No Fuss, No Muss Agreement
Root rolled over in bed and tried to open her eyes. She thought she must still be dreaming because she saw a naked Shaw next to her in bed. The hacker's eyes continued to try and focus. Maybe she needed her glasses? Why was she in bed naked with Sameen? The last thing she remembered was waiting for Shaw to give her a 'thank you' massage, and she had taken off her clothes in hopes of a happy ending of sorts. She couldn't imagine a scenario where Shaw volunteered to sleep naked next to her, or could they have possibly have had sex, and she blacked out because it was so mind-blowing intense? Root wished if that had happened, she would have remembered; she cursed her brain at the moment. She was defragging her brain in hopes of some salvageable data on what happened last night.
The tall hacker couldn't take her eyes off her favorite primary asset, and not just because the bed sheet had fallen down a bit to reveal Shaw's naked breasts and torso. Root wanted to reach and touch Shaw; she also liked staying in this moment. She laughed to herself; Sameen had spent the last three nights in her bed. She thought the only living creature that could beat that record was Bear.
Shaw rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face further into a pillow. "Stop staring at me, and stop drooling, you lost enough fluids last night." The petite primary asset smirked into the pillow; she did thoroughly enjoy teasing the tall hacker.
"So…I take it last night's thank you massage…lead to a happy ending?" asked a hopeful Root, although a tint of sadness on her face since she didn't recall any details from the night before.
"Shame, you don't remember," Shaw mumbled into the pillow.
"How shameful was it, Sameen?" Root asked as she inched closer to Shaw.
"Uh…pretty…shameful…" even Shaw didn't believe her weak, fake answer. Still, Shaw presented her best smug face. However, Root wasn't buying it. Shaw could feel Root closer to her now, and it was causing all kinds of naked thoughts to run through her brain.
The tall hacker got a mischievous grin on her face, "Sameen…The Machine just said…you…engaged in self intercourse while lying next to me," Shaw lifted her head from the pillow with the most adorable bed hair and a surprised look on her face with her mouth hanging wide open.
"What?!"
"Was I inspiration lying next to you…naked? Or…did, your massage from Fusco, get you revved up?" asked a thoroughly highly amused Root, as she inched even closer to Shaw. Root didn't want to make Shaw completely uncomfortable, so she remained twisted and covered up in one of the bedsheets.
"The Machine is a lying bitch," Shaw reacted quickly, her anger flaring up.
"Aha, so nothing happened," said the tall hacker in a more accusatory, flirty tone.
"You are both such nerds," replied a resigned Shaw, she yanked the sheet and rolled onto her back; she put her arm over her eyes.
"Well, she's a Machine, kind of implied," Root shifted into a sitting position on the bed.
"Self intercourse? That is what the Machine calls masturbation?" Shaw asked, not wanting to know the answer. Her brain hovered between going back to sleep and running all kinds of naked rampant thoughts involving the hacker and stripping the sheet off of her.
"What's your favorite name? I prefer…" Root liked where this conversation was going, her eyes lit up even more, and she leaned over to Shaw, who kept her arm over her eyes.
"I don't want to know," Shaw huffed; she could feel once again how close Root was leaning over her. She could almost feel and taste her skin this close.
"Well, considering how many times you've had the leading role during my muffin buffin…" Root continued even though she knew Shaw didn't want to hear, and it could lead to another epic case of sexual harassment if she and Sameen were ever remotely in more normal working conditions.
"Root seriously?" Shaw pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes still closed.
"…and your name has been…sometimes whispered…moaned during my…saucing the taco?"
"Stop…" Shaw ran her hand through her hair, even though secretly she was holding down a small chuckle because this woman pushed all her buttons, who knew just how to annoy her to the core perfectly. And she also shockingly aroused her at the same time to an inconceivable level. "Well, it was a once in a lifetime thing, too bad you don't remember," said the petite primary asset as she sat up on her elbows and looked at the tall hacker.
"That's just rude Sameen, …especially to someone who had to endure your sex-crazed jellyfish state," Root threw out a pout face to Shaw.
