Fic: Synchronicity (1/1)
Title: Synchronicity
Fandom: Murder Call
Characters: Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden
Prompts: 035. Sixth sense
Word Count: 2501
Rating: Teen (suggestive, not explicit)
Summary: He could still feel that touch upon his skin. (Inspired by "Cat and Mouse", but set post-season 3.)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Jennifer Rowe, Hal McElroy and Southern Star. I make no profit out of this.
SYNCHRONICITY
Music: "Sideways" by Wrabel
He could still feel that touch upon his skin. The warmth, the comfort. Lasting nanoseconds, yet delving deeply into forgotten depths. Pushing away the muscle memory of the gun shot, from the tip of his trigger finger to the recoil in his shoulder joint. Slowly, but surely, expelling the sight of the suspect falling silently backwards. Dead. By his hand.
Lying on his bed, Steve looked up at the hand held above his head. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a hand - one calloused palm, two old scars and five fingers - and yet extraordinary in its contradiction. Able to comfort, able to build, able to kill. Even able to feel as if it wasn't part of him.
Except she'd pulled him back. Just enough to touch ground, to realise both what he'd done and that he'd had no other choice. That he'd done his job; that he'd done good. It'd been the suspect or a young kid, and that wasn't really a choice. Instinct took care of that. It was just that the aftermath, as always, was giving him time to think. Time he hadn't had in the moment it took to end one life in exchange for another.
And in that aftermath, she'd been there. His partner.
His saving grace.
Steve exhaled deeply and let the hand fall down to cover his face. Even though it was in the middle of the night, he was tempted to let his hand do what it'd wanted to do ever since he got home: to reach across those few feet of empty air and touch the cool plastic of his mobile phone. To end his loneliness. To cross that bridge he'd promised he wouldn't.
He knew she was awake, but their usual pretext for breaking the sanctity of the night was work, and this wasn't anywhere near it. This was as unprofessional as it got. A realisation that would upheave the world as they both knew it. A realisation that couldn't be forgotten once unleashed, forever an undercurrent in every word, every action from here on out.
Steve didn't know if he could risk it. Not now. Not when they had such a good thing going. No, he should be happy with what they had. Should stop these ridiculous thoughts of throwing caution to the wind. Only place they'd lead would be heartache, and Steve couldn't take anymore of those. He had enough with finishing up this renovation project.
So rubbing his eyes with a groan, he turned on his side...and tried to forget how empty his hand felt next to him.
***
Music: "Here With Me" by Susie Suh & Robot Koch
She could still feel his skin beneath hers. The cold, the tension. Lasting nanoseconds, yet burrowing unashamedly to the base of her being. Pulling back half-forgotten memories from the depths of her mind of different days and places, and yet the same. Instantly, yet hesitantly, solidifying the frozen, haunted expression upon his face after seeing the suspect on the ground. Dead. By his hand.
Lying on her bed, Tessa stared at the hand lying next to her on the pillow. So slender, so ordinary, and yet so empty. Not strong at all. Not fully able to ease the pain on his face. Not able to take his place as the kill shot; he'd always been faster than her. All it could do was provide some hollow comfort in a moment that didn't last nearly long enough to matter.
Exhaling deeply, Tessa let her eyes travel to the phone on the nightstand. It'd be easy to pick it up. She didn't have trouble doing it, not other days and nights, but today had reminded her how much she hated that rare look upon his face. The defeat. The vulnerability. The solitude.
It felt like watching him through the sole crack in an otherwise smooth, unclimbable wall that surrounded him on all sides, knowing she could only stretch a finger into that crack and hope he'd give her his in return...and knowing full well her action wasn't driven by any sense of professional concern. In fact, it was anything but. Had been for a very long time. Tightly suppressed, of course, but nevertheless there. Never forgotten. Always an undercurrent in her every word and action, yet hoping beyond hope to remain undiscovered.
Tessa's hand curled upon the pillow as her throat clenched tightly. On days not like this one, she could forget about those fanciful, foolish feelings. On days not like this one, they could be partners and best friends.
But this wasn't like those days.
