A Million Reasons

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the canon characters to the TV show and movie franchise of The Librarians. They belong to TNT and any other respective owners of the fandom. Any OC characters, however, are owned by me. Also, lines in italics belong to Lady Gaga from her new song Million Reasons.

Flynn loves Eve. There's no way around it. He loves her with every fiber of his being, from the top of his tussled hair to the tips of his constantly curling toes. Upon meeting her, Flynn realized just how true his late mother's words were.

"The things that make life worth living can't be thought here," she would say, resting a finger to his forehead to point to his brain. "They must be felt here," Mrs. Carsen would then tell her son, placing her other hand on his chest near his heart.

Flynn understands now. Love makes life worth living.

Books and knowledge give him so much joy and life, but neither could compare to what Eve gives him. Even though he has only known Eve for just a few months, he has felt his heart swell with what can only be described as love. Whether or not this love is true love, Flynn cannot quite say for sure yet, as this is the first real time he has been lovesick or felt this strongly about a person in well…. Ever. Sure, there had been Nicole- his first real girlfriend and first Guardian- and Simone- the vampire who died to save Flynn's life from Dracula- but he had never felt his heart pound so much in his chest, has not worried so much about needing to say the correct word or statement one hundred percent of the time. Wow, was this what love truly felt like? Truly? Could he trust his heart when his brain was telling him not to get involved with a woman that was meant to be his Guardian—He still has a hard time calling her that some days, in fear that she will either die or leave him like Nicole did. Would she? Better yet, had she left already since he left to go on a solo mission once more like he was used to?

If I had a highway, I would run for the hills.

Before he had grown closer to Eve- he would begrudgingly admit it to anyone who happened to notice- Flynn really had no reason to stay at the Annex for any longer than was absolutely necessary. The Head Librarian didn't have Judson, as he was dead and had been for many years. The original Librarian was now lost to Flynn, as ties to the mirrors had been cut off, and thus, Judson could not talk Flynn through the magic of the mirror that allowed his body and spirit to float among the Library and give Flynn advice about his life and new feelings regarding Eve. Flynn could run; he had nothing left at the Annex now that the Library has been cut off from the Annex entirely.

The Library had been his entire life for most of the last ten years, especially once his mother died and Flynn had been left alone in the world, save for Judson and Charlene.

I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away.

Truthfully, he did. Flynn could come up with dozens, okay, so maybe not millions, of reasons why he could leave the Annex and never look back. Jenkins had his phone number and could call or get into contact with him if need be when new cases came up in the Clippings Book. That was the first reason.

Secondly, Flynn worked alone. He didn't need a Guardian in his life to protect him. Flynn was able to handle himself for ten years after Nicole left, thank you very much. And, he certainly didn't need three new Librarians who didn't even have training to mess up his regular schedule of saving the world twice by Friday every week.

Thirdly, this new sense of love was bothering Flynn. Honestly. He didn't know what it was, but he couldn't be around Colonel Eve Baird without feeling his palms getting sweaty and having to wrack his brain for something to say that was intelligent instead of his go-to pick-up line about someone's face being the perfect example of the golden ratio. He had tried that once when he didn't believe Eve was listening, but fortunately Ezekiel was the only one to hear him. Flynn had threatened to destroy Ezekiel's comic book collection if he squealed to Eve, making the Australian thief stop immediately, if only to save his precious comic book collection. It definitely wasn't because he was scared of Flynn; the young thief had faced worse, more dangerous adversaries in his past and wasn't scared in the least bit.

As a fourth reason, Flynn couldn't bear to think of losing the Library, and with it, Judson and Charlene. Judson had been like a father to him since Flynn's own father had been killed when Flynn was just a young boy with very few of his own memories about his dad. And when Flynn's mother had died, Judson and Charlene comforted him and made sure that he ate and took care of himself even when the grief began to eat him from the inside out like a succubus or even like a gnawing pit of fire that wouldn't leave Flynn alone no matter how hard he tried to escape it. Charlene had become a mother figure to Flynn, albeit a sarcastic and tough love kind of mother figure who didn't let Flynn get away with half of the stupid plans he had been able to get past his mother. Without either of them left, Flynn had the hole come back to gnaw at his heart, and it began to kill him when he thought of all the people he has lost in the past ten years since becoming the Librarian.

But, baby, I just need one good one to stay.

Eve was slowly starting to become that one reason for him, but Flynn didn't want to admit it at first. When she kissed him when he was going to leave on his solo mission while she stayed to train her, no their, LITs, he almost couldn't think. Or breathe, for that matter.

"Come back alive, Librarian," Eve told him in her no-nonsense Colonel tone, but anyone who knew her, like Flynn was slowly starting to, he or she could tell that Eve meant it as a sentimentality.

