I do not own Blindspot or its characters.
Kurt found Jane seated on the floor of Patterson's lab, both of them giggling animatedly as they took turns playing tug-of-war with Eddie. He leaned against the doorframe and simply watched them for a moment, a slight smile tugging at his lips. The two of them were so engrossed in what they were doing it was several minutes before they registered his presence.
"Kurt!" Jane exclaimed, her smile fading as she caught sight of his serious expression. "Is . . . is everything okay?"
Not yet. But it would be. "Everything's fine," he told her with as much assurance as he could muster. "Since we don't have a case, I thought I'd take an early lunch, and I was hoping you'd come with me. You can bring Eddie along if you like," he added as she glanced at the puppy. "He could probably use a walk anyway. We'll grab some takeout and eat in the car."
Clearly something was on his mind, so Jane clipped Eddie's leash to his collar and followed Kurt without protest. He said little until after they had gotten their food and driven to a nearby park. "Why didn't you tell me about Keaton?" he asked as she took her first bite, and Jane nearly choked. God, what she wouldn't give to never have to hear that name again.
"What is it you think I should have told you?" she asked carefully. Beyond the details of her torture, the details of which would only hurt him unnecessarily, he knew as much about Keaton as she did. Or she'd thought he had.
"Why didn't you mention to me that you were worried about what he would do to you when our marriage ended?" Kurt demanded in a wounded tone. "You commented on it to Reade and Zapata. Don't you think that's something you should have talked to me about?"
"To what end?" Jane questioned wearily. "It's not like you can do anything about it, Kurt. We reap what we sow, isn't that the old saying? Well, I'm paying the price for my bad decisions, or I most likely will again eventually. I made my bed, and now I have to lie in it. But there's no reason for both of us to worry about it. Reade shouldn't have told you."
The resignation in her voice tore at Kurt's heart. "Actually, it was Zapata," he corrected, and her eyes flew to his in surprise. "She's still angry, but that doesn't mean she doesn't still care about you. We all do, Jane. And you're wrong. I can do something about it, and I will." If she would let him.
"Right," Jane said cynically. She'd been worrying about this eventuality ever since her escape without coming up with a solution, and he'd found one in a matter of minutes? Yeah, right. "And what's that?"
"You marry me," Kurt said simply.
Jane leaned her head back against the headrest. "I could be wrong, but I seem to recall already doing that. And I have the puppy and an assortment of high-priced underwear to prove it." Not to mention a boatload of other wedding gifts that they had yet to take home.
Kurt's eyes darkened at the reminder of that lingerie. He hated to admit just how many of his dreams had been about her in that since seeing it. "So we just . . . stay married. A little longer than we'd planned."
Jane cracked open one eye. "Define 'a little.'"
"Three years," Kurt said instantly. "You're eligible for a green card right now, but that's how long it would be before you could apply for citizenship. And once you have that . . . you won't have to worry about Keaton any more. You'd have documentation that would keep him from laying a finger on you ever again."
Somehow she doubted a man like Keaton would be stopped by a simple piece of paper, but she was touched by Kurt's offer.
"Of course, it's possible that Shepherd adopted you legally, which would also make you a citizen," Kurt rushed on. "If we find that out before the three years are up, we could get a divorce early." He ignored the pang in his heart at the thought. He already liked coming home to her—with her—far more than he should. Far more than he had expected to. But he had made a deal, and he would stick to it. Albeit for a bit longer than they had agreed upon. "All you need to do is say yes, and I'll fill out the necessary forms to start the process tomorrow. Today, if I have time."
Jane shook her head slightly as she glanced out the window. "No." She couldn't take advantage of his generous offer, despite the fact that she found it tempting almost beyond reason. And not because of the mythical security it would provide her against Keaton.
But because of the actual solace she found in being near him.
"Why not?" Kurt demanded in a wounded tone of voice. "Is marriage to me really so terrible that you'd rather risk torture again than extend it for a few months?"
"Of course not!" Jane hastened to assure him. "You've been . . . incredibly kind, Kurt. But we're not just talking about a few months here. That would extend it for three more years. Years you should be spending finding someone you can be truly happy with and have that big yard with all those kids you've always wanted. You deserve that. I'm not your responsibility."
"You're my wife," Kurt reminded her. "We agreed that we're in this together, remember? That this marriage would be mutually beneficial to both of us. Do you honestly think I could just divorce you and find happiness with someone else when I'd have to wake up every day wondering where you were and if you were . . ."