Eyes full of tears, Tessa reached for the phone, let the cool plastic remind her of the similar coldness she'd felt in his skin earlier that day, and ran her fingertip above the speed dial button.
***
Music: "Into my arms" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Something prickled on the back of his neck. Steve opened his eyes and stared into the darkness towards his mobile phone. Unexplainably unsettled, he reached to pick it up and squinted at the screen, but nothing showed. No missed calls. No messages.
Frowning deeply, Steve put the phone down again and laid flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling again. An uneasiness spread through him, from the tips of his fingers to his toes, making him restless. It felt as if something had happened. As if something was different, only he couldn't explain what.
It made sleep impossible now. Hot and restless, Steve threw the sheets off him and went into the kitchen for a glass of cold water, which took some of the edge off, but didn't dispel it completely. Running a hand through his damp hair and then down to rub his face and eyes, Steve stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, not knowing what to do.
For some reason, he decided to pick up the phone and had dialled Tessa's number before he could think of a good excuse for his call. But he couldn't get himself to cut the connection, instead listening to the long tones with rising anticipation in the pit of his stomach. Steve could feel his heart race, his blood pounding, his body hot with emotion.
"Hi, you've reached Tessa Vance. I can't come to the phone right now--"
Answering machine. Steve snapped his mobile phone shut with an embarrassed jolt shooting through him. Letting out a shaky breath, he smiled and frowned at the same time. Silly to call at this time of night. Of course she was asleep...except she was a light sleeper and never let the phone go to the answering machine if she were home, not after Bradley Mumm...
Steve felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Clenching the mobile in his hand, he searched for his clothes in the dark, fumbling along the floorboards until he grasped a pair of jeans and began to pull them on.
And then someone knocked on his door.
Eyes blinking in momentary shock, Steve's heart sped up. Then, ignoring his shirt, he hurried over to the door and wrenched it open.
"Uh...hi." Tessa seemed so small on his doorstep, all bundled up in a thick jacket, hair ruffled, no make-up on, and shifting skittishly on her feet as if contemplating her immediate escape. She smiled awkwardly, car keys jingling in her left hand, the other tucking an unruly lock of hair behind her ear.
Steve watched that hand with a sudden plummeting sensation in his core. "Hi."
"Um, I...I was just..." Tessa looked behind her, gesturing to the darkened street where a streetlight had shorted out, then looked back at him and seemed at a loss for words for a long while. "I, uh... just wanted to check on you."
That hand of hers was rubbing the other now, and all Steve could think of was that God worked in mysterious ways. "Synchronicity."
"Huh?" Tessa frowned and Steve chuckled suddenly, feeling elated and stupid at the same time.
"Never mind. Come in." Stepping slightly to the side, Steve gestured to the still darkened living room.
With some hesitation, Tessa stepped across the threshold and then turned immediately when the door closed behind her, sounding far more nervous than he'd ever heard her. "Uh, I'm sorry, I probably woke you up. I didn't know what time it was--"
"It's okay," Steve interrupted, holding up a hand in the darkness and startled when it touched hot breath and lips. He hadn't known they were standing so close, but now that he knew it, his blood was pounding worse than ever, his nostrils flaring in the overwhelming scent of her shampoo. His breath sounded ragged. "Um, I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Tessa breathed, stepping backwards by the sound of it. "Should maybe turn on a light."
"Yeah."
Shaking his head, Steve fumbled back towards the door and startled once more as he crashed directly into Tessa, sending both of them toppling over a stack of paint tins he kept around there. Without thinking, he jerked her close to him in the fall, twisting them sideways so she'd land on top of him.
Gasping slightly at the sharp elbow in his gut, Steve could feel Tessa hurriedly trying to get off him, but he was lying on her arm and they struggled for a moment amidst paint tins and whatever else was constricting their movements before being able to sit up.
"You okay?" Steve asked, able to see her silhouette begin to stand out in the darkness. She was breathing as rapidly as he was, and warmth seemed to radiate from her like a heater. All of a sudden, it felt like he was burning up. That he couldn't breathe. With his hand, he searched for hers and latched on once he found it. "Tess."