"I will- Uh, yeah—"Flynn had floundered, not quite sure what to say before he walked away.

What could he have said to that? For a genius and Librarian, he hadn't had to take emotions into the equation for quite a long period of time, and the process, frankly, Flynn still doesn't know how to handle situations where emotions are required.

And with that, Flynn Carsen headed out into the dangerous unknown by himself to take out a magical threat that Dulaq and Lamia had undoubtedly had part in releasing into the world. He began to wager whether or not he should return when the mission was over or if he should stay out as long as he could to neutralize as much damage as he could.

I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away.

When he returned, the LITs were better at being Librarians than when he had left, and Flynn attributes that fact to Eve's discipline. Not only was Eve's discipline the factor in getting the LITs to become well-trained Librarians, but each LIT's skills could be said to be the reason why he or she excelled in Librarian Training. For example, Jake had not only art and history knowledge, but Eve quickly found out that he has impeccable fighting skill. Although, it can be said that she had to train him how to fight in open spaces, as Jacob Stone had mostly only been used to bar fighting in Oklahoma where he had grown up and spent a good majority of his time after he got through working on the oil rig for the day.

Ezekiel, well, Ezekiel was another story all together. He tested and tried Eve's patience at almost every turn, and he insisted on doing a lot of solo work, as the Australian thief considered himself to be anonymous and better at his job than the other LITs happened to be at their own jobs or skills. Eventually, he had fallen into an almost son to mother relationship with Eve, and he began to listen to the colonel that he called Mama Baird behind her back.

Cassandra was her own set of challenges, as her synesthesia and "brain grape" held her memories back occasionally or let them all flow out like an increasingly strong river. There were some days when the redhead got completely overwhelmed and needed one person from the team or everyone to help her work through her senses and overflow of information all while offering their support whenever she had another doctor's appointment or a procedure at the hospital.

And Flynn had missed all of that development. But, he can say that these people are slowly starting to become a part of his life. Frankly, it scares him, because he's never had to be responsible for anyone in his life other than himself, especially once his mother died.

But, baby….

I just need one good one, good one.

Flynn just wanted one good thing in his life. Was that too much to ask? Then came the kisses with Eve, and the time she broke his heart.

"No kiss this time, I think," she had practically whispered, and Flynn walked away heartbroken as he realized Eve truly was upset with him for not telling him all the details.

If he had been a dog, Flynn would have walked away with his tail between his legs. But, instead, he walked with his head low to the ground, wondering when he would be able to start putting Eve's emotions and thoughts ahead of his own.

"Well, look at that, Librarian. You're becoming human after all," Charlene teased him one day in the past before the Library had been ripped away from him, and then once more when the Library was restored and Flynn came by to drop off his receipts.

The older woman still went off on a tangent if even one of the travel receipts was not saved. Even if it was for a $2 drink Ezekiel had bought when they went to Memphis, Tennessee to check out a possible "Elvis coming back from the dead incident". Jake had been a little skeptical at first, knowing good and well how some folks down in Memphis have similar conspiracy theories like that nearly every few years. Ezekiel had been bored out of his mind, stating there was no way The King would come back after all these years without the help of magic. Cassandra began to think that Elvis could have had access to magic and that was how he had been able to get women across the United States to fall in love with him. Eve wanted no part in their theories, and instead opted for actually doing their job. Come to find out, it was really just a mannequin of Elvis that some lower level magic user had brought to life and wanted to stir up a commotion with.

Flynn hadn't gone on that trip, instead opting to recover a stolen tiger cub from India who was stolen by a European tourist turned witch who intended on using the tiger cub for her familiar. The world of magic definitely was a strange place sometimes, and Flynn was just happy he could return the cub- who Flynn named Sangha after one of the tiger cubs in one of his favorite movies Two Brothers- where he belonged with his mother and two siblings. All during that mission, Flynn had wished his dashing Guardian and girlfriend… Was that what they were? Did she consider them to be boyfriend and girlfriend? He certainly did. But, the question was, did Eve? Did she?

All of this thinking led to Flynn getting bit on his hand by the rambunctious tiger cub named Sangha he was playing with while trying to find the cub's mother who Sangha would surely die without her care and protection. Flynn had laughed at the cub's playfulness and strength before setting the cub back down inside of the protective cat kennel he had brought from the United States. Well, it was more like a dog kennel, as Sangha is a very large cat, but those are just details in Flynn's mind. With Sangha back in his protective carrier, Flynn began to think more about his blonde, beautiful Guardian, all while riding on the back of an elephant he rented the services of to take him to find Sangha's mother. Well, he had a tour guide in front of him to you know, actually guide and direct the elephant through the forest and tiger's territory, but it was the first time Flynn had ever ridden an elephant before, and all he could think about is how he wanted Eve by his side to tell him to be careful and then laugh as he played with Sangha. Knowing Eve, she probably would have wrapped up Flynn's small injury, but the Librarian did not think such a wound merited immediate medical attention. Sangha was just a cub, so Flynn equated his bite with that of a teething puppy or a young dog that got too excited when a new friend came over.

