Haven fic: Contingency Plans (A/N, PG, 1/1)
Title: Contingency Plans
Author: Shane Vansen
Category: Audrey/Nathan friendship/UST, post-ep
Spoilers: Burned (and the S3 storyline in general)
Rating: PG
Length: ~1400 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: If they run out of time before they find a solution, Nathan has a back-up plan. (post-ep for Burned)
Author's Notes: Thanks go once again to december21st, who betaed on very short notice and tweaked the title. Remaining errors, etc, are entirely mine.
***
Sometimes he just wants to grab Audrey by both shoulders and shake some sense into her.
It isn't really anything new, when it comes to Audrey; she's been driving him to the edge of exasperation from almost the minute he pulled her out of that rental car. That first day alone, Nathan's pretty sure he wanted to put her on the first plane back to Boston on at least three separate occasions; that particular urge has been a familiar one ever since, in feeling if not specifics. She's an amazing cop with instincts like he's never seen before, but she can also be single-minded and determined and self-sacrificing to the point of putting herself at risk and it drives him nuts.
It's been even worse, lately, because she keeps putting their cases ahead of trying to find a way to save her own life, and he just doesn't understand why. Her compassion, her ability and desire to help the Troubled, are things that he loves about her and he wouldn't want that to change, but it's like she's latching on to everyone else's problems so she doesn't have to deal with her own. While Nathan has nothing against a little denial here and there, they don't exactly have time for her to put off investigating any leads they can find.
With the clock ticking down and Audrey putting as much effort into avoiding the whole idea of the approaching deadline as she is into trying to stop it, it's not looking good. If they can't find a way to keep her in Haven, Nathan's come up with a back-up plan.
***
When he drives her home after a late shift, Nathan accompanies her up to her apartment because, even though she can look after herself, these days he doesn't trust the Guard as far as he can throw them. If they're that worried that Audrey will try to run like Lucy apparently did, he doesn't put it past them to abduct her and keep her locked up until the night of the meteor storm.
Instead of going inside, though, she stops by the railing and tilts her head back to look at the stars. He does, too, out of habit, but it isn't long at all before Nathan finds himself watching Audrey more than the sky.
"It's different now," she says, still looking up. "I can't just look up and see the stars anymore. I see the Hunter and I think about how much time is left and what will happen."
"You're going into that barn, aren't you." It isn't a question because, in spite of her promise to look for another way, he's known since shortly after Jordan confessed to the Guard's role in the repeating cycle and the part that Audrey has to play that she's not going to fight what she thinks is her fate.
She shrugs, looking over at him. "What choice do I have, Nathan? I go away and everyone's Troubles go with me, or I stay here and... and who knows what happens. Best case scenario is that things stay the way they are now. What if the Troubles get worse? What if something else happens that we can't even anticipate and even more people die?"
The same thoughts have passed through his mind, too, and a lot more besides, and he doesn't have any answers for her. He does, however, have another solution. "Then I’m coming with you."
He sees the exact instant she understands his meaning. "Nathan, no. You can't."
"Sure I can," he says, like it's just that simple. "You walk into the barn, I go with you."
"You can't," she repeats, and there's an edge of alarm in her tone. "You can't just give up your whole life. Even if the barn only does to you what it does to me you won't remember anything when you come back. You can't just walk away, not for me."
"Walk away from what?" He's been giving this a lot of thought over the past few days. "I don't have any family left. I don't have any close friends; after you, the person in Haven who knows me best is Duke. If you leave and the Troubles go with you they won't even need me as chief - the Board of Selectmen will be able to find another replacement easily enough. There's nothing keeping me here." He'll miss the town, the people, the good memories he's made, but none of it compares to the thought of living here without her.
"Nathan-"
"There isn't anything here I wouldn't give up for you." There's something to be said for deadlines and desperation; if nothing else, they seem to help him find the words he needs. "I love you, Audrey. I'm in love with you. You have to know that by now."
Even in the dim light he sees the shine of tears in her eyes as she gives a short, jerky nod. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she lowers her head to stare at the ground. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to have time."
He takes a step closer, brushing his fingers against her hand. "What do you mean?"
