AN: This deals with 3x21. Again I want to apologize for the roughness to these chapters, but I didn't write it fluidly and didn't want to change a thing for you guys from what I had for myself. So I apologize.

Joss's eyes widened as she slid from her desk, watching John, a pretty red-head, and Shaw entering the bullpen. She hurried to greet him. "No, no, no you can't be in here." Joss snapped.

"Yes we can, we are police." John assured as he flashed Stills' badge at her. She glared slightly at him, as Fusco appeared by her side. He eyed the badge and then John.

"You're killing me with that; it's not safe for you in here," Fusco said echoing her same sentiment. But John was looking around the precinct. He didn't look exactly happy having to be here either. He looked upset. Things have been tense. John texted her telling her that it wasn't safe for him to be near her, that Samaritan was operational. It was killing her to not go to him, but here he was seeking her out.

"It's a good point. Any way to turn those things off?" John pointed at the cameras in the precinct. Joss shook her head.

"The cameras, the department has them all over the place now, all thanks to HR." Joss murmured. Her eyes noted the red-head she looked fearful and was shaking a bit.

"Joss, Lionel, meet Grace. She has some very bad people trying to hurt her."

"I don't know what's going on, but these detectives saved my life." Grace said before looking at John and Shaw. Joss smiled a little at John.

"Yeah they're good at that." She agreed.

"Can we find her a place to rest?" John asked quickly.

"Yeah, alright, come on." Fusco took Grace's arm and lead her away. Joss sidled up next to John.

"What's going on? Who is that woman?"

"We got her number even though we have to stay out of Samaritan's and Decima's reach. Her name is Grace Hendricks, and she's Finch's fiancée."

"Excuse me? Fiancée?"

"Former, he had to leave her behind to save her life." John said and Joss turned to see her sit down in the interrogation room before Fusco shut the door. She was a pretty and seemed like a nice woman, it was no wonder Finch liked her. She turned to look back at John.

"You are alright, right?" she asked worried about him. He had disappeared, and then texted her to stay away that he would come to her when he could. Joss didn't like being told what to do, but, she also knew that disobeying him would work opposite. John needed to concentrate on staying alive, not protecting her because she wanted to risk it all and be near him. So for the time being she was willing to listen.

"Samaritan's online, Joss, we make one false move and Decima will kill us. You need to stay here for the time being, and when I'm gone, you can leave."

"John I'm not staying away from you forever."

"It has to be this way, Joss, at least for now. Promise me, you'll do this for me."

"Yes, I know you won't be happy until you know I'm safe. But that goes two ways, John, you be safe too. I can't lose you." She wanted to touch him but didn't. Not with these cameras up. He didn't want Decima or Samaritan to know they were together. John moved over to speak to Shaw, while she turned and saw Fusco gathering coffee in a mug. She slid John one last quiet look before walking over to where he stood. "Is that for our visitor?" she questioned.

"Yeah why?"

"I'll take it to her." She took the mug from him. Fusco merely nodded before walking away to go see if Shaw or Reese needed anything from him. Joss carried the warm coffee to the interrogation room, before entering. She smiled as Grace Hendricks turned to look at her. Joss could easily read the fear, nerves, and concern in the woman's face. Her interrogation side wanted to rear its ugly head and dig for some dirt so she could learn more about her peculiar friend that loved this woman enough to want to marry her. "Hi, it's lousy but warm." She put the mug down on the table.

"Thanks,"

"I never did get to introduce myself, I'm Detective Joss Carter, but please call me Joss."

"Alright, Joss." Grace played with the coffee mug in her hands never once taking a sip.

"How are you holding up?"

"Why would someone want to hurt me?" Grace wondered.

"I can't tell you what's going on out there, but in here you're safe." Joss offered. "We won't let anything happen to you."

"The other detectives; Stills, and his partner, are they always like that?" Grace asked as she eyed her. Joss smiled softly.

