OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
Ruby could easily imagine the formidable family his sister's fiance had been up against. Will's family sounded like the all-american dream house. A loving father, a protective brother, all the makings of a classic home life. It was no wonder he turned out the way he did, with all of his naivety and kindness. She couldn't imagine a life like that, a family unit that seemed to actually function. It was like something out of a children's book.
She didn't know what to say about it. They were two very different people from two very different worlds. Their paths might have been intertwined for a little bit, but there was no permanent ending destined for them. A bitterness edged its way into her thoughts. The idea of a life so irritatingly perfect posturing against the version of life she was accustomed to, the kind of life most people were accustomed to. "Well, this thing can't go on forever. Give it a few more weeks and your little tribe will be back together again." She halfway hoped her words didn't sound as sarcastic as the thoughts in her head were. It wasn't his fault he had a good life, she was glad for him. It was yet another reminder that they were two very different people. One reminder on a whole list of reasons why they wouldn't be good together.
She poured the dark liquid into the cup and when Will told her to make his sweet, a soft smile pulled at her lips. They took their coffee the same way, that was something they had in common. Sure it was one of only a handful of things they were in agreement on, but she couldn't weigh in on the negatives without also chalking up the positives.
She opened up the fridge door and got out the creamer. She made his cup identical to hers, not too much sugar, a balanced level of cream to turn the coffee into a darkened beige. She held it out to him, "Being sweet isn't in my wheelhouse but I gave it my best." She smirked at him before putting the creamer back inside the fridge and moving to the counter.
She watched him, his back to her as he cooked. It would be easy, the thought again creeping into her mind. It would be easy to do this. To pretend. To wake up on a day off together, tangled in the sheets. To spend the morning talking, laughing, watching the smile that came over his face. To look into his icy blue eyes and feel like her feet were on something solid for once. She could do it. Maybe. She watched him after she gave the bare details, wondering if he'd demand that she play fair. When he didn't say a word she was mildly surprised.
She watched as he turned the stove off, her grin on the verge of betraying her. When he turned to her, walking over and putting his hands on either side of her she raised her eyebrow. "First of all golden boy, the past lovers comment was a joke."Mostly. Sure she had fun when she wanted to, but she wasn't the kind of girl who was flippant about letting anyone in her bed. There were standards and rules. At least there used to be rules until he came into the picture and everything seemed to be flipped upside down.
"Second, you should know that I'm never one to turn down a challenge." She felt his grip on her tighten and she looked into his eyes, meeting his wicked little smirk with one of her own. Ruby leaned forward to kiss his neck softly, her hair spilling over his shoulder. Just a kiss, and then another. "What do you think soldier? Which necessity is demanding your attention more?" the words spoken against the soft skin on his neck.
Her hand moved to his chest, giving him the barest of touches, her fingers making circles on his hard chest. She sucked his neck, just a teasing moment before stopping, leaning back so she could meet his eyes again. "How's that resistance training holding up?" She wrapped her legs around his waist.
“Well, this thing can't go on forever. Give it a few more weeks and your little tribe will be back together again.”
For some reason, he read more into that. There was something in the tone that made him frown. The first thing that popped into his head was that she was talking about them. This thing, whatever was going on between the two of them, couldn’t go on forever. The thought alone had him feeling almost violent in a way. He didn’t want to just downplay this, to let her downplay them. He had a feeling that if they got out of this, she would try her best to put distance between herself and him. He mentally went through that address again that she gave him. Will had a feeling that he would show up there if that happened, meet her at her door. Or if she wasn’t home, he made a mental note to go on a day off.
He felt insane in one way. Why did he feel like this with her? His body was on autopilot thankfully as he cooked and thought way too deep into things. “They’ve replanned for the fall, maybe if you stick around long enough, I can see you all dressed up as my date.” He knew it was either going to make her laugh or make her uncomfortable. She seemed to hate the idea of picturing anything in the future with him. But he couldn’t change that about himself. Sue him.
He listened to her move about to make the coffee, commenting on how being sweet wasn’t in her wheelhouse. He peeked over and reached out for the mug she was offering. “You were plenty sweet this mornin’,” He said under his breath, before pulling the mug to his lips and taking a small sip. It was good he had to admit, so he gave her a nod of approval before taking another sip and refocusing on the breakfast.
He didn’t want to press her on what she shared. Not yet. He would do that later. Because he made his mind up that there would be later. One past these thirty one hours and one that didn’t have a time limit so to say. That was what went through his mind as he invaded her space and she smiled right back at him. It was something he really enjoyed. She met him head on every time. She didn’t shy away, though he might like to see a day he catches her off guard. But she wasn’t afraid. Proving it even more so as she moved into him.
Her lips moved against his skin and he closed his eyes. What was demanding his attention? Her. She consumed every sense he had and was making it very easy to forget about the breakfast he had just prepared for her. But he wanted to show some self control, something that she deserved that him constantly throwing himself on her. Will’s hands slid up and captured her face, softly but with enough strength that showed he was controlling this. Though his resistance broke for a moment as she shifted her legs around his waist, pulling him closer and causing his eyes to close. A soft noise rumbled in his chest as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Once, twice, the third time a bit more firm. “As much as I want this,” his hips shifting into hers as if to physically show it, “I also think it’s best to re-fuel before I take advantage of you in my kitchen.”
It wasn’t a no, or a rejection by any means, and he kissed her hard and with promise after he spoke. If she wanted to disagree with him, he wouldn’t put up too much of a fight but he knew that after last night, she probably could use some food. Himself included. He didn’t move from her, instead sliding his hands through her hair and leaned his forehead against hers. She would have to be the one to signal that they’d have to wait. Or else it was game on here on the kitchen counter top.
Ruby was thankful that his back was to her when he mentioned having her as his wedding date. That little sentence alone had her mind throwing up cautionary flags left and right. On one hand, she could imagine seeing him in a tux, dancing together as he held her close to him. On the other hand though, the side that liked to remind her what the reality of their situation was, her mind was screaming to run. She didn't know his family, she barely knew him. She would be an outsider and as her mind reminded her that his daughter would also be there she forced herself not to bolt immediately, right off the counter and out the door.
The fact that it was a wedding was in and of itself a horrifying thought. She didn't see herself ever getting married. Marriages never ended well and men had proved time and time again to her that traits like loyalty, monogamy, and love weren't exactly their strong suits. She put her focus on making their coffee, letting her mind settle before replying, "In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm not the biggest fan of marriage. You might want to set your sights on someone a little more pro-love for that date."
She barely caught the little comment he made, it instantly bringing a smile to her lips. She liked this side of him, the playful and charming part of him that kept her on her toes. She didn't retort, instead she gave him a quick, playful pop on his rear.
She took her time sipping the coffee, enjoying the relaxing morning they were sharing. As he moved closer, the cup of coffee was abandoned, her attention solely on him. He had a way to pull her in. Not just sexually, though that was certainly a force to be reckoned with. No, there was something else that made her want to be near him. Something that made her want to stay close to his side, to touch him and never let go. A solid need that both scared and thrilled her.
