Devils & Gods 2/12

[1shinyboat]

Title: Devils & Gods
Fandom: Nikki & Nora
Pairing: Nikki & Nora
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Nikki & Nora are not mine, but it kinda feels like they are. The characters from the pilot aren't either. BUT - there's a whole lot of original ones that are in this little story so...*yay* for me.

Author’s Note: Totally counts to post this with one eye open and no coffee, but if there are mistakes - well…tough cookies folks.





Ch. 2 - Plant Your Hope

“All right ladies, wheels are hitting pavement in ten,” John informs as he comes back from the cockpit.

I look down at the brunette head resting in my lap and go to wake her when Travis shakes his head across from me.

“What?” I ask him.

“She’s mean when she wakes up,” he hisses.

I roll my eyes.

“Jill,” I say softly and run the tip of my index finger along the shell of her right ear. It causes her to stir slightly. I let my hand trail south, over her shoulder and down to her arm. I lace our fingers together and give her arm a tug. “Jilly, time to get up babe, we’re landing.”

“Hmm,” my wife grunts and snuggles deeper into the seat and nuzzles my legs. “I’m good.”

“Uh-huh,” I tut. “You need to put your seatbelt on. Come on.” I tug her arm a little harder and she sits up.

The pout is cute, but it’s not going to work right now. I nudge her with my shoulder and she straightens up. Jill runs a hand through her tousled locks and then rubs the sleep from her eyes. “I really need to learn to stay the fuck awake on planes,” she grumbles and snaps the seatbelt across her hips.

“Better than sitting here being bored,” Travis offers meekly. “We can only speculate so much until we get to a scene.”

“Yeah,” John says, squeezing between the three of us to take the seat across from Jill. “I can only look at this shit and be pissed off so much.”

“Well,” I say pointing across the aisle to the four other seats occupied by Bamby, Spencer and Luce, “you could just do what they’re doing.”

The group directs their attention to the three women across from us. Luce’s got her nose firmly planted in a cheesy romance paperback. Spencer and Bamby have been passing a pad of paper between them. Their snickers are not lost on us.

“Hey, John?” Travis asks. “Why are we the only guys here?”

My partner’s eyebrows knit together and he chews his lower lip. “Less chance of sexual harassment claims?” he ventures.

“That’s a shitty excuse,” Lucy speaks up and sets her book on her lap.

John shrugs. “The only straight ones are me, you and Travis.”

“That has what to do with what?” Spencer snips at her dad. “Besides, I’m here as an intern. Legally, my rights are pretty moot, but you’re also my dad.” She cocks an eyebrow at him and finishes, “So really, I think the proper response, father, is that as highly selective positions in S.I.U., you only recruit the best. It just so happens the best seems to be more female.”

“Now, wait,” Bamby stops her sister, “I think one way or the other, you’re leaning towards a gender bias. If our dad was smart, his response should have been, ‘Travis, I don’t look at the gender of the agent, but their skill sets. We just happen to have a slightly higher ratio of female-to-male agents. Really, it’s only eight points above the population split of fifty-two female to forty-eight male.” Bamby waggles a finger at her dad. “Unfortunately, we get our brains from our mom and daddy’s S.O.L.”

Jill and I snicker. John huffs, “I don’t think I’m going to survive working with both of them. Ann,” he barks my name. “Why’d you talk me into this?”

“Me?” I shake my head. “This was all you, partner.”

“I think that the only person that gets sexually harassed is me,” Jill gets her two cents in.

John, of course, takes the bait. “I’m just trying to get you to see the light, Jill. You know you want me more than that woman to your left.”

“I signed a prenup though,” my wife pouts, even though we didn’t, and snuggles into my side just as the plane’s wheels touch the tarmac. She waits for the pilot to even out the landing before continuing, “But if she dies, I’m all yours.”

“I’ll give you a pass and let you play Seven Minutes in Heaven when we get settled,” I offer gamely.

John wiggles his eyebrows and Jill asks, “You still have a penis?”

My partner bobs his head and Jill shakes hers. “That’s a deal breaker.”

The plane banks right and John snaps his fingers. “Damn. Maybe next time.”

“Eww,” the sisters say at the same time. Spencer’s look is that of mortification as she grumbles, “I’m so telling mom when I talk to her tonight. That’s just…gross.”

The rest of us just bust up, forgetting that Spence really isn’t used to John the Agent and not John the Dad. Bamby swats her sister’s arm and says, “That was tame. You missed dad being pissed that Ann’s no fun to go to the strip club with.”

“Oh, Jesus. Really, dad? Really?” Spencer slouches down in her seat and covers her face with her jacket.

