I'm sorry to ditto, but this is all that comes to mind!!!

Joy

But where's the warm fuzzy feelings go? They were and I was and now Sue's -- what kind of place is that to leave it?

kav

Sue must feel so overwhelmed.

Wait............that's not how it's supposed to go!!! Lizzy! Come back here and try it again!

J?K. I'll trust you on this one........but you'd better make it fast.

Jill

Oh man! Please get back here ASAP and FIX THIS between them!

awww poor jack

So maybe Jack should lean over and give her another kiss - let her know that he was as involved as she was - and that he liked it!

I know Sue is mortified at such a display in a public place. Hopefully Jack will handle her feelings with care.

Aww poor Sue, and Jack!!


Come back and fix this Lizzy!!


Pretty please (with sugar on top)!!!


Sam

Aww Poor Sue , poor Jack, what happens next ?

Poor Sue (not the making out with Jack bit ), she must be feeling so embarrassed

I feel sorry for Jack too, he must be feeling so rejected and after such an intense kiss.

Come back and fix it Lizzy!!!

Sue hadn’t spoken a word to him since their… encounter, on the plane. She walked ahead of him now, toward the baggage claim. When she reached the luggage carousel, she didn’t turn to look at him; she simply stood there, waiting for the cargo to come tumbling down onto the conveyor belt.

“Jack Hudson?” He heard a voice behind him.

Turning, he answered, “yes?”

A redheaded woman, about his age, stiffly stuck her hand out. “Vicky Farrows.”

He shook her hand. “I guess you already know my name.”

She pursed her lips. “Yes, I do. I do my best to always be prepared.”

Jack raised an eyebrow at her abrasive tone. “I see. That’s good.”

“It should make your job easy. I told them we were effective enough as it is, but they wouldn’t listen. For some reason, they think some East-Coast ‘fresh ideas’ would make us better.” She looked him over from head to foot. “Honestly, I don’t think you should be here. Same goes for your deafie friend over there.”

“Hey, look, you cannot…” His protests died away, as the very person they’d been speaking of appeared.

“Hello. It’s Vicky, right? I’m Sue Thomas,” she introduced herself. “I’m the ‘deafie friend.’” She smiled, never turning a fraction of an inch in Jack’s direction.

The redhead’s eyes turned icy. Sue’s lack of sarcasm was startling. It was almost as though Sue was unaffected by her attitude… and that was even more angering than a volatile reaction would have been.

She choked a greeting out. “Welcome to San Francisco.” And from there, they collected the luggage, and left.
*****

Hmmmm...is it feeling cold in here to anyone else????? There is a definite chill in the air.

You go, Sue!

Well, this sure isn't going as I'd envisioned! Vicky isn't exactly a welcoming presence, is she! Since we don't want the team to be split up anyway, hopefully she is right about Jack not being needed! Hope Jack and Sue are able to get some alone soon and work their way through the awkwardness...thanks for the post, Lizzy.

Way to go, Sue!

I'm so anxious for the next post!

Jack and Sue JUST have to talk soon...

They must talk. Please be nice and don´t let them make some mistake. They are mean to be together.

it's artic down there

Definitely cold in here!! Sue, yes it was an embarrassing moment, but this is Jack!!! Give the guy a break!! He's certainly not going to get one from Vicky!!!

Joy

Frnkly, I'm kind of hopeful that Vicki isn't thrilled to see them. (anyone thought about how she must have a heart of stone not to even notice those Hudson eyes? ) Maybe she'll cause such discord that the Bureau will throw their hands up at the whole experiment! And ugh -- Sue's not having a good day, is she?

kav

Poor Sue, I hope her day improves before it's over.

Kinda cold Westwards aint it!!


Kav's right, Vicky must have a heart of stone not to melt at Jack's eyes!


Lizzy please give Jack and Sue time alone (with no interuptions) so that they can work through what happened on the plane!


Sam

If their workroom in D.C. had been the bullpen, the San Francisco office was the stable. The ‘team room’ was filled with cubicles, edge to edge, and there was no real meeting spot anywhere. As Vicky led them into the workspace, she rapped on the walls of each cubicle, informing the inhabitants, in a rather brusque tone, that they’d be meeting in her office in ‘five.’

The unwelcoming atmosphere made Sue wish she’d brought Levi to California with her. At least with him, she’d always have a friend and confidante. Now, even Jack was distant, though standing inches away. It drove her crazy to have him so near, and yet so unreachable. She fought the terrible yearning to bridge the gap, somehow. It wasn’t too hard, as she was scared to death of contact, of any sort, with this man. She’d lost her control far too easily in the plane, not even knowing she had any capacity to guard her heart and actions.

