This story arose out of a conversation I had with jakela. We were talking about the recent season finale and she mentioned that she would have liked to have seen the members of the team saying goodbye to various people in their lives like Zoe, Leon and Fusco before leaving to assume their new identities. Then it occurred to me, what if Joss had survived her gunshot wound? John would definitely say good bye to her, and I was inspired to write this little ficlet.

Once again thanks to carolinagirl919 for the beta!

Detective Joss Carter looked around warily as she got out of the car. This address was in one of the worst parts of the city, one of the parts where her badge would make her a target rather than an authority figure. This was not the type of place she usually met Carl Elias and she was beginning to realize the email that she had received a few hours ago, from the account Elias normally used to contact her, may not have been from him after all.

Elias may have been a vicious crime lord, but he did enjoy the good things in life, like good food and good wine. Normally, when he had a tip for her, he would meet her in some out of the way bistro with four-star dishes and an extensive wine list. He would wine and dine her, and then give her the tip she needed to bring a murderer to justice. "It's my way of thanking you, my dear detective, for saving my life," he would say. Joss suspected that Elias enjoyed these dinners like they were some sort of date. One thing was certain, as long a Carl Elias was one of her CIs, she was going to have to spend a lot of time in the gym…

She heard the wail of a siren far off in the distance as she looked up and down the street. It was dark and deserted. She frowned as she watched a discarded candy wrapper roll down the street, blown by the soft breeze. No, this was definitely not Elias's kind of place.

She glanced up and realized that all the cameras on this block were out; this was not unusual in this neighborhood. The gang bangers around here liked to use them as target practice, but it also meant that Finch and the Machine could not track her here. If anything happened, she would be alone.

Silently, she kicked herself for coming into this area alone. She had barely survived Simmons' ambush only seven months before and had not been back on full duty for very long. It had been a long hard road back to full health and to her Detective's desk in the Eighth Precinct. The last thing she wanted was to get caught in another ambush. She reached under her coat and unsnapped her holster.

"You won't need that," a familiar whispery voice said from behind her.

"JOHN!" She spun around and threw herself into his arms. She was startled when he swiftly disengaged and hustled her into the alley by her car.

Once they were in the alley, Joss turned to John. "You sent that email!" She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. She wasn't sure what he and his merry little band of vigilantes were up to this time, but she was in no mood for games. Truth be told, she was little embarrassed that he had uncovered the connection she had with Elias even though she had done her best to hide it from him.

John gave her one of his sexiest smirks. "I've known about your arrangement with Elias since you gave me the address of the diamond fence. It wasn't in your handwriting, so I did some digging. I followed to you to some of your 'dinner dates' with Elias." John smiled as he put air quotes around the words "dinner dates", showing he understood the true nature of the meetings. "I must say, he has good taste in restaurants."

Joss rolled her eyes. "Shoulda known." Then she glared at him again. "What's wrong? Why all the secrecy?" she asked.

John looked grim. "Samaritan is online."

Joss drew in her breath with a hiss. She knew what that meant. "Root and her hackers weren't able to stop it?"

John shook his head and then drew her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. "All they could do was give us new identities that are hidden somehow from Samaritan. We have to hide until we can come up with a plan to destroy Decima."

Joss gasped as she suddenly understood why John was here and why he had faked the email from Elias. "You're here to say good-bye, aren't you?" Her voice wobbled as the tears began to fall.

John laid a trembling hand on her cheek. Just like in the morgue, she thought. His back is against the wall again, and there is not a damn thing I can do to help.

John's voice was so tight with emotion that Joss almost had trouble understanding what he was saying. "I had Finch spoof Elias's email address so Samaritan wouldn't know the email came from me. We aren't supposed to contact anyone from our past lives, but I couldn't just vanish without seeing you. I... I had something I needed to ask you before I left."

Joss looked up at him, trying to be brave enough though she was losing him. "Of course, anything."

John's lower jaw moved from side to side in an almost imperceptible motion as he struggled to say the words. "Wait for me."

Joss almost laughed with relief. She had been sure he was going to tell her he would never see her again. She cupped his face in her hands. "You don't even have to ask. I would have waited for you forever, even if you hadn't asked. You're not getting away from me," she declared before she kissed him, a gentle loving kiss that came from the heart.

John returned the kiss just as lovingly. Since the kiss they had shared in the morgue and Joss' near brush with death, they both had come to the realization that not only did they care for each other deeply, but that life was too short to let a good thing get away. They had slowly begun to build a relationship. Both had been hurt before, but it felt right to take this chance and it felt right to be together. Neither one had regretted it for minute.

Despite their growing relationship, John had wondered if he had had the right to ask her to wait. He had no idea how long the wait would be or if he would come out alive at the end of it. Standing here now, holding her in his arms as she declared she would have waited for him even if he hadn't asked, he knew this was the right thing to do. Taking a chance with Joss Carter had been the best to happen to since a judge had given him the choice of the Army or jail. He was not going to blow it this time.

After a few minutes, John reluctantly pulled away from Joss. "I have to go. But I swear to you will be back as soon as I can."

He turned and started to walk away, he needed to get away before he changed his mind. But her voice stopped him one last time just as he was about to exit the alley. "John?"

He turned back to her. It took all of his self-discipline to not run back and hold her tight again.

She smiled at him through her tears. "Stay alive."

He smiled back. "I'll find you again," he promised, before he vanished into the dark.

Joss knew in her heart he would keep that promise. She counted to 100 to give him a head start, then walked slowly out of the alley, got in her car, and drove away with memories of his goodbye playing over and over in her mind.

There you go. I have always wanted to write a fic where John asks Joss to wait for him and I finally got my chance! :D

Depending on how they open next season I might write a follow up where John returns to her.