AN: I would apologize for the terrible pun in the second paragraph, but I'm not sorry at all. I laughed way too hard when it came to my brain. :P
Despite some initial confusion about Tara not being one of the people who showed up, Brad Lemmons turned out to be fairly helpful in figuring out where Arif Dessa most likely was by then . . . but unfortunately, this information was not very helpful in that the location was basically the entire Atlantic Ocean.
"Well," Sue quipped as they headed back to the Hoover Building, "maybe Betty has some more information. After all, when life gives you . . . Mr. Lemmons . . . make lemonade?" Jack groaned and sue laughed heartily.
Sue did, indeed, try to garner more information from Betty, but unfortunately, as she pointed out again, that had never been part of her life with him. Instead it became something of an impromptu counseling session as Betty continued working through the turmoil of her life being turned inside out and upside down.
"I've done a lot of thinking in the past few days and . . . I know in my heart that you're right about him. I've come to accept that I'm never going to see him again."
She looked so dejected sitting there in the Bureau's law library with Sue, her elbow on the table with her hand propping her head up as though she might collapse entirely if she moved her hand. It was such a far cry from the joyful, exuberant neighbor Sue had met just five days ago. The change broke Sue's heart.
"You think you know exactly what your life is," Betty said, with a bit more energy though of course no more happiness. Frankly, more happiness at this moment would be odd. "And then you wake up one morning in the middle of a nightmare. How could I have been so stupid? I just keep asking myself, 'How could I have been so totally taken in by him?'"
Sue reached over to lay a hand on Betty's arm, wanting to offer whatever meager comfort she could. "Don't blame yourself," she said. "He's very good at what he does."
This seemed to be small comfort, and Sue suspected that wherever Betty ended up after this, she would need years of professional counseling before she would truly be okay again. If she could ever truly be okay again.
Thankfully, just then, Lucy poked her head in and made eye contact with Sue, who nodded. This was the perfect moment for the only thing that would probably bring Betty at least some comfort, more than Sue herself could give.
"Uh, I hope you don't mind," Sue said to Betty, "but we brought someone in to see you."
Lucy walked into the room with a leash in her hand and four furry legs trotting after her.
"Lilly!" Betty cried out happily. Lilly jumped up and the two greeted one another enthusiastically. "Oh, sweetheart, how's my beautiful girl?" Betty cooed. "Oh, thank you so much for bringing her. You have no idea how much this means to me."
Sue smiled. "I think I do."
Levi was also happy to see Lilly, and the two dogs greeted one another after she and her owner were done. Betty smiled down at them, then said to Sue, "Do you ever wish sometimes you just had their life?"
After watching the dogs for another few moments, smiling, Lucy said, "I'm sorry, I have to get back to my desk, will you two be okay with the dogs in here?"
"Yes, of course," Sue said. Lucy retreated, closing the door behind her, as Sue and Betty continued to watch the dogs and chat occasionally.
After several minutes, Betty said, "Sue . . . I know you were, uh . . . undercover . . . living next to us. I know you and Jack aren't actually married. But, um . . . are you . . . are you two really in a relationship?"
Sue's eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth to respond, twice, closing it both times.
"I'm sorry, that's probably none of my business," Betty backtracked, trying to brush it off.
"No, it's okay," Sue said quickly. "I, uh, I've really come to consider you a friend and friends talk about things like this, it's just . . . I'm not entirely sure how to answer. Um . . . there are rules . . . agents on the same team aren't supposed to date . . . but there's been . . . um, there's been an . . . attraction . . . between us . . . um, pretty much since we met. And living in the house together . . . we didn't cross any lines or anything . . . exactly . . . but some things got a little blurry, and . . . we've agreed to focus on finishing this case for now and talk about it after?"
Betty smiled. "I knew it. You two made such a great couple, and the way I still see you interact here too . . . I knew there had to be something." She paused another moment, then asked, "Do you mind if I . . . pry where I shouldn't, just one more time?"
Sue drew a deep breath. "Um, okay. Sure."
"Do you love him?"
Sue raised her eyebrows. Betty quirked a corner of her mouth and said, "I'm sorry, it's kind of impertinent of me to ask, but . . . I guess I just want some confirmation that love really does still exist somewhere."
Sue immediately sought to reassure her newest friend. "It does still exist, Betty. All around. Everywhere you go, you'll see the love between a parent and a child, the love of friends, the love shown even in the kindness between strangers. More than that, God still loves you, no matter how badly a person has treated you. You still have friends who loves you and Lilly who loves you. I've come to treasure this friendship for however long we can have it. And . . . ." She inhaled deeply once again, gathering her courage. "To answer your question, yes. I do love him. Very much. And . . . he hasn't said it in words yet, but . . . he's hinted at it quite a bit, and I'm pretty sure he loves me too."
Betty smiled sadly. "Hold onto that, Sue. As hard as you can, for as long as you can."