She thought he was going to take the bait. She would have put money on it that their breakfast was going to be cold by the time they got around to eating it. However, his hand caught her chin, taking control as his lips pressed against hers. She felt her heart quicken at his assertiveness, at his body so close to hers. She had moved her legs around his waist and he spoke, his body moving against hers. The words he spoke very different from the ones she had thought she'd hear.
The promise of taking her in the kitchen made her smirk, "They did train you well." He leaned forward into her and she kissed him softly on the lips.
She looked into his eyes, committing them to memory. "Thank you, for all of this." Ruby put her arms around him, holding him close. "I know how much of a risk it was to help me, and even if I end up going back…I am glad we got this time together." She was, truly. It had been a horrible way to meet again, but in the end of it all, she had gotten to actually see more of who he was. He wasn't the typical military drone she had first seen him as. He wasn't exactly all Mr. America, plain vanilla either. He was smart, funny, and hot as hell. He had proved he was more of a match than she had thought he'd be. He was actually a different person entirely than she had thought he was. She hated the circumstances, but in a way she was glad they allowed her to see him, to really see him.
She kissed him softly on the lips once more before removing her legs from around his waist, sitting back and easing herself off the counter. She grabbed her cup of coffee and moved to where he had set the plates down. "You never fail to surprise golden boy. This looks great."
“In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm not the biggest fan of marriage. You might want to set your sights on someone a little more pro-love for that date.”
Will wasn’t a complete idiot. Sure, his past 24 hour track record would state otherwise, but he noticed how she shied away from any topics of future talk. She had since he first met her. Part of him wanted to know what she had against plans, specifically with him. Clearly she was attracted to him, the way she kissed him all those days ago at the pharmacy, to the way she moved against him this morning. He would like to believe that she looked at him as more than just a piece of meat that she could get under. And he felt deep down that maybe he just scarred the hell out of her.
He shook his head, not taking it for an answer. “Has nothing to do with being a fan. I think I’d quite enjoy you being dressed up and on my arm. Perhaps even letting me lead you in a dance or two.” He stated, shooting a smile over his shoulder again. It was light hearted, he wasn’t going to make her promise or hold it to her to actually make good on it. But he did enjoy the idea. She’d be beautiful and he’d feel so proud to have her on his arm, to have her as his date. He was sure that she would also be one of the smartest women there, if not the smartest one. And that wit of hers was something that caught him from the beginning.
The swat on his rear had him jump a little but he just let out a laugh in response. This was so much easier. This playful, flirtiness that was between them. The easiness that this was. He craved it, as he stalked towards her, he loved the way her eyes met his. The way that she looked at him, and the way she automatically responded to him. Almost as if she wanted him in every way that he wanted her, and that was more than just him getting between her legs. Though, that was definitely something he would say is a huge perk. Ruby knew how to get under his skin and light him on fire. From his brain to his toes.
And her kisses. Don’t even get him started. His heart was racing just by the touch of them against his. As she looked up at him, he stared back at her. Blue eyes on blue, and he saw the way that the color moved as she spoke. Her light breath caressed his skin as she held him close, and he returned it just as well. She fit against him so comfortably, it was just… easy. Though her words made him grow a bit more serious. His first thought was to tell her this wouldn’t be the last time. That he was going to get her out of this. But instead he took the road of logic. “I’d do it again for you.” He wasn’t sure if that would push her away or pull her closer in her mind. But he followed it with meeting her lips, as if to seal it. Because he meant it. He trusted his instincts.
He let her ease back, and barely moved so she could slide off of the counter, wanting her to have to have to press against him to get around his body. He was glad that the ‘feast’ so to speak was to her liking. He rubbed the back of his head as he made a motion to pull out her chair for her. He was sure that she’d remark about his golden boy status on that. Once she was seated, he would grab his mug of coffee before making it to his spot at the table. He knew it was creeping up on them. This conversation that was going to shatter a lot of things for them. But he would be a coward to let her make that move, after he had already postponed it.
He took a few bites of the food in front of him before he took a deep breath. “What questions do you want answered first?” He was offering to start the conversation. But he wanted to know where she wanted to start, because he couldn’t quite figure out if he should just hit her hard with the question she already asked. Or maybe she would want to be eased into it.
A smile came upon her face when he mentioned dancing, that handsome face of his flashing a smile of his own. She could see it. In another life. In another world where she wasn't who she was and he didn't have the job that he had. In a world where life was simple and there wasn't a pandemic, there weren't people dying left and right and the heroes always won. Sure, in that perfect world she could see them together. This was not a perfect world though. And their lives were far from simple. "You dancing? Now that might be something I can't miss." She gave him a teasing grin.
She couldn't imagine the yes ma'am, no ma'am soldier in front of her dancing, at least not to anything more than a slow song. A part of her was a little sad that she wouldn't get to see it. She guessed he'd either be insanely too attractive for his own good or terribly, adorably bad at it. Either way, it was something she would have liked to see.
He was near her again, and the wholeness of it was too much for words. Ruby felt his steady breathing as she spoke. The words had hurt when they had come out, but his presence was steadying. There was something immovably solid about him. The way he refused to back down, refused to stay outside of her barriers no matter what assault she threw at him. He ducked when she thought he'd dive. He stayed when she had thought he'd run fast and far. His naivety was infuriating at times but also tempting, so damn tempting.
"I’d do it again for you.”
The words causing her to meet his eyes. A thousand questions ran through her mind. Why being at the forefront. She was nothing to him. She wasn't anything of importance, why he would risk everything for her was beyond her grasp of understanding. His lips met hers and she closed her eyes, savoring his kiss. She knew she should let it go. She knew she should ignore all of the questions she had and just let the comment go. It didn't matter, anything he said was just going to make it harder to leave. It was just going to make it harder for them both to do what they knew had to be done. She couldn't though. That part of her that told her to stop wasn't a match for the part of her that demanded answers. "Why Will?" her voice soft as she asked the question. "Why risk everything for me? You don't even know me." She looked up into his blue eyes, searching for answers. "Was it lust? Was it some sort of damsel in distress thing?"
She almost wished it was something like that. Something she could easily explain and write off. She could understand a guy like him doing something crazy for a girl like her because of some sort of hero complex, some need to save and protect. Somehow though she doubted that he would act from either of those motives. She just knew it wasn't from something like that, not from a guy like him. She knew it because had the situation been reversed. Had she been the one who had to risk it all for him, she would have done the same. She would have helped him, no questions asked. She was a risk-taker though. She was a girl who acted and jumped. Doing something crazy was well in her realm of possibilities, but him? She needed to know why.
The conversation didn't get any easier as she sat across from him. He had pulled out her chair and she smirked, resisting the urge to say something. He was good, much, much too good for her. He was sunshine and puppies and she was darkness and poison, even on her best day she wasn't the kind of person who ended up with a guy like him. Maybe before, maybe many, many years ago before everything went to hell. But now? Now she was the girl who recklessly pursued cases, who drank way too much and trusted way too little.
