Haven fic: Life Doesn't Have a Snooze Button (Audrey/Nathan, PG, 1/1)
Title: Life Doesn't Have a Snooze Button
Author: Shane Vansen
Category: Audrey/Nathan friendship/UST/romance
Spoilers: 301, Stay, Thanks for the Memories
Rating: PG
Length: ~4300 words
Disclaimer: It's probably best that they're not mine; I'd screw it up. Haven, its characters and storylines, and the overall concept belong to people much more creative than I.
Summary: Audrey is not a morning person. (Or: Five times Audrey hated being up early, and one time she didn't mind so much.)
Author's Notes: Forever ago (or, y'know, back in February) I asked for Five Times prompts. The muse started with bluebanrigh's 'five breakfast meetings' but it sort of evolved into just early mornings. I also tried to give a nod to everyone else's suggestions; a list of who prompted what can be found at the end of the fic.
Thanks to december21st for betaing, and to the f-listers who gave suggestions.
The timeline of the scenes is kind of *handwavey* -- but that's sort of par for the course with this show, isn't it? ;)
***
--one--
Nathan frowns a little as he knocks on Audrey's door again, leaning to the side and trying to see through the drawn curtains, straining for a glimpse of movement. On any given morning it's hit or miss as to whether she'll be ready when he arrives to pick her up, but even on the days she's running late she still answers the door on his first knock, even if it's just to wave him in while she throws her hair up in a ponytail or pulls on her shoes. Making him wait is unusual and, though he hasn't known her long, he's already learned enough to know that any combination of 'unusual' and 'Audrey' makes him a little bit nervous.
Before he can dig out his cell to try calling her, the door swings open and Audrey squints up at him; it's clear he's just woken her up. "What?"
Nathan rocks back a step, eyeing her up and down. "You sick?" he asks, taking in her messy hair and pyjamas. She may not always be the most punctual person, but this is extreme, even for Audrey.
"No," she answers, scrubbing a hand over her face and then disappearing into her room without an explanation. When she returns a moment later, she doesn't look too happy with him. "It's only quarter to seven. What are you doing here so early?"
He blinks at her. "First Monday of the month. Staff meeting, remember?" He knows she's only been in Haven a couple of weeks, but he'd reminded her about it on Friday. She'd wanted to come even though she isn't technically a member of Haven PD.
Audrey stares up at him with a blank expression for a moment before understanding flares in her eyes. "Wait, you mean the staff meeting's at seven in the morning?" At his nod, she closes her eyes briefly and mutters, "Crap."
Nathan tries not to grin as he realizes that when he told her the staff meeting was at seven, she thought he meant in the evening. "Well," he says, "no better way to make a good impression with the chief than to show up late."
"Crap," she says again, turning back to her room. "Give me ten minutes!" she yells over her shoulder as the door swings shut, and his grin breaks free when he hears her add, "That's enough time for you to grab me a coffee!"
--two--
Stakeouts, Nathan thinks, are the worst part of police work. In his opinion, they're even more boring than paperwork because he's stuck going wherever their suspect goes; at least at the office, he can wander around the precinct and check in with his officers to alleviate the boredom.
This particular stakeout isn't so bad, though. Robarts is seated on a bench in a park in spite of the ridiculously early morning hour, travel mug in hand, apparently admiring the scenery in the low pre-dawn light. That much open space would have made it difficult to remain unnoticed if they'd had to watch from a vehicle or were following him on foot, but Nathan and Audrey managed to snag a window seat at a diner just across the street with an excellent view of their suspect and most of the surrounding area. Now, coffees and muffins within easy reach, all they have to do is wait to see whom their suspect is meeting.
"Do you think I'm Troubled?"
The question startles him, coming out of nowhere the way it does. He glances over at Audrey, wondering what brought this on; he can't think of anything that might have triggered this particular train of thought today. "I've considered it," he admits after a moment.
"It makes sense," she says, and the almost detached tone of her voice worries him a little; it's like she's talking about a case. Actually, she usually seems more interested in their cases than she does right now. "Afflicted people have abilities that others don't. The way I'm immune to Troubles, that's not normal." She rubs at that spot behind her ear, the way she does when she's working something out, and Nathan keeps quiet. "Does not being affected by Troubles count as a Trouble in and of itself?"
He tips his head. "Maybe it's an anti-Trouble."
That earns him a smile, brief as it is. "But does it count as a Trouble?"
Audrey's completely serious, he knows. More than that, she's uncertain; he can hear the underlying vulnerability that's there whenever she starts to question her identity. Whatever he says next, Nathan has to weigh his words carefully because she's going to take them to heart. Even knowing that, the best he can come up with is, "Does it really matter?"
She sits upright, bristling, then a second later almost folds in on herself. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asks, sounding defensive, or maybe offended.
"Does it matter if you're Troubled?" he repeats. "Let's say that you are. What does it change?" In spite of himself, Nathan's more interested in her answer than he wants to be. She's never treated him any differently because of his affliction, has never treated any Troubled person differently except to try to find a way to help them, but part of him has always wondered if maybe she still sees him as not quite normal.
