First story for Chase. Not sure how I like it, but my muse compelled me to write this after seeing last night's episode.
Disclaimer: I'm not suicidal and would therefore not even think about stealing something from Jerry Bruckheimer. :)
The ride back to Houston had been quiet so far. Luke had dozed off on the third row of the SUV. Daisy and Marco seemed to be engrossed in something on the laptop just in front of him, best not to ask questions where those two were concerned. Jimmy chanced a quick look at the driver's side where his partner was gripping the wheel with white-knuckled hands. "Alrighty, then, let's break the ice a bit…"
"Annie, you know that makes twice in two days I've had to pull you off the edge of a ledge? Let's not make that a habit, alright?" His only response was a short chuckle from his partner and a general easing of the tension in the vehicle. "Besides, we both know I'dve let the bitch go if I thought you were really gonna fall." That brought a good round of laughter from everyone in the truck and lightened the mood for the rest of the ride home.
Several hours and a mountain of paperwork later, the team of Marshals headed out for the evening and straight to a bar to unwind from the past days' events. The five spent time drinking and watching Luke have his ass handed to him at pool by a chica half his size. When it became apparent that Luke couldn't even see the cue straight, much less aim it, Daisy took him in hand and bid goodnight to the others.
"I see Marco found himself someone to keep company for the evening." Annie twisted around to see that her friend had indeed hooked himself quite a looker. "Yeah, he's not comin' back to us tonight."
"Hey Annie, you know what I said, earlier, about not makin' the whole "ledge" thing a habit?" Jimmy waited for Annie to bring her focus back to him, "I know what I signed up for. When we became partners, when we became friends."
"All part of the job then, is it? We both know I like to jump head-first into trouble without really thinkin' it through. But I know you're only a couple steps back ready to save my ass from being a splat on the concrete." Annie raised her beer to her partner, her friend and drained it in one go. "Alright, you good to drive, or you spendin' the night in the bunks again?"
"I'm good, Boots. We'll see you Monday morning." Jimmy watched her leave and thought through what he knew of her and ledges. She liked to jump from the real ones, but the ones that involved stickin' herself out there emotionally, socially? Hell, he'd been waitin' to see that for years. He knew, even though he'd joked about lettin' Karen fall, but the truth was, he knew Annie had needed to save her. If only because she saw something of herself in Karen's life.
With a deep sigh, Jimmy drained his own beer and headed for the door, waving at Marco on his way out. He was acceptant to the fact that being Annie's partner really did mean always being ready to pull her back up from a ledge. But as his partner and best friend, he was more than happy to be there for her.