John and Shaw walked purposely towards their cabin after saying goodbye to first the Wixoms and then Maddie and Joss; though John had a tough time saying goodnight to them. He had watched wistfully as they left until Shaw elbowed him and they left to head back to their cabin to talk about the case with Donnelly. So far nothing was happening and both he and Shaw were beginning to believe that the death threats were nothing but hot air. They probably sent her death threats to scare her into dropping the lawsuit and when that didn't work, they continued the harassment just because they didn't get their way.

But now that they were alone, he was going to find out what the hell Joss and Shaw talked about because they had been gone in that bathroom for a while. "So now that we are alone, please tell me you didn't threaten Joss in any way when you blatantly left to go talk with her in the bathroom?" he asked curiously. Joss didn't look upset when they exited but that didn't mean that she wasn't, just that she was good at hiding how she felt. "I had to keep Selma talking to make sure she didn't try to follow you two in there," he added, which had been somewhat difficult with Maddie trying to gain his attention every second he turned it away from her, and for the fact that he wanted to dote on her. He just found out she was his and pretending she wasn't was very difficult.

"You managed," Shaw muttered. "Besides you should have to take one for the team since tomorrow you're taking practically a day off from our case so you, your girlfriend and your small fry can spend time together before you guys have drinks…alone. Hope you packed some condoms Reese, with all the eye fucking you two did tonight at dinner and from what I've seen of you two, you can't keep it in your pants! Or are you planning for a boy this time, seems like your sperm are champion swimmers?" Shaw stated, having fun.

John shot her a look that didn't wipe the stupid grin off Shaw's face. "First: I'm not taking the day off since I'm spending only the morning with Joss and Maddie for breakfast. And I'll be spending two hours with Joss at night for drinks. The rest of the time I'll be working. Secondly: if you had such a problem with it then why did you suggest I have breakfast with them?" he demanded.

Shaw shrugged nonchalantly. "Because if you'd be at the cabin for breakfast with me I'd have to share with you, with you gone I won't have to. It was done with my own welfare in mind," Shaw explained, not about to admit that she didn't like the look on Reese's face as he eyed Maddie. It had been crestfallen at the fact that he couldn't spend time with her and he didn't ask for this lame ass case (neither did she) where he couldn't tell the little girl that he was her father or he'd blow their cover. For Reese she was willing to do anything once, even be nice.

John shook his head, not sure if he fully believed her reasoning but he wasn't going to complain or demand a real answer since Shaw was giving him a chance to spend more time with Maddie and Joss. And he so desperately wanted to spend more time with them, though he wanted to spend alone time with Joss that didn't include any clothes and not much talking. But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

He shifted his attention back to the fact that Shaw hadn't answered his question, instead she had distracted him, so he reversed speed and repeated: "You didn't threaten Joss did you?" he demanded.

"No, you made me promise not to remember; and I take my promises to you very seriously," Shaw muttered, sounding disappointed that she couldn't pick a fight with Joss because of her promise to John.

John felt relieved. "Thanks, Shaw," he murmured appreciatively.

"Though it can't be said the same for Carter."

That surprised him. "Joss threatened you?" before he followed quickly with, "—what did you say to her to upset her?"

Shaw eyed him amused. "How do you know I said anything? Maybe she's just a crackpot!"

"It's you, Shaw, and Joss wouldn't have threatened you if you hadn't," he answered instantly. There was no way he would believe Joss would threaten Shaw unprovoked. Not the kind, caring, sexy, and funny woman he spent an entire evening and night with.

"Got all that from one night of fucking?"

John could hear her fishing for more information to understand them but he wasn't giving her anything. "Shaw…" he said lowly.

"Whatever, let's just say we had a misunderstanding of sorts," Shaw commented dryly. He wanted to keep secrets, so could she!

"That was vague at best. What sort of misunderstanding did you two have, Shaw?" he demanded as they approached the cabin, both walking slower to further their conversation.

