"I'll pick you up at six." That's what Jason had told Bethany before they had parted earlier that day. She'd given him her address, and he'd committed it to memory - or so it seemed - but he hadn't written it down in her presence, and they hadn't exchanged phone numbers. Six o'clock had come and gone, and he still hadn't arrived. Had he forgotten, or had something come up" Had something gone wrong, or had he changed his mind" The clock ticked slowly by and still no Jason. 6:30 arrived, but he had not.

Bethany had been waiting a while. Okay, half an hour could be considered more than a while, but she was pretty patient. Traffic, work, he could have overslept ....any of these could be the reason he was late. The only problem was that she didn't have his number, so she couldn't call him and find out if he had been delayed or not. She did know someone who had his number, though. Wincing, Beth picked up her phone and dialed. Mom is going to go postal.

Just as the phone rang on the other end, so did the doorbell; a sharp buzz to let her know someone - presumably one late detective - had finally arrived.

She jumped as the door buzzed, snorting at her own reaction. "Great timing," she murmured to herself, hanging up the phone and tapping a quick text on her cell to reassure her mother. Wrong number, sorry! All good - going on a date! Shoving her cell and cash into the pockets of her jeans, she moved to the door, checking through the spyhole before opening it up. This wasn't as exclusive a locale as her mother's condo, after all.

As expected, it was none other than Detective Daly waiting outside her door, looking slightly nervous in a Yankees t-shirt and jeans, obviously off duty as he was not wearing a jacket to hide a shoulder harness, or an N.Y.P.D. badge. He looked more rested than he had earlier in the day, his hair still damp as if he'd just gotten out of the shower.

Bethany was smiling even before she opened the door, ridiculously pleased to see him there and in one piece. "Well, hello there, stranger," she greeted him cheerfully, the tilt of her head sending brown hair tumbling over the shoulder laid bare by her loose-necked sweater. "So you didn't fall asleep at the wheel, then?"

"Sorry I'm late," he said, wearing an apologetic frown when she opened the door, relieved to find her smiling and not angry. "I guess I was more tired than I thought." He had brought no flowers or any other romantic offerings. Maybe next time, but this was not that kind of date. Fortunately, the night was still young and they had plenty of time. "No, I got home okay and then crashed hard. Not mad at me?" Beth's phone vibrated in her jeans pocket as an answer to her text came through.

She eyed him teasingly for a moment, one hand catching her keys off the table by the door as the other came up, thumb and forefinger separated by about half an inch. "Little bit," she warned him through that playful smile of hers. "Just enough that you're gonna have to make it up to me. I nearly called my mom to get your number." And as she said it, her phone vibrated. "Speak of the devil ....just a sec." Chuckling, she fished her phone out of her pocket, checking the message as she pulled her front door to. Which just happened to bring her close enough to Jason to kiss his cheek. "And hello, by the way."

"Hello," he replied, cheeks dimpling as he smiled back at her kiss. "Oh, I should have given you my number, sorry," he said, looking suddenly a little bit sheepish. "You dazzled me with your beauty and I completely forgot!" he teased with another grin. That was his excuse and he was sticking to it, though the truth was he'd been too exhausted to think straight. Meanwhile, Miranda had texted back: NE1 I no"

"Uh huh." Unconvinced but laughing, Beth rolled her eyes at the text she'd got from her mother. She had no idea why Miranda insisted on texting like that, but for some reason, no power on Earth could make her use full sentences anymore. She tapped out her answer quickly, locking the door. "Sorry, this is Mom checking up on me," she apologized to Jason. "One more, and then I promise, no more texting." Smart, sexy, gorgeous, and here right now! Talk to you later, mommy. She hit send, and stuffed the cell back in her pocket, turning fully toward her date. Her eyes skimmed over him, her smile rising again at the sight of him dressed down out of work, and still gorgeous. "So is this okay for your mystery date?" she asked, gesturing to herself. "Comfortable enough for you?"

Fortunately for Bethany, Miranda got the hint, but she could be assured there would be a phone call if not a personal visit later along with a barrage of questions. It wasn't that she was being nosy exactly, but she and her daughter shared everything, more like sisters than mother and daughter, and she simply had to know who it was that was special enough to talk her daughter into going on a date. As it happened, it was the last person Miranda would have ever guessed that her daughter was gushing about in a text.

Jason looked her over appreciatively before answering her question. Beth was young, a lot younger than most of the women he was used to dating, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, so long as she didn't mind that he was a little older. "Long as you don't mind the boots. We're gonna be doing a lot of walking."

Beth laughed impishly, bumping her arm into his with playful familiarity. "Could be I'm wearing them just so you have to carry me later on," she offered up in a teasing tone, giving her door a last push to check the lock before moving off down the hall. "I'm on my feet all day at work. I can handle a few hours in heels." One hand tossed her hair back off her face as she looked back at him. "Besides, it's a date, isn't it' A girl has to get some sexy in somewhere, you know."

"I'm pretty sure you'd look sexy in just about anything," he remarked with a smile as he looked her over again, stepping back so she could close and lock the door. "I hope you don't mind. I'm not very big on fancy restaurants and nightclubs, unless you'd prefer to do that."

She bit her lip, regretting having pushed him to speak about the whys and wherefores as he gave up just a little information. "I'm sorry," and to her credit, she was sincere. "You know, you can just tell me it's none of my business, and I'll shut up. I promise, I won't take offense." She reached over to pat his thigh as reassuringly as she could before the light changed, and drew her laughter back into the air between them, returning to the initial subject. "Worst date ever" Never even happened." She grinned at the memory. "One of my colleagues set me up with her brother on a blind date - next thing I know, this package arrives full of latex and leather and chains, with a note telling me to wear all of it and meet him at a fetish club. Bit much for a first date, don't you think?"

"Wow!" he exclaimed, obviously shocked by her story and unsure he could top that, but unable to stop himself from chuckling a little. "That's pretty bad. Not sure I can top that. Worst date I ever had was way back in high school with the prom queen. Turns out she was only dating me so she could get to know a friend of mine. That was pretty devastating for a sixteen year old."

"Aw, man, broken heart territory," she agreed, deeming his story worse than hers. At least she could laugh at her worst date. "Shame you couldn't hang on a few years, you could have taken me to the prom instead." The looks she gave him was all kinds of suggestive, and abruptly destroyed itself as she snickered impishly. "Not that I went to my prom. Don't you ever tell my mom that, though."

