10 Minutes Later....

            In the ride up the elevator, he made sure, he was fully composed; he checked his reflection, however warped in the metal of the walls. The doors opened, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. Turning the corner her spied her sitting at her desk, he watched has she turned her head, trying to relieve a possible tension she could be feeling in her neck.  Since he last saw her, he also noticed that she had unbuttoned the top button of her blouse. I had better go on over, he thought before someone spies him watching her. Before doing so, he noticed her carefully look from side to side before she slumped down ever so slightly in her chair and closed her eyes. She rubbed her brow and covering her mouth she, yawned. Silently, he walked up to her desk.
            “Trying to steal a few winks while on the job, Ms. Dawes?” He inquired, giving her one of his mischievous smiles.

            Startled, her eyes snapped open and she was stilling erect in the span of a breath. “Ahh oh.” Her hands immediately went to the papers on her desk. When she saw it was him, she smiled. “Hi, I wish you wouldn’t have seen that.” She looked from side to side. 

            He gave her a half smile. “It happens to us all, especially on stakeouts.” He looked at Finch’s name scrawled on the door. “So should I go right in or do you have to announce me?”

            “I’ll let him know that you are here.” She stood up, and put on her blazer that she put on the back of her chair. She gave him a smile before knocking on the door. Inaudible words could be heard from the other side of the door. She cracked open the door, and stuck her head in. “Sergeant Gordon, is here sir.” She paused. “Ok, will do sir.”

            Straightening she smiled at Gordon. “You can go in.”

            “Thank you very much, Ms. Dawes.” She opened the door further for him, as he passed her; he gave her a polite nod. He caught a swiff of the perfume she was wearing he was almost positive it was the same kind from the other day.  

                                                                                            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            “Hello, Sergeant. I’m glad you could…” She heard Finch say before she closed the door.
             Oh my god, she mouthed to herself, nervous excitement was tickled her. Knowing she had to contain herself, she made her way to the Ladies Laverty. She looked and noticed it was empty. She let out the sigh that she had wanted to release. It came out in a whoosh. 

            Then she going to the center sink, in the black and white checker room, she braced herself against it. She looked into the mirror. “What is going on with me?” She closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the cool mirror. It felt good, it was nice contrast to the flush that seemed to linger all over her since she saw Jim staring down at her a mere moment again. She let out another sigh. There was just something about him.

            “What am I doing? What is happening to me?” she asked herself. 
            Distantly, she could hear a pair of heals clicking on the floor. She immediately straightened, and listened. They soon passed. She shook her head; she couldn’t very well hide in here the whole time Jim was talking to Finch. She took several deep breathes; she grabbed a towel and ran it under the cold water. Wringing it she brought it to her neck, she closed her eyes. The moment she did, she recalled earlier that morning, the smile he gave her when he handed her his handkerchief. She opened her eyes almost immediately, and patted the towel on her cheeks and forehead. Crumbling it into a ball, she through it in the bin. Looking in the mirror one last time, she opened the door and made her way back to her desk.  
          Sitting in her chair again, opening the bottom drawer of her desk she took out her purse. Opening she took out her Altoid tin, she took a mint and replaced the tin. She eyed the card Jim had given her earlier. She put her open purse back in the drawer and just held the card; she traced the edges with a finger.  

“I’ve got it bad.” She thought then gritted her teeth. “What am I doing to myself? He probably hasn’t even thought of me once. He’s got a wife for Christ’s sake.”

She tossed the card back into her purse. Angry with herself, she started putting the papers into neat little piles. Looking at the clock on the computer monitor, she noticed that it was quarter to six. “Maybe when Finch is done talking with Jim, he’ll let me go and get a bite to eat.” She wondered to herself. “But most likely we will have to order in.”
                Rachel pulled up the term paper that she was supposed to hand in on Friday. Might as well, go over it one last time. With the hours she had been pulling, she was glad that she had finished it early.  

            Words, then onto the sentence structure and grammar were all things she checked, double and triple checked. Then she heard the ever-familiar click of the Finch’s door opening. She closed the file of her paper. She hunched over the desk looking at the piles of papers, which held testimonies, evidence and notes on the people involved. 
           “Thank you, for coming by Gordon. We are going to be able to use that.” Finch paused.

            “Sounds good to me.” She heard Jim say.

“In a day or two, I will have Ms. Dawes call you to let you know when we will need you on the stand.” Finch said. “I’m sorry I kept you so long, I bet you are long over due for dinner.”

She could not suppress the rush of joy she felt knowing she would have to talk to Gordon at some point in the week.

“During the week, I usually eat at the precinct or something on the go, talking with you was more important.”

 “I almost forgot about how dedicated of an officer you are. Well, it was good to speak with you Gordon, have good night.” She could see Finch smile from the corner of her eye.

“I’m glad that I could be of some help, anything to nail that Maroni from rising in Falcone’s footsteps.” Gordon paused; she could feel his eyes on her. “Ms. Dawes.”

She turned to look at him; she was so glad there was no way he could detect that her heart picked up speed by him just addressing her. She smiled politely at him.

 “Rachel, I just realized you haven’t had dinner, since we’ve been ordering in all week why don’t you go and get yourself a bite to eat. And then when you return and we can go over the very helpful information that the Sergeant just confirmed for us.”

“That would be great, thank you Finch.” She nodded, grabbing her purse and taking her coat off the hook she hurried to the elevator. Relief washed over her as she saw Jim’s back facing her.

She took a few silent steps up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and Rachel noticed his face light up with a smile when he saw her.

“Fancy running into you again,” she said lightly. “Finch, let me actually go out and get a bite of dinner.”

The elevator chimed with its arrival, she was happy to see that no one else was in it.

“After you,” He said making a sweeping gesture with his hand.

“Thank you.” She nodded and went in.

“Wow, I heard they never let any of the new interns barely put a foot out of the building.” He chuckled; she enjoyed the sound of it. 
                 “I guess I must be doing something right.” She paused and looked at him as he pushed the button for the basement; she assumed it was where he had parked. She didn’t necessarily want to eat alone, but would it be brazen to ask him to join her. You only live once, she thought to herself. Of course, where would have to be up to him. She had no idea where they could go. “Jim,” She bit her bottom lip. “Would you join me for a quick bite to eat?” That was harmless enough.

She watched as he looked at her, he was silent. Her fingertips tingled, she would have loved more than anything to make the one small step over to him and kiss him with everything she had in her. She'd allow one hand glide through his dark brown hair and the other would him close.

“That would be a great change of pace.” He smiled.

“Yes, it would. I’ve been having either pizza or Chinese everyday this week.” She sighed.  

           “Well, then I know the perfect place that we could go.” He gave her a wink. “And I promise it doesn’t serve Chinese or pizza.”

            “Perfect.” She smiled; he had taken her up on her offered. Joy filled her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. “So what kind of place is it?”

           “If you will allow me, let me surprise you with this place.” He gave her a sideways glance. “I do believe it’s the best kept secret of Gotham.” The elevator chimed, as the doors opened at the ground level. Off to the left she could see his car.

            “Sure, why not. I love surprises.” With you, I would go anywhere she couldn’t help thinking. 
            “Excellent.”