Shaw smirked. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

He rolled his eyes in response. "I'm not telling you about Joss and me, Shaw," he stated, bemused with her and he decided to see how Shaw felt. "So do you like Joss?" he asked gently. He wanted Shaw to like Joss because he didn't really want there to be problems. Joss and Maddie weren't going away and he cared about Shaw for some stupid reason.

"No," Shaw growled immediately, but she really didn't sound to sincere.

"You haven't given her a chance."

"Don't need too. People suck. You don't. Simple," Shaw stated as she grabbed the door to their cabin to effectively cease their conversation because she didn't want him to poke holes in her theory. She wasn't going to like this Carter, she refused to on the basis that she was going to be just like everyone else out in the world besides Reese: lame.

Donnelly was lounged back on the couch watching the laptop screen. "Get the fuck off my bed!" Shaw bellowed in aggravation as she stormed inside the cabin, effectively tearing Donnelly's gaze off the screen and he removed the headphones.

"It's nice to see you again too, Shaw," Donnelly muttered as he swung his legs off the couch and stood up. Shaw glared at him as she eyed the couch as if Donnelly brought bugs with him or something.

John rolled his eyes. "Anything happen while they were out?" he asked, purposefully ignoring Shaw.

"No, because this case is as dull as a butter knife," Shaw grumbled. Speaking of butter knife, she was hungry; they ate dinner and dessert an entire hour ago. She stormed over to the phone to call for room service.

"Actually something did happen." Donnelly disputed which had Shaw's hand stopping in mid-air as she reached for the phone. She whirled around to look at him with a new hunger.

"Something happened?—with our lame case?" she asked hopefully.

Donnelly nodded before looking at Reese and then back at Shaw. "Someone broke into their suite and I use 'break in' loosely since they appeared to be wearing similar clothes as to me," Donnelly explained as he set the laptop down on the bed and bent to draw up a screen-capture of the said woman. All three of them leaned in close and narrowed their eyes on the screen-capture of the woman.

John looked at Donnelly. "Do you recognize her?" he wondered.

"No. In the last two days working as a butler I have never seen that woman. It's always Demetrius, me, and Flo,"Donnelly answered.

"Is it possible that there are more butlers on different decks?" Shaw asked.

"Not quite sure, we should check our notes to see what Intel got for us or we can contact my partner and see if she can get the answer for us from Celebrity. At first I was jealous of my partner who is still on dry land when I got pulled onto this case, until now. This case might actually be something," Donnelly murmured, suddenly showing some interest in the case, just like John and Shaw.

John nodded. "What did the mystery woman do in the room?"

"Looked around for the most part and by the time I showed up she had already escaped. I didn't see her do much of anything else other than look through their belongings like a creep. She didn't take anything that I could see," Donnelly informed them.

Shaw and John nodded. "We need to stay close to the Wixoms even more now," John murmured before he sighed. He was going to have to cancel breakfast with Joss and Maddie.

Shaw glanced at him. "Just because some random chick went in there unwanted doesn't mean she's a true threat. She could just be a thief that is using being a butler as a means to get into nice suites and rip people off. This mystery broad might be just casing their suite to see if they had anything valuable to steal. Once we know if there are any more butlers or not than we know what we are working with. Besides, I can keep an eye on the Wixoms in the morning myself. I have a pair of eyeballs you know," Shaw stated, easily reading his mind.

Donnelly eyed them with confusion. "What's going on?"

Shaw smirked as she eyed Donnelly. "Reese likes someone," Shaw stated obscenely.

"Oh yes, Ms. Joss, I already knew that," Donnelly said with a laugh and John rolled his eyes. "Sorry, John, you weren't very smooth earlier."

Shaw's smirk died on her face as she turned to look at Reese angrily. "He knows?!" she confronted, enraged. "He knew before I did?!"

"He knows I left Joss's room after I escorted Maddie and Joss back to their room," John explained with a pointed look and Shaw's brows crinkled as she read his expression.

