Title: Benefits Package

Rating: M for scenes of sex and mild language.

Set: pre-"Friend or Faux." Obviously goes AU from there.

AN: So now with the Haven season over (and can I just say, finale = OMFG!) I'm getting around to posting again. And you folks voted, and here's your winner, with more than three-quarters of the vote, an Audrey/Nathan friends-with-benefits story. It turned out a little differently than I intended, but I'm pleased with the finished result for my first time writing anything sexual.

Updates will be every Sunday and Wednesday.

A special thank you to Faith_Chan, my super kickass beta who rescued this story from my finicky muse monster. She helped me so much with this story I feel like I should list her as a co-author. She's the brains to my brawns. :)

Chapter 1

It all started out innocently enough. Or at least as innocent as getting wasted at the Gull after a hard day of work can possibly be, anyway.

Audrey tipped back another shot of whiskey and fought the urge to cough as the alcohol burned its way down her throat. Damn, when Duke said he was breaking out the good stuff he meant it. She set the glass on the table and blinked slowly, waiting for the room to stop swaying.

"You bowing out yet, Parker?" Nathan asked and when she looked across the table at him his stare was challenging. Never one to back down, Audrey promptly pushed her glass to the middle of the table for a refill. Nathan smirked.

"If I'd known you two would be this much fun I'd have done this ages ago," Duke said as he poured whiskey into everyone's shot glasses. Once they were refilled they each took a glass and tipped them back.

Audrey swallowed and took a deep breath, her eyes almost stinging. On her left Evidence Crocker turned her glass upside-down on the table and held her hands up in surrender. "Okay, I fold," she said.

"Seriously?" Duke asked in surprise. "Shame, you used to be able to hold your liquor so much better."

"Oh that's not why I'm out," Evie said. "It's just that one of us has to stay sober enough to make sure you don't fall in the ocean and drown trying to get home tonight."

Duke gave her a wide, shit-eating grin. "Awh, Evie, you do care!"

Evie laughed. "Hardly. I just don't want you to die before I get a chance to update your life insurance," she said, looking around the Gull appraisingly.

Nathan snorted behind his hand in a weak attempt at hiding his laugh. Duke shot an overly-dramatic glare at him, which was more comical than anything because of his blood-shot eyes and flushed cheeks. Audrey chuckled and settled back in her seat, feeling warm and contented. It had been a rough couple of days at work, dealing with an outbreak of Troubles that had wreaked absolute chaos in town. In the end they'd found out it was three different Troubled people at work, and they had finally managed to get everything reigned in. To celebrate Duke had invited them down for drinks, his treat. Audrey suspected that his generosity had something to do with the fact that one of the Troubled people, who'd died during a freak accident, had the maze tattoo on his arm. Duke seemed to be in the mood to celebrate whenever another one of them kicked the bucket.

Besides, she wasn't in the mood to question his motives. It was comfortable in the Gull, she was relaxing with friends, and they still had little under half a bottle of very high quality whiskey. Friday nights didn't get much better than this.

"Alright, who's in for another?" Duke asked, lifting the bottle questioningly. Audrey slid her glass to the middle of the table and across from her Nathan did the same, that teasing smirk still on his lips. She wasn't quite certain when friendly drinks had turned into some kind of competition, but she was game for it. They didn't break eye contact as they threw back their shots and when they'd set the glasses down again, Audrey returned his grin.

Four shots later Audrey was feeling more than pleasantly warm. At some point in the last ten minutes the Gull had suddenly begun to feel incredibly hot, so she'd shed her jacket and her button-down, leaving her in just her camisole and jeans. Nathan was laughing at something that Duke said, which was indicator enough that he was drunk, and Evie was just sitting back and watching them all, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Evie," Duke said suddenly, changing tracts mid-sentence. "You know what I think?"

"No, Duke, what do you think?" Evie replied with a cool smile, clearly humouring him.

