Author's Note: Hi, so you guys might want to harm me for revealing this BUT I had to split the date up into two separate chapters because of the length. So this is the first of two chapters depicting their date this one is much sweeter, and slightly sexy while the next is...ehem...more hilarious/sexier :D

Hopefully you guys enjoy!

John knew he was staring but he couldn't help it Joss stood in the doorway with a simple smile on her face while looking drop dead gorgeous in front of him. He felt like his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, and his body felt uncomfortably warm all of a sudden. He had the urge to yank a little on his tie to get some more air and adjust the lay of his trousers.

"Joss?" his voice sounded choked to his own ears, but he couldn't help it. How was he supposed to make it through this date without wanting to make it something more with her, looking like this?

"So John, how do I look?" she teased as she moved towards him holding out her arms allowing him a nice long look at her devastatingly beautiful body. The dress itself clung to her as if it was painted on her allowing him to see all her soft and gentle curves. John shifted a little when another surge of heat spiked inside him as she got closer to him, his eyes couldn't help but dip down. The dark sapphire colored sleeveless dress cupped around her neck leaving her dark shoulders bare. His eyes slid down her chest to where the dress had a long oval shaped slit, teasing more of her rich beautiful skin, and dipped even lower, giving him a nice hint of her cleavage, making him want more. His eyes continued their downward descent taking note that the dress accentuated her small waist, and where the hemline tapered at mid thigh, making her long legs appear endless. He wondered how those legs would feel wrapped around his waist and his already damaged brain suffered further loss of functionality as such thoughts ran rampant through his mind. "John?" He wondered if he should take his suit jacket off and place it strategically in front of him to hide what was happening to him? No, that would make things worse, drawing attention to his burgeoning erection wasn't a smart idea. He worked his mouth knowing she wanted an answer and he would not lie to her.

"You look-beautiful." It sounded so inadequate for how she truly looked. Her hair was down and had soft curls too, making his fingers itch to touch. Her makeup was a little darker than usual, as if she downplayed her looks at the station to fit in with the boys. His gaze dropped to her soft looking lips with her rich red lipstick, making it almost impossible for him not to wish to taste them. The entire mantra he had been chanting in his brain about treating this as just a dinner between friends was flying out the window quickly. He was barely controlling his urge to press her into the wall of this damn mansion and kiss her senseless. She didn't want this and making a pass at a friend wasn't something Joss would take lightly. He didn't want to lose her, she meant too much to him to allow his damn feelings that ran a little more than platonic get in the way.

"You don't look so bad yourself, John." He lifted his gaze up from her mouth to her face, but her eyes were traveling down the length of his body. He could feel the heat of her gaze as she eyed his suit. It was a black suit Finch bought him, telling him Mr. Wiley would buy Armani suits though he wasn't so sure. The suit was tailored to his body and knowing Finch, he had kept his measurements from back when he went undercover as John Rooney. John was only allowed to choose the dress shirt, and he figured since it was norm for him to wear white he chose a powder blue one. The tie was yet another item Finch picked out since he claimed to know more of what a hedge fund manager would wear than he did. When she finally lifted her eyes back to his face he saw something swimming in her dark brown depths. They stood staring at one another until they both heard a clearing of a throat beside them. John turned to look at Henry Leiken who had an annoying look on his face while Zoe had a downright wicked smile on hers.

"Its time for the two of you to get going. My driver is already waiting for you, and he's got his instructions so you won't have to worry about a single thing, Mr. Wiley."

"Well its just dinner, right?"

"Of course, its just dinner." Okay so Finch had him worked up for nothing. He could handle a few hours in Carter's company, he'd just have avert his eyes to look anywhere but at her. "Now get out of here and go have some fun." Mr. Leiken began shooing them towards the door. Joss paused to grab her long black jacket from the young woman that had answered the door for him.

"Oh Jocelyn!" John turned to look at Zoe as she called for Carter.

"Yes, Zoe?"

"Normally everyone says 'don't do as I would,' but in this case, 'do as I would'-a lot don't stop till he can't help himself." They were shooed out of the mansion before he could ask her what she meant by that. John eyed Joss with a sidelong glance as they began walking side by side down the winding walkway.