"I know they might come off a little stiff, but they've saved my life a dozen times. Trust me, they're the good guys." Joss assured with a soft rub to her shoulder, before she left. She just exited the room when she saw Root, her eyes widened as Root and Fusco were talking. Oh hell no, what was she doing here? They had enough on their plate to deal with, without that lady being here to make things worse! Root walked away, while Fusco approached her grumbling something under his breath. She grabbed his elbow. "What is she doing here?" she hissed as they walked side by side.

"Who…cocoa puffs besides making my life a living hell, she wants me to get her a small list of things. She claims it will help our guys and the pretty lady, so I'm willing to play along…for now." Fusco walked away, grabbing an empty box with handles on his way towards the back.

"How are you holding up, Carter?" Joss turned slightly seeing Shaw standing there, having rid herself of her coat.

"I'm fine."

"Reese sure seems to be worried about you, about Finch, and about this Grace. He needs to keep his head in the game, so maybe if he wasn't so worried about you it he won't make careless mistakes."

"Me, why is he worried about me? I'm not the one on the run from this super computer that's online and has Decima looking to kill me."

"That's just it, Carter, he doesn't think you'll listen to him to stay away and he's worrying about you and your safety."

"So what, this pep talk is to what tell me to stay away from John? Not going to happen. I love that man and I'm not going to let some stupid computer get in my way of my happiness with him!"

"You're stubborn, but you're also very intelligent, Carter."

"You're worried about him." She said. She noted the shifty look, the way Shaw's shoulders tensed, and the glare on her face. Yep, she hit on the head. Shaw was worried about John's safety.

"Look, Reese nearly got himself killed looking to avenge you, Reese didn't listen to reason and nearly bled out. If something happens to you, that he was trying to prevent, there is nothing we can do to save him."

"What are you talking about?" Joss demanded as she eyed John who was pacing the floor back and forth near the interrogation room. She brought her gaze back on Shaw, who looked surprised.

"I thought he would have told you about it, while you were in a coma and your outlook had been bleak. He didn't even know you were alive."

"He has been quite vague on that time in his life, I thought it was because he couldn't remember much of it because of being injured himself." She admitted and to be perfectly frank, none of it mattered anymore because they were both alive, and they found their way to be together. "What happened?"

"Nothing much, besides he went on a revenge quest to avenge your death, or so he thought. Finch, I, Fusco, and Root had to go get him. He got to Quinn he even got Simmons exit, then his body went to the crappers on him, he collapsed and was dying. I knew it, Fusco and Finch knew it, but Reese didn't want to be saved. He didn't want to live without you."

"So, how did you get him to leave?"

"He tried to kill Quinn, and because he was so out of him he hadn't realized his gun was empty of bullets, so he gave up." Shaw said simply. She didn't bother to try to explain the look on Reese's face during that moment. She didn't even know how to explain it. Shaw didn't do feelings or emotions, but even she could tell the utter devastated look on his face.

Joss swallowed hard as she watched the man they were talking about enter a different interrogation room from the one where Grace was to remain in. She wanted to go to him, demand him to explain himself, and then kiss him till forever but she didn't. She needed to process what Shaw had said. Because she knew that Simmons was dead, no one had cared much to find out who murdered him, and to be honest she didn't care either. She didn't want to waste energy on finding his murderer. But she did want to dredge up the pain of that time in her life because she had a feeling John was still dealing with lingering issues from that time himself. But that would have to be later, right now they had to concentrate on saving Grace. And that was what they were going to do.

The door to the interrogation room Grace was in opened, and Grace was carrying her jacket and looked upset, as she exited.

"Hey, where are you going?" Joss touched her elbow.

"How is Detective Stills one of the good guys if he isn't even Detective Stills?" Grace demanded as she held up the paper with Stills' info on it, and when he was last seen. Joss sobered up having forgotten to tear that down.

