Disclaimer: Not mine.
It's been six months since we kissed that first time, on our one year anniversary. It's the anniversary of our first real date tonight and I have something special planned. We've been taking things very slow. We haven't even slept together yet. I think it would be weird to sleep with the boss—a main reason why—instead of watching her through the window of her office. I am sitting in a chair across form Minelli.
"What do you mean you want to be reassigned? You work great on the team. Has something happened to change that?"
"No, nothing has changed recently. I just need a change of pace." I'm lying to him, but he doesn't know. Jane is probably the only one that would be able to tell and he hasn't been speaking to me as much as he used to. I think he still resents that I am the one going out with Teresa and not him.
"Have you talked this over with Lisbon?" He's clearly upset that if I leave the team he will have to find someone else that will be able to work with Jane. He is the hardest person on the team to get along with, despite all of his charm and charisma.
"No, I was going to wait until I found out if there were any open positions elsewhere before I told her of my intentions." He has no idea that I don't just mean leaving the team.
"It turns out that we do have an opening in the organized crime divisions if you want it. But I'm telling you, the team you're on now is much better."
"Organized crime is fine, thanks." I rise to leave, but am stopped by Minelli.
"I don't want to have to tell Lisbon so that's going to be your responsibility."
"I think I can handle it." I know he's afraid of her temper, but after getting so close to her for the last eighteen months, I'm not really afraid. I know she's more bite than bark and I like it that way.
I leave his office and head straight for hers. I notice that Rigsby and Van Pelt are sitting very close together in the break room. I think that Minelli might have to find another replacement for the team soon if they keep it up. I see Jane sitting at his desk. This is unusual, but I don't mention it to him. Undoubtedly he has a reason for it, and as I come closer I notice that he has a phone book out and he is flipping through the pages.
I go up to Teresa's door; it's not shut, so I stick my head inside. "Hey, boss, you got a minute?"
She looks up from her computer and smiles when she sees me. "Sure thing, Cho, come on in." She keeps things all business when we are at work and I realize that I'm going to miss working with her everyday. I go in and shut the door.
"Hey, how would you like a home cooked meal tonight?" I ask and am happy with the look of surprise on her face.
"Do you know how to cook? Because I'm not cooking."
"Of course I know how to cook. I wouldn't invite you over to cook for me."
"Of course not. I keep forgetting what a wonderful guy you are. What time should I come over?"
"How about between seven and eight? If you get there before dinner's done, you can watch." I smile at her now. I love just spending time with her, so I hope she comes early.
"I'll be there." She says and I turn to go. "Kim," she says, causing me to stop and turn around. "I love you."
"I love you too." I'm glad that I shut the door to her office when I came in. I want to go over to her and kiss her, but I look out the window of her office and notice Jane watching us so all I do is say, "I'll see you tonight. I have a couple of surprises for you." I walk out of her office.
I sit down at my desk and it doesn't take much time for Jane to come over and sit on the edge of my desk. He leans over and asks "Why didn't you kiss her?"
"What are you talking about?" I'm trying to act annoyed, not that I have to try very hard.
"In Lisbon's office a few minutes ago. It looked like you wanted to kiss her, but you didn't. Why?"
I see no point in trying to avoid the question. He always gets it out of me anyway so I tell him. "Maybe the fact that the entire office could see us and that you were watching stopped me."
"Afraid of a little PDA, Cho?" He chuckles and moves off my desk to his couch. He can be really annoying most of the time. The rest of the time he is just annoying.
The next time I look at the clock it is already past 5:00 and people are moving to leave for the night. I decide to go say goodbye to Teresa before I leave and notice that her door is almost completely closed. I hear talking and before I realize who is in her office with her, I have overheard part of the conversation.
"What was so important that it couldn't wait for tomorrow?" I know this is her voice.
"I had to talk to you." Jane is in her office. I'm tempted to barge in, but I don't.
"About what, Jane?"
"I had to tell you before it's too late." He pauses and then says so quietly that I almost think I'm imagining it, "I love you."
I turn and almost run away when I hear him say that. It's none of my business, even though I can't help thinking it is.
I'm at home cooking now. I'm doing a pork tender loin because they don't take much time to cook. The rest of the dinner is almost done and I look at the clock for the hundredth time that night. I notice that the time is 7:50 and wonder if she decided not to come. At this point I glad that I decided to transfer. I don't think I could work with her anymore if she didn't show up tonight.
The rest of the dinner is done now, fresh green beans and pine nut couscous. I've even baked a chocolate cake for desert. It's cooling on the counter now waiting to be frosted.
Its 8:10 now and I'm pretty sure she's not coming. She's never been late before so I'm thinking that she probably picked Jane. I've always known that she liked Jane; it was always there in the back of my mind as a possibility. That one day she might pick him over me and it looks like tonight is the night it happened.
Its 8:30 now and the food is getting cold. No need for it to go to waste and even though I'm not hungry, I serve myself a plate of food. I put it in the microwave to heat back up. I pull the small box out of my pocket that I have been playing with all night. I open it and look at the ring inside. It has just a small diamond in it, less than three carats. I didn't want something too big for her hand. She has such delicate fingers; I didn't want anything that would detract from that. I figure that I can take it back in the morning. I didn't ask the guy at the jewelry store what their return policy was. I didn't think I was going to need it. On second thought, maybe I'll keep it. To remind me of how things could have turned out.
Its 9:00 now and I can feel the last bits of hope disappearing. I put the leftovers away and look at the cake. It's still not frosted. No time like the present. I pull the tub of chocolate icing out of the cupboard. I can take it to work tomorrow and give it to Rigsby.
The thought of having to go to work tomorrow and see Teresa and Jane, to know that she picked him over me almost makes me want to just throw the cake at the wall, but I'm not a violent man so I don't. I just finish frosting it and cover it so that it won't dry out.
Its 9:30 now and I can't stand to be awake anymore. I turn off all the lights and make sure the door is locked. It's going to be a long night and I feel tears starting in the corners of my eyes. I feel stupid crying for her, but I can't help it. I really do love her. I still do—one night wouldn't change that. I hope that the pain will fade during the night, but I know that it won't. I leave the ring sitting on the table next to the place that I had set for her. I can't bear to look at it anymore tonight. I slowly make the way to my bed room. I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight.
Authors Note: Sorry for the depressing tone of this one. This is what happens when I try to write after spending two nights up with sick kids. No sleep tends to put me in a bad mood, which is translated to depressing in the stories I write. This is not how it was supposed to go, but not much I can do about it, it's just the way that it happened.
Also thanks to Ebony10 for being my beta.