A/N: Only a short chapter this time, but the writing wouldn't really flow, and I decided to split it up to work over the rest of the chapter again tomorrow.

Chapter 36

"Hey, you wanna go out for dinner and maybe a movie on Saturday?" Dave asked JJ as they walked up the way to her apartment complex. They had landed at about 1.30 am and everyone went straight home, to get at least a few hours of rest before they had to be back in the office in the morning.

JJ and Dave decided to leave the children with his mother over the night and pick them up after work the next day.

"I can't. I promised Emily and Penelope we would have a girl's night on Saturday. We haven't had one in quite a while, and they've been begging me for ages to get together again."

"Oh, okay." Dave tried to sound casually, but JJ didn't miss the disappointment in his voice. She felt guilty for turning him down again, but this time she actually had a reasonable excuse for it. Sooner or later – sooner rather than later considering the long time she'd already kept him at an arm's length – she knew she had to make a decision as to where she wanted to go with him, and she figured that some good old girl talk could be of great help with that. Besides, she knew it wasn't fair to Dave for keeping him hanging like that.

"Why don't you stay here tonight?" She asked him as she rummaged around in her purse to find her keys.

"No, it's okay. I'll just drive home," Dave answered. Of course he'd spent many a night on her couch ever since Hannah had arrived, but that was only because of the children. Now that they were at his mother's house, he felt like he'd impose JJ's privacy. But deep down he was elated by her offer.

"Don't be silly, Dave. It's two am, and we're both exhausted. There's no need for you to take an almost sixty minutes drive back to your place in the middle of the night." She opened the door and practically pushed him inside.

Accompanying him over the living room, she threw her bag and purse onto a recliner and pointed at the couch. "The blanket and the pillow are still there. If you need anything else, just help yourself. You knew where everything is."

"Sure. Thanks, JJ."

Not knowing what to say, they looked at each other for a moment, hoping the other would make a start, smiling at each other sheepishly. Dave knew what he wanted to say, but he was not sure how JJ would take it at this time of the night, so he just stayed silent.

"Well, I'll just head to bed then. Goodnight, Dave." JJ turned around to walk over to her bedroom, when she heard him call after her.

"Yeah?" Turning to face him again, she saw that he had something on his mind, but couldn't get the words out. "What is it, Dave?"

Blowing out is breath, he lowered his head and said softly: "Nothing. Goodnight, JJ." Again, he thought, now was not the right time to talk about their situation and his feelings.

"Night."

He wanted to turn around and get his makeshift bed ready, but then something snapped in his mind, and instead, before he could even think about what he was doing, he gently grabbed JJ's arm and pulled her to him. Her eyes widened in surprise, as she realized what was about to happen. Pulling her into his arms, he brought his lips to hers, and kissed her fiercely. A jolt excitement rushed through her body at the feel of his warm, soft lips, but the mixture of surprise, excitement, and her mind screaming with confusion, only left her paralyzed and unable to respond to the kiss. Realizing what he was doing, Dave broke the contact again, before giving JJ the chance to sort out her thoughts and react. Keeping her close to him, he met her confused gaze and whispered softly: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Dave, I- I can't," JJ replied barely audible, her fear of getting hurt again taking over.

"I know. I'm sorry." This time he didn't bother to hide his disappointment.

Reluctantly loosing his arms from her, he wasn't so sure anymore, if he would ever get a chance to win her back.

"We'll talk, Dave. I promise." JJ took his and and pressed it reassuringly.

"When?" He asked, not quite believing her words. "You've been putting me off for weeks now!"

JJ knew he was right. Hoping that her girl talk with Emily and Penelope would make her come up with a few answers for herself, she said: "Soon."

Dave simply nodded in defeat, not wanting to pick up a fight in the middle of the night.

If he had known then what the women would come up with, though, he'd taken his chance right now and wouldn't have stopped talking until he got a definite answer out of her.