"They are the good guys yeah we lied to you, but it was to protect you." Joss agreed. Grace eyed her in disbelief before moving to walk out the front door. Root hurried forward appearing out of nowhere.

"If you walk out that door, you will either be killed or grabbed, the lies that were told to you are a far better fate than what awaits you if you leave, Ms. Grace Hendricks. So sit tight and relax, and you'll be fine." Root spoke to Finch's fiancée like she was a child and Joss glared at her for being so condescending. She didn't fully blame Grace for not believing them and not understanding. If the roles had been reversed, she sure the hell knew she would have been just as upset as Grace was.

Joss touched her shoulder gently to ease her obvious fright as Root moved forward, smiling, as Lionel appeared.

"What do you have for me, Lionel?" Root asked as she eyed the box, before taking it from her partner. Fusco just watched her walk away.

"I hope cocoa puffs has a plan because from what she had me gather for her, I don't see it."

"Keep an eye on Root, while I go get Grace settled again." She murmured and they split up. She secured Grace back in the interrogation room, while she eyed John who was motioning at her. She hurried over to him. "What? Grace is fine she was attempting to leave."

"Him, he works for Decima, have him come here." He whispered from the shadows of the interrogation room. Joss turned and saw Shaw was speaking to a man that had a blue folded up paper. If she didn't know any better she would say that was a warrant. Joss nodded touching his hand briefly before walking away. She hurried over to where Shaw looked ready to beat the everlasting hell out of the man before her.

"Is there a problem, detective?" Joss questioned gaining Shaw's look. But she ignored her and looked at the man. "I'm Detective Carter."

"Special Agent Maybank," he greeted as he flashed his badge.

"Ah, of course, we were just about to question your suspect. I had a feeling she was tied to something bigger! You know if you like I can bring her to you in the interrogation room." She offered as she motioned with her hand.

"Please," he murmured with a smirk thrown at Shaw. Joss ignored the blazing look on Shaw's face.

"Sure, right this way." Joss agreed as she took him to the interrogation room where her boyfriend was lying in wait. She opened the door, motioned for him to go in, and John immediately attacked him, and Joss slowly closed the door. "Whoops, wrong interrogation room." She smiled and with a nod to Shaw walked to her desk. If her captain caught wind of her up and about for too long, he'll come out here and try to see if she was trying to work a case without his permission. She didn't need that to happen not with her friends and boyfriend lurking around the precinct. She just sure the hell hoped this would work and they would be alright.

Joss paced back and forth, she hadn't seen John or her friends since they left with Grace last night. It was already two in the afternoon. John had been adamant before he left that he would contact her when he could and not to bother contacting him. It was eating away at her, Joss had caught herself twice almost doing the exact opposite of his wishes, but stopped herself. She kept telling herself that John was a man of his word and he would contact her when he could. He just couldn't yet. But scenario after scenario of something terrible happening to him plagued her mind, nearly making her throw caution to the wind, and deal with his anger later just to hear his voice and confirm to herself he was alright.

Her phone buzzed and her heart leapt into her throat as she ran to where it rested on the mantle on her fireplace. She growled in agitation when it was Fusco. "Thought it was me?" Joss whirled around and stared at John. He looked upset, cold, and had another emotion glittering in his blue eyes. She was about to rush him when it was him that did the rushing, it was him that pulled her into the tightest hug she ever been in, and it was him that shook.

"What happened?"

"Grace is safe but they have Finch."

"Who has Finch?" she whispered as she gently rubbed his back.

"Greer," he buried his face in her neck. Joss could barely hear him. Greer, John had mentioned him before and explained he ran Decima Technologies. She didn't bother asking anything else, determined to soothe his obvious pain over losing Finch, and when he was calmed a bit then ask him. He slowly pushed out of her arms, and she tenderly touched his face.

