GCPD meets London

[breakstherules]

Continued from here

[Louise stood up, pushing herself away from the wall, a grimace marring her delicate features as her shoulder made her wince slightly.]

The Falcones--they know your face, then, do they?

[Casing the cellar of the small tower block, she was looking for a lift that might take them up and inside the building, unseen. Taking her phone out of her blazer, she texted Lestrade back at HQ:

Check Chatham House, Charing Cross. See if vacancies. How soon can we rent one? Need to lay low for the time being. Keep this quiet. --L.]

They do.

[They knew the GCPD far too well, if you asked Jim. As she looked in one area, he looked in another, checking on the people, taking note of each of their faces before meeting back with Louise.]

Find anything?

Comments

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

[breakstherules]

"We had today off, technically." He replied back, finishing off a sentence he was writing, half listening to Louise's attempt at humor (which wasn't any better than his, FYI). After finishing typing, he glances up towards her.

"How long have you been here, and how's your shoulder?" She appeared to be in better spirits, which was definitely a good thing.

<3 <3

[doomed_copper]

She rolled her eyes subtly at his queries, shifting her stance and placing a hand on her slightly jutted out hip.

"I've been here since 2, and will you kindly STOP asking after my shoulder, Gordon, for pity's sake. I'm three days post-op, and I've got my big-girl knickers on," she reminded him, lifting an eyebrow in emphasis.

"However, it's rather charming that you care at all."

Brushing her hands several times down her pencil skirt in an effort to blow off the uncertainty, Louise glanced up at the wall clock.

"It's just gone five. Going to be clocking off in a bit. You?"

The breezy sound of her tone was supposed to convey indifference; however, the redhead was itching to blow off some steam after their ridiculously important collar, and she shifted her eyes furtively towards Jim's in a silent query.

[breakstherules]

He blinks at her reply, unsure as how to respond to that other than a blank nod. As she smoothed out her skirt, he clears his throat and shuffles some papers until her next question.

"Nah, I've barely made a dent in this pile. As soon as I get some of it put away, I'll head out." He spent far too many times late at the station, but what else was he going to do?

And as an after thought, "Got any plans?"

[doomed_copper]

She shot him a withering glance.

"We've not even had three hours off after we just delivered probably the most impressive collar of the last five years. Lestrade himself gave us two days of personal time," she reasoned.

"The only plans I have are to stuff my paperwork until Wednesday, have a celebratory meal, get reasonably drunk, and do all that....," she halted slightly, her words beginning to stumble, "...hopefully with you."

[breakstherules]

Tapping his pen on the desk, he's half listening to her list until she mentioned the last three words. And without a beat, "Since you're the only person I know here other than Wiles... I'll go."

He couldn't sit here and do paperwork nonstop for the next two days, "Give me two hours and I'll meet you somewhere."

[doomed_copper]

She smirked at him slyly. "Cheeky sod. If you'd picked Wiles, we'd likely need a chat."

*******

Three hours later, the pair of them were ensconced in a back booth inside the gastropub in Croydon Louise was so fond of nearest her flat, having had a lovely, if rather traditionally British meal. Two pints of real ale (Jim) and two glasses of Pinot (Louise) in, they were certainly less stilted and far more relaxed.

Louise, for her part, had gone home to change and maybe fuss with her hair a little. She'd ended up choosing a simple, black, tea-length wrap dress and left her hair down, probably an attempt to try to get herself to separate work and everything after.

Taking a casual sip from her glass, she smiled gamely at him.

"Okay, then. Worst date. What was it?" she asked.

[breakstherules]

He takes a sip from his beer and pops another french fry in his mouth, mulling over his answer. "Mm, got one! Where this woman showed me where she buried all her pets in this area of one of the parks. It got really awkward."

Unfortunately he didn't have that many dating stories, but at least he could come up with that one. "You?"

[doomed_copper]

Louise rolled her eyes and set her glass back down.

"I was set up on a blind date by a colleague desperate to see me get laid. She talked him up and everything beforehand. He'd won tickets on Capital Radio to see Tom Petty, and needed a plus one, so I agreed, even though his music isn't my cup of tea. So we're sat there at the O2 Academy, and he's getting more and more annihilated with each passing second, and before you know it, he was calling me 'mama' repeatedly, and in the third person. 'Oh! Mama likes this song, yeah?' 'Ooh, Mama likes to dance, mm-hmm, I can get with that.' The sympathetic looks I got from the couple sitting next to us were proof positive." She shuddered in remembrance.

"Needless to say, I didn't call him back, and I seriously questioned if my colleague secretly had it out for me."

[breakstherules]

Jim's eyebrows raise in interest at her description of the date. Even just hearing this shortened version of her experience, he couldn't help snickering as he took another drink of his beer and leaning on an elbow.

"How did the night end?" He grinned, imagining she just slammed the door in the guy's face. He couldn't say he didn't blame her; he shut the taxi door rather quickly for his own date and waved her off in mid-sentence.

[doomed_copper]

She just stared at him a moment, her lips falling open in disgust.

