A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Admittedly I had fun coming up with the idea and writing this. Thanks again to T3l4m0n for looking this chapter over and helping me keep things in character and correcting my horrendous grammar. Set during season 4 though Samaritan does not exist. My longest chapter yet, hope you guys enjoy it.
POI-POI-POI-POI-POI
The sun was shining and winter's icy tendrils that had kept the city chilly for so long had finally been thrown off. Life continued on in New York. An altogether pleasant mood had gripped the city. The warming weather leaving people feeling happy and wishing they could be outside and not stuck inside working or attending school.
Being close to noon the sidewalks were crammed full of people heading back to work or out to lunch. The usual packs that made traveling fast had already formed and were obstructing movement. The sound of cars driving by muted the idle chatter co-workers shared as they discussed their days and their plans for the weekend.
Oddly though, farther up the street, less than a block from a corner the sea of people was instinctively parting. Nervous civilians were taking one look at the grimacing face of the young woman and found themselves getting out of her way lest they invoke her wrath.
Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides and she walked at a rapid pace. Those that did not get out of her way in time were rudely elbowed and pushed aside without an "excuse me", "pardon me" or "Sorry about that". No one dared to say anything though.
Sameen Shaw's dark brown hair was pulled back in its usual ponytail and hung slightly past her shoulders. It bounced and swayed against her back as her rapid stride prevented it from resting peacefully for long. Her brown eyes were cold like frozen hard chocolate and did not waver from staring at the traffic camera that was intently focused upon her.
Shaw stopped in a spot she had seen Root and Reese stand all too often when they were insistent upon having a word with the Machine. She stood there silently for a moment as pedestrians maneuvered around her. Some glanced at her warily afraid that she was off a required antipsychotic medication. She stood, awaiting the usual sign that she had Her undivided attention.
Finally after nearly a minute of standing and glaring at the camera, the red light on the side of the camera came on and remained that way. There was minimal movement from the device as its lens focused on Sameen's lips ensuring whatever the visibly upset short woman had to say would be understood.
Anger having dissipated somewhat Shaw was acutely aware that she was standing on a busy street corner in the midst of heavy pedestrian traffic. She sighed in annoyance as she yanked a burner phone out of her pocket. Miming punching in a number Sameen held the phone up to her ear before speaking. "I made sure all of those photos were buried. Root's good, but I can't see her having found those and that damn video on her own without your help. This is way beyond the line, even for her. I cannot trust her anymore because of this. I don't even know if I can fully trust you anymore either since you had to know she had obtained them." Her rant finished Shaw turned to go and was prepared to put the burner phone away.
The phone was down near her shoulder when there was a click followed closely by "Wait." The woman's voice while calm had an authoritative edge to it that Sameen was all too used to hearing from people with authority.
Shaw scowled and moved the phone back to her ear. She glared at the traffic camera which remained still, its red light not flickering as it studied the woman. "What?" Voice flat and on edge Shaw had little patience left.
"Will you reconsider your decision?" The woman's voice had changed taking on a honeyed tone with a slight inflection at the end that made Shaw suspect the Machine was smiling. Before Sam could respond the Machine continued. "I can certainly make it more than worth your while to stay."
The former assassin rolled her eyes. 'Wonder how Finch would feel knowing the Machine has picked up some of Root's more annoying habits?' Choosing to ignore the Machine's flirtatious tone Shaw simply sighed "You know that doesn't work with me. Root's tried for how many months? Plus she's flesh and blood while you're…" Shaw wasn't certain what to say but figured she made her point when there came an audible and dismissive sigh over the line.
"Eight months, 27 days, 14 hours and 32 minutes."
Shaw simply stared at the camera for a long moment saying nothing. The awkward silence ensued for almost a minute and she was about to hang up when the Machine spoke again.
"You've made your point Ms. Shaw." The huskiness was gone now replaced with a slightly cold flat tone that sounded like it was picked up after hours of listening to Sameen near the end of her patience when dealing with the rest of the team. "What can I do to make up for the apparent transgression that will make you resume working with Root?"
Shaw was silent. She had not expected this. Turning away from the camera, even knowing that She could still easily see her from any of the myriad of other cameras populating the city, she took a moment to think.
'Is there anything that could make up for this?'
Thinking back to Root grinning as she gleefully placed all ten photos, one after another, right in the middle of the library table where Shaw, Reese and even Finch could easily see them. Shaw felt her heart rate accelerate. She had been shocked to see those photos after so many years. Once the shock had worn off she had snatched up all the photos and rounded on Root. The taller woman's glee only seemed to increase by the look of cold rage on Shaw's face. That had been when Root had pulled out her phone and hit play.
The sounds of music had filled the small room, almost drowned out by the cheering of the male audience – and some of the women in the crowd - as the announcer cried out "Our next contestant is a junior at college studying to be a doctor. Let's give it up for Sameen!"
Her face had grown hot – as well as another part of her body (though she chose to ignore that) - as Shaw saw what was obviously a cleaned up and enhanced professional video. There she was, walking towards the front of the stage exuding confidence.
Root had stopped the video at that point. Mirth danced in her eyes as she had leaned in close to Sameen and quietly said "I've seen the whole thing." She placed her hands on Shaw's shoulders, gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and turned to leave but not before calling out "You certainly earned 1st place every day that week. Though personally I think your performance on the first day was your best."
"Root had no trouble ferreting out one of my closest held secrets. Perhaps it is only fair if I learned one of hers."
"Is that what you want?" The Machine piped up making Sam realize she had said that aloud. "Give me a moment."
She then went quiet and remained so for the next five minutes. Long enough for Shaw to head to a nearby restaurant and sit down at the bar and look the menu over.
"I have the information you requested."
Shaw instinctively ground her teeth together. The Machine's chipper voice too similar to Root's to be put up with at this moment in time. She groused before getting a hold on her emotions then said "do you have anything to share, or can I go ahead and order lunch?"
"Order the salad. The guy working the grill bought cold medicine last night and gave up washing his hands an hour ago. The head cook still hasn't noticed how often the guy is forced to wipe his runny nose off on his shirt."
'Figures.' Rolling her eyes Shaw waved the waitress down and changed her order. The Machine blessedly silent during the whole exchange waited till the woman was out of ear shot before continuing.
"I've already sent the information about Root to your laptop. Video and documentary evidence has been provided to back up my conclusion."
"I'll check it over. If it is as good as you say it is, then I may be willing to continue working with Root." Shaw conceded reluctantly.
"I'm glad to hear that Sam. I…look forward to hearing your voice this evening." Once more the Machine's voice took on a flirtatious tone. Then with a click the call ended.