"Tell me what happened." She tugged him to the couch, pushing him gently onto it, and sat down beside him. She took his gloves off, noting his red ears, and she almost clucked at him for not wearing his beanie. It was freezing outside, but she had to soothe his emotional pain first, before she lectured him about taking better care of himself. Joss placed his leather gloves behind her, before taking his left hand in between hers, and squeezed. "Talk John,"

"The only way to get Grace back was to trade her for Finch."

"You lost Grace?"

"Yeah," his voice sounded raw. "They knew our tricks and rammed us with their SUV, taking Grace. I tried to stop them but couldn't. We tried to find her location, we got close but got there too late, and Greer told us the only way we could have her back was to give him Finch. Shaw and I was trying to figure out a different way but Finch appeared, somehow knowing they had Grace and knowing what they wanted. He offered to trade himself and wouldn't even think of other options, he just wanted Grace protected."

"Sounds like Harold,"

"Yeah," he agreed looking away, rapidly blinking his eyes. Joss knew what Finch meant to John, losing the man you attributed to saving you had to be destroying him inside. Just like she knew almost losing her that John had attributed to changing him nearly destroyed him.

"We'll get him back," she assured. "You won't lose Finch just like you didn't lose me, John. I won't let you suffer another loss." She kissed his cheek.

"I'm not so sure, Shaw and I don't even know where they are stashing Finch."

"We'll figure it out," she soothed. "But you came here, does that mean you think it's safe?"

"For the time being, Joss, Root seems to think that Samaritan was powered down."

"Good that gives us time to find and save Harold."

"I hope so, Shaw and I are going to be searching for Decima workers and try to get them to tell us where Finch is being held at. That is if they will even talk, they tend to like to kill themselves before talking." Joss rubbed his hand between hers in a silent effort at trying to comfort him.

"Where's Grace?"

"With Lionel going to JFK airport where she'll be leaving for a new life in Italy."

"So you called Lionel to help you." She tried to swallow the anger the bubbled up. How dare he keep her in the dark like this? She had been going nuts with worry and he called Lionel to have him help but didn't bother calling her, his girlfriend to even give her a heads up that he was alright!?

"Yes,"

"Why?" she bit out.

"Why would I call you?" he demanded turning to eye her. "You aren't on active duty yet Joss."

"That's not fair, it's not my fault the department has strict guidelines after someone gets shot! I am perfectly healthy John! You should know," she snapped throwing it in his face that he had sex with her often. "Fine, if you didn't want my help then why the hell didn't you call me to tell you are alright?"

"Joss it's not that I didn't want you help, I called Lionel because I didn't want you anywhere near Decima."

"Oh so throw Fusco to the wolves huh."

"Damn it Joss stop putting words into my mouth," he snapped.

"It's what you did! You protected me from Decima while having Fusco there."

"He wasn't in any danger."

"Then why the hell couldn't I be there?" she argued. "I wanted to be there for you John, instead you kept me in the dark."

"I just didn't want you there, okay!" he tugged his hand free, standing up. He walked away, and Joss climbed off the couch. She followed him to her foyer where he was going to leave, and she slammed a palm on the door as he opened it.

"Why?"

"Because Finch said if they hurt Grace in any way I had the permission to kill them all. And you would have stopped me." Joss touched his arm, turning him, and she saw the truth there. His reasoning wasn't because he was trying to protect her, wasn't because he didn't want her there by his side, but because he had been afraid she would have stopped him from killing Decima.

"You're right I would have because you're not a killer anymore John, and Finch wouldn't have been able to live with what he ordered you to do."

"All bets are off when the woman you love is threatened." John murmured looking away.

"Oh you mean like you went seeking revenge against Simmons for shooting me?" Joss asked quietly feeling him stiffen a bit. "Shaw mentioned something about it yesterday at the precinct. So all bets are off when the woman you love is threatened, means you throw away your life to avenge theirs? Neither Grace nor I would want that for Harold and you."

"It doesn't matter anyways because they didn't harm Grace, we got her back as we exchanged her for Finch. She's safe now, she's with Lionel."

