Love In The Bureau 5/?
They hadn’t seen one another in 8 years until her boss decided to leave, leaving the position of Team Leader up for grabs. Kate wasn’t the happiest when she found out who it was, but maybe something can change this time round...
Enemies to friends to lovers. CM level violence. AU!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Eyes up, guys. He could be in here anywhere." Jess told them through comms.
For the last three hours, she had been planning everything with the team. Financial records had flagged on her computer from an old case. So, with the help of the BAU, she'd finally found a real identity of a person on the inner circle of a cartel in Virginia.
Spencer was sat in one of the booths with JJ, across from Rossi - to any passer by, they were just a couple meeting the parents, and the way they were talking, it was clearly JJ's stepdad introducing his daughter and son-in-law to his new girlfriend who was clearly late. Emily was sat by the bar, sipping on a martini, virgin obviously, and Luke sat at the other end of the bar, 'eyeing' Emily up.
And in the other corner of the bar, sat side by side, facing one another were Kate and Dean. Clearly, on a date. To anyone else's mind, anyway.
Dean's hand lay gently with care and affection on Kate's leg, leaning in a little. Her doing the same, keeping his eye contact.
Neither had spoken since that night. Not properly, anyhow.
~ ~ ~
Jess had given them their tasks. Their roles that they would be playing later tonight. And it was safe to say that Dean and Kate couldn't feel more awkward.
They were stood inside the locker rooms, the only thing between them being a block of lockers as they got dressed into their 'date' outfit.
Jess had said with them being close it would be the most believable. And everyone else agreed. Away from the feelings, simply when they stood by one another, they looked like a couple. Hell, a couple of cops had thought they were dating when they went to help out. One even thought they were married.
"Well, you bicker like it." They had told them when they found out they were just friends.
But now, here they stood, getting changed and the silence couldn't have been more defening.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Dean asked her eventually.
"Why wouldn't I be? I've gone undercover before."
"Kate."
Kate knew all too well what he was actually talking about.
"It's a job, Dean. We're co-workers, aren't we?"
"Is that all we are?" He asked, his voice a little on the harsher side.
"It's all we can be."
"Says who?"
"Why would we be anything different?" Kate asked him.
They were now both dressed. "Kate, we both know what happened-"
"Nothing happened."
"Is that what we're calling it?"
"Nothing. Happened." Kate reiterated. "Zip me up?"
Kate turned around, moving her hair out of the way, not once looking him in the eye. Dean was a little...confused? Disappointed?
They had been friends and now she couldn't even look him in the eye? Had it truely been that bad?
It took him a few seconds but he zipped her up. She moved her hair back, not once turning around. She continued walking, picking up her bag, closing her locker and making a B-line for the door ahead.
"Kate-"
Dean tried to call out after her but she didn't say much. Didn't say anything at all. Just kept walking.
~ ~ ~
"Got him." Luke said through comms as he lifted his drink.
Dean could see the door from where he was sat. "Eyes open. He's not alone."
"What?" Jess asked. She was across the street in a small apartment with Garcia and a couple other Agents.
"Don't look now, but our guy has clocked you."
Dean shifted his eyes to the second entrance of the resturant. He was looking around but there was that look in his eyes. He knew someone was here.
"Got him." Dean spoke in a low voice, never once making eye contact with anyone else other than Kate. "I'm gonna do something and you can yell at me later. Just follow my lead."
Kate nodded and quickly found Dean's hand on her cheek, pulling her in for a kiss. It was soft. It was more than a peck - it was a kiss. Part of it made Kate dizzy by the time he pulled away.
Dean took her hand in his, standing up. "Let's go home." He told her. Anyone could be watching them right now. And they were. He could feel their eyes on him and Kate.
Dean walked with Kate trailing a little behind him but only for a second because a second or two later, Dean bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry, pal." Dean apologised.
The guy - Kate tried not to react. They guy was their guy. The guy who they had been looking for.
"Don't worry about it." He said, clearly supressing annoyance. After all, it had been an accident. Hadn't it?
