The next morning both Root and Shaw were beginning to return to their old selves. Root began flirting with Shaw the minute her eyes opened. Shaw, after rolling her eyes, immediately asked,

"What's for breakfast?"

Root smirked, "That's my Sameen- more interested in food than me."

"Oh I don't think so, but practically, we can eat breakfast here. Some things should wait until we get home."

Root tilted her head, then rolled her eyes.

"You didn't say that when we had ten hours to kill in a safe house back in New York."

Shaw just shook her head.

"I'm glad you feel better Root."

...

As Shaw, Root and Gen were finishing breakfast in the private dining room, Elizabeth entered the room. Shaw waved her over and after she grabbed a croissant and a cup of black pearl tea she headed over to the group. Root smiled at her.

"Elizabeth, I can't tell you how grateful I am for what you did. Shaw told me everything and…." Root's eyes misted briefly, "..well thank you."

"You're welcome- you know it was nice to get back into the field. I have to admit, I've kind of missed the action. It was also nice to finally field test those drones in something other than a simulation."

Shaw growled, "Don't mention simulation around me."

As Elizabeth tilted her head and frowned, Root reached over and patted Shaw's hand.

"Long story, Elizabeth, we'll talk later."

Shaw shot a look at Root then, recovering, smirked at Elizabeth.

"You've got that look, Beth, did you have a nice night?"

"Shut it Shaw." But Ellie's smile belied her words as a slight flush crept up her cheeks.

As they finished breakfast, Dr. Tillman entered the room and headed for the coffee. She filled her cup, then approached the group. Shaw looked up at her and smirked.

"Good morning Doctor?" There was greeting, inquiry and innuendo in those three words. Dr. Tillman looked flustered for a brief moment (adorable) then, recovering, smiled back at Shaw.

"Good morning to you, Ms. Shaw. I've cleared an hour at 10:00 this morning to give Ms. Groves a complete physical examination. Once we're done you can head on home and we will resume regular appointments next week."

Root looked up with a smile, "We'll be there."

"I'll see you later then." She nodded at the group, eyes lingering on Elizabeth, then left without another word.

Shaw couldn't resist.

"She's adorable when flustered, Elizabeth. You apparently had quite an effect on her."

Root shot Shaw a look. "Sam…." She nodded at Gen, who appeared to be ignoring the conversation. You could never be sure though, she seemed to notice and understand much more than even many adults.

Shaw actually managed to look chagrinned, "Sorry."

The group finished breakfast in silence. They left the private dining room and headed toward Dr. Tillman's office. Gen broke off and headed toward the main wing, saying she wanted to see if there were any kids around who wanted to discuss coding. As she disappeared around a corner, Root smiled and elbowed Shaw.

"I think she's really starting to like and need her time teaching those kids, Sam. With the right direction she could be a teacher- and a good one."

"I agree, and it's a way better career than the one she originally wanted."

As they arrived at Dr. Tillman's office, Root looked at Shaw.

"You know, I'm a big girl, Sam, I can go in by myself."

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I'll be right here when you're done."

As Root disappeared into the doctor's office, Shaw took a seat.

Elizabeth wandered around the small reception area for a couple of minutes, then sat across from Shaw. She cleared her throat and Shaw looked up from her phone.

"I want to say something and I hope you'll let me finish without interrupting me."

"Of course, Elizabeth, what's up."

Elizabeth looked down, then back at Shaw.

"I lied- but in my defense, I thought I was being honest. I lied when I said I was over it. Coming here showed me I'm not over it with you. I'll never be over it…."

Shaw opened her mouth but Elizabeth rushed on.

"No, you said you'd let me finish and I'm going to. I never thought much about any feelings I might have had for you before- you were a self-diagnosed sociopath, so feelings didn't have any meaning as far as you were concerned.

"Seeing you yesterday before, during and after the church hit me in a way I didn't expect. I realized I had repressed anything I might have felt for you because it would have never been reciprocated. Seeing you like this opened up all the emotions I deliberately buried during the time we worked together in New York.

"I said I'll never be 'over' it, but I also want you to know I get what you and Root have and I'd never come between the two of you. I just felt compelled to be honest with you. I also have to admit, I admire what Root did. She felt so strongly about you that she was willing to take what little you had to give initially and over time she broke down the walls you built around your emotions.

"Part of me wishes I had seen what she saw and been willing and able to do what she did. The rest of me, when I'm being honest with myself, realizes I probably couldn't have done what Root did- it requires that special, some might say psychotic, part of her personality that I don't have.

"Bottom line is I'm glad you and Root are together, but I'll always have a part of me that wishes things could have turned out differently."