Audrey looks like she's ready to snap at him, but to her credit she takes some time to consider his question. "Nothing," she says finally, looking a little surprised and a lot relieved at her answer. "It doesn't really change anything, does it?"
"Not if you don't let it," he agrees, feeling a knot he'd never really been aware of loosen at her words. He reaches across the table to where she's cradling her coffee and raps his knuckle lightly against her wrist. "It just means that you're in the right place. Good thing you ended up in Haven, huh?"
It isn't even remotely a coincidence that she's ended up here, of all places - even if they don't yet know why or how, that much is still clear - but it looks like they're both choosing to ignore that for now. "Yeah," she murmurs, tilting her head to look up at him, and there's something in her expression that keeps him from looking away. "Good thing."
For a moment, Nathan forgets that they're surrounded by people, that they're working, that they're supposed to be keeping an eye on Robarts and whomever it is he's meeting; there's just Audrey and the way she's looking at him. But then someone sets a pile of dishes down a little too hard, the clatter loud in the otherwise quiet diner, and Audrey jumps a bit before looking away. Nathan watches her for a second or two longer, wondering, and then remembers that they have a job to do. He glances out the window just in time to see someone approaching their suspect.
"I think we're up," he says, and Audrey turns to look.
"Is that Sampson?" she asks, sounding surprised, and Nathan nods as he slides out of the booth.
"Told ya." He grins at her, not even trying to hide his satisfaction at being right, and adds, "That means breakfast's on you," leaving her to scramble for her wallet before catching up to him so they can go talk to the two men and find out what's going on.
--three--
When Audrey wakes a little after five-thirty the morning after her kidnapping, it's to find Nathan sound asleep on her couch.
She hadn't slept well the night before, waking every hour or so, and each time she'd opened her eyes it was to see Nathan keeping watch. Once, he'd been cleaning up the mess her abductor left behind, another time, he'd been going through files; regardless of what he'd been doing, she'd felt better knowing he was there. He'd been standing at the window, staring out at the darkness when she'd woken just forty-five minutes earlier, but sometime since then, the long day and even longer night must have finally caught up to him.
She finds herself hovering at his side and hesitates a moment before giving in to the impulse to touch him. She smooths his hair back and leans down to kiss his forehead, thanking him without words for everything he's done for her. She owes him more than that, Audrey knows, and maybe after she's had some time to work through everything she'll figure out a way to thank him properly, but this will have to do for now.
She touches her fingers to his cheek and then heads for the bathroom to take the longest, hottest shower she can stand.
Nathan's already up by the time she finishes, though he can't have slept for more than an hour at most. They dance around each other as they get ready for the day, everything awkward and strange even though Audrey can't figure out why, until, the fourth time they bump into each other, Nathan stops, pulls her into a hug, and doesn't let go.
Everything stills.
This is exactly what she didn't know she needed, Audrey realizes. Someone to just hold her, to let her know that she's safe and that it's all okay. She got a taste of this last night when Nathan first arrived at the inn but there had been too much going on for her to appreciate it. This morning, though, they have time before anyone's expecting them at the cemetery, and Audrey feels justified in being a little selfish.
For the first time since she opened the door to her abductor, Audrey slides her arms around Nathan's waist, buries her face in the crook of his neck, and just stops thinking.
--four--
It's barely past four in the morning, they've been up all night, and their suspect's finally in custody, but Audrey's not ready to leave the crime scene just yet.
Something isn't sitting right with her. Everything seems to be in place, but she has the nagging feeling that there's something she's missing. Her hunches usually turn out to be right, or at least in the ballpark; Audrey just hopes that it isn't sleep deprivation leading her in the wrong direction this time around.
"What is it we're looking for, exactly?" Nathan asks, kicking aside some brush to see what's underneath.
Audrey rubs her hands up and down her arms, wishing she had her coat. Or a cup of coffee. Preferably both. "I'll let you know when we find it." She shivers. "I thought it was supposed to be warm today?"
He eyes her. "Once the sun comes up." She makes a face at him and the corners of his lips quirk up. Then he sighs. "Are you sure this can't wait until morning?"
"It is morning," she points out, purely to annoy him.
His eyes narrow at her. "Until a decent hour of the morning. With enough light to see."
She's serious again. "We're missing something, Nathan. I think it's important. It might not wait until later."
He studies her and then nods. "Okay."
It's quiet as they go back to their search, though Audrey couldn't say what they're looking for. Something just feels off and if her time in Haven has taught her anything, it's that she should follow her instincts.
She's so focussed on finding that elusive missing clue that she's caught unaware when Nathan drapes his coat over her shoulders. "You look cold," he explains off her questioning look, and Audrey realizes that she is, in fact, still freezing. She'd managed to put it out of her mind, so she's surprised that he noticed.
She slides her arms into the sleeves and wraps the coat across her body, breathing in his familiar scent. "Thanks," she murmurs, and he nods and gets back to work.
When she looks up a little later, Nathan's ahead of her and her flashlight beam glances over his back. Something flares red and she jerks the light back toward him with a sick feeling already settling in her stomach.
It's blood. There's a jagged rip in his shirt and the fabric around it is soaked with blood. "Nathan," she breathes, his name a strangled sound, and he must hear the urgency in her voice because he whips right around with a sharp, "What's wrong?"
