Something Akin to Dread (1/6)
Title: Something Akin to Dread (1/6)
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Pairing: Ruby Quarles, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: The characters contained in this story are the products of my imagination; as such, I retain all right to and ownership of them.
Summary: Another of the tales relating to Elias and Ruby McCoy.
Notes: I know several of you said you’d prefer three long chapters; but my gut kept saying that six shorter ones was the way to go, at least for this particular story.
Thank you to ginamak, earlgreytea68 and chicklet73 for their beta of this earlier this year.
Any mistakes in this story are mine, and mine alone.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Ruby stretched, enjoying the fact that-for once-she was able to sleep as late as her husband. She and Dave had worked late the night before wrapping up a case, and had been told as they left after midnight to not worry about coming in until ten. She still had her phone on the nightstand, though, as she and Dave were technically the lead team on the first morning shift, and while she’d slept in she had still managed to awaken before the alarm rang.
She rolled over, tucking her hands under her cheek as she watched Elias continue to sleep. Ten years married to him and she still couldn’t get past the bubble of joy she felt at waking up next to him, at seeing him so unguarded and comfortable. It was freezing outside and yet he still slept shirtless, seemingly impervious to the cold seeping into their bedroom; contrarily, he wore flannel pyjama bottoms, saying that without them he’d be freezing cold and unable to sleep at all.
She untucked one of her hands, reaching over to rest her palm over Elias’s chest. She closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of his skin seep into hers, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as he took the deep breaths that indicated he was solidly asleep and would remain so until the alarm went off. With an amused sigh she shook her head, pulling her hand back and resolving to take a shower. If she did it right away, she’d be able to use as much hot water as she wanted without Elias complaining about it.
Her feet nearly stung with cold as she hurried across the bare wood floor of the flat, and she decided that they’d reached the point in winter where she was about to decree that the radiators in the flat would be turned higher than the lowest setting Elias preferred. It happened every year, and she had the idea that it might be possible to set the calendar by their annual ‘discussion’. It must certainly mark the coldest point of the winter, and she enjoyed the idea that the winter was surely more than half-over, now that they’d reached that point.
She didn’t completely hate how cold the bedroom was, and she freely acknowledged that having it so chilly helped her to sleep soundly, snuggled deep under the duvet and against Elias. But it certainly made getting out of bed a challenge, and it also meant she usually spent the first few minutes in the shower shivering. The water was deliciously warm-almost too warm-and she allowed herself to simply stand under the spray for a good few minutes, the heat of the liquid working the chill from her skin, causing her to flush a deep red as her body temperature climbed back to a slightly more normal level.
She’d washed her hair and conditioned it, and was vigorously scrubbing at the dry skin on her elbow when Elias pulled the door to the stall open, stepping in to join her. He was still sleepy, his eyes hooded, his hair askew; she welcomed him with a smile, playfully swatting some of the water towards him. He grunted and she changed tactics, taking him by the arm and steering him to the spray of still-hot water, running her hands over his back as he leaned his head under the shower head.
“Morning,” he said as he straightened, wiping the water from his eyes before turning to her.
“And to you.” She smiled, rocking up to give him a quick kiss. “Almost done, then you can have it to yourself.”
“Mmmm.” He made it quite clear to her he had no interest in showering alone, although he waited until she’d washed the soap from her body before he completely distracted her.
The water was almost cold by the time he was ready to get cleaned up for the day, his eyes bright and his cheeks flushed. She gave him one last kiss, then stepped out of the stall into the steam-filled room, pausing to catch her breath as her heart rate slowed. Her legs finally felt able to support her, and she focused on the mundane tasks necessary to finish getting ready for another day with the Met.
Elias joined her as she dried her hair, the towel hanging from his hips in what could only be a dare to gravity, his hair once again askew from where he’d rubbed it dry. He gave her a slow smile as he caught her eye in the mirror, and she shook her head with a laugh, mouthing the word “incorrigible” at him. His reply was to place a kiss on her bare shoulder, and then move out into their bedroom to get dressed.
