Hello everyone. Here's a new one-shot I wrote really fast actually, looks like I was inspired. So this is set somewhere in the middle of s2 and is based on a conversation Jo has with Henry, on ep7 New York kids. Hope you'll enjoy it. Forever doesn't belong to me, and English is still not my native language.

School reunion

- I can't believe that – Jo groaned as she was reading a card she had received at her desk, during her lunch break.

- What is it? – Mike asked as he was finishing his Chinese take-out

Jo sighed, throwing the card on her desk. She leaned against her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose.

- I just received the most unexpected invitation to a school reunion.

Mike joined her, on his chair

- Oh! Well, that's great. I love those. They always have a ton of food.

Jo rolled her eyes

- Everything that seems like a blast to you isn't the case for everyone – she snapped

Mike frowned. Okay, she seemed upset. He stared at the invitation as Jo was still not looking at it.

- Can I? – he asked, pointing to the card

- Sure! Have fun!

Mike carefully took the card

- Bamford requests your attendance at our homecoming reunion. Year 1996.

Mike raised his eyes

- Isn't Bamford that fancy school in the upper east side?

Jo simply nodded. Mike seemed impressed.

- You studied there?

Jo could hear the surprise on his voice because he knew she wasn't exactly from the tidiest neighborhood. Her family obviously couldn't afford to send her there.

- Don't get too excited – she grunted – I hated it there. I didn't last long so I don't know why I'm getting an invitation to that homecoming.

Mike could hear her frustration. She also never mentioned that part of her life.

- I didn't know you spent a part of your schooling time there.

She abruptly stood up from her seat

- Yeah! I don't like talking about it. I only told Henry.

Of course, she did. At that point, Mike knew there were a lot of things he didn't know, but Henry did.

- Where are you going? – he asked as she seemed in a hurry, but kind of knew the answer

- I'm going downstairs. Only Henry can advise on what to do here.

Henry was doing God knew what with a body, and Lucas was reading a graphic novel.

- Hi, Jo! – he greeted

Jo smiled at the young assistant. Henry nearly broke his neck at her name.

- Hello, detective. Is there something I can help you with?

- Actually, I just wanted to hang out around here. Mike was going to ask too many questions, about that stupid invitation.

She leaned on the table, not even minding the body which was pretty much disgusting today.

Henry felt his heart weirdly stirred. Was it an invitation for a date? Was she going back on the market and he didn't know? Somehow, to picture someone else dating her, bothered him and this was probably much worse than what he felt when she dated Isaac Monroe a year ago. He removed his gloves and looked at Lucas.

- Lucas! Would you terribly mind giving us a moment?

Lucas bit into his muffin

- Guys, just pretend I'm not here.

He knew already what kind of look to expect, so, he slowly raised his eyes, to see the two glaring at him like parents with their kid.

He sighed

- I can't ever hear the fun stuff.

He kept mumbling until he was out of sight. Jo shook her head.

- He's such a child!

Henry agreed. Both of them awkwardly looked at each other.

- So what is your "stupid" invitation about?

Jo chewed on her lips

- Well… It's a homecoming invitation to one of my old schools.

Henry felt the breath he didn't know he was holding, leaving him, like he was relieved to hear this, and not anything date related.

- It doesn't sound that bad. Why do you think it's stupid?

Jo huffed

- Because! This is the private school I told you about two years ago.

- Oh! – this is all he could say

Jo felt the discomfort just thinking about that school

- And you don't want to go! – Henry said. It wasn't a question

Jo knitted her eyebrows together

- Of course, I don't! Looks like they sent their invitation regarding the school's year, no matter who was on it and who left afterward. – she stopped and seemed lost in her thoughts, for a couple of minutes – Henry, I was bullied there. I was mostly the only what you would call a typical person in that the school. Just imagine how these white families were looking at my mom when she could pick me up. I really don't have good memories of this place, let alone making friends.

Just like him and his forever grudges, Jo seemed to carry a piece of heavy baggage behind her.

He walked around the table so he could get lost in her beautiful big brown eyes.

- Jo! I can only imagine the pain you went through, in that school. And I know, we and when I say this, yes, I include myself because I'm one of them, we have white privilege, this always been around for centuries and it is unfair that you and everybody else not born purely white doesn't get the same treatment.

This put a smile on Jo's lips. Henry really was the sweetest. He licked his lips and there she felt weak.

- But, I do believe that, perhaps, you should give it a try.