Dean looked back to Kate, pulling her closer, an arm now around her as they continued walking until they got outside.
"Are you okay?" Kate played along as they walked away.
As they finally made it outside, they crossed over the road and circled the building until they found the back exit to the apartment building and found their way inside to Jess and Garcia.
"Garcia, track this chip." Dean told her, handing over a small piece of paper with it's coding on.
"You chipped him?" Kate asked, now understanding why Dean had 'bumped' into him.
Dean looked to her and nodded quickly before looking back to the screen, a hand on the desk whilst the other was at the back of Garcia's chair.
"They knew we were coming. He brought a friend. And-"
"Guys, who's got eyes on him?" Alvez asked.
"I don't know, he was here a second-" Emily began before JJ cut her off.
"Kitchen."
The following five minutes were filled with the evacuations and arrests.
"We don't have anything concrete to-" Jess now began as Alvez made the arrest of the second guy.
"What would you call that Prentiss?" Alvez asked, showing a bag of white powder.
"Well, I'd call that cocaine."
"Or maybe we do." Jess now said, hearing the conversation.
Meanwhile, Kate stood in the small bedroom behind a changing screen whilst Garcia sat on the bed, going through the black gym bag by her side that belonged to Kate, handing her her change of clothes.
"So what happened back there?" Garcia smiled.
Kate could hear her smile through her words.
"What do you think happened?"
Garcia still had a smile prominent on her face. "Well, I think our hunk of a team leader just kissed you in one of the most romantic ways possible. Well, romantic for being in the field."
"Penn."
"What? Hey, I saw it all through the security camera's. I'd call it romantic." Penelope told her, handing her a t-shirt. "So, what was it like?"
"Penelope!"
"Come on. Humor me. Please?"
Kate sighed. "It was...nice."
"Nice? He kisses you and all you can say is, it was nice?"
"Fine, more than nice. I don't know what else to say, Pen. He's...He's my Boss. I can't exactly call it the best kiss of my life."
Penelope stopped moving, her mind ticking over. And then Kate came out, now fully dressed.
"Oh my, god."
Kate stuffed her dress into the bag, not making eye contact with Penny.
"What?"
"You like him."
"What?" Kate asked again.
Penelope laughed. "Oh, you really like him."
"I've got to go."
"See you later. Say hi to lover boy for me."
Kate shut the door behind her, Garcia now turning back, talking to herself.
"Oh, she really, really likes him." Penny laughed to herself for a moment before it faded into a content smile.
~ ~ ~
The pair laughed, their eyes landing on each others. They had been holding eye contact the entire conversation but something about this felt different. More...deeper. Deeper than just two co-workers talking in the dim lights of the empty office...
They kissed.
They were kissing.
It was soft. Slow. Meaningful, romantic, calm and a little scary all at once. But they were kissing.
And neither had ever had a kiss like it.
It was a kiss that was only ever in movies. Or read about in books.
Neither had any idea that it could exist in real life.
And as they pulled back, needing air, their heads rested together, both unable to open up their eyes.
Niether had realised their hands had landed together, either. Holding each other with a gentle yet firm grip. They were safe. And safer together.
However, after a content silence passed over them, they both heard a noise causing them to jump. Kate more so.
"It's okay, it's just the printer shutting off." Dean assured her.
Kate was now stood, her hand still in Dean's as he sat. And suddenly all her emotions began to overwhelm her.
"I-I shouldn't - I - I'm sorry."
Kate dropped Dean's hand, moving to grab her jacket, shoving it on. "I- I shouldn't have kissed you."
"Kate. It's okay. I kissed you. I - is everything okay?"
"What? Yeah. Yeah, fine. M' fine. I- I have to go."
"Wait, Kate-"
Dean reached out, taking her hand in his again. "Kate. What's wrong? Did I do something? I'm sorry if I-"
Kate shook her head. "No. It - I -- You're my...I need to go."
"Shouldn't we talk-"
"I'll see you in a few days." Kate cut him off, grabbing her bag and making her way to the elevator. But Dean seemed glued to the stop where he stood, watching her scurry away.
