AN: Okay this is the last of the stories I can update, so I hope you have a really amazing birthday ReadtoRelax! And this chapter touches briefly on 4C it actually more alludes to the events of that episode without actually going on the plane.

John arrived at the library, early in the morning, carrying his coffee. He felt a certain amount of nerves. He didn't want to upset Finch but he couldn't work the numbers anymore. He didn't believe in the machine any longer. It hadn't done anything to save Joss. It let her get shot, it almost let her die. He entered the library walking up the spiral staircase, before walking down the long corridor. Finch was slouched in his chair, holding what appeared to be Root's ankle bracelet. His eyes lifted, watching him.

"Ms. Groves picked the locks on the gate, disabled the ankle bracelet's sensors. I suppose the machine told her where I hid them." Finch murmured as he slowly rose up from his seat. John clenched his teeth together. Of course the machine had told Root how to escape the cage, but didn't tell them Simmons was lurking close by. "Welcome home," that got his attention.

"I'm not staying, I came back to protect you. You're someone the world can't afford to lose. But I almost lost Carter because of your machine." John tried to keep from being accusatory. "We trusted blindly, I'm not so sure it cares who matters and who doesn't. I came to say goodbye, Finch." He looked at him. He could see the pain, sadness on his friend's face. But he couldn't help it. Finch had Shaw now and Shaw would protect him. John couldn't continue to work for the machine, he didn't trust it or like it.

"John….you can't go."

"I can't stay here." He shook his head. Once Joss came back from Rome he would too, but, he wouldn't come back to help with the numbers. "Joss said I owed it to you to our friendship to tell you in person that I was quitting. And she was right, so I have, now I'm going with her to Rome."

"….John, my pilot had been contacted early this morning, and she's already on her way to Rome as we speak."

"What?!"

"I thought you knew."

John turned and hurried out of the library, immediately calling her. She answered on the third ring. "That was why you wanted me to go tell Finch in person that I was quitting, so you could leave while I was gone!" he growled in anger.

"Yes," she said it simply. "John, you need to deal with your anger, and running away from New York, your friends, and your purpose isn't the way to deal with it."

"I'm going to Rome with you, I'm going to get the next commercial flight out." He stated.

"Go ahead," she assured. "But that won't be for at least a couple days and maybe by then you can realize just how stubborn you are being! Your friends need you, and you need them."

"I need you."

"And we'll talk more about where we go with our relationship when I get back."

"I'm going to strangle you for this when I get to Rome." He said as he stormed to his car, she laughed, and the sound was so warm he closed his eyes loving it, loving how peaceful it made him feel. He almost lost that sound. He almost lost her he felt a tremble pass through him, as he reopened his eyes. He hardened as he eyed the camera, it almost made him lose her.

"I'm sure you want to put your hands on me, but not to strangle me, John, and I can't wait." He clutched the phone tightly when she purred softly realizing she was flirting with him! "Not that I am complaining, mind you, but I sort of want to be able to use my right hand to touch too. So no funny business until I'm better, unfortunately."

"Joss," he exhaled roughly. She was his heaven and his hell. "I'll be there with you in Rome soon enough." She didn't say anything, they hung up, and he sped up quicker to head to his place and purchase a one-way ticket to Rome online quickly.

Joss refused to feel bad for tricking and getting rid of John. But the man took thick-headedness to an extreme. She was sure if John had to help their friends with another number that quite possible his anger at the machine might get a little bit more manageable. She wasn't sure if it would get better, but, he might not want to try to flee from his purpose and friends if he was forced in their proximity.

She had arrived in Rome yesterday, met with Bernard this morning, and he was already working on a regiment for her. Joss was grateful he was going to get started on her rehab that quickly. The apartment Finch set up for her was amazing with the sights, and it had home equipment which meant Bernard was coming over to her place to rehab her. Joss had to say she liked that idea better because she didn't know anyone and driving in a foreign country held little appeal to her. She was a little lonely without her son or John around, John hadn't called her since yesterday to tell her he gotten a commercial flight out to Rome today. She had no idea where he was, he had said his flight was to leave at 8 A.M., and it was already past ten hours. She did the mental math, it should take about nine hours to get here, unless of course there was a delay in his start time.

Her cell rang. She grabbed it, frowning when she saw it was Shaw and not John. "Hey," she greeted trying to enforce a level of happiness that she called. She was not disappointed that it wasn't John, or at least that was the lie she told herself.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that your boyfriend is working a new number."

"He is." Joss couldn't help the excited tone. That was good, John was working a case, it would be good for his psychological pain he was dealing with since her shooting.

"Reluctantly,"

"What does that mean, reluctantly?" she demanded.

"The machine hijacked him."

