Chapter 3
A/N: Sorry about the confusion (if there was any) about the chapter titles. It's been so long since I've posted that I forgot how to post new chapters! Or did the set up change? Anyway, thanks for reading and for those who've reviewed, a special hug.
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Next day
"Boy," Jack commented to Bobby when his friend walked in the bullpen, "you look beat. Late night?"
Bobby shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Perhaps too much caffeine yesterday."
"You only had the usual twenty or thirty cups," quipped Jack.
Overhearing Bobby's comment, Lucy spoke up. "That's funny. Sue couldn't sleep last night either. She was still up at midnight."
His eyes shifted to Lucy in concern.
"I think she's nervous about today's meeting," Lucy continued.
Bobby prayed that was the reason. He hoped Sue had forgotten last night's incident though he never would.
"She's got no reason to worry," declared Jack. After getting over the initial shock, he knew he'd miss her terribly but it was a great career move for her. "She'll do just fine."
"I agree," piped up Tara. "I know this is a fabulous opportunity for her but the office won't seem the same without her."
"That's for sure," agreed Bobby. He pretended to immerse himself in the folder in front of him but all he could think about was Sue.
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D stopped next to Bobby's desk. "Tomorrow, I want you to interview a possible source on the Anderson case. It's set for 9:30. Here's the name and address of your appointment," said D as he extended a sheet of paper towards Bobby. "Take Sue with you," he added.
Bobby reached for the paper but froze for a fraction of a second when Sue's name was mentioned before taking it. Glancing at the address, he realized it would be an hour's drive—one way. How could he be in the same car with her for all that time? Feigning nonchalance, Bobby asked, "How 'bout I take Tara with me—or even Myles? Sue might be tired after her interview today."
Overhearing, Myles looked at him skeptically. "Are you kidding? It's a forty minute flight from New York. That's barely enough time to get served your complimentary beverage and bag of peanuts." He thought for a moment, "Besides, I have to meet an informer at that particular time."
"I can't spare Tara," responded D. "She's working on reconstructing a hard drive we need analyzed asap."
"What about Jack?" Bobby suggested a little desperately.
D gave him a strange look. "You know he's got that meeting with Marty tomorrow morning to wrap up the Mitchell case. What's the matter with you? It sounds like you don't want to go with Sue."
"It's not that," protested Bobby. "I just thought she might like to stay in tomorrow. It's a long drive to and from the office on top of her flying today."
"Well for now," stated D, "she's assigned to go with you. If she's tired, we can think about finding someone else, okay?"
Bobby nodded as he inwardly sighed. How would he get through two hours alone with Sue?
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12:49 pm
It was no use. He couldn't concentrate. Try as he may, he could only see Sue's face. Her face was on the reports, on the computer screen, it was everywhere he looked. Tiredly, he dropped his face onto his hands. He didn't think D would appreciate his current solution to the Hayden problem—plaster the bloke's office with pictures of Sue.
"Bobby?"
With a guilty start, he realized Jack had been calling, and not for the first time from the sound of it. He had a difficult time facing his friend.
"Yea?" he finally answered.
Jack gestured in the direction of the door. "We're going out to lunch. Wanna come?"
Bobby shook his head. "Not hungry. I think I'll just stay in."
Jack hesitated as he looked at his friend. "Are you all right? You look pretty wasted. You coming down with something?" he asked in concern.
Bobby pursed his lips as he looked at the man before him. Yea, he thought, a bad case of guilt. That kiss yesterday was very much present in his mind. He replayed it over and over again. It was torture of the most exquisite kind.
"Maybe that's it," he said aloud. "Maybe I am coming down with something."
"Then maybe you should go home and rest," suggested Jack "There's nothing pressing right now. If anything comes up, we'll call."
Useless in his present state, Bobby nodded. "Good idea, mate. I'll just tidy my desk. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow."
Jack pointed a finger at him. "If you're not here tomorrow, I'm coming over to check up on you."
Bobby smiled. "Yes, Mother."
Jack returned the smile. "I'll tell the others. Take care and see you tomorrow."
Bobby turned to clear his desk. Maybe he'd stay home tomorrow, too. Maybe he'd stay home every day until Sue left.
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7:10 pm
"Sounds like the interview went well," remarked Lucy as they cleaned up after dinner. "I'm certain you got the job."
Sue looked doubtfully at her roommate.
"Don't be too sure about that, Luce," she objected mildly. "They're still meeting with other people. Probably one of the other candidates is more qualified. After all, I've only been with the FBI for three years."
Lucy brushed off her concerns. "I don't believe it. It's not often that someone receives a personal invitation to apply for a job like that. They want you and only you, Sue Thomas."
Her burst of enthusiasm abruptly ended.
"I wish you'd be based right here in DC," Lucy said sadly. "I know it's a great opportunity but I'm gonna miss you so much." She reached over to squeeze Sue's hand.
Sue returned the grip. "Me, too. Who will I go shoe shopping with?" she said trying to inject a little levity. To avoid speaking about the painful subject, Sue asked, "How was it at work today? Anything interesting happened?"
"Not really. It was slow which was a very good thing because Bobby was really out of it today. His body came to work but that's about it. Jack told him to go home," she shared.
A preoccupied look came over Sue's face. Was he sick or was he thinking about their kiss? Because she was…she couldn't get it out of her mind. Even during the interview, a tiny corner of her mind was on Bobby…the feel of his arms around her…the touch of his lips on her…how her….
"Sue?"
She finally realized Lucy was talking to her when Lucy laid a hand on her arm.
"Where were you just now?" she asked in curiosity. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were coming down with the same thing as Bobby,"
"I was thinking about today," she answered truthfully but not totally honest. Bobby was on her mind. She had to talk to him—now.
"I think I'll take Levi for his walk," she said as she hung the dish towel neatly on the rack. "Or maybe I mean he'll take me for a walk. I did a lot of sitting today."
"I know what you mean," Lucy responded. "I won't be home when you come back. Sherry and I are going to see that new Brad Pitt movie so don't wait up," she reminded her roommate. Sue rarely went to the movies since it was too hard to lip read. She preferred waiting for the DVD version with close-captioning or foreign movies which were subtitled.
"Have fun," she called out as Lucy headed to her bedroom to get ready. Now she could see Bobby without raising any suspicion. She grabbed her jacket and purse. "C'mon, Levi. Let's go for a ride."
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Sue waited patiently for Bobby to answer. Nervous when she first arrived, she walked around the block a couple of times before getting enough courage to ring the doorbell.
"Did you hear the doorbell, Levi? Maybe it isn't working. I better try knocking." There still was no answer.
She looked down at Levi. "You think he's really sick and sleeping?"
Levi barked once.
"I don't know either, boy," said Sue. She made up her mind. "Let's go home."
Bobby leaned against the door as he waited for her footsteps to disappear. He hadn't been able to bring himself to open the door when he found out it was Sue.
He was a coward. He was afraid of what she had to say. He knew he had to go to work tomorrow or otherwise a contingent from the team would show up at his door. And they wouldn't walk away like Sue. They'd just pick the lock and let themselves in. Then they'd discover he wasn't physically sick at all—only sick from guilt.
With a sigh, he pushed himself away from the door. He needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow he'd have a long day pretending nothing was different when in fact, everything was. Could he do it?
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