The plane finally comes to a stop and the seatbelt light dings off.

I’m the first one up and begin to grab our bags from the overhead compartments. Lucy takes hers, Bamby, Spencer and Travis follow creating a line at the door while our pilot opens the cabin doors. I toss John his bag and he nods. “You ready?” he asks me slipping the straps of his lone piece of luggage across his shoulders.

I shrug. “We never really are.”

He nods and gives Jill’s shoulder a squeeze before filing out of the plane with the rest of our team.

“Babe?” Jill asks looking at me as I juggle our three bags.

“Come on,” I say and take her hand, “Nik and Nora are probably waiting on us.” I really don’t need her questioning that exchange. If she’d have stayed home…

But she wasn’t going to pass up a free flight to see two of her favorite people either…so…

I’ll deal.

I plaster a smile on my face instead. This causes her to smile and tug me forward.

The sun’s just risen, but our friends are resting against a large, black Suburban. Nora’s car is parked behind it. Once they see us, they push off the vehicle together and Jill drops my hand to scurry down the steps. She attacks Nikki first. Wrapping her up in a bear hug that should break a rib or two, then she let’s Nik go to jump on Nora and wrap her legs around our friend’s waist.

Some things never change.

“Hey!” John hollers, “Quit attacking our help.”

Jill’s head pokes up from the crook of Nora’s neck and she pouts, “Nora’s mine. You can’t have her.”

The team just looks at us. All I’ve got is a shrug. They’ve worked with Nora before and they know of Nikki, but this is the first time that we’re all going to be working together.

“Jill, down girl,” Nikki tugs at the back of her pants and gets her to drop from around Nora’s waist.

“Nora, Nikki,” John greets, “It’s good to see you two again. This is the rest of our team, Agents Lucy Walker and Travis Washington, Dr’s Bamby and Spencer Malone.”

“Your daughters?” Nikki asks probably remembering the pictures John showed her a few years back.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Bamby teases and sticks out her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you both. Dad, Jill and Ann have said a lot of good things. Our expectations are high.” Bamby winks at the two and my friends just grin.

“Are we done with the greetings?” John asks as he starts tossing bags in the back of the Suburban.

“Good to meet you all,” Nikki finishes up. “You guys are taking the Suburban to get yourselves checked in at the hotel. Nora programmed the GPS for you. Jill,” Nikki takes my wife’s hand, “You and Ann are staying with us.”

We both nod and start piling into Frankie. “John, meet us at the apartment and we’ll head over to the station together.”

“See you in a few,” John says before ducking into the driver’s seat and taking off.

I guess it’s go time.

Nora’s lying on the couch when Jill and I come back from our room. The little bit we brought will tide us over for a while. We have enough spare clothes here that it’s like a second home. I just hope I have enough work shirts. If not, I’m going to have borrow some from Nikki or Nora. Well…let’s think about this, Nikki’s to small and Nora’s arms are too long, but…

I shake it off; beggars can’t be choosers and all of that.

“Do you usually come with Ann on cases?” Nora asks with her eyes closed as she lifts her legs to allow Jill and me to settle down. I pull at her ankles and lay my hands on top of her legs now resting across our laps.

“It’s rare, but it happens,” Jill answers and takes Nora’s hand in her own. “It just gives me an excuse to come visit.”

“Hmm,” Nora hums and finally cracks an eye open to look at us.

“I’m so sorry, Jen,” Nikki says from somewhere in the house. I crane my neck around and watch her and her lawyer friend come into the living room. “I know we had breakfast scheduled, but a case came up and we have company.”

Nora finally sits up and runs her left hand through her hair. “Morning, Jen,” she says and waves a hand between me, Jill and Jen. “These are our friends, Ann and Jill Flemming.”

We stand and offer our hands in greeting. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Jill’s manners come out to play.

“Same here, Nikki and Nora have said nothing but good things,” Jen replies and sets down in one of the arm chairs. We go back to our spots on the couch. “So what are your plans while visiting?”

“I’m actually here on business; the case these two caught is a part of a Federal one…” I start.

“And I was going to lounge around in sweats and t-shirts all day,” my wife finishes.

“Hmmm, a girl after my own heart,” Jen preens. “I just so very rarely get the opportunity to do just that.”

“Would it be okay if we reschedule?” Nikki interrupts, motioning Nora up to squeeze between my wife and her partner on the couch.

“I was hoping to get everything finalized on the Halloween Gala, but…” Jen wags a finger at her friend, “I suppose, considering the circumstances, I can try to wing it without you.”

“Gala?” I wonder aloud. I know all about the foundation and Nora’s involvement. She usually tells me if there are major things happening so we can donate.

