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It seemed like a good idea. That's how she presented the idea to Lee, anyway, when she first asked if he'd want to go with her to the annual holiday party for the mayor's staff and other City Hall employees. She'd have been going by herself otherwise, and though it's not really like she'd have had a problem with that, this way, she can introduce him to some of the people she knows, ones it might be useful for him to have met if he keeps moving forward with trying to get representation for people not from Darrow. Besides, she thinks a lot of them will want to meet the person who helped her try to keep everything afloat during the week and a half no one can account for, when just about everyone was gone, and God knows she could use some good company to get her through the night. She works day in and day out with these people, and she likes most of them well enough, but she really doesn't want to spend an entire fucking party doing her job.

So it's mutually beneficial, at least as far as she tell, and that's the important part. It isn't, however, why she puts so much effort into it, and neither is the prospect of being around her coworkers all night. They've seen her at her worst, so while she'd want to look nice regardless, she wouldn't necessarily see the need to go all out. Molly isn't entirely sure why she did, but she's glad for it. She's wearing something more revealing than she has in almost a fucking year and a half, and no matter how nerve-wracking that is, it's relieving, too, a step forward in its own right. For that alone, she's sure it'll be worth it, even if she's pretty sure that, heavy coat or not, she's going to freeze by the time she gets back to her building. At least, if the past couple months are any indication, she'll have a pretty damn good way of warming up again after. That is, if she can manage to keep a couple of her friends away from her plus one.

For now, keeping warm isn't a concern, anyway. It's warm enough inside, her hair falling in soft curls over her bare shoulders as she sips at a glass of champagne. The party will start winding down pretty soon, she thinks, but few have left yet, drinks are continuing to be served, and several people are still on the dance floor, and she isn't too eager to leave quite yet. The only thing she is in a hurry for is to get back to Lee, after having been dragged away for a work-related conversation far too serious for this setting. Making her way back to his side again, she smiles brightly. "Hi," she says. "Sorry about that. You weren't too bored without me, were you?"

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Lee's quickly coming up on a year in Darrow, and still, this particular holiday isn't completely clear to him. People decorate trees and exchange presents, but mostly it seems like an opportunity for a lot of parties and a lot of drinking. He knows that some people from law school have organized a Christmas party, but he decided against going in favor of drinks with Molly, though he never mentioned it to her.

When she asks him to come to one with her at City Hall though, he doesn't hesitate before agreeing to go. Though it's frakking awkward, only knowing a few people there, and those few only by sight. He hasn't been helping out at Darrow's Public Defender's Office for very long, but it's long enough that there are a few recognizable faces.

The few that manage to approach him when Molly heads off to talk with some coworkers, leaving him in a corner with half a glass of bourbon, though, he's seen them after work, at the bar he and Molly sometimes frequent. The conversation is frakking odd to say the least. And when Molly finds him again— well after her coworkers have left him alone— he's left with a couple of questions.

"No, no," Lee says, "It's been... lively. Your coworkers are something else."

It doesn't occur to Molly to worry, mostly since what he's said is true. In a general sense, she can't pretend like she hasn't been a little nervous about tonight, but that's not just because of her dumbass friends who can't seem to accept that she and Lee aren't actually dating, even if she's sure this isn't going to help on that front. It's mostly just because she's wanted this to go well, maybe for something good to come of it, even if that might not happen for a while, and for Lee not to regret having come with her tonight. So far, though, she doesn't think it's been too terrible, and he it doesn't sound to her like he means what he's said as a bad thing, so it doesn't concern her.

She just lets out a short laugh, pausing to sip her drink again before she responds, brow raising as she lowers her glass. "Oh, yeah," she says. "Take government workers, ply them with alcohol, and, well." It hasn't been too wild, at least, but it's still noticeable in some cases, and she really doubts he'd have to work with these people to recognize that. Smiling, she adds, "I hope no one gave you too much of a hard time."

