While re-watching Body of Proof I found myself lingering on moments that could have meant more than they did which resulted in a long drabble. This particular work was based around the episode Buried Secrets. I have no beta so all mistakes are mine. Please be gentle if you do not enjoy as there is a difference in constructive criticism and just being rude.
I do not own these characters! They are property of ABC and all others responsible for their flawless creation. Though I wouldn't mind borrowing Dana Delany and Jeri Ryan for a bit.
Chief wants U.
Of course Kate wanted Megan. She was the best damn medical examiner Philadelphia had at the moment but it wasn't as if the ex neurosurgeon asked for praise because of it. Well, not public glorification but it did tickle her fancy whenever Dr. Kate Murphy handed her compliments. It was a bit strange that the blonde boss had gone through Peter with her request for Dr. Megan Hunts presence instead of just contacting the woman herself, but that was something to file away for later. Dealing with an upset Joan Hunt had been enough drama for one morning for the red head that morning.
Arriving on scene proved to be a bit frazzling. Aside from the normal crime scene tape, police officers and correct officials, there were spectators, cameras, journalist circling. High profile cases were definitely not something Megan strives to be a part of for many reasons; none of which she wanted to get into.
A police veteran was found dead in the road, one of Phillys own, which definitely cause for the hoopla going on around them. Green eyes landed upon the goddess that was Kate Murphy but refused to acknowledge anything but the words flowing past her colored lips in that moment because there was a job to be done. It was no secret that cops jumped the gun when it came to tracking down killers of their own, often leading to false arrests and harassment, due to over emotional stances and the inability to remain bias; which was something everyone wanted to avoid.
The medical examiners eyes watched the non coagulating blood trickle down her gloved finger. A finger belonging to a hand that seemed to be having flare ups since breakfast with her mother earlier that morning. As Kate stressed the importance of the case. "Really? Are you sure you want me on the case?" Megan snarked back unsure if her boss's need to remind her of the significance of the case was professional or a dig.
As soon as Kates face morphed into one of defense Megan knew that the woman was only doing her job, not doubting her skill. "I know what you're good at." Slipped off the blondes tongue as she walked away, not giving either a chance to really process what had been said.
The past few months things at the office had been tense, to put it lightly, causing the pair to bump heads more than usual. Their playful banter had turned tasteless at times leaving both women perplexed as to what was happening.
Megan's face contorted to one of confusion before she leaned back down to the body. What had Kate meant by that? Green eyes glanced in the direction the other medical examiner had walked off in allowing a soft sigh to escape when she caught sight of the slender body sauntering towards the camera. That leather pencil skirt did wonderful things for Kate's ass and those Christian Louboutin stilettos accentuated her legs perfectly. Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, the ginger shook her head at the vulgar thoughts floating through her mind and went back to work.
As if the pressure of the hovering detectives and her superiors wasn't enough, the mayor was putting a rush on the case. No one seemed to understand the process that went into determining cause of death which was exasperating. However, Dr. Megan Hunt did not show stress the way that most do. While some would get frustrated, yell or scream even, the red head made sure that her intelligence was recognized in a snarky yet calm manner that often put others in their place. It was extremely gratifying to be able to control a room with nothing more than a stern look and an extensive vocabulary.
Cold. Detached. Disconnected. Dispassionate. Were all a few words that had been used when describing Dr. Megan Hunt, but none of them were true. While most wore hearts on their sleeves, the medical examiner made sure to compartmentalize which resulted in locking her heart away. It was better that way for work purposes. It was better that way for personal affairs, as well. Everyone had their weakness though and every now and again, regardless of her walls, a sliver of emotion shone through in the workplace allowing people to get a glimpse of the real woman who walked the halls in designer attire. Those moments were few and far between, often forgotten by some, but a rarity that some cherished more than people knew.
Peter Dunlop had proven to be a thorn in Megans side for months. An attractive thorn but still a prick that she often wished she could rid herself of. The man was down right infuriating at times due to his inability to understand personal boundaries. Perhaps, Megan shouldn't have gone to him seeking advice when it came to parenting while trying to get Lacey back in her life. Either way, the medicolegal investigator seemed to think he had an open invitation to comment on all things Megan. Especially when it came to her paresthesia flare ups. If the woman hadn't been frustrated with the negative ending of the non breakfast with her mother this morning she was certainly reaching the brink of irritation when Peter decided to try and analyse her.
