A/N: For reference, what Kate and Alex wears in this chapter is what Kate and Rick wore in 2x14, The Third Man, on their dates with other people. Also, the restaurant they eat at is a real place in New York so if you want a more solid image of where they'll be spending their night, you can look up the name of that establishment (One if by Land, Two if by Sea) in Google images.

And really quick, a shout out to a few people: annem57, thank you for volunteering to be my beta; you've really helped with this chapter and the future ones in development! SassaM & phnxgrl, there are references in this chapter for you two; thank you for your faithful reviews and enlightening conversations. :)

Chapter 7

It's almost 7pm and Alex Rodgers is due to arrive at her door any second now. Kate has been fidgeting with her dress for the better part of the last half hour, mentally going through her wardrobe because maybe she should've gone with that other outfit? No no; there's no time now. She was stuck in the red, off the shoulder, Michael Kors piece she chose from the back of her closet. Is red too bold a color for her first date? Maybe she should go with that more professional but equally form fitting blue Hervé Leger dress she knows to be in her closet somewhere.

Beckett was almost going to walk back into her bedroom to change again, for the umpteenth time, when the knock at her door halted her in her tracks. He's here.

Slowly, Kate walked to her front door, taking a moment to collect her nerves as she peered through her peephole before opening the door. Upon its release, there stood the man who ended up occupying her thoughts all afternoon, grinning with that nervous lopsided smile that she couldn't get out of her head either. Alexander Rodgers. The man was smartly dressed for a "stuffy professor" and Kate could already imagine his students swooning over him as she gave him a once over. He was tall and handsome, ruggedly so, and he wore a deep purple shirt that complimented the blue in his eyes. His dark suit was perfectly tailored to his broad frame, and the way his hair was slicked back made her want to reach up and run her fingers through them. For a professor, he sure knew how to take care of himself.

"Hi," Rodgers shyly greeted, shifting his weight to the left as he nervously acknowledged his date for the night. "This is for you." He removed his hand from behind his back and abruptly presented her with a gift wrapped box, simple in its blue flowered pattern design and no bow. "Don't open it until after I leave?"

Curious as she was, she graciously accepted the gift and turned to walk it back to the coffee table in her living room. Rodgers stood awkwardly at her door, not sure if he should follow her into her home or stand guard at its entrance. His decision was made for him when she returned momentarily with a coat replacing the gift box that was in her hands.

"Sorry 'bout that. Thank you for the gift," Kate softly commented, blushing as she looked anywhere but into his blue blue eyes. "Should we get going?"

"Yes. Right. My car is right outside."

When Kate looked up, she could see that Alex was just as flustered as she was, so she figured it was about time she cut the guy some slack and steeled her own resolves. There's no point to both of them being nervous. She's faced serial killers with fewer nerves than this. After slipping into her coat, she picked up her clutch and casually slipped her arm around his as well, leading him out the door and towards the elevator in her building.

Alexander Rodgers was nervous. He hasn't been on that many dates since Alexis was born, or rather, many that mattered, so needless to say, he feels unprepared and like a fish out of water. He wanted to show up with flowers and chocolate or a bottle of wine, but the literature professor and writer in him told him that was way too cliché. So instead, he settled on the gift he now holds in his hand as he stands outside her door. I hope she likes this.

The minute she opened the door, all the words he planned to say were swept aside with the door. She was stunning. He doesn't even know how she pulled it off, that arresting red dress that fell across her shoulder, exposing the prominent clavicle and silky smooth skin on the other side. It looked loose and comfortable from the torso up, but tight and sultry as it hugged her hips and oh, when she turned around after he awkwardly presented his gift to her—that dress does wonders to the view of her backside too.

It's going to be a long night. One he definitely hopes will never end.

They arrived at a quiet, historic looking restaurant-tavern-y place in West Village, complete with its red bricked walls and treasured old double doors. A white stone arch was built into the building, and sported two ancestral-looking lanterns. If Kate thought the street view outside was inspiring, she clearly hadn't been inside yet. There were candles on every table-clothed table—from what she could see upon her immediate entrance—and beautiful candle chandeliers hung from the ceiling as it enveloped its patrons in its warm glow.

"Welcome to One if by Land, Two if by Sea!" greeted the experienced maître d'. "How can I help you?"

"Hi, I have a reservation for two? The name is Rodgers."

Kate continued to look around the cozy interior, taking in the rich woodwork, muted colors and peaceful ambiance as the maître d' checked the book before him for their names. Soft classic piano music floated over to her ears as Alex steered her towards their table, following the maître d', after their reservation was confirmed.

"What is this place?" She asked after they were seated, next to a wall length artwork of some American general, and the maître d' left them to the waiter that was promised to arrive shortly. Over in the corner from their table, she spied the grand piano where someone was playing the smooth tones she heard entering the dining area from the front hall.

"One if by Land, Two if by Sea," Alex smiled, almost proudly.

"Yeah, I gathered as much when the maître d' said so. I mean, what is this place?" Kate repeated, rolling her eyes a bit.