Audrey takes a breath and makes herself calm down. He's been walking around with her for almost half an hour now with no sign that anything is wrong. If the wound were serious, surely he'd be having trouble walking or be slurring his words or something noticeable.
Right?
"Turn around so I can see your back," she orders, and her voice is steady. "You're bleeding."
He gives her a puzzled look, then contorts his body trying to see his own back, without much luck as far as Audrey can tell. "Let me see," she says again, putting her hands on his shoulders and turning him away from her so she can shine her flashlight on the area.
The rip in his shirt is about the length of her hand, and she gingerly peels away one side of it to get a look at what's underneath. It's hard to tell in the light but the wound itself doesn't look too bad, neither too big nor too deep. Without thinking, Audrey touches her fingers to the skin around the cut, but she must get too close because Nathan lets out a sharp breath and arches away.
She mutters an apology and angles the light so she can see the laceration more clearly. It reminds her more of a nasty scratch than a stab wound, which is what she'd first thought even though she couldn't have said when Nathan was close enough to anyone with a knife to get stabbed.
"It doesn't look too bad," she decides at last, "but we should have someone check it out, just in case."
"What happened?" he asks, twisting to try to get a look again, and she nails him with a look that's supposed to be severe but is probably offset by her relief.
"Shouldn't you be telling me that?" She grabs him by the arm and leads him back in the direction of his truck, making sure he's not going to argue before she lets go. "It looks like you got scratched by something. A branch, maybe? I think it's already stopped bleeding." She pulls her hands into the sleeves of his coat and folds her arms across her stomach, huddling into the warmth.
"That's what you get for dragging me through the woods in the dark." Audrey knows he's joking, but his words echo almost exactly what she's thinking and she ducks her head without answering. "Hey," he murmurs, more serious now, and elbows her gently in the side. "I was kidding. It probably happened when we were chasing after McKinley. I must have run right into something without even realizing it."
She nods without saying anything, not entirely convinced even though his explanation makes perfect sense. Even if he's right, maybe one of them would have noticed the cut sooner if she hadn't insisted on traipsing through the forest in the dark in search of something she can't even name.
Nathan reaches out, squeezing her arm lightly before letting go, and she realizes that he's trying to make her feel better even though he's the one who's injured. She doesn't know what to say, so instead Audrey moves a bit closer so that the backs of her fingers brush his the entire way back to the truck.
--five--
Nathan pauses long enough to take a nervous breath before knocking on Audrey's door. She's grumpy when she answers, her not-quite-joking complaints starting before the door is even completely open.
"I don't care if you're making me breakfast," she starts, "I don't see why I need to get up early today of all-" She cuts herself off, gaping a little, then blinks and demands, "Is that a puppy?"
He glances from Audrey to the six-month-old shepherd/collie mix at his side and then back at her. "Happy birthday?"
"It's not my birthday," she corrects him automatically, still looking a little stunned.
"We don't know your birthday," he points out. "You've been going by the other Audrey's memories." He shrugs, embarrassed. "I figured the one-year anniversary of your first day in Haven works as well as any other day."
She stares up at him, shaking her head back and forth the tiniest bit like maybe he's actually managed to render her speechless, then drops to her knees and reaches for the dog. "You got me a puppy?" she asks, head bent as she runs her hands over the animal's coat, and for the life of him he can't read her tone of voice.
"It was obvious how much you wanted to keep Cookie. I know why you had to give him up, but you didn't want to. I thought, now that you're staying, maybe...." He trails off, not sure he's made the right choice, and she isn't giving him anything to work with.
Audrey finally looks up, and the expression on her face is as close to joyful as he's ever seen it. "What's his name?" she wants to know, scratching vigorously along the puppy's sides now, and the dog's tail is wagging so hard its entire body is shaking.
"Her name's Pandora."
"Like the story?" Audrey asks. "The woman who let out all the evil things into the world but still had hope?"
He shrugs. Close enough, he supposes; it's not like he's ever studied Greek mythology. For all he knows, she was named after that internet radio station. "I guess," he tells her. "You can ask Joe down at the rescue shelter if you really want to know." He likes the idea of it, though, of still having hope with everything bad in the world, especially after all they've been through.
"Nathan." Suddenly she's right in front of him, closer than he's used to even though it's been a long time since they've been concerned about personal space. Her hands land on his shoulders and she boosts herself up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She lingers longer than needed for a simple thank you, and he closes and eyes and lets his hands drift to her hips, not letting go even when she drops back, flat-footed. "Thank you," she says softly, "for my birthday present. She's perfect."
"You're welcome," he answers, but the words are automatic because his hands are still on her waist and hers are still on his shoulders and his brain is too full of her to bother with anything else. He rubs his thumb along her side and sees as much as hears the hitch in her breathing.
Audrey looks away first, but she doesn't let go and she doesn't step back. "I've never had a dog before," she tells him, eyes on Pandora, whose tail is still wagging furiously. "I don't have any idea how to train them."
"She's already housebroken, and knows basic commands." He knows enough about her past, or at least what she remembers of Audrey Parker's past, to guess that she'd never had the opportunity for a pet. Giving her an untrained dog would have been too much, especially given their schedules. "Anything else, I can help you out."
