The Last One She Expected (closed for lmcms)

[Armphid]

He grinned at her whens he stuck her tongue out at him and then followed her gaze back out to the water. There was a light breeze stirring over them and the sun was shining down to warm them despite it. It felt really good, actually. How long had it been since he'd just enjoyed the wind on his face and the sun on his skin?

It would have been longer if it wasn't for Nora. Back in Quantico he focused on work so much that he had no real friends or connections outside of the office. He had an apartment but it had never really felt like home. It was just a place he stayed sometimes and where he kept most of his books.

He glanced down at Nora and then blinked. She was crying! She was crying? Why? Had he said or done something? Or was this just a stress reaction from everything that had happened? What should he do? Should he say something?

"Nora, are you all right? If it's too bright out here or...or...I don't know why you're crying but if I did something, I'm sorry." Maybe shouldn't have called attention to it? He just had no idea how to handle this situation.

 

[lmcms]

At the sound of his paniced reaction Noreen opened her eyes and looked at him as tears ran down her face still silently and gave him a small as she reached for his hand. When her hand was clasped with hers she whispered in a hoarse tear roughened voice, "I'm alive."

She didn't say anything else as she looked at him a moment takin in his features and his paniced look it almost made her laugh that he was so worried about her. She squeezed his hand before looking back out over the water as tears continued to stream unchecked down her face the wind floating through her hair. "I'm alive" she whispered again staring out at the water.

 

[Armphid]

Oh.

She wasn't sad or upset, she was happy. But she was crying? He didn't understand. But he let her take his hand and hold it, setting the brakes on the chair and then moving around to stand closer to her.

Maybe it was that she hadn't dealt with the powerful emotions of having survived. She had to have thought about what could have happened, and while Carl had her she probably assumed she was going to die. But she hadn't. Now that life was coming back on her.

"Yeah," he answered after a few moments of just watching her smiling face, tears still sliding down her cheeks. The wind was in her hair, stirring and moving it, and it made his heart ache to look at her.

Well. That was that. He had no doubts about it; his crush was back in full force now.

"Yeah," Tim said again. "You're alive and it's all going to be okay." And I'll stay with her, and in touch as much as I can, to make sure of it, he promised himself.

 

[lmcms]

She smiled and layed her head against his thigh. Just enjoying him being with her now in this life affirming moment. She pushed away the thoughts that he would be leaving in a few days and just enjoyed him being here now besides he said they would stay in touch.

As she layed her head against him his scent mixed with that of the plants and water and sent a shiver down her spine. "Yup." She thought "I still love him." She kept his hand in hers as she layed her head against him as he stood beside her and aborbed his strength and warmth. "Yeah." She told him out loud, "I'll be okay."

 

[Armphid]

Ten Days Later

The door shut behind Tim, leaving him in darkness save for the slashes of light that glowed on the walls from were illumination crept through the blinds. For a few moments, he just stood there in the gloom; feeling the silence and stillness of this place.

Had it always been so stark and lonely?

Tim walked into the apartment proper, clicking on the overhead light fixture in the living room. The space seemed far larger than it should be; there were a set of folding chairs in the living room, and a desk with a computer chair where his laptop would sit when he wanted to use it at home, a small cabinet his television rested on and bookshelves on the walls. There was no couch or place to put his feet up; there were no posters or pictures on the wall, nothing to note the space as anything unique or personal.

He hung up his coat and slid his shoes off and did a dozen other minor tasks. He should get something to eat but he knew that all that was in his refrigerator were hot dogs and leftover Chinese.

Feeling oddly lethargic, he sat down in a chair that faced his apartment windows. There was a tv in one corner but he rarely watched it and felt no desire to now. He felt...restless. Restless and even a little unhappy. His apartment, his life in general just felt...empty.

He pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket and looked at it before sliding it into activity. Her last text message was still there when it opened up and he smiled.

He leaned back in his chair and called up her number. Even if she was out, he'd hear her voice on her voicemail message and that would make him feel better.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen was tired and board. She was feeling better everyday but she still had some soreness and weakness and they wouldn't let her come back to work yet. She had nightmares from time to time but those were getting better too. SHe was laying on the couch watching the tv about half asleep board out of her mind when her cell phone rang. She debated waking up enough to get up and get it.

