Title: I'm Me When I'm With You

The last thing Tee remembered was Joe making a comment about no security system being stupid in their line of work to which she responded that she had Tessa and the next thing she knew she waking up to find Joe's concerned face looking down at her as he shook her gently.

"Hey, why do you look like someone just ran over your dog?" Tee asked sleepily as she rubbed her eyes.

Joe stayed leaning over her. "Oh I don't know; might be because we were joking about Tessa being your only security system one second and the next you're not talking or answering me. Then I hear the cell phone hit the floor. God woman you gave me a heart attack."

Tee reached up and brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't even remember falling asleep."

Joe leaned closer and kissed her forehead. "I was just worried. I didn't know what was wrong." He kissed her forehead again before straightening and holding up her duffle bag in one hand and a takeout bag in the other.

"Awwww, what'd you get for dinner?" Tee smiled.

"Sushi, I figured getting your favourite would get extra points seeing as I figured I'd lost a few with the driving."

"Aww, that's sweet even if it was for mostly self-serving reasons. You're eating too right?"

"When have you ever known me to pass up a meal?"

Tee smiled at him. "Never, what are you doing?" Tee asked as Joe started to settle himself into the chair beside her bed.

"Sitting down to set out dinner, why?" He asked confused.

"Well, I don't know I just kinda thought; there's a lot of room on this bed you know, so I figured you'd be sitting up here on the bed with me. But if the chair is better than forget I said anything." Tee knew she was rambling but she couldn't stop herself. This new relationship with Joe was just that, new and she didn't want to screw up.

Without another word Joe placed the bag on Tee's lap and moved to the other side of the bed. Joe then slide on the bed beside Tee. He leaned over and kissed her temple. "I didn't know if crawling into bed with you was moving too fast."

Tee laughed at his double meaning. Leaning her head against his she sighed happily. "I thought maybe asking you to sit up here was assuming too much."

Joe chuckled as he took the bag from Tee. Carefully he laid the packages across their laps. Once they were all out and opened Joe handed her a set of chopsticks before wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Tee leaned into his side and laid her head on his peck. As they ate Tee laughed as Joe tried for the umpteenth time since they met to eat with chopsticks. As usual halfway through the meal Joe admitted defeat. Only this time Tee did something she thought about every other time; she used her own chopsticks to bring pieces of sushi up to Joe's mouth.

Once the meal was done, Joe disposed of the garbage while Tee carefully made her way to the bathroom. Being an agent who had been shot a few times before had its advantages. It still hurt like a bitch but you got used to the pain after about the third time, so Tee gritted her teeth against the pain and slowly made her way to the bathroom. After five minutes had passed and Tee had yet to leave the bathroom Joe was getting worried. He went to the bathroom and knock on the door.

"Tiger? You okay in there?"

"I'm fine but I have a problem."

"Can I open the door?"

"Sure." Joe opened the door to find Tee in a pair of yoga pants and a bra. "I can't lift my one arm enough to put on the shirt. Could you help?" She looked up and him sheepishly.

Joe smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek as he took her shirt. It warmed him to know that he was the only one who saw this vulnerable side of Tee. Gently Joe pulled her shirt on before carrying her back to the bed. After depositing her gently in the bed Joe crawled in beside her and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head.

"Can I ask you something Tee?"

"Uh huh." She sighed as she snuggled closer into his arms.

"Why me?" He asked quietly.

Tee lifted her head from his chest to look at him. "What do you mean why you?"

"I mean yeah I can give you kids but other than that I can't give you family. I mean other than Vince, Allison, and Wulf I don't have family. I can't promise I'll always be there when and where you need me; not to mention the fact that I can't promise I'll always come home. There's the possibility that I won't be there for every anniversary or birthday. Your mother already hates me with an unrivaled passion. I just don't see what you see." He sighed as if admitting that out loud physically hurt him.

Tee sat up and cupped his cheek in her good hand. "If you could, if you had the ability to be where I needed you when I needed you there would you?"

"Of course, in a heartbeat."

"On a mission would you do everything in your power to make sure you came home in one undamaged, breathing piece?" Joe nodded. "Would you ever forget an anniversary or birthday?"

"No, never, even on a job I would call you to let you know I was thinking about you."

"My mother's feelings have no bearing on mine. As for family, as long as I have you I have all the family I need and want. What I see in you Joseph Quincy Public is a kind, caring, loving, considerate man who puts his life on the line to protect people who don't even know he exists. I see a man who for years has stood not only at my back but at my side through the worst and the best of missions and situations. I look at you and I see a man that until the day I met you I thought I could only dream about." Tee leaned up and kissed his lips. "To me you are all that is good in this world."

Joe started into her eyes. He smiled as he reached out a hand to cup her cheek. "Funny, that's everything I see in you Tiger." Joe leaned in and kissed her lips. Before Tee knew what was happening she was on her back being pushed into the bed by Joe's weight rest on top of her. He was kissing the living daylights out of her. Without thinking, mainly because she was completely incapable of it in this position, she reached out her other arm to wrap it around his neck. The small movement shot white hot pain through her shoulder. Tee gasped and grimaced into the kiss.

Joe immediately broke the kiss and looked down at her. The minute he saw the expression on her face he knew what had happened. With speed that Tee knew could only be generated by deep concern he was off her and sitting beside her lifting her into his lap and hugging her close. The pain slowly dissipated.

"I'm sorry." He finally whispered in her ear.

"It takes two to do the horizontal tango Joe. I for one personally enjoyed that. Well minus the blinding pain but still." Tee smiled as she felt Joe chuckle where her head rested on his chest. "Joe? Promise me something? When I get out of the hospital you'll let me come back to the office. I can't just sit back at home and do nothing. I know missions are out but at least let me do office work."

"Absolutely no missions. Not a one, I mean it Tee, you are not getting out of the office." Joe kissed her temple. "Besides that way I can keep an eye on you and make sure you're taking it easy."

Tee nodded and fell asleep in the comfort of Joe's arms. With a last conscious thought of there being no place she'd rather be.