"What John?"

"What did she mean by 'do as I would'?" If that meant flirting with him as Zoe had a habit of doing he wasn't sure why Carter would do that? Carter didn't want him…right?

"I'm not sure. She's your friend and might I add a weird one. Do you ever make any normal friends?"

"I have you." He smiled softly at her, and he saw the smile that was on her face falter. He wasn't sure what he said to hurt her, but obviously it was something. While he opened his mouth to apologize, they both paused when the car pulled up. John had assumed Mr. Leiken's driver would have been in a car much like the one Finch owned. But Mr. Leiken had his own personal limousine and limo driver? The driver hurried out, but John motioned that he would get the door for Carter. Opening it for her, they both climbed in. He eyed her and saw she was averting her eyes from him. "You okay Carter?"

"I'm fine." But she didn't seem fine. She seemed upset or sad about something. John leaned over, grabbing two champagne glasses and the bottle, holding it up with a smile.

"This is my first night off in well-in a long time."

"Mine too. No saving innocent people tonight John?"

"No, that's actually up to Finch and Lionel at the moment. They are on a stakeout together, watching your favorite narcissist."

"I see, so we get to liven up the town on some rich millionaire's dime while they are stuck on a stakeout in a cramped car, watching some spoiled rich brat? I'll confess this day started off bad then got worse, but now its changed for the better. Life's good again, John." she looked at him with a smile on her face now, and she leaned back crossing her legs, causing his eyes to slide down.

"Carter?" John forced his eyes up from her legs trying to figure out how to say, that he knew she thought of this as just a friendly dinner without giving away his real feelings.

"Hmmm?"

"Since tonight isn't what you want, how about we treat this as two friends who are going to dinner instead of it being a forced date that neither one of us wants?"

"Sounds good." she didn't sound as enthused as he thought she would be.

"Great." They were in agreement about tonight, so why didn't it feel great? Because she was all he wanted. He finished pouring them the champagne before sitting back holding his glass out for her to toast. "A toast for tonight, to having a nice time out."

"To tonight," she agreed, smiling a little as they clinked their glasses together and both sucked down the glass of champagne a little more quickly then they should have. Joss giggled a little as she twirled her glass by its stem, eyeing him as she sat back in the comfy seats, and he followed suit.

"What's so funny Carter?"

"Not too sure, but we both sucked down our champagne quicker than a beer drinking contest, John." he eyed both their empty glasses nodding his head.

"I guess I'm a bit nervous too." he confessed, thinking that he felt more nervous then on his very first date.

"John?"

"Yes, Carter?"

"I trust you." He eyed her questioningly. He wasn't sure where she was going with this so he remained silent to allow her to continue. "And I don't trust easily."

"I know that."

"I've been hurt before by men and I never wanted to try again."

"Are you telling me you are finally ready to date, Carter?" He told himself he would deal with it if it made her happy. He learned long ago that he was destined to be alone. He didn't even know how to love himself so how could he expect a woman to love him? Even if he tried to learn to forgive himself for the things he'd done, and move on from his past, he couldn't live amongst the real world since people either wanted to catch him or kill him. He was nothing more than a shadow, forced to live on the outside looking in which wasn't great material for an emotional relationship with any woman, but especially not so for a woman like Joss. She was a good moral cop, and a strong independent woman which deserved more. She, on more than one occasion, went toe to toe with him, challenging him, not batting an eye at his anger which was a rush. He hadn't met a woman that intrigued him on not just an intellectual level, but also on a sexual level like Joss Carter did. But it didn't make it necessarily right to go after a woman that belonged in the world while he belonged to the darkness.

"Maybe with the right guy." It was like a harsh blow to his sternum even though he knew they were coming, those quietly spoken words felt like they were wrapping around his heart, squeezing, the life and light out of him. The right guy wasn't him, but he kept his pain to himself to pretend he was happy for her.

"You'll find him. You've had several great guys looking at you and you denied all of them."

