A/N: JMags-WriterOfAwesomeness, Congratulations, Grad!
"You really are consistent, aren't you?"
"Only because I want to show you that I'm a good guy, and the right guy for you."
"And who says you're the right guy for me? Aren't I entitled to my own opinion?"
"Oooh I love it when you talk feminist to me. It's so hot!"
"Look, you seem nice, but you also seem like trouble. And I don't know if you've noticed but I'm a police officer. I don't like trouble."
"I'm not trouble! Ok, on occasion maybe, but I'm willing to change! Come on, just one date. Please?"
She looked into his eyes. They were pleading with desperation.
"No."
She continued to walk towards the entrance of the precinct. The others had arrived before her since she drove separately. They were all in the lab with the others.
Andre, Robbie and Trina noticed Cat and Evan outside.
"Look, Rob. There's your girl," Andre told him aside from the others.
"And there's your competition," Trina said, but not too loud for anyone else to hear.
"What are you waiting for? Get her before it's too late," Andre pushed him off his seat.
"Come on, I'll go with you," Trina offered.
The two walked over to the entrance where Cat and Evan were.
"Come on sweetheart, what's stopping you?" Evan pleaded.
Cat was about to walk inside when she saw Robbie and Trina step outside. She made eye contact with Robbie. She wasn't able to read his expression, but he was able to read hers. She was in doubt, and Robbie didn't know why.
"One date, please?" Evan tried once more.
Robbie gave her an encouraging nod but his facial expression was nothing close to happy. Cat was waiting for that certain thing to 'stop' her from answering Evan. But it never came. Reluctantly, she sighed and turned to face Evan.
Trina on the other hand was nudging Robbie to speak up. She looked at Robbie who was focused on Cat. She knew he'd chicken out. You idiot, Trina thought to herself and mentally slapping Robbie's face. She would probably really slap him once they were out of Cat's presence.
"One date. That's all."
"Cat gave in?" Tori was shocked.
"Damn, I guess persistence does pay off," Beck said.
"Babe!" Jade slapped him. "Shapiro, you ok?" she diverted her attention to him.
"Of course I'm ok, why wouldn't I be?" Robbie played it cool.
"You look like you just ate some bad sushi or something," Beck pointed out.
"Yeah, you ok Robbie? You seem a bit pale," Tori added.
"Uh, Robbie's just exhausted 'cause we stayed up all night testing out the cameras," Andre covered for him.
"Oh, well you should get some rest bro," Beck replied.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to take the rest of the day off. Kind of feeling under the weather," Robbie answered.
To Cat's and everyone's surprise, Evan was able to woo Cat and get a second, third, fourth, and fifth date. It had been about 2 weeks and Cat seemed to enjoy him. One night, Cat and Robbie were working late at the office with Andre and Jade. Andre was explaining to Jade the new gadgets for the heist while Cat was watching the monitors with Robbie.
"So Robbie, what's going on with you? Anything new?"
"You see me everyday, Cat," Robbie chuckled. "Nothing new really."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean I know everything that happens to you," she giggled.
"I don't really have a life outside of the job," Robbie informed her.
"Sure you do, everyone does!" she cheered.
"Ok so then how have you been?" he asked.
"I've been alright," she playfully shrugged.
"That's it?! That's all you're going to say after making it such a huge deal with me?" Robbie laughed.
"Maybe I just love to mess with you," she stuck her tongue out.
From the lobby, Andre and Jade were able to observe Cat and Robbie's interaction in the lab.
"Hey, 'Dre. Look at them. They're such weirdos," Jade said.
"Well, sometimes you gotta meet your match to be weirdos together," Andre said.
"Oh God, Vega really is rubbing off on you with your romantic sappiness," Jade laughed.
"It's true though!" Andre defended. "You and Beck, both tough and aggressive, and me and Tori both passionate people. That's why we're all together right?"
"Sure, but those two aren't," she pointed out.
"That's because Cat's got Evan and Robbie's an idiot," Andre chuckled.
"Robbie an idiot?" Jade was bemused.
"Oh come on, do I even have to spell it out for you, West? Look at him. He's got a little school boy crush on Red."
"Oh, psh… Duh, everyone can see that," Jade noted. "Eh, well it's his loss if he doesn't tell Cat what he feels," she shrugged.
Back at the lab, Cat and Robbie had subsided from their giggling.
"So, uh… How's that Evan fella?" Robbie finally brought him up.
Cat was timid. Robbie was never one to talk about romance let alone talk about his own love life.
"Um, he's fine. We've gone on several dates," she responded.
"Is he behaving himself because if he's not," Robbie began sternly. Then he sheepishly replied, "then I'll get Andre and Beck to teach him a lesson," he smirked.
Cat giggled at Robbie's response.
"He's good, Robbie. D-do you think he's good?" she asked.
"I don't know. Do I know the guy enough to judge him?" he posed.
"True. I just… I just want to make sure Evan's a good guy before things get serious."
"Are you planning on taking it to the next level? Like if he asked you to be his girlfriend?"
"I don't know. Maybe? I mean… what's stopping me?" she looked at him. He looked at her. Her eyes were begging for him to speak. But he never did. Or at least, he didn't say what he should have said. What she wanted him to say.
"You're right, Cat. What's stopping you?"
"Robbie, phone's for you," Trina said from the front desk.
"Who is it?" he yelled from the lab.
"Uh… you're favorite person in the world," she was subtly hinting. But Robbie didn't get it.
"Oh my mamaw?!" Robbie was excited and grabbed the phone in the lab.
"Hello?" he eagerly greeted the person on the other end.
"Hey, Robbie! It's Evan."
Andre was in the lab with Robbie and when the voice on the other end of the line made Robbie grow jelly legs, he knew it was serious so he shut the door for them.
