JAG LAWYERS

Chapter 11 - Surprises

Weeks after having slept together on vacation in San Antonio, Josh gets orders to the D.C. Area. Josh had packed up his gear, shipped his bike to his next duty station and then headed out by car to D.C. He had been one week in the area and was staying with Kate till he found a new home. He started house hunting and had found a house in the Georgetown area with the help of Kate. The location was convenient for the new assignment at Bethesda and for it's proximity to Kate's apartment. Kate and Josh had house-hunted together so they could find a ideal location for him not far from his new assignment and near to Kate's home. Kate had kept Josh's arrival secret from her team and was eventually planning to announce it to them, but Josh spoiled it for her. About the first week in his new Georgetown apartment, they had agreed to meet at a restaurant for a dinner date, but Josh surprised her by coming to her office.

They had just finished a team meeting discussing their current case which was to go to Court Martial. The team started to pack up after themselves and Kate was busy cleaning up their conference desk quickly so as to have time to meet Josh for their date.

As they clean up their meeting files, they hear….."Kate!"… seemingly coming from out of nowhere.

Upon hearing this declaration, the team turns toward the direction of the voice that spoke. And there, to the team's surprise, is one Josh Davidson, holding two motorcycle helmets.

"What are you doing here? I thought we were to meet at the restaurant?", a bewildered Kate says.

"I decided to surprise you, besides my bike came in from transport so I thought we would try her out for the first time in the D.C. area."

"Josh Davidson, this is a surprise", says one LCDR Rick Rodgers.

"Kate didn't tell you? I've been here for weeks and just moved to my new apartment in George Town. I'm at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda now part of the newly consolidated Military Medical Center that includes the Army's Walter Reed Hospital making for a joint service health facility treating all branches of the Armed Forces"

"You don't say. No Kate hasn't told us, but now she doesn't need to!"

"I was going to mention it, but never got around to it. I've been busy and it slipped my mind."

"Yeah, I'll bet you've been busy", say Rick with a little sarcasm in his response and a look that gives away his subtle implications about the two.

"Well welcome to the D.C. area Dr. Davidson", says now full lieutenant Jim Olson.

"Thank you Jim, and congrats, see you got a promotion. The two bars of full lieutenant look good on you."

"Thanks, CDR."

"Josh, we're not in formal company here Jim."

"Ok, so I repeat, welcome Josh to your new duty location."

"Glad to be here, but then we both have to run. We have just 25 minutes to make our dinner reservation", Josh says giving Kate a helmet.

"Thanks, let me get ready", Kate takes the helmet and goes to change into civilian attire in the women's locker room.

When she leaves, Rick speaks out, "So, you and Kate?"

"Me and Kate what?….oh she hasn't told you. We are into serious dating now."

"Last she spoke about the two of you, both of you were communicating long distance by phone", volunteers Jim Olson.

"Yeah, we were, but then we took leave together, meeting in San Antonio as middle ground. We both made a commitment then to get into more serious dating once I was in D.C."

There is a seeming long pause as the team absorbs this latest news about Kate. It is an awkward silence, but is broken just as Kate reappears. She is now dressed in black leather, pants and jacket, with a bare midriff pull-over blouse under the jacket. She is carrying the motorcycle helmet Josh had given her and looking stunning in her outfit. The bare midriff look has all three men gawking. None had ever seen her in this revealing style of dress. All three men attempt to hide their reaction, but it is Josh who speaks out first.

"Well, speaking about Kate. Here she is again! Ready to leave now Kate?"

"Yeah, I am. Where'd you park your Harley?"

"Out in the parking lot."

"Well, how about I meet you there, I just need to speak to Castle for a bit."

Once alone with Rick, she speaks, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about Josh."

"No, that fine. It's a private matter and you are allowed to see anyone you want. It's really none of my business."

"Except as team leader you need to know about Josh in case of an emergency."

"Oh, yeah, I get it. Yes, thanks for letting me know. Now get out of here don't keep the man waiting", Rick says trying to be neutral, but all the while struggling to hide his emotions.

As Kate leaves, Jim Olson is the first to speak.

"Did you know about this Rick?"

"I'm as surprised as you by it Jim."

Jim Olson see's the look in Castle's face and eyes. Not just a look of surprise, but one of disappointment.

"I had not known it had gotten that serious between the two", Rick continues.

"I got to say, I'm happy for Kate. This is just what she needs. She's all work and no play, but that should change now."

"Well, I guess I agree", Rick says in an uncertain tone of voice, but Jim can't help but notice the disappointment in Castle. It was a tell that confirmed to Jim the long standing suspicions he had on his two senior partners. Both had this unresolved sexual tension between them, but were holding off. Jim realized it was most likely so as to avoid claims of fraternization, but he knew that the two could keep it professional if it were to happen and no one would know the better. But it looked like it was not about to happen now, not after what they had just seen, with much surprise, when Josh had come to pickup Kate for a date.

What would this mean for the team dynamics? That was the question now that invaded Jim Olson's thoughts.

'This could be interesting', was Jim's conclusion to his thoughts.