Lee's seen rowdy parties before. It doesn't get much rowdier than a full pilot ready room full of celebrating viper jocks and about a dozen bottles of booze. This is tame by comparison. But it's not the loudness or rowdiness of the party that makes Lee talk about it the way he does.

"It's weird," he says, and takes a sip of his own drink, eyebrows raising as he finishes the rest of his sentence, "Your coworker— Gabi, I think— asked me if I was your boyfriend."

He leaves it at that, mostly to see what Molly might have to say in response to that. It's not that he thinks Molly put anyone up to it, or even that he's reading into it at all, it's just him sharing what's happened since she left him on his own for a while.

As soon as she hears Gabi's name, Molly feels like the floor's gone out from under her.

Really, she probably should have seen this coming. She thinks she should have, anyway. In retrospect, there's no way that having told Gabi and Nick to steer clear of Lee tonight would have worked, even making them give their word. They work in politics, after all; lying is just one of the tricks of the trade. She'd been too optimistic, though, expected too much yet again, and now she doesn't have the first fucking idea how she's supposed to handle this. It would be easy to roll her eyes and laugh it off and say that's Gabi, that she reads way too much into everything or likes to meddle or whatever, but then she'd run the risk of sounding disinterested. For all she knows, Lee doesn't want any more out of this than what they've already been doing, but it would be a quick way of ruling out that possibility to act like the very idea is crazy.

It's the same reason, though, why she can't let on how thrown she is by the fact that this has come up at all. The past couple months, she's felt better than she has in a long fucking time, and the last thing she wants is to ruin a really good thing by ascribing more meaning to it than there actually is. Just this suits her fine. She's not looking for anything else if it isn't there, and she's pretty sure that seeming like she is would be a quick way to put an end to this. There's no way she's ready for that yet.

To her credit, she manages not to let on too much, though she has to sip her champagne to achieve that, her eyes widening slightly as she does. She always has, with a rare few exceptions, managed to hide behind a smile when there were things she wanted to keep to herself, and the same applies now, if only because deflecting isn't actually so difficult after all. "Yeah, that would be Gabi," she says with an exhale that's somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, pushing her hair away from her face with her free hand. "She's been really excited about me actually bringing a plus one tonight, I think because she hasn't seen me with anyone at all since everything that happened summer of last year."

"Ah," Lee says, and he doesn't really press the issue. He never really presses about what happened to Molly last year, and doesn't intend to start now. It's a frakked up thing that happened, that's all there is to it, and he doesn't blame Molly if she's been more guarded as a result of what happened to her.

Whether or not Molly's coworkers have seen her with anyone other than him since then doesn't change anything for Lee, though. It doesn't change the fact that he's been trying not to think about exactly what Molly's coworkers have brought up for a while now. Though, Molly would have said something if she was interested, he thinks. It's been long enough, hasn't it?

Gods, he never knows exactly how these things are supposed to go.

"Well, I hope I didn't disappoint her," he says, though he'd done a pretty good job of dodging her question, mostly because he doesn't know the answer to it. Maybe the time he's spend with the Public Defender's Office is starting to pay off.

To say that it's a relief would be putting it mildly. Molly doesn't necessarily know what it means if he's as quick to move past what was actually said as she'd tried to seem to be, but it's a hell of a lot better than having him call her bluff in the middle of a fucking Christmas party. She doesn't even know what she would've said if he did. Leaving it at this just makes more sense, especially with where they are, and when she's got a carefully wrapped book in her purse that she means to give him later. It would kind of suck to be shot down, if it came to that, and then give him the gift she got, though she would've done it anyway.

She's not sure it would have come to that, though, or at least can't help wondering if maybe that wouldn't have been the case. She really doesn't want to start seeing things that aren't there or getting her hopes up when there's no reason to, but just as it doesn't escape her notice that he lets it go as quickly as she did, she's likewise aware of the other side of it, that he hasn't dismissed it as crazy, either. It's all fucking stupid, though, Molly decides, when they're having fun regardless and that's what counts. Overthinking all of this isn't worth it. She's never been that girl, and she doesn't want to be now.