Donnelly, who missed the fact that the two were communicating telepathically, spoke, "Yea, unlike you Shaw; I can pick out when someone is into someone."

Shaw tugged her gaze off Reese feeling immensely better that Donnelly didn't know the full extent of what Carter and Maddie was to Reese. But her anger did not die down because the stupid ass had to keep talking.

"And what the hell does that mean, Donnelly?"

"My partner: Root, Agent Groves, she's into you and you don't give her the time of day," Donnelly explained with a sigh. Root was a great partner even if she was a little on the weird side, but she was a good person; the thing was she had a crush on Shaw for some odd reason.

Shaw scoffed. "That's because she's a nerd and she actually thinks her two gun routine isn't lame! You're more badass than she is which is saying something since you're about as badass as a Meter Maid," Shaw retorted with annoyance.

John ignored the two as Donnelly and Shaw exchanged insults at each other. He grabbed the file to check into what Intel had for them to see if they would need to utilize Root's assistance or not. He rolled his eyes as Shaw and Donnelly continued to bitch at each other, wishing Donnelly would leave so he could get blissful silence. These two argued more than an old married couple.

"Yea well how about I rip your testicles off and—"

"Shaw enough! Donnelly was just leaving," John murmured without looking up, having enough.

Shaw paused in her threat and scowled at Donnelly, realizing Reese's tone and she immediately clammed up, settling for glaring at him to death.

Donnelly looked at Reese incredulously. "Seriously, what the hell do you have on her that you get her to listen to you?" he grumbled.

John looked up. "Nothing, now I suggest that you leave, Donnelly. We'll call you if we need Root's assistance," he commanded authoritatively.

Donnelly nodded. "Yea, I'm bushed." he agreed as he turned and headed for the door.

When Donnelly left Shaw waltzed over to where Reese stood. "Shaw, can you do me a favor?" John commented.

Shaw shook her head as she said, "No, I'm not sleeping in Donnelly's room so you can bang your girlfriend."

John looked her dead in the eyes. "Can you try to get along with Donnelly?" he asked completely ignoring her comment.

"I am. He doesn't suck quite as much as I first figured."

He cocked a brow. Well that was a start he supposed. "You call threatening to rip his testicles off getting along with him?" he questioned.

"Yea, it was a threat. I didn't actually do it," Shaw reasoned.

John rolled his eyes.

Shaw added, "Besides, we both know you're not really frustrated with Donnelly and me; you're just sexually frustrated because you want to nail Carter so badly you can taste it."

John decided to ignore her and concentrate on the case because she wasn't saying anything that was untrue.


Since leaving the dinner she had taken her baby up to the deck where the Fun Factory room was located so her daughter could partake in the treasure hunt. Joss had gotten a massage while she was gone trying to relieve some pent up frustration and then proceeded to head back to her cabin until she picked Maddie up at nine when the event was over. Her mind was on John the entire time, on how he interacted with their daughter and how much she wanted him in their life for years to come. And not just for Maddie, though Maddie was a big part of it. Maddie and John belonged together, they were so darn cute, and she liked to think that she and John belonged together too. Five years have come and gone and no man made her feel like he did.

Joss decided to call Grace. She needed someone to spill too and she had a question or two for her friend that needed dire answers too. The phone rang a couple times until Grace's soft and pleasant voice filtered through.

"Hi Grace is this a good time or no?" Joss asked, taking a sip of her bottled water.

"Anytime you call is a good time, Joss," Grace said sweetly.

"You are such a charmer, Grace," Joss teased as she eased back on the couch playing with the hem of her dress as she thought about John's look as he eyed her in it. She felt like the sexiest woman in the world. Hell, she felt like she was the only woman in the world when he looked at her.

"Where's Maddie; I'd like to say hi. In fact Leila would love to say hi to Maddie too, she misses her. She's in her room with daddy reading."