"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz." Tessa was sniffling and Steve squeezed her hand tightly, forgetting all about turning on a light. With his other hand, he reached up to her cheek and felt slight moisture there from her tears. She shied away as if ashamed, breaking contact.
"Tess..." Steve wanted to hold her, but didn't know what would happen after that. He felt unhinged, exposed, free. Liable to do something stupid and let the room's darkness cover all tracks. "I...um..."
"I don't even know why I'm here," Tessa continued. "I should've just called instead."
But then you wouldn't be here. The words popped into Steve's mind instantaneously and his stomach twisted, pulling him closer like a planet orbiting a star.
Tessa sighed and squeezed his hand in return, re-igniting the burning sensation in his blood. "I just wanted to check you were okay after...after today. I know you hate--"
Steve's mind had blanked, his body taking over until his face was close enough to lavish his hot breath all over hers, stunning her.
"Steve?" Her hot breath mingled with his and it took every inch of control Steve had not to bridge the gap right then and there.
With some effort, he let out a shaky "Yeah?" and looked into those wide, deep pools of hers, which glittered slightly in the sparse light coming in through a window somewhere.
But rather than some strained logical verbal response, Tessa closed the gap, her soft lips grazing his stubble first, then seeking his lips as he sought hers, meeting in the middle in a hesitant peck that with a sharp inhale of air turned into a furious fight.
The dam broke. All caution was thrown to the wind. Steve pulled her close to his chest, forgetting everything but the comfortable heat, the soft skin beneath his, the pliant lips gaining enough confidence to battle him for dominance. Everything became a blur of roaming hands, strong legs thrown over his, and definite grinding that drew a groan from his lips and made them break off the kiss.
Breathing heavily, they stared at each other in the shadows, arms flung around each other, bodies burning up from the combined heat. It was as if the darkness had already stripped them naked.
"Steve? Are you...?" Her hands tensed upon his shoulders as the doubt turned audible in her voice. "Why...?"
It was as if he could read her mind. Steve just knew what she was actually asking him. He was silently asking her the same questions.
"Because I stopped simply thinking of you as my partner and friend a long time ago..." Heart thumping wildly in his chest, Steve's own hands tightened upon the small of her back. "Why...?"
"Because I'm the same." Tessa's voice was small, hesitant, yet he thought he sensed a smile upon her lips. Her hands seemed to relax just a fraction, her thumbs stroking his neck softly, tantalizingly.
"We won't be able to go back," Steve said, beginning to stroke her back again, slipping his fingers beneath her jacket. "But I don't want to. You?"
"No," Tessa breathed, squirming slightly beneath his touch, unconsciously or consciously grinding lightly against his groin. "But this might be a mistake."
"Maybe." Leaning closer, Steve inhaled her heavenly scent and closed his eyes, letting his lips trail lightly across her neck. "Or maybe not."
Inhaling sharply as he applied a little more pressure, Tessa hugged him closer, running her fingers through his hair, gasping as he pulled back her jacket enough to suckle on her collarbone. She ground down on him in response, rolling her hips, and Steve groaned again, feeling entirely as if they had too damn much clothes on.
But he still needed her okay. "Tess?"
"Don't stop." Taking his face between her hands, Tessa claimed his lips again and Steve could only grin as she bit down on his lower lip and pulled it between her teeth to soothe it.
***
She could still feel his skin beneath hers. The warmth, the strength. Lasting an eternity, imprinted permanently upon every inch of her body. It had slowly, but surely, expelled the vacant stares, the empty hollowness, the permeating sense of loneliness. Making her blush even now as she sat staring at the neutral words in her report.
Across from her, Steve kept shooting her secret smiles of his own. There was an exhilarated sense of daredevilry about this, about crossing that line, but Tessa loved it. Had lain awake while the sunlight poured inside and relished in how the light hadn't burst the bubble, but rather made her appreciate that the whole thing hadn't been a dream.
Steve had been asleep, looking peaceful, and that's all she'd ever wanted. To be able to take away that pain of his. To have him take away hers. They were one and the same now. Two in one.
Tessa looked up to look at him only to realise Steve did it simultaneously, each grinning at the other when their eyes met.
Finally whole.
Still smiling, Tessa re-focused on her report.