"Don't worry, you would've known if you did," she replies, not adding that she doesn't think there's much he could've said that would have dissuaded Gabi. Her denying it sure as hell didn't work, after all. "Plus, you're not a serial killer, so you've already got that working in your favor."

There's not really a joke to be made about that, and Lee frowns, trying to decide how to respond. Molly might be okay with making light of it, but Lee definitely isn't. Not when he has to make a regular effort not to think about how angry it makes him that someone did what they did to her. Molly's scars don't change anything about their situation, don't make him think of her any differently, but he can't help but be pissed off that there was someone in Darrow able to get away with something like that.

"Good to know," he says, and finishes off his drink, mostly because he can't think of a good way to continue that train of thought at first, "No one... nobody brought any of that up tonight, did they?"

Almost immediately, Molly wishes she'd kept her comment to herself, and not just because of Lee's reaction. That, she feels a little guilty for, but mostly, it's because it leaves her with too much else she wants to say. They've never really talked about it, in large part because she never really talks about it, except offhand like this, and now that it's there, out in the open, she can barely keep from adding to it. This isn't like what she was doing with the last guy she dated, and she wants him to know it. That didn't mean anything to her, and this does. Saying so, though, would basically put her right back at the subject she just tried to dodge, and would probably be even more awkward now. It's not a subject she wants to dwell on anyway, not tonight, not even when she wouldn't be wearing this fucking dress if it weren't for him.

"No, no, of course not," she says instead. "I think they're just about the last people who would." She smiles a little, then, fighting off the impulse to reach for his hand or rest hers against his arm the way she would have when it was just the two of them at City Hall. "It's good. It's... It's been a good night." Pausing a beat, she adds, "I'm really glad you could make it."

"I had to clear my calendar, but I think it was worth it," Lee replies, glad for some levity now. The truth is, he's had frak all to do lately besides school and work, and even though he's still a little lost on the holiday, he's more than happy to have come along. He thinks that he probably would have made time to come even if school and work weren't winding down for the month, he would have made time for it, though.

Having finished the last of his drink, he's left awkwardly holding his glass, wondering if it's worth it to get another with the party winding down around them.

"Can I get you another drink?" he asks, trying to gauge how much longer she wants to stick around.

Tipping her head back to finish what's left in her own glass, Molly is about to tell him that that would be great, but quickly reconsiders. The party's not quite over yet, but it's getting there, and she really doesn't see the point in waiting it out until the end. Chances are, if she does, she'll wind up being dragged off to talk about work again, anyway, and she'd much rather duck out early than risk that. Regardless of how nice this has been, a part of her has been kind of looking forward to leaving all night. The one downside of bringing Lee to this, the one thing she failed to consider beforehand, is how difficult it's been to keep her hands off him.

"How about you get me another drink at your place instead?" she suggests, looking at him almost hopefully. "I mean, unless you really want to stick around here, but I think we can have just as much fun on our own."

"I think you just convinced me," Lee replies, because while he doesn't have a problem with parties, and doesn't regret having come to this one with Molly, even after the strangeness of her coworkers, that sounds like a more appealing option when it comes to ending the night. Besides, the party's winding down anyway, and he doesn't think he wants to end up the last ones there.

Though, he can't remember off of the top of his head if he actually still has anything to drink in his kitchen, but somehow Lee doesn't think that's really the point.

"Though... I don't know which one of us is supposed to ask the other awkward and imposing questions. One of us is going to have to do that. You know, if we're going to keep up the spirit of the party."

"Well, we could always take turns," Molly says with a shrug, shooting him a grin as she starts for the exit. There's a table on the way they can set their glasses down on, and other than that, the only thing she really needs to do is pick up her coat. Were she here on her own, she'd probably make the rounds once more, say goodnight to everyone, but she's not just going to wander off and leave Lee again, nor does she want to drag him around with her for something ultimately pointless. It's not like she's about to go on vacation or anything; she'll see everyone again on Monday. Now that they've decided to get out of here, she doesn't want to wait around any longer than she has to. "Probably be more fair that way."

