"You wont sleep on the floor, Ill take the couch", Joss stated when he reentered her apartment.
John raised an eyebrow. "You think its good idea for your concussion to fall off the couch tonight?", he asked.

"Well, maybe a second smack will help my memory return."

"Not going to happen. Youll take the bed", he insisted in a tone that left no room for objection.
Watching her roll her eyes, she took a moment.

"Okay, different idea", she started kneading her hands nervously. "How about you taking the left side of the bed and Ill take the right one?", her glance fell onto the bedroom. "I mean, were adults and should be able to act as such, shouldnt we? That way no one would need to sleep in uncomfortable places at least", she shifted her focus back on him.

Noticing how she referred to them as two adults of a couple, John hesitated. As much as he wished to be close to her, it wasnt his intention to put any more pressure to the situation.

"Are you sure?", he asked in a calm tone.

A short but this time helpless smile slid across her face.

"Im not sure of anything right now, so I try the next best thing and act on logic instead."

Now it was John who couldnt hide a smirk.

"What?", she asked.

"I always liked youre rationality."

A sudden surprise in her eyes made her pause for a moment before she shrugged shoulders.

"Alright, so, problem solved."

For the first time in a long time John didnt know what to feel. After Joss handed him a toothbrush and towels, he had changed into a simple white shirt to black Jeans. Because they mostly were at his place, he only slept at here once when she had a rough time a few days ago. Armed with a pot of ice cream he had made his way to her apartment after a Teenager at the age of her son got shot right in front of her.

"Ice cream wont make the awful situation undone but its delicious", he handed her over the pot.

"I think I wont ever get used to it", she concluded after a while.

"Id be more worried if you do."

Frowning questioningly, she had taken another spoon of ice cream.

"You know, Im a Detective since years and started working for the police right after finishing school. Im okay with the bad guys firing at me but a Teenager? This boy was basically still a kid."
Pausing for a moment she continued: How do you do that? How do you deal with the certainty that you cant rescue everybody?", she eventually asked.

"Ill accept it as a part of what Im doing. Its a difference to getting used to it."

After thinking about his words, she nodded. "Seems like its something I still need to work on."

"Its always worse when its about kids though. Their innocence shouldnt get them in terrible situations."

Nodding once more, Joss took a last spoon of the ice cream that was lacking a quarter already.

"Okay, enough for now. It wont help if I become a popsicle", she put the rest into the fridge.

"Wont be too helpful", he confirmed.

"Im cold enough already and since its your fault, you better think about how to warm me up", she lay his arms around his neck.

It was a request he wasnt up to deny. Carrying her to the bedroom just a little later, he had to hurry the next morning, so Finch wouldnt notice. For a little while longer he wasnt ready to share their secret with the world. It was new, it was good, and he wanted it to develop organically like their friendship had in advance. Now, however, the situation was a different one. Unable to tell whether it was a good idea to stay the night, he hoped that it wouldnt stress her recovery.

Witnessing an uncertainty about the situation in Joss's eyes when he entered the bedroom as well, she tried to mask it with her typical quick wittedness. It was a character trait he noticed and admittedly liked early on already.

"Dont tell me that this isnt more comfortable than the couch", she stated as he lay down.

"Id never argue about that."

For a moment a strange silence filled the room.

"I know its a weird situation. Maybe I shouldnt have asked you stay just because Im scared of my own thoughts", she looked at him nervously.

"Im glad you asked."

He wasnt lying. Even though he couldnt deny mixed feelings about the situation, it calmed him to be able to watch over her. In fact, it would have been a restless night in his own bed for sure.
A smile lid up her face as she turned to him.

"Tell me something about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"How have we met?"

Laying on his back with his gaze on her, John smiled.

"You werent sure about my intentions when officers arrested me for defending myself against attackers on the tram."

"Why should I have suspected bad intentions for self-defense reasons?", she frowned.

"You tell me", John raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"Well, maybe the attacker told some bullshit that you attacked him first elsewhere. Honestly, I cant remember that part as well. At least we cleared the situation."

"Obviously we did."

"So, what happened next that we are where we are at right now?"

"We had a similar interest. Getting the bad guys and so our ways crossed inevitably until you finally found a certain trust that it might be handy to help each other out."

Obviously thinking about his words, she put herself up on her arm.

"Until things got more personal…"

"You could say so."

"So, I havent made it all too easy on you."

John smirked.

"You didnt but thats what I liked about you. You trust your abilities and arent blinded by nice words."

"Thats good to know." Taking another moment she added: "Sounds like were a good team."

"We are."

Watching her glance turn to some kind of lost in thoughts, she took a deep breath.

"Im sorry that I cant remember", she silently said.

"You will again soon."

Another smile before her hand reached for his cheek, tenderly stroking it with her thumb. For a moment they just looked at each other when she leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

John couldnt help the tingling feeling that immediately flooded his body. Returning the kiss just as gentle a spark of hope that things would turn out good for maybe once lit in him.

"I can feel that you deserve so much more than this but its all I can give you for now", she said as she rested her head on her arm again.

"Its more than I ever hoped for."

Not being able to tell if it was her memory slowly getting back that made her kiss him or if hed stand a chance that she could feel for him again without remembering actively, John decided that in this moment it didnt matter.

Seeing an insecure expression on her face, he frowned.

"Can I… for a moment?", Joss asked nodding to his shoulder.

Without any further hesitation he gently wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.
Following his lead, she nestled her head beside his neck, resting her hand on his chest. For a while they remained silent in a mutual agreement, when he noticed the rhythm of her breath become steady and calm. Obviously overcome by exhaustion from the challenging day, she fell asleep in his arms.

John couldnt help but place a gentle kiss on her hair before he turned off the lights, trying to get some rest as well.

He wasnt able to tell how long he was in the land of dreams, when he noticed her turn away from him. For a moment he waited out her restless struggle with the comforter, when he moved closer, wrapping his arm around her from behind. To his surprise her hand found his, tucking it closer to her chest.

"Dont go", her sleepy voice asked him.

"I wont", he ensured, holding her a little tighter.

He forbid himself to think; not to ruin the moment, whatever it meant. His thoughts usually two steps ahead by default, it wasnt an easy task. Tomorrow would take care of itself, nonetheless, he decided. All he wanted by now was to be in the moment - with her. Feeling her calm breath against his body it didnt take long until a restful sleep also found him.