Fully and completely.
FIN
Fandom: Murder Call
Characters: Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden
Prompts: 035. Sixth sense
Word Count: 2501
Rating: Teen (suggestive, not explicit)
Summary: He could still feel that touch upon his skin. (Inspired by "Cat and Mouse", but set post-season 3.)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Jennifer Rowe, Hal McElroy and Southern Star. I make no profit out of this.
SYNCHRONICITY
Music: "Sideways" by Wrabel
He could still feel that touch upon his skin. The warmth, the comfort. Lasting nanoseconds, yet delving deeply into forgotten depths. Pushing away the muscle memory of the gun shot, from the tip of his trigger finger to the recoil in his shoulder joint. Slowly, but surely, expelling the sight of the suspect falling silently backwards. Dead. By his hand.
Lying on his bed, Steve looked up at the hand held above his head. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a hand - one calloused palm, two old scars and five fingers - and yet extraordinary in its contradiction. Able to comfort, able to build, able to kill. Even able to feel as if it wasn't part of him.
Except she'd pulled him back. Just enough to touch ground, to realise both what he'd done and that he'd had no other choice. That he'd done his job; that he'd done good. It'd been the suspect or a young kid, and that wasn't really a choice. Instinct took care of that. It was just that the aftermath, as always, was giving him time to think. Time he hadn't had in the moment it took to end one life in exchange for another.
And in that aftermath, she'd been there. His partner.
His saving grace.
Steve exhaled deeply and let the hand fall down to cover his face. Even though it was in the middle of the night, he was tempted to let his hand do what it'd wanted to do ever since he got home: to reach across those few feet of empty air and touch the cool plastic of his mobile phone. To end his loneliness. To cross that bridge he'd promised he wouldn't.
He knew she was awake, but their usual pretext for breaking the sanctity of the night was work, and this wasn't anywhere near it. This was as unprofessional as it got. A realisation that would upheave the world as they both knew it. A realisation that couldn't be forgotten once unleashed, forever an undercurrent in every word, every action from here on out.
Steve didn't know if he could risk it. Not now. Not when they had such a good thing going. No, he should be happy with what they had. Should stop these ridiculous thoughts of throwing caution to the wind. Only place they'd lead would be heartache, and Steve couldn't take anymore of those. He had enough with finishing up this renovation project.
So rubbing his eyes with a groan, he turned on his side...and tried to forget how empty his hand felt next to him.
***
Music: "Here With Me" by Susie Suh & Robot Koch
She could still feel his skin beneath hers. The cold, the tension. Lasting nanoseconds, yet burrowing unashamedly to the base of her being. Pulling back half-forgotten memories from the depths of her mind of different days and places, and yet the same. Instantly, yet hesitantly, solidifying the frozen, haunted expression upon his face after seeing the suspect on the ground. Dead. By his hand.
Lying on her bed, Tessa stared at the hand lying next to her on the pillow. So slender, so ordinary, and yet so empty. Not strong at all. Not fully able to ease the pain on his face. Not able to take his place as the kill shot; he'd always been faster than her. All it could do was provide some hollow comfort in a moment that didn't last nearly long enough to matter.
Exhaling deeply, Tessa let her eyes travel to the phone on the nightstand. It'd be easy to pick it up. She didn't have trouble doing it, not other days and nights, but today had reminded her how much she hated that rare look upon his face. The defeat. The vulnerability. The solitude.
It felt like watching him through the sole crack in an otherwise smooth, unclimbable wall that surrounded him on all sides, knowing she could only stretch a finger into that crack and hope he'd give her his in return...and knowing full well her action wasn't driven by any sense of professional concern. In fact, it was anything but. Had been for a very long time. Tightly suppressed, of course, but nevertheless there. Never forgotten. Always an undercurrent in her every word and action, yet hoping beyond hope to remain undiscovered.
Tessa's hand curled upon the pillow as her throat clenched tightly. On days not like this one, she could forget about those fanciful, foolish feelings. On days not like this one, they could be partners and best friends.
But this wasn't like those days.
Eyes full of tears, Tessa reached for the phone, let the cool plastic remind her of the similar coldness she'd felt in his skin earlier that day, and ran her fingertip above the speed dial button.