He snorted. "You wouldn't have wanted to date me then. How old are you? Twenty-five" Twenty-six" I'm an old man compared to you. Practically robbing the cradle. Thing is, most of the women my age are either divorced, getting divorced, or not looking for a serious relationship." He honked his horn as traffic started jamming up. "This is taking too long," he grumbled under his breath. "So, why didn't you go to your prom?" he asked, honking the horn again. "Come on, buddy! Step on the gas pedal!"

"Twenty-four," she told him, chuckling at his description of himself. "What, you want me to call you Granddad or something" I happen to think you're very attractive, and not just for your age. Compared with all other guys, you've got the full package." She winced as he honked his car horn, and snorted, rolling her eyes again. "Even with road rage," she added cheerfully. "I didn't want to go in the first place, but Mom spent the whole damn year designing the dress. I couldn't let her down, so I wore it and I let her take the picture of me and my date, and we went to the beach instead." Bethany chuckled fondly at the memory. "Underage drinking and overdressed for paddling."

"You haven't even seen the full package," he remarked with a smirk, his attention diverted from traffic. "I don't have road rage," he told her defensively. "I just hate traffic. It'll be midnight before we get there at this rate." He grumbled to himself before deciding to turn on the responder lights and siren that was sure to part traffic like Moses parting the Red Sea. He felt a little guilty doing it. If he got caught, he could get in big trouble, but he was quickly losing his patience.

"Is that an invitation?" she laughed teasingly at the comment on his "full package", and abruptly her laughter turned incredulous as the blues and twos started up, brown eyes widening in disbelief. "My, my, Detective Daly ....misusing police equipment for personal gain? I'm shocked." It was working, though. The traffic ahead of them was beginning to get out of the way, drivers grumbling and twisting in their seats to see where the police car was. "And kind of turned on."

"It is an emergency. You're, uh....having chest pains. Yeah, that's it....and I have to get you to the hospital." That was his story and he was sticking to it. Never mind that he wasn't heading toward any hospital. No one had to know that but them. As predicted, cars pulled out of his way and he managed to get past the worst of it. "Maybe we should have taken the subway," he grumbled. What was it he'd said about enjoying driving" Yeah, not so much.

"Chest pains?" Beth smirked; he couldn't have handed her a more perfect line if he'd been trying. She twisted a little in her seat, wanting to watch his reaction as that wide mouth opened and delivered the words that were just begging to be said. "Aren't you going to give me a thorough examination before you decide whether to bother with a hospital" I might be in need of some really intense mouth to mouth."

"The mouth to mouth can wait til later. I can't grope you and drive at the same time." And as if just to make a point, he swerved around a vehicle that failed to yield, reaching over with one hand to make sure she stayed in place, before pulling ahead of and out of the traffic jam. Once they were clear, he turned off the siren and lights and continued along the highway at a relatively easier pace. "If all you wanted was to get laid, we could have skipped the date and gone straight to bed."

"You know, that's twice now you've accused me of only thinking about sex," she commented mildly, making no mention of the protective way he had reached for her as he swerved. It was a relief to have the siren off, though - even inside the car, it had been an intrusive noise, far too reminiscent of her workplace for this situation. "If that was all I wanted, I would have just dropped the towel this morning and jumped you." She wasn't smiling as she said this, just a little bit hurt that his opinion of her seemed to be focusing entirely on her teasing and not on the fact of the matter. A fact, it seemed, that she was going to have to make clearer. "I like you, Jason. I'd like to know you. If my teasing's getting on your nerves, you just have to say."

He glanced over at her briefly again as he realized he might have hurt her feelings with his remark, which was not his intention. "Sorry, it's just....I don't have a good track record with women. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm actually looking for something a little more serious than just a roll in the hay. I'm not trying to pressure you or anything, but....I like you, too, and....I've had one too many one night stands. I sound like an idiot, don't I" Hell, we just met this morning."

"We can be idiots together, then." Beth paused, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully. She had one thing to say that could either make him feel a little better about her, or send him screaming. "Just so you know, I don't do one night stands. I'm not in the market to be played around; I'm looking for more, too." She shrugged. "I guess I just take a lot on faith in the first few days, you know" Trusting a guy not to mess me around ....and I trust you."

"Coaster it is, then." She twitched a wristband out of his hand, coming to a halt to ease it around his wrist. Her fingertips stroked over his palm as she released him, a strangely intimate touch for something so innocent. His shy smile had done something interesting to her insides, but she was at least trying not to give into the urge to tease him about it. She didn't want him to think she only wanted to get laid, not again. "I'm a screamer, I'm warning you now."

He was just as capable of teasing and was unable to resist guttering her remark, as she'd guttered some of his, pretending to make the wrong assumption when he really knew precisely what she'd meant. "Good to know if we end up in bed together," he replied with a smile and a hint of mischief in his light blue eyes, as she slipped the band around his wrist.

His response made her look into his eyes, brown meeting blue with a sparkle of humor that burst out in a rich giggle, her face settling into that familiar, comfortable smile once again as she released his hand. "It's still only an if?" she asked impishly, leaning close to let the tip of her nose circle his, her lips millimeters away from his own, teasing him with the prospect of a kiss that never came. "I'll have to see what I can do about that, won't I?" With a soft snicker, she drew back suddenly, her eyes dancing with mischief. One wink, and she tugged on his hand. "C'mon, hot stuff. You promised me a ride."

He returned the favor by securing the second band around her wrist, distracted momentarily as her nose circled his teasingly. She was close enough to steal a kiss, but that wasn't how he wanted their first kiss to happen and so, he resisted. Too many people around, though few took much notice. "I'm not sure I can compete with a roller coaster," he said as she tugged on his hand and he fell into step alongside her.

Beth cast a grin at him, forbearing to comment, though she had a feeling riding with him would easily top the Cyclone. "The only way you'd be competing is if the two were combined, and I doubt Detective Daly wants to be arrested for lewd and in decent behavior," she laughed, moving through the crowd toward the Cyclone with an eager step. This was already shaping up to be a memorable date, and it had barely even begun yet.

"I might have to arrest myself and that would just be awkward." He remembered the first time he'd ever rode the Cyclone, remembering how it had terrified and excited him all at the same time. It was different now that he was a man, but somehow it still managed to get his stomach all tied up in knots at the anticipation of that first big hill.

"Handcuffs on the first date, so not cool," she teased once again, drawing him past the various booths and games, the smaller rides that littered the park, enjoying the breeze that swept in from the water. She'd ridden the Cyclone a few times in her life, but it never ceased to thrill her, always better than she remembered it being, always leaving her wanting more. "So why here?" she asked curiously as they found their way to the line for the 'coaster. "Not complaining, just curious."

