"Hi," Root said, somewhat shakily, as if she too were struggling to breathe. "Um...surprise?" She laughed quietly, her hand twisting on the handle of her suitcase. "Thought I'd...drop by, see your new place. You know, make sure you settled in okay." She went for casual but fell well short of it, her next chuckle sounding even more breathless.

Shaw was speechless, frozen in place by the sight of her. Root bit her lip, anxious and hesitant, and then more words began pouring out. "I realize I probably should have called first. Admittedly, this was a bit spontaneous, even for me. I'm...sorry I haven't. Called. Or texted. Or anything," she added on a whisper. She cleared her throat. "I, um...I just...missed you." Her eyes rose from where they'd fallen to stare at Shaw's feet. Shaw had never seen her so uncertain, so uncomfortable. "Sam," she whispered.

Shaw thought about answering her, but words were still escaping her. And fuck, she hated talking. So instead, she wrapped one arm around Root's waist and tugged her into her body. It was easy to swallow her mouth in a hungry kiss, a move so familiar, that even as Root squealed in surprise, she was tilting her head to accept her. In an instant, it all melted away. The whole world, all of the stress she'd been carrying, worrying about what she'd given up to come here. For a moment, it was perfect again, like she was right where she should be. Shaw's tongue slipped smoothly into Root's mouth, the way it had done a million times before. It was as if they'd been doing this yesterday.

But they hadn't. And Shaw couldn't get enough. She dragged Root inside, her suitcase with her, and slammed the door. She easily picked her up, prompting Root to wrap her legs around her waist. The weight of her both excited and calmed Shaw. She felt so fucking good. The way Root moaned into her mouth told her she felt the same, had missed her just as much.

Shaw carried her over to the couch, to that damn couch she still hadn't gotten rid of, and laid her down, covering her body with her own. Root clutched at her, keeping her close. She moaned again, shoving her tongue into Shaw's mouth. Shaw pressed down into her, caging her arms around Root's head as she devoured her.

Even as the hunger that only Root could inspire rose in her, she felt relaxed in a way she hadn't in months. Ever since getting her damn acceptance into this program. But in this moment, she wasn't thinking about any of that. All she knew was how right this felt. She didn't feel the need to rush it, though she wanted all of Root with a desperate fervor. If she didn't need air, she simply wouldn't stop kissing her. Since she didn't know a way around that, she had every intention of milking this until she just couldn't anymore.

Root got impatient first. She tugged at Shaw's shirt, forcing their kiss to break so she could remove it. Shaw allowed her to, reaching behind her to unclasp her bra in the same motion. Root's hands immediately went for her breasts, squeezing roughly. "Oh, I've missed these."

Shaw didn't have enough air in her lungs to laugh, but her shoulders shook anyway. Root's mouth was working its way down her chin to her neck, her hands still kneading her breasts. Shaw sighed and let her go for it, loving having her mouth on her skin too much to direct in her any particular way just yet. She was content to give Root whatever she wanted.

Root's hips shifted under her, seeking friction, so Shaw slipped one leg between hers to give her the pressure she needed. Root moaned, biting down on her shoulder, arching to get closer. Heat flooded Shaw, turning her bones to jelly. She tugged Root back up to kiss her again, thrusting into her to draw more noises from her. Root finally gave up her grasp on Shaw's breasts to go to her hips, then her ass, using that grip to force Shaw into her even harder.

Despite the frenzy between them, they continued making out and dry humping for several minutes. Shaw had really fucking missed this feeling she got with Root, this intensity that came with her touch, and she wanted to savor it. They'd still barely spoken. Shaw didn't know why Root was here, or for how long she was staying. She didn't care, not yet. She just wanted to make the most of whatever it was.

In hindsight, it wasn't the best way to get over someone. Whatever hold Root had on Shaw, she wasn't going to shake it by entertaining spontaneous visits whenever Root felt like it. Did she want to get over her? She should, but she hadn't seriously contemplated it, not in those terms. She'd mostly just tried not to think of Root at all. She certainly didn't care to delve into it right now. Perhaps if Root had asked before coming, if Shaw had had to think about it, had time to consider, she wouldn't have welcomed her. But Root had never asked before doing anything, and now she was here and Shaw didn't want to think at all.

Root's hands tugged at Shaw's hair, sending sparks shooting from her scalp down every nerve ending. Shaw tilted her head to nip gently at Root's lips, but then bit more firmly when Root tugged harder. Fuck it if she didn't love when Root got like this.