"Daddy's little girl is becoming a little book worm too, eh?" Joss teased, knowing of Harold Finch's impressive library. He had a lot of first editions.

Grace laughed. "Oh yes, she is very much the little book worm, not so much artsy. Now Madeline is artsy and tries to help Leila."

"Don't I know it! My mother is teaching her how to sew and once Maddie masters the smalls she is going to teach my baby how to make her own clothes," Joss said as she leaned her head back with a smile on her face, thinking about her daughter. "But to answer your question; Maddie is at the Fun Factory until nine because they were doing some sort of treasure hunt." Though she wondered if her daughter contemplated a way to sneak John in there somehow, Joss giggled to herself.

"I hope she's having fun and I smell a future fashion designer in the making. Maddie is very intuitive for her age, takes after her mother and father," Grace murmured. Joss nodded in agreement. "So speaking of John, how are things going?" Grace asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

"They're going," she admitted with a sigh. "Can you please tell me what Harold was thinking with doing this?" she blurted out.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is the fact that I have this sexy man that I want more than anything and I can't have him! He knows about Maddie but can't claim her; we can't even tell her the truth!" Joss poured out in frustration and proceeded to tell Grace everything, not taking a single breath, and not letting her friend get a word in edgewise until she was utterly spent.

Joss swallowed hard as she drew in a big breath before apologizing, "I'm sorry Grace. Here I am complaining and you guys got me this wonderful cruise."

"You're not complaining honey, you're frustrated. They are a world of difference." Grace argued.

"Doesn't feel like it," Joss admitted, feeling about two feet tall. "Really, forget I just said all that. I'm ashamed of myself."

"Joss, I'm not mad. I'm not sure what my husband was thinking and to be honest: I'm not even sure he was!"

Joss blinked, realizing Grace was angry, not with her, but with Harold. "I didn't mean to make you upset with Harold. I just needed someone to vent too and you were it. As you said, I'm frustrated." Sexually and emotionally and it wasn't going to get any better soon.

"Oh don't apologize Joss, you have every right to be upset. Can you give me a moment?" Grace asked sweetly, nearly too sweet.

Joss made a sound of agreement and then she heard Grace put the phone down. Crap, she just got Harold in trouble. Joss sat on the couch tensely as she waited and Grace was gone for a good few minutes before she picked the phone back up.

Joss spoke before Grace could, "Grace, please don't be mad at Harold! I shouldn't have said anything it's just John's partner is obnoxious to say the least, the Wixoms are nice but they are next door to me and that means John can't even come by here to see me and Maddie. And John is looking so damn fine and all he has to do is exist and I'm getting turned on; I'm about ready to attack him like some sex starved soccer mom!" she said quickly before adding, "It's just tough and I should have kept my big mouth shut," Joss finished sincerely.

"No, it's alright."

Joss nearly dropped the phone when it was Harold's voice and not Grace's. "Harold?" she squeaked feeling her face heat. Oh good lord, she just told Harold that she was turned on by John's presence. Would it be impolite to hang up on him?

"Yes, my lovely wife came and wanted to finish Leila's book with her, so I could come and explain myself," he murmured softly, sounding embarrassed; whether it was because of what she said or what Grace said, Joss wasn't fully sure and didn't want to. "I truly apologize, Jocelyn."

"No, it's me that should apologize to you, Harold. You and Grace didn't even need to get me this cruise or get John on this cruise and you did. I should be thanking you, not complaining about the circumstances," Joss spoke quickly trying to fix her blunder.

"But you have a right to be unhappy about the circumstances, Jocelyn," Harold said with a smile sounding in his voice. "And to explain my thinking: I set it up so you were next to Nigel and Selma's room on purpose."

"Why?"

He sighed. "Because I'm truly worried about Selma's well-being and while I know John and his partner are very capable agents; the bureau would place them in a cabin that wasn't as nearly expensive as the Royal Suites were. You are a well-trained and intelligent detective and I felt better knowing that Selma had someone like you next door to her and not some stranger."

