A/N: Hey, thanks for the reviews. I'm posting the next chapter...like i promised. Yay me. Hope you like it as well as the first.
Disclaimer: Don't own them...but it is fun to use my imagination on them. :)
Chapter Two:
It was finally Wednesday. As unsure of this shopping thing I'd been, I was really looking forward to it when I thought about finally getting my answers. I wasn't sure what I thought I would hear, or what I wanted to hear, but I knew I would get the truth out of her.
I had asked her to pick me up at my dad's apartment since I was staying there for a few days. She knocked on the door right at 10, which was when we'd agreed to meet. It was weird though, I had expected to have to buzz her in, but apparently she had a key. I mentally added that to my list of questions for the day. "Bye dad, we're leaving!"
"Hold on a sec Maur. Geeze." Was the response I received from the back of the apartment. Then he was coming out. "Hey Liv." He gave her a smile then turned toward me, "You bring my partner back in one piece okay? And have fun."
"Oh we will, much more than you anyways. Cragen just called and asked me to tell you he needs you to come in for a bit this afternoon. Don't ask me why I don't have to go though." She laughs as he groans about having to work.
"Why didn't he call here? He knew I was planning on taking today off too. Since work's no fun without a partner." He winks at her and she laughs.
"Well you could've sucked it up. I am tomorrow. You're just a baby, that's all."
"Tough talk for someone who I happen to know is very ticklish."
"Yeah, well..." She starts to respond.
"Ahem. Guys, I hate to break this up, but Livia, shouldn't we be going now?"
They both turn bright red and nod their heads dumbly, and then we're out the door and on our way to her car.
"So, you're ticklish, huh?"
She groans, "Unfortunately. I was dozing on my desk ome day, and he came up and poked my sides. I jumped about a mile and screamed and ever since then he holds it against me."
I hold back a giggle and say, "Yep, that sounds like dad to me."
We don't talk about him for a while, and we hit a few stores before lunch. I've decided that's where I'll launch my questions. We get some food from the food court and sit at a table near a window. She had just taken a sip of her diet coke and was looking out the window when I ask, "So, what's really going on between you and dad?"
She chokes on her coke, turns bright red, and asks, "What do you mean? There's nothing going on between your dad and me. What would give you that idea?"
"Oh, just the way he smiles when you walk into a room, knows your ticklish spot, the hug he gave you when we went out to pizza with the twins, that kind of thing. You mean there's really nothing going on? But you guys act like such a couple!"
"We do not, we act like partners, partners that have been together for 8 years. Partners that would do anything for each other, but not a couple."
"Partners? No way. Dad never acted like that with partners before, and I'm pretty sure Munch and Fin don't act like that. There's no way you guys actually still only see each other as partners."
"Well, no, he's not just my partner. He's my best friend, and I'm his. We've been best friends for a long time, but that doesn't mean there's something going on between us."
"No, it doesn't, but it also doesn't mean you don't want there to be." I stare at her, as if challenging her to disagree with me.
She doesn't, just looks down at her food and says, "No, it doesn't."
Wow, she was a lot easier to crack then I thought she'd be. But by the look on her face, she's embarrassed and uncomfortable now, and I feel totally guilty. It's then that I realize the extent of their feelings. She's in love with him, as I'm sure he is with her too. Surprisingly, not only does this not bother me, but I'm instantly thinking of ways to get them to admit it to each other now and not just me. "Does he know you love him?"
Her head shoots up, "What makes you think I love him? Well, I do, but as a partner and best friend, but not like you're thinking."
"That's a load of crap. You don't just love him as a partner and best friend; you're totally IN love with him. Will you just admit it and make this easier for both of us?"
"Okay, fine. I love him. But that doesn't mean anything."
"What are you talking about? Of course it does. It means everything!"
"No, it's not a big deal. It'll go away. I can make these feelings go away, just like the last time." Her hand shoot to her mouth, realizing what she said.
"Last time? You mean you realized it before? How long ago? Oh crap, it was while he and my mom were married wasn't it?" She nods her head slowly, embarrassed and I think, 'Hmm. Can't say I'm surprised. I do give her points for not acting on her feelings, and trying to hide them away. That had to be hard, working with him everyday, knowing that and knowing it could never happen.' I put a hand over hers on the table, and say softly, "Well, it's different this time, isn't it? There's nothing stopping you from getting the happy ending."
"Yeah, except for the fact he doesn't feel the same."
"How do you know? Have you asked him?"
"No, I couldn't do that. If he says no, things will be awkward and it'll be hard to work together again after that."
"So you're going to risk your chance at happiness on awkwardness? But what if he says yes. Actually, not if, what about WHEN he says yes?"
"He wouldn't, there's no way." She shakes her head and sounds as if she's trying to convince herself as much as me.
"Just talk to him? Okay? You'll never know unless you try. Talk to him tonight when you drop me at the apartment. The sooner the better, you know?"
"Okay, I guess I could." We finish our food and shopping, but I can tell she's not really there. She's focused on the talk that I've convinced her to have. You can tell she's nervous.
A/N2: Alright, there's the second chapter. Any good still? I realize they're out of character, but I like them this way. Hope you do too.