"Please, I bet you loved every minute of it," Shaw made sure the sheet was still covering her because having this conversation while both of them were naked, definitely not the smartest decision.
"Sure, there were aspects...that were nice; however, for the most part, it was torture. You were out of your of mind and the biggest clit tease ever," Root moved to be parallel to Shaw, she nudged her leg to Shaw's with a little kick. The petite firecracker kicked the hacker back. Root decided to challenge Shaw, "Sure, you can take punching, kicking, gunshots, knifing in easy strides, but what about a physical onslaught of sucking, humping, kissing?"
"Easy peasy," replied Shaw quickly and confidently.
"Let's test your will power like mine was tested," replied Root quickly and confidently.
"What…" before Shaw had time to respond, Root got up on her knees and leaned into the petite firecracker's neck; she started sucking, then added biting. Shaw was glad that Root couldn't see her face because not only did she just roll her yes, she rolled them back into her head. Okay, maybe Root had some mighty self-control, which she had already speculated on and was grateful for in her own Shaw way.
Root continued to suck and bite, then she paused and started planting kisses along Shaw's neck up to her face. The hacker placed kisses along Shaw's lips without ever landing one right on the target. Then Root placed hungry kisses all the way down Shaw's chest, pulling the bedsheet down just a little not too much, all the while her hands roamed all over her favorite primary asset. When Root pulled back to stare into Shaw's eyes, she could tell she was definitely turned on as her pupils looked blown out. Her favorite primary asset though, was trying to play it cool.
"Let me know when you start," Shaw didn't make eye contact then attempted to shrug and look bored, she sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees; in hope, this would slow down the hacker's amorous onslaught.
The hacker leaned in and sucked on Shaw's neck again, pushing her knees down. And when Root was successful with that action, she pulled up the petite primary asset in a semi-standing position. Both on their knees, Root ran her hands over Shaw's backside, the bed sheet only covering half of the petite primary asset's back. The hacker pulled their bodies together, her hand grabbing Shaw's ass and squeezing hard.
"I bet your flooded…want me to check," Root knew she might be pushing it too far, yet she couldn't stop herself.
"Did I do that to you?" Shaw snapped her head up and looked into Root's eyes.
"No, only because I stopped you," Root stared back at Shaw.
Shaw did not want to admit that she was very close to pulling the bed sheet off herself, mere seconds from shredding the sheet covering Root and plunging her tongue into more than one of Root's orifices.
"It's not so easy, is it?" Root could tell she was getting to Shaw, which only flamed her internal flamer higher and hotter.
"You had Reese and Fusco cockblocking you too," it took all of Shaw's will power to keep her arms stationary and immobile, she wanted so badly to map out every inch of Root's body. Damnit, now a cheesy John Mayer song was stuck in her head.
"And Harry. And that Joan," Root leaned in again and sucked on Shaw's neck, while her hands roamed.
"You're no saint. I saw you kiss me back in that video," smirked Shaw, and she grabbed one of Root's wrists to push it back toward the owner's body. Her other hand gripped the hacker's waist in an awkward angle that caused Root very suddenly to yelp and very loudly.
"Shaw!" Root started laughing and couldn't stop. Shaw looked at her like she was even crazier than usual.
The petite primary asset had never seen Root respond like this to anything before, what the hell happened?
Then it dawned on her, "Seriously? You're ticklish?" Shaw got a wicked smile on her face and decided to continue to tickle the hacker unmercifully. Shaw continued to torture the tall hacker poking, pinching and running her fingers all over the sensitive tickle infested areas many times. Then discovered more areas, including under the hacker's arms.
"Please, Sameen, stop…" Root was breathless and unable to control her giggles. Her face was red; her chest was getting red from laughing so hard. Tickling torture was actual torture. The bedsheet wrapped around Root's body got looser and looser while she thrashed around the bed.
Shaw was practically on top of Root, continuing the tickle torture.
Shaw stopped for a moment, and Root tried to catch her breath. Then Root jumped to get away, fearing another tickle attack, Shaw grabbed the hacker's ankle which elicited a scream. Shaw started her onslaught again; Root reached out to grab Shaw; both of them twisted up in the sheets. The hacker wasn't successful in trying to take hold of Shaw's wrist. The strong petite asset managed to get to the tickle spots again, the hacker screamed and laughed uncontrollably.