Joss smiled, feeling a little better knowing why he placed her where he had. "Thank you for clearing up the reason for why you placed me next to the Wixoms in the first place," she said.

"I do sincerely apologize. I didn't realize what a conundrum you and Mr. Reese would be in, due to my desire to have Selma safe, until my lovely wife explained the situation you were having with me," he said gently with a low sigh. "I didn't intend to make everything so difficult for you because I want you and John to work things out. Madeline's happiness, yours and Mr. Reese's are all important to me."

"It is okay," she tried to reassure him quickly.

But Harold didn't bite. "No it is not. I put you and John on the cruise for relaxation and to find each other, to become a family. I made something simple…complex, now you and John are dealing with the ramifications of the problem I created," Harold said heavy with guilt.

"You didn't create death threats on Selma. Those are very real," Joss pointed out.

"I appreciate your attempt at displacing some of my guilt, Jocelyn, but it does not change the fact that if I had not placed you in the Royal Suite right beside the Wixoms than Mr. Reese would have been able to come and go as he pleased."

Joss frowned feeling like a grade A jackass for upsetting her friend without wanting too. She should have kept her big fat mouth shut. "There's nothing we can do now, Harold; so please stop feeling guilty because you're making me feel guilty."

"Why should you feel such a way?"

"Because I brought it up and I should have kept my big fat trap shut."

"Please do not ever do that Jocelyn. You're a very dear friend and I like to think that you feel comfortable enough around us to let us know when something is upsetting you."

Joss felt a teensy bit better at that. "Thanks Harold; I feel better knowing that. But what would make me feel even better is that you don't feel too bad about this too. You were doing what you thought best at the time; every decision could be made easier if we know what could happen. Hindsight is always 20/20," she murmured.

Harold sighed. "I'm not sure what I can do to rectify this. Perhaps I could call and see—"

Joss hurried to stop him, "There is nothing you can do Harold. John and I will just have to keep on as we are while he and Maddie get to know each other as John and Maddie rather than daddy/daughter. Once the cruise is over, then we will tell Maddie the truth. She's too young to understand that she needs to keep a secret," she said and looked at the clock. "I have to go pick up Maddie. But please don't feel so guilty Harold, I do appreciate this cruise. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, give Madeline an extra kiss from me, Grace, and Leila."

"Will do," she assured him before wishing him a nice evening and hung up. They would just have to deal with it until the cruise was over and then Maddie could finally have the daddy she always wanted.


Joss swung Maddie's hand up and down as they walked hand in hand towards John and Shaw's cabin number bright and early the next morning. Joss had some trouble sleeping due to the fact that Maddie had a tough time relaxing for bed. She was acting like Santa was visiting; she tried to explain to her daughter that if she slept then the morning would be there that much quicker but it didn't really work the way she wished. Maddie was up until well past one in the morning and Joss was up later than that as she thought about the impending day to come.

John had asked her to come by at eight and she agreed, getting Maddie up at seven and the little ball of energy was like a child on Christmas morning with the fact that she was going to get to see John. Maddie was hungry and so was she, so she couldn't wait for breakfast with John herself. Joss had chosen just a simple hot pink romper while Maddie wore her swimsuit under a pink terry cover up and her new pink sandals she nearly slept in last night.

"Where is John, mommy?"

"We're nearly there," she reassured her, for nearly the millionth time, as they came up short in front of his door.

Joss lifted her hand and knocked gently. Maddie bounced beside her, waiting for the door to open with bated breath. She couldn't believe she was going to get to spend some time alone with John with their daughter and then in the evening they were going to get to have that long overdue conversation. They waited at the door for only a few moments before it opened and she thought her tongue was going to fall out of her mouth. John stood there in nothing but fitted boxer-briefs. They were a charcoal gray color and didn't leave anything to the imagination. The Jockey black elastic called attention to his naval with the lovely treasure trail disappearing tantalizing beneath the underwear directing her adoring gaze to the bulge in his underwear knowing just what lied beneath. Her hands suddenly itched and it felt like extra saliva was filling in her mouth.