POI-POI-POI-POI-POI
For the rest of the day Shaw was curious as to what this secret of Root's was for the Machine to feel the need to not tell her over the phone. Used to getting information readily it was annoying that something she actually wanted to know was being denied for the time being.
It took some effort for her to refrain from heading straight home. Even when she did get home Shaw had to exercise restraint to keep from booting her computer up immediately instead she busied herself with getting necessary chores done around her apartment. This took her a little over an hour. Once Sameen was finished, the nervous anticipation that had filled her for most of the day had largely dissipated and she felt that she could now be trusted to not rush through the information like she would have earlier.
Her laptop booted up fairly quickly. Being less than a year old she had dragged Root along when she purchased it. Correctly assuming that she would end up with a high quality machine that would last her several years and was more than capable of performing any function she so desired.
There was a new folder on her desktop labeled 'Research'. While most people would be freaked out to see that someone had made changes to their computer while they were away Shaw was altogether used to it. Ever since she started working for Finch unusual happenings to her electronic devices were now common and simply tip offs that The Machine or Root had been poking around and might have left her something of interest to go over.
The folder contained numerous video files and more than one written document. They were all dated and set up in a chronological order. At the end was a final Word document labeled 'Conclusion'.
Starting at the beginning Shaw opened up the first video file and turned the volume up on her computer as she went to the fridge to grab a beer.
There were three separate video feeds. One was focused on the auditorium where the senior prom was taking place. Students were busy dancing, drinking spiked punch and copping feels in dark corners.
The second was from the school library. Like the auditorium the room was dark. The only source of light coming from a computer monitor that a teenage Root sat in front of. Dressed in a dark red prom dress the young hacker's attention was focused solely on the information displayed on the screen before her. Lacking constant access to the internet at home this prom was the perfect opportunity for her to get some important stuff done before she ran away from home to pursue the life she wanted to live.
The third feed was from a couple in the hallway outside of the auditorium. They were having a quiet conversation. The camera zoomed in and subtitled appeared on the screen to make up for the lack of sound.
"Why did that weirdo even come? She knows that nobody wants her here." The girl cattily snarled as she took a swig from her boyfriend's flask. Her blond hair was immaculate and done up in a large hairdo. By her feet was a silver crown that Shaw recognized as likely being for the Prom Queen.
Her boyfriend had a similar crown though this one was made of gold. He took the flask back from his girlfriend and took a long pull before screwing the lid back on. "Damned if I know. I asked around and none of the guys admitted to asking her here."
The girl made a snort of disdain and rolled her eyes. "Probably came here in the hopes of stealing some girl's boyfriend for a quick %^*&." A short bark of laughter came from her. "As if any guy would be caught with some ugly geek like her."
The guy was laughing hard now. "The only guys that would touch her would have to be blind or desperate. Besides I know some guys have hit on her figuring she was desperate and she completely blew them off. She's probably one of those people."
Cold beer poured over Shaw's hand from the crushed can. A low growl of disgust came from her as she briefly contemplated tracking down those two assholes and giving them a piece of her mind. That notion was quickly dismissed as Root appeared on the monitor behind the laughing couple.
While the teenager's face was neutral there was obvious hate in her eyes. An old worn clutch purse – having belonged to her mother before she drank herself to death – was clutched tightly in her hand. It shook slightly in the teenagers hand and Sameen could see that something was obviously carried in it.
The video ended right there. The black screen reflecting Shaw's smirk. 'Knowing Root she made those two regret saying that. Probably right before tazering them and leaving them tied up somewhere for the weekend.'
'So Root was well on her way to being the person I had the misfortune of running into in that hotel room years later. Big surprise there. Though I don't know what this has to do with her secret.' Shaw queued up the next video and went to get a paper towel to clean up the spilled beer as the video loaded.
It was three years later. Root was now twenty-one and had enrolled at a college. She was not there to further her education in the slightest. The son of a software developer was attending the college and was her target. He had access to his father's software. Software that the father's competition were willing to pay her quite well to procure for them before it hit shelves so their company could develop something similar.
Root had signed up for the minimal amount of classes, but had taken due diligence to make sure she had one class with her target. She was living off campus a couple blocks away in a mostly safe neighborhood. She wasn't worried about people trying to hurt her – a couple of bullets in two morons' legs and a few thousand volts from her trusty taser – let the lowlife's know she was to be avoided.
The hacker had changed slightly since high school. She had grown a little taller and now seemed to care about her appearance – having quickly learned that making use of her good looks gave her an edge when trying to avoid arousing suspicion – still to Shaw's eyes the Root she had been so tempted to shoot/stab over the past year was there.
The video Shaw watched showed Root unobtrusively observing her target and others in the library. She made sure to always stay in the background and to avoid drawing attention. At first Shaw thought Root was trying to learn as much about her target as possible before approaching him.
'No that's not her style.' She thought with a frown. 'Root prefers learning everything she can about people through her computer skills. She only does this kind of shadowing when there are things she has to learn in person.'
After a month Root made her approach and Shaw quickly noted the reason behind the quiet observation. While she exuded confidence there was still a hint of uncertainty in Root's attempts to befriend and flirt with her target. The casual observer might notice that something seemed odd but would likely be unable to identify exactly what it was.
'That explains where she learned the whole flirtatious minx act. Apparently Root wasn't born with the innate ability to charm and flirt her way out of every situation.' Sameen smiled a little as she watched the young adult take obvious painful strides to keep up her disguise and act as though she was perfectly comfortable with some guy she just met putting his hand a little too high up on her thigh.
The video then skipped ahead about a week. Root had managed to flirt her way into the guy's life. Thanks to the view via the target's webcam Shaw was able to see as he greeted Root at the door of his single occupancy dorm room with an open beer, one that Shaw noted had a little extra alcohol added to it. Root took both cans of beer from him and set them on the floor before wrapping an arm around the guy. It looked like she was about to kiss him, but then just before their lips met she nailed him with a kick to the groin followed by a shot of her taser.
Root casually stepped over his unconscious form and made her way to his computer. She smirked briefly at the lit camera and then with a hand disconnected it.
"Well that's two of the videos down. The final one isn't till after all the documents, so I might as well go through them now."
Shaw printed out the various documents and perused them as she set about cooking dinner. The files didn't seem to contain anything of particular interest. They seemed to simply document Root's life and various exploits along with various dates allowing the former assassin to form a mental timeline that stretched from the point when Samantha Groves disappeared and her run in with the woman calling herself Root in the hotel room.