"Depends on how you use them," he replied, teasing her back, tit for tat. If she wanted to play the flirting game, he was capable of playing along, even if he had his own reasons for feeling slightly defensive from time to time. It wasn't that he didn't like her; just the opposite, in fact. He shrugged as they strolled past the other rides - timid and not so timid alike - pausing a moment to contemplate her question. "I don't know. You didn't seem like a wine and dine kind of girl, and I thought it might be fun. Did I call it wrong?"

"No, you called it pretty much perfectly," she assured him through her wide smile. If he had any doubt, he just needed to look at her face and see the sheer childlike excitement that was radiating from that near permanent grin and the sparkle in her brown eyes. "I'm definitely not a wine and dine kind of girl. Closest I get to that comfortably is a decent takeout and a clean table to eat it from."

"Are you sure you're Miranda's daughter?" he asked, noting the differences more than the similarities. He winced a moment as he brought her name up again, wishing he hadn't, wishing he didn't know the two of them were related. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," he apologized, hoping she didn't take it the wrong way. "It's just....you're so....down to Earth." At least, so far, she seemed to be.

She caught the wince, her smile softening. It had to be troubling him a little, the fact that she was the daughter of one of his former one night stands, and for a moment she thought she glimpsed part of the problem. If the mother had dumped him so easily, would the daughter do the same" "No, I get it," she promised him as the line moved, walking backward as they spoke, her fingers still wrapped with his. "She's all about the finer things, and why shouldn't she be? I, on the other hand ....Well, I spend my days up to my elbows in human bodily fluids and solids. It's a little hard to get worked up about a fancy dinner when a sandwich'll serve the same purpose."

It seemed a bit strange to be swapping life stories while waiting in line for a thrill ride, but it beat the hell out of a stuffy restaurant with waiters constantly hovering over them every second. "So, what made you go into medicine" I mean, it's not exactly glamorous." He darted a glance ahead of her to see how much longer they had to wait, trying not to let the anticipation get the best of him. He was a cop, for Christ's sake. Danger was his middle name. It was just a roller coaster.

She shrugged. "It's steady work, guaranteed income," she admitted with a wry smile. "There's always work for a nurse, and ....Well, it was a better idea than the childhood dream." She chuckled softly, shaking her head at that memory. "I didn't think I'd enjoy nursing as much as I do. It's more rewarding than I ever thought it would be." She looked over her shoulder to check the line ahead of them before looking back at him. "What about you? Why'd you become a cop?"

"Childhood dream' Don't tell me....You wanted to be a famous actress. Or maybe a singer or dancer." It was a guess, but he thought it a good one. Didn't everyone think about being rich and famous at some point in their lives? He shrugged as she turned the question back on him. "Sorta runs in the family. My dad was a cop and so was his dad before him. My fate was chosen for me before I was even born."

If he hadn't tugged her back into the line, she would have tugged him, all smiles and flyaway hair, impishly exhilarated about riding again. And once back in the line, there was another bit of waiting to do as new conversation made itself known. "So ..." Beth mused, toying with his hand in hers. Her cheeks were going to be aching by the end of the night, she was grinning so much. "How long have you been an adrenaline junkie?"

The question gave him pause, as no one had ever asked it before, and he'd never thought much about it. He'd never really considered himself an adrenaline junkie, and yet, he had chosen a dangerous profession. Certainly not the most dangerous of professions, but dangerous enough, though not because of the adrenaline rush. He grinned back at her, his mood soaring, not only because of the rush of adrenaline that was flowing through his veins, but because of the woman he was sharing it with. He'd never met anyone he'd felt so comfortable with before, anyone who was so much like himself, even if she was at least a decade younger. "I didn't think I was!" he replied as he tugged her back into line, hand in hand, like two kids eager to fly down that first hill one more time.

Fate was a funny thing sometimes. It could lead you toward someone, only for you to miss wildly on your first try. Maybe that was what had happened to Jason - perhaps he'd been led to Bethany, only to miss and get hung up on Miranda. Perhaps. Whatever it was, Beth was glad she'd met him. Hand in hand and still grinning like a fool, she bumped her shoulder to his as they inched forward in line once again. "Oh, you definitely are," she laughed her warm laugh. "Just like me. I love pushing my limits, especially with someone else." And no, she didn't mean to gutter that, but the slightly filthy edge to her giggle betrayed the flicker of her thoughts. "Oh, man, seriously ....I have to stop saying things like that!"

"That makes two of us then," he replied with that boyish grin of his. He chuckled as she guttered her own statement for the umpteenth time. "It's okay. I'm getting used to it. Anyway, I'll take it as a compliment. It's good for my ego." The line went quicker this time, and before they knew it, they were careening across the track again at breakneck speed, all caught up in the thrill of the moment. And this time, Jason let himself unwind and loosen up, shouting and laughing as they rode up and down the hills and around each turn.

There was less screaming this time from his bubbly companion, but she was no less vocal about her enjoyment of the rushing speed and stomach-churning drops and turns the car shook them through for the second time around. She was completely in the moment, so wrapped up in her enjoyment of the roller coaster, the sheer exhilaration radiating from her wide, laughing smile and dancing eyes. This was definitely not the kind of girl you took to a fancy restaurant unless it was a very special occasion. Bethany Granger screamed low-maintenance and easy-going fun, and the more she relaxed, the easier it seemed to make itself known.

Once again, the ride was over all too soon, and he found himself laughing with exhilaration as the cars came to a halt on the platform. After a long stressful week at work, this was exactly what he needed to unwind. It was so much better than any drug, alcohol or otherwise. Had it been so long since he'd done anything like this that he'd forgotten what it was like to simply have fun" This time, however, he didn't suggest another go at it. His stomach was growling, and now that they had the best ride in the park out of the way, it was time to relax a little before deciding what was next. "How do you feel about pizza?" he asked, as they climbed out of the cars, and he took her hand again to lead her toward the exit.

Flushed all over again, Beth happily let herself be taken by the hand, sternly informing herself inwardly that no matter how much she wanted to, she wasn't going to make a habit of kissing him whenever they got off a ride. That was asking for trouble. "How do I feel about it?" Her giggle made itself known again as they headed down off the platform. "Well, I like it, but not enough for any kind of long-term commitment. Pizza's definitely an instant gratification kind of thing for me."

"So, are you an instant gratification kind of girl then?" He asking with a smirk, taking her answer as a yes regarding pizza and started in the direction of the Cyclone Cafe, which was only a short walk from the coaster bearing the same name. "I have to warn you that I have a special relationship with pizza. You might even call me a connoisseur of sorts."

"With food, usually," she admitted cheerfully. They both worked long hours in difficult job; they both knew the magic of a quick meal well made and satisfying. "Just how special is this relationship" Am I about to get a whole new education, or is this the sort of relationship where you need to get a room?"