"I had breakfast with my mother, okay? My hands went numb and I dropped my knife. Unfortunately, it didn't land in her jugular." She stated while trying to identify a particle under a magnifying glass. "It's a complicated relationship." One she didn't feel like getting into at the moment. Hopefully those words would be enough to appease the blonde mans curiosity. Thankfully, the investigator took the hint and continued on with conversations about the case.
The day seemed to get longer with every passing moment. From the murder a cop to the discovery of wrong findings on a young female homicide years before that could very well be linked which ultimately led to the need to exhume a body. The thought alone was thrilling for a reason that was very unprofessional. Surely Dr. Kate Murphy, Chief Medical Examiner, would not be proud of the initiative that the red head took which could result in a heated discussion filled with glare that lit her insides on fires in ways she definitely could not make known.
Soon enough the following day arrived without Kate being informed about Megans plans to exhume a body which meant one thing - it was time to reveal what she wanted. Finding her boss in front of a television, watching a press conference being aired from the crime scene the day before, brought on a feeling of pride and amusement. Why pride? Megan hadn't exactly figured that one out yet but chalked it up to the fact they were a team. Of course, she couldn't help but jibe the younger woman a bit which led to those baby blues being trained in on her face. It was hard not to be intoxicated by the woman's beauty but Peters presence was definitely a buzzkill. Soaking in the seconds Kate focused on her, solely her, was enough to fuel her delusion that maybe the tension was due to a mutual attraction.
"Her body was moved. Our only chance of finding out from where is to exhume her." And there was the gasp Megan so desperately wanted to hear under different circumstances, preferably under her, which sent a tingle down her spine. One she did not draw attention to as she tried to focus on the work aspect of the conversation. "If we find her killer. I bet we find Salerno's."
The women walked side by side down the halls debating the possible outcomes of what exactly Megan was asking for, all but forgetting Peters existence. Why they were even bothering a discussion on what was going to happen neither really knew. Kate said no but they both knew the answer wouldn't stop the other woman. In the end,
Megan Hunt always got what she wanted and Kate Murphy never faulted her for it. Green eyes trailed the backside of the blonde when she sauntered into her office in that deliciously tight pencil skirt, storing the view for a later date, until the man all but stepped in the red heads line of sight.
"I guess that's that." Peter had always been one to follow the rules. He didn't seem to take the same pleasure in riling up Kate as Megan which was more than okay with her. "That's not that, is it?"
Megan turned on her heels and started in the other direction. "Is it ever?"
No, no it wasn't.
Ending up in a cemetery next to her fathers grave hadn't been planned but fate seemed to work in funny ways. Standing there, reading his name as if the words would bring her some comfort, was hard. Though she had been merely 12 when the man had supposedly killed himself every detail of that day was burned in her memory. The silence was both deafening and relaxing. It was easier to reflect on the times they shared when no one was standing by her side. But solace never lasted long in the world of Megan Hunt and this time the interruption came from Peter Dunlop. It was alarming how easily he asked about the death of her father, how it happened that is, but Megan didn't allow her posture to falter.
"Suicide." Slipped past her lips with such ease that it shook her insides. Never had the doctor believed that the man who helped give her life took his own but that was none of Peters business. They had murders to solve.
It wasn't until Kate barged in saying "You just broke the law" that Megan realized she might have over stepped her boundaries this time. As they all piled into the woman's office for an ass chewing of epic proportions, Megan found it hard to even look at the woman in fear of what she might see.
"We have a perfectly valid court order." Escaped the mouth of the red head as hands buried in the pockets of her lab-coat.
The rage in Kate's eyes was unsettling as that head whipped around to look directly at Megan, finger extended in the air. "Forgetting for the moment that you disobeyed me, which quite frankly I'm coming to expect…" The words were not forceful which caused a smile to edge across the medical examiners face. "Did you even bother to inform the family about the exhumation?" Kate asked moving to prop a hand on her hip with a scorching look upon her face.
"Ethan did." She replied coolly before glancing back at the tech. "Didn't you?"
"I've been trying."
