Wayne's memory. I wasn't going to write this but those freeking story bunnies!! And to be fair they were egged on by Wayne, so what's a girl to do??
Disclaimer: Not mine, but I AM waiting to see the "Wish Book" to see if I can order them!
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It was good to get his gun and shield back. He had felt a little underdressed without them. He didn't carry them around all the time like some guys, but at work he missed them. The weight of that gun on his hip and the feeling of a badge in your pocket. It was one of those experiences that detectives share. At the end of that case, getting them back was good and bad news.
The good news is that he had been cleared. The powers that be reviewed the facts and realized he had not been responsible for what happened. He had been hypnotized by a master. The bad news is that he had been hypnotized by a master.
Wayne enjoyed being strong. It was something he brought to his team. Granted they were all tough given their respective sizes. But most people didn't know that. They looked at him and just knew. Occasionally, it tipped the balance. He also knew his team saw him as more than just muscle. It was a good blend and he liked it. Being hypnotized made him seem weak minded. It was hard enough to keep up with Cho and Jane, now he felt he had been chosen because he was so suggestible.
Having found out that he almost tossed Jane off a building, broke a suspect's nose and shoved Cho across the bullpen was pretty embarrassing. They had all reassured him he had done nothing really out there.
Grace gave him a weird little smile. Since he had spent the last few months categorizing her smile, he knew something was up. But if it had been really dopey, he knew Cho would have been unmerciful. He figured he was all clear, just a little embarrassed.
Then Jane squeezed his shoulder as they all left him in peace in the kitchen. Memories of the experience began to flood his brain. Instead of imagining what had happened in the third person from the descriptions, he remembered for himself. It was even worse than he thought.
Fighting with Jane, he remembered the feel of his throat under his hands. The sound that the suspects head made as it cracked against the metal table came back to him. He even remembered shoving Cho. He remembered Grace's face asking him to stay at the office after he kissed her. WAIT! He kissed Grace? Holy Crap!
His coffee cup hovered in the air for a full minute while he processed that one. Oh, that would explain that tight little smile from her. She was not pleased. He remembered Jane telling him to do what he most wanted in the world. Well, her hair was over one shoulder and she looked so amazing. Of course kissing her was the thing he wanted most in the world. She had started to walk away from him. He had caught up to her in 2 or 3 long strides. Her hair had felt so soft under his hand as he cradled her head. He remembered the feeling of her soft t-shirt warmed by her skin beneath his fingers as he held her waist. He didn't crush her to him; he just held her and kissed. She tasted sweeter than he imagined. There was no hesitancy to that kiss. Wayne didn't even notice the others around him. His whole being was absorbed in Grace and that moment. It was perfect. Her hand slid up to his shoulder and her arm came around his middle and held on. There was no awkwardness on where things went. They fit perfectly together. He didn't even have to bend down too far. She was tall and came up to meet him as she kissed him back.
Holy Crap!! She kissed him back. He remembered. She put her arms around him. She kissed him back. She moved her lips in perfect sync to his mouth as if they had been kissing for years. He remembered the feel of her forehead against his as the kiss ended. She didn't pull away from him. Grace kissed him back.
He had his gun and shield back where they belonged. He had been cleared. He was still an important part of this team. He had kissed Grace. SHE kissed him back.
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