"Thank you," she says again, gaze back on his and her fingers tightening on his shoulders, and he can't take it anymore.
"Audrey-" It's as far as he gets before her lips are on his, or his lips are on hers - given the end result, he supposes it doesn't matter - and whatever he was going to say is lost amid the fact that he is kissing Audrey.
Her hands slide up, one hand landing on his cheek, her other hand stroking along the back of his neck before moving down to press against his chest, and Nathan flattens his palms against her back and spreads his fingers, drawing her just a little closer.
It doesn't take long for the kiss to go from soft and tentative to deep and certain. This is something they've been working toward for the better part of a year now and Nathan, at least, has had enough of the stops and starts. He wants this, he's pretty sure Audrey wants this, and he doesn't see any point in waiting for life to throw them another obstacle.
He backs her a step closer to her door, then another, one hand slipping beneath her shirt to stroke against the smooth skin of her lower back. She makes a low sound, deep in her throat, her hands moving to the buttons of his shirt-
- and he nearly trips as Pandora barks and jumps up, paws landing against his hip, the unexpected weight throwing him off balance.
There's a few seconds of fumbling as they both try to keep from tripping over each other or the dog, and by the time he's found his footing Audrey's already laughing. It doesn't take much to see the humour in the situation and he can't help but smile as he watches Audrey bend down to pet her dog.
"There's food and dishes and a few other things in my truck," he tells her, just now remembering. "How about I go get them and then we can take your new roommate for a walk?"
"Only if I get that breakfast you promised me after we get back," she replies.
"Sounds like a plan." He turns to leave, but Audrey catches his hand before he takes more than a step and he turns back to look at her.
"And after that," she says, and somehow it's an entire sentence, a promise, made by the tone of her voice and the expression on her face rather than in words.
"After that," he repeats, matching her tone, and is rewarded by a slow, shy smile. He squeezes her hand before letting go, and makes it down to his truck and back in record time.
--six--
The other side of the bed is empty when she wakes, but that's a common enough occurrence that Audrey doesn't think twice about it. What is unusual, however, are the noises coming from the bathroom across the hall.
She cracks open an eye to check the time, and weighs the early hour and her warm, comfortable bed against learning what's going on. Curiosity wins out. She makes a face when the cold air hits her bare arms and snags a sweatshirt on her way to the door.
The bathroom door's open and she pauses at the entrance, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans against the frame and takes everything in. Eight-month-old Nola seems to be having the time of her life in the bathtub; there isn't much water, but what little there is, Nola has managed to get pretty much everywhere. Audrey can see Nathan's shirt, soaking wet and abandoned on the floor, and his jeans are well on their way to being soaked through as well. She mentally adds mopping the bathroom floor to her list of things to do today.
"Hey," she says, voice scratchy with sleep, and Nathan pauses in his mostly one-sided conversation to look up at her. "Looks like Nola survived the night okay."
"She's fine," he agrees, turning back to the little girl and switching to the exaggerated voice he uses with babies. "You're just fine, aren't you, Nola? Yes you are."
Nola claps her hands together and babbles back at him before splashing more water out of the tub, and Audrey grins as she watches the two of them interact. Nathan's going to miss having Nola around when she's gone, she realizes; once they're reasonably certain that she hasn't inherited her father's Trouble, or that it at least hasn't been triggered by losing her parents in such a horrific way, they'll have to turn her over to Child and Family Services to find her a permanent home.
Nathan, she thinks, and not for the first time, would make a wonderful father. Ever since she and James had returned, she's seen Nathan working to build a relationship with their son; even though he's never said anything, Audrey's caught enough wistful looks and half-finished sentences that she knows he regrets missing James' childhood, as impossible as it would have been for him to be there even if he'd known.
Maybe children is a discussion they should be having sooner rather than later. The idea of kids still scares her, a little, but she thinks she might be ready for the conversation.
Nola lets out a shriek of laughter, and Audrey realizes that she must have zoned out because Nathan already has the little girl out of the tub and wrapped up in a towel, holding her above his head as he talks more nonsense. She smiles again and pushes off the door frame, realizing that, as early as it is, she's going to be up for the day. And, if there's the possibility of a baby in their not-so-distant future, Audrey figures she may as well start practising now. "Why don't you give me Nola while you find some dry clothes and get breakfast started?"
He looks at her, seeming surprised, then hands over the baby with an expression on his face like he's got an idea of what she's thinking. "Sure," he says, looking for a moment as though he's about to say more, but instead he leans in to kiss her, his lips lingering against hers just a little too long to be innocent. She gets one of his slow, genuine smiles when he pulls away, and Audrey watches him until he disappears into their room.
"Well," she says to Nola, readjusting the girl against her hip, "what do you say we go find you some clean clothes and something to eat?"
"Bababababa!" Nola agrees, all smiles and enthusiasm, and Audrey laughs and thinks that maybe early mornings aren't always so bad after all.