The files showed a woman who was cautious and would sometimes spend weeks and sometimes months stalking some targets in order to ensure her tracks were thoroughly covered. It was especially true when the target had information she was very much interested in procuring. Surprisingly there was only a handful of times when Root had resorted to handling things in person. Most of the time she opted to work off site and simply use her hacking skills to retrieve the information. Excluding: the job she pulled at twenty-one, the time she had posed as a psychiatrist in order to flush out Reese and her brief stint as the personal assistant to a senator, there was only one other occasion that involved her getting close to a target.
That one had only taken Root a day, but it had involved her having to pose as a personal escort in order to get at a woman who had long been on the Machine's radar for smuggling high tech equipment into foreign countries that were usually run by dictators or other notably corrupt governments.
Reading through the file Shaw briefly wondered if the Machine had intentionally set Root on a collision course with the woman. An important component in Root's personal computer- that she had spent six long months getting top of the line parts for – had mysteriously failed less than two days before the woman had arranged to meet a buyer in a hotel fifteen minutes from where Root had been staying at the time.
The light haired woman had quickly figured out the reason for her personal machine's sudden failure and had little trouble tracking down the component that she needed. She had likely thought nothing of the sheer coincidence that the very part she needed just so happened to be within easily obtainable distance for her. It had been an easy enough matter to find out enough information on the woman to formulate a plan.
While Root had cocked an eyebrow at seeing that the woman preferred the accompaniment of other women she simply saw it as an easy enough way to get close enough to steal the item she needed. Hacking into the website of the exclusive service the woman used had taken all of ten minutes and with that done all Root had to do was wait for the woman to call her.
Everything had gone down smoothly. A cocktail of drugs in the woman's food had left her feeling ill and Root had managed to escape with the component she needed. The only hitch had been the arrival of the local branch of the FBI. Acting on an anonymous tip – that had come in via the Machine no doubt – they had stormed the room mere seconds after Root made her escape. Through communication issues they were unable to track down the unknown woman that had been seen earlier that evening in the woman's company.
'Well little surprise about Root. Her sole interest in me should have been enough of a tip off for anyone that she's a lesbian or at least bisexual. Probably only really interested in those that intrigue her.' Shaw cracked open a second beer as she waited for the final video to load.
Root waited as the guard's echoing footsteps faded into the black abyss of night. She then waited an extra five minutes. Choosing to remain cautious in case the guard waited silently out in the hallway somewhere for some telltale sound or light as a tip off that the doctor's closely watched patient had managed to obtain a cellphone once more.
The brunette's ears almost hurt from the deafening silence. It was off-putting and made her senses strain to obtain some small scrap of information to process.
'Okay it should be safe now.' She thought as she pulled the phone out of the small tear in her padded mattress where she had left it last night after her last talk with Her.'
Hitting the 'On' button Root waited in silence as the phone silently booted up. Seconds after all its functions were online it vibrated in her hand and the display lit up displaying an incoming call. Root smirked as she hit 'Accept'. Holding the phone up she whispered "I'm listening."
"It saddens me that you are still here." The Machine stated. "There are many who are worth saving in this world."
Root sighed and lay down on the bed. She knew where this was going. The Machine had been trying for days now to make her try and make some connection to the rest of humanity. Her belief that Root would level out and learn compassion for others if she could actually find someone to care about. It still irked her that the Machine refused to see her point of view, that her creator had crippled her and left her a mere shadow of what she could be.
That argument had been countered by the Machine going philosophical and stating "Those that lack what others have will never take them for granted once obtained." All further attempts to continue the argument were subsequently ignored in favor of focusing on Root.
"You have isolated yourself for so long. Refusing to seek the company of your peers. Buried yourself in your work like Harold. I needed to open his eyes to the world around him and the people he professed a desire to save so that he could understand the need to help them."
"Why should I care about anyone else? They give less than a damn about me. You know how they viewed me and can infer how they treated me. Refusing to accept me for the person I was. That woman calling me a liar even when I was telling the truth about Hanna."
"Yes. She may have come to care for you like you did for her, even if neither of you were aware of it at the time. Have you not grieved for her long enough? Would she not want you to find another to fill the void?"
Root gritted her teeth. Brown eyes flashed in anger as she sat upright in bed and planted her feet firmly on the floor. "You honestly think anyone can replace her? That is asking a lot. Even more so if you honestly expect them to accept me given my past." The words were hissed out and laced thickly with enough venom to kill in seconds if it entered a person's bloodstream.
"Sameen Shaw." The Machine stated simply. She remained silent for a few seconds as she waited for Root to recall everything she knew about the former government agent. "Calculation show she would accept you. Both of you have what you would refer to as an 'emotional blockage'. You would both enable the other to heal and become complete."
A short mirthless bark of laughter came from Root. It was quickly cut off lest others hear it and inform the guards. "She would sooner kill me then have anything to do with me. Besides what makes you think that she would allow me to establish a connection to others?"
"She has asked after you. Masked as concern about you escaping, inside she sees you as one who has also locked their emotions off in an effort to escape pain, grief and hurt."
"Why do I even deserve someone after everything I've done?" Root asked after a long stretch of silence. She was growing tired of arguing with the Machine. Tired of being locked away and left in isolation.
"Because you have never been with another. Never loved one who was not friend or family. Denied yourself the intimacy of a lover who knows you better than you know yourself. You deserve happiness not simply because of your past and the loneliness you have sentenced yourself to for failing your childhood friend. It is deserved because all deserve it."
Shaw erupted into a coughing fit. Having made the mistake of trying to drink during the video a good portion of her last mouthful had gone down the wrong way. Her throat and lungs burned as she violently gasped for air trying to remove the unwanted fluid from her lungs.
"What the fucking Hell!" Sameen managed to gasp out in a high pitched voice even as she pounded her chest with a fist to try and remove the beer faster. "No…way…." She lapsed into another coughing fit as the last of the beer was finally out. "Root a lesbian I can believe, but….no she could not be….but…it is not like she had a lot of opportunities." Her mind struggled at accepting the information learned from the videos.
'She can't be a virgin. No virgin would be that confident when flirting with me. But when would she have had the time or inclination? Maybe that is why she only flirts and never tried something bolder.'
Her mind was still in turmoil as she got up and grabbed some paper towels to clean up the mess that had been made from swallowing wrong. By the time things were cleaned up, Shaw had accepted the fact and now she was smiling. A plan had started to form in her mind. A twisted way to get revenge and make Root uncomfortable at the same time.
