Series: iPod Shuffle Challenge

Fandom: Eli Stone

Character / Pairing Focus: Eli Stone x Maggie Dekker

Rating: K Plus / PG / All Ages

Notes: Post-S1; written before S2 started. On that note, I should be shot for wanting to see this in the show as badly as I do now.

Disclaimer: Eli Stone and all respective properties are © ABC. Megan D. (Veritas Found) does not, has never, nor will ever own Eli Stone.

Kiss the Girl (performed by the Little Mermaid Original Broadway Cast)

Sha-la-la-la-la, don't stop now! Don't try to hide it, how you wanna kiss de girl!

Sha-la-la-la-la, float along and listen to de song – de song say kiss de girl!

Sha-la-la-la-la, music play – do what de music say!

Go on and kiss de girl!

"Anyway, I was thinking…now that you're back, I could maybe…well, you don't want to take on any solo cases too soon and you might need help and…well…what?" Maggie glanced up at him, her babbling suddenly stopping as she took in the smile on his face. His lips quirked just a bit higher as he shook his head.

"Maggie, if you're asking me if you can second chair, you know I don't mind," he said, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"I-I wasn't…I mean, I just thought…well, we always…and you…" she paused, frowning as she looked at the mirror behind him, where she could clearly see the scar running along the back of his head beneath his shaved hair. He had assured her his hair would grow back and the scar would become less visible, but it still made her squeamish seeing it.

"Maggie, relax: it was just a slight life-threatening operation. I'm fine. No more aneurysm, no more crazy visions, no more –" he started, but she shook her head.

"How can you say that, Eli? It wasn't slight! It was a big deal – you almost died! And it's your first day back and already you're taking on a new case, and I just thought that you…" she continued to ramble on, reprimanding him for some thing or other, but he suddenly found he couldn't focus on her as Jordan Wethersby walked by.

"There you see her, sitting there across de way," he sang, and his blood ran cold as the lights in the office shut off to center on his singing boss and Maggie. "She don't got a lot to say, but there's something about her…"

"Oh, no…" he choked, watching as Mr. Wethersby stopped behind Maggie – who was still rambling – and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking from her to him and smiling in a way that made him…well, want to punch him in the face.

"And you don't know why, but you're dying to try – you wanna kiss de girl," Mr. Wethersby winked at him before twirling away, and then Matt was bumped up against him, an arm laid conspiratorially over his shoulders.

"Yes, you want her. Look at her – you know you do. Possible she want you, too – there is one way to ask her," Matt sang, and despite his unwillingness to believe this was really happening – maybe they had gotten together and decided to play a joke on him? A 'Welcome Back to the Office We're Glad You're Not Crazy Anymore so Let's Remind You of When You Were' joke? – he couldn't help but think of that kiss, and he gulped as Matt nudged his arm and winked at him. "It don't take a word – not a single word! Go on and kiss de girl!"

"No, Matt, I really don't think that's a good idea," he said, giving his vision a stern glare. Matt winked at him again before stepping back and clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Sing with me now," he said, and then he twirled away to join Mr. Wethersby and a group of others twirling around the main floor of the WPK building.

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la, don't be scared – you got de mood prepared, go on and kiss de girl! Sha-la-la-la-la-la, don't stop now! Don't try to hide it, how you wanna kiss de girl! Sha-la-la-la-la-la, float along, and listen to de song: de song say, 'Kiss de girl!'" they sang, Matt and Mr. Wethersby taking a moment to point at Maggie as they sang the last bit. He rolled his eyes and glanced back at Maggie, who had stopped rambling and was now glancing at him shyly. Was she…oh, God, was she blushing?

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la, music play –" the group sang, and then Mr. Wethersby threw an arm in the air and added, more emphatically: "Do what de music say!"

'I thought the whole purpose of having that surgery was to stop doing what the music said!' he thought acerbically, shooting a glare at his boss, but then he looked back at Maggie as the group sang out the title of the Disney song (why Disney? Why couldn't it have just been another round with George Michael or Credence or hell, how about some Seger?) and, against his better judgment and all he knew he should be doing…he kissed her. Slow and deep, the kind of kiss he had secretly been dreaming of ever since…and then he pulled away, and through half-lidded eyes took in her dazed expression and gobsmacked look, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Wow…Eli…" she gasped, and his smile grew as he went to kiss her again… "Eli! Eli!"

"Bwuh?" he jumped, shaking his head as he looked back to her to see her giving him a concerned look. She reached out and touched his arm, and he tensed at the gesture.

"Eli, are you all right? Are you sure you should be coming back to work already? I'm sure Mr. Weathersby wouldn't mind if you needed more time o…Eli?" she asked, blinking in confusing as he turned to the pillar next to them and began beating his head against it. "Eli!"

"Stupid…freaking…Jamaican…crabs…"