"Shaw…please…" Root begged and laughed.
The laughter mixed in with moaning and thrashing; Shaw couldn't take it anymore; she stopped tickling Root. Root tried to speak between her labored breathing; she was sweating wholly and now flushed from head to toe.
"One and you're done, right?" Root panted and looked at Shaw intensely, "Three, if the person is really good?"
"Reese is a mouthy bitch," Shaw's eyes betrayed her and stared wantonly at the hacker, "I'm a pragmatist, no fuss, no muss…you're a huge hot muss."
"So you admit I'm hot," Root smirked larger than ever with a twinkle in her eyes.
"And a huge muss," added Shaw.
"I suggest since we're trapped on this island with its certain charms…we go by that kind of rule…a pragmatist kind of thing. An island pragmatist thing. It doesn't matter how many times as long as it's on the island. It's the least you can do for teasing me for twelve hours resulting in an epic case of blue bean," Root looked into Shaw's eyes, which stared back briefly before darting off across the room. The hacker couldn't help a smile; her favorite petite primary asset did look to be weighing this option in her mind.
"I see it your eyes Sameen, you push and pull with me just as much as I do with you. You always pull away. What are you afraid of?"
"Root, we work together; it's not a good idea. In fact, it's a really bad idea," Shaw pulled away.
"And getting into bed naked with me last night was a good idea?" Root pushed back.
Shaw started tickling Root again, which elicited more screams and laughter, mixed in with some pleas of surrender and lots of moans. The petite primary asset couldn't take it any longer, as the hacker once said, there is no time like the present. Shaw paused for a moment; she looked down at Root flushed, sweating, the sheet pulled down, exposing her chest. She thought why the hell not, especially now if they had an island rule. The hacker still had her eyes closed, trying to control her breathing, so Shaw leaned down to kiss her. Root didn't know that Shaw was trying to lean down to kiss her; she thought the petite firecracker was reaching out to continue her tickle torture, she yanked out her arm to stop her and smacked Shaw right in the face.
"Sameen!" Root's elbow hit Shaw hard in the nose. Blood started pouring out of the petite asset's nose. Root rushed to see Shaw's face. "Sameen! Are you okay? Please, tell me I didn't break your beautiful nose!"
Shaw covered her nose with her hands; she probed her nose without even flinching. Root jumped off the bed, the twisted bed sheet falling down; she ran to the bathroom and returned with a box of tissues.
"No, it's not broken…you're lucky," Shaw looked fiercely at Root, who gingerly placed tissues to stop the bleeding.
Shaw grabbed the tissues from Root to do it herself. She shoved parts of tissue up her nose, both nostrils. The petite bleeding nose asset couldn't tear her eyes off a completely naked analog interface in front of her looking concerned, offering more tissues. Shaw pinched her nose and jammed another tissue up her nose to stop the bleeding; she wiped her hands on the tissues; her hands were a little red from the blood. Shaw then ran her fingers through her hair.
"You couldn't be any hotter if you tried," Root said in her most lascivious tone and stared wantonly at every inch of the primary asset. "Let me kiss it and make it better."
"Root…" Shaw warned.
Root leaned it and gently kissed the side of Shaw's nose, the petite firecracker reached her tipping point; she slightly turned her head to capture the hacker's lips. They both kissed each other hungrily. The petite primary asset broke the kiss to shrug out of the twisted sheet and pushed the tall hacker down on her back. Shaw crawled up the taller woman's body and, without pausing, lunged for her lips again. Root leaned up to return the kiss fiercely. Shaw trapped Root's head with putting one arm on each side, her hair spilling down on Root's face. The tissues were a little block, however, it didn't stop either one of them.
"So anything happens on this island, stays on this island?" asked Shaw to Root to completely clarify and double-check. She couldn't believe she was going to agree to this, but then again, if she didn't have the hacker right now, she might enter another sex crazed phrase, and this time there would be no jellyfish to blame.