Shaw had just undone Root's jeans when Root flipped the script. Or more accurately, flipped her. She tossed Shaw onto her back, reversing their positions, and then before Shaw could react, she was yanking Shaw's boyshorts off. She thought about challenging her sudden claim on the control, but then Root spread her thighs and licked the length of her. She moaned wantonly into Shaw's pussy. Root's fingernails scraped against her thighs, and then she was flipping her again, pressing Shaw's face into the couch and raising her ass. She licked her again, more firmly this time, pausing at her asshole to tease her for a moment. Shaw swore into the cushions. Fuck, if this was what she wanted, Shaw was happy to let her. Quite frankly, she needed it too much to argue.

Root moaned in agreement, pushing Shaw's thighs wide. "Your taste, my god, babe." She hissed the words so close to Shaw's skin that she could feel the little tufts of air from her mouth. "Best thing," she mumbled, leaving it at half a sentence to delve back into Shaw instead. She lifted her hips to give her better access, prompting Root to pull her ass higher up in the air, exposing herself. Root mumbled something else that sounded kind of like swearing before eating Shaw out like she was her last meal.

Shaw was torn to pieces. Root had her writhing in no time, her neck at an odd angle from the way she pushed herself into Root's mouth and her thighs trembling from the strain of holding herself up, and nothing had ever felt better.

"Come for me," Root whispered, pulling her mouth away only to slide two fingers into Shaw. She was already on the edge, teetering right there. The push of Root's fingers was all she needed. But the plea was a bonus.

Root moaned as she drank up the liquid seeping from Shaw's body, her fingers keeping a steady rhythm inside her the whole time she was coming. As her shuddering slowed, Root lowered her back to the couch. But her fingers stayed inside her, allowing Shaw to savor that fullness, and even better, Root spread out over top of her, trailing kisses up her spine. The delicious weight of her was only marred by her still-clothed body. Shaw wanted skin. Fuck, she'd missed the feeling of Root's naked body sliding over hers. She'd known she was missing it – missing Root - even she wasn't that oblivious, but it hadn't really hit until now. How accustomed to her she had become. Addicted, even. They hadn't continued sleeping together for eight years out of convenience. They'd kept doing it because it was perfect. Their chemistry had only grown over time, their compatibility was undeniable, and their friendship had become rock solid. She was one of the only real things – real relationships - in Shaw's life.

Root was one of only two - maybe three - people Shaw had ever been able to genuinely care for.

And she'd let it end. Too chickenshit to ask Root to come with her. These last few weeks of misery were all her fault. She knew that now. With the rightness of this, of Root's touch, her kisses, her very presence, Shaw knew.

"Where did you go?" Root whispered softly into her ear.

"The stratosphere, I think," Shaw teased.

Root chuckled, but she didn't drop it. "Mm, felt like I lost you for a moment."

"Just a moment. But your tongue has always done that to me." Shaw could feel Root's ego swell, but she let it. Better that than her overly serious thoughts. "But now I'm thinking there are still way too many clothes going on for how good I feel."

Root was happy to take the suggestion. She immediately started stripping. Shaw lamented the loss of her body, but she didn't stop her. She really did want her naked, and she intended to have her naked and writhing under her, here in a moment. She shed her underwear while Root was busy, barely hanging on to her body where Root had left them as soon as she had access to what she wanted. In seconds, they were both finally, fully naked.

It was already too long. Shaw pulled Root back into her arms, catching her mouth in a kiss. Root giggled happily, arranging her legs so she straddled her lap. They kissed for long moments again, a brief interlude. When Shaw's need got the better of her, she rose to her feet, keeping Root wrapped around her. Root eagerly entangled her legs behind her back, one arm looped around her neck and the other against the back of her head, hand buried in Shaw's still-damp hair. Shaw clutched her ass as she walked them to her bed, blessedly only a couple of feet away.

As soon as Root was on her back, her hands shifted to Shaw's hips, trying to angle her the way she wanted. Shaw grinned into her mouth, guessing what she sought. Root whimpered when their clits bumped, her hips arching up. Shaw pushed back, pinning her to the mattress. She broke their kiss only so she could get the right leverage. With her face buried in Root's neck, her thighs spread and holding Root's open, and her hands fisted in the foam mattress topper Root had gotten her, she rolled her hips into Root in a furious rhythm. It was so easy, so familiar to fall into. Root's gasps were music in her ears, the movements of her body so in sync with Shaw as she drove her to an orgasm.

