Episode change to 3.11 "Spy Games," in which, when Jack and Sue are saying goodnight in the hotel that she's supposed to be safe from Jonathan in, they apparently forget that they aren't actually a couple.

AN: All of these, of course, make a lot more sense if you've seen the episodes they're based on, but this one in particular skips major chunks of information between scenes. While the Sue/Jack shippiness of it is fully understandable regardless, if it's been a while you might want to go rewatch it, or at least read a summary of it, if you aren't sure what "saying goodnight in the hotel" scene I'm talking about, because that part's less than halfway through the episode and in this story I just jump from there to the episode's end with references to, but not explanations of, what happened in between.

Sue watched as everyone suddenly emptied out of her safehouse-esque hotel room under a myriad of flimsy excuses. She hadn't been able to see his lips, but had seen Jack say something to Lucy so she assumed that he must have asked her to get everyone to leave. The fact that her best friend was not terribly subtle in her "encouragement" (more like glares) to get the others out of the room cemented this in Sue's mind. Well, whatever he had to tell her about her bad attitude, she didn't care. This was ridiculous and she wasn't going to just sit back and take it.

Once the others were gone, Jack approached Sue and gently laid his hand on her shoulder. "I know you're upset," he said, and nothing in his face was admonishing, only compassionate. "But this isn't punishment. You're here because we don't want anything to happen to you."

Ah, so it was the good cop routine he was giving her. It still wouldn't work. She turned, squaring off to him, folding her arms. He must have seen the argument she was about to give—that she was able to handle herself, that Jonathan wasn't dangerous, that none of this was necessary.

Before she could repeat any of that for the umpteenth time, he dropped his careful guard and let his own emotions show through on his face, his own fear and care and concern and . . . perhaps another emotion, one that they typically both tried to keep locked away at all times. His eyes were begging her to stay safe for his sake as he amended his last sentence. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

And just like that all the fight was knocked out of her—along with her breath for a moment. The look on his face—this wasn't something he would say to just any member of the team. This wasn't even something he would say to just any close friend. He would only say this, in this way, to her specifically.

She shifted again, relaxing, capitulating, and accepting his care. "I know," she said, signing at the same time. "And I appreciate your concern." She hoped she was managing to infuse her expression and voice with the genuine appreciation she really did have for that concern. It was a frustrating situation, especially because she truly didn't believe Jonathan was dangerous, or at least not that he was a danger to her. But she also knew the things they all witnessed in this job, and Jack had witnessed far more than she ever had. She knew where he was coming from, and the fact that he wanted to go to such lengths to protect her, specifically, really did mean a lot to her.

He shrugged a little, as if to say that concern for her wasn't something he had any say in. She knew it wasn't. Not anymore than she had a say in her concern for him. She'd been so worried about whether Jack and Jessica would be getting back together, so aware that Jonathan seemed intent on flirting with her (was she entirely surrounded by people with J names?) that this conversation, this precious moment with the one for whom her heart so regularly longed, had taken her rather by surprise.

They stood for a moment, just gazing at one another, until Jack managed to shake himself out of the spell their eyes always managed to weave around each other and said, "I better go." Not that he wanted to. He'd better. She just knew the rest of that thought, even without him saying it. I better go before we do something we shouldn't.

So she automatically responded, "Yeah, me too." Yeah, she should also not allow something to happen that they shouldn't do. That's what she meant. But by accidentally responding to the thought, the actual words didn't make sense. "I mean, I'll stay," she corrected. "You go. I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded and, mutually, easily, they leaned toward each other for a quick goodnight kiss. As though it was the most natural thing. An old, ingrained habit. As though it was how they always bade one another goodnight.

As soon as they'd pulled back and seen one another's faces, they froze.

"I'm so sor—" Jack began.

"I didn't me—" Sue began at the same time.

They froze again. Gazed at each other's eyes again. Saw no true regret for the kiss, only worry about the other's reaction.

Neither were upset. They smiled tentatively.

Both wanted more.

They leaned back in for a slow, sweet, slightly deeper, and slightly longer kiss.

When they pulled back this time, it was with pleased smiles and sparkling eyes.

"I guess now isn't the time for this," Jack said ruefully, "but after this is all done . . . I think you and I should probably figure some stuff out."

Sue's smile grew. "Absolutely."

She walked Jack to the door, where he turned and both said and signed, "If you need anything, I'll just be on the other side of the wall."

She raised her eyebrows at him and he flushed slightly. "I mean—"

"It's very good to know," she responded, not giving him time to amend his statement into something strictly work-related. Instead, she stepped close, placing her hands on his chest as she gave him one more kiss.

"Good night."

"Good night."

He walked off to his room and she closed the door behind him, a dreamy, entirely enamored smile on her face.

Then she took 5 steps across her room and was accosted by Jonathan.

Jack had had a whirlwind of a couple weeks.

First the woman he'd been pining after for three years had another man flirting with her. Then the woman he'd once thought might be his One and Only came back into his life, trying to capture the man who'd been flirting with the woman he now loved but couldn't tell.

Then he and the woman from his past had seemed to be rekindling something of their old spark, but he was realizing that it was nothing compared to the flame he held for his current love.

