AN-This is for the lovely BonesBird. It was thought up and wrote today on a bus with the intent of being a fluffy one shot. Wellllllll my fluffy one shot went out the bus window and I got this instead. So far its anything but fluffy and it's not a one shot. The only thing I can say that stayed was it's Prody. Hope you like it.
Chapter 1.
"Let's roll, we got to go meet an old friend of ares" Pride told his team as he grabbed his jacket.
Arriving at the docks there were meet by none other than CGIS special agent Abigail Borin. After getting a low down on the case she had they set to work. After hearing the story when they first arrived about an under cover opp that both Borin and Pride were on Brody could tell there a connection between her boss and the coast guard agent. She wasn't sure how much of a connecting but she was going to keep a lookout.
After Linda left him Pride had pretty much turned into a recluse. He hardly ever really left the office unless it was a case and when everyone went home he stopped there as he had all but moved in to the back room upstairs. Brody had to admit to herself if no one else that she had a soft spot for her boss. He was an amazing man who loved his town and cared deeply for the people in it. He had friends but she noticed most were just people he knew. She couldn't say he had many friends that she could say he had a deep bond with.
Over the past week she had been making more of an effort to try to pull him out of his melancholy mood and get him to come out more. When LaSalle and her had finished for the night she had suggest he join them for drinks or for a meal. He had finally said yes the night before and joined them but had left early as he was apparently tired. She needed to see how this case panned out to see if she could find a way to get him to open up more and go back to his normal chipper self.
After spending most of the day chasing leads and finally finding someone that agreed the coffee here sucked they called it a night. Brody watched as Borin tried to get Pride to come out for a meal and a drink with her but he turned her down with an excuse of paperwork. Well she decided if he wasn't going out she was stopping in.
Going in to the kitchen she set about making something to eat for them both before making coffee and taking his out to him. He didn't even look up when she placed it on his desk but did say thank you. She went back to the kitchen to continue cooking and wondered how long it would take him before he followed her in. Sure enough 5 minutes later he was standing propped up against the door jam looking at her.
"You not got a home to go to Brody?" As he watched her stir the pan on the stove.
"Yip but it's empty and since you won't come out I decided to stop in" as she looked up and smiled at him.
"Okay then, what you cooking?" As he stepped in to the kitchen and came to stand behind her looking over her shoulder.
"The only thing I can cook that comes out half decent and is edible" as she turned to see his head resting on her shoulder.
Turning her attention back to the pan she went back to stirring it only to have a spoon appear from no one and scoop up some of the contents.
"Pride! You couldn't wait could you and where did the spoon come from since you haven't moved? Is it a chef thing, you keep a spoon in your pocket just in case you got to test or taste something" Brody asked laughing.
"You're in my kitchen and the spoon thing is a secret. Since we are technically off duty its King or Dwayne" as he put the spoon to his mouth.
"Well since your King or Dwayne then I am Meredith or Merri" as she turned the stove off.
"Sure, that's not bad. You need a hand?" As he placed the spoon on the bench and found Brody had turned and was now standing facing him only inches away.
"No thanks other than taking a seat" as she looked him in the eyes and smiled.
She could feel the heat coming from his body and she could see the tiny laugh lines around his eyes when he smiled back at her. He needed to step back so she could move but did she really want him to step back. It was rare she got to be this close to him and she had to say it was nice, to nice in fact.
Pride looked at Brody and how close she was to him. He hadn't meant to get this close to her but now he was it actually felt good to be this close to a woman. He had been feeling a little out of touch with stuff lately and he was on his own now so didn't bother with much. He liked having someone to talk to and even cook for him. This night might not be as lonely as he had been expecting.
"If you don't move then we will end up with no dinner" as Brody took a gamble and placed her hands on either side of Pride resting on his hips.
Slowly she moved them both in a half circle so she could get out from being in between the stove and him.
"Take a seat and I will dish this up" as she pulled the plates closer to the stove and moved back to the stove to serve up what she cooked.
Pride nodded and went to sit down at the table, watching Brody as she busied herself serving dinner. Placing the plates on the table she went and grabbed a bottle of wine out the fridge she knew had been there a while. Placing it on the table with 2 glasses she looked at Pride as he looked at the bottle then back at her.
"What? We are not at work, well not in that sense so why not" as Brody tried to justify drinking wine with her boss sat in the office kitchen.
"I agree just never took you as the drinking type that's all" as Pride uncorked the bottle and filled the glasses.
"You should try coming out with LaSalle and me, that's a site and a half. Last time we ended up in LaSalle's bed after God only knows how many hurricanes" she told Pride then realised how that sounded.
"We were fully clothed and way to drunk to even stand up never mind anything else and I am shutting up now as this is getting worse the more I talk" as she started to laugh.
"I would give it up yes, this is actually not bad for someone who doesn't cook at all or says they don't cook" as Pride took another mouth full of his meal.
"Like I said it is the only thing I can cook. I am not one for cooking at all" as she started to eat her meal.
They sat eating and talking about random stuff but mostly about the undercover opp between Pride and Borin. When they were finished they got on about the current case and Pride mentioned he had seen Brody sitting with little Jeremy playing and how she had made LaSalle change his speech to protect the little boy. She shrugged it off and picked her wine up.
"You never thought of having kids of your own Merri? You seemed right at home playing with Jeremy" as he too picked his wine up and took a drink.