***
Music: "Into my arms" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Something prickled on the back of his neck. Steve opened his eyes and stared into the darkness towards his mobile phone. Unexplainably unsettled, he reached to pick it up and squinted at the screen, but nothing showed. No missed calls. No messages.
Frowning deeply, Steve put the phone down again and laid flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling again. An uneasiness spread through him, from the tips of his fingers to his toes, making him restless. It felt as if something had happened. As if something was different, only he couldn't explain what.
It made sleep impossible now. Hot and restless, Steve threw the sheets off him and went into the kitchen for a glass of cold water, which took some of the edge off, but didn't dispel it completely. Running a hand through his damp hair and then down to rub his face and eyes, Steve stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, not knowing what to do.
For some reason, he decided to pick up the phone and had dialled Tessa's number before he could think of a good excuse for his call. But he couldn't get himself to cut the connection, instead listening to the long tones with rising anticipation in the pit of his stomach. Steve could feel his heart race, his blood pounding, his body hot with emotion.
"Hi, you've reached Tessa Vance. I can't come to the phone right now--"
Answering machine. Steve snapped his mobile phone shut with an embarrassed jolt shooting through him. Letting out a shaky breath, he smiled and frowned at the same time. Silly to call at this time of night. Of course she was asleep...except she was a light sleeper and never let the phone go to the answering machine if she were home, not after Bradley Mumm...
Steve felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Clenching the mobile in his hand, he searched for his clothes in the dark, fumbling along the floorboards until he grasped a pair of jeans and began to pull them on.
And then someone knocked on his door.
Eyes blinking in momentary shock, Steve's heart sped up. Then, ignoring his shirt, he hurried over to the door and wrenched it open.
"Uh...hi." Tessa seemed so small on his doorstep, all bundled up in a thick jacket, hair ruffled, no make-up on, and shifting skittishly on her feet as if contemplating her immediate escape. She smiled awkwardly, car keys jingling in her left hand, the other tucking an unruly lock of hair behind her ear.
Steve watched that hand with a sudden plummeting sensation in his core. "Hi."
"Um, I...I was just..." Tessa looked behind her, gesturing to the darkened street where a streetlight had shorted out, then looked back at him and seemed at a loss for words for a long while. "I, uh... just wanted to check on you."
That hand of hers was rubbing the other now, and all Steve could think of was that God worked in mysterious ways. "Synchronicity."
"Huh?" Tessa frowned and Steve chuckled suddenly, feeling elated and stupid at the same time.
"Never mind. Come in." Stepping slightly to the side, Steve gestured to the still darkened living room.
With some hesitation, Tessa stepped across the threshold and then turned immediately when the door closed behind her, sounding far more nervous than he'd ever heard her. "Uh, I'm sorry, I probably woke you up. I didn't know what time it was--"
"It's okay," Steve interrupted, holding up a hand in the darkness and startled when it touched hot breath and lips. He hadn't known they were standing so close, but now that he knew it, his blood was pounding worse than ever, his nostrils flaring in the overwhelming scent of her shampoo. His breath sounded ragged. "Um, I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Tessa breathed, stepping backwards by the sound of it. "Should maybe turn on a light."
"Yeah."
Shaking his head, Steve fumbled back towards the door and startled once more as he crashed directly into Tessa, sending both of them toppling over a stack of paint tins he kept around there. Without thinking, he jerked her close to him in the fall, twisting them sideways so she'd land on top of him.
Gasping slightly at the sharp elbow in his gut, Steve could feel Tessa hurriedly trying to get off him, but he was lying on her arm and they struggled for a moment amidst paint tins and whatever else was constricting their movements before being able to sit up.
"You okay?" Steve asked, able to see her silhouette begin to stand out in the darkness. She was breathing as rapidly as he was, and warmth seemed to radiate from her like a heater. All of a sudden, it felt like he was burning up. That he couldn't breathe. With his hand, he searched for hers and latched on once he found it. "Tess."
"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz." Tessa was sniffling and Steve squeezed her hand tightly, forgetting all about turning on a light. With his other hand, he reached up to her cheek and felt slight moisture there from her tears. She shied away as if ashamed, breaking contact.
