9

It Had to be You

A/N: I like this chapter. So biased. I hope you like it, too. And thanks for the feedback. Always appreciated.

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Chapter 18

Sue punched in the speed dial number of Terry and waited for the call to go through. Should she be upset, grateful or perhaps a little of one and a lot of the other?

"Sue! What's up?" scrolled across her Blackberry.

"Are you busy?" It was Monday afternoon.

"Have you forgotten Monday is my day to play catch up on the paperwork?"

"I was just checking in case things have changed."

"You haven't been gone that long," he snorted. "So, what's the reason for the call?"

"I'm calling to rip into you for telling Bobby why I left Chicago," Sue declared.

"Why? You bumped into each other?"

"Darn right!"

"Thousands of people in DC and you two meet? How the hell you managed that, Thomas?"

"Do you think it had anything to do with the fact that Janice's shop is less than three blocks from the Hoover building?"

"I forgot. You can't expect me to remember everything single detail about my friends. I barely remember my girls' birthdays!"

"I think you planned this whole thing, Terry Hughes—engineering the move to DC, getting me this job with Janice. You were counting on the fact that Bobby and I would eventually run into each other."

"I didn't know it would happen. DC is filled with people that never meet."

"I thought you said you never gave advice."

"I don't. Nobody listens."

"I do…did."

"Did you listen when I told you not to marry that guy?"

"You never told me that."

"You see? I don't give advice. Even though I thought you were making a mistake I never said a word." There was a pause. "So?"

"What do you mean?"

"The reason why you're calling. Either you're really pissed with me for telling the guy or you want to throw your arms around me and kiss me. Which is it?"

"Is Michele the jealous type?"

Terry smiled at Sue's implication. "Nope."

"That's good. I think I'm in love with him, Terry."

"I know you are." It had been obvious to him three months ago.

"You know?"

"Hey, I know everything."

"How does he feel about me?"

"Do I really need to tell you?"

"No, you don't," she said softly. Bobby had spent the entire weekend demonstrating how much he did care for her. He'd been sweet, considerate and very, very affectionate. She hadn't made it home until Sunday night to Janice's complete lack of surprise.

"Sue? You still there? Hello? Hello? Should I hang up? Anybody…"

She finally noticed the words scrolling across. "Sorry. Daydreaming."

"So everything's okay?"

"Better than okay. Thanks, Terry…for everything."

"You deserve it. Just one thing."

"Anything."

"You bring that guy here for a visit before the wedding. I want to get to know him better."

"Wedding? We've just started dating!"

"Didn't I just tell you I know everything? Trust me on this."

"Marriage may not be on his agenda," she reminded her friend.

"If he's as smart as I think he is, he's not about to let you go."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Does this mean if we get married and have children, we'll have to name the first born after you?" she joked.

"That's a thought." Another pause. "Happy?"

"Extremely. Terry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks…really. I feel as though you're my fairy godfather."

"I look ridiculous in a tutu. Say hi to Janice for me."

"I will, you sweetheart you. Give my love to Michele and the girls. Bye."

Terry had been such a good friend from the beginning. Sue counted him among her blessings. Bobby was definitely another blessing and he was coming for dinner tonight.

She was hunting for her recipe for lasagna when her Blackberry vibrated. It was Bobby.

"Hi!" she said happily.

"Hi yourself," he smiled. It was wonderful to hear her voice. It would be even better to be with her. Spending the past thirty-six hours with her had spoiled him.

"I'm just starting dinner. I hope you like lasagna."

"That's what I'm calling about."

"You have to cancel," she guessed attempting to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"There's an emergency meeting and I don't know when it'll end."

"Shall I keep dinner warm for you?"

"I wish I could say yes but…"

"You don't know when it'll end." She sighed.

"If it ends early I'll call."

"If it ends late you can still call," she suggested hopefully.

"I will."

"I miss you."

"Same here."

He wished he could say more but in the bullpen it was impossible. He felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Jack. His thumb was pointing towards the door.

"Sue, I have to go. Talk to you later."

"Bye."

He'd warned her that his schedule was unpredictable and cancelled plans were an occupational hazard. Well, she thought, she just better get used to it. Now where was her recipe book? She and Janice still needed to eat.