"Who's on the phone?" Andre mouthed.
Robbie put the phone on speaker.
"Hey Evan," he finally replied.
"Evan?!" Andre whisper yelled. Robbie shushed him so Evan wouldn't know that someone else was on the other end.
"So, why are you calling? You know Cat's got her own line, you want me to transfer you?" Robbie wondered.
Andre shook his head, carrying a blank and 'Are you stupid?' expression on his face because of Robbie's response.
"No, man. I've got her number, thanks, though. I was actually calling you to ask for some help."
Andre suddenly grew interested.
"Uhh… Ok? I don't know if I would be much help though."
"Trust me, you will be. Cat talks about you like all the time," Evan said.
This impelled Robbie to blush and Andre to grin.
"I think she and I have gone out long enough and I know she's interested enough for me to ask her to be my girlfriend."
Too soon, both guys in the room's expressions grew somber.
"W-what did you have in mind?" Robbie asked.
"I need to set up the perfect date, you know? Like all those girly things she likes and what not. I'm sure you know all of that, right? Aren't you two like best friends?" Evan asked.
"Something like that," Robbie answered. "Well she loves the color pink. And she may be a tough girl when she wears the uniform, but she's a child at heart. She has a simplistic mind and a sweet tooth. She's got an infectious smile and a contagious energy that you can't help but be giddy…"
As Robbie daydreamed, Andre stifled a laugh. He brought Robbie back to reality by slapping his shoulder.
"Er, well she's the typical girl. So it shouldn't be hard," he finished.
"Awesome. So, do you think you can help me set it up too?" he asked.
Andre went wide-eyed and glared at Robbie.
"No!" he mouthed. He waved his arms in fury and warned Robbie not to answer Evan. Robbie nonverbally fought back with his own hand gestures but eventually shushed him to get back to Evan's request.
"Uh… Sure, man. I'll help you."
Andre shrugged. Took out a notebook and wrote 'IDIOT' across the pad.
"Great, thanks man, I owe you."
After Evan hung up, Andre smacked Robbie's head with the notepad.
"You have got to be the biggest idiot ever," Andre commented.
"What was I supposed to say?! No?" Robbie defended.
"Yeah! You might as well have said 'Yes, Evan, let me help you get together with the girl of my dreams.' You're hopeless man," Andre slapped his shoulder.
Robbie met up with Evan the following evening. He had a room at Maestro's rented out for Cat and Evan to have a romantic dinner. They were covering the place with paper hearts and gold stars. Cat was a sucker for those.
"I still don't believe there's actually a soft side to Cat," Evan chuckled at their decorations. "I mean yeah she should some feminine qualities when we went on dates, but she was still reserved about a few things."
"There's more than meets the eye with Cat," Robbie explained. "She wasn't always tough. I mean she's been a police officer for quite a while, but her tough girl act happened because she had no other choice."
"Why? What happened?"
"Well, Cat's mom died in a car accident from a drunk driver. It's why she became a police officer in the first place – to make sure no one else would have to suffer the loss of a loved one like she did. Two years ago, her dad passed away because he was sick. So Cat was left all alone. She claims to have no time for love but maybe she's not ready yet since she lost two people she loved. Or maybe she's scared too. So you're lucky that she welcomed you in her life, Evan. Don't blow it."
When Cat arrived, she was astounded to see the room. She was impressed nevertheless. Robbie was spot on with everything he helped Evan with.
"I can't believe you did all this!" she was amazed even after their meal. Evan poured some wine for them as they settled into a nice conversation.
"Only the best for the best girl," he smirked.
"Don't push it," Cat rolled her eyes.
"Well, I can't take all the credit, I did have some help," he said.
"Oh yeah? Who helped?" she was curious.
"I've got my connections," he winked.
"Ok whatever," she rolled her eyes again. "You know, you think you're so suave, but what makes you think I'm the type of girl who's into that stuff?"
"Because… I know you more than you think."
"Oh yeah? How?"
"I know that you have this tough girl act going on, but really you've got a soft spot inside," he said.
"Cliché," she responded.
"I know that you can be cynical about love but deep down you're probably just another hopeless romantic," he tried again.
"Typical storyline," she once again shot him down.
"Ok…" he dragged his chair closer to her, "When I was a little boy, my parents abandoned me."
Cat sat frozen. "O…K…?"
"My uncle took me in and raise me and his other son. We might as well would have been brothers. It felt like that to me. And until recently, he was all I had."
"What happened?" she whispered.
"He left us too. So, you're not the only one who's scarred from their past. Afraid to let love in because the people you're supposed to love aren't there anymore," he said.
"How did you-?" she was surprised he knew something that personal about her.
"Like I said, I know you more than you think," he replied. "And we've got a few more things in common that you wouldn't admit but we do."
"Tiny things. But that's still not enough for me to-"
Cat was cut off by Evan pressing his lips to hers. She was shocked at first, but she kissed back. She didn't know why she did actually.
"Cat, I know how deep your scars are and now you know how deep mine are. If there's anyone who knows how you feel it's me. I don't think there's anyone else who understands us. Now unless there's another man in your life that's more important to me and has confessed his love for you, I'm not going to stay quiet," Evan stated.
Cat unexpectedly grew vulnerable.
"Is there a guy out there?" he asked her.
She thought of one guy; his face so vivid in her mind. But she also thought of the many times she'd wonder if he felt the same. What really was stopping her from seeing Evan if this other guy wouldn't put out? She couldn't wait around forever, right?
"I don't know. I don't think so," she confessed.
"Well then let me be that guy," Evan said. "You gave me several chances and now I'm asking you for one more. Will you be my girlfriend?"