Jo opened her mouth but Henry continued

- I know! You have every reason not to attend, but if you do, that would mean, you left the past where it belongs. You are a different person than you were as a child, and a strong one, mind you. You don't have to be afraid anymore, because you are the one who can teach them a lesson, now.

Jo silently stared at him, feeling her heartbeat increased. Her eyes inadvertently drifted to his lips. She shook her head. He did have a way with words, didn't he?

And that puppy dog's eyes he was giving her. Ugh! She hated him.

- Have I ever told you how much I hate when you're making people feel guilty?

Henry laughed. He invaded her personal space, she didn't move one iota.

- Does that mean you'll go?

Oh, she definitely hated him. The kind of hate where she wanted to handcuff him in bed, of course.

- I'll think about it – she gave in, with the roll of her eyes

Henry seemed pleased with her answer.

- Good! Keep me updated.

A few days later, Jo finally thought about that reunion and with Henry's words echoing in her mind, she gave it a go and attended.

The school had upgraded for the past 20 years. But it seemed that some things never changed, always the same sophisticated families, going around with the way they were dressed and the pitch in their tone. Everything Jo hated.

- White People! – she gritted her teeth

She did try to attempt a couple of conversations with some of them, but she was quickly losing interest as she realized she was nowhere close to what they were doing. Either they were directors of big companies or travelling from one country to another for business.

She sighed. She knew it was hopeless, she had no idea why she showed up in the first place.

She barely knew anyone and most people she was talking to, didn't remember her either. Of course, who would remember the only Harlem child in the school, who ran away as soon as she was in trouble, just because she didn't want to carry that burden her whole life! She had enough on her plate like this back in the days, with dealing with the bullshit her father was doing, and she was only 11, so she didn't need the school's pressure.

The actual head of the school made a long speech about how great it was to see the old students reuniting for a good evening. She had no idea what happened to the previous one, probably retired but she heard the same middle-class tone, that everybody used even the teachers.

After the speech, she walked toward the buffet to get a glass of wine. She stood there, looking at all the rich couples, fake laughing and telling stories about how wonderful their rich spoiled life was.

As she was busy trying not to look disgusted with the food on the table, she felt someone tapping her on the shoulder.

- Excuse me!

Jo slowly turned on her heels and frowned, as she was facing with a blonde girl

- Yes?

- I would like to grab the salmon if you don't mind.

Jo noticed she was standing in front of a tray full of seafood. "Ugh, I'm going to throw up." She quickly smiled and moved away.

- Sorry!

The blonde girl barely gave her a look. Jo put the glass over her mouth and felt something familiar in the way the girl was chatting with the barman. She did look familiar too.

She ended her conversation and as she drank from her glass, she kept her eyes on Jo, long enough for her to look anywhere else but not at her.

She slowly put the glass down and started a conversation with Jo

- You look familiar – she told her

Jo just nodded

- You do too!

Jo figured out who she was but she didn't want to give her that pleasure. She hoped she had changed enough for the girl not to recognize her. This was her longtime nemesis for as long as she was in that school. She was the one responsible for pushing her down the stairs. With the way, she's been talking for the past minutes, Jo felt like she hasn't changed one bit and was still the same bitch who bullied her. The only difference now was Jo was twice her height, which wasn't the case back in the days.

- You were at the school in 1996?

- Apparently! – Jo replied sarcastically, like what the hell was she doing here if she wasn't.

Jo knew what kind of talk this would lead to and she wasn't ready to argue, not again. At least, Henry had a point, she could defend herself and she would love to see her try.

- I mean… Don't take it personally but… We don't see a lot of people like…

Jo raised a brow

- Like what? Hispanic? Black? Everything that all of your white people think you're above?

She didn't mean to sound that bitter but she did. All the bad memories rushing through her like a spinning wheel. The blonde girl attentively observed her.

- Now I remember… You're that girl from Harlem – she grinned – I didn't see a lot of you after December. Where did you go? Couldn't handle the pressure of being a foreigner among us?

Jo felt her body tensed. She had to swallow a lot of her pride to manage to answer and try not to look hurt by her words.

- For your record, I am American, probably more than you are. Secondly, don't try and play dumb with me, Kimberley, you know why I left, it was mostly your fault, thank you.

Kimberley had an evil smirk playing at the corner of her lips. Jo kind of wanted to make her swallow her teeth.

- You were so small… I didn't see you.

Jo could never explain why that girl always despised her. She wasn't even minding her business. Probably because despite being a Harlem girl, she was doing well at school, better than she was and this wasn't to her liking.