"I think that you and I should go back to my boat," he said, drawing several of the syllables much longer than necessary like he was trying to make a point. "And continue this celebration in private." He paused and then said, "Unless of course Officer Parker wants to join us. I would be willing to accom- cacom- amcom... I'd be okay with that."

Audrey wrinkled up her nose. "Gross," she said.

Duke shrugged. "Worth a try," he said. "I just thought maybe you'd be interested. It's a good way to unwind. Wouldn't hurt to get laid."

"Jesus, Duke," Nathan said, giving him a disgusted look.

"Yeah, you too, Mister Chief," Duke said. "Get laid and get rid of all that sexual tension, it'll make it a lot easier for all us to be around you. Might make you nicer. Helps the job too, if you're not so stressed out."

"Okay Duke," Evie cut across, standing up. "Let's go."

"We're leaving?" Duke asked in confusion.

"Yes, we're going back to the Rouge, remember?" Evie said. She walked around the table and took his elbow, pulling him to his feet. His brow furrowed in thought for a moment and then he grinned.

"Oh yeah, right," he said, nodding. The action made him lean slightly to one side and Evie was quick to pull his arm over her shoulders to steady him. "Okay, officers, go home. Time to close." He and Evie started heading for the doors, Duke saying in a sing-song voice, "If the boat's rockin', don't come knockin'."

"Fine," Audrey grumbled. She grabbed the whiskey bottle and her jacket, and then stood up. It took a minute for her to get stable on her feet, and when she looked across she saw Nathan was still doing the same thing. The rational part of her brain reminded her that there was no way he could drive home. "C'mon Nathan," she said, gesturing for him to follow. To her surprise he tailed her without complaint, out onto the deck and then up the flight of stairs to her apartment.

"It smells nice up here," Nathan said idly as he flopped down on the little loveseat, looking around.

"Thanks," Audrey said. She tossed her jacket and work shirt onto the desk chair and then sat down beside him, the whiskey bottle in her lap. Forgoing glasses, she just took her next swallow straight from the bottle. "This is good stuff."

"Mmhmm," Nathan agreed, pulling the bottle from her grip to take a drink. "Wonder what country he stole it from?"

"Probably a far away one," Audrey mused. "Like, Asia."

Nathan frowned thoughtfully. "I don't think Asia's a country," he said. Audrey, whose mouth was busy with the whiskey bottle, just shrugged in response. Honestly, she couldn't be bothered with geography at the moment. When she handed the bottle to Nathan she leaned sideways against him, resting her head against his shoulder. He was surprisingly comfortable.

"Your hair tickles," Nathan said with a soft laugh. He reached over and touched the place where a few strands of hair had come loose from her ponytail and were trailing against his bicep. "And it's really soft."

Audrey smiled, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder. It was much cooler in her apartment than it had been in the bar, and it felt good to curl up next to Nathan's warm body. He gave a quiet hum and she glanced up at his face. The moonlight illuminated his features; his strong jaw and high cheekbones and heavy brow. His cheeks were tinged pink and the front of his hair was mussed from pushing his hand back through it multiple times. Those bright gray-blue eyes glanced down at her and he smiled. Audrey was suddenly struck by the realization that he was a very handsome man.

"Do you think maybe Duke was right?" she asked, surprising herself when the words left her mouth.

"Never," Nathan said immediately. Then he paused and asked, "Wait, about what?"

"About sexual tension," Audrey explained. "Think maybe he's got a point? That we could be better at our jobs if we're not so - tense?"

Nathan stared at the wall pensively, tracing a finger around the rim of the bottle. "Maybe," he admitted. "It's easier to think when I'm not stressed. Dunno if it's bad enough to mess with work, but it might be." He took a deep swallow of the whiskey and then added, "Can't be sure though, it's been too long for me to remember."

"Whatcha mean?" Audrey asked, tilting her head to look up at him again without having to lift her cheek from his warm shoulder.