When she saw the time and realized it might be Tim she quickly grabbed it and checked the ID a smile instantly forming on her face when she saw it was. She missed him since he had left the day the hospital released her another case had come up for him to go work. She had missed him terribly but he had kept his promise and they had stayed in touch since.

"Hi Handsome how's you day?" She asked in a cheery voice. She had noticed when he called after work he normally seemed worn out and it had become her mission to cheer him up at the end of his day and to hear a smile in voice or hear him laugh before they said there good byes.

 

[Armphid]

That smoky, sultry voice hit his ears and Tim visibly relaxed in his chair, smiling and letting out a sigh of relief. "It just got a lot better," he answered. He called her almost every day and texted when he couldn't call. Combined with that and e-mail, they'd stayed in touch as much as they could since he'd left to come back.

To this. He looked around his sparse, stale looking apartment. Not for the first or last time, he wondered why he'd come back at all.

He knew why. For his work; it was important and it was fascinating, almost enjoyable at times, when it wasn't horrible and tragic.

"It wasn't too bad a day, really," he went on. "Lots of meetings and sifting through recent cases before sending off our final conclusions, that kind of thing. It can be very interesting to actually see all the data and facts come together and what you can draw from it, normally I like this part but I just couldn't get into it today."

He kept thinking about her. He felt almost embarrassed by it but he was smitten with Nora and being away from her was making him lovesick.

Anna, of course, had been teasing him about it mercilessly.

"How about you? Are you feeling any better? Any more bad dreams?"

 

[lmcms]

SHe smiled hearing his voice and ran her fingers over the threads of the couch as she closed her eyes and let his voice flow over her. She smiled to herself thinking the things his voice did to her should be highly illeagal.

"I am feeling better everyday day handsome soon I will beable to beat you in a physical. I am still having a few nightmares but not so many as I was before." She curl her body around a decorative pillow and whispered softly. "I miss you. You kept the nightmares away and I felt so safe in you arms. I can't wait to see you again I really do miss you."

Noreen sighed feeling her mood lower from happy and excited to slightly depressed and missing him.

 

[Armphid]

How could you beat someone in a physical? Compare blood pressures and BMI? He smiled all the same and his mind provided a few possible ways they could complete physically that would not be very informative but would be most enjoyable.

She went on and he felt a twinge of regret and guilt. "I'm sorry I can't be there right now. I've missed you too. I...I think about you a lot, every day. I wish I could be there and here at the same time...well, not here, but do my work, I guess."

He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. The separation hadn't been easy. On her part, he'd expected that, but it had been harder on him than he'd thought it would be or could be.

"I'm not trying to change the subject, but you know how we talked about my visiting you? I, uh, I really want to. And I'd like to do it sooner rather than later. Looking at what's coming up, I can take some vacation in two weeks and come and see you. I wish it was sooner but...would that be okay?" His only concerned that she might not be fully healed yet.

 

[lmcms]

She laid there curled up on the couch feeling as sad as he sounded. When he mentioned vacation and coming to visit her she instantly perked up sitting up straight on the edge of the couch.

"You mean it?" She asked in excitment and pleasure about ready to jump for joy. "Oh Tim nothing would make me happier than to have you come for a visit you could even stay here at my house and it would be perfect I cant go back to work for at least 3 weeks or something like that."

SHe spoke quickly exciement strumming though her veins she had missed him so much. She was already running a list of things she would set up if he came to see her. The meals she would cook the things they could together, some of which involved not leaving her bedroom. She forced herself to calm down and told herself she was getting ahead of herself.

 

[Armphid]

Tim couldn't help but beam at the excitement in her voice. It was amazing, almost unthinkable really, that she could be that happy to see him. God, it made him feel so humble and so proud all at once.

"Of course I mean it. I've wanted to come back to you, uh, to see you, I mean, since I left." His smile was genuine and his heart felt buoyed by her acceptance. "I'd be glad to stay at your place, thank you for offering."

He'd stay at her house. God, it was hard not to think of...well, things he thought about with her anyway. But being in her house, sleeping there...he was probably jumping way ahead of things. But, what if it could be that way?

"I'll get everything submitted and let you know the dates." Tim stood up and walked to his windows, looking out of them into the darkening Virginia night as if he could see her home now if he just looked hard enough. "Thank you. For saying yes. It means a lot to me to be able to see you."