"Good I'm glad, and now that you're here, we can be together." She stated.

"I have to go Joss."

"No you can go later, right now, I'm going to give you a massage and then we're going to make love slowly." She countered knowing John well enough to hear him wanting to bolt. He was trying to run off because he was upset, afraid, and she wasn't letting that happen.

"Joss, I need to find Finch."

"And you will." She agreed tugging on his arm. He slowly let himself be turned around. "You'll find Finch, because I'll help you."

He opened his mouth to argue, but she pushed his jacket from his body, taking his mouth softly with hers, not wanting to hear his argument. John needed to be made love too. He needed to be reminded of a few things. Like for one thing she wasn't a piece of glass, she could handle anything life threw at her, and secondly that he was human and it was alright to need. And John needed to rest and relax. She could see the red rims around his eyes, she could clearly see the exhaustion in his face, and knew he hadn't slept in a while. Joss tugged on his hands, pulling him towards the stairs. If he didn't want too she wouldn't be allowed to even budge him, but he was willing to let her tug him upstairs.

"Come on John, for the next few hours it's just us the world can wait till later." She assured against his lips tugging him up the stairs. He didn't respond but let her tug him with her. She tugged him to her room, where she pushed his suit blazer off, before undoing the buttons on his dress shirt. He was so exhausted his arms just hung at his sides. John's eyes watched her every movement as she pushed his dress shirt off, before she tugged his undershirt from his pants. Joss wasn't sure if she was even going to get to make love to him because his eyes were half shut as it was. He didn't say a word as she crouched down before him untying his shoes, coaxing him to use her shoulders as an aide as she helped him step out of his dress shoes and take his socks off.

Joss stood up undoing his belt, unzipping, and unsnapping his pants and they fell down his trim hips. Their eyes met. She left him in his underwear, tugging him forward, and he languidly laid on his stomach for her. "I'll be right back, John." She whispered as he curled her pillow under his head. His eyes tracked her, but those long lashes of his were getting closer to his cheeks. Joss hurried into her bathroom, grabbed some sensual and soothing oil to rub into his shoulders that anyone within a mile radius could see had knot upon knot in them. She hurried out, seeing his eyes shut. Joss climbed onto the bed, straddled his butt, and he sighed.

"Joss," he yawned as he tried to roll over.

"No, I'm giving you that massage." She pressed her hands gently against his back. Joss's eyes explored his wide expanse of his back. He had nearly the same amount of scars on his back as he did on his chest and abdomen. He was a warrior through and through. One that was battle scarred, nearly broken, but too proud and stubborn to break. She looked up to the ceiling, thanking god, that Finch and she found him when they had because she knew had they not gotten to him when they had he might not be here today. She squirted some of the oil into her hands, before she rubbed them together warming the oil up before she touched his tight shoulders.

"Mmm," he moaned as she pressed her hands to those knot ridden shoulders. She smiled.

"Don't do that John, don't moan like that or my resolve on giving you just a massage might flee." She teased him. She rubbed his shoulders first, taking time to press and rub a particular tight knot she found.

"How can I not, you're amazing at this." He whispered as he yawned.

She leaned down, keeping her hands massaging. "Go to sleep, John." She whispered in his ear. He murmured something that sounded like a protest but his body gave out on him, as he fell asleep. His breathing grew even, his eyes remained shut, and she continued to rub his back. With John out she had time to think about what the future was going to bring, and one thing she knew for certain, was that whatever was heading their way they were going to face it together.

AN: Next chapter there is an episode jump again because in my head I envision that Joss wouldn't have been utilized much in 3x22 she might have gotten maybe a tiny bit to play, but for the most part it would have happened exactly as how that episode aired or at least that's how I envisioned it :D So next chapter jumps to 3x23 which was the finale. Next chapter was the original end that I wrote for myself after the episode aired, I did not leave it there for you guys. I'll try to post it tomorrow for you guys! Thanks for reading XOXOXOXOXOX!