AN-More reruns and more one shots. This one is from episode 1x13. Very mild spoilers included.
Disclaimer-its fanfiction, enough said.
As Pride watched his long time friend run along the water front with his brother, he knew it would be the last time they did it. Within a week he would be dead and that was it done. He didn't get to do a retake or start again it was game over. Whatever he had planned for his life was going to die with him. Pride sat down and watched as the water lapped against the shore line. These past few days and got him thinking about a few things in his life.
He sat now and got lost in his past. When he got married and Linda gave birth to Laurel. 2 of the most important days of his life. He could never repeat them but he wouldn't change them. Marrying Linda hadn't worked in the long run but if he hadn't he wouldn't have Laurel and that was not something he ever wanted to contemplate. Looking back at his career through NCIS, from being Probie along with Gibbs to being a full agent.
His dispute with his father was long running but he was not going to dwell on that. The problem with his father was not going to get any better as long as his dad never saw what he had done wrong.
Here he was now, a fully fledged NCIS agent with a team of his own. There was his senior field agent Christopher LaSalle who he had pulled up by the scruff of his neck and saved him as LaSalle liked to call it. He had watched as Christopher had become the amazing young man he was now and he couldn't be more proud. He saw LaSalle as not just an agent but a friend. They worked well as a team and always had. There was always just the 2 off them and they managed just fine like that. The problem had occurred when someone had insisted that they need extra manpower.
The manpower that was sent was not infact man power but woman power. That woman power now went by the name of special agent Meredith Brody or Merri to her friends. She was a competent agent and she was an asset to the team, there was no denying it. There was only one problem that kept cropping up and no matter how hard Pride tried he could not ignore if for long.
That problem was the fact that agent Brody was not just a hell of a agent but she was a hell of a sexy agent. She was smart, funny, could kick ass with the best of them and most important she was caring and sensitive and she was working her way under Prides skin. No matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts aside they would come back full force sooner or later.
He had sat back and pretend that he was not falling for her, pretending if he ignored how he felt it would just go away. He had saw the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn't looking and he was sure she had caught him looking at her. They both seemed to be thinking the same but neither did anything about it. Both afraid to cross that invisible line in the sand and not be able to go back if it went wrong.
They had a wonderful working partnership but could they take it to the next level and become more than that. Could they risk what they had for what they could have if they were brave enough to reach out and take it. Why did things have to get so complicated for him, why could he not just lead a simple life.
Sitting here was not going to be solving his problem but he was working through them and he knew what he had to do, now he needed to do it before he changed his mind. Getting up from the seat he made his way back to the office and hoped he had the nerve when he got there.
As his car pulled in at the office he saw he was still in luck. Looking around he saw both his agent cars were still parked up. Getting out the car he walked back into the office and saw Christopher sitting at his desk and Brody sitting at hers. They both looked up when they heard Pride come in. It was LaSalle who spoke first.
"Hey King, how you doing? Did your friend get his run in with his brother?" LaSalle asked his boss as he stood from his desk.
"He sure did. How was skydiving?" As he looked at his agent and friend.
"It was amazing, especially when I landed" LaSalle laughed seeing Brody laughing along.
"Well since your back I can get myself away then, no need to check your okay now" as he went and grabbed his jacket from his chair and coming back to stand beside Pride.
"You going home now Brody since he's back safe" LaSalle asked as he passed Brody's desk.
Brody looked between LaSalle and then up at Pride. She knew there was something different about Pride since he got back and she wanted to make sure he really was okay before she left.
"I will as soon as I get these reports put away and I clean my desk" she replied to LaSalle hoping it was enough to make him leave the matter alone.
"Okay then, catch you both tomorrow. Night King, Night Brody" LaSalle said as he started out the door.
"Night Christopher, see you tomorrow" Pride said to his friend as he left.
"Night LaSalle" Brody called after him as he left.
As soon as LaSalle left and she heard his car pull away she opened her desk draw and unceremoniously picked the files up from her desk and dumped them in draw.