 

[lmcms]

Noreen smiled to herself. "That sounds great I look forward to seeing you. Please let me know as soon as you can." She grinned knowing that he missed her too and was as eager to see her as she was to see him.

"I know it's probably been a long day for you and I'm sure you have an early start in the morning as well so I will let you go so you can get some sleep. Good night Timmy and sweet dreams." She said before blowing him a kiss through the phone lines.

 

[Armphid]

"Good night." The line cut off and he sighed, leaning back in his chair, and closing his eyes a moment. It was a bittersweet feeling, talking to her this way. It always ended too soon, even if they ended up talking for hours. There was a lot for both of them to catch up on.

Though a lot of his life...was better not to tell her about. The madness he read about and met, the horrors he'd seen, the maniacs and killers he knew on a first name basis...all thing she didn't need to know about. It also left a lot of his end of the conversation vague. A stark reminder of how empty his life was other than his work.

But maybe. Maybe he could have something more. Maybe they could.

~~~~~~~~~​

Rosenberg glanced up from the screen of his computer, "Yes, it's approved. I'm glad you're taking the time, actually." The senior agent shook his head, "Outside of mandatory psychological well-being days off, you haven't used any personal time in two years."

Tim shrugged, "I didn't really have much else to do, sir."

"Hm." His superior shook his head, "Not healthy in what we do, Douglas, you know that. Anyway, your time's approved. Go and relax, try to have some fun. Remember what we do all this for."

~~~~~~~~~​

There was a rushing, rolling sound and Anna Marshall's slid over to his desk on her office chair, grinning. "Sooo, I heard you're taking a vacation in a week."

Tim looked at her with a small smile. "Yeah. I'm trying not to think about it now, you know, focus on my work. But it'll be good."

"I bet." She leaned towards him, "Are you going to see her?"

He blinked. "Um, her? Her who? I'm not sure I understand what you mean..." He was, however, blushing.

"Uh huh." Anna arched an eyebrow eloquently. "Sure you don't. Come on, you can tell me." Not that he had to. It was all over his face!

"Well, yes, I am." His smile grew wider for a few moments and then he frowned, "Although I'm not sure how the Bureau would take it if they knew. I mean, given that she was in that case, it might not be wholly-"

"Who cares?" Anna clapped him on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it! Trust me, it won't matter. That case is all done anyway, so no entanglement issues. You like her. Admit it. Enjoy it! Go out there and get some stank on your hangdown, son!"