"What?!" Okay that is not what she had been hoping. "Can it even do that?"

"It's an A.I. Carter so yeah it can. The machine overbooked your boyfriend's flight plan forcing him onto a different plane to Rome that has a relevant number on board." Joss was confused. She didn't know what that meant, relevant number, but whatever it was she was going to find out. She suspected it was how they got their cases they worked. "But Reese is trying to save 130 people that are on that plane that were irrelevant along with the relevant number."

"Okay…." She wasn't going to panic. There was that many people that was in danger, which meant John was one of them.

"I'm about to go meet my former friend to see if I can learn why Owen is relevant to national security. I thought you'd want to know where your boyfriend was."

"Thanks, and one thing Shaw."

"What?"

"He's not my boyfriend."

Shaw snorted. "Yet," and with that Shaw hung up on her. She sighed, hoping John was alright since he was on a plane alone with a number, and had nowhere to go.

John was irritable. It had been a long flight, he had figured they were going to die, but Finch had come through for him. Finch had landed the plane while he fought in the cockpit with the would-be killer. He sent Owen off to get a new identity, saved the innocent 130 men and women that would have died for no other reason than for being there. The nice flight attendant; Holly, asked him for drinks, but he had declined. There was only one woman for him, and she was at an apartment that Finch had set up. He wanted to see her, but his eyes strayed to the small outdoor restaurant down the street a little from him. He had gone to a nice café to drink some much needed coffee. It had been a long and dangerous flight to Rome.

John slowly walked his way over to where he clearly could see Finch sitting with a newspaper trying to appear like he wasn't sitting there because he had followed him. John regretted some of the things he said to Finch during his ordeal on the plane. It wasn't Finch's fault for what almost had happened to Joss, his anger spilled over onto him, and he regretted that. John just didn't know how to process his anger at the machine, and unfortunately he had lashed out at the man that built it which so happened to be his friend.

He sat down across from his friend eyeing him as he continued to peruse the paper. "You tracked me down." He stated.

"Just flew in to get Owen situated with a new identity and destination, then I was going to make sure Joss was settled." Finch spoke quietly not looking away from the paper.

"Is that it?" John wondered slightly. He tracked him down to this café but he wasn't here to speak with him? That didn't exactly sound like Finch.

Finch finally dropped the act of pretending to read the newspaper. He had wanted to talk to John about this for a while but John hadn't been willing to hear him. Finch wanted John to understand why he built the machine the way he had. "Mr. Reese I understand your frustration with the opacity of the machine, but there is a reason I chose to make it that way. The machine only gives us numbers because I would always rather that a human element remains in determining something so critical as someone's fate." He paused and John nodded a little. "I know we almost lost her, John, I know you care a great deal about her, and for that I am deeply regretful that it hadn't contacted us sooner."

John swallowed hard, he felt a lump forming that was stealing his breath. He had almost lost her but as Joss continuously reminded him that she was alive. And that had been just her sheer will to live. He never met anyone like Joss, she was full of life, and she had stubbornly forced him to deal with what was bothering him. John wasn't so sure if he trusted in the machine any longer, but, he did trust this man before him and he would help work the numbers because they were people. Saving those people on the plane those people like Holly who were just innocent in it all, reminded him why he started doing this in the first place. To help people. He had forgotten it, because he had allowed his grief over what almost happened to Joss blind him.

"When are you leaving?" John asked softly.

"Soon, I thought I'd go see this exhibit of an artist Grace was very fond of you are more than welcome to join me." Finch offered before looking him in the eyes. John could see the clear hopeful look on the elder man's face. He was looking for forgiveness that he didn't need. None of it was Finch's fault, he wished for the life of him that he hadn't made Finch feel like it was.

"I'm not sure that I can." He murmured and John watched as Finch's face fell. "While I'm in Italy I figured I'd get fitted for a new suit after I saw Joss." John said hoping to show the other man without saying the words that there was no need to seek forgiveness for something he did not do. He waited only a few seconds before Finch looked up to eye him as a slow but surprised smile graced Finch's face.

"Of course, we should call Gianni he's the best."

"I thought I could hitch a ride with you. I'm not quite ready to fly commercial yet, so…but, I need to get back to work."

"Certainly, Mr. Reese, I know the pilot I think we could delay that flight." Finch agreed as he stood up, John followed, and they slowly walked away from the outdoor restaurant. "Does Jocelyn know you won't be staying in Rome, or agreeing to come back to work with me and Ms. Shaw again a spur of the moment decision?"

"Joss wanted me to continue my work with you as it was, she didn't want me to follow her to Rome in the first place. But I have to tell her I'll be leaving with you."

"Of course, I'll get an appointment with Gianni while you speak with Jocelyn."

