8

Mistaken Identity

Rating: K+ (for that whiff of something more)

Disclaimers: Not mine

A/N: Thanks for being so patient and for all the reviews! Love them all! This ends Part 1 of Mistaken Identity. And no, I haven't forgotten about Jonathan. There is a part two but it's a work in progress and I don't like to post like that. It already takes me long enough when the story is complete!

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Chapter 7

"Good morning!" Bobby cheerfully announced as he strolled into the office.

The conversation at the coffee station stopped as the three women greeted him. He flashed a beaming smile in their direction, but Lucy noticed his eyes were on Sue. A quick peek at her friend revealed that glow of happiness she couldn't contain.

"Someone's in a good mood," remarked Jack.

"That I am, mate," agreed Bobby as he hung up his jacket. "It's a beautiful morning." He walked over to grab a cup of coffee, managing to place himself next to Sue. He barely resisted the urge to give her a kiss.

"Good morning," she smiled. "Slept well?"

"Never better," he grinned. "And what are you sheilas discussing?"

"Tara's evening at Antonio's," shared Lucy. She turned her attention back to Tara. "Was it everything you expected?"

"The atmosphere was wonderfully romantic," Tara admitted. "The food was out of this world, as were the prices. But I think what made the evening so special was the company. Stanley was just…wonderful. It was pretty wonderful to be treated like I'm the most desirable woman on earth."

"Far be it for me to put a damper on your description of your evening with Stanley," said Myles snarkily, "but you really need to expand your list of adjectives beyond the word wonderful. How 'bout I get you a thesaurus? Isn't your birthday coming up soon?"

"By your comment, I take it your evening wasn't so wonderful?" discerned Lucy.

Myles raised an eyebrow at Lucy's astute statement. Sometimes she could see right through his arrogant facade.

"You know how there's always that one person you think would be so 'wonderful'," Myles nodded in Tara's direction to acknowledge his use of the adjective, "as the so-called dream date?"

"Will Smith," stated Lucy.

Myles did a double-take. "Excuse me?"

"Will Smith," repeated Lucy. "You know, my dream date is Will Smith."

"But he's married," Tara interjected uncertainly.

"He said a dream date," Lucy clarified defensively. "I didn't think marital status mattered."

"I think Myles would like to finish his story," Jack commented as he reached for the ringing phone.

"Oh!" Lucy apologized succinctly if not sincerely. "Sorry."

"As I was saying," Myles glared at Lucy, "I went on a date with such a woman."

"Do we get any details with this?" Lucy asked, undeterred. "Like is she attractive?"

"That goes without saying," replied Myles haughtily. "And…she's a highly successful insurance agent."

"Oh! Oh! I can see where this is going," Lucy chirped. She looked at Myles with barely contained amusement. "She tried to sell you insurance on your date, didn't she?"

Myles sighed. "She was lovely to look at, charming to be with but selling insurance while on a date put a definite damper on the evening."

Bobby wrapped an arm around Myles' shoulder. "Cheer up, mate. This woman may not have been your dream date but I'm sure there's someone out there for you."

Myles was mildly surprised at the Aussie's apparent sincerity. Thomas' influence, no doubt, he thought perceptively.

"And speaking of people being there for you," segued Bobby, "where is D?"

"Upstairs assuring the higher-ups this was not a case of terrorism but an obsessive ex-boyfriend," Lucy replied. "That reminds me. The hospital called and said the third victim is awake so if you need to get a statement from her, you can do it today."

"Should we?" Sue turned to Bobby for confirmation.

"The question may be moot," declared Jack as he put down the receiver. He waited until he had her attention. "That was the hospital. The family had the plug pulled early this morning. Chandler Tighe died this morning at seven fifty."

"May God have mercy on his soul," Myles intoned gravely. There was a moment of silence as the team reflected on the chaos the man had created with his terrible fixation on Monica Temple. The lives of eight families would never be the same again.

"Any update on Chandler Tighe?" asked D as he entered the bullpen.

"The hospital just called to say he passed away," Jack informed him.

D nodded when he digested the information. "Since the survivors identified him as the shooter and we have a positive match of the weapon by forensics, that essentially closes the case."

"The last victim is awake," offered Bobby. "Want us to still get her statement?"

D thought about it for a moment. "Not essential but we should be thorough."

Sue had been watching the conversation between Bobby and D. The moment he responded affirmatively, she opened her file drawer to pull out her purse while Bobby reached for his jacket.

D paused at Bobby's desk, "Bobby…Sue, before you go, could I see you a minute?"

"Um…sure," the lanky agent replied, exchanging a mystified glance with Sue.

"This'll only take a minute," D repeated. "Conference room."

Again, the pair shared a look as he led the way.

Mystified, Sue asked, "Any idea what this is about?"

Bobby frowned slightly as he shrugged, "Not a clue."

Sue grinned as she teased, "And you call yourself an FBI agent."

Bobby responded with a bemused smile as they walked out.

"What do you think that's all about?" asked a curious Tara. "Something about that third victim?"

"I have no idea," Lucy stated evenly, suppressing her anxiety at her suspicions.

Why would D need to speak to Bobby and Sue? thought Jack. The case was closed. What was there to discuss?

Something's up, thought Myles, his eyes narrowing as he watched the departing couple. If it was about the case D would've said something right here in the bullpen. It must be something personal, he decided. And if it's personal… A worried frown furrowed his brow as he picked up the file on his desk.