"How do you think it ended?" she replied with a small gasp of incredulity before picking up her glass again, taking a sip whilst locking eyes with his in a pointed look.

"Well, needless to say, I didn't get laid, and I didn't call him after he pushed his mobile number into my hand."

Her eyes continued to hold Jim's glance, and the irises began to soften in the familiarity of the soft blues of his as a barely audible sigh escaped her throat in the process of relaxing.

[breakstherules]

And here is Jim sitting with his hand wrapped tightly around the glass with his beer, lips pressed together in a line to prevent himself from bursting out laughing. It was hard not to and at the point he realizes that the alcohol was starting to course through him.

He finally looks away, taking another sip from the glass and sighs. "My partner and I used to go for drinks after an especially crazy case. I'm glad we can do that here too." It was like a little touch of home for him as he relaxed in his seat.

[doomed_copper]

Louise stifled a chuckle at Jim's obvious attempt to conceal his.

"Go on, laugh," she prodded, giggling a little. "It can't be helped, truly that bloke was a tosser of the highest order."

Leaning forward and propping an elbow upon the table, she glanced up at him. "Mmm," she said, agreeing with his following statement, smiling vaguely.

"It is nice, isn't it. I can't actually remember when last I did this with my colleagues, or Lestrade, for that matter." She took a long pull from her glass, feeling warm and buzzy from the wine. "Was probably dragged along to watch a miserable football match after work at the pub, I'd imagine the last time was."

And just then, the smile faded a few ticks as reality began to dawn upon the detective. "'S a pity it won't last," she said in a faintly despondent tone.

[breakstherules]

"Ah, I won't be leaving for another few days." He reassured her, or perhaps himself as well for that matter. "Too much paperwork and -- We really shouldn't talk about work now." There's a light chuckle. "Sorry."

He finishes his glass and holds up 1 finger, "It'll be my last one, promise." He didn't normally binge drink like this, but it had been so long before he could properly relax for some time, that he was going to take advantage of it.

"You should come to Gotham some time. It's really not a bad place." It was, he was just in love with the city.

"Binge drinking" on THREE drinks? LOL

[doomed_copper]

Louise thought she could detect a slight hesitation in Jim's voice as if he didn't want to rush returning overseas just yet, either, and she smiled softly in return, chuckling at his attempt to stop his relentless focus on the job.

As she took a sip, the PA system sprung to life once again as someone had placed a few quid in the jukebox, a song streaming out quietly over the din of the pub.

When Jim held up his finger to the barkeep for another round, she turned and nodded at him as well, indicating one more for herself as well. Turning back to face her partner, she smirked.

"Three drinks, Gordon...I'm not sure you'll be all right to walk home," she joked, clearly taking the piss at her lightweighted counterpart. Leaning forward, she propped her chin up with one hand as she considered his last statement.

"You've seemed rather keen I visit your old stomping grounds," she murmured wryly. "What would you do with me if I arrived suddenly?" The question was tossed out blithely; however, the cheeky quip was left in on purpose, a small twitch of her eyebrow indicating as such.

"Would you show me the intricacies of each corner of the precinct? Give me a tour of the Morgue, perhaps?" Tongue was firmly planted in cheek as the copper's lips tugged upwards.

[breakstherules]

"Do with you?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction at her comment. It was innocent, but he couldn't help to smirk in amusement.

He shrugs, "I've seen your 'stomping grounds', so fair is fair. Have you even been to the U.S.?" He's asking out of curiosity, a snide tone nowhere in sight.

"And if you wanted to see those, then sure." There's a shrug, but when it came down to it, he wasn't sure what he'd show her. It was difficult to surprise someone from London, given the size of the city.

[doomed_copper]

She let that one slide, neither confirming, nor denying what she'd meant by it, just letting it sit there cheekily and allowing him to draw his own conclusions.

"Aside from a brief stint at Quantico for a workshop when I first joined up with the 'Yard, no," she chuckled, shrugging, and lifting her glass to take a pointed sip. "Those sorts of endeavours aren't exactly conducive to sightseeing, really."

Placing her glass down, she nodded at him. "I'd rather hope you'd show me your favorite spot in all of Gotham," she continued smoothly, a small smile reaching her eyes as she spoke. It really was a sight, these two normally reserved, unyielding people whose affinity for justice served often superceded anything else, attempting to deepen their bond, however temporary it was.

[breakstherules]

"Quantico?" His eyebrows raise briefly, impressed.

"I could do that." He takes another sip of his drink, looking lost in thought for a moment. He wasn't sure if he had a specific favorite spot in Gotham. The docks weren't bad, but now he had bad memories there. Perhaps some of the overlooking views.

He clearly needed a favorite spot.

[doomed_copper]

"Yes," she confirmed for him as the server came by with the check. Handing him a twenty-pound note, she held up her hand indicating the barkeep could keep the rest.

"It was something Lestrade found essential once I'd joined up at the 'Yard. 'Extra credit', he'd called it. Seems to have worked in my favour." She smirked at Jim pointedly, and reached for her coat and handbag, standing up.