And when she fell, Shaw immediately stopped, her pelvis pausing on an upward swing that caught Root's clit just right, pulling it out of its hood and upward. She pinned it there, taut as she came, knowing the pressure would keep Root high for precious seconds as she drowned in pleasure. Root loved that sensation, the near-pain from the angle forced on her sensitive bundle of nerves by Shaw's well-timed thrust. Shaw only released her after she'd peaked. Normally, she'd follow that with her mouth, soft on Root's clit, helping her come down in the best way possible.

But Shaw didn't want her to come down. She was ravenous for her, aching for all of the missed intimacy of the last few weeks. So instead, she rose to her knees, spread Root's thighs even wider, and held her there with her knees over Root's ankles. She slipped two fingers inside Root easily, her opening relaxed from her orgasm and slick from both their juices. Root moaned weakly, but didn't protest. When Shaw lined their bodies up again, to use her hips to drive harder into Root, then she protested. Quietly, and only briefly, because it didn't take Shaw long to have her screaming. Root was helpless under her, too sensitive from the orgasm she'd only just ridden out to resist a second. Shaw didn't care if she was sensitive; she needed more. Craved it. It was her next breath of air.

Root was mush when Shaw dropped to her stomach between her legs and gently cleaned up their mess. Despite the soft, slow movements of her tongue, Root still shuddered and cried out from her touch. It didn't stop her. She let Root tug on her hair, trying to get a break, but only because she wanted that shot of pain. It added to her growing arousal, her need to have Root inside her again. It had already been too long since the couch, since Root had rested on top of her, leaving Shaw content and perfectly full. But she couldn't give up her pussy just yet. So she resisted Root's rough grip, her insistence adding a deeper element of pain than if she'd give in, and buried her tongue inside Root. She grunted above her, her thighs shaking around Shaw's head. They closed involuntarily, as if that would protect her, but Shaw just grinned against her. She wanted to be closed in, right here, right now. As it always was in these moments, she never wanted to leave. Never wanted to do anything else. Not for the first time over the years, she wondered how anyone ever got anything done if they were having sex this good. Shaw had missed both school and work for this in the past. Many times.

It didn't take long for Root's quiet pleas and soft moans to morph into pleasure. Her hips pushed into Shaw's face, not away, and the hands in her hair were encouragement. Her clit swelled against Shaw's tongue, begging for it the way the voice above her now was. A demand Shaw couldn't very well ignore, now could she? Root caved under the pressure of a third orgasm, before Shaw finally conceded, leaving the allure of her pussy. For now.

Root was shaking from fatigue and the lingering aftershocks, but it didn't stop her from returning the favor. By the time Shaw cried out in an orgasm of her own, her sheets had been pulled from the mattress on two corners, all of the pillows were on the floor, and they were forced to collapse how they were, unable to move from each other or even to breathe properly.

It was quite some time later when Shaw's stomach reminded her why she'd opened the door in the first place. She was just drifting off, too tired to notice her hunger until her body cried out. Root giggled against her ribs, her barely-there laugh hinting at how close she'd been to sleep, too.

Shaw groaned. "You distracted me. I haven't eaten in like, ten hours."

"Poor baby. You must be starving."

"I am," she moaned. "But now I'm too tired to go get it."

Root shifted off her anyway. "You need to eat."

"Too hard," she protested, one arm over her eyes. Root just chuckled again.

But she really couldn't ignore it. And though getting up felt like the most monumental feat anyone had ever done, Shaw knew she wouldn't sleep now. So she forced herself to sit up. And then plant her feet on the floor. One step at a time. Too tired to redress, she took the sheet from the end of the bed, barely clinging on to life after their vigorous activities, and wrapped it around her.

Honestly, she was surprised the food was sitting there when she opened the door. New York was vicious, and food didn't last long unattended. Too many people without enough food in their bellies who would snatch even the shitty takeout. For them, it might be the most gourmet thing they'd get all week. But at three in the morning, even this city is pretty quiet. So Shaw bent carefully, ignoring her fatigued muscles, and picked up the soggy bag.

"I have to be honest," Root noted casually, ignoring Shaw's muttered 'when are you not', "that doesn't look appetizing."

"It isn't. But only one place delivers to this area in the middle of the night. Also, it's now cold. But I don't have any other food in this apartment."

"Anything?"

"Might be some Pop-Tarts..." Shaw trailed off, unsure and too busy trailing her eyes over Root's naked body to care.