She had ruined three lives who had trusted her and put another two in jeopardy. She was not the girl who got a happy ending. She took a bite of the food, not surprised in the least that it tasted amazing. They both had begun eating in silence when he looked up, meeting her eyes and asking her what questions she had.
Ruby finished her bite of food, taking a sip of the coffee. There were a million questions on her mind and she thought quickly about what would be best. Easing into it or perhaps just ripping the band-aid off quickly. In the end, she opted for the hard option, after all, she wasn't one to shy from pain. She met his eyes. "Why did they shoot him?"What did I do wrong? How exactly is his blood on my hands? The questions unspoken inside her head. "What do they have identifying me?" She wondered what he told them, how exactly he had gotten around ID'ing her on the spot. She took another sip of her coffee before setting it down, meeting his eyes again, unflinching, "When I go in...is there any chance I come out?"
tag: Ruby Torres | OOC: *insert the beginning of tears here*
“You dancing? Now that might be something I can't miss.”
“Oh, so I can tempt you,” he joked. Will was no professional, so anything faster than a slow dance was… improvised. That would probably be the best word for it. But he could have a good time, that was for sure. He did a slow hip rotation at his station for breakfast spatula in one hand. Just to see if he could get a laugh out of her once more before the morning took the turn. “I’d save the slow songs for you, unless you begged for the rest of my horrible dancing.” He let out a laugh of his own. A slow dance though, that he was a master of.
Will craved this closeness with her. He wanted nothing less, a sign that he was already in too deep too fast. It scared a part of him, and he would not voice it to the brunette in front of him. Because honestly, she would fly as fast as she could out his door. But he had a feeling she already knew. A part of it slipped when he said he’d do it again. To save her. It was a type of intimacy that he wasn’t able to stop. And even when he kissed her, he was trying his best to have her drop it. He knew she wouldn’t, he knew that with that wickedly sharp brain of hers she was going to meet him head on. So the why, that he was ready for. The risk it all for a stranger part, was even expected. But the last two questions, those are the ones that threw him.
“Was it lust? Was it some sort of damsel in distress thing?”
He stared at her with blue eyes that were intense. “No.” It wasn’t lust. He was a stronger man than that. And that had been the farthest thing from his mind last night as he had her pinned to the wall of the hallway. As for this morning, he hadn’t thought that’s where they would have ended up after last night. He didn’t regret it, not a moment of it. And he looked forward to possibly dragging her back to his bed, hell maybe the couch because it was closer. But that’s not what was running through his head last night. If he had to pick between her questions, then damsel in distress made more sense. But it wasn’t quite that either.
“You asked for my help. And I’m a damn sucker for those blue eyes of yours,” He was trying to make light of the conversation. Steer it where he wanted it, but it was useless. That he knew. He took a deep breathe, giving up as his shoulders sagged lightly before brushing a soft kiss across her forehead. “If it’s easier to believe it was because of a damsel in distress, I will blame that. But if you truly must know, I couldn’t picture not being able to see you again. Whether you were angry or looking at me in disgust. You were scared and I felt the need to protect you. You are so strong and bullheaded all the time, and to see that panic in you, made me feel like I needed to step up. I wanted to step up. I don’t understand it fully and I don’t want to try and explain it because I don’t think we are ready for anything like that. Not yet.” God this was already terrifying to talk about to her.
And it didn’t end. As they sat there, breakfast between them, he knew it was going to continue down that hill. He shoveled another fork full of food into his mouth, tasting nothing as the first question fired off. He chewed almost mechanically as she kept on with her questions, clearly needing to say them before she either lost the nerve to or because she wanted him to hit her hard and fast with the answers. As he stared across the small table at her, he wanted nothing more than to tell her to not worry about it. That he was going to take care of them. That he was going to make sure she was safe and wouldn’t have to worry. But he knew she wouldn’t let him do that alone. He wouldn’t expect anything less from her. She was stronger than anyone else he had come across.
Will decided he would answer the easiest question first. “Not much on you as of last night. Though I got a hell of a tongue lashing, which I am sure will continue.” He fell silent for a moment. It was true, he knew that their questioning on him would come back around, even if he silenced them for the time being. He was face to face with her at one point. “The flashing lights in the hallway and my body blocked a lot of yours. We know you are female, brunette, and had access to my lost badge. They’ve been checking other angles but that wasn’t providing much else at the moment. And finger prints hadn’t really shown up, the areas they caught you touching had so many others that they can’t positively ID one right now.” The last part he had lead. He had to play off that he wanted to catch her. But knew that the doors and pads would be compromised.
The two left to answer were not easy. But the one he could digest was the first one she asked. “The man you released, Alejandro, when you two split up, he ran into another soldier on the base. The two of them fought, and Alejandro got the upper hand on the fight. From the camera angles, we weren’t sure exactly what happened at first, but a flash went off and the soldier dropped before Alejandro ran into another group. Which was the shots we heard.” He didn’t want to go too much into detail, so he ended it there. She knew he was dead, but now she knew why.
He wanted to go around to her, he wanted to take her in his arms. But he didn’t want to push her to shut him out. So instead he reached out with the intention to just hold onto one of her hands, if she’d let him. And if she did, he would be firm in his hold as he ran a thumb against her knuckles. “I want to do everything we can to avoid you going in. Because honestly, I don’t know if you would.” And that was something he didn’t want. He wanted to give her false hope, but he respected her way too much for that. He needed her thinking on the page he was, they needed to do this together. Not apart. “Ruby I want you to stay out of that headspace of you going in. I need you here with me, right now. However you need to stay out of it, please. If I came to you as a client with this situation, what would you suggest. Think on that. Because I do not want to be that one that marches you into the viper pit. I can’t be that one.”
He reached for his coffee at that point, taking a long sip of the warm liquid before he exhaled.
Ruby watched him shake his hips and couldn't help the light laugh that came from her. It looked like he would fall squarely into the adorably, hopelessly, zero rhythm side of the field and she found that she didn't mind it. It wouldn't have been fair for him to be as handsome as he was and have killer dance moves anyway. She watched him with amusement a moment more before replying, "I think it's been well-established that you can tempt me Golden Boy."
And tempt her he did. unfortunately for her, it wasn't all sexual. She could handle that part. Hell, she would have gone away from the whole experience a happy girl if it had all just been sexual. It wasn't though. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, no matter how much she shoved and pushed him away, he was tempting her with every move he made. He was appealing to her every sense, the physical, emotional, and everything else in between. He was metaphorically holding out a shiny apple that held all sorts of promises. A red fruit that her mind screaming that it was poison. She couldn't taste it, she couldn't play with it before tossing it back. No, she had to be all in, she had to jump with both feet to find out if it was poisonous or not and she didn't think she would ever be that brave again. She didn't think she would ever be that daring again, not when it came to things like this.
Will refuted her question of it being lust. She had assumed as much. That wasn't him. When he said he was a sucker for her blue eyes though, she felt her chest loosen just a bit. She could understand that. She could run from that. Would it hurt? Yes. Was it easier to run from that than if she ran knowing she was breaking his heart? Hell yes. She could live with thinking he acted because she had gotten under his skin. That was manageable. That would go away in a few weeks. But then his shoulders dropped and she looked up in confusion as he began speaking again.