“Yeah,” Nora speaks up, “It’s the annual one, you guys sent a donation the last three years.”

“Oh,” for some reason that sparks something in Jill. I honestly can’t keep track of what she donates to, I just send checks if she asks me. “I remember that. Nor, you sent us the invite, cute little bat shape, last year.”

“The Flemming’s from Virginia?” Jen asks as she crosses her legs and leans back. “I knew that name sounded familiar. I feel a fool not having put two and two together until now.”

“I,” Nikki declares, “have a fabulous idea.” She turns towards Jill and lays a hand on her thigh. “Since you were just going to ‘bum’ around, why don’t you take my place and help Jen out?” She bats her long lashes for good measure and I roll my eyes.

“That is a superb idea,” Jen readily agrees, perking up at the thought. I’m not sure if it’s because she may have help if Jill agrees or if it’s because of the looks she was giving my wife.

My wife bites her bottom lip and looks at me. I shrug my shoulders, letting her know that it’s her call. It would give her something to focus on rather than having a lot of her energy directed my way. She can fuss an awful lot.

“Okay,” she agrees, “I don’t see why not.”

“Splendid,” Jen beams. “I have reservations for breakfast at Lorretta’s if you’d like to come with me and we can get started, get you up to speed?”

Jill looks down at the yoga pants and tank top she wore on the plane. “Give me ten minutes to look presentable?”

“Of course,” Jen amicably agrees.

My wife bounces up off the couch and starts to head back to the bedroom, but stops midstride. She locomotives herself backwards, stops at Nora, pecks the top of her head and does the same to Nikki. When she gets to me, she leans down and gives me a proper kiss and says, “Love you, be safe and call me later.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am.” I grin back.

“How long have you two been married?” Jen asks.

“Fifteen years in October.” I can’t help but beam.

“It’s been that long?” Nora leans over and gives me a gentle shove in the shoulder.

I nod. In some ways, it seems like a week ago I was on that photo shoot with her in Denmark, but then it just sort of feels like we always were married. I shrug.

“Congratulations,” the lawyer says. “In today’s day and age, it’s quite the accomplishment.”

“Eh, she’s okay I guess,” I try to keep myself from getting sappy. I can get sappy with Jill, Nora and sometimes Nikki, but I don’t know her.

“Ass,” Nikki bumps into me.

“Hello?” I hear John call out from the kitchen as Mister gives a soft woof.

“That’s our cue, ladies,” I say standing and offering a hand each to my friends.

“Jill has her keys, right?” Nikki asks me and calls out, “John, we’ll be right there.”

I nod and offer Jen a wave. “Good luck with her.” I point towards the guest bedroom then holler, “Babe, love you, call you later.”

“’Kay!” Jill hollers back and we file out to meet John in the kitchen.

He’s crouched down on the tiled floor by the door. Mister’s giving his hand an enthusiastic tongue bath and I grin.

“We ready?” he asks not bothering to look up from scratching the dog behind the ears.

“Of course,” Nora says and shoos Mister upstairs. “Dan’s waiting on us. Let’s roll.”

The station hasn’t changed much since I was here last. It’s sort of an odd comfort. While the only case we’ve worked in New Orleans was that cluster with the D.E.A., I like the fact that there’s so much consistency surrounding Nora. I’d never actually admit to her that I was going to turn down the Bureau job that got me to move away.

I was so worried about Nora then. She was dicking around with Cass, she wasn’t out and the only times she had fun was with Jill, me and/or Casey. With my move, it meant that we weren’t going to be there to watch out for her. She’d probably kick my ass if I ever told her, but I did tell Nikki at some point, or I told her a watered down version of it. I also may have been a little drunk too.

I cast a look her way and see her and Nikki laughing with John and I’m over the moon things have worked out for her. I’m hard pressed to know anyone that’s more deserving.

“Delaney, Beaumont!” Dan shouts from the entry way of the bull pen. “Bring your friends; I’ve got some space cleared out in the large conference room.”

Nikki takes the lead and we all, me, Nora, and my team, file out and follow Nikki down a long hallway and through a set of double doors. The room’s a little out of the way, which I like, but the furnishings are probably from the Seventies and the computer looks to be from something IBM put out in the very early Nineties.

Travis and Lucy put the case files on the conference room table and John joins Dan at the head of the room.

“Let’s get the intro’s out of the way, I’m Lt. Dan Harney, with me are Det.’s Georgia Sarte, Jesse Furlan, Ben Armstrong, Dom Barrett and you all know Beaumont and Delaney,” Dan caps off and the other four detectives give a small wave.