- This was 20 years ago. I'm not saying I didn't hate you for months for what you did to me but this is in the past now. And as you can see I'm way taller than you now so I don't see your point. We're supposed to be grown adults so why don't you act like one, for a change?

Kimberley probably didn't expect Jo to have such fierce comeback in her. She shrugged

- All right! So, what you're up to nowadays, Martinez?

- Why don't you start? You always seem to want to know what people do for a living so you can judge them. I heard you talk, so I have the feeling whatever I tell you, you're going to laugh at my face.

Kimberley snorted. Jo was close to punching her, but she didn't want to waste her knuckles on such a fake face.

- Well, now I'm laughing! This means, you have a sucky job, don't you?

- What's the matter with yours if you feel like putting me down before I even tell you what I do?

Kimberley nodded

- Well, since you want to know! I live a peaceful life with my husband over there – she waved at him and Jo couldn't believe someone married her but he seemed as fake as she was – he owns a couple of companies all over the world and I own a luxury shop on the Champs Élysées, in Paris. We live there half of the year, so I think I won it all.

Jo thought that everybody in that school became a director or anything that was putting people on top, according to them. Also, they weren't to be pitied. If they spent all their schooling years in Bamford, they all came from wealthy families, so who were they kidding? They had contacts everywhere.

Jo didn't want to give her that pleasure, but did she care what Kimberley what thinking?

- Good for you! I'm an NYPD detective.

Kimberley scoffed, as she looked at her from head to toe

- Really? So where's your gun tonight?

"maybe I should have brought it to repaint your face"

- I'm not on duty! Why would you want me to bring it?

- To prove it! I can't see it.

- To prove what? That I'm a cop? If you keep testing me, I can find a place for you to sleep in for the next 48h, I could find an excuse to bring you in you know.

Kimberley completely ignored her

- Oh well! In both cases, your salary doesn't even equal half of mine. How are you living?

She looked around them and smiled

- Did you come here alone?

This was another attempt to try and get all over her head. Jo was starting to feel the need to throw up on her face. All the pain Kimberley caused her back in the days, the way she kept laughing at her, pushing her, hurting her… Jo felt the negative energy emerging from her body. She tightened her fists, ready to break her nose, as Kimberley kept ranting about how being a cop seemed terrible that the salary was bad all of this to protect a bunch of idiots. She was basically calling all of them losers. Jo was near to remove that snarky smile as her fist slowly raised itself to meet with her face, but she felt someone slowly grabbing her hand.

- There you are darling, I was looking for you!

This was Henry and she felt the warmth of his lips, dropping a kiss on her forehead as his hand went to rest of her waist.

Jo was caught off guard, but she was never that grateful to have him by her side. Kimberley had stopped talking, seeing Henry next to Jo and the fact both of them looked happily in love.

- Wha… I thought you came here on your own?

- You kept ranting so much I didn't have time to say anything.

Henry extended his hand

- Hello! I'm Jo's fiancé! You must be one of her old classmates?

He figured who she was but he was playing along. Kimberley just huffed, her smile had faded away and she wasn't bragging anymore. All of this thanks to Henry and his senses of old fashion clothing, making him look like he was also at their range.

Kimberley just walked away without adding one more word.

Henry slowly removed his hand from Jo's waist, as she turned around, ready to jump into his arms for saving her the troubles.

- My God! What are you doing here? How did you even know?

- Well…

Flashback, a few hours earlier

Henry was wandering in the bullpen, looking all around him. He needed Jo so they could talk about their latest case and match their reports together.

He walked toward Hanson

- Detective! Do you know where Jo is? I need her for our final reports.

- Oh hi, Doc! I was about to leave. Yes, she probably told you about that homecoming reunion she was invited to?

Henry nodded

- Well, she decided to go, after all, so she's probably in that school for the evening.

Henry seemed surprised, even though not that much

- Oh really? And she went there alone?

Hanson shrugged

- We're talking about Jo. I think she has too much pride to ask anybody else to go with her. I feel like this was some kind of personal step she wanted to make on her own.

Henry felt for her but something wasn't adding up

- I encouraged her to do so but I didn't think she would show up on her own. She is very affected by… All the things that happened to her in that school, it would have been better if she had someone to go with her. Knowing the school, they surely don't have many Hispanic people she can fit with.

Hanson didn't hold the answer to this

- As I said, it's Jo, she's never going to confess this.

