Title: Questioning Fate

Author: AnitaB

Author's notes: I own nothing from Haven and nothing I do own would be worth winning in a lawsuit. No money is made and no infringement is intended. Set just after the 'fate' episode, my Duke figured out what Nathan was really talking about in their conversation and decides that his favorite pair of cops obviously need a little more active help in finding their owned charted path. And luckily enough a case gives him enough background to be useful, and their personal pain for a little while. Audrey/Nathan romantic committed smut coming up. Oh, and I don't acknowledge the season finale or its conclusions on either Audrey or Nathan's, shall we say, origins.

Questioning Fate

By AnitaB

Chapter one: Putting the pieces together.

"It wasn't Jess, was it?"

Typical Duke. That conversation had been weeks ago and neither man had mentioned it again in the time in between. Now, out of the blue, in the middle of a case where the bar owner/local smuggler had inside information on the objects connected with their weird murders of the week, he wanted to talk about it. "Blowing up smuggling boats in the marina? No, I don't think that Jess came back to Haven to attack our thriving black market trade. Do you?"

Duke made a frustrated sound from a foot behind him before Nathan found himself jerked around by a fistful of his jacket. "Damnit, Nathan. That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

"All I know, Duke, is that I let Audrey bring you in on this because you said you still had connections despite your new found status as a supposedly law-abiding citizen." Nathan let his eyes track across the docks to the woman in question. Audrey was crouched next to Julia over the latest body. "So are you making those connections for us or should I send you home with detention." He dragged his gaze back to the criminal standing way too close to him just in time to see the edge of a smile on his face.

"It wasn't Jess, it was never Jess." He knew exactly what Duke was talking about, had noticed the man watching him very closely since that slip about fate. But that didn't mean he was just gonna give in and tell Duke anything. "You haven't told her, have you? You haven't told her anything."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nathan turned away and fought to keep his eyes off Audrey in the process. "Get back to work, Duke, or I'll arrest you for obstructing justice."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, you goddamn idiot." This time Duke shoved him against the ship's railing and growled almost in his face. "You can feel Audrey's touch, can't you? That's how you knew the chameleon had copied her, isn't it?" One hand flashed across his eyes before the sound of his own breath rushing out let him know that Duke had punched him in the chest. "And you never told her. Why haven't you told her, you stupid bastard?"

Nathan thunked his head back against the pole at his back hard enough to make an audible thump. "I can't. God, I've thought about it dozens of times." He closed his eyes. It was bad enough that he had to look himself in the face in the mirror. There was no way in hell he wanted to see the pity and disgust on Duke's face. "I can't tell her, Duke. I'd lose everything."

"She's going to figure it out eventually. I've known you for years, Nathan, and you never touch anyone like you've been touching her. Audrey's smart, and it's going to hurt her a lot more that you didn't tell her something this big yourself." Duke took a step back and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he didn't notice the contact until he opened his eyes. "Maybe it is fate. Maybe she's meant for you." The criminal glanced over at the women before he leaned close again and lowered his voice. "But you have to tell her. You're her partner and she trusts you. Partners don't lie to each other, don't hide from each other."

"It's not that simple."

"How's this for simple? How long are you going to live off high fives and handshakes before you can't stand it anymore and shock the hell out of her with something more? What are you going to lose then?"

"Hey, Nathan! Come take a look at this!" Nathan clenched his eyes at the sound of Audrey calling for him, hating that Duke was right there to watch every helpless little emotion cross his face.

"Your partner's calling for you. Aren't you gonna answer her?"

"Be right there, Parker." Nathan fisted both hands in Duke's shirt and dragged him out of Audrey's line of sight. "If you tell her anything, no one will ever find enough of your body to identify you. Do you understand me, Duke?"

Dropping both hands, he took a few deep breaths and headed towards Audrey across the dock. Behind him, Duke started laughing. "I give it a week, and this is one show I wouldn't miss for the world."

One of these days, he really was going to put Duke in jail and make it stick.

000

"Damnit, Duke. What's wrong with you?" Audrey found herself close enough to Duke's chest to count the stitches on his shirt pocket. Slapping both hands against his ribs, she shoved him back a step and glared. Yeah, he was helping them on a case and his so called connections had put them on the right track. But that was days ago and he was still hanging around. Audrey quite literally stepped on him when she turned around this time. For days he'd been invading the hell out of her personal space with a smile and laugh. It was driving her nuts. "What the hell is up? Damn, what did I do to make you my personal stalker this week?"

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about, Officer Parker." He sat on the edge of her desk and smiled at her. "I thought I was helping you and Nathan with the smuggling boats."

Nathan snorted behind his desk and shot her a quick, sympathetic look. "Yeah, you're helping us. Really…"

"Yup, that's the plan, Officer Wournos. I'm just helpful like that." Duke's smile got even wider when he turned it on an oblivious Nathan, whose head hadn't lifted from the paperwork before him.

She was missing something here, something big. Audrey hated feeling clueless. Nathan had been acting weird for what seemed like forever and Duke was flirting harder in the last few days than he had since her first week in Haven. He'd been touching her too. They both had. Duke kept putting a hand on the back, helping her up steps, a dozen different things. But only when Nathan was around to witness it. And Nathan hadn't left them alone in a room for more than twenty minutes all week.

/What the hell is going on here?\\

Frankly Audrey was about to shoot them both and let the rest of the boats in the marina merrily be blown to bits unless someone explained it right the hell now. And based on how little luck she'd had in getting Nathan to come clean, it was time to try out Duke. "Like hell," Audrey poked Duke hard in the chest. "Enough, you are coming with me." She spun on one heel and caught the strange expression on Nathan's face before he went blank and a little scared. "And you are staying right there until we get back. Don't move an inch, or I swear I'll do something to you that you'll never forget."

Hooking one finger in the front of Duke's shirt she led the laughing man to the first open interrogation room. "Now sit down and tell me what the hell is going on with you guys."

"I have no idea what you mean, Audrey." You'd think he'd be a better liar with his rather extensive criminal record.

"The hell you don't, Duke." Audrey flopped into the chair. "You're using me to get at Nathan. Nathan's been acting really weird for weeks, but won't tell me why. You haven't touched me this much in… well, ever. And I can't even turn around without stepping on one of you, you're both hovering so damn close. What the hell is going on?"

Duke smiled, wide and warm, reaching across the table to claim one of her hands. "I can't tell you, Audrey. It's not my secret to share." He kissed her knuckles despite her glare and a rather forceful attempt to take back her hand. "All I will say on the matter is that it's Nathan's tale to tell and that it's very important. Go beat it out of him and don't let him hide from you anymore." She just sat there speechless as Duke pressed another kiss to the back of her hand and stood up by her side. He'd never smiled at her like that before. It wasn't at all flirtatious. It was weirdly tender and sweet. "Good luck, Audrey. Call me if either of you need anything."

She was still sitting there silently with her mouth open as she watched him walk right out the door. "What the hell is going on here?"

/It's Nathan's tale to tell…\\

Well, if it was Nathan's story then he was damn well going to tell her. Audrey stood sharply, frustration edging into anger in her blood. "Oh, I'll beat it out of him if I have to." She bounced the door off the wall slamming it open so hard. "Nathan, we have to talk." He'd never in all the months they'd worked together looked so damn scared as he did right this moment. /Damn, Duke was right.\\ "Come with me, right now."

000