--end--
trucherrygirl suggested Nathan comforting Audrey after her kidnapping
december21st prompted Audrey wearing Nathan's clothing
siricerasi requested Nathan getting hurt and not realizing it, or Audrey getting a hug
syd15 wanted wet babies
Author: Shane Vansen
Category: Audrey/Nathan friendship/UST/romance
Spoilers: 301, Stay, Thanks for the Memories
Rating: PG
Length: ~4300 words
Disclaimer: It's probably best that they're not mine; I'd screw it up. Haven, its characters and storylines, and the overall concept belong to people much more creative than I.
Summary: Audrey is not a morning person. (Or: Five times Audrey hated being up early, and one time she didn't mind so much.)
Author's Notes: Forever ago (or, y'know, back in February) I asked for Five Times prompts. The muse started with bluebanrigh's 'five breakfast meetings' but it sort of evolved into just early mornings. I also tried to give a nod to everyone else's suggestions; a list of who prompted what can be found at the end of the fic.
Thanks to december21st for betaing, and to the f-listers who gave suggestions.
The timeline of the scenes is kind of *handwavey* -- but that's sort of par for the course with this show, isn't it? ;)
***
--one--
Nathan frowns a little as he knocks on Audrey's door again, leaning to the side and trying to see through the drawn curtains, straining for a glimpse of movement. On any given morning it's hit or miss as to whether she'll be ready when he arrives to pick her up, but even on the days she's running late she still answers the door on his first knock, even if it's just to wave him in while she throws her hair up in a ponytail or pulls on her shoes. Making him wait is unusual and, though he hasn't known her long, he's already learned enough to know that any combination of 'unusual' and 'Audrey' makes him a little bit nervous.
Before he can dig out his cell to try calling her, the door swings open and Audrey squints up at him; it's clear he's just woken her up. "What?"
Nathan rocks back a step, eyeing her up and down. "You sick?" he asks, taking in her messy hair and pyjamas. She may not always be the most punctual person, but this is extreme, even for Audrey.
"No," she answers, scrubbing a hand over her face and then disappearing into her room without an explanation. When she returns a moment later, she doesn't look too happy with him. "It's only quarter to seven. What are you doing here so early?"
He blinks at her. "First Monday of the month. Staff meeting, remember?" He knows she's only been in Haven a couple of weeks, but he'd reminded her about it on Friday. She'd wanted to come even though she isn't technically a member of Haven PD.
Audrey stares up at him with a blank expression for a moment before understanding flares in her eyes. "Wait, you mean the staff meeting's at seven in the morning?" At his nod, she closes her eyes briefly and mutters, "Crap."
Nathan tries not to grin as he realizes that when he told her the staff meeting was at seven, she thought he meant in the evening. "Well," he says, "no better way to make a good impression with the chief than to show up late."
"Crap," she says again, turning back to her room. "Give me ten minutes!" she yells over her shoulder as the door swings shut, and his grin breaks free when he hears her add, "That's enough time for you to grab me a coffee!"
--two--
Stakeouts, Nathan thinks, are the worst part of police work. In his opinion, they're even more boring than paperwork because he's stuck going wherever their suspect goes; at least at the office, he can wander around the precinct and check in with his officers to alleviate the boredom.
This particular stakeout isn't so bad, though. Robarts is seated on a bench in a park in spite of the ridiculously early morning hour, travel mug in hand, apparently admiring the scenery in the low pre-dawn light. That much open space would have made it difficult to remain unnoticed if they'd had to watch from a vehicle or were following him on foot, but Nathan and Audrey managed to snag a window seat at a diner just across the street with an excellent view of their suspect and most of the surrounding area. Now, coffees and muffins within easy reach, all they have to do is wait to see whom their suspect is meeting.
"Do you think I'm Troubled?"
The question startles him, coming out of nowhere the way it does. He glances over at Audrey, wondering what brought this on; he can't think of anything that might have triggered this particular train of thought today. "I've considered it," he admits after a moment.
"It makes sense," she says, and the almost detached tone of her voice worries him a little; it's like she's talking about a case. Actually, she usually seems more interested in their cases than she does right now. "Afflicted people have abilities that others don't. The way I'm immune to Troubles, that's not normal." She rubs at that spot behind her ear, the way she does when she's working something out, and Nathan keeps quiet. "Does not being affected by Troubles count as a Trouble in and of itself?"
He tips his head. "Maybe it's an anti-Trouble."
That earns him a smile, brief as it is. "But does it count as a Trouble?"
Audrey's completely serious, he knows. More than that, she's uncertain; he can hear the underlying vulnerability that's there whenever she starts to question her identity. Whatever he says next, Nathan has to weigh his words carefully because she's going to take them to heart. Even knowing that, the best he can come up with is, "Does it really matter?"
She sits upright, bristling, then a second later almost folds in on herself. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asks, sounding defensive, or maybe offended.
"Does it matter if you're Troubled?" he repeats. "Let's say that you are. What does it change?" In spite of himself, Nathan's more interested in her answer than he wants to be. She's never treated him any differently because of his affliction, has never treated any Troubled person differently except to try to find a way to help them, but part of him has always wondered if maybe she still sees him as not quite normal.
Audrey looks like she's ready to snap at him, but to her credit she takes some time to consider his question. "Nothing," she says finally, looking a little surprised and a lot relieved at her answer. "It doesn't really change anything, does it?"