"...What did you just say?"

~~~~~~~~~​

Two days.

It was getting harder and harder to think of anything else. Tim was in his apartment again, looking out through the slits in the blinds at the city at night. How peaceful it looked. How deceptive that image was. But even though he was looking at the city; he wasn't really seeing it. All he saw was Nora. Both as he knew her in high school and how he'd last seen her and how he had imagined her since then...

Tim shook his head. He wasn't done here yet. The work, the cause, still needed his best.

He turned back and sat down in the chair and pulled out a new book from his suitcase; studying and keeping up in the field were essential parts of his job. He opened it and began to read but he found his mind slipping away from the printed words.

Two days.

 

[lmcms]

Norren was thrilled and excited that Tim would soon be here. She had been elated when he had called and given her a date. She had healed for the most part the only really lingering effect was her nightmare though her stomach was still slightly tender it was nothing she barely noticed it. She had spent most of today making sure her house was clean and the spare bedroom, done in royal blue and hunter green and gold, was all in order for him even if she secretly hoped he wouldn't be sleeping there.

Noreen knew the last time she had seen him she had looked horrible and she looked into the mirror touching up her lip gloss. Her chestnut hair was wavy the top part clipped back so it would not be in her face, her warm brown eyes looked full of life instead of dull as they had before. She shimmed into a white sun dress that ened just above the knee and slipped on mathing white sandles.

Climbing in her car she couldn't stop her smile as thought about and that she would soon see him and this time she would actually look good. She planned to take him out to eat tonight since he was coming in so close to dinner time and she couldn't well be in two places at once. Smiling and humming to herself she drove to the airport to await his arrival.

 

[Armphid]

It had been a long time since he'd flown as just Tim Douglas, not Special Agent Tim Douglas of the FBI. He much preferred the latter. It was much faster and he was able to keep his shoes on. He also could take his weapon, which couldn't traveling as just a civilian. He felt oddly vulnerable without it.

The flight itself was fine. Tim managed to sleep, a skill honed by many late night flights to and from Virginia for his work. He woke just before the plane started to descend.

Nora. He was almost to her.

God, he felt so nervous. What if this didn't work out? What if the feelings she'd had before were all just due to joy at feeling alive and gratitude for him for helping her?

Tim had managed to mostly calm himself by the time he'd retrieved his luggage. He took a deep breath before heading out of the airport to the pick up area outside. He'd tried to dress casual but the truth was he didn't have much in the way of casual clothes. He wore a somewhat loose black button down shirt, the neck unbuttoned. A thin brown belt was looped through charcoal slacks.

He heard the rumble of a powerful engine and saw a vehicle he recognized turned into the pick up area. God, she was here! Deep breaths. He was smiling despite his fears and he waved at the approaching beast of a car.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen smiled when she pulled up seeing him standing on the curb. Butterflies took flight in her stomach and she became nervous not really sure how this first greeting would go. All she really wanted to do was jump in his arms and kiss him with all the emotion she was feeling but she was scared of rejection so she knew she couldn't be brave enough for that.

She kept her smile on her face hiding her nerves as she stopped in front of him and popped the trunk for his bags. When he got them put up and slid into the passamger seat her smile grew. "Hey Sexy how was your flight?" She asked just like she would when she answered a phone call from him.

She pulled away from the curb amnd began making her way through airport traffic. "I hope you don't mind picking up take out for tonight I didn't want anything to burn while I was picking you up." She told him placing her free hand on his needing to touch him and know he was really there with her again.

 

[Armphid]

Just seeing her in the car and smiling at him made his heart beat faster. And his stomach try to twist into a few more nervous knots. He took a few deep, steadying breaths as he put his bags in the trunk; calm down and take it easy. Don't try to force it, don't be nervous, just be.

Tim blushed a bit as he slid into the passenger's seat and shut the door, but he was smiling. Her calling him things like that, "sexy" or "handsome," always made him feel shy. Good, but shy. "Very forgettable, really," he answered her. "Especially now."

God, she looked good. Her skin was clean and perfect, no bruising or little cuts marred it this time. Her lips were plush and full and looked delicious. The way that flimsy looking white sundress hugged and flattered her figure was killing him in the best way; flaunting and teasing curves that her hospital gown had hidden before. "...Yeah, especially now. You look amazing. You're so gorgeous."

The feel of her hand on his was wonderful; she was as warm as he remembered and her skin felt even softer and silkier. He turned his hand up and gave hers a squeeze. "Take out's fine." It was most of what he ate, anyway. And besides, it would be a chance to get some local food. He wondered how the restaurant scene had changed since he went away to school, if any of the non-chain places were still open. "I came here for you, not the promised home cooking, you know."

 

[lmcms]

She blushed slightly at his complimented. "Thank you I do try." She gave a small light hearted laugh.

"I have some wine at home so I thought maybe we could pick up something from Gino's. It's this amazing Italian place that is owned by the sweetest couple and they cook everything themselves. I mean it is real authintic Italian food nothing like Olive Garden or whatever." She told him smiling hoping he was up for the idea.