"I nearly did once but it wasn't meant to be. No big deal, as you can see this comes first" as she placed her badge on the table and leaned back in her chair.
"I know how that feels, that's how I am sat here now" as he too sat back in his chair.
The were both lost in thought at what had been and at what they had sacrificed to be sat where they were. They seemed to shake the feelings of remorse at the same time and looked at each other.
"Let's take this somewhere else" as he filled their glasses up and stood up.
She followed suit and stood watching where he was going. He went out into the main office and she heard the filing cabinet open and then closing. Sticking her head round she watched as he put his weapon away and came back towards her. She moved away so he could get passed her and watched as he went and took a seat at the piano.
"Name your tune" as he looked at Brody.
"I have no idea, you pick something" as she came and stood beside the piano.
Pride looked at her then back at the keys where his hands were resting. He had a think then started to play. It was an amazing site to watch, a big tough man like Dwayne Pride who could tackle suspects and even used them fingers to hold a weapon and kill someone if needed sat playing such beautiful music. He was a very complex man, NCIS senior field agent, father, cook and musician. He did things his own way and she admired him for it, even if at times they were a little unorthodox. He was an old school cop. She was sure she had been sent here in the start to see if she could reign in his temper and stop him hitting any more suspects.
As he played he glanced up at Brody. Why on earth was a beautiful woman like her here on her own? She was an amazing woman who had so many talents. She should be at home with a husband and kids being a family not stood here with him. He thought back to the conversation at the table when they discussed kids. What did she mean when she said I nearly did once but it wasn't meant to be? Did he actual want to know what it meant as he already had a fair idea. Had she faced the major heartbreak of losing a child. Looking at her she deserved so much more. As he finished playing he looked up at her and saw a tear escape her eye.
Jumping up he was at her side in seconds. Putting his arm round her shoulder he pulled her to his side.
"Come on let's go find a comfortable seat" as he lead her through the office and up the stairs.
Walking along the top corridor he lead them both to the back room which he used as his bedroom come living room come personal space. Guiding them to the couch he sat them both down then pulling back a little he looked over her as she sat looking at her hands in her lap.
"What's wrong? My tough little side kick never gets upset" not having a clue what say.
"That's the problem, I am sick of being the tough one. I have seen too much and done too much. I am not sure how much more I can take. Life has done nothing but deal me a crap hand and I want out" she replied for the first time in a long time letting her guard down a little.
"I take it this has something to do with the comment you made about kids earlier?" Seeing the shocked look on her face that he was listening and caught the comment when it slipped out.
"Yes" was all she could manage.
"Want to share what happened or shall I guess and you can stop me if I get it wrong" he asked her.
When he got no response he pushed on.
"How far along were you? And did you fiancé know? Did you even know?" As he saw her eyes cloud over and knew he was spot on.
"6/7 weeks and no to both till it was too late. That's one of the reasons we split, even after that my job still came first. He never understood how I could go back but it was the one thing that kept me sane, still is" as she stood from the couch and started to pace the room.
"Am sorry Merri, it must have been tough. Did you take time for you afterwards or did you just go right back to work and push yourself to move on?" Watching her pace as he spoke.
That made her stop, how did he know so much about her already? He had only known her a few months and he could read her like a book , he knew how to get her deepest fears and darkest secrets out of her, well most of them.
"Work came first, always has and always will. I never really thought about it at the time, just pushed it aside and moved on. Did my job and got on with life, that's how I deal with stuff" as she came to sit back down on the couch.
"Have you ever thought of trying again since then?" He asked as she sat back down.
"Thought yes but you need a partner for that and I married my job after last time. I never let anyone in to see me or get near enough to work me out" Brody said as she placed her head back on the couch and closed her eyes.
Pride sat watching her as he saw all the pain and hurt and anguish she had faced place across her face. He had no idea how to help. He had started this conversation and now he had no idea how to help. Doing the only thing he could think of he slid along the couch and took her hand in his giving it a squeeze. Brody lifted her head of the back of the couch and looked at Pride. He gave her a smile before he used his other arm to slid across her shoulders and bring her to him in a hug. They stayed that way for awhile as he tried to transfer as much comfort across to her through the hug as he could.
After a few minutes he felt her grow heavy against his shoulder. Looking down at her he saw she had fallen asleep. He moved a little to try to ease his way out so he could lie her down but found her move closer and hold his shirt. Feeling her fingers graze his chest as she slid her finger tips into the gaps of his shirt between the buttons he had to smile. His tough interrogator sent to keep an eye on him didn't look so tough now and he liked it. If she needed this comfort from him then he could give it, infact he liked it. He liked the feeling of being needed again by someone especially a beautiful woman.
Looking round he saw what his life had become, boxes, bags and living here, now he had someone who needed him and had started to open up to him. He was going to be there for her for as long as she needed him. Kicking his shoes off he turned a little so he could move to bring them both sideways to a lying position on the couch. As he moved he noticed Brody seemed to hang on tighter. When he had finally managed to move them both from the sitting position they were in to the now fairly lying position he grabbed the throw from the back of the couch and covered them both. Leaning slightly he placed a kiss to Brody's head as he pulled her closer to him.
"Good night Merri sleep tight. I got you" as he closed his eyes.
"Good night Dwayne, I know you have" was the reply he never expected back.
AN2-This was going to be happy then the evil voice in my head shouted at me so Brody got it again. At least she got snuggles at the end with more to come.