"Kate? Kate?!"
But no answer. Kate just hit the close door button and sped away as quick as she could.
Everything in her told her to go back to him. Everything in her wanted to go back to him. So why was she running? Everyone on the team thought they were together. Everyone who they met when stood by one another thought they were dating. Hell, she'd be kidding herself if she said she hadn't thought about it once or twice over the years. Especially in the last year or so.
And it hadn't seemed so bad. It didn't now. So, why was she running?
Dean called her every few hours over the following days they had off. She had gotten out of there so quickly, he didn't really know how to respond. So, he told her it was okay. And that they should talk. If she wanted to forget it, he would. All she would have to do is give him the word and it was done.
But he didn't. He didn't want to forget. He wanted to keep that memory forever. Hell, it kept him awake every night after.
But the longer time went on, the more awkward it got. They wouldn't stay in the room with one another more than five minutes. It was worse than when they hated each other. Mostly because every urge was making them want to yell from the rooftops to stay, but they wouldn't.
But that all changed the moment Jess came back into the picture with her mission.
~ ~ ~
"The chip can only track him so many miles." Dean told Jess. "Once he's out of it - or changes clothes - we've lost him."
"How'd you know he'd be the one to get away?"
"Same way I know Kate hasn't killed me yet." Dean answered, Jess giving a small questioning look. "Luck."
"Ah."
Dean nodded and looked back to the screen.
It took a few hours but eventually they got a hold of him again. And, with luck, their target hadn't changed clothes as of yet.
"Where is he?" Dean asked, barging through Garcia's office door.
"National City Bank."
"Okay, text that location to the team. I'll call SWAT."
An hour later, they were stood outside the bank, their guy inside doing god-knows-what. All they knew was that people were inside and one of the tellers were locked in the managers room with him.
Meanwhile, outside SWAT was getting ready and Garcia was sat inside the van, hacking into the bank's security so they could get a good eye on what they were dealing with. However, as they were about to go in, Jess following Dean, he stuck his arm out stopping her in her tracks. As much as she had the field experience - he wasn't ready to see her go.
"Wha-"
"If this goes sideways, I don't want to be the one calling Sam." Dean told her.
"Dean, I'll be fine."
"No. Stay in the van with Garcia."
"Dean-"
"Jess-"
"Dean. No."
Dean shook his head. "Jess, I've already lost enough people. I'm not losing you, too."
It took a few moments, but with a reluctant sigh, Jess stepped back. Only, as she did, Kate came out from the van strapping on her vest.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Starbucks?"
Kate tightened her vest before checking her holster.
"Kate-"
Sighing, Kate looked up to Dean. "Look, you still need a secondary and Garcia needs Jess' help anyway. Look into all the financials. There's a reason he wanted the clerk and not the manager. If anyone can find it, it's you." Kate said, looking to Jess.
And, with a small smile, Jess looked to her brother-in-law and leaned in a little, her arms folded across her chest. "She's good for you."
Kate didn't hear this since she was too busy focusing on checking her gun.
As the van door shut behind Jess, Dean walked over to Kate.
"I'm not letting you go in there. Kate, if anything happens to you-"
Kate gave a small chuckle. "Aww, it's cute you think you've got a say in that."
"I do have a say in that. I'm your Team Leader."
Kate sighed, finishing tightening her gear, she looked up to Dean. Her eyes strong.
"Yeah, well, you still need a seocndary and Prentiss and Alvez are dealing with the public whilst JJ deals with the press since Garcia is stuck in the van and Rossi is helping out the cops. And you were the one that trained me."
"Yeah," Dean agreed. "For six months."
"You still trained me." Kate pointed out. "I'm your best option. Now, shall we get to it?"
It took a few moments longer than either of them liked but Dean eventually backed down. "Alright."
They finally made their way into the building, the pair stuck side by side, SWAT getting in and helping the hostages.
Three hours later everything had been sorted. Jess could charge him under fraudulent claims and he'd be going away for a lot longer than he would have liked. People were safe.
Except for one...
