OOM: Date Night

[geeky_agent]

Chris and Jack step out of the bar, into a cold New York City night.

The first big difference from Milliways? All the noise. The sound of horns from the cars on the street, cops blowing their whistles as they direct traffic and someone down the street playing a violin come together to create their own symphony.

She pulls her wrap a little tighter around her shoulders and looks over at Jack with a smile. "Surprise."

Comments

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Yes I did, very much. Thank you, sweetheart," he says, putting an arm around her waist.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris moves closer to him in response. “That was the first time I've ever seen the Canadian Brass perform. I think the Jubilate Deo piece was my favorite.”

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"I liked that one, but I think I enjoyed 'Carol of the Bells' more; it's always been a favourite. So where are we off to now?" he asks as they step back out into the cold, noisy night.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

"First, to find a cab. And then to the Rockefeller Center, where our hotel is."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Sounds like a good idea to me," he says in a low voice, leaning down to kiss her.

Oh come on. Like they're going back to the hotel to sleep, really.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She kisses back, grinning as she does. "I thought you would like that idea."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"And what would have given you that idea?" he asks, teasing, as he raises his arm to flag down a cab. Luckily it doesn't take too long.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

The cab stops near them and Chris opens the door, smiling at him. "After all those glasses of wine, I figured you would be sleepy."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He climbs out of the cab after her, taking her arm. "I didn't have that much wine, sweetheart. Hey, how about we take a little walk first? Seems wrong to be in New York around Christmas and have a hotel near Rockefeller Center without even taking a peek at the Christmas tree."

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris takes his arm and climbs out of the cab. She pulls her wrap tighter around her shoulders, the tempature has dropped and it's nearing freezing.

Which is still warm for New York in December.

"Sounds good," she says, despite the cold.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He notices her tugging her wrap around her shoulders uncomfortably. Quickly he shrugs out of his coat and wraps it around her shoulders. His suit jacket doesn't offer much protection against the cold, but it's enough.

Taking her arm again, he leads her through the crush of shoppers toward the square.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris smiles at him when he does this and tells him "Thank You." Then, leaning closer to him, arm in his, she asks, "You sure you'll be all right?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"I'll be fine," he says, glancing down at her with a grin, "This isn't half as bad as some of the stuff I did during Special Forces training."

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She looks up at him. "Why'd you go into the Special Forces?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He shrugs. "I was asked to try out by someone I knew and respected, I wanted the challenge, and I thought it sounded cool." He looks over at her, giving her a wry smile. "I was in my early twenties at the time, so the last reason was probably just as important as the first two."

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris grins. "They only take the best."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Are you sure you want to be stroking my ego like that?" he asks with a teasing grin.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

"Why not," her grin is playful, "it is your birthday after all."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"In that case, I'll enjoy it while I can," he says with a wink.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She leans up to kiss him on the cheek, just near the mouth. "Smart boy."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"And you know how to flatter me. Smart girl," he says, returning the kiss.

It's only another minute or two before they arrive at Rockefeller Plaza, turning a corner to see the huge tree that is the centrepiece of the plaza. Bedecked in thousands of lights, it sparkles in the cold December air, each light reflected dozens of times in the plate glass windows of the skyscrapers. Skaters spin and whirl, or skate hand-in-hand across the ice of the skating rink, scarves flying. The effect is nothing short of magical.

Jack puts an arm around Chris' waist, pulling her close not just for the warmth.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris wraps her arms around him and finds herself smiling broadly. She had wanted this night to go perfectly, to give Jack one night away from the bar and all the craziness that went along with it.

It looked like she had succeeded.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

Which is, naturally, the very moment that everything has to go somewhat pear-shaped.

The romantic moment is interrupted by high-pitched giggling from a group of young women to Jack's left, and when he glances over, they quickly look away from him, hiding their mouths behind their hands.

He looks away, slightly unnerved. Why the hell are people giggling at him? He has the urge to check his fly, but he's not sure he can do it unobtrusively.

Instead he leans closer to Chris and whispers, "Do I have food on my tie or something?"

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris had noticed the commotion and looked away from the girls to Jack. "What? No," she whispers, looking him over. No food on his tie, shirt was tucked in, no toilet paper stuck to shoes. "No. You're fine."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Well then I can't figure out why--"

He's interrupted by the tallest of the women taking the few steps towards him, the other two clustered behind her like chicks following a mother hen.

The tallest one is grinning nervously, and when she speaks, her words come out in one long rush.

"HiMr.SutherlandIjustwantedtosayhowmuchIloveyourworkon24!" Intake of breath. "CouldIhaveyourautograph?!" she says, ending with a kind of squeak.

Jack just gapes for a moment. "Uh...I think you have the wrong person," he says finally, with a very awkward smile.