"Yeah they were great, each one of them, but they weren't the one I wanted to ask me out. I'm still waiting for him to get a clue to ask me out since we're both attracted to one another. At first I didn't realize it, until a friend set me straight and now that I look back to certain times we spent together, I realized its been right under my nose. He wants me too but he just doesn't know how to go for it, to take a chance."

"Do you know why he can't take a chance with you?" this guy sounded like an idiot if you asked him. Who wouldn't take a chance with her?

"I think its because of many reasons, but one of the big ones is because he's been hurt before, just like me. Although I'm sure what he's been through is much worse than what I've suffered. Our situations were extremely different in many ways, but I had support to get me through my tough times while he felt he was all alone. It hurts me a little to think that he was so lost at one point in his life and really had no one to turn too so he was losing the will to live." John kept his eyes away from her, worried of what she'd see in them, at what she was implying. Should he dare to hope it was him? That she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He lifted his gaze to hers searching for the truth and not a fabrication of what his heart wanted to see.

"Who do you want to ask you out, Joss?" he asked quietly as she looked into his eyes. Her eyes bore into his and they were stuck in one of those all encompassing stares that made him feel mesmerized by her. He felt like he was drowning and she was the only one that could save him. He tore his gaze off her when he felt the limo pull up to a stop, effectively breaking the moment between them. John quickly opened the door, needing space from her before he did something that could ruin their friendship. He held out a hand to help her out and she took it graciously. They stood on the sidewalk as people walked past them, looking at the restaurant that was about twenty feet from them.

"Here?" Carter's eyes were wide as she stared at the place. "John this place is ritzy." she whispered as they stared at the restaurant. They turned to look at the driver who smiled at them.

"The reservation is under Mr. Leiken's name and after dinner you'll be treated to a surprise."

"Surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"Mr. Leiken was very strict with his instructions which included not ruining it, Mr. Wiley." John willed himself not to grab the small man by the lapels of his jacket and threaten physical harm to him if he didn't tell him what he wanted to know. He hated surprises, usually his came with gunfire.

"Come on John." Joss grabbed his hand and tugged him forward. The small touch was enough to spread warmth inside him all over again. This was why he limited the amount of touching he did with her on accident or purpose, but yet yearned for it. Each time it took a long time for the feel of her touch to fade. This time wasn't going to be any different. He dropped her hand grabbing the door for her and she smiled slightly at him as they entered. "Chivalry isn't dead I guess."

"My father taught me to always be considerate of a woman, I wasn't allowed to sit down at the dinner table until my mother did." Joss suddenly stopped walking into the dimly lit restaurant and stared at him. Before he could ask her what was the matter, a young woman in a black dress appeared.

"Good evening sir. Do you have reservations with us tonight?"

"Yes under the name Leiken." The young woman smiled as Joss handed her coat to another young woman who offered to take it from her. This restaurant screamed money since they had a giant crystal chandelier just above where the small podium stood.

"Follow me please Mr. Wiley, ma'am." John wasn't surprised that Mr. Leiken had explained to the restaurant what was going on. As they followed the young woman he saw numerous other couples enjoying themselves in the grand restaurant. The dark hardwood floor had a high gloss finish, the décor had paintings by rather famous artists lining the walls of the restaurant. They were lead to a corner booth that was lit up by a candle which had champagne already waiting for them on ice. "Your waiter will be with you shortly." They nodded and he held Joss's hand to help her into the booth, but in actuality it was just to touch her some more, ignoring the warmth in him. Once she was seated and had placed her purse beside her was when he smoothly settled across from her.

"Do you feel as out of place as I do, John?" she leaned in eyeing the place a little.

"Yes." he opened the menu and his eyes widened a bit. "Look at the prices of these entrees."

"Oh my god, John. This is about how much I spend on nice shoes when I feel like splurging on myself."

"I guess this is somewhere Mr. Wiley and Ms. Bennett would frequent."

"Yeah I guess but not where a Mr. Reese or a Detective Carter would," she said quietly looking at him. "But I do have to say they sure know how to decorate this place beautifully," looking around.