"Absolutely," Root beamed up at Shaw, touching her nose slightly, adjusting the tissues in the petite primary asset's nose.
"You would pretty much say anything at this point right now?"
Root so wanted to add, 'So would you' however she knew that would push Shaw away so kept her mouth shut, well for words.
They both deepened the kiss at the same time. As much as the other time's Shaw kissed Root while under the jellyfish spell and each one being electrifying, this one was even more intense and charging because it was truly Shaw. One analog interface thought if her heart were to beat any faster, it would crack her chest open.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Root said rather angrily as she broke away from the dueling tongue kiss, she was losing, and it was the most pleasurable loss of her life. Shaw opened her eyes, confused.
"Yeah, yeah geesh Root we're getting there…hold on," Shaw frantically pulled at the sheet and blanket, separating them from skin on skin contact.
"No, She's telling me that everyone is on the other side of that door right now," Root looked towards the bedroom door.
"What?" Shaw snapped but not moving from lying on top of Root, not moving at all.
"For some reason, Harry and the gang are all here. We have work to do," Root ran her hands over Shaw's backside, then up into her hair, pushing the hair out of the petite firecracker's face.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," now it was Shaw's turn to be pissed.
"If only we had time, unless…how fast are you?" Root struggled to untangle her legs from the sheets so she could wrap them around Shaw.
However, Shaw was already disentangled and getting dressed. "I'm going out of the balcony."
Root looked at her favorite primary asset with her head tilted, "Sameen, you're just going to shimmer down the building? We're at least five stories up or higher."
"It's better than being ribbed for consummating…or copulating or whatever…that didn't happen from the peanut gang."
Root enjoyed the show of Shaw getting dressed, hugely disappointed that nothing happened, however with a possible new agenda set in action, the likelihood of something happening seemed very high. And her lips still felt on fire from the kiss.
"Consummate? Are you proposing something?" Root beamed at Shaw, the primary asset sat down on the edge of the bed to tie her boots. The hacker took this opportunity to press her bare chest against her favorite primary asset and sprinkle kisses all over her neck. Root could feel and see the goosebumps popping up all along Shaw's arms and legs, plus she heard a faint moan.
Despite the delicious kissy onslaught, Shaw reluctantly stood up, rolled her eyes at the hacker. "I'm not doing a walk of shame out there with all of them, especially since we didn't get to have any fun shame." Shaw finished lacing up her boots and putting her hair in a ponytail.
"Sameen, they already think we're sleeping together, your jellyfish show didn't help disprove any theories. It's no big deal; we just saw Reese and Zoe's afterglow." Shaw glared at her, "Or we do it your way. And display the façade of platonic co-workers." Root walked over and stood naked in front of Shaw before she ventured out into the balcony and her crazy descent scaling down the building. "Do we have uh…no fuss, no muss agreement then?" The hacker bit her bottom lip nervously.
"Whatever," said the petite primary asset looked up and down at the naked hacker, how could she refuse at all. Shaw pulled Root down for a deep kiss, biting her bottom hard enough to leave a mark. "Put some clothes on, or everyone will think you've spent all morning self-intercoursing yourself."
Shaw climbed over the balcony railing and scaled her way down the building. She knew Reese and Fusco would never let her live it down, probably Zoe, too, if they saw her exiting Root's room after the hacker had been screaming during her tickle torture. Once she hit the ground, she jogged back to the resort entrance and took the elevator up to the room.
Shaw entered Reese and Root's room with bloody tissues still stuffed up her nostrils, some smudges on her clothes from the climb down the building and breathing heavy. Finch, Reese, Fusco, and Zoe all looked at her with raised eyebrows; the group then turned their heads to look at Root's bedroom door, which remained closed.
"Just coming back from a run…thought I would stop by this room," Shaw stretched her arms and legs for dramatic effect. "To see what was going on? Any news yet?"
"Did you get hit in the face on your run?" Reese was having a hard time holding back a big smirk.
"Yeah, Rocky…tell Coca Puffs less coca and more puff," smirked Fusco at his fake wife.
