Hey, guys. I know it's just a short chapter, but I hope you will like it anyway. And thank you for the reviews.
Enjoy.
T73.
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Liz is standing in the locker room and closes the door of her locker with a heavy sigh. She is aware of the fact that the encounter with Harry Bishop could have turned out badly. That's why she just wanna go home, take a bath and forget it.
She jumps as she feels and hand on her hip and prepares herself to hit the person in the face whoever is disrespecting her personal space. She spins around and is greeted by familiar eyes. "Jesus, what are you doing here?"
He smiles like an idiot because it is the first time that he really startled her. "We need to talk about that what is going on between the two off us, Liz."
"Now?" She whispers harshly.
He sighs loudly and nods approvingly. "You said that you start to fall for me."
Liz frowns deeply and nods to. "I did. I said that. And you said that you already love me."
He moves his thumb in a circling motion over her hip bone. "And that's what scared you."
"I like it the way it is right now, Will." She replies and can see the pain in his eyes, caressing his cheek. "I like you, a lot."
"But it would be easier to call it off when we are no real couple." He states and smiles sadly.
She swallows hard and her words stuck in her throat. She hadn't been with many men, but with those she has been with she never felt way she feels with Hanley.
"You know, it's not like I'm proposing to you right now." He says gently. "Or that I wanna take you away from your parents."
Liz gives him a peck on his lips and smiles. "I know, Will."
"But I do wanna call you my girlfriend."
"Jeez, you don't put the bite on me."
Hanley frowns and shrugs. "Let me take you on a date. And with date I mean a real one, not just McDonald's or Burger King. A date with flowers, candlelight and all the stuff. Tonight, when my shift is over."
Liz can't help the smile that appears on her lips and she tugs on his tie. "But I already know how you look like in a suit."
Hanley smirks and leans closer. "But I don't know how you look like in a dress. You wear dresses, right?"
Liz smiles mischievously and raises her eyebrows briefly. "I do, sometimes."
His eyes wander over her body and swallows his growl. "I'll pick you up at eight, and drop you off without any ulterior motives. And after that, we see what happens."
Liz arches an brow and turns the corners of her mouth downward. "I like the idea. But, don't you have to interview Bishop?"
"That's over in an hour." He states. "I'll make it in time."
She thinks about it for a second and smiles wryly. "Okay."
Hanley straightens up and he seems to be taller now. "Great. See you at eight. " He says and turns to leave.
She grabs his wrist and pulls him back to her. "That doesn't have to mean that you can't kiss me now."
"The best comes last, Lizzy." He says before he leaves again.
Liz is biting her lower lip and shakes her head, closing her eyes. "God, what are you doing, Elizabeth?" She whispers to herself and bangs her head against the locker.
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Hanley was right. The interview didn't last five minutes because the doctor on duty told them that Bishop drugged himself up to the eyeballs with LSD, so he was a dead end for now.
That's why Jane is currently sitting on the couch with her wife leaned back against her front, a beer in her hand and a bowl with popcorn in Maura's lap, watching TV. She kisses Maura's shoulder and hums. "I love that."
Maura turns her head a little. "Watching TV?"
"No, watching TV with you." Jane corrects and looks up at the ceiling. "I am surprised that Liz don't join us."
"She's probably studying."
"Uh-huh."
Maura looks down at herself as she feels an hand on her bare stomach and smirks knowingly.
Jane chuckles and turns her head as they here a clicking coming from the stairs.
She spits the beer in her mouth all across the room as soon as she sees her daughter.
Maura's eyes went huge and she turns her body even more. "Oh."
"And where are we going?" The Sergeant asks curiously and frowns.
"On a date," Liz informs her mothers with a smile. She is wearing a plain black dress, a silver necklace and earnings, and a pair of black high heels.
"With Detective Hanley?" Her Mom asks with a knowing smile.
"Yes, do I look okay?"
"You look beautiful, baby." Jane admits and smiles amazed. She knows that Liz also like to wear dresses just like her mother, when the occasion is right. That's something she and Maura share. "Jesus, can you stop to grow up so fast?"
"I tried, didn't stop men to be attracted to me." Liz shoots back and chuckles as her Ma makes a face.
Maura smiles too, but not because of the remark. Because Liz seems to be a little nervous. She really likes him.
The doorbell is catching their attention and Jane gets up to her feet. "I can get my gun, or yours, doesn't matter."
Liz rolls her eyes and walks to the front door to open it.
Hanley is standing in behind the door and his jaw drops to the ground as soon as he lay his eyes on the young woman, almost dropping the bouquet of red roses to the ground too. "You look breathtaking."
"Thank you. You look …" Liz says and eyes him from head to toe. "like you."
"Elizabeth," Maura hisses.
