Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes
Author's Notes: This is all A/U, but I wrote this assuming that Nathan and Audrey had at least semi-solved the release of Troubles from Duke. This has not been beta'd, so all mistakes found are my own.
Also, I noticed on Twitter that it was Havenprincess' birthday today, so I wanted to dedicate this to her in her honor. It's been sitting in my writing file for a while now, and figured there was no better day than today to post it.
Summary: Audrey takes her moments season by season.
The Seasons of a Year
Spring
The thing about living in a coastal town in Maine was that the threat of rain was always there, no matter what the weather may have been even five minutes prior.
She had always thought of spring as her favorite season - regardless of whose memories she was pulling from. It was always the start of a new beginning after the cold months of winter, and was a promise of what could come.
The past few months had been a living nightmare for both of them, but the proverbial ship had righted, and she was looking forward to what could come with him. He, who was always by her side. Even now, as they walked through town, sipping their coffees from Haven Joe's, when she looked up at his stunningly blue eyes, she knew her stalwart partner/best friend/lover would be there for her, no matter what the year may bring.
And spring was always the best time to enjoy the town. The stores were getting in their new merchandise, locals were climbing out of their self-imposed lockdowns from the winter, and only a smattering of tourists could be found. The air seemed crisper, the buildings cleaner, and the people chattier.
This spring was no exception, and it was the first one that she knew she would be able to truly enjoy, and she was looking forward to it. They held hands as they walked down the street - only letting go to swat at the mosquitos that were happily feeding on anyone that dared to venture outside. The air was just cool enough to be comfortable, but the rising humidity threatened the clear day. And as they turned down a street to head towards the water, they could see clouds quickly building, threatening to douse them with rain at any moment.
The town pool was in sight when the heavens opened up, and the spring storm had captured them in its grasp.
They ran hand in hand laughing towards the gazebo - the only refuge from the sudden downpour. But as she neared the steps, she stopped and put her arms out, face turned towards the sky. She looked up at the rain drops falling, and as they drenched her clothes, she could feel all the stress from the past few months wash away. She didn't even care in that moment how horrible her hair would be with all this water.
She felt a set of strong arms grab her waist, and she looked into his laughing eyes as he whisked her up the stairs and into the safety of the gazebo. He took her hand and led her towards the bench on the far side, so they could watch the boats in the harbor. She fell into his lap when he tugged on her hand, and laughed while wrapping her arms around his neck. They sat together, content, watching the people on the dock below run for cover, while the boats in the harbor buckled down to wait for the spring shower to pass.
It was one of those absolutely peaceful moments that had been way too few and far between for them.
She framed his face with her hands, and pulled him in for a kiss as the rain beat down on the roof above them. She could feel her hair starting to frizz, but when he reached out and tucked a stray lock behind her ear, she knew he didn't care. She could look like hell, and he wouldn't care. He hadn't cared during those weeks when her body slowly fell apart. No, instead, he had done everything he could to make her feel as normal as possible.
She noticed that his shirt was soaked through and she itched to peel it off of him. Even if he couldn't feel it, she knew it was uncomfortable. Her shirt was completely drenched, and was starting to stick and shift around, chafing her skin. And as his eyes swept over every inch of her torso, she suddenly remembered she had worn a white shirt that day - a white shirt that was now very much see through.
Her face flushed, even though she was with him - he had already seen every single inch of that skin without clothing impeding the sights, and would again many times over. She leaned in to whisper in his ear, and laughed when she was swept up in his arms. He crushed her chest to his, so as he ran through the streets with her to the Bronco, there wasn't a chance in anyone seeing what she reserved for only him.
When they made it back to her apartment, she had tugged him towards the railing, framing his face in her hands as she brought his lips to her. They were already soaked through anyways, so what the hell. The rain was so soothing - a cleansing of the soul. As he slipped his tongue past her lips, she moaned into his mouth, and felt him pull her body closer to his. In the back of her mind she wondered if he could feel her through their wet clothes, but when his hands pulled her hips into his, she lost all coherent thought.
The humidity in the air began to drop, and she shivered in the cooling air. She didn't want to leave his lips or the warmth of his body, but was ready to listen to the rain from inside. He pulled her just inside the door, and they helped one another strip out of their wet clothes, leaving them in a heap.