Henry knew a thing or two about pride so he could understand her. He shook his head and dropped the case's report on Jo's desk.

- I'm leaving this for tomorrow.

- Where are you going? Do you want me to drop you home?

Henry was ready to leave and turned on his heels, he smiled

- How about you take me to Bamford, instead?

###

Jo's mouth dropped open. He let go of his work, for her? She could kiss him right away, but she put this on her emotions.

- Well, thank you for being here; because if it wasn't for you, my fist would have met her face and nothing could have stopped me.

Henry winked at her

- I saw! This is what we call great timing, wouldn't you say?

Jo sincerely smiled, oh God, she wanted to kiss him. As they were staring at each other. Maroon 5 cover version of She will be loved, started to play. So, this was it. This was that time of the evening where everybody had to dance…

Even though this was far from being to his taste, Henry awkwardly swayed his body from one side to another, it felt like this was a song to bring two people closer.

- Jo! Since I am here… Would you mind dancing?

She looked at the hand he was offering. She grabbed it and they felt the sparkles between them.

- Yes! Sure!

They walked on the dancefloor and went oblivious to the world around them. Henry slowly moved his hand to her waist once more, to hold her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they danced with a slight blush covering their cheeks.

- All of a sudden I don't mind being the only Harlem girl – Jo whispered.

Henry could only imagine. He looked around him. He drew Jo closer to him, his chin nearly resting on top of her head.

- I already came here. I once worked in here to replace the school nurse, for a short time.

Jo was barely surprised

- When was it?

Henry's eyelid dropped on her. He swallowed

- Erm! Years ago.

And he meant it, she wasn't even born yet when he had worked in that school, considering he wasn't practicing medicine as it was.

Jo didn't ask for more and gently rested her head against his chest, as he tightened his embrace.

His hand moved to the back of her head and in a sweet whispered, he told her

- I know a spot where we can go, so we can hide from all the high society, who does nothing but judge people.

Jo knew she had nothing to win and nothing to lose by staying around them. She widely smiled as he grabbed her hand.

- Let's go then!

They walked to the school's backyard and stopped in front of a bell tower.

Henry walked ahead of Jo to climb the stairs. Jo called him back.

- Hey Henry! What are you doing? We're going to get in trouble!

He scoffed

- Detective, we are always in trouble!

He had a point. Jo sighed. One less or more. She just followed him in the stairs, and they reached the top of the bell tower. For the second time tonight, her jaw dropped open, once more.

This spot had one of the most breathtaking views of the city.

- Oh, my God! This is truly beautiful!

Henry was leaning over the barrier and she joined him, not leaving one tad of space between them.

- You didn't know about this place? – he asked

- No! Of course not! Trust me, if I did, I would have come here every day to hide from those suckers.

This made Henry laughed, as he watched her with delight. He didn't have time to truly look at how amazingly beautiful she was tonight. She was wearing a simple black dress, not the kind you would wear for a funeral, just a simple cocktail dress. Her hair was tied into a nice messy bun. He could see the effort she put in her clothing, as she knew, she would be surrounded by high people. And her heels were barely visible, this wouldn't have fitted with the length of the dress.

Jo felt his eyes on her. She rested her hand on top of his.

- Thank you for being here tonight, Henry. You always seem to be around when I need you the most.

Henry smiled and stepped forward. He could see the moon's reflection in her eyes.

He cupped her face

- And I always will be, Jo. Anytime.

Jo didn't know what to say to this, her eyes dropped to his lips, she felt her heart beat faster.

This was probably their moment, the one they could never have. She could feel his breath on her, and this was making her weak in the knees. Her eyes slowly closed, this was going to happen this time, there was no turning back. His body gently collided against her, as his lips pressed into hers, slow and sweet at first, and Jo's cute moans made him deepened the kiss, as Jo felt her body trapped against the barrier, feeling like her legs wouldn't carry her long enough, her hands moved to Henry's chest, as he slowly dropped back his to her hips, massaging them.

The kiss was over too fast in their opinion, but they needed to breathe. Their eyes couldn't leave each other, and there were still full of lust. They didn't need a word, they didn't need anything, they just knew, this what they wanted and where they belonged now.

- Hey! What the hell you two are doing up there?

Jo and Henry startled. Down the tower, there was a security guard, pointing a flashlight into their direction, partially blinded them. They looked at each other and laughed.

- Oops! – Jo chuckled

Henry grabbed her hand as they back off from the barrier, knowing they would get in deeper troubles

- Let's take the other exit! – Henry said a bit too quickly

- Wait, what another exit?

