It took Melnick, Cohen, and Malinowski less than a half hour to present the terms of the plea bargain to Judge Walter Bradley. After the no nonsense judge assured himself all sides were in agreement he accepted the plea; leaving the principals with a few short errands to perform before leaving the court house.

Cohen graciously offered to walk the papers over to the clerk's office with Melnick. When Malinowski offered to wait for him to take him out for a celebratory brunch before he headed back to Long Island, Cohen smiled slyly and made a mysterious remark about meeting her outside the Baxter Street exit, unless she got a better offer.

The moment she walkied the late morning sunlight she knew why Cohen had made such a baffling comment. Malinowski recognized the driver of the town car immediately. As she leisurely strode towards the car, she causally looked thought the surrounding sea of faces for her lover.

"Good morning Martin."

The uniform clad driver tipped his hat, as he opened the car door.

"Good morning Ms. Malinowski. Mr. McCoy asked for me to extend his invitation for lunch."

"May I ask where we're going," she asked as she slid into the back seat, smiling at the bouquet of green carnations that sat on the seat beside her.

"Mr. McCoy told me to tell you 'you'll know when you get there'."

"That does sound like Mr. McCoy, doesn't it," she said with a chuckle as the door closed.

While the car slid back into traffic Malinowski opened the card attached to the bouquet, too busy reading to notice the driver had left Centre Street and was merging into the lane that was labeled 'Bridge Traffic Only'.

Congratulations on not only your win, but getting through your first round with Dangerous Dani not only unscathed but without a homicide charge against you, as well!

I just missed you this morning. The early train from Portland ran into a delay an hour from Grand Central. Jake tells me you both have a few comp days coming due to the trial being in Manhattan instead of Suffolk County. I took the liberty of calling Michael and advising him that you'd be using some of those days.

Don't be mad.

Trust me.

Love,

Jack

Malinowski smiled, her curiousity peaked, as she reread the card. After taking several deep breaths of the fresh scent of the bouquet, she noticed the cooler on the floor beside her. After lifting the lid she caught the driver's eyes in the rear view mirror.

"Martin, I thought you were taking me to meet Jack for lunch? From the looks of this cooler, either you and I are having lunch together or Mr. McCoy is planning on a mighty long drive for this rendezvous."

The driver nodded and smiled politely.

"Should you choose to have a snack, I am confident your appetite will have returned by the time we reach our destination."

Before she had a chance to press the driver for more information, Malinowski's eyes widened as the driver moved smoothly into the next lane as they passed a sign that read: Niagara Falls 400 miles.

By the time the town car pulled in front of the bed and breakfast the air had turned chilly and the sky had grown dark. The driver walked with her to the door of the cottage and gently knocked before departing. While she waited, Malinowski could hear what sounded like the sound of water falling in the distance, as well the faint sound of a saxophone and piano.

"Canada? You invited me to lunch in Canada," she asked with a chuckle, as the door opened.

McCoy shrugged his shoulders, giving her a boyish grin.

"Tell me you didn't have anything pressing on your calendar for the next three days," McCoy said as he guided her into the candlelit room.

"Three days," she began to respond, as her mind whirled through the day planner in her head.

The Meitter deposition, the Ketteridge pleas bargain, and half a dozen other work responsibilities that had been on the tip of her tongue were forgotten as McCoy took the bouquet from her and Malinowski looked around the dimly lit room.

The falls seemed to be a step away. The grand display of water colorfully lit and visible from the bay window across from her. The room glowing with light coming from a stone fireplace that was directly across from the four poster bed. Candles that rested from the elegantly set dining table, to the night tables, to the top of the dresser danced almost in harmony with the softly playing jazz.

"If this is how you plan to celebrate every big win I have in court," she said mischievously brushing the comma of hair from his eyes," either you doubt my abilities as a prosecutor and think this is a rare occurrence or your raise from when you became DA is much bigger than you've let on."