"Tess..." Steve wanted to hold her, but didn't know what would happen after that. He felt unhinged, exposed, free. Liable to do something stupid and let the room's darkness cover all tracks. "I...um..."
"I don't even know why I'm here," Tessa continued. "I should've just called instead."
But then you wouldn't be here. The words popped into Steve's mind instantaneously and his stomach twisted, pulling him closer like a planet orbiting a star.
Tessa sighed and squeezed his hand in return, re-igniting the burning sensation in his blood. "I just wanted to check you were okay after...after today. I know you hate--"
Steve's mind had blanked, his body taking over until his face was close enough to lavish his hot breath all over hers, stunning her.
"Steve?" Her hot breath mingled with his and it took every inch of control Steve had not to bridge the gap right then and there.
With some effort, he let out a shaky "Yeah?" and looked into those wide, deep pools of hers, which glittered slightly in the sparse light coming in through a window somewhere.
But rather than some strained logical verbal response, Tessa closed the gap, her soft lips grazing his stubble first, then seeking his lips as he sought hers, meeting in the middle in a hesitant peck that with a sharp inhale of air turned into a furious fight.
The dam broke. All caution was thrown to the wind. Steve pulled her close to his chest, forgetting everything but the comfortable heat, the soft skin beneath his, the pliant lips gaining enough confidence to battle him for dominance. Everything became a blur of roaming hands, strong legs thrown over his, and definite grinding that drew a groan from his lips and made them break off the kiss.
Breathing heavily, they stared at each other in the shadows, arms flung around each other, bodies burning up from the combined heat. It was as if the darkness had already stripped them naked.
"Steve? Are you...?" Her hands tensed upon his shoulders as the doubt turned audible in her voice. "Why...?"
It was as if he could read her mind. Steve just knew what she was actually asking him. He was silently asking her the same questions.
"Because I stopped simply thinking of you as my partner and friend a long time ago..." Heart thumping wildly in his chest, Steve's own hands tightened upon the small of her back. "Why...?"
"Because I'm the same." Tessa's voice was small, hesitant, yet he thought he sensed a smile upon her lips. Her hands seemed to relax just a fraction, her thumbs stroking his neck softly, tantalizingly.
"We won't be able to go back," Steve said, beginning to stroke her back again, slipping his fingers beneath her jacket. "But I don't want to. You?"
"No," Tessa breathed, squirming slightly beneath his touch, unconsciously or consciously grinding lightly against his groin. "But this might be a mistake."
"Maybe." Leaning closer, Steve inhaled her heavenly scent and closed his eyes, letting his lips trail lightly across her neck. "Or maybe not."
Inhaling sharply as he applied a little more pressure, Tessa hugged him closer, running her fingers through his hair, gasping as he pulled back her jacket enough to suckle on her collarbone. She ground down on him in response, rolling her hips, and Steve groaned again, feeling entirely as if they had too damn much clothes on.
But he still needed her okay. "Tess?"
"Don't stop." Taking his face between her hands, Tessa claimed his lips again and Steve could only grin as she bit down on his lower lip and pulled it between her teeth to soothe it.
***
She could still feel his skin beneath hers. The warmth, the strength. Lasting an eternity, imprinted permanently upon every inch of her body. It had slowly, but surely, expelled the vacant stares, the empty hollowness, the permeating sense of loneliness. Making her blush even now as she sat staring at the neutral words in her report.
Across from her, Steve kept shooting her secret smiles of his own. There was an exhilarated sense of daredevilry about this, about crossing that line, but Tessa loved it. Had lain awake while the sunlight poured inside and relished in how the light hadn't burst the bubble, but rather made her appreciate that the whole thing hadn't been a dream.
Steve had been asleep, looking peaceful, and that's all she'd ever wanted. To be able to take away that pain of his. To have him take away hers. They were one and the same now. Two in one.
Tessa looked up to look at him only to realise Steve did it simultaneously, each grinning at the other when their eyes met.
Finally whole.
Still smiling, Tessa re-focused on her report.
Fully and completely.
FIN