"Not if you don't let it," he agrees, feeling a knot he'd never really been aware of loosen at her words. He reaches across the table to where she's cradling her coffee and raps his knuckle lightly against her wrist. "It just means that you're in the right place. Good thing you ended up in Haven, huh?"
It isn't even remotely a coincidence that she's ended up here, of all places - even if they don't yet know why or how, that much is still clear - but it looks like they're both choosing to ignore that for now. "Yeah," she murmurs, tilting her head to look up at him, and there's something in her expression that keeps him from looking away. "Good thing."
For a moment, Nathan forgets that they're surrounded by people, that they're working, that they're supposed to be keeping an eye on Robarts and whomever it is he's meeting; there's just Audrey and the way she's looking at him. But then someone sets a pile of dishes down a little too hard, the clatter loud in the otherwise quiet diner, and Audrey jumps a bit before looking away. Nathan watches her for a second or two longer, wondering, and then remembers that they have a job to do. He glances out the window just in time to see someone approaching their suspect.
"I think we're up," he says, and Audrey turns to look.
"Is that Sampson?" she asks, sounding surprised, and Nathan nods as he slides out of the booth.
"Told ya." He grins at her, not even trying to hide his satisfaction at being right, and adds, "That means breakfast's on you," leaving her to scramble for her wallet before catching up to him so they can go talk to the two men and find out what's going on.
--three--
When Audrey wakes a little after five-thirty the morning after her kidnapping, it's to find Nathan sound asleep on her couch.
She hadn't slept well the night before, waking every hour or so, and each time she'd opened her eyes it was to see Nathan keeping watch. Once, he'd been cleaning up the mess her abductor left behind, another time, he'd been going through files; regardless of what he'd been doing, she'd felt better knowing he was there. He'd been standing at the window, staring out at the darkness when she'd woken just forty-five minutes earlier, but sometime since then, the long day and even longer night must have finally caught up to him.
She finds herself hovering at his side and hesitates a moment before giving in to the impulse to touch him. She smooths his hair back and leans down to kiss his forehead, thanking him without words for everything he's done for her. She owes him more than that, Audrey knows, and maybe after she's had some time to work through everything she'll figure out a way to thank him properly, but this will have to do for now.
She touches her fingers to his cheek and then heads for the bathroom to take the longest, hottest shower she can stand.
Nathan's already up by the time she finishes, though he can't have slept for more than an hour at most. They dance around each other as they get ready for the day, everything awkward and strange even though Audrey can't figure out why, until, the fourth time they bump into each other, Nathan stops, pulls her into a hug, and doesn't let go.
Everything stills.
This is exactly what she didn't know she needed, Audrey realizes. Someone to just hold her, to let her know that she's safe and that it's all okay. She got a taste of this last night when Nathan first arrived at the inn but there had been too much going on for her to appreciate it. This morning, though, they have time before anyone's expecting them at the cemetery, and Audrey feels justified in being a little selfish.
For the first time since she opened the door to her abductor, Audrey slides her arms around Nathan's waist, buries her face in the crook of his neck, and just stops thinking.
--four--
It's barely past four in the morning, they've been up all night, and their suspect's finally in custody, but Audrey's not ready to leave the crime scene just yet.
Something isn't sitting right with her. Everything seems to be in place, but she has the nagging feeling that there's something she's missing. Her hunches usually turn out to be right, or at least in the ballpark; Audrey just hopes that it isn't sleep deprivation leading her in the wrong direction this time around.
"What is it we're looking for, exactly?" Nathan asks, kicking aside some brush to see what's underneath.
Audrey rubs her hands up and down her arms, wishing she had her coat. Or a cup of coffee. Preferably both. "I'll let you know when we find it." She shivers. "I thought it was supposed to be warm today?"
He eyes her. "Once the sun comes up." She makes a face at him and the corners of his lips quirk up. Then he sighs. "Are you sure this can't wait until morning?"
"It is morning," she points out, purely to annoy him.
His eyes narrow at her. "Until a decent hour of the morning. With enough light to see."
She's serious again. "We're missing something, Nathan. I think it's important. It might not wait until later."
He studies her and then nods. "Okay."
It's quiet as they go back to their search, though Audrey couldn't say what they're looking for. Something just feels off and if her time in Haven has taught her anything, it's that she should follow her instincts.
She's so focussed on finding that elusive missing clue that she's caught unaware when Nathan drapes his coat over her shoulders. "You look cold," he explains off her questioning look, and Audrey realizes that she is, in fact, still freezing. She'd managed to put it out of her mind, so she's surprised that he noticed.
She slides her arms into the sleeves and wraps the coat across her body, breathing in his familiar scent. "Thanks," she murmurs, and he nods and gets back to work.
When she looks up a little later, Nathan's ahead of her and her flashlight beam glances over his back. Something flares red and she jerks the light back toward him with a sick feeling already settling in her stomach.
It's blood. There's a jagged rip in his shirt and the fabric around it is soaked with blood. "Nathan," she breathes, his name a strangled sound, and he must hear the urgency in her voice because he whips right around with a sharp, "What's wrong?"