She doesn't think they'll actually do it, but that's probably for the best. The only awkward and imposing question she can think of is one he's already been asked, and she wouldn't have done what she could to avoid that if she were ready to ask him as much herself.

He follows Molly when she starts to head toward the door, setting his empty glass down on a table as they pass. He needs to pick up his coat on the way out too, but that's only going to take a second. Though, he's noticed that one of Molly's coworkers who hasn't left the party yet keeps eyeing them like he might walk over and start up a conversation.

"Hang on, I'll grab our coats," Lee says, and heads off in the direction of the coat check, reaching into the pocket of his slacks to search for the claim ticket.

"Thanks," Molly says, smiling at him when he steps away towards the coat check. "I'll be right here." It's only a moment after he's gone that she opens her purse, fishing out her cell phone. It hasn't escaped her notice that there've been eyes on them, and she wants to avoid that conversation, too, if she can. Maybe it's a cheap way of doing so, looking at her phone and pretending she's reading something serious, but it's not like it needs to work for long, just enough time for Lee to get back with their coats so they can leave. All joking aside, there really have been enough awkward and imposing questions for one night.

He's already wearing his own coat when he finds Molly again, and holds hers out to help her slip it on.

"Anything important?" he asks, noticing her expression as she glances down at her phone. He was under the impression that just about everyone Molly works with was at the party tonight, so can't really imagine that it's something work related. At least, he hopes it's not anything that's going to keep her from heading back to High Gate Terrace.

"Oh, no, not at all," Molly says with a laugh, a little surprised. It's not something she'd really thought through, how it might seem when Lee got back, her looking at her phone like this, but at least it's something easily explained. She holds the phone out to show him the screen for a moment. "Solitaire. I just didn't want anyone to start talking to me about work again. We'd probably never get out of here that way, and then this'd probably be the last party you let me bring you to."

Slipping her phone back into her purse again, she shrugs into her coat, her expression warm as she glances over her shoulder at Lee. Were they anywhere else, she thinks she'd probably just turn and kiss him after she's gotten it on, but this isn't the place. It's not just another conversation about work she's trying to avoid, and they'll be on their own soon enough. "Thanks."

"So there are other parties?" Lee asks as they head toward the doors and then outside, and it's mostly a joke. Though, he doesn't mind the idea of it, and not just because being able to become acquainted with a lot of people involved in the government is nothing but helpful when it comes to wanting to establish something for people who have been forcibly relocated to the city. It's a plus, obviously, but being there with Molly isn't half bad either.

And maybe it's not just the ones with her work colleagues that Lee is interested in. He's seen something about a party on New Year's Eve, and hasn't been able to shake the idea of asking if Molly might want to go since he heard about it.

"I didn't know that there was a party agenda already."

"Oh, fuck me, it's cold," Molly blurts out with a laugh once they've stepped outside, bouncing a little in place as she shivers. It's not really as bad as all that — at least, it's not as bad as last year, when the city was perpetually covered in snow, and she's used to cold winters — but although her coat is a warm one, the tights she's worn under her dress don't really do anything for her legs. That she'd been expecting as much doesn't make any difference, either. At least it means they're in the clear, though. She meant it when she said she'd had a good time, but it's more than a little relieving to be heading back now, undeterred by any of her coworkers.

Looking over at Lee, she pulls a face, more teasing than actually apologetic for the interruption. "And I don't know, there might be other parties. But I like to keep my options open, just in case, and you're a pretty good plus one." She almost finishes the sentence with something else, but this way, it's actually true. Given what he's been asked tonight, she doubts it would be a good idea to joke about him being her date.

It's not far back to High Gate Terrace, only a couple of blocks, but he thinks that maybe he'll hail a cab anyway, if Molly's cold.

But first thing's first.