The words came from his lips and each sentence felt like it was causing both happiness and utter terror inside of her. "You were scared and I felt the need to protect you." She felt her chest tighten, her heart beginning to race. She had been alone for a very long time. That's what had worked. She couldn't count on anyone but she sure as hell could count on herself. It was easier, it was efficient. There was no one else to consider in making decisions, there was no one she had to trust or commit to. It wasn't always pretty but it never failed. It worked, but his words kept coming and she felt the barrage of them against all the damn walls she had painstakingly put into place. She felt the tears threaten to spill when he continued on. "I wanted to step up." She met his eyes. She couldn't speak. Even if she could she wouldn't know what she'd say. What was she supposed to say to someone like him saying something like that to someone like her? Ruby had made a living by speaking. She had talked her way through case after case, argument after argument. Words were her ally, but they were failing her today.
Ruby's eyes carefully watched him as he told her that he wouldn't explain it, that he couldn't. The rational part of her was eye-rolling at the notion that he couldn't explain a feeling that he, himself, was feeling. The other part, however, the part of her that felt irrational happiness when he made her laugh unexpectedly, the part of her that settled every time he moved closer to her, that part of her silently understood the notion of everything he said. That part understood because she couldn't explain it either. She couldn't explain how a tall, blonde, rule-following, dad-of-one, dressed in camo had gotten so close without her noticing until it was too late. Like a bullet that had come out of nowhere. She cleared her throat, wiping away any trace of the tears that were threatening to come.
She nodded. A brief, curt nod because she couldn't say anything more. Things only got harder as they began their breakfast. She had asked her questions and thought he might dance around the answers. She had thought he might ease into it, try to sugar-coat things, try to spare her feelings. Surprisingly, he answered point-blank, just as she asked. "Sorry about that." She replied, hating that he had gotten yelled at for her. She listened quietly as he continued to tell her what the base had on her. "That's good. I was worried there were cameras in the detention cells, but if the hallway optics were the only available angles I could maybe argue a case against my involvement." Her mind ran for a moment on that idea. If they didn't have a clear shot of her she'd have a fighting shot at arguing the case. She had worn gloves that should have masked her fingerprints but even if they didn't, no clear camera shot would make for a shaky case for them to argue.
Will began speaking about Alejandro and she silently steeled herself. She was prepared to hear how she had failed him, how she had ruined his one chance of escaping. What she was not prepared for, was Alejandro killing a soldier. "What?" the question came out softly, unsure that she had even heard him right. Two. Two lives had been ended from her actions. She shut her eyes, pursing her lips. She wondered if the soldier had a family. She wondered how many people lost someone they loved last night because of her. She wondered how he could sit across the table from her and be able to look her in the face after everything she had caused.
She opened her eyes and saw his hand outstretched for hers and she shook her head in disbelief. "I became a lawyer because I wanted to fix things Will. I wanted to help. I wanted to make the bad guys face justice, just like the movies." She gave a sardonic laugh, "And yet, I turned out to be the villain." She closed her eyes, putting her head in her hands as she tried to quiet her mind. She had asked for the truth and he had given it to her. She knew she wouldn't come out of this. Not after finding out about the murdered soldier. No, if she went in that would be the end of her story, period.
Will's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she looked up, meeting his eyes. What would she advise him to do? Run. Run fast and far from her, but she knew he wouldn't. She knew promises be damned or not, he wouldn't turn her in. She took a steadying breath, taking herself out of the situation for a minute. What would she do if the situation was reversed? What would she advise her client? "Your smartest option would be to turn me in. Period. It would clear your name, take off the heat and tie everything up in a nice little package for them. If that's not on the table, your next option is..." She paused, her mind jumping from one scenario to the next, what would hold best? What would make the most sense? What would be a good distraction?
"The next option is for me to get off of this base and for us to never have contact again. Period. Leaving the state, possibly the country. If I'm tied to you in the least way, it's going to raise suspicion." She nodded slightly, following the train of thought in her mind, "There's no way I would even be allowed access to this base without giving my ID so you couldn't cover for my presence there with some bogus lie about being together. If they suspect me, if they have even the slightest image of me from last night, the minute they run my name I'll be flagged as suspect number one." She paused just a moment before moving on, steeling the words, "One year ago I brought up charges against a captain from Fort Devans in Boston. It was not a pretty case. This year alone, I've worked with five civilians to serve charges against military over-reach. The history gives motive, meeting you, especially in front of other soldiers, give me means and opportunity. The government isn't smart, but they'd be able to follow that trail and then you and Harper both would be in trouble." Ruby ran through it again in her head, nodding slightly when she thought it over again. If she wanted to spare him and Harper both from whatever hell that seemed to constantly be following her, this was the best option. "If I was your legal counsel, I'd advise you to cut your losses. If you won't turn me in...you've got to let me go."
Her being speechless was terrifying in a way. The closeness and fact that she wasn’t pushing him away was the only thing that was keeping him steady as he confessed to her that he basically wasn’t even sure of his own actions. At least was unsure of a way to put it into words at least. Her small nod only gave him a brief moment of easiness, and only a little bit of the loosening in his chest. It didn’t last very long because once the conversation started on the harder questions, his chest went back to feeling tight and sore, as if he had been shot in the chest with a shotgun.
As she apologized, he laughed lightly and shook his head. “I honestly expected worse. But they laid off it for now. So don’t think much on it.” he tried to reassure her. Truly he had been through worse, even during his bootcamp days, they had grilled him possibly harder. He figured he was just getting really good at lying or faking a good confused face. He took another bite, his plate almost clean from food. He knew how to shovel food into his mouth. “The cameras in the cell are placed facing inward, so no shot of you from the cell. Pretty sure they are re-thinking that placement now. So if anything this was a good learning experience for them.”
Will watched her closely as he went on about Alejandro, frowning as she shut her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms. He almost got out of his chair to act on it, but her ocean eyes stilled him as they reopened. And the fact that she shook her head at his outstretched hand, he knew that touching her was going to be a bad move on his part. So instead he closed his hand, curling it into a fist before he retreated back to his side of the table. Her speech on her job choice had him watching her eyes intently. He never looked away and let her speak, though he was starting to regret that as she laughed and called herself the villain. “Ruby, he didn’t have to shoot him. He could have surrendered when caught and called it a loss.” He was ready for this battle, because he didn’t want her to keep reliving the idea that this was all on her. “He was a man who made his own decisions, you just gave him a shot to get home.”
As she went on to start talking about what she’d do if she was working on this case, he shook his head as she started on again about turning her in. If she hadn’t figured it out yet, he wasn’t going to do that. Will frowned as she went on, the one argument he possibly had was crushed in front of him as she pointed out an important piece of evidence that would easily expose them. She would have had her ID scanned upon entering if she did just come through, and it would be tied to his military ID as he was the one who authorized her entrance. Back to the drawing board for him.