He chuckles and enters the house. Looking at the doctor and raising an hand. "She is right, Dr. Isles. I do look like always."
Maura sighs in relief. "Oh."
"You kids need some cash." Jane asks to see if he accepts her offer.
Liz, on the other hand, knows exactly what Jane is doing. "Ma!"
He waves the offer off. "Nah, I'm taking Liz to Burger King or McDonald's."
Liz' shoulders are slumping and she swats his chest. "I'm putting these into a vase."
Jane gets up from the couch and walks over to Hanley, her face is beyond serious. "Listen carefully, kid. If you gonna hurt my daughter, I'm gonna hurt you." She warns him.
He nods understanding and frowns. "I don't have any intention to hurt Elizabeth. On the contrary, Ma'am. I am afraid that she is going to break my heart."
Jane scrutinizes him for a while and furls her eyebrows because she can see that he means every single word that he his saying. What's the matter? She likes him, he likes her. What is her holding her back?
She jumps as Liz is kissing her cheek but smiles. "Have fun, baby."
Liz nods with a big smile and looks at her lover. "Shall we?"
"Absolutely," he says and offer her his arm.
Liz links her arm with his and smiles like a love-stricken school girl. "Bye, Ma, bye Mom."
"Bye, honey." The two women says in unison.
Maura chuckles because the expression of her wife. "Are you know planning their wedding?"
"Definitely," Jane says and is smitten by the young couple.
Maura starts to laugh amused and shriek as the Italian throws herself at her.
"But right now I am thinking about something else," Jane growls low and starts to miss her wife's neck.
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Hanley is pulling out of the drive way and risks every now and then at the woman on the passenger's seat. He focuses on the traffic but puts his hand on Liz' bare tight. "Is Subway okay?"
"You are a jerk sometimes." Liz chuckles and arches an eyebrow as his hand hikes up. "What is your hand doing, William?"
He doesn't look at her and smirks. "Nothing."
She arches an brow as his hand is hiking up and clears her throat. "That doesn't feel like nothing."
Now, he is looking at her for a moment and frowns. "You can't wear that and expect that I don't react, or that I don't imagine how you look like under it."
"Yap," Liz huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "that's what a woman wants to hear on the first date." She frowns as Hanley suddenly pulls over and stops the car. "Okay."
He turns in his seat and looks her straight in the eye. "Can you, for once, not be an smart-ass?"
"I can't promise th -" Her eyebrows shoot up high as she is silenced by his lips and starts to smile as she kisses him back immediately. "That." She says after she pulls away when he is about to deepen the kiss. She is aware that they wouldn't make it to wherever he is taking her if she let's that happen now.
He nods slowly and smiles again as he starts to driver again.
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Hanley stays true to his word and walks Liz to the door of her parents house. He leans again the door frame and looks long at Liz, trying to read her expression. "It was nice, I hope we can do that again."
Liz licks her lips and nods slowly. "Definitely."
He releases his breath in relief and takes a look at his watch. "Well, it's already late, and I am sure that Jane is going to kill me if I stay for the night again. And I told you that is free and easy. So good night, Elizabeth."
She takes his hand in her own as he is about to leave and raises her eyebrows when he looks questioningly at her. "I -" Just say it, she thinks to herself and rolls her eyes. It's not like you parents have a loveless relationship and never say that to each other. "I … enjoyed the evening very much." Coward.
Hanley smiles a little and nods approvingly. "Me too. See you tomorrow."
Liz sighs heavily and takes a step forward. "I love you, Will."
That makes him turning around and he looks marveled at Liz, walking back to her.
She raises an shoulder and smiles almost sheepishly at Hanley. "I think that I love you for quite a while."
"That's why were so iffy sometimes when I was around." He states and steps into her personal space. He places his hands on her hips as she is nodding and pulls her closer. "That explains a lot."
Liz chuckles and wraps her arms around his neck, looking expectantly at him.
He raises his eyebrows and smirks devilish. "Oh, you wanna hear that I love you too."
"Well, that would be in order." She replies and shrugs.
He bends his head with a smile and whispers before he kisses her, "I love you too."
Liz smiles broadly and doesn't hesitate a second. She gasps when her back hits the door and her heart starts to beat like crazy.
"I -" Hanley says when he breaks the kiss and clears his throat. "I should go. Good night, Lizzy."
She smiles a little and takes a deep breath. "Night." She replies and unlocks the front door.
She is relieved that the house is completely dark and that she hasn't to tell Jane and Maura instantly how her date was. Otherwise, they could see her violent blush and she isn't in the mood to explain that too.
She leans against the door and closes her eyes for a second before she makes her way to the stairway, hoping that she don't wake one of the older women. She just wants to take a shower and go to bed, not more and not less. And tomorrow she can pretend that nothing happened.