"It's a harmless bite, really, Eve," Flynn found himself saying, and that made the elephant guide turn around, a confused look on the man's face. "Oh, right. Sorry. You thought—I—I'm just used to talking to another member of my team, and she- Well, Eve's back in the United States with the rest of our team in training," Flynn rambles, and the man in front of him rolls his dark eyes before turning back around, deciding he didn't really care to hear any more of Flynn's long ramblings.

Tell me that you'll be the good one, good one.

It's nearly three years later, and Flynn and Eve have settled down and made quite the life with one another. After one especially memorable Christmas Eve where Flynn proposed and Eve handed Flynn a key to a house, the happy couple moved in together and then built a life as husband and wife. During this time, everyone at the Library has never been happier, especially with the new development between their Head Librarian and one and only Guardian.

"How did you sleep, Guardian?" Flynn calls one night from the Philippines where he was on one of his missions.

It may be the middle of the night in the Philippines, but it is just now morning back in Portland, so Flynn knows that his dear Guardian and wife is waking up for the day.

"I would have slept better, Librarian, if your son hadn't been kicking me all night long," Eve tells her husband as she sits up in bed and prepares to go and fix herself breakfast for the morning.

"Eve, we've been through this," Flynn laughs as he runs one hand through his constantly tussled brown hair. "We didn't want to know if we were having a son or a daughter until that day arrives. How do you just know we are going to have a son?" the Librarian smirks over the phone, and he can hear sighing in the background as his wife opens the refrigerator.

"Oh, trust me, Flynn. I think I would know. Our baby seems to have his or her Daddy's restlessness and overall energy at all times of the day," Eve assures her husband as she gets out two cups of yogurt and the carton of orange juice in addition to the package of bacon.

"Eve?"

"What now, Flynn?"

"You just said his or her Daddy. You accepted the fact that you have as little a clue as I do about our baby's gender," Flynn continues smirking, and if he was in Portland right now, Eve would have to wipe the goofy look off of his bragging face.

"Oh, shut up, Librarian. Goodbye. Sleep well. Talk to you later," Eve practically growls, clicking the phone off with the crook of her shoulder while pouring a glass of orange juice with one hand. "I seriously hope you don't have the incessant need to prove yourself right to me, little one," the ex-NATO colonel whispers to her unborn child as she rests one hand on her stomach.

Baby, I just need one good one to stay.

Flynn would never run away from his family that now consists of Eve, their first baby on the way, all three of the LITs, Jenkins, and the ever-present behind the mirror Judson and Charlene. He had a long history of running away from both people and emotions, but falling in love with Eve helped him to not run away from those he cares about while also learning about all the emotions he had never felt prior to their relationship. Flynn has found a reason to stay in Portland, Oregon at the Annex, and he could not be happier with how his life has turned out. He really does love Eve more than learning itself, and the Head Librarian just cannot imagine life without her now. There are a million reasons why Flynn loves Eve, but one of his personal favorite reasons is how she keeps him grounded and not constantly feeling as if he needs to run away from his problems and people that care about him.

"Look at them, Charlene. I knew they would make it," Judson says as he watches the interaction between Eve and her unborn child after she talked on the phone with Flynn.

"Yes. Eve makes Flynn so happy, Judson," Charlene agrees before she looks back into the mirror and watches Eve continue to talk to her unborn child. "I knew I liked her from the beginning when she came to the Library with her invitation."

And with that, the Original Librarian and his Guardian walk hand in hand through the other side of the mirror to go and check on Ezekiel who is attempting to break into a museum in Rome to obtain a stolen statue of Medusa that when used could bring the real Medusa to life in the hands of amateur magic users.

Author's Note: And there it is! My first Evelyn FanFiction for the shipathon! I am super excited to be joining the event this year, as I did not know about the one last year until the week after it ended. So, I hope everyone enjoyed, and I always appreciate comments on what you liked or think needs to be improved. Now, this story primarily was meant to be a character study/reflection piece, thus why there was not a lot of dialogue. For the rest of the week when those stories eventually come out, there will be plenty more dialogue included. And, I threw in a bit of Judson X Charlene, because why not? There was definitely some secret romance between the two going on in the movies, I tell you! The way they look at each other reminds me of how older Flynn and Eve would look at each other. Ahem. Enough rambling from me. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed, and keep a lookout for the rest of my additions to the Librarians 2017 Shipathon! Have an amazing day, afternoon, or night!