Hours later, she curled against his hard, lean body, listening to his steady breathing as he slept. And as the rain danced on the roof above her, she thought about how spring was definitely still her favorite season. Their whole year was laid out in front of them, and they had been washed clean of the ugliness of the past.
Summer
Summer brought a whole new level of intrigue to the town. It was during these months that the town population seemed to swell. Kids were off of school and running throughout the streets, parents were taking time off to spend time with those same kids, and tourists were flooding in to watch the boats in the harbor and eat the amazing seafood that summer always seemed to bring. Restaurants that had patios were suddenly the hottest ticket in town, and more often than not, locals would end up having community BBQs so that they could enjoy the summer months in peace.
And with all those tourists came plenty of extra cases - mostly a few extra traffic collisions, the always present drunk and disorderlys, sometimes a broken-into car, and on those super rare occasions, the ones she looked most forward to, was extra crowd control at a local festival on the beach. Crowd control was never exciting, but since she was considered one of the more senior officers, she could sit towards the back of everything, and just people watch. And sometimes, he would even show up and sit with her, sitting just far enough away from her to keep it professional, but close enough that it would drive her wild with anticipation for the end of her shift.
She loved the summer.
Her favorite activity of the summer however, had been sitting for hours in a boat, drinking beers, and fishing on the open water with him. It was just the two of them, in a happy companionable silence, with only the sound of the waves lightly slapping against the side of the boat. She had initially refused to partake in this summer tradition of his, but in all honesty, she couldn't say no to him. So, she had gone, and had absolutely loved it the first time. It also helped that she had caught a bigger fish than he had, so it had turned into a kind of competition between the two – one that resulted in various bedroom activities for the winner later that night.
There was that one time though, when they had forgotten sunscreen. That wasn't fun for either one of them.
But then there was that one evening where they had found themselves alone in the town swimming pool, and by some grace of god, no one had caught them in the act. They never would have lived it down. But it had been one of the most romantic and thrilling moments of her life, and she prayed that at some point this summer they would be lucky enough for it to happen again. Especially since after they had finished, they had clutched to the edges of the pool and had watched the sun set. The sky had been set ablaze that night in a painting of colors that could never be replicated, and she had been able to share it with the one person in the world that made her feel whole.
Today she sat on the patio at the Gull. Her hair was pulled high in a ponytail to give her neck room to breathe, and was clad in short shorts and a tiny tank top. She couldn't even think of wearing anything more than that. And frankly, if she hadn't been sitting on the patio at the Gull, she would have been in even less clothing, but she had to maintain some semblance of professionalism, no matter where she was. She was an officer of the law, after all.
Beads of sweat rolled down her back, and she had a brief moment where she was tempted to just jump in the water at the edge of the patio. Her apartment was just upstairs, so it would be easy to change, but it was so hot, she didn't even want to get up and move.
She squeaked a little as he pressed the cold glass of beer to the back of her neck, but it instantly made her feel better, so she leaned back into the glass for a few moments. She sighed as he pulled it away and leaned around to hand it to her, but the cold amber liquid it contained slightly made up for it.
They sat in a circle with a few of the officers and their significant others who had made their way to the Gull for cold brews. It was blissfully one of the few places where the locals still outnumbered the tourists. The group began laughing more and more as the empty glasses piled up. Soon, it was becoming a better idea all the time to dive into the cool water that was so close to them. She waved him off with a shake of her head – she had already decided no on the water, and no amount of alcohol would change that – and so off he went with the other males in the group. She stayed chatting with a couple of the female officers, and had closed her eyes in laughter at a joke when she felt a soaking wet pair of arms snake under her legs and around her waist, hoisting her up in the air. Her arms automatically wrapped around his neck for security, and as she saw the teasing glint in his eyes, she shook her head emphatically, knowing full well that her fate was already decided.
She bounced in his arms as he ran towards the water, laughing against his neck the entire way, and then she was flying. The water enveloped her in a cool cocoon, and she couldn't remember why she had written it off. And then he was next to her, his arms around her much as they had been on land, and he treaded water for them so she could just float in the cool water. She pressed her cheek to his and didn't care at all how unprofessional they may have looked. They were simply two people in love, floating in the cool waters near one of their favorite places on earth.