He broke off, his jaw clenching tightly at the thought of the horrors she had already endured. "I didn't fight for you like I should have last time, but I'll be damned if I leave you vulnerable to Keaton ever again. I'm filing the paperwork, Jane. I want to do this. Not just because you're my wife, or because you're my responsibility, but because you're my friend. Whether you take advantage of it or not is up to you." He glanced back out the windshield as he took a large bite of his sandwich, feeling her eyes on him as he chewed.
"You're a good man, Kurt Weller," Jane said at last. And the temptation to say yes, to grasp onto the lifeline he was offering and never, ever let go was almost unbearable, but she couldn't. Because she didn't want to let go. And if she stayed married an extra three years, she doubted she would be able to.
They finished eating in silence and said little as they walked Eddie and then drove back to the office, Jane desperately searching her mind for a way to let Kurt down gently and Kurt equally determined to find a way to convince her to accept his proposal. They parted ways at the elevator and didn't see one another again until it was nearly time to go home, when Jane was shepherded into his office by Reade and Zapata and Patterson.
Reade and Patterson exchanged glances at his questioning look. "We, uh . . . we got to talking this morning while you guys were out, and Patterson and I realized we were probably the only two agents in the building who hadn't gotten you guys a wedding gift, so . . ." He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to Jane.
"Seriously?" Zapata asked as Jane circled the desk to open it with Kurt. "You got them gift certificates? Lame." She'd expected a little—no, a lot—more originality from the two of them.
"It's not a gift certificate," Kurt said quietly as he pulled out the piece of paper inside and scanned its contents. "It's a week-long, all-expenses-paid stay at a B&B upstate. Starting Sunday."
Zapata's mouth fell open. "You paid for their honeymoon?" Now that was a stroke of genius. Why hadn't she thought of that?
"Yeah, umm . . ." Reade hesitated. "Patterson and I overheard some other agents speculating about when you guys were going to go on yours, and since this is supposed to be a love match and I figured you guys hadn't thought of that, I decided to take care of it. We checked with Pellington and he said it would be fine, that he would come down and oversee things while you're away."
"Oh, I don't think we can . . ." Jane began.
"It's perfect, Reade," Kurt interrupted. He hadn't had a vacation in years, and the thought of the first being his honeymoon with Jane . . . It felt much more right than he knew it should. "Thank you."
"And my gift is that I'll dogsit Eddie for you for the week," Patterson announced brightly. "So you guys can go off and relax like you deserve and not worry about a thing."
"And we'll both take you shopping bright and early Saturday morning," Zapata added with a pointed glance at Jane, whose shoulders slumped slightly at the reminder, determined not to be upstaged by the two of them. "Because you don't have nearly enough clothes for a week-long trip." And the ones she did have weren't at all suitable. Come to think of it, she didn't even have a suitcase.
"That's an excellent plan, Zapata," Kurt approved before Jane could find a graceful way to bow out. He'd been hoping she would follow through on her plans to take Jane shopping. He had a feeling his shopping habits mirrored hers to closely to be of much use, and he had no idea which stores women preferred anyway. He hadn't even started his Christmas shopping, and it was only a couple weeks away. And now he had an extra person to shop for. "Thank you. I'll make sure Jane is ready to go."
"Thanks a lot," Jane muttered to him, and the group laughed.
They talked for a few more minutes before they all filed out to get ready to go home, but Zapata was surprised when Kurt asked her to stay behind. "What's up, boss?"
"I'm, uh . . . I was going to give Jane my credit card Saturday, but on second thought, I think it might be better if I let you take charge of it," Kurt told her. "I have a feeling Jane would just skip getting half of what she needs to spare me the expense, and I'd like for her to get some things she wants as well. Make sure of that, will you? Within reason," he added as Zapata's eyes lit up with an avaricious gleam. "And if . . . if she sees anything she likes that would make a good Christmas present . . ."
"I'll keep an eye out," Zapata promised him as she turned for the door with an extra spring in her step. This was going to be so much fun.
Kurt glanced out at the bullpen and caught sight of Jane standing beside her desk. She smiled shyly as their eyes met, and they would have been amazed to know how in sync their thoughts were at that moment.
They were going on a honeymoon. Together. And they couldn't wait to get it started.