"The view is beautiful." His eyes weren't on the restaurant, but rather on her. Everything paled in comparison to her beauty. She looked at him and smiled slightly.

"John, the charmer, I like it. But to continue what we were talking about in the car, you asked me who I wished would ask me out, though I never got to tell you."

"Right, so who is it Joss?" She opened her mouth but the waiter appeared, a young man, dressed totally in black except for the white napkin over his arm.

"Are you ready to order?" the you waiter asked holding out a pad and pen.

"Can you give us a few minutes, please?" Carter demanded looking peeved that the man had interrupted them. John gave her a questioning glance, but said nothing. The young waiter nodded and promised them that he'd be back in a few minutes. John looked down at the menu when he felt a light touch to his hand. He looked up to see Joss staring at him intently. She opened her mouth to speak but they were once again interrupted. Were the gods acting together against her tonight?

"Joss?" her mouth snapped shut and her eyes widened as she turned to look beside them.

"Beecher?! How-I mean-what a pleasant surprise?" John felt bad for the guy. Joss clearly wasn't eager to see him by the way she strained to smile at him.

"You were wondering how could I afford this place on a cop's salary right?"

"No."

"Its where my godfather chose to take me out for my birthday and I should be asking you the same question." John watched as the younger black man looked at him with a jealous eye before looking back at her. "However, I assume the answer is across from you and I guess when you said you didn't want to date, you just meant you didn't want to date me." The man was clearly upset that Joss had declined his invitation and yet was here with him.

"Beecher, its not like that." John forced a smile. Well that answered his question about who she wanted to ask her out and clearly it wasn't him.

"We are sharing dinner as two friends." John agreed.

"Friends?" Beecher scoffed, clearly not believing that even if it was the truth.

"Beecher, not to be rude, but you don't have a say in my life. You asked me out and I declined."

"You're right Carter. I'm sorry to have intruded, have a nice time." Beecher said without really meaning it before he turned and walked away. Joss sighed, turning to look at him more fully. John poured them some champagne which she gladly took, downing half of it in one big sip.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, John. Where does he get the right to do that to me? Its incredibly rude to have a man that you declined dinner invitations multiple times with, interrupt me on a date with another man? I get to choose who I spend my time with. We're not even friends, so what's it to him?" she snapped. He hadn't thought Beecher was that far out of line but clearly she was upset.

"He was just a man interested in a beautiful woman and wished she shared the same feelings as he did for her." He knew how Beecher felt. How could any man look at Joss without wishing to make something more with her?

"Well I'm not interested in him or any man except for one." She downed the rest of her champagne before putting it down grabbing the menu up while he looked down at his. Since it wasn't him she wanted to date, he didn't want to find out who it was any longer. They remained silent until after the waiter left with their order for food. Joss grabbed her purse. "I'll be right back, John, I need to use the restroom," she said looking at the table, not looking him in the eyes, and he stood as she did before retaking his seat. John downed his own champagne while eyeing her retreating form until she disappeared from his view.

Joss stared at herself in the mirror. She wasn't really all that angry with Beecher, she was more angry with his timing than him. Joss had been trying to tell John he was the guy since the limo ride. It seemed like fate wasn't allowing her to tell him the truth: first it was the limo coming to a stop breaking the moment, then the waiter, and then Beecher. Maybe she should let John tell her in his own time, she could see the look in his eyes, recognizing that look because she knew it mirrored hers. Desire, need, even a touch of lust. She wanted him and he wanted her, though she knew it while he was oblivious to it.

Zoe had claimed the sexy dress would give John a sign she wanted him too. Zoe had shown her a beautiful crimson colored dress that would make any man fall to his knees, but the moment she saw this dress she fell in love. It was her, and yet still sexy enough to get John to do something about his feelings for her. Joss nearly fainted at the price tag, but Zoe bought it before she could put it back down on the rack. Now here she was on a date with John, in said beautiful dress, wallowing in the bathroom alone. Okay, so what if she had lost chance after chance of telling him he was the guy? That didn't mean she couldn't still let him know nonverbally. John was more of an action guy than words anyways. He had been lied too so many times though she'd never lie to him. But being so distrusting, maybe the old adage 'actions spoke louder than words' was true with him. Zoe said do as she did, and do it a lot until he gave in which meant she was going to get her flirt on big time! She eyed her hair, and grinned as she cupped the curls a little.