“Coffee?” he asked when she joined him in the room, his shirt hanging unbuttoned over his vest, his trousers already pulled up and fastened over his hips.
“That’d be lovely. Don’t suppose you could turn up the radiator out there whilst you’re waiting on the kettle...?”
He narrowed his gaze, tilting his head as he seemed to think. “What’s the date?”
She laughed, reaching out to tickle his ribs as she walked past him to the closet. He shook his head with a resigned sigh, beginning to button his cuffs as he walked out to the parlour. “It’s only going to go up to four,” he called back once safely out of her reach.
“Eight!”
“Five, then.”
“Seven!”
“Six,” he called back, laughing, the sound of metal clanking against metal indicating he was adjusting the heat.
Breakfast was eaten together at the small table they used for most of their meals; and then the dishes were left in the sink as it occurred to them both they were going to be running late if they dallied too much longer. “I could get used to this,” she said as she pulled on a shoe, her hand bracing against the wall as she balanced.
“We’d be late all of the time,” he replied, tying the laces on his own shoes before straightening, his knee giving a sharp crack and causing him to wince.
“I’d certainly like to have the chance to find out if our punctuality would be threatened.” She slipped her foot into her other shoe, then reached for her coat. “We’ve been there long enough, surely they could give us matching shifts more often?”
“But then they’d have to deal with both of us at once,” he grinned, looking up from where he was buttoning his overcoat.
“You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“I suspect we scare most of them,” he said in a loud whisper, holding the door open for her, then turning to lock it behind them.
“Hmmmm...”
“Not Carlisle, of course.”
“No, of course not.” She could feel her eyes narrow with her suppressed smile.
“But your partner...”
“Oi!” She lightly swatted at his arm as they made their way downstairs. “Dave’s not a bad bloke. Just because he’s a bit quieter than you or Peter-”
“Or three-quarters of the division...”
“Stop mocking my partner. I quite like him.”
“And he seems well worthy of you, my dear.” He slipped his hand to capture hers, and began to swing them as they reached the street.
It was freezing outside, with small patches of ice on the pavement and periodic bursts of wind cutting through her. By the time they reached the subte-a scant five minute walk from the flat they’d lived in for three years now-she was practically shivering, leading Elias to wrap his arms around her as they stood on the slightly-less-chilly platform below ground. “Ye alright?” he whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder as he pulled her back against his chest.
“Yeah. Been in the south too long, I suppose.”
“Mmm. Or maybe you took too hot a shower...”
“Only because the flat was nearly as frigid as it is outside.” She turned, giving him a small smile, then leaned her head against his shoulder.
“It’ll be warmer later.” Another kiss was brushed against her jaw before he straightened, the high-pitched whine of the rails indicating a train was approaching. “I set the radiator at eight.”
She laughed, turning to give him a quick kiss, whispering, “You’re too good to me,” as the wind of the train whipped around them.
“Aren’t I just?” He grinned, his hand finding hers again before they moved to board the train.
They parted at the coffee shop near their offices, Elias meeting Peter for a hot beverage at their usual table in the cafe, their morning routine well-established enough that a pot of tea was awaiting Elias at the counter when he walked in the door. She clutched her large coffee, grateful for its warmth, and then waved a cheery goodbye to both men before venturing once more out into the icy morning.
Dave was already at his desk when she finally slid into her chair, her coffee still cradled in her hands, the warmth leeching into her blood as she felt the sting of her cheeks and ears warming up.
“Am I late or are you early?” she asked, finally setting the coffee down.
“Yes.”
She laughed, shucking her gloves and unwinding her scarf. “Been here long then?
“About five minutes before you got here. We’ve not been missed.”
“I’m not sure whether to be offended or grateful.” She stood, removing her coat, then settled back into her chair.
“A bit of both, possibly-we were left a lovely pile of reports to review and sign.”
“At least we didn’t have to type them up.” She took the folders from where Dave was holding them to her, and turned her attention to work.
She’d forgotten they were still on call, and jumped when the phone on her desk rang some hours later, papers floating gently to the floor as she fumbled with the folder in her lap. “Quarles,” she barked into the receiver as she scrambled to put the folder back together.