"So if Root is a virgin then I wonder how she'll react if I start flirting back. Give her as good as or better than what she's done in the past. Who knows, maybe I'll actually get her to back off and cut down on it." Shaw chuckled as she shut her computer down and picked up her phone to call the Machine and confirm that her suspicions were correct.
Evening the Next Day
Root was bored. She was stuck on stakeout duty waiting for their latest number to leave the office. She had been here for the last three hours ever since relieving Sameen of the ordeal. It was now after 7:00 and Root feared that the number would remain inside for another hour or two.
Apparently due to switching a couple of large accounts over to a new system they had fallen behind in processing the bills from doctor's offices and hospitals regarding work comp claims. As such overtime had been authorized and the number was taking full advantage of it.
Gnawing on her bottom lip for an idea to pass the time she recalled her meeting with Sam earlier that day.
It had surprised her when she had shown up to relieve the woman three hours ago and the shorter woman had greeted her with a terse "Took you long enough."
Root had feared that Sameen would still be upset from the other day and had brought the woman a few bakery fresh donuts and a large black coffee. "Thought you could use some refreshments, and an apology."
Shaw had actually turned and stared at Root silently for a minute. Her expression was neutral, though there was a hint of surprise in her eyes. "Why the sudden remorse?"
"I didn't expect you to storm out yesterday."
Shaw rolled her eyes and sighed. "How did you expect me to react when you pulled out your phone and showed me that you managed to track down the videos of me winning that wet t-shirt contest for a week straight?"
Root put on her trademark smirk and in a lusty voice said "I had hoped you'd offer to give me a live show." She mentally chuckled as she saw a slight tinge come upon the other woman's cheeks.
Shaw sighed and took the donuts from Root and opened the car door. She had set the box on the ground without saying and word and then leaned back in to take the coffee. The tips of her fingers overlaid Root's as she took hold of the cup and then she lingered.
Root's face had grown hot at the feel of Shaw's hand on hers. She had turned even redder as seconds passed and the shorter woman made no move to break the connection. Gulping nervously she had locked eyes with the dark haired woman and was shocked to see Sam looking at her with a small smile that had grown larger at the light haired woman's uncertain expression.
"Not today…" Shaw said as her tongue darted out and wetted her lips. "Maybe another day. Thanks for the coffee." Then Shaw had withdrawn her hand, shut the car door, picked up the donuts and left with only a quick glance back to give Root a toothy smile.
"Huh…wha…" Root managed to croak out after Shaw was safely out of earshot. The taller woman had been thrown off balance by Sameen's actions. She had stared at the woman's retreating back for a second before her gaze had drifted downward. Root could have sworn that Shaw did not normally put that much sway into her hips when she walked. Before she could think further on the matter her thoughts had been derailed as she found her gaze fixating on the mouthwatering sight of Sam's ass in the skintight jeans. It was not till the other woman was out of sight that Root was able to fully recover mentally and remind herself of the mission at hand.
Even now hours later Root was still affected by the memory. Turning on the air conditioner Root groaned as she felt how wet she had gotten from the memory. Pulling at the collar of her shirt the Machine's analogue bent slightly to allow the blast of cool air to travel through the opening of her shirt to cool her heated skin.
It took some time before Root was feeling comfortable once more. Still it had given her an idea. 'Shaw is always good for some entertainment. Though should I call her…nah. Then it'll be over and done way too fast. Texting her will take longer and keep me entertained longer.'
Before sending out the text Root checked in with the Machine to make sure Sameen was not doing something important. Given the increased volume of numbers coming in Root had started to make sure that trying to communicate with Shaw would not wind up getting her or someone else killed. It only took a minute for the Machine to get back to Root letting her know that the former government agent was stuck attending some group meeting on anger management. Being directed to attend by the Machine who felt the dark haired woman could learn a little restraint after the incident yesterday.
With a smirk Root pulled up her text messaging service and started typing out her message to the woman. 'I can see her face later when I pull up the security footage.' Hitting send Root leaned back and grabbed the open bag of beef jerky that Shaw had left behind. Pulling out a sizeable piece she began gnawing on it.
Sameen Shaw
Shaw felt her phone vibrate. Mentally she prayed that it was an emergency that would allow her to leave the meeting early.
Four rows of ten metal folding chairs had been set up in a half semi-circle in the church gymnasium. A little over half of them were occupied, though the majority of the empty seats were directly in Shaw's immediate area. Some age old instinct of self-preservation cluing the other attendees in that it would be best to give the glaring woman her space.
Sameen was seated in the back row closest to the door. There was no one seated in front of her or on either side of her. The black leather jacket she wore overtop her tank top helped keep her warm. She had changed earlier into a more comfortable pair of black jeans and a pair of tennis shoes. The unfortunate possibility of people looking at her strangely for wearing military boots being the only reason she had forgone her favorite footwear.
It was a simple matter of pulling her phone out of her outer jacket pocket. Unlocking the phone she saw that she had received a new text message. A brief glance at the number allowed her to recognize that the message had come from Root. Casting a furtive glance around the room Shaw made sure that no one was paying her any attention before she opened the message up.
Are your pants a compressed file? Because I'd love to unzip them.
It was only a couple of lines long. Reading through it Shaw rolled her eyes when she finished it. The message was pure flirtatious Root and gave the former government agent the impression that the taller woman had evidentially recovered from their earlier meeting. Sameen smirked at the memory and felt a thrill go through her at the opportunity this message presented.
'Well I know just how to respond to this.' Closing out of the message Shaw brought up the application she needed. It took her a couple of minutes and she had come close to getting caught once, but the thrill of what she was doing did not dissipate in the slightest. The short woman had honestly not expected to actually enjoy what she was doing, but somehow the chance of messing with Root further made her giddy. Hitting send Shaw relaxed and turned her attention back to the guy currently speaking.
Root
"About time." Root said aloud as she saw the office light turn off. The number was finally leaving the office and it was about time in Root's opinion. Her butt had gone to sleep, she'd gone through all the snacks that Shaw had left, and she had to pee.
Turning the car on – Reese had parked the car in the parking lot of the neighboring business that was just up the hill from the one the number worked at – Root felt her phone buzz as a new message was received. Root kept an eye on the number's car as she grabbed her phone off the empty passenger seat. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw that her phone was busy downloading something. Her forehead wrinkled and her nose scrunched up as she questioned what Shaw had sent as a response.
'Probably a picture of her flipping me off.' Root thought. 'Aside from her response this afternoon Sam is usually quite predictable in her responses to my flirting.'
When the file finally downloaded Root saw that it was a video file. The thumbnail image was a picture of Shaw's glaring face. She smirked as she opened the video.