"Hiding out from your boyfriend?" A little startled, she looked in the mirror to a young woman who exited a stall.

"No he's a first date, and one I'm hoping to get more out of." She planned on getting a lot more than just dates out of John. But baby steps for him and herself as well. She hadn't been in a relationship with a man in a while and she had her son to think about. Joss figured Taylor would like John being around. Her kid liked him a lot.

"I was hiding in here because I thought my boyfriend of six years was going to ask me to marry him and all he did was talk about his accomplishments at work." Joss felt bad for the woman who stood beside her washing her hands. She saw the red rims around the girl's eyes suggesting she had been crying.

"I'm sorry."

"Its nothing I should have known he wasn't going to ask me to marry him. I mean its only been six years and we have been inseparable since the moment I met him." she sounded jaded and disheartened.

"Don't give up hope. I mean I'm on a date with a man that I honestly never thought I'd be out with. If I'm honest with myself I've been attracted to him for a very long time now, though it has taken us a lot to get where we are."

"You really think he might ask me to marry him soon?"

"I do, and if he doesn't get with the program, maybe you should give him a wakeup call. Men sometimes need that, trust me." 'And women too,' Joss added silently since she had needed Zoe's not so gentle words to get her butt in gear.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I got similar advice which I'm about to go act on and flirt with my man til he does something about his feelings for me."

"Go get him." She smiled as she walked towards the heavy swinging door. When she went to go grab the handle the door swung open widely and hit her square in the forehead. She let out a cry of pain and immediately grabbed her head when the middle aged woman brushed past her in tears.

"Sorry." It was a late apology and Joss wanted to scream at the woman but clearly she was in a frantic hysteria by the sobs coming from the stall she just entered into.

"Oh my god are you alright?" The younger woman who she had been speaking to rushed over to her where she leaned against the soft rose colored wall. Her head hurt really bad and she squeezed her eyes shut wishing the pain in her skull would diminish.

"I'll be fine." she opened her eyes and they watered a little from the pounding.

"Let me see ma'am." Joss lowered her hand, and the young woman with kind green eyes put a hand to her mouth. "Oh dear you have a goose egg forming." she cringed a little and Joss sighed. This was her luck today. Now she felt like crying as she walked back over to the sinks and the mirror eyeing her forehead. She had a minor headache and an angry black and blue bruise was forming quickly. The young woman wasn't lying about the goose egg on her forehead either it was large lump that the bruise was forming on. Oh, John was going to be angry when he saw it.

"Thank you for adding to a wonderful day already 'lady in the stall.'" She sniped to the closed stall door where the woman was bellowing her agony to anyone that would listen. She was rambling on and on about men being good for nothing cheating louses. Joss sighed and carefully opened the door this time. Her head hurt and she felt like people were staring at her forehead as she made her way towards her table with John. He looked at her, his eyes widened when she got closer.

"Oh my god Joss, are you alright?" her heart skipped a beat like it did whenever he called her by her full name. He stood up and she hid her surprise when he cupped her cheeks in his hands to eye her forehead better. Okay, maybe that woman slamming her head with the door helped, though she still had headache and the bruise hurt big time.

"It was just an accident, I was leaving the restroom when a distraught woman entered. I was standing behind the door it was a little of both of our faults." More the lady's but she was worried John would shoot her in the kneecap for hitting her.

"Do you have a headache?"

"A small one."

"Any nausea or dizziness?"

"I'm a little dizzy but it will pass. I'll be fine, lets continue dinner."

"Joss you could have a concussion depending on how hard she hit your head with the door. I think you might need to ice it to keep the swelling down."