Look up Jocelyn Carter, her mind screamed but her eyes weren't cooperating as they were lodged firmly between his legs.

"Joss," he greeted.

Joss jumped as she looked up, feeling her cheeks heat. "…uh…yea, I…y-you said…uh I thought you said to come by at eight in the morning." Joss managed to untangle her tongue as her eyes raked over his body, noting he still had muscles galore as well as scars. She saw his new tan lines and her eyes took in their fill of his sexy body.

"JOHN!" Maddie cried, uncaring about the state of undress her daddy was in. Joss very much cared as she curled her hands into fists at the thought that his itty bitty partner got to see him like this every morning. She tried to tell herself that Shaw viewed him like a brother and there was nothing but platonic feelings between them, but it didn't matter. She wanted to rip Shaw's eyes out.

John bent down to scoop up Maddie. "Hey there, Maddie," he said with a smile that had Joss fanning herself as he stepped back to let her follow him in. She closed the door behind them and did not lift her gaze off his butt. It looked good in the underwear but his ass looked even better bare.

"So where's your friend?" Joss wondered, hoping she didn't sound as winded as she thought she did.

"In the bathroom; she just got out of the shower," he admitted.

Joss sighed in heaven as John carried Maddie to the neatly made up bed bending to set her on her feet on it. "Oh momma," Joss whispered to herself as he bent before tugging her gaze off his butt the moment a rattle of the doorknob of the bathroom sounded.

The bathroom door opened and his partner exited. Shaw's look didn't change as she padded out of the bathroom where steam was ebbing out, running a towel through her long brown hair and stood in black cotton underwear and a tank. Joss felt a renewed sense of jealousy but it quickly died out when she realized John didn't even look Shaw's way; he was busy with Maddie.

She felt a smack on her arm and she looked beside her to see Shaw had at some point moved over to stand next to her, still rubbing at her long hair with the towel. "You got something right here," Shaw murmured pointing her finger at the corner of Joss's mouth.

Joss widened. "What?" she demanded reaching up to touch her face. Oh god, she walked into their cabin with something on her face while John was looking like a half-naked sex god.

Shaw grinned evilly. "Drool," Shaw said. Joss smacked her hand and then shoved her. Shaw had the audacity to laugh, and loudly, which drew John's gaze. He narrowed his eyes on them but didn't say a word. "Hey pipsqueak," Shaw muttered, moving towards Maddie before resting a light hand in her braids before walking unhurriedly over to the dresser.

Maddie giggled. "Hi Sam," she said shyly.

John turned to look at her and Joss hoped she didn't prove Shaw right and begin drooling at any moment with John looking at her and looking like he did at the moment. "Uh, maybe you should go get dressed or something," Joss suggested because she really needed him to put pants on or something. She was only human.

"Do you mind waiting for a couple minutes? I'd like to take a shower and someone took forever," John requested and Joss groaned inwardly. Just great, now she was going to have the mental image of John in a shower all morning long while trying to sit and have a nice breakfast.

Shaw turned after she changed in front of everyone and no one paid her any attention. "Not my fault you were still groggy this morning from your dream," Shaw said innocently.

John glared at her and Joss looked between Shaw and him, realizing she was missing something here. John murmured he'd be back and she watched as he turned and walked into the bathroom. What she wouldn't give to be a drop of water that ran across his entire body?!

Joss just hoped she could keep her hands to herself, at what was to be a nice breakfast outing with Maddie and John, because Maddie's daddy had her nerve-endings short circuiting and he didn't even touch her.


AN: Perhaps I shouldn't have posted this today since there is a minor cliffie as the Carter ladies and John are all set for a breakfast 'date'. But the next couple chapters are chock full of goodies so I think you guys would want them posted in the same week. Next chapter:

Ch 12: The Art of Wooing

Thanks for reading!