- Believe me, Jo, there is another exit!

He was right. They surely didn't take the same where they came from. She wondered how many tricks that man still had. She grinned. She was looking forward to exploring them all.

Through their way down, they couldn't stop laughing, like two kids running away from school and happy with themselves once they leave it, without being caught.

After what turned out to be a surprisingly good evening, Jo dropped Henry's home.

But Henry didn't get off the car right away, it's like none of them wanted that night to end. They could make it last longer but they knew, better handle this relationship with care first.

- Honestly, I expected nothing from that homecoming and you appeared out of nowhere and made this better. Bonus point for the lovely spot – Jo teased

Henry played along with her as he gently pushed her with his shoulder

- I am very pleased to hear that! Glad I managed to make that reunion a little more special.

- A lot more you mean, stealing kisses to a girl on top of one of the most romantic points of view. Way to go, Dr. Morgan.

- I know my way with women – he replied, licking his lips

She bit on her own until she could feel the blood on it. Was he ever going to leave that car? She could just decide against it, and she would find a better way to keep him busy. Both of them.

They kept teasing each other longer than planned, but eventually, Henry decided it was time to go.

- Jo, thank you! I enjoyed my evening with you, this was as unexpected but I guess, it ended in a good way for you and I.

Jo couldn't remove the lust on her face but she knew she had to let him go

- I guess yes! I agree it was a very good evening. We should do this more often but we seem to be on our way to.

- Looks like it, detective!

He went for what was supposed to be a good night's kiss, but they ended up in a serious making-out session, hearing the other's moans. Jo grabbed a hold of his curls and opened her mouth, so their tongues started battling for dominance. At a point, she kind of wanted to climb on his lap or even take him in the backseat, with the way their hands were travelling down each other's bodies.

Abe was about to close the shop, he had a finish late with another antiques' owner. When he spotted the car, bouncing up and down and recognized Jo and Henry's figures, really about to get at it in the middle of the street. An empty one, but still a street.

He scoffed

- Something tells me Jo's reunion went better than she expected.

He didn't move from his spot and just kept on grinning, thinking he could have made some popcorn to watch that show. He couldn't even care less that he was witnessing his father seriously making out with the hottest detective, probably because this time he looked too old to care.

Henry detached his lips from Jo and looked at her being in awe. He went to suck on her neck, as she aimed her body closer to him, whispering his name that never sounded so sexy at the moment, and that's when he noticed Abe's figure standing in the doorway of the shop, smiling like the idiot or the psychopath he was.

Jo's hand was already underneath the fabric of his shirt, reaching for his scar. He slowly pushed her hand back in its place.

- Erm! Jo! Sorry to cut that moment short, but it appears I have spies in the house.

Jo slowly turned around to notice Abe, who finally realized he was being pointed out and quickly disappeared off their view. Henry swore he didn't see him walk that fast in forever.

Jo softly laughed

- Well! This isn't the last time so let's not rush too much into this, even though it's hard to keep our hands off each other, that's just the frustration speaking.

- I'm sure of this! I better go! Goodnight Jo, I'll see you tomorrow.

Jo smiled, she probably looked stupid, if someone was telling her she was, she would agree and she didn't care.

- Goodnight Henry, thanks again!

He gave her one last peck and exited and their eyes never left the other until he was out of Jo's sight, who could hardly hold her excitement.

She made out with Henry Morgan and she was now his girlfriend. Who knew a school reunion could have gone that well?

Author's note: I once wrote a story about Jo and her time in that school, the two aren't related there, especially since in that story Jo & Henry were together and it included both of them meeting to that school when she was a child so yeah, but it became my headcanon (not them meeting there, but the plot I've written there, it's called Harlem Girl if you're interested). I also worked on this headcanon in my main story in French.

Jo and Kim saying to each other "you look familiar" you do too" was a total pun for the song "the boy is mine" :p

Also, both of them making out af in the car is some kind of call back to the car scene on the season finale... The sexual tension was huge out there because we all know angst is when the best stuff happens.

See ya soon for some more stories, I have a couple waiting in line.

Edit: I've first written Jo saying she's a "type person", must have been my mistake (it does exist in English though, I checked but I must have been let myself drawn into my original language there) but apparently it seemed weird to some of you and weird to Grammarly so I changed it to typical. This has to do with ethnicity, she was obviously talking about being one of the rarest colored people in the school. Sorry, about the confusion everyone.