Sam's glare was not as intense as usual. It came off more like she was slightly annoyed. Then her mouth curled upwards slightly at the corner. As the taller woman watched Sameen lowered the phone. The screen was now showing her lap. A pale white hand darted down and lifted up the edge of the tank top slightly revealing the buttoned waist. The white shirt was then tucked behind the waistband and a couple of deft fingers took hold of the button and with practiced ease flicked it open.
Root's mouth hung open as she watched. Once more her body was heating up from the display and she paid no attention to the mission she was currently on. She bit down on her lower lip as the angle changed once more and she watched Sam take her time unzipping the fly of her jeans. Once it was down all the way the dark haired woman placed her phone between her legs as she used both hands to part the denim material. This gave the taller woman an unobstructed view of Sameen's belly button and the smooth blemish free skin that hairless flesh that trailed down and was cut off by the black silk of her underwear. The view hovered there for several tantalizing moments before the view abruptly changed to Shaw's face.
The former government agent had a smirk similar to Root's that reached her eyes. Her mouth opened revealing white teeth and then in a low voice that sounded all too appropriate for the bedroom "Hope you enjoyed unzipping the file Samantha."
The video ended and Root was speechless. Her brain still busy processing what she had just witnessed she gave little thought to how she would normally be irked by the use of her birth name.
The Machine speaking in her ear alerted Root to the number turning onto the street and she had to toss her phone onto the empty seat as she pulled out of the parking spot and followed the number.
The Next Morning
Root had trouble sleeping that night. Usually she did not remember her dreams, but upon awakening she recalled it all too well. When Root had gotten home after being relieved of duty for the night she had watched that video several times before going to bed. That video had influenced her dreams.
In the one she could distinctly recall before awakening, she and Sam had been in a bed together. Kissing passionately Shaw had put a hand to her chest and slowly pushed her down flat on the bed. Shaw's lips had been warm and soft like miniature pillows. She had groaned aloud when the kiss broke only to change to a moan when Sameen started kissing her way down Root's neck. At the same time one of Sameen's hands had drifted down and was splayed flat against her stomach. Very lightly Shaw would scratch the flesh causing Root to buck beneath her.
A long hiss came from the taller woman as she struggled to stay still in fear that Shaw would stop. This had only seemed to determine the woman who had nipped lightly at her collar bone while pulling the taller woman's shirt up and off of her.
Sam had flicked open the front clasp of Root's bra and taken one of the cups in her mouth. She was pulling it off of the unresisting woman.
Root was leaning on her elbows watching. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she watched unable to look away. Then just as Shaw was about to enjoy the sight of her bosom Root's alarm had gone off waking her up.
Angry did not begin to describe Root's mood. Attempts to get back to sleep – to continue the dream – had proven futile. Her body had become worked up by the dream requiring a long shower and liberal use of her fingers for Root to quell her urges.
Getting out of the shower she wiped the steam off of the mirror and took a look at herself. Her face was red, much more so then the rest of her body. She careful examined her appearance trying to determine if it was obvious that she had just masturbated. It had been months since she had last played with herself.
It wasn't like she didn't get horny. She was just usually able to ignore the urges thanks to keeping busy. Yet even after having two orgasms back to back her skin still tingled and her loins ached for more. Gripping the slippery countertop, Root took several deep breaths and fought for control. It was not easy, but after a few minutes her body calmed down and she continued to get ready for her day.
When she showed up at the library a half hour late Root knew something was up. Finch and Reese had been engaged in a quiet conversation that abruptly ended when they became aware of her presence.
"Ms. Groves glad you were able to make it." Harold said politely.
"Harold, Lurch." Root replied back smiling as she sat in an empty chair. "Did I miss something?"
The two men exchanged a look. Then John groused and gave Harold an annoyed look before speaking "We need you and Shaw to go undercover."
Root's smile widened and she leaned forward in her chair. "Oh that sounds like fun."
Reese chuckled dryly as Harold turned back to his computer and began typing. "Your certainly taking it better than Shaw did. She got a little…upset when we told her it was a singles mixer and that she would need to dress up for it."
Her gut clenched at that news. Mingling and flirting had come easily to her once, but it proved difficult for her now to flirt with anyone other than Sameen these days. Thanks to how the woman had reacted the previous day Root now felt uncomfortable at the prospect.
She swallowed a couple times to wet her suddenly dry throat. "I see." She responded trying to sound far more confident than she actually felt.
She listened on as Harold gave her the information for tonight and handed her a few sheets of paper with her cover for the night event.
That Evening
Sameen Shaw had taken all morning and afternoon preparing for her undercover assignment. Normally she hated dressing up and refrained from putting on makeup. Tonight though was different. She was enjoying teasing Root and making the woman flustered.
Hours had been spent shopping for the perfect dress that would knock Root through a loop. Knowing little about shopping – and distrusting the salespeople – Shaw had almost given up on finding anything when she had received a helpful text that had directed her to a small shop tucked away on a side street. On the outside it had looked like nothing special, but it had taken the name of her alias – helpfully provided by the Machine – to gain access to the building. Inside Sameen had found a hidden gem that catered to very select clientele on a referrals only business model. Dresses and suits that looked to cost well into the hundreds of thousands filled the store.
A woman had greeted her and taken her to a private room. A glass of wine was given to Shaw to enjoy while the woman took her measurements. Sameen had felt a little uncomfortable as the woman had no issues with asking her to remove her clothing, including undergarments, so that they could determine her exact size.
"Height 5'3" the woman mumbled to herself as she jotted it down. "Don't worry we have some excellent heels in a variety of heights that will help you be able to look your date in the eyes." She had said trying to sound comforting. The thinly disguised anger on Shaw's face being mistaken for anger at her lack of height.
"Let's see twenty-six inches around the waist and thirty-five inches around the hips." These were also jotted down. "Now this might be a little cold, but if you hold still then it'll be over sooner."
Before Shaw could get the woman to clarify she had taken the tape measurer and wrapped it around her chest. Causing Shaw to suck in a gasp of air at the cold and shock at the woman's boldness. Her cheeks turned red as the woman looked at her bare bosom checking to make sure that the tape covered Shaw's nipples.
"Excuse me." Shaw managed to squeak out sounding as upset and embarrassed as she felt.
"Sorry, but I wanted to make sure that we get everything measured properly. We wouldn't want your dress to be too tight or loose around the chest." Frowning the woman picked up Sameen's bra and checked the tag. She made a noise of displeasure and then gave her a look.
"What?" Shaw said flatly as she looked hard at the woman.