"I think we'd both agree this win deserves a special celebration," he as he kissed her quickly."You must be starving after that drive. You're probably worn out, as well. Maybe you'd like to freshen up before dinner?"

"Actually, I'd like to know how you got a hold of my passport," she said bluntly. "I could have sworn I had that in my safety deposit box in Inslip. How in the world did you get to Martin?"

McCoy smiled roguishly as he led her to the table.

"I don't suppose you'd settle for an explanation like: I'm the DA, I can subpoena just about any document I can think of?"

"Knowing your views on the Patriot Act? No," she said sardonically."I wouldn't buy that for a minute."

"Well, Danielle is anxious to mend fences with both of us," he began as he handed her a glass of champagne."Seems your ex-husband still has a key to your safety deposit box. You know, you might want to up date your signature card for that box. Sam was more than willing to help Danielle out by getting the passport and bringing it to Martin at the courthouse before you finished with Walter this morning."

"Are you serious," she said incredulously. "Did you tell either of them why you needed my passport?"

"This is a need to know trip," he said with smugness that made her laugh out loud.

"Really? You sound more like James Bond than Jack McCoy. So tell me what exactly does that non-answer mean?"

"It means you'll have an answer when I think you need one. How's the champagne?"

"I could be a wise ass and play your evasive little game, but being that I am the mature one in this relationship," she said with equally smugness, which brought about a deep laugh from the other side of the table," I must say it's the best glass of champagne I think I've ever had. The company tonight is, without a doubt, the best."

McCoy grinned back at her from across the table as he picked up a oyster from the tray beside him. Malinowski leaned forward as McCoy reached across the table to feed her the traditional aphrodisiac. She met his eyes as she opened her mouth and slowly seductively, sucked the oyster out of its shell; in the end making a slurping sound that caused them both to giggle.

"Very smooth," McCoy managed to sputter between bouts of laughter, as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Stop it," she gasped. "I've still got to …swallow it."

McCoy nodded as he handed her the glass of champagne beside her. As she carefully sipped the liquid, McCoy divided the remaining seafood between them and began spreading horseradish on the oysters in front of him.

"Ready to try again," he asked as he picked up another oyster shell.

As they continued their banter, Malinowski unsuccessfully tried to prod McCoy into revealing what other surprises her had in store her. Once the majority of food had been consumed, McCoy seemed to make a point of looking at the front of her blouse, as if something was a miss.

"Maybe you should take a minute and freshen up," he said seriously. "I saw some of the oyster juice run down onto your blouse a few minutes ago. Remember the last time you spilled something on a silk blouse?"

"Jack, since when did you become my dry cleaner," she asked with amusement, as she stood."I don't see anything, but since you seem so concerned, I'll be right back."

McCoy smiled to himself. He ate the remaining oyster on his plate and quickly washed it down with the last of champagne in his glass before following her into the bathroom.

When he caught up with his fiancée, he found her standing in the middle of the room. Malinowski was clearly overwhelmed. A side from the usual luxuries one finds a five star lodging (sheet towels from Sax, a sunken tub for two with Jacuzzi jets in a room the size of most people's guest rooms) there was a particular item that had caught her eyes, as McCoy had hoped it would.

Malinowski was staring at the shower.

The stall easily had room for two... families that is. What fascinated her was the same feature that had sold McCoy on the cottage. The shower was designed with a tropical waterfall in mind.

McCoy came up from behind her and pulled her into an embrace.

"I thought now that your back and ribs are healed, maybe it was time to try to forfill that fantasy of yours."

"I assume you've checked the shower floor for stray bars of soap," she asked as she looked up at him with amazement.

"I have not only checked for them, but have collected them and put them safely into the vanity," he said as he turned her to face him."I thought about trying this under one of the smaller water falls outside, but given that the temperature is still in the fifties, I thought it best to stick with an indoor fantasy. At least this time."

Malinowski's eyes danced with pleasure as she reached up to tousle his thick grey mane.

