Okay, honestly, this story was inspired by Doctor Sara's tweet. I just couldn't get it out of my head, and I had to write it down.
She held the gun to Murphy waiting for everyone to come busting down the doors. She knew neither of them would shoot, but they had to make this look real, and they only had so much time before everyone would start to wonder why neither was trying to make a move.
She saw Nick and Amanda come bursting through the doors with some other cops. Please, Nick take me. She trusted him the most, she didn't want some other cop she had only met maybe once or twice before to restrain her arms behind her back. She put her hands up and surrendered as soon as Nick started walking toward her. Nick walked over to her, and she felt relieved it would be him. She hadn't been handcuffed since... well, since the granary. She didn't know how she was going to react to the familiar feeling, but she knew as long as Nick was with her, she would be safe. She didn't have anything to worry about.
"Turn around." Nick ordered, and she followed his instructions. He was harsher than she had wished, but she understood he couldn't blow her cover yet, this had to look real.
"Okay. Easy." She whispered, trying to make sure he was gentler with her than he was with others. He listened to her, and left the cuffs loose. The cold, hard metal on her wrists was alarmingly familiar. Harris. Lewis.
She looked back at the scene around her to hopefully keep her in the present. It worked. Nick started to guide her out of the house. The basement. The beach house. The granary. She pulled at her restraints, hoping to shake those thoughts out of her mind. I can't get free. The basement. The beach house. The granary. Harris. Lewis. She looked to Nick, but he wasn't paying any attention. He looked straight ahead as he walked her out of the house. They walked outside the house. It was dark. The basement. The beach house. She pulled again at the cuffs, but they only offered the same familiar restraint as always. Her heart raced in her chest and she tried to push the thoughts away, but they wouldn't leave her. "Un cuff me." She said quietly, but he didn't listen. "Un cuff me." She said louder.
"What?" He asked.
Harris. Lewis.
"Un cuff me." She said sternly, trying to fend off the flashbacks.
"Why?"
The basement. The beach house. The granary.
"Nick, just do it." She couldn't admit why. She was starting to panic. She knew she was safe, she knew neither Lewis nor Harris could get to her, and she felt stupid for panicking, but she couldn't help it. Her breathing became shallow, and Nick quickly took off the cuffs.
"Are you okay?"
She brought her wrists to her chest, and tried to control the panic the handcuffs had ignited. "Liv, you're okay, just take a deep breath. Take your time." He comforted, noticing her panicking. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and it brought her back to the present.
"I'm sorry, Nick. I-"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She assured.
"Okay." He didn't need an explanation, he didn't want to hear what had caused her to panic. He knew. It was the same thing that always made her jumpy, a little more paranoid. He didn't want to want her shamefully admit it was him, again. "They'll go away." He told her.
She nodded, grateful it had been Nick, and not anyone else with her in that moment. He had been so supportive, and she knew this wouldn't make him treat her any differently than before. Neither one knew who initiated it, but they both pulled in for a hug. A very long, overdue, hug.
I wanted to keep it short, I have two other stories I'm working on, and I didn't want to take too much time away from them, but I needed to get this idea out of my head. Maybe it was a stupid idea, but please let me know what you thought.