"You and me. This." She waves a hand between the two of them without looking up. "We were supposed to go on a date and not know how to act around each other at work the next day and wonder if we were making the right decision. We were supposed to find a way to sneak you out of here in the mornings without Duke noticing, or to find a way to keep him from finding out that I never came home at night. I was supposed to tell you I love you because I stopped being scared of what that meant and not because it's goodbye. We were supposed to have time to figure all this out."
"But we don't." He can't take being this close to her when she's upset without touching her, not after what she's just said, so he reaches out and rests a hand on her hip, his thumb rubbing against her side. He can feel body heat but not her clothes, which is an odd sensation. "We're out of time, Audrey. Me going with you is the best way."
"No." She sounds angry but she's leaning into him, her forehead against his shoulder, her hands coming up to fist in the front of his shirt. Nathan slides his other hand along her waist to bring her closer and she relaxes into him for a few moments before leaning back, though she doesn't let go. "No," she says again. "We're not out of time yet. There are still a few days left. We'll find another way."
He almost wants to laugh because he's been trying to get her to fight for so long and now, when he's finally ready to give in to the inevitable, she's determined to find another solution. Trust Audrey to be so contrary.
"Okay," he murmurs, wrapping one arm low around her waist, the other across her shoulders, bringing her flush against him. She slides her arms around his neck, her face nestled in the crook of his shoulder, and he tilts his head to kiss her temple. "Okay. We'll find another way."
Audrey hums an answer and Nathan decides to let the conversation go for tonight. He's not going to stop looking until the very last minute for a way to keep her here, but if it comes down to it, he's following her into that barn. He thinks he'll be able to talk her into it, but if not, he's going anyway. It beats what will be left for him here after she's gone.
Jordan had that part right, at least: he's never going to get over Audrey.
"C'mon," he says quietly, arms tightening around her before he drops his hands to her waist. "It's getting late. You should head inside."
Audrey returns his hug before she loosens her hold, but before pulling away she comes up on her toes to kiss him. It's short and light and more goodnight than anything else - or so Nathan thinks, until she slides one hand down his arm, takes his hand, and pulls him along behind her to her door, and in spite of everything he should be worried about right then all he can think about is I was supposed to tell you I love you because I stopped being scared of what that meant.
Nathan tangles his fingers with Audrey's and lets her guide him inside.
--end--
Author: Shane Vansen
Category: Audrey/Nathan friendship/UST, post-ep
Spoilers: Burned (and the S3 storyline in general)
Rating: PG
Length: ~1400 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: If they run out of time before they find a solution, Nathan has a back-up plan. (post-ep for Burned)
Author's Notes: Thanks go once again to december21st, who betaed on very short notice and tweaked the title. Remaining errors, etc, are entirely mine.
***
Sometimes he just wants to grab Audrey by both shoulders and shake some sense into her.
It isn't really anything new, when it comes to Audrey; she's been driving him to the edge of exasperation from almost the minute he pulled her out of that rental car. That first day alone, Nathan's pretty sure he wanted to put her on the first plane back to Boston on at least three separate occasions; that particular urge has been a familiar one ever since, in feeling if not specifics. She's an amazing cop with instincts like he's never seen before, but she can also be single-minded and determined and self-sacrificing to the point of putting herself at risk and it drives him nuts.
It's been even worse, lately, because she keeps putting their cases ahead of trying to find a way to save her own life, and he just doesn't understand why. Her compassion, her ability and desire to help the Troubled, are things that he loves about her and he wouldn't want that to change, but it's like she's latching on to everyone else's problems so she doesn't have to deal with her own. While Nathan has nothing against a little denial here and there, they don't exactly have time for her to put off investigating any leads they can find.
With the clock ticking down and Audrey putting as much effort into avoiding the whole idea of the approaching deadline as she is into trying to stop it, it's not looking good. If they can't find a way to keep her in Haven, Nathan's come up with a back-up plan.
***
When he drives her home after a late shift, Nathan accompanies her up to her apartment because, even though she can look after herself, these days he doesn't trust the Guard as far as he can throw them. If they're that worried that Audrey will try to run like Lucy apparently did, he doesn't put it past them to abduct her and keep her locked up until the night of the meteor storm.
Instead of going inside, though, she stops by the railing and tilts her head back to look at the stars. He does, too, out of habit, but it isn't long at all before Nathan finds himself watching Audrey more than the sky.