Ruby paused and it gave him the refocusing he needed on her. When she started on about her bringing up charges against a captain, part of him had the idea that this was personal. And something extremely violent built up in his chest. “Did you nail the one in Boston a good one?” All he wanted to hear was that it wasn’t against her and that she had gotten the results that she wanted. She moved on and talked about how him and Harper could be in trouble. He was glad she was with her mother, far away from them right now. At least she would probably be left out of it.
And thats when the gravity of what she just said hit him. Never see her again. She disappear and that was it. He would be left to pick up and act like nothing happened and watch as this got put into an almost cold case file. She would move on and forget about him. Perhaps only thinking about him when she saw broken glass or a golden retriever pass by. And he would be lost and left behind. The idea of losing her now, made him close his eyes to try and suppress the emptiness that spread to his hands. A numbness that washed over him that he didn’t know how to handle. It made him stand up and move across the space between them quickly and take a knee in front of her. He was going to invade her space. “I don’t want that to be the answer. I… I don’t want you to disappear.”
His next move was to reach out and turn her chair towards him, his blue eyes seeking her. He went to open his mouth, to say what, it was lost in the next second as a noice started up from the hallway. He froze until he recognized his cellphone ring tone. A curse left him as he collected himself, standing up and making his way to the hallway. He picked it up, sliding the little ball across the screen to answer. “Hello?” the unknown number picked up and a female voice on the other end came through. “Hello, Mr. McCabe? This is Veronica from u-haul. I just wanted to make sure that you were still planning on coming to pick up the truck in two days?” He blinked. Once. Twice. Before he almost laughed as his brain started working. “Uh, Mr. McCabe?” “Ah, yes.” His voice light and had a lift to it as he almost started telling the woman on the other line how he loved her for her timing. “Yes, I am still picking it up. Thank you. See you then.”
Will jogged back into the kitchen, a wide grin across his face as he dropped down in front of Ruby and took her face between his hands and kissed her. Long and hard. “I know how to get you out of here.” Though he wasn’t going to bring up the idea of her fleeing from him and the city. He would worry about that later. “You just need to extend that promise of 48 hours. Just by another 24.” He kissed her again, if she’d let him. “I promise to make it worth while for you. I will get you out of here safely.” He was repeating himself without giving much info but he couldn’t help it. He settled himself in front of her, his hands stroking her hair and cheek. “I am moving, off the base in two days. I am picking up a moving truck in two days. The furniture isn’t mine, so it stays here. Its only my boxes of stuff. And considering they are going to check the truck on the way in, they won’t check it on the way out. Though we could cover you with a box just in case,” He laughed lightly. “This could work Ruby.”
She listened quietly as he reassured her that he could handle the yelling. She never liked that aspect of the military. Sure she understood the purpose of why they thought it was necessary, but she didn't know how she would handle ever seeing anyone yell at him like she had seen them done in the movies. Hell, she didn't think she'd be able to keep herself in check if she watched anyone getting yelled at like that. The idea of a grown man screaming and belittling someone made her skin hot just thinking about it. She nodded, breathing easier after he told her about the cameras. That was a gift from above if there ever had been one. One image from there and she would have been a goner. "Well you know, anyway I can be of assistance." she gave him a wry smile. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was giving her a filtered version of how they were taking things, but didn't care enough to pry. They either had her picture or they didn't, anything else in between would be a coin toss on if it took her down or not.
Will met her eyes as she spoke about Alejandro, about her not being the villain of this story. He was so naively sweet. She wasn't sure what she had done to earn the unwavering kindness he was showing her, but she knew it was undeserved. "Will, I could have just given her the money, set them up with enough cash to get them started where he was being deported and left it alone. I could have, I should have acted smarter." Her eyes didn't leave his, wishing she could make him see how awful of a person she was. Wishing he could see what everyone else did so this wouldn't hurt so badly for her. So when she left she wouldn't think about the way his hand reached for hers and the way his presence held security and second chances. "You know how many lives ended last night because of my actions. You can't deny that. You can't pretend that all of this isn't on me. If I had just done the job and moved on when it failed they wouldn't be buried six feet in the ground." The sad part was even knowing the outcome, she knew she could never just move on. She could never be that kind of person who took case after case not caring if they helped, just accepting the next client to make quick money. She couldn't be like that. She couldn't separate herself from those people who had come to her for help. She couldn't pretend they were just a number.
Will had asked for her advice and she had given it. Nothing spared. She watched as he silently shook his head to her suggestion, knowing that he would fight her on it. She momentarily wondered what measures she would have to take to get out of his house without him catching her. What she might have to do to turn herself in because he wasn't going to do it. He wasn't going to see the harsh reality of what she was facing.
When he asked about the captain in Boston though, surprise took her, momentarily distracting her from her thoughts. She paused, not knowing the words to say. Had she won the case? No Had she gotten the bad guy? She supposed that depended on what moral ground you were standing on. "No. I didn't. The charges were thrown out, the case was never argued." She had a whole volume and a half of things she could say about that case but now wasn't the time. His mind was already working in overdrive trying to spare her from the fate of a prison sentence. The last thing she wanted was for him to know about Boston, for him to feel any more misplaced protectiveness than he already was towards her.
In a breath, he was in front of her, on his knee. She listened speechlessly as he looked her in the eyes and told her he didn't want her to disappear. He was moving to turn her chair to face him and she reacted before thinking, her hands moving to go around his neck, to move closer to him, the irrational need to be in his arms even though in the back of her head she knew she shouldn't. "I don't want to-" her words were cut off by a sudden noise, her body freezing in place. Her mind registered what the sound was at the moment his did and she silently watched as he got up and moved into the other room to answer it.
Ruby closed her eyes, berating herself for losing her damn sensibility. Angry at herself for allowing him to get so close. She couldn't shake the imagine of his eyes, pleading, all but demanding she stay with him. She had never seen that look, not in a single person, not in her entire lifetime. It had been like breathing air for the first time after being submerged for too long. It had taken her all at once and uncontrollably. The worst part was it didn't matter.
She heard his footsteps returning and she looked up, her face a mixture of sadness and regret. When her eyes found his face however, confusion filled her features at the wide grin he had. He moved in front of her again, pressing his lips to hers. She relaxed into him, savoring the kiss. When he spoke, she tilted her head slightly. "How?" He was speaking again, the grin still on his face as he told her she'd need to give him more time. Ruby's brows furrowed again, but before she could ask anything more, his lips were back on hers and she found herself laughing, "What's going on?" She watched as he moved in front of her, his hands moving through her hair.
Moving. He was moving. She listened silently as he told her his plan, her mind trying to find holes and coming up empty. He was right, this could work. "If we get off base this whole thing goes away. Assuming they don't have an image of course. The only thing that would point them in my direction though would be your ID." She knew how it looked. It wouldn't take long for them to start chasing down leads on who could get his ID and a tussle with a civilian female before it went missing would be first on that list. "Unless..." Her thoughts were jumping from one strategy to the next. The solution almost smacked her in the face, but she hesitated for a second.