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"That was a long meeting," announced Tara blinking her eyes.

"Better to be prepared for contingencies than not having a back-up plan," responded D. "You know how I hate surprises when we go in for a raid."

"My sentiments exactly," agreed Myles.

"Was it my imagination or did the ATF people actually seem friendly this time?" asked Lucy.

"I noticed that, too," Jack commented. "Maybe they finally read the inter-agency co-operation memo."

"That'll be a first," Myles said dryly. "I didn't know they could read."

"Now, now, Myles," soothed D, "be nice. They're trying to be."

"It's all a façade," he declared.

"Even the cute little redhead, Myles?" mentioned Bobby with a smirk. "She seemed to make it a point to sit next to you and involve you in the discussion."

"Did you notice that, too?" remarked Tara. "I thought there was a little more touchage than normal between agencies."

"You think so?" preened Myles for a moment as he adjusted his tie. "She was rather attractive, wasn't she?"

"And not a very good judge of character," Lucy said sarcastically.

"Be nice, Lucy," D repeated. "After all, Myles does have his good points…I think."

Myles cast a sardonic glance at his friend.

"Oh, come on, Dimitrius," placated Lucy, "you know I was just kidding…sort of…a little…maybe."

"Your effort at an apology underwhelms me, Lucy," said Myles acerbically.

"Well, at least you knew it was an apology so the intent was clear."

"It's only because of my penetrating intelligence."

"Oh, puh-lease."

"I would love to listen to the two of you harangue each other," interrupted Bobby, "but I'd like to leave sooner than later." He looked at his watch, then at Myles and Lucy.

"Truce?" suggested Myles holding out his hand. Although it sounded as though he and Lucy did not like each other, he enjoyed her sarcastic wit. It kept him on his toes.

Lucy stared suspiciously and saw the attempt was genuine. "Truce," she agreed. Myles could be a major pain-in-the-ass but he could also be quite charming when he wanted to. She should know.

"Good," said Jack in satisfaction. "Now that we're all friends, let's go over the details once more, shall we?"

"We'll have surveillance set up in the van. Will and Dane from ATF will be in there with Lucy and me. We'll co-ordinate the visuals and audio. As soon as we know everyone's inside the warehouse, we'll give the okay to proceed with the raid."

"People will be stationed here, here, here, and here," continued D pointing to the map on the case board, "with back-up close by in case anyone manages to slip through."

"We have to make sure no one suspects our man on the inside," he warned. "He gets treated like everyone else."

"You sure no one has any idea he's a mole?" asked Jack.

D shook his head. "Wes is so convincing, if I didn't know any better, I'd think he was part of the group, too."

"Too convincing?" Jack asked.

"We're talking about Wes here, Jack," Bobby brought up. "He wouldn't."

"Anything is possible," said D, "but I agree with Bobby. Wes walks a fine line at times but he'd never cross it."

"I don't think so either but when a guy's been undercover as long as he has, you have to consider the possibility that it's no longer pretend but real," responded Jack.

"No argument there, Sparky," said Bobby.

"Lucy, Tara has the list of equipment and manpower we'll need to pull off the raid tomorrow," D instructed. "I know it's short notice but…"

"I'll get on it asap," she stated immediately catching his drift.

"We'll help," said Jack.

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"Are you sure?" asked Bobby as he spoke into the phone. "It's…" he held up his arm, " almost nine. It'll take me about forty minutes to get there. Don't you have to be at work by six?"

"I'm willing to give up my beauty sleep to see you," she replied. "That is…if you're willing to drive here."

"I'm willing to go anywhere to see you."

"Such mush, Mr. Manning."

"It is, isn't it?" he said grinning.

"But the sentiment is appreciated."

"That's good because it was sincerely meant. And on that note, Miss Thomas, I'm ending this call so I can see you sooner than later and so you can get a decent night's sleep."

"Which would be a change after this weekend," she teased.

"I don't recall any protests from you about the lack of sleep over the weekend."

"Oh, I wasn't complaining," she replied, "just making a comment."

"Favorable?"

"Absolutely."

"Then I'll see you in forty minutes—or less."

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