When Root looked like she might comment on that, Shaw snapped defensively, "I work like, twelve-hour shifts, sometimes more. I'm not starving myself, I'm just busy."

"I know, Sam," she said softly. She'd put the pillows back on the bed, stacking them to lean against. Shaw eyed her hungrily, wanting her more than the cold grease blob in the bag. "I remember what your job is like."

Shaw doesn't answer that. The inadvertent admission that she doesn't eat well without Root around makes her uncomfortable, even if she does have good reason for it. But then Root spreads her legs and gestures her closer. Shaw forgets all about her discomfort. She scoots between Root's thighs, letting Root pull her back against her chest. Root's fingers gently detangle her thick hair, now dried in a tangled mess from the same hands trying to fix it.

It's kind of soothing, in an unexpected way, the careful work of her fingers, pausing to massage Shaw's scalp, a simple repetitive motion that made her eyes droop as she ate. Sure enough, the food was even worse cold, but she kind of didn't care right now. When her hair had reached a semblance of normalcy, Root's hands fell to her neck, rubbing firmly. Shaw sighed inwardly, melting into her. She'd never admit it, but she'd missed more than just the sex. Or Root's cooking. No, she'd missed all of it, even the little ways Root found to take care of her, despite her protests. There was something comforting in it, in having someone to come home to who just met every need perfectly, demanded little in return, and only triggered her temper when she was trying to. She'd taken it for granted.

Shaw didn't remember falling asleep. She remembered the congealed food-like substance, Root's familiar touch, and possibly a very short, unimportant conversation, but that was it. It was only upon waking that she knew she'd been asleep. For hours, judging by how in the sky the sun was. She groaned, rolling onto her back. Not enough hours. But there was a delicious smell filling her apartment that was rapidly waking her up and replacing her annoyance. And then there was a warm body over her, straddling her hips.

"Good morning."

"What is that smell?" Shaw's hands automatically found Root's thighs, even as her eyes refused to open.

"Maple bacon pancakes," Root answered.

"Mm, yeah," Shaw sighed. Root giggled. "Wait, where did you get...any of that?" Her eyes finally opened, finding Root's smiling face.

"The store, Sam. Where one goes to buy food? You used to know how to do this."

She groaned. "I know how to buy food, Root. I just...haven't."

"Well, you were out cold, so I went out to get us breakfast."

"I didn't make you come hard enough if you weren't out cold, too."

Root laughs again. "Oh no, don't you worry, I came plenty. Including that one random sixty-nine around dawn?" It's coming back to her now. "But now I'm the one who hasn't eaten in about ten hours, and that got to me more than the need for sleep."

"I have a shift this evening."

"Plenty of time."

"For what?"

"Pancakes, obviously. Oh, and more orgasms."

Shaw laughed this time, pulling Root down to her. "I can probably find the energy for that." They kissed slowly, languidly. Last night had been too frenzied for her to notice it, but Root seemed to be savoring this, too. As if she'd missed it just as much. Shaw had assumed it was why she was here, she just didn't care enough to ask. There wasn't time for talking. Root could leave at any time, and already Shaw had been without this for too long.

They separated eventually to eat, a meal Shaw happily devoured. It was the best thing she'd had since moving to New York, and only partly because she'd burned a thousand calories last night. She ate twice as much as Root, not leaving a crumb behind. With their stomachs full, they both promptly fell back asleep. This nap was more restful than the last, with no interruptions, allowing them to wake up fully recharged.

They barely spoke in the remaining hour before Shaw had to leave. It was spent in a variety of ways that required little communication, each of them too focused on making up for time. Root was still naked in bed when Shaw got dressed, which she took as a sign she was staying. But just to be sure, she asked anyway, "I'll see you later?" Root nodded sleepily. "Okay." Shaw hated leaving her, but she might be late as it was, and she really had no reason to linger. She crawled back on the bed for a kiss anyway, wanting Root's tongue in her mouth more than she wanted to be to work on time.

Eventually, she pried herself away. She was definitely late, but since it was only by a few minutes, no one said anything, even though she was usually early and always stayed late. It was harder than it should have been to get herself into the mindset of work. She couldn't stop thinking about Root. What if she didn't stay? She said she would, and Shaw believed her, but at the same time, she was swamped with this intense need to go back to the apartment and check. They needed to talk about this, she knew they did. Surprise visits weren't a bad thing, but they also weren't... Well, Shaw didn't know what they were or weren't. She and Root had kind of fallen into a relationship, first as a friendship and then more, but only because they lived together. Would they have happened otherwise? Shaw couldn't know. But she hadn't asked Root to come with her, Root hadn't asked, and now they were apart. Where did this leave them?

