„With Denny's permission"
Based on season five, episode 9 but it evolves from there.
English is not my first language so please excuse the mistakes.
With Denny and Carl away, Alan and Shirley sat on the balcony talking about the trial and life in general.
"Is it a little game, Alan, or are you really sexually attracted to me?" Shirley asked Alan.
"I'm sexually attracted to you." Alan replied without missing a beat
"I'm in my 60s."
"Well, first of all, you're beautiful. And second, your intellect is dazzling. And third, I've seen the naked pictures of you."
"- Oh, right."
"- Let's not discuss the cheerleader outfit".
"Oh. So if I wanted to go there, you'd go there?" Shirley asked him, with a little smile edged in her face.
„In a second. " Alan replied, once more without missing a beat, showing Shirley how serious he was about the matter.
"Shirley, may I ask you a question?" he continued.
"After the conversation we just had I can hardly tell you not to. Besides, since when do you take a no for an answer?" she replied with a smile.
"You know me all too well…Why is Denny's permission so important to you?"
"He's my friend, Alan. I love him, we've been through so much-"
"I know you are friends but what does that have to do with me and us going out? You're not his partner anymore", Alan interrupted her.
"Denny hated every guy I ever went out with. Because he wants to be with me and because he is so protective and hates the idea of me being hurt. Besides, you are different, you are his friend, and he loves you. It would kill him if I rejected him for a fling with you."
"Who says it would be for a fling? Don't you think I am capable of more than a fling?" Alan replied, a little stung by her last sentence.
"Come on, Alan. You hit on every woman or at least try to hit on every woman in this firm (except Catherine Piper), you flirt with clients and judges and you seriously want to tell me you're in for more than a fling? Or would it be competing with Denny? He's had me so now you would want to have me?" Shirley replied, surprised about his reaction.
Alan bent forward in his chair to look at her more closely and to show her that for once he dropped the walls he had so carefully erected around himself. Instead of the rhetorically brilliant, cynical, pompous man who kept everyone (except for Denny) at arm's length, Shirley got a glimpse of the real Alan Shore, whom he kept so well hidden in normal life.
"Shirley, some of the things you just said are true. But I don't desire you because of some kind of bizarre competition with Denny and you would never be a fling to me. I just told you that you are beautiful and smart. You are also witty, compassionate, ambitious and loyal. We both know that Denny should have been fired years ago because of his actions; Denny knows that as well. You not only managed to stay beautiful but also to remain a good person. You mean more to me than Sally or Tara ever did. You would never be a fling or a one-night stand to me. As to Denny's permission, I will talk to him if you would like to go out with me. "Alan declared and put his hand on her arm.
Shirley looked at him, surprised about his sudden sincerity and what he had just said, and she leaned forward to gently touch his face.
"Alan, you never cease to surprise me", she replied with a smile." You certainly are more profound than you let on. Would you really ask Denny for his permission to go out with me? You know he might shoot you".
Alan leaned his face into her hand and took up his hand to gently touch her face. "I guess I should be candid more often" he smiled at her, before he continued. "Of course I would talk to him and yes, I know he might shoot me. But there's one little issue that's left" he continued, caressing her face.
"What issue would that be?" Shirley answered, enjoying the sensation.
"Carl. Shirley, you are not a fling to me, but I don't want to be a fling for you, either. You are far too important to me; I wouldn't want to be the third wheel" Alan replied.
Shirley pulled away from him to be able to look right into his eyes, which caused Alan to retreat into his shell and put on his poker face until she took his hands with both her hands.
"Look at me, Alan" she pleaded, and he looked at her. "You've been frank with me and I will be frank with you. I would not have asked you to get Denny's permission if I thought we were only talking about dinner and Sex. As we both mean the world to Denny and he to us, I want his permission. Carl is a nice man, a good man. But to be honest, he is also predictable, he lacks humor and is pretty boring in general. We wouldn't have lasted; tonight only speeds up matters."
Alan's poker face had vanished during Shirley's declaration and he was smiling, looking younger and happier than she had ever seen him before. "Does that mean that you will-", "Yes, I am going to end the relationship with him" Shirley finished his question, smiling at him and carefully caressing his face.
"Shirley, you make me the happiest man-" Alan started before Shirley interrupted him. "You don't have Denny's permission yet, Alan, so don't get your hopes up too early. And we both know that I cannot help you with doing that. If I tell Denny that I broke up with Carl, he will immediately start making plans about how to get me back. That is something you'll have to face alone" she finished, still caressing his face.
"You're right. But will you talk to Carl, once they are back in Boston?" Alan asked her, having a hard time taking in the revelations of this evening and the promises for the future it contained.
"Yes, I will. Will you talk to Denny, once they are back?" Shirley inquired.
"Of course I will. Is there a chance for a kiss so that we could already give it-" Alan started to speak, before he was interrupted by Shirley's "Not without Denny's permission" at which they both had to laugh.