"I think I'd better hail you a taxi," she joked. "I'm not sure I'd feel safe letting you traipse about the Tube alone at this hour, some lairy punters might take advantage of a poor American tourist," she added with a wink.

[OOC: We'll need to segue somehow into him ending up at her flat next door. AWKWARD]

[breakstherules]

"I've had more than this, trust me." He probably shouldn't comment how many times he had left the bars in Gotham drunk and wobbling around. Though usually he had Harvey with him in an equal state of oblivion and they'd split a taxi ride.

They share a few more stories, though breaking the rule of 'let's not talk about work', and eventually closed the pub down. "I'll walk you home." He offered, pulling his jacket on.

[doomed_copper]

Louise gladly accepted the offer and allowed Jim to escort her back to hers, and as they exited the pub, her already drink-coloured cheeks turned slightly more rosy at the bite of the cool air outside. The detective wrapped her trench about her person, her glance occasionally drifting to steal a look at him as they walked.

Once they'd reached her gaf, she stopped them just short of the door to the narrow brownstone she called home, and paused a moment to collect her thoughts, her eyes flitting towards his every now and again. The silence seemed to drag on for ages, and Louise huffed out a brief laugh, acknowledging the tension and awkwardness which had beset them after an evening which saw them drawing ever closer to one another. She'd never met a person like Jim Gordon in her fairly short life, not someone whose views, actions, and morals regarding law and order so closely mirrored her own, and the redhead was loathe to let him go, especially knowing their departure from one another was imminent. It was already a foregone conclusion that the two were very much attracted to each other; they'd demonstrated as much at the 'Yard no more than 36 hours prior.

So, when the good detective dropped all pretences and reached an arm out, pulling him towards her and crashing their lips together in a desperate attempt to seal their partnership, it was done in a way even more deeply than before; in a languid, yet passionate attempt to convey just how much he'd be missed by her.

[breakstherules]

She too was a first to him, someone as dedicated and determined, perhaps even more so than himself, though he could say the same about Commissioner Essen in some regard, but he never kissed her (or wanted to).

It was hard to mistake the alcohol in his system, his own cheeks reddened as if kissed by the crisp air, though his skin was hot to the touch. Louise would be able to figure that out instantly as she pulled him in and locked their lips together. There isn't any hesitation from Jim as he returned the kiss, placing one hand flat against the door behind her to steady himself as his free hand rested on her hip as he kept up her pace and deepened the kiss.

[doomed_copper]

The moment their lips touched and her hand strayed upwards to caress his cheek, she hummed in muted excitement at the warmth he exuded, his skin feeling almost fiery, and she knew his desire matched hers. They made an inimitable team, the both of them, and now they were testing the waters of their developing attraction to determine their viability on that final level; and so far? They weren't doing too badly.

Her back pressed up against her door, Louise's other hand fluttered up to rest atop the hand currently drawing patterns across her hip bone before finally lacing their fingers together. A low moan bubbled up from her lungs as the kiss grew more and more furious, and suddenly the copper wanted to pull him inside her flat.

[breakstherules]

If she did, he wouldn't stop her. He was already impossibly close to her as the kiss continued to become more heated, his own interest and excitement being barely contained as she laced their fingers together and he's practically pushing her against the door by now.

His hand moves from the door to slide into her hair, tangling it but determined to keep her close, though he breaks away a moment to catch his breath as he pressed his forehead to hers.

[doomed_copper]

Wanting to curse her way through all the warring feelings within her, Louise stifled her mouth and merely fished into her blazer for her keys, blindly inserting them into the lock and turning, allowing both their bodies to very nearly fall inside her apartment. Pulling at his coat, rending it from his shoulders, Louise discarded it on the ground before moving to Jim's tie, fingers loosening it before tugging it free, running the silk through her fingers as the thought passed through her mind as to what, exactly, the detective wanted to do with the thin piece of fabric.

Shoving his tie into the back portion of her waistband, Louise continued to conquer his lips, her own breaking apart from his finally in order to trace bites and kisses from his earlobe down to his collarbone.

[breakstherules]

Nearly fall was correct, where Jim barely was able to keep his balance when she unlocked the door and it swung open. He caught himself by the tip of his toes before toppling over but before that could even be considered, she pulled at his coat, bringing it forcefully down past his shoulders and arms before being discarded on the floor.

He kicked the door closed as her fingers now went to his tie, sliding it out from the collar of his shirt and tracing the edges of the fabric as if contemplating something devious. Jim doesn't notice where she tucks it because all at the same time he brought their lips crashing together once again before she pulled away to tease alongside his skin in heated excitement.

Blue eyes fell closed as hands tangle in her hair once again appreciating the fiery passion driving her. A moment later, he breaks away from that, quickly bringing his hands to work at the buttons of his oxford shirt and discarding it alongside his jacket on the floor, leaving him in his usual sleeveless shirt tucked into his trousers.

"Bed?" He muttered between kisses.