"It looks like that time you spent with Becky did you more good than I anticipated."

McCoy grinned down at her, as his index finger gently ran over her throat and down to the valley between her breasts.

"Becky sends her love. But right now, I don't want to talk about my daughter," he replied before kissing her.

Malinowski moved closer as their arms went around each other. As their kisses became more intense, she felt his hands begin to unhook and unbutton the barriers between them. Eager to free him of his clothes, she followed suit.

Once her task was completed, Malinowski stepped back and gave McCoy's body a lingering, appreciative look. Although Jack McCoy wasn't a young man, it often amazed his fiancée how exciting she found his body.

It wasn't just the skill with which McCoy did what he did to his lover, it was also the pleasure she took in her own exploration of his lean form, which aroused her so. McCoy always smelled good and that evening was no exception. The faint smell of musk mixed with his own unique chemistry made her heady with desire. The feel of his warm, strong body against her had always been enough to make her knees weaken. But the way he looked without his clothing... the broad shoulders, the firm chest, the legs than amazingly remained tight and muscular after years spent behind a desk... the way he looked made her impatient to touch and be touched.

As the last of their clothing fell to the floor she leaned back against the counter and wrapped her self around him.

"I'm not sure I want to wait for the water to warm up."

"What about your fantasy," he mumured, while he ran a hand slowly up the inside of her thigh.

"We'll get to it later. After all, we have three days,"she whispered as her hands roamed over this body, one hand reaching between his legs. "Besides, you are my fantasy, Jack McCoy."

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"I hate to bring this up, but I hope you plan on paying poor Martin out of pocket," she said hours later as they lay in front of the fireplace. "If your opponent in the election next fall gets wind of you using public monies for a jaunt to the Falls..."

"All ready had that pointed out to me by Jake, when I started planning this little celebration," he said as he wrapped a blanket around them and snuggled back into an embrace. "I hired Martin personally to not only pick you up, but to take us back when it's time."

"Jack that's three days from now. Don't misunderstand. I love the idea of being here with you," she with genuine concern. "But that's going to cost you a fortune, not to mention the cottage and ..."

"Martin has family here in Ontario. He's going to visit them until we're ready to go. Besides, we've been savings for months for the wedding. There's more than enough money for what I have in mind."

"The money for the wedding," she said thoughtfully. "You maneuvered Sam into helping you with this scheme, as well as my faithful and trusted assistant, then you call my boss and hijack me for half a week. Jack, what exactly do you have in mind?"

McCoy smiled, knowing what she was really trying to ask.

He still couldn't believe how much had changed since he had begun seeing Malinowski. His cynical vow to avoid a third marriage had given way to anticipation of a new marriage and gratitude for finding a woman he felt not only an ardent desire to love, but a certainty that he could never find another woman so well suited to him as Brooke Malinowski.

"Marry me," he said hopefully. "Unless you've changed your mind about a big wedding, marry me now, Brooke. Here, before we go back to Manhattan. I don't want to wait any longer for you to become my wife."

Malinowski grinned at the almost childlike enthusiasm in McCoy voice. She bit back a remark about the water in Portland being laced with some sort of mind control substance, when she saw the look in his eyes. As playful has he had been that evening, Malinowski could see he was offering her his heart. To make light of that would be to risk hurting the last person she ever wanted to harm.

"I don't want to wait either. But you know how the girls feel," she said seriously."Becky and Lindsay both made it clear that if we eloped they would never forgive us. You know we can't get married without them."

"Who said we'd have to," he said as his sly smile returned.

Malinowski propped herself up on her elbow and watched expectantly as McCoy briefly left her. She waited him out, silently watching as he stirred the embers in the fireplace until a fresh log ignited. When he returned, he continuing looking at her like the cat that'd caught the mouse, remaining every bit as silent as she.

After he was nestled back under the blankets with her, McCoy reached behind him and began pouring another glass of champagne. Smiling, he handed the glass to Malinowski, who finally sighed as she took it.