Shaw felt a lot like a 'what are we' talk was coming, and it made her feel sick. She and Root worked because they just did. They didn't have to talk about this stuff. They didn't use labels, they didn't make promises to each other. They just were. Now they weren't, and Shaw missed her, and she didn't know what to do with that. It was a hell of a lot of chaos inside her, emotions she wasn't used to feeling that were suddenly screaming for attention. She spent all day in a haze, unable to break through the white noise inside her to engage with her coworkers or her patients. It showed, and she got reprimanded more than once.

That sickness inside her only abated for other thoughts. Still of Root, of course, but of much more pleasant, Root-related things. Whatever came next, last night had been undeniably divine. She hadn't even known how badly she needed it until Root was in her arms. She hated needing her, but there it was. She could ignore it when Root was gone, but not with her here. In her bed. Inside her. It was the only time anything made sense, and Shaw didn't want to give it up.

Maybe it would be easier to think clearly again when Root had left, but just the suggestion made her feel sick in a different way. She was swamped again with the urge to go home and make sure Root wasn't leaving. It took her several minutes to quell the need. No, she couldn't run home to check on her. How irrational. She hated being irrational. It wasn't like her, and it didn't feel good. How did normal people function like this?

It didn't matter how it made her feel; they would be talking when she got home. Because Shaw couldn't do this turmoil. She couldn't work like this. And she wasn't interested in spending the rest of her life wondering when Root might show up again. She didn't know if that meant laying some ground rules down, making some sort of visiting schedule, or what else might need to be done, but she had to find out, for her own sanity.

Shaw managed to get through the day without losing her job or hurting anyone, but it was clear that no one would mind seeing her go. For once, she wanted to leave. In fact, she was so eager to go that she didn't even change out of her scrubs. And she walked the whole way home, even though she burned to see Root again as soon as possible, because she needed the outlet for all her anxiety.

When she stepped inside, the apartment was quiet. And empty. But Root's suitcase was next to the bed, so Shaw's heart only skipped one beat. "Root?"

The bathroom door opened. "Oh, hey, I didn't even hear you come in." She had showered and dressed, looking presentable for the first time since she'd arrived. Shaw just wanted to take it all back off her, but she resisted. "I ordered dinner, it should be here any minute."

Shaw toed her shoes off, teasing, "No cooking tonight?"

Root scowled. "For one, you really did exhaust me," Shaw grinned wider, "and for two, Sam, I can't find a damn thing!" She gestured at a stack of boxes. "How are you living like this?"

Shaw scratched at her head, glancing around. "Um...I'm not...here much?"

"Yes, yes, so busy." Root waved her hand. "Well, takeout it is, because I can't cook in here, and I'm tired, and also-"

"Root," she interrupted. "Takeout is fine. I've survived on it for much of my adult life."

She sagged against the door frame. "I know. Really don't know how you fuel these long shifts and graveyard hours and intense surgeries like that."

Before Shaw could answer, the bell rang. "Oh, that'll be dinner!" Root exclaimed, distracted from worrying about Shaw's well-being. Thank goodness.

Shaw leaned against the counter to inspect what Root had chosen, and she was only aware of the position it put her in when Root practically bent backward to get a better look at her ass. "Root!"

"What?" She didn't even bother to look away.

"Food?"

"Mhm," Root murmured distractedly.

Shaw rolled her eyes. "Whatever." It was only seconds later that there were hands. "Root!"

"God, I forgot how good your ass looks in scrubs," she muttered huskily.

Shaw snorted. "You are the only person I know who thinks that."

Root's hands went from fondling to kneading. "Maybe it's just your ass. But still." Shaw felt her move closer. "Can I have it?"

"My ass?" She was only half-teasing.

Root was fully serious when she hissed, "Yes," into Shaw's ear.

Shaw could practically feel the lust radiating off her. It ignited her, like one candle flame to another. After all these years...

"Now?"

Root bit down on her earlobe. "Please?"

Shaw pretended to think about it. Then she shrugged. "Okay." The food was too hot to eat just yet anyway.

Root eagerly ushered her over to the bed. Shaw knew exactly what she wanted. She positioned herself flat on her stomach, arms above her head. Root moaned, running her hands over Shaw. "So sexy. Fuck, I don't know what it is, but you in scrubs?" She hisses. "Really does something to me, Sameen."

