"No."

"What? You know I'm right?" he teased.

"What do I get if I win?" she asked carefully.

"I don't know. Pick something, but do it quick. He's coming back."

Liz glanced around. "Something true. One hundred percent and no squirming. My choice."

"Done," he answered and smiled past her at the officer as he handed the paperwork back.

"I'd let you go on a warning any other day, Ms Keen, but my boss has been on our asses about tickets. I'll lower the speed a little for you. You were going forty, right?"

"Absolutely," Liz answered. "Thanks."

"Good luck."

Liz's smile faded almost as soon as he walked off and she turned towards him. "Charmer," she grumbled.

Tom shrugged. "It didn't work. Can't win them all. What do you want to know?"

"I'll let you know when I think of it. So what's for dinner?"

He blinked at her. "I lost."

"Sort of a tie. If you don't want to cook..."

Tom's entire expression brightened into a grin. "Anything you want. Well, most anything. As long as I can make it at the warehouse."

"Trust me, anything you cook is better than what I've been eating."

"Just stop by the store on the way back and I'll grab something then."

She turned the key and revved the engine, and Tom caught her looking out of the corner of her eye at him. "This isn't a date. You know that, right?" Liz asked carefully.

"Of course," came the easy enough answer. He knew. Of course he knew, but even if she never gave him a chance to be with her again, being near her was enough to help ease the ache. Helping her, protecting her in any way she would let him. Even getting pulled over in his Mustang with her. It was worth it to see that smile again.

"I still don't see what all the fuss is."

Tom snorted. "I thought we agreed not to lie to each other."

His ex wife grinned. "Okay fine. Maybe a little."

"Please don't get pulled over again."

She rolled her eyes and swatted at him and his own grin didn't fade. It would never go back, but at least they could have a few moments like these. It was something.

Notes: A while back d-evils-advocate21 requested a one-shot in which Liz wanted to drive the mustang, and this is what came of it. I can imagine there were plenty of awkward and adorable little moments as they were trying to figure out where they stood during all of this. That little flirty smile she gives him in 2.21 at the diner is just sort of priceless.