And Home Is Where We're Found
Disclaimer: I'm so psyched for the premiere I won't even complain about not owning them. Inspired by a tumblr prompt that kind of got away from me.
XXX
Night fell slowly over the rooftops of New York City. Through the shadows, Sameen Shaw slipped around corners and through alleys, remaining unseen. To her luck, however, she wasn't following a number. She and John had spent the last week dealing with a whole group of high profile numbers, perps and victims both, and she was finally getting to go home.
Home. What a strange word to be floating around in the ex-agent's head. A word that until last year, she had thought died with her father in a burning car. But things had changed since then. Thanks to the team, Samaritan had been destroyed, and Shaw had finally been brought back – broken, a little bruised, but alive. Root and the guys – Root especially, much to Shaw's chagrin – kept watch over her the whole time. She spent months healing and building up strength. Eight months after being rescued, Shaw had stopped feeling like she would snap and kill her friends. She was eating, sleeping, and could finally manage to beat Root in a fight. (She'd done it to stop the teasing, but Root wasn't such a bad fighter. Not like she'd admit that.)
Over time, Shaw and Root had grown back together. Finch had forced the hacker to keep her distance when Shaw first returned, but she came back, over and over. Shaw celebrated her one year away from Samaritan by kissing Root again (to shut her up, of course), which slowly got them to where they were right now. After that, Shaw had reached out to find Gen, who had been a nervous wreck over not being told anything for nearly two years. Gen and Shaw and Root, no one would have ever thought. But it had been two years and three months since Samaritan was killed, and they had been brought together.
The apartment building loomed before her, and she quietly slipped into the yellow lit lobby. The elevator ride was short, and for the first time, Shaw didn't feel the overwhelming need to shoot the camera in the corner. She stepped out onto the fifth floor and walked to the end of the hall. She inserted her key and exhaled slowly.
Inside the apartment, the lights were still on and there were pillows – pillows? – scattered on the floor. Shaw unloaded her coat, shoes, and gun by the door and made her way toward the giggles permeating the air.
In the living room, she found a mess – pillows and cushions were laid out on the floor, and an open pizza box sat on the table. Root and Gen were jumping from couch to couch; the younger girl giggling madly as she tried to evade the hacker's grasp. Root was stumbling for balance but still grinning, and Shaw found herself smiling despite her mild annoyance.
Taking a step forward, she announced, "Do I even want to know what's happening here?" Two heads whipped around in unison, and Shaw watched as both of their faces lit up.
"Shaw!" Gen exclaimed, leaping from the couch to a pillow and catapulting herself into Shaw's arms. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too, kiddo," Shaw admitted.
The bouncing blonde grinned widely and jumped back to the couch. "The ground is lava!" she yelled, gesturing for Shaw to join them.
"Yeah, Sameen, you don't want to burn out there!" Root agreed, and Shaw rolled her eyes, muttering something about them being too old for this crap. But their pleading looks got the best of her, and she scrambled up beside them on the cushions.
Gen bounced away, exclaiming, "Don't let Root get you!" Shaw grinned as the hacker wound her arms around her anyway, ignoring the teen.
"Are you home for good?" Root asked. Shaw could see the concern in her eyes – they would talk about the mission after Gen was asleep – but they both hated being away for longer than necessary. With Gen to take care of, they hardly went away at the same time, so it was rough. But this feeling, this warmth and slight joy that was filling Shaw's body, was worth it.
"Yeah Root, I'm home."
"Good. I missed you." Root leaned in and kissed her deeply, much to Gen's dismay. ("Oh my God, do that later, stop ruining the moment guys.")
Once she got her mouth back, Shaw grinned. Root was smiling like a giddy child, and Shaw reveled in the moment. "I missed you too, Root." She let the hacker squeeze her close again before leaping across the room to Gen. "So what are the rules here?"
The girl began to explain, and moments later they were all running after each other, avoiding the floor. Laughter echoed late into the night. When they were finally in bed – Gen across the hall and Root's head in her shoulder – Shaw relaxed in the knowledge that this was going to last. They were going to be okay, they were happy. This was finally coming home.