"That, my dear detective, is a mystery for you to solve," Alex winked.

Before Kate could say anything, their waiter had arrived, forcing Kate to hold her tongue for the moment as she pondered over their delectable menu. Everything looked amazing but eventually, they settled on ordering their appetizer and entrees first before even considering the dessert menu; she decided on the Sicilian pesto pappardelle appetizer and poached dayboat cod entrée, while her partner chose the shellfish risotto and their apparently famous beef wellington. After the waiter secured their orders for the night, he promptly left them to their own devices and Kate couldn't help but look around the room once more.

"This place is really lovely; how did you find it?" She figured if she took a different approach with her questions, she'll get him to explain a little more about this intriguing establishment.

"Haha, okay okay," Oops, did he figure out her plan already? "A colleague of mine recommended this place to me. At first I was a little skeptical when he suggested the place—I mean, what kind of name for a restaurant is One if by Land, Two if by Sea? He teaches American History, which explains the suggestion and why he frequents the place so much, but that doesn't guarantee anything to the quality or service of the restaurant. But after my first time here, I couldn't help but agree with his recommendation. I may not be a total history buff but there are some other pretty cool things about this place. Did you know it's been rumored that Aaron Burr, our third Vice President and the original owner of this 'carriage house,' along with about twenty other ghosts from various time periods, haunt this building? How awesome is that?!"

Kate nodded along encouragingly as Alex was recounting his experience with the restaurant and though American history does not fascinate her as much, nor the exclamation regarding the supernatural, she found herself listening aptly just because her speaker was so excited about his subject. Soon, she found herself wrapped up in the conversation too, as they moved from history on to art and the local museums, then on to other pastimes such as baseball (did Alex say something about knowing Joe Torre?!) and more. Their next course came and went and yet, they continued to talk; it was like that awkward pause at her front door never happened and they've known each other for a long time.

"So Detective, can I ask you a bit about your job. I must say, you fascinate me."

Oh here it comes. She knew she shouldn't have spoken so soon about how well the night was going. Most men she dated are either intimidated by her work or interested in the kinkier side that comes with being a female cop carrying a gun and handcuffs. She was really starting to like this guy; she sincerely hopes Alex doesn't fall into either category if they're to turn this date into a relationship.

Rodgers seemed to notice her hesitancy because he backpedaled a bit, "I mean, tell me about the case you're working on right now. I feel like we've been talking about surface things all night and while I know stuff about you like how you enjoy Russian classics and the occasional trip on your Harley Softail (hot, by the way), I don't really know what you do day to day. What keeps you moving forward?"

Wow, what a loaded question. When she still didn't respond immediately—how was she supposed to answer that question? what keeps you moving forward?—he continued by answering his own question, hoping to put her at ease a bit.

"Here, I'll start. As you know, I'm a comparative literature professor at NYU, and I teach both undergraduate and graduate students. While I read and enjoy all forms of literature, I mainly focus on American and English classics (so you could probably give me a run for my money with the Russians). The magic of storytelling never ceases to amaze me and that's what drives me. We all have the words, the phrases, the grammar—but when I see authors use these basic means of communication and social interactions and put them together into something new, they're not just bringing a work of art to life, they are birthing a new idea and thought."

Alex's encouraging smile and explanation served well to ameliorate some slight panic that was starting to brew whenever she was asked personal details relating to her profession of choice. What should she say?

"Uhh, well, I can't discuss any open homicide cases I have going on," she started, "but I can definitely understand what you say regarding the nuances in writing and English literature. In a way, that same attention to detail is what makes me passionate about my work. Solving cases is like solving the ultimate puzzle, where lives could hang in the balance, and careful attention to detail is so important because it could mean the difference between catching the killer or not. What drives me is the families of the victims; I work hard not just to bring the killer to justice, but to give the families left behind some closure."

"Wow, Detective, that's very profound."

"You know, you've been calling me Detective all night, Professor."

"Ooo, does that turn you on?"

"What?! Oh you're such a kid."

Kate found herself laughing, despite the almost serious conversation they were just having. Being with Alex is fun. He can sense and ease the tensions before they appear and it's so easy to carry a conversation with him. When she glanced back up from her empty plate—how long had they been talking that she already finished her food?—he stared back at her, unspeaking. He must be a mind reader or something because the look he was giving her signaled a depth to his feelings she wasn't expecting (from both him and her). Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand lift from its place by his eating utensils and move towards her own across the small table. Right before his palm made contact however, a faint buzzing distracted its course.

Kate disappointedly switched her gaze from their almost joined hands to her clutch that sat next to their food. Please, if it's the precinct, let it be something she can fix tomorrow. For once, she doesn't want to sacrifice her personal time to her work. But when she opened her clutch, the phone inside stayed silent and unmoving as its screen continued to reflect the darkness of inactivity. Looking up, she saw Alex reach for his own phone on the table side opposite to hers and immediately, the carefree, light look on his face changed.

"Alexis, what's wrong?"