"It's my allergies," huffed Shaw as she made her way to the kitchen to get some water. She couldn't tell if they believed her lie or not. Again, it didn't help that Root had been screaming her name, and she was bleeding, damnit.
Suddenly, Root opened the door with wet hair and dressed in what was becoming her island attire, shorts, and V-neck t-shirt.
"Good morning, kids. Everyone sleep well? John, nice of you to stay over at the hatch and give your room to Sameen, to get a break from that snoring," Root gave a playful smile to Fusco.
"What snoring, my fake wife hasn't spent one night in our room, I'm starting to get offended," the detective looked over to his fake wife who was busy downing a glass of water.
Harold looked around at his friend/co-workers and decided to move forward with today's plan. "Hopefully, we can figure out soon who is targeting the undersea cables, a few more days tops, then go back home."
"You know Harold; it's been medically proven that the brain needs at least two weeks non-stop vacation to relax and recharge fully," Root smiled at Harold, then glanced over to Shaw.
The hacker wanted to have as much time on the island now that her favorite primary asset has agreed to a booty call arrangement of sorts. Maybe she could even prolong the investigation, perhaps slow it down in parts, maybe a little light sabotage here and there? Nothing dangerous, of course, the rest of the team could benefit from some much-needed R & R too.
Shaw knew Root was going with this; the longer they stayed on the island, the more the hacker could physically flirt her up and not just verbal anymore. The petite primary asset thought a full two-week vacation could be very beneficial; she didn't know if she would be able to get the tall hacker out of her system in just a few days with possibly only a few hookups. She might need prolonged, intense sessions to fully get tired of the hacker. Even though her nose was stinging from the hit, her lips were too, and she could barely make eye contact with the hacker without wanting to see her naked again.
Finch seemed to take in the information, then continued with what he was saying, "The Roths are on the beach right now, so why don't Mr. Fusco and Ms. Shaw go talk with them while Ms. Morgan and I check their room."
"Finch, I'll cover the room," Reese said quickly with a glance to Zoe.
"Mr. Reese, you and Ms. Grooves have a private therapy session in a few minutes," Finch said much to Reese's frown and slight delight of Root.
"Finch…" Reese looked at a loss for words "…I think our resources would be put to better use elsewhere." The tall primary asset added with a pained look on his face, it was obvious to everyone in the room he would rather have a root canal than have another therapy session.
"C'mon John, could be very enlightening. Just pretend I'm Zoe," Root smiled and looped her arm through Reese's arm as she winked to the tall fixer.
"Is it more hot tub therapy?" asked Shaw.
"Why did you want to see me in a bikini again, Shaw?" Root teased, even though her favorite primary asset had just seen her completely au natural a few minutes before.
"No, I just want to mentally prepare myself if I had to share a tub again with Fusco," Shaw threw some shade over to her fake husband.
"Hey, Small Fry you're not my ideal tub mate either," Fusco replied to his fake wife.
"Would that be me, Lionel?" asked Root as she batted her eyes at the detective for a fun effect. She almost loved tormenting other team members as much as Shaw.
"No, I choose Reese," Fusco said very matter of fact. Reese raised his eyebrows towards Fusco, so did everyone in the room. "Geesh, what's with your people; because Reese is quiet and respectful, bunch of loonies. Let's go Stubby to chat up these perps." And with that, Fusco was out the door with Shaw following behind him, pulling out the bloody tissues from her nose.
*****
Dr. Tinswell sat in a chair near a small couch in one of the smaller conference rooms; she instructed Reese and Root to sit on the couch. When they sat down, Root reached over and grabbed John's hand to hold. John raised his eyebrows to her.
"What? You'll hold Caroline Turning's hand but not mine?" whispered Root to John.
"Today's session will be role-playing," said Dr. Tinswell as she looked back and forth between the fake married couple.
Root could feel John stiffen immediately, which caused her a half-smile and to squeeze his hand harder.
"Sam, why don't you go first," Dr. Tinswell lifted up her notepad and adjusted her glasses to observe the exercise.