"Thanks Finch,"

"Anything, Mr. Reese, anything." He promised. John nodded. "I'll come to the detective's apartment to pick you up, John, say about an hour?"

"That's fine." He agreed. They broke apart he climbed in one taxi while Finch took his own. John gave the taxi driver Joss's address, watching the scenery as the man drove, thinking. Joss would be happy that he decided to go home and help with the numbers. He arrived at Carter's place, she was just on the outskirts of Rome. He exited the taxi, moved to the small building, and knocked. The wooden door opened, and she was there.

"John," she smiled.

"Joss," he touched her, just making sure she was still with him. She used her good arm to wrap around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her. "How are you?" he murmured into her hair.

"I'm okay, can't wait to get started on my long road of physical therapy. How about you, Shaw called me up telling me that you were hijacked by that super computer and forced to work a case." She pushed back to eye him. "What happened?"

"Nothing, everyone is safe."

"Thanks to you." She smiled.

"More like Finch."

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"Never mind, I won't be staying for long, you're right I was trying to run away from what happened. I was so upset and angry about almost losing you, that I was taking it out on Finch. Finch wasn't who I was really mad at, he was just the person who I could lash out at. A computer isn't so easy to lash out at as a human is." John laughed humorlessly. "I treated him badly, treated him as if he was the one that failed me, and he didn't."

"Oh John, he doesn't hold it against you, and he knows that you don't really blame him. He knows you were upset." She brushed her fingers against his soft cheek, seeing the regret in his eyes. Pain was still there, but at least now he'll get back in the flow, working the cases with his friends. "When are you leaving?"

"Soon, later today sometime."

"Oh," she said trying to hide her disappointment.

"Joss, say the words and I'll stay. I won't go."

"No, it's probably for the best that you aren't here with me. It will make me work harder to get back to you and my son quicker, if I'm here by myself."

"Why?"

"Because I'll be missing you both like crazy that I'll push myself to get better quicker and harder than I would if you both were here with me coddling me."

"Us, coddle, I don't think so." John teased. "You'll call me, right."

"Of course I will John,"

"You'll come back, right?" he whispered looking away. Joss stared at him. He was afraid she would vanish from his life? "I thought you were going to die on that damned sidewalk in my arms, Joss." His choked words betrayed him. Joss watched as a tear fell down, he lifted a hand to rub at his cheek. "You were telling me things that scared me, made me doubt that you would make it, and I tried to remain positive that you were going to make it. I held onto you as you lost consciousness, I thought you were gone….I thought…I never get to talk to you again." And there it was. The reason behind his pain, John had thought she was going to die, and he would lose her. The reason he was angry at the machine, at the world, because he almost lost her. Had to helplessly watch.

"Of course I'll be coming back, John." She touched his cheek, forcing his gaze onto hers. "We have this thing between us to figure out, plus someone has to make sure you don't do anything crazy." He smiled a little. "Now come on in, please, I want to kiss you but I don't want to do it while everyone can see us. Call me crazy but I like my privacy." She grabbed his hand with her good one, tugging on it softly. He allowed her to tug him inside.

AN: I always thought John's anger towards Harold was unfounded it wasn't Harold's fault and the only thing I could come up with why he would lash out the way he had at Harold was because the machine was just that a machine an A.I. who he would have to yell at cameras, while Finch was flesh and blood in front of him. While it was wrong it was the only thing I could imagine is why John would lash out at Harold in the way he had. So that was just me trying to make some of the issues the show made work. Next chapter there is a time jump because if the show had done this I bet we wouldn't have seen much of Carter where they would sort of give us maybe one or two glimpses of her while she was doing her training, so they could set up the Samaritan storyline. Had they done that I would have griped but I could handle it since at least she'd still be on the show lol. Sigh...only in my imagination does it happen. Anyways I'll shut up and give a teaser:

John eyed his phone, wondering when Joss would text him back. They had been in constant communication since he left her in Rome nearly three months ago. Things with Vigilance and Decima was heating up, Decima stole the chip, and Vigilance just got the government program called 'Northern Lights' shut down. He and Shaw had lost a number the other day before they were sent to that god awful high school reunion, while Fusco and Finch went to D.C. He just wanted to talk to her. He texted 'where are you' and nearly walked into someone. "Excuse me," he mumbled as he didn't look up, walking to the side trying to walk by the person, but they stepped in front of him once more.

He glanced up. "Hi John," he blinked when Joss stood in front of him in her black leather jacket, and tight jeans on.

I gave a big teaser since the next chapter is somewhat long so I could XD Again thanks for reading, I hope everyone can sort of enjoy my rough revision of season 3 just because I was sad at what the show did lol. I'm so sad aren't I :/