Yes, the title of this mini-story is self-explanatory. The writers will never make me believe they didn't name Shaw and Root on purpose to have such ship names coming out of it.

Shaw/Root centric with little bits of Finch, Reese, possibly others.

Leave a review once you're done reading! ;)

The day was unusually warm for this time of the year. Shaw buttoned down her jacket and took a deep breath. It smelled like rain and if the clouds in the sky were any indication, it would soon be pouring buckets. She wished that the woman she was waiting for would be out already. There was no way she could go all the way up to the tenth floor and enter by the front door or even a window. She had to be discreet. She had to—

"You just can't stay away, can you?"

Shaw almost jumped out of her skin. Her shoulders slumped as she turned around to face the woman who had somehow managed to startle her.

"I'm sorry Sameen. I didn't mean to scare you."

If they hadn't been standing on a crowded sidewalk, Shaw would have probably punched her in the face. Instead, she tried her best to look as if she was absolutely bored even though her blood was pumping fast in her veins. The woman in front of her took a step closer and cocked her head to the side.

"What are you doing here?"

"You're back in the States."

"Obviously," the taller woman answered with a smirk. "Tell me, how long have you been stalking me?"

Shaw stared at her and once again had to fight the urge to slap that sufficient smile off of her face.

"You know exactly since when. I was starting to wonder if you would ever come to see me or if I'd have to go up to your door."

"Well, no need for that now that I'm here. Although we can still go up if you want."

The predatory glint in her eyes told Shaw that she wasn't joking. It had always been like that between them; a game of push-pull, cat and mouse. Of course, Shaw felt the tension. She did not intend to cave in, to give in to this woman. She took a step back.

"Whatever, Root. Finch wants to talk to you."

A second later, she turned around and walked away.

The next night, Shaw was sitting at the counter of a small bar and drinking shots of tequila when Root walked in. Shaw felt her presence as soon as she stepped into the bar but she didn't turn around. Seconds later, the woman was sitting on the stool next to hers. From the corner of her eyes, Shaw noticed the painted black nails that contrasted so much with the pale skin.

"Did you talk to Finch?"

"Harold and I had a little chat, yes."

"What do you know that we don't? The two months that you spent in China… What did you learn?"

"I can only tell you that the reason why I was there is back in the States, too."

"It's Decima Technologies, I know that."

Shaw drank one of the five shots aligned in front of her and pushed another toward Root. Their fingers brushed very briefly as the hacker grabbed it and raised it to her lips. Root looked at her curiously for a moment, until Shaw couldn't take it anymore.

"What?" she snapped at Root.

"You could have called. Harold could have called, if he wanted to talk to me."

"What's your point?"

"Why were you really following me?"

Root was enjoying this; it was evident from the look on her face and the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. Shaw drank another shot of tequila. She didn't even know why she had felt compelled to look for the other woman in the first place.

"I was bored. The Machine doesn't give a lot of numbers these days."

"It's okay," Root said. "You don't have to tell me the truth right now," she added in Shaw's ear.

Then she gestured toward the bartender and ordered a beer.

"What about the drives?" Shaw asked in an attempt to redirect the conversation on a safer topic.

She just wasn't sure how far Root could go with her flirting behavior and didn't want to find out.

"Let's not talk about that tonight, Sameen. No work talk, okay?"

"But—"

"I just want to have fun, tonight. Tons of fun."

"I'll drink to that," Shaw finally said after a minute.

Life was decidedly strange, Shaw thought as she threw her head back and swallowed another mouthful of tequila. The alcohol burned the back of her throat but she didn't mind. Eight months ago she would have gladly put a bullet between Root's eyes and now, here they were, drinking together. Granted, a lot had happened in between. And if Shaw had been offered a second chance at life, why wouldn't Root have the same right?

"You're thinking too much."

Shaw slammed the empty glass on the counter and shifted on her stool to face Root fully.

"Stop trying to get into my head."

"Would you rather I get into something else?" Root shot back immediately.

Then she leaned in and teased:

"You are making this too easy, Shaw."

"I will smash your face on the counter if you don't stop," Shaw warned.