"Just food or does this instant gratification thing include other parts of your life?" he probed further, mostly teasing, but there was an underlying question that was being asked, even though she'd already assured him that she was not the one night stand type and was looking for someone who was willing to commit. "Let's just say I like pizza the way some people like wine. It's a guilty pleasure. If I had the choice between beer and pizza or wine and caviar, I'd take the beer and pizza any day of the week."

"That, Jason Daly, is a complex question to answer," Beth smiled, more and more pleased with his answers as they spoke. He wasn't doing anything to convince her that he wasn't her type, that was for sure. "It's all very dependent on the situation, on who you're with, or how you feel. Instant or delayed, if it's with someone you trust, someone you're completely comfortable with, it's always worth it."

"Worth the wait, you mean?" he asked, trying to grasp her meaning. He wasn't in disagreement, and they had only known each other a day, but for some reason, he was feeling like if he didn't move fast enough for her, he might lose her altogether, and he didn't want to take that chance. Suddenly, life without her in it seemed a very dull prospect. "Do you trust me?" he continued as they continued in a slow, easy stroll toward the cafe.

Jason got there just in time to witness the face-making and couldn't help but chuckle a little as he set the mugs of beer on the table and claimed a seat for himself. "Entertaining the guests, I see," he teased as he handed her one of the mugs. He glanced briefly at the child in the stroller before turning back, not too terribly comfortable around kids of any age younger than sixteen.

"Well, gotta keep the trolls happy somehow," Beth smiled at the young mom before turning her attention back to Jason, curling her hand about her own mug. Her eyes studied his reaction to the kid, a wicked smirk rising on her face as she chuckled at him. "Not a big fan of kids, hot stuff?"

His smile faded as she posed the question that held the possibility of being a deal-breaker. "It's not that. I just don't know any. I mean, I was an only child, so I don't have any nieces or nephews, and as far as I know, I don't have any illegitimate sons or daughters wandering around anywhere, so..." He shrugged his shoulders and took a swig of his beer. "What about you?"

"I don't really know," she admitted with a chuckle. "I mean, I like them. I used to babysit when I was in college, and it was kinda fun, but it was always a relief to be able to give them back when the time was up," She chuckled, shaking her head. "I guess we're both kind of in the same boat. Only child, no cousins close-by, no time really." She knew the connotations of the long-term answer, and she wasn't going to give it. That wasn't a conversation for a first or second date.

"I've always thought that people should think before having kids, you know" There are too many unloved kids in this world and too many people who don't know how to be parents." He frowned a moment, revealing a little of the crap he saw on the job on a daily basis and probably some of what she did, too, but he didn't want to tackle world problems tonight. "So, we're both spoiled only children. That's another thing we have in common." The commonalities were quickly starting to pile up, almost to the point of irony.

"No, I agree with you," she nodded, taking a sip from her mug. "More people should think about it before it happens, but you can't judge everyone by that standard. Look at me - I was completely unexpected, and I had a great childhood. I was loved, I am loved. I'd just like to think that if I ever had kids, I'd be as good a mom as my mom is. But that's a really high standard to aim for, and ....Well, I kinda think if I was with someone, we wouldn't need kids to hold us together. We'd know each other and how to make it work without needing props that might just make it worse in the long run."

"I've never really thought about having kids. I mean, you should be in a solid relationship before you even start thinking about that, and it's been a long time since that's happened." Too long maybe, but he wasn't going to worry about that now. He'd mentioned that he'd been close to being engaged once and only once, but he wasn't going to go into the details about that either, unless he was asked. "So, tell me a little about this Rhy'Din place," he started, deftly or not so deftly changing the subject. "Because it's starting to look like I might have to go there someday." Not only because she might be moving there, but because his best friend was there, too.

She bit her lip thoughtfully, the question putting her a little on the back foot for a moment as she tried to formulate her answer. How did you explain Rhy'Din" Leaning forward onto her arms, she let her hands flail as she spoke, very animated even on the calmest of subjects. "Wow, that's a tough one," she chuckled, smiling once again. "I haven't been there since I was a kid, I don't remember a huge amount. Let's see ....Are you familiar with the concept of the multiverse?"

"I've watched enough sci-fi to wrap my head around it as a concept, yeah," he replied, lifting his mug for another swig of beer as he gave her his full attention. He still wasn't sure he believed in portals and fairies and multiple dimensions, but for the time being, he was trying to keep an open mind.

"Just keep an open mind on that, it''ll help," she assured him, brushing her hair back out of her face. "Think of the whole multiverse, all those millions of billions of possibles and maybes and fictions and-and-and the wild and fantastical ....think of that as a wheel. You know those wheels on the stagecoaches in the old MGM westerns" Well, the whole multiverse is the circumference, okay' And they're connected by the spokes to the hub, right in the center. Well, that hub ....that's Rhy'Din. All roads lead there if you know where you're going, and pretty much anything is possible." She bit her lip, studying him hopefully. "Did that make any sense?"

He was rapt with attention, hanging on her every word, nodding here and there to acknowledge her explanation, even if he didn't completely understand how it was possible. If it had only been her telling him this, he might have dismissed it as insanity, but it wasn't just her, and she seemed as sane as he was. "You realize how crazy that sounds. Straight out of a Neil Gaiman novel." Yes, he knew who Neil Gaiman was. And Stephen King, but this story didn't sound so much like horror as fantasy. Some fantastical place that most people thought only existed in their wildest dreams. He wasn't judging her or even doubting her necessarily, but it was hard to make that leap of faith when the logical side of him wanted proof.

"I know it sounds completely insane, trust me," she laughed, shaking her head. "I mean, I've not experienced anything much beyond the Granger part of Rhy'Din myself, so I can't give you eye witness accounts of elves and minotaurs and spaceships, but ....Well, if you need proof, you need to go there." One shoulder rose and fell, dislodging her shirt to bare that shoulder beneath the tumble of her hair unnoticed. "Mom's made sure I know where the permanent portals are, and somehow she got something from Rhy'Din that will open up a portal for me if I need it. That's magic, apparently, which I'm still getting my head around."

His gaze drifted to her bare shoulder momentarily, resisting the urge to reach over and adjust her shirt. "Seeing is believing," he said, summing it all up. "So, when do we go?" he asked, with a small smile, calling her bluff if it was a bluff, and if it wasn't, well, then he really did need to see it for himself. The problem was with the timing, not to mention the fact that he had no idea what her mother would have to say about it all. He leaned forward, lowering his voice a little before he went on. "What do you think about fairies?"

