Deductive Reasoning
D/C – not my characters, some spoilers for season 1 but not season 2 though that's when I'd set this.
As Audrey settled into the passenger seat of Nathan's big blue truck she noticed him click his neck from side to side before he reversed.
"Your neck playing up? I thought that would be an advantage of your condition," she tried to keep her tone light but she was a little worried, it was moments like this when she realised that in some ways she was used to thinking of Nathan as superhuman, he never complained so it was easy to think that his not feeling pain meant he didn't get hurt.
"It's nothing, just a little stiff," Nathan blew it off.
Audrey nodded and left it at that, "So what did the witness say exactly?" he asked drawing his attention back to the case.
Later at the scene, she noticed him absently press his right hand against his lower back as they were talking to a witness. Audrey didn't say anything but she frowned and made a mental note of it.
At the station that evening, when it was already an hour past the send of their shift and he was still doing paperwork, she brought him a cup of coffee and noticed his left hand was rubbing his neck as he read. She passed him the coffee and his blue eyes flashed up from the file and his freehand hand dropped from his neck as he smiled and said, "Thanks, what time is it?"
"Time for either a late dinner or a really early breakfast?" Audrey suggested sardonically.
"You should go home," Nathan said pointedly.
"Like you're one to talk," she returned and then, after a moment of deductive reasoning, "Hey chief, when was the last time you bought a new bed?"
Nathan looked at her with confusion. "How about never? This is Haven, everything's an antique, its part of our New England charm," he reasoned batting his eyelids sarcastically.
"Okay, but what about the mattress? Those things aren't meant to last forever; just because you don't feel how uncomfortable it is doesn't mean it isn't doing you any damage. I've noticed you Nathan, something is going on. You've been rubbing your back and your neck all day and I actually saw you slouching earlier, you never slouch."
"Dr Watson, I think you might be on to something but when do I have time to look for a new mattress?"
"Make time, I'll go with you if you like, not that I'll be much help."
"Sounds great Parker, but isn't that a bit above and beyond the call of duty, even for you?"
"We'll go on our day off, you can buy me lunch," Audrey smiled.
"Sure," Nathan smiled. "It's a - - plan," his tongue stumbled over the last word, he'd almost said "date," he wanted to say "date" but this was just a friendly outing, when he took Audrey out on a "date" he wanted it to be a real "date" with nice clothes and candlelight, he wanted her to know she was going on a date, he wasn't going to blindside her just because she was such a caring, considerate co-worker. A considerate co-worker who was going to come with him to look at beds, which is perfectly innocent in the circumstances, Nathan reminded himself.
"Great," Audrey smiled. "I could pick up a few things in town anyway."
"Yeah, good. Um, so you're right I need to call it a night, this can wait. You want to get a drink at The Gull?"
"Nah, I think I'll just head up to bed but if you want to give me a lift I wouldn't complain, I got a lift into town with Duke this morning."
"No worries, I'll just grab my coat," Nathan offered. "Thanks for the coffee Parker."
"Hey I had to keep you awake so I could bludge a lift," she smiled.
The banter continued as they headed out of the station.
A/N: I really wanted to write a fanfic where Audrey offered Nathan a massage but somehow I just couldn't get them there, there are so many boundaries up between them – especially physical ones, but instead I got this which is much more angsty but a little bit more them and I'm now envisaging a sequel fic where they go mattress shopping together, I think that would be super cute.