"Well it's been a long time, since, you know," he said and made an awkward gesture that she assumed had something to do with sex. "I haven't done it since my 'Fliction came back. So it's been a couple years."

"What about Jess?" Audrey pressed.

"We never did it," he said and gave a sheepish smile. "We tried, and we were going to, but then you got attacked and then she left. Just never happened." He passed her the bottle and then said, "What about you and Chris?"

"Once, yeah," she said.

"And?" Nathan prompted. "Did it work?"

"I guess maybe," Audrey said. "But then with that whole time loop thing right after I guess I never really felt un-stressed." They lapsed back into quiet, passing the bottle back and forth between them. A little breeze slipped in through the open patio door and she shivered, burrowing further into Nathan's side until her legs were practically in his lap. "We could always try it."

Nathan blinked and looked down at her, that little line carving down between his eyebrows in confusion. "Try what?"

"Sex," Audrey answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. They'd just been talking about it a few minutes ago, how had he forgotten already? "To see if it makes us feel better, and work better. I mean we're friends, so it won't be awkward. And if it doesn't work then we'll just forget about it."

"Wait, sex together?" Nathan asked, looking more and more confused. "Like, we should have sex? With each other?"

"Sure," Audrey said. "You know, like friend sex. Just to get rid of the tension and all that. It'll work out good that way, because you're the only guy here I trust, and I'm the only person you can feel. So it makes sense, right?"

Nathan was frowning again, an intense look in his eyes that she knew meant he was thinking deeply. "Yeah, that does kinda make sense," he agreed. He lifted a hand to rub at his lower lip, something he always seemed to do when he was thinking about something."Won't that be weird though? 'Cause we're friends and we work together and all."

"We can make it work though," Audrey said assuredly, setting her hand on top of his. Nathan glanced down at the contact curiously. "Because we're best friends, remember? Best friends can do anything and still be best friends. Isn't that what everyone always says? Best friends forever." Audrey leaned up and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek. "You're my best friend forever, Nathan."

Nathan chuckled, but his free hand came up to touch the spot on his cheek where she'd kissed lightly. Audrey noticed and smiled. "Does it feel good, to feel kisses again?" she asked curiously. Distractedly, Nathan nodded. Audrey grinned and sat up, tucking her legs beneath her and pivoting to face him better on the little sofa. She laid a hand on his cheek. Nathan twitched at the touch but didn't pull away. Feeling determined, Audrey leaned in and kissed his cheek again, close to the corner of his mouth, and lingered there for several long seconds.

"It feels good, right?" she whispered against his skin. She felt a tremor go up his body, and heard as he swallowed roughly. "That's what we can do for each other, as friends. Remind each other how good it feels. There's nothing bad about that, right?"

Nathan took a slow, unsteady breath, and then leaned his head back to meet her gaze. She could see that his eyes had darkened slightly, and when he spoke his voice sounded ragged. "Couldn't hurt to try." The smallest of smiles curled up the edge of his lips and Audrey felt something inside of her stomach jump for joy. She placed a hand on either side of his face and crushed her lips against his. It was shallow and sloppy, but she couldn't deny that it felt fantastic.

Nathan responded immediately, grabbing her waist and pulling her so she straddled his lap for better leverage. Her hands moved up to comb through his hair and his slipped beneath the hem of her camisole to rest on her lower back. Chills went up her spine at the feeling of his coarse fingertips scraping across her skin. While one hand stayed on her back the other explored, from her hair to her bared shoulder to the curve of her arm. Their chests were pressed together and Audrey could feel the heat coming from his body, but somehow it just didn't feel close enough.

When her fingers curled around the hem of his tee-shirt Nathan shuddered and a strangled noise escaped him Audrey met his gaze curiously and was surprised to see he was blushing. "Sorry, it tickled," he said, looking embarrassed. Audrey laughed and kissed him soundly once again, breaking apart just long enough to drag his shirt over his head and toss it away. In the semi-darkness her eyes traced the lines of his torso eagerly. He went rigid when she splayed her hands against his chest, and a small moan left him as his eyes rolled back in his head.