Audrey takes a breath and makes herself calm down. He's been walking around with her for almost half an hour now with no sign that anything is wrong. If the wound were serious, surely he'd be having trouble walking or be slurring his words or something noticeable.
Right?
"Turn around so I can see your back," she orders, and her voice is steady. "You're bleeding."
He gives her a puzzled look, then contorts his body trying to see his own back, without much luck as far as Audrey can tell. "Let me see," she says again, putting her hands on his shoulders and turning him away from her so she can shine her flashlight on the area.
The rip in his shirt is about the length of her hand, and she gingerly peels away one side of it to get a look at what's underneath. It's hard to tell in the light but the wound itself doesn't look too bad, neither too big nor too deep. Without thinking, Audrey touches her fingers to the skin around the cut, but she must get too close because Nathan lets out a sharp breath and arches away.
She mutters an apology and angles the light so she can see the laceration more clearly. It reminds her more of a nasty scratch than a stab wound, which is what she'd first thought even though she couldn't have said when Nathan was close enough to anyone with a knife to get stabbed.
"It doesn't look too bad," she decides at last, "but we should have someone check it out, just in case."
"What happened?" he asks, twisting to try to get a look again, and she nails him with a look that's supposed to be severe but is probably offset by her relief.
"Shouldn't you be telling me that?" She grabs him by the arm and leads him back in the direction of his truck, making sure he's not going to argue before she lets go. "It looks like you got scratched by something. A branch, maybe? I think it's already stopped bleeding." She pulls her hands into the sleeves of his coat and folds her arms across her stomach, huddling into the warmth.
"That's what you get for dragging me through the woods in the dark." Audrey knows he's joking, but his words echo almost exactly what she's thinking and she ducks her head without answering. "Hey," he murmurs, more serious now, and elbows her gently in the side. "I was kidding. It probably happened when we were chasing after McKinley. I must have run right into something without even realizing it."
She nods without saying anything, not entirely convinced even though his explanation makes perfect sense. Even if he's right, maybe one of them would have noticed the cut sooner if she hadn't insisted on traipsing through the forest in the dark in search of something she can't even name.
Nathan reaches out, squeezing her arm lightly before letting go, and she realizes that he's trying to make her feel better even though he's the one who's injured. She doesn't know what to say, so instead Audrey moves a bit closer so that the backs of her fingers brush his the entire way back to the truck.
--five--
Nathan pauses long enough to take a nervous breath before knocking on Audrey's door. She's grumpy when she answers, her not-quite-joking complaints starting before the door is even completely open.
"I don't care if you're making me breakfast," she starts, "I don't see why I need to get up early today of all-" She cuts herself off, gaping a little, then blinks and demands, "Is that a puppy?"
He glances from Audrey to the six-month-old shepherd/collie mix at his side and then back at her. "Happy birthday?"
"It's not my birthday," she corrects him automatically, still looking a little stunned.
"We don't know your birthday," he points out. "You've been going by the other Audrey's memories." He shrugs, embarrassed. "I figured the one-year anniversary of your first day in Haven works as well as any other day."
She stares up at him, shaking her head back and forth the tiniest bit like maybe he's actually managed to render her speechless, then drops to her knees and reaches for the dog. "You got me a puppy?" she asks, head bent as she runs her hands over the animal's coat, and for the life of him he can't read her tone of voice.
"It was obvious how much you wanted to keep Cookie. I know why you had to give him up, but you didn't want to. I thought, now that you're staying, maybe...." He trails off, not sure he's made the right choice, and she isn't giving him anything to work with.
Audrey finally looks up, and the expression on her face is as close to joyful as he's ever seen it. "What's his name?" she wants to know, scratching vigorously along the puppy's sides now, and the dog's tail is wagging so hard its entire body is shaking.
"Her name's Pandora."
"Like the story?" Audrey asks. "The woman who let out all the evil things into the world but still had hope?"
He shrugs. Close enough, he supposes; it's not like he's ever studied Greek mythology. For all he knows, she was named after that internet radio station. "I guess," he tells her. "You can ask Joe down at the rescue shelter if you really want to know." He likes the idea of it, though, of still having hope with everything bad in the world, especially after all they've been through.
"Nathan." Suddenly she's right in front of him, closer than he's used to even though it's been a long time since they've been concerned about personal space. Her hands land on his shoulders and she boosts herself up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She lingers longer than needed for a simple thank you, and he closes and eyes and lets his hands drift to her hips, not letting go even when she drops back, flat-footed. "Thank you," she says softly, "for my birthday present. She's perfect."
"You're welcome," he answers, but the words are automatic because his hands are still on her waist and hers are still on his shoulders and his brain is too full of her to bother with anything else. He rubs his thumb along her side and sees as much as hears the hitch in her breathing.
Audrey looks away first, but she doesn't let go and she doesn't step back. "I've never had a dog before," she tells him, eyes on Pandora, whose tail is still wagging furiously. "I don't have any idea how to train them."
"She's already housebroken, and knows basic commands." He knows enough about her past, or at least what she remembers of Audrey Parker's past, to guess that she'd never had the opportunity for a pet. Giving her an untrained dog would have been too much, especially given their schedules. "Anything else, I can help you out."
