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Previously, in "Persuasive Tactics", Maggie is injured from the explosion at the club and wakes up at the hospital. Jubal's ex-wife Sam issues him a warning after learning from him that he'd proposed a date to Maggie.
Chapter Five
Returning to work didn't take long for either Maggie or Jubal. With his concussion and her injured leg, their kids wrangled the two agents into staying at one house, Jubal's. Lucky for Maggie, he had the entire basement of the house all to himself; his four kids' bedrooms were upstairs. Juliet, Jubal's oldest daughter, had been visiting her biological mother in the psych ward when Jubal was brought to the hospital. The teenager made sure her brothers and sister, as well as Maggie's girls, stayed upstairs and checked on Jubal & Maggie every few hours.
Walking into the kitchen on the morning after her doctors give her the all clear for work, Maggie is surprised to see Jubal. "I thought you'd already left for work," she says, accepting the travel mug of coffee from him.
Jubal shrugs. "Jules took my car in for me, with the excuse that there was no sense for the two of us to drive in separate vehicles, something like that," he replies.
Maggie nods. "As long as I get to be the one driving," she says with a grin and a shrug. Jubal laughs as he follows her out the French style patio door to her car. Halfway there Maggie hears her name being called up by the street. Laughing the FBI agent makes her way carefully over to the man dressed in casual attire. Jubal's face scrunches up in further confusion when Maggie flings her arms around the man who was slightly taller than Jubal himself. "I didn't realize you were back in town, Uncle Elliot. Why didn't you call? Does Liv know that you're back in town?" Maggie asks all at once.
Elliot Stabler chuckles, pressing an affectionate kiss to Maggie's forehead. "No Liv doesn't know that I'm back, and I'd like to keep it that way," he tells her before nodding his head in Jubal's direction after noticing his obvious confusion. "He your boyfriend?"
"Actually, he's my boss. We were living together temporarily while we were both recovering from undercover operation related injuries," Maggie replies, turning a little to wave Jubal over.
With reluctance Jubal makes his way over to where Maggie stands with this strange guy. "Who's this, Maggie?" Jubal asks with confusion and curiosity.
"Jubal, I'd like you to meet Elliot Stabler. Elliot, this is…"
"The man that looks like someone I used to work with," Elliot says with a slight frown.
Jubal shrugs his broad shoulders. "I get that a lot these days," he simply says before glancing at Maggie. "Do you want me to go on ahead?"
"No, I'll go with you," Maggie replies before turning to Elliot. "Don't be a stranger, okay? The girls would love to see you."
He nods and gives her another hug before watching her walk to where Jubal waits. At the parking garage, Maggie turns off the ignition to her SUV and turns to look at Jubal. "There's nothing romantic going on between us if that's what you're worried about. His ex-wife is, was, Jason's aunt. He couldn't come to the funeral but at least he was courteous enough to send a bouquet of flowers with Kathy," Maggie says, turning away with a sigh and staring out the window.
With a gentle yet shaky hand, Jubal lifts it up to cradle the back of Maggie's head, easing it around. "I don't think that at all, Maggie. Your life is your own so who am I to tell you who you can and can't have in your life? But it also doesn't mean that I worry any less about you and your well-being." Once Jubal gets that out in the open, he draws little circles on the back of Maggie's neck, inching his face closer to her own.
Maggie pulls a movie faster than Jubal does, throwing all of her caution into the wind, framing his cheeks in her hands to pull his face closer to her own. Maggie then boldly, and passionately, kisses Jubal right square on the lips. Surprising both herself and Jubal, Maggie is about to pull herself back but the softest flick of Jubal's tongue sweeps across Maggie's lips. Though startled, at first, Maggie is quick in returning the tongue sweep, engaging Jubal in a heated tango. "Jubal," Maggie somehow manages to whisper out, speaking against his lips.
Before he can respond, however, the ring tone alert he has for all four of his kids goes off. Pulling back from the kiss with a frustrated groan, Maggie's own irritation melts into concern as she watches Jubal's face etch itself into a deep, creasing frown. "Damn," Jubal mutters before he lifts his head to stare right into Maggie's eyes. "We've got a situation at all three schools. Time to call my friend Jess LaCroix."