“I’m Dir. John Malone, my partner, Ann Flemming, Agents Travis Washington and Lucy Walker and Dr.’s Spencer Malone and Bamby Malone,” my partner introduces our crew and I can’t believe I have not one, not two, but three Malone’s to contend with on this fucked up trip back to my favorite place in the world.

John’s going to be insufferable. Especially considering that Spencer really hasn’t told him why she came home and why she decided to take her sister up on an internship that doesn’t pay a damn thing. He knows about the assault, but Spencer doesn’t know he knows and won’t tell him personally.

It’s also kinda funny that she’s a six figure a year physicist at one of the top colleges in the world, but she took a leave and now here she is.

At least Bamby’s doing her best to try and take care of her.

“Excellent,” Dan carries on and I lean against the back wall while he goes over some of the ins and outs for the rest of the team.

Nora slinks towards the back and leans against the wall with me. She rolls her head my way and whispers, “You okay?”

I shrug. “I’m tired. I want this case over with, but it kind of feels like it’s just beginning and…” I admit softly.

In an uncharacteristic lack of professionalism on Nora’s behalf, she grabs my hand and laces our fingers together. She doesn’t shy away when I rest my head on her shoulder and instead whispers back, “It ends here, Annie. We’ll close this here.”

My eyes flutter close as she presses her lips to the top of my head. They open when I hear Nikki speak up, “Ann prepped us pretty well before you guys came down. Nora and I were there when Ann tagged the L.A. murder.”

“Do you know when the M.E. is planning on doing the post?” Bamby asks.

“He’s waiting on you,” Nikki answers. “We have an unmarked signed out already for you to go over to the labs and sit in or help out. Charlie,” Nikki stops and corrects herself, “Dr. Ophoven was briefed and thought it’d be better for the case as a whole, if you were present for that.”

“Awesome,” Bamby squeals, “But I’ve taken the liberty of renting a car while we’re here.” She holds up a set of rental keys and I squint at the set.

She wouldn’t…

“You rented a pick-up?” I ask. The girl is barely above five-foot-one. “Talk about over compensating,” I snark and earn myself a glare from the twins.

I grin and am taken by surprise when it’s Spencer that discreetly flips me off.

“Yes it is and it has G.P.S. so, I’m taking my clone and we’ll be off.” Spencer doesn’t even get a say as her sister slings an arm around her shoulders and leads her from the room.

John’s right eyebrow disappears under a lock of dark hair and I can just make out the slight twitch to his eye.

He may not survive this one…by no fault from the Unsub.

“I was thinking,” Nora speaks up from beside me, “that since S.C.U. has cleared their board, we can just take all ten of us and form a task force. There’s a lot of ground to cover and it’d be good to have enough people to do the leg work so we’re not all run ragged.”

Murmurs of assent are given all around and John takes point, “That sounds good. I know Ann’s familiar with city. I’m not a complete fish out of water, but if we can, I’d like Det. Armstrong and Barrett to take Luce, Travis if you could pair up with Det. Furlan and Sarte that way we have people that know the city working with people that know the case?”

“I’m chopped liver?” Nikki teases my partner.

John’s jacket get’s pushed back as he plants his hands on his hips. “Not at all. You are with me and we’ll leave Frick and Frack over there to fend for themselves.”

Nikki looks us over and shrugs. Her and Nora exchanging words with a few looks and Nora finally shrugs.

“Looks like I’m stuck with you, Flemming,” she playfully gripes.

“Excellent,” Dan barks. “Then I’ll leave everyone to it. If you guys need anything from me, I’ll be in my office trying to cover for all of my detectives and doing their paperwork.” He levels a pointed glance at every single detective before shaking John’s hand again and offering me a small wave.

Dan’s good people.

“All right, you three,” he points to Travis and his new partners, “and you three,” he points to Luce and her new partners, “I want to know what the hell Dennis Addison was doing in New Orleans. When he showed up, where he was staying and most importantly if he was seen with anyone? Call me with anything you have.”

The six people nod and file out the door. I can hear Armstrong start rattling of suggestions when Barrett tells him to shut the hell up. I haven’t had much interaction with Nora’s coworkers besides Dan, but I think I’d like to hang out with them.

“And what, partner, will you have us doing?” I ask and push myself off the wall. I need some coffee or something. My eyes feel grainy and I’m not as peppy as I need to be for today.

“We’re having these two take us to the crime scene,” John answers and tosses me my jacket. “We’ll stop for some caffeine somewhere along the way.”

“Oh thank you, God!” I nearly shout and tug my jacket on. I’d kiss him right now if he were within arm’s reach.

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