Disclaimer: I don't own Body of Proof and don't intend any copyright infringement
A/N: once again written together with cedricsowner. As always her help is invaluable….
"If I'm wrong about her, what else am I wrong about? My father? Am I being cruel to my mother because I'm not seeing the truth that's right in front of me?"
And, on an even closer note, am I wrong about us? Could there - *should* there even be an "us" again?
Megan felt her thoughts starting to windmill. Especially the last one had taken root in her mind quicker than she could banish it.
"Megan, you're being pretty hard on yourself. You're better at your job than anybody I know."
That was so Tommy…. Not really knowing what to say, but still wanting to say something… just to make her feel better. If she was honest with herself, she had missed that.
"Come on, let's go get a drink."
And that was Tommy, too. But no way, NO WAY, would she agree this time around. Their last outing had almost ended in disaster, despite her determination not to give in… right now, she wouldn't be handle that kind of temptation again… not when she felt so unsure about what was right and what was wrong…
"I don't think so."
"Okay…."
For a moment Tommy just looked at her, although it felt more like he was looking through her – right into her mind... and into her heart. Then he walked over to the couch and sat down beside her.
"That bad, huh?" he asked.
Megan's eyes met his and for a split second an image flashed up in her mind – a boat teetering on the edge of a gigantic, roaring waterfall, threatening to go over….
"Come here, girl." Tommy reached out for her and before her rational mind could react, some long buried instinct took over and she let him pull her into a tight embrace.
The boat went over the edge… and lo and behold, it didn't get shattered into a million pieces.
The moment Tommy's arms closed around her it was as if the last twenty years simply faded out. The warm, solid strength of his body, the slight traces of his aftershave…. She felt as if she was wrapped in a warm, soft, comforting blanket. He had always been able to make her feel like that – safe and protected, no matter what had happened and how hard her day had been.
It felt so good not to have to think, not to have to be rational, logical, always in control….
With a small sigh, she relaxed into his embrace, her face cradled against his shoulder and he buried his face in her hair.
The words were barely audible, spoken so softly that she wasn't sure if she had really heard them – or if a part of her had simply wanted to hear them.
"It's alright, Megan. I'm here. I will always be here for you – if you let me."
THUD
Megan jerked awake. The folder she had been reading again and again, the one in which she had collected everything about her father's death, had slid to the ground.
Shivering, she sat up and looked around.
She was alone.
Her shoeless feet were cold, too.
Glancing at the clock on the wall she realized Tommy must have left hours ago.
She had sent him away.
Her blue pullover was one of her warmest. Yes, she wasn't wearing socks, just stockings, but the office's floor heating system kept the rooms' air at a constant temperature.
There was no reason she was shivering…
Unless of course she really wasn't seeing the truth right in front of her.
Maybe it was indeed time to put their past behind them.
And start out anew.
Together.