Maggie had told Kristen it was her choice where they went for some food and they ended up in a familiar quiet restaurant they would some times go to as a team after a case. It was somewhere that they both felt comfortable and they didn't need menus to order as they both knew exactly what they wanted. Kristen still couldn't drink as she was still on antibiotics to prevent any infection in the wound so Maggie had decided not to drink as well.

When the waitress left they chatted briefly about work before Maggie leaned back in the chair looking at Kristen "So you going to tell me what's on your mind?"

"I should have known that you would have noticed"

Maggie laughed softly "Don't worry I know that's not the only reason you asked me for dinner, but I can tell something is on your mind, so if you tell me now maybe you can relax"

Kristen was quiet for a minute taking a sip of water to give herself more time before having to talk "At the end of our phone call the other night you said to enjoy my date with Stuart"

"Oh that? I was wondering when you were going to bring that up" Maggie smirked playfully looking at Kristen

"You've been waiting for this?" When Maggie nodded Kristen raised her eyebrow "You said that on purpose on the phone didn't you?"

Maggie thought back to Jubal saying the exact same thing to her but she really didn't want to think about that right now as it would ruin her mood "I did say it on purpose. I thought that me saying it would get inside your head and make you think about things"

"Think about what things?"

"The fact that you like Stuart and that he likes you too" Maggie decided that it was best to just get straight to the point

"I…he…. What?" Kristen was a little flustered at what she was hearing

Maggie couldn't help but chuckle softly "I don't think I've ever seen you've this flustered before. But I'm impressed that you didn't deny it" Kristen opened her mouth to deny it but Maggie shook her head smiling "No before you deny it and ask you guys didn't make it obvious, not at work anyway. It was when we were all in your apartment that I realised that you had feelings for Stuart, I already knew by then that he had feelings for you"

"Wait, hang on….How do you know Stuart has feelings for me?" Kristen was trying to get her head around everything that Maggie was saying

"When you came to me about the training incident I wanted to talk to Stuart to find out if he was going easy on you because you were female, you deserved to know the truth. After that conversation I had a feeling he had feelings for you, and by the way he was not going easy on you he would have told you if you screwed up badly. Then when you got injured I seen how much he was struggling, we all were struggling but he just seemed so lost without having you with him.. When I got the cut on my head he turned up in the JOC with water and painkillers for me because he said you would want him to take care of me when you couldn't"

Kristen was honestly shocked at everything that Maggie was saying "Thank you for talking to him and finding that out for me, I don't want to have a partner that would treat me differently because of my gender and he's right I would have wanted him to look out for you when I wasn't there. How did you know that I felt the same way about him?" Kristen knew that there really was no point hiding it from Maggie

"When I knew he had feelings for you I was watching you both interact a little closer, I didn't want him getting hurt or it ruining your partnership if you didn't feel the same. But that day in your apartment I noticed the way you smiled when you seen it was him at the door, you relaxed more when he was there, and the more you relaxed the more open you got with your actions and words towards Stuart. Don't get me wrong it's not like you two were making it obvious, I don't know if I would have noticed if I wasn't watching for it"

Kristen relaxed hearing Maggie's words "Okay good, I'm glad that I'm not walking around with a big sign on me that says I have feelings for my partner"

Maggie laughed softly hearing Kristen "No you don't have that sign on you don't worry.. But have you two actually done anything about those feelings?"

Kristen shook her head "I wasn't sure if he was interested in me that way, it's why I wanted to talk to you because I don't want to mess up our partnership by making a fool of myself"

"Well I can promise you that he feels the same way that you do, he's also afraid that he will mess it up, so it might be on you to admit the feelings..Once you do though he will confirm his feelings. You guys have been hanging out more the last few weeks?"

Kristen now had the smile that Maggie had noticed lately when she talked about Stuart "Yeah he's been coming over a few times a week with dinner for us both, we both used the excuse that it was easier for him to keep me up to date with work that way rather than over the phone"

"Even though you both were texting as well" Maggie smirked "He gave that away when he text you straight away about Jubal's girlfriend"

"Oh god Jubal" Kristen covered her face with her hands "What is he going to say if something were to happen between me and Stuart? He will probably break us up as partners"

As much as Maggie was angry at Jubal right now she knew she couldn't let that affect her conversation with Kristen who was really nervous again and getting herself worked up worrying "I don't think he would break you guys up as partners not unless it started to affect your work and I don't imagine that it would. Yes you guys would have to disclose to him, but that doesn't have to be until you are both sure about things. And if he asks why it took you both a while to come forward then you just tell him that you were waiting to see if it was something before disclosing"

"That's true about disclosing, we could use that excuse.. You think that Jubal may go easier on us the fact that he has his own girlfriend that we still know nothing about, which is really frustrating by the way.. Me and OA are still trying to find out even her name but that man is not giving away anything"

"I don't think he would go hard on you guys even if he wasn't in a relationship" Maggie was feeling thankful that they wouldn't be telling him soon as he and her weren't on great terms right now. "Oh don't worry me, Stuart and Emily have seen you two try and get information from Jubal, I mean it is actually fun for us" Maggie laughed softly as it was the truth

"I'm not giving up until we get at least some information. I mean we have nothing other than they are together about two months.. we need more" Kristen laughed softly before getting serious again "Jubal's opinion really matters to me and to Stuart, I know he really looks up to Jubal. I don't want that to be damaged by us dating"

Maggie smiled softly "He might give you both a speech about not hurting each other and not letting it affect work but Jubal won't stand in the way of you two. And I will be telling Stuart not to hurt you and I'm saying to you now to not hurt him and OA will do the same when you guys tell him. But that's just what family and friends do"

Kristen was thinking about what Maggie had said before replying "That's true, I think that's why part of me wants to know who Jubal is dating. All joking aside I just want to make sure that she's not going to mess him about, I mean he's never talked about a girlfriend in all the time I've known him and he does seem happy when we mention her. I just want to make sure she really cares about him and is with him for the right reasons"

Maggie was really struggling to not just blurt it out to Kristen right now that she was the one that Jubal was dating, this was the first time that she had come so close to telling someone they work with. "Deep down Jubal knows the real reason you want to know is because you want to protect him, that's how he will be with you and Stuart. You two dating won't change anything between you and Jubal or Stuart and Jubal."

"I do hope that he some time soon feels comfortable enough to introduce us to his girlfriend, OA is the same we would honestly just like to meet her when she clearly means something to Jubal. I mean if you were dating someone we would be the exact same way with you"

Maggie smiled softly "We are just one big protective family" she chuckled softly trying to not get lost in her head about how bad she felt right now that they were hiding from the team that it was her that was Jubal's girlfriend. Were they going to be really angry when they found out, she didn't want them to be hurt or angry about it. "Just promise me one thing" When Kristen nodded Maggie continued "Tell Stuart how you feel, don't hint at feelings and don't waste time that you could have together because you are nervous. Trust me I would tell you if I thought it was a bad idea, but you both completely have my support, you care about each other and clearly have feelings so it's worth the risk"

Kristen couldn't help the genuine smile on her face as she listed to Maggie, she was more relaxed now and was feeling more confident about talking to Stuart about what was going on with them "Thank you Maggie I really appreciate you being here for me and hey who knows maybe when me and Stuart figure things out we can persuade Jubal to join us for a double date with his girlfriend and I can tell you and OA about her"

Maggie had to smile at the idea of them going out on a double date with Kristen and Stuart and even having OA and Mona joining or OA and Emily so that they could all go out together. But that wasn't something she could share right now or it would give away their secret if she still had that secret to protect.