"Thank you," she says again, gaze back on his and her fingers tightening on his shoulders, and he can't take it anymore.
"Audrey-" It's as far as he gets before her lips are on his, or his lips are on hers - given the end result, he supposes it doesn't matter - and whatever he was going to say is lost amid the fact that he is kissing Audrey.
Her hands slide up, one hand landing on his cheek, her other hand stroking along the back of his neck before moving down to press against his chest, and Nathan flattens his palms against her back and spreads his fingers, drawing her just a little closer.
It doesn't take long for the kiss to go from soft and tentative to deep and certain. This is something they've been working toward for the better part of a year now and Nathan, at least, has had enough of the stops and starts. He wants this, he's pretty sure Audrey wants this, and he doesn't see any point in waiting for life to throw them another obstacle.
He backs her a step closer to her door, then another, one hand slipping beneath her shirt to stroke against the smooth skin of her lower back. She makes a low sound, deep in her throat, her hands moving to the buttons of his shirt-
- and he nearly trips as Pandora barks and jumps up, paws landing against his hip, the unexpected weight throwing him off balance.
There's a few seconds of fumbling as they both try to keep from tripping over each other or the dog, and by the time he's found his footing Audrey's already laughing. It doesn't take much to see the humour in the situation and he can't help but smile as he watches Audrey bend down to pet her dog.
"There's food and dishes and a few other things in my truck," he tells her, just now remembering. "How about I go get them and then we can take your new roommate for a walk?"
"Only if I get that breakfast you promised me after we get back," she replies.
"Sounds like a plan." He turns to leave, but Audrey catches his hand before he takes more than a step and he turns back to look at her.
"And after that," she says, and somehow it's an entire sentence, a promise, made by the tone of her voice and the expression on her face rather than in words.
"After that," he repeats, matching her tone, and is rewarded by a slow, shy smile. He squeezes her hand before letting go, and makes it down to his truck and back in record time.
--six--
The other side of the bed is empty when she wakes, but that's a common enough occurrence that Audrey doesn't think twice about it. What is unusual, however, are the noises coming from the bathroom across the hall.
She cracks open an eye to check the time, and weighs the early hour and her warm, comfortable bed against learning what's going on. Curiosity wins out. She makes a face when the cold air hits her bare arms and snags a sweatshirt on her way to the door.
The bathroom door's open and she pauses at the entrance, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans against the frame and takes everything in. Eight-month-old Nola seems to be having the time of her life in the bathtub; there isn't much water, but what little there is, Nola has managed to get pretty much everywhere. Audrey can see Nathan's shirt, soaking wet and abandoned on the floor, and his jeans are well on their way to being soaked through as well. She mentally adds mopping the bathroom floor to her list of things to do today.
"Hey," she says, voice scratchy with sleep, and Nathan pauses in his mostly one-sided conversation to look up at her. "Looks like Nola survived the night okay."
"She's fine," he agrees, turning back to the little girl and switching to the exaggerated voice he uses with babies. "You're just fine, aren't you, Nola? Yes you are."
Nola claps her hands together and babbles back at him before splashing more water out of the tub, and Audrey grins as she watches the two of them interact. Nathan's going to miss having Nola around when she's gone, she realizes; once they're reasonably certain that she hasn't inherited her father's Trouble, or that it at least hasn't been triggered by losing her parents in such a horrific way, they'll have to turn her over to Child and Family Services to find her a permanent home.
Nathan, she thinks, and not for the first time, would make a wonderful father. Ever since she and James had returned, she's seen Nathan working to build a relationship with their son; even though he's never said anything, Audrey's caught enough wistful looks and half-finished sentences that she knows he regrets missing James' childhood, as impossible as it would have been for him to be there even if he'd known.
Maybe children is a discussion they should be having sooner rather than later. The idea of kids still scares her, a little, but she thinks she might be ready for the conversation.
Nola lets out a shriek of laughter, and Audrey realizes that she must have zoned out because Nathan already has the little girl out of the tub and wrapped up in a towel, holding her above his head as he talks more nonsense. She smiles again and pushes off the door frame, realizing that, as early as it is, she's going to be up for the day. And, if there's the possibility of a baby in their not-so-distant future, Audrey figures she may as well start practising now. "Why don't you give me Nola while you find some dry clothes and get breakfast started?"
He looks at her, seeming surprised, then hands over the baby with an expression on his face like he's got an idea of what she's thinking. "Sure," he says, looking for a moment as though he's about to say more, but instead he leans in to kiss her, his lips lingering against hers just a little too long to be innocent. She gets one of his slow, genuine smiles when he pulls away, and Audrey watches him until he disappears into their room.
"Well," she says to Nola, readjusting the girl against her hip, "what do you say we go find you some clean clothes and something to eat?"
"Bababababa!" Nola agrees, all smiles and enthusiasm, and Audrey laughs and thinks that maybe early mornings aren't always so bad after all.
--end--
trucherrygirl suggested Nathan comforting Audrey after her kidnapping
december21st prompted Audrey wearing Nathan's clothing
siricerasi requested Nathan getting hurt and not realizing it, or Audrey getting a hug
syd15 wanted wet babies