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"Close the door behind you," D instructed as Bobby and Sue entered the conference room.

Bobby obliged, exchanging a barely perceptible frown with Sue.

"Have a seat."

Sue perched on the edge of her chair while Bobby sprawled in his "What's up D?" Bobby asked, as he shifted in his seat.

D leaned back in his seat not sure how to begin. He finally decided honesty would be the best policy.

"Donna and I went out to dinner last night."

Sue felt a prickle of uneasiness stirring, but managed to remain outwardly calm, "So you were still able to go out for Valentine's Day? Donna must have been happy."

"We went to Morton's."

Only sheer willpower kept Bobby in his chair.

"We saw you there."

Bobby slowly straightened, glancing at Sue apprehensively. Would he have to transfer now? He had hoped to stay on the team a few more weeks, if not months.

D leaned forward, hands clasped in front. "As your supervisor, I should be asking one of you to transfer."

"D," Bobby hesitantly began, "I…"

He held up his hand to stop Bobby. "However, there's something I think you both should know."

Apprehension turned to bafflement as Bobby and Sue exchanged glances.

D continued, "There's been talk of …policy changes. Too many teams have been broken up because of that rule, resulting in significantly lower efficiency ratings. Assuming the positions are filled—and with the shortage of qualified personnel that can be a big "if"—it takes time to train a replacement, time to adjust to the new team dynamics. And time is a commodity in short supply around here.

Smiling at their astonished expressions, D asked, "So, I have a proposition. Are you interested?"

"Depends on what it is," declared Bobby cautiously.

"If you keep your relationship out of the office and be as discreet as possible, I'll pretend I never saw the two of you at Morton's," D proposed. "And if everything goes the way I think it's going, no one will have to transfer."

"When?" signed Sue.

"When will the new policy be implemented?" D interpolated.

Sue nodded.

"Soon." Their smiles were short lived as D quickly added, "But in a bureaucracy, 'soon' could be tomorrow, or it could be a year from now." He continued, "I don't expect you to place your lives on hold, but for now, you need to be discreet—if you want to keep working together."

"Dimitrius," Sue was quietly apologetic, "It was never our intention to put you in the position of keeping our secret."

"I know. It happens." D replied with an understanding nod before continuing with a warning, "However, if there are any overt signs of a romantic relationship…any PDAs while on the job, I won't have any options but to transfer one of you,"

"If that happens, mate, you transfer me," instructed Bobby.

"Bobby…" began Sue before abruptly stopping at his look.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," D replied. He stood up. "You better go to your interview."

Left alone, Bobby and Sue looked at each other.

"Can we?" asked Bobby.

"We have to," said Sue simply.

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After the intensity of the previous twenty-four hours, it was a relief the day was an uneventful one. The third victim's statement was collected and the suspect's death noted for the record. The case was officially marked closed.

"Anybody wants to go to McMurphy's?" suggested Jack as he shrugged on his jacket. D had already left for the day. "We haven't done that in a while."

"Sure…why not," replied Tara. "Count me in."

"Can't," said Lucy. "I'm meeting my mom."

"Bobby? Myles?"

"Sorry, Jack," apologized Bobby. "Can't. I'm meeting a friend. Maybe some other time."

"Neither can I. Family dinner," said Myles.

"What about you, Sue?" asked Jack as he faced her.

She'd been busy gathering her things and missed his initial invitation. "What about me?"

"Want to go to McMurphy's with Tara and me? Seems everyone else is busy."

"Thanks for the invitation but I've made other plans." Her eyes flitted towards Bobby for the briefest of moments. "Rain check?"

"Sure." Jack looked around the bullpen. "Guess it's just you and me, Tara."

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"You know," said Bobby as he and Sue leaned back on the sofa, their hands entwined, "I could get used to this."

"So could I," smiled Sue. It was nice just to be together. Since Lucy had gone out to spend time with her mom, Sue had invited Bobby over for dinner.

"I've been thinking."

"Is that a good thing?" she teased.

"Oh, a very good thing," he assured her blandly. "Now that Lucy knows about us, we should keep a bag of Levi's favorite dog food at my place,"

"How does Lucy knowing about us and keeping a bag of Levi's dog food at your apartment go together?"

"Well…if he had dog food there, that means you'd be there, too," he said suggestively as his thumb rubbed circles on the hand he held.

"That's true."

"And if Levi started feeling comfortable at my place he might want to be there more often," Bobby went on.

"I guess that would mean I would have to be at your place more often, too," she said her eyes twinkling at his train of thought.

"Yea…yea," he said encouragingly. "You're getting the idea."

"And since Lucy knows about us she wouldn't ask where I was going."

"Especially if it was every night and some mornings, too."

"Wouldn't that be excessive?"

"Not in my book."

"Bobby?"

"Yea?"

Sue asked doubtfully, "Do you really think we can do it?"

"We will," he said confidently, knowing exactly what she was referencing.

"You were a little uncertain this afternoon. How can you be so sure now?"

He gathered her hands in his. " Because we know the consequences if we don't. I'm not saying it will be easy," he said earnestly. "However, I have the utmost faith is you…me…us. We can do it, Sue. We will do it."

The sincerity she saw in his expression was reassuring.

"I believe you," she dimpled. "In the office it'll be strictly professional between us…not even a suggestion of a PDA."

"And at home?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"That, Mr. Manning, is another story."

"And how does this story begin?" he asked impishly.

"Like this," she answered tugging him towards her bedroom.

"I think I like this story," he grinned as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

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