The Art of Being Right

Morning

Wilson woke up the next morning to hear music coming from the floor downstairs. AC/DC's 'You Shook Me All Night Long' was playing from somewhere on the ground floor.

He sat up slowly; back aching from sitting on the Harley for hours at a time the day before. Fumbling, he picked his phone up from where he abandoned it last night and slipped it into his pocket before standing. Still half asleep and not fully thinking, he padded barefoot out onto the landing, following the music down the stairs and turning right in the hallway, only to find himself inside the kitchen.

The floor was black and white slate tiles - all the cabinets were bright white with black marble countertops. A blood red radio was perched by the sink and fridge; that was the source of the sound. And sat on one of the barstools placed next to the island in the middle of the floor sat JJ. Her dark hair was tied up in a messy bun on the back of her head, a few stray pieces of hair hanging at either side of her temples. She was wearing a white polo and sand coloured jodhpurs, with a pair of brown leather riding boots, and had one hand closed around a mug of what looked and smelled like coffee, in front of her, the other tapping at the screen of the iPad resting on the counter top between her arms. Her riding helmet was on the kitchen unit behind her.

"Morning." He yawned, running a hand through his hair and blinking erratically. JJ looked up from where she was sat and blushed.

"Morning. You, er...appear to be missing something." She bit her bottom lip, the blush darkening around her cheeks as she messed with the collar on her top. At first Wilson had no idea what she was talking about, until he checked himself over, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward. Somehow in the night he'd managed to shed his shirt, and was now wandering round a stranger's house half naked.

"Oh God, sorry. I didn't even realise, still half asleep I guess." JJ just laughed, getting up from her seat, leaving the iPad and mug in their place.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Not too bad," he sighed, still cringing at the fact he was only in a pair of sweats, "I suppose it's just too quiet."

"Quiet?"

"I'm used to car horns and gunshots in the middle of the night. The only sound I heard last night was a horse." She smiled, busying herself, "well I think it was a horse."

"Coffee?" She asked, wandering to the machine at the other side of the kitchen and flipping the switch.

"Yeah, please. Black, one sugar." She hummed the tune playing on the radio as the water boiled, nodding her head in time to the beat. AC/DC faded out and was replaced after a moment by 'Heat Of The Moment' by Asia. JJ grinned and turned it up a little louder, turning around and handing Wilson the mug of hot coffee.

"Thanks," he yawned again, taking a sip, "big fan of classic rock then?"

"I blame my dad and my brothers," she said with a laugh, "I've got three older ones, and it's all they ever listened to."

"Ah, understandable."

"So what about you? Any siblings back in the city?"

"I've got an older sister but I haven't seen her or my parents for years." JJ held both hands up dismissively.

"I won't ask, that's your business," he nodded appreciatively, "do you want anything to eat?" She added, her voice cheery as she tried to change the subject.

"No I'm good thanks. I don't really eat much. Especially not while I'm working." She raised her eyebrows at him, eyes tracing down his slim but toned muscular form, but didn't say anything. Before the conversation could progress any further his phone went off. It rang loudly in the open space, startling both Wilson and JJ.

He reached into his pocket and glanced at the caller ID; Maddy. He was about to reject the call, but felt it would be too cruel; he'd ignored her yesterday. He sighed and looked apologetically at JJ, who seemed to be watching curiously. He pressed down the answer button with his right thumb and held the handset to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Wilson! How are you? How's Little Wharton? Is everything okay?"

"Hang on, one question at a time."

"Sorry, sorry," she giggled, but her tone sounded anxious, on edge, "how are you?"

"I'm good, yeah really good. Bit tired but nothing coffee won't fix."

"Good, good." She trailed off, but the edge in her voice was still there.

"Maddy are you okay? You sound edgy." At this point JJ giggled, obviously amused from his half of the conversation and the high pitched sounds coming from his phone.

"Who was that, Wilson?" Maddy asked, her tone dropping dangerously low.

"What?"

"I heard a woman laugh. Who's with you?"

"I'm staying with one of Fobb's officers. JJ, um..." He held the phone away from his mouth and then turned to JJ, who was sniggering, "I never got your last name."

"Knight. Jennifer Jane Knight, but most of the boys at the station call me JJ."

"Wilson, are you still there?" Maddy demanded, which only made JJ laugh harder.

"Yeah, sorry Maddy. Like I said I'm staying with an officer from the local force, Jennifer Knight. Although apparently it's just JJ." He teased. JJ nodded, tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"Oh JJ is it? You two are pretty close already then?"

"I'm sorry what?" He asked, completely lost.

"Oh forget it Wilson. Look, I need to talk to you about something and it's important. The thing is..."

"What? Maddy I don't understand what you're implying." JJ fell off her chair. She was howling with laughter; Wilson couldn't believe what was going on.

"Shit!" He snorted and lurched forwards to help her up, fighting his own laughter as he heard Maddy's high pitched tones from his handset. Once JJ was safely back on her chair - but still not over her fit of hysterics - he picked the phone up again, wincing at the state Maddy seemed to be in.

"...and it just, it took so much for me to say that to you and I know it must sound weird. You probably don't feel the same but I-"

"Hang on, Maddy stop. What did you say?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"No, JJ fell off her chair and I had to help her up."

"So you didn't hear any of that?"

"No, why what did you say?"

"Forget it Wilson. I'll call you later."

"No wait, Maddy I'm busy later-" but she'd already disconnected the call. Puzzled, he set his phone down on the kitchen island, brow furrowing.

"Who...the hell...was that?" JJ managed to force out between peals of laughter, clutching her sides, "is she...your...girl...girl...girlfriend?"

"No," Wilson chuckled, "but apparently she wants to be."

He hadn't put his phone down for two minutes before it rang again. JJ's eyes widened, a quiet giggle in the back of her throat. But upon checking his caller ID, he realised it wasn't Maddy.

"It's not her. It's my superintendent."

"Oh, fair enough." She said, turning back to whatever was on the screen of the iPad. 'Carry On My Wayward Son' by Kansas was now playing - JJ was tapping her foot against the leg of it in time to the drums.

"Are you not going to answer it?"

"No."

"Why not?" Wilson just looked up and raised one eyebrow, not offering any kind of explanation. With a shrug she went back to what she was doing as his phone rang off.

A/N: So I think this is probably one of my favourite chapters, it was really funny to write and I figured it's how Maddy would react to finding out Wilson is staying with another girl. Let me know what you guys think, thanks for reading!

~Holly