"I don't have a concussion, John. I'm fine, I swear," she assured him. She was going to salvage this date no matter what; she didn't know if she would ever get him out on another one again. John slowly withdrew his hands from her face, she missed his touch immediately. She saw the look in his eyes, he clearly didn't believe her about being alright, but she wasn't about to let this date slip through her fingers. She needed to gently nudge John in the right direction so she could get a follow up date and a real one, one where they got to go where they wanted too. He waited for her to sit and she smiled as he sat down by her. She wasn't prepared earlier for John to tell her something so personal about himself, and she liked it. She wanted to know more about what made him the way he was. But she didn't want to dig too hard, afraid he would clam up on her. Time to get her flirt on and ignore the pounding in her head.

"Joss, you look like you are hurting."

"I won't lie, my head does hurt but I'll be alright." she decided to take the opportunity to touch him again noticing the way his blue eyes darken a bit every time she'd done so before. This time was no different.

"The first moment you don't feel right you let me know?"

"I promise." She kept up the light touch on his hand, and decided to try to get a little bit more information about John Reese that she was starved to know. "John?"

"What?" The waiter appeared with their food, and the waiter was eyeing her head but said nothing. When he disappeared again they were enveloped in silence. But it wasn't uncomfortable, they ate quietly for a few minutes. She debated on how to ask him for more personal information, without asking out right, but she couldn't beat around the bush it just wasn't her.

"I want to know more about you, John." He looked up from his plate looking startled.

"What would you like to know Joss?" he asked softly, with a little hesitancy.

"Anything you'll tell me. I just want to know more. You mentioned your father, was he what made you want to join the military?"

"Yes."

"How about your mother? What was she like?" she saw the sad look in his eyes and she almost wished she hadn't brought her up.

"She was beautiful, kind, and a quiet woman that took care of everyone and anyone."

"She's sounds lovely."

"She was."

"I take it she passed on?"

"No." John looked away.

"You don't see your family, do you?"

"Once you are a part of the darkness you can never go back. I left them behind, I left everyone behind and I never looked back."

"Liar." she said it quietly to take the sting away from her accusation. He looked up at her and saw the same sadness in them as before.

"I called her once some years back."

"She must have been so happy to hear from you."

"She was but it was a mistake calling her." Joss could see the utter despair over what happened with his mother. She wished she could rewind this conversation, and not bring it up. But now that she did she wanted to hear the end of it. "She didn't know what I was doing. All she knew was she missed me and wanted her only child home to see her."

"I'm sorry John."

"She told me my father had passed away while I was away and begged me to come home to be with her. I told her no, that I couldn't come home-ever, and I never called her back." he paused, sipping his champagne. "Even if I wanted to call her, just to hear her voice, I know I wouldn't be welcome."

"Yes you would. Take it from another mother, she would be happy to hear her son's voice even if you are estranged."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Carter." she nodded her head and laid her hand on his again.

"Thank you." she had no doubt that it was hard for John to talk about personal matters of the heart which was probably why it was hard for him to admit that he wanted her. She was going to try her hardest at giving him blatant signs that she wanted him and if that didn't work, well, she would just have to be the aggressor. It was the twenty first century after all and she was an independent woman, knowing what she wanted and when she wanted it. She'd give him a chance, but if he didn't take it, she'd take it for them.

Author's note: Now I know I took some creative leadway with John's background which will be probably proven wrong on the show at some point. But since we have no actual background(none that I know of but if you do know something of John's background that I don't please let me know) information as of yet it was nice to have him reveal something so personal to her :) Now poor Joss-getting hit in the head this girl can't win today can she lol. She gets drugged in the morning, and by the end of the day she's getting a concussion hahahahahahahahaha. Maybe John will kiss her to make her all better ;P

I'm listening to E.T. by Katy Perry right now and my dirty mind that's never that far out of the gutter jumped immediately to writing a smutty story of Reese abducting Carter (hee hee hee) sorry see this is what happens when I'm deprived of my POI(it hasn't even been a week yet *sobs*)! This is going to be my life for the summer...writing smutty one shot stories based off of nothing lol! I need to seek counsel for my obsession :D

Thanks for reading and reviewing you guys are so sweet/nice for everything you guys say :) I really do appreciate your kindness :)