Chris held her bags and glanced around the hotel room one last time.
'Okay, got it all.' She smiled to herself after checking for the third time she had packed everything. She was on her way to check out and make her way to Quantico headquarters for the last time. Today was the last day of training, and her flight home was later this evening.

Part of her couldn't wait to get back to LA. To see how this trip had affected her TLI chances. To talk to Lynch about a few ideas, to see the team, tell them about what she had been up to here, but part of her froze thinking about that. Would Tan and Street still be pissy about her being selected to go over them? Or, would they act like they didn't care what she had been up to? Then that part of her that had told her, 'You do you, focus on you, do what makes you happy,' started screaming at her. 'Forget them, you are strong, independent and intelligent.'
Chris smiled out the cab window as they neared Quantico. She was excited about the future. She had a gut feeling, for the first time in a long time, that things were going to be okay.

As she walked in the main doors, she felt a presence approach her side,

"Good Morning you!" His voice was happy and energetic.
"Sgt. Michael's," Chris responded with a nod, trying to suppress a smile, as she walked with purpose. He held a coffee in his outstretched hand,
"For you," Chris smirked a little. He was considerate and sweet. Or was he just trying too hard?
"Thank you," she answered taking it from him. As her fingers touched his, that jolt caught her by surprise. She chewed at her lip to remain in control.
"So, what's on your schedule today?" He asked, keeping pace with her determined stride.
"Um, I've packed it full, I wanted to make the most of this opportunity before flying out later this evening." Sgt. Michael's nodded.

"What time is your flight?" He asked.
"6pm." She answered.
"Same, wanna share a cab to the airport?" He grinned a little and watched her.
Chris eyed him out the corner of her eye as she slowed and stopped. He saw her expression and smirked.
"Ok, look, can I be straight up here?" He asked motioning for her to step aside near the window and let him talk. She blinked and moved with him as he spoke again.

"Chris, I have had an amazing time these last few days and the idea of saying goodbye and not seeing you every day makes me, well,"
"Makes you what?" Chris added widening her eyes at him.
"Sad? Scared? I dunno I just know I don't want this to be goodbye and I never see you again." He blurted with a slight blush. Chris looked down sucking in her lip.

"Okay, we can share a cab." She smiled at him. She felt her insides on fire as this tall handsome man was clearly opening up to her and trying to show her how he felt. She was scared at the same time though. She had always had that rule about dating cops or law enforcement and well, he was exactly that, so what was her game plan here?

Throughout the day her thoughts flashed to that anticipated cab ride with Jared. She wondered what his intentions for it were. So, a few hours later as she slid into the backseat next to him, she felt her stomach doing flips.
They talked and laughed most of the way to the airport, he was considerate and gentlemanly as they checked in and went through security, he held her bags, waited for her and she couldn't help but smile about it. As they reached the departure gate, he turned to her.
"Will you have a drink with me?" He asked nodding to the bar.
"I uh, I?" Chris hesitated, she would swear as she looked at him, she saw the disappointment and hurt on his face.
"Oh, I'm, ah, sorry if I..." he began. Clearly upset she was backing away all of a sudden.
Chris knew this was the roadblock. The thing that had always kept her from getting too close to a guy who she thought she shouldn't be with,
"No, Jared, it's just, I um, see, I have this rule, this kind of thing I live by,"
"What you don't drink?" He asked
She laughed loudly. "No, I ah," she continued to laugh. "I drink, I just, don't date other cops."

Jared nodded with his lips pursed. "I um, I understand." She saw the hurt written all over his face. The defeat as his shoulders dropped. "I can respect that." He continued. "It makes it hard for you career wise, right? I've seen it, when a female officer dates the men, she also calls her colleagues."

Chris felt herself smile watching him talk. This was the first guy, the first male cop she had said that too that hadn't come back with a, "Well if I wasn't a cop though?" type of line. Even Street had said "Minus the badge though?" Thinking about that moment all those years ago made her smile. She had to admit that she missed him. The way he made her laugh and smile.

"Have I upset you? Are you okay? You look like your off in your own world there." Jared's voice bought her back to the present.

"Oh, no, I'm fine, just thinking about home and missing people, I guess." She answered looking up at him.

"Missing anyone special?" He asked with a shy smile.

"No, no one significant if that's what you're asking. Just family and dear friends." He nodded but still looked awkward, like he wasn't sure what to say next.

"Look, you know what? Let's have that drink, as new friends, celebrate our training." Jared eyed her and began to smile.

"Right, new friends." He nodded. As he said those words back to her, she felt the hurt, and saw the moment he gulped down a swallow. "Are you sure? I mean I am not trying to force you. I can go to my gate and amuse myself if you'd rather we leave things here."

Chris smiled, "Jared, It's okay. I can have a drink with you without it being the end of the world."

He laughed feeling her teasing him a bit. "Okay, noted. I'd like that. I just…" he paused and looked at her. "I don't wanna say goodbye yet." He put his hands in his pockets and Chris would swear this was hard for him. Like maybe he didn't hit on girls very often or had been hurt or something.

"What?" He chuckled, and Chris realised she was still staring at him, trying to work him out.

"Oh, uh, nothing," she answered flustered.

"No, what? What were you just examining me for like that? If you wanna know ask? I feel like I can tell you anything almost."

"Almost huh?" Chris smirked as they began to walk to the bar and lounge area.

He chuckled too, as they took a seat. "What would you like?" He asked nodding to the bar. She glanced over and scrunched her lips,

"Surprise me." She answered smiling daringly at him.

"Oh okay." He laughed. "You might regret that." She watched him walk away and couldn't help but admit she was attracted to him. He was sweet, caring, funny and intelligent. And his blue eyes were amazing, so easy to get lost in.

Once he returned, he sat looking at his glass of whiskey. She nervously traced the top of her wine glass. "I um," she began. He glanced up.

"I ah, kinda want to ask more personal questions and get to know you, but that might be a bit …" she paused and looked at him. His eyes watching her intently like she was the only girl on the planet made her forget what she was going to say.

"A bit what?" He asked with a grin.

"Um, I dunno, a bit too much, or weird…" She fumbled as he slowly moved his hand a bit closer to hers. Watching her reaction as his fingers grazed hers.

"Chris, you are amazing, and I can't pretend that I don't want to explore a 'more than friends' version of us. But if sitting here, right now, is making you uncomfortable."

Chris looked at her fingers touching his and she realised it filled her with butterflies. She wanted him to hold her hand, she wanted this to go there, but at the same time why was she feeling like she could suddenly break her rule? That scared her.

Tentatively she let her fingers graze his hand back. Just giving him enough so he knew she wasn't walking away.

"Tell me more about you. Where is home?" She asked, trying to encourage some more relaxed talk.

"Home? Me? Well, ah, I've lived all over, but mostly home is Las Vegas."

"Vegas?" Chris answered surprised.