“You and Coxie both there?” It was Miller, the poor sod in charge of herding the Detective teams on most days.
“Aye.”
“Excellent. Got a fresh case for you. Bit lively up there, with a curious crowd, and the PC is more than ready for some assistance with the scene.”
“Where?”
Miller rattled off the address, and Ruby frantically searched for a spare bit of space on her blotter on which to jot the information.
“And we will be investigating...?” she asked once he was finished.
“Attempted murder. Victim is en route to A&E, witnesses have been corralled and are awaiting your arrival.”
“And the suspect?”
“He’s currently locked in a refrigerator in the back of the pub where it happened.”
“Ah. We’ll be there quickly, then. You’ve sent some proper help?”
“They’re headed there now, and your suspect should be thawing by the time you arrive.”
“Off we get, then. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet!” Miller rang off, and Ruby ripped the address from the blotter.
“Ready for some fun, Dave?”
“Always. You know I get twitchy when we’re trapped here.” He was already standing, pulling on his coat.
“The day you get twitchy over anything is the day I check your drink for amphetamines.” She winked at him, tugging on her own coat.
Dave laughed, and led the way to the lifts.
They picked up a set of keys from the motor pool, Ruby snatching them from the air before Dave could and leading the way through the garage to the small silver car they’d be using. “Let’s see what London has for us.”
She muttered a curse as she pulled out of the garage, noting that at some point it had started to sleet. It had the advantage of making traffic lighter than she’d have expected for the middle of the afternoon, but it also meant that she had to go slower than normal. The sirens echoed off the buildings they passed, the lights catching the precipitation, and she tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she piloted the car through The City, bustling with pedestrians going about the business of London. It wasn’t until she reached the edges of The Square Mile proper-and the end of the most trying part of the journey-that she finally began to relax again.
David was flipping through the A to Z in the passenger seat, frowning as he toggled between two maps in the thick book. “I think we want the eastern half of the road,” he finally said, glancing up.
“Right.” She’d thought as much but hadn’t been completely sure. “How far alo-”
~ - ~
Part Two
Rating: K
Author: jlrpuck
Pairing: Ruby Quarles, Elias McCoy
Disclaimer: The characters contained in this story are the products of my imagination; as such, I retain all right to and ownership of them.
Summary: Another of the tales relating to Elias and Ruby McCoy.
Notes: I know several of you said you’d prefer three long chapters; but my gut kept saying that six shorter ones was the way to go, at least for this particular story.
Thank you to ginamak, earlgreytea68 and chicklet73 for their beta of this earlier this year.
Any mistakes in this story are mine, and mine alone.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
Ruby stretched, enjoying the fact that-for once-she was able to sleep as late as her husband. She and Dave had worked late the night before wrapping up a case, and had been told as they left after midnight to not worry about coming in until ten. She still had her phone on the nightstand, though, as she and Dave were technically the lead team on the first morning shift, and while she’d slept in she had still managed to awaken before the alarm rang.
She rolled over, tucking her hands under her cheek as she watched Elias continue to sleep. Ten years married to him and she still couldn’t get past the bubble of joy she felt at waking up next to him, at seeing him so unguarded and comfortable. It was freezing outside and yet he still slept shirtless, seemingly impervious to the cold seeping into their bedroom; contrarily, he wore flannel pyjama bottoms, saying that without them he’d be freezing cold and unable to sleep at all.
She untucked one of her hands, reaching over to rest her palm over Elias’s chest. She closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of his skin seep into hers, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as he took the deep breaths that indicated he was solidly asleep and would remain so until the alarm went off. With an amused sigh she shook her head, pulling her hand back and resolving to take a shower. If she did it right away, she’d be able to use as much hot water as she wanted without Elias complaining about it.
Her feet nearly stung with cold as she hurried across the bare wood floor of the flat, and she decided that they’d reached the point in winter where she was about to decree that the radiators in the flat would be turned higher than the lowest setting Elias preferred. It happened every year, and she had the idea that it might be possible to set the calendar by their annual ‘discussion’. It must certainly mark the coldest point of the winter, and she enjoyed the idea that the winter was surely more than half-over, now that they’d reached that point.