A scorching touch on her arm brought Sue back to reality. She glanced at Jack, and saw a depth in his eyes that she had perhaps seen before, but never understood. The meaning was becoming clearer now, but she was afraid of its significance. With great difficulty, she turned her gaze to Vicky, assuming she was the reason for Jack’s deliberate touch.

“This is my office.” She led them into the cubicle, furthest from the front door to the office. It was slightly larger than the others, but it was definitely still a confining cubicle.

“Tea? Coffee?” Vicky asked dryly.

“No, thank you, I’m fine,” Sue answered politely.

“Well, if your coffee’s any better than what we’ve got back at home, I’ll have a cup,” Jack answered, trying to lighten the air.

Vicky pursed her lips to one side. “I made it. It’s good.” She turned on her heel and left.

Jack let out a long, slow breath, tapping his fingers on Vicky’s desk. He turned to look at Sue, and feeling his eyes on her, she reluctantly met his gaze. “I’m sorry about what she said, earlier. At the airport.”

Sue shook her head. “It’s okay, Jack. It’s not your fault.” She smiled a bit. “I’ve faced much worse.

“I wish you hadn’t.” He returned her small smile.

“That’s life, Jack. Things happen. People get hurt, and hopefully, they forgive and move on. I have.”

Jack sensed her words had more to do with today than anything. “Sue,” he began, leaning towards her. “I didn’t mean to…”

“Alright, coffee run is officially over. You want something else, you’re getting it yourself,” Vicky announced, holding out a coffee mug to Jack.

“You alright?” Sue asked, concerned. She’d quickly learned Vicky was less than friendly, but she seemed extra irritable after her quick trip to the coffee pot.

“Yeah, well, LeRoy Cummings, our mousy Intel liaison, ran into me, literally, and hot coffee went flying all over the place—including me.”

“Are you okay?”

She looked at Sue, as though the question was the most ridiculous one she had ever heard. Gaping at Sue, she answered, “I’m fine.”

A light knock on the door diverted the attention from the woman scorched to a new woman in the doorway. She seemed somewhat timid, with light brown hair, curled bangs, and blue eyes that said much more than she was aware of.

“Hi,” she greeted them quietly, entering the room. “These the new guys?”

Vicky rolled her eyes. “No, they’re your long lost brother and sister.”

The new arrival shot her team leader a dirty look. She turned to Jack and Sue, holding out her hand, and offering a smile. “I’m Cindy Gold. I’m the computer geek around here.” He noticed a few smiley face buttons on the edge of her blazer.

“Nice to meet you,” Jack answered, shaking her hand and smiling, thinking of Tara’s quirkiness. She and Cindy would have hit it off nicely. “Jack Hudson.”

Sue followed suit. “Sue Thomas. There’s Levi, my hearing dog, who’s normally here with us, but we weren’t sure how he’d react to the new place, so we left him at home.”

“What kind of dog?” Cindy’s eyes sparkled.

“Golden retriever,” Sue replied, beginning to feel more at ease.

“I have a Scottie back at home.” She was about to reach into her purse for a picture, when the rest of the team gathered in the doorway.

“Something tells me our herd won’t be fitting in the dinky waterhole. Come on cattle, let’s move on to greener pastures,” Vicky thought aloud. She started shoving her arms forward, invisibly pushing the group out of her office. “Conference room four. Let’s go.”
*****

Ugh! Vickq is just so...ugh! Wow -- you manage to convey such a wealth of information in her mannerisms alone! And comparing the offices to stables -- brilliant! Personally I think the San Francisco office would be way ahead if they just got rid of Vicki! I cringe for her team.

kav

I'm picturing this so easily, Lizzy! I can't imagine Jack working in a place such as this one, compared to the wonderful team atmosphere he's in right now.

Boy, Vicky is abrasive, isn't she?? And, cubicles?? It's a good thing Myles isn't around - he'd have a fit!!!

Well, at least Jack and Sue managed to get a few sentences out to each other!! They still have a ways to go to clear the air though!!

Joy

That Vicky, she is something else!!! (amazement )


And Lizzy, I thought I asked for no interuptions! Oh well, wouldn't be a fic otherwise!


Sam

I absolutly agree with Sam.
Like you writing. Please write quickly cause it´s addictive.

That Vicky is horrible

Jack and Sue definately need to sort some things out. Please post more soon

That Vicky is getting to be so annoying! Can somebody just gag her already?

Come on, Jack, Sue, say something to each other! Something like really important and good and sweet, etc..

