Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright for Waking the dead or its characters – all rights belong to the BBC
Content: Boyd and Grace
Rating: K
Hey Joodiff … look what happens when you're quiet! I write a 1000+ words of fluff. I shouldn't be left alone!
Serendipitous moments never fail to make me smile. As I was thinking about them today I had a random idea for a very quick fic. Thank you for taking time to read it. I must warn you that it is completely fluff pure and simple. But it's Saturday and everyone needs fluff at the weekend. Enjoy x
Serendipity
"Hi" Boyd smiled widely as he made his way into her office and sat heavily down on her sofa. "Whatcha thinking about?" He asked sitting back comfortably and crossing his long legs in front of him.
"Serendipity" Grace replied.
"What?"
"The law of serendipity. You know when you discover something by accident that is better than the thing you were looking for in the first place."
"I know what serendipity is, Grace, but what has you thinking about it eh?"
"Well, it's been almost ten years since I left Broadmoor to come to work here." She replied standing up and rounding the table before sitting down closely beside him. "I remember that I was looking for a new challenge, something that was going to leave me fulfilled, make me feel that I was making a difference in some way."
"And you found it … right?" He said tentatively, worried about where she was going with her train of thought.
"Yes, yes I did." She replied smiling gently as the deep frown on his forehead lifted in relief at her words. "But I found something that was even better than I was looking for."
"Oh yea? What's that then?"
Grace rolled her eyes playfully at him. "You of course." She smiled nudging her knee against his. "I found you."
He returned her smile almost shyly before dropping his gaze. "And that's better is it?" He asked softly.
"Of course it's better. I'm happier now than I have ever been. You know that don't you?" She answered reaching back and running her fingers through his thick silver hair. He inclined his body into her, relaxing under the feel of her touch. Boyd sighed deeply in complete contentment as they locked glances.
"I hope so Grace." He replied as he lifted his hand to tenderly brush her hair from her face. Slowly he leaned into her and gently covered her lips with his own, his fingers still tangled in her hair as he tenderly kissed her.
"What about you? Are you happy?" Grace asked when they finally eased apart.
"Yes, Yes I am. Sometimes I feel happier than I know I deserve to be." He answered honestly.
"Oh you do say some stupid things sometimes Boyd. Everyone has a right to be happy, no-one more so than you."
"Yea, I know, it's just, when I think of what a mess I've made of my life it doesn't seem right that I get to be this happy now."
"Serendipity." She smiled.
"What?"
"It's serendipity and you've just got to go with it. When you hired me you were looking for a profiler not a lover and I'm hoping that what we have now is better than what you had first intended."
"Oh yea, it's better alright … but not serendipitous."
"Whadya mean? Grace asked turning to look at him and noting the hesitation in his eyes.
"Um … nothing doesn't matter." He said as he made to get up.
"No, not so fast Boyd. Come on spill it." She replied pushing down lightly on his thigh to prevent him from moving.
"Really it doesn't matter …."
"Oh I think it does, now come on."
"Well I wasn't looking to hire a profiler, Grace… I was looking to hire you." He answered in the hope that it would pacify her. No such luck.
"How were you looking to hire me? You didn't even know me at the time."
"True …. kinda." Boyd replied realising that he was in too deep to get out of it now.
"Kinda?" Grace raised her eyebrows in expectation of him continuing.
"I had heard you speak at a police conference many years ago …"
"I thought you hated those conferences."
"I do. But it was during the time when I was trying to make a good impression, you know get my face seen by the right people. I thought it would be good for promotion." He shrugged.
"Unlike now when you couldn't give a damn."
"Pretty much. Anyway I heard you speak and knew that I wanted you."
"To be your profiler?"
"Erm … not exactly." His eyes glinted mischievously.
"Well then, what?"
Slowly and deliberately he repeated. "I wanted you, Grace." He held her gaze intently his dark eyes burning into hers before his mouth rose in a boyish grin as he watched realisation dawn across her features, her cheeks blushing at the inference."
"But you didn't even speak to me during that conference." She said as she composed herself, her body on fire at the intensity of his gaze.
"I know. Couldn't bring myself to do it."
"What, you expect me to believe that? I've seen you Boyd at social functions, always surrounded by pretty women, somehow convincing them that you really are charming."
"I can be charming." He replied feigning a hurt look.
"Well obviously I agree, though heaven only knows why. But that still doesn't answer my question. Why didn't you introduce yourself?"
"I suppose I was intimidated." His eyes dropped towards the floor.
Grace laughed loudly. "Intimidated. By me? Are you serious?"
"Yes I'm serious." He answered raising his eyebrows and peering over the top of his glasses at her. "You held that room in the palm of your hand that day and used words I didn't even know existed let alone know what they meant. I watched as people gathered around you afterwards vying for your attention and asking questions which you answered fluently and all I knew was, I wanted you, but that I wasn't good enough for you."
"How could you make that judgement? You didn't know me, so how could you judge who I would or wouldn't be interested in?"
He sighed heavily. "It wasn't really about you Grace; it was about me and how I felt. I was just a dumb copper who was trying to get his face seen and yea I guess I was intimidated by you and all your big fancy words ….. but I was also completely captivated."
"And so based on that day you decided to hire me when they put you in charge of this unit."
"Um … not exactly."
"Oh I'm finding out so much about you tonight that I didn't know Boyd." Grace continued good-naturally. "So when exactly did you decide to give me the job then"
"Well after that conference when I knew that I wanted you, I kinda followed your career a bit."
"Kinda? In what way?"
"Seriously Grace … do we really have to do this? Can't you just accept I wanted you, you're here, we're together and happy?"
"No way Boyd! This is way too much fun."
"Argh I was afraid you were going to say that." He ran his hand across his face. "Okay. I attended a few more conferences that I knew you were going to be speaking at and read pretty much all of your books, alright? That's all, nothing major." He said almost dismissively.
"You stalked me?" Grace said trying to conceal her laughter.
"I did not!"
"Well what would you call it then?"
"Research!" He grinned as he leaned closer to her. "And very worthwhile research at that." He added continuing to close the gap until his lips once again met hers. He deepened his kiss as he felt her respond to him, his hands reaching around her back to pull her tighter to himself.
"So you see Dr Foley, for me it wasn't serendipitous at all. I knew exactly what I was looking for when I found you; I was just waiting until you caught up on the idea."
"Took me a while didn't it?"
"Damn right it did, but you were definitely worth the wait." He replied pulling her closer into his chest and placing a kiss on top of her head.
"Better than you dreamed?"
"Much, much better." He replied softly, tenderly stroking her face.
"Ah so you see then …. maybe serendipity had a small part to play after all."
Fin