Shaw stood and walked over to Ellie and took her hand.

"Now that I realize more what feelings are, I can honestly tell you I have feelings for you, Elizabeth. I love you and I truly value your friendship. I'm not, however, in love with you and I think you understand why.

"Root and I are special... ok that sounds weird. Root and I have a unique relationship, much of it due to our previous lives. I don't do much introspection but when I've thought about us, I came to the conclusion that we only had two possibilities: we were either going to hate and try and destroy each other or love each other so intensely we'd think we were the only two people in the universe. We could have never been 'just friends', that wouldn't and couldn't have happened.

"And if it makes you feel any better, I believe only that 'perky psycho' could have fixed what was wrong with me. No one else could have done what she did."

Elizabeth stood and hugged Shaw who returned the hug genuinely. After a short time, Elizabeth leaned back and said, "So what's the deal with you and simulations?"

Shaw's face darkened briefly, then cleared and she began to recount her time in Samaritan's clutches. She described her capture, torture and then, the simulations.

"7000 times they tried to get me to divulge the information they needed to find the team and the Machine. During those simulations I did a lot of horrible things including killing members of the team. The one person I couldn't kill was Root- so I killed myself over and over rather than kill her.

"When I escaped for real Root and I ran into each other in Central Park. I thought it was another simulation and put a gun to my head and told her I'd rather kill my self here and now than take the chance of hurting her.

"Her reaction was to pull her gun and point it at herself, saying 'we'll play it your way. If you die I die too. You can't live with me- I can't live without you.' That's when I knew it wasn't a simulation. There was no possible scenario where I would've imagined that happening. Then I knew- and I knew she was the one. Hell, until then I didn't even realize that there was 'a one.'

"Then she was gone, dead I thought. And the worst part wasn't the crushing loneliness I never imagined I'd feel, the pain at her loss or the anger at Samaritan. No, the worst was that I had let her die without telling her that I loved her back- that she had been the one to 'turn up the volume' on my feelings.

"When I discovered she wasn't dead, I resolved to spend the rest of my life making it up to her, making her feel loved in every way I could. She's my life, Elizabeth, and all I want to do is enjoy every moment we have."

Elizabeth's eyes were sparkling with tears. She smiled at Shaw.

"Wow, I hope someday I can either feel that way about someone or have someone feel that way about me. I really am happy for both of you."

"So what's going on with you and the doctor? Or shouldn't I ask?"

"Less than you would imagine… she's a little shy. I think seeing me triggered some memories from out time in New York. I don't think anything would happen, but you sure made her uncomfortable when you kept implying we had something going. And who knows… but I do have someone back home."

"Serious?"

"More from her side than mine. I just like to have fun. Back to our original discussion, I don't know if I'm more disappointed that you're taken or that John still doesn't show any interest in me. Bottom line, she's a good friend and there are some benefits. But if you had called, I'd of come running. And if John called….."

"You know, John had a major thing with Zoe Morgan back in New York. She still doesn't know he's alive. Their relationship was pretty much a roller coaster ride, but… the only person John ever admitted loving to me was his old girlfriend Jessica. He may have fallen for Carter as well but both are dead.

"John's the brother I never had, but he's a very private person. I think he likes Zoe, but I'm not sure he loves her. He built a wall around his heart when Jessica was murdered, then it appears that Carter put cracks in that wall. When she was killed, the wall went back up big time and I don't know if it will ever come down.

"I'm the last person in the world to give romantic advice, but unless you like pining away for an indeterminate number of years, I'd certainly not wait around for John."

"I know, Shaw, I was just saying. He's always been my knight in shining armor and I guess it's just normal for a girl to long for her knight to come and carry her off into the sunset."

Just then, the door to Dr. Tillman's office opened. Root exited followed by the doctor. They were sharing a laugh and the doctor had a small redness on her cheeks. Root looked over at Shaw and Elizabeth and smiled.

"We can go home now Sam. Elizabeth, do you want to come home with us or hang around here for the day? The doctor and I thought it would be nice to have a nice dinner party at our house tonight. The four of us, Gen, John and Finch. What do you think?"

"Well, I told my mom I'd be gone several days to a week. I guess I could head for home tomorrow. But I don't think hanging around here would be smart since I'm sure Doctor Tillman has a busy schedule."

"I actually don't," the doctor said, a little too quickly Shaw thought. "I can show you around the hospital and we can drive out there in one of the hospital's Suburbans. That way John and Harold can ride along."

"I'd love that." When Elizabeth glanced at Dr. Tillman, she noticed the blush returning.

"Then it's settled, we'll eat at 7:00."