Root's hands wandered a bit more, pinching and kneading and groping. Finally, she found the waistband of said scrubs and pulled. She only bothered to get them to Shaw's knees. It was all she needed. Shaw heard a zipper from behind her, and then Root climbed over her. Her bare pussy met Shaw's ass, drawing a sigh from Root. "Oh," she murmured, rolling her hips once, twice. Shaw felt her wetness spread over her ass cheeks.

This was Root's thing, not hers. Only one of them got off on this. But the amount of enjoyment Root got from it made Shaw keep giving it to her. And truthfully, she kind of liked it in her own way. The way Root would just grind against her until she came, using her ass like an inanimate toy. Her easy orgasms, brought on by how worked up she got. Shaw liked the needy gasps in her ear as Root got closer. The bruises she left behind.

It didn't take Root long to get going, her hands braced on Shaw's shoulder blades, her hips working overtime to get the maximum stimulation out of Shaw's body. She was glad she kept in shape. Root would be obsessed with her ass no matter what, she was sure of it, but years of workouts, sports, and martial arts had left her with a firm, sculpted shape that worked out rather well for what Root wanted. This, pressing Shaw into the bed and thrusting against her until she came, eyes glued to her ass, now wet with Root's arousal, it never failed to send her spiraling.

This time was no different. Root was gone in less than ten minutes, bent over Shaw as she shuddered with aftershocks. She pressed her chest to Shaw's back, sighing happily. She left a kiss on the back of Shaw's neck, then another. "God, I really needed that." She chuckled quietly. "Thanks, gorgeous."

"Happy to help."

And like nothing happened, they pulled their pants up and went back to the food, now cooled enough to eat. It wasn't until after food, a shower, and further destruction of Shaw's bed that they had their first real conversation.

"How long are you here?" It was almost painful to ask, as if putting the words out there was the thing that would put a timeline on Root's visit. But Shaw eventually forced them out anyway.

Root shrugged casually. "Didn't plan it, to be honest. So I guess it's up to you?"

"Why don't you just stay?"

In hindsight, this was inevitable. Shaw wanted her to stay, didn't know how to ask, and then Root said...that.

But in the moment, she kind of panicked.

Root just stared at her, as if she was also in shock. "Like...move in with you again?"

Shaw wanted to answer her, she really, really did, but words refused to come. She'd gotten this far, and now her verbal meter was apparently on empty.

After a couple minutes of this staredown, Root moved closer to her. "I need you to be really clear with me what you want. Because we've failed to do that up until now. And now we're not together, and the truth is, I hate it." Shaw's heart beat faster, but her mind was still a useless blank. "I miss you, Sameen. Watching you pack up for New York was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but harder was when you left without asking me to come with you. So if there is any chance that you wanted that and failed to mention it, now would be a great time to tell me. Because I sold the house, put all my shit in storage, came here, and now..."

"You sold the house?"

Root laughed humorlessly. "That's what you got out of that?"

Shaw was still at a loss for words, except where it apparently concerned the trivial things about this conversation.

"Yeah, I sold the house. I don't care about the stupid house, Shaw. I never did. I moved in to get to know you. And without you there, it was just a place. Too much space, too many memories, and quite frankly, I was never fond of Chicago."

"What now?" Shaw's voice was nearly a whisper.

"Like I said, that's up to you." Root raised her eyebrows challengingly. "I'm here, I've told you I want to be here. So was that you asking me to move in or not?"

"You sold the house, showed up here without warning, you're telling me you miss me and wanted me to ask you...why the fuck didn't you just come with me?"

A moment of tense silence, and then Root was laughing. She laughed so hard tears streaked down her face. All while Shaw stared at her in confusion.

When she had some semblance of control again, she finally ventured, "Probably for the same reason you didn't ask."

"Oh." Shaw looked at the floor.

"Yeah, oh." Another moment passed. "Obviously, we're both really bad at this. You didn't feel you could or should ask me to come to New York, and I didn't feel like I could put it out there if you didn't. This is where it got us. Now that we know that...can we please go back to the way things were?"

Shaw felt her head to start to bob. She felt like a moron, sitting there repeating what Root said, saying little in return, and now bobbing like a fish. But finally that bob became a confident nod, and with it, a firm, "Yes."

Root crawled into her lap, kissing her with a suddenness that only took Shaw a little bit by surprise. That went on for several minutes before Root broke away to say, "One more thing."

"What?" Shaw nearly hissed.

"Can we please get a bigger place?"

Shaw laughed and answered her with another kiss.