The thing about forensic psychologists, Ashley often muses, is that they watch. Not the regular watching either. They noticed the tiniest things. And the connections they made could make her head spin.
Or maybe that was just one forensic psychologist in general. Will Zimmerman. He seemed to pick up things from the tiniest cues. The quirk of an eyebrow, a dart of the eyes, a twitch of the hand; Will seemed to be able to read these things like a book.
Like that year they did a Secret Santa in the Sanctuary. Her mom put names in a hat and they had all drawn. Ashley had gotten the Big Guy. Will had picked her name. She had been going mad with curiosity at the possibility of who her Secret Santa was because the gifts she had gotten were so innately personal. Finally, on Christmas Will stepped up to give her a Kelley Clarkson CD. To be specific, the Miss Independent single that Ashley had been dying to own but would never admit to anyone because that would admit she liked pop music.
She cornered him outside the SHU the next day. "My mom doesn't even know I like this music," she had said. "How do you know?"
Will had shrugged. "I heard you humming it in the kitchen. Remember, that day after you got the knife slash on your back?"
Ashley's eyes had widened. "That was in November. Before mom even thoughtup this little game."
Will had given her his own particular little smirk. One where the left corner of his mouth quirked up and there was a sort of smugness in his eyes that usually wasn't there. "I know," was his only answer.
It had been the first time she'd seen the smirk. Oh, but it hadn't been the last. Far from it. Every time Will had a particular insight—especially about her—he got that look on his face. He got a certain swagger in his step and cocky stance to his body. It gave Ashley the shivers in a very, verygood way.
The second time Ashley had seen it, they were out shopping. Her, Henry and Will. A day to stretch their legs and just get out of the craziness for a little while. They were walking by a military surplus store and Ashley had glanced in the window. She'd noticed a knife so beautiful that it was almost a work of art. But she had shoved it out of her mind just as quickly since her mother had banned her from buying any new weapons. Her glaze flicked upward to see Will also looking in the window, wearing that smirk. The knife was on her bed the next day.
The presents were wonderful things but Ashley hadn't noticed the smirk pattern until about two months later. They were in a meeting with her mom. Ashley didn't even know what it was about because she was busy daydreaming about the new nightclub that was opening tomorrow night. It took her mother sharping calling her name to bring her back into reality. As she jumped, she realized Will was staring at her with that smirk of his. He continued to look at her for a moment while smoothly answering her mom's question without a moment of hesitation.
The nightclub opening had been their first date. Apparently Ashley had been idly tracing its name on the arm of the couch while she waited in the meeting.
But if one was to think that Will only noticed things like that, they would be quite wrong. Will was quite good at using his talents in other areas too. Like when they started moving from just kissing to necking and heavy petting. Will had rained kisses on her neck and Ashley's breath had hitched for no more than a second. Still, he had pulled away with that smirk on his face.
When they fell into bed later on, Ashley had learned just how sensitive her neck could be. And that Will's tongue was talented at more things than just spitting out complex phrases.
Will didn't only notice the good stuff either. He noticed her annoying habits, her mood swings, even her troubled times. But most importantly, he noticed when she was angry. Not the usual angry. The 'I'm so pissed I either need to stay in the shooting range or I'll go on a killing spree' sort of angry. The kind that generally happened when she was either dealing with a very pesky Abnormal, had found out a secret of her mother's she didn't like, or was having thoughts about how much like her father she really was.
Each time Will was there for her. Whether it was a warm bubble bath after a very strenuous work out, chocolates on her pillow when she came back from the shooting range, or just a pair of arms to hold her; Will always knew what she needed. And he was more than happy to give it to her.
"Ashley! Hey, Ashley, wake up!"
Ashley was startled from her musings by the window by aforementioned forensic psychologist—and best fiancée in the world—calling out to her. "Hey, Will I guess I was daydreaming. What do you need?"
"Your mom wants us in her office. I think she has wedding stuff to go over."
Ashley turned to face him and realized he was wearing that smirk again. She wondered what she had given away this time. As she walked past him, a grin blossomed on her face. It was true she didn't' know what he had picked up from her but she sure couldn't waitto find out.