Jake is careful to tippy toe into the apartment. He shuts the door as softly as he can before he stops to take his shoes off and leave them by the door. It's an Amy rule that Jake mostly ignores but right now it's helpful in project-don't-wake-Amy. They slide off his feet easily because he hasn't tied them since the first time he wore them and thusly they are made for this.

He takes a look around on his way through the apartment. He notes that the television is off and that there is no dinner on the counter. He walks softly over to the refrigerator, opens the door and finds a carton of Chinese leftovers that he quickly zaps in the microwave. Amy will be more angry that he's eating cold Chinese than that he woke her he's sure.

Leaning against the counter in hopes of muffling the sound and catching the microwave before the ding Jake notices that Amy has straightened the living room, stacked all the magazines, and vacuumed. He can't tell if the fish tank has been cleaned but he would guess it has. Amy is very efficient on her days off of work.

He successfully gets his food without allowing the microwave to ding, grabs a fork, and sits down to eat at the table. Another one of Amy's rules. No food anywhere other than the kitchen unless it's a special occasion.

Normally he would ignore it but Amy just vacuumed and he's in enough trouble without her finding rice in the couch.

He hears her footsteps before he sees her but he keeps eating while he steels himself for the incoming argument. He knows it's coming. He can feel it in his bonez. Amy doesn't like to go to bed angry and their fight from this morning was both one of their worst and unfinished when Jake got called into work to deal with a homicide.

Fingers running along his neck surprise him.

"Babe, come to bed," She whispers so as not to upset the silence. Amy leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek.

"I will. I just wanted to eat first," He explains.

Amy lets a frown grace her tired face while she takes a seat next to him at the table, "Jake you always bring food to bed."

"And you always complain about it. I'm being considerate," Jake wants to ground out. He still angry at her. Instead he says it really exhaustedly.

"Charles called. He said you caught the guy," Amy starts.

"Yup," Jake cuts her off.

Amy nods and gets up from her seat. His NYPD shirt sits on her a few sizes too big and she says, "Guess I'll just go back to bed."

"Wait, Amy, I'm sorry. I'm just really tired and I don't want another fight. Alright?" He calls after her.

She stops and without turning around says, "I don't either Jake," Then continues on to their bedroom.

Jake finishes his food quickly, cleans up after his self, and stops in the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth before he goes into their room. He strips down into his white tshirt and boxers before he crawls in next to her and listens to her cry.

She's trying not to. The sniffles give her away though.

"Ames," He says while reaching out to pull her to him. She lets him, rolling into his side and putting her hand over his chest.

"I'm sorry Jake."

"I know."

They lay together another few minutes before Amy speaks up again, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

No. Jake really really does not want to talk about their huge blowout extravaganza. He wants to go to sleep after a long day. He wants to made love to his girlfriend. He wants to spend all day in bed with her. He wants to call in tomorrow and play vids while she reads next to him. But he also wants to know why the hell they got in such a big argument about wiping the table after breakfast.

"I guess we need to."

"Okay."

Silence reigns in the apartment for next few moments before Jake says, "What the hell happened even?"

To which Amy responds, "I don't know. I wasn't even all that upset about the table. I don't like the way you do it anyway. Normally I prefer to do it myself."

"I know! That's why I didn't do it."

Silence settles again so Jake puts his hand on hers and turns in to face her.

"Ames what's really going on?"

Her top lip enters her mouth like when she's nervous and she says, "What are we doing?"

"Um, what?"

"Jake what are we doing? Are we going to get married or have kids?"

Jake blinks and asks, "Um what? What does that have to do with…."

"Just answer the question please?" She asks more than demands and that's when Jake starts to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Ames wouldn't ask this, not this way, if she wasn't feeling insecure about something. Amy is a force of nature.

Amy is strong and doesn't take crap from anyone. All that stuff people use to describe one another as strong applies to Amy. All of it.

"Well I guess I figured we would get married soonish. Maybe in a year or so. Enough time to plan a wedding. We talked about two kids. So, I mean I figured that would happen too. I think you have it on your life calendar in the next three years, right?"

Something hits him as he watches Amy's face go from nervous to something well, still nervous but in a different way.

"Wait, are you…."

It takes her a minute to get it and answer, "No. I'm not pregnant."