Root looked a little perplexed on how to do start, she then lowered her voice as much as possible and whispered; "I'm Batman." Root looked over at John, who shook his head.
Dr. Tinswell looked very confused, "Sam, I'm not quite sure I understand, are you saying your husband thinks he's Batman?"
"John…likes to be a hero, and he's good at it. Except not everyone can be saved," Root stared John in the eyes.
"Saved in what way? Does he try to save people like a vigilante that lost his parents? Does he wear a cape and mask?" asked Dr. Tinswell while Reese glared at Root for her usual nonsense.
"Uh, no…" Root didn't want Dr. Tinswell to Google or coming close to their real identities "…John rescues…cats. He tries to save every cat," John looked at Root with very surprised eyes. The hacker continued talking in the lowest voice she could muster, "He saves so many cats and brings them home. I'm turning into a cat woman."
"John, do you feel that every cat needs to be saved?" Dr. Tinswell asked the tall primary asset very seriously.
Reese sat speechless for a moment, "I guess if they don't have a home?"
"A forever home, right, John?" Root egged Reese on in her low voice; however, he wasn't biting. "John is so loving with the cats, especially when they have to clear out their hairballs. He helps even with the after hairball discharge, which is like the placenta, right, sweetie?" John pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Root ran her hand up and down the tall primary asset's arm with a wicked smile. "He's one big cat daddy."
Dr. Tinswell seemed very confused by this overshare from John's wife, she shook her head and moved on, "John, it's your turn," the doctor turned to Reese and studied him through her glasses that inched further down her nose.
Reese turned to Root, "Hey…" John looked pained to say the next word, "…sweetie…is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me."
Root didn't know if she wanted to laugh or smack John.
Once again, Dr. Tinswell looked slightly alarmed, "Does Sam carry around a weapon, John?"
"No, just a line. Sam flirts a lot, with everyone," Reese felt like he had to give the therapist something so the focus could shift off of him and onto Root, who he admitted was better equipped to handle the situation.
"Does that bother you? Does she flirt with someone, in particular, more often than others?"
"Just one, however, it's just to annoy the other person, so it's mostly amusing," Reese smirked, thinking of Shaw and how agitated she becomes when Root lays it on thick to her.
"It is fun to see how hot and bothered she gets sometimes," Root didn't even care if the doctor caught the slip of 'she'; it was kind of bonding moment learning that John found annoyed Shaw amusing. Root bumped her shoulder into John's and smiled at him.
Dr. Tinswell frantically took notes; some of the highlighted words and phrases were 'Dangerous? Dark sexual desires? BDSM? Guns?'; her brow furrowed as she looked between the fake married couple.
"I would imagine it's not amusing for the other person involved. Sam, this sounds like a serious issue to work on. This could be jeopardizing your marriage." Root had a tough time not rolling her eyes.
"Hey, doc. I'll just start flirting more with John," Root once again lowered her voice to a deep whisper, "All the time. Every day. Every hour. In-person, on the phone," the hacker threatened to Reese, the tall primary asset looked as if he just got shot in the stomach.
*****
Fusco and Shaw sat near the beach on lounge chairs, looking out over the ocean while patiently waiting for the Roths to show up. Shaw was in her black bikini again, wearing sunglasses and somehow felt that Root was ogling her somewhere, even it was from Google earth cameras she was commandeering to do it. Zoe walked up and sat down on the end of Shaw's long lounge chair.
"Harold wanted to see if you could plant this on one of the Roths," the fixer handed the petite primary asset a small tacking device.
"Got that, Buttercup. It's not often I'm near a beautiful ocean, gonna to take a dip in the Pacific until the Roths show up," said Fusco as he got up and headed toward the ocean in his longboard swimsuit shorts.
"Try not to get stung by a deadly jellyfish dear," Shaw deadpanned as her fake husband marched off toward the waves.
Zoe moved over to Fusco's empty lounge chair and stretched out, "This is a working vacation, right?" she smiled at Shaw.
Shaw looked over and Zoe, she scrunched up her face then asked the fixer, "So Zoe...you and John…how does that work?"