Root giggled—giggled!—and got up.

"I think I'll get my fun somewhere else tonight. I suppose I'll be seeing you around, Sameen."

Still seated on her stool, Shaw frowned as she watched the other woman exit the bar. She was pissed now, and pretty sure that her evening was ruined. Frustrated, she downed her last shot of tequila and took a couple of bills out of her pocket to pay, then she followed Root into the night.

It took her a minute to find which way the other woman had gone. When she finally spotted Root turning at the corner of the street, Shaw jogged after her. Thankfully, she wasn't wearing heels tonight. Over the years and with a lot of practice behind her, Shaw had learned to be as silent and stealthy as a cat. She didn't know if Root had the Machine talking to her right now but she didn't pause to consider. She approached the hacker and once within reach, she grabbed her arm and spun her on her heels.

"You don't get to say things like that and just take off."

"Did I get you all hot and bothered? You're adorable."

"I—shut up!"

Some people looked their way as Shaw raised her voice, but she ignored them.

"Look, I don't know what game you think you're playing with me but it has to stop."

"I'm not the one following you around like a lost puppy," Root pointed out.

"I was making sure you weren't in trouble. That's all."

Root observed Shaw intently for a minute; her eyes seemingly searching something on Shaw's features. Shaw did not back down, she stared right back; her face betraying nothing, showing how serious she was about the whole thing.

"Very well," Root finally said with a small smile.

Her tone, however, was a little colder than usual. Not by much, but enough for Shaw to understand that she had somehow hurt the other woman.

"Good night, Shaw."

This time, Shaw didn't run after her.

The following weeks were as dull as the ones before and Shaw was bored out of her mind. The numbers were barely a distraction and she felt restless. At night, when she should have been asleep, Shaw found herself wishing that she was somewhere else. Sometimes, she even dreamed of having someone with her, but the thought was always discarded as soon as it entered her mind. She was not made for relationships. She was not made for caring and loving. It wasn't what she was looking for.

She hadn't heard from Root since their last encounter, almost a month ago. She wasn't worried. Root had the Machine on her side, surely if something had happened to her; Finch and the rest of the team would have been told. If she was in danger, her number would have come up. It hadn't.

Her phone buzzed twice, signaling a text message. Shaw put her sandwich back on her plate and took the device in her hands. Finch asked her to come right away. It wasn't unusual for Finch to request her immediate presence. What was unusual was that it was almost two in the morning and that he had put more exclamation points in his message than actual words. Swiftly, she grabbed her jacket and her gun, slipped into her new pair of boots and ran out of the apartment.

On the bed that had been used for Reese a few times, white as a sheet, a woman was asleep, or so it seemed.

"Root," Shaw whispered as she stood in the doorway.

Finch and Reese were standing a few feet away, gauging her reaction. She turned back to them.

"What happened?"

"Miss Groves called me two hours ago, saying that it was important."

"I can see that, Harold. How come she's almost dead?" Shaw asked; her voice rising slightly.

It was a sign that she was upset, she knew it. And if she knew it, Reese definitely knew it too. She wasn't sure about Harold, but the man was clever and he had probably picked it up as well.

"She told me that she needed help and that a taxi was going to drop her off at the Library. She asked for medical assistance and said it was urgent. When I arrived, she was passed out on the bed. Luckily, our… special doctor, shall I say, arrived not long after me. She was hit by bullets, Miss Shaw. He was able to extract them all but—"

"Bullets? How many?"

"Three. None of them fatal, but it was a close call. The doctor said that she might not wake up before a couple of days. She's lost a lot of blood."

"Any idea on what exactly went down for her to come back with three bullets in her?"

"We don't know anything yet," John spoke softly.

"But she did bring this with her," Finch added as he handed a bag to Shaw.

Shaw took it from him and looked inside.

"Is that…"

"Drives, yes. From Samaritan, I presume. I was going to examine them further when you arrived."

She handed him the bag and looked at John.

"Any reason why we're here? If there's nothing we can do…"

"I was hoping you'd stay here with me and Miss Groves until M. Reese comes back."

"Comes back? From where?"