"Paperwork down, you want coffee?" As Brody stood and stepped out from behind her desk and made her way to the kitchen.
Pride just laughed and followed behind her as he saw she yet again had them tight fitting black jeans on that showed just how firm and cute her ass was. He was so busy watching her ass as he walked in the kitchen he nearly tripped over his own feet.
"So was that a yes or no to coffee since you were too busy watching my ass to answer" Brody said as she looked up at Pride with his cup in her hand.
"It was a yes, you shouldn't have to ask that question after all this time" as Pride came and sat down at the table while Brody made the coffee.
The whole time she made coffee the whole time Pride was watched her. He couldn't help it and he was not going to look away now. When she was finished she brought 2 cups of coffee over to the table and sat opposite him.
"So you want to tell me what happened when you were out then? You have been quiet since you got back" as she took a drink of her coffee.
"Just spent my time thinking, life sucks sometimes. Yet maybe it sends us moments like this to release what's important in life and how to finally get up the courage to finally reach out and get it?" Pride replied to Brody as he glanced at her hand that was resting on the table.
"I suppose it does. I hear Abby is thinking of joining NCIS now after what she has heard here" Brody said as she put her cup back on the table.
"She is yes, maybe she will come join us here" Pride told Brody as he was still glancing at her hand on the table and he was slowly edging his closer to hers.
Brody nodded her head and glanced at Prides hand, noticing it was slowly making its way across the table towards her. Should she put him out his misery and take it or should she see how long it took him to work up the courage. Her hand won over her head and they next thing she knew she had closed the remaining gap between their hands and took his hand in hers, Palm to palm linking their fingers through each other.
They both felt the spark when their hands touched and they knew it was time.
"We need to talk, sooner rather than later" Pride said to Brody as he looked at their joined hands and smiled.
He sat stroking his fingers over her knuckles as they sat finishing their coffee. It was a comfortable silence they sat in just watching their joined hands on the table. When they both finished their coffee they looked at each other and smiled as they hands parted but only long enough till they could put their cups in the sink and come to stand side by side at the door to the office.
"Upstairs or my place?" Brody asked knowing that Pride had no bed up there but a fold out couch.
"Let's go upstairs. We have plenty time for beds and comfortable things but know I just wanted to talk and see how things pan out. We need to know if we move forward from this point together we do it for the right reason, not because my friend was poisoned and died if that makes sense. I have wanted this for awhile now" as he lifted there joined hands up" but due to that there" indicting the open office and there desks facing each other "We haven't done anything about it" as Pride brought their hands up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss to the back of Brody's hand.
As they stepped out the kitchen they stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well we didn't get struck by lightning as we crossed the office holding hands so that's a start" Brody laughed as she looked at Pride.
"Good point, maybe the devil has a day off today and next time we do it he will catch us" Pride replied joining in with the joke.
"Awfully sure there will be a next time aren't you" as they both headed up the stairs.
"To right I am, I want you as more than just my junior agent and friend. I want to take you to bed every night and fall asleep with you in my arms. When I wake I want to see you with sleepy eyes and bed hair still wrapped in my arms. I want to go home with you every night and spend days off and holidays together. I want you in my live full time after today" Pride told Brody as they made it to the couch Pride slept on and sat down.
"What do you want from us, from me?" As he sat and moved closer to Brody so he could slide his arm round her shoulder and use his other to hold her hand.
"I want the same at you do. I never pushed how I felt about you, you're my boss for God shakes. You were still married when I arrived and you sure had your head up your ass with things going on so I didn't bother. Yet now, after seeing your friend and hearing what happened to him I have to say it's scared the crap out of me. It's showed me how fragile life is and how quickly it can be taken away. It's showed me to not be afraid to take what I want out of life and make peace with things" as she sat forward and placed several kisses to Pride cheek.