The elegant fixer looked momentarily taken aback by the forward question, then she realized this was Shaw, so it wasn't so surprising, "I see him when I see him, really nothing more than that," Zoe said while she looked over at Shaw. "I don't think either of us wants anything more at the moment." Since both women were wearing sunglasses, it was a tad easier to conceal anything given away by the eyes.
"So…the two of you aren't in a relationship?" even with her sunglasses on; Shaw stared out at the ocean as Fusco waded into it with caution.
"Depends on your definition," Zoe answered then added, "I think sometimes, being with someone is just being gross with someone. Sharing body fluids, bad breath, irritable moods."
"In that case, I think we're all dating Reese," Shaw smirked and looked briefly at Zoe, who smiled back.
"Shaw, I don't know you that well. I'm not sure anyone does. In my experience, if you share more than two bodily fluids with someone, you're probably in a relationship of some kind with them."
Shaw grimaced and scowled at Zoe.
"Sex is usually two bodily fluids. So more than two, it's definitely a relationship. Of some kind," the fixer kept her eye on the petite primary asset.
"What if you haven't had sex yet?" Shaw occupied herself with putting sunscreen on her arms.
"Are we talking about someone in particular?" asked Zoe, already knowing the answer.
Shaw sighed, "Root helped me out the other day with the jellyfish sting, things got pretty gross so…just wondering if I had to call her a friend now instead of the annoying woman I want to shoot again," Zoe looked at her with questioning eyes, "I threw up on her a few times…and uh, I might have mounted her while…she was trying to use the toilet. I was out of mind, one of the deadliest stings in the world," Shaw made her case once again.
"No need to present your case, I heard all about it; sounds like a near-death experience," Zoe said in her most comforting tone.
"I blacked out for twelve hours, so who knows what all I did," Shaw shook her head. "Although, Root is having evil fun, giving me tidbits here and there."
"Hey, if she's still around, then you've got a friend for life. If she's still flirting with you…you might have found your wife," Zoe said with an amused smile on her face.
"Ugh, you sound like you've been spending too much time with Root already," Shaw sat up and stared hard at Zoe, "And that concludes girl talk which if repeated will get you shot in the knee," Shaw smiled a fake smile to Zoe. "That also includes shooting Reese in the knee."
Fusco came trudging back to the lounge chairs, Zoe took that as her cue to go find Harold to see what he found. As Zoe was leaving, the Roths were arriving, occupying the lounge chairs a few feet over.
"Shaw, don't worry. I like my knees," said Zoe as she turned around and walked away. Fusco gave a confused look to his fake wife, who just shrugged then motioned with her head in the direction of the Roths.
Shaw got up from her lounge chair and sauntered over to the Roths, the petite primary asset then broke out her nice undercover personality, "Hi, Craig and Gina. Getting some sun?" Thankfully, Dr. Tinswell had repeatedly said everyone's name, so it wasn't weird that even though they haven't had an actual conversation yet, they all knew each other's names.
"Oh, hi, Sammy. Yeah, catching some rays before our private session. Same for you two?" Gina eyed the Fuscos; Lionel smiled up at her from his lounge chair.
Shaw went back over and sat next to Fusco, who whispered in her ear, "We need to loosen them up."
"Booze, I'll go to the bar," Shaw stood up.
"Always helps, maybe a game of some sort too?" Fusco scrunched up his face.
Next thing, the Fuscos knew they were playing a volleyball match against the Roths, and they were losing to the very competitive couple. Shaw looked up and saw Root and Reese walking toward them from the resort. The petite primary asset had to hide a smile as she watched Root, only looking at her and licking her lips. She shook her head; Root was about as subtle as a neon sign on a darkened highway.
"Why don't we do girls versus boys?" Root suggested as got close to the volleyball net.
"Good idea," said Gina as she pointed to the tall hacker.
The players switched sides, as they did Root walked over and leaned into Shaw, "She told me that you were in your black bikini, so I had to rush down here."