Maybe Jack's whole reason for being in SF is to take down the stupid cubicles! I would be grouchy too if I had to work like that everyday. Especially at a job that is so much about teamwork!

And Vicky.....lighten up would ya!

There seems to be an unpleasent atmosphere in the office, created by Vicky

argh...that Vicky is soooo annoying! But Jack and Sue...maybe they could find a nice, quiet cubicle to talk.

After a bit of confusion (apparently, it wasn’t too often that the team utilized the conference rooms… or conferred, at all), conference room four was found. They piled in, and they went through introductions.

Their rotor, Amanda, was tall with blonde, curly hair pulled back in stylish clips. She wore a tasteful, but trendy, sweater top, with a brown, tanned leather skirt. Sort of a California girl meets the Midwest look. It worked well for her.

Beside her was Eduardo, better known as Eddie, whose Mexican heritage wore well on him. He had dark eyes, warm brown skin, and thick black hair. He was about six feet, and Amanda wasn’t too far behind him in height. He seemed to be the ‘Bobby Manning’ of the group. He was comfortable in his own skin, and through his eyes you could see a very fun, but fiery, personality.

Cindy was on the other side of him, leaning against the wall. She looked very uncomfortable, not used to so much interaction. She seemed very sweet, but almost intimidated by the fact that she was in the real Federal Bureau of Investigation… sort of like a tourist offered a dream job while on vacation in her dream destination. Of course, from what they’d seen already, Vicky could intimidate almost anyone with her sarcasm and dismal outlook on life, so the apparent timidity could be coming from a very different source.

Franklin, who was older than the rest—about forty-five-ish—stood to the other side of Cindy. He had a healthy tan, with chocolaty brown hair, and was about 5’9”. His frame was lean, and he was in great shape. If it wasn’t for the ring on his finger, it was a sure thing that women would be flocking to him.

And sitting in the corner, like a self-punished child, was Craig. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his grimace was deeply pronounced. He actually reminded them of Myles… on a bad day, that is. He was a redhead, and looking at him brought to mind a shaken soda about to burst. He constantly looked uncomfortable, and when he did contribute, his words were dripping with sarcasm and offense. If he spoke as much as Vicky did, he’d give her nastiness a run for its money.

Speaking of Vicky, at that moment she was practically glaring at Jack, who was busy studying the group, trying to get the gears turning in his mind. He shook his head, and tried to refocus. “Um, I’m Jack Hudson,” he introduced himself, “Special Agent and team leader.”

“And I’m Sue Thomas,” Sue informed them, “Investigative Analyst.”

“Special Investigative Analyst,” Jack corrected, with a wink in her direction. His attempt to bridge the gap a bit only succeeded in making her even more uncomfortable. “Sorry,” he signed.

She shrugged, as somebody else groaned. It was Craig (no surprise, there).

“Do we really have to witness this display of overt flirtation?” he grumbled.

Jack and Sue exchanged a look, despite the strained air surrounding them. Their thoughts were one. Are he and Myles related?

Jack turned to the group. “So, I guess we should get started. Um, we’re here, because we’ve been commissioned to help… restructure some of the work methods out here.”

“Ah, yes, the valiant saviors have come to rescue us from our pitiful selves,” Craig mocked.

Vicky chortled, as the others rolled their eyes and sighed at his comment.

Sue cleared her throat. She pursed her lips for a second. “Franklin, you’re married, right?”

He nodded, raising an eyebrow.

“Do you have any children?”

“Three.”

She faced Craig. “Do you know their names?”

“The kids? No, why should I?” His question was dry and very derisive.

“How about you, Vicky?” she said, moving on.

Their leader shook her head.

“How old are his kids?” Sue asked the group.

There was no reply.

“Okay, here’s a perfect example of a thorn in the side of a team trying to function,” Sue began.

“Wait, you’re saying we’re no good because we cannot rattle off Frank’s three kids’ names?” Eddie retorted. “He’s never offered that kind of information.”

“But have you ever asked?” Jack stepped in, picking up on Sue’s train of thought.

“Why should we care? We’re coworkers, not roommates,” Vicky threw in.

“No, you’re not, but maybe you should take that kind of interest in each others’ lives,” Jack elaborated. “How can you be expected to truly connect as a team, if you don’t know each other? If you don’t understand each other well enough to anticipate each others’ moves in the field, somebody’s going to get hurt, or even killed.”

Sue nodded. “Multiple members of our team have been shot in the line of duty, including Jack, and we all are best friends. Even the most intimately connected members of a squad are in danger of slipping up. How much so would a team be in danger that doesn’t know each other, outside of what’s required?”