"Your bra is a size to small. According to my measurements you have a thirty-four inch chest and you are wearing a thirty-one inch bra." If you want we have plenty of nice silk intimates that would be the perfect size for you."
Mentally grumbling Shaw had put on a smile and said "That would be lovely. Thank you." She had then grabbed her shirt and pulled it on, sans bra, as well as her jeans as she waited for the woman to return with dresses for her to try on.
Each dress had been exquisite and had fit like a glove. It took a couple hours, and several more glasses of wine, before Sameen settled on one.
It was a little black sleeveless number that displayed the tops of her breasts. It was tight and could not be worn with a bra, which since Shaw planned to flirt with Root, was perfect. The dress ended three inches below her ass. Sameen liked how it looked on her. It made her eyes look like pools of melted chocolate kept in a molten state by her beauty. With a little eye shadow they would shimmer with lust. They were complimented with a pair of night black heels that added four inches to her height – hopefully enough for her to look Root in the eyes unless the woman also wore heels – that took a little a getting used to.
'Root may very well have a heart attack seeing me in this.' Smiling toothily as she purchased the lot with Finch's credit card took her purchases and left. 'I can't wait to see her face. I flirt with her while wearing this and it'll be more than enough to get my revenge against her.'
Feeling inspired she took a moment to take her phone out to send a message.
So what are you wearing tonight Root?
You'll just have to wait and see Sam.
Shaw was pleased that it took several minutes for Root to reply. Driving back to her apartment she made to get ready for tonight. Taking time to shower Sameen gave a sigh and decided to bite the bullet and do something that she never enjoyed doing. Taking the time to shave her legs, under her arms, and even her pubic mound. Shaw groused about the time it took but figured it was necessary to look good in the dress.
Getting dressed Shaw drove to the location where the singles event was taking place. During the drive she mentally went over various plans for flirting with the taller woman. The entire time she could not stop smiling.
The country club the event was taking place at had valet service. Allowing for people to have someone park their car for a modest fee of three dollars. Shaw did not want anyone else to touch her vehicle and as such found her own parking spot. Sure she had to endure a two minute walk in the heels, but it was preferable to the chance of someone messing up her vehicle somehow.
Inside Shaw saw the usual crowd of people. A slightly larger portion of male attendees than female and the various clichés that already started to form as people instinctively found their social circles. Her eyes scanned the crowd for the number whom, according to Finch, had arrived ten minutes ago. Her senses on full alert Sameen felt someone enter her personal space.
"At your 11 o'clock he's partially hidden behind the redhead in the green dress that somehow manages to slide half an inch up or down depending on if the woman wearing it thinks the guy is cute."
Root's voice did not startle Sameen in the slightest. Giving a grunt of approval she spots the man easily enough and makes a mental note of his location as she turned to face the other woman. A small smile came upon her face as she found herself having to look down at Root. It was a minor victory, but given how tired she was of constantly having to stare up at the woman she was more than willing to take it at the moment.
The light haired woman wore a sleeveless white and gold dress that came down past her knees. The shoulder straps were thin and looked to be made of the same high quality silk as the rest of the dress. A pair of gold colored sandals decorated Root's feet revealing her cherry red stocking clad feet. A white throw was wrapped around Root's neck and was crossed over her chest preventing the currently taller woman a chance to glimpse down the front of the woman's dress.
Smiling Shaw leaned in close and in her best impression of Root whispered into the woman's ear "Careful little angel or the Machine might chastise you for cavorting with a known devil. Though I certainly don't mind you dressing up on my account." Pulling back she noted the red now staining the hacker's cheeks through her foundation.
Silence descended between the two women and Shaw gave Root a saucy wink as she headed over to a table laden down with various appetizers. 'Stunned speechless again. I think I am beginning to understand the appeal Root sees in this.'
Grabbing two plates Shaw's stomach growled hungrily as she piled food atop them. She made sure to grab a variety for Root while mainly focusing on the cocktail shrimp and some of the meats and crackers for her own plate.
On the way back Shaw saw Root chatting animatedly with some blond. The woman wore an emerald green dress that appeared only to be held up by the woman's rather large bosom. The woman laughed loudly at something Root said and then placed a manicured hand on Root's forearm.
Shaw's teeth ground together at the sight. Picking up the pace her stomach lurched as the woman leaned in close to say something privately to the woman. The woman's black lipstick clad lips just grazed Root's ear when Shaw was eight feet away.
Trying to be semi-casual Shaw called out "There you are honey." She came in from Root's other side and placed a plate in the woman's hands as she then wrapped her now free hand around Root's waist. With a chaste kiss to Root's cheek she turned her attention to the now silently seething blond. "So who is this dear?" She said pleasantly with a smile that did not reach her cold glaring eyes which were fixed on the blond.
"Oh this is Melinda." Root said all too happily as she leaned into Shaw.
"A pleasure to meet you." Shaw said barely masked venom lacing each word.
"Wish I could say the same." Melinda said through a forced smile. "Excuse me." She then made good her escape.
"Thanks for the save." Root said as she looked at the shrimp heavy plate in her hands. "She didn't seem to be aware of the fact that she was making me uncomfortable."
Shaw scowled as she looked down at the plate she held. Only two small shrimp were on the cheese and vegetable heavy plate. Turning back to Root she watched as the woman – smirking widely from seeing the displeasure on Sameen's face – dipped one of her ten shrimp into the sauce. Heavily coated she lifted up and took a bite and moaning in delight that just served to make Shaw's scowl deepen.
'Time to see if I can't make her blush and run.' Shaw thought as she noticed the shrimp sauce that painted a corner of the light haired woman's mouth. "Let me get that." Shaw wiped at Root's mouth with her thumb collecting the sauce. Then making sure Root was watching she licked her thumb clean.
Root's eyes glazed over and she unconsciously licked her lips at the sight. Turned on as she was by the sight the normally taller woman was feeling rather nervous. Usually the one to do the flirting she was ill prepared to be the one being hit on. Shaw's arm – still wrapped around her waist – kept her moving away from the woman even if that was the last thing on her mind.
Swallowing Root finally had enough. Leaning in close to the now taller woman Root was unprepared for Shaw to pull her in closer. A gasp of shock left her as Shaw's head bent down and their lips met. Root moaned into Shaw's mouth. Enjoying the kiss far too much Root took a moment to remember that she needed to find out something important from the woman. Placing both hands on Sameen's shoulders she pushed the woman back. "We are going to talk Sam." She said brusquely giving the dark haired woman a heated glare.