Shaw had the volleyball in her hand, and she used it to position it between her and Root, not trusting the hacker not to touch her; they did have a cover to maintain. However, it didn't stop Root from putting her hands on top of Shaw's hands where she was holding the ball. Shaw felt the heat of Root's hands, the slight rubbing the hacker was administrating and the eyes; those damn eyes. The primary asset was completely lost for a moment in the hacker's eyes until Reese came over and jerked the ball away from his two co-workers who were momentarily having a lapse in judgment.
"Shaw, get any viable info yet?"
Reese's questions shook Shaw out of her Root trance, "Not yet, we've only played one game. I think they need more booze. Any viable info about your private therapy session?"
"I'm going to flirt with John now," Root teased to both of her co-workers.
Shaw might have reacted too quickly for her own liking, "Why? For the mission?" The petite primary asset gave a cold hard stare to the tall male primary asset even without fully knowing why she was doing it.
"Also, if the doctor says we run a shelter for cats, go with it," the hacker said casually to a bewildered petite primary asset.
Reese walked over to the male side of the volleyball court, and the game started. The ball had only been in play for a few minutes when a loud voice boomed over the game from the sidelines.
"Excuse me! Sammy and Lionel! It's time for your sessSHIT!!" shouted an angry Joan from the sidelines, who grabbed her nose and screamed, the volleyball had hit her in the face.
"Sorry, Joan. Didn't see you standing there," Root offered up in her fakest insincere apology, payback for interrupting her thank you massage.
*****
Fusco and Shaw were on the same couch that Root and Reese had occupied an hour earlier. Dr. Tinswell was seated across from them with her notepad in hand, ready for the session, a serious, pensive look on her face.
"Lionel, you start first," Dr. Tinswell instructed to the fake married couple, she clicked her pen to start writing notes.
The detective let out a deep breath, thought for a moment, then smiled, "I'm going to smash your face in, shoot you in the kneecaps if you talk to me again or look at me," Fusco smirked to Shaw who just rolled her eyes.
Dr. Tinswell looked between the fake married couple in front of her with a shocked expression on her face. "Uh, Lionel. Is that how your wife speaks to you all the time?"
Shaw glared at Fusco.
"I'm kidding, that's just when she's playful or frisky. It's like our foreplay," Shaw seethed at Fusco. The detective reached and squeezed the petite asset's knee, which almost involuntary jerked back to smack him in the face. "Let think of some more…" Fusco thought for a moment, then got a scowl on his face, "Cows should fear me. I eat at least three cows a day. Same for terrorists. And scumbags. I love steak, and I love cereal even though I pretend to hate cereal," the detective almost chuckled to himself. Shaw caught her fake married husband's reference to Root; she was smacking him later.
"Sammy, why do you pretend to hate cereal?" Dr. Tinswell asked Shaw very seriously, her notepad posed and ready to take notes. "Are you lactose intolerant?"
"It's my turn, right?" Shaw ignored the doctor's question to her; she took a deep breath then let it rip. "Shorty, Grumpy, Sneezy, Captain Crunch, Princess, Four Eyes, Teletubbies, Stud Muffin, Urban Legend, Super Powered Nutball, Looney Cakes, Mr. Peabody …do you know how much I help you all the time. I get no respect. No respect." The petite firecracker leaned back on the couch and outstretched her arms. "And I wear too many stained clothes."
"You make me sound like Rodney Dangerfield with Tourette's for nicknames," shot back a very ruffled Fusco to Shaw.
"Lionel…you almost made your wife sound like a violent sociopath," observed Dr. Tinswell.
Shaw and Fusco eyed each other.
"Sam, do you feel that your husband uses too many nicknames and that he tells you too often that you don't appreciate him?"
"I don't appreciate him," Shaw snorted, then noticed the alarming look Dr. Tinswell had on her face and the grimace that Fusco wore on his, "I mean I do…appreciate him…we all do…Lionel. But don't be such a baby all the time in having to hear it."
"Sammy, people do need to hear certain things every once in a while," Dr. Tinswell looked between Shaw and Fusco as she wrote down some notes, some of the highlighted words and phrases were ‘Impotent? Guns? Diabetes? Closet Vegetarian?' ; her brow furrowed as she looked between the fake married couple.