The obvious solution would be to say they were in a relationship. That would move any suspicion from her, after all..if they were together it wouldn't make sense that she'd break into a base or have his ID. It wouldn't make sense that he couldn't ID her. If she was with him that would dispel any motive they might try to pin on her for hating the military.
It was a clear path in one way, but in another...in another it was heartrendingly cruel. Could they play house for a few days and not end up breaking each other's hearts when it was time to move on? Could she look into his blue eyes and listen to all of the sweet things he promised her without letting herself fall? She wasn't sure what the answer to any of those questions was, but she didn't have another option if she didn't want to be on the run.
Ruby moved from her chair, pushing his chest gently back so he would be sitting on the floor. She straddled his lap, facing him, her eyes level with his. "Unless we say that we're together. That we've been together since our first meeting at the pharmacy. That's the only way it would work. If they think I'm with you, I shouldn't be a suspect at all." She kept her gaze steady on him, trying to emphasize what she was saying, "But Will...I want you to really think about this. I want you to take a little bit of time and really think about what that means. It's not just simply lying about being together..you'd be lying about me and you to everyone you know. You'd have to be confident enough in it to pass whatever test they might throw at you. We'd need to have answers completely synced and we'd need to sell it if it was questioned." She put her forehead to his, "If the answer is no...we can still make it work. We can still go with your plan, I would just need to run and that's...that's okay. Just..take some time and think this through before we decide on a solid plan."
Her eyes never wavered from him. She always met him head on. And he knew that he was going to be left in ruins when she decided to run from him. It was almost more of a when it was going to happen over an if it was going to happen. She was going to leave him broken into pieces and he could spot it from a mile away. The way she was trying to push him away, as if he words were going to start driving that wedge between the two. And yet, even with the warning flag waving in his face to turn around, to back out, he push forward. He met her and continued to push himself, the idea of his vision for them on her. In a way, he was insanely selfish.
"This is all on you? If you want to break it down, this was partially on me." He pushed. "I let a stranger get inside my head, she dared me to take a drink with her and I lost control. I gave you that opportunity of taking a badge to get you on the base because I was blinded by a beautiful woman with wit and a sharp mind." He pushed. "We all make choices and they got us here Ruby. I know it doesn't make it any better or make you feel better. I wish I could take that pain for you, but I can't. He also made choices that made it worse. He could have surrendered. He could have choose not to run." Will looked at her, at this point, he shook his head. "We are going to go around and around on this," He almost laughed, but instead he just shook his head and looked down at the table in front of him.
As she admitted that the case was not taken anywhere, he watched her for any sign of anything. But damn her and her resolve, she held herself well. He wanted to push, but he also didn't want to push her too much. She would tell him if she wanted to, and going after something like that was going to only hinder his need to get her closer to him. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the story, and his stomach was knotting at the idea of that conversation, no matter where in the future they had it.
His heart was pounding in his chest as she started a sentence he wanted to beg her to finish when that phone went off. She didn't want to what? Disappear? He didn't want that either. Or maybe she didn't want to continue this with him. She didn't want to see him again after this. But the desperation in her eyes and the tone made him feel like she was on the same page as him. And then that damn, blessed and yet cursed, ring tone went off. He was so thankful for it, and yet he wished he had heard what she wanted to say. He wanted to hear her say that she wanted to stay. With him. And that she didn't want to just up and leave.
And then he was in front of her, kissing her, earning laughter from her in the darkest of their moments as he couldn't help the feeling of hope that spread through his chest. He watched her eyes shift as she started thinking over what he just positioned to her. His ID. At this point he might be able to lie that it just fell into the wrong hands. He had already gotten the lashing on the fact that he had lost it. Fell into the wrong hands. As it was, he was just glad he wasn't the poor soul who forgot to deactivate the authorization he had on the damn card. That poor soldier was probably being dishonorably discharged as they spoke.
Ruby shifted out of the chair, and he easily folded under her pushing, moving to where she wanted him and immediately letting his arms trap her. He stared at her, holding her steady gaze as she went on about how to further this outcome. His eyes closed for a moment as she invaded his space and pressed her forehead to his. His heart was aching, but in a different way as before. Could he lie about them? His eyes reopened to look to her. Yes. He could. Because to him, it wouldn't be a lie. He'd throw himself head first into it, letting her eat him alive as he had thought she would do. Did it hurt him to think she'd have to lie to everyone about him? Sure. But perhaps he could change her mind. Turn himself from her lie to her realty. But that was thoughts for later.
Will knew that she'd probably push him to waiting to answer. That his immediate 'yes' would just make her question him more and push the thoughts of "think about it". So instead he nodded his head. "Okay, I'll take some time to think about it. But then that means I need some things from you in the mean time. To see if we can pass these tests you speak of if we go forward with you being mine," he pulled her a bit tighter against his bare chest. "You need to be honest with me Ruby. We need to play 50 dates in fifty hours. Give or take some time." He grinned at her as he pushed his face into the crook of her neck and placed a few soft kisses along her skin. Enjoying the feeling of her hair against his face.
"I can start," he nipped the skin on her neck, his hands starting to kneed the small of her back in gentle circles. He wasn't trying to start any funny business but he wanted to touch her. Wanted to feel close to her. "William James McCabe, named after my grandfather on my dad's side and an uncle who passed away on my mothers. Born December 8th to Barbie and Austin. I have only one sibling, which is my little sister. We grew up military brats, father served out his time and we moved around a lot. I followed in his footsteps clearly. Harper joined my adventure on August 23rd. She's wicked smart and we have regular FaceTime dates and she sends me artwork when she can." He pulled back and looked at her, staring at her full pout as he spoke.
"I normally sleep in the nude, I have to have the fan on, and sometimes snore after a hard day at work. I've woken myself up a few times," he joked, giving her a crooked grin before pressing his lips to hers, pulling away just enough so he could speak again.
"The first thing I noticed about you was your fierce eyes and how they made me feel like you could look right through me. And I love the way you react to me," his hands moving to squeeze her hips and pull her closer, hoping she'd react the way she had in the past. As if to prove his point.
Ruby looked up as Will began arguing with her. He wasn't backing down and she found herself slightly amused at the idea of him arguing with her. When she had first met him, he had been polite and mannerly. He had behaved exactly how a good soldier should. At least he had until she had come along. Still, she had left with the feeling of him being Mr. captain america, Mr. everything by the book. To watch him refuse to back down to her suggestion, to argue against her, was slightly charming. She disagreed of course, with everything he said. Sure people had choices, everyone had free will, but that didn't make her any less guilty. If she would have done her job and taken the loss as it was, none of this would have happened.
He was blaming himself for the choices he made without pointing out the obvious that a good person wouldn't have taken his ID badge in the first place. "You're a good guy golden boy. That moment of weakness in the pharmacy is probably the worst blemish on your outstanding career. Tell me I'm wrong." She took a sip of her coffee before replying again, a wry smile on her lips, "You're only proving that I manipulated you, which again...the heroes of the story don't do to people." She could argue the case of being a villain all day long, he was completely and utterly right though when he conceded that they were just going to argue around and around about it.