Fascinated, Audrey began sliding her hands across his skin. She drew patterns and outlined muscles, watching the way her simple touch affected him. Even the smallest touches made him groan and fidget. His hands were fisted in the fabric of the sofa cushions, his knuckles white with the effort. It was amazing to her, just how much power she held over him. In a way it was oddly liberating. While everything in her life had tumbled apart around her, here was a place she had control.

Audrey leaned in and placed open-mouthed kisses down the side of his neck, across his shoulder and collarbone. Nathan practically writhed beneath her and another groan boiled low in his throat. "Parker," he gasped when she kissed the hollow beneath his collarbone, where an old faded scar gleamed on his skin. In a flash his restraint snapped and his hands went back to her waist, grabbing the hem of her camisole and lifting it up over her head so quickly that the lace hem tore. It was discarded blindly and then his hands were on her again and it was Audrey's turn to shudder.

"Nathan," Audrey said, panting. "We should prob-" she trailed off with a low moan as his fingers travelled up her sides, counting her ribs until they reached the bottom of her bra. Deciding on a much shorter sentence she simply said, "Bed."

Nathan gave a grunt of understanding and hooked his arms beneath her legs, lifting her with him in one swift movement. He carried her across the room to the bed and then gently laid her on the mattress. Audrey promptly sat up and reached for the button of his jeans. The fire was racing through her veins faster than her heart could pump it. They were getting close to the edge, close to passing that point of no return. And she couldn't care less. After all, that's what they were aiming for, wasn't it?

Her hands closed around the waistband of his pants and Nathan let out a small gasp at the feel of her fingertips on his abdomen. She undid the button and zipper as fast as her trembling fingers would allow, and then eased his jeans down over his hips. Nathan stepped out of his jeans and took his socks off, tossing them over his shoulder as he moved to kneel on the bed. When his hands reached tentatively for her jeans, Audrey obligingly laid back to give him better access. Nathan slid her pants down her legs deliberately, trailing his fingertips along each new inch of skin as it was exposed. That look in his eyes, the intense focus and sheer euphoria, made the flame curling in Audrey's stomach erupt in an inferno. Dear God she couldn't take much more of this.

Audrey grabbed his face and pulled him down to her in another kiss, and as she did his body stretched out over hers. The feel of his lean muscled body pressing down on her elicited another moan, tipping her far over the point of no return. There was no backing out now. She didn't just want now, she needed. And she didn't have to look to know that he was needy and ready for this as well, because she could feel him pressed hard up against her hipbone.

"Nathan," she rasped out and he nodded, as if he just instinctively understood all she was saying in just one word. His fingers made quick work of the last shreds of clothing. She could feel him there, ready and waiting, and her hips instinctively bucked against the contact. He growled deep in his chest, his body bowing to return the pressure, and the next thing she knew he was in.

"Oh God," Nathan gasped and his whole body went rigid. When she fidgeted underneath him, wanting to feel more of the way he could fill her, Nathan groaned. "Parker, wait," he said. "Stop."

"What's wrong?" Audrey asked uncertainly.

Nathan let out a wry, breathless chuckle. "Nothing. Just - give me a sec or this'll be over way too fast."

"Oh, right, sorry," Audrey said and she struggled to hold her body still. It was insanely hard to do with over six feet of lean, hard muscles pressed down over her body and inside of her. She waited until some of the tension had left Nathan's body, and then she leaned up and pressed feather light kisses along his jaw and his neck. "Okay, we'll take it slow then," she said, brushing her lips over his ear as she spoke.

Nathan moaned. "You're teasing me, Parker," he accused with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

Audrey chuckled, moving her hands slowly and determinedly up the length of Nathan's back so he shuddered under her touch. "Oh trust me, Wuornos, I haven't even started yet."