A/N We all know John has a sweet tooth. It was bound to catch up with him! Thanks for reading!

Joss quickly slipped into the passenger side of the black Lincoln that was idling at the curb. Pulling the door closed behind her, she silently handed the small brown package over to John. He opened the bag and removed its contents, nodding with a smile of approval. She had been able to procure the exact item he requested. Gripping it with his long agile fingers, he began to twist off the cap of the tiny tube, his eyes bright in anticipation. Emptying half the contents on his forefinger, he greedily smeared the gel over the tender gums of his upper mouth. A satisfied moan left his lips as the numbing effect took hold. He closed his eyes and relaxed back against the headrest, sliding the small yellow tube into his shirt pocket.

Joss didn't move or speak as she watched the spectacle unfold. A slight cock of her head, twitch of her lips and rise of her brows were the only indication of her amusement. She wondered to herself what sounds John Reese made in bed if the soothing Anbesol could illicit such a response.

This was the third time in two days that John had sped to the nearest pharmacy begging for her to run inside.

"Please, Joss, it's bad."

This had to end. John could handle the excruciating agony of torture or being sewn up in some back alley clinic, with no pain killer, yet he couldn't bear to face down a cavity.

"John, you have to go. This is getting ridiculous. You're acting worse than Taylor."

"Joss, you know I can't. They'll use a drill. A drill!"

"They'll give you a sedative and novocaine. You won't feel a thing or even know where you are. I'll ask Finch for a recommendation."

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course" she assured him, with a hmph under her breath.

Joss had kept her promise. As she sat patiently next to him in the exam room, she watched him examine each and every tool meticulously. She imagined he could find much better uses for the shiny sharp objects that lay before him. As the doctor and nurse arrived, she let him clutch her hand until his incoherent mumbling had ceased and he'd fallen asleep in the chair.

An hour later, Joss fumbled with the key to John's lock, finally swinging the wide door open and half-dragging his sluggish body inside. Her hand firmly around his waist and his arm draped loosely over her tiny frame, the effects of the Xanax had yet to wear off.

After a stumble into an armchair and a bruised shin from the coffee table, Joss somehow managed to navigate John to his large bed on the other side of the room. She pushed him forward to the mattress and he landed face down with a plop. Tugging off his suit jacket, she rolled him over and then gently removed his shoes. It took all her strength to heave him up to the pillow before pulling the comforter up to his chin. She left a bottle of water and his prescription Tylenol on the side table for when he'd wake up, which wouldn't be for a while if his snoring was any indication.

"Maybe now you'll learn to curb that sweet tooth" she whispered, softly placing a kiss on his forehead and turning to leave.

"I love you, Joss."

Maybe it was the medication talking, maybe she imagined those four little words. She didn't care, she'd take them anyway.

"Sweet dreams John."