The former government agent gave her an almost innocent smile and let her go. "Very well Samantha." Stressing the woman's both true and cover name which resulted in a mildly dark look. She did not resist as Root took her hand and pulled her along behind her.
Reaching the ladies room Root made sure it was empty before locking both entrances. Folding her arms over her chest she stretched her body as best she could to look Sam directly in the eyes. "Okay I know you are up to something and I want to know just what it is."
Shaw leaned back against the counter arching her back she knew it was causing her breasts to strain the dress and drawing Root's attention to her nipples which were now prominently standing at attention through the fabric. "What are you talking about Root?" She asked trying to sound oblivious to the woman's accusations.
"You know damn well Sam." Root pressed an accusatory finger against Shaw's chest. Doing her best to ignore the heat growing within her body. "You never flirt with me. When I flirt with you, you cut me off at the first chance, yet these last two days you've been responding to my flirts quite strongly. I want to know why."
Leaning forward Shaw looked down at Root and rolled her eyes. "Is this not what you wanted? For me to respond with passion to your advances?" She did not wait for the woman to respond. "I know your secret." She said simply. Root's eyes narrowed and she gave Shaw a confused look. "I know your past, I know how you feel about me. I also know that you don't have any experience when it comes to…certain things." Shaw's knowing smirk came out once more as she leaned in close to Root. Her tongue flicked out to lick the shell of the woman's ear as she said "I would be willing to…teach you a thing or two if you are interested."
Root's chest rapidly rose and fell. She could almost taste blood from how she bit her lower lip. She wanted to agree to Sam's proposal so badly. Had the Machine not spoken in her ear about the number leaving the main room Root would have agreed. As it was this reminder of the mission snapped her back to reality. Her face and upper torso flushed she shook her head and gently pushed Shaw back. "Not this second." She said licking her lips. "After the mission is over, then I want you to take me home." Her eyes looked pleadingly into Sameen's and she nearly lost herself in them once more.
Shaw watched Root leave the restroom and growled low in her throat as she watched the enticing sight disappear from view. A part of her had wanted the woman right there and then regardless of it not being the most appropriate of locations. Though it would not be fair to Root for her first time to be at a place like this. Steeling herself and regretting the fact that she could not splash her face with cold water to calm down, Shaw exited the restroom a minute behind Root.
The now taller woman had planned to reconvene with Root to locate the number quickly, she was not prepared to run into her back upon exiting the restroom. A curse was about to exit her mouth when she noted how Root's hands were held up and she was stiff as a board. Looking over Root's shoulder she beheld the reason for the behavior.
"You've got to be shitting me." The number said as he took a look at the new uninvited guest to the party. A gun was in his hand, with a silencer attached and pointed directly at Root. His steady hand quickly tipped both women off to the fact he was not the least bit uncomfortable with the prospect of having to shoot someone. At his feet lay a woman unconscious and bleeding from a wound sustained to her head.
Schooling her features to appear as nothing more than a shocked and scared helpless victim Shaw managed to stutter out. "Please don't shoot us. We won't tell anyone."
The number made a sound somewhere between frustrated and annoyed as his eyes scanned the immediate area to make sure no one else was watching. "Okay you two grab her under the arms and carry her. Make it seem like she's had too much to drink." Pulling his weapon in closer to his body he took a step back to allow Root and Shaw access to the woman.
Mentally rolling her eyes Shaw let Root take the side closest to the man. She had managed to catch sight of the handle of Root's always present taser and knew already what the light haired brunette was planning.
As they bent down to grab the body and that was when Shaw saw Root slip out her weapon. As they straightened – with the woman between them - Root's free hand, now holding the taser at waist height and inches from the man, shot out and caught him in the groin.
Shaw barely heard the telltale sound of electricity and simply looked at the man with a bored expression as his eyes widened and then closed as he crumpled to the floor.
From there it was a simply matter to get a call out to Fusco and Carter letting them know that some anonymous witnesses had observed the man assaulting the woman with a gun. Once that was done they made their way to a nearby side exit.
"A shame the night is over already." Root lamented. "I hardly got to show this dress off to anyone."
Shaw gave her a stony look. "And just who did you plan on wearing that for?"
Root gave her a toothy smile and said nothing.
"Figures." Shaw grumbled as she dug through her purse and grabbed her keys. "I suggest you drive yourself. You should know where my place is at."
"Is that an invitation?" Root asked. There was a slight hesitancy to her voice that could be heard through her flirtatious tone.
Sameen – having walked a ways forward – turned gave Root a look and said "What do you think?" Barely concealed lust danced in her eyes as she looked into Root's own innocent ones before turning and walking away.
Shaw's Apartment
"Sam." Root groaned as she arched her neck revealing more of the pale flesh of her neck to Shaw's hungry gaze. A moist pop filled the air as Sameen released the tender red flesh of Root's neck that she had been suckling on. She chuckled quietly "Patience Root or would you rather I speed things along to the finish?" Taking Root's earlobe between her teeth she nipped it lightly causing another moan to come from the naked woman beneath her.
Delirious with pleasure the light haired brunette was enjoying this far too much to stop now. Her hands tangled themselves in Sameen's hair.
'Wish I was fucking recording this.' Shaw thought as her wet fingers dislodged themselves from between Root's legs to lightly rub at the woman's clit. A mewl of pleasure came from Root that made Shaw's own sex clench with desire. She had not anticipated getting turned on this much by doing nothing more than pleasuring Root, but she was enjoying it immensely.
Shaw's free hand grabbed more of the untucked sheet as Root's knee instinctively grinded harder against her own pussy. The dark haired woman's juices were flowing freely and ran in small meandering streams down Root's leg all the way to her foot or her thigh.
For most of the night the two woman continued to pleasure each other till they had exhausted their energy supply.
"Hmm I think I love you Sam." Root whispered tiredly as her right arm wrapped around Shaw's chest. The taller woman's naked torso was pressed flat against Shaw's sweat slick back.
Normally Shaw hated cuddling, especially after sex. Yet she could not find the energy to grumble and was too tired to try and make the now snoring woman move. Even though she normally hated sleeping on her side and felt it somewhat too girly when her head was tucked beneath her partner's chin as was currently the case. 'Fuck it's going to take me hours to fall asleep'. Shaw thought tiredly. Yet less than a minute later she too had drifted off. There was a noticeable smile on her face matching the look of contentment visible on Root's.
Next Morning
Root began to stir as the light coming in through the open blinds lit her face. With a tired groan she buried her head deeper into her pillow. Still not fully awake it took her a moment to realize that her pillow felt different from normal. It had a scent draping it that reminded her of gunpowder and lavender. Also it felt as though the pillowcase had frayed at some point during the night and now loose threads tickled at her face. It was an odd mixture of pleasant and annoying that prevented her from getting comfortable enough to sleep.