Fall
She could give or take fall. Sometimes it carried over the heat from the summer, but other times it welcomed an early arrival of winter. This particular fall had been one of the warmer varieties, but as the trees began to shed their leaves, the cool winds of winter began to blow in.
People would drive for miles to come see the changing colors of the leaves in the area. They would go from an emerald green to a vibrant candy apple red seemingly overnight, and would dance through the air to a melody that only they could hear. Fall decorations would begin to appear, and the younger children would begin planning their costumes for Halloween that year as the older kids would begin planning their pranks for the night.
During the day, she would often find herself sitting in the little gazebo by the police station, cradling a warm coffee between her hands, watching the world go by. The leaves would dance their dance through the air around her, and she could see all the way down to the water. It gave her time to think and reflect on her life and how it had progressed through the seasons so far. As the season wore on, the temperature continued to drop, and she would have to add more and more layers to her clothes, but it didn't matter, because it was peaceful.
Sometimes he would come out and sit with her. Never saying anything, because he knew this was her time to reflect. She loved those times he would come out. She would watch his lanky body climb the slight hill to the gazebo, his hands always shoved in his front jean pockets, and she would gasp every time those blue eyes of his locked onto hers. Sometimes, his gaze was so smoldering, she couldn't help it – she would put her coffee cup down on the bench beside her, meet him at the top of the gazebo stairs, and wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him in a kiss so deep that neither ever wanted to let go. His arms would wrap around her waist and pull her close, and the world around them would fade away. Other days, his gaze would be tired, and she would wait for him to come to her, opening her arms to beckon him in. He would settle in next to her, and she would hold him, easing away his stress. On days like that, she almost didn't mind when he stole her coffee. Days like this, he would just sit beside her, draping an arm around her shoulders, while she would lay her head on his shoulder, and they would watch the world go by as the leaves danced their dance.
It was closing in on the end of the season, and she had wanted to get away – had been bugging him for weeks – and finally he relented. The station could do without them for a few days, she had argued, and after threats of never helping him with his paperwork again, he had sighed and agreed.
He brought her to the cabin that for her, held only good memories, but for him, held some darker ones. She had told him that they could have gone anywhere else, but it was a special place for the two of them, and neither could decide anywhere else they would rather go.
The day was turning cool as they drove, and the wind was picking up in its ferociousness. Occasionally a wind gust would hit the Bronco like a cement truck, and he would have to overcompensate to turn into the wind. She never worried about his driving – she trusted him completely. The heaters were finicky though and would never work right, leaving the cabin of the truck either freezing cold, or blasting hot. Finally she gave up and bundled up in her jacket, opting instead to dream of the warm fire of the cabin, and how the whole room would heat up and stay warm for hours – regardless of the state of dress they were in.
The cabin soon came into sight, and as he trudged around to make sure everything was turned on and wood was gathered for the fire, she unloaded the Bronco of the groceries and overnight bags they had packed, and set to work on putting everything away. It was always cold and musty when they initially opened the cabin, but she didn't mind. It would soon be filled with smells of a wood fire burning, food on the stove, and that smell that was uniquely him – a smell that would often permeate her clothes for days after, and she didn't mind.
They ate and played board games, always constantly touching each other in some manner or another. Touch was so important to both of them, and she would never shy away from it. The old tinny radio station switched from background music to a soft waltz, and he held out his hand for her to take. She placed her tiny hand in his large grasp, and was pulled up against him. They slowly swayed to the music in front of the fire, their bodies moving as one. Neither could think of a place they would rather be than right there with each other.
As the night wore on, she made sure to make up for his dark memories, thoroughly implanting better ones. He had fallen asleep before her that evening, which gave her time to think and reflect in the silence. The wind began to pick up, and as it whipped against the cabin walls, she suddenly felt small in the world, so she pulled him closer to her. Even in sleep, his arms wrapped tighter around her, and she breathed in the scent that was uniquely him, and started to relax. His body warmed her front, and the still smoldering fire warmed her back, resulting in her being enveloped in a feeling of safety.