"A number came up earlier, but nothing I can't handle. Stay here."

What Reese really meant was "stay here and protect Finch in case Root unintentionally led some shady people here". She understood and nodded once. John and Harold finally turned their attention back to the computer screen, and Shaw slowly approached the bed where Root was recovering. The doctor had left a medical chart on the bed, as he would have in a real hospital. Shaw took it and read it all. Her time in medical school allowed her to understand everything on the chart. She sighed and put it back. It had indeed been a close call for Root. She was thankful for Finch's money and connections; it was probably the reason why the other woman was still alive, though barely. Shaw checked her pulse instinctively; a habit she had kept from her years in hospitals. It was there, although feeble. Then she walked back to the adjacent room where Finch was giving the final details on the new number to Reese. Once the ex-CIA agent left, Shaw approached Harold's desk.

"This doctor of yours must be a hell of a good one to be able to do surgery in here."

"I have all the medical equipment necessary for all types of injuries, Miss Shaw."

"How much exactly did it cost you?"

"You wouldn't believe me," Harold answered with a small smile.

"Right."

"You can take a chair and sit. It won't cost you anything."

"Where's Bear?"

"Asleep, I'm sure. M. Reese should be back in two hours. Then you'll be able to get some sleep."

"I doubt that," Shaw replied under her breath.

Finch looked as if he wanted to add something but decided against it and he focused on the screen in front of him instead. Shaw took a chair and pulled it to the window near Root's bed. She settled on it and prepared herself for the long hours that were coming. As part of her training in the Marines, she had had to stay awake for over seventy-two hours. During her training as a sniper, she had been taught all the tricks to keep her eyes open and a high vigilance for three consecutive days. She knew she could still do it. Her gaze remained transfixed on the street below; although she made sure that she could not be seen from down there. If anyone had followed Root, they would most likely use the front door. It wasn't like there were too many other options anyway. From where she was sitting, she would see anyone coming in. The fact that it was pitch-dark did not bother her in the slightest. Shaw enjoyed the night.

The only person that entered the building in the next five hours was Reese. Apparently there had been slight complications with the new number but everything was back in order now. Finch tried to talk to Shaw but had little success. The woman would not tear herself away from the window. When John came back, Harold suggested that she went back to her place to get some more hours of sleep and that Reese would stay here with him. She refused. Reese recognized her behavior and prevented Finch from trying to talk to her any more. Finally, Reese and Finch took Bear on a walk and did not come back. They sent her a text message to let her know they were going to stay together at Reese's apartment, for security reasons. Shaw did not really care. Root could not stay alone and she felt that it was her responsibility to stay with her in case someone would try to finish the job. After all, Root had saved her life. Sure, she could drive Shaw nuts, but there was an implicit code of honor that prevented Shaw from leaving. A life for a life. She would stay until Root was awake.

It happened twenty-eight hours later. Finch had just gone on a walk with Bear, and Shaw had no idea where John was. Root stirred. Her head turned on the right side and her eyelids fluttered. Shaw was by her side in a second.

"Don't move. You'll hurt yourself."

Her eyes remained closed but Shaw knew she was conscious. Carefully she checked the other woman's vitals and then poured her a glass of water.

"Here. You can drink; it's not chill water."

Shaw brought the glass to Root's lips and slowly tilted it back. Later, she would deny having been so gentle. It wasn't her. She was glad that neither Finch or Reese were present. They would probably tease her until she either killed them or killed herself. She was about to set the glass back on the small bedside table when Root swiftly grabbed her wrist to hold her in place. Shaw's eyes shot up to her face and she realized that Root was staring at her.

"The drives…"

"Harold has them. They're here."

Immediately, as if it had taken up all of her strength, Root let go of Shaw's wrist and her arm fell back on the bed. She closed her eyes once more. Shaw stood still for a few seconds until she was sure that the other woman had fallen back asleep. Then she returned to the chair near the window. Once John got here, she'd go home and catch up on her sleep.

Obviously I'm a big fan of Shaw, and Root is a close second. I hope that my portrayal of these two characters is quite accurate. Let me know what you think!

Thanks!

OTH-FOQ