She squeezed his hand back enjoying the feel of his hand in hers as she drove down the rode head to Gino's. Her hand in his felt amazing, right, almost as if she were coming home for the first time in a very very very long time.

 

[Armphid]

"Authentic Italian sounds great." If for no other reason that he could think of how sweet and dirty it would look if she was slurping up noodles.

Anna was right; he really was hard up.

Anyway, he wasn't going to assume anything on that front either. Tim leaned back into the seat and grinned, looking over the dashboard. "This car is cool, just cool," he said.

Anna was also right that Nora was way out of his league. But she didn't seem to think so and that felt pretty good in and of itself.

Gino's was very much what Nora had described; a good sized local place with food that smelled amazing, a clean space with simple furnishings, and plenty of people coming in and out. The people there seemed to know Nora and Tim felt a bit awkward going in with her.

 

[lmcms]

Noreen smiled and exchanged greets with all the staff as the hostess said she would run and and get Gino for the to go order. She handed Tim a menu sat on the wait ing to be seated benches. Taking his hand Noreen pulled him down beside her but didn't let go of his hand once he did.

Gino finally came out and she released Tim's hand to stand and be embraced by the older man. "Bella you look more beautiful everytime I see you." He said in accented english. "Tell what will you be wanting today?"

She returned his hug and they ordered. As she sat back beside Tim she instinctivly laid her head on his shoulder. "I can't wait till we get home I promise you'll love Gino's." She told Tim relaxing against his side.

 

[Armphid]

"I'm liking it so far," he responded with a small smile. Though it was a lot less the restaurant and the people here, though they seemed very friendly, and more that she was sitting so close and resting her head on his shoulder like that. God, it felt amazing.

Slowly and carefully, he slid one hand behind her back as they sat and lighted put his arm around her waist. She felt so warm and gloriously soft. This close to her, he could smell her hair and the faint scents of the cosmetics she used as they created a blended aroma that was unique to her. She smelled wonderful.

"It'll be good to get to your house, I'm sure," he said in a low voice, "but I'm enjoying this a lot too."

They sat together, making small talk about Gino and the restaurant and other bits of the town they might go to together while they waited. It wasn't a terribly long time before Gino returned with the carefully packaged food. "Bella, all you asked for, fresh and hot to go." The older man held the package of food out to Tim to take, "And you, signor, you behave yourself with Bella, ah? She's a wonderful girl, you treat her right now."

Tim's smile was genuine, though he was sure Nora was embarrassed by this, "I fully intend to, sir."

"Buono." He looked Tim over, "You look a good, respectable man. But too thin. You eat my food, have plenty of energy to take care of this woman like she deserves, eh?" He laughed then, giving Nora another hug before waving and bustling back into the dining room.

Tim's grin was impudent as he looked over at Nora, "He's lively, and he cares about you. I bet there's a lot of people around here who do."

 

[lmcms]

When his voice went soft and low while mentioining how eager hewas to get to her house a shiver raced down her spine and she felt her panties instantly become damp. She enjoyed their small talk as they waited for their food. She laughed at Gino's parting comment the sound resembling tiny bells.

"He's lively, and he cares about you. I bet there's a lot of people around here who do." Tim Said.

"I would like to think so but in today's world you never really can tell. Ya know?" She asked looking up at him as they headed to her car.

It didn't take but another five minutes to get to her house. "Let's leave your bags in the car for now so we can eat while it's hot. I'll get us some wine if you will start setting up the food, sound good?" She asked looking over her shoulder at him as she opened the front door for them to go in.

 

[Armphid]

They were at her house before he was ready for it entirely; a combination of speeding on her part and less distance than he expected. It was a pleasant looking place; neither large nor small, with a well cared for lawn and flowers along the walk.

He followed her up to the door, trying not to watch the way the skirt of her sundress flared to show off her supple, shapely, smooth legs and utterly failing. God, when she went up the steps ahead of him, he could almost see her-

He blinked and then nodded, blushing, as his brain caught up with her words. "Right. Set up the food, no, uh,no problem." He entered her house, Nora shutting the door behind them and locking it. The inside was just as pleasant as the outside but different in decor and style; more a reflection of her tastes. "I'll get this set up then," he said as he walked into the dining room, which could be seen from the front door.

 

[lmcms]

Nora hummed to a tune in her head as she made her way past Tim going into the kitchen and grabbing her favorite red wine. Her hips swayed slightly to the tune she was humming and it dawned on her that for the first time in a very long time she was content and happy. She smiled and sashayed back into the dinning room where Tim had set up the food. She stopped in the door way and smiled watching him move with such provicancey.

"I got the wine you got the food looks like we are ready to eat." She said holding up the wine.

 

[Armphid]

Tim didn't answer right away; he just looked at her standing there in the kitchen doorway. She was framed by it in an artful fashion and the simply flattering sundress fell in all the right ways to make her a picture of tempting wholesomeness, despite the bottle in one hand the glasses in the other.

He smiled and then nodded, "It looks like we are." As she walked to the table, he held out his hands to take the wine, "I'll pour, if you'd like. And we should have a toast, I think. To you."