She nodded, sitting in the quiet for just a moment before looking up and meeting his eyes. "Just so you know, I didn't do anything that day to get your badge. It happened, and I took it, but that wasn't my intent when we began talking." Not that it mattered of course. Still, it didn't sit well with her if he believed she did any of that for the sole purpose of taking his ID. It had been a crime of opportunity, not meticulously planned to screw him over, to gain access.
The next moments seemed to pass in a blur. She had gone from having her heart feel like it was being stabbed in some awful way she didn't even understand, to then having the burning feeling of hope ignited in her. She had moved to him, sitting on his lap, facing him and his body had immediately reacted to hers. His arms were around her before she could even settle on top of him. Those damn muscular arms that held her to him, wrapped around her, and promised security.
When she told him her idea she had first worried that he would rush into a yes. That he would agree to anything she had asked of him if it meant not turning her in, but he had instead agreed to think about it, and she found herself returning his nod. She was glad he was taking this serious, that he was giving himself time to truly think about what she was asking of him. It was better if he took the time to think about what she was asking instead of just rushing in, even if end the end he said no. Especially if in the end he said no. She had already dragged him into more trouble than he should have ever been subjected to. She didn't want to bring him into any more, at least not without his approval first.
He pulled her closer to his chest and she put her head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent, feeling his warm bare skin against her cheek. She closed her eyes, letting herself fall deep into this moment. The smell of coffee, his strong arms around her, his body warm under her touch. The light from the day was casting a filtered light through the room, making the whole situation feel like some sort of dream. She wouldn't have doubted it. It was almost too perfect to be a reality. The dreaminess was quickly broken however when he asked her to be honest with him.
Ruby sat up, looking quizzically into his eyes. He went on to say they needed to play fifty dates and she pursed her lips slightly. He was right of course, completely right. If they were going to pretend to be more, if she was going to ask him to cover for some sort of relationship, they had to be sure they could pass whatever test was thrown at them. It was only fair to see if they could pass, only fair for him to see exactly what he was getting into. "Alright, fair enough."
He leaned forward, his lips kissing her neck lightly. A smile came across her face. She mused that at least he was giving her a little bit of pleasure to go along with the pain. He said he would start and she gave a soft murmur of pleasure as he nipped at her skin. Will began speaking and she listened to the words silently, moving her head forward to kiss his neck, mimicking the soft kisses he trailed on her skin moments before. "Where were you born?"
The obvious question jumping out immediately to her. She hadn't had much experience with things like helping clients prep for immigration tests or anything like that, but she knew a handful of basics that would need answering. That and she wanted to know more. She had a genuine curiosity about him and who he was, what made him the way he was. She supposed that was a trait of being a lawyer, of being an outsider. The more questions she asked the less she would have to talk.
She kissed his neck softly again, "Do you want more kids?" Her lips sucked his skin softly, just a moment before her lips parted, giving him another question, "Are your parents still together?" One hand of hers went through his hair, her lips moving back to his neck, eliciting a smile from her when he said he slept in the nude.
Her lips traced a line from his neck to his jawline, the feel of his stubble reminding her of the way it felt as he kissed every inch of her body earlier. She had successfully shifted her focus from worrying about having to tell him her story to enjoying his body and she wasn't the least bit concerned about it. His lips pressed into hers and she felt the familiar fire that he was good at starting in her begin to burn. She was about to continue the assault on all of those sensitive places on his body when he spoke again, the words causing her to meet his eyes immediately.
When he finished it up with squeezing her hips, pulling her body closer, it made her next question quite easy to ask. "Do you want me?" Her hands moved to his shirt, removing it and letting it fall to the floor, a wicked grin on her lips.
He chuckled, her against him just felt right. The weight of her in his lap, her small hands on his skin, her breath between her kisses that danced along and gave him goosebumps. As he started talking, she mimicked his earlier movements and pressed her lips to his neck, he was slowly turning to putty under her. As he was sprinkling some basic information of himself, she started asking him questions, pushing to know more. He found one hand reaching up to tangle lightly in her hair, slowly stroking the long locks between his fingers. "I was born on a base in Washington," he felt like she might get a kick out of it. He was military from start to finish when you really broke it down.
"Do you want more kids?"
Will almost felt like it was a trick question. It seemed like a slippery slope to try and answer that question honestly. But the way she was moving against him was fogging up his brain, making him breathe heavily and almost lost to words in general. She was distracting him and he was weak to it. Her next question pushed through, something easier to possibly answer. A soft groan as her hand moved into his hair, the light scratch of her nails was almost too much. "I guess it all depends," he felt like that was a good enough answer to the kids question. Did he want more kids? Yes, in a way he'd love another one. He loved Harper beyond words could explain and he would love to maybe have another. But he also knew he wanted to do things right, and not rush.
"They are still together, going strong and making us cringe to this day," He joked. Though he easily fell silent as she locked eyes with him after his statement. He was curious as to what she was going to do. "Do you want me?" His grip loosened as the t-shirt he gave her was tossed aside and a soft groan left him. Of course he did. That wasn't any question he felt like he needed to answer verbally. Had she just asked the question, he would have answered and teased her. But the moment that fabric left her body, all thoughts were out the window.
His hands immediately wrapped around her and pulled her tightly against him, shifting them so he could stand up and take her with him. As much as he thought about having his way with her in the kitchen earlier, he wanted something a little more comfortable for them. Though more for her, because he could have laid back on hard gravel and enjoyed every minute of what she was offering. But right now, that couch around the corner sounded just about perfect, as the bed was a bit too far.
He padded them into the living room, thankful that the blinds were still drawn from the day before, giving them some sort of privacy from a neighbor that might walk by. It made him really look forward to having the place off base where he didn't have to worry so much about what was around him. He sat back, keeping her in his lap as he settled into the couch. "Of course I want you," he started, his hand tangled his way into her hair and urged her close, lips finding the underside of her jaw. "You've got me wrapped around your finger. You are an incredible mix of sexy and beautiful."
His hand not tangled up in her soft hair slowly traced down her side as he kept his assault of kisses up on her. "And I would love to be drowned in you,"
Will put his hand in her hair, his fingers wrapping around her locks. She gave him a soft smile and a pointed look when he said he was born on a military base. Of course he was. A soldier from the very beginning. She had watched him carefully when she asked if he wanted more kids. She liked to think that she had asked it because it might be something that would come up in an interview, but she knew the real truth was that she herself wanted to know.
She wanted confirmation if what she believed was true. That he wanted the All-American family with a wife and two kids, dog at home. She wanted to hear it come from his lips because then maybe she'd be able to take the loss easier. He made a soft groan and she all but lost her concentration. She kissed his neck, softly, giving him time to think about his answer. What he said however made her sit up, raise her eyebrow with a sly grin. It was a good answer, an answer she would have given. A lawyer answer straight out of courtroom weekly. Touche.
She took in the information about his parents silently. She chalked it up on her mental list of things that made him ridiculously naive. A happy family, loving parents, a place to belong, and a child. No, he had zero chance when it came to turning out as anything but heroic and charming.