"Okay so what's going on?"

She tries to pull her hand back but Jake doesn't let go. He knows if he does she'll turn away from him and refuse to talk any more until morning. Her face gets red and Jake can tell that whatever happened is something she finds embarrassing.

"So you know I love you right? And I trust you?"

"Of course," Jake drags out, taking the time to use every letter in the pronunciation.

"You know how Gina says things sometimes…"

Jake feels the need to facepalm, "What did she say Ames?"

"Just some stupid stuff…"

"What kind of stupid stuff?"

"It's not a big deal Jake. I know she didn't mean it."

"Ames we got into the biggest fight we've ever had over a table because of something she said. What was it?" He points out reasonably.

She closes her eyes before she says, "When I was over there the other day dropping off baby supplies, she made a joke about how boring I am and then asked if you had gotten tired of playing house with me yet."

Gina says things like that all the time. It isn't right and she and Ames aren't the best of friends or anything but she usually didn't take Gina so seriously.

"I know that she says stuff like that all the time. I don't know why it got to me so bad. She made some follow up comment about cleanups schedules or something and then this morning it all sort of hit me."

"Ames, I guess I just don't understand."

"I know. I'm pathetic for letting her get to me like this."

"No. That's not what I'm saying. Look if you want me to yell at her tomorrow I will. But why this. Why now. There's something else isn't there?"

"No. Yes I don't know. Jake I just… We are so different you know? I have a way to clean the table that I don't trust you to do," She starts.

"With good reason," Jake interrupts.

"You have a hoverboard and drink orange soda instead of water. We're so different."

"Ames what the hell?"

"I told you it was stupid."

"No you said that what Gina said was stupid. What exactly are you saying Ames?"

"Yesterday there was this woman at the precinct. She was tall and pretty. She asked me if you were seeing anyone."

"Okay?"

"It's just everyone wants you. You're so fun that my nieces love you more than me. You're handsome. You have a good job. Now that you've gotten your finances together you're a real catch. People see that."

Jake smiles at her, "But I'm all yours."

"Jake, I'm not that. I'm not a good catch. I'm boring and spend my disposable income on binders and folders. I like making time tables and following them gives me purpose. Before you no one ever wanted me."

"Ames, that is not true."

"It is. Every guy I dated before you left once they realized who I was beyond the pretty face."

"Because they were so intimidated," He insists.

"Sure," she rolls her eyes.

"Seriously. I should know you intimidate the hell out of me."

"Then how do I know that you won't leave too?" She asks putting a hand on his face, "Because I can't live without you."

"Ames," He reaches up and puts his hand over hers, "I will never leave you. Not if I can help it. I'm in love with you and I must be stronger than those other guys."

"Sure you are."

"Hey now!"

"Jake, seriously, I just needed to know that you plan things too."

"Babe no one plans things the way you do. But that's why we work out. You plan, while I do things im-prompt-tu. Together we're perfect."

"Thanks," She smiles, "Also don't say anything to Gina. It'll make things worse."

"Yes it would," Jake nods.

Things get quiet for a minute or two. Jake considers pulling out the ring he bought, with Holt's assistance, from his sock drawer. It's the one place in the apartment Amy won't go. Maybe not even to propose but at least to let her know that he has thought about it in a real way. Oh, who is he kidding? If he pulled it out he would be proposing. This is not how he wants to propose. Not to mention the wrath of Holt if he finds out Jake messed up their Halloween plans.

Jake know about Amy's insecurities. Of course he does. He is a fantastic detective and he knows Amy better than he knows anybody. And he knows a lot of people. Also, other than maybe her parents and Holt no one else knows her secrets.

They've dealt with a lot of her insecurities right along with his. Hey now they're both people of course they have. Up until now though most of Amy's hang ups about being boring were born of embarrassment. Little things. She pretended to want a sports car when she really wanted books for example.

Jake's left hand reaches up to the right side of her face and sits on her cheek.

"Just so there is no confusion Ames. I love your butt."

Amy laughs while Jake cringes, "No I mean, I love you and I love how anal you are. You aren't boring. You are responsible. Without you I would probably be dead."

Amy nods and smiles.

"Without you I don't know where I would be either," She answers.

"I'm not going anywhere. Ever."