Summary – An alternate ending to season 2's "The Kiss." What if Jack had gotten Sue's attention instead of walking away?
Author's note – I don't know American Sign Language (ASL). For the times when characters sign in this story, I've put that dialog in ALL CAPS.
Disclaimer – I don't own these characters. Just imagining that things had gone in a slightly different direction from the show.
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Chapter 2
Several weeks later in the bullpen, Lucy hurried to Special Agent Tara Williams's desk while the guys and Sue were out working on their latest case involving a radical environmental group.
"I think Sue and Jack are finally dating."
Tara looked up from her screen. "What makes you say that? Aside from wishful thinking."
"Did you not see the look between them after Sue complimented Jack's eyes yesterday?"
"What, the 'Jack can't take a compliment' look, or Sue's 'I can't believe I said that' look?"
"It looked more to me like a 'I wish you had said that in private' look."
"I thought Sue was tutoring someone in ASL. When would she have time to date?"
"She claims to be teaching a friend ASL yet refuses to tell me anything about them. The only reason to keep it quiet is that it's a cover story for seeing Jack, because they know they're not supposed to."
Tara played devil's advocate. "Or it could be that new guy down in forensics."
"Steven? Pul-lease. Although I could see why she'd want to keep that a secret. But why would you need ASL to examine evidence?"
"Maybe it's not for his job. Maybe he's interested in Sue and thought this would be a good way to get to know her better."
"And you call yourself a trained observer. I'm telling you, it's Jack."
"What's Jack?" Special Agent Bobby Manning asked, shrugging off his coat, as he came in with Special Agent Myles Leland III.
"The guy Sue's supposedly been tutoring in ASL," Lucy replied.
"Just figuring that out now, are you?" Bobby teased in his distinctive Australian accent.
Lucy glared at him. "Did Jack tell you?"
"Not in so many words, no. But when your best mate backs out of an afternoon of billiards and beer, something's up."
Lucy turned to Tara, triumphant. "See?"
"So, they finally figured things out and don't want us to know," said Tara. "It's understandable, considering the potential consequences."
"Plausible deniability," Myles explained. "If anyone asks us directly, we can honestly say they haven't said anything."
Lucy frowned. "I hadn't thought of it that way. So, what do we do about it?"
"Do?" asked Myles rhetorically. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for our little lovebirds, except let them be. Once the cat's officially out of the bag it's…" He made a slicing motion across his neck, signaling the potential consequences.
"Don't be such a pessimist, Myles," said Bobby.
"Who says I'm a pessimist? I'm a realist. Besides, everyone knows cats are the natural predators of birds."
Bobby shook his head. "Well, some of us don't give up so easily." He thought a moment. "I suppose I could stop asking Jack to get together outside of work, so he has more free time for other extra curriculars, if you catch my drift."
"Now you're talking," said Lucy cheerfully. "And I could stay late to catch up on paperwork, letting Jack walk Sue out more often." Frowning, she muttered, "I need a life."
Just then Jack, Sue and Levi entered with new information, and the team was back on the case.
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Six weeks passed. Jack and Sue continued to date covertly, never intentionally letting on to their friends, although Sue had almost slipped up when she complimented Jack's eyes in front of the team following a case that exposed an illegal market in organ donation. She was more careful after that.
Because Jack and Sue were being so cautious about not appearing overly friendly - and didn't dare be seen alone together at Jack's apartment building - they had not yet found an opportunity to kiss again, and Jack was becoming frustrated. They'd gone to an open-captioned movie once at the Montrose Theatre, but they were there with Sue's young friend Amanda and Amanda's friend Ben, and Jack didn't dare kiss Sue with potential eyewitnesses. Instead, for a short time they discretely held hands in the dark, as they did during long car rides to and from crime scenes. Jack considered meeting Sue for another movie, just the two of them, but didn't want to repeat that activity too soon. He didn't want them seen at the same place on a recurring basis, lest it be detected as a clandestine pattern. As a trained agent, Jack was too well-versed in surveillance to be that careless. Unfortunately, what made him such an outstanding Special Agent was turning out to be lousy for his love life with Sue.
It almost felt like he was stuck in the 19th century when there were much stricter standards for dating. But if men could survive chaste courtship in that bygone era, then so could he. At least he didn't have to wear a hat like they did back then. He'd look ridiculous.
"Jack?"
"What?" Jack was startled out of his thoughts. They were at yet another coffeehouse, this one specializing in teas. "Oh, sorry. For some reason my mind wandered to how men and women used to…" DATE he signed. "I guess I was equating our situation to what it was like in the 1800's. Not a lot of opportunity to hold hands or show affection then either."
Sue pondered that for a moment. "Unless they were dancing. Maybe we should sign up for dance lessons."
Jack smiled slightly at the suggestion but dismissed it as too much of a recurring activity. Plus, it would just be another pretense. He wanted to hold Sue for real. Not just hands. Hold her close to him, with no one else there. Kiss her, for real, without it being a ruse.
Just like any other couple on a date.
I WANT TO KISS YOU, he signed.
I WANT TO, TOO, she signed back.
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"There's trouble in paradise," Lucy announced the next day to Tara, Myles and Special Agent Dimitrius Gans. She had been itching to share it all morning with other members of the team but had to wait for a chance when both Sue and Jack were out of the bullpen. Bobby had left with them. "Sue came back from her last 'meeting' with you-know-who looking like a sad puppy."
"Come to think of it, Jack didn't look too happy this morning either. Do you know what happened?" asked Tara.
"She wouldn't say. There was no sign of tears, thank God, so I don't think they had a fight or anything like that. But something's definitely wrong."
Myles jumped into the conversation. "May I remind Miss Matchmaker here that our very own Mr. Gans occasionally serves as acting supervisor? I hardly think it appropriate to be discussing such matters in front of him."
"Don't worry about me," said Dimitrius. "As long as I don't hear it from them, I consider all talk to be unconfirmed speculation."
"In other words, don't ask, don't tell, don't report."
Dimitrius gave a slight smile. "Something like that."
"Maybe they ran into someone they know and decided they have to cool things for a while," Tara surmised, resuming the speculation. "It's got to be stressful looking over your shoulder all the time, keeping things quiet. Keeping things from your friends."
"Then we should tell them we know," said Lucy. "I could talk to Sue tonight."
"Look, Lucy, I know you mean well, but I'm not sure putting it out there would do much to help them," said Myles, more sympathetic this time. "The fewer people officially in the know the better. Jack and Sue know that. As their friends, we should have their backs on this."
Lucy, however, would not be deterred. "Then we'll find some other way to help."
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AUTHOR'S NOTE – Yes, "Murdoch Mysteries" fans, that was a not-so-subtle Easter egg just for you! So, what scheme will Lucy cook up to help? Find out in Chapter 3...