His frown told her a little of what was going on behind his eyes, softening her smile as she met his gaze. "Maybe we'll save it for another time," she suggested gently. "I kinda know what number three'll be, if you don't mind something a little domesticated." And cheap, but let's not mention that. "Besides, I don't know Rhy'Din very well myself. It'd probably be a whole day kind of deal, with a lot of getting lost."

"Gonna offer to cook me dinner, Miss Granger?" he guessed, the smile returning, pleased by the thought of that prospect over the other. "We could ask your mother to take us, you know," he remarked, turning back to the subject of Rhy'Din, though the thought of Miranda even knowing they were dating made him nervous in ways he didn't want to acknowledge. He turned serious again, if only for a moment as his thoughts returned to Rhy'Din. "The truth is, I'm worried about Desmond."

"Isn't that what I just did?" she asked sweetly, licking her fingers as she finished her slice. Cooking wasn't exactly her specialty, but she knew a couple of recipes that wouldn't give him heartburn. As his thoughts and words turned to the cousin she hadn't met but knew most about, Beth's smile subsided, her expression open as she nodded slowly. "I don't think you're the only one," she said in a quiet voice. "But I think he's in the best place for him right now. Maybe when whatever it is gets sorted out, he'll be able to come back to New York." With his wife and her Fae baby girl.

"No, he won't," Jason remarked. Not now that he was engaged to a woman who called Rhy'Din home. He didn't blame Desmond really. He just wanted his friend to be happy, and it seemed that he was. "I'm happy for him. I am. I just miss him. That's all." He sighed as he glanced at his pizza, wondering how he'd gotten so morose all of a sudden. Now that Des was gone, there wasn't much keeping him in New York anymore, but his job. Still, the thought of pulling up roots and moving to a place he didn't even believe in was a bit too much for him to swallow just yet.

She was never going to admit to it, but in that moment, Beth made up her mind. She was staying. Even if whatever this was between them was only meant to last a little while, she wasn't going to leave before it had a chance to blossom. It promised an interesting conversation with her mother, but Beth wasn't going to leave this lonely, lovely man with no one to hang onto. "It's not like you're never gonna see him again," she offered softly, making a mental note to ask her mother to arrange a visit to see Des and his new family with Jason sometime soon. "Best friend is usually the best man, right?"

"Unless I've been replaced," Jason remarked. "I hear he has a brother." Who was a famous actor, if he'd gotten the story straight. How was he supposed to compete with that, and did he even have to' "Sorry," he apologized abruptly, deciding he was being depressive and that wasn't his intention, especially not on a second date. "We were talking about dinner at your place." He finished off his slice of pizza and served them both a second. There were six slices in total. It would be interesting to see if they finished them.

"How does a brother he's only known for, like, ten months replace a friend he's had for years?" Beth asked, genuinely bemused by this intriguing bit of insecurity. She hadn't expected him to be so upset about this, rethinking her view of him. Maybe he was as lonely as she was. "A brother, I'll add, who has a wife and a new baby, and a job that takes him all over the world regularly. You really think you're that easy to replace?" Her brow rose as she questioned him, wanting to hear the answer before she responded to his attempt to bring the conversation back on track.

"I don't know. Am I?" His friendship with Desmond - who was more like a brother than a friend - was the only really long-term relationship he'd ever had with anyone who wasn't related to him by blood. The only woman he'd ever even considered making a permanent part of his life had decided that she couldn't handle having a cop for a husband, and that was the end of that. But, of course, Bethany couldn't possibly know all this. He took up his beer for a swallow, as if by doing so, he could avoid her pointed gaze.

She bit her lip, a gentle frown touching her face as he offered up this bemusing lack of recognition of his own value. Her hand reached over, taking the mug from his hand as she scooted her seat close beside his, curling her fingers to his cheek to draw him close into a slow, tender kiss that seemed to last an eternity and not nearly long enough. As her lips drew back from his, her gaze found his once more, warm and solemn. "No one could ever replace you," she promised him softly, despite not knowing the cousin he was so worried about losing as a friend. "Anyone who thinks they can is an idiot and doesn't deserve your friendship in the first place."

To say he was taken completely off-guard by that kiss was an understatement. His brows arched curiously as she took the mug from his hand and turned his face toward hers. His eyes caught hers for a single instant, and then she was kissing him - not a friendly kiss as before, or a playful one, but a kiss that was warm and sincere and held the promise for something far more than mere friendship. He wasn't quite sure how to answer that, never having heard it before. Maybe he didn't have to; maybe he should, just this once, place his trust in someone and take them at their word. Not knowing what to say, he kissed her again, uncaring who might be watching, lost in a sea of strangers who didn't know them and couldn't care less. His lips lingered against hers as hers had against his, unable to withhold the longing from that kiss and almost wanting to kick himself for setting that third date rule.

It should have been just a kiss, a touch to reassure him that he was not something that could be replaced. But he took her kiss and turned it around on her, drawing something more than reassurance from her lips as some powerful, hidden emotion in him sparked off her loneliness, and her longing not just to be loved, but to find out if he was the one who could love, and be loved by, her. Her fingers stroked softly against his cheek as very slowly her lips left his, brown eyes opening to meet his gaze once again. "Wow."

"Then I'd have to give you mouth to mouth," he teased back, though they both knew well enough that overheating most likely would not require mouth to mouth resuscitation. He shrugged, his fingers finding hers again as she let go of his arm. There was something sweet and comforting about the simple feel of her hand in his. "I think you might give me a big head, and I'm talking about the one above my shoulders."

"Damn, you cut off my line," she protested laughingly, poking at his stomach for a moment as he took her hand once again. "Are you gonna do that every time, or are you gonna let me imagine the other head sometimes, too?" She drew him to a halt in front of the Whack-A-Mole booth, and made an impish decision. Her hand left his as she leaned close, drawing her fingers around the top edge of his jeans' waistband, over his t-shirt, grinning, daring him to object. To anyone else, they might have seemed to be a couple already well-established, so comfortable with each other. "I am going to whup your *ss at this game, just so you know."

"I get the feeling you'd rather do more than just imagine," he returned, flinching just a little when she poked at his stomach. He arched a brow down at her as she turned to face him and tugged on his waistband to draw him close, apparently, just so she could get in his face and offer a challenge. A smile twitched at his lips as he looked down at her, his eyes alight with amusement. "Is that a challenge?"

"Oh, absolutely," she agreed, rising to the challenge she'd set down cheerfully. "I'm really good. Really good. I mean, I'm awesome at this game." What was she talking about' It was debatable, given that her hands were curling to his sides as she spoke, warm and familiar. And respectfully intimate, given the public setting.