"I am so pleased we can have this chance, I am sure if we really want this we can get through things. We can keep it under wraps for now till we find our rhythm or we can go all out and tell everyone we see that I love you Meredith Brody and will for a long time yet. I will leave the choice up to you" as he then moved and the were now sat facing each other on the couch.
Looking at the time Pride realised how late it was and how tired he felt.
"You want a lift home or you got spare stuff down stairs for tomorrow if you stop here" Pride asked Brody
"I got spare stuff down stairs but you got a t- shirt I can borrow please. Don't fancy sleeping in the buff in here. At home yes, here no. I don't want LaSalle walking in here in the morning and getting an eye full of my half covered ass" Brody said to Pride as she watched him stand and make his way to a pile of clothes.
"I wouldn't mind a eye full of your half covered ass" Pride said as he looked through the clothes.
After digging round he came back with a T-shirt and passed her it. Brody took the t-shirt and put it on the bed before turning back to Pride and slowly removing the clothes she was wearing till she stood in just her underwear. She picked the t-shirt up and pulled it over her head. Now for the famous party trick that made all men gawp. Without removing the t- shirt she had on in anyway she had her bra off and in the pile with the rest of her clothes. Looking up at Pride she saw that look on his face that all men had when women did that.
Taking a step closer to him she ran her hands up his chest and along the buttons on the front of his shirt.
"You need help taking this off or can you manage by yourself?" Brody asked as she undid a button near the top of the shirt revealing a little more of Prides broad chest.
"I wouldn't stop you since you look like you're enjoying the view" as Pride looked down and watched as Brody started to undo more buttons.
Once all the buttons were loss Brody slid her hands up Prides chest and under the shoulders of the shirt causing it to slid down his arms and pool on the floor. Keeping her hands on his chart she let her fingers dance over his muscles and watch as they moved and rippled at her touch.
"I will let you do the pants or this will get very heated very fast and I will not stop" Brody told Pride as she placed small kisses to his chest.
"Least you're honest. Get in bed before you freeze standing there in nothing or just about nothing" as he started to undo his belt and jeans.
When Pride was standing in just his boxers he made his way round and was about to switch the light off when he saw Brody's weapon and magazine on the table.
"I will go put that away in the cabinet with mine, don't want it lying around" as he picked the weapon and magazine up and went downstairs
Brody nodded her head as she watched him pick the weapon up and clip the magazine back on before checking the safety and carrying it out the room. It would be weird sleeping without her weapon near her. It was a comfort come security thing she had come accustomed to over the years.
Pride appeared back at the door and stopped looking across at his makeshift bed and the women currently curled up in it. He presumed after tonight he would be spending less time on there and more time at her house in her bed. He couldn't really care less where they were as long as she was there beside him now.
Giving the place one last look over he switched the lights off and walked up to the bed. Moving the blankets as little as possible he climbed on the bed and tucked himself in as best as he could.
"Will you uncurl so I can get in please. It's tight enough in here without you taken up all the room" as Brody lay flat and wrapped herself around Pride.
"That better?" Brody asked Pride as she felt him wrap his arms and legs around her and pull her close to him.
"Much, now sleep" as he placed kisses along her forehead.
"Good night Dwyane" as Brody placed kisses to his chest as she buried her face deeper into him.
"Good night Merri" Pride replied with a huge smile on his face.
Brody caught the fact he was smiling just by the way he said her name.
"What are you so happy about?" Brody asked without moving her head.
"You just used my first name for the first time ever, I liked it and could definitely get used to it" Pride answered.
"Well since we are just about naked in your idea of a bed then Pride or even King seemed a little formal" hearing him laugh as she justified the use of his first name.
"Fair point, now get to sleep. Night night again" Pride said as he closed his eyes and cuddled up even more if that was possible to Brody.
"Night again" Brody said as she to closed her eyes.
As the 2 agents drifted off to sleep in each other's arms they both knew they were taking a big step forward in the relationship but they knew it would be worth it. In the job they did it could all come apart quickly so they both decided to live each day as it came and spend it together where the belonged, in each other's arms.