Well shit. That didn't go as planned. Megans eyes grew wide knowing that it was no longer going to be a fun conversation. Sure enough, Kate's tone because agitated, edgy, as she practically snapped at Megan. The tension in the room grew thick causing the two men to glance at one another questioningly before turning their attention back to the women. Everyone knew that Megan Hunt did not like to be told what to do but there was a line that just should not be crossed; digging up a girls body without speaking to the family was one of them. The Chief made it clear that she would be handling the conversation which would probably save all their asses, which they were silently thankful for, before Megan got snarky again. The fiery expression on the blondes face in that moment mixed with the strained atmosphere in the room was enough to suffocate.
"That will be all, Dr. Hunt."
The vexation expressed only gave Megan an extra push to close the cases they were presented with. It wasn't as if the woman went looking for an unsolved murder from the past when the officer body presented itself, or had been bestowed upon them, but one was developed. The family of the girl as well as the young woman herself deserved closure just as much as cop. In spite of, Kate's displeasure the red head was going to work until the killer(s) were caught. She had something to prove not only to her colleagues but herself.
Walking back into the morgue to find Kate looking through files over the young Adler girls body inflicted both insecurity and confusion. How as it that one woman held such a power over her? One that seeped into her personal life in ways she never imagined, didn't really want either. Over the years, Kate Murphy had proved to be her equal in so many ways. It was almost comical how the two seemed to tango with each other, pushing the other to the brink of anger only to find a creative way to bring each other back to a place of solitude. No one had been able to handle Megan Hunt like Kate. That little tid bit was infuriating but, somehow, caused the ginger to respect her boss even more.
The two hadn't spent much time together off the clock which led to a desire to get to know the woman behind the desk. Was Kate always this put together? Did the mask remain when she walked into the confines of her home? Did her smile light up the same way it did for Megan when she was on a date? Did her eyes roll with the same amusement and affection for acquaintances? Was there something more to this spark between them than a silly game of push and pull?
As they stood on opposites of an autopsy table, Megan listened to Kate reminisce about the case of the woman she had exhumed earlier on. That pivotal moment allowed the examiner to see the small crack in the facade of the woman.
"We're more alike than you think, Megan. I just follow the rules."
The words felt like a punch to the gut but an elation of her heart. Subtext oozed through the conversation leaving her rather disoriented. Everyone had been subjected to the topsy-turvy flirting of Megan in the lab, it kept the woman entertained on their slow days, but only with Kate did her teasing actually have meaning. Not often was the woman rendered speechless. Peter, Ethan, Curtis, Sam, or Bud would choose this moment cut through the silence between women with a smartass remark which would diffuse the situation but no one else was there. The tranquility of the silence allowed both women a period to process everything between them. Though very visible to anyone, and everyone, in the lab there was almost a safety in the moment allowing them to feel protected from the raw feelings exposed.
Kate pulled gloves out of the box next to her and held them out over the body between them. "So are you with me on this or not?" Communication wasn't needed as Megan crossed the room and took the gloves. It was a silent proclamation of what could possibly come. Eyes met, shy smiles curved the corners of lips, and hearts leapt as the gravity of the circumstances set in.
Finally coming together, the two went to work to close both cases. And close them they did. After all, two brilliant minds are better than one!
Prada pumps rested upon the feet of a woman wrapped in a powder blue trench coat leaning against a concrete wall in front of a sleek black car. The cool evening air blew through the garage causing blonde locks to billow as blue eyes fell closed enjoying the soothing feeling. It was nearing seven o'clock which meant that most everyone had departed for the day, especially since they closed two very important cases, leaving the parking structure nearly empty. It was almost eerie.
The sound of stilettos clicking across the pavement brought a smile to the face of the woman waiting, but her eyes remained closed. Nerves pricked every pore of the woman's being as the sound echoed a little louder with every passing second. There was no turning back after today. Though the words the younger of the two could easily be spun to pertain to the case in order to avoid what could possibly be an uncomfortable conversation, it wasn't what either wanted.
Being lost in her own mind, replaying the days events on a loop, distracted her from the fact the noise had stopped directly in front of her form. "Kate." The name rolled off the older womans tongue so quietly that the wind could have swept it away before it reached the ears of the other if there had been a breeze.