She heard a quiet sigh of frustration and then her pillow was abruptly yanked out from under her. Hitting the mattress Root groaned in annoyance as the covers were yanked off her body.
"You can't spend all morning lying in bed." A familiar gravelly voice grumbled.
In a flash the events of last night came rushing back to Root. She smiled at the memory and decided to push the envelope with her lover just a little farther. "Mm but it's so much comfier in bed, especially when I get to cuddle up with you." Root opened her eyes and looked at Sam through the blanket of hair that partially covered her eyes.
The shorter woman was still wearing what she had on last night and seemed to be struggling to avoid paying attention to the taller woman. She was sitting on the mattress partially facing Root and was currently bent over apparently searching the floor for something. "Sure…" Sameen grumbled "you were comfortable and fast asleep the minute your head hit the pillow after you wrapped me up in your arms like a favorite stuffed animal. Not all of us enjoy cuddling."
Propping herself up on an elbow Root brushed the hair out of her face and gave Shaw a seductive look. "Strange, I seem to recall waking up in the middle of the night with you using my chest for a pillow and calling me your teddy-Root."
Aside from tensing up for an instant Shaw did not react to what Root said aside from "You must have dreamed that." There was a slight hitch in her voice that tipped the messy haired brunette off that she did indeed remember it quite clearly.
Sitting upright Root looped her arms around Shaw's neck and laid her head on the woman's bare shoulder. There was an angry purplish red bruise near the base of Sameen's neck that she lightly kissed causing the shorter woman to shudder even as she grumpily said "Root now is not the time."
With far more gentleness than normal Shaw freed herself from Root's hold and walked across the carpeted floor to retrieve her dress which lay in a puddle near the door.
The midmorning quiet was broken by the ringing of a cellphone. Spotting the noisy offender in its usual place on her nightstand Root grabbed it without a thought and answered it. "Morning Harold."
"Ms. Groves?" The questioning note in his voice filled the room for a beat before Root replied.
"Well who else would it be Harry?" Root lay back on the bed enjoying the view of Sam – for once not looking her normal grumpy self – picking through the discarded clothing in search of what she had worn last night. She put the call on speaker so that Shaw could easily hear what the man was saying in case it was important.
The creator of the Machine was silent for a few moments longer and then sounding somewhat confused "I was expecting Ms. Shaw. What are you doing with her phone?"
Shaw went ramrod straight. Her face paled and the items she had gathered fell from limp fingers to the floor where they landed with hardly any sound.
"Shaw?" Root said the question aloud as she gave the former government agent a wicked smile.
The dark haired brunette was giving Root her coldest glare and waved the tips of her fingers across her throat in a brutal 'Stop now or I will kill you.' Gesture.
"Oh she's right here." Root said casually grinning all the while. She leaned far back on the bed holding the phone away from her body as her other hand tried to keep Shaw from snatching it from her.
"Ms. Shaw is with you…at 5:30 in the morning?" Both women could picture the man's puzzled expression changing to realization either from come to the conclusion himself or from the assistance of Reese. "Wh- actually never mind I don't want to know." He said quickly.
With their cover blown Shaw grumbled loudly "Give me the phone Root!" She tried to get a firm grip on the thrashing woman but was finding it far more difficult than she anticipated.
"Really Sameen I never would have guessed you would be this frisky in the morning." Root teased as she finally stopped struggling and let the former assassin take the phone.
Rolling her eyes Shaw took the phone off speaker mode and held it to her ear. "What is it Finch?" The testiness in her voice was easily noticeable as she maneuvered on the bed so her back was to Root.
Never one to pass up an opportunity Root decided to make use of some of the things taught to her last night by Sam. Moving cautiously behind the woman she let the tips of her nails glide along Shaw's spinal column. Shaw's voice had gone up almost an octave from the unexpected contact. Turning she gave Root a half heated glare before going back to her conversation with Finch.
Now smirking Root wrapped her legs around either side of Sameen's and began to force the woman's legs apart. Once they were parted enough Root licked her pointer finger and sent it out to run along Shaw's folds.
"I-fuck…what WAS that Fi…" Shaw's ability to articulate was leaving her quickly. Her folds were starting to part and she missed what Finch said when Root's finger found and teased her clit out from beneath its hood.
"I…I'm…call me back later Ms. Shaw when you and Ms. Groves are done." Finch sounded almost as if he was being strangled and he did not wait for a response before hanging up the phone.
No longer distracted by the conversation Shaw's head fell limply back against Root's body as her hips thrust wildly and she tried to keep the taller woman's fingers lodged deep in her groin. "Fuck Root." She managed to moan out as a burst of pleasure rushed through her body.
Root smiled "I think Finch will be willing to give us the day off, I plan to enjoy my first time for as long as I can."
All thoughts of revenge and of the outside world were forgotten as the two women took their time familiarizing themselves with their lover's body.
POI – POI – POI – POI - POI
A/N: That is it for this chapter. I certainly hope you readers enjoyed it. Feel free to give me feedback. Suggestion and recommendations on what I can change or improve upon are always welcome. Below are your options for the next chapter. Thanks again for taking the time to read this. And enjoy the rest of your night.
1. When it comes to protecting numbers Root and Shaw thought they had seen everything. When the number of Bo Dennis (From 'Lost Girl') comes up the women are sure they can handle it without the help of Finch or Reese, who are currently out of the country. Too bad the two of them end up focusing more on each other than on the number after their first run in with the woman.
2. Root and Shaw have no choice but to go undercover as a married couple in order to protect a therapist who deals exclusively with couples counseling. To Root's surprise Sameen Shaw deviates from the issues listed for her cover identity in favor of actually working out some of her issues with her secret lover Root.
3. If there is one thing Shaw does not do it is "girly". She hates having to put on makeup, does not see the appeal of 'fashion' and has never had a manicure or a pedicure. A bored out of her mind Root sees this as a challenge and decides that she is going to do whatever it takes to make Shaw not only acknowledge but embrace her girly side. If this means she has to force the woman to go clothes shopping, then so be it. Shaw deciding to run rather than sit through a mani-pedi, good thing she has her trusty Taser at hand. Hell if she has to be in charge in the bedroom for the first time ever in order to make Shaw actually feel girly for once in her life then she'll do it with a smile and a video camera handy to record the moment for future enjoyment and teasing. (Really hope you guys chose this one, because I don't think anyone else has ever attempted this.)