She didn’t completely hate how cold the bedroom was, and she freely acknowledged that having it so chilly helped her to sleep soundly, snuggled deep under the duvet and against Elias. But it certainly made getting out of bed a challenge, and it also meant she usually spent the first few minutes in the shower shivering. The water was deliciously warm-almost too warm-and she allowed herself to simply stand under the spray for a good few minutes, the heat of the liquid working the chill from her skin, causing her to flush a deep red as her body temperature climbed back to a slightly more normal level.
She’d washed her hair and conditioned it, and was vigorously scrubbing at the dry skin on her elbow when Elias pulled the door to the stall open, stepping in to join her. He was still sleepy, his eyes hooded, his hair askew; she welcomed him with a smile, playfully swatting some of the water towards him. He grunted and she changed tactics, taking him by the arm and steering him to the spray of still-hot water, running her hands over his back as he leaned his head under the shower head.
“Morning,” he said as he straightened, wiping the water from his eyes before turning to her.
“And to you.” She smiled, rocking up to give him a quick kiss. “Almost done, then you can have it to yourself.”
“Mmmm.” He made it quite clear to her he had no interest in showering alone, although he waited until she’d washed the soap from her body before he completely distracted her.
The water was almost cold by the time he was ready to get cleaned up for the day, his eyes bright and his cheeks flushed. She gave him one last kiss, then stepped out of the stall into the steam-filled room, pausing to catch her breath as her heart rate slowed. Her legs finally felt able to support her, and she focused on the mundane tasks necessary to finish getting ready for another day with the Met.
Elias joined her as she dried her hair, the towel hanging from his hips in what could only be a dare to gravity, his hair once again askew from where he’d rubbed it dry. He gave her a slow smile as he caught her eye in the mirror, and she shook her head with a laugh, mouthing the word “incorrigible” at him. His reply was to place a kiss on her bare shoulder, and then move out into their bedroom to get dressed.
“Coffee?” he asked when she joined him in the room, his shirt hanging unbuttoned over his vest, his trousers already pulled up and fastened over his hips.
“That’d be lovely. Don’t suppose you could turn up the radiator out there whilst you’re waiting on the kettle...?”
He narrowed his gaze, tilting his head as he seemed to think. “What’s the date?”
She laughed, reaching out to tickle his ribs as she walked past him to the closet. He shook his head with a resigned sigh, beginning to button his cuffs as he walked out to the parlour. “It’s only going to go up to four,” he called back once safely out of her reach.
“Eight!”
“Five, then.”
“Seven!”
“Six,” he called back, laughing, the sound of metal clanking against metal indicating he was adjusting the heat.
Breakfast was eaten together at the small table they used for most of their meals; and then the dishes were left in the sink as it occurred to them both they were going to be running late if they dallied too much longer. “I could get used to this,” she said as she pulled on a shoe, her hand bracing against the wall as she balanced.
“We’d be late all of the time,” he replied, tying the laces on his own shoes before straightening, his knee giving a sharp crack and causing him to wince.
“I’d certainly like to have the chance to find out if our punctuality would be threatened.” She slipped her foot into her other shoe, then reached for her coat. “We’ve been there long enough, surely they could give us matching shifts more often?”
“But then they’d have to deal with both of us at once,” he grinned, looking up from where he was buttoning his overcoat.
“You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“I suspect we scare most of them,” he said in a loud whisper, holding the door open for her, then turning to lock it behind them.
“Hmmmm...”
“Not Carlisle, of course.”
“No, of course not.” She could feel her eyes narrow with her suppressed smile.
“But your partner...”
“Oi!” She lightly swatted at his arm as they made their way downstairs. “Dave’s not a bad bloke. Just because he’s a bit quieter than you or Peter-”
“Or three-quarters of the division...”
“Stop mocking my partner. I quite like him.”
“And he seems well worthy of you, my dear.” He slipped his hand to capture hers, and began to swing them as they reached the street.