Somehow, Jim felt a little apprehension on the drama that was about to unfold ahead of them. This could turn out to be rough sea's ahead. Still he was just as certain, despite, that their team could weather that possible storm!

All Ahead Full

After the abrupt and surprising revelation on Kate and Josh, things seemed to go back to a norm. Rick had come to accept this new status between the doctor and Kate, but he did so rather begrudgingly, which was startling to Rick. He had tried so hard to keep it professional between him and Kate and he thought he was doing well. That is until they learned of the new dynamic between the couple. So now, it became routine when Josh would call Kate often at lunch just to see how her day was going. On occasions Josh would picked her up for a date at JAG HQ and Kate had continued her leather look which always caught Rick's attention. On one such date, Kate came out wearing leather, but with a noticeable difference. Instead of leather pants, she had worn a leather miniskirt, with the same bare midriff style blouse under the leather jacket.

"God", thought Rick upon seeing her outfit, "how is she to ride the back of Josh's Harley without the skirt riding up and showing off too much of her?"

But as it turned out, Josh had used his reworked BMW 520i that day for their date. Rick could not help but fantasize Josh looking down at her legs as he drove seeing her with so much revealed. Then he realized that Kate was sending Josh a message as to where she wanted it to go that night after their date. Rick was so disturb by that thought that he had to force it out of his mind. It took much effort for him to do so!

The next morning Kate came in more cheerful than she usually is. Jim and Rick were at their conference table reviewing evidence for their current court martial when she walked in humming a tune with a very content look about her. She was glowing and that prompted a whispered response from Jim to Rick.

"Think she got some last night Rick?"

"I would not take a bet to the contrary, Jim", he replied facetiously trying to appear nonchalant but all the while feeling a pang in his heart.

It was hard for Rick to see her so happy about a man when he wanted to be that man. Rick had to rationalize that he was happy for her, as Jim had pointed out, Kate had been all work and no fun until the arrival of Josh. But subconsciously Rick had wanted to be the man who made her fun and happy. He had done just that often, but never in a personal romantic way. He did this for Kate when a case was not going the team's way and he had to brighten spirits to keep the team motivate, especially Kate, if it was her who was down in spirit. Still, Rick wanted to be there for her, not just job related, but personally.

Rick realized her mood was due to her being with Josh on their date, and as much as he tried to remain unaffected, he was jealous. Still, as her friend,Rick had to be supportive of Kate's new relationship and not do anything to sour it for her.

The fact that Josh and Kate were assigned to different military commands made it easier for them to dispel any fraternization claims about them. That would not have been the case if Kate and Rick got together. Since they worked together, that issue was more significant for them. Still Rick realized that with a cooperative Kate, they could keep the relationship hidden. Both could keep their behavior at work always professional. There would be no hint on their part as to their personal relationship outside of the work environment.

Rick and Kate had fought hard to avoid such a situation and that just flamed their hidden desires for one another. Both had denied the situation for so long now. But things were about to change as in reality things were bubbling under the surface for Josh and Kate. After some time together, Josh started to realize their carnal moments together were done often with Kate holding something back. He could not find any behavior on Kate's part to confirm this doubt he was having. They were good in bed and the sex was fantastic, so Josh did not push it since he did not want to know the truth…he feared losing Kate.

Kate also had doubts about Josh, but like Josh, they had such a great sex life, she did not want to ruin that, but she was not realizing what they had was just physical. She was denying that thought until one night when they were having a session. Josh had brought her close to climaxing, when Rick entered her thoughts. She had a flashback of her one intimate night with Rick. That night had been so awesome, so fantastic, the best she had ever had, despite her being now with Josh carnally.

As Josh brought her over the top, she had to bite her tongue to stop from calling out Rick's name instead of Josh's. Kate simply let out a moan so laden with desire it could bring any man to arousal. But Josh, so used to hearing her gasping out his name as she came, noticed the absence of his name from her usual reaction. It was his first noticeable hint that Kate was holding back on him.

Still, in the end, their session had them both fully sated and exhausted from their intimate union. So for a moment, their doubts had both been ignored by the mind blowing sex they just had just, but as they both recovered, those nagging doubts remained as they fell into a deep recovery sleep.

Both woke up the next morning in a bad humor which resulted in them getting dress for work in silence. Both were avoiding their feelings from the night before or talking about it. Then they had a forced good bye kiss as they departed for work. When she got to work that morning, Jim Olson noticed her somewhat subdued mood. It was a surprise to him as he had known she had a date with Josh that previous night. She always arrived after those dates in bright spirits. This morning was an exception and Jim wondered if the relationship had hit a rough patch. This was certainly a first since they had learned about Kate's now more serious hookup with Josh.

Rick arrives and notices the same mood in Kate.

"Anything I should know about?", Rick asks Jim Olson.

"Don't know, could be trouble in paradise."

"Well, I hope it gets better for Kate's sake."

"It's just probably their first fight, all couples have them, but the makeup sex is so good afterwards."

"Really, well as a happily married man, you would know more about it than me!", responds Rick with a hint of bemusement in his voice.

"I doubt that commander", replies Jim and they both laugh.

For Rick, he makes a mental note of this event to ponder about it at a later time.