He smiles back. "And I think if you decided you wanted to do something else, your dad would be okay with it, too." He considers a moment. "Well, maybe not okay, but he'd find a way to survive."

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Would anybody in the restaurant notice how hard she was crushing on this guy?

She traced a line on the side of the water glass in front of her with a fingertip. "He would, but I've never wanted to do anything else. I like the career path I'm on. Sure, I tease him that I'd make one heck of a thief," or assassin, don't say that, "but what he does is important. It's not popular and the good guys don't like him much, but without someone like him on the front line, I think the world would be a very different place. Not in a good way, either."

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Qamar nods. "Sometimes, the important things aren't pretty. But they're important, and it's critical to have someone trustworthy at the head of it." He smiles at her. "And I'm glad you're happy with what you do." He leans forward. "But... if you recognize it as brainwashing, even jokingly... I'm not sure it really counts as brainwashing anymore. More like... something you wanted to do, and he helped you figure that out."

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She leaned forward as well. "What time to you think we'll get back tonight?"

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He considers. "Coffee ceremony, dancing, a walk in central park... maybe about 1 or 2 AM?"

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"Sounds perfect."

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"Oh, and I have a surprise for you, too. When we get back. A good surprise." He feels the need to clarify. He's given her enough bad surprises over their relationship.

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"Do I get a hint?" Dangling a mystery in front of her was so not fair.

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He considers. "You don't need it to survive... just to live," he offers.

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"You're spoiling, Mr. el-Sayed. Have I told you lately I adore you?"

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"Only every time you consent to go out with me again," he replies."

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She really didn't deserve him, but she wasn't about to give him up. "We're about to get mushy, you know. In public."

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"What will Internal Affairs say?" he asks, leaning forward.

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She leaned forward to whisper, "Whatever it is, I'll get Alice to hack their reports and make it all sound good."

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"As long as we avoid talking in baby-talk, I think we'll manage without serious repercussions," he replies, whispering back.

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Sammy laughed and reached out to touch him. "The Great Serious Repercussions Caper. Coming to a theater near you."

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He takes her hand. "Starring Kiera Knightly as Sammy, that guy from Harold and Kumar as Qamar, and David Hasselhoff as Nick Fury."

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"He's kind of dopey, but there is something about the eyes..." She squeezed his hand. "How did you know that my mother was a Hoff fangirl from way back?"

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"Let me guess. She has all his albums?"

He squeezes her hand back, and reaches out to brush her hair back with his other hand.

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"She does! And the unauthorized biographical Nick Fury movie that came out when I was ten. We had girls' night popcorn and movies to watch it when Dad was on the helicarrier."

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His eyebrows raise at that. "You're kidding. I've heard that thing's worse than the Damage Control movie."

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"It's horrible, and we laughed every time we saw it. But she liked Hoff in an eyepatch. It drove Dad crazy that she let me watch it."

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"Well, if Hoff still breathes after that movie, I shouldn't be too worried about your dad, now should I?" he suggests.

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"Oh definitely. Hoff didn't even go with the gray at the temples to make it realistic. It was probably what saved his life. You have nothing to worry about. Dad always says he wants me to be happy with the person I'm with, and I'm happy."

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"I'll do my best to keep you happy," he replies with a smile.

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