Megan couldn't help the anxious smile that spread across her face at the sight before her. There stood one of the most put together women she had ever met seemingly lost in a daydream. "Leaning against objects seems to be your thing." Light hearted humor seemed to be the way to get this conversation moving along. Truth be told, Kate leaning against anything was one of the red heads favorite sights. There was something so incredibly beautiful about how Kate seemed to look so natural and relaxed while doing so.
Blue eyes fluttered opened to the sight of a green looking rather apprehensive. "I have to find something to hold me up while I wait on you." A smirk splashed across Kate's lips.
This is the banter that Megan missed so. A truth rang out in the words, much like they had in the autopsy space earlier that day, that left Megan feeling rather winded for a brief second or two. Instead of gawking over the confusion of the moment she chose to move forward with what she wanted. Sitting her purse on the ground next to her feet to free her hands, the red heads fingers moved to encircle the elbows of the blonde. Gingerly tugging upon the slender arms of her boss, Megan forced them to drop from their folded position across Kate's chest. "I'm sorry."
A perfect curved brow arched over Kate's left eye but she remained silent, allowing Megan to work through whatever was going through her mind.
Glancing at her own hands, Megan watched as they descended Kate's arms with no hesitation or rush. If she had been watching an instance like this happen on her television with Lacey there was no doubt eyes would roll and a remark would be made about how unrealistic the situation was but this wasn't fictional. The same hands that had gone numb several times over the past few days seemed to ignite a fire in the depths of her soul as they brushed over the skin of Kates.
A soft gasp floated between them, neither was entirely sure who had released it, as soft manicured fingers slid between the spaces of the others, squeezing gently once locked together. This was unethical for many reasons but none seemed to matter.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long." Megan finally clarified as green eyes moved to seek out blues.
Kate couldn't help the laugh that rolled off her tongue and echoed through the empty parking garage. Everything felt extraordinarily ludicrous but appropriate. "I suppose this is the part where you expect me to say you are worth the wait?" She quipped playfully.
Now it was Megans turn to laugh. Eyes sparkled with relief and a happiness that hadn't felt in years as she shook her head. "We both know I am." She winked and moved to close the distance between them.
Playful sizzled to intense in a matter of seconds. Laughter turned in baited breath as women stood paralyzed. Foolish moments like these would be something expected of teenager, which wasn't far from how they both felt in the moment.
"If you aren't going to kiss me, Dr. Hunt, then I suggest you release me." Suggestive yet genuine. Laced with double meaning. If this wasn't going to blossom into something more than mere teasing then the blonde needed to be released, move on. Everything felt unrealistic when it came to Megan Hunt due to her antics around the lab with just about everyone. Then again, Kate could have been misinterpreting the signals over the past few months. Uneasiness caused her stomach to roll while her heart seemed to decide this was a proper moment to speed up inside her chest. Panic. She felt complete terror after the words left her lips though she tried to hide it behind a confident demeanor.
Bemused, Megan took a moment to really look at Kate. Denying her flirtatious behavior would be vacuous but she did not normally allow it escalate to the level they had reached. One could undoubtedly fathom the distress failing to hide behind confident blue orbs.
Guiding one of Kate's hands to her waist, she abandoned it in favor of cupping the younger woman's face. Never before in her life had she been uncertain of her future should she take a path but completely irrefutably sure it was the road she was going to take. Fingers trailed to the back of the blondes neck, curling around the slender column, before pulling it down.
"I don't plan on letting go." She replied before rolling on her toes to bring their faces together.
Eyes fluttered closed as fingers clung to the parts of the other they were holding onto the moment that lips glided together. Soft, chaste, innocent, was the best way to describe the first encounter. Megan's thumb slowly drug across the jawline of the blonde, while Kate's thumb traced the hip bone of Megan. The gentle actions only fueled the desires that lied underneath the surface. An exploratory kiss grew intense as lips parted and tongues engaged in a duel that neither thought would ever happen. Lips parted when oxygen became a necessity for heaving chests and flushed faces.
Kate couldn't help but smirk through soft laughter. "Does this mean you'll start following the rules?"
After green eyes forced themselves open, Megan pulled her head back but didn't release her hold on the other woman. "In your dreams, Dr. Murphy." She purred before leaning back in to nip at the younger woman's lips.
A moan floated between them at Megan's actions. "Trust me when I say you do exactly what I want in my dreams."
Yes, Megan Hunt always got what she wanted and Kate Murphy never faulted her for it. Especially this time.