"Uh huh," he said, that smile turning to a smirk, amused at this little game of hers, wherever it was going. "And are we still talking about Whack-A-Mole or something else?" he asked, setting his hands against her hips. It was the first time they'd come close to an embrace, though there was still enough space between them so that they were not making too public a display of affection just yet. He seemed completely at ease with her, amused even by her obvious attempt to flirt and tease, more relaxed now than earlier, for some reason.

She drew in a slow breath, warmed by the curl of his palms at her hips. Something beneath open perception softened about her as she smirked back at him, rising to the new challenge with amusement. "Which would you prefer?" she teased playfully, batting the ball back into his court as she swayed a little, forcing herself not to step any closer.

He leaned closer, almost close enough to kiss her, but refraining from doing so, having a little fun of his own. "I think I'd prefer something small and fuzzy to sleep with," he said in a hushed tone of voice as if he was whispering something naughty between them. He leaned a little bit closer as if he was going to kiss her and then left that kiss against the tip of her nose.

His whisper brought her grin back into play, her nose scrunching under the gentle brush of his lips as she laughed quietly, leaning closer to very gently bite his jaw in retaliation. "Well, let's get you something small and fuzzy, shall we" And I mean it, I'm gonna beat you so badly." She winked, drawing back with a last ripple of her fingers against his sides to turn and pay for them to play, refusing to let him even think about paying himself.

"I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into, but okay. If you insist." He smiled as she nibbled at his chin, making no comment about the effect that innocent nibble had on his libido. He dropped his hands to his sides as she slipped away from his grasp, not bothering to remind her that as a cop, his reflexes were better than most, but at least it wasn't a shooting game, which would give him a completely unfair advantage.

To be fair, it was Whack-A-Mole. So long as one of them got a high score, something small and fuzzy would be winging its way to them pretty soon. Beth giggled as she nudged Jason toward one of the set-ups, flexing her fingers playfully. "Isn't that part of the fun" The unknown?"

"You realize it's probably cheaper to just buy a prize than try and win one," he pointed out very practically, though he was just as much about having fun tonight as she was. "All right, all right. Don't push, Miss Bossy!" he smirked as she nudged him toward the game.

"What, you're so scared of losing face you'd rather skip the game and cheat?" she teased, laughing aloud once again as they took their places, the games side by side. "And here I thought you were gonna be fearless in the face of defeat."

He snorted as she threw down the gauntlet, though he wasn't really vested that much that he cared who won or lost. It was all about having fun. "You know, I was going to let you win, but since you're being such a bully, I'm going to make it a point to kick your *ss."

"I'm a bully?" Beth laughed aloud once again. Like him, she didn't really care who won, so long as it was fun. But part of her wanted to turn the cliche on its head and let it be her who won the toy for him. "Maybe I'm just a dominant personality, you never know." Like hell. As the buzzer went, the games in front of them lit up, and those brightly colored plastic moles started to make themselves known at speed.

He wasn't kidding when he'd warned her about challenging him, quick reflexes easily bopping those plastic moles on the head, but as the game went on, it got harder to keep up, and she seemed to be just as good as it as he was.

Good or not, Beth was certainly enthusiastic, and almost frighteningly focused once she got started, her reflexes as quick as his. She seemed to have the edge as the speed rose, flashing a glance at him to see how he was doing as she laughed, exhilarated by the adrenaline of playing something so silly for gain.

The adrenaline flow wasn't quite the same for the game as it was for the roller coaster ride, but she seemed to be just a little bit faster than him, fast enough to eek out a win, if his aim didn't improve. It wasn't quite the same thing as pointing a gun and pulling the trigger, and in all honesty, though he was skilled with a gun, he'd only had to shoot at a living moving target a handful of times. It wasn't something he hoped to repeat anytime soon.

He laughed as he turned to see what she was pointing at. It was still a ride that was sure to scramble their stomachs, but on a much milder level. "I'm not sure I'd make the height requirement," he admitted, meaning that he thought he was probably too tall. "Hmm..." he mused, taking a look around.

"Or, you know, you could take me behind one of these booths and we could make out," Beth mused teasingly, enfolding his hand in both of hers as she rested her chin on his shoulder, looking around patiently with him at the various different attractions.

He turned his head to smile down at her, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Tempting, but no....I have an idea." And off they were again, him tugging her along behind him.

Close to, his smile was even more attractive, the way his lips curved reminding her how soft his mouth was to kiss. She behaved herself, though, lifting her chin from his shoulder before she gave into temptation, letting him pull her along. "I like your ideas, I've decided," she told him as she fell into step with him. "There's always a twist, it seems."

"That's better than saying I'm boring, I guess." He flashed her a grin as they wove their way around the meandering and diverse crowd of people, away from the thrill rides, toward the opposite end of the park. It was a bit of a walk, spread out as the park was, but it was a pleasant enough evening for it.

"Trust me, you're not boring," she promised him fervently. "I know boring. I went out with a guy in my senior year whose idea of a good time was to stay in and read me his book in progress. Which would have been fine, if his book wasn't about some famous math equation that literally put me to sleep."

"You're kidding! Loser," he said, the look on his face feigning shock and sympathy. "His loss is my gain. How old are you anyway' I kinda feel like I'm robbing the cradle." He suddenly felt like there were a million questions he wanted to ask her all at once, but he had to wait and take them one at a time.

"I'm twenty-four," she told him with a laugh, refraining from mentioning that he'd already asked. It was a good thing that he wasn't fixating on the difference in their ages - it didn't matter to her. He was fun to be with, and the fact that he was gorgeous and sexy and smart and every other complimentary thing she could think of only added to her enjoyment of him. "Haven't had a cradle for at least twenty years, so I think you're safe."

He was over ten years her senior, but for some reason, that didn't seem to matter, at least for now. She was more mature than most of the women he know his own age, and yet young enough to keep him from feeling old. "So, you like to read in bed, or do you prefer to reserve the bedroom for other activities?" The remark about reading had prompted the question, though he was mostly teasing about the rest.

"Well, I don't own a T.V, so I read quite a lot," she admitted, finally giving into the urge to lift his arm up and over her head, settling their joined hands on her other shoulder, and coincidentally tucking herself under his arm in the same motion. "I don't read in bed, though. Nor do I confine other activities to just the bedroom," she added with a rather wicked little snicker. "Maybe I should use the word exhibitionist here, but it's a bit extreme for a thrill seeker."