Then his current love was in potential danger.

Then he and his love had kissed. Not for the first time, but for the first time without the excuse of being undercover.

Then his love had disappeared at the hands of the man who'd been flirting with her who he'd been told (by the woman of his past) was dangerous.

Then the woman of his past turned out to be the dangerous one.

And now he sat at his desk staring at nothing. There was no need to look at anything externally, his mind was full enough of things to examine.

Different place, different time, Jessica had lamented as they took her off to jail.

Different people than we were, Jack had responded sharply. Too many differences.

He and Jessica had been together for a while, back in the day. Had she changed so much, or had he never really known her? If he could be so wrong about her, what else could he be wrong about?

A knock interrupted his thoughts, followed by Bobby's voice as his best friend sat on the edge of Jack's desk. "Nickel for your thoughts? I know it used to be a penny, but, uh, what with the price of oil, shipping and handling, pain and suffering, everything's gone up."

Jack allowed a half-smile at his friend's jest, but couldn't manage more than that. "I was just thinking about life. How people turn out. A long time ago I thought there was a chance maybe Jessica could be 'the one.' Turns out we don't have all that much in common."

"Yeah," Bobby agreed. "Which, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't a bad thing, last time I looked."

Jack gave another half-smile along with a half-nod of acknowledgement. "I don't mean that I want there to be. I'm not sorry not to have another chance with her, I didn't really want one. It's just . . . if I could be wrong about her . . . if I could be so wrong about someone I thought I clicked with so well . . . what else might I be wrong about? Who else might I be wrong about?"

"Anybody in particular you're thinking of?"

He shrugged. "I just . . . really do think I've found her this time. 'The one.' I mean, Jessica was exciting and adventurous, fulfilling that one aspect of my life, but this time . . . this woman . . . she's . . . everything. She . . . she doesn't just fill in one aspect of me or enrich one part of my life. She completes me. I always thought that was a stupid expression, I thought it was just poetic nonsense or a thing people said but didn't really mean, but . . . she really does. Being wrong about Jessica is one thing, that just makes me feel stupid. But I don't think I could stand to be wrong about this one. I don't . . . I don't know what I would do."

"Whoa," Bobby said, nodding appreciatively. "I knew you had it bad but I didn't know you had it that bad."

Jack frowned up at him. "You don't even know who I'm talking about."

"Yeah," Bobby agreed sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "You're real subtle around her. Look, talk to the sheila after work and see what you two can work out because we've all seen her heart and I think there's a better chance of you being wrong about your own character than about hers, and if you've got it this bad for her—and again, correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you've had it about this bad for pretty near three years now—you have got to stop beating around the bush and do something about it."

Jack nodded, and this time a full and genuine smile graced his face. "Well . . . I sort of already did. But we do need to talk more and make sure we're on the same page with all of it, so . . . yeah, I do think that's what I'll be doing after work."

He glanced across the room just then, just in time to see the object of his affections and subject of his conversation turn quickly from looking at him and back to working on taking down the case board, a small smile playing on her lips.

At the end of work that day, Jack and Sue brought Jonathan to the train station where he was headed out for a cross-country trip to rediscover both his native country and himself. Sue said goodbye while Jack stood waiting by the car. Jonathan expressed his worries that he might never remember all of his past—and also his worries that he might remember, after all. Given some of the things he had done in the service of MI6, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"You will remember," Sue assured him. "And when you do just remember that God forgives."

"God," Jonathan responded thoughtfully. "Interesting concept."

She nodded. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then smirked at her as he whispered one more thing. She laughed and he headed off as she turned and headed back to the car, and Jack.

"Good send-off?" Jack asked, trying to sound casual.

"As good as such a thing can be," Sue replied. "He's still confused and hurting but I think this will be good for him."

"He, uh, must've said something especially funny right at the end there. Right after he kissed you," Jack responded, his attempts at being casual failing even more.

Sue laughed again. "Just a comment about my man."

"He . . . he called himself your man?"

"No," she responded emphatically. "We may not have known it at the time, but he was witness to our kisses in the hotel. He only said that my man over here," she responded, lightly backhanding Jack's arm, "looked extremely jealous of another man kissing my cheek."

Jack flushed. "I—I wasn't—"

"Hey," she responded, adjusting the collar of his leather jacket, "I like that you care so much, but you should know that there's only one man I'm interested in kissing."

"Oh really?" he asked with interest, slipping his arms around her waist. "And who's that?"

She leaned in to give him a quick peck before saying, "Somebody who still owes me an after-work conversation to make sure we're on the same page, if I remember correctly."

"I knew you were eavesdropping on me and Bobby earlier!"

"Hey, I happen to like watching you, it's hard not to notice what you're saying," she teased with a wink.

He pulled her into a deeper kiss, then said, "What do you say we go out to dinner and have a full and proper conversation about exactly where we both want this to go?"

"Sounds fabulous," she replied. "Although . . . takeout in at your place might be even better."

"Ooooh," he responded approvingly, then after one more kiss, opened her car door for her to climb in as they headed off to the first evening of the rest of their lives.

AN2: Okay, but seriously, somebody please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks they look like they're about to just lean in for a kiss goodnight at that part?