A/N: So yeah, another one, that only two people on this site are going to look at. But, Imma post it anyway!
I do not own, nor shall I ever own CBS's BrainDead, there would be a lot more of Aaron Tveit's face if I did...
"Senator Wheatus's man?" Laurel doesn't really hear anything either Anthony or the other agent said after that. All she could hear was Luke telling her that he was going on Double Speak against Gareth Ritter this morning.
"I-I ha-I have to go." She thinks she mumbles something else as she walks out, but she's not really sure. Her only thought being that she needs to find out if Gareth is really dead. Laurel's mind is a whirling vortex of shock and terror. She really has no idea what she is doing, only that she has to find out if it's true or not.
They are the FBI, so, they know what they're talking about, right? But then that means that he is dead.
What is she supposed to do? How is she supposed to feel right now? She's only known him for about a week, and right now it feels a little like the ground is coming out from under her.
Never has the walk upstairs to the other offices felt like it has taken so long. Granted, again, she's only been working here for the past week.
Was the office really this big? Why are so many rooms needed for the staff of one senator?
Oh God, he's not here, and none of the remaining hill-staffers are looking at her. Whether that's because she's 'working for the enemy', or if they know what's happened, Laurel has absolutely no idea.
His office is empty, and the door to the Senator's office is closed.
Oh God, it's true, Gareth's dead.
"Laurel?"
She whips around, eyes going up haltingly not really believing that he is just standing right there. She knows that everything she is feeling is written on her face, because the charming smile falls off of his.
0o0o0
Gareth walks into his office, sees Laurel there and feels surprisingly happy at the – uh, the surprise of seeing her there. He calls out in question and the look on her face has him immediately stepping forward and asking,
"What's wrong?"
She ignores his question in favor of one of her own about the Double Speak that morning, of all things. He tells her there was a change in plans, that the chief-of-staff did it.
"Why?"
"I just, I-I thought it was you." She looks almost relieved as she says it. Something is still wrong with her, she still looks a little shaken for some reason.
Gareth tries to break the tension with a joke, and she takes a breath, like she's gonna speak. But then she just turns around and starts to leave. He calls out to her to stop, asks her, again.
"What?"
She says 'nothing', but then asks about the chief-of-staff. Confused, still, Gareth asks, why, again. Laurel says the FBI had been in to see her, telling her that Senator Wheatus's staffer on the show that morning had died.
"And I thought it was you." The look on her face pulls at his heart a little, and he's surprised that she was so worried about him. There's a split second where he feels like he wants to hold her, tell her that he's okay.
But then what she said sinks in.
The chief-of-staff, Jonathan, is dead? He has to ask the senator! Gareth walks over and opens the door to Red's office. The senator looks at him as he's on the phone, pulling the phone away he confirms what Laurel said. All he can do is turn around and just look at her, wondering.
Why did the FBI go to her about this?
Hope you people like it! Reviews are my life's blood.