Yes

An incredibly amazing looking woman? Her? Susanne didn't think her face could get any hotter, but it did and her heart thumped in her chest. Why this man was getting to her like this, she really didn't know. Maybe it was simply the combination of her embarrassment and his good looks. Whatever the case, she knew she was acting completely out of character for her and yet it was as if she was helpless to do a thing about it.

Still silent and not having a clue how to respond to Chuck on the phone, she suddenly sees a slight shadow and hears his voice right over her head. She lifts her face from her knees and stares wide-eyed at the back of the office, not moving a muscle for several moments.

Swallowing hard, she finally gets up enough nerve to turn and cock her head to look up. Her eyes lock with his as if they are magnets, drawing her in. Her face turns another shade of red. "Yes," she answers quietly. "My marbles."

Glancing down, she points under the desk. "I think they rolled somewhere under here with the dustbunnies."

Realizing that she was still clutching the phone, she manages to stand up clumsily, bumping into her chair and getting the phone cord all wrapped around every which way. No one would believe she'd been able to fend off a robber with a knife only hours earlier. Finally hanging up, her eyes return to Chuck's, everything from embarrassment to unrealized hope showing in them. Clearing her throat, she brushes herself off, straightening her blouse and tucking her rebellious strands of hair behind her ears. Her eyes fall again, her demeanor becoming more shy now.

About to say something, her line of sight suddenly catches a figure coming towards the offices. She lets out a gasp, her eyes widening. "Chief Brown," she whispers in a panic. She was a total mess - she couldn't let him see her like this, and she certainly didn't want him asking who this stranger was. She would die right where she was if she had to explain. "Quick - over here."

Without thinking, she grabs Chuck by the arm and pulls him into the corner of the office away from the door so anyone walking by could not see them. Pushing his back against the wall she cautiously peers around the corner to see Chief Brown walk past the office in order to engage Gunner in a conversation. It was probably about the case that Gunner was working on. With any luck, Brown would leave without having to come through this office at all.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Susanne straightens, only to realize that her hands were pressing against Chuck's chest to hold him in place. She may very well have broken a record for how many times her face could grow red as it did turn shades once more.

Quickly dropping her hands, she clasps them behind her back, looking at him with wide eyes again. "I'm sorry," she apologizes. "I just... the chief... um..."

Spinning around, she walks back to her chair and sits down, reaching for her purse to retrieve her wallet. "It's early," she states flatly, drawing out several bills. "I can't leave yet, I have too much work to do." Trying to compose herself, she refuses to look back up at Chuck. "How much for the CD?"


"What's wrong, Justin?" Rebecca lays a hand on his shoulder as they sit on the porch swing at her place. It was evening and the sky was turning into a rainbow of colors. "You've been so quiet all night."

Justin looks to her and gives her a small smile. "I'm sorry." He usually wasn't talkative anyway, but he must have been extra quiet this time for her to have noticed. It had been a long day, running errands, finishing some odd jobs and helping out his mother. All in all though, he was still pretty upset about losing Scott, and then there was Beth and the odd feelings she was evoking lately. His mind had dwelt on that subject for much of the day. "Lots on my mind, I guess."

Rebecca cocks her head. "Wanna talk about it?"

Justin stares into her eyes, something inside screaming at him to say yes. He needed to talk through what he was feeling, and he knew he could trust Rebecca. She was one of the easiest people to talk to that he knew. Sighing deeply, he leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "It's Beth."

"Ah." Rebecca withdraws her hand and leans back in the corner of the swing to get a better look at him. "Something go wrong?"

"No... no, on the contrary, maybe it went too right."

"I don't follow."

"I was... with her all night last night."

Rebecca's eyebrows rise while she tries not to jump to any conclusions. "You mean you...?"

"Naw." Justin shakes his head. "It wasn't like that - you know me better than that." His tone wasn't chiding, just informing. He knew what he'd said hadn't come out right. "She broke down and fell asleep with me on the couch so I stayed until this morning. Figured it was the best option since she'd been so upset."

"Oh, I see. Well, what's wrong with that? It sounds like you were a perfect friend."

"Yeah." Justin can feel his gut twist again and he gets up to lean on the porch railing and look out into the yard. "It's just... I broke the rules, you know? I shouldn't... I shouldn't get that close to her."

"Why not? Isn't that what friends do?"

Justin bites his lip as he remembers the feeling of holding Beth in his arms. "It's just... dangerous." He scratches some dirt off the railing with his fingernail. "I mean when I looked at her, I... I... I could have slipped and fallen and that would have been a disaster."

"Slipped and fallen? I don't understand."

It was rare for Justin to feel so discombobulated and he wasn't even sure why. His voice lowers to a quieter tone. "The more time I spend with her, the... the more... I get close. And the more I get close... the more..." He stops, unsure how to say what he wanted.

Rebecca rises from the swing and slowly comes up beside him. "Do you... have feelings for her, Justin?"

His eyes snap to hers and for a moment, he felt as though he might be sick. "I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I shouldn't be going on like this." He reaches up to rest his palm against her cheek. "I put you in an awful position."

"It's okay." She smiles and puts her hand over his, leaning into his warm touch. "I really like you... if it's not obvious." She blushes and chuckles. "But that doesn't mean you feel the same and I understand that. If you have feelings for Beth then I can't stand in the way."

Justin locks eyes with her, his emotions doing things they'd never done before. Last night, he'd loved feeling as though he were a strong shelter for someone who needed him. Tonight, he loved feeling as though he had someone to support him. Rebecca's cheek was soft beneath his palm and he moves closer, closing the gap between them. As he looks down into her eyes, his other hand finds hers, curling their fingers together. "I like you too," he responds quietly.

A smile creases her lips and her own free hand slides up his arm to cradle the back of his head and pull him down close. "Then why don't you finally kiss me?" she whispers.

Justin grins and allows the gap between them to grow smaller before his lips brush hers.