“Sue and Lucy, our team rotor, are roommates, actually. They haven’t always gotten along, but they do now, and they’re a force to be reckoned with.” Jack chuckled.

“Well, that’s nice, but I wouldn’t be caught dead rooming with Vicky,” Amanda stated, rather bluntly.

Vicky shot her a now familiar dirty look.

“I’d room with you, Amanda,” Cindy said quietly.

“Well, that’s very nice of you, Cindy,” Amanda answered, deliberately looking at Vicky, the whole time. She linked arms with Cindy, like making a ‘just try and stop me’ sort of alliance.

“Guys,” Jack cut in, half frustrated and half amused. “We’re not saying you all have to be bunkmates, and especially not to spite each other. We’re just suggesting more… well…”

“Togetherness,” Sue helped.

Jack nodded. “Spend some time together outside of the office. Try going out for dinner or drinks sometime after work. Shoot a little pool; watch a movie, or something. You’d be surprised at how much you’d enjoy it.”

Eyes rolled and shoulders shrugged, but the advice did not go unconsidered. Each one took it to heart, believe it or not, and while not everyone liked the idea, they didn’t brush it off, either.
*****

Great descriptions of this team, Lizzy---you painted a very vivid picture of who Jack and Sue are dealing with here...seems like they could definitely teach this group a thing or two about working as a team!

Wow - Sue didn't waste any time getting to the 'heart' of the matter did she? She and Jack have already shared invaluable advice.

Maybe if they spend some time together they will figure how to treat each other better in the office...

What this team needs to do is stop the back bitting!!

Sam

Picture perfect description of the team -- and their problem. It's dead on. When I was researching the FBI and Quantico etc for a story that was something pointed out over and over again. Agents were expected to make connections with their units and other employees outside of work hours. It was a requirement in order to breed loyalty and understanding and cohesiveness. These guys obviously don't have any of that and Jack and Sue made very valid points. NOw that they solved their problem can they go back to THEIR team please? (that was just a subtle hint)

kav

They're acting more like they're in high school, not the FBI.

I get the feeling that maybe some members of this team would not be in a hurry to help out a fellow team member!! How do they get anything done if they don't know each other???

Sue, as always, you knew exactly where to start, and evidently, you have everyone at least thinking!!!

Joy

“Alright, you two, here it is,” Vicky told them, after unlocking and opening the front door. They were inside what was to be their home for the next week, and considering how chilly the atmosphere the bureau building had been, the apartment was surprisingly nice.

“It’s fully furnished; you’ve got one bedroom, a full bath, kitchen, two living areas, linen closet, a fully-stocked pantry, everything we actually have to work for, basically.” She dropped the apartment and rental car keys on the counter. “Enjoy, ‘cause our branch is paying for it; this place doesn’t come cheap.”

And she shut the door behind her with a definite slam.

Jack raised his eyebrows, as he looked at Sue. “She’s a tough one.”

“Well, you’re just doing your job. If they don’t listen, that’s their choice. Besides, you’ll have the rest of your career to make things work out here.”

“Ugh, thanks for reminding me,” Jack groaned. “Enough about that. How about we get dinner?”

Thankful for the distraction, Sue nodded. “Sounds good.”
*****

Vicky needs major work!!!

Lizzy, you just pierced my heart when you reminded me that this was going to be a permanent assignment for Jack!!!

Joy

And I would like to not be so subtle.....FIND A WAY TO GET JACK HOME AND WITH SUE!!!

Could you imagine working with someone like Vicki? Actually, I can. She kinda reminds me of my first principal. What a joy to work for (could you feel the scathing sarcasm in that remark?)

Absolutely loving this story. It's so unlike anything I've read lately and you're description and dialogue flow is excellent. Keep up the great work!

Vickie is certainly a piece of work. Let's see what happens next.

Actually I'm working for someone like that now...only Vickie's a pale imitation!!! Hey did y'all notice this part?:di ya, huh? 'Cause I did! Come back Lizzy and write some more!

kav

My goodness---I know that it sure jumped out at me!!! How hospitable of Vicky.

It is a wonderful story. I love the way Sue gets straight to the point...except for reminding Jack about the permanent move. It really doesn't have to be permanent does it?

audiokim

I noticed, but I don't think Jack and Sue did...boy will they ever notice when it comes time to go to bed!

One bedroom!!! I sure hope they work things out soon!

I noticed the one bedroom also but I know that Lizzy will write Jack as a man of honor and he will most definitely sleep on the couch! Love the story Lizzy.

I have no doubt about that also, but it'll still make for some fun awkwardness.