"For someone who makes his living with words, you are too damned good at this tall, dark, and silent game, Jack. When are they coming and how the hell did you manage it?"

"Becky seems to think it's time for me to make an honest woman out of you," he admitted, as he embraced her."She suggested the Falls since there is no waiting period once we get the license. All I have to do is call her and she'll be on the next train, along with Lindsay, and few others that are near and dear to us."

"You must have had Sam clean out the safety deposit box if you think we can get a marriage license. How did you get my brother to agree to keep Lindsay out of school?"

"Well to be honest, there is a trade off. Your brother can't get the time off. He's going to take Lindsay as far as Grand Central. Becky will meet them and take Lindsay the rest of the way. Now, if you want to wait and do this with Andy, I understand."

Malinowski shook her head. She tried to process the fact it looked like McCoy had covered all the bases, leaving no reason why the two couldn't be married the next day. Although she had thought about having her brother give her away as he had the first time she'd been married, she knew Andrew Malinowski still harbored the hope she and her ex-husband would eventually find their way back to each other. A hope she saw no reason to share with her fiancée.

"We can show Andy the pictures," she said kissing him on the cheek. "I suppose you found a dress as well and a tux?"

"Everything that needs to be handled, can be handled a few miles up the road. I know this is a shock. I don't want you to feel pressured. If you want to wait..."

"It's a wonderful surprise and I love you for thinking of it," she said with a grin. "I knew you were something special the first time I saw you, Jack McCoy."

McCoy grinned back as he kissed the top of her head.

"I doubt that. The first time we met was the summer of 1995. Your husband was speaking at a state bar convention and you-"

"…were sitting in the main bar of the Four Seasons with Arthur and Lillian Branch," she said as she met his startled gaze. "Yes, Jack I remember the first time I met you. You were with Adam Schiff and Claire Kincaid. Adam brought you both over to meet Arthur. Shortly after the introductions were made Lillian and Claire went to the powder room and you three thought you were going to lecture me on prosecutorial misconduct..."

"...and instead you turned it in to a debate over prosecutorial discretion," he countered.

He remembered it as if it had happened that night. Even though he was very much in love with his young assistant Claire Kincaid, McCoy remembered how taken he'd been with the sharpness and wit Malinowski had shown in the face of two such powerful and respected men. He also remembered how the memory of her had lingered in his mind long after the convention ended.

"I thought you only had eyes for Sam those days?"

"As I'm sure you did for Claire," she countered. "It's hard not to swoon when you're in the presence of old hang 'em high."

Malinowski gasped as his fingers attacked the most ticklish spot he'd found on her to date. She fell back against him as she desperately tried to kick her foot free of his grasp.

"You know how much I hate it when you all me that," he said with a smirk. "You also know, you're hardly a swooner."

"Fine. But if you want me to walk down the aisle tomorrow, I'll need my foot back!"

"Does that mean you will marry me tomorrow?"

Malinowski looked up into the face above her. Even if she'd had misgivings, seeing Jack McCoy's signature scowl replaced by a look of such joyful excitement would have been enough to win her over. She grinned as she thought about that first meeting.

McCoy was right. From the moment she met Sam Prescott, her eyes had never wandered. Until the night she met Jack McCoy.

Not that she had ever thought about putting her marriage in jeopardy or that the man women in the legal profession called the Wolf of Hogan Place would have even considered dallying with a married woman. No. Just because her heart a skipped a beat when she looked up and saw the tall good looking man, who was recognized on site by every woman at that convention, didn't mean anything other than that she still had a pulse, married or not.

It was when he held her hand. That fraction of a second that their eyes met during a run of the mill introduction. That's when she understood why Jack McCoy had the reputation he had.

He could easily have any woman he decided he wanted.

After more than a decade since they first met, he wanted her.

Forever.

"Yes, Jack. I'd be proud to become your wife tomorrow."