"Ah, you're one of those," he said with a knowing look, as if it was a bad thing. "There are laws against lewd and lascivious conduct, you know. I'd hate to have to arrest you," he teased, his arm going around her shoulders, fingers locked between hers. He couldn't remember when the last time was he'd had his arm around a woman or felt so comfortable and easy-going with one as he did with Bethany. He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but so far so good. "So, what else do you do for fun?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll keep my lascivious tendencies for when we're out of your jurisdiction," she giggled, leaning close into him as they walked along, meeting his knowingly disapproving gaze with stark boldness. "That way you can get arrested with me." Another snicker left her lips as she squeezed his hand. "What else do I do for fun" I like water sports - you know, kayaking and surfing, that sort of thing. And camping. Don't get to do it much, but I like it."

He laughed again, her giggle doing something to his insides that he couldn't quite explain, rolling his eyes at her comment. "Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well," he remarked, assuming she was only teasing. He was a cop, after all, and prided himself on not only upholding the law but keeping it. "Maybe if you're lucky, I'll let you play with my handcuffs." All joking aside, he listened as she answered his question, listing some of her other hobbies, none of which included anything that sounded even remotely boring. "Water skiing?" he prompted when she mentioned water sports.

"Mm, do I have to be a good girl to play with your equipment?" God, I'm doing it again! Beth rolled her eyes at herself, that giggle rising once again as she briefly hid her face against his shoulder before looking up at him again. "I haven't actually tried water skiing, but I'd love to give it a go," she told him fondly. "What do you do for fun?"

"Oh, no....I think for that you definitely need to be a bad girl," he countered with a smirk, charmed by her giggle and the need to hide her face, as though she was blushing again. Yes, he'd noticed. "I collect stamps and old coins and watch late night porn vids," he replied with a completely straight face.

She stared at him, eyes wide for a moment before she burst out laughing, sagging against him. The laugh was completely genuine, utterly unselfconscious, and a little infectious. "Oh God, I thought you were serious for a second there," she cackled wildly, taking a few deep breaths to calm down before letting herself meet his gaze. "Although the porn vids sound interesting."

"Not as gratifying as the real thing, believe me," he said, letting her decide whether he was serious or joking about his porn video watching claims. A small smile crept its way onto his face, proof he was more than likely kidding, but he neither confirmed nor denied. And because they had just about arrived at their destination, the answer to her question would have to wait until later. "Come on!" he urged, slipping out from beneath her arm to tug her forward again, moving in the direction of the carousel.

"Well, you are a nurse," he admitted, trusting he was in safe hands with her in more ways than one. "I love chocolate! Doesn't everyone?" He leaned back as the ride started to slow, as disappointed as she was that it had come to an end. As much as he wasn't into wining and dining, he made a mental note to take her somewhere romantic for their fourth date, assuming there was a fourth date.

"Good." She wasn't going to give him any more of a hint than that, but it was always good to make sure. Not everyone was quite as much of a push over for chocolate as she was, after all. "You'd be surprised. There's a woman at work who can't stand it. The smell of anything chocolatey makes her throw up. Isn't that awful?"

"That's awful!" he agreed. "How can anyone hate chocolate" Isn't chocolate more of a dessert thing,though?" he asked curiously, as he climbed off the plastic horse and offered her a hand, wondering what she had in mind for dinner. "Or are you planning on pouring syrup on me and licking it off?" he teased. Whatever inhibitions he'd displayed earlier in the evening seemed to have disappeared.

"Oh, now you're just teasing me," was her laughing response to that, quite happy to indulge in her helpless feminine side in order to have Jason help her down off the the carousel horse and keep close contact with an excuse. "I might just do that, but it's a bit more fun with whipped cream," she admitted with a grin as she found her feet, jumping down off the carousel with him in hand. "Yes, it's a dessert thing, but I'm not planning on cooking anything that'll spoil it, promise. Besides, you said you were adventurous."

"Oh, God..." There was yet another eye-roll as he helped her off the horse. "Don't tell me you're going to experiment..." He would have finished that thought, but he was suddenly and unexpectedly bumped from behind by the man who'd made the rude remark, jostling him enough that he had to reach out and catch her in his arms to prevent them both from getting knocked over. "You wanna watch where you're going?" he told the other man, narrowing his eyes at him as he glanced over his shoulder.

Startled as Jason was jostled enough to pull her off-balance, Beth yelped a little as she found herself in his arms, her gaze following his toward the heckler from the carousel. As attractive as it was that he was prepared to flex his male muscles and stand up to the guy, she didn't really want to spoil the night with a fight, and that guy looked like he'd love the opportunity for one. Her hand gently pressed against Jason's chest. "Hey," she said softly. "It's okay, leave it. It's not worth getting worked up over."

Jason tensed, obviously annoyed with the rude behavior of the other man, who he guessed had probably had one too many beers. His eyes flashed a warning at the other guy who looked more than ready for a fight, but he held his ground. "I should arrest him for public intoxication and creating a disturbance," Jason muttered under his breath, for Beth's ears only. He watched as the man laughed before stumbling off to cause trouble elsewhere. "Public nuisance," he grumbled to himself, before turning back to Beth, his expression softening. "You okay?" He realized belatedly that he was holding her in his arms, albeit by accident, and flushed a little with either embarrassment or leftover annoyance.

Beth had come across that sort herself, working at the hospital, and though she didn't like it, she knew how to make them move on if she had to. Thankfully, however, she didn't have to, her eyes following their unwelcome interloper as he moved away. Jason's voice brought her back to the immediacy of their position, her blush almost matching his as her lips curved in a sweeter smile. "Maybe I should thank him," she teased softly, letting the incident slide away as her hands gently smoothed to his arms, fingers wrapping with familiar warmth. "This is where I've wanted to be all night."

His arms were still wrapped around her waist, as if he was reluctant to let go of her now that she was there. He found she was suddenly filling his senses, and a public park was the last place he wanted to be, but here they were, and the night was still fairly young. "Walk with me on the beach?" he asked, surprising even himself with the question. The hell with the adrenaline high of the rides - this was a much better rush than any amusement park ride. There was the sound of a man clearing his throat as the carnie reminded them that they were once again holding up the ride, a few giggles from kids and parents around them who had claimed their horses while Beth and Jason got lost in each other.

He has beautiful eyes. She could have stared into those eyes for a lifetime and not gotten bored, were it not for the question he asked her. And despite the awareness of the other people around them, she smiled softly, nodding. "I'd like that," she admitted quietly, jumping as the carnie cleared his throat. Looking around, she laughed at herself again, sliding her hands down to take Jason's in her own. "Sorry, we're moving, honest," she assured the man, who rolled his eyes and waved them off as she tugged her date out of the way.

