Note: A few episodes ago, I suspected they'd be putting these two together on screen, and I for one am glad. They have a chemistry together, I can feel it. Even if all they remain is friends, I'm looking forward to seeing where they're headed, especially after last night's episode.
This was written in a caffeine-fueled surge of inspiration. It's not perfect, but I hope at least someone out there likes it.
The waiting room is surprisingly empty, and for that, Sadie is grateful. In the corner, a weatherman talks about the weekly forecast, and she can make out the sound of some doctor or another being paged, but all of it is a blur really because she can't stop looking at her hands. After the officers arrived on scene, they'd taken her statement and insisted she go to the hospital as well to get checked out. She'd done so, although begrudingly, and it's only now that she realizes she hasn't washed the blood caked to her palms and under her fingernails.
"You don't have to stay here, you know."
Sadie jumps, looking up at the sound of someone so close to her. She smiles, taking the cardboard cup of coffee from Luke's hand, and offers what she hopes is a smile. "Neither do you."
"Well," Luke says, slowly sitting in the chair next to hers. "After everythin' you and I have been through today, we're friends. And friends help each other out. Besides, I was your ride here, wasn't I? I can't exactly leave without at least making sure you get home safe. It just wouldn't be right."
She laughs, tilting her head up to stare at the fluorescent lights overhead. "There were already news trucks outside the building when we left, which means the papparazzi's bound to have caught wind of this already. If I go home, they'll be parked outside my house. I guess I kind of figured I'd just stay here 'til I came up with some other plan. You can go home, I'll be fine."
Luke watches her closely, the way she tucks her lip between her teeth betrays the fact she's fighting back against the tears he sees pooling in her eyes, and she's clutching the coffee he handed her so tightly he's almost surprised it hasn't spilled. "Darlin', after what happened, I'm not so sure bein' alone is what you need."
"I'll call a cab, find a hotel somewhere close by, and take a shower. As long as I can get this damn blood off of me, I'll be-"
"Don't say you're gonna be fine, Sadie," he says, wincing at how loud his voice was. He mouths an apology at a nurse that scowls at him as she walks by. Turning back to Sadie, he places a hand on her shoulder and shakes his head. "After what happened, no one expects you to just get back to life as usual. And hey, let me tell you somethin' else. It wasn't your fault."
"What happened was I shot my ex at close range. Yes, he came at me, but I didn't have to do that," Sadie replies, raising her hand to brush a tear away, but stopping at again seeing the stains.
Luke gets up, grabbing a kleenex box from a table nearby. He hands it to her and sits back down, angling himself to face her. "The building has security cameras who will have filmed what happened. That, and you appeared this morning on a national news program this mornin' and talked about all the hurt you've been through 'cause of him. The cops'll investigate, sure, but Sadie, what you did was in self defense. They can't blame you for that."
She lets out a hollow laugh, setting the coffee cup on the floor beside her before taking a tissue from the box in her lap, taking a few moments to collect her thoughts. "You know what the worst part is? I'm not sure how I want all this to turn out. If he doesn't make it, I have to live with the guilt of what I've done, self defense or not. But I know that if he does make it, Pete will violate every law and source of protection that's been placed on me to make sure I'm the one that ends up in the ground."
It's not often that Luke finds himself in this sort of situation, giving advice to someone he barely knows, but he can't help the pull he feels to help her. Even if it's outside of his comfort zone, he finds himself wanting to help her, whatever that might mean. "There are two armed officers standing outside his room. They were there when he was in surgery, and they will be there when he wakes up. Or two more just like them. Even if he doesn't end up in jail, which I'm pretty sure he will, he's not gonna hurt you again."
There is a certainty in his voice, and while she doesn't feel quite as confident, someone voicing that idea makes her feel at least a little better. She smiles, the combination of the jet lag and the high emotions of the day catching up to her, and she doesn't even try fighting a yawn. "I don't suppose I could bum a ride to a hotel from you? At least that way I wouldn't have to explain why I'm such a mess."
"Of course. Or I could do you one better than that."
Sadie look back at him, and it takes a few moments for what he's suggesting to sink in. "No, I couldn't possibly ask you to do that for me. I've already imposed enough. Maybe I should just call a-"
"You don't have to call a cab, Sadie. If it's a hotel you want, then that's where I'll drive you. But look, my place is so big, you won't even know I'm there. Plenty of space to roam around. Just until the dust settles," Luke replies. In truth, he's a bit surprised by his offer. He wouldn't suggest the idea to just anybody, but he's also struck by how he'd like her to be safe. Her refusal to lay down vocals in the studio earlier in the day resurfaces, and he realizes what might be a source of her hesitation. "Look, if what Rayna might think about this whole situation is what's bothering you, then you don't have to say yes. But you know if the tables were turned and she was here with you right now, she'd be offering the same thing."
"It's not that," Sadie replies, shaking her head. She fiddles with the tissue in her hands, tearing at one of the corners. "Well, at least not entirely."
Overhead, another doctor is paged. An older woman settles a row of chairs over, casting a curious glance in their direction. Two nurses exit an elevator close by, talking excitedly about what they plan on doing while on break. A janitor exits a room down the hall, shutting the door a bit too loudly. And next to him, Sadie fights the urge to close her eyes. Even if she doesn't take him up on his offer, Luke knows she needs somewhere more comfortable to sleep. "I tell you what," he says, standing up, clapping his hands together. "I'll just start drivin', and you can decide along the way. You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to."
There is a warmth in him that she can't quite place, and she almost feels guilty for turning down the collaboration effort earlier. Truth be told, at the moment she doesn't entirely care where she goes, so long as it includes a hot shower and someplace cozy to sleep. She realizes she must have been staring too long when he reaches a hand in her direction, gesturing for her to stand. "Sorry, it's been a long day."
He sighs, fishing his keys from his pocket. "That it has."
It's not until they're safe in his truck that Sadie feels the need to talk again. "You really don't have to do this for me. Any of it. But I just want you to know I appreciate it. Thank you.
Luke nods, checking his mirrors before he backs out of the parking spot. It crosses his mind that the night could have gone a lot differently had he insisted on walking her to her car, and probably even more different had he not followed his instincts and driven around to make sure she'd gotten to it okay anyway. Friends, collaborators, whatever they were-he was just glad she'd be okay. "Anytime."