Disclaimer: If Haven or Sanctuary were mine, there'd be a lot more smut... Just sayin'. (see profile for a proper disclaimer)

A/N: Written for the Haven Comment Fic Meme over on LJ! Please go check it out, we need more prompts/authors..

Duke had never been more relieved in his life. He finally told Audrey about Lucy- that he was the boy in The Colorado Kid photo, that he'd known her when he was a child. He stood there, leaning on her car door, and gave her the necklace that her mother had gifted to him so many years ago. The town didn't explode and she didn't punch him in the face, so he figured that maybe he'd finally gone and done something right.

Reaching out, Duke dared to cup her cheek, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Comfort. An indulgence.

"I know you have questions, Audrey," he whispered, letting his thumb caress her jaw before dropping his hand down to her shoulder, the moment suddenly becoming far too intimate, "And when you're up to it, you know where to find me, okay?"

She blinked heavily, a tear sliding down her cheek as she looked longingly back down at the pendant like it was the most precious thing in the world. It broke his heart.

"Hey," he tugged her toward him, her side pressed against his body in a pseudo hug, "I thought we said that crying would not be tolerated?"

Audrey chuckled, leaning against him more fully, and without thinking he dropped a kiss onto the crown of her head.

"Yeah, well that was before..."

She can't quite find the words, and he knows exactly how she feels, "I know."

They stood there in silence, listening to the seagulls caw above them, watching as the bodies were loaded into the back of the Haven PD SUV. He tensed, realizing for the first time that it was almost too late. They'd get the Chameleon back to the morgue and by tomorrow they'd be cutting into it, seeing and learning far too much than they should be. He had to go. Now.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked.

She startled and pulled away sheepishly, looking up at him with a sad smile, "Yeah, I think so."

"Good. Remember what I said," taking her palms into his, he closed her fingers around the pendant, holding her tight, "When you're ready."

She nodded, and with a final squeeze, he was walking down the docks toward the marina already fishing his cellphone out of his pocket. He had a call to make.

"Hello?"

"Magnus?" Duke looked around, checking once more that nobody was listening in on his conversation, "We've got a problem. The troubles are back."

End.