Elizabeth walked into the 4400 Center, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Now she genuinely smiled at all those she passed in the main entrance. When people stopped to talk to her, she listened carefully and answered with interest. She was headed for the main staircase when she spotted Shawn watching her with a great deal of interest. She could feel his happiness before she was six feet away from him.
"Where have you been?" he asked once she was closer. He smiled brightly as she closed the gap between them even more.
"I had to go for a meeting at NTAC."
"And you came back smiling that big? It must have been a good meeting."
Elizabeth lightly laughed, tucking some of her blonde tresses behind her left ear. "It was therapeutic, I suppose," she replied with a soft shrug of her shoulders. "I feel better than I have in awhile."
"Really?"
Elizabeth smiled knowingly. "When I'm with you, I'm always happy, Shawn," she told him, rubbing his arm gently. "That's not what I meant. I meant that it felt good to talk to someone else about what's been happening, to get someone else's point of view on the whole ordeal for once."
Shawn nodded toward the staircase. "Were you headed up to your apartment?"
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I still have to set things up, move things around a bit," she explained. "Other than that, I'm pretty much all settled in. What did you have in mind, Shawn?"
"You know what I had in mind." There was a bit of suggestiveness in Shawn's tone and he smiled softly.
Elizabeth laughed again, throwing her head back in the process. "I don't think that's a very good idea, Shawn. We should take things slowly."
Shawn smiled and shook his head. "That's not what I had in mind."
"What? Me telling you no?" She placed a hand on her hip and gave him a strange look.
Shawn shook his head again. "No, what you thought I had in mind."
"Shawn," she cautioned him, "remember I can ..."
"I was thinking it, but that's not what I meant."
Elizabeth nodded a little. "All right then. Then what did you mean? Because all I got from you was ... Well, you know."
"I thought I could help you out," Shawn replied. "Move some things around for you. Help you sort through your stuff."
Elizabeth gave him a thoughtful look. She bit the corner of her lower lip as she considered his offer. "I think I can handle it for now," she told him, "but thank you. I'll see you tonight – at the media extravaganza that Jordan has prepared. Just concentrate on helping someone else today. Find a child in need of healing and do it. Or go to a homeless shelter and volunteer some of your time. It'll be good for you."
"I already have an appointment with a little boy from Phoenix, Arizona," Shawn explained. "He's five years old and has lymphoma. Jordan thought it would be appropriate for me to do at least one healing before the gala." He shrugged.
"Jordan's right ... for once."
Shawn smiled, knowing that she said so begrudgingly. He knew how she felt about Jordan Collier and for her to admit that maybe Jordan had a good idea once and awhile was a lot for her. He nodded his understanding and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. It was as affectionate as he thought Elizabeth was ready to be but as he moved to kiss her forehead, she tilted her head up just enough for him to kiss her gently on the lips. He backed away, a concerned look on his features.
"If I didn't want you to kiss me, Shawn," Elizabeth said suddenly, "I wouldn't have moved my head." She smiled sweetly and nodded behind him. She could see Jordan's assistant, Devin, making her way towards them both. "Looks like it's about time for someone to get back to work."
Shawn turned around and nodded to Devin. When he turned back to look at Elizabeth, she was already headed up the stairs. He smiled at her and shook his head in disbelief. He was certain that no matter how long he had with her, he would never really understand Elizabeth. "What did you need, Devin?" he asked, turning his attention to Devin.
"Jordan wanted to see you," she replied with a little smile.
Shawn nodded briefly. He straightened out his jacket out of habit and followed Devin to the far corner of the main entrance to the 4400 Center where Jordan Collier stood, waiting. There was a knowing look on his face when he saw Shawn approach and it unnerved Shawn a little.
"What did you need?"
Jordan smiled and patted Shawn on the shoulder. "I've seen enough actually," he replied. "I don't need anything now. Get some rest. You have a little boy to help in about two hours. I wouldn't want you to go into the meeting exhausted. It wouldn't benefit you or the boy."