She thought of the dance of the leaves that was going on outside just a few feet away from her, and drifted into a deep sleep that could only come when she was wrapped up in his arms.
Winter
As she pulled her wool hat down on her head as far as it would go, she thought again how much she hated winter. The only good part of it was that it led into her favorite season. But, as she thought back to the previous night, and how the light from the fire had danced across his naked body as he hovered over her while they made love on the floor, she thought that maybe winter wasn't all bad.
His eyes found hers across the crime scene and instantly she felt her body warm. She knew her face must have flushed at the smoldering look he sent her, but thankfully anyone near her would attribute it to the cold wind that was blowing.
He had taken all the officers involved in the crime scene that day out for dinner – to thank them for braving the cold he said – and had pulled her chair extra close to his at the restaurant. They were all jammed together at the table anyways, but knowing he wanted her close warmed her heart.
The day of the ice storm had been the worst though. Or, the best, depending on how a person chose to look at it. They had arrived at the station together first thing in the morning. He had told her to bring extra clothes because a storm was blowing in, and it was expected to hit fast and hard. As the morning wore on, it seemed as though everyone in town had gotten the memo, and it was deadly quiet. Around noon, the sky started darkening, and he began letting people go home so they could beat the storm. By mid-afternoon, the freezing rain had started, and he sent the last officer home. It was only the two of them, and a few night staff personnel. She had always tried to remember their names, but saw them so infrequently, she finally gave up. Even today, when they had been the only other people in the building, she still barely saw them.
They had decided to stick it out for a few more hours, and then try to get home before the worst of the storm hit. It was already decided they would go to his house – the road to the Gull was going to be just too dangerous, and getting out of that parking lot if there was an emergency would have been next to impossible.
The last night staffer to arrive had thankfully brought a huge bag of burgers and fries. He had grabbed one for himself and her, and had taken a plate of fries for them to share. When he came back to their office, he had shut the door and closed the blinds, telling her he wanted privacy from the night staff – he wasn't in the mood to talk about the weather.
They had eaten sitting side by side at his desk, and when she stood up to head back to her desk to finish up her paperwork before they left for the day, she could feel his finger curl in her belt loop and tug her towards him. The simplest of touches from him always sent heat racing through her body. She held onto his shoulders as his hands snuck up under her shirt, but she could feel her knees getting weak. And when she felt his lips touch her stomach just above her bellybutton, she was ready to come undone. She suggested they close up and head home, but he had had other plans. He stood up, and twisted her so that she was sitting on his desk, and he was leaning into her, pushing her down.
For a brief second, her mind had registered that they were in their office, on his desk, but he definitely didn't seem to mind. The thrill of getting caught had reminded her of the pool all those months ago, and suddenly she didn't care. All in all, the day of the ice storm for her, had been one of the best days of the season.
Interestingly enough however, one of the simplest pleasures she had found in the dead of winter, was his reaction to her touch. Her fingers were always cold – no matter if she remembered her gloves or not. She had discovered the simple pleasure one day completely by accident, but it was so hilarious, she made sure to do it whenever she could. So whenever he wasn't paying attention, and she realized her fingers were cold, she would sneak up behind him, snaking her hands under his shirt, and placing those cold hands on his chest, resulting in the most unmanly of a squeak. She would dissolve into giggles every time, and more than once, found herself slung over his shoulder, and run through the house and outside, with the threat of being tossed in a snow bank. He never made good on his threat, but she knew there would come a time when it would happen, and she would have to accept it, and just sneak up on him again another day.
Without a doubt however, the best part about the winter was waking up in his arms on a weekend morning. They would be buried underneath a fluffy duvet, wrapped up in each other, and almost always gloriously naked. He was much more of a morning person than she, so she would roll over onto her stomach and watch that lanky body of his that was reserved only for her, move over to the kitchen to start her coffee. He would slip back under the covers with her while they waited for it to brew, and eventually the smell was strong enough to get her moving. Sometimes he did other things to help get her going too. Those were her favorite mornings.
And as she traced her fingers in lazy circles on his chest and felt his fingers duplicating those circles on her back, she couldn't help but think that every season this year had been a pretty good one for her – and for the two of them. She had to admit, it had been a good year, and she was more than excited to see what spring was going to bring for them.