It was freezing outside, with small patches of ice on the pavement and periodic bursts of wind cutting through her. By the time they reached the subte-a scant five minute walk from the flat they’d lived in for three years now-she was practically shivering, leading Elias to wrap his arms around her as they stood on the slightly-less-chilly platform below ground. “Ye alright?” he whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder as he pulled her back against his chest.
“Yeah. Been in the south too long, I suppose.”
“Mmm. Or maybe you took too hot a shower...”
“Only because the flat was nearly as frigid as it is outside.” She turned, giving him a small smile, then leaned her head against his shoulder.
“It’ll be warmer later.” Another kiss was brushed against her jaw before he straightened, the high-pitched whine of the rails indicating a train was approaching. “I set the radiator at eight.”
She laughed, turning to give him a quick kiss, whispering, “You’re too good to me,” as the wind of the train whipped around them.
“Aren’t I just?” He grinned, his hand finding hers again before they moved to board the train.
They parted at the coffee shop near their offices, Elias meeting Peter for a hot beverage at their usual table in the cafe, their morning routine well-established enough that a pot of tea was awaiting Elias at the counter when he walked in the door. She clutched her large coffee, grateful for its warmth, and then waved a cheery goodbye to both men before venturing once more out into the icy morning.
Dave was already at his desk when she finally slid into her chair, her coffee still cradled in her hands, the warmth leeching into her blood as she felt the sting of her cheeks and ears warming up.
“Am I late or are you early?” she asked, finally setting the coffee down.
“Yes.”
She laughed, shucking her gloves and unwinding her scarf. “Been here long then?
“About five minutes before you got here. We’ve not been missed.”
“I’m not sure whether to be offended or grateful.” She stood, removing her coat, then settled back into her chair.
“A bit of both, possibly-we were left a lovely pile of reports to review and sign.”
“At least we didn’t have to type them up.” She took the folders from where Dave was holding them to her, and turned her attention to work.
She’d forgotten they were still on call, and jumped when the phone on her desk rang some hours later, papers floating gently to the floor as she fumbled with the folder in her lap. “Quarles,” she barked into the receiver as she scrambled to put the folder back together.
“You and Coxie both there?” It was Miller, the poor sod in charge of herding the Detective teams on most days.
“Aye.”
“Excellent. Got a fresh case for you. Bit lively up there, with a curious crowd, and the PC is more than ready for some assistance with the scene.”
“Where?”
Miller rattled off the address, and Ruby frantically searched for a spare bit of space on her blotter on which to jot the information.
“And we will be investigating...?” she asked once he was finished.
“Attempted murder. Victim is en route to A&E, witnesses have been corralled and are awaiting your arrival.”
“And the suspect?”
“He’s currently locked in a refrigerator in the back of the pub where it happened.”
“Ah. We’ll be there quickly, then. You’ve sent some proper help?”
“They’re headed there now, and your suspect should be thawing by the time you arrive.”
“Off we get, then. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet!” Miller rang off, and Ruby ripped the address from the blotter.
“Ready for some fun, Dave?”
“Always. You know I get twitchy when we’re trapped here.” He was already standing, pulling on his coat.
“The day you get twitchy over anything is the day I check your drink for amphetamines.” She winked at him, tugging on her own coat.
Dave laughed, and led the way to the lifts.
They picked up a set of keys from the motor pool, Ruby snatching them from the air before Dave could and leading the way through the garage to the small silver car they’d be using. “Let’s see what London has for us.”
She muttered a curse as she pulled out of the garage, noting that at some point it had started to sleet. It had the advantage of making traffic lighter than she’d have expected for the middle of the afternoon, but it also meant that she had to go slower than normal. The sirens echoed off the buildings they passed, the lights catching the precipitation, and she tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she piloted the car through The City, bustling with pedestrians going about the business of London. It wasn’t until she reached the edges of The Square Mile proper-and the end of the most trying part of the journey-that she finally began to relax again.
David was flipping through the A to Z in the passenger seat, frowning as he toggled between two maps in the thick book. “I think we want the eastern half of the road,” he finally said, glancing up.
“Right.” She’d thought as much but hadn’t been completely sure. “How far alo-”
~ - ~
Part Two