Jason would have offered an apology to the man if he wasn't enjoying himself so much and finding the situation almost amusing. His timing couldn't have been better, as the sun was just starting to set, turning the sky varying shades of reds and oranges. The boardwalk and beach were just a short walk from the carousel and stretched out well beyond the length of the park. The park was open late, but he knew she had to be up early and couldn't stay too late into the night. His hand found hers again as he led her quietly from the noisy crowd of the park toward the quieter boardwalk and beach.

Odd, how the atmosphere had changed. Not in a bad way, either. It had simply turned from playful fun to something quieter, something that seemed charged with promise and hope. Hand in hand, they walked together away from the brightness and noise of the park and into the gentler dimness of the boardwalk and beach beyond. Beth had no idea what to say, not wanting to break the comfortable silence that had fallen, and itching to speak at the same time, caught in the limbo of not knowing what came next.

Jason, too, had turned quiet, unsure what to say, a little lost in his own thoughts. The evening was going far better than he'd ever imagined, and thought he didn't want to count his chickens before they hatched, he felt hopeful. He knew he was already starting to have feelings for her, though he was trying hard to keep those feelings in check. She seemed almost too good to be true, and he didn't want to risk another broken heart. He was still worried what Miranda would say when she found out, but in all truth, Miranda hardly knew him. "You want to hear something funny?" he asked, breaking the silence finally.

Oh, she definitely wanted more, left just a little breathless by a single kiss. Oh God, you'd be so easy to love. Leaning into him, it was a long moment before she could speak, for once employing her sadly under-used brain to mouth filter to prevent that thought from making itself known. That four letter word did not come out on the second date, especially when that second date was on the same day you'd met a guy. "What now?" she breathed back to him, blinking her eyes open slowly. A gentle sigh escaped her lips, a soft huff of a laugh making her smile as her fingertips skimmed his jaw. "Now ....now I think you take me home, and give me your number. So I can plan how I'm going to drug and imprison you on date three so you can't ever get away from me again."

"Who said I wanted to get away?" he asked, his whole face lighting up with a smile that went from his mouth clear up to his eyes. It was tempting to ask to spend the night with her, even if they didn't make love, reluctant to leave her, but they both had jobs and responsibilities of their own that took precedence in their lives, and as much as he wanted the night to go on forever, even this had to come to an end, at least, temporarily. It would be so easy to let himself fall in love with her, and yet there was that little bit of fear that held him back and made him careful. "You still owe me ice cream. I'm holding you to that," he said with a familiar tweak of her nose.

"Strange, I thought you were holding me to you," she countered playfully, rolling her eyes as he tweaked her nose again. "At least I know what to do the next time you tell me it's my date." She couldn't resist, her palm curling to his cheek to draw him into another kiss, slow and gentle, and far too brief for her liking. But ....she had work in the morning, and sadly, that took precedence over an eager desire to take him home and tie him to the bed.

Any reply he might have given her was cut off by yet another kiss, as slow and gentle as the first and just as tender, setting his heart on fire. It was a kiss like none he'd ever known, burning all previous kisses from his memory, recent and not so recent, all but hers. I could fall in love with you, he thought to himself again, knowing it was far too soon to share that thought. His eyes fell slowly closed as he savored that kiss, which ended far too quickly, taking a small breath as he reopened his eyes, hoping she wasn't just a dream. "I should take you home," he said, as if he was trying to convince himself of that fact.

She bit her lip, recognizing the same reluctance to move in him as she could feel in herself. "You should," she agreed softly, the tip of her nose nudging his as she breathed in, tasting him on the cool air that swept off the water. Her smile reappeared, a quiet giggle making itself known as she held his gaze. "I guess one of us should probably let go if we're gonna do that."

She only had to ask and he did as she bade, however reluctant to end the moment and the evening. He gently untangled himself from her embrace, but instead of reaching for her hand, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to draw her close for a slow walk back to the parking lot and his car. "Should we decide on a day for date three?" he asked as they continued their stroll along the boardwalk, the setting sun casting long shadows, the sky looking as it if was on fire.

Wrapped under his arm, Beth couldn't help smiling, curling her own arm around his back. hooking her thumb into the belt loop on his jeans as they walked together back toward the parking lot. "Shame we can't do it now," she chuckled. "Hat trick in one day." Over-eager Beth rears her ugly head again. Oh God, shut up! She glanced up at him thoughtfully. "Okay, well, uh ....I'm working the next two days from 7 to 9, so unless you want a really late date, I'd suggest after that. How's your schedule?"

"We could," he started, with a small chuckle, "but you have to be up early and we've already had dinner." The smile faded a moment as he considered his own schedule, which was a little different from hers. Generally, he worked days, long days sometimes, depending on what case he was working on at any given time, and sometimes his work spilled over into night. He couldn't really get into the details, but the Nicoletti case was slowly but surely taking over his life as he helped gather evidence against the man they were hoping would be start toppling over the dominoes of organized crime in the city. He was off for the next two days, but with her working such long hours, there wasn't much time for a date. "I'm off until Monday, but I've got some things to check on at the precinct. I could meet you for lunch, if you like."

She sighed, frowning at the lack of cohesion in their schedules. "I only get a half hour for lunch, if I'm lucky," she admitted. "The ER doesn't really offer much in the way of breaks." She shrugged, biting her lip thoughtfully. "Well, I'm working Thursday as well, but I've got Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday off. I usually only work one day on the weekend, but there was a mix up in the rota, so they gave me next weekend off completely."

He tried not to look too eager to see her again or too disappointed that she couldn't squeeze a visit - even a short one - into her schedule. He worried that a few days spent away from him would make her forget him, but neither of them had any control over their work schedules. Nothing could be done about it, and he simply had to make another leap of faith and wait until she had time for him again. "I work all week, but I don't have to be in until nine, and I'm usually off by five, unless I get called in on a case," he said, letting her know what his schedule was like and letting her make the decision.

Like him, she wasn't sure she should look too eager to see him again, but Bethany Granger had never been very good at disingenuous. "You want to come over on Monday?" she asked, not even trying to keep the hope out of her voice as she looked up at him. "Bring a toothbrush and a change of clothes, and it wouldn't be too big a deal." Ordinarily, she wouldn't have added that last part, but she had a feeling he wouldn't mind. And she wanted him to know that those feelings they'd just played with in kisses were a good thing.

Monday seemed so far away when it was only Friday, but there was nothing to be done for it. He smiled, only partially successful in hiding his disappointment and impatience. Good things come to those who wait... Despite his disappointment, he chuckled at her suggestion. "Are we having a sleepover" Shall I bring a pillow, too, and maybe some marshmallows so we can make s'mores?" His eyes were alight with humor again, enjoying teasing her.