She met his eyes when she removed his shirt from her body. His look eliciting a small giggle from her as he picked her up and moved them to the living room couch. She leaned forward, kissing his lips, letting her hands roam over his muscular chest. She felt her pulse quicken at his every touch. His eyes were icy blue but she'd be damned if there wasn't fire running through his veins. It was the only way she could explain it. His touch, his lips, the blessedly wicked words that came out of his mouth consumed her. He could say all day long that she was drowning him, but if this, whatever this was, was an ocean she was being pulled under just as deep and fast as he was. Her hips moved into him, her body demanding his and as he trailed kisses along her neck she gave into him.
She laid in his arms, the two of them on the couch together. Her head was resting in the crook of his arm, her cheek against his chest. Her hand lazily stroked his arm, tracing the muscles that had accomplished fulfilling every need that she had, twice. There had been very few moments in her life when things felt right. Laying in his arms, feeling his heartbeat so near to her made that list. She sighed contently, allowing herself to take in this moment a little longer, allowing herself to breathe in the perfection that all of this was before she began speaking again. Just one more minute of listening to him breathing, of smelling his scent wrapped around her.
Then she mentally closed that part of the book, tucked it away for a rainy day before moving on to reality. She continued to trace his arm as she spoke, "I don't know where I was born, but I was placed in a children's home near Boston when I was three, so I usually just say Boston to make things less awkward. There were no records of my birth turned in, nor was there any information on my parents and I was never adopted so no worries about memorizing any of my facts." She didn't mind that part. You couldn't miss what you didn't know. Not having a family was the norm for her. It had never fazed her to think about it, so she moved on, "I graduated from Boston University and then two years ago from Penn Law with my criminal justice doctorate. I got a job right out of school with McKenzie Law Firm, I was the youngest person there." She smiled just the tiniest bit, she had been so proud of that damn job. "It was near this place that made the best tacos you have ever eaten. Hands down." The smile was still on her face, remembering nights of karaoke and way too many margaritas. She had been an entirely different person than who she was today. Which brought her to the next part of her story.
"A little over a year ago, I won my first case and went out to celebrate with my legal team. At the end of the night, a guy drugged my drink and raped me." Cards all out on the table. "I got the tests done, followed the correct channels, subpoenaed the bar for the video records and filed charges. But he was a captain and because his superiors vouched for his alibi that he was at the base all night, the charges were dropped. Within 24 hours the video evidence had disappeared, along with the DNA evidence the hospital had of the night. So my case was destroyed after all of that." She shook her head, the memory still making her blood hot. "I tried asking the firm to pursue but they wouldn't fight the government. So they gave me a large sum of money to disappear and that's what I did." Her hands had stopped trailing circles on his arm and instead went around his waist. "I saw him on tv the day before I moved out of the city, giving an interview about someone targeting the troops. He had apparently been shot in the leg. Pity they missed." A small tug of her lips at the memory. The wind had been rough that night, and if she had only practiced more maybe she might not have missed. Maybe she could have put him six feet under where he deserved to be. She cleared her throat, "So. That's that."
He laid in the aftermath with her tucked against him, steadying his breathing and listening to hers. She fit against him as if she was made for him, and no matter how he shifted them, she washed over him. Settling easily. Her soft touches brought goosebumps to his skin as he closed his eyes, humming with satisfaction as she seemed to be basking in the post haze of what transpired between them. His own hand tracing small circles on the bare skin of her back. He hadn’t forgotten about their little conversation. She was insanely good at distracting him, but he knew that eventually he would be pressing her for answers. If they were going to attempt this, he needed to know.
She seemed to have the same thoughts, as she suddenly spoke up. Her light touch was calming, though he paid close attention to her words. The words that started painting a very different picture than the one he had offered to show her. She was an orphan, left on her own and never knowing a true family. Her sad joke of not having to memorize her facts had him tightening his hold on her slightly. He didn’t seek to see her eyes as she spoke. Not at first, he stared at the ceiling above them that was catching the story just as much as he was. He couldn’t imagine life without family, without knowing who you really were. Where you came from. But she truly didn’t seem bothered by it.
She was smart. He already knew it, but hearing her talk about schooling and what she chose to do just confirmed it. The lift in her voice made him know she was smiling, she was happy about it. How she had come out on top. He felt just as proud of her as she was of herself. At the mention of the tacos, he gave a soft, almost silent chuckle. “Hm, hands down the best tacos. I might need directions.” he commented lightly. Not in a way to interrupt her, but to encourage her on. He wanted to hear her talk about Boston and what she loved about it. What she missed most now that she was here in Lethford. He wondered briefly why she left. What he didn’t expect was the turn in the story.
Will had to tell himself to not move, not tighten his grip on her. He wish he could have been there, somehow be there to stop what happened to her. His eyes slid shut as she talked about the testing that was done. But what truly shook him to his core was that clearly the guy was military, he hid behind his uniform and apparently felt so inferior that he had to drug a woman. His woman. She spoke so openly about it, about how she tried to follow the case legally but was let down. Clearly he had friends in higher places and knew who could make things disappear. Someone with high clearance. No wonder she met him with anger and disgust when she first met him.
She saw the uniform and was instantly reminded of the wrong doing that was left for her. As her hands moved from stroking his arms to his waist, he shifted his look to her finally. “A damn pity.” He repeated after her. He had a feeling her mind thought like his, because he really truly meant it was a pity. People like that, they were the ones that deserved to be publicly beaten and shot. He didn’t know what to say though. Sorry felt all kinds of wrong, as if he was apologizing and turning pity to her for what happened. Sorrow was what he felt. She deserved so much better than what she had been given. And now she was trusting someone who served in those same uniforms. He reached over and turned her head to look up at him. “Sounds like we need to go to the range sometime.”
It was a joke. Mainly. Part of him thought it’d be best if he brushed up on his shoot skills. Just in case. He almost asked for his name, but as he looked down at her, he knew that would mean a life behind bars for him with the rage he felt behind his mask of calm. He didn’t pity her, he didn’t look at her as if she was some victim, though she was. He saw her as a damn warrior that was so much stronger than he could ever be. He shifted them, thankful that the couch was wide enough that they wouldn’t roll right of the edge as he placed her back to the fabric and leaned over her. He didn’t have words for her, not yet. So instead, he offered her him as he pressed a kiss to her, his arm under her pulling her close to him.
“What is your favorite color? Flower?” He started asking her questions that he really did want to know. He wasn’t dismissing her story, and if she got upset at his questions, he would tell her exactly why he couldn’t make a comment on it. Because it made him want to jump onto his bike, head to the base and pull files that he could get access to. And from there, he would get violent. The man would wish he had been shot dead when Will was done with him. Because what he did, was unforgivable and pathetic. “What case are you proudest of?” his lips kept pressing to hers between questions. This was easy with her, the way that she made his heart pound in his chest as he held her close. He wanted this. With her. Whatever this was, he wanted in. Whatever she would let him have.