"So what are you doing New Year's Eve?" he asks, before he can think of a reason not to. But you're supposed to turn in and not cut and run, right? One of the first rules of combat. Lee thinks that maybe it applies a little too well here. "There's a thing happening at the ski lodge? I was wondering if you wanted to go."

He's not sure what kind of answer he's expecting. Maybe when he finally asked Molly something like this, it should have been an invitation to dinner. Gods, he hasn't done this in a long time, it seems. But the opportunity was right there and seemed too good to pass up.

Molly isn't expecting it, and it shows, her smile growing slightly surprised before she can do anything about it. It's not the first time tonight — or in the last few weeks, for that matter — she's had to tell herself not to read too far into anything, but it might be the most difficult. Him inviting her to a New Year's Eve party doesn't seem, at least, like her asking him to come to this with her tonight. Having his company was a big part of it, sure, but she'd been serious about wanting to introduce him to some of the people she works with. As far as she can tell, there's nothing else at hand here.

Once, there wouldn't have been a question in her mind about what a question like that meant, and it wouldn't have been a big deal. Now, she just really doesn't want to be wrong, and it's strangely intimidating, something she's pretty sure isn't purely because she's been out of the game, so to speak, for such a long time.

"Yeah, no, I don't have any other plans," she says. "And that... sounds really good, actually. I'd like that." For a moment, she just looks at him, expression softening, then tips her head back towards City Hall. "This isn't something any of my friends put you up to, is it?"

She tips her head toward City Hall and Lee glances back in that direction, realizing how frakked up his timing must seem, considering the conversation he had with her coworkers earlier in the evening. The truth is, he'd almost completely forgotten about that just as soon as they'd left the party. What Nick and and Gabi and whoever think about what he and Molly might or might not be doesn't really matter much.

"No, no, I... I just thought you might want to go," he says, "That's all."

"Okay," Molly says, nodding, and there's not a doubt in her mind that he's telling the truth. Her judgment has historically not been the greatest when it comes to this sort of thing, but still, she really doesn't think Lee would do that. Even if he had gotten the idea from being asked if he's her boyfriend, it probably wouldn't have mattered all that much, anyway. Mostly, she'd just wanted to know if he came up with the idea on his own or if he'd been nudged in this direction by people who'd been told that this wasn't anything like that, though now that he's answered, she prefers this by far. "In that case, I would, yeah. I... Definitely."

Edited 2014-12-25 19:45 (UTC)

It's been on his mind for a while, but maybe it had been the conversation with Molly's coworkers that had prompted him to get the frak on with it. But the idea hadn't come from them alone, not by a long shot. He and Molly have been... well, they've been something for a while now, and it's probably past time for them to actually figure out what that is.

"Okay. Great," Lee says, and he's fighting back a smile.

For a moment, all Molly can really do is smile in turn, warm, if a little sheepish. Maybe it should have been, she's not sure now, but this isn't something she had expected, and though there's plenty left it leaves her to wonder about, she's not too concerned with that just yet. Later she can ask him if he intends for this to be a date, or what it means in the context of what her stupid friends asked him a little while ago. All of that matters less than how pleased she is about this turn of events, a fact that's a little surprising in its own right.

She thinks about leaning in to kiss him, just about starts to do so, shifting her weight to her toes. They're still standing in front of City Hall, though, and it's still fucking cold, and the sooner they do something about both of those things, the better. "Come on, we should get going," she says. "Otherwise I'll freeze out here, which might get in the way of being able to go to that party."

Edited 2015-01-03 18:54 (UTC)

"Good idea," Lee replies, and without thinking, he does lean in ti press a kiss to her cheek. Maybe it's not the best idea, considering that they're still in front of City Hall, and considering Molly's coworkers were giving her a hard time even without seeing something like that, but it'd hard to resist.

"Think it's too cold to walk it? I could try to get a cab."

Though they might end up waiting longer for a cab than it'll take to walk the couple of blocks to High Gate Terrace.