"It's different now," she says, still looking up. "I can't just look up and see the stars anymore. I see the Hunter and I think about how much time is left and what will happen."
"You're going into that barn, aren't you." It isn't a question because, in spite of her promise to look for another way, he's known since shortly after Jordan confessed to the Guard's role in the repeating cycle and the part that Audrey has to play that she's not going to fight what she thinks is her fate.
She shrugs, looking over at him. "What choice do I have, Nathan? I go away and everyone's Troubles go with me, or I stay here and... and who knows what happens. Best case scenario is that things stay the way they are now. What if the Troubles get worse? What if something else happens that we can't even anticipate and even more people die?"
The same thoughts have passed through his mind, too, and a lot more besides, and he doesn't have any answers for her. He does, however, have another solution. "Then I’m coming with you."
He sees the exact instant she understands his meaning. "Nathan, no. You can't."
"Sure I can," he says, like it's just that simple. "You walk into the barn, I go with you."
"You can't," she repeats, and there's an edge of alarm in her tone. "You can't just give up your whole life. Even if the barn only does to you what it does to me you won't remember anything when you come back. You can't just walk away, not for me."
"Walk away from what?" He's been giving this a lot of thought over the past few days. "I don't have any family left. I don't have any close friends; after you, the person in Haven who knows me best is Duke. If you leave and the Troubles go with you they won't even need me as chief - the Board of Selectmen will be able to find another replacement easily enough. There's nothing keeping me here." He'll miss the town, the people, the good memories he's made, but none of it compares to the thought of living here without her.
"Nathan-"
"There isn't anything here I wouldn't give up for you." There's something to be said for deadlines and desperation; if nothing else, they seem to help him find the words he needs. "I love you, Audrey. I'm in love with you. You have to know that by now."
Even in the dim light he sees the shine of tears in her eyes as she gives a short, jerky nod. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she lowers her head to stare at the ground. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to have time."
He takes a step closer, brushing his fingers against her hand. "What do you mean?"
"You and me. This." She waves a hand between the two of them without looking up. "We were supposed to go on a date and not know how to act around each other at work the next day and wonder if we were making the right decision. We were supposed to find a way to sneak you out of here in the mornings without Duke noticing, or to find a way to keep him from finding out that I never came home at night. I was supposed to tell you I love you because I stopped being scared of what that meant and not because it's goodbye. We were supposed to have time to figure all this out."
"But we don't." He can't take being this close to her when she's upset without touching her, not after what she's just said, so he reaches out and rests a hand on her hip, his thumb rubbing against her side. He can feel body heat but not her clothes, which is an odd sensation. "We're out of time, Audrey. Me going with you is the best way."
"No." She sounds angry but she's leaning into him, her forehead against his shoulder, her hands coming up to fist in the front of his shirt. Nathan slides his other hand along her waist to bring her closer and she relaxes into him for a few moments before leaning back, though she doesn't let go. "No," she says again. "We're not out of time yet. There are still a few days left. We'll find another way."
He almost wants to laugh because he's been trying to get her to fight for so long and now, when he's finally ready to give in to the inevitable, she's determined to find another solution. Trust Audrey to be so contrary.
"Okay," he murmurs, wrapping one arm low around her waist, the other across her shoulders, bringing her flush against him. She slides her arms around his neck, her face nestled in the crook of his shoulder, and he tilts his head to kiss her temple. "Okay. We'll find another way."
Audrey hums an answer and Nathan decides to let the conversation go for tonight. He's not going to stop looking until the very last minute for a way to keep her here, but if it comes down to it, he's following her into that barn. He thinks he'll be able to talk her into it, but if not, he's going anyway. It beats what will be left for him here after she's gone.
Jordan had that part right, at least: he's never going to get over Audrey.
"C'mon," he says quietly, arms tightening around her before he drops his hands to her waist. "It's getting late. You should head inside."
Audrey returns his hug before she loosens her hold, but before pulling away she comes up on her toes to kiss him. It's short and light and more goodnight than anything else - or so Nathan thinks, until she slides one hand down his arm, takes his hand, and pulls him along behind her to her door, and in spite of everything he should be worried about right then all he can think about is I was supposed to tell you I love you because I stopped being scared of what that meant.
Nathan tangles his fingers with Audrey's and lets her guide him inside.
--end--